The Big Book Of Merthur

Oneshot: The Bond Between Us

OK Merthurians THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR CHOOSING MY BOOK It means soooooo much to me no really it does.

Video: I REALLY recommend that you guys check out this video I know it's 35 minutes, but it is SO worth it! I'm sure some of you probably have seen the video, but its basically a YouTuber who takes gay ships and says all the reasons why the two could actually be gay. All credits go to the youtuber, and definitely check out more of his videos where he talks bout other gay ships. The channel is Are They Gay. It's really funny and is definitely worth a watch if you haven't seen it on YouTube already.

This is my first Merthur oneshot, and it's set when Arthur is nine. So I'm sorry if the dialogue sounds, well, childish. It's gonna be because they're, well, CHILDREN. Also, Merlin is in Camelot, and yes, he does have magic. This oneshot goes a little hand in hand with my stupid lil headcannon that the only reason Arthur didn't grow up to be ruthless like Uther was because he read books and grew up being influenced by fictional characters who taught him to be fair, to look beond class, etc. Enjoy!

                                                                               The Bond Between Them
Of course, you would think that the prince of Camelot had everything a nine year old boy could possibly want. For Arthur, this was true in almost every case. Good food, fine clothes, plenty of company... almost. Arthur was unsatisfied that, while he had many people to talk to, he didn't have a friend. A friend like the ones in storybooks. All the protagonists had one, one who you could share secrets and go on adventures with. One who was always there for you, something constant in a world that changes each second.

Arthur confronted his father about it, and instead of aiding him, the king had a laughing fit.

"Whatever do you need a friend for, Arthur?" He questioned through chuckles. "What about the knights you train with? Aren't they adequate?"

Arthur bit back his frustration, doubting that this was being treated seriously. Yes, the knights were nice to him, but, being in their mid-thirties, treated the young prince as a child who barely knew how to comb his hair. As a matter of fact, that was true, even though he would never admit it.

"No, father. They're much ol-"

"Well, who else might you be suggesting?" Uther cut in.

"What abo-"

"We've had this talk before, Arthur. You cannot be seen playing with commoners."

The young prince hung his head in dismay.

"In that case-I don't know. But I had hoped that you would, as you know the solution to everything." Arthur replied, knowing what Uther would say in the end.

Sure enough, the King returned to his paperwork, ending the conversation by saying "A good king must be independent. He must not be dependent of friends. If company is what you seek, the knights and councilmen will be adequate. You may leave."

"Yes, father." Arthur replied curtly and left the throne room. There was a difference between company and a friend, Arthur thought as he made his way back to his chambers. From all the books that Arthur had read, he knew that a loyal friend was much more special, and of course, much harder to come by.

The young prince loved to read, even though he would never admit it. He spent all his free time in the library, devouring book after book, and constantly discovering new ones with the help of the librarian. If it weren't for these storybooks, with compassionate characters and misunderstood villains, Arthur would have grown up to be a ruthless soul like his father, blind to the reality of situations. Of course, Arthur didn't see it that way, didn't see that he was not as similar to his father as he would have liked to think. But he had always had a habit of questioning Uther's decisions, because judging by all the books he had read, this was not something a good king would have done. But of course, it was his father's decision and his father's alone.

Lost in his sea of thought, Arthur turned a corner and collided with the small frame of a boy.

"Sorry." Arthur mumbled.

"I apologise, sire." The boy replied in an equally quiet tone.
He was tall, with pale skin and coal black hair which was tousled over his slender face and dancing sapphire eyes. Arthur immediately recognised him as Gaius's assistant.

"It's ok" Arthur held out his hand. "I'm Arthur."

He knew that the boy, like everyone else, knew his name, but he introduced him anyway. The boy's sparkling eyes seemed to contemplate the hand for a second, before taking it.

"I'm Merlin."

"I like that name. Mer-lin"

Merlin giggled quietly, and upon noticing this, the young prince began to laugh too. There was a sense of contagiousness in that smile, that Arthur had never experienced before.

"You're Gaius's assistant, right?"

"Yeah, I run errands for him here and there, but mostly I spend free time in the library."

"Really? I always go to the library!"

"I've seen you there often. I'm pretty sure you've raked down a fifth of the books in there by now!"

The two absentmindedly walked around the castle, immersed in their conversation. It had only been a few minutes, but Arthur had grown to like Merlin, and it was evident that Merlin felt the same way. Nothing was forced, everything they said came out naturally. They were like two sides of the same coin; they had many things in common.

Only when the two walked past a window did Merlin realise just how dark and late it really was.

"Gaius needs me back now, sire." Merlin said, trying to hide his disappointment. But Arthur made no such effort to hide his dispiritedness that Merlin had to leave.

"Aww!" He moaned, dismay lacing his voice. "When will I see you again?"

"Same place tomorrow noon?" Merlin suggested in hopes of cheering the prince up, but mostly because he wanted to see Arthur again, too.

"Fine." Arthur said, his lips slowly curling into a smile again.

Merlin smiled back. He found Arthur's smile as contagious as Arthur found his. "Goodnight, sire."

"Merlin."

"Yes?"

Arthur was not sure why he did what he did next, but he felt that Merlin was an exception. He was different.

"Please don't call me sire. Call me Arthur, okay?"

Merlin couldn't hold back the grin that crept across his face

"If you insist, Arthur."

"See you, Merlin."

They turned to go their separate ways, but the smiles remained on their faces. Both could not wait for noon tomorrow, when they could continue their conversation.

Neither could explain why, but there was a bond between them. As if they were meant to be friends. As if bumping into eachother was no coincidence. As if it was destiny...

Yes, there definitely was a bond between them.

AN: Okayyyy I know that wasn't intense Merthur, but I'm starting out small and saving the good stuff. again, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH for reading this. I am currently writing my second oneshot and will upload it ASAP. THNX!!!!!!