Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Merlin. Quiet." Merlin rolled his eyes; Arthur was the one who insisted on dragging him on these stupid missions, and if he was going to make him spend the better part of an hour crouching in the underbrush he could hardly blame him for breaking the occasional twig. He didn't know how the princely prat managed to stay so still.

He refocused on the clearing before them. It had taken them the better part of a week to pin down the location of the camp, but in just a few hours they would finally have taken it down. Merlin was almost buzzing with anticipation at the thought of sleeping in his own bed again. He knew the importance of what they were doing; these men had been trading magical creatures, ripping them from their natural environments and selling them to the highest bidder with no concern for what the buyers had planned, sowing pain and destruction in both the magical and non-magical communities for months now. Not that anyone other than Merlin cared about the effect on magical communities. And none of that had made the last few nights spent sleeping on the damp ground any easier.

Merlin glanced around the edge of the clearing. Dotted about in the bushes he knew many knights were hidden just like him, waiting for Arthur to give them the signal. He couldn't see any of them, but he knew they were there. They all seemed quite happy to follow Arthur's orders, for some reason. And it seemed like it was nearly time - most of the thieves had turned in for the night, with only a couple left to guard their cargo, and he could practically feel the tension pouring off the prince beside him.

Arthur glanced over at him and Merlin fought the urge to pretend he wasn't looking, shooting him a grin. Arthur rolled his eyes. "Just try to stay out of trouble, Merlin." With that he raised a hand and clenched his fist. A roaring rose from all around the tree line as a wave of scarlet clad knights descended, swords drawn and expressions fierce. Arthur ran forward with them. Merlin was barely a step behind; he drew his sword as he ran and immediately almost dropped it.

Blushing, more from embarrassment than exertion, he stumbled to a stop just before the fighting and his eyes fell on Arthur in the melee. The prince was moving with such grace it looked more like he was dancing than in the middle of battle. Knocking aside an opponent's sword, he spun fluidly and met the next attacker as if his every step was choreographed. Merlin would have been jealous if it weren't so incredible to watch.

In the corner of his eye he spotted a figure break away from the crowd, staggering towards the stacks of crates and cages at the end of the clearing. Shooting panicked glances over his shoulder, the man began tugging at the ropes strapping the cargo together and eventually yanked a small cage free. He clutched the cage to his chest and stumbled towards the tree line. A strange green light emanated from his prize and a tiny voice began to whisper in the back of Merlin's mind; there was something in that cage, something that needed his help.

The man turned and disappeared into the shadow of the forest, picking up speed. If Merlin didn't catch him soon, both he and that creature would be lost for good. Merlin dropped his sword and sprinted across the edge of the clearing. The voice was still there in his head - fainter now but desperately calling out - and he followed that cry into the darkness.

He tripped several times as he went, his eyes taking far too long to adjust to the meagre light of the half moon, forcing him to slow his pace. He only hoped the man had had to do the same. The voice seemed a little louder now - and through the trees he spotted a glimmer of that inhuman glow. Speeding up a little, he headed towards the light. The man, when he finally got close enough to pick him out of the shadows, had stopped, facing away and leaning on a tree trunk. Merlin could hear him panting - evidently he'd pushed himself a lot harder than Merlin had. He crept closer then froze as a stick cracked beneath his foot.

The man whirled around, the surprise on his face quickly giving way to anger. He pulled a dagger from a sheath at his hip, the fingers of his other hand curled tight around the bars of the little cage. Merlin raised a hand. His magic rose within him like a tidal wave and surged out in a blast that sent the man flying. He smashed into a tree and fell heavily to the ground, making no attempt to rise. The cage rolled out of his limp hand and Merlin ran over, picking it up as gently as he could.

The creature - what looked like a type of fairy - glowed so brightly Merlin couldn't make out its features; its figure was delicate, though, its limbs long and slender. Its voice had gone silent. The light pulsed a little as it seemed to watch Merlin, floating an inch off the floor of the cage. Eventually, it spoke again: "Thank you, Emrys. I owe you my life. How can I repay my debt?"

"There's no debt. I don't want anything." Merlin focused his gaze on the cage's lock. "Aliese." The lock clicked and the door swung open. The figure hesitated and tilted its head a little.

"I know what I can give you," it said cheerfully as it floated slowly out into the night air. "That man - the prince, the one your destiny is bound to, the one you love - I can make him love you too."

"What?!" Merlin choked. "That's ridiculous! I don't love Arthur. At all. And even if I did, I wouldn't want you to do that!"

"Do not worry, Emrys," the voice spoke, a touch of amusement in its tone, "I can see the truth of your heart. There is no shame in love. Let me grant you this." With that the fairy began to glow even brighter, until it was almost painful to look at; it rose further into the air and a noise began to build, a strange hum that seemed to come from within Merlin's brain, growing louder and louder until he felt like his head was about to burst. Then, suddenly, the light sputtered and the noise vanished.

"What happened? Did you do it?" The creature's magic was so different to his own, but he could still sense that something didn't feel right.

"That... that shouldn't have happened. Let me try again."

Before Merlin could protest, the figure began that intense glowing again. As he looked away from the light, he heard another voice drifting through the trees. "Merlin! Where the hell are you?! MERLIN!"

"Arthur." He turned back to the fairy. "You have to go, Arthur can't find you, he'll -" Merlin broke off as the humming became unbearable - then stopped again. "What is happening?"

"This is strange. Hmm... Well, the only reason I can think of for the spell not to work is that it's not needed."

Merlin rolled his eyes. He hated cryptic. "What does that mean?"

"It means, Emrys, that the prince is already in love with you."

"MERLIN! Get back here right now or I'll have you in the stocks for a month!" Merlin only glanced back for a moment, but when he looked for the fairy again it was flying away, flitting past the trees faster than he could hope to catch it.

"Thank you for your help, Emrys. And good luck!" Merlin watched helplessly as the creature disappeared from view.

"Merlin!" He turned to face the voice. He could see Arthur now, jogging at first but slowing once he caught sight of his manservant. "What the hell are you doing?!"

"Arthur... I, uh... I saw someone escaping so I ran after him."

Arthur glared and stomped closer. "And what were you planning to do if you caught him without your sword?"

"Well..." Merlin trailed off and gestured at the unconscious man as Arthur finally reached him. The prince stared before looking back at Merlin in shock, his eyes filled with confusion and just a touch of admiration. "He ran into a tree," Merlin finished lamely.

"...right." The admiration was definitely gone. Fortunately, Arthur seemed fully prepared to accept Merlin had just got lucky; he turned back in the direction he came from without any questions. "Found him!" he shouted. He set off through the forest with Merlin trailing behind.

"Did you send out a search party or something? Worrying about me, Sire?" After what the creature had said, Merlin was only half-teasing.

"Don't be ridiculous, Merlin. Do you have any idea how much more work it would take to train a new manservant to replace you?"

Of course that was why. Arthur didn't care about him, not really. Merlin shook his head to dislodge the strange thoughts planted there by that creature's words. "Not that you'd ever manage to find one, you've no idea how irreplaceable I am!"

Arthur shot him a look. Merlin hesitated - he was only joking, so why did Arthur look like he was about to agree? "Did you run into a tree as well, Merlin?" Oh. Maybe he'd misread that one.

"Sire!" They both turned as Leon ran towards them. He smiled when he saw Merlin, clapping a hand on his shoulder as he reached them. "Glad you're alright, Merlin. We've rounded up all the thieves, Sire."

"Not quite," Arthur replied, "there's one back that way for you."

Leon glanced at Merlin in surprise. "You got one?"

Arthur laughed. "Yeah, right! He managed to knock himself out. Merlin was just there to watch." Yup, as he thought, Arthur was a prat. The creature may have meant well, but it clearly had no idea what it was talking about. Leon chuckled and headed off to collect the last thief while Merlin and Arthur continued to the clearing. It seemed that most of the thieves hadn't survived the battle. Merlin scanned his eyes over the bodies littering the forest floor - thankfully, none were sporting Pendragon red. The few surviving thieves had been disarmed and bound. While several knights got to work preparing their prisoners for the journey back, Arthur turned his attention to their cargo.

"Sire." One of the knights guarding the crates bowed as Arthur approached. "I know the king gave orders for any magical beings to be killed but we thought we should check... we don't know what any of them are..." He trailed off, shooting a nervous look at the cages.

Arthur paused for a moment. "Merlin! Come here." Merlin winced and trudged over. He wanted no involvement in the senseless slaughter of living creatures simply because they were magical. "Gaius knows a lot about magical creatures. Has he taught you anything?"

Merlin frowned. "A little."

That seemed enough for Arthur. "Tell me about these. Are any of them dangerous?"

Merlin blinked in surprise and moved closer to the cages. He peered at the creatures through the bars; most of them he could recognise from Gaius' books. There was a brag, its form shifting between that of a horse and a donkey, a couple of hobs crammed into a tiny cage, a lumberkin glaring out through the bars and a few incessantly squeaking sooterkin to top it off. "The barghest," he said as he pointed at the menacing black dog, glaring back at him with eyes like pools of blood, its claws scraping on the floor of its cage, "is a dark omen, and it can cause some harm, but it really only attacks people that get in its way. The rest are pretty harmless."

"Hmm." Arthur thought for a moment. "Let them go." Merlin stared at him.

"Sire? But the king's orders -"

"I know what my father's orders were. These are mine. If he has a problem with it, then I will face the consequences. But these beings have done nothing to deserve death, so we release them." The knight nodded and bowed as Arthur turned away. Merlin realised he was still staring - not before Arthur caught him, though. "Problem, Merlin?"

"Why did you show them mercy? I thought you hated everything magic?"

Arthur looked away. "Well I don't. I don't think it's right to punish something - or someone - just because of what they are."

Merlin smiled softly. "You're going to be a great king someday, Arthur." Arthur looked back at him, eyes wide.

"...thank you." Alright, so maybe he wasn't a complete prat after all.

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Unfortunately, Uther didn't seem to agree with Merlin. "This is unacceptable!" Arthur stood before the throne, his father roaring down at him from the dais.

"Sire -" he began.

"You will be silent!" Arthur clenched his jaw and obeyed. Merlin could see the tension in his shoulders from across the room. As Uther fumed, a nervous messenger approached, his head bowed. When Uther finally noticed the man he beckoned him forward, pointing to Arthur. "I'm not finished with you yet." He lowered his voice to speak with the messenger and Arthur moved away, shooting Merlin a look. He hurried to his side, Arthur keeping his gaze forward, every inch the stoic prince.

"Go back to my chambers and run me a bath, Merlin. This probably won't take too long."

"Are you sure? I can stay."

Arthur met his eyes for a moment. He could see a flicker of something in their depths, something soft and delicate, before his expression closed off again. "No need. You're excused."

Merlin nodded and slipped out of the hall. He walked quickly along familiar corridors to Arthur's chambers, his footsteps echoing on the stonework. He tugged off his jacket as he entered and tossed it over the back of a chair before rolling his sleeves up and getting to work. By the time he had dragged the bathtub out of its cupboard and into place his muscles, already aching after the week spent doing nothing but riding and camping, were on fire. He groaned as he straightened up, bracing his hands on his back and stretching. Next, he set about fetching the water.

After about the fifth trip he had to stop. The bath looked full enough though, and if Arthur had a problem he was always welcome to fetch more water himself. Merlin stuck a hand in to check the temperature. Unsurprisingly, it was barely warm. He extended a hand over the rippling liquid. "On hæte sé wæter." His magic surged in his veins and the water began to steam. Smiling to himself, he picked up the buckets and turned to the door, just in time to see Arthur storm in, looking almost as angry as his father had.

Wordlessly he kicked off his muddy boots, tossing them in the general direction of his bed, then threw his jacket across the table. Merlin rolled his eyes but put the buckets back down and started picking up after him. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked as he put the boots back where they belonged, adding them to his mental list of things to be cleaned.

"There's no point." Arthur sounded bitterly miserable. Merlin rose and turned to him, but whatever words of comfort he had died on his lips. Arthur was shirtless. He was just standing there, half naked, the firelight flickering off the muscles of his toned chest, his biceps flexing as he scrunched his shirt into a ball. Merlin felt his face flush and turned away before Arthur could notice. "What's the matter with you?" Ah. He noticed.

"I didn't realise you were getting changed."

"You dress me every day, Merlin." He could hear Arthur footsteps as he crossed the room to the changing screen. "Why have you suddenly gone all shy?"

"I'm not shy! You just surprised me," he replied. He glanced over his shoulder; Arthur was out of sight. He sighed. That was weird. Arthur was right, he had seen him change clothes a hundred times before. Why was it any different now? "So, what did he say?"

Arthur groaned. "He's furious. He wants me to go back." Merlin picked his jacket up off the chair and put it back on. He kept his back to Arthur, hearing his bare feet slap on the stone tiles and the water slosh as he climbed in the tub. Arthur's moan sent a strangely pleasant tingle down Merlin's spine. "How do you get the water so perfect, Merlin?"

"It's a secret. I told you, I'm irreplaceable." Arthur chuckled softly behind him then fell silent. "He shouldn't speak to you like that," Merlin ventured.

"Be careful, Merlin. He is the king." There was caution in Arthur's tone, but no threat.

"He's also your father and he shouldn't speak to you like that. Especially not when you did the right thing."

Arthur paused. When he spoke again, his tone was sombre. "I'm to go and hunt down the barghest. He wants me to bring its head back to mount on his wall."

"What?! Arthur, you can't!"

"I don't have a choice! If I refuse he'll just send the knights, and he won't have them stop at just the barghest. This way only one creature has to die."

"Wait, you're going alone?"

"I told the men that I would face the consequences of my order. It wouldn't be fair to ask them to join me." The bathwater splashed as Arthur sighed. "You should get some sleep. We're leaving at dawn."

Merlin quirked an eyebrow. "So, when you say that you're facing the consequences of your order, you really mean we are."

"You catch on fast, Merlin!" He heard a splashing and something wet smacked into the back of his head. He yelped as cooling drops of water crawled under his collar and snatched the soaked washcloth off his head, finally turning around. Arthur met him with a grin. Merlin's stomach flipped. As Arthur sank lower into the tub, running a hand through his damp hair and letting his eyes fall shut, all Merlin could think was how much he hated that stupid fairy.

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The list of people Merlin currently hated was growing by the second. First was still that fairy, but Uther Pendragon was in a very close second and getting rapidly closer to number one. They had been trudging through the forest for two days now, first travelling back to the site of the battle then following the tracks left by the barghest once it was freed. It was cold, it was boring and Merlin was miserable.

He groaned and wrapped his jacket tighter around his chest. His hands were like blocks of ice. He shoved them under his armpits to try to warm them up. Arthur, marching a few feet ahead of him, seemed completely unbothered by the cold. In fact, he almost seemed to be enjoying this at times - to him, the thrill of the hunt outweighed trivial things like minimal sleep and miserable weather. If he carried on like this, he was going to get added to Merlin's list.

They reached the bank of a small stream; Arthur trotted down the slope without breaking his stride. Merlin followed. Near the bottom his foot landed on a patch of wet leaves and he felt it slip out from under him. He yelped and reached out for something to hold onto, his numb fingers grasping at empty air, his arms flailing as he fell - then he stopped. Strong hands held him up, one gripping his elbow, the other on his back. He stared up into familiar eyes, filled with concern. Their gazes held, the colour and noise of the forest fading away until all he could see was the blue of Arthur's irises, all he could hear was his pounding heart.

Then the hands shifted, pulling him upright again, and vanished. The worry in Arthur's eyes was gone, replaced by faint annoyance. "At least try to stay on your feet, Merlin."

"I'm fine, thanks for asking!" Merlin replied. Arthur grunted and set off again. Merlin followed after a moment. His heart was still racing, whether from adrenaline or...something else, he didn't know. The memory of his hands lingered on his skin, twin points of contact radiating heat throughout his body. He wanted them back. Oh gods. Maybe that fairy had been onto something. He groaned softly. This was the last thing he needed. "This is stupid," he muttered under his breath.

"What's stupid?" Merlin's head whipped up. Arthur's hearing was unnervingly good.

He blinked rapidly. "Just...this. This whole quest. It's ridiculous and pointless and stupid."

"Well, no one's forcing you to be here, Merlin."

Merlin stared at him. "You are! I'm only here because you ordered me to come!"

"Since when did you listen to my orders?" Arthur chuckled.

"Hmm. You're right. Which way's Camelot?"

Arthur pointed straight ahead. "This way."

"Yeah right," Merlin said, rolling his eyes.

"It is, though. We've looped around a bit," Arthur paused to hop over a fallen tree trunk, "so we're actually heading back towards Camelot."

Merlin stopped. "Oh. Well, great! Let's keep going. We'll go back, tell your father we tried, but we couldn't find it, and get a good night's sleep in a proper bed again."

"You really think my father will let me give up after only two days?"

"Right..." Merlin thought for a moment as he clambered over the log. "Well, there's got to be some villages around here somewhere. Why don't we find one of those, hole up there for a few days then go back and tell him we couldn't find it?"

"Merlin." Arthur's back was to him, so he couldn't read his expression, but his voice was tense. He held his arm out, blocking Merlin from going any further.

"What? As long as we don't tell him why we couldn't find it, it's not like it's treason or anything."

"Merlin, look." They had reached a break in the trees, barely big enough to be called a clearing; Arthur moved carefully around the edge, his gaze trained on the forest floor. "Something happened here. There were men - a lot of them. They surrounded the beast, attacked it... but there's no blood, so they weren't trying to kill it." He looked up at Merlin. "The barghest's tracks vanish. A cart went that way, with something pretty heavy loaded on." He gestured off into a thinner part of the forest.

"Someone captured it again?"

"Looks like it. Merlin, it was one thing for us to let the beast go when it was going free, but if people have taken it..."

"They're going to use it for something," Merlin finished.

"It won't be anything good, either. We have to find it." Merlin nodded and sighed, his dreams of warm beds and soft pillows evaporating. They set off in silence, following the grooves left by the cart. The sun was already getting low when they started, but Arthur kept them going long after it had set and the night had fully drawn in. After the fourth time Merlin's suggestion that they stop and make camp was rejected, he gave up on trying to stop his teeth chattering. If Arthur was going to make him freeze to death, Merlin was going to make damn sure he knew it was happening.

After a few hours it began to drizzle, a light but persistent cold that slowly seeped through all Merlin's thin layers and covered every inch of his skin in goose bumps. Slowly the tracks became harder and harder to see, the rain gradually, unstoppably washing them away. Eventually Arthur gave up trying to follow them. He paused for a minute while Merlin hopped from foot to foot in an effort to keep warm. "Ok then. Come on." He set off again suddenly and Merlin had to run to catch up.

"Arthur, we've passed at least six perfectly good places to stop for the night," Merlin puffed as they climbed a muddy incline. "Where are we going?"Arthur waited as he staggered to the top of the slope and pointed. Just over the ridge, less than a mile from where they stood, nestled a village.

"I thought you wanted to sleep in a proper bed tonight?" Merlin stared at him; Arthur was looking away, but he could see traces of a small smile tugging at his lips. "Come on." They clambered carefully down the other side of the hill; reaching the road at the bottom with renewed energy, they made quick progress to the inn at the edge of the village.

As they opened the door to the inn, the heat that engulfed them was almost unbearable after two days being frozen to the bone. Merlin waited by the entrance as Arthur crossed the crowded room to find the owner. Their arrival had largely gone unnoticed by the other guests - based on the volume of their laughter and the number of people on the verge of passing out where they sat, Merlin doubted they would have registered if all the knights of Camelot had arrived in full uniform. But it was bright and warm, and the smell coming from the kitchen made his stomach growl so loudly he almost forgot how exhausted he was.

He spotted a familiar hand through the smoky air above the crowd, waving him over to the bar. He headed over, slipping between jostling bodies, narrowly avoiding getting drenched all over again by sloshing mugs of ale. "Come on, Merlin, let's get upstairs." They followed a slightly frazzled looking woman through a doorway, up a creaky flight of stairs and along a narrow corridor. She pushed open a door about halfway down and handed Arthur the key before shooting them a quick smile and disappearing.

Arthur marched in. Merlin entered after, pulling the door shut behind him, and watched as Arthur tossed his pack down on the nearest bed. It was a decent size room. A small table lurked in the corner with a single wonky stool tucked underneath. A lonely candle glowed determinedly in its dented holder on top, giving out just about enough light to see the rest of the space. There were two beds pushed up against opposite walls, both of which had seen better days - their frames scratched and chipped, the linen tired and worn - but sturdily built and certainly much more comfortable than the ground. The floorboards creaked as Arthur crossed to his bed. He tugged it open and started rifling through, digging out a bundle wrapped in oilcloth. He opened it up and pulled out some dry clothes; Merlin had just enough time to realise what he was about to do before Arthur yanked his wet shirt over his head. Merlin quickly turned away. He could already feel a flush creeping up his neck. This was getting problematic. It was literally his job to help Arthur change!

"Um, I'm just going to get us some food." His mouth was so dry he could barely get the words out. Dumping his pack on the floor, Merlin stumbled out of the room. "Get a grip!" he whispered, burying his face in his hands, and headed back downstairs. He thudded down the steps and into the bar, letting the noise and warmth drown out his ridiculous daydreams about the wet and semi-naked man upstairs. Towards the edge of the room he could see the woman from earlier, looking a little less flustered as she poured drinks and chatted with her patrons. He made a beeline for her, smiling apologetically when she noticed him. If anything, though, her smile only widened as he approached.

"Hungry, sweetie?" she asked. She patted his shoulder sympathetically and guided him to a free stool. "Wait here and I'll fix you something." He sank down without objection. This was his first chance to really catch his breath since they left Camelot and he was going to take it. His clothes were beginning to itch and he shifted uncomfortably. As soon as he got back to the room he was getting into something dry, eating and falling asleep. They could figure out how to track down the barghest in the morning.

The woman soon returned with two generously laden plates; Merlin thanked her profusely and headed back upstairs, praying to all the gods that Arthur would have managed to finish changing unassisted by now. He padded softly along the corridor to their room. Opening the door with his hands full was going to be tricky. He juggled the plates around and managed to hook a couple of fingers around the handle, fumbling with the latch. He almost had it when the door suddenly swung open. He yelped as he lost his grip on the plate, only able to watch as it slid from his fingers.

Arthur's hand shot out and grabbed it before it could fall. Merlin sighed. He looked up into Arthur's unimpressed face and tried hard not to laugh - he looked like he'd been taking lessons from Gaius with the way his eyebrow had shot up. "Really, Merlin? I know you're incompetent but I'd have thought you could manage opening a door." Rolling his eyes, Merlin followed him into the room. Arthur dropped onto his bed and began attacking his food; Merlin put his own plate on the rickety table in the corner and grabbed his pack from the floor. Hopefully his change of clothes had been spared from the weather. Even in the warmth of the room, his temperature was beginning to drop. The sooner he got dry the better.

"I've been thinking about the plan for tomorrow," Arthur spoke from behind him. Merlin peeled off his jacket, his shirt clinging uncomfortably to him, and waited for him to continue. "There, uh... there's an old fortress near here, and the tracks were heading in that direction." Merlin undid the knot of his neckerchief and took it off. "It...it'd be a good place to...hide out..."

His voice trailed off completely. Merlin frowned and turned to see what was wrong. Arthur was staring at him; his eyes flitted from Merlin's bare throat to his torso, making him acutely aware of how little the still-wet cloth left to the imagination. "Um..." Arthur's eyes flew up to meet his own when he spoke, his pupils dark pools surrounded by the thinnest ring of blue. They widened in shock.

Arthur shot to his feet. "I, uh... I'm going to see if... if they have a bath." He turned and strode out of the room, yanking the door shut behind him. Merlin stared after him. He had watched Arthur face down wyverns, an army, even a dragon; he didn't think he'd ever seen him that flustered. Had the fairy been right about Arthur's feelings after all? Or maybe he was just uncomfortable watching Merlin be the one getting changed for once.

Merlin finished stripping off, shuddering as the cool air hit his bare skin, and yanked on his spare clothes. He had never been so grateful to be dry in all his life. Grabbing his plate, he plopped down onto his bed and began to pick at his food; Arthur had been gone too long and the worry churning in his stomach was ruining his appetite.

Just as he was about to get up and go looking, Arthur returned. He froze when he saw Merlin, radiating uncertainty. It was strange, to see him like this, his princely confidence fallen away. There was a fragility in his eyes. He wanted to see more, to coax it out of him, to ask him why and hear the answer from Arthur's own lips - but the words died in his throat. He didn't dare. "Have they got a bath?"

He could see Arthur's walls come back up, burying that side of himself deeper and deeper with every brick he replaced. "They do." He crossed the room to his bed, grabbing the remains of his dinner. "No point having one when we've already changed, though. You can get it in the morning."

"Right." Arthur sat opposite him, both avoiding the other's eyes. They finished their food as the silence dragged out, weighing down the air between them with unspoken words. When Merlin was done he grabbed his pack and dug out his bedroll. He sighed; it was damp. He would have to make do with just the threadbare blanket for tonight. Arthur put his plate aside, brushing his hands off briskly as Merlin climbed into bed. He lay with his back to the room and let his eyelids fall shut - despite his exhaustion from the day, though, the release of sleep hung just out of his reach. Pulling his blanket in tighter he willed himself to drift off.

The candle was blown out. He could hear the other bed creaking as Arthur settled in for the night. A draft blew through a gap in the door, its frozen fingers creeping under Merlin's blanket and making him shiver. "Merlin , I can hear your teeth chattering from over here."

"My apologies, Sire, but I don't have the benefit of all your padding."

"It's called muscle, Merlin. You might have some yourself if you did some real work for once."

Merlin laughed. "You really have no idea the amount I do for you, do you? You're such a prat sometimes."

"Watch what you're saying, this is your future king you're talking to!"

"Future king, current prat!" He gasped softly as his foot slipped free of the blanket and cold air met bare skin. Arthur shifted, his bed frame shrieking in protest at the sudden movement, and Merlin half turned where he lay just in time for Arthur's blanket to hit him right in the face. He pulled it away and stared in confusion at Arthur's back as he knelt and pulled out his own damp bedroll. "Arthur..."

"Just go to sleep, Merlin." His tone didn't leave any room for further discussion. Feeling more than a little guilty, Merlin pulled the second blanket over himself and settled back down. They were both silent just long enough for him to think Arthur must have fallen asleep when he suddenly spoke again: "Merlin? Promise me you'll be careful tomorrow. Don't get hurt."

The care in his voice tugged at something in Merlin's chest. "Alright. I promise." Slowly, he slipped away into a dreamless sleep, trying desperately not to think about just how much the blanket smelled of Arthur.

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Merlin couldn't keep still. He fidgeted where he sat, playing with the fraying end of his sleeve, twisting the tired fabric tighter and tighter until it bit into his skin. He released his grip and sprung to his feet. Arthur had been gone too long. It had to have been nearly an hour since he went off to scout out the fortress; he should have been back a long time ago. What if he'd been captured? What if he'd been killed while Merlin had just sat around doing nothing?

No. This was stupid. Arthur had been right to leave him behind; he had never been any good at sneaking around and probably would have just got the both of them caught. He had to stop thinking the worst. He planted his feet and closed his eyes, focusing on his breathing. Once it was more controlled he slowly let his eyes open again - he half expected to see Arthur stood in front of him, watching him with a smirk and some taunt on the tip of his tongue. But he was alone.

He sighed and sat back down on a boulder. What he needed was a distraction. He shut his eyes again, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and letting the noise of the forest fall away. A blue light grew behind his eyelids, soft and warm, pushing back the darkness, pulsing in time with his heart. He opened his eyes. There, cupped in his palm, rested a butterfly, its wings giving off that same gentle blue glow. Smiling down at it, he watched as it waved its wings tentatively, then rose gracefully into the air, fluttering about his face and brushing gently against his cheek.

"Merlin?" He spun at the sudden voice, almost falling off the rock. The butterfly flitted away. He had probably scared it with how suddenly he had moved; he winced and offered it a mental apology. Arthur stood at the edge of the clearing. "Having a nice rest, were we?"

"Did you have to sneak up on me like that?" He hadn't seen anything. Surely he hadn't seen anything?

"You would have heard me, Merlin, if you weren't dozing off." Arthur sighed as he walked over. "I'm not going to find out enough from the outside. It's too sheltered. The only way we'll know exactly what we're dealing with is to break in."

"Alright. Lead the way."

Arthur gave him a look. "You're staying here, Merlin, obviously. I'm just explaining the plan so you don't get your knickers in a twist when I'm gone a while."

Merlin scoffed. That wasn't happening. There was no way he was going to just hang around worrying about Arthur anymore. "And what happens if a patrol comes along while I'm sat here waiting for you? What am I going to do about that, hmm? Nope, I'm coming with you."

Arthur groaned and ran a hand through his hair. "Fine. Just stay close." He turned and strode off into the trees; Merlin stood and hurried after him. The path he led them on sloped gradually downwards, the angle getting steeper and steeper as they continued until even Arthur was forced to slow down to stop himself falling. Merlin watched him nervously as he scrambled down the hill. Why wasn't he talking? Maybe he had seen Merlin doing magic and just hadn't decided what to do yet.

At the bottom of the slope lay an uncomfortably exposed stretch of bare ground between them and shelter; Arthur led them across it, moving fast and keeping low. They ducked underneath a rocky outcrop and pressed themselves out of sight against the jagged stones. Merlin glanced at Arthur; his gaze was focused back the way they had come, watching the tree line atop the hill. He cleared his throat: "Arthur, when we were back in the clearing -"

Arthur's hand clamped over Merlin's mouth and cut him off. "Merlin!" he hissed, "Shut. Up. There are sentries everywhere down here!" Arthur let him go once Merlin nodded his understanding, sighing softly in relief. At least now he knew why he hadn't been talking; as he sank back against the rocks, though, his relief soured. Of course Arthur hadn't seen anything. He would have confronted him back in the clearing if he had, not just carried on like normal.

Merlin turned his mind back to the task at hand. He twisted in his hiding spot and snuck a glance up at the fortress. The dark stone blended in with the rock surrounding it - even knowing it was there it took him a few seconds to pick out where nature ended and the high manmade walls began. Arthur was right; you couldn't wish for a better place to hide an operation like this. It squatted against the side of the mountain, less than a mile up the slope, like a foul toad clinging to a boulder. Even the golden light of the setting sun did nothing to lessen its repulsiveness.

He ducked back out of sight and his eyes met Arthur's. His expression was focused, without the slightest hint of the fear and anticipation bubbling and churning in Merlin's stomach. Still, he was as ready as he was ever going to be. The pair crept out from their hiding place. Arthur led them on a winding route up the mountainside, keeping them hidden as much as possible, skirting the fortress in a wide arc. By the time they drew close Merlin's legs were on fire and he was panting with exertion.

Finally he spotted their target. There, set into the stone wall, was an iron grate - its purpose, most likely, to allow the small stream that ran down from the mountain through the fortress to escape. But, after the downpour last night, that stream had swollen into a river. The sheer force of the water as it burst its banks had dislodged some of the stones where one corner of the grate met the wall; it was only a small gap, but it was a way in.

They ran the last few feet to the wall and Arthur dropped into a crouch in the dirt. Merlin joined him. "I've widened it so you should fit. Looks like an old storeroom on the other side," Arthur whispered. He motioned for Merlin to go first while he watched their backs; Merlin nodded and stuck his head through the hole. It was a tight fit, the sharp edges of the stones jabbing him again and again as he moved, but he managed to squirm through. He staggered to his feet on the far side and grabbed the sword Arthur passed through to him. Once he'd straightened up again he took the chance to look around. He was stood in the corner of a wide, low room. The air was musty with the smell of wet fur, the packed dirt floor coated in a thin layer of straw and droppings. To his left he could see a few stacked crates, but it was too dark to see what they held. Merlin hurried closer then stopped. They were empty.

"Merlin!" a voice hissed from behind him. He turned and immediately had to choke back a laugh; Arthur was stuck halfway through the wall, one arm in the room but the other wedged at his side. "Don't just stand there! I'm caught on something, come and help!" Merlin hid his grin and trotted over to him.

"I told you you've been eating too many sausages!" Arthur glared at him as he knelt down and wriggled an arm down into the gap, stretching and stretching until he felt like his arm was about to pop out of its socket - then, finally, he found the problem. "Got it! It's your belt that's caught." His fingers scrambled to grip the leather, skin scraping on rough stone, until he finally got a hold and unhooked it. "There," he said, pulling his arm back and brushing the dust off his hands as he rose, "you're sorted."

Arthur pulled himself the rest of the way through and got to his feet. He took his sword back and looked towards the stairs leading to the way out. "Right. Stay quiet and stay behind me - and if I tell you to run, run. You hear me?" He looked at Merlin, his eyes serious. "Don't try to fight anyone, just run and keep running until you're safe. Do not wait for me."

Merlin knew what he wanted to hear. He also knew he couldn't make that promise. "You wouldn't last two minutes without me, Arthur," he grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm going to get us both out of here without a scratch!" Arthur rolled his eyes but rested a hand on Merlin's shoulder, squeezing it gratefully. The warmth of his touch radiated through him and a surge of desire for more made Merlin's heart stutter in his chest. He felt a blush begin to heat his cheeks. Words of confession bubbled up inside him - about his magic, about the fairy, about his own increasingly undeniable feelings. The urge to open his mouth and let them loose was almost impossible to resist.

Then Arthur turned away and made for the exit. Merlin's smile faded as he trailed after him. He knew he should tell Arthur about his magic - but he couldn't. If he knew, he'd never be able to look at him the same again. He certainly wouldn't feel the same. After all, he was the son of Uthur Pendragon. As much as it hurt now, to be so close and yet so far, he could survive like this. As long as he got to just be with him. So what if he never told him? Maybe it was selfish, to keep lying, but wasn't he allowed to be selfish just this once? Was it really so wrong - keeping his secret so he could keep Arthur too?

They climbed the stairs and through a wooden hatch into a large courtyard, both wincing as the hinges squealed in protest. The sound was buried, though, under the chaotic mix of noise leaking from the stables on the far side of the open space; the howls and cries of creatures Merlin couldn't dream of identifying swirled together in an awful chorus from behind the shuttered doors.

"I think I know where they're keeping the creatures..." Merlin murmured. He followed Arthur around the edge of the courtyard, keeping to the shadows. Suddenly, as they approached the final stretch before the stables, the doors flew open. There was no time to run; they pressed themselves back against the wall and prayed the darkness would be enough to hide them. A short figure stumbled out into the night. He wasn't alone either; another man strode out of the stables behind him, grabbing the first by his collar and yanking him upright.

"They were supposed to be fed hours ago, idiot, that's why they won't shut up," the second man snarled. "And if I catch you sleeping instead of doing your job again, they'll be feeding on you!" He shoved the other man away and stormed off. Slowly, the smaller man straightened up. He turned and began to stagger across the courtyard - straight towards Arthur and Merlin.

Arthur grabbed his arm and tugged. He dragged him along the wall, moving fast and much more quietly than Merlin could manage. There was a door towards the end of the wall; Arthur tried the handle and, mercifully, it swung open, revealing a dim, but seemingly empty, room. They slipped inside and pulled the door carefully shut. Merlin moved further into the darkness. His pulse was racing and he could feel sweat beginning to prickle at his hairline. This was not going well.

"He's gone." Merlin turned at the sound of his voice. Arthur's eyes were focused and quietly determined. "Stay behind me and stay quiet." Arthur slipped past him and out through the archway into the murky corridor beyond. Merlin followed.

They padded down the hallway, listening intently for the noise of distant footsteps echoing on the stone floors. From time to time the sound of voices would reach them, too faint to make out the words and fading away after a few moments. Slowly they inched deeper into the fortress. The further they went, the more frequent the voices came, and the closer they sounded. On one or two occasions they were forced to fall back, breath held and hearts pounding as a wandering guard passed inches from whatever hiding place they managed to scramble into.

Until, just as they reached the next staircase, the inevitable happened. As Arthur planted his foot on the first step a voice rang out from behind them: "Hey, you! Stop!" They had been spotted. Merlin half-turned instinctively towards the voice as Arthur's calloused hand clamped onto his forearm.

"Come on, Merlin! Move it!" Arthur practically lifted him up the first few steps before Merlin found his feet. The pair raced up the stairs. Behind them several other voices had joined the first and the sounds of pursuit were growing louder and louder. There was no time to pause at the top of the staircase; Arthur, still gripping Merlin's arm, dragged him down the hallway while Merlin focused all his attention on just keeping up. A small ember of hope began to burn in his chest as the voices behind them faded. So when Arthur suddenly stopped dead, Merlin almost slammed straight into him. Confused, he opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, then heard for himself. More voices, and not just behind them anymore. They were coming from straight ahead as well. They were trapped.

"Merlin, if you get a chance to run, you take it. Get out of here."

"What? I told you, I'm not leaving you behind."

"That's an order, Merlin!"

"Arthur-" He didn't get a chance to protest this ridiculous plan any further; the word had barely escaped his mouth when the guards were on them. Arthur pushed Merlin down and towards the wall, as far out of danger as he could manage, and drew his sword. He parried the first attacker but there were two more coming from behind him. Arthur twisted out of the path of the oncoming blades. His guard slipped for only a moment, but that was all it took. A fist snuck through and slammed into his jaw. He was thrown off balance by the force of the impact and hit the wall, his head cracking against the stonework.

Merlin leapt to his feet. "Arth-" All the air was forced out of him as a guard landed a blow to his stomach, cutting him off and forcing him back to his knees. Hands grabbed at him and wrenched his arms behind his back. His lungs screamed for air as coarse rope was twisted round his wrists, biting into his skin, but all he could think of was Arthur. He couldn't see him at all in the mad scrabble of men - he could be dead already for all he knew and he had just let it happen. Panic swelled in his chest, the rapidly growing pressure painfully squeezing his heart. His vision blurred and bile rose in his throat.

Then the throng parted and suddenly Merlin could breathe again. Arthur was alive. Battered, disarmed and bound just like Merlin, but alive. "What have you tied them up for? Just kill them and be done with it," one of the guards spoke up. Merlin clenched his fists; there was no way he was going to let them lay another finger on Arthur. If he had to use his magic to protect him, so be it. It was his destiny.

"Not so fast. I want them alive. At least, for now." Another man strode down the corridor, his expression mildly irritated. His clothing was expensive but practical, and he carried himself with the easy confidence of someone used to being obeyed and with the power to force obedience if not given freely. He glanced briefly at Merlin then turned his attention to Arthur. "You. How many more of you are there?" Arthur glared up at him in silence. The man sighed and drew a dagger from his belt before sauntering over to Merlin. He grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head back and pressing the sharp edge of the blade to his throat. "I don't like to repeat myself."

"A hundred soldiers. They're camped in the forest and if we don't report back by dawn they'll tear this place to the ground."

The man smirked. "You know, I'd like to think you're not lying to me. But I just can't be certain." He released Merlin and turned to one of the guards. "Toss them in a cell. We'll have a proper talk in the morning." The last thing Merlin saw was Arthur, his eyes filled with fear and fury, before something slammed into the back of his head and the darkness rushed in.

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Everything was black. He was drifting in a sea of shadow. He didn't know which way to go; there were no landmarks in this monochrome ocean. "Merlin?" A voice! He knew that voice - why did he know that voice? He wanted to hear it better. Dragging himself through the inky blackness, he swam closer. "Merlin, please wake up. I need you to wake up." The voice sounded so sad, so…scared. He felt something reach out through the gloom and brush his temple softly. "I'm so sorry, Merlin, I never should have brought you here. It's going to be alright though, I swear to you, I'll get us home - so just open your eyes, alright? Please..." He wanted to. For the sake of that voice, he had to.

The view was scarcely different when Merlin finally forced his heavy eyelids to lift. He was still surrounded by darkness. Slowly though his vision began to return, his eyes picking out the glint of distant torchlight on metal bars and wet stone and, finally, the outline of another person. The man was sat hunched over on the far side of their cell, his face hidden. "Arthur?"

The figure's head snapped up at the sound of his voice. He was silent for a moment and Merlin began to panic - maybe he was wrong about who the owner of that voice had been. Then the man sighed. "So, you've finally had your fill of beauty sleep?" Arthur rose and walked over as Merlin slowly sat up, wincing. Every inch of him hurt but his head was by far the worst. A heavy pain throbbed at the back of his skull and every little movement sent white hot daggers shooting through his brain.

"How long was I out?" Merlin croaked.

"Five, maybe six hours. Hard to keep track." Arthur groaned softly as he settled next to him on the damp floor.

"I thought I heard something. Someone. While I was unconscious, someone talking to me." If he hadn't been watching Arthur out of the corner of his eye as he spoke, he might have missed the faint blush that coloured his cheeks.

"This is not the time for you to start going crazy, Merlin." Merlin chuckled at that. "Also not the time to be laughing! They must have hit you really hard."

"I'm just happy we're still alive! So, what's the plan? What do we do now?" Arthur didn't reply. "There is a plan, right?"

"They're only keeping us alive because they think we have information. So they'll come for us in the morning and... once they think we've told them everything we know they won't need us anymore. I can't break out of this cell. Maybe we'll get a chance to escape while they're moving us but I don't know how much of a fight I'll be able to put up. Merlin..."

"What are you saying? This is it? No way out?"

"I'm saying I can't get us out of this." Arthur looked at him strangely, then looked away. "You know, if you have anything you wanted to tell me, this is probably your last chance. Now or never."

"Like what? That I always steal one of the sausages off your plate before I bring your breakfast? Thanks, now I feel so much better about dying(!)" His voice cracked with the rising pressure of his panic.

Arthur turned back with a frown. "What? I'm being serious, Merlin. I won't be angry - just tell me."

He blinked, confused. They must have hit him really hard too; Arthur wasn't making any sense. "I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Maybe you've got some hidden skills or... special talents you've been keeping secret. Something useful - powerful, even." He stared at Merlin for a second, as if willing him to understand some hidden message. He didn't get it. "You know, something you could use to get us out of this mess? I won't even look if you don't want me to so, you know..." Merlin frowned. Surely he couldn't mean what he thought he meant. Groaning in frustration, Arthur turned away, running a hand through his hair, before he finally spat it out: "I know you have magic, Merlin!"

"...what?"

"I know you're a sorcerer, so will you get us out of here already?!"

Merlin stared. His mouth opened and closed as his mind struggled to find words to put in it. "You... you know? You know?! Since when?!"

"What? Merlin, this is not the time! We have to get out of here!"

"No!" Merlin got to his feet. Even through the lingering haze of his shock, he knew this was important. "How long have you known, Arthur?"

Arthur sighed. "In Ealdor. The whirlwind? I'm not an idiot; I saw it was you conjuring it."

That long? He'd known for that long? "Why...why didn't you say anything?"

Arthur looked at him. "Why didn't you? You should have told me. I trust you with my life, Merlin. I wanted you to choose to trust me too." Their eyes locked for a moment, then Arthur turned away, clearing his throat. "Besides, you're terrible at hiding it. You'd probably forget I was the only one who knew, start using it in front of everyone and be found out in seconds."

"I do trust you, Arthur." The flicker of doubt in Arthur's eyes was like a blade in Merlin's heart. "I do. Maybe not when we met, but only at first. That hasn't been the reason for a long time. I just... I could never put you in that position. You would have to choose between your father's laws - Camelot's laws - and me. I couldn't make you do that. And..." Merlin broke off; Arthur looked at him, and something in gaze pulled the confession from Merlin's lips. "I was afraid you wouldn't trust me anymore. Even if you accepted my magic, when you found out that I'd lied to you for so long, that I'd betrayed you like that..." Merlin's voice wavered as he forced out the final words, "I was scared you'd hate me."

"...I'll never hate you, Merlin. Ever. It's not possible." Relief washed through him, enough to overpower his feeling of complete disbelief. Just a few hours ago it had seemed like an impossible dream that Arthur could one day know about his magic and still accept him. But it had actually happened. "Are you going to keep grinning like an idiot forever or are you going to get us out of here?"

"Oh. Right." He hadn't even realised he was smiling, but he was - in fact he was absolutely beaming. He turned to the gate, hoping it was too dark for Arthur to see him blush. He held out a hand and reached for his magic. It felt strange to be using it in front of Arthur - somehow both uncomfortable and exciting at the same time. He closed his eyes and spoke: "Tóspringe."

The lock exploded as the gate flew open. It swung back violently on its hinges and slammed into the bars with an echoing clang. "Merlin!" Arthur hissed. "You couldn't have just unlocked it quietly?!" To their left they could hear the sound of a single person's footsteps. Arthur ran out of the cell towards them - he had rounded a corner and vanished from sight before Merlin could react. A few seconds later there came a shout, a grunt, and then a heavy thud. By the time Merlin caught up the guard was already in a crumpled heap on the floor.

The pair set off, moving as quietly and quickly as they could. It felt almost like they were back in the same mess that had ended in their capture only a few hours before, with one notable change - this time, they had magic on their side. Merlin got used to using it freely surprisingly quickly. In fact, after about the third time he sent a guard flying with a wave of his hand, he had to admit he was starting to enjoy the chance to show off.

Once they finally found their way out into the chill dawn air, however, the excitement faded fast. The main gate was only a few hundred feet away. But between them and it stood about thirty armed guards, all looking much more ready for battle than either Arthur or Merlin had any chance of feeling. Merlin's heart sank under a fresh wave of exhaustion and hopelessness. He couldn't take on this many men, not now.

He turned to Arthur. Even after everything they'd been through, his prince showed no sign of giving up. Instead he raised his sword - borrowed from one of the unlucky guards they had run into earlier - and stared down his enemy, ready to fight to the inevitable end.

Then Merlin spotted something that made him smile. He had an idea. "Arthur! Come on!" He grabbed Arthur's arm and pulled him along, away from the gate and towards the stables.

"Wait - what are you doing?!" Merlin ignored him, just as he ignored the soldiers who would no doubt be right on their heels. He raised his hand and, for one final time, pushing past the fatigue and pain, he reached for his magic. His plan took everything he had left in him. But it was enough. Twenty cages sprung open inside the stables and the triumphant cries of the creatures within filled the air. Merlin turned back in time to see the anger on the guards' faces give way to terror as they realised what he had unleashed.

The stable doors flew open as a whirlwind of wings and claws burst out into the courtyard and bore down on them. Arthur yanked Merlin back to shield him from the oncoming fury. Merlin screwed his eyes shut and prayed to all the gods that the beasts wouldn't turn on them too. But the creatures flowed around them, like water around a boulder, leaving the pair alone as they charged instead at their former gaolers. Merlin and Arthur watched in stunned silence as the guards turned tail and ran for the gates. A handful didn't make it, lost in a blur of teeth and claws.

Merlin almost jumped out of his skin when he felt something grasp his hand and pull. It was Arthur, trying to drag him towards the gates. "Time to go, Merlin. Come on!" His shock still lingering, he let Arthur drag him across the courtyard in the wake of the unbridled chaos and followed him into the dawn.

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"Arthur! Come on, just ten minutes!"

Arthur didn't even look back. "I told you, Merlin, we need to keep moving. If we stop every time your feet hurt we'll never make it home."

"You know, I could just make you," Merlin pointed out.

"And I could have you put in the stocks for a week! I remember how much you love those," replied Arthur. Merlin rolled his eyes. Still, even if Arthur kept him marching all day, at least now he didn't have to be uncomfortable the whole time. He called on his magic, easing the aching in his feet and sending a soothing warmth through his tired limbs. Arthur glanced back just in time to see the gold fade from his irises. "Really? Do you just use magic for everything when you think I'm not looking?"

Merlin shrugged. "Yeah. I'll have to go back to hiding it once we're in Camelot anyway, I might as well make the most of it."

"...That will change when I'm king, Merlin. I promise you that. You won't have to hide who you are like this forever." Merlin stopped, surprised. Arthur sighed. "What's the matter now?"

What was the matter? It was Arthur's destiny to bring magic back to Camelot, Merlin knew that, but hearing him actually say it out loud made it feel so real. Almost tangible. Merlin laughed softly at himself. "Yesterday I thought you'd never forgive me if you found out about my magic. And now you're telling me you're fine with all magic and you're going to repeal the ban?"

"Not all magic. There are still some practices that should be banned. But I don't think it's as simple as my father claims." Arthur sighed and turned his face away. "When I found out about your magic I didn't think I could trust you at first. So I watched you. Tried to figure out what you were planning. But, instead of some evil power-mad sorcerer, all I saw was a clumsy servant who passed up countless chances to hurt me and chose to use his power for good. To help people. Even the son of a man who would have had you killed instantly if he had the slightest idea what you can do." Arthur looked back, his earnest gaze meeting Merlin's again, making his heart lurch and every inch of his skin tingle. "I refuse to accept that magic is evil, Merlin. Because how could you be?"

Their eyes held for a moment longer. Then Arthur's widened and he turned away, clearing his throat. Merlin let out a shaky breath. That had been close. If Arthur had kept looking at him like that any longer, he wasn't sure if he would have been able to hold back how he felt. And he knew he couldn't tell him that.

They began walking again as Merlin slowly started to process all the revelations of the last day. And, as he did, a question gradually drifted to the forefront of his groggy mind: was there actually a reason anymore that he couldn't tell Arthur? His magic had been the problem - but Arthur knew about that. In fact, not only did he know, he had known for a long time, accepted it, and still loved him. Which meant, Merlin realised with a swell of joy, he absolutely could tell him how he felt!

Grinning, Merlin sped up to walk alongside Arthur. "What are you smirking about? We're not stopping yet!" said the prince.

"I've just been thinking," Merlin began, "that you owe me a secret."

"What on earth are you on about?"

"Well, you know my biggest secret, so it's only fair that you tell me yours in return." For the first time in his life, when Arthur looked at him like he was a complete idiot, Merlin genuinely didn't care. This was fun.

"Life isn't fair, Merlin. Besides, you didn't tell me anything. You're just terrible at keeping your own secrets." Arthur turned, heading down a gentle slope without even checking to see if Merlin followed. He had to jog to keep up. Luckily they weren't going far. There was a small stream just down the hill; Arthur stopped when he reached it and crouched at the bank, using the clear water to scrub some of the tiredness from his face.

"Come on! It'll be good for you - and I won't tell anyone. Promise!" Merlin sank down onto the ground next to him.

Arthur shifted to sit down too. "No, it won't. Trust me, Merlin, you don't want to hear any of my secrets. You wouldn't like them."

"Maybe I would," Merlin teased.

"Merlin. Let it go." Pain laced his voice when he spoke, too tired to hide it any longer. Guilt squirmed in Merlin's chest. Perhaps he had taken things a little too far.

"Arthur." The prince turned to look at him. Merlin leaned in and, mustering up every drop of courage he possessed, pressed a soft kiss to his lips. His heart thundered as he held there for a moment, then pulled away. Arthur was frozen in shock, his expression completely uncomprehending. "I love you too." Merlin waited, his lips tingling and his breath frozen in his chest, to see how he would respond.

Arthur stared back at him. His eyes were wide and filled with a raw vulnerability Merlin had never seen before. "That's... not possible." His voice was soft, barely a whisper.

"Isn't it? It's true. I'm in love with you, Arthur." The words seemed to release something in the prince and he surged forward, kissing Merlin like it was the last thing he would ever do. Merlin gasped. He kissed him back, tangling his fingers in Arthur's hair and pulling him closer. Arthur's lips parted and their tongues met, teasing at first then growing bold and desperate. His magic sang in his veins, the kiss sending waves of heat coursing through him, Arthur's fingers leaving trails of fire on his skin.

Suddenly, Arthur pulled back. "Wait. I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?" Merlin asked. "I love you."

"That's not what you said. You said that you love me too. How... how did you know...?" Arthur trailed off.

"That you love me?"

"...that I love you." As much as Merlin didn't want to have to answer the question, he couldn't hide his happiness at hearing Arthur say it out loud.

"Does it matter? Isn't it enough that we both know now?" He really hoped Arthur would agree.

"Merlin..." Damn. Apparently not. He knew that expression far too well; Arthur wasn't going to let this rest until he got answers.

"Just... promise you won't make fun of me." Arthur's brow furrowed in confusion, but he nodded. Merlin sighed and looked away. "Fine. Do you remember when I disappeared after we ambushed those smugglers a few days ago? I went after one of them to rescue this fairy he'd taken and... well, the fairy offered to pay me back by making you fall in love with me. I said no! But it tried anyway. Except the spell wouldn't work because you were already in love with me. I didn't want to say anything because I thought my magic would change things but..." He risked a glance back at Arthur. Barely concealed amusement danced in the prince's eyes and Merlin's ears flushed in embarrassment. "You promised not to laugh!"

"I'm not laughing!" Arthur protested. "I was actually wondering how on earth you keep managing to surprise me like this."

"What do you mean?"

Arthur took Merlin's hand and lifted it to his lips. "I mean if a fairy had offered to make you fall in love with me, I don't think I would have had the strength to say no." He brushed a kiss over his knuckles and Merlin felt his entire face turn bright red. Arthur was going to give him a heart attack if he kept being this charming.

"Arthur. Kiss me." For the first time in Merlin's memory, Arthur did as he was told. Their lips met again, soft and sweet. He wrapped his arms around Arthur's neck and shifted closer; instinctively, Arthur's hands dropped to Merlin's hips and he pulled him into his lap. He had no idea how long they stayed like that. It felt so natural, being wrapped up in each other, free to touch and taste, like they had truly been made for each other. Made to love each other.

Eventually Arthur pulled away, though his arms remained wrapped around Merlin's waist, keeping him pressed against his chest. "We can't stay here forever, you know."

Merlin hummed his displeasure. He knew it was true, but that still didn't mean he had to be happy about it. "What's the rush? We'll have to go back to normal when we're in Camelot. Aren't you going to miss this?"

Arthur didn't reply. Worried, Merlin leaned back a little more so he could see his face properly. His eyes were tinged with sadness, but his expression when he spoke was earnest. "I meant what I said, Merlin. Things will be different when I'm king. And I'm not just talking about magic. I'll change everything for you. I know what I'm asking - how long I'm asking you to wait for, but that time will come, I swear. We'll be free to live how we want."

Merlin smiled softly and stroked Arthur's cheek. "How I want to live is by your side, Arthur. That's all. I can wait. As long as I can be with you, I'll wait forever." Arthur returned his smile and kissed him once more. Then the pair stood, Merlin's legs feeling more than a little shaky (and him not entirely sure if that was the result of being sat in one position for so long or of the way Arthur was currently gazing at him), and started back on the long walk home.

"We're actually not far from a village. I suppose we could make a detour and see if there's an inn. I am getting a bit sick of your stew." Arthur glanced over, a teasing light in his eyes.

Merlin scoffed. "At least I can cook something other than roasted meat!"

"You're a servant Merlin, that's your job." Merlin shoved him lightly as Arthur laughed.

"I can go off you, you know! That does sound like a good idea, though. I'd kill for a bath."

"Me too. You can use it after me." Merlin stared at him, eyebrow raised. "Well I am still the prince. It's only reasonable!" Arthur shrugged.

"Fine," Merlin smirked. "I was going to suggest we could use the bath together, but if that's what you'd prefer then by all means, Sire!" Arthur stopped in his tracks and stared, speechless. Merlin grinned sweetly back at him. "Why are you stopping? You said we need to keep moving!" He turned away and kept walking. "Come on!" He laughed to himself as Arthur ran to catch up, blushing furiously. This was turning out to be a pretty wonderful quest after all, and he was going to enjoy every moment of it, for as long as he could. After all, they weren't back in Camelot just yet!