4th Floor Common Room - Monday Evening

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund wasn't sure why he felt compelled to cook an ever-growing pile of grilled cheese sandwiches, but the pan was still hot and he kept making more. They were always good cold, he reasoned, and really, doing something was better than watching the very strange, badly dubbed Japanese game show on television.

The smell of grilled cheese wafted out of the room and down the hall. Mmm grilled cheese. There might have even been cans of tomato soup in the cupboards.

Comments

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I know," Merlin replied with a sigh. "But magic is no different than a sword, from how I see it. Anyone can rule through fear, magical or not."

Why, hello Uther!

"And I won't change things, Arthur will. I'll just be there to help him when he needs it."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"You're right to a degree. Magic has the added privilege of being largely unknown to those who can't use it. There's often no defence against it, no way to think or fight your way out of a situation. That makes people more fearful of a magician than a tyrant sometimes. They're afraid of what you could be, not what you are, and what you could do, not what you actually do. It takes time and patience and good people to change that perception." Seriousness aside, he added, "and knowing Arthur, he'll definitely need it. Honestly, from what I've seen in classes and heard on the radio, how do you manage to keep him in one piece?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin snorted in amusement, shaking himself out of a darkening mood. "Through sheer luck and determination."

Then took a breath before responding to the rest more calmly. "In Camelot, even the simplest magic is condemned. Healing, speaking with a sorcerer or someone accused of being a sorcerer, even someone such as me who had no choice in having their abilities are all death sentences under the King's laws. The only enemies he makes are the ones he creates."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"He sounds scared." It was an odd thing to say, but the first that came to mind.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I don't know what he is," Merlin replied quietly. "I think he believes he's protecting his people this way."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"There's," he started, then paused to think before talking. "It's strange when you're responsible for so many people, when they look to you for leadership and protection. You see more. You worry about things you wouldn't normally think about. You have your own fears and the fears for your people, but you have to reconcile the two and make decisions in spite of those fears, decisions that are fair and just and for the common good. I don't know whether he thinks this is for the common good or if he's putting his fears above his duty. He probably doesn't know either. It doesn't make it right. I can't really say he's wrong either, not knowing all of the circumstances that led to the law. It's drastic, yes." He flipped another sandwich in the pan. "That's a long-winded way of saying you don't always get kings that know what they're doing, despite their best efforts. And you have Arthur." That was something.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I think good kings are few and far between," Merlin said dryly. "It's a horrible thing for me to wish the king dead, but..."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"He's probably used to people thinking that," Edmund said dryly. "You can change the system," he added, knowing well it was rich coming from him suggesting that someone could change the system of the ruling monarch. "If not through the King, then through Arthur. He is the heir, after all. Unless he's not. He doesn't have an older brother, does he?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"...not that I know of." Hey, could happen in season three.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Then you have the ear of the heir. It's a start."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin snorted. "You make it sound so sordid."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund ducked his head as he laughed. "I didn't mean it like that." Unless it was. And maybe it was.

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"I don't know about these other Merlins, but all I have planned right now is keeping him alive so far."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"So far? I'll be surprised if you have time to bathe and feed yourself after all the time it must take to keep him alive."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"He manages to get into less trouble here, actually. It's a bit like a vacation!"

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Aren't vacations supposed to have drinks with little umbrellas?"

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

Merlin shot him a look. "Not on Walrii Day."

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"You're right. They probably wouldn't approve of little umbrellas. Another time, perhaps."

[bigdamndestiny.livejournal.com]

"What with humans putting them all over their beaches."

God help anyone who actually believed them about this holiday.

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund was going to insist upon it to Peter and the girls when he got home. "They really don't approve of sharing their beaches, even when they're not their beaches, but public beaches."