Chapter Text
Merlin hadn’t actually thought that pinning up all the logistics of their current problem on a wall with an unholy amount of string was going to magically solve anything. He just figured if he could visually see all the issues at once maybe the answer would be easier to find.
However, now he was just thinking that he had done nothing but waste a lot of string and time.
A knock sounded at his door.
He hadn’t been expecting anyone today. Everyone else was far too busy planning the Albion Summit to make time to see him. Though now that he looked outside the window he realized it probably wasn’t today anymore because it was pitch black outside.
Huh.
Merlin must have been so busy unraveling his problem that he lost track of time again.
Great.
Another day down with no solution in sight. There were only three more days before all the delegates arrived and if he didn’t fix this then the summit would prove to be a horrendous failure and it would be his fault and Arthur would be pissed at him and—
Whoever had been outside must have been tired of their knock going unanswered as they finally just pushed the door open.
“Merlin, you better not be passed out again from some potion that blew up in your face or I swear to the triple goddess…!” It was Arthur. He’d paused, gaping in horror at Merlin’s wall, but Merlin paid no mind to that. All Merlin could focus on was the tray of wonderful smelling food Arthur was carrying. It was only now that Merlin smelled it he realized he hadn’t eaten all day.
“You are a saint!” Merlin cheered, diving for the food, even as Arthur shouted. “What the hell is all this?”
Merlin already had a full sweet roll stuffed in his cheeks, but he answered anyway.
“Iftss y sommuf boowd!”
If Arthur heard, let alone understood any of those words it would have been a shock.
“You’re what?”
Merlin swallowed his food. “It’s my summit board.”
“Is this why you’ve been locked up in your office all day? Gwen said she tried bringing you food twice, but you wouldn’t answer.”
Merlin didn’t remember hearing anyone else knocking, but he had a tendency to not hear anything when he was really in the zone of his work. Once he’d been so busy trying to finish translating an old text that he hadn’t even heard the warning bells ring that rouge sorcerers had invaded the castle. They made it past the knights and all the way to Merlin’s tower, intent on killing him. Of course, they were fried by Merlin’s protective wards before they took two steps inside. Arthur had come flying up the stairs worried to find Merlin hurt only to instead trip over their dead bodies. The whole time Merlin hadn’t heard a thing.
“So, what exactly is all this?” Arthur questioned.
“It’s my attempt to organize everything we need to know about each of the groups and their delegates that will be at the summit. I was hoping if I could see it all I could figure out a solution to our problem.”
At the reminder of their problem, Arthur grimaced.
He too had been worrying over the issue, which was what had kept him up tonight and led him to seeking Merlin’s council. The food had been his peace offering in case he woke Merlin up. He hadn’t expected to find the man still working in the middle of the night.
“I take it then that you have not found a solution.”
“No!” Merlin pointed at one of the pieces of parchment on the wall. “The Druids are nothing to worry about. Iseldir has already been helping us restore Camelot’s relation with the magical community for two years now so we know he will willingly sign the peace agreement.” From there he followed the green string as it signified their current allies. “Essetir’s newly crowned Queen Elenora is one of our most vocal allies as she’s got enough trouble trying to take care of her people after the mess her predecessor left.”
That was putting it mildly, as the last ruler had neglected his people to the point of starvation. Which had then led to rising famine across the whole kingdom as there were no people left to farm the lands and bandits ran rampant through the countryside. Camelot had helped supply her with farmers and soldiers to reestablish many of the damaged communities. Though she claimed it was her absolute undying love for Merlin that really made her a stanch ally of Camelot. Arthur might have been jealous if it were not for the fact that Elenora and her wife kept trying to legally adopt Merlin, despite the fact that he already had a mother.
“Then of course the witch covens of the South will be no trouble now that you and Morgana have made up.”
“Let me guess, the troublesome ones are the ones connected with the red string?” Arthur guessed.
“I mean, duh, I was getting to that.” Merlin finally pointed to the first red string. “The King of Honreth is our first major problem. They are descendants of an ancient warrior tribe that only respect strength and honor. Before they will even discuss becoming allies, let alone a peace agreement with all nations involved, they expected some battle of strength? They wouldn’t even elaborate what that means other than that they must battle with Camelot’s greatest warrior.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Arthur said. “I will deal with them.” Whatever show of strength they expected, Arthur would happily accept the challenge.
“Okay, but what about the King of Aprix? His people are the oldest and only living descendants of ancient wizards who will only speak to a fellow wizard.”
“That’s what I have you for.”
“But I can’t be at the summit table with you! I’m an advisor, not royalty, no matter how many times Queen Eleanora insists I’m as good as her son. None of the other nations will allow me into the room. Only those of the royal line can be there!”
Which brought Arthur to his true reason for coming tonight. Because Merlin was right. Only those of the royal bloodline could attend the summit meeting, for they were the only ones who could sign the final treaty.
Yet for all of Arthur’s qualifications as king, for all of his experience, when it came to the magical communities he needed Merlin. He needed his wisdom and his position. Without Merlin at his side there was no possibility that he would get the signatures of every nation.
For days he’d been trying to find another way, any loophole that would allow him to bring his court sorcerer to the negotiation table. But there was only one way to solve their problem.
“Merlin, I think I have a way to solve all our problems, but it’s well…it’s a bit of a crazy idea.”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “It can’t be crazier than the time you had us use berries to cover our scents from the wilderon on a whim.”
“Marry me,” Arthur had thought that saying it fast might make it sound less insane.
It hadn’t.
In fact, it made the whole thing worse because Merlin literally choked on the very air he was breathing and now he was staring in utter shock at Arthur.
“What?” Merlin could feel his heart practically beating out of his chest. He didn’t know if it was loud enough that Arthur could hear it across the room, but he would be more shocked at this point if he couldn’t.
“It will solve all our problems,” Arthur quickly explained. “I will gain more respect from the other leaders, and you would have the authority to join me in the summit room.”
Here was the problem. Merlin had considered the possibility himself as he was putting the board together. Marriage would solve everything, but Merlin had immediately dismissed it because…well because… because he had been in love with Arthur for as long as he could remember.
Arthur was more than his king. He was his best friend. He was the man that taught him to believe in himself. He was the first person to see him as who he was and accept him. Arthur was everything Merlin had ever dreamed of but could never have.
It was miracle enough that Arthur had forgiven him for years of lies, that he had allowed Merlin to stay by his side. Asking Arthur to share his feelings or even accept them was one favor too many from the universe.
“Arthur, you can’t seriously be considering this,” Merlin finally managed to say.
“I am. It wouldn’t have to be a traditional marriage. It wouldn’t even need to be permanent. But it would have to be real in order to make this work. We couldn’t get away with just faking it.”
Merlin’s head was spinning.
This was asking for trouble.
Yet some part of him wanted to say yes. The thought of being married to Arthur, even if it was fake, even if it wasn’t permanent. To be able to say that Arthur was his and stand by his side as his equal, it was a temptation Merlin didn’t know how to resist.
“Arthur, this is insane. You can’t actually want to marry me.”
“Please, Merlin. I need you by my side for this.”
How could Merlin deny his king such a plea? “Okay. Let’s get married.”