A Marriage that Started a Legend

by IJustShowedUp

Follows canon but with my own arranged marriage spin on it. What happens when Hunith makes a mistake and is forced on the run with her infant son? What happens when Camelot knights find her twenty years later? What happens when Arthur learns he's betrothed to a peasant boy? Will Merlin be able to stand among royalty? Will these two different boys survive each other? Review!

195. Chapter 197

This chapter is dedicated to Khalafani, who came up with me doing an actual trial for Bryon and Julian after they attacked Merlin at the beginning of this episode. It was really fun to write, they gave me a lot of material to use for it, so I hope they like how I put it altogether ;p

X

Arthur Pendragon could honestly say he had never had any real friends before in his twenty years on this earth, which he could see was pretty pathetic since the thought was now in his mind. Sure, Arthur's had people he hung about on a daily basis… it had been a while, but Markus used to join him during his time on the training fields. Markus had been the one that usually dragged Arthur to the marketplace to scope out weaker targets for them to mess around with for a laugh or two. He was usually the one that was seeking Arthur out, and for the longest time, Arthur had considered that to be a meaningful friendship. Knight Markus was probably the only person Arthur hadn't minded being around for a length of time, and wasn't that what friendships were? People that were a little less annoying to Arthur compared to the many other boot lickers he dealt with his entire life? It had made sense to Arthur, mainly because it happened to be one of the few things he actually knew, despite how much he liked to claim he knew everything. But it had been weeks, if not months, since Arthur had hung around Markus in a scenario that didn't include working, and he was only now starting to realize… he didn't even miss the man! Shouldn't Arthur miss being around his only friend?

But perhaps friendships were more complicated than what Arthur had always assumed they were. He hung around Markus because he was comfortable, or because he was always there, so Arthur was used to him. Like a habit that was as bad as when Arthur gave into weakness and nerves and started biting down on his thumbnail until there was no nail left to bite. Arthur couldn't imagine the thought of going to Markus when he actually needed something… like this last mission, for instance. It hadn't occurred to Arthur that he should go to Markus if he needed help with something of this magnitude, despite knowing that the other man was a decent warrior who could hold himself in a fight. He couldn't imagine going to Markus for a lot of things, actually. Not if he wanted to talk to somebody—he'd been needing to talk to somebody about Merlin for months at this point—who would be able to tell him he wasn't crazy to have this strange obsession over him. He couldn't go to Markus unless he was already in a mood to show off, which seemed to be the only thing the two of them ever did when they got together. He couldn't be anything but… Prince Arthur, whenever he's around the other knight, which made it even sadder considering he thought of Markus as his closest of friends.

And then Arthur saw somebody like Lancelot running around the kingdom, and he had to start wondering… what would it be like to have a friend like that? The former knight had disobeyed a direct order from the Prince, and came chasing after him into a situation that almost certainly meant his death. And that also meant, every beat of his heart today was something Arthur owed to the former knight. Arthur was used to being the one that saved people, it was his duty, as it had been since the day he was born. What he wasn't used to was other men risking their lives just to get him out. Arthur was the leader, the one meant that was meant to be in the line of fire in order to give his men time to escape after the situation proved to be too much. And now look at what's happened, first it was Merlin, who had deserved the literal world handed to him on a tray of gold after continuously saving him not just once but several times, when he should have been the first in life to abandon the prince. And now Lancelot's gone and done the same… he saved Arthur's LIFE! It wasn't something Arthur would ever take lightly, even if his savior was a commoner. Arthur could hardly consider a scenario in which he would fight viciously against his own father if Markus was the man standing before him now. Markus also wouldn't have disobeyed Arthur or his direct orders, something else Arthur had never considered to be a good thing until he met the men that were smart enough to pull something like this off.

And succeed.

"But, Lancelot. I don't think you understand… you were the only one that was able to kill the griffin, the only one that succeeded when dozens of other men weren't able to. I think you have more than proved yourself capable, you don't have to do anymore trials or tests to make a point." Arthur said with a cautious smile, trying to make sense of Lancelot trying to leave the kingdom. If the man wanted to be a knight so badly, then why would he leave when Arthur was very close to making it happen. He just needed to push his father a bit more on the subject, even Uther's stubbornness couldn't be blinded to the results that the former knight yielded. "I mean, you've already proven yourself capable enough of finding a place next to my consort without lying your hands on him in a foul manner. Do you realize how rare it is to find a knight in this kingdom that can do that? Because I didn't before this past week. Who else am I going to trust to put in charge of Merlin's protection detail that he'll accept without question about it?"

Perhaps Arthur had simply been getting ahead of himself, but he had already been thinking of the things that… friends… did with each other. Things the two of them could do to get better acquainted whenever Merlin was somewhere he didn't need round the clock protection, like at his uncle's. But he was honestly stuck there, and unable to come up with something 'friends' did, he was pretty sure training didn't count as a 'friendly outing.' Arthur already had many under him that he could train with, though none that were actually smart enough that they could trick the famed sword fighter Arthur onto his back. And Arthur was pretty sure having somebody to bounce off the different idea he had on trying to gain Merlin's trust again was unlikely when it came to Lancelot. But that was only another reason the prince wanted Lancelot to be a member of Camelot's court so badly, the former knight wouldn't yield to Arthur's pushing and would keep Merlin's confidence. As much as Arthur wanted to know what Merlin was saying about him behind closed doors—and would probably scheme different ideas on how to drive that information out of Lancelot—the trust between this former knight and his consort was more important. There was a certain feeling of respect Arthur had, for a man who would tell Arthur to 'fuck off', should the prince start pushing too hard again. Arthur wasn't capable of judging himself on that, as he has proved time and time again by how many times he had flung himself past Merlin's boundaries just to make himself feel better. So, Lancelot was like a fucking gift from the gods for Arthur.

He could see that now, no longer blinded by the past rage Lancelot had been invoking in him in the early days.

"Perhaps, once you've managed to weed out the knights who look to harm the ones in their charge, then you'll be able to find a knight who would look at the job with the same seriousness and dedication that I, myself, would have if the consort was put under my charge." Lancelot spoke, tone heavy and filled with just as much regret as Arthur was feeling. But Arthur understood the message Lancelot was trying to tell him loud and clear… keep doing what he was doing. Keep weeding out the knights that weren't fit to hold their stations, even if that meant knocking the knights and the Kingdoms entire program all the way to its foundation. Anything less would be a disgrace to Merlin and his safety, and the prince nodded to himself. Anything less would be… a complete disgrace to the prince and his role as Merlin's husband. "There is much of the world that I find myself interested in seeing, much I find I need to do if I have any hope of being stronger than I am now. I'll be better the next time our paths cross, but till that day comes… your highness."

Lancelot was looking past Arthur to where the king was standing, watching the entire exchange with an unfathomable expression on his face. Arthur had gone and forgotten his father was still standing there, and it made the prince twinge in embarrassment. There were so many things he had wanted to tell the former knight, so many things he wanted to express… like thanking him generously for doing the one thing Arthur wanted to do, even if it took a million years just for him to accomplish. Befriending Merlin. Standing up against his father and what laws he decreed were just and fair had been one matter, but bearing his soul in such a way was a completely different situation. One proved Arthur was a man of honor, wanting to do right by joining in the fight Lancelot and Merlin's been scheming in the background. And the other would only make him look weak in his father's eyes, a failure and a disappointment and somebody who wouldn't be good enough to rule a kingdom. His father could have very well caused the prince's death tonight, which was where his courage to join the fight had came from to begin with. But there were some territories that would've been pushing too far. Challenging his father's laws for the good of the kingdom and Merlin's safety vs. admitting his own failures as both a husband and a man… the former knight turned to Arthur now, cutting off the prince in mid-thought.

But the man didn't bow his head down to Arthur like he had done to his father. Instead, the former warrior strode right up to the prince, causing Arthur to go tense, his stomach muscles tightening beneath his armor. This was probably a good time for Lancelot to try punching him in the face, considering the hell he had put the man through just by being 'too' friendly with his consort. But the former warrior did not try to get one last attack in on Arthur before he vacated the kingdom for… who knows when, or even if, their paths would ever actually cross again. Instead, Lancelot held out his hand to Arthur, stretching it out for the prince to take. Arthur's brows furrowed into the center of his forehead as he studied the hand before him, taking in the olive tone and the smallish nicks and scratches he must've gotten from training on his own, a dangerous thing to attempt, but something that had to be done if one didn't have the means to get a proper mentor. This was new though, Arthur didn't think he and Lancelot had ever shaken hands before. Was this truce? Some kind of sign that the two of them 'could' become friends the next time they met… if Arthur managed to get his act together with Merlin, of course? Arthur didn't know, but he reached out and took Lancelot's hand in his anyway.

From one knight, to another.

A goodbye, just as much as it was a, see you later.

"I'll probably be gone for quite some time, maybe even years, I suspect. But do know that I'll always be keeping an heart out for any news I hear flooding from Camelot Castle. I've heard many stories on my travels before I ended up on the doorsteps of your home myself." Lancelot said, his tone calm as he bore those dark eyes of his into Arthur's own, giving the prince's hand a squeeze that was a little more tight then it should've been for a goodbye. Tight enough to make Arthur wince as he felt the beginning's of his bones starting to creak beneath the strain. Arthur wasn't entirely sure what Lancelot meant, he was very much aware of the stories that seemed to follow his consort around wherever he was going. But he didn't much know how the ones outside the city differed from all the ones fluttering about within the gates. "Let's just say, I hope you know and understand that you need to be the one to take care of your Consort. Not the other way around. I would hate to hear sometime down the line that you were starting to neglect Consort Merlin as you have in the past."

Ignoring the pain radiating up his arm now, Arthur's eyes drifted somewhere over Lancelot's shoulder, to where he could see Merlin standing by the doors and watching the exchange as well. Arthur's throat convulsed as Merlin's eyes met his in what felt like forever, he took his time memorizing everything he had already learned. The shape of Merlin's eyebrows, the ways his face curved it's way down to his chin to form his delicate features, the way his dark hair fell in place just above his eyes, the curve of his lips, and the little soft point making up his nose, and the blueness of his eyes that could drown a man whole. This whole entire… viewing… of Merlin made the prince waver on his feet, as Arthur took in the young boy that could very well be lost to him already. He had been trying so hard not to acknowledge Merlin's physical presence in the room until it became clear just now that ignoring him, would only dishonor Merlin for the million time in their short few months together. It was why he didn't let himself remove his eyes away from Merlin's form, even after the other boy turned away from him, most likely still bitter about the argument they had gotten into at the last meeting they had.

"I will."

The words felt as if they were being choked out of Arthur, a silent vow meant for himself just as much as it was a promise to Lancelot. The other man could leave, knowing Arthur was going to stay on the path he had set up for himself, instead of falling back into his old habits. Arthur had a pretty strong motivator for keeping on this righteous path he was exploring, several strong motivators actually. For one, Arthur never wanted to see Merlin crying again, not like he'd done the day he had woke up from his poisoning only to be assaulted with the prince's lips. And two, Arthur never wanted to live a day where Merlin was left walking away from him, because Arthur was dumb enough to use Merlin's past as a way to win an argument that had hardly started. He knew he would never be able to forgive himself for throwing Merlin's suicide in his face when Merlin had only been trying to talk him out of this foolish plan to confront the griffin like they had. And three… three was probably the strongest motivator of them all.

The golden chains hidden beneath Arthur's bed.

This was the first time Arthur was seeing Merlin ever since discovering those chains in his room earlier this afternoon. The first time Arthur was seeing the consort who would have—in another life—worn those chains as if they were the shackles they were meant to be. Even now, Arthur's breath came out short and ragged, his chest tight with anguish and guilt, as he imagined Merlin's delicate wrists bruised from the pressure of the chains that strung him to the ceiling of Arthur's bedroom. Imagined how crippled Merlin would've became after trying to kick himself loose, but unable to go anywhere because the chains had been designed to hold Merlin's feet apart. There were black dots starting to form in the corners of Arthur's eyes now because of how hard he found it to breathe in a normal way, the image of a golden chain pressed taut against the base of his consort's spine and slithering it's way up to Merlin's neck was seared into his head. Arthur could see Merlin's delicate and fragile little neck in front of him right now, so weak and pale that Arthur would only need one sharp jab at the right angle to shatter the important bones keeping him alive. The golden collar Arthur fantasized around that boy's throat as a means of claiming him in a way more primitive manner than marriage allowed, now made the prince desperate to claw his own eyes out of his scalp until he was nothing but a bleeding mess of nerves where his eye sockets used to be. Just so he could no longer defile the dark angel in front of him.

Lancelot pulled his hand away from Arthur's, and the prince's breath caught as he jolted back around to look at the former knight. He had forgotten he'd been shaking Lancelot's hand, but it left him unbalanced now that he didn't have his former knight to hold onto. He didn't know if he had past whatever warning the other man had been trying to give him, but who could blame Arthur if he felt a little dissociated from his surroundings right now. Arthur has had—many—odd and horrid fantasies in the past few months, vivid fantasies that often involved the brutal rape and violation of an innocent. Bad enough to have such horrible thoughts on anybody, but somehow, being that Merlin was the key victim in his madness, only made Arthur want to boil himself alive. Until such thoughts did not exist. Until Arthur no longer tasted the scent of Merlin's virginity lingering in the air like a cloud of mist only Arthur could sense, as if he was some kind of demented bloodhound. Arthur could only watch as Lancelot, the only man Arthur could trust not to betray the faith Merlin had in him, turned away from him and faced Merlin himself. Before bowing, lower and deeper and with more respect than he had bestowed upon those Royal by blood.

"Consort Merlin."

It was spoken in a low murmur, so low that Arthur had to strain his ears to hear him say it, spoken with all the reverence given to somebody he revealed in the most, even more than Arthur or his father. And it was only as Lancelot rose up once again, did it click inside of the prince's mind why Lancelot had squeezed his hand so hard during their own parting. It was a threat. Arthur's chest felt as if ice had started encircling his ribcage and organs, spreading out to other bits of bodily functions. Lancelot had been low-key threatening Arthur, his partings to Arthur had been nothing more than a warning to the prince… if he heard any word on Arthur dehumanizing Merlin like he'd done in the past, he wouldn't be hesitant about returning to Camelot. Hell, maybe it was less of a warning, and more of a promise. Lancelot would return, and he wouldn't leave again unless he was taking Merlin with him. Taking him away from Arthur's sight, taking him out of the borders of the city meant to offer him safety but hadn't, taking him somewhere Arthur might never be able to reach him again. His stomach made a harsh lurching, the ground unsettled beneath his feet, his gaze unwavering tethered to his sweet consort who was focused sorely on Lancelot.

Lancelot strode out of the room with his consort's eyes on him, the ex-knight never lowering his head in shame as he passed by the two knights standing at the doors. And Arthur was struck with a sense of dread, forced to confront the one thing he didn't want to… maybe it would be better if Merlin decided to go with Lancelot. Merlin wouldn't have the luxuries he had now, he wouldn't have the full access he had to Arthur's vaults and he wouldn't have servants who'd begun jumping forward when they saw him coming, and he wouldn't have the safety net that came with never wondering where his next meal would come or where he would lay his head down that night. But even with all the downsides that came from a peasant traveling the streets between villages and cities and kingdoms, Merlin would be safer and well protected under Lancelot's care and guidance, far more than he ever had with Arthur. Perhaps Arthur was less of a man for wishing Merlin WOULD go, for admitting defeat, admitting he was not good enough for somebody as decent as Merlin. But why did his pride have to matter, when Arthur had already torn Merlin's to shreds and laughed about it?

X

It was two days after Lancelot made his rousing goodbye speech to the royal family of Camelot, Merlin Pendragon found himself awake far too early in the morning. If he had things his way, Merlin would have been more then content to sleep the morning away, he deserved having a morning to himself after his part in making sure the griffin would never be able to harm their lands again. In retrospect, Merlin probably did have a choice… he could very easily climb back into his bed and pretend this morning's events weren't happening. It's not as if anybody was expecting him to show up, Merlin had made it very clear with his husband—days ago when the prince had first brought it to his attention—that he'd not be partaking. But times were shifting, and it was a very snap decision of Merlin's to go anyway, made in the late hours of the night before, when he'd been going back and forth on the issue for hours.

Merlin was currently standing in front of the small mirror he had fished from the large chest he kept pushed against his wall, the one that contained all of the royal outfits he'd been given to wear at some point or another during the last four months he lived in Camelot. He was stressing himself out over all of this, he knew it, Merlin didn't usually spend so long in front of a mirror trying to make himself look presentable. Especially as, by his own personal choices, he had opted to wear his normal clothes rather than something fetched out of the trunk. His burnt orange shirt was as close as he could get to the red shade of Camelot's colors, though his brown jacket covered most of it. His tattered brown trousers tucked into his scuffed brown boots were going to look out of place among the extravagant robes and dresses he was sure others would be wearing today. But that was the point, Merlin wanted to look different from the ones that carried nobility in their bloodlines, he wanted to look as normal and as ordinary as he could make himself. His decision still made him doubt rather or not he was making the right choice, it was why he kept on fidgeting around with the dark tufts of hair that continued sticking out, and mentally cursing out Arthur for losing his red neckerchief and only leaving him with the blue one.

"Merlin," Gaius called from the doorway, where he'd been standing for several minutes just watching as Merlin muddled about with his appearance. He knew his uncle had been standing there, but Merlin was sure he was going to lose all the nerve he'd spent the last night working up if he spoke up first. Merlin made it this far, had gotten himself dressed and everything, to risk falling apart with one misspoken word. He really thought he was stronger than this, but today's events were dredging up all kinds of feelings he didn't want to get into. Merlin didn't LIKE who he had been before, all weak and weepy and terrified because of the world around him, but he felt like he was regressing back into that state of mind. "You really need to take a moment and gather your bearings together before we depart. If you are really going through with this, then you can't go in there looking like a stiff wind is enough to blow you over. Would you like a cup of tea to settle your nerves?"

Merlin started tugging on the cuff of his sleeve, trying to pull it down further to cover the faint scratch marks left behind after his self-mutilation. He really had to be looking like an anxious mess if even Gaius had noticed, and it only made Merlin increasingly aware of how pathetic he was. Merlin had fought hard, just to live, against the men he was going to be facing today, so he could surely do it again. He had used magic—and revealed his biggest secret in the progress—to save the entire kingdom by ridding the biggest threat they were facing. He had even stood face to face with Arthur bloody Pendragon, and said his piece, time and time again, and lived to tell about it. He could walk into one little bitty meeting, say what needed to be said, and then leave without breaking down to pieces beforehand. This wasn't even the first time he'd stood before the entire council demanding to be heard, and somehow won. But he never did know just what he was doing, always thinking in the moment, instead of having anything properly prepared. But this WAS the first time he was standing in front of the council during a trial that was focused entirely on what had happened to him.

"No, Uncle Gaius, I don't think a cup of your tea is going to help me to calm down anytime soon. Honestly, I think there are just some thing's that can't be fixed with a cup of your nutmeg tea. It's certainly not going to help me make it through today." Merlin said, looking over his shoulder in the mirror to see the tiny reflection of his uncle standing by the door. Merlin averted his eyes down to his sleeve again. To be perfectly honest, a cup of tea probably wouldn't go amiss, but Merlin honestly didn't know if he would be able to keep it down if he did drink it. It's been a while since Merlin had thrown up after eating too much in a meal, but he wasn't ready to test fate. "Do you think I look alright to stand in front of the council? I mean, I know it's not much and they'll probably laugh me out of there as soon as they see me, but… I look like me, don't I?"

Merlin spun around on his heel so that he was facing Gaius, and spread out his arms so his uncle could get a better look at him. He felt ridiculous standing the way he was, even though it was his normal attire, especially with the look that was on his uncle's face as he studied him. It was enough to make Merlin want to doubt himself all over again, but… this was him. He was scruffy, and often a hot mess, and spent more time re-discovering himself than he did worrying on his personal appearance. It was the kind of image he wanted to convey for the court. Merlin had been playing by their games in recent months, dressing up in his best tailored made clothes so he could attend their parties and events and banquets without looking like he didn't belong. But if Merlin was going to end up confronting Knight Bryon and Knight Julian after what they did to him at the beginning of the week, then he wanted them to see him as who he was. Not as the Consort people wanted him to be, or as the 'Savior' as some people took to calling him after he helped people to escape the griffins attack on the city. He wanted them to see MERLIN, plain and simple. He wanted them to see the peasant boy they had tried to kill in the middle of the forest, and left for dead when the griffin interrupted their assault on him. And he wanted them to see him standing in front of them today, alive and well—as well as he could be—so they KNEW he had survived them. For them to KNOW, the failed attack against him wasn't even on the tip of the iceberg of shit Merlin's had to deal with.

"You look perfect."

Gaius' eyes were soft as he looked at Merlin, as if he understood exactly what kind of effect Merlin was going for despite the minimum explanation the young consort had used to explain himself. Merlin couldn't help but smile, revealed to know his uncle was getting it, even if he ended up being the only one inside of that room who understood. Merlin turned back around on his heel to take one more look at himself in the mirror, flipping the collar of his jacket up and then pressing it back down so it laid flat. He looked… perfect, or so his Uncle Gaius had claimed. And Uncle Gaius had never lied to him before, though the word 'perfect' was probably an over exaggerated. Born from an uncle's love to his one and only nephew. Merlin was willing to take it though, considering it might be the only confidence booster he was going to get for today. He didn't take a confidence boost lightly. Not after all the times he'd been knocked down to his arse, both figurative and literally.

"But Merlin, I do think that you are looking at this all wrong. You don't need to go into this meeting, and face those… those men, worrying about how you are looking. Trust me, once you start talking, nobody is going to be looking down at your attire, they will all be looking at YOU. And do you know why?" His uncle was suddenly standing behind him in the little mirror, pressing his hands down on Merlin's shoulders until the consort started to relax beneath the comforting grip. But, no… Merlin didn't know why his uncle said the people weren't going to be worrying themselves about his choice in attire. Four months in Camelot's Royal Court had taught Merlin all about how the people worried themselves to death over their appearances and reputation above anything else. The young consort's confusion showed on his face, and his uncle gave his shoulders this tiny squeeze that made Merlin want to lean back into his hands. "Because you are going to go out there with your head held high, you are going to speak up and say your truth and silence anybody who tries to demean or stop you from doing that. You have a way with words Merlin, and that skillset will show all in the court that you are not to be trifled with. It will show them that you're bold, and strong, and braver than any of them will ever know. Today, you're going to make your stand and declare no more. No more will you put up with the abuse you've suffered by the hands of the people who live here. And I'm proud to see you doing this. You don't have to, of course, I won't think any less of you if you changed your mind. You don't owe ANYBODY, this court especially, your time, unless it's what you want to do."

Merlin pressed his lips together tight enough for them to go white, as he tried thinking long and hard about what his reasons for doing this was. Did it feel as if he was doing this because he was obligated to? Because he felt like he had no other choice? But maybe Merlin 'didn't' have any real choices about going, not really. Merlin could sit in this room all day long and think of a thousand or so different reasons for why he was doing this… because Arthur came to him all this days ago, expecting him to agree with this whole thing. Because not a single soul would actually agree with prosecuting two well-liked noble knights unless they heard the truth from his own lips. Because he didn't want to stand around and see them walking the streets once they were ultimately let go after the false show of a trial Uther was going to put on to make everything seem as if it was 'legit' before ultimately deciding there was no significant evidence to prosecute. But Merlin knew the real reasons for why he was doing this…

He wanted to close this chapter of his life.

For good.

Back when Merlin had first came to Camelot, and he had tried to get Valiant arrested for using magic to cheat in the tournament, he had been humiliated and scorned in front of the entire court. Now, Merlin felt as if he had already redeemed himself, mostly, after that catastrophe. But Merlin had bucked too easily, he had allowed Uther's dominance and command overpower him into giving up. And where had that gotten him? It had allowed Valiant to roam the castle grounds as if he was untouchable, it had allowed the man that tried to assault him free to do it again whenever he wanted too, now that he knew he'd face no consequences for his actions. Merlin would be DAMNED if he allowed a similar injustice to happen in the courts today. Merlin would never be able to forgive himself if somebody else ended up dead because Bryon and Julian had gone and attacked somebody else for some other small slight. And not all the people out there would be lucky to have a magical griffin show up and distract the knights long enough for them to get away.

Somebody needed to do SOMETHING.

"No, Uncle Gaius. I think, for once, this is actually something that I can handle myself."

Merlin spoke softly, but his voice was unwavering and strong as he started to eye himself in the mirror, seeing the way his eyes grew steady and sure. Today was going to be about new beginnings, he was going to be Camelot's Consort without forsaking himself along the way. He was going to make sure the court and the trial were handled properly. If the knights that were meant to protect the people couldn't do their damn job, then Merlin would just have to be sure they couldn't screw up anymore lives. Today, he was going to make his uncle, who had been there ever since Merlin stumbled into his life all those months ago with no idea of what his future would bring them, proud of him. Today, he would make Lancelot, who had spent these last two days in private corners of the city getting to know Gwen properly before he departed, proud to know the two jokers being trialed today were no longer going to be kept in a position of power over others. And today, perhaps most important of all, Merlin would be making himself bloody proud of what he had accomplished.

X

Arthur Pendragon stood in front of his father's councilmen, all twenty of them, with a stoic expression on his face. He was standing at his father's right hand in the grand throne room, waiting for the trial to commence, waiting for Uther to start them off. But his father was turned to the side, talking to Geoffrey and making sure everything was in order, peeking into the small glass case that he was holding onto. Arthur could see a handful of scrolls rolled shut inside, and he knew those scrolls were the handwritten testimonies from the witnesses to the event in question. Not that anybody seemed to care, in fact, Arthur felt as if he was the only one that seemed to care that those scrolls pertained horrid details that explained HOW his fellow knights had managed to smuggle out his Consort without being caught until it was almost too late. It wasn't too hard to understand Arthur's frustrations, despite them having not even started going through the evidence yet, considering the lax demeanor in the room. For one, Arthur seemed to have been the only one to done his proper attire; chainmail across his chest meant for ceremonial purposes rather than fighting, his sword strapped properly to his waist, his long red cape flowing down his back, Arthur had even doted to wear his crown to pull together his princely demeanor. That right there, was something he rarely bothered with unless the situation would demand it of him.

Even his father seemed relaxed about all of this!

Doing nothing but putting on this show for the people to make it look like they did everything they could!

There were at least twenty council members inside the room who were going to be overseeing the trial, but they were spread out among the room in groups of three or more just talking to each other. They were all older folk, grumbling with aggravated looks on their faces, as if it was annoying to them they had to be here. It made Arthur's jaw go tight, did they all have somewhere better they would rather be? Did they not understand the severity of what had happened? Arthur's CONSORT had almost been murdered, and Arthur could've sworn that he overheard one of the men grumbling about just letting the knights walk free so the rest of them could attend to more important business. It made Arthur's blood pressure rise boiling hot, twisting itself around his veins until he wanted to scream and demand to know what was more important than the right Merlin had to walk through his own city without getting attacked? But Arthur already knew it would do no good if he tried, he would only be escorted out for making a 'scene.' And what good would Arthur be outside, when the councilmen were no different than the men who had attacked his consort. The councilmen were willing to allow these men a second chance to attack Merlin, all because they didn't want to punish noble stock.

Why did they get to get away with their crimes?

When a lesser man would've already been made to burn.

And speaking of the men in question, Arthur glowered at the two knights stood in the center of the hall, waiting for the trial to begin just like the rest of them were. It was the first time Arthur had seen the men since he found them sitting in the armory bragging about what they did, and subsequently had them jailed for their troubles. If there was anybody Arthur would want to gut like a pig with his bare hands before he was dragged away, it would have been Knights Julian and Bryon, disgusting creatures that they were, a shame to the bloodlines and an embarrassment to the Knights of Camelot. Were they even concerned over how today's trials would turn out? Or did they also believe they would walk out of here, fully reinstated to their former ranks with formal apologies for all they had endured after their week in the cells. Because as far as Arthur managed to see, the two knights didn't look as freaked out as they should be. Even if they didn't fear the formality that was this trial, they should at least be scared over what Arthur would do once he caught them somewhere sedate and private.

They weren't even kneeling!

Yes, the two knights had been stripped of their armor and their weapons and had been left in nothing more than dirty long sleeve shirts and plain trousers, which was simply protocol for criminals. But the two were standing, with their chained wrists loose in front of them, Bryon smiling as if he was having a good old time, nudging at Julian who at least looked intimidated by the shit show of a catastrophe they had caused. Normally, the two would have been in front of Uther, thrown down to their knees to plead their case like the rats they were, it was how Guinevere had been treated when she had been arrested for witchery some months ago. Ironic, that was what this was! An innocent peasant girl had been treated as if she was satan himself sent to curse the entire kingdom to a most gruesome death. And yet, the knights who had been seen committing the attempted assignation of a royal member, were allowed the free range to move about as they saw fit. Fucking pigs! Both of them! And the guards were hadn't bothered making sure the prisoners were secured and humiliated like Arthur's been wanting them to be!

The only two that looked as if they were seemingly taking this as seriously as it should've been, were Knight Dorian and Knight Tristian, who Arthur had seen personally to make sure they would be here today. As far as Arthur was able to see, they were the only real witnesses to some of what had happened on that dreadful day! Other then Lancelot, who his father wouldn't allow to personally be inside considering his past lies; Arthur hadn't wanted to risk pressing their luck considering his father had allowed Lancelot a few days to gather together his belongings. And Merlin, who had already made himself plenty clear that he wouldn't be coming today. Arthur's fault, completely… he had pushed too hard trying to get Merlin to come when he had brought it up, and the prince had not made a good impression when he left Merlin to the mercy of the council during that whole Valiant incident. Why would his consort trust the prince not to leave the second things took a bad turn? But that was why Arthur had made sure he had Dorian and Tristian here. Arthur wanted to get all of his eggs into a single basket, and be able to rebuff any argument that could've been Knights Bryon and Julian's saving grace.

There was the clearing of a throat as Uther Pendragon strode to stand in his spot in front of his throne beside Arthur, but the results of this throat clearing was immediately. The entire room fell into silence in a way that Arthur knew he would never be able to do himself, the aura of his kingly father able to hush all with just a glance. The councilmen fell into line, moving as one to stand in one long line just behind the prisoners, their white robes glimmering without even a speak of dust to suggest they knew what hard work was. Knights Bryon and Julian turned around to face the king, while Knights Tristian and Dorian took a place off to the side of the proceedings. Geoffrey moved to a spot beside the king's throne chair, and Arthur straightened his spine as he realized the events were finally about to begin. Julian and Bryon's punishments either started here or they ended… the king waved his hand in a casual gesture towards the royal record keeper.

"For those of you who do not know why we are here, instead of our having our celebrations over the defeat of the beast that has plagued our land for as long as it did, two of our knights have been accused of the attempted assassination of one of our own. From my understanding, Consort Merlin has declared these two men in front of me attacked him with no provocation and intended to take him off this living plane." Uther spoke as if anybody standing here today didn't know full well what was already going on, but Arthur's shoulders went stiff due to how his father introduced their situation. Uther made it sound as if Merlin's just throwing around accusations at people he didn't like and wanted gone and out. It was nothing but a joke to these people, who didn't feel as if they should be responsible for Merlin's safekeeping. It was their JOB to keep this city safe, and yet, it seemed as if Arthur bore the brunt of responsibility on his own. "My keeper here, has been holding onto for safe keeping, the first-hand records of those who were around at the event in question. There is a record from Knight Dorian and Knight Tristian, two of our most esteemed knights, who saw some of the crime in question. One from our physician Gaius, who can attest to the state our Consort was in when he was first retrieved after the event, as well as testimony to the injuries that were sustained during the attack. And even one is from the… formally disgraced Knight Lancelot. Normally, I wouldn't bother to bore you with what a man of his… station has to say, but my son insisted that his testimony be included even if he couldn't be here today, because he bore witness to the entire event in question."

There were a few brief grumbles among the councilmen as they exchanged a few irritable looks, and Arthur tilted his chin a bit higher as he felt them cast a judgmental eye on him. They were no doubt wondering why Arthur bothered to have a 'traitors word' included in royal affairs, and while Arthur usually did the best he could to keep the council happy, he had no patience for dealing with a single ounce of their crap today. He was sure there were some who'd want to shut this down quick, and demand Lancelot's testimony be removed from the chambers as he wasn't a 'real knight' and shouldn't be allowed to have any of his own words on what had happened be read. Arthur would've agreed with all of them on the mattered, if Lancelot hadn't made such a strong impression on him like he did. What did a commoners word matter compared to the two men whose characters and careers were being put in question now? Nothing, if any of the councilmen had their way. But Arthur had a feeling that Lancelot's might be the only parchment that sealed the unadulterated and bitter truth on what had happened in those woods. Not even Arthur had read it, considering it had been sealed and delivered to Uther by Gaius the second it had been written. It made the prince wish he had been allowed five minutes alone with it to read a bit, to live through the same trauma that his consort had endured at the hands of men Arthur had seen fit to employ in his kingdom.

His mistake.

"Now, perhaps considering Knight Tristian and Knight Dorian do have their own duties to get back to, and are only here to speak on their own behalf because our prince asked them to, they would like to go explain what they saw the day all of this happened?" Uther suggested, stepping back until he was able to fall into his throne chair, placing his elbow on the arm of the chair so he could rest his chin in the palm of his hand languish-like. He waved his hand to encourage the two knights to come forward and say their peace. "I suggest this because I do not see why they need to neglect their duties when they can leave far more quicker than the rest of us. And I do believe them speaking would be far better than just reading their written testimony for the court to hear. So I hear of any who would object to that suggestion—"

Uther was cut off when the doors to the grand throne room were slung open in an impeccable show of force, forcing the king to sit up straight in his throne as an indignant look flashed upon his face. Arthur himself, brought his hand down to the hilt of his sword just in case he needed to pull it, the bright light coming from outside the darkened throne room momentarily blinding everybody inside the room, though the question remained in all of their minds… who would have been disturbing this Closed Council Meeting. And where were the guards who were meant to be standing outside to make sure nobody disturbed them until this entire matter was over and done with? But, there was only one person the guards would have interrupted this meeting for and allowed entrance to.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt what I'm sure is a fair justice being served to criminals, but I thought I should be here myself just to find out what exactly is going to happen. It's better to see these things in person, rather than hearing about the results, later on." Spoke the shadow in the doorway, ringing like the song of a siren trying to lure good men to their deaths in the sea, and Arthur's already for sure who it is when the shadow strides into the room, and his body

changes to normal colors, his uncle trailing only half a step behind him. Almost every eye in the room was scrutinizing their surprise guest with looks of horrid disgruntlement from his interruption. But the spirited boy behaved as if he did not notice, walking further into the room until he could climb the throne steps and take his rightful place beside Arthur. The boy nodded his head to Arthur's father, as their court physician settled on his other side, "Please, King Uther, I wish to apologize for any disruption my interruption might have caused to you and the court. Will you continue… you said Dorian and Tristian were first to tell their side of the events, yes?"

Merlin must have been listening at the door for a minute or two before coming into the room, Arthur realized, his heart thundering in his chest as he stared at the consort with rapt attention that betrayed his emotions. He hadn't expected to see Merlin at all, and his sudden appearance unsettled Arthur, knocked him off his feet in a way that only ever did around him. Merlin didn't look different than he did any other day of the week, and yet, Merlin's face—despite the light hearted way he has spoke—was impassive. There was a certain stiffness with the way Merlin held himself, as if he thought he might be gearing up to face an awful war of extreme proportions. And perhaps this was a war to Merlin, who's still so new to the court proceedings and the way they did things around here, and yet… Arthur continued staring. What was it about Merlin—other than every single part about him—that compelled Arthur to stare at him as if he may try to vanish if Arthur took his eyes off of him for even a moment. Maybe it could be the way that Merlin had managed to silence an entire room without screaming his lungs out, just like Uther was able to do, just like how Arthur wished he was able to do. Or maybe it was because he was HERE! The one place Merlin swore all those days ago when Arthur visited him at his uncle's, that he no intentions of being anywhere near here during this time. Had Merlin changed his mind on it? He must have… fuck. Merlin had to probably be the bravest man that he has ever met in his entire life, if he was willing to face these vipers that liked to call themselves 'councilmen.'

"Yes, Consort Merlin. Our testimony on the events is simple and pretty much straightforward, so we will keep it simple and straightforward. Approximately seven days ago, Knight Tristian and I were guarding the northern gates of the kingdom when yourself arrived early that morning with the two knights we've arrested." Knight Dorian was the first one to step forward, moving forward with the trial as if Merlin hadn't interrupted them in the first place, speaking firmly and concessive as he told the court the facts of the matter. And Arthur found himself relieved when he saw Merlin nodding along, agreeing with what Knight Dorian was saying. There would be nobody lying to get out of this one, and no other would be able to worm the two vermin's to freedom now that Merlin was here to contradict any falsehoods being slipped into the truth. Not that Arthur thought trusted Knight's like Tristian and Dorian would lie, but Arthur has been wrong about his men before, so it was always good to look at them nowadays with a side of caution. "They told us that the Consort wished to take a walk in the woods, collect a few herbs in the forests, and that Prince Arthur had even assigned them to Consort Merlin's protection detail, to make sure he returned safely to the kingdom afterwards. At the time, we had no reason to doubt them or dent the request. It is only afterwards that we learned, when talking with the prince ourselves, that he had given no such order. And from what we learned, had been completely unaware his consort had been taken outside of the walls to begin with."

There was a muscle that jumped viciously somewhere in Arthur's lower jaw as he finally tore his eyes away from Merlin to focus on the proceedings directly in front of him. He could the fresh pump of anger slithering through him like a snake wanting to take change, such dumb knights Bryon and Julian were, did they think losing Arthur's name would win them any points here? Though, the two knights probably never expected they would end up under the eyes of the entire court for their actions. It pissed Arthur off though, his name was meant to inspire fear from his enemies and respect from his people, his name alone should have meant protection for Merlin. But then these two jokers had went and tainted that, twisted his name and used it in their scheme to take away the best thing that had probably ever happened to Arthur. And when his King took a moment to glance over at Arthur for confirmation, the prince had no qualms about nodding his head once. Sturdy and unflinching.

Misusing a royal's name was a punishable offense by itself.

If nothing else, Bryon and Julian would at least get several months residing in the jail, now that at least one of their crimes had been proven true.

"Well, now that we've concurred that Prince Arthur did not give these men the permission they said he did, we should move onto our next question. What i'd like to know is how Consort Merlin was behaving when the guards were telling you this lie." Uther continued, sitting up a little straighter in his chair now that he knew he couldn't outright dismiss all of the accusations being thrown at the two nobles. "And I do mean this with all the respect in the world Gaius, but did Consort Merlin say something? If he was being taken out of the city by force, it stands to reason that he would have alerted the guards on duty before he was taken very far."

Uther tilted his head generously to the Royal physician, clearly showing him an apologetic nature, his way of telling his consort's uncle that he meant no harm in poking holes in Merlin's story. That was the point of a trial, after all, running through all of the difficult questions to see whose lies contradicted what they had previously said. But Arthur's jaw still locked itself tight, especially when he saw the councilmen starting to exchange confused looks; clearly they weren't understanding why his father had acknowledged Gaius personally. But Arthur was privileged with certain knowledge that the others weren't privy too, a little piece of information on his consort that was just his (and Morgana and Gwen's of course). Not everybody was important enough, or close enough, to realize their esteemed consort was also related to the best physician within the entire region. A fact that made Arthur want to preen like a peacock beneath all their scrutinizing looks. Though honestly, it was probably a good thing the council remained unaware of Merlin's heritage, lest they try to use the relationship to push forward their own agendas.

"No, Consort Merlin didn't give any indication that Knights Julian and Bryon were essentially kidnapping him from the grounds. From what I saw, I do not believe Consort Merlin acknowledged us at all, though it also isn't uncommon for people in high stress situations to zone out like he seemed to be now that I am thinking back on it." Knight Tristian continued where Knight Dorian had left off, being the one to answer the king's question this time, while Arthur started to squint their eyes at them, forcing himself to listen to whatever crap Merlin'd gone through while Arthur was doing god knows what. Tristian's description on the situation, though… it didn't make much sense. Merlin had faced a griffin at the beginning of the week, he had stood in front of an entire crowd of Mercian knights and drunk poison, he had followed Arthur into the underground caves to defeat a monster they didn't know how to! He had faced the council on his own, and apologized to his tormentor, and still came after Arthur to think of a new plan. AND he had dragged Arthur out of the way before that witch's horrid dagger had the chance to pierce him in the heart. Now THOSE, were situations most people would call highly stressful. Two ordinary knights? It didn't sound like something the bravest man Arthur had ever known would cower in front of. "It's quite possible that these men may have threatened him in some way, just to force him into cooperation. If he wasn't standing on his own and walking in a straight line, I might even suggest he had been drugged. But like I said, there are multiple reasons not to alert people who could help if something really was wrong."

Arthur saw red, his hand on the hilt of his sword going so tight that it started turning his knuckles white, the indentions of the handle forming groves in the palm of his hand. His blood boiled, heat spreading through every vein, every muscle, and every organ. He knew Tristian had just been speculating on the different reasons for Merlin's silence, but it twisted the muscles in his stomach to imagine the scenarios himself. The trial had only barely begun, but he could already feel the fire in his throat that made his want to react with violence and force to the knights in question. Imagining Merlin struggling against captors so much bigger than him was like a kick to his gut, imagining some liquid that was meant to scramble Merlin's mind being forced between his lips and down past his throat felt as if Arthur was being kicked a million times. And just KNOWING that Merlin wouldn't be expecting Arthur to come out of the shadows to save him from his kidnappers, made the prince sick. Arthur would have slit open the knight's throats if he had came across them leading Merlin out of the gate, but Merlin had dealt with it himself. He almost hadn't came home, and it was only Arthur's pushing that had made Merlin tell him bits about what had happened in the first place. Arthur should have been the FIRST person Merlin ran to after emerging from those woods, but he didn't. Because Arthur was a horrible and despicable person that couldn't be trusted to react like he should to hearing of an assault on his husband.

"We aren't here to speculate on the different reasons for why our Consort had decided to remain silent during his own kidnapping. We are here to listen only to the facts of the situation. If it didn't happen, then I have no interest trying to speculate on whether or not Consort Merlin had his reasons." Uther said, with a snapping tone and wittering glare aimed at Knight Tristian for straying away from the facts. Arthur tried to remain stoic, but it became increasingly harder when he saw further down the line, Knight Bryon was nudging Knight Julian, a smirk plastered to his face as if this was all just fun and games for him. Arthur felt the muscles in his shoulders going right, his face turning red from forcing himself to remain where he was standing. Slitting their throats were starting to feel too good for them, too easy of a death. They dare stand there and amuse themselves during the proceedings! They dare take his consort's trauma and make it their own personal joke! Arthur's next breath came out ragged, tasting of the heat that roiled about in his belly. "Now, I'd like to have the accused to take a step forward and offer a bit of their input. Perhaps they would explain to the court why they, not only used Prince Arthur's name to escort his husband out of the city, but also why they saw it fit to escort the prince's consort when they were not ordered to do so."

Arthur had known this part was coming, his father would hardly allow this trial to move forward without giving the accused a chance to speak for themselves so they could defend their actions. Their noble status was the only reason his father wasn't steamrolling over their excuses or denials like he had done when it was Gwen on her knees in front of him. But just seeing the way Bryon started to swagger towards the king, his loose chains rattling around his wrists looking as if they were nothing more than an accessory, only made the bloodlust living deep within even the morrow of Arthur's bones thrum with far greater intensity than he knew what to do with. Julian was following behind Bryon, his pace far more sedate, his shoulders curved inward as if he was trying to be meek so he could hide his frame behind Bryon's. It was a pathetic display that Arthur felt no sympathy for, if Arthur had it his way then they wouldn't be bothering with a trial to begin with. Julian wanted to play meek, but where was that meakness when his CONSORT was forced to defend himself against trained soldiers?

"King Uther, first of all, we would like to offer our sincerities apologies to each and every member of the court that has came here today, for something that is clearly unimportant compared to the celebrations that everybody here should have been allowed to partake in." Bryon spoke, full of a self confidence which only succeeded in making Arthur itch somewhere beneath his skin. Bryon was clearly speaking on the behalf of both him and Julian, buttering up the men of the court, many of which who were clearly hoping to have their own version of celebrations that didn't include standing in this stuffy room. And Arthur cast a glance around the room, watching in disgust as some of the councilmen were seen nodding their heads. Were they really so stupid! Eating up whatever crap Bryon was spewing! A simple apology, to people who weren't even affected by what had happened, and they looked as if they were reading to undo the cuffs and send the two knights on their merry way. "We would also like to offer our sincerities apologies to Prince Arthur, we both knew it was very wrong to take use of his name like we did. We were trained better than to use the Prince as a means to an end. But when Court Merlin asked us to accompany him out to the woods, too scared of going so far outside of the city limits by himself, we felt it hard to deny him. But we didn't want to embarrass him either. It wasn't natural for Camelot's esteemed consort to be scared of the woods, so we thought the name of the Prince would result in fewer questions from either Knight Tristian or Knight Dorian, who we also apologize to for deceiving them."

Arthur's jaw fell open in unbidden disbelief, stunned by the way Bryon acted in such a shameless way! Like a paid prostitute, acting in whatever manner most likely to yield the best results of what they wanted. Surely the council saw that Bryon was pushing the envelope here! Arthur had SEEN the way Merlin would behave around other knights, he'd seen the animosity coming from both sides, and was confounded by how he had been blinded by how his men thought the behavior they showed his consort was acceptable. Arthur was, right this very moment, working on ways to correct that. He had punished MORE than Bryon and Julian for the behaviors they had shown in front of him. Merlin would have preferred dropping dead if his only other option was to ask one of the knights for help. And even if Merlin was scared of the woods—which Arthur knew for a fact was a lie, if Merlin could come here today and face his attackers, then the woods weren't something that could be scary—he would have asked someone he trusted to accompany him. Gaius often walked through the edges to collect the herbs he needed, Arthur had came across him many times when returning from a hunt. Merlin would have asked his uncle! Before biting his tongue to ask a KNIGHT to take him somewhere that isolated. Arthur even glanced to Merlin beside him, trying to gauge what his reaction to these lies were, but the other boy's mask was impeccable. It was impossible for Arthur to gauge a reaction out of the stoic way Merlin was conducting himself.

"Is that right? Correct me if I'm misunderstanding you here, but your version of events claim that Consort Merlin was too terrified to leave the city without any person accompanying him. And you saw it fit to take him beneath your wing to keep him safe, while additionally saving him from being embarrassed? That is what you are telling me?" Uther questioned, leaning forward in his chair as he studied Knight Bryon's expression for himself, gripping onto the arms to keep himself from falling out of it. And Arthur but the inside of his cheek so hard, he could taste the blood as it squirted into his mouth, hot and thick, when he saw Knight Bryon nodding. Fuck this, Arthur wasn't going to allow Bryon to try and besmirch Merlin's good name! This was the boy that had stood in front of King Bayard and apologized for accusing him of sorcery in front of half the kingdom itself! He didn't need to be 'taken under anybody's wing! Certainly not if it was a wing belonging to Bryon. Arthur stepped forward, but stalled when there was a loud smacking sound that made everybody flinch back as Uther slammed his hand against the arm of his chair. "That is WRONG! Consort Merlin is not a boy that has ever been easily embarrassed. I have had many encounters that prove he does not mind making an utter fool out of himself! I suggest you remember who you are trying to lie to, before I have my own son cut your tongue out your mouth and present it to his consort as a gift. Do I make myself clear?"

Uther's threat was less of a warning, and more of a promise, as many inside of the room felt the tension suddenly rise. And Arthur could see the councilmen's reaction, their annoyance or amusement falling to the wayside as seriousness took over, stunned by the king's suddenly brazen attitude towards the knights whose honor was being questioned today. And to be honest, Arthur also found himself surprised, staring at his father as if he was a stranger sitting on top of the throne chair. Arthur had fully believed his father was on the side of Julian and Bryon, ready to sweep this entire incident under the rug, as if they'd only attacked a peasant rather than a member of the royal court. He had certainly acted that way in the beginning, when the proceedings had first started. And the only difference between then and now were… of course. Arthur's eyes slid past his consort's stoic form to see Gaius standing on the other side. The King had changed his tune because Gaius was here to watch now! It made sense, of course it did. If Gaius wasn't here, then Uther could just claim there wasn't any significant evidence to charge the two fools in front of them. But with the man observing, Uther had to put on a better show, make it look as if he was putting Merlin's word above the knights. Because Gaius was more valuable than either Bryon or Julian.

There was a little squeak of fear coming from the floor, and Arthur focused his attention back on the two lying, conniving knights in front of him. The squeak itself had came from Julian, and the proud warrior Arthur had knighted only a year ago was now trembling in fear as he tried hiding himself more fully behind Bryon. But even Bryon was looking like he was lost for words, his mouth falling open in shock, his skin turning this pasty white color. And when the two turned their eyes onto him, Arthur allowed a bloodthirsty smirk to appear. Arthur was sure he got the message across when both knights took a large step back just to get further away from him. Arthur had no doubt that they could see exactly how much Arthur was hungering for the opportunity. If his father allowed him to interrupt the proceedings, then there would've been nothing stopping him from using his blade and painstakingly cutting out their tongues, gleeful as the blood slipped through his fingers while they choked on it. It would make quite a gift for his consort, something that could be physical proof to show the other boy how much he had changed, and how far he was willing to go to protect the crowned jewel of a man at his side. Two sets of tongue, still warm after coming detached from the enemy, to prove Arthur's truest devotion towards his most beloved angel. Because only an angel could swoop in from the heavens like his dark haired boy, and make Arthur turn on those closest to him.

"Perhaps we should move onto one of the testimonies and have them read for the court, unless you'll like to waste our precious time with more lies that will lead to your damnation?"

Uther, Arthur noted, was lying things on a little too thickly, but it seemed as if it got the message across, because both Bryon and Julian were nodding their heads quickly without protest. And Arthur was only mildly disappointed when his father stretched out a hand, waving for Geoffrey to come forward with the glass box holding the testimonies, the parchments handwritten by those who had been there that day and what they witnessed. Arthur had been hoping for the knight's suffering to be more prolonged then what it had been, though the little fear Uther struck in them wouldn't even compare with what Arthur would do if given the chance. Bryon and Julian both deserved to rot in the pits of hell and be damned for all eternity for even DARING to lay one single fat finger on his Merlin's skin. But, just as Geoffrey was clicking open the box so that Uther could grab one of the parchments, Merlin made his move. The Consort taking a few steps forward, the click of his boots ringing throughout the silent room, so suddenly that Arthur didn't have a chance to rein him back, as his ferocity gave way for panic. Would his father allow Merlin to run his mouth this time, or would he decide Gaius' presence wasn't worth putting up with what was about to happen.

"Sire, if I might have a moment to speak. Hearing the different testimonies the witnesses have written out for the court is one thing, if somebody who wasn't there wasn't here today. But I think it would be more effective if the court was able to hear it from a different perspective, my perspective, pertaining to what I experienced and what I lived through when your men came after me." Merlin's tone was low and sure of himself, speaking as if he was trained in how one was supposed to talk when they were in chambers. Arthur didn't know if his Merlin had rehearsed that on his way here, or if it had came to him only after the eyes of the court had turned to give him the proper attention. "I mean, isn't that the reason we are all here, standing together on this day? So that everybody here can be told the truth? Lancelot's is the only testimony with information about what happens after I went into the woods alone. But even he wasn't there for all of it, and even he didn't live through what I did. Wouldn't hearing my voice, telling my story in my own words, be more valuable than words written on one of those parchments."

Merlin was on a roll today, Arthur could see that from the firm way he held his shoulders, from the level way he held his head, keeping his eyes locked on the king as he waited permission. This was just like when Merlin had walked down the stairs to apologize to King Bayard for accusing him of using magic; Merlin back then had held himself with a certain confidence and determination and it never failed to make Arthur's breath catch somewhere deep in his throat. How somebody with no formal training could control a room as well as Merlin could would always be something of a mystery, but Arthur wanted to give Merlin the room he needed to grow that side of him. That confident side, the self assured side of him that Arthur rarely ever got to see. People would listen to Merlin just to see what he would do next, just because the novelty that came when a boy born from peasants parents interjected himself into noble affairs. But Arthur's always watched for a different reason… because he LIKED to see this side that came out of Merlin. He was cold and calm and steady. Arthur had tried doing a similar thing when he was facing his father about Lancelot's re-enlistment into the army, but not even he was able to keep his cool when faced with his king's penetrating eyes. Merlin didn't waver though, he NEVER wavered. Not when it was something important to him. And after the moment had stretched on for a time, the king finally waved his hand. A collective breath coming from all sorts of directions was released after the king had held their suspense for so long.

Merlin nodded his head to the king, a silent thank you for allowing him to have his moment to shine, though Arthur was pretty sure he saw the way the other boy was practically glowing as he turned to face his attackers and the elderly court who would prefer to crucify him then listen to him. If Arthur didn't know already that it would be bad form of him, he would have already started to rub at his eyes, because Merlin couldn't actually be GLOWING! And maybe he was not. But to Arthur, Merlin was like a beacon in a storm, the port to help pull out boats that had been lost at sea, a call in the forest spoken on the wind warning him of danger misting in the air. But Arthur would gladly cut himself if it meant getting closer to the danger that was Merlin. His consort didn't need to know how to fight or anything to be dangerous. There was a certain spark inside the consort that made him dangerous all on his own, one that Arthur was terrified to touch, but one that only tempted him further, like a moth being drawn to the fires at night.

"First off, I think I would like to address what Knight Bryon and Knight Julian started us off with. They have claimed that I asked them to accompany me to the woods because I was scared of going myself? As the king has already said to them, this is very clearly false. Anybody who knows me knows that I believe the forest to be a peaceful place for the most part. I have ran through nothing but woods most of my life. I fail to see what would have caused me to fear the woods of Camelot." Merlin started to speak, looking from each of the council members in front of him, ignoring the prisoners as if they weren't even there to begin with. And Arthur perked his head up, marveling at this little fact he'd not known about Merlin previously. His consort found the forest 'peaceful.' It was a small fact, but it was a fact about his consort who rarely allowed anything that pertained to him slip free, and Arthur held onto the fact as if it was something precious. "What really happened, is that I was running an errand for our court physician at the time. I've been spending quite a lot of time with him, and he'd wanted to see if I learned enough to bring him back what he needed for one of his potions. But before I got there, our two prisoners accosted me. You asked why I didn't say anything to Knights Dorian and Tristian while I was being led out? Well, let's just say I haven't had the best luck getting help from those in Camelot before, so why would then have been any different?"

Merlin's words washed over Arthur as if he had been thrown off his feet, and the prince averted his eyes to the floor as he kept his silence. There was this deep-seated shame drowning him in the back of his throat as he heard what Merlin's reasons were. Something that that NEVER should've been a question to Merlin. He shouldn't have had to deal with Julian and Bryon on his own just because he was terrified Tristian and Dorian might want to join in or turn away with a blind eye. Arthur should have done something! Arthur should've figured out how the majority of his knights were treating his consort sooner, if he had known earlier, then perhaps there would've been more strides being made by this point. Maybe word of Arthur's harsh punishments would've spread along the rest of the city, maybe his knights would've stopped this foolishness and started behaving as if they were fit to wear their armor with honor. Maybe then his consort wouldn't have been too scared to ask for help, maybe Merlin would not have been taken out of Arthur's reach, maybe Merlin wouldn't have been here now rehashing his trauma in front of a bunch of old folly's looking for any excuse to end this.

"What I'm sure you won't find in those written testimonies is Knights Bryon and Julian, once we were out of view from the main gate, took me away from the paths and the trails. They led me deeper into the forest where no man was likely to stumble across us." There was an unrest coming from the councilmen as they exchanged scowling looks, but Arthur grew tense. No! The paths and the trails surrounding Camelot were usually pretty as there were guards that often patrolled it to control the bandit activity. But the same couldn't be said if one went too far deep into the forests. There were creatures that would keep away from the populated areas, but wouldn't think twice about attacking when it was a small group. There were bandits who made camp, hiding themselves from the patrol units. Certain plants were even poisonous, and one needed to keep a better eye on what they were eating than they did from the plants that grew closer to the populated areas. As far as Arthur could tell, there's a good dozen or so ways that Merlin could have died, especially since he didn't know the area. So many variables, so many ways this could have gone badly. Arthur had been closer than he thought to never seeing Merlin and his blue eyes and his pale skin and his determined nature ever again. "Needless to say, the first thing they decided to do once they deemed we were far enough from people finding us, was assaulting me. Knight Bryon in particular, didn't find any issues about kicking me in the back and throwing me to the ground, nearly breaking my wrist in the process when I tried catching myself."

Arthur forced himself to breathe, feeling as if his lungs were growing smaller with every breath he took. He had honestly thought he would be able to stand here and do this. He had thought he could be the good husband, stand back and let Merlin speak his trauma. But it was harder than he thought it would be to not react from what Merlin was saying. How was Arthur meant to stand here when all he wanted was to be over there, wrapping his hands around Bryon's scrawny little neck while watching as the life faded from his eyes. The knight had put HANDS on his consort. Wait, no. He had done more than that. He had put his dirty, nasty, old shoe on his consort and THROWN HIM to the ground as if he was a piece of trash he wasn't going to pick up. He had nearly broken bone. Perhaps that is what Arthur should do the first change he got, he should make Bryon feel each and every one of his bones as Arthur broke them piece by piece. He would start with the feet, cracking Bryon's toe bones until none of them remained in their right places. He should take a hammer and smash it against Bryon's legs, letting the man's screams wash over him as he took care in making sure they were shattered beyond what was fixable. Leave him in the middle of those woods and allow the wolves to have him now that he wouldn't be able to run away. If he could disrespect somebody like Merlin, then there's no hope for the man. His life has been forfeit even before Arthur had learned the more nitty gritty details.

"I was on that cold, hard ground while Bryon and Julian started talking about what they should do to me. I vividly recall them wanting to leave me out there by myself, they thought it would be funny to see how long it would take for me to find my way back. Despite it being common knowledge that I'm new around these parts, and had no reasonable way of finding my way. If they did, I could have very well ended up getting myself lost, which would have eventually led to my death by either starvation, exposure, or even preyed upon by whatever finds me first." Merlin continued to speak his story, his voice sounding as if it was detached, as if Merlin was separating himself from the memories of what happened to him. It made Arthur wish he could undo his cloak and wrap it over his consort's shoulders, bundle him up inside of the thick fabric. If only so the consort would know that he wasn't alone. That he didn't have to be strong for Arthur to find him amazing, that he could lean on Arthur and allow the prince to take away some of the burden on his shoulders. "I knew if they decided to go through with this, I wouldn't be making it back alive. I felt threatened and I felt scared, which is prone to happening when two trained soldiers treat what is happening as if it's a joke. Laughing at me, kicking me back onto the ground every time I tried to stand up to get away from them."

Arthur could feel his insides trembling, imagining the vivid scene his consort was painting in the minds of the court. Merlin's face being buried in the dirt by men bigger and stronger than he was made the prince throb with this burning hatred towards the knight. Imagining the fear Merlin must've felt as the men Arthur trusted to carry their knighthood with pride LAUGHED at him, the same way Arthur would have once laughed if he was in their place. What else hadn't Merlin said yet? What else had those men done that Arthur himself could have done considering the state his mind had been just last month. How else had he failed to keep a closer eye on Merlin? Why did Merlin have to be the one stuck dealing with this kind of shit. Arthur was the reason for all of this, for allowing the knights to get out of check, and yet… Arthur hadn't been punished for his sins. Merlin was still fighting, everything and everybody. How could Arthur say that his punishing a few knights for 'pranking' his consort, was working when he was faced with crimes like… this.

"I think the scariest part about the entire situation is the mystery about what would happen. Would they really leave me out there just so they could have a good laugh at my expanse? Would they hang around and decide to rough me up a little bit first? Now, I'm sure many of you can figure out that I don't know much about the laws of Camelot, but I'm pretty sure there must be some laws on people attacking your soldiers?" Merlin asked the councilmen, though it felt more rhetorical than an actual question, but he wasn't wrong either. There had to be at least a few dozen laws that outlined consequences for what happened if somebody resisted or fought a knight, and Arthur had memorized each and every one of them. "But considering the circumstances and distress I was in at the time of my assault, I do hope you understand that not only did your knights over-exert their perceived power, but that I reacted in self-defense. I was only able to get my hands around a tree branch, but I'm sure if you look at Bryon's face, you'll be able to see the marks left behind when I hit him. Which is proof right there that there is more to this story than… the knights escorting me into the woods because I 'asked them' too. I wouldn't have had a reason to attack if I didn't think I needed to."

In unison, everybody turned back to the two silent prisoners, taking note of the vivid scars that were splayed across Bryon's cheekbone. The scar itself was deep, and didn't look as if it was something that was just going to fade away over time. It was there to stay, burrowing underneath the knight's skin just like Merlin had burrowed his way under Arthur's skin. And despite what disgust Arthur felt looking at the pitiful men that dared to call themselves his knights, he felt a flicker of deep satisfaction settling itself in his soul. MERLIN had left that scar on Bryon's face. He hadn't rolled over and waited for Bryon and Julian to do whatever they planned to him. He had FOUGHT, and he had fought HARD, and that fact should not feel as good to Arthur as it did. Arthur had been on the receiving end of Merlin's fighting, and while the consort had a lot to learn, he wasn't beyond capable of using wits. He wanted to get a damn painter to come in and sketch out that side of Bryon's face just so Arthur could see Merlin's determination to LIVE for himself each and every day. That was a far cry from the boy that had tried to die in his arms only a few weeks before.

"You're a liar!"

Everybody paused when Bryon suddenly screeched, his face turning into this blistering red mask of anger, which ironically only made the scars on his face more apparent. But then the knight made the mistake to step forward with this threatening expression on his face, gazing up at Merlin with so much hatred in his eyes, that Arthur took it for the threat that it was. For a second, Arthur saw red. He was blinded with his rage, blinded by everything Merlin had spoken in front of the court, blinded by how inactive he's been when he could do much MORE than he's been doing. And in a flash, Arthur was there, standing in front of Merlin, and his knee was buried in the gut of Sir Bryon. He could feel Bryon bending over, hear the gasp of pain being ripped out of him as Arthur knocked the wind out of him, and when Arthur straightened up, he watched as the piss-poor excuse of a man fell onto his knees on the floor. His body shaking as he drew in copious amounts of air. And it still wasn't enough to satisfy the lust for blood Arthur had still bright and strong in his veins.

"You were saying about my consort being a liar?"