Chapter Text
Week 0 - Step One: Preparing for the Future
Uther stepped into his friend’s office, which was also currently serving as his bedroom now that he had given his room up to his nephew. Most likely in an attempt to protect his nephew from anyone catching him practicing magic. No matter, Gaius would have his own room back soon enough.
Uther would normally summon Gaius to him but he wanted his friend to feel more comfortable and confident, which he would in his own rooms, and he wanted Gaius to feel as secure as possible for this conversation.
“Merlin,” Gaius didn’t look up from the table he was working at, “unless you’ve already collected all of the foxglove I need, you shouldn’t be back yet. You already have your bag, and your cloak, I checked. I don’t care that it’s raining out, we need that foxglove. Lady Wiese’s rashes are back and we need to make more cream.”
Uther chuckled, causing Gaius to turn in his chair so quickly he almost fell off, “Sire! I apologize. I didn’t realize.”
Waving at Gaius to remain seated, Uther sat on the patient cot, “I gathered that my friend.”
Gaius gave him a physician’s look over, “Is something wrong? If you were injured or sick, I would have come to you.”
“I’m as healthy as ever, no I wish to talk with you about something I don’t want getting around the castle and a servant is less likely to overhear anything here.”
“Oh?”
“It’s nothing to worry about. I simply wanted to request that you inform me if your ward is affected by any ah, womanly conditions.”
“Womanly? Merlin is a man.”
“I am quite aware, it’s just,” Uther paused pursing his lips, “you are aware how close my son is with your ward.”
Gaius tensed.
“I’m not threatening him.” Uther quickly reassured his friend before he felt compelled to do something, ill-advised.
“What are you doing then?” Realizing how he came off he added a hasty, “Sire.”
Uther ignored Gaius’s tone, he was understandably worried about his nephew, and from his friend he could forgive the breach of etiquette. “The entire castle is quite aware that my son has not given a single lady that has visited this court any true attention since your ward arrived. The type of attention that will result in a marriage and an heir, at least when he isn’t enchanted.”
Gaius’ hands tensed as he tried to appear calm. Uther’s platitudes had done nothing to reassure him.
“Everyone knows it’s because my son is far more interested in your ward, but it is far past the time that I could remove your ward, in any manner, without my son rebelling. Quite frankly I think Arthur would disown himself before I could think to do anything.”
“If you don’t plan to,” Gaius’ face was pale, “remove, Merlin. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to offer my son a deal, he can have a relationship with your ward if he promises to do his duty to the crown and take a spouse and have an heir. I can tell anyone I need to that your ward is just a bedwarmer, but everyone who knows them will know it is more than that.”
Gaius gave him a considering look, “You’re going to offer your son and Merlin a relationship as a bribe to get your son to take a wife and have an heir. You are really willing to go that far to have a grandchild?”
Uther rubbed his eyes, “I am willing to make any concession at this point to have Arthur father a child. Obviously, I’d prefer of course to have Arthur marry someone to further Camelot, but frankly Gaius. I’d take a sorcerer at this point.”
Gaius stared at him.
“Yes, I know. I would have to change the ban to strict laws about when magic can be used and when not instead, but as long as whoever bears the child is loyal to Arthur, I’ll bless a marriage between them.”
“Truly?”
“Camelot needs Arthur to have an heir. Anything else is second to that.”
Gaius nodded, still obviously shocked by what he’d said.
“Now,” Uther drew Gaius’s attention again, “You need to keep this information to yourself for now. I am going to offer them the deal, but I want them to make the decision for themselves. Even if I can’t see them declining the offer.”
Gaius nodded, “I understand. I will wait for Merlin to talk to me about this, but why tell me at all?”
Uther shrugged, “You can reassure him that he’s not in danger from me and,” he grimaced, “you can make sure they have whatever they might need for, the physical part of the relationship.” There was no reason to mention he didn’t mean for Gaius to reassure his ward about having the relationship, but about something that should come up with in a few months.
Gaius had already turned away to his cupboard of vials, “I can tell Merlin to bring it up for the next time Arthur pulls a muscle.”
Leaving his friend behind, Uther smiled for the first time since he found out about the further consequence of the bargain that had brought him Arthur and taken his wife. The first step of the plan had gone perfectly. Now he just needed his son to plant his seed inside magic himself.
Week 0 - Step 2: Setting the Stage
Uther placed his pen back in its stand as Arthur, followed by his warlock manservant, entered his study.
“Father,” Arthur’s armor still had some mud on the legs, having answered his summons straight from the training field, “You summoned me?”
“Yes,” Uther nodded, “We have a manner of great importance to discuss.”
“Is Camelot under threat?”
“Not in the normal manner, but its future is definitely at risk if you don’t sire a son soon.”
Arthur managed to hold back a groan, “I have told you father, I will only marry for love.”
“Arthur, until you have an heir, anytime you go into battle, or get sick, all of Camelot is at risk. If you die before siring a child Camelot will be at risk of our neighbors trying to take over our lands. You say you care for all the people of Camelot, but you put them at risk of being plunged into war every day you go without an heir. You know very well I have grown too old to father a spare.”
Arthur grimaced, lacking a good response. He could feel Merlin wanting to comfort him from where he was standing against the wall by the door.
Uther sighed, “I am aware of your wish to marry for love, but Camelot cannot wait for you to fall in love when your heart already resides with another.”
Arthur stiffened in place, watching his father as if he was a threat.
“I’m not threatening him. I am aware, unfortunately, of how far you will go for him, and he for you. Instead, I have an offer for you.”
“What is it?” Arthur’s words were clipped.
“In six months, there will be the midwinter ball. By the end of that ball you will be married or seriously courting someone,” He held up a hand to stop Arthur, “in exchange, the official story will be that you took your manservant as a bed warmer.”
A squeak came from near the door as Arthur considered his father, “Official?”
Uther barely restrained himself from rolling his eyes, “Everyone who really knows you, or him, will know your relationship is more than that, but visiting nobles will only receive the official story. Which will not interfere with your marriage prospects if we end up working a treaty into the marriage. Not that I require you to choose someone who is a noble.”
“Not a noble? You would be okay with me marrying someone of common birth?”
“Arthur, at this point if you get a child in a sorcerer I’d take it as a message from the gods and loosen the magic ban.”
“Even a sorcerer?” The doubt was heavy in Arthur’s voice.
Ignoring the warlock that had stopped breathing, Uther nodded, “Anyone, as long as it results in an heir. Preferably a boy but a girl will do, I’d rather have a princess than no child at all. Now go, think on my offer. I had two dinners delivered to your room. I expect an answer by lunch tomorrow. You're dismissed.”
As the door closed behind the pair he leaned back smiling. His plan was going exactly as planned. He expected it wouldn’t be long before Gaius brought him the happy news, but for now he glared at his desk. The revisions to the magic ban sat on his desk taunting him. He just needed to remind himself this was the only way for Arthur to have an heir, only in magic would a seed of his son’s loins grow.
Week 0 - Step 3: Deal or no Deal?
Arthur watched as Merlin fretted in the other chair at the table waiting on Arthur to respond to his confession. So his best friend had magic and his father most likely suspected it due to the comments he made about magic. He had said he wasn’t threatening Merlin but now he knew that Merlin was at risk of death every moment he remained in Camelot.
Then there was his father’s offer. Quite frankly it was more than he had even dared to dream of. Not only being able to be with Merlin, but not having to hide it? That was an offer he could never have imagined. He hadn’t acted on his, and what he believed were Merlin’s, feelings because he didn’t want to make Merlin a secret. Merlin didn’t deserve to just be a secret lover, something he would have had to hide from everyone. He had always known that if he could, he would give all of Avalon to Merlin in a heartbeat. Did Merlin having magic, even amazingly powerful magic change that?
No, the Merlin sitting in the chair across from him was still his Merlin, he just knew him better now, “Thank you.”
Merlin stared at him, “You’re? No! I’ve been lying to you for years! You should be angry! I’m sorry for lying, I should be begging for your forgiveness for lying to you! Not you,” Merlin waved his hands as if to explain something.
“No Merlin. You don’t need to be sorry for protecting your life. I’m grateful that you’re giving me your trust now. You didn’t have to tell me; I’m honored you trust me with this.”
“Oh,” Merlin ran his hands along his neckerchief, “I wanted to tell you.” Arthur couldn’t stop his eyes from focusing on Merlin’s hands, haunted by the skin that was hiding under the cloth, “If we do this, I can’t still lie about that.”
Arthur forced his eyes back to Merlin’s own, “Did you tell me because your magic will do something?”
“No, Yes?” Merlin pursed his lips, “I’ve wanted to tell you about my magic as it’s a big part of me, but my magic could do something as well. I came to Camelot to learn how to control my magic, but it still acts on its own sometimes.”
“You came to Camelot, where sorcerers are killed, to learn control?”
“This is where Gaius is, Mom sent me to him hoping he could help and he has! It’s just that my magic is really powerful and it can get away from me when I’m not paying attention. I always thought it might act up if I ever uh,” Merlin stopped, blushing.
“Merlin,” Arthur stared at him, “have you not?”
Merlin blushed but shook his head.
“But you want to? With me?”
Merlin nodded.
“And I just want to check, you’re not doing this because I want to? I’m not pressing or making you do this? I know I’m the prince and you're my manservant but I don’t want to take advan-” Arthur stopped as Merlin stood up.
Merlin grinned at him as he walked around the table to Arthur’s side, “Arthur, you’ve never been able to make me do anything.”
“Good, I just wanted to make sure,” Arthur smirked up at Merlin, “before we move onto the fun bit.”
Merlin’s blush flared back and even darker as Arthur stood.
“Well?” Arthur was enjoying Merlin’s reactions, the idea he was going to be Merlin’s first was heady, “Are you going to help me out of all of this?” He gestured at the clothing still on his body, “It’s rather in the way of all the things I want to do to you.”
Merlin’s fingers were nowhere near as skilled at removing Arthur’s clothes as normal, but Arthur wasn’t exactly good at removing Merlin’s clothes at all.