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!

174. Chapter 176

This chapter is dedicated to RoseFilch, who wanted to see Knight Justin apologizing for leading the charge that got Arthur arrested during the last episode when he returned to the castle with Merlin's flower. I hope that they enjoyed how I incorporated it into the story ;p

X

Arthur Pendragon, for the briefest of seconds in which his head had stopped and gone still, thought his loyal knight had been joking about the information he had whispered into his ear. He thought…surely such a ridiculous, and horrid insult against his family hadn't just occurred in his vicinity, and yet had gone unnoticed by him. No knight worth their salt would EVER insult a member that came from the royal family they had sworn allegiance too. Things like that, in Arthur's experience, just didn't happen. A knight had NEVER even dreamed of speaking to him the way Justin had seen fit to inform him. But then…the prince had to remind himself that Justin wasn't a funny knight. He didn't go on about making jokes, and he didn't laugh over the smallest of things…pretty quiet for the most part. Serious. If he said that something had happened, then it would have most certainly did.

Which meant a group of his soldiers, whoever they might be since he had yet to be told names, had seen fit to accost his consort while he was relaxing after an entire afternoon of dealing with their new guests. It meant that a group of his knights had cornered his consort, and saw fit to 'order him' about as if they were his superior officers. It MEANT a group of his knights were wasting their training time, during a time of tension and fear in which they could be attacked at any moment, just so they can get his own consort to 'pull his weight.' Arthur wanted to know EXACTLY who these men were, and who the hell they thought they were to get away with such…crude behavior. Knights who clearly had far more free time on their hands than they knew what to do with..Arthur would see that they did not get another opportunity.

He would need to see this for himself, and if he actually saw Merlin disgracing himself by putting his hands on somebody else's dirty boots, then there would be hell to pay. By the time he was done with them, Arthur would love to meet a single person in his kingdom who thought messing with his consort could be a good idea. There were certain lines that people should never cross, and there has been lines that Merlin had drawn many times, but Arthur had walked over without care. Others…others didn't get to do the same. Not even Arthur got to do that…not anymore. By the time Arthur was done tormenting to lowlifes who saw fit to force somebody so much smaller than then-HIS CONSORT-to doing hard labor, everybody would know exactly where that line in the sand was. It would be most obvious, that Merlin should be treated with the same care and respect that they gave to any royal family member. Because an insult launched at Merlin…may as well have been an insult launched at himself. And that would not stand…Arthur turned back around to face his men, noting their interested faces and trying to determine which among them, and the crowd, could have gone and made such a grievous mistake.

"MEN! Listen up! I will be stepping aside for a few moments to deal with this…sudden family matter. But I will be leaving your training to be continued in the capable hands of Knight Justin. I trust that you will follow his directions as if it were my own." Arthur called out to the group of men standing in front of him…not a soul bothered to complain about somebody else stepping in to take over one of his training sessions. Everybody wanted Arthur to be the one teaching, he WAS the best of the best. But it was for their own good that they didn't try to protest. Arthur was very much liable to bite off one of their heads should a single one of them try to delay him from the VERY important family matter that needed his IMMEDIATE attention. Arthur didn't waste any time before he was turning his back to the soldiers, clasping a hand down hard on top of Justin's shoulder, and hissing at him darkly, "I want you to make sure every man here stays on this field. Those training and those watching. I'll be back to deal with them once I've made sure my consort is okay. I don't trust the perpetrators to not try and disappear."

Justin nodded once, firm and certain, understanding his new duties, and then Arthur was off. The small crowd surrounding the field immediately splitting in two as if they were the ocean breaking apart for the ship to pass them by. The prince paid nobody any attention, not even Lancelot who had started following behind him in suspicion…for once, the warrior wasn't any concern to Arthur. He stormed his way through his people, exiting from the other side with only one agenda stuck in his mind…taking care of Merlin. Arthur could just imagine seeing his consort hard at work, Merlin was dedicated when he wanted to be. But scrubbing away at boots though? It was so…so…so…beneath him! His Merlin's delicate fingers growing callouses, thick and hard and undeserving, because he was trying to force the gunk out of somebody's shoe…his head throbbed with his agitation as he finally saw the tree Justin had told him would be where Merlin was…

And yes…there he was.

Arthur stopped in mid-step, Lancelot nearly running him over from the sudden way he'd done it, but Arthur hardly felt the small bump hitting him against his backside. Because there Merlin was…exactly where Justin had said he'd be…in the shade of the biggest tree that decorated the field. The shadows cast from the tree seemed to be hiding Merlin beneath their thick branches, making him almost impossible to spot, cocooned as he was in the dip of the tree. But he'd seen him, and Arthur's breath stalled…Merlin didn't even seem to know he was standing there. But Arthur was, and this was the first time he was speaking to Merlin since he went off at him the day before, and he couldn't screw this up this time. But Arthur's heart leaped into his throat when he saw the pile of old and mangy boots towering beside Merlin, as if one wrong move would send all of them into an avalanche that would bury Merlin beneath its hard soles and its loose laces.

"What are you doing?" The words erupted from Arthur before he could stop the outburst, watching as Merlin blinked, jolting a little in his surprise. And his consort should really pay more attention to his surroundings, because Arthur could have easily been somebody threatening. Or somebody wanting to foister more chores off on him…Arthur's eyes wondered over to the boots before the prince wrinkled his nose in disgust, and his hands curled into fists at his sides. Distasteful, this was. Merlin's hands should only be used for the gentlest of things, like wrapping people in bandages, which was something that wouldn't scar his soft skin. These…denigrates who had done this weren't just assigning his own consort 'work'. They were trying to disfigure him, and Arthur breathed harshly out of his mouth before speaking slowly in an attempt to calm down, "I have been informed about what's…happened down here, by Knight Justin. And it's unacceptable. But I do have to ask…please tell me that you haven't actually done what you were told to do."

Arthur held his breath, ignoring the 'what's going on' from Lancelot, as Merlin looked from him and back down to the shoes. He prayed to every god or deity that could've existed in this world that Merlin hadn't submitted and done what they told him to do. Merlin had more pride than that…he would've told Arthur himself to 'fuck off' if he had ever tried to pull shit like that. And Arthur would have rightfully deserved it…a consort's place was not down on their hands and knees scrubbing away at the trash left behind by other men. Surely his Merlin would've done the exact same thing to the men that had accosted him…fuck! It was a bloody nightmare to even think about. And not for the first time, he had to wonder which of his bloody men were so fucking STUPID that they thought they would get away with this. Arthur wouldn't be throwing them down in the cells though…they deserved a more 'humiliating' and public punishment. One that would spread to his other knights as a warning that…Arthur was coming to get them next, if he heard a single bad word mentioned about his Merlin.

"You mean, did you knights wonder off and expect me to do all this work as if I'm there bloody slave and they get to treat me however they want to, you are damn right they did. And do you really think I'm going to waste my time cause a bunch of neanderthals declared me public enemy number one and wanted to 'put me in my place'?" Merlin asked the prince with a sardonic twist across his lips, before pushing himself off from the ground, cocking his hip to the side in that strange manner that always caught Arthur's eye, his arms wrapped along his book in a loose manner, holding it close to his chest. "And do you want to know why they did that, Arthur? They wanted to do exactly what I warned you about all those days ago. They wanted me to be punished because you had to play the big hero and arrest their little friends for trying to kill me. But…I also suppose this is another chance for you to play the big hero. So, tell me, Arthur. Your men just disrespected me…what are you going to do about it?"

What was he going to do about it…

What was he going to do about it…

What was he going to do about it…

Arthur's head started to spin, Merlin's face becoming a blur of colors as Arthur started to boil from the inside out. Pale moonlight skin and dark hair mixing till it looked like one strange lump of color…except for his eyes. The two twin blue pools, like little gems on the horizon, stayed firmly in place, becoming seared in his skull like a hot iron poker had done it. Merlin had just admitted what his knights had done…and now those very same knights were about to live out the worst day any of them had ever had before. Yes, Arthur had known it was true as soon as he had seen those boots, but Merlin's word only made it undeniable to the prince. It was no wonder Merlin had sounded so sarcastic as he uttered his last words…it hadn't been all that long ago, that Arthur would've dismissed what was right before his very eyes. He would've taken that evidence and then twisted it until it showed the results he wanted…until he denied, until he went blue in the face, that any of his knights would step out of line like this.

And Arthur had done this…

His so called 'loyal knights' had tried turning his consort into a serving boy just because ARTHUR wouldn't tolerate the attempted assassination of his own husband. His knights had decided to take things into 'their hands' as it they thought Arthur hadn't already taken measures to make sure everything was going as it should be. These 'men' were QUESTIONING his judgement and lashing out at his consort because of HIS decisions. Arthur's fists were nearly shaking at his sides, and the only thing keeping him from screaming in a deep seated rage, was the fact that Merlin hadn't touched the moldy, old boots. He would've needed to take Merlin's fingers and dip them into wine or another alcohol to remove their stench from it. Just like he had scrubbed Merlin's face with his wine coated napkin the day he had told him Valiant had touched him. Filth did not belong on his consort, and these 'men' had to be the biggest filth of it all.

What was he going to do about it?'

'What was he going to do about it?'

'What was he going to do about it?'

It was most clear that Merlin thought he wasn't going to do anything about this disrespect. Thought he would just allow something like this to happen…but the prince would show him. The prince would show Merlin 'exactly' what he would be doing about this. And it wasn't going to be a pretty sight for anybody that'd been involved. Heaven forbid that they try and escape before Arthur could doll out the proper punishment for them…Arthur felt like he was flying straight over his tipping point as he averted his gaze back down onto the boots. The horrid, awful things feeling as if they were doing nothing but taunting him. Continuing to mock him…laughing because his 'consort' was no better than a servant…

He would show them all.

"LANCELOT! Make yourself bloody useful and snatch up some of these boots and take them back to the fields. I'm going to find out exactly who they belong to and I'll get my bloody answers on how utterly stupid they are." Arthur called out to the man standing watch behind them, he was clearly making sure Arthur wasn't going to try and do anything to Merlin. But where exactly was he when Arthur's men had been throwing their shoes at Merlin like he was nothing more than a simple commoner in need of the work. Lancelot himself shot a glance to Merlin, sturdy and comforting, before he immediately started snatching up the boots, as many as he could possibly fit in his hands. Arthur turned back to the consort, who watched this with no expression on his face, and all Arthur really wanted to do was put a hand on his skinny shoulder. Give it a squeeze to offer up a bit of his own comfort, but…it wouldn't be well received. So Arthur had to settle with a pitiful, "Don't you worry, Merlin. I will see that the men who have done this regret doing what they've done. And I can assure you, that this won't be happening again."

Merlin scoffed at him, leaning against his tree and giving Arthur a bland look…he still thought Arthur wasn't going to do anything. That Arthur was just going to…what…change his mind once he got these boots in front of them? His heart cut through him like a jackrabbit, Arthur's face turning steadily redder with the anger reaching maximum levels, but…no. It wasn't Merlin he planned on taking his anger out on…never again. And the prince averted his eyes to see Lancelot standing back up, there were at least three boots still lying on the ground, the amount had been too much for Lancelot to carry on his own. Normally, Arthur would not have disgraced himself like this, he would've called for a servant to finish out the rest. But today…today was going to start new beginnings, and it was going to start with this. Arthur bent down and snatched them up, already feeling the stink and grime seeping into his armor, but for once, he would not care. Merlin was worth debasing himself enough to carry such horrid things.

"Just wait here, Merlin. And you'll see…you'll see everything."

Arthur's words were meant to sound like a sacred vow, a promise to his lovely little consort that everything would be alright from now on, that NOTHING like this would be something he had to deal with again. But it fell short, and Merlin only arched an unimpressed eyebrow at him, looking impossibly more bored in the face than he had when Arthur had first approached him. Arthur thinned his lips, and squeezed the boots so hard in his arms, that he could feel them when the edges started cutting into his fingers. So…Merlin wanted him to play again, did he? He didn't want pretty words, he wanted action. He wanted Arthur to go and prove himself not a liar…prove that he was willing to punish his own men for stepping out the lines.

Well…Arthur did always go into games with every intention of winning.

And this one would be no different.

Knowing that saying anything else wouldn't soften Merlin up towards him if he wasn't willing to back it up, Arthur reluctantly turned his back to Merlin with a sharp snap. And he started storming back across the field with Lancelot right behind him carrying the rest of the boots. He was FURIOUS, the pounding that bounced around in his head and Merlin's silent challenge to prove himself as a protector and the smell of the boots only making it ten times worse than the anger would have been. But Arthur allowed for it to grow, as the people back around the fence immediately parted for him, eyeing the mountain of boots he and his 'companion' were holding…the anger was going to be his only friend during all of this. But hopefully when all was said and done, he would've gone and PROVED to Merlin that he would never have to live like this again. Waiting for HIS MEN to treat him worse than a dung beetle, and when Arthur reached the center of the field where Justin had continued his men's practice, he did not hesitate to dump the boots on the grass in front of everybody.

The entire field went stark silent, everybody staring from the boots Lancelot added on top of his and back to Arthur once again…the question was clear on everybody's face, but Arthur offered no immediate answer. Knight Justin took a step back, hands tucked behind his straight back while Arthur took front and center in the field. And he still offered no answer about what was going on to his men…the blond Prince made sure to lock eyes with each and every knight he had been training…he already knew that it was none of them, they had been on the field training so they had their alibis already in place. But Arthur still wanted to place the fear of god inside of them, if any harbored the same line of thought as the ones who had done all of this in the first place. But then again…the fear of god would have nothing when it came to their fear of Arthur.

"…I want my men on the field to back up to the sidelines. And I want EACH and EVERY one of my knights waiting for their training session to begin to be front and center."

There was chaos for a brief minute, where everybody was jumping to do as the prince had commanded of them. His soldiers on the field had gone and thrown themselves to line up against the little fence, hands tucked behind their backs and faces blank as they were lucky to be the ones that could escape the ire of their prince. And those who had been waiting, clambered over themselves just to get on their fields, the new wave of next season's recruits lining up in place in front of them. God…Arthur thought as he eyed them up, they seemed to get younger and stupider with each year. There were at least twenty of them, and out of those twenty…there were at least six who deserved more torment than even the pits of hell would grant them.

Arthur didn't say anything for the longest time, walking slow down the length of the line the newer recruits had formed. Which of these six men had decided they were better than his consort? Which of these six men had decided they'd be in charge of his consort and what he spent his days doing? WHICH of these six men had all but spit in Arthur's face by committing this crime? Perhaps the one who'd done it was the knight that had more pimples than he did face. Or it could have been the knight whose hair was flopping into his right eye, because only an idiot would become a knight with hair that could blind you. Maybe this perpetrator could even be Markus…Arthur briefly noted that his friend was not among the men standing in front of him now, despite the prince having already seen him on the sidelines earlier. But Arthur only briefly noted it…it wasn't any surprise that he had already left. The more advanced knights weren't meant to be trained until far later this afternoon. And his men had their duties to tend to before they could join Arthur on their fields, like being in the watchtowers and sounding the bells should this creature be seen breaching the horizon. But this was no skin off Arthur's back…he had all six of the men right in front of him. It was all he needed…

"Do any of you know why I was forced to call my other men's training session to an end early today? Do any of you understand why you are here today, and not still waiting for us to begin with the basics?"

Arthur's voice was low and dangerous, dark enough that it could've curdled a goblet of milk up on the spot. But nobody was brave enough to answer him…a single person in this group hadn't been brave enough to step forward and face him for their crimes. Perhaps Arthur would've gone easier on them, if they had stepped forward without Arthur having to go through all the work of dragging the truth out of them. Or perhaps he wouldn't have at all…it might've actually been a good thing nobody stepped forward. Because the first person that did grab his attention, would've ended with Arthur's hand planted firmly onto the back of his neck. Where he would then be jerked downward, the broad planes of Arthur's knee crushing their nose as Arthur slammed them into it. And then collapsing onto the grass with blood gushing everywhere…it would've left not an ounce of pity for Arthur. He didn't waste his time on pitying those that had brought this down upon themselves.

But that didn't mean Arthur didn't have his suspicions on who could've done it, watching them all as closely as he was. One of the men…his hands had started to tremble so badly, that it was impossible to miss. The man with the pimples…there was a bead of sweat starting to work its way down from his hairline. And the one who had floppy hair was looking anywhere but at Arthur…that was one crime that could've had him sentenced to working a year in the mines in order to force some discipline onto him. A knight does not avert their eyes when a royal was speaking to them…it was disrespectful. But then again, that was only three he could pick out from the lineup, and that was only if they weren't the sort that panicked at the drop of the hat even when they'd done nothing wrong. There's at least three more among them that Arthur couldn't quite pinpoint, but that's alright. Arthur had a witness, and it was a witness that he would use to its full extent.

"It seems as if some of my men have forgotten themselves, and some of them have decided to remain silent on the matter now. Though I hardly understand why they would keep silent now, when they had absolutely no problems with how they conducted themselves in front of my consort." Arthur spoke up, loud enough that many of the men jumped…they hadn't been broken in yet. Having been coddled by their parents for most of their lives, raised believing that the honor of their family relied on how they serviced the king. And yet, most never seemed to understand the hard work that had to be put into it. Not many knew that their conduct both on and off the field, was just as important as how they defeated their enemies. Arthur himself had forgotten that many times since he had started tangling with Merlin, but Merlin had finally beaten into his head on how…important, it was to behave oneself. Because otherwise…Arthur was left out in the cold while his consort continued living without sharing any of his fire and warmth with him. "Perhaps they simply need a reminder on how things are done around here…perhaps they simply need to be reminded that they are not at THEIR homes, where THEY are the rulers of their little estates. Perhaps they need to be reminded that they are in MY home. And guests that can be easily kicked out without a second thought, need to CONDUCT THEMSELVES better to the ones that actually live here. And the ones, like my consort, that are THE superiors to THEM."

Arthur could see many of the men had started shaking in their boots, and the prince felt that familiar, sickening feeling of satisfaction roiling through his gut and to the rest of him. He wanted them to be scared shitless about what would be happening next, wanted the ones that knew they had done this to be only a mere second away from crapping in their pants. He wanted to make it, so that the next time they came across their consort, they would bow their heads and walk in the opposite direction as fast as they could. Bloody TERRIFIED that the prince would jump out of nowhere and put them back in their rightful place…at Merlin's feet where they would have to kiss his boots and beg forgiveness for all of the dishonor they have caused him. MERLIN should be the one that made them cower in terror, because only MERLIN had the power to make Arthur want to shrink into himself as well. And only MERLIN had the power to enrage Arthur as much as he was now. And Arthur didn't care who bloody well knew that. He did not care, and he would not be shamed by others knowing Merlin had this…power, over him. Not if it kept people in their place. Not if it stopped men like his own soldiers from making the biggest mistakes of their careers.

"Now…I have six pair of boots here. Boots that were given to my consort as if they were HIS responsibility. Six pairs of boots mean that there is six among you that have decided my consort is not worthy of their respect. Six men who have decided that the laws of the land mean nothing to them, and thus, they're under the misunderstanding that my consort, in any way, shape, or form, must answer to them." Arthur spoke once more, when he decided his men's shaking had gone on for long enough…none of them were looking at him now. Terrified that any attention would grant them the WRONG attention. Arthur enjoyed the subservient behavior. It meant, once this has been drilled into their own skulls, that they wouldn't make the same mistake again. "Now, I will allow the six men here today, to step forward and have the chance to admit the truth before I do find out who it was myself. Six men to tell the truth…come forth now and claim the boots that you gave to my consort."

Arthur eyed each of the twenty men in front of him, and his lips thinned even tighter when nobody actually stepped forward. They were either innocent of the crimes they were being accused of, or they were guilty and somehow, for some reason, thought themselves to be smarter than their prince. They were thinking they were smart enough to beat the system…smart enough that they would beat HIM. All Arthur really had were a pair of moldy boots, Arthur hadn't even brought Merlin with him to identify who it had been. As far as they were aware, there was no chance of Arthur being able to identify which shoes would belong to which knight. They didn't carry name tags or anything of the sort to distinguish them apart, they were all uniformed. Nothing to separate them and nothing for Arthur to say HEY, these belong to you. Oh…how stupid they really were. How absolutely spoiled and self serving, believing Arthur was dumber than they were. The only reason Arthur hadn't brought Merlin here, the only reason he had allowed Merlin to watch from a distance…was so his consort would not have to subject himself before the eyes of the unworthy. But they really were guileless men if they thought Arthur didn't have a back up plan in place. Very well then…

"Knight Justin…tell me who you witnessed debasing my consort."

Arthur saw the reaction almost immediately…five of the men standing straight up, going tenser than they had already been. The prince's eyes narrowed into such sharp slits, that only a hint of blue could be seen. Yes…he wasn't going to need Justin at all to identify most of these men, they had already gone and given themselves away so easily…the sixth was a little trickier, but that would also be when Justin came in handy the most. Arthur 'supposed' he could've just gone and dragged these five men out of the lineup himself, now that the prince knew exactly who they were, but…why deny Justin a moment here to shine? Why speed this up, when the tension hovering in their air was so thick on his tongue that he could taste it? Why…why simply punish these men and be done with it? When he could simply…allow the fear and the panic to swallow themselves whole before Arthur even landed a single finger on them. There is some things, Arthur had learned, that are well worth the wait.

"With pleasure, my prince."

And with that Justin strode forward to make himself more known to the men in front of them, leaving Arthur standing with Lancelot right behind him. And the prince watched as Justin started at the front…he apparently enjoyed making all of these new recruits suffer as well, enjoyed beating them down and getting them put into place, because he took his time with them all. Scanning the first of the men throughly up and down, as if trying to determine if he was one of the men he had seen approaching Merlin. Though Arthur was positive that the man already knew which ones had done it. And finally…Justin was shaking his head and moving onto the next. The first knight nearly collapsed where he stood, as the relief washed over him in thundering waves, but this…this was only going to be the beginning.

The second knight was also a no…

And the third one as well…

But the fourth one…the one with more pimples than he did face, had started to sweat streams by the time Justin got to him. And he looked like he would faint on the spot when Justin nodded. Just as Arthur had suspected, and the prince whistled sharply. Upon his command, one of the recruits who had their training interrupted by this lot, stepped forward. And within a second, he was standing right behind the pimple boy. The recruit grabbed onto pimple boy's bicep with a firm grip, and kicked him as hard as he could in the back of his knee. Pimple boy with down with a bang, his knees embedding themselves in the dirt while his face nearly swallowed a mountain worth of the sand. His new recruits may not be good enough to become knights, but they had been through six months worth of training. They could handle basic commands and basic duties, being trainees. Far better than their new arrivals, who apparently hadn't bothered to learn a single thing back home before arriving with misconceived dreams and goals of being the best of the lot.

And this continued on for the next several long minutes, wasting the time of everybody there, of the people who had actually CAME HERE in order to get themselves better. Put to a hold because of a few clowns who couldn't handle being the lowest of the low around these parts. Every other minute, the knight would decide rather or not the man in front of him had done the crime…it was either a no or a yes. Nobody was excused and nobody got out of it. The ones that were a 'no' were allowed to step back…they hadn't done anything but the prince would keep an eye on them to. make sure that stayed true. But the ones that were a yes…the pimple boy, the floppy hair, one with a scar right along the top of his lip, and two more plainer one…they were grabbed from behind. And thrown onto the ground at Arthur's feet next to the pimple boy. It made Arthur sneer, counting out only five men by the time that Justin stepped back…who the hell did these men, more unimpressive than the last, think they were?

Merlin was ten times the man they could ever hope to become.

"That's it, sire. The sixth one is not among them."

Arthur took in a large breath, holding the fire captive within his lungs once his knight gave him the report….so, one of them had gone missing, had they? He had thought he had been clever, keeping the men on this field…how was the prince meant to know that one of them had already taken off. Probably before Justin had gotten to Arthur and informed him about this…grave situation. But it was no matter…Arthur would just have to make an even bigger public display out of the sixth one when he captured him. And until then…he had his grip tightly on five perfectly good souls, ripe for the torment he would give them. His Knight stepped back into line behind him, and Arthur eyed the five men down at their feet…one of them was actually crying. Actually damn crying. As if he had one single thing to cry about. These five would be lucky if Arthur didn't decide to give them all a firm kick on the backside out of his kingdom…he wasn't willing to bestow knighthood onto men who had already prove themselves as going against the royal family. As his father would've said…how could Arthur possibly ever trust these men after their actions here today? This kind of dishonor was the kind that could haunt a family for generations, that could put their families standing back at least a hundred years or more. Could even be possible to not ever recover from it. And it was clear they each had realized this…

"So…which one of you lowlifes wants to go first? Which one of you bleeding cowards wants to try and explain yourself about what you thought you were really doing? Which one of you wants to explain to me WHY I should go and spare you of your punishment?" Arthur goaded down to the five men, giving any of them a chance to speak up now or forever hold their peace. He wanted to see one of them speak up. Wanted to see which one would be the first one he decided to launch his ire at full force. Which one would feel the full weight of a trained soldier, their commanding officer…which one would he attempt to kill first? Arthur was probably more terrifying to them than a boy that was half their size, a boy untrained in the ways of combat…clearly not one of them had lived with the pain of a fist to the head. Arthur's temple still throbbed when he remembered the way Merlin had punched him after their kiss. Perhaps that is an idea…have the men lined up so they could reap what they showed. "Come on! Are you telling me not one of you has a good excuse? Are you telling me it has really came to this? When not ONE OF YOU can come up with one single, POSSIBLE reason for doing what you did. You all just thought…what…I'll just go and assert my power over somebody in authority. And that'd be it? Did none of you think you would have to answer for your actions?"

Arthur made sure to meet eyes with each of the men at his feet once more…he was pretty sure they had stopped breathing. For sure, those on the sidelines watching this catastrophe had already stopped breathing as well. Arthur was sure Merlin was as well…this wasn't Arthur trying to murder a man his consort was secretly dating on the side. This was Arthur defending HIS, defending him from wannabe knights who thought themselves SO MUCH BETTER than Merlin was. When in reality, these men weren't even fit to clean all the gunk out of the boots that his Merlin wore so fondly. God, it was taking every bit of strength he had to not start kicking these men in the ribs, hearing the satisfying crush that would come with the splintering of bone and muscle beneath him. If all of this had happened before his fight with Lancelot, he probably would've given into the urge. But he was 'controlling himself' and his 'anger' for Merlin's sake. But that didn't mean Arthur would allow these men to walk free…he could torment them all without laying a single hand on them…a weak cough grabbed onto his attention. And Arthur's head snapped around so fast, to meet eyes with one of the 'plainer men' that the bone in his neck cracked.

"Please, Prince Arthur, we were just…"

The new recruit didn't get to finish his sentence, because Arthur didn't have the time for excuses. In one smooth motion, Arthur grabbed onto a fistful of the man's dark brown hair and jerked him forward, bringing his knee up at the same time. The new recruit cried out as his nose cracked under the force of the blow, landing in a heap on the ground when Arthur released him just as fast as he had grabbed him. There was several startled gasps coming from the crowd after the brutality in which Arthur had done this, but Arthur didn't care if they thought him a brute. They already did after Arthur had led the attack on Lancelot yesterday. At least he was finally getting to draw blood, finally getting to see the stains of red across the grass…a tribute to how far Arthur would be willing to go to protect Merlin. The man had been stupid to think that anything else would happen to him…

So much for keeping his hands to himself…

But there was only so much of this man's nonsense that Arthur was willing to put up with.

And he had said six words too many.

Arthur had asked them, but they had been stupid to think any answer would be their saving grace.

"Anybody else?"

And Arthur watched as the four other men, who had watched their crying and fallen comrade with horror stricken expressions, immediately turn back around to face the ground without a word. They were shaking themselves, too scared to draw his attention next…good, the prince thought. They were finally starting to understand their place around here. Finally understood that NO MAN would be above his consort. Not the one crying, not the son of a high end noble…not even his own best friend would've gotten away with this if he had been part of this catastrophe. Which meant this group wasn't ENTIRELY stupid. They could be taught, though this was a lesson that would be sunk down into the blood. It would sink into their bones and their skull that Merlin…he was off limits. And if anybody had a problem with that, Arthur would be more than pleased to teach a follow up lesson to the next group that wished to test him on this matter.

"How about you allow me to do the talking, yes? Because I'm going to tell you exactly what I think happened here. And you are going to listen, and I beg you, please tell me if I've gotten any of my information wrong here." Arthur spoke to the men cowering at his feet…he knew none of them would contest what it was he thought happened. They were too terrified of him, too terrified of making all of this so much worse than it was. Because their torment wasn't going to end here. No…there was a reason Merlin had decided to do this as public as he had chosen. Even long after Arthur was done with them, after they weren't a thing more than a distant memory in the back of his mind…this event would follow all of them for years to come. Forever known as the men who thought they could 'one-up' a consort. Forever known as the men Arthur had forced into heeling as if they were a dog. Arthur clicked his tongue, and the knight that stood at attention behind the one he had made bleed, practically surged forward and dragged the quivering man back onto his knees. Forcing him into place while leaving the blood to run wild. "…You all showed up here looking for trouble, or you didn't know where the servants quarters were to get somebody assigned to you during your stay here. And so you carried your boots around with you to find somebody that would do the dirty work that was too good for you to have to do yourself. And what did you come across…my consort."

Arthur's chest shuddered, and he closed his eyes for the briefest of moments…he could almost imagine the scene now. Could imagine the softest of breezes in the air, just cold enough that it would bring a pinkness to Merlin's soft little face. The branches of the trees moving just enough to make the shadows they cast start to dance around him in reckless abandonment, making Merlin out to be some kind of…fey like creature nestled in his home. Could see Merlin with that book he had been holding onto, delicate little fingers tucked in-between the pages as he turned them, tracing over the sketches and looking at all the pictures he couldn't hope to understand without the context of the words right beside them. His eyelashes gracing the apples of his cheeks as he bent down low to study his pictures, cheekbones higher than what should be normal…so gentle and relaxed. So innocent despite his less than innocent nature. Only for the scene to be ruined by six brutes coming in, crashing Merlin's serenity with the same harshness one would use to shatter the glass of a mirror a hundred times over.

"You saw my consort relaxing beneath a tree, enjoying his day for what's been probably the first time in a LONG while-" Arthur continued…his chest felt ever so tight. He could remember how rough of a time Merlin's been having, could remember the rough times Arthur had made him go through. How it had led to the marks on his wrists, the starvation, the depression…how all of that wasn't anybody's fault but Arthur's. When was the last time Merlin got to just…sit and do something that HE wanted to do? When was the last time Merlin could feel enough peace that he would sit outside like he had been…Merlin was not ever going to want to relax on the fields ever again after this! That right there was a punishable crime…Arthur couldn't think of anything better than spending days training his own skills on this field. And being able to look over and see Merlin in his own little universe…just because Arthur was working, didn't mean Merlin didn't deserve the rest he could get. "And decided that it wasn't right. It didn't seem 'fair' that my consort got to relax while you were hard at work, about to work up a sweat that you didn't want too. And you either hadn't heard, or you did hear and conveniently decided to ignore how many sheer HOURS that my consort put into working yesterday. How many sheer HOURS, he spent trying to help my people…far more, I can assure you, then your simple hour worth of training was going to be. And your solution to such a problem…you throw your grimy boots at him. You act as if he is your slave and you are his rulers. Is that how you treat a consort, ANY CONSORT, of Camelot? Is that how you treat the man that both prevented a war and saved the life of your prince? That is really how you show your thanks to him!"

By the time Arthur was done, he was practically bellowing as loud as he could at these men, his voice echoing sharply, that it would truly surprise him if they could not hear him from the castle. But let them hear him…the more people that were unaware of this event, the more people would be cautious when they got near Merlin. And let these men wallow in their misery…nobody would even dare to associate with them, as the backlash worked in Arthur's favor and sent their group down the social ladder of society. The worse thing that could happen to a noble indeed…good grief, the prince thought. He was pretty sure one of the men had just soiled himself, there was a certain 'stench' in the air…there was some people that might be nice and release the knight so he can go change himself out of his ruined clothing. But Arthur wasn't one of them. He would never be a nice man…at least not to this group. The knight could sit in his own filth and be reminded of their shame every time they had to urinate…

"Please! We didn't mean any disrespect! We thought that this was something that you wanted-"

The boy with the floppy bangs immediately went silent when Arthur turned his glare onto him. Arthur didn't know how much anger was being reflected in his face right now, but it had been enough to scare the boy speechless. That boy though, was at least smarter than his friend with the bleeding nose, he at least KNEW how to stop talking before he also ended up with a knee breaking his nose. Though it was also a close call…they didn't mean any disrespect? Is that really the line he was going to go with? Arthur didn't know what else that it could be called! Disrespect was disrespect, behaving as if you were actually above important figures in this kingdom was a HUGE sign of disrespect, and it wasn't one to be played around with. As if Arthur had 'wanted' something like this to happen to Merlin? How dare the recruit tell ARTHUR that they had gone after his consort because of ARTHUR. It was the worse excuse that anybody in the world could've came up with, Arthur almost couldn't believe the words that he'd heard.

"You honestly think that I wanted a gang of men, men who are NOTHING in the kingdom when they stand among my own knights, to corner my consort. You'll have to do MUCH better at telling stories than that, if you think that I WANTED my consort wasting his time doing chores! Chores that aren't even his, chores that even a personal manservant to my consort wouldn't do. Wouldn't do, since it is NOT THEIR JOB TO DO IT!" Arthur bellowed at the man, watching the boy nearly burying his head in the dirt to hide his sudden influx of tears…he didn't deserve the easy option of hiding. He didn't deserve to act as if he didn't bring Arthur's attention onto himself…Arthur clicked his tongue sharply. The knight that stood behind the floppy haired boy reacted, grabbing him by a fist full of his dark hair and dragging him upwards to his feet. The boy's neck arched in a painful way, his throat convulsing and his wild eyes darting everywhere, as if he thought anybody would step forward to help him. But nobody would…it was just him and Arthur. And the prince stepped forward, forcing those mud brown eyes to lock onto his, practically breathing into the man's face from how close they were standing…threateningly, it was. "But please, go ahead and continue with this story. I would love to hear all about how you've managed to convince yourself that I WANTED my consort to be the servant of…lesser men."

The new recruit shivered and spasmed in the grip of the knight…if the prince didn't know any better, he would even be bold enough to say the man looked as if he could burst at a moment's notice. Such bloody weaklings…Arthur had every right in the world to challenge this man to a duel of honor…a fight to the death in the arena. A place where he could slide his sword into the belly of the man and slice him up as if he was nothing more than a pig for slaughter. Public spectacle meant for the entertainment of those watching as they settled what was between them. And yet, the new recruit was freaking out just because the prince was simply 'talking' to him. He would've never been able to withstand a real battle, if he couldn't even handle a simple talk between the prince and his subordinate. And when the recruit still couldn't bring himself to utter a single word, the knight holding him gave a firm jerk of his hair, making him hiss out in pain as several of his long locks were ripped free from the roots themselves.

"Please! Yes….yes! You were right! We thought it was unfair we had to work as the consort got to laze about all day! But we didn't know…we didn't know that he was so involved with the people that showed up! We didn't know that he'd been working or we would've never-" the knight jerked harsher on his hair and it forced the recruit to pause as he hissed again. Arthur didn't utter a word and simply arched an eyebrow at him, quite similar to the way Merlin usually did to him. First off…Arthur could already see the desperate lies forming in the eyes of the man…how…quaint. He seriously still thought he could talk himself out of this? And second…the recruit's words were nothing but an excuse. If it wasn't for that reason, then it would've been for another. They had just wanted to go after his consort, and happened to find the opportunity today. "We are really so sorry your highness! Of course your consort should be allowed to do what he wants! We had no right to interfere in royal affairs, or worry ourselves with what he was doing or-"

Arthur clicked his tongue sharply again, making the recruit freeze before there was a chance to damn himself with his useless sputters. And in one quick and smooth motion, the knight holding him had a small blade in his hand and kept it poised dangerously close against the recruit's throat. The recruit's eyes had gone wide, tears streaming recklessly down his face as he tried to eye where the tip of the dagger was pointed at his jugular…such a moronic boy. Thinking for a single second that Arthur CARED about Merlin wasting his days away. His consort had already done so much, that Arthur honestly didn't care if that was what Merlin wanted to do for the next two or three years. For forever, in fact…he didn't care of Merlin wanted to do NOTHING other than lounging around in the sun like some kind of lazy, fat house cat. Arthur wouldn't care if his Merlin wanted to do that lounging naked, wearing nothing more than the skin he had been born with. Or if he wanted to lounge naked while wearing bracelets, thick and golden and fit for royalty around his wrists, and golden anklets that could have melded into his skin…showing off his status as consort. Well…perhaps he would prefer Merlin lounge about in his skins and golden jewelry somewhere a bit more…private than the outdoors. As strange as it would be for Arthur to go walking into his room and find somebody-a naked Merlin-lying about inside of his bed…it really would be the best place for it. Arthur's room was so high that nobody'd be able to see through the windows, and his windows were wide and large, giving Merlin plenty of sun to stream through, highlighting the paleness of his skin…with nothing more than the thin red sheets on Arthur's bed for him to cover up his private bits with. Yes, perhaps a suggestion to be made if there came a day he ever caught Merlin trying to lounge about in a state of undress.

"Okay, okay, okay! Just please-" the new recruit stuttered out desperately, and it broke Arthur from his thoughts…the prince thinned his lips. What he wanted was to go back to his wonderings…figure out how he should tell Merlin that his room was available for his use if he…enjoyed lounging about naked. But he did suppose this whole thing was…more important…for the moment, at least. But if the boy thought his pleadings would get Arthur's knight to move the blade, he was dead wrong. And a small bead of red blood started pooling from where he had been pierced by the blade…the boy whimpered in the back of his throat. It was hardly a scratch, but the recruit acted as if he was on deaths row. Arthur's had paper cuts that were bigger than that thing! "We thought…we thought that it was our duty! To force Consort Merlin into his proper place! We thought that it was the right thing to do…because you didn't want him! We've heard stories, they've spread even to our estates, about how off putting the consort actually was! And how even the prince regretted wedding him! We thought that doing it might even…win us favor with you. If we did…I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! We simply thought…thought…and now we're down two knights because he'd gotten them arrested and…

The recruit broke down into much heavier sobs, practically falling against the man holding him captive. His sobs were ugly and wet and…his eyes definitely did not glisten like the rarest of gems like Merlin's did when his eyes started to grow wet. Arthur's jaw went tight, his heart seizing for a moment deep inside of his chest. Arthur had known that was the reason…Merlin had told him that the knights had been bitter because of the arrest. But for a moment…the blond prince felt as if he had fallen back into time. To the days where his consort had been suffering from the poisoning…when Gaius had warned him about how the knights treated Merlin. Gaius had only given him the barest of details, nothing more than 'it was happening.'. But Arthur had been so busy with other things…healing Merlin, learning about Gaius' family for all those weeks, and then this last week of chaos…he hadn't been adequately able to look into this. But that was all going to change. No more would 'any' of his knights believe this would be something he wanted. No more would Merlin be…mistreated…because the people had some misconceived idea on Merlin's place in this kingdom.

Merlin's place was by his side.

And that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

"Those knights were not arrested because of my consort. They were arrested because of their own actions. Because they tried to ASSASSINATE my consort and it is only by luck that he managed to return to the castle. And here you are trying to defend them…defend them for trying to MURDER a royal." Arthur said loudly, his voice could've felt like a punch to the gut, as the recruit desperately shook his head, still crying his eyes out as if it would make Arthur show even a single ounce of pity. This recruit had done this for Arthur, and yet…it appeared he didn't know him at all. Arthur turned his head away from the disgusting man in front of him, this time speaking to the crowd of onlookers as a whole, "Let it be known, from this day forth…Consort Merlin IS your Consort, and he should be treated just as you would every member of the royal family! Consort Merlin is under MY protection. So I suggest you keep that in mind if you harbor even an ounce of ill-intent towards him. I will not be as lenient as I will be with these men now that you've been warned."

Arthur briefly turned his back onto the five men, meeting eyes with some of the onlookers…a lady of the court who had simply been going for a stroll. A serving boy with a basket of wet laundry at his feet that would have to be sent back to the wash after sitting for so long. Some of his knights who had gotten dismissed off the fields while he had been forced to deal with this lot…though 'forced' was too strong a word. 'Forced' implied that Arthur didn't want to do this, didn't want to be bothered with it. And yet, as Arthur turned back to see the five men sagging in relief and tears at his 'lenience' towards them, he was positive that he hadn't been 'forced'. Arthur would do this a thousand times if he had too, would lock men in the dungeons by the droves, all so Merlin could relax beneath his tree without the possibility of being harassed. Though, these recruits were…cute. Thinking Arthur's 'lenience' meant they wouldn't have any punishment at all. When it couldn't have been further from the truth…

"I said lenience. I did not say 'unpunished'."

The reaction was almost immediate. The recruits couldn't have gone tighter if they were the drawstring of a bow. Nobody dared to breathe, nobody was able to allow another tear to drop from their eyes. Everybody under the sun waiting to see what Arthur would do to these men, and Arthur…already had the perfect punishment in mind. He ignored the stares watching him, and he walked to the small tower of boots. Arthur casually bent down and picked up a pair, holding them in his hands as if he was testing their weight. Without looking away, the prince clicked his tongue again. And without looking back, he heard the cry as the floppy haired boy was flung back onto his knees in the dirt. And only then, did Arthur turn around and walk back to the line of recruits. And he waited till the floppy haired boy finally looked back up at him…the sheer terror shining in his eyes was a delight to Arthur. And he took pleasure in throwing the boots at the man's feet.

"W-what?"

The recruit darted his eyes between Arthur and the boots, the confusion in his face was almost delicious to the prince. Poor boy…didn't have any clue what it was he was in for. None of them knew what they were in for. And Arthur gave a nasty, heart stopping grin…he could almost feel the way his canine teeth were starting to sharpen and grow longer than any human teeth had a right to grow in a human mouth. The transformation of a monster, it could've been, but this was a transformation Arthur would gladly make. He would turn himself into the monster Merlin hated, if only to keep him safe. Arthur would damn his soul and his kingdom and his entire being, as long as Merlin could thrive right beneath the wings of Arthur's protection.

"Clean them."

The recruit looked promptly horrified, his rounded eye turning down onto the boot that could practically haunt a person in their nightmares. Arthur swore he could see the literal stench coming off of them in green waves…but only this is a good enough punishment for these men. It's something Arthur had been only briefly toying around with during this whole thing, but now that he said it…the prince knew no other punishment would satisfy him. It would be one hell of an irony. These men had tried forcing his consort to clean their boots, it was only right that they be treated with the same conduct. An eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth, or a stinking boot for a stinking boot. And the next time the prince made a clicking sound with his tongue, the knights holding onto the recruits surged forward and each seized a pair of boots. And deposited them in front of the four other men, leaving only one pair with a recruit unaccounted for.

"But sir…the beast! Shouldn't we be training for the beast…"

The recruit with the scar above his lip started to beg, but a withering look from the prince forced him into silence…there wasn't a single excuse they could say that would allow Arthur to let them leave this field. He didn't care if they were still standing there for hours and hours, didn't care if this took them late into the night. Arthur wasn't leaving until those boots were spotless. And neither were they. But oh, of course….they still had a training session to go through. And everybody knew how 'important' their training was. Arthur would be amiss to let them leave after their work was done, without them going through what they had came here for to begin with. Arthur wouldn't want to be a BAD prince by denying them their chance to learn.

"Don't you worry about this. I wouldn't want any of you to die because you are unable to protect yourself from a deadly and dangerous creature. Training will begin as soon as each and every one of you are finished with your boots. So I suggest you hurry up…you're going to need every ounce of strength you need in order to get through my training." Arthur smirked, watching as the five men shuddered at his feet. They didn't need to know Arthur to know that they'd be going through hell afterwards. Arthur usually only taught the basic for the very first lesson. How to hold a blade and how to swing it…the stances between the moves. But Arthur supposed…an endless amount of drills that could kill a man from heatstroke wouldn't be a bad deal for these cowards. "Now, I do not care if you have to use your nails or even your own tongue. I suggest you get those boots back to regulation. Or you're going to be in for a very long night if you try and waste my time."

There was a moment of hesitation, in which many of the recruits were clearly wondering if he was actually serious…they've never done this kind of work a day in their life. To be honest, Arthur himself hadn't done this kind of work a day in his life. This was servant's work, something those beneath them would do. But that was why it was the perfect punishment. These men would never forget how humiliating this was. Would never forget how public this was. How many people had watched them as they sullied themselves. Even the man that had actually sullied himself, probably thought cleaning was worse. But it was a crime fit for their sins. And eventually, when Arthur didn't waver, one by one, all of them men started picking up one of their boots. Looking as if they had not a single clue as to what to do with it.

And a sick, satisfying smile spread across Arthur's lips when they started to get to work. It would be a few hours before Arthur would be satisfied with their work. Hours before they would be finished, with their nails being broken and bleeding after dragging rocks and grime from the soles. Hours before any of them figured out how to properly lace up the boots. And hours, where Arthur would watch as they were reduced to using their tongues to lick the dirt off of the top so they would shine. Hours before…Arthur would agree they should be allowed to move onto their training. Keeping their boots on the fields as a sign of the sheer…humiliation…they had been forced to endure as more and more people were drawn to the fields by the crowd.

But that would be then.

And for now…Arthur would just enjoy the sight these five men made sitting on their bottoms on the dirty ground.

No longer the proud nobles they believed themselves to be…

"You're doing a great thing here, Prince Arthur. These men, and anybody else, should have to live with the consequences of treating Consort Merlin with their disrespect. Disgraces like that shouldn't be allowed in our ranks." Said Knight Justin, in this low whisper next to Arthur's ear, his lip curling as he watched as one of the recruits licked a full strip up the side of his boot and immediately he started to gag. Arthur looked over at him for a moment, nodded his head with a non-communal hum, and crossed his arms over his chest so he could enjoy the free show that he was being given. But it appeared that Knight Justin was not quite done with him yet, and cleared his throat. "Prince Arthur, perhaps I'm many weeks too late by this point. But I would like to give my most sincerest of apologies for how I…placed myself in between you and your consort. It's came to my attention recently, that I was…most aggrieved doing so."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, and gave Justin another look…he wasn't entirely sure what the man was talking about. What did he mean by…several weeks late and 'getting between him and his consort.' There was nobody in the kingdom who could separate him from his…oh. That was when it hit Arthur exactly what the knight was talking about…all those weeks ago when Arthur had returned to the kingdom after getting his hands on the flower Merlin needed to survive his poisoning. He had just been thinking of that earlier…when Justin had led the charge that ended with Arthur shoved in a cell and several of his men injured. The prince rolled his shoulders back…he didn't want to tell the man that it was okay. As it really wasn't okay. Justin should have never tried keeping Arthur away from his dying consort. He shouldn't have taken Arthur prisoner without offering to be the one to deliver the flower to Gaius so he could get the cure ready while the prince was dealing with his father. If Arthur hadn't managed to sneak the plant in the food Gwen had brought down for him…there was every possibility Merlin would be dead right about now. And Arthur was a lot of things, but he'd never do something that risked Merlin's life.

"I…understand that you were simply acting on the orders of my father. He…did not understand why I was risking myself to bring Merlin what he needed. And I, out of everybody, know that one doesn't get to go against the king or anything he orders done." Arthur said slowly, turning back to look at the recruits on the dirt, not accepting Justin's apology one way or the other. It wasn't okay, but…a knight's loyalty was meant to be to the king. His orders were above Merlin and above Arthur. But on that note…Justin needed to be warned exactly what he'd be forced to endure if he ever did that again. And it was up to Justin to decide whether or not he was more scared of the king. Or the prince. "Just know this, Justin. Should a day come again, where my consort's life hangs in the balance and my father's ordered you to stop me from saving him…what I am doing to these men won't compare to what I'll do to you. Merlin is my first priority…and that's just how it should be."

Justin was usually the calmest of knights, and rarely did anything happen that caused him upset. But this time, there was a certain paleness as his face was drained a few shades of color. Arthur's threat was clear, and the implications on what he would do to Justin was obvious. But this was no arguing matter, no nothing that would be able to change Arthur's mind. His one and only concern is Merlin, and his safety, and his happiness and how Arthur could be possibly included in it himself. Not even his own father would have been able to sway Arthur's mind on the matter. Arthur ignored the way Justin bowed deep before him, silently acknowledging what he had said…the only reason the prince was even willing to let this go, was because Justin had redeemed himself today. He didn't have any idea how long it would've been before he found out what these men had done, if Justin hadn't been the one to tell him.

It would be several minutes before Arthur dared to look over his shoulder…

Only to find the tree where Merlin had taken cover, now stood empty.

And Merlin had left him behind dealing with these people.

And with Lancelot.

X

"Alright men! Listen up! The beast is heading towards Camelot, and there's no telling when it will land in the city. But be warned, it's much bigger, faster, and more agile than you are. It can hit hard, and won't hesitate to crush you like a bug if you get in its way. That's why you have to be tougher, bigger, and much meaner than it is if you have even a hope of a chance to survive this thing the day it comes for us." Arthur Pendragon called out to the men at his feet, as he paced a slow line in front of his crumbled men. "Yes, today was hard. But your real training will come in tomorrow. Starting soon, I will focus our training and concentration towards attack strategies. I might even pair you up with my far more advanced knights to see if you fare. Because if you cannot handle one of them, you will sorely not survive when we are attacked. There's not much time left, so I suggest you get some rest while you can…dismissed."

It had been at least three hours since Arthur had started relentlessly forcing the five recruits into their toughest training session, and it was way past time for a proper lunch. Arthur hadn't been kidding about putting them right through the wringer. There'd been more crunches then they knew what to do with, there'd been push ups and sit ups and running around the field to test their endurance, although everybody really knew it had been nothing more than Arthur getting his revenge proper. Several of the men had collapsed at different points, their armor weighing them down as they baked beneath the hot sun. Arthur hadn't done anything more than thrown a splash of water on their face and forced the man back to his feet. One or two had even raced to the sidelines because they had needed to throw up from all the work their bodies had been forced into enduring. But it had all been worth it, Arthur thought as he watched the fallen group of men pushing themselves to their feet with heavy groans, their armors barely allowing them to move their aching muscles. He knew they would sleep tonight, knowing in their bones that Merlin was the most untouchable man in all the kingdom.

Arthur clicked his tongue sharply, something he hadn't done since the recruits had started licking the horse dung out of the soles of their own boots, and the reaction was almost immediately. Each recruit frozen in their different stages of getting up, faces washing out in fear at what else Arthur may have prepared for them. But they weren't manhandled by the other knights this time, though it pleased Arthur greatly that the men responded so well. It's how it should be. These men should jump when Arthur said jump, and crawl on their knees after Arthur said crawl, and kiss Merlin's boots if Arthur ordered them to kiss those boots. Arthur's smirk widened sardonically.

"Don't forget your boots."

Arthur gestured down to the neat little row of boots that had been sitting on the sidelines, just waiting for them to come and claim them. This was another way to humiliate them…making them come and pick up their boots. Boots that they would have to carry throughout the city, under the gazes of the people who had either seen or already heard about what had happened. Sleeping with them beside their beds. Haunting their every step every time that they ended up forced to wear them. His recruits knew better than to try and complain this time, coming forth to snatch up their shining boots…Arthur had forced them to clean until he could see his reflection in the toes…and wondered off to where their rooms were on the east side of the castle. And once they were gone, the prince started walking off the field himself, tugging off his gloves. He needed a bit of rest himself, he thought as he massaged his hand, it was hard work to put those morons in their place.

He could use some sleep himself…

Or he could visit Merlin…

Arthur shook that ridiculous thought out of his head, pressing his thumb a bit harder into the cramp that had formed in the palm of his hand. The hand that wore his wedding ring…he couldn't go and visit Merlin, no matter how much it felt like he should. As if his heart wasn't part of his body any longer, and it had disappeared to where Merlin had gone…fuck. Arthur knew better than to even try his luck with Merlin. Every time he sought the boy out, something else had to happen and it often left Arthur looking like the fool. A fool for Merlin he may be, but…even Arthur had to admit defeat at some point. A day or two…it would do them both some good to stay separate for the moment. If his consort didn't stay around to watch the show, then clearly Arthur wouldn't be welcomed if he showed up on his doorstep. He would just have to wait and hope next time…he wouldn't end up in the metaphorical doghouse again.

Perhaps it was for the best…

Merlin hated when he was a brute…

"Prince Arthur?"

Arthur glanced up at the sound of his name, and almost immediately shook his head, dropping his hand down to his side so Lancelot wouldn't see the longing way Arthur had been caressing his ring. The pull to go to Merlin almost feeling stronger than he was…at some point during Arthur's torment over the recruits, Lancelot had taken to standing on the sidelines. Arthur had briefly noted him a time or two, watching Arthur putting those five men through hell and back. But Arthur had ignored him for the most part…Lancelot was always going to find a way to get beneath his skin. And he couldn't afford to piss Merlin off by once again finding himself in a fight to the death with this man. Some things weren't worth the end results and he was pretty sure he would lose Merlin forever if he cut up his lover's pretty face.

"As you saw, Lancelot, I've had a very long day and I do not plan to include you in on it. Whatever you have to say to me can surely wait till another time. After I've had a few hours to rest." Arthur said blandly, refusing to look at the other, never breaking his stride as he headed back towards the castle. But luck didn't favor him, since Lancelot followed right after him. Any other, Arthur would've already called for the guards to escort Lancelot as far as they could get away from the castle while still remaining in the city. But he was still trying to keep his temper reined in while he could. "Unless, of course, you are following me because you want to tell me off about how I treat my consort once again. But I would have to insist that you let Merlin know that you were the one that's gone and started it this time. I'd be honor bound to fight you, considering Merlin and my's relationship is none of your business, and Merlin should know about all of the things you get into when he's not around."

Merlin surely couldn't fault him for getting into another rumble with Lancelot if it was all Lancelot's fault. Arthur would simply be defending himself from this raging madman that Merlin had brought into their lives. And kicking Lancelot's arse was…something that he would never tire of doing. Though…Arthur forced his lips back together in a thin line…getting into a fight wasn't a good idea. His fights with Lancelot tended to…bring out the worse in him. And Lancelot would no doubt start bringing up personal things in their fight again, shoving Arthur's estrangement from Merlin in his face. Arthur knew that he wouldn't be able to hold himself back if that was the case, and Lancelot could hardly tell Merlin it was him at fault, if he was already dead.

"You're right, I am only here for Merlin. Though I'm not here to start getting on your case about how you treat him. I believe there's been enough pertaining to that today. If you were a more likable guy, I might even say that I'm impressed with how you dealt with those men on the field. Brutal, but I'm sure that it will be most effective." Lancelot said bluntly, as they were reaching the stairs that led into the main castle…Arthur's eye twitched. There was nothing for them to speak about then. He didn't care if he 'impressed' Lancelot or not. He'd been doing that for Merlin and nobody else. If it hadn't impressed Merlin, then…it's still not a waste. Because at least Merlin's treatment was being taken care of now. Arthur started walking up the stairs, leaving Lancelot behind him down at the foot of them, Lancelot called up after him, "Don't you want my input about anything? I mean…I did say that I only came to talk to you for Merlin, don't you want to know why? Or don't you want any information on the beast…I think I'm the only one in the city other than Merlin that's actually seen it. Did you know it can't be taken down with the blow of a blade?"

Arthur halted to a stop, his foot hovering above the next step and his hand growing tight around the railing…Merlin. Perhaps Arthur should've been more concerned about the beast's apparent immunity against swords, but Arthur's first thought was…Merlin. And what kind of information Lancelot may have in regard to him. Arthur was practically cut off from the consort, a fifty foot wall of pure stone built between them that, try as he might to climb it, kept making him fall back down to rock bottom. But Lancelot…Lancelot had one foot on the other side of the wall already, perhaps he had his entire body even. Arthur did not have Merlin, but…he did have the next best thing. Somebody that knew his consort in a way that he never would. And somebody who was willing to speak to him about him…it was manipulative and underhanded to get information out of another source. And Arthur should really be finding ways to work harder for Merlin to be the one willing to speak to him. But Arthur was scraping down the bottom of the barrel here. He was desperate and willing to try anything, as he turned back to his consort's lover.

"Alright, Lancelot. I'm willing to entertain you for a minute here. But you've got to tell me what you're here for and why it concerns Merlin. Did he leave you a message to send me when he disappeared off the fields? Was he upset that I was defending him? He gets upset like that often. What about-" he cut himself off when he saw Lancelot giving him a steady stare, frowning heavily, and the prince tightened his grip around the railing until his knuckles were turning this shade of stark white. Lancelot wasn't about to go back on him now, was he? It was him who had brought up Merlin's name, so it was only right that Lancelot said something about him that Arthur didn't know, which was a…woeful lot. Or perhaps Lancelot didn't know why Arthur was asking about Merlin at all, since most people would be worried about the threat to their kingdom, which should probably take precedence over one man. It didn't, but Arthur forced back the snarl wanting to form on his lips and gruffly asked, "And of course…I know all about the…heroics you offered to my consort that day. So I suppose you really are the only one who's faced this thing in combat. Tell me, what do you mean a blade has no effect on it?"

Which, now that Arthur was forced to think about it, actually was a concerning piece of knowledge. Camelot prided themselves on their weaponry, the blades made by only the best blacksmiths Camelot had to offer. Made out of pure and unadulterated steel. Camelot had other weapons, of course, like crossbows, but an arrow could hardly do justice if the harsh sting of a sword wasn't able to pierce the flesh. And they did have cannon balls at their disposal which was something they could entertain…considering this beast could take to the air, it would probably be best to get them stationed at the ready in the battlements. But their swords…their swords were practically their pride and joy's. The blond had never felt more confident than when he was holding a blade in hand, but it was pointless and left them scrambling for everything and nothing if it couldn't finish the job…Lancelot walked up a few steps so that he and Arthur were on a more equal footing.

"When I faced this beast many days ago, I had a blade that I've traveled with for quite some time. It's never failed me before. And when it tried striking out at Merlin, I swung my blade at the creature. I went for its wings, figuring that it might be a weak point. But then…nothing. The blade…it completely shattered upon contact. As if I was striking some kind of metal that we've never actually came across before. It stunned me…pieces of my blade are probably still down in the forest somewhere." Lancelot explained to him, in a far more hushed tone than before, weary of any people nearby who might hear this delicate piece of information and spread it around the kingdom before the prince had a plan of battle in mind. "I had to get Merlin out of there though, and in the confusion of my blade shattering…it left me with this as a reminder on how easily it could defeat me."

Lancelot glanced around as if to make sure nobody was watching them, and then he lifted up the side of his shirt, showing off long planes of tan skin that Merlin most likely drooled over during their more intimate moments. But all the prince could see, was the long and jagged scar, mostly healed but still there in the curve of his flesh. It was still a stark red, and Arthur felt a cold chill seeing it now. The scar was, in some ways…a mark of protection. And showed exactly how close Lancelot had been to losing his life for Merlin's safety. He'd already known Lancelot had been injured in the fight, but seeing it in person was a far different experience. If that thing had managed to slice through Lancelot as if he was nothing but pure butter, then what could it have done to Merlin's fairer flesh? Would its talons have crushed Merlin's ribs completely? Had Merlin truly been only two seconds away from ending up as nothing more than a splotch of blood across the forest floor, his precious life gone in an instant. Taking with it his brilliant thoughts, and his sarcastic mouth, and his heart, that would always overpower Arthur's each and every time they crossed paths.

"Merlin's the only reason I managed to survive that day. I fear that I didn't get to be much help to him when I passed out from the pain, but if he hadn't been able to wrap it, I wouldn't be here today. I guess you could say that I owe your consort a debt. I very well could have came across that creature myself, rather or not Merlin had been there. And I always repay my debts." Lancelot said, in a matter of fact voice. Arthur hummed briefly under his breath…yes. He could see Merlin wrapping up an injury, his consort had wrapped at least fifty just a day before. But a debt…Arthur wasn't entirely sure how he felt about this man oweing his consort anything. It only gave the warrior another reason to find a spot in his consort's life, which wasn't prudent considering Arthur hoped that the man wasn't planning on staying long-term. Merlin would be heartbroken of course, but it would be for the best if the man left at some point. "I was a little too busy being unconscious though, so I couldn't even offer to wash the cloth Merlin used on me…his neckerchief. It was the only thing he had on hand and I am sure it was stained near ruined. But Merlin somehow managed to get all the blood out. Which leads me with having to find something a bit more…important and big…to repay my debt."

Lancelot had continued talking, but Arthur's mind had came to a standstill and it took far too long for the clogs to get moving again. But when they did…there was only one thing on the forefront of Arthur's mind…a favor. A sacred item he knew to be passed between lovers and partners. Merlin had used the one and only thing he had…a neckerchief…to pass on to another man. Lancelot's was a life saving bandage and Arthur's was a youthful crush passed on before there was the heat of battle breathing down his neck. And yet…the parallels almost felt like too much to bear. It felt as if Arthur's heart had just been ripped out of his chest…Merlin may as well have given Lancelot a favor. Even if it wasn't one the warrior kept-Arthur vividly remembered Merlin wearing the blue one around his neck-Merlin had still given one to him. A precious piece of cloth he had turned down in a dumb, blind moment of panic. But Lancelot seemed as if he was far more receptive to Merlin's advances. How much longer would it be before Merlin gave him one in a proper setting? How long would it be before he saw the blue cloth dangling from Lancelot's elbow, just as he'd seen that blue favor from 'Gwen' hanging from the warrior's arm. How much longer before the warrior also start keeping the neckerchief in his bedside table, smelling it deep just to remember Merlin's fragrance whenever he wasn't around for Lancelot to bury his nose in the crook of his neck for the real thing. How much longer is Arthur going to have to deal with…Lancelot taking everything that should have been Arthur's. By right of marriage. Something Lancelot would never have.

But that hardly mattered if Arthur didn't have Merlin himself.

"I actually believe that…saving my consort's life pretty much means any debt you could've obtained is null and void. You saved his, he patched you up…this sounds as if you've became even. Which means it's probably best that you try and take a…step back from being near my consort. Following him around, and sleeping in the place he sleeps…it's gotten a bit out of hand." Arthur said in a slow tone, his forced smile entirely grim, as he resisted the incredibly strong urge to shove Lancelot down the bleeding stairs and watch his brains splatter along the stone steps. He had to handle this…delicately. With words instead of combat. For Merlin. "I'm sure you can understand how…inappropriate it is for you to be so close to my consort. I can assure you that Merlin is well taken care of, and so I doubt anything you do to 'fulfill this debt' would be meaningful in the eyes of somebody who has everything. In fact, I doubt your presence in this kingdom has gotten to the point where you might have…overstayed your welcome. The crown of course, thanks you for your service to our consort. But perhaps it is time you seek…another place to be."

This was a tricky situation that Arthur was navigating, trying to push Lancelot out of the village without actually pushing him. But one could hardly blame him considering he now knew that he…wasn't special anymore. Merlin had told him he had given him the red neckerchief for a favor because it was the only thing that he had on him to give. And yet, he had now given his blue one over to the warrior as if Arthur's had been nothing but a…cheap practice run. And then it'd been Lancelot he'd given the real deal too. It amazed Arthur more that he was able to keep his composer, but his attempts at securing Merlin's forgiveness felt the same as tripping a landmine. One wrong step and Arthur could see his entire being going up in flames and smoke. But…wasn't that already what was happening? Arthur couldn't…he wouldn't…share Merlin with Lancelot. It's one thing for it to be just sex, Arthur's been having to accept that fact for over a month now. But when feelings were involved…that's when everything would be going to hell in a hand basket. He had to prevent that at all cost, but he feared he may already be too late, as he saw Lancelot narrowing his eyes at him with a sharply contemplating expression on his face.

"I fear, sire. That this is the one thing that I won't be able to do. My debt goes sorely to Merlin, and you, Prince Arthur, don't have any say in rather or not his royal highness accepts my actions as paying him back in full. I dare say that he isn't being taken care of nearly as much as you think he is, and one act against your men is hardly going to change that fact. Merlin isn't safe here. Not when it's you that's standing over him, sire." Lancelot said back, brimming with this confidence that he had been surely lacking the first time they met. But it was there now, and Arthur couldn't help but wonder…had it been because of Merlin and his influence? Had Merlin gotten the man to be so willful and so impudent, that it made the tension between them shoot up a thousand notches. There is an electricity there…two entirely different men but both vying for the attention of one. "And unless Merlin himself decided to ask that I leave, I plan to stay in the city for a long time to come. Making a career here and everything, as you can't banish me simply because you don't like me. You'd have to explain what I've done, and then you'd have to explain how…upset you are that I'm friends with your consort. I somehow doubt that's a conversation you want to go and have with anybody."

Arthur's heart thundered in his chest and it vibrated in his eardrums, the curl of his fists shaking at his sides…how dare he. How fucking dare Lancelot talk to a prince in that manner? Saying Merlin wasn't safe with him…as if he'd be any safer with this lumberjack of a man! Saving Merlin's life once didn't make him better, Arthur had done that as well before. But…he wasn't wrong either…Arthur would never be able to explain to anybody that he was 'jealous' Merlin was doing 'anything' with a man he just met. And how…upset he was that Merlin wasn't still fawning over him like he did when he'd been crushing on him. Just maybe…those days hadn't been as bad as he thought. Not if it stopped Merlin from becoming the victim of a man using a 'life debt' as an excuse just to get close to him. Lancelot could at least be a man about it, and admit that he was wanting to steal Merlin away from him. Instead of pretending his intentions are strictly honorable.

"Do you love him?"