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The council chamber was tensed as Sir Leon delivered a report about a group of bandits who were stealing resources from a merchant town near the northeastern border of the kingdom.
"Arthur, you'll take a group of knights to investigate this matter. You'll ride out tomorrow at dawn," Uther ordered.
This was a pressing matter indeed, as the town in question was crucial for Camelot's trade with Mercia. Bandits weren't unusual along trade routes, but from Leon's report, this group seemed organised and competent.
"The Council is dismissed," Uther proclaimed, standing up to allow the Lords to leave. "Arthur, I want a word with you before you go on with your day."
Arthur's shoulders tensed. His father wanting to speak to him rarely meant anything good. He tried to think of anything he had done recently that could have caused the King dissatisfaction but came up with nothing. Merlin remained standing behind Arthur's seat. Even though the King's order implied he wanted to have a private conversation with the Prince, Arthur knew Merlin wouldn't leave until Arthur asked him to. He tried to conceal his smile. Merlin's steadfast loyalty never failed to warm his heart, even when his stomach was tied into knots.
"Wait for me in my chambers, will you, Merlin," Arthur said, trying to sound detached.
"Of course, Sire," Merlin replied, bowing politely.
It was always a bit jarring to witness Merlin acting like a proper servant, but it was sadly necessary. Uther was already suspicious of their relationship, and they really wanted to avoid more scrutiny.
Once the Council chamber's door was shut, leaving Arthur and Uther alone, Arthur stood to face his father. Even though the King had his back turned to him, Arthur bowed deeply.
"I hope I haven't caused you any discontent lately, Father," Arthur said.
Better to get straight to the point. If a scolding was coming his way, Arthur would prefer to get it over with as quickly as possible.
"You haven't. But I want to ensure that you won't disappoint or embarrass me in the future, either," Uther said coldly, finally turning to face Arthur.
"Have I given you reason for concern, Sire?" Arthur asked.
He kept his hands behind his back to hide his nervous fidgeting from the King. Uther always despised his habit of playing with the ring he wore on his index finger.
"I'm sure you're aware of the importance of this mission. Mercia is an important trading partner; these bandits' actions could have dire consequences on Camelot's economy."
"I know, Father. I will complete the mission successfully," Arthur replied, trying to project confidence in the face of his father's doubt.
Uther hummed, unconvinced. "You are my heir. The future of Camelot rests on your shoulders. But you have yet to prove me that you are fit to carry this heavy responsibility."
That stung more than Arthur wanted to admit. No matter how hard he tried, it never seemed to be enough. All Arthur wanted was to make his father proud. To hear his encouragements and congratulations, even just once. But to Uther, Arthur was nothing but a disappointment. He dug his blunt nails into the flesh of his palms to keep his eyes from watering. Shame and sadness coiled around his wounded heart. He should be used to this by now. He should know what to expect. But his father's words always hurt, nonetheless.
"I won't accept any flimsy excuse for your failure this time, Arthur. This is your chance to show me that you are worthy of being officially crowned as heir to the throne," Uther said, looking at Arthur with barely hidden disdain.
"Understood, Father." Arthur couldn't get himself to meet Uther's aloof gaze. He knew the King would see that as a sign of weakness, and in a way it was. But looking into those loveless eyes hurt more than the King's words ever could.
Arthur was well aware of the significance of the crowning ceremony. Being denied the title of Crown Prince would a great dishonour and a source of shame not only for him but for his father too.
When Arthur went back to his chambers and found Merlin there, he immediately felt relieved. Arthur pushed the door shut with more force than he had intended, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. As soon as the door was closed, Merlin was there, pulling Arthur into a comforting embrace. Arthur allowed himself to relax, burying his face into the crook of Merlin's neck. He breathed in deeply, relishing the familiar scent. Merlin didn't necessarily smell good by courtly standards. Cheep soap, sweat and the smells of various herbs Gaius used clung to his skin and clothes. But to Arthur, he just smelled like home and safety.
Merlin held Arthur tightly, leaving light kisses on Arthur's temple and neck. He didn’t ask what Uther wanted. He could guess how the conversation went and that was enough for him, unless Arthur wanted to talk about it, which he rarely did.
"You know your father is an ignorant arse, right?" Merlin remarked.
Arthur couldn’t help the small smile that tugged his lips upwards. "You can't talk about him like that; he's the King."
Merlin hummed, combing his fingers through Arthur's blond hair. "He's also a very flawed man. And he's harsh to the point of unfairness towards you. He should be proud to have a son like you."
Arthur tightened his arms around Merlin's waist. His throat felt too tight with emotion. Merlin held him steadily until Arthur gathered himself enough to straighten up and look at him. Arthur managed a watered-down grin.
"Sometimes it feels like you hate him more for the way he treats me than for the war on magic," Arthur tried to joke, but it mostly fell flat.
Merlin grabbed his chin, looking into Arthur's eyes with an intensity that made the prince shudder. "I do resent him for mistreating what is mine."
Arthur's eyes fluttered shut as he was pulled into a knee-bending kiss.
"You can't kiss me like that in the middle of day," Arthur panted, clinging to Merlin to keep himself up on his feet.
Merlin had the audacity to smirk and kiss the tip of Arthur's nose as if he were completely innocent.
"I already did a preselection of knights you could take with you based on skills, experience, and the patrol rota. Here, let me show you," Merlin revealed, guiding Merlin towards the desk.
Arthur sat on his chair to look through the list Merlin had established. He'd even had time to make up potential teams he thought would work well together. How Merlin was able to do all that in such a short time, Arthur had no idea.
"You're a treasure, Merlin," Arthur said in awe.
It was rare for the Prince to overtly compliment his lover, but even he had to admit that Merlin was a miracle worker. Even without his magic, Merlin was smart and resourceful.
"Gald you finally realised. You should tell me that more often," Merlin said, attempting to hide how pleased he really was behind his usual sass.
Arthur chuckled and pulled Merlin to sit on his lap. "I can't let it get to your head."
"Prat," Merlin mumbled.
Arthur noticed with some amusement that Merlin had placed Leon on every potential team he had formed. It made sense, though. Leon was reliable, had good combat experience, Arthur was used to fighting beside him and everyone respected Leon's opinion. He'd be the most logical choice for a second in command. With Merlin's help, the daunting task of selecting knights to accompany him on this mission became far easier. Arthur felt a great weight lift off his shoulder. And Merlin's approval of his final selection boosted Arthur's confidence. It might be wrong to rely on external validation so much, but that was something to work on later.
Arthur was confident he would complete this mission successfully. He'd show his father that he could be trusted. That he was a strong and reliable leader. Uther might finally see that Arthur was worthy of the crown. But Arthur knew that none of his achievements would ever earn him his father's praise.
"Stop thinking so much, you're going to hurt yourself," Merlin gently admonished him. "You're going to succeed, just as you always do. And I'll be by your side, so there's no reason to worry."
Arthur tightened his arms around Merlin until no space was left between Merlin's back and Arthur's chest. "Yes, what would I do without my bumbling idiot of a magical manservant to keep me safe."
"I'm going to turn you into a big, ugly toad one of these days," Merlin grumbled.
Arthur chuckled against Merlin's shoulder, "You'd miss me too much."
"I would," Merlin admitted, settling comfortably against Arthur's chest.
Uther might never see his worth, but at least, Arthur could always count on Merlin to love and comfort him.