You will never convince me that Arthur wouldn't have broken Merlin out if he'd been caught. Never.
Sure he cared for his father, but when a choice needed to be made, he cared a lot more for Merlin that he would ever have admitted. Even in the earlier seasons.
I mean... look at what happened every damn time Merlin got into trouble...
and we're gonna ignore the crappy quality of these screenshots
He doesn't want to. He won't defy his father in front of the knights, but he sounds so broken when he says this, and he can't look Merlin in the eye because of how torn he already is.
Look at his eyes. He's begging Merlin to give him something to work with here.
And when Merlin can't, Arthur goes against his father and takes it into his own hands, because he believed Merlin above everyone else...
Beauty and The Beast (2x6):
He completely defies his father. No, he won't go against him openly — he still ordered the knights to search for Merlin — but he refuses to arrest his own friend. He does what he can to make sure that Merlin escapes. He keeps the guards away from the room, and he warns him as soon as he can.
He can't save Gaius, he is too torn in his own morality and doesn't have the power of his father. But he makes sure that the guards don't hurt Merlin, he makes sure that Merlin himself is spared jail and punishment. He breaks the law because he knows Merlin is upset, and this is all he can do.
Even early in the show, he protects Merlin.
The Mark Of Nimueh (1x3):
And this isn't even going into all the times Arthur defies his father and risks his own life for Merlin.
He is willing to die for Merlin, he is willing to go against his King, and in doing so risk his honour, something that matters more to him that anything else.
Merlin is his first true friend, his closest friend. He wouldn't have let him die.
There is no way Arthur would have ever let Merlin die, even if he had been caught. Even if his guilt had been proven.
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