Fight For Me

Chapter 8

But there was no choice. No decision. How could there be?

Merlin's life is worth so much more than anything Arthur can think of.

"It's... not Merlin's magic," he breathes. "It's Sigan's."

He had just lied to the King for Merlin. But Arthur knows it's worth it. Anything is worth Merlin's life. It just took him a little while to figure that out.

"How would you know this?" Uther demands.

"He..." How can Arthur prove he's telling the truth? "He... told me," he says, doubtful of whether Uther believes him.

Uther stares at him, unimpressed. It's plainly obvious he doesn't believe him.

"And I saw... It's hard to explain." Arthur struggles to find the right words, and when he does, he struggles to get them out. "I saw him trying to fight Sigan... inside him."

"How could you possibly know he's not lying? That he's not faking it?"

"I just know," Arthur croaks, hoarsely but confidently, because even though Merlin lied about having magic, he knows Merlin would never use it this way. He would never do these things. There's just no way.

And there's no way Sigan could fake that moment... that closeness.... nor those heart-wrenching screams or the lost, pained look on Merlin's face, or the tears falling despite the rest of the face looking smug and triumphant.

Arthur couldn't bear to think of it if he did.

"You trust too easily," Uther sighs.

Arthur doesn't disagree. He likes to think he can trust people. He's a trusting person, sometimes too trusting for his own good. But him trusting Merlin, it's more than Arthur's automatic trust in people. Merlin has always been by his side, never running, never wavering in the face of danger. Arthur now knows how he had the courage to be so brave all the time, armourless, weaponless... Well, so he thought. He had magic, and used it to protect Arthur.

That's how Arthur knows he can trust Merlin. All the unexplainable things, branches falling, gates shutting, it was all Merlin, and Arthur couldn't be more grateful. Merlin always protected him, and never asked for anything in return, not even praise. After all he's done, he doesn't deserve to be arrested. He doesn't deserve to be killed, even if the only way to achieve that was to lie.

"But I would trust Merlin with my life," Arthur coughs. "I'm telling you, father, it's not really him doing this."

His father mutters something, shaking his head. "Do you have any proof?"

Arthur's face falls. He doesn't. Not really, other than his word, and Gaius's, but to Uther, they're both clearly biased. But then he thinks, what possible proof could he get? How could he get it? "How do you get solid proof that someone's inhabiting another's body?" Arthur argues, in the most kingly voice he can manage in his state.

"Arthur, you've clearly been fooled by a sorcerer--"

"I have not!" Arthur shrieks. Or what was supposed to be a shirek. "I-- haven't." He groans. "I'm telling you, father, it's not Merlin."

"I will not have this from my own son!" Uther yells, standing up. "I know you cared for your servant, Arthur, but he's a sorcerer! He did magic in front of us! He tried to kill you! I saw it with my own eyes."

"What you saw," Arthur spits, coldly, "was Merlin being controlled by Sigan, to use Sigan's magic to kill me. Not Merlin's. Sigan's. It's Sigan's magic, and Sigan's action. Merlin just happens to be in the middle of it. He's innocent."

"Stop this!" Uther shouts.

"It's unjust!" Arthur retorts. "Merlin has nothing to do with this."

The lies seem to come easy now Arthur knows how much Merlin's life is worth to him. He had thought about telling Uther, and what Uther would do. He imagined Merlin being hung, or burnt... Executed in multiple ways, and every one brought him an intense sorrow. Unbearable. A hurt he couldn't describe... Arthur knows Merlin doesn't deserve this fate. He certainly doesn't want to be the one to bring it to happen.