Hey guys! So I took your suggestion and wrote a story exploring Merlin's past so hope you like it. DISCLAIMER TIME: I don't own Merlin in anyway shape or form! Chapter one here we go:

Arthur,

I'm writing this to you because I know that when I finally do reveal I have magic you'll want to know everything. And by that time I'll be tired of lying to you, I'm already sick of lying to you, but anyway. I can't verbalize everything about my past, so I will leave this journal for you, it has all my memories from before I came to Camelot, the rest I can tell you, I think I'll enjoy gloating in front of you, you big Prat! Any way this will also serve as a way to remember me if you decide to have me executed, which by the way I will go willingly. As far as I can tell protecting you is the only reason I have magic and you're my king Arthur I would never try to hurt you. WAIT A SECOND! I just realized that the only way I would ever be caught dead giving this to you is through Gaius, and the only reason Gaius would be giving it to you is if he thought you were planning to kill me! I'm in the dungeons aren't I? I hope I'm not in the rat infested one. I am aren't I? Like I said PRAT! Okay your calling for me, what do you need this time?

Loyal as always,

Merlin

Arthur sighed and put the journal down, he was right down to the rats. Merlin had revealed he had magic to him and he had done what was expected of him, thrown his servant in the dungeons to await trial. Within the hour Gaius had nearly broken down his door to give him this journal, He had recognized Merlin's scrawl at the start and had thrown it to the side, not ready to hear anything that sorcerer had to say. Memories of yesterday haunted Arthur, disturbing him every time he closed his eyes. It had happened like this,

FLASH BACK

"Merlin! Stop being such a girl!" Arthur told his servant who was whining on the horse next to him

"I just don't see why we should kill fluffy creatures, they've done no harm to us, and we put an arrow through their hearts!" The servant protested gesturing to the sack of rabbit carcasses tied to his mare.

"Do want to eat or not?" Came Arthur's reply.

That shut him up, if there was one thing Merlin could do, it was eat.

They were just at the town's edges when an arrow flew by Arthur's ear missing him by a millimeter.

"Arthur!" Merlin yelled as bandits tumbled out of the bushes, they had been waiting for them.

Arthur was too busy to reply, he and his knights were out numbered at least three to one. He fought his way through the sea of attackers focused on only one thing, getting his men to safety. He didn't notice when a few archers took aim in the trees.

But Merlin did. And he could sense the arrows were laced with poison. Acting on instinct he ran in front of all the knights and bellowed;

"Sclidan!"

A shimmering gold orb surrounded the knights and deflected the bandit's swords and arrows alike. And the after shock caused by it knocked all the assailants off their feet rendering them unconscious. Slowly the gold orb dissipated and Merlin was left with an angry bunch of knights surrounding him.

Arthur stared at him murderously placing the tip of his sword over Merlin's heart. "Sorcerer." He growled.

"Arthur I can explain!" The servant yelped desperately. But Arthur wasn't in the mood. Grabbing him by his collar he practically threw him at Leon.

"Secure his hands. We'll figure out what to do with him when we get back to Camelot."

When back in Camelot Arthur shoved Merlin into the most horrible cell he could find. The one with a stonewall instead of bars and a small metal door with a hatch for delivering meals. The one that had a horrible rat infestation. Then he went to his chambers to clear his head. And that's when Gaius gave him The Journal. That's what he had immediately started calling it. The Journal. And a part of his heart hated it, because Merlin had written in it, because that liar had touched it. And he promised himself he would never open it.

END FLASH BACK

And here he was twenty-four hours later breaking his promise to himself. He had calmed down the smallest bit and realized he should give Merlin a chance to explain himself, for Gaius's sake. And since he knew that he never wanted to look at his servant again, he had settled for reading the journal. Or at least trying to. Because right now he couldn't seem to lift the page, he could only seem to stare at the line "I would go willingly." Would he really? Arthur knew he had given Merlin more then enough time to escape. But yet the warning bells hadn't rung. What caused so much loyalty in a person he had persecuted his entire life? Only one way to find out. Arthur carefully lifted the page and tumbled down the rabbit hole.

If he knew what a ride he was in for he would have never touched that book. He would have hidden it away in the vaults and executed Merlin. But he didn't know, and he was willing to give his servant a chance, however small that chance might be.

His mistake.

A/N: Ok just so you know Merlin isn't planning some huge plot to take over Camelot with the journal. As if! Merlin would never do that. But Merlin's life is kind of a heart-wrenching story so..Yeah Arthur have fun with that! Reviews are appreciated, I'll update soon!