Puissance: Chapter Thirteen
Title: Puissance: Chapter Thirteen
Author: ArthurMerlin
Artist: blood_songs90
Pairings/characters: Arthur/Merlin (minor: OC/OC, Gwen/Lancelot)
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 30,798
Warnings: None
Summary:The turbulent times of Prime Minister Arthur Pendragon, in which war looms, betrayal waits in the wings, and unexpected love blossoms.
Disclaimer: Neither ArthurMerlin nor blood_songs90 owns any aspect of Merlin. No copyright infringement is intended.
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Chapter Thirteen
“This is not good enough, damn it! Not good enough!” Edward roared, slamming his fist onto the Victorian desk in one of the palace’s many drawing rooms.
Arthur and Merlin squirmed under the King’s wrath, Merlin standing a few paces behind Arthur.
“My husband is stranded in that tiny little country about to be attacked on all sides by a horde of God-only-knows-what, and you won’t do anything to get him out of there! You are MY Prime Minister, Mr. Pendragon, remember your place!”
Arthur tried to calm the irate monarch down as Merlin tried his best to keep out of the way. Merlin sympathised with the King; if it was Arthur who was stranded, he would be just as anxious to do anything in his power to make sure he was safe. He appreciated now how Arthur must have felt.
“Sir, please, we are doing everything in our power to safeguard his Majesty…”
Edward all of a sudden seemed to deflate, and Arthur noticed that his eyes had settled on a small photograph of Johan on his desk. The King collapsed into his chair and he picked up the photograph. Arthur was shocked to see tears forming in his eyes.
“I cannot lose him, Mr. Pendragon. He is a part of me; he makes me whole. We are one flesh, one spirit. If I lose him, I simply don’t know who I am anymore. I would sacrifice everything I have; I would readily cast my crown into the gutter, or surrender it to anybody at all, if my husband’s life was at stake. That is why I am such an ineffective King without him. He reminds me of my duty, and helps me to put it first; whereas I remind him of his humanity, and help him to put that first. You see, they aren’t really in conflict; a King, and indeed a politician, needs both and needs them to be in harmony.
“Ironic, isn’t it, that the public see me as the stuffy traditionalist, and him as the personable reformer; when the truth is that I’m the soppy emotional one, and he’s the one who would never countenance putting himself before his duty. I need him back, Arthur, otherwise I cannot reign as I should. Bring my husband back to me, Prime Minister, or take me to him.”
Arthur didn’t know how to respond to that. Monarchy prided itself on never showing emotion; Arthur was completely unprepared for the very emotional King who sat before him.
“Come here,” Edward said, and Arthur’s legs moved to comply almost automatically. He walked over to the King’s side and knelt down beside him, much as Merlin had done for him.
“Merlin, come,” the King said, gesturing for Merlin to come forward as well. Merlin stood stock still for a moment, unsure if he had heard correctly. It was the first time the King had acknowledged Merlin by name. He felt his knees go wobbly, but he forced himself to walk forward and stand in front of the King.
“Kneel,” he commanded, and Merlin obeyed; kneeling in front of Arthur.
Edward took Arthur’s right hand in his left, and Merlin’s left hand in his right. Slowly he placed their hands together and cupped them with his own. He looked at each of them in turn, saying, “I’ve known for quite some time that the two of you love each other. You have my blessing. Cherish one another, never abandon each other. Support and love one another.”
Merlin looked into Arthur’s eyes and saw the depth of the emotion there. It blew him away. The world seemed to melt into insignificance; he forgot altogether that the King was there. As if sensing that the two men were getting lost in each other, Edward withdrew his hands.
No words passed between Arthur and Merlin; they weren’t necessary. Instead they stared into each other’s eyes. In that moment, Arthur knew he would do anything for Merlin, he would never be parted from him if he could help it.
When they finally snapped out of their trance-like state, they saw that the King had moved away from them and was standing, hands clasped behind his back, looking out of the window over the palace gardens.
After they rose to their feet, Edward asked, “Merlin, if Arthur was stranded in Bavaria now, would you do nothing? Would you leave him to his fate?”
“No, your Majesty,” Merlin answered without even needing to think.
“And you, Arthur, would you leave Merlin?”
“No,” Arthur answered.
Edward turned, then, to face Arthur; and Arthur saw his face stained with tears, “then bring back my husband.”
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Chapter Fourteen