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!

205. Chapter 207

They were only a few hours away from where Merlin's new estate was, but had anybody asked Arthur Pendragon, he would have said it felt as if weeks passed him by before they got near the vicinity of where it stood. It was cold, the rest of their trip through the forest on horseback. Unlike the day before, when their group had been mostly merry and chatting in their group amongst themselves, today had left the group quiet and stiff, as if one wrong word would set off the already fragility of the air around them. And Arthur was the worse of the lot, as he kept his head bowed to avoid the eyes of the others, trailing behind the rest instead of leading them like the day before. It was for the best, this way, Arthur knew, his cheek throbbing furiously from where Merlin had slapped him earlier this morning. There was this red splotch across the right side of his cheek due to the impressive force Merlin had used against him, but since Merlin had told him he would kill him if Arthur touched him during the night, he considered the throbbing in his face to be getting off easy.

There had been screaming when Merlin had woken up that morning to realize he was all wrapped up in Arthur. There had been so much cursing that it could have been a sailor swearing him out for making him lose everything he caught that day. There had been the violent swing of Merlin's hand the second Arthur had tried to sit up and explain himself, and pain in his gut when Merlin climbed over him in the chaos of trying to free himself out of any and all body parts he possessed. Hell, at some point, Merlin had snatched up his threadbare bag so he could smash it against Arthur's head, yelling like a maniac as if Arthur was some kind of pervert and Merlin had just caught Arthur's hand trying to slide down his pants for a quick grope or two. And there was no telling what else it would have led to if Gaius hadn't been there, hissing at Merlin while casting a few disgruntled looks at Arthur on the ground while he ushered his nephew to the other side of the clearing, and leaving Arthur to deal with his men asking a few dozen questions about what had just happened.

Of course, Dorian, Tristian, and Leon had stayed suspiciously quiet during all of the chaos, considering they were the only knights in the clearing that had been privy to the truth behind his marriage to Merlin. But the others had been relentless, asking a dozen different variations about what had happened that set Merlin off. Arthur had been forced to endure with his throbbing cheek after Derrick had asked—with wonderment in his voice—what Arthur had done to set Merlin off. He was the first of the knights to suggest Arthur might've been the one at fault here, instead of behaving as if Merlin was somehow unhinged after his reaction that morning. Both Christian and Markus had tried to protest, as it wasn't as if Arthur was the one screaming loud enough that he could've woken up the dead. But Arthur had ended that with a low and dismissive excuse that included the two of them having marital problems, before he had left them to their speculating. It was easier for Arthur to pack up his belongings when the others weren't breaking down his neck, just like it was easier to pretend Merlin hadn't just chilled him to the bone for his well deserved reaction.

It hadn't been the most comforting of mornings for Arthur, but to be honest, it hadn't been the worst morning either. There weren't many mornings where the prince had woken up and felt… utter peace, even if it had only been for a short time before everything that gone to hell. And yes, Arthur usually felt safe when he went to sleep in his bed back home, but there had been something that was so completely different about having Merlin right in his arms. So very close, so he didn't have to strain his ears just to hear the comfortable sound of Merlin's breathing. He had been able to feel it for himself, the subtle rising and falling of Merlin's chest, the warm weight in his arms, the breath against the nape of his neck. Even when them being in the middle of the woods where anything in the world could've happened, it had still felt like the best sleep Arthur's had in such a long time. The only thing regrettable was how… distraught the situation had left Merlin in. Even now, when they were so many hours away from where their campsite had been, Merlin was still refusing to look back at him now that he was the one leading the group.

Arthur would keep looking at him, hoping that Merlin would look back at him a single time, just so the prince would know Merlin was still thinking about what had happened between the two of them. Just so he would know that he wasn't alone, but Merlin was like a block of ice that refused to be melted, erupting the giant glacier that now stood between the two of them because Arthur was just dumb enough to believe that something like sleeping together wouldn't end up going wrong. The sounds of the horses hooves clattering in the dirt is the one and only sound that broke up the monotone of Arthur's depression, as only the horses seemed to be unaware or unconcerned about the problems the humans got themselves into. Or, one specific human, considering this was all Arthur's fault. Merlin HAD told him he didn't want Arthur sleeping anywhere nearby, but …Arthur had thought he knew better. Which was so stupid of him! He knew he had been drawn to Merlin to an unhealthy degree ever since he had met him so many months ago, why had he not taken into account how he could fuck up his consort even when he was only sleeping!

But time dragged on as the sun rose higher and higher up into the sky, leaving Arthur to feel as alone as ever, especially when the trees of the forest started to thin out and become a more glassy plain. At some point, the path they were going down had started turning into a small incline, the miles and miles of just grass and small sheep herds seen in the distances going up into a hill. And the prince knew exactly what they were going to see when they finally reached the crest in the hill that overlooked a large closed off area resting in the valley just beneath the hill. They would be facing the estate… Estate Whytt, it'd be called from this day forward, the private estate and home of Camelot's Consort. But the prince did hold his breath the entire journey up the hill, and he felt choked up when they finally did reach the top and saw the estate for themselves.

Arthur didn't bother noticing the miles and miles of grass lands, nor did Arthur notice the estate smack dab in the middle of it, was the only sign of civilization around. He didn't bother noticing the large stone walls surrounding the estate, a large black gate in the front as the only means of entrance in and out of the place. He didn't notice the estate itself, built with the same dark color stones their gate was made out of, with only one spiraling tower arching into the sky. He didn't notice how absolutely deserted it looked from where their group was standing, and he didn't notice when a nearby sheep that had wondered too far away from its herd had started making noises at him. The only thing the prince wanted to notice, was what Merlin's initial impressions were on this new home of his. It wasn't the most fanciful place in the world and Arthur could've given Merlin much more elaborate homes to look at, but it's simple demeanor felt as if it was something that would suit Merlin just fine. But… Merlin's back was still to him, as it had been for hours, and Arthur had no idea how he could judge on whether or not Merlin would be… happy here.

This estate wasn't just a place where Merlin could start up a few projects if he didn't like what he saw and wanted to change a few things. It wasn't a place to rest whenever Merlin wanted to take a trip away from the castle but needed to stay close for whatever reason or another. It wasn't a place that Merlin would decide to travel to at the drop of a hat and spend a few weeks just because he wanted to. No… this was the kind of place where people either stayed or they left and never came back. This was a place Merlin could quite possibly spend a good chunk of his time for the next few years if he decided moving in to get it up and running how he wanted it was the best choice for himself. This might be the place that Arthur could lose his consort to… forever… and if one took in what had just happened this morning, it made him feel as if he had just driven Merlin straight into his decision.

Not knowing whether or not Merlin was going to stay was going to make Arthur go insane over the next few days…

Merlin had been so tight lipped about what he was thinking when Arthur spoke about possibly staying here…

And the wind never seemed to be blowing in Arthur's favor…

But…

At least Arthur knew one thing.

Merlin Pendragon didn't snore when he slept.

X

Merlin Pendragon didn't know what he had been expecting when he would see his estate for the very first time. He didn't know if he was supposed to take in the dark red slanted rooftops or the crystal clear windows that seemed to be covered up by something dark on the inside—curtains?—and be elated that he was finally here. Standing just outside the gates of the place that was going to be his for as long as he lived, something that not even the Great Needy Arthur Pendragon could take away from him. Or if he should be depressed because it …wasn't what he was expecting. Merlin didn't really know what he was hoping to see here, but he had been expecting to feel something… more. Maybe he'd been hoping to find a place that felt as if it could become a home to him, just a simple place that would welcome him in with arms wide open and give him the warmth he had only ever had when he was either in Ealdor, or with his uncle. It didn't feel like that at all though, Merlin noted as they waited outside the gates for somebody on the inside to open the doors and let them in. It was just really …plain. But perhaps Merlin simply needed time to get used to the idea of such a place being in his name now.

They did have buttercups, though, Merlin noted with a little grin after his horse bent down his head and started eating some, pulling them out of the ground at the roots before chomping noisily. None of the other horses did the same, just as pompous as their noble owners would be, but he didn't see anything wrong with his horse having a little snack while they waited. There were thousands of the little things just growing alongside the walls, and Merlin didn't know if they had been planted deliberately or if they just happened to grow there and none of the occupants had bothered to cut them. But no matter, Merlin thought it to be a rather nice touch to bring color to an otherwise drab looking place. But as if to remind Merlin that he was here for something more than just checking out the wildlife, there was a loud crank—as if it hadn't been used in years—before the gates of the estate started to swing open. Merlin's head whipped up at the sound of the gates creaking, his eyes going just a bit wider as he saw who was standing just on the other side.

"Lancelot!"

Merlin's grin, the first one he had cracked since he woke up that morning only to find Arthur plastered against him like some kind of demented leach, almost broke his face in half because of how wide it was. He had hardly expected for Lancelot to still be here after all these weeks, though he knew that this place was where the other knight had been heading after he had left Camelot behind after everything that had happened last month. Merlin would have thought that the other man would have already been gone to check on the other villages in the area for any problems and such that they might be having, as the consort had instructed him to do when Merlin had given him his family crest and made the man a knight of the Whytt Family. But for whatever the reason, the former Camelot Knight was standing before him, and Merlin didn't hesitate to try and scramble off his horse, nearly getting the horse caught in the stirrup, where it had him stumbling before he was able to catch himself. But that was just a tiny hiccup, and afterwards, Merlin was quite happy to throw himself into the other man's arms.

"Merlin! I knew that it's been a few weeks since we've seen each other, and I'm excited to see you as well, but don't you think this hug is a little much? I really think, if you try and squeeze me any harder than you already are, that you may just cut off my circulation." Lancelot exclaimed, but there was laughter high in his tone that told Merlin the other man probably didn't mind nearly as much as he was pretending to. Besides, Lancelot held him back just as fiercely, with his arms wrapping around Merlin's waist, as if they had been separated for several decades at least. But even as Lancelot released him from his grasp, and took a step back from him, Merlin knew that he wanted to follow after him. Merlin had to marvel at how different it was being hugged by Lancelot when he compared it to being all but assaulted by the prince in his sleep. "Besides, did you really think I was just going to leave this place when I knew you would be coming this way at some point! As if I was going to miss my chance to see you when there is no telling when we are going to get the opportunity to meet like this again!"

Merlin couldn't say that Lancelot didn't have the most brilliant ideas, the man was an absolute genius at the best of times! But perhaps Merlin was being just a bias about that, but could you hardly blame him. Lancelot was one of the few real friends he actually had, and considering the last time they had seen each other, it could have very well been years before they managed to find a way to seek each other face-to-face. Which was already a strange concept, since the man standing in front of Merlin was his 'first knight!'. And as far as Merlin knew about the concept, first knights were the head leader who only ever answered to the one they had pledged themselves to… Merlin, in this case. So having a first knight who was also somebody Merlin wasn't allowed to see inside of City limits—considering Lancelot had been banished and everything after the whole fraud situation they had gotten themselves entangled in—was strange. But the consort was used to doing things differently than how they were supposed to be done anyway. Hell, his first knight was even peasant born, and Merlin could not be prouder about that, considering his own peasant raised heritage. Merlin was almost bouncing on the tip of his toes, opening his mouth to ask Lancelot a dozen or so questions about everything he had done in the last three or four weeks since he had left the city. Had he been at the estate this entire time just waiting around for him? Had he met the other people who lived here? Had he'd done anything exciting or noteworthy? Or was there anything Merlin needed to be concerned about? Or…

"What are you doing here?!"

Merlin's every sense sharpened, his spine going straighter as he glowered with distaste at the man that had suddenly appeared at his side so quickly, that the prince might as well have materialized right in front of him. Merlin had been so caught up with reuniting with his friend, that he had nearly forgotten about the group he had came here with, who had also climbed off their horses during his reunion with Lancelot and joined them inside the gates. But the majority of the men went unnoticed to Merlin, who had eyes only for that dratted and horrible, disgusting prince of a man! Merlin had nearly been taken out this morning due to the bloody heart attack Arthur had given him, and then the man just showed up and interjected himself into his conversations? Merlin already knew that the man had no bloody concept about boundaries, but seriously? Arthur waited to have Merlin asleep just so he could bloody well pull him close and do… Merlin felt his stomach churning sharply, as if he was going to throw up. He couldn't say he knew what Arthur had done to him in his sleep, and to be honest, just the thought of asking if anything else had happened when Merlin had been out of it, made him feel as if hives was breaking out across his skin. There was just so many things Arthur could have done to him, so many things that Merlin may not have known about if he hadn't woken up before Arthur could move.

"I don't think you are in any positions to be asking Lancelot questions."

Merlin's voice was harsh and stern, a punishment in itself simply because of how idiotic Arthur had been towards him all morning. Acting as if he was the innocent party, and that it was a complete accident that Merlin had woken up to being hugged on by that utter oaf of a man! There had been nothing Merlin could have qualified as 'innocent' about what that prince had done to him as he slept. How could anybody fucking claim that they 'hadn't meant to' when Merlin vividly warned the prince about what might happen with him sleeping so closely to him. Merlin KNEW he should have bloody well just stayed up the entire night just to make sure nothing like that happened, but he had been so eager to get to sleep so he could wake up early and they could finally make it to his estate. If he had only known what he would wake up to, he would have settled for staring at the stars for hours on end, while kicking Arthur as hard as he could in the shin every time one of his limbs came within his vicinity.

"I, uh… I think I have a right to know why he would be here when I didn't have any idea of such a thing. But you… you seem to have some sort of knowledge about things the rest of us are lacking. So it's… it's only right that one of you starts to… to explain yourselves. I mean… it's not everyday that we… that we'd run into the same man that was exiled from Camelot only a few weeks ago. It's not like it was some… some crazy coincidence. Not with the… the way the two of you were… were talking. No. You… you knew that he would… would be here and I just… just wanted to… to know why that is."

Arthur finished what he was saying with a pitiful and weak stutter, looking as if he was meek beneath the harsh glare Merlin was sending his way. But the only thing Merlin heard the prince saying was all about 'me, me, me, me.' The other man had not only apparently been listening to the brief reunion between them before interrupting, but also had the nerve to ask questions about it! ARTHUR had interjected himself into something that was clearly a conversation meant for two. And ARTHUR had the nerve to question Lancelot's presence when the consort was more than pleased to see his first knight in action. And ARTHUR'S the one that had no right to be worried about crazy 'coincidences' or whatever it was he had been stuttering on about under Merlin's glacier stare. And it was ARTHUR who had no damn right to put his arms around Merlin while he'd been trying to fucking sleep in peace! What kind of messed up world did the prince live in where he couldn't even leave a man to sleep by himself without joining in on it in the most inappropriate way possible!

"…I see that the two of you haven't changed much since I left. But I suppose a few weeks would be too much to ask for Arthur to change the temperament he has when it comes to you, am I right, Merlin? Because I don't think I have seen anyone quite as high-strung about anybody like Arthur here is." Interrupted the one knight that Merlin had been able to appoint for himself, this dry expression on his face that was good enough to have Merlin absolutely grinning as if he'd never stop. And seeing Arthur bristling at his side only made him thrilled down to his very core, clearly taking what Lancelot said as the little snide it's meant to be. Lancelot never had been much of a fan of Arthur's, and Merlin was only glad that these last few weeks hadn't done anything to change that. Or maybe he was just glad Lancelot was as awesome as he'd been when Merlin saw him last, and that it seemed as if Lancelot's personality wasn't just a figment of his imagination. That had been a real fear of Merlin's at some point. That he might have done something insane like dreaming Lancelot up, creating a man that is the exact mirror opposite of Arthur to help him combat the demons he'd been going through at the time. "But, since Arthur's asking, I do actually have a real reason for being here. I don't spend my time STALKING Merlin or anything just so I have a chance to be in the same areas as him. But I suppose Prince Arthur should know that I have been hard at work… preparing… for… err… should I ask what exactly happened to your face?"

Merlin had been enjoying this so much, watching as Lancelot managed to toe the line without saying anything that wasn't true or might cause Arthur to try and attack him for his impudence. And he had been enjoying the way Arthur's body continued to bristle the entire time Lancelot had been talking, while the two of them sized each other up after their three week separation. The both of them had seemed to end things on a solid note the last time they stood in the same room as the other, when Arthur had been fighting his father so furiously to give Lancelot a second chance at knighthood. But apparently distance had a way of bringing certain tensions back, while leaving Merlin stranded firmly in the middle of the lot. After all, Lancelot has no idea what's been going on with Arthur and Merlin during the three weeks he'd been gone. He didn't know that the two hadn't seen each other in person since the last day Lancelot had been in the city. All he knew was that Merlin and Arthur had showed up here with so much tension built up between them that even the knights were too scared to say anything for fear of setting something off. And that could mean anything… it could mean that Arthur had done something very stupid and now Merlin was rightfully pissed at him. Which was so close to the truth, that it would've been ridiculous if Lancelot hadn't been able to figure that one out for himself. BUT it was also clear that what Merlin REALLY enjoyed was how Arthur reacted when Lancelot mentioned the giant red splotch across Arthur's face that would have lined itself perfectly with the shape of Merlin's hand. The prince was cupping a hand around the giant mark as if he could somehow hide what happened, and in turn, what he had done to Merlin that had earned him that splotch.

"Oh, Lancelot, I know that it's been quite a few weeks since the last time either you or Arthur were able to talk, but surely you remember the uncanny ability of my husband's? You know, how he always ends up running right into something that he shouldn't. Whether it's your sword or somebody else's fist… he simply can't escape it, poor victim that he is." Merlin said, with an ever growing smile, cold and detached as he playfully shoved Lancelot's shoulder as if the both of them were in on the same joke. Speaking as if the entire team of knights right behind them hadn't bore witness to what had happened between him and the prince that morning. Merlin couldn't even remember all that he had screamed at Arthur that morning after he had woken up, having been too blinded by his rage to take notice of such a thing, but he knew it hadn't been pleasant. "But I suppose Arthur would have a much easier life if he managed to keep his hands to himself. Perhaps he wouldn't have such a victim complex about his situation if he learned such a basic concept. I mean, even toddlers can understand that touching the wrong thing can often cause you physical harm."

Merlin smiled again, this time turning around to look at the prince, wearing the same cold and detached smile he had given to Lancelot, in order to gauge the prince's reaction. And Merlin would be the first one to say how… glorious it felt to watch Arthur stutter and fumble over words that didn't make any sense, not even to himself, Merlin suspected. But Arthur only had himself to blame if he is unable to string together a simple sentence. Merlin had told him a good dozen or two times to keep his hands off of him, to not come near him, and that there was no reason for Arthur's hands to be anywhere in his vicinity. Merlin refused to be blamed because Arthur was unable to understand something that, as he had already said, even toddlers were capable of understanding. Had the prince learned his lesson the first dozen times Merlin had said it, then perhaps it was something that never would have happened. Perhaps Arthur wouldn't stand in front of everybody sporting a handprint, and Merlin wouldn't be wondering if it was an event that would lead to future nightmares that would feature the other man climbing into his bed some night to wrap around him like the horrible tiny leach that he was.

"I…"

"…That is…"

"…An accident…"

Merlin rolled his eyes over the latest stumbling coming from the prince, and he shook his head disgruntled. Arthur could go on and on about it being only this stupid accident and how it was probably Merlin overreacting to something that he should have just brushed off. Merlin probably would have believed it he had somebody else clinging to him in the middle of the night, but considering it felt as if he still had Arthur clinging to him, he wasn't in a very forgiving mood. And it was sorely Arthur who was ruining Merlin's first real take on his estate being that he was forcing Merlin's agitation. Merlin had only been within the gates a whole five minutes, and he hadn't even been able to take a look around or get his feel of the place. Hadn't been able to meet anybody or see what they were doing or what was going on or have any of the million of questions he had that pertained to the place answered. The only thing he'd been able to do was have a reunion with Lancelot, and it wasn't even a proper one considering the blond had interrupted them by asking his own petty questions, as if he wasn't trying to listen right from the get-go… possessive freak who refused to give him even the illusion of privacy.

"Ah, well, I do believe that this has gone on for quite long enough. I apologize to you, Lancelot, for having only been in our presence for a short time before being subjected to the two boys going at each other. But as I am sure you have already concluded on your own, they've had a pretty rough morning." His uncle was suddenly at Merlin's side, smiling towards Lancelot as if he was pleased at this unexpected surprise as Merlin was, hooking his arm around Merlin's elbow as if to remind him this wasn't the time or place to make snide comments with the audience watching them. Or maybe Gaius just knew Merlin had a million or so different insults waiting in the wings that could keep them busy for hours to come, and was saving everybody else the grief of having to stand here hearing it. "But I couldn't help but notice that you are wearing the broach of my family. I did wonder for a time where that had gone after I passed it off to Merlin, but I was informed all about his decision to make you his first knight shortly after he returned from seeing you off. I am glad to notice that it seems to suit you well, as it's about time that old thing got some proper use out of it."

Those words were finally something that pulled Merlin's attention away from his little spat with Arthur, and the consort couldn't help but grin as he saw the sigil hanging neatly from the warrior's collarbone. It was a simple little thing to be sure, something that had been handed off to Merlin as his uncle passed on the family heirloom to the next generation, while giving him permission to hand it off to Lancelot since the man had been deemed trustworthy by them both. It was beautiful though, as well, because of the simplicity in the way the bird on it was stretching its wings wide as if it was trying to touch the sky, embracing the freedom that Merlin had spent so much of his time chasing. But the crest also looked as if it had been freshly polished and scraped clean, shining in the sunlight streaming high above them, as if Lancelot was making sure to care for it properly. This was only proven true when the other man lifted his head a bit higher, his shoulders rolling back into place as if he was trying to hold back on how proud he was to wear something that Merlin had given to him from sweaty fingers all those weeks ago.

"Ah, Gaius! I was hoping that you would be traveling with Merlin. I was hoping to have the chance to thank you again, for everything that you did for me when I was in Camelot, letting me stay with you and all. And I wanted to thank you as well for the opportunity you've allowed me to embrace my new role as Merlin's Head Knight." Lancelot immediately said when his eyes landed on the man who had done him good, saving his life in more than one way during his stint within the city. And Merlin's eyes darted between the two of them, almost glowing in a certain prideful way when he saw the easy atmosphere of familiarly thy bore in the other's presence. Lancelot had been very kind, as far as he's concerned about, if he was going to take this time to personally thank Gaius. The consort is quite sure he would have never heard Arthur thanking Gaius for anything the man had done on Merlin's behalf, even for things that happened before Arthur knew there was a family connection between him and Gaius. The prince most certainly hadn't been thanking Gaius for allowing Merlin to live underneath his roof and eat his food and mess with his belongings. "I know that a choice like that isn't exactly the easiest thing to make, especially considering my history and the way I tried entering Camelot's armed forces. But I do want you to rest easy, knowing that I will do everything in my power to keep Merlin safe, as well as bringing pride to the Whytt family name."

There was an outburst coming from somewhere behind Merlin, and then many of the knights who had been keeping silent between them were surging ahead as they heard Lancelot revealing his new status. There was much chattering all of a sudden, an uproar of voices that became too many for Merlin, who almost became half-lost among the chaos. But for once, Merlin didn't mind getting a bit lost in the shuffle. He's had plenty of moments for himself, even if several of them were moments he didn't care to remember, so he was happy to hand over the reins and allow Lancelot to be the center of attention for once. Merlin could see Tristian clasping a hand onto Lancelot's shoulder, as if he was trying to welcome Lancelot into the fold of knighthood once again, even if they were in different sectors. And Dorian was right behind him, seemingly to be offering congratulations even as the noise drowned out his voice. Leon was nodding to Lancelot as if to say he wasn't surprised by this turn on events, and then there was Derrick whooping and hollering as if they were about to throw some kind of party over this right here on the front yard of the estate that had waited for them. He could also see Markus and Christian sharing horrified looks, but that was alright. Merlin was just grateful that there was so much positivity coming Lancelot's way, that a few bad eggs who would sooner spit on Lancelot rather than congratulating him wasn't going to ruin this moment. Besides, Merlin had already learned that not everybody was going to be happy about everything he did. And it was a waste of both his time and energy to worry about such things especially when the vast majority seemed to be on their side. But what Merlin noticed the most about all the chaos going around, was when Gaius lifted out a hand.

"Lancelot, I don't think there was ever a choice in the matter. Merlin would've done whatever he wanted whether I approved of it or not. But regardless, I am sure that the Whytt name is going to continue growing strong, especially with your efforts to continue fighting in the name of the consort. And while I'm sure there are plenty of men out there who would try to take advantage of Merlin's new position to elevate themselves into something higher, I can feel confident that you are not one of them. And that is who I want on the team that Merlin's chosen to surround himself by. People who have his best interest at heart, and not just how they can advance their careers. The name of Whytt will be proud to welcome you into the fold."

It was almost like something out of a story or a ballad that Merlin's only heard tales about instead of hearing the actual piece for himself, when he saw Gaius waiting for Lancelot to shake his hand. There was just something so… strange and final when Lancelot's grin grew bold, and he reached out to take his uncle by the hand. There might as well have been an explosion that had just gone off in Merlin's ears, taking in the scene in front of him that spoke of the trust and confidence Gaius was placing onto the warrior's shoulders, and how Lancelot simply accepted the responsibility that would come with representing Merlin's blood family. It had been only a few weeks since Merlin had seen Lancelot, but he could already see the changes in Lancelot that hadn't been there before he left the city. The confident way he stood, the ease in which he smiled, using all the proper words instead of harboring the self-doubt he had been carrying the day Merlin had met him, the happiness that drowned out his eyes whenever he looked at Merlin as if silently asking 'have you seen how far I was able to come because of you?' Lancelot didn't need to wear the shiny red capes that knights were given when they took up arms and pledged themselves to being the sole defenders of Camelot. Lancelot didn't need the abundance of weaponry found in Camelot's army, with a slew of trained masters on hand that would be happy to help a fellow knight learn a new skill. All Lancelot needed to do was stand in front of them wearing nothing more than the chainmail, with his sword hanging along his waist, that Gwen had given to him when he was still pretending to be a noble knight for Camelot. All he needed was a goal, something to strive for in order to help people, which he would once he left this place and started a path through the countryside of the kingdom, being the eyes that Merlin needed to have on the outside. All Lancelot needed was Merlin's sigil, marking the family in which he had pledged his loyalties to for him to be… perfectly happy.

Merlin hadn't known he could make anybody as happy as he has clearly made Lancelot, but it thrilled him to know he had been the one that put that look on Lancelot's face. Since Lancelot would have never been here if Merlin—back on that day so many weeks ago—had chickened out and decided not to give him the crest he now wore so proudly for everybody to see. But the fates to often tend to work in mysterious ways, and with every good turn or fortune that had come into Merlin's life, there was always something waiting in the wings to be sure whatever happiness he could find was smothered out. After all, there was a single man among their group that wasn't celebrating, a single man that had stayed silent and watched the scene unfolding in front of his eyes with a slack jaw, a single man among them that routinely ruined Merlin's life as if it was his job. A single man that Merlin had all but forgotten about during the chaos that was happening all around him.

Though, as Merlin already knew, nobody really ever forgot about Arthur Bloody Pendragon whenever he was around.

X

It took a special kind of fool-which Arthur Pendragon was—to somehow wake up wrapped around the body of another man, with said man's uncle and all his comrades watching, and still somehow managed to keep making himself out to be the fool in their situation. Right from the moment they had woken up, Arthur had known it was going to be a bad day that involved much sucking up, hoping for the relief that would only come when he knew Merlin had forgiven him. The prince had been preparing himself dozens of plans that included giving Merlin whatever the hell he wanted if he would just agree to pretend that this morning hadn't happened. Perhaps it was stupid though, considering how often he had his plans failing when Merlin was at the epicenter of them, but he simply liked to feel better prepared for when he would have a moment to talk to the smaller boy once they both had a moment to calm down. But none of the plans Arthur had convinced himself would be the 'one' that had Merlin opening up for him, had included Lancelot in the midst.

Lancelot…

Lancelot…

Lancelot…

Arthur hadn't been able to move for the longest time when he had watched the reunion between Lancelot and Merlin commencing right in front of him. He was only able to stand there staring at Lancelot's hands around Merlin's waist while he thought… it wasn't all that long ago that it was ARTHUR'S hands holding on Merlin's waist, gripping that slim waistline as if it would vanish the second that he woke up and realized he needed to let go. And he had watched when Merlin slung his arms around Lancelot's neck and… it had felt as if he wasn't actually in his own body. It felt as if he was having an out of body experience, where he could see himself standing there, knowing that Merlin would never rush out to greet Arthur with the same eagerness, would never wrap his arms around him as if he thought they would never see each other again. Arthur had known the day was going to be bad, but he hadn't known it was going to go straight down the hill and right off a cliff where there was a seventy foot drop into a churning river strong enough to swallow you whole, kind of bad.

Arthur had tried keeping up, he really had, but everything seemed to slip right through his fingers with every word that he spoke, turning him into a fumbling mess that was unbecoming of a prince. He tried questioning Lancelot and that had only succeeded in Merlin turning antagonistic on him. He had tried so hard to not let it bother him how terribly fucked up this day had already turned into, when Lancelot had asked him about the slap mark on his face. And Merlin—his sweet but viciously tempered little Merlin—had answered for him, words he felt were coated in the sweetness that Arthur craved from the boy. Even if he knew it wasn't real, and Merlin's viciousness was only reaching its peak, he knew the consort could twist him up and spit him out and ruffle his hair while patting his cheek on the wrong side of a little too rough, and it still wouldn't be enough to not be a participator in what disaster that was about to occur. And occur it did when Arthur himself fumbling over words when he shouldn't be, distracted by the curve of Merlin's lips as he sneered at him, distracted by the close way he saw Lancelot standing beside him, distracted by his pain and knowing Merlin's not the only one who was watching him behave foolish in front of him. But the prince may as well have gotten his foot caught in his mouth, considering what stupid stutters had escaped him.

And then Gaius had happened…

And then Lancelot's revelation…

And then the exclamations from the other knights…

And then Gaius… Gaius accepting Lancelot… holding a hand out for the warrior to shake…

Arthur's hands were nearly shaking with rage on either side of him, and he had to clench them into tight fists in order to stop them from being seen. But it did not stop Arthur from feeling the keen sting of rejection so acutely deep inside his heart. Gaius was the only relative Merlin had that Arthur could actually talk to, the only family that his consort had in the area, and Arthur already knew his consort found Gaius' opinion to be insanely important. And it was so very clear that Gaius—just like his nephew—preferred Lancelot's presence over his. Gaius probably felt like Lancelot, or the type of man he was at least, would've been a much better match for Merlin to have been paired with in marriage. But Arthur was just kidding himself… of course Gaius preferred Lancelot over Arthur. Just this morning, the elderly physician had been kicking Arthur awake to ream him out for sleeping with his consort like married people were prone to doing. And then this early afternoon hour, Gaius was shaking Lancelot's hand as if he had known the other man for years, like he had known Arthur for years. And telling him that he would 'make the 'Whytt Family' name proud. Now don't get Arthur wrong, he has always thrived himself on being a Pendragon and carrying that namesake with him into everything he's ever done in his entire life. But for this one moment—just one—Arthur wanted to be the one that Gaius was shaking a hand with, telling him that the Whytt family was proud to have ARTHUR carry it with him.

Arthur Whytt…

Prince Arthur Whytt…

Husband to Consort Merlin Whytt…

"WAIT! WAIT! WAIT!"

Arthur rose his voice before he could think twice about it, allowing himself to be carried away just like he used to be at the beginning of his relationship with the consort. And it was like silence fell over the entire group, as all of the men turned to face him with confused looks on their faces, as if he couldn't fathom why Arthur was interrupting their celebrations. But certainly such a celebration was pre-mature, especially since this was getting out of hand and this was not even what they had came to the estate for, and he still didn't understand what was going on. Or how LANCELOT could find it so easy to interact with his little consort, never doing anything that could cause the boy to feel insulted like the prince always did. And speaking of insulted, Arthur had to ignore the sour look on his consort's face as Arthur took command of the situation. But… he wasn't able to help that. Even if he wanted to get on bended knee and ask Merlin for a single moment of his time where they weren't at each other's throats. Maybe it was wrong, but even as Arthur's cheek throbbed from where Merlin slapped at him that morning, he still clung onto that attention like a starving dog needing his master to just look at him.

"I believe that there's a bit of confusion going on here, or perhaps I have just missed something, some vital piece of information that I have not been privy to. But seeing as my… as my consort likes to withhold information from me at his leisure, I find that I have to ask since this is the first time I'm hearing about any of this." Arthur said slowly, ignoring the looks of many of his men in order to look at Merlin, practically pleading in silence for the consort to tell him what he suspected wasn't true. But the consort gave him nothing more than a rising brow, a self-satisfied smirk tugging on his lips, as if he was pleased that it was going to cause Arthur pain if what he suspected to be true. "Considering what I have overheard the three of you discussing, it stands to reason that you have made Lancelot your… personal knight? As in… you bended my father's rules to change your friend, this peasant man, into a knight despite everything that he was apart of before. Despite the fraud and the lies and the…"

Arthur cut himself off abruptly when Merlin crossed his arms over his chest as a defiant twinkle appeared in his eyes. It was the very same defiance that had always driven Arthur wild, had made him mad with the urge to destroy that and change it into something of his own making. But this time, it made the prince's heart stutter frantically in his chest, as if it was struggling to keep beating, the salvia in his mouth drying up until it felt like sandpaper was on his tongue. The consort knew what he was doing, Merlin ALWAYS knew what he was doing the many times he had defied Arthur for one reason or another. And Arthur could see what was in Merlin's eyes now. That daring streak of his, the way he was silently mocking Arthur… Merlin was TRYING to drive him mad. He was trying to make Arthur react. Now, maybe Merlin hadn't orchestrated this entire thing since he had seemed genuinely surprised to see Lancelot there, but he clearly wasn't above using it to his advantage. And Merlin quite clearly wanted to see what Arthur would do… see if he would fly into a blind rage just like he used to do every time something happened that he didn't like. Arthur had to swallow in order to force the large lump throbbing in his chest down, had to press against the wedding ring on his hand to force them to stop shaking.

"Ah, but don't forget Arthur, your father doesn't make all the rules. There has been a few laws and such that has preceded even before your father became King of Camelot. And one of those laws does have sub-sections on how things like knights are chosen and handled." Gaius' voice cut through Arthur's pain as if it was a searing knife threatening to cut him whole. Arthur's gaze had rested on the metal broach that was pinned to Lancelot's chainmail—no cloak clearly accompanied him, and probably because the Whytt Family hasn't kept knights in all the years Arthur has been alive, and therefore didn't have any to officially use—so that he could torture himself with the image of the merlin bird while it prepared to take flight. Just so it could fly miles and miles away, so far that he would probably never be given reprieve by being allowed to let his eyes on the consort again. "And one of these rules clearly states that the family is allowed to appoint whoever they think if worthy to fight in their name, as long as they have the head of the family's approval. I passed this broach down to Merlin, so that right there gave him my approval to act however he saw fit with my name. I know that Camelot can be strict about these things, and the law clearly state that peasants cannot have a role within the royal armies, but there are no such rules that forbid a noble family from allowing a peasants man to take on such a role. So really, there's nothing here to contest or argue about since Merlin has followed his full legal right to make his own decision on this matter. After all, I know he might be a Pendragon now, but he was a Whytt first and still carries it in his blood. Lancelot fighting under the Whytt name will have nothing at all to do with the Pendragon's."

Arthur felt as if his lungs were threatening to collapse in his chest as it hit him that Gaius, who clearly stated he had already known and approved of this, was expecting him to hit the roof just as Merlin was. And Arthur was unable to say neither Gaius nor Merlin were wrong to believe such a thing. In fact, it was only a scant two months ago that Arthur WOULD have hit the roof as violently as he could have. Perhaps he would have dragged Merlin away somewhere that was more private in order to yell in his face about doing something—even when he used the Whytt family name instead of Pendragon to get away with it—without consulting him first. Perhaps he would have slapped Merlin around until he had the boy's face painted with the exact imprint of his hand every time he tried to stutter something Arthur figured was a lie or an excuse. Perhaps Arthur would have even enjoyed it a little if he made Merlin cry, tears streaming down along the sides of his face as he begged Arthur to let him leave. Perhaps it wouldn't have been enough for Arthur, the arousal that came with power hitting him so sharply in his lower gut that he just had to make Merlin pay for making him mix business with pleasure. Perhaps Arthur would have been just drunk enough off this power that he would have shoved Merlin down onto his knees before him… perhaps Merlin would have blinked up at him with those doe eyes, looking so incredible confused and horrified as Arthur struggled to undo the ties holding his pants up. And perhaps Arthur would have shoved the pants just far enough down in order to free himself from the fabric trying to contain the greatness of his manhood. And perhaps, before the innocent could squeak and demand to know what Arthur was doing, the prince would have made sure his mouth was too occupied to talk. And perhaps, Arthur would have loved it more, to feel the tight pressure around his cock as Merlin's throat spasmed frantically as it tried to get accustomed to something it had never been privy to before. And maybe, just maybe, Arthur would have laughed as Merlin choked, grabbing the boy by his hair in order to force him closer as Arthur rocked back and forth, enjoying the sweet release that would eventually come as he intentionally slammed into the back of Merlin's throat for maximum discomfort and pain…

No.

No.

No.

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut tight enough that it felt as if white dots formed in the corners of the otherwise darkness. He gasped in several quick and deep shuddering breaths to try and alleviate some of the pressure that felt like there was a man sitting on his chest, trying to banish such thoughts from his mind. It was those impure thoughts that didn't deserve to reach the light of day even if he had came so close to actually experiencing such horror. Arthur was tainted just from having those thoughts at all, and his Merlin was sweet and innocent even in his most vicious of states. He was a literal angel that was sent to cross paths with Arthur, both to tempt him into something carnal as well as to fix him straight. He had to remind himself that this was what Merlin did, what he kept on doing each and every time he had defied him for one reason or another…. It was to fix him. To cleanse him from such impurities. And Arthur simply needed to remind himself that he wasn't that kind of person anymore. That he was not the kind of person to… force something so ugly onto somebody else. That this was not the kind of person he wanted to be. That he didn't want Merlin to look at him and see the secret ugliness that he kept hidden beneath all of the other ugliness that Merlin already knew was there. He just had to keep remembering how… different he was now compared to how he was when those thoughts had taken up permanent residence within his mind. He just needed to… continue to breathe, stay calm, and not react as Merlin and Gaius were expecting him to.

"I didn't mean to… cause alarm or anything. I was simply confused of when all this happened, but I see now that the Whytt Family business hardly has reason to include me these days. And, of course, as Gaius has already stated, this has broken no laws nor rules according to Camelot." Arthur said with a large, shaky exhale. He had to remind himself that—feeling weaker and more defeated than he's been since the day he discovered the truth about Merlin—he couldn't be mad at Merlin for doing all of this despite Lancelot's past. Yes, he could stand to be upset because this was something Merlin hadn't bothered mentioning to him even in passing… even if they hadn't seen each other in weeks. But… how could he take his anger out on Lancelot when Merlin was guilty of all the same fraud charges Lancelot had been charged with. How could he be mad about all of this at all?! When it was Arthur who made Merlin feel so uncomfortable that it probably didn't even occur to him to speak about this with him. When it was Arthur who had allowed Lancelot to walk out of the throne room all those many weeks ago instead of fighting harder for his father to have him returned to the full status that came with being a Camelot Knight. But now it was too late, and the other man was now fighting under another's sigil. "I suppose do have just a few questions though, like… how something like this could possibly work out. I mean, I'm not questioning it, I'm simply asking because a head knight's duty is to seek to their charges maximum protection. And forgive me, but it seems a little impossible to do considering Lancelot will be burned the second he tries to enter the city."

Unless…

Unless…

Unless…

Arthur found it incredibly difficult to swallow as a new thought settled deep on his core, threatening to smother him. What if Merlin decided to stay right here in the estate? It wasn't as if Merlin had given him a definite answer when they were briefly discussing the topic just the night before. And even if he had, it is not like there was anything stopping Merlin from changing his mind and letting them all leave without him when the time comes. It would make things far more easier if Merlin was somewhere like his estate, where Lancelot could walk and fight and protect and all the other things that Merlin didn't allow Arthur to do if it included him in any way, without the fear of being arrested hindering him. He could move here, and live whatever life he always wanted, while Arthur lived in Camelot and failed to comfort himself with the fact that Lancelot was straight and therefore, wouldn't touch or taste or look at things Arthur himself had not ever been privy to.

"Well, I'm sure that there are probably a few details that we haven't thought of yet that needs to be discussed if something does happen, but I do believe that we have it mostly worked out. For the most part, at least. Once everything has been finished with here, I'm planning on leaving to travel a bit around the rest of the kingdom, send Merlin reports on anything I find that I either dealt with or needs to be dealt with if it's too big of a job for one man to handle." Spoke up Lancelot in that ever patient tone of his that had once grated on Arthur's nerves until it felt like a thousand pinpricking knives were trying to stab him violently beneath his skin. "But as for now, as I was trying to say earlier, I came here first because I knew that Consort Merlin would be coming here at some point. And I wanted to make sure the place was secure for his arrival and that there was nothing amiss going on. I know that Knight Bryon was escorted over the border weeks ago, but I saw Camelot Knights escorting the rest, his older sisters and their parents, out of the gates. I wanted to prepare just in case any of them tried showing back up or tried to retaliate or anything like that. Since it was their home once, I didn't want to take any risk with Consort Merlin's life if it came to that. But it seems as if they have taken the loss of their home with a bit more grace than Bryon did. They were talking about taking this as a chance to finally retire someplace they wasn't as warm as Camelot's weather usually is."

Arthur hated to admit it, as he hated most things that he wasn't part of, but he couldn't see any of this being a bad idea. On a completely logical point of view this seemed like the best way to go about things. Arthur hadn't thought about retaliation from the family, especially since the husbands of the sisters weren't fighters, and the former lord of the house was too old to partake in something like this, and Bryon surely wouldn't have made it back to Camelot without him being seen in all the weeks he'd been gone. But it didn't hurt to remain on the side of caution, as there were still plenty of people who might have a reason to be upset about the sudden change in ownership being made to the estate. But on a more personal note… if Merlin wanted to know about what was happening outside the city, he could have expressed that to Arthur. It might be dreadfully boring, but Arthur could have shown him the reports he gets from the different lords and the properties surrounding the area where they had settled. There's grain reports, or reports of death, or crime ratings, and just about a thousand other little things that informed Arthur about what was happening. But even if it was boring, Arthur wouldn't have minded going through them with Merlin if it interested him, maybe teach him how to respond to certain letters if he wanted to be more involved with things going on. Merlin didn't have to ask Lancelot to play as his spy.

"I, for one, don't know why you are complaining about any of this. Lancelot has been waiting here for who knows how long, and he isn't going to go anywhere just because you don't want him around. He is my royal guard after all, so it is only right that he remains near me." Merlin spoke up, his voice strong and full of taunting, as if he knew exactly what Lancelot's sudden presence had done to the prince. Which, let's be real, Merlin probably did know, and Arthur had to cringe because of how transparent he was being. "And besides, I thought you and Lancelot were actually starting to get a better understanding of the other before he left Camelot last month. I mean, he literally fought that griffin when you were knocked unconscious by it, and you wanted to make him a knight for your kingdom because of it. Or were you only acting like you were upset about Lancelot deciding to leave because you knew him leaving meant he would not be around me any longer?"

Arthur hissed underneath his breath, Merlin's jabs about Arthur's possessive attributes digging beneath his skin as if they were barbed wires threatening to cut into his skin. It was horribly embarrassing to have such things thrown in his face like that, but the prince forced himself to breathe deeply in order to keep hold of the level head he was trying to maintain. People who were trying to be different didn't fly off the handle when his victim rightfully spoke up. And if he truly wanted to show Merlin he wasn't going let his possession over the other boy to control him, then he couldn't go swinging on Lancelot just because the consort trusted him more than Arthur. He simply needed to… remember all of the good things Lancelot had done for him and his family, all of the moments in which Lancelot stood against them in order to change the way of things. He was the one that had struck the griffin dead, which allowed Arthur to live more days, and therefore giving him more chances and time to change into another person… somebody Merlin wouldn't hate on sight. It was Lancelot that hadn't thrown Merlin under the carriage when his father was demanding to know just who had been his accomplish and created the forgery he had used to get into the knighthood program. It had been Lancelot that had been a friend towards Merlin, when Arthur couldn't even have a civil discussion with him without him upsetting his consort. It was Lancelot that had fought Arthur in the middle of a market street with nothing but broomsticks because he was defending Merlin from the abuse Arthur had once enjoyed doing. It was Lancelot that had stood by Merlin's side, keeping watch like a vigilant guide as the consort had walked through dozens of people, talking to them and cheering them up and wrapping bandages around the survivors who had escaped to Camelot when the griffin had attacked their home village. And most importantly… it had been Lancelot that had helped put the final pieces together, which allowed Arthur to realize it had been all lies… those horrid rumors that had been spreading about his little consort's virginity. Arthur still felt sick when he thought about his viciously he had slapped Merlin when he had first heard about them… Arthur sucked in one more slow and steady breath, trying to keep those memories in place.

"I suppose there is nothing wrong with having a trusted individual like Lancelot to watch your back if that is who you are most comfortable with. I didn't mean to make it sound as if I disapproved. Lancelot has done much for Camelot even if he wasn't rightfully rewarded with it. And I suppose… being your first chosen knight is also quite the honor. I'm, uh… I'm glad that things worked out for you, Lancelot, and that you found something else that is probably… more important work than anything a knight of Camelot could do." Arthur said, raising his head in order to lock eyes with the knight in question, trying to put as much into his voice as he could to convey how important such a job was. Arthur was finding it hard to think of any job that was more important than overseeing the direct protection of his consort. And perhaps Lancelot could see that meaning in the prince's eyes as well, because he nodded… as if the two of them had come to some sort of silent understanding. Whether they were on different sides or not and whether they had different ideals or not, Arthur was pretty confident that Merlin's safety was their top priority. And the one thing that united them more than even being knights did. If only Arthur could keep remembering the good Lancelot had done for Merlin, instead of allowing his jealousy over how close they were to cloud his mind again. But people were looking once more, and it left Arthur clearing his throat quickly before averting his gaze back onto Merlin Pendragon, "I suppose this also makes me wonder if you are planning on more men joining the little legion of knights you have going on here. And if they will also have the same peasant heritage that you and Lancelot share… not that it's a bad thing, of course! I simply mean that Lancelot is quite good with a sword in a way that most peasants aren't. So I think you would find another one who just comes wondering into Camelot with the same skillset needed and—"

Arthur cut himself off abruptly when he realized he was starting to spew all of his words as if they were vomit, one coming out right after the other in a blend of panic. He was worried he might have insulted Merlin by bringing up the way he and Lancelot shared the same childhood heritage, something Arthur would never be able to understand because of how he himself had been raised. But it had been meant to be a simple observation… Arthur had been trying to explain how much of a miracle it had been for Merlin to find somebody who had lived a similar upbringing and how fitting it was that a peasant consort had managed to find the one peasant warrior in all the kingdom who was actually capable of using a sword. It wasn't as if peasants were any good with weaponry. Lancelot just happened to be the one exception to his father's stupid code, and that he didn't suspect they would find another man in the city who would be as good at the job as Lancelot would be. But Arthur feared that this might've been lost in translation, and his stomach clenched in worry when he saw Merlin start to open his mouth…

"Ahem."

X

Merlin Pendragon was, needless to say, quite upset about a lot of things even during this happy life changing event that was supposed to come with owning his own estate. Maybe it stemmed from how he'd woken up that morning, but Merlin could hardly focus on his estate because he had just wanted to push all the buttons that he knew Arthur possessed. Everything Merlin had said to that prince of his had been spiteful and taunting and borderline just plain rude, just because he had wanted to see the prince blow his top. And Lancelot had given Merlin a good excuse to do it, knowing just how much Arthur used to get into it with the other knight. He had wanted to see Arthur throwing one of his famous fits, and that feeling had only grown bigger and bigger when the prince started questioning every decision Merlin had felt good about making. But honestly he felt as if this whole thing with Arthur was getting ridiculous. It had been a solid two months since Arthur had started swearing he was 'different' and wanted to 'do better' by Merlin, or whatever crap he had been spewing during one of his million apologies. And other than a few outbursts that made Merlin confident it was all an act, Arthur had been pretty consistent. But if Merlin was able to get Arthur back on that ledge he'd been on during the first four months they were married…

There would be no more Arthur giving him gifts, like a horse, and pretending it was going to be his forever.

There were be no more Arthur trying to give Merlin his cloak because he was cold.

There would be no more Arthur staring at him while he ate, and telling him that he liked it.

There would be no more Arthur pretending he was cool about everything that he did just because he was trying to keep 'in character.'

And best of all…

There would be no more Arthur pretending this morning had been nothing but an accident. At least the real Arthur would have bloody well admitted that he'd done it on purpose because he thought… Merlin might run off in the middle of the night or something as ridiculous as that, considering Merlin wouldn't have made it far in the confusion that were these woods. But as much as Merlin had hated the old Arthur with a fiery passion, at least that one had been honest to a fault. Instead of this… weird Arthur, who hadn't even raised his voice during any of the taunts Merlin had shot his way. But that only meant Merlin had to go out of his way to get under Arthur's skin, so something that would drive Arthur back into his normal personality. Because if he didn't, Merlin was afraid that he was going to go through the roof if Arthur escalated and did something that is weirder than sleeping on top of him. But what could drive Arthur crazy if all of his little taunts seemed to be ineffective…

Merlin would need to think some more on what he knew about Arthur and all of the little triggers he knew him to have, but for now, Merlin's attention got taken by the strange man that had just made his presence known, standing off to the side as he observed how their little group had been interacting. He was quite a bit older than the majority of them, and seemed to be closer to his forties than any of them—except for Gaius, of course. He was a pale skin man, though not nearly as pale as Merlin, and with a great balding head, though there was soft fuzz of black still remaining on the curve of his scalp. He had brown eyes, but they were squinting at the group as if he didn't know what to make of them all, though Merlin couldn't have faulted him for being cautious. He was sure, with all ten of them and half of that ten bickering, they must have made a very odd impression. Which wasn't exactly the impression Merlin would have wanted to make on the people that knew and lived in this estate long before Merlin knew it even existed. Though, from the way the man swatted invisible dirt off of the sleeves of his expensive looking blue tunic, Merlin wasn't altogether sure if he should be trying to make an impression on this man or not. He just looked… as if he was somebody that Merlin wouldn't get along with. Call it a gut feeling or whatever, but that was what it was. Lancelot seemed to know exactly who this man was though, because he easily shifted his face into something that's more neutral as he straightened up to take the lead.

"Ah, perhaps I should be the one to make introductions. Consort Merlin, this is Sir Jacqui, and he's the steward of the castle. Which basically means that he is the one that's been handling the house details after the former Lord and Lady were escorted from the grounds. Keeping the other servants on task with their duties and making sure the house was clean and prepared for your arrival this morning." Lancelot, Merlin's first knight—and would he actually ever get more than one knight, like Arthur had been insinuating? Because he couldn't begin to imagine meeting somebody else with a blade who he actually trusted on a deep level—said. And 'Sir Jacqui' seemed to preen under the scrutiny that his presence caused, tilting his nose in the air a little higher, as if he thought that it was quite a bit more impressive running a household than anything anybody in their group had done. It made Merlin like the man a bit less, before he even had a chance to say two words to them. But then Lancelot continued on, as he waved a hand to Merlin's awkward form beside him, "And of course, I am sure I hardly need to introduce you to Consort Merlin, or 'the Savior of Camelot' as I have heard people calling him nowadays. But there is, of course, Prince Arthur, Consort Merlin's husband. As well as Camelot's Royal Physician, Gaius, who is the uncle of the esteemed consort. And the rest are the royal guard that came to ensure their safe arrival."

Lancelot introduced them all in turn, but Merlin felt his face starting to burn at the title Lancelot had attached to his name. He hated that bloody title, but it's what people have taken to calling him the most, ever since he had saved those people from the courtyard when the griffin had attacked. There had been quite a few nicknames Merlin had heard cropping up over the weeks, which usually pertained to either what had happened in the courtyard, or were related to the 'mercy' Merlin had shown by allowing Bryon and Julian choose the paths they wanted to take after trying to kill him. Merlin hadn't realized the stupid name—savior sounded just so pretentious, as if he was telling people to call him that or something—had already made its way out of the city. But from the way that Lancelot's neutral and professional demeanor had cracked a little, allowing the softest of grins to show curling on the edge of his mouth. He was pretty sure it had been mentioned on purpose. Lancelot was trying to tease him, even in the midst of all that was going on. Which led to Merlin sensing him annoyed looks before he stepped up, brushing his hands anxiously down the front of his coat as he realized… he was actually here. And talking his first real steps onto land that was his. He had just almost had to die in order to get it, but hey, that was only semantics.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you… Sir Jacqui, was it? I just wanted to thank you so much for being here to show us around the property and all. I'm sure that you probably have a million other things you could've been doing today instead of just entertaining us." Merlin laughed sheepishly, not really sure what he should be doing right about now. But he was sure, from the way Sir Jacqui raised one of his brows, that he was expecting something a bit more regal or noble from a consort. But Merlin cleared his throat and carried on, "I hope that things were not too much of a hassle with the sudden change in ownership happening. I do promise to make things as painless as I can possibly make it while we are here, of course… are you the only one that's here? Or are there others, as well?"

Merlin asked the question, more than a little bit hopeful that it would make the other man forget his stupidity. He had been stupid mentioning the changing of ownership as if it was something lighthearted and something that wasn't going to affect the residents that were still living on the property. Of course this was going to change everything for Sir Jacqui. He was sure the steward was used to however the former lord and lady ran the place, and while Merlin had never met the people, he was sure that the way they ran things were probably going to be quite different. Merlin had met their son, Bryon, after all, and Merlin was sure the people who had raised such a beast couldn't be too different from the project of their own creation. Or perhaps that was too mean of Merlin, since he had never met the rest of them, and it wouldn't be surprising to find out Bryon had just been a bad seed along the lot.

"First, I would like to say it is the greatest honor to welcome all of you beneath the roof of this fine home. It has stood here for ages, and it has been a witness to many different owners. I'm pleased to be the steward in charge as it passes hands to our most esteemed consort. We have heard many tales about all you have accomplished in your short leadership position, and from what stories we have heard, I do believe that the Prince has chosen well when he decided he'd make you his consort." Jacqui immediately launched into his spiral, making the consort smile weakly as the steward gave Arthur beside him a generous nod of his head, as if he had somehow been included in the decision. And to Merlin, it sounded as if this was something Jacqui had rehearsed many times in front of the mirror in order to get it just right. Merlin had a feeling Jacqui would've said the exact same thing no matter what Merlin would have started with. So, either Jacqui was just as nervous about all these changes like Merlin was, and felt as it he had to practice what he should say beforehand. Or he was just extremely pretentious, which was what Merlin was leaning towards. "And, of course, I will answer your question, Consort Merlin. No, I am not the only one that is here to see to your every need. When the former lord and the lady of the manner had to lead, many of the others scattered in order to return to their families or use this as an opportunity to start fresh somewhere else. There are currently three other knights, beside your chosen, who have stayed because they believe they are better suited here than anywhere else. And there are three young girls that have stayed as well, maids, because they didn't have anywhere else to go. So I do believe there will be plenty of people who can help you get settled down for as long as you stay."

Merlin slowly nodded his head, taking in everything he said as he glanced over to the house, only vaguely hearing Arthur murmur that they plan on only a few days. It went ignored though, by Merlin, as he studied the estate stretching up high above him, it looked much larger now that he was up close. But it looked as if it was darker as well, with a few arched doorways that gave it this almost gothic appearance. It was a sharp contrast when compared to the large patch of green grassy fields surrounding the land, and the large hills that stretched just outside the gates. The one spiral tower that reached towards the heavens looked as if it was uneven, half jutting out of the main estate itself, and if the consort looked close enough, he could have sworn he saw something flying up there beneath the window… bats? Merlin could hardly imagine what this place might look like if it was a storming night with lightning crackling in the sky, it'd probably give off the impression that Merlin was going to end up drying here because some crazed lunatic had made a home for himself in the basement or something. There were many windows though, long windows that had a curved top that looked as if they would be nice to look out of, or to feel the sun when it streamed in after just waking up. But the problem with that is that it seemed as if every window he was able to see was covered up with these thick purple colored curtains, which only exasperated the gothic feeling of the place. But if Merlin looked close enough, he could've sworn he saw one of the curtains as it shifted… was somebody in there? One of the knights or one of the girls trying to peek out to get a look at their strange group arriving on their doorstep?

"Consort Merlin, as I understand things, you are the one that will be making all of the decisions on what shall happen to our estate from this day forward. I do believe that means you will want to get a proper feel of the place, do you wish to go on a tour of the place now? Or would you like to retire to your rooms for the afternoon and take a quick nap after your tiring journey. I can only imagine what might've delayed you from arriving yesterday when you were expected to be here." Jacqui said, with a generous tilted nod of his head, as if he would've greatly emphasized with Merlin if he decided now was the time to take himself a nap. But Merlin was taken aback by the suggestion… he didn't come all this way just to take a nap when there was so much he could do being with such a short amount of time to do it in. And besides… Merlin didn't even want to think about sleeping for the rest of his life. He was never going to trust Arthur when they had to sleep in the same clearing. How was he supposed to sleep in a bed and not look up at every creak of the house, wondering if it was Arthur trying to sneak into his room so he could climb into bed beside him and hold him like he had been before. Creepy fucker. But Jacqui was already moving before the consort could tell him different, snapping his fingers towards Lancelot as if he were a dog meant to jump at his command, "You, soldier, I believe that you are finally needed. You can take the consort's belongings up to the main bedroom where he will be residing, as well as the prince's too. I don't want the consort to have to worry about a single thing while he is here, including anything that's his going missing, understood?"

Whatever smile Merlin might have had growing seemed to drop in an instant as he heard the pompous and demanding tone the steward was using towards his chosen warrior. And the consort narrowed his eyes, whatever grace Merlin had tried giving the man seemed to plummet, his respect towards the steward who had lived here long before Merlin had ever heard of the place, dropping until it was nothing. Merlin knew that the man probably lived here for years, but what right did he have to strut around and order Merlin's own personal guard to do something that was so… not a guard thing to do. Perhaps the consort might've understood a little bit if the steward wanted Lancelot to do a sweet of the bed chambers just in case somebody wanting to kill him was trying to hide away in the bedcovers. But bringing his belongings upstairs? The only thing he carried with him—even if it was strapped to his horse at the moment—was his one tiny little bag. It wasn't even heavy, and only filled with a few changes of clothing and his sleeping sack, all things that he himself could've very easily brought upstairs without help. Lancelot though, seemed to have things handled on his own as he gave the steward a stern look.

"I think that I will be better suited to stay beside my Consort for the duration of his stay here at this… lovely estate. I have already done many checks on the land and the surrounding property just to make sure everything was sealed off properly just in case somebody on the outside learned of him being here this week and tried getting in. But as I'm sure you understand, it has been quite a few weeks since I've been able to do my duties properly, and so I am sure one of the maids can bring in everybody's belongings and have them brought to all of their proper bedchambers." Spoke Lancelot, his voice unwavering as it was becoming quite clear that the soldier wasn't asking Jacqui for his permission to stay by Merlin's side. And Merlin nodded beside him, backing up Lancelot without another word on the matter. Considering he was only here for three or so days—maybe longer, though Merlin still tethered on what he should do after the three days came to an end—he wanted to spend as much time with his new friend and chosen guard before they had to separate. "And again, I'm sure that you understand the important of reporting to the one in charge. If the consort has any questions about his security and whatnot, I'll be here to answer them. I do hope you don't want to be the one explaining to the prince why something has happened to his consort if you try sticking me with menial chores only for an attack to happen."

It seemed as if Lancelot knew exactly how to hit at all of the man's soft spots, if the horrified look was any indication. If, as Lancelot had said, some kind of attack did happen and Merlin got injured in the crossfire, then the blame was immediately going to be placed on the steward for trying to distract Lancelot away from his main duty. And perhaps Merlin was more intuned to Arthur and his emotions than he would like, because he could've swore he felt a spike of negative emotion coming from behind him. Sharp and spicy and horrible just before it was smothered down into almost nothing. Merlin didn't even have to look to know that Arthur was glaring daggers at the steward, especially when he could see that the steward was starting to shake in his boots. Fearful sweat rolling down the sides of his scalp in waves, his eyes wide as he darted them around from man to man, as if he was seriously asking them if he would be the one taking the blame should Merlin even get so much as a paper cut when his guard was otherwise occupied.

"I do assure you, I will be most cross should something happen while we are in this place. I did not bring my consort here just to see him getting injured as he tries to make this place better than whatever it is now. Lancelot will stay at his side until my consort dismisses him himself, that is not up for discussion, do I make myself clear?" Arthur was suddenly there, speaking up to show the other man what Merlin already knew was there, and Jacqui looked as if he was about two seconds away from peeing on himself now that Arthur's ire had turned its sight onto him. Merlin found he could do nothing more than drop his head into his hands with a low groan… stupid Arthur, always making a scene wherever it was they went. This was his whole stupid… I'm going to protect Merlin and be ready to slice up the first man that so much as makes him upset, because only Arthur is allowed to make him upset, thing coming into play again. Nobody on the planet could've told Merlin that Arthur actually cared about his comfort, so that was why he was so insistent on Lancelot staying near. No, it was far more likely that Arthur just didn't like somebody else deciding who Merlin allowed to be in his orbit. Possessive bastard only wanted to be the one making decisions like that. If Jacqui hadn't tried separating them like he had, then it would have likely been Arthur trying to make up stupid excuses as for why Lancelot had to go do something that took him away from Merlin. But as Jacqui nodded with a shaky trepidation, Arthur seemed to dismiss the whole thing, thinning his lips as he took command of the situation and marched forward, "Now, tell me, are there really only six people other than yourself who are still living here? This is Consort Merlin that we are talking about, and I would have expected a far more enthusiastic welcome. Even if there are only six people, I would've thought you all would have been on the front yard just to see him for yourselves."

Merlin gritted his teeth as he watched the steward chasing after Arthur up the walkway, blabbering on and on about how he had instructed them all to stay in the house just in case Consort Merlin didn't want so many new people trying to overcrowd him. Blabbering on and on about how they never entertain guests that haven't been here dozens of times before to visit the former lord and lady of the house, and didn't want to overwhelm the consort if the people were out of practice, especially since royal guests demanded more care than a simple noble. Did Merlin really seem as if he would care if somebody decided to talk out of turn, or accidentally did something that would've caused somebody like Arthur to turn an alarming shade of angry red? But that was only the least of Merlin's problems… who did Arthur think he was just jumping in and trying to take command of HIS project.

Merlin should be the one talking to the steward…

And the first one to reach the actual main house…

And the first one to meet the other people who lived there that Jacqui tried to hide away from them…

Grumbling multiple death threats beneath his breath that would've have any of the other guards frowning in alarm, but had Lancelot smirking beside him, the consort started storming his way up the pathway. Trying to catch up to Jacqui as he continuously stuttered his excuses to Arthur. If Merlin wanted to be sure that this was HIS project, and not something Arthur jumped into and took over everything, then he needed to make SURE he was involved. And who knows, if Merlin stayed close by, perhaps he would finally figure out which buttons were needed to be pushed in order to break Arthur's mask. And show the world that the real Arthur—abusive bastard extraordinaire—wasn't as gone as Arthur kept pretending.