Chapter Text
“Merlin.” He whispered, not able to force his voice any louder. He couldn’t believe what he just witnessed. His manservant, confidante, advisor,......friend, is a sorcerer.
The man in question is currently surrounded in a ball of fire, lashing out at the enemies that attempt to come near Arthur. With the last of the enemies dispatched, Merlin turns toward Arthur. The fire receding without a trace, Merlin drops to his knees, lowering his head in Arthur’s direction. When he strains, he can hear Merlin repeating “I’m sorry” over and over.
Arthur can’t form a coherent thought.
“Camelot. Dungeons.” He says to his knights, shakily, before turning to find his horse.
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Three Days Later
“Sire, he’s your friend, you know he would never do anything to hurt you!” Gwaine yelled, frantically. Anyone else and the king might have had them join the sorcerer in the dungeon. But as it were, this is Gwaine. Arthur sat with his back to the window at his desk while the other man paced back and forth yelling and throwing his hands up.
“I know.” Arthur said calmly.
“I know he lied but you can’t hold tha— what?” Gwaine ended, sounding confused. The king might have laughed under other circumstances.
“I know he would never hurt me. I trust him with my life.”
“Then why the hell is he still in the damn dungeons?”
“Camelot still has a ban on magic. I can’t release him without repealing it, it took these past couple of days to bring everything together. I had you sent for to tell you but as you had to come in a immediately start shouting, I couldn’t get a word in.” Arthur started calmly, allowing his voice to raise toward the end.
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh.” The king said sarcastically. He began reading the papers he had piled on his desk, old laws before the purge, the current law. And Gaius’ written testimony for magic and Merlin.
Arthur pushes his golden blonde hair out of his eyes, “Can you please bring Merlin to the throne room in one hour please?”
Gwaine shook his head in affirmation, his long dark hair waving crazily.
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Everyone gathered in the throne room, worried for their friend. Because that is what Merlin has become. A friend to all regardless of stature. A few looked as if they couldn’t careless. Those few are the ones that’s made Arthur angry.
“Citizens of Camelot, I brought you all here today to discuss an important event. I am repealing the ban on magic and one of the many reasons will be brought here shortly.” There were some cheers, some clapping, but louder than all, there was yelling the the kind was crazy.
“SILENCE! My father was wrong and I won’t have our citizens suffering because of his vendetta anymore.” The King’s voice rose above the noise.
“Sire, he’s here.” Sir Leon told his king.
As the doors swung open, there was a brief moment of silence as a battered and bruised body was brought forward, Gwaine doing his best to help the broken man stand.
The king could not breathe suddenly. Who had given permission to hurt Merlin? Who had dared to raise a hand against his lov- friend? Arthur ran to his man servants side, surveying the bruised face, the awkwardly held arm and the pressure not being put on one ankle.
“Who decided it was there rite to hurt this man?” Arthur demanded, looking towards his knights.
“Who took it upon themselves to decide the punishment of him?”
There was a slight murmur around the room.
“Someone will tell me, and they will tell me know.”
“Sire, after one night he demanded to see you, to speak to you. He wouldn’t stop so some of the guards decided to shut him up.” A small voice from behind the knights, stated.
“Come forward.” Arthur said calmly. A few of the knights took on angry looks as a young servant boy stepped forward.
“Speak.” The king said calmly.
“Well, sire, a few of the others and I tried to convince them to stop but as they are knights and we are servants, we couldn’t stop them.” The servant said quietly, staring determinedly at the floor.
“What’s your name?”
“Andrew” the boy squeaked out.
“Andrew, could you pick out these knights for me?”
“I- I- I don’t want to cause anymore problems and bring any harm to the other servants.”
“Don’t worry about that. I guarantee that no harm will come to you or your friends.”
After a few more minutes of promising and Merlin making the most heart breaking whimpering noise, the servant picked out seven knights from the line up.
“I have a few more things to say, after that, everyone will be released. Except the knights. You will all stay.” Arthur commanded.
“The ban on Magic has been repealed and as this is the case, all charges against Merlin will be dropped immediately. And someone better find him a chair, now!” The king dismissed the nobles and servants alike, leaving Merlin, the knights, and Andrew.
“The six of you that were pointed out, step forward.” Five did, the one who didn’t was shoved forward roughly by his peers.
“What have your the rite to lay a single finger on Merlin? Who gave you permission?” The king said calmly as possible, going beet red in the face.
“He is a sorcerer, he deserves more than what he got.” The boldest of the six claimed as if he was proud of himself.
Before anyone could blink the king had the point of his sword pressed to the mans throat.
“Give me one reason why I should kill you here and now!” The king yelled.
There was a shuffle and some grunting before a hand rested on Arthur’s shoulder.
“Do- don’t d-do this.” Merlin said weakly. Arthur turned to stare incredulously at the ridiculous man.
“What?” Arthur questioned, volume lowering.
“You are a good king, do not kill your fellow knights over a bad judgment call. I will heal and be fine. But if you do this, you can’t take it back. You are not your father.” Merlin ended with a coughing fit that Gwaine had to rush forward and hold him up during.
“This was not a bad judgement call. This was so much more, but as said, I am not my father.” He turned back towards the knights.
“You are hereby banned from Camelot, return on pain of death.” He stated, turning away from them.
As they all scrambled to the door, he spoke again.
“I would hurry if I were you, just because I have been lenient, does not mean others will be.”
The king then turned to Merlin, pulling him gently from Gwaine, nodding at him as if to say, ‘I know you want in on that mess.’ Gwaine winked and took off towards the other knights, chasing the men who had dared hurt their Merlin.