A/N - So sorry about the lateness of this chapter. Meant to post it ages again. This is technically the last chapter, although I may write an epilogue. As always a huge, huge thanks to those who reviewed. You guys really help make my day. Also big thanks to those who read, alerted and favourited. You guys also rock.
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Chapter 8
The Stocks
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Shifting a little, Merlin frowned, wondering what was happening. Arthur should have been at the arena by now, his event the first of the morning.
"Merlin," Morgana said, coming to sit next to him, the look on her face making his breath catch, knowing that something had happened to Arthur.
"Arthur's been arrested," she continued quietly, her eyes apologetic.
"What?" he asked, shaking his head, wondering if he was hallucinating.
"His patents aren't real," she said quietly, looking around them as if their surroundings had some kind of answer. "He's not noble at all; they've taken him to the stocks."
Getting up, he quickly moved down the stairs, knowing that he could help the other man, would help the other man. He'd known from the moment that he saw him, that he and Arthur had a destiny together.
"We can appeal to the King," Morgana said, having followed him. "Arthur might not be noble, but he was a good knight. He's supposed to return this morning, he went to visit Balinor for some reason, something about his wife."
"I doubt the King will look lightly on a peasant pretending to be a noble," Valiant interrupted, stepping in front of them.
Merlin glared at the other man, feeling his magic churning in him; sure his eyes were turning golden.
"You did this," he growled, knowing the answer even before Valiant opened his mouth.
"He's nothing," Valiant replied, stepping closer. "And he doesn't deserve the spoils that should go to a knight."
Pushing past him, Merlin heard Morgana say something to Valiant, not caring rushed to the centre of the kingdom, his eyes falling on a golden head.
"Arthur," he said, pushing past the crowd, falling to his knees next to the man.
"Merlin?" Arthur asked, his eyes full of sadness and hurt as he looked up at him. "What are you doing here?"
Merlin felt something hit his head, turning and seeing people throwing things at them, reminded of his time before he had come to live with the King.
"I didn't fall in love with the knight, Arthur," Merlin whispered to him, cupping his cheek. "I fell for you."
Merlin couldn't help but smile when Arthur's eyes lit with happiness, confusion running through him as he saw them widen. Turning, he felt his stomach plummet when he saw the King standing before them, looking down at Arthur with an unreadable look on his face.
"Release him," Uther commanded the guards, the guards quick to comply, pulling Arthur to his feet.
Standing up, Merlin looked over to Morgana, who was looking at the King with the same confusion Merlin felt, both watching with wide eyes as Uther took a step towards Arthur, a hand raising to touch his face gently.
Arthur froze when the King's hand touched his cheek, his eyes staring at the man in shock, echoing both Merlin and Morgana's looks.
"Arthur," Uther said, a softness in his voice that Merlin had never heard before.
"This man was pretending to be a nobleman, your majesty," Valiant said, coming to stand near the King.
"This man," Uther said, soft smile on his face. "Is not a knight from Albion."
Merlin felt his chest tighten further, finding it hard to swallow, thinking of what he was going to do to Valiant when this was over.
"He's my son," Uther said, his voice ringing out over the crowd.
"What?" Arthur asked, disbelief in his voice, shock written all over his face.
"We have a lot to discuss, Arthur," Uther said, clapping him on the shoulder and leading him away.
Watching, Merlin felt light headed, wondering if he had truly heard what he thought he had, or whether he was dreaming the whole thing.
"Merlin," Morgana said, sounding as if she had been saying his name for awhile.
Looking over at her, he allowed her to lead him away, seeing Uther and Arthur in front of them, wondering how he had missed the similarities between the two.
"So you started the day in love with a knight," Morgana whispered, threading his arm through his. "And now you're in love with the crowned Prince."
"I thought Uther's son died a long time ago," Merlin said, his brain still frozen.
"Apparently, not," Morgana replied, shrugging.
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Walking out onto the balcony, Arthur still wondered if he was dreaming.
This morning he had been arrested and put in the stocks. And then, the King had come, and he'd found out that he was in fact, the Crowned Prince of Camelot, Balinor having saved him all those years ago.
Apparently, he and his mother had been attacked returning from a tournament, by a group of soldiers who wished to hurt the King after he had conquered their country. The King had managed to track all the suspects down, though he never found his son, assuming that he had been killed like the Queen.
"Quite a change from the last time we were out on a balcony."
Turning he took in Merlin, the young warlock standing uncertainly in the doorway.
"Merlin," he said, moving toward the other man, pulling him closer, smiling when Merlin beamed at him.
"So … a Prince, huh?" he asked.
Chuckling, Arthur nodded, the thought still odd to him.
"I hear you're jousting first thing tomorrow morning," Merlin murmured, his breath catching when Arthur laid kisses along his jaw.
"The King … my father," Arthur said, "thinks that the tournament can celebrate my return."
"Because he thinks you'll win," Merlin said, his breaths coming faster.
"Mmhm," Arthur murmured.
"And if you win?" Merlin asked, pressing closer to him, a teasing grin on his face. "Do you plan to collect your prize?"
Grinning, Arthur kissed him hard, finally feeling like he was himself again.
"I think I might collect it early," he breathed, before diving in to kiss Merlin.
END
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A/N - So I hoped you enjoyed this little story. I may write an epilogue with Arthur jousting, but not too sure. As always let me know what you thought :)