Chapter Text
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Arthur was sure Morgana’s scream could be heard throughout the entire castle.
Arthur was waiting outside the throne room waiting for his father to call him in when he heard his half sister’s scream.
They’d been out on the training grounds together when Gaius, their physician, had called for them.
“Morgana, Arthur, your father wishes to speak to you. It is of the utmost importance”
They exchanged a look and followed Gaius back into the castle and into the hall in front of the throne room.
“Morgana, you go in first, your father wishes to speak with you”
Morgana had looked back at Arthur with some uncertainty, maybe their father had found out about their prank on Sir Olvdin, their stunt in the Royal Library, or the plethora of other things they had done.
All they knew was that this must be serious.
“MORGANA! COME BACK HERE!” Uther raged as Morgana burst through the doors and stormed down the hall, her face illuminated with fury.
The guards on duty stepped away from her as she barreled towards them.
Looking after her, Arthur was left very confused.
“Arthur, come in,” Uther called him, his voice oddly calm despite the loud outburst he’d had as Morgana left his presence.
Tentatively, Arthur walked into the room. The guards closed the doors behind him. His father was standing by one of the stained glass windows that depicted his mother. Arthur was often told he had her nose, an odd thing to compare, but hey, who was Arthur to judge?
“Please excuse my outburst. I just had, my son, your sister just has a way of getting under my skin. I'm sure you understand” he said, without even sparing a glance at Arthur.
“Now, the true reason I’ve brought you here is to ask a favor of you” At this he finally looked down to Arthur.
Arthur always felt so small compared to his father. He wasn’t short by any means, in fact, he was rather tall for a twelve year old. His father had just always looked huge.
“In three weeks time, King Balinor and his son Merlin will be coming to stay with us for the rest of the summer. At this time, you are to become acquainted with and befriend Prince Merlin.”
“ What? But Father—”
“ ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY AUTHORITY, BOY!? ”
Arthur could’ve sworn the throne room shook with the force of Uther’s bellow and steeled himself to make sure he didn’t flinch.
“ Leave me ,” Uther hissed. Arthur was quick to comply, bowing low and rushing out of the room.
The first thing Arthur wanted to do as he fled his father’s presence was to go and ask Morgana why she stormed out of the throne room before he went in, so he headed straight to Morgana's favorite spot in the castle.
“How’d you find me?” She asked miserably, looking up at Arthur in her crouched position. She was hiding in a secret room they’d found a year or so ago while running from their tutors together.
“You always go here to cool down from a fight with Father, why would today be any different?” He reasoned, plopping down at her right and looking at her, still confused.
“Sooo, why’d you run out of the throne room like that?” Arthur asked in an attempt to feign light-hearted casualty and change the subject.
Morgana huffed out a small laugh, leaning her head against Arthur’s left shoulder in a rare act of affection towards her brother.
“Father told me that I’m to marry Balinor’s son, Mervin or something,” she scoffed in disgust.
“Why’s that a problem?” Arthur asked, oblivious.
“Arthur, he’s younger than you.” She stated, looking at him like he was an idiot.
“Well, pardon me! I didn’t know how old he is” Arthur rolled his eyes, exasperated..
“Wait, if he’s younger than me… HOW OLD IS HE!? ” Arthur demanded looking at Morgana, appalled.
“He is eleven years of age.” She stated, disgust written in the lines in her face as she glared at the floor like it was the cause of all her problems.
“ ELEVEN !?” Arthur screamed in shock, flabbergasted.
“Shush, be quiet you imbecile! Do you want us to get caught!?” She shushes him, glare now directed at him, albeit less enraged.
“Sorry, I just—is Father serious !? He’s almost five years younger than you!” Arthur said, stating the obvious. Morgana rolled her eyes.
“Obviously! Father says I’m to get to know him over the time he comes to stay with us,” she said looking down at her hands, almost studying them.
“How long is that? Father told me they were just coming for the summer” Arthur asked, confused.
“Not just this summer, every summer until he’s of age to marry me, which will be about nine years time,” she said, glancing away from her hands and leaning her head against the bookshelf behind them with a small thump, closing her eyes.
Arthur just looked at her with a mix of pity and disgust, not towards her but towards their father. Why would he ask Morgana to do this? Surely he understands how ludicrous this is!? He’s asking Morgana, his only daughter, to marry someone she doesn’t know, and not only that but a boy who is five years younger than her , he thought furiously.
“You’ll be twenty-five years old by that time! Who knows if you’ll even live that long?”
“Wow, how kind of you my dear brother, is this a murder threat?” She asked sarcastically, raising one eyebrow at him.
“Wha- no! Ugh you know that wasn’t what I meant, I merely meant that illnesses are very common, even now with magic running rampant! You could get sick, or worse!”
Arthur was beginning to get mad, again.
“Arthur, you getting angry doesn't solve any of my problems, you know” Morgana reminded him.
“All you need to worry about is what Father asked you to do, befriend Merlin. I’m sure that’s just a ploy to get him closer to me but, oh well we’ll just have to bear with it.”
She sighed, setting her head on his left shoulder yet again looking miserable.
Arthur already knew; He would never be friends with this Merlin boy. Damn what his father said. He’ll make it his own personal mission to make this Merlin boy hate him more than anything.
Chapter word count: 1,061
Total word count: 1,061
Last Updated: April 9, 2022