Merthur One-shots

Lord Ector's Plight

Summary: Merlin attending the council session on the day magic banned is to be lifted is just a coincidence, right?

OR

a not so normal council session through the eyes of Lord Ector

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Lord Ector de Maris is the oldest in the council of the current king, His Royal Highness King Arthur Pendragon of Camelot. The previous king of Camelot was not loved by anyone bar his son, so he was very wary of King Arthur because well the apple doesn’t fall that far from the tree and everyone has witnessed the madness that was Morgana Pendragon who he until her attack thought to be very level headed and political minded but she became the second person to fall under the Pendragon Madness™, so really it was natural to feel vary but he quickly found out his worry to be naught, Arthur Pendragon was level headed if not a bit unsure but that was to be expected, Ector mused as he reached the citadel.

It’s been a year since the death of Uther and what a year of traitors and secrets and siege and recovery has it been, the people looked happier than ever so it’s their responsibility to make sure the stability continues and his and other lords estate’s become more fruitful and stable and perhaps it is time to start changing and amending some of old laws.

As he took his seat on the newly furnished round table, his eyes swept to survey the room which is almost full of its occupants, he finds Gaius’s gaze and nods his acknowledgement to the Court Physician, all of them had lost their people to the purge but none more than Gaius, he spots other advisors on the table and Lady Guinevere and her husband who were conversing with other knights with Sir Leon on the left hand of the king while the king and his right hand’s seat remains empty for now, though it wouldn’t take a scholar to guess who would occupy the king’s right hand other than the insolent but lovable Merlin.

Ector was, in some part immensely grateful to Merlin for the positive effect that he had on the previously Prince Arthur who grew up being a spoilt bully eager to do his father’s bidding. Merlin’s presence had done wonders to him and helping Arthur grow from the boy he had been to the man he is today and finding his footing in the kingdom, never had he ever seen the Prince disobey Uther like he had whenever Merlin was concerned whether it be hairbrained quests to save his manservants life to going to another kingdom to fight local bandits, in return Merlin would stick to the Prince like a shadow whether facing assassins, sorceresses or dragons.

‘Dear lord’ Ector sighed ‘They are as bad as each other’

It was hard not to overstate Merlin’s importance in Camelot though some lords may not agree out loud, Merlin came like a thunderstorm stirring everything in his wake, and everyone ranging from the people in lower town to the knights adore him and are quite protective of him.

For a moment the room reminded him of old council. It was rather sad to see Uther go from a good king that cared for his people to the tyrant who overnight enforced laws without discussing it with anyone else and committing genocide of thousands of magicals and non-magicals alike. It was barbaric that the magic that created and nurtured Camelot was burned. After the dastardly Purge the soils became less fertile, crops less green, harvest declined significantly, death rate of people tripled and infant mortality rates increased. He pities Morgana; perhaps had the circumstances be different she would have joined this meeting, so much potential destroyed, but not anymore he supposes.