It was funny, in a strange and completely unfunny way, how life took strange and mysterious turns. Turns that nobody saw coming, but in hindsight, were also turns they should have seen. You expect to walk down one path in your life, to always follow the same trail and never stray from what was already set up in front of you. The path, destiny, decided before a first breath was taken by a small babe. One minute, a young boy were happily living his life far from the troubles that came with living in a large city, and then that same boy was told destiny had a different path being laid out for him. One minute, the young boy was healing the wounded and helping the injured, and then he was being told he couldn't stay in the sidelines. One minute, the threat was nothing but an over large bird trying to destroy their homes and take out their people in a single fell swoop. And the next, that same young boy was told he might be the one person in all the kingdom that could set things to right, and stop the large griffin in its tracks.

Merlin Pendragon didn't need the ability to read a person's mind to get what his uncle was trying to tell him…the only way to stop the griffin and save the entire kingdom from its ruthlessness, was by using magic. And as far as the consort knew, he was the only magic user in the area. He was the only one in the area that had power coming off of his fingertips, that could send the beast back to wherever the hell it came from. Or even destroy it…maybe Merlin had to sit down for a minute. He was starting to feel a bit woozy at the prospect of what was happening right now. Or maybe the concussion he had sustained the last time he had came in close contact with the griffin was starting to hit him out of nowhere. Merlin tried to sit down, his hand scraping over the table had him nearly falling, his stool wobbling dangerously as he collapsed on top of it. Maybe he was simply overreacting…maybe Gaius really wasn't saying what he thought he was saying. Surely Gaius knew, and understood, the last few times he had came face to face with this beast hadn't ended favorable for him. It had left him traumatized the first time, his hands stained with the blood of his hero with no help in sight. And the second time hadn't been any better, considering the state his head had been in. God, Merlin hoped his concussion was far more serious than it had looked when Gaius had first examined him. Surely suffering from a severe head injury would allow his uncle to see reason, and stop such a ridiculous idea. Merlin COULDN'T do what Gaius wanted him to do. Just trying to think about it made Merlin paralyze with fear and unsettleness.

"Now, although magic is the key to the griffin's utter destruction, I do think the only way it can be settled will be with Arthur's assistance. Magic by itself shall do the job, but it's also going to need a conductor, something that will lead the magic to where it's supposed to go. That's the part that Arthur will need to do if he plans on a successful-" his uncle was saying, clearly with a plan already forming within the depths of his mind, something that Merlin wasn't privy too at the moment. There were many questions that Merlin could ask…like how did his uncle plan to get Arthur to be this 'conductor' without revealing to him who Merlin really was and what he could do. But he didn't ask, his stomach felt like it was trying to rip himself apart from the inside out. Gaius only paused when he finally took note of Merlin's paper white face, the old physician sighed and walked over, resting the palm of his hand on Merlin's forehead to check. Merlin figured the only thing Gaius would figure out was how clammy his skin felt just now, "…Okay, Merlin. How about we just take a step back from planning for one second here and think about this. The griffin is going to come back one way or the other, we know this for a fact since Arthur can't hope to destroy it when he doesn't have magic working with him. So if something's not done, there will be a lot more casualties than what has already been lost in the last few days. And odds are, Arthur will become the first in this new line of casualties. Tell me you remember what happens to you should Arthur die prematurely."

Gaius didn't need Merlin to give him a verbal answer, it was already written all over Merlin's stricken face. They both knew what would happen once Arthur's heart creased to beat…Merlin would be the next in line to take the throne, and would have to assume Arthur's princely duties before ascending to the throne as king when the time came. If Uther didn't kill him before Merlin could make it that far. Maybe everything would have been better if the griffin had gotten him with one solid hit to the head, then he wouldn't be here making tough choices that he didn't feel qualified to make…no. No. No. No. No. That felt too much as if he was verging onto dark territory again. He was grateful to be alive, just like he should be. Grateful to still be here…grateful to be sitting down inside of this room with his favorite uncle in the whole wide world…so why did it feel as if his heart was trying to race it's way straight out of his chest? Oooh, right. Exactly how else was Merlin meant to feel when he was being told he was about to put his life on the line once again. When he was just starting to scrape together a new semblance of normality.

"This is part of your destiny, Merlin. The true purpose of your magic."

Gaius made it sound so easy, like it was a good thing that Merlin's destiny was now starting to include magical creatures ten times his size. And yet, it made Merlin what destiny was…what was the point in having some pre-destined fate that one couldn't escape from. All this talk about destiny, and why he was born with his magic…it sounded so much like the stuff the dragon living beneath the castle liked to tell him whenever Merlin went down there. For as long as Merlin could remember, he had always wondered…why him? Why was HE the one that could do the things he could do? Why was he born different from others…he'd been so happy when the dragon had told him there was a reason. Crap, he had been bloody elated to know it wasn't some random fluke given to him by utter accident. But then something like this happened, creatures coming out of the woodwork whose only goal was to create mayhem and panic, and Merlin was left with his questions all over again. Because SURELY the fates had to have picked the wrong person. Merlin wasn't fit for this job. Not fit to be the city's consort, not fit to be its magic wielding protector..

"Uncle Gaius, you saw how absolutely massive that thing was when it attacked the kingdom. It killed dozens of men without a single injury, I'm pretty sure the griffin didn't even break a sweat while doing it. It was strong enough to knock over an entire ARMY with just its claws. And you seriously expect me to go up against it and have a different result?" Merlin demanded, his uncle made all of this sound so easy. As if it was a snap, that Merlin had his destiny planned out for him when he wasn't even sure he wanted to be part of it. He was starting to actually miss the days where destiny wasn't a word in his vocabulary. The days that didn't include being expected to have a fight against a…a…a monster. "I'm sure you, of all people uncle, can understand why I don't want to do this! Why I am not…equipped to fight against something like this. I can't even stand on my own when I'm against Arthur! Do you honestly think I'll be able to fight and get back home without having my guts ripped out of my stomach?"

Merlin wasn't a fight, definitely not a skilled one. All the times Merlin tussled with Arthur, the only times he managed to land an actual hit was because he had surprised him. And sure, Merlin had used his magic when the situation had gotten dire, and he had managed to somehow succeed when others had failed to react. But those had all been indirect things…unnoticed things that he was able to do in the background, simple little party tricks and nothing more. Did it matter if Merlin had once dropped a chandelier on the head of the witch who'd been trying to kill Arthur on their wedding day, when he had been standing off to the side and out of range? Did it matter if Merlin had forced the snakes that protected Valiant away from the safe container of its shield, when Merlin once again stood off to the side? Did it matter if Merlin had created an air tunnel so that Arthur's torch could light so it could burn the muck monster poisoning the city's water supply, when once again, he'd been standing safely away from the danger. Did it matter if Merlin had created a simple light to help Arthur drag his body out of a cave, when Merlin had been unconscious and half dreaming the entire situation, far away from the dangers of spiders and witches.

"But if you don't, then Arthur isn't going to make it. And that's only going to be something that'll make your life more difficult than it really has to be? Are you really wanting this kingdom to rest its problems on your shoulders, because it no longer has a prince to take care of things?" Gaius asked him, still trying to push Merlin into doing something that he really didn't want to do. And Merlin wanted to laugh, a crazy and reckless laugh as he shook his head, wearing an insane smile that nearly split his face into two. Merlin couldn't believe he was really having this conversation. Needing to decide between putting his life on risk once again, when he was just figuring out how to get his life back, or living with the burden of a crown he should never have to wear. "I know that this will not be the easiest thing to do, and I wouldn't want to ask you to do this if there was any other choice. Rescuing your abuser…the fates have the oddest sense of humor. But there is nothing else that can be done. Nobody else that has any chance of survival…not like you do."

Merlin didn't stop the loud bark of laughter escaping from his mouth, shaking his head as he turned away from his uncle. His uncle had to be bloody joking with him. There was no way that HE was the only one that had any chance at returning to Camelot after this whole situation was over and done with. Did his uncle not remember who he was talking to? Merlin was the one that had laid on his back, with the griffin standing above him the day their paths had first crossed, and wondered whether or not it would be easier to just let it finish the job. Merlin was the one that had ran away when the griffin had slashed its long talons and slashed Lancelot's side to ribbons. Merlin was the one that had just stood there when it came flying at him, and was, grudgingly, only still standing because Arthur had been the one that pushed him out the way. HE'D been the one that faced this thing more times than anybody in the city, and he had been a coward each and every time. Being stupid and desperate enough to race out into the courtyard when the griffin had been distracted by the knights was one thing. But deliberately seeking this creature out, having every intention to kill it dead, and then returning with himself intact…it was too much. It wasn't going to be done. Merlin COULDN'T do this, no matter what his uncle thought. There was only one way this was going to end, and it wasn't going to be with Merlin strutting back into the city with the griffin slung over his shoulders as if it was some kind of prized buck that would feed the castle for weeks.

"No, Uncle Gaius! This is absolute madness! You are talking crazy! ME fighting a griffin! I can't even stay on my own two feet on a normal day, and you expect me to just go along with this! There HAS to be a different way, something that we just haven't thought of yet. We just need a bit of time and we can figure all this out." Merlin exclaimed, he was restless and unable to keep still, starting to pace back and forth in front of his uncle. Raising a hand to grab roughly at his strands of hair, pulling until he was sure he felt bits and pieces coming out by the roots. It stung his head, and made the soreness where he had smashed his head against the ground ache. Pain had became a soothing motion to him, just a little something to keep him grounded. Mutilating himself had helped him for such a long time, but he didn't have that option anymore. "Maybe we just need to have more men than what we had in the courtyard, maybe then we'd be able to overpower it or something. Or maybe there's somebody else…you seriously don't know ANYBODY else in this whole kingdom that has magic! You are the court physician! Maybe somebody came to you for some kind of ailment, then you figured it out? Because I mean…I don't have magic that's powerful enough for a job like this! I couldn't save myself from ARTHUR and his abuse, so how it can be so easy for you to ask me this…"

Merlin already knew that he was grasping desperately at straws, but he knew there was SOMETHING. Merlin had managed to pull off the impossible before, how else had he managed to somehow gain a treaty with Mercia when he had not even been trying? He just needed a little bit of wiggle room, just a little bit of time he already knew he didn't have. Fuck! Merlin was so positive that he'd found somebody that cared for him, was so sure that Gaius was the only one in the entire world he would never fear turning his back on him. But then THIS happens, and Merlin had to march out to a battle he didn't want to have a part in, and it left Merlin questioning everything. Did Gaius really care for him? Did he really help get Merlin through some of the worse bits of his life because he was family and that was what family did for each other. Or was his uncle only playing with him this entire time, making Merlin feel special and loved until he needed him to do something for him. Gaius had spent the last four months just telling Merlin that he shouldn't use magic, warning him that keeping it secret is the only way he could stay alive, stopping him from using it the second he was suggesting it. And then he just does a complete one eighty and tells Merlin he has to do it? Why? Because it was what GAIUS wanted, and that made it okay for Merlin to suddenly pull some super secret super magic straight out of his arse? Having magic didn't make him an expert! Being lucky enough to survive until now, didn't mean he would be lucky the next time he had to fight against something that he wasn't ready to fight.

"Merlin, I can assure you that this is far from easy. Do you really think that I'm alright with you going out there and risking your neck for people who have hurt you in the past. I am only doing this FOR you. Because I don't want to see the king turning his attention onto you the second Arthur's no longer around to be his focus." Gaius exclaimed, his brows furrowing between his eyes, giving the consort a wounded look. Merlin would have felt guilty, if he wasn't completely sure that…yes! That's exactly what his uncle wanted. Despite whatever excuse Gaius could give him, the issue still stood. His uncle wanted him to put out his neck for people who have HURT HIM. Hurt him in the worst of ways…there was not a single reason as to why Merlin should do this for them. He had magic, so bloody what! It would be just as useful as any of those knights carrying about their stupid swords that couldn't pierce the griffin's flesh. Completely useless since he couldn't control it, or what he wanted to do with it. "If there was any other way, don't you think I would have suggested it by now? I would rather have you right here at home where I can keep an eye on you, instead of seeing you disappearing into the woods when either the griffin or the knights will try to kill you once you're caught. Do you really think so little of me, that I would ask this without exhausting every other possible scenario? Something that'd keep you out of it."

Merlin's head felt as if it was about to split open wide enough for his brain to start leaking from his scalp like a never ending wave of pink goop. It was…was all a trick! All of this! Just like Arthur, who was constantly fluttering around the consort whenever he wanted something. Arthur, who was spending all his time these days trying to butter Merlin up just because Merlin wasn't going to play his little games anymore, not after almost dying for the bastard. And now, his own uncle was taking a page straight out of Arthur's book. Trying to make the consort think he actually cared for him, when he had just been waiting till the right time to encourage Merlin to make the ultimate sacrifice. It was a betrayal! His own uncle! After all the shit they'd been through, both together and apart…he was really going to turn on Merlin now. Merlin, who had fallen for the tricks and the lies and the comfort just because they were FAMILY. Because FAMILY was supposed to be there for each other, especially when the whole world felt as if it was falling beneath their feet. What a fool he had been. Falling for the prince's shit in the beginning was one thing, but not seeing his uncle playing a part right in front of him this entire time? Shame on HIM!

"Do you even care about what is going to happen to me at all! Do you have any idea what the griffin is going to do to me the second I show up! Or what any of the knights will do to me if they see me just using magic out in the open as if it isn't some big dark secret that will have me MURDERED on the spot if I do find a way to survive the griffin!" Merlin completely blew up, lashing out against his uncle with his voice trembling with absolute fear over what could happen if he was truly dumb enough to do this. He wouldn't be just murdered. He would be slaughtered. By either the beast or the men he saved. His remains scattered to the wind, spread apart so far that they'd be no hope in identifying him, even if somebody managed to piece together his body. "Oh, just go and do this Merlin and do that Merlin and do run off and do this Merlin. Go ahead and kill off the griffin, Merlin, it's not going to chew you up and spit you out or anything. I will just sit here and warm my feet up by the fire, Merlin. You go and risk your own life, and I'll be sitting right here while waiting for the news of your death. And don't worry about your maybe concussion by the way, it's just a little footnote so it shouldn't bother your abilities to fight off a ten ton magical beast."

Maybe this was a little unfair of Merlin, surely somebody wanting to trick him wouldn't have held onto the act as good as Gaius had for FOUR months! But it was frustrating, and terrifying, and Merlin was blinded by both fear and rage in him and he couldn't decide which emotion was stronger. Hadn't Merlin already given enough of himself to this kingdom? Hadn't Merlin already risked it all, at least a million times, and had everything blow up in his face? Hadn't Merlin did it all, and still found most days a struggle to get through. Hadn't he already did enough for this kingdom! And yet, people were going to want more than Merlin could reasonably handle. Merlin had already been pulled to his wits end before and it wasn't something he wanted to do ever again. But that's exactly what he found happening. To go or not to go. To die anyway, or become this stand in to replace Arthur.

"MERLIN!"

Merlin's entire body went tight, the anger draining out of him so fast that it felt like his head was spinning. One single word, that was all it had taken from his kind uncle to make Merlin realize HOW unreasonable and unfair his accusation was. Merlin had been lashing out at the wrong person, taking his anger out on the one person that deserved it the least. Merlin was…he was behaving just as Arthur always did. Screaming about nothing and about everything, lashing out with baseless accusations just to get a rise out of somebody else. And that is exactly what Merlin had done…he had gotten a rise out of his uncle. Only, the consort didn't feel the same victory he was sure Arthur had always felt. He felt only hallowed out, like somebody had taken a rusty spoon and scraped along his insides until he was left with only the bare minimum to keep him going. He was drained, exhausted, and suddenly felt ten years older than he actually was right now.

"I'm sorry."

The words fell from Merlin's lips as if they came from a feeble little babe, and a babe that could barely talk at this. He wanted to say more than just a few little words that couldn't convey how TRULY sorry he was. He wanted to swallow all his accusations back because he knew not ONE of them was true. If he'd been yelling at Arthur, then yeah…Merlin would've had more of a leg to stand on. But his uncle? Who had fed him and clothed him and even bathed him when he felt unable to do it himself. He had done EVERYTHING and more for Merlin. And he thanked him by yelling at him? By wanting to curse him out? Merlin was being a terrible person, a terrible consort, a terrible sorcerer, and most especially a terrible nephew. His mother would have washed his mouth out with soap if she knew the disrespect he had just been showing.

"Merlin," Gaius spoke up again, his tone gentler and softer than Merlin felt like he deserved. Merlin wanted to bury his head in the sand and pretend he didn't hear him, sure he would see disappointment on his uncle's face. Maybe the old man would even regret being so kind to Merlin, when Merlin couldn't even pull his head out of his arse and be a little damn grateful for everything he'd done for him these last few months. But Gaius was just as stubborn as Merlin, and he walked up to Merlin, staring him down until Merlin had no choice but to look up and meet eyes with him. "Merlin…you are the one and only thing that I find I care about in this entire world. I would give my LIFE for you without a second's thought. I would trade ANYTHING as long as you were not put in harm's way. I almost WISH you had an actual concussion, because then it would've given me a reasonable excuse to not let you go. But the truth of the matters is this…your head is fine. And I simply cannot do the things that you can do or I would go to do this myself. But…it's simply not my destiny."

Merlin nodded quietly, keeping his eyes latched somewhere on the floor…there wasn't any doubt left inside of him. He knew his uncle would trade places with him in a heartbeat if given the choice, and Merlin still didn't understand what it was exactly that he had done to earn that kind of care. But Merlin knew that he had to return it ten fold…he probably wouldn't even be alive if Gaius hadn't put forth all of his energy into getting Merlin back onto his feet. Those first couple of days, when Merlin had struggled the most after deciding he wanted to start getting better, had been the most dangerous for him. Going back and forth as he wondered if the struggling was going to actually be worth it once he finally reached the other side of that hill. Merlin still hadn't reached the other side of that hill, and it was looking as if he never would, but…he couldn't exactly leave his uncle hanging like this. Not after everything.

"…I'm sorry."

Merlin's voice came out weak and shaking, and he felt pitiful for utterly words that couldn't convey how truly…sorry…he was. They didn't really seem strong enough to convey how horrified he was by his own accusations. His uncle had spent months feeding him from his own personal storage when he didn't have to, even when Merlin hadn't wanted to eat. Gaius had allowed him to stay right under his own roof, even when space was limited and Merlin had another room he could very well sleep in. Gaius had even gone above and beyond by letting Merlin use him for entertainment…teaching Merlin simple healing solutions the consort would probably never need to use in the real world. The aged man had to have a thousand more important things to do than to waste his teachings on somebody like Merlin. And here Merlin was…all but spitting straight in his face after being asked to do ONE thing for him. And this wasn't even for Gaius…this was for everybody. The entire kingdom as a whole. For every man, woman, and child residing within the boarders.

"If you cannot understand yet what you mean to me Merlin, then I truly do not know what else I can say to convince you."

Merlin swallowed, forcing down the lump weighing heavily in the center of his throat. He was once again hit with an overpowering amount of shame, and he already knew what he was going to have to do now to earn Gaius' forgiveness. It was the least that Merlin could do considering all the minutes, hours, days, weeks, and months that Gaius had stood around dealing with Merlin's crap as it grew progressively and progressively heavier and more toxic. Merlin's nerves felt all fired up, anxiousness stabbing him harshly in the stomach as if trying to remind him how fucked up this whole thing was. But unlike before, the consort forced that feeling down. Burying it beneath everything else, pretending all his fear didn't exist. If he acted like it wasn't there…then maybe it would fall away all on its own.

"…I don't think we've got much time left before Arthur leaves. So, do you have any plans on how I can defeat this griffin once and for all?"

X

Lancelot NoLastName had found himself sitting on the small pile of straw that sat in the corner of his cell, one arm slung across his knee as he stared at the wall. Or in other words…as he stared at nothing. It was just a wall separating him from the rest of the cells, but there was nothing else for him to do. Not a thing more than…sitting here and waiting for somebody to come tell him what was going to happen to him now. It had been quite a while since the castle felt as if it was trying to come down on his head, and the guard that had gone and abandoned him to his fate should it actually happen had already returned back to his post. The most Lancelot had gotten out of the other guy was there being an attack and to 'shut up', which pretty much confirmed what Lancelot thought had happened. If there was anything that could smash the castle to bits where it stood, Lancelot would have placed his bet on the creature. But of course, he would also need to have more than a single copper piece to his name to make such a bet…Lancelot snorted under his breath and shook his head. Just look at him, here Lancelot was, locked away in a cell for conspiracy to steal a royal title, and Lancelot was making petty bets in his head. As if he didn't have more important things to worry about.

Lancelot didn't know what the property damage outside had been, and he also didn't know what the casualty rates of the people were. He hadn't been able to see anything from his little window, and his screams during the attack had only gone unanswered, and anything could be happening outside. Lancelot wanted to be out there, felt like he NEEDED to be out there, so he could offer up what support he could. But then again, it wasn't like anybody was going to take him seriously now. People took their ranks seriously, and Lancelot was sure he had made a fair few enemies after his deception had been revealed. But that didn't mean Lancelot didn't want to take up the blade once again…he would probably never hold a blade again. Lancelot sighed heavily and leaned his head back so it bumped lightly against the rough wall behind him, closing his eyes while just trying to keep his breath steady.

Lancelot was trying SO hard not to think about the big picture here, trying to keep himself busy with other thoughts so he wouldn't drive himself crazy with being unable to do anything. But his mind always went straight back to them…to Gwen and Merlin. Lancelot thinned his lips and curled his hand tightly into a fist around his knee…they were okay. They HAD TO BE okay. Lancelot was not ever going to forgive himself if he heard one of them had became a casualty in the attacks. Gwen, with her sweet button nose and innocent demeanor and her strong sense of loyalty and love. Who had somehow chosen HIM as a man she wanted to give her affections too. Merlin, with his bright smile and sad history and give them hell attitude. The consort with no self preservation skills, who'd trusted Lancelot with personal information, and had risked it all on just a little commoner like him. Lancelot's hand went tighter around his knee, clenching at his teeth so tightly that it felt like they were going to shatter in his mouth. The two of them were out there, by themselves or together or something else that the former knight hadn't considered. But either way, they could be in danger or hurt and neither had the kind of skills Lancelot had trained himself to have…

A sudden noise coming from outside Lancelot's cell caught his attention, and in an instant the man was standing on his feet and pressing himself against the bars in order to see. It had been a sort of…clanging sound…then there was the sound of a key clicking into place. The wooden door swung open and standing in the shadows of that door stood a man, the guard that was assigned to keep Lancelot in his cell. The former knight clenched his hands tightly over the bars as a strike of fear hit him…was this it? Had King Uther decided to formally have Lancelot executed for deceit? Had Uther decided to forgo getting any kind of information out of Lancelot regarding the forgery Merlin had made? What had made the king change his mind? Was it because of the creature attack? Was it perhaps far worse than Lancelot thought it had been? Lancelot's could feel the tightness building in his shoulders, and he backed away from the bars to press himself into a corner of the cell as the guard strode forward.

The muscles in Lancelot's forearms were going tight, his natural flight or fight reflex challenging him. He didn't have any right to actually fight the man, he'd broken the laws of the kingdom and it was only right for him to be punished for it. And logically, there was no chance he would get very far considering every knight in the kingdom probably knew his face and would stop him from trying to escape. Where would he go anyway? Lancelot didn't want to leave the city…he liked it here. He had actual friends here, people that he cared about, people he just had to see to know if they were okay. If Lancelot did try to run, it would only be so he could check on them. To find Gwen or Merlin and make sure they survived…the guard was suddenly unlocking his cell. The loud clanking of their key clicking into place almost made Lancelot flinch, but the other guard didn't step inside. The guard, instead, swung the door open and stepped back to let a second man that Lancelot hadn't noticed to enter the small space…

Arthur.

Lancelot's breath caught somewhere deep in his throat, more surprised than he probably should have been to see Arthur down here. After the way Arthur had attacked him that morning, the bruises along Lancelot's jawline still stung him something fierce, he hadn't expected for the prince to visit him. The two of them had forged their own somewhat complicated history, and Lancelot had convinced himself that Arthur had been content to leave him down here to rot for the rest of his days. It wasn't as if Arthur had ever particularly liked him to begin with, not even after their misunderstanding had came to an end, and the feeling had been mutual on Lancelot's part. There was only one reason for the prince to be down here though, and Lancelot knew he was right when he saw the thunderous expression on the prince's face.

"Did you lie to him? Is that why he went so far out of his way to help a you, this complete and utter STRANGER! You lied to him about who you were and what you were doing here! It's the only thing that makes any lick of sense! There is no chance he would have helped you unless you told him something that made him!" Arthur practically exploded in Lancelot's face the second he walked past the opened cell doors, and Lancelot's belly went tight with tension. This was it …a confrontation that had Merlin directly in the center of it. Lancelot glanced over Arthur's shoulder to the guard, but the guard had his back turned and he was pretending he wasn't listening to their conversation. Arthur hadn't exactly said who 'he' was, but Lancelot already knew he was talking about Merlin. But did the guard know…had Arthur deliberately not said his name or was it only a coincidence that he didn't. If things were about to get heated because of their shared companion, there was no telling what the other guard might hear them saying. But for once, Arthur seemed to be on the same page as Lancelot was, because the blond whirled around and started barking at the knight, "I want to be left alone with the prisoner! I wish to interrogate him, and I cannot hope for any worthy information when I have you breaking down our necks. So be gone with you!"

There was a certain tension in the air that Lancelot felt only he could feel, but there was something to say about having a furious blond barking orders right at you. The guard practically fled from the cells without another word, leaving the prisoner in his charge at the complete and utter mercy of the prince. The second the door slammed shut, sealing the two of them inside the room, the prince was whipping back around to glare daggers at Lancelot. The warrior's spine went stiff, like a soldier coming face to face with a commanding officer after they've done something reckless and dangerous. But in this case, there was several reckless and dangerous things Lancelot would have done over and over again, no matter where it was he ended up. There were just some thing's that mattered most in the end, more than even his honor as a knight, and that was the safety and well being of the people he cared about most in the world.

"So, Lance-a-lot," Arthur spelt out his name in an overly exaggerated way, this almost twisted smile splitting his face completely in two, making it look mostly inhuman with the way the shadows of the cells cast themselves over his face. There was something wrong here, something that Lancelot wasn't getting, but something was DEFINITELY off about Arthur. He looked…more than just a little bit unhinged. Lancelot wouldn't be surprised if the prince skipped past hitting him and went straight for striking him down with his blade. "As I was saying to you before I had to…rudely interrupt us…perhaps you can shed some light and explain to me WHY my consort put himself in a vulnerable position just to help you. He could have done a thousand different things, things that wouldn't have brought attention to him, and yet…he risked his position for you. Why? What is it that makes you so bloody special that Merlin managed to trick EVERYBODY for you!"

Arthur finished himself off with a shriek of rage, wild and unkept, that would have had even the strongest of men throwing themselves to his feet in order to beg for his forgiveness. Perhaps if Arthur had came here before the castle was attack, Lancelot himself would have been stuttering over his apologies, trying and struggling to get Arthur to understand he had meant no harm. He had only wanted to serve his country the only way that he could. But a few thing's had changed for Lancelot, locked away in this little cell, unable to find out a single thing about what has been going on outside. Kept away from his friends when they needed him…or perhaps it was Lancelot that needed them. The ones that had given him a purpose when nobody else had. And if everything ended here, right now in this little four by four cell, he has to at least know the truth.

"I'll answer anything that you want to know, I swear on my life that I will Prince Arthur. But I'll only be willing to speak to you if you will answer just one simple question for me. Just one question, and…I won't hold anything back. Anything you want to know about how…about how I managed to convince Merlin to help me with…all of this." Lancelot said, his heart racing in his chest because of just how unsure he was about all of this. There was no telling if Arthur was going to buy this, or if Arthur would just come up with some other way to pry whatever information he wanted from him. But he had to try. For them. "Just let me know that they're okay…Merlin and Gwen. The creature that was running amok…the way the castle was shaking, it had to have caused some serious damage. Just ….are they okay? Did they survive the chaos?"

Lancelot held his breath when the prince just stared at him for a long moment, the dread coursing through his entire body until it felt like he was drowning in it. Arthur wasn't answering him…why wasn't Arthur answering him? Did it mean that something really had happened? Was that why Arthur had chosen now to come down here and yell at him? Lancelot couldn't imagine Arthur reacting as crazed as he was if it had been Gwen that perished in the fight, so it felt as if her fate was being left in the air. But Merlin…Arthur had always been strange when it came to Merlin. From downright abusive to irrational jealousy. Did this mean that something had happened to Merlin? Already, the worse cases were piling up in Lancelot's mind. Images of Merlin's frail body buried beneath the rubble, images of Merlin's pale flesh slashed to ribbons, images of his friend staring blankly up at the sky with lifeless eyes. The colors completely drained out of them.

"You…you…you must be absolutely mad if you think I'm going to tell you any damn thing about either one of them! You must think me an utter fool to waste my time on making agreements and bargaining when YOU are the one that's at MY mercy, not the other way around." Arthur said, releasing a bark of laughter that made Lancelot's heart seize in his chest. He had always known Arthur was a cruel man, but this…this seemed like far more than anything Lancelot's seen with his own eyes. "Need I remind you, I am your prince and you are the man that lied, or did you forget exactly how you ended up in my dungeons. I don't negotiate with people who's already betrayed my trust once. Instead, I squash them like a bug if they displeased me the way you have, and then I continue to move on with my life because you have already been forgotten. Now, I ask that you don't make me demand an answer from you for a third time…what exactly made you so special that my consort went so far for you?"

Lancelot felt a jab of irritation going through him, was Arthur really going to go and have this kind of fit with him right now? He was already sitting here in this small cell, and Arthur was coming down here to yell at him? Lancelot was most likely going to pay for his dishonor with his life, he didn't have anything left for him to lose. His life was a very small thing he was willing to forfeit, for even the smallest bit of information on how Merlin and Guinevere had faired during this attack. And as twisted as it was, Arthur was the key to getting that information to him. Lancelot had already forshakened himself by keeping Merlin's secret a secret, and Lancelot wasn't expecting anything for it. This was a cross that he was happily willing to bear. But surely one small bit of information was hardly something that was too much for him to ask for.

"PRINCR ARTHUR!" Lancelot exclaimed loudly, far too loudly for a man that is a prisoner, and as Arthur had said, was standing only by the prince's mercy. It left Lancelot's ribcage rattling inside his chest, but Lancelot would have been willing to break his own ribcage bones to get what he needed. No conversation with Arthur could trump him knowing that they were safe. "I know that we have differences that cannot be overcome, and I know that I have no right to ask for anything. But PLEASE. I have been sitting in this cell for hours, and for all I may know, my friend and my love could very well be dead. Just…please. If there will be ANYTHING that I ask you…just answer my one question."

Arthur's lips thinned in contempt, but Lancelot didn't allow his eyes to wonder away from the blond's. Desperation was rushing through his cells, sinking into the marrow of his bones. He hoped that Arthur could see how desperate he'd became, he hoped that the prince would show him some kind of pity. With the way Arthur acted when he was with Merlin…surely even he could understand the pains one went through when somebody was being kept away from those that needed them. But while Lancelot's worry came from a place of care, the prince's came from a place Lancelot didn't want to explore. But either way, the both of them had an invested in the same person.

"As far as I'm aware, nothing has happened to Guinevere. I haven't seen hair of her since the creature attacked us this afternoon. But I do believe she did end up being taken into custody with Morgana, and since there's been no word of Morgana being injured, I have to assume she is safe as well." Arthur finally said in a bland tone, and Lancelot's heartache lessoned, his tight lungs going loose with the need. It wasn't a confirmation, there was every chance that the blond could be misinformed, but Lancelot was choosing to look on the brighter side of this. No information at this point, was far better than the wrong information. His Guinevere was safe, probably already returning to whatever duties she had to get done for the day, maybe even allowed to return to her home after all the ordeal. But what about… "And yes, I can confirm that Merlin is alive and well as well. In fact, he was just yelling at me earlier this afternoon. Something I know that you are already very familiar with. He's not exactly the easiest man to get knocked off his feet even during a crisis situation."

The bark of laughter escaping his throat perhaps surprised Lancelot more than it did even Arthur, a fond smile spreading across the former warrior's lips. The idea of Merlin yelling at Arthur caused the man's body to relax as if he had just turned into a pile of goo. Yes, Lancelot was in prison and yes he was probably facing treason charges and yes he wasn't going to make it out of this, but that had faded to the background. None of it mattered, not as long as Merlin lived to continue his story. Not as long as his friend lived to continue many days to come. Lancelot could probably die happy now, knowing that everything in the world was right. The world itself would have been a dimmer and darker place if it didn't have those two people in it. Where would Camelot be if it didn't have Merlin there looking Merlin there looking after it? Where would Camelot be if Merlin wasn't there, working to combat against the unfairness of the land and the laws from the inside? And where would Merlin be if he didn't have Gwen's gentle demeanor standing beside him? If he didn't have his great defended to challenge those that might try to run Merlin's great name into the muck.

"Now, I've told you what you wanted to know. So tell me what I want to know."

Lancelot's bright grin went stiff around the edges as he remembered the man had came here for a reason, and it certainly wasn't to give Lancelot news that the other guard refused to release. Right, Lancelot thought as he tried to form a calculated response in his head. Arthur wanted to know why Merlin had gone and done so much for him. He wanted to know why Merlin had risked it all just to get a commoner in the king's army. He wanted to know WHAT made him so special that Merlin would go above and beyond just to make HIS dreams come to life. He needed to be very careful about his response, but he also needed to be as honest as he could be as well. Lancelot had a feeling the other man was going to know if he tried lying about anything, but Lancelot also couldn't just talk freely. There were many secrets the consort was relying on him to keep as far away from the royal family as possible. One misspoken word could end up bringing the prince's ire straight to the consort's doorstep, and that was one thing Lancelot wasn't willing to risk. There was no telling how violent the man might react if Lancelot told him something that he didn't want to hear.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Arthur. I suppose it would be easier for you if I said I tricked him into helping me, but I didn't. I suppose it would have been easier for you if I told you there was some kind of master plan and it had me forcing Merlin to help me by either blackmail or threatening him. But I fear that the truth isn't something you wish to hear, because…what happened was not anything like that." Lancelot said slowly, sticking to the truth but keeping track of what information he chose to release. "You've known your consort for quite a while now, surely you know what kind of person he is. Surely even you have considered…this whole situation is the kind of thing Consort Merlin would involve himself with. I'm simply a commoner, and Merlin decided to place what he could behind me. He did everything to help a stranger. You should be proud to know your consort has such a giving heart, there's not many men out there who would have done even half of what he's done for me. The only thing that I did was save his life before I even knew his name, but I would have did that for anybody that needed my help. I don't regret that it was Consort Merlin."

There was a few instances during Lancelot's speech where he saw the violent twitching of Arthur's jaw, the harsh clenching of his teeth, his intolerant eyes trying to stare deeply into Lancelot's soul and strip his bare. But Lancelot did his best to carry himself with pride…there were a great many things he felt like he had regretted in life. Times where he hadn't been quick enough to help the ones that had needed it the most, times where he hadn't been aware enough to recognize when somebody needed his help. And yet somehow, surrounded by bars and the dank smell of graveyard dirt and freezing his arse off, and yet, he didn't regret what led him here. Even dishonoring himself with his lies, and knowing there had been many different paths he could have gone instead, this was the one that he had found himself on. If Lancelot had done anything even a least bit different, there was every chance he could have lived never knowing the sweet smile his Guinevere would give him. Without knowing how friendship was meant to be, true honest friendship, without Merlin's easy comradrie.

"Do you think I don't know what kind of man my own husband is? I think that I would know what Merlin's likely to do far more than somebody who has known him for only a week! Do you think me so negligent that I wouldn't recognize all of this being the EXACT thing my consort would do? The second I learned that you were a commoner and not simply a spy sent here to get Camelot's secrets, I knew that Merlin had a hand in this! You don't need to tell me that!" Said the prince with a rapid snarl, twisting his lips into quite the ugly expression. While Lancelot was still unaccustomed to Arthur's raging temper and how violent the prince could turn during a simple conversation, he had a very strong feeling he had stepped into sensitive territory. Did the man often find others questioning him on how well he knew his husband? Or was Arthur's just pissed because it was Lancelot questioning him? "What I WANT to know, is what story you told him to make him pity you. What story got you from being the man that saved his life, to being a knight he was willing to commit treason for! There are steps missing in the middle here! YOU almost got my consort living in the cell beside you, so YOU will give me the answers that I want."

Lancelot shook his head, unafraid to smile in front of the prince's weary. It was obvious that Arthur still wasn't understanding what Lancelot was trying to tell him. Some people didn't need 'stories' just to be kind and generous towards a stranger they met in the woods. Some people didn't need to share sob stories to make somebody willing to go above and beyond for them. There were some people that were just kind and generous by nature. Arthur could spit out at the warrior as many times as he wanted on how much he knew about the consort, he could spit out detail after detail after detail that not even Lancelot knew of. But the point of the matter still stood…Arthur didn't know sides of Merlin that Lancelot did. He had never seen his kindness the same way Lancelot had, he had never seen how far Merlin was willing to put himself out there for others like Lancelot did. Arthur could stew in his anger, but Merlin would always be a part of Lancelot's story, perhaps even the most meaningful part. After all, this had all started with Merlin. And it would end with Lancelot.

"If Merlin almost landed himself in a cell next to me, then it's only because he felt like he couldn't tell you what he wanted to do. He obviously felt he could not tell you his plan, because he clearly knew how you were going to react to the mere suggestion of somebody not noble joining your ranks. Now, I respect the laws and whatever decisions the royal family decides because you all are the ones in charge. But Merlin is part of this as well, and I can assure you that I did nothing more than speak to him. I told Merlin my history and told him why I came to this kingdom, and he welcomed me with open arms. There was no pity involved, no coercing or lying or anything to get him on my side. Simply telling him my truth." Lancelot said, as calm and as concise as he could, imploring for Arthur to see that he wasn't the monster Arthur was trying to make him. He is only a man that would take full responsibility for disrespecting the rules of the land he was in, but also a man that would be honest after his dishonesty had landed him here. "Now, I think the better question is…why did Merlin feel like he had to hide this from you? There has been plenty of times where either one of us could have spoken the truth, but why did Merlin decide to keep all of this a secret? What abuse did YOU put Merlin through, where it's left him knowing he can't trust you?"

Lancelot could see the way the dark and angry red flush started building up on his face, and could see the way his eyes were bulging at him. It was very likely that Arthur was going to attack him for his comments, but just because they'd gotten 'semi-along' during the celebrations, didn't mean that there's been any change between the two of them. Lancelot might have disrespected the court of Camelot, and perhaps everybody was right and he didn't deserve to be one of the knight's but as far as Lancelot was concerned, Arthur had done far more worse things by disrespecting Merlin as he had. What did the former warrior have to lose here? He was practically on death's row already, and was waiting only for the formal announcement. Having one last spar with the prince would hardly change that. But perhaps, if Lancelot was lucky, something that he said would be enough to pierce through Arthur's arrogance. Something that would stick with Arthur even long after Lancelot had passed onto the next world.

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT! ARE YOU HAVING REAL TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING THAT I AM YOUR PRINCE AND I EXPECT YOU TO AT LEAST HAVE THE MOST BASIC OF RESPECT FOR ME! I COULD BE THE ONE THAT IS TO PUT IN THE ORDER FOR YOUR EXECUTION, AND YET YOU STAND THERE MOCKING ME TO MY FACE!" Arthur roared, getting into Lancelot's face as the veins in his forehead looked like they were about to pop. Lancelot thinned his lips, but didn't look away. He had said what he had said and there wasn't any going back, he wouldn't dishonor himself again by putting his head down and letting Arthur railroad over him. It would be a disrespect to Merlin if he showed such cowardice in the face of his abuser. "GOD, YOU AND MERLIN REALLY DO SEEM JUST THE SAME, DON'T YOU! BOTH OF YOU SO WILLING TO JUST GO AND THROW YOURSELVES INTO SOMETHING TOO BIG FOR EITHER ONE OF YOU! ALWAYS THE FIRST IN LINE TO TELL ME WHEN I AM WRONG! I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO HEAR IT FROM MERLIN, I BLOODY WELL NEED IT FOR THE MOST PART APPARENTLY, BUT I CANNOT STAND HERE AND TAKE THE SAME KIND OF SHIT FROM SOMEBODY LIKE YOU!"

Arthur could have bellowed and bellowed like a raging lunatic for a thousand or so hours, and Lancelot wouldn't have been more thrilled than he was right now. Lancelot had already let go of most of his brainless hero worship over the Commoner Consort he had never met before, but there was still a part inside of him that thumped wildly at the thought of being even half the man that the real consort was. Merlin was somebody that people should strive to be like, a man that threw himself whole heartedly into things other people wouldn't have wanted to poke with a ten foot pool. And then saw it all the way through to the end no matter how horribly it might end. He made decisions, and didn't act as if they weren't his if they failed. Lancelot would die with a sliver of Merlin and his wild spirit inside his heart. It wasn't the worse fate that could have befallen Lancelot. Arthur may not have realized it, but he had given Lancelot the best compliment the former warrior could have gotten.

"You've never looked Merlin directly in the eyes, have you?" Lancelot said in a blunt tone, the randomness of what he said enough to make Arthur stop where he was yelling, the prince's mouth opening and closing in wordless confusion. But Lancelot knew exactly where he was going with this, "if you did look Merlin in the eyes, then you never would have came down here to yell at me to begin with. Now, I clearly understand you have every right to be angry with me, but I don't believe that it actually has anything to do with the situation we're in. If it did, then you would already know from one look into Merlin's eyes about what kind of man he is. You wouldn't be down here questioning it. Now, I don't want to pretend I know what you're really angry about, but I'm guessing you need to have an outlet for that anger and that's why you're really down here. But if I'm wrong, go ahead and tell me. And while you're at it, you can also tell me about how you aren't really the abusive bastard that you seem to be."

Arthur opened his mouth, most likely to spit out something vile and filled with the violence that seemed to always be boiling in his blood. But Lancelot found himself quite surprised when nothing came out, and the prince shut his mouth with a violent clink of teeth on teeth instead, a muscle violently jumping in his jawline being the only indicator of his anger. Lancelot eyed him with the same cautiousness one would eye a wild boar about to make a race at him, his own muscles tensing in preparedness for whatever the prince might try and launch at him next. If he tried anything at all. Lancelot had only been taking a shot in the dark here, using the way Arthur had raced into the cells like he was already gearing up for a fight before he heard a single word from the former warrior as his clue. But apparently Lancelot really hadn't been too far off the mark if this stopped even the Great Prince Arthur Pendragon from trying to beat him into a bloody pulp for his audacity. They both knew Arthur couldn't say anything that would change what they both knew…Arthur had hurt Merlin. Deliberately, and violently, and took pleasure out of it.

"…Maybe you can tell me what you did to earn Merlin's trust. Because I've tried for DAYS to even get Merlin to look at me half as much as he looks at you! My Consort looks at you like he actually respect you! He wants to be around you of his own violation! Not because me or somebody else had to force him!" The prince finally blew up at Lancelot, throwing his hands into the air as if he could not contain himself any longer, the flood of words flying from his lips as if they were vomit and taking Arthur by surprise. "You managed to do what I could not in the same amount of time! I have tried gifts, and I have tried talking, and I did try insisting, and I have even protected him from OTHERS wanting to try doing him harm! And yet, every second he has gone and ran straight back to you! He will NEVER look at me the same he looks at you! He will NEVER share the same air with me without being disgusted with me. Hell, I'M disgusted with me, and I can't…I won't…fuck…what the hell am I even doing here!"

Lancelot watched in stunned silence as the prince turned his back to him and pressed his closed fists against the wall of his cell, his entire body shaking as if the fight he had came in here with was draining from him. Lancelot glanced around, almost hoping another guard would come entering the room to try and save him from…whatever Arthur's problem was. Arthur had sounded absolutely WRETCHED with his last words, and it left Lancelot floundering a bit over what he should do. But all he saw was the opened door of his cell…he could've even made a run for it, probably, and get a good bit away before Arthur realized that he was gone. But Lancelot didn't…instead, he took a cautious step towards the prince. Arthur was clearly having some kind of meltdown, and it clearly wasn't something Lancelot was meant to witness. But here they were, either way, and the former warrior awkwardly licked at his dry lips.

"Er…maybe you should start at the beginning here. I often find that is the best place to start when you don't know where you are going. Maybe I can even be the one to…help you…figure it out. I mean…you came down here for a reason…and I don't think yelling at me is going to solve anything." Lancelot said with a slow tone, flipping through his thoughts like he would a strategy before a big fight. Musing over everything Arthur had spit out at him a moment ago, "…this is clearly about Merlin. So why don't you try this again and we start there. You can explain what you mean by how you've…tried everything. Because I cannot say I'm entirely certain I understood even half of what you said. But if this will help…"

Arthur released a bark of laughter, still not looking back at Lancelot while he shook his head against the wall, and Lancelot's brows conjoined together into the center of his forehead. He was perhaps a little more out of his depth here, but Camelot had already been one large thing after the next. This was only one more in the long list of events that had happened. And clearly Arthur was very …upset. Lancelot probably shouldn't feel bad for the guy, but the man seemed to be giving off 'help me' vibes. What the hell was going on here. Or the better question…why the hell had Arthur came down to Lancelot's cell? What has the blond been doing-gifts, talking, insisting, protecting-that Lancelot had largely been unaware of. He had seen Arthur a time or two rising up to the defense of Merlin, but there was clearly a much larger gap between the two if something like that didn't repair it. Did Arthur want to repair it? Was that why he came all the way down here? Fussing about gifts that Merlin clearly didn't take, fussing about talks that Merlin had clearly denied him, talking about protecting when Merlin didn't want protecting.

"Please, as if you actually want to help me with anything! You just want to be bloody gloating all about how Merlin prefers you over me, how Merlin would run to you in an instant if he could and leave me trying to catch up, how MY CONSORT won't ever accept me into his life again! And why the hell wouldn't he?" Arthur barked violently at Lancelot, whipping back around to glare at the warrior who took a step back from the sudden verbal assault. "YOU have a few things that I will NEVER have. You will ALWAYS understand Merlin in a way that I will NEVER be able to. You can understand his mind, you can learn about his history, and even know what kind of life he lived before he became tied to my crown. He told me all about why he helped you…why can't a peasant become a knight when a peasant can become a consort? That's what he said. So you've already got that in common! And I can't even give him a damn broach without him thinking I'm trying to trick him or something. And I've gone and gotten my hands into things I never should have touched because of my own idiotic mind, and now I've completely ran out of time! And yet, you'll still be here…"

Lancelot's mind whirled and whirled and whirled with each word the prince had spit out during his maddening rant, and it left him no more confused than he'd been before. For a second, Lancelot could have sworn that Arthur sounded as if he was…jealous. But no, Arthur couldn't have been JEALOUS. Just the very notion of such an idea made Lancelot's head spin. Arthur wasn't jealous over Lancelot's friendship with Merlin, because if he was…then that meant he liked Merlin on some deep surface level. Not as a romantic partner perhaps, but…he liked him somehow. But if Arthur DID want some kind of relationship, then the prince would have never treated Merlin as badly as he had. People who wanted to be…friends?…was that what he wanted? Didn't act as if the person they had grown interested in was slime beneath their boots. But still…the words Arthur had spun for Lancelot seemed to tell a different story altogether. And all of the different interactions he had with Arthur before seemed to fly through his mind under the scope of a different lenses.

Like the day the two of them had met, and Arthur had punched Lancelot in the face to 'test his reflexes'. Merlin had been right there, standing off to the side and encouraging Lancelot to keep going. And when Arthur had exploded at the former warrior, sharing with him what Merlin's true identity was, the nasty grin he had worn that day when he'd been imploding Lancelot's entire world. Was it because Arthur was trying to get Lancelot away from Merlin? Was it to drive a wedge between the two of them? Only for it to backfire and bind them closer than they already were. Arthur had came after Lancelot in the marketplace and he clearly had every intention of killing him that day…Lancelot knew why he'd been fighting…to defend Merlin's honor from his abusive husband. But was all this why Arthur had been fighting? And again, when the two of them had taken their fighting to Lancelot's final test, both of them had gotten far rougher than an ordinary test would need. And even after Lancelot had became one of them and he and Arthur were meant to be brothers-in-arms, it was clear Arthur had not been thrilled about it. Arthur had revealed that night that he thought Merlin and Lancelot had been sleeping together, but Lancelot hadn't realized the man had REALLY thought that this ENTIRE TIME Lancelot's been inside the city. He was sure there were other instances here and there that Lancelot didn't think of, but the new lenses really shined a whole different perspective of all of the tension that's been brewing between Lancelot and Arthur.

"…I'm not going to be here for long, just so you remember…I'm still waiting for word on what my punishment is going to be after the whole…you know…faking my credentials. So Merlin's probably going to be…alone…if I'm not here. And if you aren't planning on sticking around…" Lancelot said, with a confused tilt of his head, not entirely sure what Arthur meant by 'being goon soon', but it was hardly the most important thing to worry about at the moment. There were far worse things that could be happening, like Merlin being alone. He would have Guinevere, at least, but it still made Lancelot feel bittersweet about not being there himself. Though really…would it be better for Merlin to have this abuser around, or to be alone? "But the point of what I'm meaning to say is…I do not think I'm friends with Merlin just because we both came from being peasants. Yeah, there's definitely some common ground there, you nobles are really hard to keep up with, to say the least. But it definitely took some work for us to get to where we are with each other. I admired Merlin ever since I first heard about him…the peasant made a royal. And it made me want to be like him. But being able to know who he really is as a person, and not just as the title he's wearing nowadays, really meant a lot to me. Hell, our friendship almost didn't recover after you told me who he really was. If it wasn't for Guinevere talking a bit of sense into me, we still might not have been talking."

And it was true, Lancelot thought as a stab of fear hit him directly in the chest so harshly that it almost took his breath away. Being able to see Merlin as the man standing behind the title he bore, knowing him in ways others who would not open their eyes long enough to see…was truly a gift. He could see all the flaws in Merlin, could see the struggles he had to go through, could see all the hardships he waded through. And he could see how strong Merlin was to keep moving forward, to keep punching back even when the world kicked him onto his knees, to stand even when everybody else was telling him not to. Lancelot had almost given that up, had almost allowed his betrayal when he found out Merlin's real identity to throw away the best friend he had ever had. Perhaps it was not only Guinevere that owed Merlin much, perhaps Lancelot did as well.

"Please, you and I both know that Merlin would have won you over the second he opened his mouth, with or without Gwen interfering with anything! Hell…all I know is that I see not only Gwen, but my own consort practically eating out of the palm of your hand! Hell, I think they're both must be half in love with you at this point!" Arthur exclaimed, louder than before as he threw his hands up with his frustrations, looking as if he was seconds away from ripping his own blond hair out of his skull. Lancelot felt his heart jolt in his chest, a rosy heat raising up to his face….the idea of Guinevere being in love with him could've knocked him straight off his feet. They've only had one real outing together, and it was probably far too soon to be talking about 'serious' feelings either may have for the other. But…Lancelot never could deny how much he saw 'her' featuring an important role in his future. If…if he had a future by this point. "And I think I'm finally starting to bloody well figure things out for myself! I mean, I have done offered Merlin SO many things. I have offered him access to my private vaults, and have practically given him permission to do whatever he wanted, and he'd be swamped by servants to do his bidding. And…nothing! I get absolutely not a thing from him! God, if I even told you half of what I HAVE done…what I may have tried to do…I…"

Arthur's voice grew quiet towards the end, where he stared down at the floor with a stricken expression…Lancelot almost thought the other man was about to throw up right then and there in his cell. But he didn't, and Lancelot clearly grew more and more confused. He wasn't sure what Arthur…may have tried to do meant, but it left him feeling hollow and empty inside. And everything else the prince had said…the way he had listed everything out for Lancelot…there's not a single thing on the list that Lancelot would have thought Merlin wanted to have. Gold and servants and permission to do what he wanted…Merlin was a man that seemed to like getting into the nitty gritty. Getting his hands dirty, so he could do his own work. Maybe the things Arthur listed would've worked on anybody else, but considering Merlin was a breed entirely his own, it made so much sense to Lancelot that he would've turned down whatever Arthur tried to give him. Especially if what Arthur tried giving him was…that…

"I bet YOU would have never done anything to hurt him, I bet that you wouldn't even TRY to hurt him. You'd probably even cut off your own arm before it ever touched him wrong! Perfect bloody Lancelot who can't do no wrong, who even I KNOW can do no bloody wrong!" Arthur bellowed, the anguish seeping out of his voice made Lancelot want to step back…honestly…what the fuck happened since Lancelot had been down here. What happened to Arthur that turned him into this complete and utter mess? Hell, Lancelot wanted to point out exactly where they are, so Arthur could see the irony in his words. Claiming Lancelot could do no wrong while screaming at him from the confines of a jail cell that wasn't fit to house a dog. "You are literally a nobody, a common peasant with not a single noble tie in your bloodline, and yet you…you could offer Merlin far more than I ever did! Ever since you rode in out of nowhere and pulled him out of harms way while I was only god knows where, doing god knows what, he's wanted you more! I…if I could…I know he's not safe with me…he will never be safe with me…I should just let you go so you can take him. Far away from here and…far away from me."

Arthur's voice cracked somewhere towards the end, sounding broken and very desperate, leaving Lancelot to suck in a harsh breath of air. Gaping at the man in stunned silence…this did not track at all. Everything Arthur has done that he has witnessed proved Arthur to be going in the opposite direction…Arthur was NOT a man that would allow Merlin to go easily. Arthur was the type that would probably track Merlin down to the ends of the earth if the consort tried to take off running. Arthur had spent ALL this time trying to separate the two of them from each other, and now he was talking about a situation that left Merlin and Lancelot with the freedom of the open road ahead of them. The question kept returning to Lancelot's mind…WHAT had twisted Arthur up so deeply inside, he would resort to talking crazy?

"But…you're married, so…"

Lancelot trailed off, his voice falling with uncertainty. Don't get him wrong, he would like nothing more than to bundle Merlin up and ride him away from this place as fast as he could. Make sure he was someplace warm, with way more people around that would appreciate the brilliance that was his friend. But life just didn't work that way. Lancelot was still set to be executed soon and Merlin was already set up to be Camelot's Consort for the rest of his life. But the way Arthur was talking, the way he was looking…Lancelot had to wonder what had gone wrong? What had made the prince resort to having such an idea after all he had done? Hell, Arthur was swiping harshly at his face and if he didn't know any better, Lancelot would've SWORN Arthur was crying. Lancelot wasn't able to remember a single moment in which Arthur had ever been emotional in front of him before. He'd been pissed and smug several times before, but looking to be truly distressed…no. Lancelot hadn't even been sure before today that the prince COULD be distressed. Was he supposed to…comfort him? Or…

"I already KNOW that we're married! You think I don't bloody know that we're married! I wake up every morning knowing that I'm married to him, and then I go to sleep every night knowing that in some twisted way, he's mind to claim! But I wear this blasted wedding ring, and I'm no closer to having him than the stranger that saves his life!" Arthur bursted out, a towering mess of red rage, uncontainable as he snarled at Lancelot for saying something stupid. But what else was Lancelot supposed to say to Arthur's craziness, the warrior thought as he got hit with a burst of his own mounting frustration. "I have done what I can for that boy, and I have gone beyond what I thought myself capable of just for that boy, and I still find myself making mistakes constantly. You don't make mistakes with him! You don't do ANYTHING like me! God…what would I give to start everything over! To wake up the day we were bloody well married already knowing how screwed up everything would be, so that I can stop myself from doing even a fraction of the decisions I've made."

By the time Arthur was finished squawking about his wishes and wants, it had started to sound as if Arthur wasn't even talking to Lancelot anymore. As if he was talking to himself, trying to talk himself through whatever issues he's been having that caused him to end up in Lancelot's cell. And the frustration inside the former warrior's chest started to grow, brimming underneath his skin while his eyebrow started to twitch violently. WHAT had Arthur came down here for to begin with? Lancelot wasn't the cause of whatever problems he seemed to be having, and Merlin wasn't the cause for whatever mental strain Arthur was going through. What was Arthur expecting from Lancelot here? Did he want to hear Lancelot say 'everything was going to be alright.' Did he want Lancelot to comfort him, tell him Merlin was going to come around as long as Arthur kept trying to do…whatever the hell he's been doing while Lancelot was away from the consort. Did he come all the way down here just for Lancelot to give him a reassurance of some kind, as if Lancelot didn't have his own problems he was having to deal with. So Arthur had came down here just to dump all of this on him? Lancelot had to forcibly take himself a deep breath to center himself, less he start screaming at the ego Arthur had on him. Fussing about his whole fake relationship with Merlin while Lancelot was facing the end of his own life…

"Have you showed him that you wanted him?"

Lancelot demanded to know with the harshest and most severest of looks on his face, Arthur wasn't going to get any kind of comfort from him. It wasn't as if Arthur was in love and floundering over his falling relationship with the man he had promised his eternity too. He was simply a stupid little boy, forced into an arrangement that included dragging an innocent boy into it, and expecting to find pity in somebody who hadn't been part of this. Arthur had made a huge mistake coming down here expecting ANYTHING from the warrior, whose only real crime was standing up for what he believed in. And standing up for a man who needed him more than Lancelot had ever been needed by somebody in all his life. A simple prison sentence wasn't going to stop Lancelot from being the man Merlin NEEDED him to be. Especially when the man Merlin had was going off feeling sorry for himself instead of doing anything productive.

"What the hell are you talking about? Have you not been listening to a single thing I've told you since I've been down here! Yes! I already told you what I've offered him, what I've given him or done for him, and it's only gotten me stuck in the same place I've always been!" Arthur bellowed, bringing his hands up to rest on either side of his hip, glaring daggers straight into Lancelot's soul. Any weaker man would have crumbled, but even as desolate as Lancelot's situation was, he still had something to fight for. Arthur's ferocity only made the former warrior square his shoulders, steadying his stance as if he and the prince were about to go another round with each other. A round not interrupted by Merlin risking life and limb by jumping between them. "Perhaps I bloody well deserve it considering…the things I've tried to do to him. But what I don't deserve is to have you, a nobody peasant, look down his nose at me as if you're any better than I am! You put him at risk as well by agreeing with whatever this plan was between the two of you! He could have easily been in the cell right next to you, waiting for whatever sentence my father would cast upon him."

Good god, Lancelot thought as a muscle twitched violently in his jawline. The former warrior was finding it harder and harder not to jump Arthur to try and strangle the bloody life out of him. It was like Arthur didn't even hear himself talking half the time. He had came DOWN HERE all on his own. And he's gone on and on about how LANCELOT would have done a better job at keeping the consort safer than Arthur ever could. But the second Lancelot said something that contradicted what he wanted to hear, it was like the gloves were thrown at his feet. Arthur could be gearing up for a fight, or throwing Lancelot under the carriage, or even cursing Lancelot out for being a better friend to Merlin than Arthur had ever been a fake husband. Lancelot wasn't going to just take that lying down. Arthur had started all of this, and now Lancelot was going to have a say in it.

"The only thing I've heard from you since you've been down here is the things that YOU have offered him, or the things that YOU wish from him, or the things that YOU want from him. But what I haven't heard is what MERLIN would have to say about any of this! Where is MERLIN in all of this, while you're thinking all about what's already failed between you two!" Lancelot said harshly, watching as the prince opened his mouth to probably give Lancelot a scathing retort to knock him off his high horse. But Lancelot was already squaring his shoulders again and peddling forward with the same ferocity a mother would have when her young had been threatened. "Did you even bother to ask him about what he would want from you? Oh, wait. You probably did, but you didn't bother to actually LISTEN to him. Because I can't imagine Merlin wanting anything more than for you to just leave him alone! Or is it really that hard for you to just take a step back and evaluate WHY Merlin doesn't want you around, and then do it before you fuck him up more than you already have!"

The tension between the two men was palpable in the air, something dark and angry twisting through like vines trying to swallow a tree whole. Neither willing to give up, neither willing to back down for their own beliefs, and neither were willing to allow the other to win this little stand off going between them. But it didn't matter who was right or who was wrong, not when they both seemed to be fighting over the same matter. Not when they both shared one single thing between the both of them. They couldn't have been more different than either of them were…one the prince and one the commoner, one who'd been trained and one that had trained himself, one colored brighter than the sun while the other darker than any adonis. But Merlin's safety and care teetered in-between them like an open wound that would never heal the more and more they picked at it. Lancelot didn't want to pick at the open wound. He simply wanted Merlin to be happy, something he clearly hadn't been while under the 'care' of Prince Arthur.

"God, honesty, I am starting to wonder about my own sanity when I'm tossed in-between you and Merlin! How I didn't see you for what you were before will always be a mystery to me! I should have known the second you came walking out onto the field with Gwen's favor wrapped around your bicep like something that should be noticed!" Arthur exploded, waving a hand around his ear in this mad manner, as if he was trying to indicate how brain dead he was beneath all his blond locks. Lancelot scowled defensively, what was wrong with going into battle while wearing the favor of somebody he deeply cared about? Perhaps if Arthur had somebody willing to place a favor on him at all, he would be far too busy to wreak havoc on the lives of those who least deserved it. "Not a single nobleman in my kingdom would dare talk to me the way you have! If one looks at the way you walk, to your foul language, and even to the way you style your hair, it's completely obvious now that I know! I should have never missed all of the signs staring me in the face! If I wasn't so distracted with Merlin, maybe I'd have seen it sooner! You don't even sound like a knight!"

Lancelot clenched his jaw tightly, his own inadequacies staring him in the face now that Arthur had pointed out a few things that were wrong about him. Was this what he had done to Merlin? Point out flaws that proved he wouldn't make a good consort, and then picked at them and picked at them until there'd been nothing left for Merlin to hide behind? Lancelot already felt as if he was only a phony when he was standing shoulder to shoulder with the other knights, had found himself wondering a few times what he was doing there and how long it would take before somebody recognized that he didn't belong. But Lancelot's worked his arse off, for years, just to get in that spot. And it felt as if the blond prince was spitting in Lancelot's face for all the hard work he's put into making himself a warrior. As if he was spitting in MERLIN's face for the boy believing it was possible to make a knight out of a simple man like him.

"And yet, despite the fact that I don't speak like I've had a textbook shoved the whole way down my throat, despite the fact that I don't dress in clothes made specifically for me by a tailor, and despite the fact that I don't walk around like I've got a stick shoved up my arse, I've still somehow managed to best not just your knights, but you as well, your highness." Lancelot said, with a little sneer to accompany his words. It was completely unlike Lancelot, but what could the prince do to him that hasn't been done already? If he was going to come down here just to belittle Lancelot about what a fool he was thinking he could try to fit in among them, then why shouldn't Lancelot bite back a little. Arthur's the one that brought up Merlin, and he's the one that brought up Lancelot's career ending before it had even begun. People didn't just GET to do that without him saying something back. Lancelot may be gentle, but he was also wasn't going to be a pushover. "Just admit it, if I wasn't as good as I was, you would've had me tossed out the second you first realized I was getting too close towards the consort for your liking. Is your pride hurt as well? Knowing that not only has a peasant boy, with no formal training, managed to succeed where you've failed, but that you also never even saw me coming until I was already making myself at home around here."

Lancelot didn't know where his bravery was coming from, he never bragged at all about himself like this. It was completely out of character for the man, who only needed to prove himself with a sword in his hand whether than the words spilling out of his mouth. But times were changing, everything was so different from the days where Lancelot had stumbled across Merlin from that very first attack. He had been so self conscious back then, so terrified of not making a good impression, and so terrified that he wasn't as good as he thought he was and that the knights would tear him down in an instant. But he HAD bested all of them, had bested Arthur, and Lancelot…he knew he had Merlin to thank for that. Merlin made Lancelot feel braver than he thought he was, made him feel a bit more sure of himself despite his pending sentence waiting for the whims of the king, made him feel…more like a man. Rather than just a boy only trying to play dress up and pretend.

"But for what it's worth, I am sorry that I lied to you."

Lancelot said this with a little sneer to accompany it, completely ruining what effect the 'apologize' was supposed to have. He could talk smack with Arthur all day long, or he could listen to the prince complaining about things that had been entirely his fault, and he could apologize as well. Like a man. As awful as it sounded, Lancelot knew how it felt to be betrayed by, well…not by someone he trusted. Arthur had never trusted him, and becoming his brother in the fight against tyranny hadn't changed that. Being betrayed by Merlin hiding his true identity from him had felt like a hot poker gutting through Lancelot's skin as if it was butter. Lancelot should have came clean on his own ages before it had turned into a public spectacle, but…he would have never known he could make it as a knight if he hadn't gone through with it. Perhaps the prince would have had him silently sent away to avoid the public embarrassment that came with a commoner fooling him. Then Lancelot would have sent his entire life with that one burning question…could he had made it.

"But I'm going to take a wild guess here and say you aren't sorry that you did it to begin with." Arthur said bluntly, already reading between the lines the man had put before him, and Lancelot shrugged. Sure, he was ashamed of letting it all get so out of hand, ashamed that the people would only remember him as a man that had so little dishonor, that he had to lie his way to get anywhere with his life. But the experiences he's had since coming to Camelot…those were the things he wouldn't have changed for the world. "Nor do I think you are sorry to have dragged my consort into any of this."

The two of them lapsed into a silence that penetrated the air when the former knight looked away. Maybe Lancelot 'did' regret Merlin's involvement just a bit, but only because he didn't want Merlin to face trouble on Lancelot's behalf. He was still holding tightly onto Merlin's secret, keeping tight lipped on who really made his forgery, since Lancelot could scarcely imagine what Uther would be willing to do should he know. But that was a burden Lancelot would bear with what little honor he still had remaining. A burden Lancelot knew he would take straight to his grave, as long as it kept Merlin safe from the king's clutches.

"DAMN IT!" Arthur suddenly exploded, loud and sharp enough that it made the former warrior jump in surprise. Arthur didn't seem to notice at first, not when there was a bunch of different emotions flashing across his face that Lancelot couldn't decipher. But Arthur appeared to have landed on one singular thought as he raised his head back up to meet eyes with the former knight, "It's pained me many times in the past, but my consort has the unique ability to see thing's that I cannot. He has proven himself again and again and again how good he is at judging a man's character. And I've always denied him because I didn't want to believe he had better instincts than I did. But Merlin did all of this, and he's chosen you of all people, for a reason. And I think I am finally starting to see a little bit of what he's seen. Because peasant born or not, you do fight as if you were born to be a knight."