Chapter One

Arthur could feel the crisp autumn breeze as he stared out his open window. It was another slow and dreary day in Camelot, but Arthur found little peace in watching the people go about their lives. He let out a deep sigh: it had been an hour since he sent his manservant, Merlin, to the market, and he was anxiously awaiting his return. He took a deep, calming, breath. Arthur couldn't, for the life of him, understand why, on this morning, he felt such a deep seated fear for the life of his manservant.

It all happened too fast for Arthur to understand. A flash of bright white light sent Arthur falling back onto his floor, dazed and disoriented. It was another five minutes before he could sit up without his head reeling. By the time his eyes refocused and the overbearing feeling of nausea subsided enough for him to stand up again, his heart dropped as he saw two of Uthers men dragging Merlin to the castle, in chains.

Arthur's heart fell at the sight as his brain tried to process everything that had happened. The bright light had obviously been some form of sorcery, but what kind, who used it, and why was Merlin in chains? Arthur stopped as his brain processed the most logical answer. He took a deep breath, turned on his heels, and ran to the throne room before his brain could convince him, Merlin had magic.

Been Given Twenty-Four Hours

"Father, what is…?" Arthur had begun to say, when the throne room doors burst open.

Merlin was dragged in between the two knights; heavy metal cuffs bound his hands together.

"Why is my servant in chains?" Arthur blurted out before he could stop himself.

For a moment Merlin's eyes meet Arthur's, he could see the shame and fear reflected in them.

"I have been informed that, Merlin here, is in fact, a practiced sorcerer." Uther sneered.

Arthur's attention snapped back to Merlin, whose head was bowed.

"Am I to believe this is true?" Uther asked.

Merlin didn't move a muscle.

"I asked you a question!" Uther yelled. "Do you practice magic?"

"Who would have told you something like that?" Arthur demanded, drawing his father's attention.

"We caught him fleeing from the site after that flash of light, and this was at the clearing." One of them, Owain, his name was, held out a bright red neckerchief for the king. Arthur grabbed it before Uther could.

There was no denying it was Merlin's neckerchief; one of two Arthur had never seen him without.

"But that simply can't be, I saw Merlin just this morning and he was wearing the same blue one he has on now." Arthur argued.

"You still haven't answered my question, boy!" Uther spat.

Merlin flinched.

A sudden crash drew everyone's attention to the door as another knight, Pellinore, walked into the room.

"My lord, I found this in the boy's chambers." Pellinore held out a thick spell book.

Arthur grabbed the book before Uther could.

"Even Merlin's not dumb enough to leave something like this lying around; where did you find it?" Arthur asked.

"Under a loose floor board." The knight replied.

"Why would you even think to check there?" Arthur's voice cracked almost imperceptibly.

"I heard the floor creak as I was leaving."

"Merlin!" Uther shouted. "Take him away." He said, coldly.

Merlin was dragged away without a sound.

Arthur dropped the book and neckerchief and stormed from the room.

"He is to be executed come noon, alert the executioner." Arthur heard Uther say to Pellinore before the doors closed.

To tie up loose ends

Arthur stormed to his room, to angry to talk to anyone. He slammed the door shut behind himself before grabbing a stool and hurling it at the wall above his mantel. The stool shattered and fell to the floor in shards. But Arthur couldn't care less; his mind was racing at the mornings revelations.

Merlin had lied to him, betrayed him. Magic, running lose at the very heart of Camelot. Arthur had trusted Merlin with his life, defended him, fought alongside him; Merlin followed Arthur into every battle, on every hunt, and to every meeting. Had he been a spy the whole time? Had he been trying to weasel his way into the castle from the very beginning?

To make amends

Arthur paced the room back and forth as he tried to process all his questions. It had been two hours since he locked himself in his room and nearly four times he had reached for the doorknob to storm to the cell Merlin was, undoubtedly, curled in on himself within.

He wanted to scream at Merlin, wanted to punish him for trying to fool them, for trying to fool him.

He wouldn't though; he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't bring himself to fight, or argue. A part of him, deep down, knew that it was Merlin's last day. Another part, well hidden behind aggression and betrayal, hoped he would find a way to escape.

His eyes said it all

He didn't. There were no warning bells, no alarms declaring an escaped prisoner. Arthur closed his windows and blinds when the crowd began to gather around the executioner. He couldn't bring himself to leave his room. Arthur didn't believe magic was evil, but he couldn't stand the fact that Merlin never trusted him. He couldn't stand silently by his father as an executioner lowered a blade to Merlin's neck; he just couldn't. so he hid away in his room till he heard the crowd shuffle away, and he knew the deed was done.

Night fell and Arthur hadn't left his room. Servants had tried o enter but he would send them away. Twice he had thought of summoning Merlin before reality washed over him like a cold waterfall. He fell asleep that night with tears in his eyes.

I started to fall

Arthur woke with a start as the early morning sun streamed through his open window. His body was covered in sweat, he was tangled in his blankets, and there was a very worried looking Merlin looking down at him.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted as he shot up in bed, Merlin took a few steps back.

"Yes." Merlin said. "You…you were crying." He stuttered.

Arthur suddenly remembered his dream. Merlin was a sorcerer, Uther had him killed, Arthur never said talked to him, and it all felt so real.

Arthur had to will the tears from falling as he looked up at Merlin.

"It was nothing." Arthur choked out as he stood from the bed.

"It didn't seem like nothing." Merlin stepped forward to help Arthur dress.

"I believe even the crown prince is entitled to a bad dream every once and a while." Arthur huffed.

"Would you like me to talk to Gaius about the sleeping draught he gives Morgana for her nightmares?" Merlin asked.

"No." Arthur said as Merlin finished dressing him and he sat down at his desk.

"Gaius wants me to go to the market for some herbs." Merlin said.

Arthur froze; Merlin had said the same thing in his dream. Gaius had needed elder berries, eucalyptus, lavender, and woodruff.

"I need to get, lavender, elder berries, woodruff, and eucalyptus." Merlin listed off. "Do you need me to pick you up anything?" Merlin smiled.

Arthur's throat clenched.

"Did your dream put you off your breakfast? You haven't touched it." Merlin looked concerned again.

"Actually, I need you to find me a book. Big, leather bound, entitled 'deciphering dreams', used to read it all the time when I was younger, somewhere in the library. I need it by tonight. You have no other choirs for the day. You should probably start looking now." Arthur rushed, not looking up till he was finished.

Merlin looked shocked. Arthur raised an eyebrow in question. Merlin stuttered before mumbling "Yes sire." and rushing from the room.

Arthur felt his heart tighten and his chest constrict as a shiver ran down his spine.

Arthur realized one thing; even if Merlin was a sorcerer, there was no doubting his loyalty.

And the silence deafened