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“I do think we should look at these laws. I think it's time for a change.” Arthur murmured more to himself than to someone else. But Merlin was cleaning the fireplace near Arthur’s desk so of course he heard.
“What law are you talking about?” Merlin asked. There were many after all.
Arthur went with the feather he was holding over his nose and hummed. “It just doesn’t seem to make too much sense. What do you think?”
“Maybe I could have an opinion if you would share what you are talking about.” Merlin stood up, cleaned his hands and grabbed the parchment because Arthur hadn’t answered. “What law?” He asked as he skimmed the parchment.
“Magic. I do believe it shouldn’t be banned. Maybe restricted, but banned just seems wrong.”
“Restricted how?” Merlin choked out as his eyes had stayed on the part of the law where it stated that all practitioners of witchcraft would be burned. The letters had faded over the years, but they were still there.
Arthur rolled the feather between both hands and looked at Merlin but his mind seemed somewhere else. “I just- I don’t know how to explain it to you.”
“Try me.”
“I don’t think magic is the problem. I think the power leads people to take dangerous paths which might be evil. The two might look similar, but they aren’t.”
Merlin kept looking at Arthur as he seemed to think.
“It’s just-” Arthur stayed silent for a while. “My father wasn’t the best ruler at times. A great warrior, not a great ruler.”
“What makes you say so?”
“Please Merlin, I know you thought the same. You still do.”
“Just tell me, please.”
Arthur stood up and sat on the edge of his bed. It was getting late and he got out of his boots as the first step to turn to bed. The conversation continued as he made himself busy. “I went to the lower town yesterday. I thought not much of it then but people crowded around me to talk to me, sell me stuff. And then there was this older lady who told me she was proud to tell family over the border that I was her King. Then other people started to crowd and they showered me with compliments. I make them feel safe.”
“So your ego was blown again. Good for me. How does that relate to the magic laws?” Merlin was careful not to get his hopes up. He had done that a couple of times in the past and every disappointment had left him distraught. He managed to keep up a non-interested facade, if he thought so himself.
“Keep up, Merlin. I make them feel safe. I do that. Not my father. We have not burned one sorcerer except those who tried to murder me first and people feel more safe. I don’t think magic is the problem. Perhaps it could even help us against curses that rot the land.”
“So what are you planning? Cendred kept sorcerers as slaves to cure the land if needed.” It made Merlin sick to his stomach to even lay out that idea but he had to make sure.
Arthur shook his head. That hopeful flare started to burn again, against Merlins will. “I don’t think I want that. All people should deserve to feel safe within my borders. I was thinking, not sure how it though, that we should keep an eye out on the sorcerers. Maybe we could prevent them from going rogue, even if I do believe that there will be less rogue sorcerers if I allow them to practice magic.”
“How come?” Merlin noticed a crack in his voice. Arthur must have too because he was searching for something in Merlin’s face.
“I do understand you were always afraid of the sorcerers who attacked us, but maybe you should have listened to them from time to time. Many of them claimed revenge for their motive. That was the reason I wanted less meaningless pyres in the first place. No revenge means less murderplots.”
“You are serious?” Merlin gasped. “You actually want to legalize magic?”
At this point Arthur was ready for bed, he had changed during the conversation and was washing the grime of the day of his face. “Let’s not call it legalisation just yet, can you imagine the reaction of the councilmembers? I’m not looking forward to getting them to change their mind.”
“Oké, but you are serious about changing the laws?” Merlin couldn’t help to voice his doubt.
“Stop being such a scaredy cat Merlin. The knights and I will protect you like always and you can keep hiding in a corner if anything happens. Nothing will change because trying to murder people with magic will still be illegal. Sorcerers will still have to listen to the other laws.”
“Just to be completely clear on this: You, Arthur Pendragon, will not condemn the use of protective or helpfull magic?”
“You are particularly slow today.” Arthur mentioned as he dried off his face. It was now that he turned around and faced Merlin. “Are you crying?” Arthur asked.
Merlin’s hand shot up to his cheeks which came back wet. “I guess I am.” He said with a beaming smile.
Arthur didn’t seem to know how to respond.
“You are serious.” Merlin said this time. It was no longer a question. He was free. His magic was not banned and his destiny was fulfilled. Free in multiple ways and on his way there he made friends for life. He had gained so much and now it was finally here, his freedom. “You are serious.” He said again and this time he forgot about etiquettes and jumped to Arthur to catch him in an embrace.
“Merlin?” Arthur asked after an oof.
“Thank you.” Merlin murmured against his chest. “I want to say so much and thank you. Thank you.” With each thank you he started to cry even more. He noticed a damp spot spreading at the place where his face rested against Arthur’s shirt.
It took him by surprise but his legs had started to tremble. His legs couldn’t take his weight anymore and he dropped on his knees. Arthur managed to bring him to the ground without hurting his knees.
The king stood over Merlin, bent over.
Arthur’s hand rested on Merlin’s shoulder. “You will have to tell me your fine or I will yell for the guards to get Gaius here.” Of course the prat would result to threats, if one could call this a threat.
Merlin swiped most tears away and made sure Arthur saw all of his joy. “I’m magic, Arthur.” He chuckled. “I will be completely safe here in Camelot.”
“You? Magic?” Arthur asked.
Merlin nodded.
“How?”
“What do you mean, how?”
“You?”
Merlin chuckled and pulled Arthur to the ground so he didn’t have to look up. His neck was starting to hurt real quick at this angle. “The strongest warlock to ever live.” He agreed.
“You?”
The shock on Arthur’s face was as a cherry on the pie. Merlin laughed out loud. Only a shame Arthur didn’t join in. “Yes me! You are particularly slow today.” He turned Arthur’s words against him. “I use it all the time around you. It’s a wonder you didn’t notice.”
Arthur opened his mouth a few times. No words.
“Do you want to see some magic?”
This got Arthur out of his staring. His stare changed into a glare. “You have been using it to finish your chores! That’s why I always caught you slacking, not because you made other servants do your dirty work.”
“That’s what you are worried about?” Merlin jumped up and grabbed a pillow of the bed to hit Arthur with.
The king was quick to steal that pillow so Merlin had to take two other pillows to start the counterattack.
“Merlin!!”
Merlin wondered if Arthur would be as accepting of his other secret. But he knew, in his heart, they would always end up side-by-side.
Besides: one can not hate what makes him whole.