Merlin's magic (Oneshots) 1

Hold my hand

A.N.://
Art: By me :)))) I drew the Barghest, before I wrote the story. This is little guy. He is featured in this story ^^
Have fun 

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"I didn't want you to feel like you were alone." (1)

Arthur's reality had always been a strange one. He lived in a giant castle, where people served him with stone hard expressions. Where even his father avoided him most of his life.
He lived with people who were scared to get close to him. Because people who were close to the prince tended to be watched more closely. Not by guards or something like that. This was a social problem.
The people Arthur let into his personal circle, had to uphold a certain standard.
They had to come from a respectable family.
They had to be lords and ladies or knights in training.
Anything else would be looked down upon by the public, so Uther said. Not to mention Uther's very own, very strict standards.

Arthur had to surround himself with people who were strong. Who wouldn't hesitate to kill and be killed for Arthur.
Arthur himself was supposed to be a leader. He was not allowed to let people get too close.
He was raised to one day lead this kingdom. Bear it all on his shoulders. And let no one come close, because Uther indoctrinated into his brain that people he trusted, would one day betray him.

Once, a long time ago, Arthur had heard the quote: "A friend is just an enemy who hasn't attacked you yet.", and it messed with him ever since.
From then on, Arthur saw enemies everywhere.

He saw it in the cook, his knights, the servants who were attending him. Literally everyone. Except maybe Uther and Morgana. Morgana, because they grew up together and despite their animosity towards each other, Arthur felt like they were bonded in a way.
Just like siblings.

His father, however, didn't have to betray Arthur.
He already was king. Arthur would only have to fear this man, when Arthur himself would assume the throne. Which, by all means, would be after Uther's death. As long as Arthur didn't outright try to murder him, he was safe.
(Unless that one time... but that was a misunderstood misunderstanding.)
Though he still sometimes feared his father. Especially, when Arthur challenged Uther's believes.

Despite this, Arthur felt safe with them.
Everyone else, however, he eyed with suspicion.

So, when Arthur came out of the room, in which he mourned his father's death several years later, and found Merlin sitting there, he didn't know what to feel.
Uther was dead. Morgana was partly responsible for his death, since she had send the assassin to kill him. And who knows if she had been in league with the old sorcerer who finished the job right in front of Arthur? Because Arthur had been so foolish to trust a sorcerer?

Of course, Arthur felt alone.
Terrifyingly alone.

He didn't know who to trust. His anxiety only grew with the knowledge that from now on he would have to lead this castle on his own. Not just lead knights into battle and sometimes order servants around. He would have to lead the entire kingdom.
And anyone could be out to deceive him. Want his throne.

But Merlin was there. Here.
He had waited all night. Sure, he had fallen asleep, clumsy as he was. But he was here.
In truth, the fact that Merlin had fallen asleep served as proof to Arthur.
Were he awake, Arthur could have doubted it. Could have thought Merlin just ran by on accident and now wanted to look good in front of his king.

But Merlin wasn't like that. Merlin was clumsy.
Merlin was bashful and honest and most of all: blunt.
And it was the first time that Arthur actually felt like he needed him.

Arthur had trusted Merlin before. He had relied on him. Listened to him, when he wasn't supposed to listen to him.
He had joked with him, when he wasn't supposed to even like him.
But never before, had Arthur realized that it had turned into a need to see him.
That it was a relief to hear those words and know, there was at least someone who cared. Someone who waited on him. Who knew he was human, too. Who knew he felt pain and fear and above all, loneliness.