Faced by at least ten trained fighters, all carrying lethal looking swords, Merlin panicked. Forgetting temporarily about the bound and gagged king watching him with a knife at his throat, he raised his right hand and his eyes turned molten gold. The charging men simultaneously flew backward and crashed to the ground. Merlin rushed to check they were all unconscious before he relaxed.

Next, he knocked out the man who had bound Arthur, and who was guarding him. Those men had obviously wanted Camelot's leader alive. Fighting Merlin was just for their entertainment.

Arthur's eyes widened in horror as he realised that Merlin, his only trusted friend left, had deceived him. How could it have been a trick when he had performed magic right before his eyes? A muffled cry escaped his gagged mouth and, surprisingly, he felt tears forming, stinging his eyes.

How could he.

Merlin panted heavily and turned to face the horrified man before him. He ran to untie Arthur's bonds but the young king shied away from his touch. Scowling, he simply removed the gag so he could speak. He didn't want to cut the thick ropes holding Arthur to the tree with magic in case he scared the man, so he placed the small knife he had been given to fight with in Arthur's hand.

Merlin felt a tug in his gut, realising that finally the king knew his best-kept secret. He sank to his knees, a mixture of emotions crashing on him. He felt a huge burden had been removed from his shoulders, but one crushingly heavier had come and replaced it almost immediately. What would Arthur think of him now?

He buried his face in his hands so he wouldn't see Arthur's face when he delivered the blow that Merlin undoubtedly would hear.

"Get out of my sight," Arthur choked, forcing as much venom into his voice as he could. But really, he just felt drained. He couldn't deal with this now.

Merlin sighed sadly, but he wasn't surprised. In fact, he wasn't sure he had any hope left that the king would accept him for who he was anymore. Hell, what more harm could it do if he spilled his second best kept secret as well? Merlin wasn't in the mood to argue with himself. So, rather impulsively, he said it.

"I love you, Arthur," he said, voice cracking. Then he was gone.

Trudging through the undergrowth to the place they had camped last night, Merlin couldn't believe it. Arthur now knew the only two things Merlin held secret ever since he had met the blonde, arrogant king. He knew everything about the sorcerer now, and Merlin knew that the other man hated him because of it. The very thought shattered Merlin's heart. How could Merlin's feelings ever be returned?

At that very moment, still struggling to cut himself free, Arthur was fighting a very intense mental battle of his own. The side of him that despised magic, the thing that had killed his parents and bought him so much trouble, was screaming at the top of its lungs.

'Execute him! He's a traitor! He deceived you, just like Aggrivane and Morgana!'

But the other side was winning. The side of him that had loved Merlin from the start, the side that had given up on any returned feelings from the other man long ago.

All in all, Arthur was stuck. He was bound by his duties to execute Merlin, and he didn't know if he would even be able to look at him anymore. Magic was evil! That was the first thing his father had taught him, and it had since been drummed into his head a thousand times. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't agreed with his father's views until his death. But surely Merlin wasn't evil, what with his amazing kindness and his bright blue eyes and-

No. Arthur was king, and he couldn't afford to get side-tracked from what he needed to do. Unfortunately, all thoughts of his duty were forgotten when he remembered the last three words Merlin had said to him. Arthur sighed distraughtly, unable to think of a decision. The sun was sinking in the sky, leaving behind a pinkish light and the first stars were peeking through. Finally, he decided to sleep on it.

Arthur felt nothing. He walked along one of the many corridors in Camelot's castle, stepping over the dead bodies of nameless people of his kingdom. They had fought for him, and all had died. Even so, he felt nothing for them. Only the torch in his hand lit his way, creating flickering shadows around him. He saw the face of his father among the bodies eerily pale in the poor light, and then Morgana's. Still, nothing. No sadness, no pain. He came across the mutilated figures of Gaius and Guinevere, then a woman he was suddenly sure was his mother. Dead. Arthur continued walking as though nothing had happened, eyes focused straight ahead and head held high. Slowly, as he continued, less and less bodies blocked his path until there were none at all. Then, up ahead he saw it. A boy with raven hair lay on the cold floor, blood seeping from a gaping wound in his chest. Arthur screamed, as finally emotion poured into him.

MERLIN!

He woke up panting, and felt tears running down his face.

"Yes?" Merlin's voice found its way to Arthur's sleepy ears. It took him a minute to register the magician crouching next to him.

"Ah!" the king scrambled away from his surprise visitor. Merlin's eyes held the hint of humour, but fear dominated him.

"You were yelling my name in your sleep," he said cheekily. "Do you dream of me, Arthur?" His blue eyes were shining.

Arthur grabbed Merlins shirt and punched him, sending him crashing backwards.

"Why!" The blonde boy screamed. Merlin cringed at the anguish in his voice. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm so, so sorry. I was born like this!" His eyes dropped to stare at the ground as he wiped the blood off his nose. It was probably not broken, but it definitely hurt.

"You could have told-"Arthur paused. Of course, he knew that Merlin couldn't have told him even if he wanted to. Especially since his father's law to execute magic users still stood after his death.

"You know very well I couldn't have," Merlin's eyes closed. "Just tell me know, what will happen to me?"

Arthur, still angry, grasped a stick and tossed it at a nearby tree in frustration.

"I don't know, you'll have to come back to Camelot for trial. We leave now,"

"Oka-"

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur balled his fists and began walking in the direction where they had tied their horses the night before.

How ignorant Arthur had been.

"Well, this was an eventful hunting trip," Merlin said, trying to sound cheerful instead of crushed.

"Don't talk to me," Arthur replied. He stalked away, Merlin following meekly in his wake.

The ride back was long and silent, apart from the heavy footfalls of their two horses. Merlin was distraught, worrying partly about what would become of him. However, most of his thoughts were on how disgusted Arthur might be since he told him he loved him. Was he angry about it? Was that why he was distancing himself from Merlin?

When they arrived in Camelot it was already nearly midnight. As soon as they were inside the gates, Arthur called out to the guards. Merlin was thrown into the dungeon for the night, and he didn't protest. Overwhelming depression threatened to crush him. What could be worse? Arthur hated him, and he was to die. Of course he could escape, but he didn't have the will or energy anymore.

Gaius had heard the two were back from their hunting trip, but he became worried as Merlin hadn't come home. He was absolutely shocked when he heard Merlin was imprisoned, and went immediately to see him, dropping the potion he had been so focused on mixing for the ill guard that had told him. When he reached the dungeons, he saw Merlin lying on the cold stone floor, hands chained behind him.

"Merlin!" he couldn't help but shout. The boy's eyes flickered open.

"Gaius?"

"Yes, Merlin, what on earth happened to you?"

The young sorcerer sat up and told him everything. What was the point in holding back? His life was probably over anyway.

When he was finished, he looked up at Gaius expectantly.

"So now he knows," was all he said. He sounded immensely tired.

"What will I do, Gaius?" Merlin asked desperately.

"I'll come back once I figure it out," he reassured. He then turned his back on the imprisoned boy and left. Merlin lay back on his side and tried to sleep.

A few hours later, Merlin had yet another visitor. The king.

Merlin awoke from his light sleep to the sound of his cell door opening. He looked up to see Arthur standing in the doorway. Merlin groaned and closed his eyes again; expecting and hoping Arthur's pride would get the better of him and cause him to leave. Unfortunately, instead he just closed the door behind him and came to sit by Merlin.

"We have to talk, Merlin," Well, he had not anticipated this.

"What will happen to me?" he asked defiantly.

Arthur sighed. "I don't know,"

They both sat in silence for a while, until Arthur could stand it no more.

"Show me," He said, surprising both himself and Merlin.

"What?"

"Your magic. Show me,"

Merlin perked up a bit. "If you insist," And the king obviously did, he could tell from the look in his eyes.

Arthur watched in awe as the other boy's eyes turned molten gold and suddenly Arthur's keys flew from his pocket and attached themselves firmly to the ceiling.

"Hey! Give them back!" he protested.

"Only if you tell me what will happen to me," bright blue eyes looked at him, pleading but triumphant at the same time. Merlin knew he had the advantage.

"I told you, I don't know!"

"So you aren't going to kill me," The raven haired one stated suspiciously. "Interesting,"

"No! I could never live with myself if you were killed, Merlin," Arthur said, voice rising. He suddenly realised at the same moment that it was true.

Merlin eyed him with amusement. Spontaneously, he kissed Arthur lightly. He drew away, only to find Arthur's warm arm wrapped around him and then he was being kissed again, deeper this time.

His stomach filled with butterflies. He couldn't believe it. Arthur actually might care for him! All of a sudden, his thoughts were interrupted when he felt strong hands running through his hair. God, it felt so right to be with Arthur. Ever since they had met, he had longed for this. Merlin pulled away again for a second and half-closed his eyes as they turned gold. The chains binding his hands behind him fell away and he kissed Arthur again, this time able to return the embrace. The two boys were so absorbed in each other that neither heard Gaius's approach until it was too late.

"Merlin, what are you doing!" Gaius cried in shock, face red. He broke away from Arthur guiltily, but Gaius was already walking away, extremely embarrassed.

"I'll come back later," he mumbled.

Merlin looked away, cheeks as red as an apple. What if Arthur hadn't liked it?

He kissed you back. That passes as liking it, right?

Arthur was meanwhile at war within himself once again. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined kissing Merlin and it had been fantastic. He was all but prepared to just forget about the magic right then and there, but thoughts of his father stopped him. He had worked so hard to rid Camelot of magic all his life. Could he just throw that away? He needed to think.

Arthur stood up wordlessly and beckoned towards the ceiling expectantly. His keys flew down and he left Merlin alone in the dungeon.