Absolute Rule

Summary: Morgause and Morgana cast an ancient spell to crown the most powerful magic user in the land as King or Queen.

A/N: This is a little one-shot inspired by a prompt over at KinkmeMerlin on Livejournal. I read the prompt and the small answering story someone else gave and decided I had to write something for it. Hopefully you all find it as amusing as I do.

Two women stormed into the throne room of Camelot with determined look on their faces. One was as dark and pale as a moonlit night while the other was blonde and cold as ice. All activity stopped upon their entrance and the two women stopped halfway into the room.

"What are you doing here, Morgana?"

"Have you not missed me…father?"

The dark haired woman spoke to the king with a fearless and rather smug look on her face. King Uther looked tired and wary of the two women while his blonde son, Arthur, looked irritated.

"My sister, Morgause, has found an ancient spell that will make the most powerful magic user in this room the absolute ruler of Camelot."

"Camelot will never bow to either of you, Morgana."

"They won't have a choice, once enacted the spell will make it so that the result is unable to be contested or changed."

Arthur stared at Morgana in shock while a thin dark-haired male behind him shifted nervously from one foot to another. Uther began shouting for the guards to seize the two women and stop them. The two women began chanting the spell and a shield of power formed around them that protected them from any attack until the spell was completed.

"This is bad…oh this is very, very bad. This is going to end horribly. Arthur…promise me you won't hate me?"

"Merlin? What are you talking about? I could never hate you…"

Merlin and Arthur's eyes both went wide as the magic from the spell began swirling throughout the throne room until it settled around Merlin's shaking form, surrounding him in a warm golden light. Arthur stared in shock as Merlin's clothing changed from that of a peasant to that of a King. Black leather pants and boots with a deep red shirt accompanied by a blood red overcoat covered his body and atop his head sat a golden crown of twisting vines and red gems in the shape of flowers.

"Merlin?"

"O'm sorry…Arthur I'm so sorry…I couldn't tell you…I wanted to…I swear I wanted to so many times…I was afraid…I never used it against Camelot…I never would…I only ever protected you…"

"All this time…Lady Helen, Nimueh…all the bandits that mysteriously fell to tree branches and vines…it was you…saving me…"

"Always Arthur…always."

When Arthur started laughing Merlin looked adorably confused, but Arthur pulled him into a hug and whispered softly into his ear.

"Thank you Merlin…for everything."

When Arthur pulled back and knelt before Merlin the darker haired male shook his head, tears forming in his eyes.

"Arthur, no…I don't ever want you to bow to me. You aren't meant to bow before anyone…you are meant to rule Camelot…and you will…we'll rule together…right?"

"Of course, Merlin."

Uther scowled at them both as Arthur led Merlin to the throne and the two began to argue over which of them should sit in the throne until Sir Mordred stepped forward with an amused look on his face.

"Merlin…"

"Why don't you just create your own throne next to that one…King Emrys."

"What?!"

A high feminine shriek came from Morgause as her temper boiled over. Morgana seemed surprisingly calm as she looked at Merlin and Arthur standing in front of the throne.

"No! This is not possible. That little worm cannot possibly be more powerful than us."

Mordred had his sword at the blonde woman's throat in an instant with a hard glare in his eyes. A low growl seemed to shake the foundations of the castle itself and everyone froze.

"You will watch your tongue when you speak about Emrys…or I will have no problem in removing it from you."

"Mordred…please…"

"Emrys? Merlin…why did you not tell me…I told you of my magic…my fears…"

"I was afraid Morgana…you were Uther's ward…and Kilgarrah said it would be a bad thing…"

"Who?"

"The Great Dragon…he lives underneath the castle…that's where Uther chained him after he tricked my father into betraying him."

"Your father? Merlin…Balinor?"

"Lord Balinor was my father…"

"No wonder his death affected you so badly. Come here Merlin."

Arthur wrapped his arms around the smaller male and pulled him into a tight hug. Both men startled when Morgana wrapped her arms around them, tears streaming from her eyes.

"I am so very sorry. I don't know why I did all of those horrible things…I felt so much anger, rage, pain, and hatred…I just don't know why…"

"I do…her. Morgause had a spell on you to enhance all of your negative emotions while suppressing all of the positive. When Merlin's magic mixed with the spell you cast it freed you from her spell and allowed the real you to come back."

"Morgause? Tell me that isn't true?"

"I needed you to be angry so you wouldn't go crawling back to our enemy."

"No…you…you made me…Seize Her!"

The knights looked at Merlin and Arthur who both nodded their heads, Merlin with a surprisingly vicious smirk on his lips.

"You heard the Lady Morgana…seize the traitor."

Morgause was taken away to the dungeon while the knights surrounded the noble trio to shield them while they reunited. Over the following weeks and months the trio seemed to rule as a cohesive unit and made many positive changes for Camelot, not the least of which was the freedom of magic use once again. Camelot settled into an easy peace as magic users began helping their neighbors openly by enhancing crops, healing sick and injured people and livestock, and casting spells of protection over the city and surrounding towns. Merlin and Arthur ruled equally and remained fair in their judgments while Morgana helped them by keeping the castle itself running smoothly. Mordred became a liaison between the kingdom and all of the scattered magic users in the kingdom, slowly pulling them all back together as a part of the kingdom rather than being on the sidelines and in the shadows.

Other kingdoms began to follow Camelot's examples and magic was soon free throughout the lands of Albion and, under the direction of the Great Dragon, Camelot began to unite the land under one banner. The Dragon Kings banner which had a red background with a golden dragon similar to the Pendragon flag but the dragon was surrounded by golden vines and multicolored flowers to represent Merlin and magic. Many magic users came to Camelot to show their loyalty to Emrys, and to Arthur as well but mostly Emrys. Arthur seemed amused by how flustered Merlin got every time someone bowed to him or called him King Emrys. Eventually Merlin relaxed into his new role as Arthur and Morgana taught him what to do as a king and Mordred helped him learn a finer control of his magic. The peace and prosperity of Camelot would eventually spread to all of Albion and last well beyond the reign of the Dragon Kings.

A/N: Hopefully everyone enjoys this little one-shot.