Merlin and Arthur in Lockdown

Prologue

Merlin pressed the little red square to start recording the video. 'Alright, we did promise you a video of our progress. Which is...' He briefly glanced behind him at some cardboard boxes in the distance, 'going a little slow. But this is also an update on the Flagstone Charity Run next Saturday, where Prince Arthur will be presenting the prizes.' Merlin leaned into the mounted phone and lowered his voice. 'Who knows, he might even join the race. If he takes up my offer to get inside the squirrel costume.' Merlin moved back and grinned.

Then thump!

A brand new cushion with some classy, abstract art on it slammed into his shoulder. A voice just off the camera spoke. 'Well, I would attend the run if we cleaned all this in time and I got my training done.' Prince Arthur leaned in front of the camera, making Merlin jump back. 'Hello, Merlin's fans.'

Merlin snorted. Not that Arthur was wrong. The social media account where this video was going may have been called @ArthurPendragonOfficial, but it was Merlin who hosted majority of the videos it uploaded. It was also Merlin who edited the posts made by ArthurPendragonOfficial. And made the snarky replies from his own account. All of which made Prince Arthur's account -and Merlin- highly popular. So it wasn't wrong to assume Merlin, Arthur's Personal Assistant slash Social Media handler, had some fans himself alongside the crown prince.

Arthur turned to look at Merlin. 'If only Mer-lin here also helped me unpack. Instead of talking to invisible people.'

By the way the video's 'Like' count went up, it was obvious the 'invisible people' appreciated Merlin taking a little break...and having yet another jibing session with the prince.

It was a good thing the pair were popular because King Uther Pendragon was not. Word from the press was that it was Arthur and Morgana, Uther's ward, who were instilling a renewed faith in the monarchy. Especially in the younger generations who were particularly critical of Uther's alienation of the magical community.

So when Arthur decided to move out of home and get a flat of his own, Merlin decided a video diary of the move was due for the folks online. Especially when Arthur's wish for moving out was to prove he can live like the average subjects of his kingdom. Help make the Pendragons more relatable. Which was not something Uther cared for.

<<>>

It was Arthur's last year at university, when he made the decision.

He had given the burly bodyguards stationed at his dorm a measured look before facing his father waiting in his room. 'I want to move out on my own. Outside campus.'

Uther -who was on a Royal visit to the university- had turned to face his son. 'You will do no such thing.'

'People don't take us seriously as it is. Your vendetta against those with magic is not helping.' Arthur dropped to sit on his bed before continuing the list and gestured in frustration. 'And every Tuesday some scandal comes out about one of your celebrity friends.' He realised he was raising his voice and took it down a notch. 'Or your ex-wife.' He never was fond of Lady Caterina. 'So when they see me doing 'normal' things like going to university and having a gang of henchmen to protect me, I won't be surprised if they're laughing at us.'

Uther's expression was hard, but he remained silent as he bore his glare down at Arthur, fists shoved in the pockets of his midnight blue trench coat. Arthur wasn't wrong. 'You are pathetically naïve to think you can live just like any other kid. See what happens when those men at the door leave.' He bent down to be eye-to-eye with Arthur who remained calm. 'You think they'll live you alone to get on with 'normal things'?' Uther stormed over to the tall window of the ancient university.

'And what if I let the chef go? Or the stylist? Or the personal trainer? I mean, honestly I should -the uni gym is really popular.' Arthur stood up and walked over to his father. When Uther faced him, he spoke gently. 'I know some things like the security is needed. There are some things that come with our...standing. But I also think some things can change. Otherwise it will be very hard to make people see what we're supposed to be doing: serving Camelot.'

<<>>

Merlin turned the phone camera off. 'Right, then,' he muttered.

Arthur held out a sealed cardboard box. 'The plates and cutlery.'

'The plates and cutlery,' Merlin agreed as he took the box and put it in the kitchen. 'Ah, but I do have a costume for you,' he said as he came back into the living room.

'Merlin, if you can get me inside a squirrel costume, I'll get you, like, a carton of McVitie's.'

'Hardly the most tempting prize. But it's not a squirrel costume.' He smiled mysteriously before dashing off to his new bedroom.

Arthur returned the cushion he threw earlier to its rightful place and knelt on the carpet to knife through the sticky tape sealing another box. He heard some clinks.

'This.'

He turned to find Merlin wheeling in a kind of stand...holding a suit of armour. 'I can't run in that.'

'Relax, it's not actual metal. It's light enough to run in.'

'Doesn't look like it.' Arthur set an asymmetrical vase on the coffee table. 'And anyway, you told them it was gonna be a squirrel.'

Merlin sat down on the sofa where Arthur was unpacking. 'It's the art of misdirection. Everyone out to spot Prince Arthur at the run will look for a giant squirrel.'

Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed.

'They wouldn't look twice at a knight in shining armour.' Merlin produced the headpiece of the costume. 'With a visor covering his face.'

'Great!'

'Oh come on; it will give you the right amount of challenge at the run.'

'Yep, can't wait,' Arthur said drily.

3 weeks later

Flagstone Charity Run was cancelled. In fact, all concerts, sports matches, pretty much any gathering across Camelot was cancelled. Indefinitely.

The whole kingdom was in lockdown.

In the months leading up to the lockdown a new kind of plague had been recorded spreading across countries. Governments around the globe had no way of stopping the rapid spread of the disease. They knew it was highly contagious, so it seemed the only way to slow it was to stop the spread of people. Keep them locked indoors, within their household members as much as possible. People were only allowed to go out for essential things and if they did a critical job.

Meaning Merlin and Arthur were stuck in their new apartment. Indefinitely.