This is my first Fan Fiction so please Review so I know if I'm on track with the story or if something needs to be tweaked. Pretty Please & Thank You! :)

A/N: This story takes place directly after the last episode of season 3. If you haven't seen the story up to this point I warn you SPOILERS AHEAD! Only to a very small degree though, as I promise to deliver my own unique turn of events. ) This story contains SLASH/ Adult Themes Not for anyone under 18.

1.

Midday ~

Arthur still couldn't believe it. How could his father have kept this secret from him all these years? "Bloody Hell!" He slammed his fist down on the seemingly ancient table he was seated at in his bedchamber. Rising from his seat he began to pace back and forth in front of the fire place, dragging his hand through his golden locks leaving them tousled.

"Sire! What is wrong?" Merlin exclaimed, startled by Arthurs unexpected outburst.

"Ahhhrrr!" Was all Arthur managed to bark back while still pacing and convulsively fisting and un-fisting his hands.

Merlin was at a loss. Arthur had been in a sour mood for three days, replacing his somewhat arrogant and devil-may-care attitude with the surly prat before him now. He only deemed it necessary to speak to him when demanding food or clean clothes. Merlin knew he was still upset and coming to terms with learning that Morgana was his half-sister, but it seemed to Merlin that he should be rejoicing in the fact that they had reclaimed the kingdom with minimal damage to the castle and few lives lost on their side. Uther, although mentally bedraggled, was physically unharmed and Gaius seemed confident that the King would be back to running Camelot in no time. If that was a good thing; Merlin wasn't sure; but he had to be glad for Arthur's sake because he certainly wasn't prepared to fill his father's shoes in his current state.

"Arthur", Merlin tentatively tried again, "I cannot help you if you don't tell me what is troubling you... so..." He let the words trail off as Arthur turned to him with barely concealed rage.

"What's troubling me is you Merlin with your incessant, idiotic, rambling... and... and", the storm died in him as quickly as it had come. Arthur collapsed backward onto his bed giving one last slam of his fists down on the mattress before laying still, staring up at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry Merlin; I know you're only trying to help. I just... Ahh..." he paused running his hand sharply down his face, "I can't believe she was my sister, all this time. How could he not tell us? How could he let us live all these years together under the same roof and not tell us?" He finished by throwing his arm over his face, covering his eyes with the crook of his arm.

Arthur knew he was being unfair to Merlin. The lad, after all, was only trying to be a good servant. Truthfully he was thankful for Merlin's presence. It kept him grounded in the here and now when his mind kept dwelling in the past; on things that no matter how much he wanted, he could not change. If only he had known, things would have been so different. He kept seeing Morgana's face everywhere. He had accosted a hand maiden only yesterday. He had caught a glimpse of her stepping into the kitchen and he had been sure the long dark waves of hair falling down her back had belonged to Morgana. Rushing into the kitchen, completely startling the cook staff, he had grabbed the girl by the arm swinging her around to grip both her arms in iron claws, yanking her up to within an inch from his face before he realized it wasn't her. Embarrassed beyond reason for showing such lack of control in front of his servants, he had simply released the frightened girl and swung out of the kitchen in a hurried pace without saying a word.

Merlin watched Arthur as a multitude of emotions ran across his face. He hated seeing him like this. He felt obligated to try and fix whatever was wrong, but was at a complete loss as to how, when he had no idea as to the what.

"Merlin, have you heard from the crew working on clearing the last of the rubble from the chapel. Have they found any evidence whatsoever of Morgana or Morgose?"

"No sire, Gwain informed me this morning that they had finished clearing the last and they found no trace of either of them. Why?"

Arthur stood abruptly to stand straight and tall, "Pack me a sac Merlin, I have some quarry to catch." With that Arthur strode out of the room leaving Merlin hanging slack jawed behind.

Arthur vowed to himself, as he strode down the corridor toward the stables to make preparations to leave, that no matter how long it took, or what he had to face, he would find Morgana. Even after all that had recently transpired he had to see her again. How could he not? How long had she known of their kinship? Questions continued to pour through his mind as he reached the stables.

"Ready two horses and packs for an extended hunting trip. I want them ready to leave within the hour!" Arthur's sudden appearance and brusque tone had the stable boys jumping and rushing to do their liege's bidding before he could turn his baleful stare on them.

Evening ~

Merlin's hindquarters were killing him. Arthur and he had been riding nonstop for over five hours and if he didn't get a chance to stop soon he was sure he would be left with a permanent limp from lack of blood flow to his lower extremities. He was learning useful tidbits like that thanks to Gaius's careful tutelage in the healing arts. Merlin was loath to broach the subject of stopping even with the sun beginning to set behind them. Arthur was in no better mood now than when they had left. If anything his demeanor was more brusque and unapproachable. It had irritated Arthur considerably that he had to waste time leaving, convincing his knights to stay behind and run the keep in his absence. Not to mention Gwen, whom Arthur had steadfastly ignored for the last three days, was clearly hurt by his refusal to tell her what was vexing him. Gwen had stormed off after Arthur had all but dismissed her like a lowly servant. This was a far cry from the treatment and promises to her, from him, only days before. They were all reluctant to see him leave since he could not give them any reason for leaving; other than he wanted to hunt big game and didn't know when he would return. They all knew this was a lie but he was the crown Prince and you didn't argue with the crown Prince, especially one in such a foul mood.

The urge to urinate was causing small spasms of pain to twist in his lower abdomen. Merlin made the mistake of asking to stop about an hour ago, for the purpose of relieving his bladder, and Arthur had quickly informed him quite bluntly, "If you didn't have enough sense to go before we left, then you deserve no less than to piss your pants, Merlin."

"B…b…but sire!" Merlin stammered, "I did! I just need to go again!"

"Your worse than a girl sometimes, do you know that Merlin?" Arthur's sarcastic tone called back to him. Arthur also didn't make a move to stop and although, at the time, Merlin was sure he was jesting about the pissing his pants part, now with the pain in his gut he wasn't so sure.

Following along behind Arthur, Merlin began to devise a plan to figure out once and for all what bug had flown up his master's armor. He knew that he couldn't start to put things right when there was obviously so much wrong in his Prince's life. He knew what he planned to do but could only hope Arthur intended to actually stop and rest for the night in order for him to put his plan to action. Just when Merlin was sure that he really was going to end up riding in wet clothes, Arthur pulled his horse to a stop in a small clearing just outside of Brocéliande forest.

"We will make camp here for the night. It wouldn't do for us to enter the forest at night. We would be hopelessly lost within the hour. I'll take the horses to the creek over there and let them rest awhile and get their fill to drink while you get a fire going and make us some supper." Merlin was impressed; that was the most Arthur had said to him since they left.

Dinner was a quiet solemn affair because it was obvious Arthur still didn't want to talk. So after Merlin cleaned up their dinner mess, Arthur and Merlin settled down on thin bedrolls for the night.

Midnight ~

Merlin had to be sure Arthur was soundly asleep for his spell to work. He waited until the moon was midway through the sky before sitting up quietly and concentrating on Arthurs sleeping form. With his right hand stretched toward Arthur, he quietly chanted the incantation he had memorized just before setting out earlier today.

"Babai muatha, giliam su nada!" Merlin felt the magic flow through him and out toward Arthur's sleeping form. He imagined he could see threads of golden light linking the two together as he slipped into oblivion.