Chaos immediately erupted from the stands. Arthur had been proclaimed dead eighteen years ago, yet this young man had an uncanny resemblance to the late Queen.

Morgana looked stunned, but it was nothing compared to the king. Uther's face had drained of all color and his hands began to shake.

"Prove it!" Someone called.

"Yeah!" Another joined in. "Prove it!"

Soon the whole crowd was chanting.

Arthur spread his hands. "Ask any of the knights. Thirteen years ago, they were sent out everyday for a year to search for me after I escaped the castle. Description, a five-year-old boy, blue eyes, blond hair, fair skin, birthmark on the right shoulder." He recited by memory. "I have the birthmark to prove it. Merlin..."

But he was already there. Merlin had hopped over the stands and walked to Arthur's side. He quickly stripped Arthur of his armor and chainmail. Arthur pushed down the collar of his shirt to reveal his right shoulder. There was indeed a birthmark there.

He lifted his hand. "My mother's ring. The court physician gave it to me when I was young." The silver band glinted in the sunlight, and many recognized it as Ygraine's favorite ring.

Uther still hadn't said a word and was now staring glassy-eyed into nothingness. Morgana stood up in his stead. "Arthur Pendragon, I proclaim you the victor of this tournament. You will receive my hand in marriage and be named the heir to Camelot."

"Lady Morgana. I will release you from your duty and decline your hand, you may marry whom you choose. But I will gladly accept my birthright as heir to the throne."

Morgana smiled widely while Uther twitched violently at his words. "I must discuss this with the council." He said weakly.

"Of course," Arthur replied generously, but his eyes were cold. Uther and the council members made to leave.

Merlin surprised Arthur by throwing his arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. "I'm proud of you."

"I couldn't have done it without you."

"Pfft. It was nothing."

"My lovely, dearest Merlin. So modest." Arthur tipped his chin and, in front of everyone, swooped in and kissed Merlin.

There were a few wolf whistles and catcalls. Uther, who hadn't left yet, turned a shade of puce. On the other hand, Morgana's smile increased in brilliance. She looked on the brink of swooning and telling them how cute they were.

Merlin quickly dragged Arthur out of the arena. "Really Arthur? In front of your father?"

"I don't care what he thinks of me, I'll never be good enough for him. He's my father only in blood, nothing more."

A page ran up to them. "King Uther will require your presence after the council meeting."

Merlin and Arthur followed the boy through winding halls until they came to a stop outside the council room. After the page ran off, Arthur glanced at Merlin meaningfully.

"I usually don't approve, but since I'm not a prince yet...do you think we could…?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "You want me to magically eavesdrop on the meeting."

"Er yes?"

He whispered the spell and suddenly they could hear the men as if they were in the room.

"- is it really him, sire?" One was saying.

The king sighed heavily. "There is no way to tell for certain if he is my son or not. But he does look like Ygraine and fits the description."

"But how is he alive?" Another man asked.

"We assumed after searching for a year that he was either dead or captured. It's a wonder he hasn't been killed." A third council member explained.

"Even if it really is the prince and not a fraud, how do we know he isn't back for revenge?"

"What would you have me do? I can't go back on my word, the people know he's won." Uther sounded frustrated.

"We could arrange for an accident to occur." A new voice suggested.

Merlin gasped. "They want to kill you!"

Arthur just shushed him.

"That would be too suspicious. And he has Morgana on his side."

"But can we trust him as the next ruler?"

"He did win the challenges, fair and square." Yet another man piped up.

"He could have been using magic." Someone argued. "You all heard what he said about it."

"No son of mine has magic!" Uther growled. "The bloodline of the Pendragons is pure."

"Yet the fidelity of their partners is not."

There was a shocked silence.

"What are you implying?" The king roared.

"Nothing my lord, I was only…"

"Ygraine would never! And Vivienne… I won't say Morgana is a mistake, but I regret it."

"And what of that boy with him? His inamorato?"

"He will prove to be a feeble ruler if he continues his dalliance." One of the council members intoned.

Arthur's jaw dropped open. "All right, let me at him."

Merlin caught him at the last moment. "Stop Arthur. Barging in there is going to do nothing. Just prove them all wrong, all right? You will be the best king Camelot has ever seen."

Arthur sighed and stepped away from the door. "And you, will be at my side as sorcerer consort."

Merlin giggled. "I don't think that's a valid title."

"When I'm king," Arthur crowed, "it will be a position. Knight's honor."

That was when the doors were thrown open. "Ah Arthur." Uther said calmly as if wasn't about to plot his son's death a few moments ago. "Do come in, we have some questions for you."

Arthur moved forward while Merlin dallied awkwardly in the hall. "Don't be ridiculous, you're coming with me." He pulled Merlin into the room with him.

The council members perceptively, did not show their dissent. "And this young man is?"

"Merlin. This is Merlin. He comes with me everywhere." Arthur dared them to oppose him.

The council members just looked bored.

"Arthur, where have you been all these years?"

Arthur glanced at Merlin who gave him an imperceptible nod.

"I was taken in by a close friend of my mother's, sire."

"And her name would be?"

"Nimueh, your majesty."

Uther gasped.

Arthur continued on blithely. "She took Merlin in as her ward when his parents died. The two of them came to Camelot and rescued me."

The king spluttered. "Rescued? You were living the life of a prince, you were…"

"Imprisoned underground, malnourished, deprived, beaten, and punished for nothing other than being born."

Some of the council members made surprised noises. They obviously hadn't been told the full story.

Merlin's hand found its way into Arthur's and he squeezed. Merlin always got upset when he heard the story, his indignant anger over Arthur's childhood. Arthur squeezed back because it was okay, they had moved on past that. It had taken a lot of time and many tears for Arthur to accept who he was and to be able to talk about it nonchalantly. He was glad Merlin had been there to be his rock, his anchor.

"Yet you were kidnapped!"

"I went willingly." Arthur could still remember the day when an eager little boy and pretty nice lady burst into his room. He recalled taking Merlin's tiny hand and Nimueh's larger one without looking back. They chanted a spell and Arthur was whisked into a new home, a new life with a real family. He remembered at the last minute to tack on a hasty, "Sire."

Uther was seething. "She has poisoned your mind against me."

"Had you taken the time to raise me like a son and not an animal, I would not think this way. I could have been a loyal, obedient, doting son and prince but you lost your chance eighteen years ago."

"I will not be spoken to that way!"

Arthur pulled on an impassive face and lowered his voice. "Of course sire."

"You were my beloved son that was stolen from me by an enchantress. I don't know why you would think otherwise."

"You may have lied to your people and yourself but you do yourself no good by lying to me."

"You speak treason, boy!"

Arthur sighed and counted to ten in his head. "My apologies sire. You may continue with your questioning."

"What of your companion?" A council member asked timidly.

"He can find work here as a servant or even perhaps an apprentice," the king said dismissively.

"I was hoping for something higher than that." Arthur suggested pointedly.

"Oh?"

"I would like Merlin to be one of my advisors. He is very clever, he's good with sums, knows the land, the people, and the history. I think it would be a good position, if you don't object your majesty."

Uther gritted his teeth. "Of course Arthur. I see nothing wrong with your demands." He glared at Merlin, making him squirm.

"But he is a peasant!" A scandalized voice complained.

"As am I. Therefore we know the people on a different level."

They couldn't argue with that.

The "prudish old coots", as Merlin called them, asked every question possible without mercy. Arthur tried to answer them smoothly and honestly as he could without implicating Merlin. By the end of three hours, he was getting annoyed. He was still in half of his armor and hadn't eaten since before the tournament that afternoon. When were these idiots going to understand that he wasn't part of some elaborate plan to overthrow the king?

This, of course did not get past Merlin. He coughed loudly. "Sirs, your majesty, is there a chance you could continue this tomorrow? Arthur is tired and hungry. Perhaps you could adjourn your questioning."

"Impudence! How dare you speak out of turn?"

Merlin took a step back from the angry council member.

Arthur stepped in front of Merlin, protectively. "Merlin's right. You've kept me long enough. I need my injuries checked for infection and bandaged properly." That was a blatant lie. Merlin had already taken care of that. But it was true that he was starved and exhausted.

Uther looked surprised, just noticing Arthur was still in his battle gear. "Yes, I agree. We will continue at another time. You are dismissed."

Arthur made his escape with Merlin in tow. "You shouldn't have spoken out like that."

"No 'thanks for getting me out of a stuffy meeting with nagging geezers'? You've got the whole ungrateful, pompous prince routine down really well.

"Merlin! Someone's going to hear you and I'm not going to protect you when they arrest you."

"Mmhm. Then you'll get bored and lonely at night so you'll have to bust me out."

"That is the only reason I keep you around. To entertain me."

"Right. Anything I can do for you now?"

"You can fetch me my dinner and clean my armor."

Merlin pouted. "Despite what you think, I'm not actually your servant. You've got other people to do that stuff for you."

"But ordering you around is so much fun!"

Merlin swatted his ear.

"Oi! You just assaulted the crown prince!"