[ That snaps Arthur out of his self-pouty, and he scowls. ]
Don't be stupid, you haven't done anything wrong.
[ It's a little touching, because he can tell Merlin means it seriously, and he squeezes one of his hands gently, much more lively than when it had hung limp to be cleaned before. ]
I don't think they'd let you.
[ The specifics of "they" are beyond Arthur, but it seems unlikely, that Merlin could just tag along, make his life comfortable, break him out if he needed to, hold him tight if he didn't. It seems like cheating, somehow, and he craves true penance, a guiding hand of the law to tell him what to think or feel about all this. ]
Action
Don't be stupid, you haven't done anything wrong.
[ It's a little touching, because he can tell Merlin means it seriously, and he squeezes one of his hands gently, much more lively than when it had hung limp to be cleaned before. ]
I don't think they'd let you.
[ The specifics of "they" are beyond Arthur, but it seems unlikely, that Merlin could just tag along, make his life comfortable, break him out if he needed to, hold him tight if he didn't. It seems like cheating, somehow, and he craves true penance, a guiding hand of the law to tell him what to think or feel about all this. ]