Tear Down These Walls, a merlin fanfic

Title: Tear Down These Walls

Disclaimer: Merlin is owned by the BBC and other associated parties. I do not make any profit from this story and the plot is purely fiction.

Summary: Historical/Future AU, A/M, slash, Over three hundred years have passed since the rise of the British Empire, but outside forces seek to topple it. When two soldiers are ordered to infiltrate the main organization and kill the leader, will they do as ordered or find a life they never knew existed outside the walls that had been built hundreds of years before?

Rating: PG-13

Warnings: Historical/Future AU, slash, D/s society, forced pairing, soldiers, domestic, war/terrorism, revolution, spies, undercover mission, romance, fluff, cuddling, kissing, friends to lovers, soul mates.

Pairings/Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Balinor/Hunith (past), Gaius/Alice (past), Lancelot/Gwen, Percival/Elyan, Leon/Morgana, Gwaine/Elena; Arthur, Merlin, Hunith, Gaius, Alice (mentioned), Lancelot, Gwen, Percival, Elyan, Gwaine, Elena, Morgana, Leon, Morgause, Balinor (mentioned), Ygraine (mentioned).

Word Count: 14,255

Author's Note: This is my gift for the lovely canningtonclose for the Merlin_Holidays gift exchange. She gave me some lovely pics and a few ideas to work with and I…well, went a little wild with it. I hope you enjoy this dear. I tried to incorporate all the things you asked for, but I wasn't able to get all. Still hope you enjoy it.

Thanks to WolfAngelDeath, Spacci, Gwyntastic, and Happyevraftr for helping me through a few problems and cheering me on. I wouldn't have finished this without your help. As well as casualtheatrics for her wonderfully betaing skills.

[A/N 2: This is my first time doing historical fiction so it may be a little iffy historical accuracy wise, but in my defense, I am rewriting history as we know it for my dear giftee, a little leeway is in order here. XD]

xXx

Prologue

It is in the late 18th century when the British Colonies in the newly discovered Americas declares independence from their tyrannical mother country. England, not wanting to lose such a resource-rich land, proclaims the colonies Declaration of Independence null and that they will never be independent from England. Soon both sides start drawing up plans for war, gathering weapons and men with a hope to defeat the other and gain everything.

The war lasts for nearly a decade with many casualties on both sides. It isn't until the colonies sought France's help, though, that England takes action. Using their superior naval force and sending in ground troops to take out supply line (against the British notion of honorable warfare), the British soon takes out the colonial army. As the 18th century draws to a close, England holds its head high and crows its triumph to the world.

With the heady blaze of victory ignited into English hearts, the country marches onward to rid their newly won lands from the enemies that camp on their borders. Sending out explorers, they soon identify which of England's enemies have claims to lands on the vast continent. Seeing hatred and resentment among the natives at England's enemies, the English befriend the natives, drawing them to their cause. Soon, England and the natives (now equipped with new, better weapons) march on Spain and France's colonies, driving them out. As they march, more natives joined their cause for promises of their lands returned. With North America rid of their enemies, England turns south, flushing out those who have fled south and the colonies there. By the end of the 19th century, England has most of North and South America under its control.

For a few years after the start of the 20th century, England seems content to look after its newly acquired lands, but it seems the steadily growing Empire isn't just satisfied with the Americas. With new advances in technology to aid their fight, England turns its eyes homeward, to Europe. Using resources from the Americas and recruiting men from its new Native American allies, they soon start to storm the continent. As each new country topples, more countries start to fear England's power. Feeling it is safer to side with the new super power, they start to ally with England. Soon England has all of Europe under its control, either through treaties or by force.

Recruiting heavily among its new lands and allies, England turns eastward once more, seeing more lands to claim as its own. With new technologies, they are soon wearing away at the Asian continent. By the end of the 20th century, all but the most distant lands in Asia have fallen or allied themselves with this new super power. Satisfied for the moment, England spends its time improving its new lands, recruiting the newest and brightest to continue to advance its technologies and weapons.

Now in the 22nd century, England has ruled for over 300 years. Years and huge quantities of money have gone into their military to make it the most militaristic country ever seen in history. It keeps an iron fist on its people, controlling their lives to a certain degree and layering strict laws and regulations to dictate what they can and cannot do. Those in the further corners of the land have more freedoms, so far from the center of the Empire. Those closest though, are not so lucky.

Many who resent the Empire have joined a resistance faction, led by their mysterious leader Nimueh, which lurks on the edge of the Empire, waiting for the moment to take down tyrannical super power. The storm is brewing and soon, war will break out across the Empire. For now though, many are oblivious to the mounting tension, going about their lives. One such family is just about to start a new portion of their life.

Rain hissed outside the window as the bus drove down the road. There was nothing to see but water, dreary dead fields, and towering metal power grids that zipped past before you could get a good look at them. Merlin was slumped in the very back seat, right next to the small little loo that was their only restroom until they reached their destination.

His mother was further up, talking with another woman. Her son, older than Merlin by a few years, looked bored out of his mind and on the verge of sleep. Merlin jerked his head up as his mother stood and walked to the back where he sat.

Hunith's warm brown eyes stared sadly down at his limp form that was draped along the three seats that made up the back row. "Merlin–," she started to say.

"Mum, why do we have to go?" Merlin asked again, sitting up to stare pleadingly at her.

"Merlin, you know why we have to go."

"But I didn't want to move. I wanted to stay where we were, with Will and Freya. That was our home and where—" Merlin stopped as his mother's eyes grew wet at his words.

Hunith knelt down in front of him, drawing him into her arms. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I never wanted this to happen. If I could have found a way, we would never have left, but with your," she swallowed heavily, the memories still fresh, "with your father gone, we must. There's no way around it. Please understand," she begged quietly, looking at him imploringly.

"I'm sorry. I understand." Inside, a little bubble of anger fought to grow and escape. She was still lying to him, even now. She didn't want to stay in their home anymore, not after Father had died. She didn't know, but he had heard her on the phone, after the funeral with his Uncle Gaius. Father hadn't even been in the ground an hour and she had already been making plans to leave.

As she sat back in her seat, Merlin glared out of the front of the bus. He could see the others in the corners of his eyes. They were other families like his, who had lost a family member and were being rounded up and forced to move into Family Continuance Centers, communal housing areas for families like theirs, who had lost a Dom or a Sub and the one left refusing to choose a new partner.

His Uncle Gaius had been the same. After Aunt Alice had passed away a few years ago, he had refused a new Sub and had retired to the Family Continuance Center that they were headed to at the moment. It was on some military base that Uncle Gaius and Aunt Alice had served on for most of their lives.

Sighing heavily, he turned his music player on, stuffing the earbuds into his ears. They had a long way to go and with nothing to see but gray clouds and rain, it was going to be a boring trip. Curling up into a ball, he let the music lull him to sleep.

Merlin jolted awake as the bus came to a sudden stop, nearly sending him to the floor. Only a quick grab of the seat in front of him saved him from a face plant. Straightening, he looked out the window to see what was going on.

It was still raining outside, but he could make out flashing lights ahead. "What's happening?" asked a man in the front with his young daughter on his lap.

"There seems to be a commotion in the area. The authorities are seeing to it, but until it is taken care of, please remain seated. We will continue once they give the go ahead," the bus driver said, turning back to look at them.

Just then, there was a loud thunk in the field off to their left. A second later, the field exploded into a fireball, chunks of earth and plant matter raining down with the actual rain to coat everything, turning it to mud.

Someone screamed further ahead in the bus, but when nothing else happened, the talking started back up again. Merlin pressed his forehead to the window, trying to see what was going on outside. He blinked as a couple of people in solid black went darting by the bus, heading further away from their position.

A moment later, the bus started back up and they began to move. Merlin strained to see the ones who had run by but he couldn't. When even the flashing lights of the constabulary's cars faded, he turned back around. Mind buzzing with ideas of what had happened; he started his music player back up, leaning back into the seat.

The rest of the trip was uneventful. He'd fallen asleep again, this time sitting up, and woke up with a kink in his neck. Stretching, he looked out the window. The rain seemed to have finally let up and only a light mist fell. The gray clouds lingered though and the world looked washed out.

Grabbing his things, he shuffled behind his mother down the aisle and off the bus. Men in uniforms waited for everyone to disembark before calling out family names. Once every name had been checked, they were told to follow them into the building before them.

Inside, a small group of people waited for their arrival. Some were family members, others friends, or acquaintances. Gaius stood on the edge of the group, waiting for them. He waved them over, giving each of them a smile and hug.

A few minutes later, they were seated in a small car being whisked away to their new home. Their belongings, what they couldn't fit on the bus, would arrive in a few days. Merlin stared at the buildings they passed. They looked like two story houses that had been fused to the one next to it in a long chain down the street.

Merlin could see people moving about, even in the wet. Wondering what their place would look like, he looked ahead, waiting for the car that Gaius drove to stop. They stopped in a nice area. A small park was nearby and the houses didn't appear ragged.

Getting out of the car, they all trooped up the stairs to the main door. "We are on the top floor. The family on this floor is a father, Tom, and his two children Gwen and Elyan." Gaius led them up the staircase to their home on the second floor. Inside, it looked nice. The rooms were large enough for a family, but Gaius had filled them with some of his clutter. Smiling at the overflowing bookcases and tables he remembered most from visiting Gaius, Merlin walked further in.

"Where do I sleep?" Merlin asked, turning to Gaius. The older man led him down the short hall.

"You are in here. I've already bought some furnishings for you." Inside was a wide bed, a desk, a dresser, and a large bookcase, all packed into the small room. Everything looked so bare and unlived in. Merlin wondered how long it would take before that feeling disappeared.

Thanking Gaius, he walked in, listening to his Uncle head back down the hall. Setting his stuff down, Merlin threw himself onto the bed, stretching out. It was quiet in the room, not even the sound of rain penetrating through the thick curtains covering his single window.

Wanting to get some air, he reached for his bag, digging through it until he found his coat. Tugging it on, he headed back down the hall to the main room. Gaius and his mother were seated at the table talking lowly as they drank some tea. His mother glanced up at his entrance, "Merlin?"

"I'm gonna get some air and look around the neighborhood," Merlin said, fidgeting and wanting to get outside. Finally, after a few awkward moments of silence, she nodded with a smile. "I'll be back in a little while." He didn't wait for them to say more, shutting the front door behind him and taking the stairs as quickly as he could.

Outside, it was chilly, the wind cool and the mist slicking his skin and hair. A few cars drove by, but mostly, the streets were empty. Deciding to see if the park he'd noticed earlier was any good, Merlin set off down the road.

Gaius hadn't lived in this area before. He'd lived closer to the edge of the base with Aunt Alice in a house with a yard and quite a few animals. They'd never had any children of their own, but they had had a few foster children that they looked after until a home could be found for them. After Aunt Alice had died though, Gaius had sold the house and moved here, saying he didn't need so much space. Merlin had known though, that Gaius couldn't live there without Aunt Alice.

Sighing heavily, Merlin turned his thoughts away from that. It would just lead him back to his own problems. Ahead, the park came into view. It was empty, children forced to remain inside until the rain stopped. Stopping at the small playground, Merlin sat in the wet swing, rocking back and forth as he looked around. A small copse of trees grew along one side of the park, but it was mostly open fields and this little playground.

It was quiet except for the dripping of the rain water off of leaves and playground, and the distant sound of traffic. It was quiet enough that he could hear the raised voices coming from the copse of trees. Intrigued, Merlin stood, following the noise.

As he got closer, he could distinguish the gender and knew there were at least one girl and a lot of boys. Edging closer, he looks through the trees to see what was going on. There's a group of boys standing around two girls, one of which is on the ground, crying a little.

The other was glaring at the boys, head held proudly as she glared at them. "…all just a bunch of brutes," she was saying aloud to them.

"Better than being prissy little girls," one boy shoot back and his friends laughed around him.

"You know, it's a bit unfair for a bunch of boys to gang up on two girls. Makes you look kind of weak that you couldn't take on two girls by yourself," Merlin said aloud, moving from behind his tree.

The two girls stiffen at his voice, but he ignored them. He was about to get into a whole lot of trouble in a minute and needed to stay focused if he was going to make it out with just a few bruises. He was such an idiot for doing this, but he couldn't stand by while these bullies ran free.

He was kind of braced for the first blow, but it caught him on his cheek, just under his eye and he let out a sharp gasp as he tumbled to the ground. They were on him in the next instant and all Merlin could do was hope they tired soon.

A few punches rained down and then abruptly stopped, the boys backing off. He was not paying attention to what was happening, pushing himself up and gently probing at his bruised cheek. Mum was so going to kill him.

"Thank you," the girl who had been standing up to the boys said, kneeling down next to him. The second girl was tucked into her side, sniffing a little.

"No problem," Merlin mumbled, looking around. There was another boy in the clearing, back to him as he watched the other boys leave.

"I'm Morgana, by the way. This here is Gwen." She gestured to the darker skinned girl under her arm.

"Merlin," he replied, smiling a little at them.

"You're the one moving in upstairs?" Gwen asked quietly.

"Yeah, I just arrived not too long ago. Mum's gonna kill me. Just got here and already in a fight." Sighing, he poked at his cheek, wincing at the sharp pain.

"I'll tell her what happened. You won't get in trouble then," Gwen reassured.

"You all right?" The remaining boy asked. Merlin looked up into bright blue eyes underneath a blonde fringe. Blinking, he nodded. "You're an idiot for taking them on."

"Arthur!" Morgana hissed at the boy.

"It's the truth. Valiant's a bully and likes to gang up on others with his cronies. You're lucky you only got a few bruises."

Merlin shrugged. "I figured as much, but I couldn't let them harass these two."

Sighing, the other boy held out his hand, "I'm Arthur Pendragon."

"Merlin Emrys," Merlin answered, smiling up at him before wincing when the bruise twinged a little at the play of facial muscles.

Part 1

Four years later

"Merlin, if you don't hurry up, we'll be late." Arthur tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for the brunette to make his way down the stairs. Two years of knowing Merlin and his friend still hadn't learned to get ready early. As if in line with his thoughts, Merlin came hopping down the stairs, tugging on his trainers, bag hanging haphazardly over his shoulder.

"About time," Arthur muttered, waiting until Merlin had reached the bottom step before turning to leave the building. Merlin shadowed his steps and they were both greeted by Gwen and Elyan as they waited for the two of them.

"Sorry, guys. I was up late finishing the paper that was due today." Merlin grinned sheepishly, straightening his bag and running a quick hand through his disheveled locks. Smiling at Merlin, Gwen and Elyan both nodded and the four set off down the street, headed for school.

They had been walking for a few minutes when Morgana appeared out of nowhere, falling into step with their little group. She and Gwen fell back, talking rapidly about something that only they knew of.

Arthur and Elyan started up their own conversation, voices excited and hands gesturing with enthusiasm about the game that had been on yesterday. Merlin mostly ignored them, offering a comment every now and then. He'd watched the game with Arthur and Elyan at Arthur's place, but even then he hadn't been paying attention.

It didn't take long to get to school and the small group broke up, Morgana and Gwen headed for their first class of the day, Elyan waving goodbye as he was pulled off by some other friends to discuss the game.

Merlin and Arthur were silent as they made their way down the hall to their first class. They had been sitting in it for about ten minutes, listening to the teacher drone on about proper English when Merlin felt a tap on his side. Turning, Merlin saw the boy next to him raising an eyebrow, holding out a slip of paper. He nodded towards Arthur.

Sighing, Merlin took the paper. Poking Arthur in the arm he waited for Arthur to turn in his seat. "Mr. Emrys, Mr. Pendragon." Merlin flinched, hand outstretched with the note he had been passing to Arthur, Arthur likewise frozen. "I will see you two after class and perhaps next time you will think before passing notes in my class."

Glaring at the boy who had originally sent the note, Merlin sighed and leaned back into his seat. The class passed in a blur of nothing retained and with another sigh, he and Arthur remained seated as the others got up to go to their next class.

"Come forward boys," Professor Wilson said, beckoning them to the front of the class. "You know the rules boys. No note passing in class; detention after school for three hours."

"But sir, there's a game after school and the team needs me," Arthur argued.

"You should have thought about that before you decided to pass notes in my class. You are dismissed." There was no mistaking the steel that rang in his voice. They both nodded and walked out, Merlin still not having said a word.

"Look, Arthur, I'm sor–," Merlin started to say.

"Why the hell did you pass me that note?" Arthur yelled, turning on the paler boy. He was pissed, his face red with anger.

"It wasn't even my note! Why am I being blamed for it? Don't kill the messenger!" Merlin yelled back.

"I don't care, Merlin!" Arthur turned and stormed away, shoulders stiff with tension and anger. Merlin's shoulders slumped. Kicking the wall, he headed off in the opposite direction for his next class.

Merlin could feel Arthur's eyes boring into his back. Arthur was seated behind him in the stuffy classroom. Outside, the sun was making its way down. The game would be over soon. He'd talked with Gwen and Morgana and they said Arthur wasn't talking much at the moment. Elyan had just looked at him and shook his head.

Merlin had been avoiding the football team as much as possible. Word had gotten round that Merlin had gotten Arthur stuck in detention and now they were after some blood. Now in detention, it was awkward between them.

One other boy was in the room with them and Gwaine seemed to be oblivious to all the tension, snoring away with his head pillowed on his arms. Trying not to squirm and hitch his shoulders in unease, Merlin concentrated on the doodle he was drawing on the loose piece of paper in front of him. The scratch of his pen and Gwaine's snoring were the only things to be heard.

Mrs. Gilva stepped into the class room just as the timer on the front desk went off. Arthur was out of his seat and across the room by the time she nodded for them to go. Merlin remained seated, watching his retreating form through the window.

"Mr. Emrys, please wake Mr. Tavern and head home. It will be dark soon and curfew will soon be in effect." She left, shutting the door behind her.

Sighing, Merlin pushed up out of his seat, crumpling his doodle. Tossing it into the bin, he walked over to where Gwaine was sleeping. "Gwaine," he poked the older boy in the side. When all Gwaine did was swat at his hand, Merlin poked him harder.

"What?" Gwaine snapped, jerking up to glare blearily at him.

"We can head home now," Merlin replied.

"Oh, okay." Gwaine tossed his long hair out of his face, grinning at the paler boy.

Smiling back, Merlin turned and left, ignoring the sound of Gwaine behind him. Stopping at his locker, Merlin started to get his things together. "So, I hear the football teams mightily pissed off at you," Gwaine said from his position against the opposite row of lockers.

Merlin jumped and looked behind him. Gwaine was leaned up against the opposite wall, arms crossed as he watched Merlin get his bag together. "I guess."

"Hmm, that's quite an accomplishment." Gwaine smirked at him as Merlin slammed his locker closed.

"I suppose it is." Shouldering his bag, he started to storm out of the school, ignoring the ease with which Gwaine kept pace. "Are you following me?" Merlin finally asked a few minutes later as the light slowly faded. He hoped he could make it home before it got really dark.

"Nope, I live this way." He pointed ahead, where the Family Continuance Center for students who wished to live by themselves was situated. It was a tall plain building, basically a rectangle with even spaced windows.

"Oh," Merlin said as an uncomfortable silence fell between them.

"Try not to pass anymore notes in class, Mr. Emrys," Gwaine called out as he headed for his building, mimicking Mr. Wilson's voice passably. Grinning, Merlin kept on walking, waving until the boy disappeared into the building.

It was nearly dark when he came to the park. It was his usual way home, a shortcut through it instead of going all the way around. Walking quickly, he made his way through. He didn't see where the first fist came from as it connected with his face, but he did see the second and third and fourth until he lost count. Around him, angry voices yelled at him, but he was too busy trying to keep from crying out to make out what was being said.

It wasn't until lunch that Arthur noticed Merlin's absence. He was still angry at Merlin's blunder. How hard was it to pass a note without getting caught? He hadn't waited for Merlin at the end of detention. The next morning, he'd gone on straight to school, not stopping by Merlin's place like he usually did.

Finally, half way through lunch, he worked up enough worry to ask Gwen where Merlin was. "Oh, you mean you didn't hear? Hunith called into school saying Merlin was sick or something. When I asked this morning, she said he wasn't feeling well and was staying home."

"Apparently something happened at the park this morning," Morgana announced, flopping down with her tray next to Arthur. "I had to come in early and saw a bunch of constable cars parked along the street. They said someone was attacked last night."

"Are you coming over to see him?" Gwen asked Arthur, looking up with worry in her eyes. She was always fretting when he and Merlin had fights.

"He'll say no and then end up going anyways, just like always." Morgana smirked at him.

Arthur was waiting at the front gate for Gwen and Elyan when the two of them came running up, eyes round and faces pale. "Did you hear? There were some constables here this afternoon talking with some of the football team. There's a rumor going around that they may have something to do with the attack last night." Elyan took a breath as he finished.

"What? They wouldn't do something like that," Arthur denied.

"You didn't see them last night Arthur. They were pissed after they lost, it was the regional finals and they needed to win this game to go to the districts. They were mad because you weren't there." Gwen said the last sentence in a quiet voice, brows furrowed in worry.

"Well, that's not my fault. It's Merlin's…" Arthur trailed off.

"You don't think?" Elyan asked lowly.

"Didn't you walk home with him Arthur?" Gwen asked, looking up at the muscular blonde.

"I didn't last night. I left before him because I was still mad." They were quiet for a moment as their thoughts connected the dots.

Without another word said, they left school grounds, walking and sometimes out right running to get to Merlin's place.

"Hello, Mrs. Emrys," Gwen said to the brunette woman who opened the door. She looked paler and drawn, dark circles under her eyes just adding to the worry that clouded her face.

"Oh, hello dears," she answered.

"Can we see Merlin?" Elyan asked.

"Ah, he's asleep at the moment," she hedged.

"We just want to make sure he's all right, since he wasn't in school today." Gwen coaxed sweetly.

"Hunith, they'll find out eventually. Come in children." Gaius looked severe, his face aged with worry. The tension in the three teens grew as they stepped in the home and Hunith shut the door.

They sat around the family's small table. "As I'm sure you have heard, there was an attack last night," Gaius began.

"It was Merlin?" Gwen asked horrified. When Gaius just nodded, Arthur felt his stomach drop.

"He was taken to a hospital and although there was some bad bruising, a slight concussion and a broken arm, he will be okay. He's been sleeping most of the day since he was released. The pain killers made him drowsy. We ask that you keep this from getting around for now until his attackers are caught. If you are asked by his other friends, you may say what has happened, but we ask that you give the same warning." Gaius looked weighted down by his words.

"Can I see him?" Arthur asked softly, guilt weighing down on his shoulders. If hadn't left Merlin alone, if he hadn't let his anger get between them, this would have never happened. He could have protected Merlin. Hunith nodded and he stood, walking softly down the hall to where he knew where Merlin's room was.

It was dark inside, the curtain drawn and the lights off. A chair had been dragged into the room and was next to the bed. Merlin lay limp and pale against the dark sheets. He looked smaller then he usually did. His face was a patch work of pale skin and livid bruises. His lip was split and swollen, his mouth hanging open a little. His casted arm was elevated on a cushion, pale gray in color.

Arthur sat down heavily. "I'm so sorry, Merlin," he whispered hoarsely, reaching out to lay a hand on his friend's pale hand.

Four years later

"Keep up, Merlin!" Arthur's yell echoed back down the ranks. Merlin just rolled his eyes, chest heaving as he kept pace with the man in front of him.

"Yeah, Merlin, keep up," Gwaine mocked, sending an easy grin his way. Merlin wondered how long Gwaine would get away with his hair that long before their drill sergeant ordered him to trim it. They had a pool on it; Merlin had bet for two weeks from now.

Dust trailed behind them, the hard packed dirt road dry from lack of rain. Ahead, the team jogged in sync. They still had another three miles to run and already, the sun was beating down on them with merciless heat, the sky an empty blue, no clouds to provide shade.

As they came to a stop, finally back at their barracks, Merlin let out a happy sigh, letting the cool shade of the building wash over him. Seeing Percy, Elyan, Leon and Gwaine gathered together in a knot, he went over to see what they were talking about.

"…need to get everything ready for it," Leon was saying to Elyan.

"Ready for what?" Merlin asked, coming closer.

"Ah, nothing to concern you pretty little head about, Merlin," Gwaine assured, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

Shrugging out from under his arm, Merlin turned to look over them. "You only call my head pretty when you're trying to hide something. This better not be about a certain day that's approaching?"

"And what day would that be, Merlin? The day you finally get a brain?" Arthur asked behind him, leaning on Merlin's shoulder heavily.

"Get off, you heathen, you're heavy," Merlin complained, trying to wiggle out from Arthur's draping weight and the fact that he still smelled from their run. "And you smell."

"You just wish you could smell as nice as me, Merlin. Now, what day are we talking about?" Arthur asked, pressing down on Merlin and stopping him from moving from his position.

"My birthday," Merlin grumbled, glaring at the others. "If you guys are holding a surprise party, I will not attend," Merlin declared.

"Technically, it's not a surprise since we were going to tell you anyway," Percy told him, elbowing Gwaine in the ribs when the man laughed.

"I told you guys, I don't want a party."

"Come on, Merlin. You only turn twenty once. It's the last year before you're officially legal," Gwaine tried to persuade him.

"Besides, Gwen and Morgana are making you a cake and everything. You wouldn't want to disappoint them, would you?" Elyan said coyly, knowing he'd won the argument the moment he mentioned his sister.

Merlin visibly deflated. Even if he held out against them, the moment Gwen turned her eyes on him, he would be lost. He might as well give up now with some dignity still intact, "Fine, but nothing big." The others grinned.

With a shove, he finally got out from under Arthur. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna shower. You might consider doing so as well; you're all a little ripe." He pinched his nose with a smirk and ducked the swing Arthur aimed at him, running with the blonde on his trail.

The showers weren't too crowded, and the water was still somewhat warm. Merlin let it wash away the dust and sweat, running soapy fingers through his hair. He could hear some others down the row of stalls, talking over the sound of the spraying water.

A soft sigh reached his ears and he turned to see who it was. He turned back just as quickly, pink staining his cheeks. The stalls had no curtains for absolute privacy, but there was an unspoken rule that no one looked into another stall without the go-ahead of the stall's occupant. Arthur was in a stall diagonal to his own and though he could only see his arm moving, Merlin knew what he was doing.

Flushing, Merlin hastily shut his stall off, grabbing a towel and fleeing. Changing as fast as he could, he headed away from the communal male showers and their barracks nearby. Merlin wasn't sure when it had started, this thing for Arthur and right now he wanted it to stop. Arthur was his best friend; he shouldn't be feeling this way for Arthur. Besides, Arthur liked girls, not guys. If he ever found out, he would surely hate Merlin.

Glancing up, he realized he had walked in a circle and had somehow ended back up at the barracks. Feeling somewhat calmer, he pressed on, walking into the building. The others were lounging around, enjoying the break between PT and classes. Merlin sighed mentally when he saw Arthur wasn't there.

Gwaine and a couple of others were seated around a table, cards out. "How 'bout a game, Merlin?"

Merlin groaned quietly when he saw Elyan come running over to him from the barracks. He'd spent all morning in his computer classes, learning all the ins and outs of coding and encryption. His mind was buzzing with numbers and formulas and right now, he didn't want to have to deal with what the others had prepared for his birthday party.

"Don't even think of running, Merlin." Elyan grabbed his arm, dragging him along. "Gwen and Morgana arrived about an hour ago and I've had to beat Gwaine off the cake they brought."

Merlin braced himself as the door to the barracks opened and yells of "Happy Birthday!" resounded all around him. A banner was pinned to a wall, reading "Happy 20th Birthday" in big bold lettering. Smiling ruefully, he allowed Elyan to steer him over to the table where his cake sat, looking more like sugar with cake added, there was so much frosting.

Merlin endured the shoulder slaps and — in Gwen and Morgana's case — hugs with good grace, smiling at them all. A few handed him plainly wrapped gifts, small things that would be useful when they finally got out of basic training and was actually the legal age to join the military.

By the time they got to the cake, Merlin wanted to run out of the room. He liked his friends, he really did, but sometimes they could be a little pushy. Taking a steadying breath, he allowed them to cut the cake, turning an indulgent eye on Gwaine and Percy when they pulled out the stashed case of beer. He didn't even want to know how they had gotten that, let alone how they had snuck it onto the base.

As the conversations started, laughter and jokes passing around the group, Merlin slid into the shadows and out the door. The night was cool and the breeze felt good on his warmed skin. Inside the building, the room was stuffy and hot from so many bodies. Leaning on the railing, he stared up through the sky to the stars.

When the door opened behind him, he glanced up, watching as Arthur shut it and came to lean against the rail with him, back to the sky, face half in light from the light seeping through the windows. "You know, it's traditional for the birthday boy to stay for his whole birthday party," Arthur commented with a smirk.

"I'm going back in, just wanted some air." Merlin straightened, looking at Arthur as the blonde fidgeted with the sleeve of his shirt, a hint of hesitation in his eyes. "Arthur?"

"Here." Arthur shoved a small package at the brunette, looking away as Merlin stared down at it. Opening it gingerly, he looked down at the pendant nestled inside the box. It was a bronze dragon, finely worked and wrapped around a blue stone. The light reflected off the stone, making it shine like a beacon.

"Wha–," Merlin started to ask.

"I saw it the other day and thought you might like it." He dragged in a deep breath before looking back at Merlin. "Happy Birthday, Merlin," Arthur said, smiling.

"Thank you," Merlin managed to get out of his suddenly tight throat. He was glad his face was in shadow or Arthur would be sure to see the flush staining his cheeks or the dopey grin on his lips. "Really, thank you. I love it." Merlin lifted it up, letting the light shine over the delicate scales of the dragon's hide.

"Here, let me…" Arthur pulled the chain from Merlin's fingers, undoing the clasp. Leaning forward, he reached behind Merlin to clasp it. Merlin went rigid, heart in his throat beating a mile a minute.

Arthur started to pull back, grin on his lips as he looked at Merlin. Arthur stopped and Merlin realized he must not be entirely in shadow if Arthur could see the look on his face. Feeling his heart start to plummet, Merlin started to pull away, meaning to head back inside before he could make an even bigger fool of himself.

He was pulled to a stop as Arthur grabbed his arm, tugging him back around with ease. He could only blink in surprise as warm lips slid against his briefly and then pulled away, blue eyes shining impishly at him. "Happy Birthday, Merlin," Arthur whispered, thumb caressing his arm where it held him.

Hope blooming in his chest, Merlin leaned closer. "Happy Birthday to me." They didn't pull away until Gwaine started to yell from inside, telling them to "get their sorry arses back inside for the games." Smirking at each other, they walked back inside.

One year later

Merlin uncurled from his hunched position over his laptop. Leon was standing over him, body in shadow from the sun behind him. "Major Kilgharrah is looking for you." Merlin didn't need to read between the lines to know what it was about. He turned twenty-one today, officially legal to all, including the government.

He'd finished filling out all the required forms, including those for joining the army. Among those had been a tiny little box titled Orientation, two categories underneath Dom and Sub. He knew it was only a matter of time before his partner was chosen and Merlin had been dreading it.

It was highly unlikely they would choose Arthur for him. The government cared not for love but efficiency and he would be paired with whomever they deemed appropriate. Nodding, he shut his laptop, letting Leon pull him to his feet.

Leon sent him a sympathetic look before heading the other way. Leon had already been through this, being a year older. He'd been lucky. They had paired him with Morgana and though neither wanted it, they at least knew each other. He'd be lucky just to get someone from this base.

Squaring his shoulders, Merlin headed off to the Major's office, dread leavening his heart heavy. It was a short walk to the building, a one story brick structure that was more or less the center of the base. Knocking on Major Kilgharrah's door, he waited to be called in.

"Ah, yes, Private Emrys is it. Come in, come in," he called out gruffly, voice gravelly from years spent smoking. "Sit." He pointed to a chair in front of his large wooden desk. "I assume you must know by now what it is you're here for?" Merlin nodded. "Good, good. Then this won't take long. I see all the paperwork has been filled out. All that's left is to meet 'em. You will need to come back later today with your partner to finish the last bit of paperwork. Alright then, head down the hall, fifth door on the left."

Knowing a dismissal when he heard one, Merlin stood with a salute before leaving the office and the smell of tobacco smoke behind. He dragged his feet as he walked down the hall. It seemed to go on forever before the right door came into view. It was solid, no windows to see inside the room, so no preparing for who might be inside.

Taking a breath, Merlin gripped the handle and opened the door, looking inside. The first thing he noticed was blonde hair shining in the light from the windows on the other side of the room. It took his mind a few seconds to catch up with who he was looking at. "Arthur?" Merlin asked, confused. It was supposed to have been near impossible for this to happen.

Arthur turned around, a small smile on his face. It struck him then what this meant. Shutting the door firmly behind him, Merlin ran the short distance across the room to collide with the blonde. Strong arms wrapped around Merlin, pulling him closer. "Hello, Merlin."

Five years later

Merlin fidgeted with the sleeve of his white coat, eyes glued to his computer screen, watching the rows and rows of numbers scroll by. "Merlin?" Arthur called from somewhere on the other side of the large computer bank.

"Hang on." He scowled at the numbers, looking for the bit of information someone had screwed up when working on it. "Ah ha!" He quickly highlighted the coding, changing it with ease of practice. Blinking owlishly, he looked up to where Arthur was leaning against the wall watching him.

"Have you been here all night?" he asked, coming forward. Sliding his dark-framed glasses off, Merlin rubbed tiredly at his eyes, nodding.

"The Powers That Be have had me going over their programs with a fine toothed comb for anything wrong with them. What's up?" Merlin asked, leaning back in his chair.

"The Dragon wants us in his office," Arthur answered, tugging the lagging computer genius up from his rolling chair with ease.

Merlin snorted, leaning against Arthur's solid frame tiredly, letting the blonde wrap muscular arms around his shoulders. "I look forward to the day he hears you calling him that. I won't be there to rescue you."

"Come on, idiot. He said a.s.a.p. and he meant it." He herded Merlin from the cold, sterile room, shutting the door behind them with a click and a beep as the locks engaged. A walk between buildings and they were soon ensconced in the Major's office, the door locked and the soundproofing activated. This was important business than.

They both sat up straight as the Major dragged on a cigarette, smoke drifting up in lazy curls only to be sucked out of the room by the air filter. "We have recently come into some important information about the faction group The Old Religion." Neither said a word as they waited for him to continue. "We have gotten word that the group will be recruiting in a nearby city. So far, no team we have sent in has been able to penetrate into their ranks." He took another drag.

"And you think we will because?" Arthur asked, glancing at Merlin.

"That is because none of the other teams have been able to convince them that they are for TOR's cause. They oppose the Empire's chosen pairing program and believe that everyone should be allowed to choose. You two have been in the ops for five years now, but you're still relatively unknown in the larger circles. If anyone could fool TOR, it would be you two." He stabbed his cigarette out with a vicious twist, sending a few flecks of ash to the floor.

"Is this an order, or are we allowed to choose?" Merlin asked, looking the Major square in the eye.

"It has always been a choice on the missions you take. If you do choose this mission, then you must be prepared. You will be given a whole new life, new names, new everything. This is deep undercover and we may not be able to get to you in time should you be found out."

The two gazed at each other, sharing a look between them that spoke volumes. Arthur turned to look at Major Kilgharrah, "We'll take the mission."

Part 2

Merlin juggled the bags of groceries, trying to fish his key out of his coat pocket. Just as his fingers closed around the small piece of metal, one of the bags started to tip, items set to spill. "I've got it," someone called, hand reaching out to grab the bag.

"Oh, thank you very much," Merlin said in relief, finishing pulling his key out. Unlocking the door, he opened it, letting the man step through. "On the counter please." They both headed over to set the bags down. Turning, Merlin smiled at his rescuer. "I'm Merlin, Merlin Charset." He held out a hand.

"Edwin Muirden, I live down the hall in 3b. I haven't had the chance to meet you and your partner yet," Edwin replied, taking his hand in a firm shake. It took a second for Merlin to notice the side of Edwin's face. Although mostly gone, he could still see the marks of scar tissue marring his features.

They both jumped a little at a knock on the door. Arthur was standing there, watching them. "Oh, Arthur, you're back early." Arthur nodded, stalking into the room. "Arthur, this is Edwin Muirden, from 3b. He was helping me with the bags." Merlin turned to Edwin. "This is my partner Arthur Charset."

"Nice to meet you, I was just telling Merlin that I've been meaning to introduce myself. If my own partner were here at the moment, I would have called her over to say hello," Edwin said with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you." Arthur shook his hand, eyes still sharply observing the man.

"Well, I need to be off. It was nice to have finally met you." Nodding one last time, the man left, shutting the door behind him.

Arthur turned to Merlin, pulling him into a tight embrace, lips pressed near his ear. "You know who that was?" he whispered to the brunette. Merlin nodded. "We have to assume he's planted a bug somewhere. Remember our cover."

Merlin nodded again and pulled back. "If I had known you were coming home early, I would have waited and we could have gotten the shopping together."

"The meeting was cut short. Two of the others got into an argument and ended up in a fight. We convene tomorrow to finish," Arthur let out a heavy sigh, "Those idiots don't even know what they're talking about. They are thinking about imposing stricter policies on partners to where someone can't even be paired with someone they might know. If they do let that pass, so many others are going to suffer and the Family Continuance Centers are going to become overcrowded."

Arthur actually appeared to be angry at this decision. Merlin could feel a little bubble of anger rising in his gut as well. If that law had been passed before they were partnered, they would never have been allowed to be together. "You don't think they'll let it pass? They must realize how big of a mistake this is."

"I don't know what the Empire's capable of anymore, Merlin." Merlin believed him.

"Report," Kilgharrah's voice hissed through the headset. Outside, the rain was coming down, drowning out the everyday sounds of city life. Arthur was off to finish the meeting, hoping to curb the idiots with power from passing the bill. They may be undercover, but they both knew what would come about with the passing of that law.

"First contact made, Edwin Muirden. We are assuming the place is bugged and playing our roles to the T," Merlin answered, keeping quiet. The soft music in the back ground covering his voice.

"Good. Keep me updated." The line went dead and Merlin put it away in the secret compartment. Turning, he stared out the window. Water ran down in waves, rippling the light as it passed through. For a second, the image of another rain-drenched day flashed in front of his eyes before it faded. Shaking his head, Merlin got up to get dinner ready. Arthur would be home soon and dealing with idiots always made him hungry.

Second contact came about on a night out, the two of them keeping up the guise of Arthur and Merlin Charset, partners for a few years now and madly in love with each other. Of course this was true, but no one needed to know that.

On his way back from the bar with drinks for Arthur and himself, Merlin bumped into someone, barely keeping the beer from spilling over him and the one he had run into. Looking up, he stared at Edwin. "Merlin, surprise seeing you here."

"Oh, Edwin, hello." The other man followed him as Merlin wove his way through the crowded club towards their table. Arthur looked up just as he neared. "Look who I bumped into," he said, in lieu of a greeting.

"Hello again," Arthur said with a nod, accepting the drink from Merlin. Merlin sat, nodding for Edwin to take a seat as well.

"How have you been?" Merlin asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the music.

"Good, good. My partner is here, if you'd like to meet her. She just came back from a business conference and we're spending the night out." They both nodded and Edwin stood, disappearing into the crowd.

Arthur and Merlin shared a look, but didn't say anything until Edwin returned, a pale brunette woman trailing behind him. Her eyes were an electric blue, her lips painted a crimson red. The dress she wore was a small simple affair, but was a bright red that was sure to draw attention to her curves.

"Merlin, Arthur, this is my partner Nimueh Isle. Nimueh, this is Arthur and Merlin Charset. They're the ones who moved into 3a," Edwin introduced them.

"Oh, hello, it's so nice to finally meet you." Her lips curled into a smile, the red accenting them.

"Nice to meet you as well." She shook each of their hands in turn.

"Hey, why don't we go somewhere a little quieter to talk?" Edwin suggested innocently.

Merlin looked at Arthur who nodded. Shrugging, Merlin nodded as well. "We were about done here anyway. Why don't we head back to our building, maybe have some coffee?" Merlin suggested back.

Nimueh and Edwin nodded and Arthur and Merlin stood, paying for their drinks hastily before following the other two out of the club. The group was quiet as they walked the short distance to their building.

Once ensconced in apartment 3a, Merlin set about making the coffee, Arthur trading words for the few minutes it took to set the coffee pot up. "Coffee should be ready soon," Merlin said, coming back into the room.

As Merlin walked past to sit on the couch Arthur was on, the blonde snagged his arm, pulling Merlin down flush next to him. "Arthur," Merlin said quietly, a flush spreading pinkly across his cheeks.

"What, I can't sit next to you?" Arthur asked with a smirk and a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Well, yes, but we have guests." Merlin flicked his eyes over to the other couch where Nimueh and Edwin were sitting.

"I'm sure they understand the feeling," Arthur said aloud, planting a small kiss on Merlin's cheek before straightening, arm still around Merlin's shoulders. Merlin glanced at the other two and doubted they did understand. They were seated on opposite ends of the couch, as far as they could without seeming to be distancing themselves.

"So Arthur, how did you two meet?" Nimueh asked, smiling almost serenely at them, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Well, it's a bit of a story. You see I was in a coffee shop, waiting for my coffee when this idiot," he said the word with a fond twist, "stumbled into me, spilling his coffee all over me." He grinned at Merlin. They had gone over cover stories beforehand and Arthur had enjoyed coming up with first meeting scenarios.

"He then gave me some money to compensate my ruined suit and left in a hurry, stammering apologies the whole way. A week later, my computer went and crashed with all my important documents needed for a meeting that I was having that afternoon. So I get my secretary to phone a tech to come get it back up and low and behold, it's him."

"Arthur being the prat he is, told me if I was coming anywhere near his computer, I must be liquid free." He elbowed the blonde in his ribs as Arthur snorted.

"He then proceeded to work his magic, had the whole system back up, found my problem, and backed everything up for me in time for my meeting. Of course I was so grateful for his help, I asked him for lunch as repayment, forgetting I was paying him for his service," they shared an amused grin, "and we just hit it off from there. We got lucky and were paired together. We've been together ever since."

Merlin shifted uncomfortably, reliving an entirely different scene, but with the exact same feelings. He had been lucky to be paired with Arthur, so lucky as to be almost a miracle.

Nimueh and Edwin shared a glance, a small smirk tugging at Nimueh's lips. "What is your line of work?" Edwin asked to fill the awkward silence.

"I use to work for a tech company for a while after we were paired, but left and went freelance soon after. I mostly work by commission now and some stuff on the side," Merlin answered, leaning into Arthur's side, feeling the muscles in Arthur's arm pull, tightening his hold on Merlin.

Edwin looked at Arthur. "I mediate, mostly between major corporations. Lately, it has been with the government debates. I'm there to keep the hot headed politicians from killing each other, mostly, maybe give a suggestion or two when they come to an impasse to help things along."

"Is there anything interesting coming our way?" Nimueh asked, trying to play the uninterested innocent while her eyes watched them keenly.

"Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to say. Client confidentiality and all," Arthur said, smiling apologetically.

"I'll get the coffee." Merlin stood from the couch.

"I'll help you out," Edwin said, following Merlin into the kitchen. As Merlin got the cups down, Edwin leaned against the counter. "So, who's the Dom in the relationship?" he asked with a knowing grin.

Merlin flushed, eyes flicking out to the sitting room where Arthur and Nimueh continued to chat. "Oh, don't worry; you're not the only one." His smirk was wicked as he also nodded to out to the sitting room. "What can I say, I like strong women."

Merlin snorted softly, handing him two cups and grabbing the other two. They walked out to the tail end of some discussion between the other two. "Thank you," Arthur said, taking a cup from Merlin. Settling back against Arthur, he took a sip.

"I've a hypothetical question," Nimueh started, eyeing them over the edge of her cup as she took a sip. Arthur nodded for her to continue. "All right, hypothetically, if the Empire hadn't allowed you two to be paired, what would you have done?" For the first time since meeting her, Nimueh looked genuinely curious, her gaze thoughtful as she waited for an answer.

Merlin looked at Arthur, his heart squeezing painfully as he tried to picture himself with someone other than Arthur. He couldn't and yet it had come so close. Could he have docilely gone with someone else? At the time, it seemed he had resigned himself to it, but for how long would he have borne it before it had become too much?

Would he have been willing to defy not only the military, but the Empire as well? To make a run for it and hide away with Arthur, always on the run, always moving from city to city, never allowed to live in peace? It dawned on him then that yes, he would have been able to live that kind of life, so long as Arthur was there to remind him why he would have been doing it.

Arthur seemed to have come to that conclusion as well, his eyes staring into Merlin's with an intensity that would have scared anyone else off, but only made Merlin love him more. Merlin turned to look at Nimueh, eyes hard, "Anything," he answered honestly. Her smile was full of approval at his answer.

"Report." Kilgharrah hissed over the line.

"Second contact made. Nimueh Isle. I think they bought our story." He refrained from mentioning the hypothetical question she had asked them. He knew it had been a test, to see if they were truly what they seemed to be, but he knew Kilgharrah would write their answer down in the report. He wouldn't risk him and Arthur for this mission.

"Excellent. Keep up the good work and keep me updated." The line went dead as per usual and Merlin tucked the communicator away, Arthur standing in the doorway watching him. He made no comment on the test being withheld and Merlin didn't feel inclined to bring it up either. Arthur just sat next to Merlin, pulling him close as Merlin held onto him with an iron grip.

They continued to see Edwin and Nimueh, often going out as a group and ending up back in one apartment or another, usually just talking about everyday things, but sometimes, one or the other would say something, often in passing. It would have seemed like nothing to anyone else, but Merlin and Arthur could see the truth behind their words. Each time they left these little talks, a little more doubt had wormed its way into their minds, just a small voice in the back of their minds.

Merlin reported every couple of days and as time went on, each report had less and less in it. He tried to reason with himself, saying there wasn't anything new to give. They weren't any closer than they had been when they started this mission. That he was just being cautious in case the line was being tapped, or someone was listening.

Deep down though, in a dark corner he refused to examine, he knew why this was. Nimueh was getting to him. Just little things, but he could place them somewhere in his life and he was starting to feel torn between his loyalty to the Empire and his loyalty to Arthur. In the end, he would always choose Arthur, but would Arthur choose him? He was starting to lose sleep on this, tossing and turning as his thoughts ran in circles. Through it all, Arthur just continued to watch him.

Then one afternoon, Arthur came home early with his face ashen, hands shaking as he hastily shut the door, leaning back against it. "Arthur?" Merlin asked, stepping closer; worry knotting his stomach queasily.

Arthur pushed off the door, crossing the room in four large steps, pulling Merlin into a tight hold, body shaking with shivers as he pressed trembling lips against Merlin's hair. "Arthur, what's happened?"

"I can't lose you, I can't," Arthur mumbled into his hair.

"You won't lose me, Arthur please, tell me what's wrong." Arthur pulled him into the sitting room, tugging him onto his lap as they sat on the couch.

"They finally passed it. Oh God, they passed it, and there's nothing I can do to stop it," he was babbling now.

"What, what have they passed?" Merlin pulled back, cupping Arthur's face in his palms, turning Arthur's face up to look at him. "Breathe, Arthur." Arthur took a large gulp of air. "Good, now tell me, what has been passed?"

"Do you remember that law they were trying to pass, about further restrictions on pairings?" Merlin nodded. "They got it passed, but they've added more to it. I didn't know about it until it was too late to try and convince them not to, oh God."

"What was added on?" Merlin asked, feeling dread seep into his gut like a he'd just swallowed a bunch of ice, the chill creeping up his back.

"They plan on separating already paired partners who knew each other before the pairing." Arthur pressed his face into Merlin's chest and Merlin wrapped his arms around his shoulders.

"How far back are they going?" Merlin asked as his ears started to ring as Arthur's word sank in.

"Ten years." For a second, the two words refused to make sense to him and then they sank in and all he could do was breath heavily as fear reared its head inside him, making him tremble.

It took him a second to notice he was babbling, "No, no, no, no, they wouldn't, they couldn't. They can't Arthur. Do they realize how stupid this is? Do they think people will just take it? They're just adding fuel to an already blazing fire and expecting it to put the fire out."

"I won't lose you Merlin, I can't. Not after only just getting you." Arthur stood abruptly, dragging Merlin to his feet as well. "We'll leave. Go into hiding, they can't search for us forever…" Arthur trailed off as Merlin shook his head dejectedly.

"We can't Arthur; they're watching us, have been from the beginning. The moment they see us running, they'll come after us. We can't run fast enough to get away from them," Merlin said as he tried to blink away the tears coming unbidden to his eyes.

"There's a way, Merlin. There's always been a way right in front of us this whole time." Arthur grabbed his hand and headed for the door.

Nimueh opened the door with a smile. "How long have you know?" Arthur growled as he and Merlin sat on the couch in their sitting room.

"Since before you even knew about it," she said smoothly. "I have people everywhere Arthur Pendragon. Your government and military think they can take TOR down. The Old Religion has been around since the very beginning of the Empire. It will take more than a few well-placed soldiers to bring us down."

"Why did you never say anything, try to convert us or whatever it is you do?" Arthur demanded with a growl, never once letting go of Merlin's hand.

"You had to find out for yourself, before you would ever believe anything I have to say. Until the glamour of the Empire was broken, you would have never come to realize the rotting corrupt thing the Empire really is." Her eyes blazed as she spoke.

"Can you help?" Merlin asked, speaking for the first time since entering the room. "Please, I've seen what happens when people lose the one they love, I can't lose Arthur like that, and I don't think I could live like that." The images of his mother and Gaius came to the forefront of his mind. He loved them, but they had never been the same after Balinor and Alice had passed on. They had seemed to only be half here, as if something had died with their partners.

Nimueh looked him straight in the eye, gaze seeming to pierce right through him. "I will help you."

It was night when Nimueh came to the door. Edwin stood behind her, keeping an eye out. Arthur and Merlin had only packed the essentials and a few personal belongings. Around his neck, Merlin's necklace gleamed in the dull hallway lighting. "I remember when I gave this to you," Arthur mused aloud, running a finger over it.

"It's time. The car will take you out of the city. You need to catch this train," she handed them an envelope with train tickets inside as well as an address and directions on how to get to it from their stop. "It's one of our safe houses. You'll be fine there for a few days. I'll be in contact as soon as I can. There will be other's there, so don't be surprised at who you meet."

Nodding, Arthur took the envelope, tucking it into his jacket pocket. "Thank you," Arthur said, lifting his suitcase.

"Don't thank me yet. You still have to get out of the city without being seen." She turned and left, leaving them alone with Edwin.

"This way." Edwin led them to the maintenance stairwell, a car idling behind the building out of sight in a dirty, dark alley. They loaded their bags in the boot, and sliding in, sat in the back of the car, the windows tented dark enough that even they were having trouble seeing out of them. "Until we clear the city, stay down. It will be hard for them to see through the tent, but just in case, don't let them see you."

Nodding, Arthur positioned himself onto the base of the car, pulling Merlin to lay over him, his head on Arthur's shoulder. "Ready?" Arthur nodded and the car lurched forward, the headlights off to keep them from being spotted until they were far enough away from the building.

Merlin trembled against him, hands clutching at Arthur's arms as the seconds turned to minutes, the anxiety and anticipation of being caught leaving him taut. Arthur turned, pressing a soft kiss to Merlin's trembling lips. "We'll be all right." Nodding Merlin pressed his face into Arthur's neck, waiting for the car to stop.

Thirty minutes later, the car glided to a stop, the engine shutting off and leaving them in silence. "We're here," Edwin said, opening the door. Getting out of their cramped space, Arthur and Merlin blinked, taking in the train station. It was mostly empty, a few late night travellers waiting for the train. "Your train arrives in ten minutes. If you miss it, you're on your own." He slid back into the car, revved it and drove away into the night, leaving them staring after him.

"Come on," Arthur said, picking up his case with one hand and grabbing Merlin's hand with the other, walking up the incline to the station. The station proper was well lit and clean. A sleepy-looking girl behind the counter took their tickets, giving them the stubs back and pointing to where they needed to wait for their train.

As they waited, Arthur walked over to the vending machine, feeding it some change for a couple cups of coffee. Taking a sip, he grimaced, but kept on drinking it. They would need the caffeine if they were going to stay awake on the long train ride.

Merlin took his with a nod, sipping it as if he didn't taste it, leaning against Arthur. They had just finished their coffee when their train pulled in, the announcer calling the number and destination. Chucking the paper cups, they boarded quickly, finding an empty seat easily.

The train and station were mostly empty and ten minutes later, it was pulling away from the station, only a few having boarded or gotten off. Sitting by the window, Arthur stared out at the landscape, watching as the city lights slowly faded into rural lights, fading into the darkness of the countryside. He finally let himself relax back into the seat, turning to look at Merlin.

The other man was asleep, his jacket pillowed into a ball under his head. Smiling softly down at Merlin, Arthur gently shifted Merlin around until his head was in Arthur's lap, jacket covering his shoulders. Merlin stirred a little, blinking sleepily up at him. "Go back to sleep, Merlin," Arthur said gently, running his fingers through Merlin's hair. Mumbling contentedly, Merlin settled back into sleep, for the moment, free of the stress and weight of the world. Outside the window, the landscape and darkness went on for miles.

As the train slowed to a stop at a small, shabby station, Arthur roused Merlin. The dark-haired man stretched, rubbing at his eyes sleepily, making Arthur smile at the image he made. Tugging Merlin to his feet, Arthur grabbed their bags and they disengaged. A few minutes later, the train was pulling away.

In the distance, the sky was just starting to lighten a little, dawn approaching. Standing under the yellow lighting of the station, Arthur studied the directions, looking out at the dirt road that led away from the station, the only road to be seen. Grabbing his case in one hand and Merlin in the other, he set off down the uneven track.

It took another thirty minutes of walking before the large house they were looking for appeared on the horizon. Around them, the sky steadily lightened, the sun closer to cresting the horizon. The building was huge, an old mansion that looked to have been built at least a century ago, the brick and mortar well-kept and maintained. The plants around it had been left to grow as they please, giving the appearance of being abandoned.

They hesitated on the path up to the main door, the cast-iron gate rusted and fallen to the side. Sharing a look, they slowly stepped up the path, keeping their eyes and ears open for any sounds of approach.

Merlin was the one who knocked on the door, the metal knocker shaped like a dragon, the handle gripped in its mouth, eyes glaring back at them. For a few minutes, the only sound was the wind through the trees and tall grass, snatching at their hair. Then a floor board creaked behind the door and the sound of the lock disengaging announced the arrival of someone.

The door opened and both stood there blinking at the woman in the doorway. Her blonde ringlets were pulled up in a harsh ponytail, a few strands having escaped to frame her face. A robe had been hastily thrown over her shoulders against the chill of the morning. "Morgause," Arthur finally choked out.

Sharp grey eyes studied them intently before blinking. Morgause was Morgana's half-sister, who had disappeared some years back. They had thought she had move to some distant part of the Empire. It seemed not. "Come in," she said, jerking her head inward.

They shuffled uneasily through the door, looking around for any sign of attack. No one else was around, though it felt like more than one pair of eyes were on them. "Nimueh called ahead saying someone new was coming. She didn't say it would be you two, though I'm not surprised."

She motioned for them to follow her and she led them into the sitting room. They sat stiffly on a sofa, just on the edge, ready just in case. Too much could happen if they were betrayed and they weren't taking any chances. "How long have you been here?" Arthur asked finally after a long drawn out silence.

"I maintain the house and keep it ready for anyone coming. I have for years now. I met Nimueh a few months after I left and she helped me out. I take it something drastic has happened for you two to be on the run." She shifted her gaze between them, waiting for some answers.

Arthur explained in as few words as possible what had happened. By the time he was finished, Morgause was pale, eyes wide, making her look so much younger. "Are they asking for trouble? No one is going to sit for this, no matter how cowed the populace might seem. How long before they start going further back? Five years? Ten?" she asked with her eyes distant as she imagined all the trouble that was coming her way.

Finally, she let out a tired sigh. "Well, we won't know until they go public, which should be soon. Until then, you two should rest. More will start arriving soon." She stood and led the numb pair up a staircase. She left them in front of a random door, telling them to 'sleep as long as they needed' before she walked further down the hall and disappeared into another identical door.

Arthur opened the door to the room, taking in the simple but well-kept furnishings. The windows were shut and the curtains drawn against the chill and approaching dawn. The bed was large enough for the two of them, pushed against the wall. Setting his case down, Merlin sat on the bed, glancing around with a detached interest, eyes glazed and red rimmed from tears and only a little sleep.

Following his example, Arthur set his own case down, tugging his jacket off, toeing off his shoes. Helping Merlin with his shoes, they were soon both curled under the covers, holding on to each other, listening to the noises of the old house as it roused to the new dawn.

Eventually, they dozed off into a fretful sleep. Every so often, Arthur would jerk awake, blinking up at the strange room and would pull Merlin closer, holding on tighter, before letting sleep pull him under.

The sound of their door slamming open jerked them into wakefulness, Arthur reaching for a gun he didn't have. To keep up their cover, they had both left their guns on base, in their apartment. An apartment they would never get to see again.

"So it's true," a woman whispered, drawing their gaze. They both stared at the brunette woman standing in the door way, her light brown skin accented by her yellow sweater.

Gwen du Lac stood there with her hand pressed to her mouth, tears swimming in her eyes as she stared at her two best friends. Behind her, Lance du Lac watched his partner with a bit of sadness, as if her sadness affected him just as much.

A second later, she threw herself at them, pulling them close in a hug, the two men holding their childhood friend. "I thought it was true, but then Morgause called us, but I had to see for myself."

"Gwen, what are you talking about?" Merlin asked, pulling back enough to look down at her.

"You mean you haven't seen it?" she asked, understanding blossoming on her face as she watched them.

"We've been traveling since," Arthur glanced at the clock on the side table, "yesterday afternoon. We haven't done anything but sleep since we got here this morning."

"It's all over the news. They've declared you two traitors of the Empire. They've put a bounty on your heads." The room was silent as the two took in the news.

"Gwen, why are you here?" Merlin asked the question that had been hanging in the air between them.

"To make sure you two were okay."

"No, I mean, why are you in this house? This is a TOR safe house." Merlin elaborated. She just arched a brow at him. "Wha–, oh, oh, wait, how long have you been a part of TOR?"

"You remember when I first met Lance?" They nodded. "At the time, I didn't know he was part of The Old Religion. We tried applying for partnership, but every time, we were denied. Finally, he came to me and told me there was another way for us to be together. Since then, I've been a part of TOR."

"Are there any more surprises we should know about?" Arthur asked, pushing the blankets off of his legs.

"I'm pregnant," Gwen said calmly, her voice even as she spoke.

Arthur jerked his head up to look at her just as he went to step out of the bed and ended up falling onto his arse. "What?"

"Gwen, you really must pick better time to tell people this," Lance finally spoke up, smiling proudly even as he scolded his partner. Gwen just smiled at him, uncaring as she glowed with joy.

They were seated around a large, round table, a TV playing quietly on the counter nearby. Their pictures flashed across it, giving their names, age, even the names of friends and family they might contact. "Why go after us with so much force?" Merlin whispered, mouth drawn into a thin line as he watched.

"They need a scapegoat for the new law," Nimueh said, stepping into the room, Edwin behind her. Setting her overnight bag down, she walked over to take a vacant seat. "They know that this new law will cause anger, outrage, even rebellion and riots. They're using your defection from not only the military but the Empire as a means to lessen the blow this will have. They hope it will keep the rebellions down long enough for them to get a grip on them. They have no idea what they're doing." She smirked; crimson lips a cruel curl as she watched the Emperor himself give a brief comment about remaining loyal to the Empire.

The TV clicked off and the room went silent as they stared at each other. "For now, you will stay here out of sight until some the heat is off."

"And after, what do we do then? We can't stay in here forever, and our faces are all over the Empire. We'd never have any peace." Arthur's brows were drawn in a V as he glared at the brunette woman.

"Whatever you want to do, you can. I am not your keeper. You can go somewhere isolated. We have places like that stashed away. You can stay here if you wish, helping Morgause with the others that arrive, or you can help. Your faces are all across the Empire; yes, but how many see you as traitors? How many will see your actions and will find the strength to do so as well? How many will sympathize, how many will emphasize with your plight, they themselves having been through similar ordeals by a corrupt Empire?" She took a breath staring at them.

"Millions will be affected by this new law passed and will turn to your example to follow. So the question is— do you hide away, hoping the Empire never finds you, or do you take it head on?"

After seeing Gwen and Lance, Arthur wasn't surprised by the faces seated around the room. Gwen and Lance were in the loveseat, her stomach starting to show. Morgause sat on the floor, back against the sofa. Morgana sat to her right, blue eyes proudly staring back, Leon next to her.

Gwaine and Elena, his partner, stood near the door, talking softly. Percival stood behind a chair, Elyan seated in front of him. There were a few additions he didn't know, but Merlin did, childhood friends from before he had arrived at the Family Continuance Center. Freya and Will were talking with Merlin off to the side. From Merlin's few words, it had been a few years since he had last seen the two, let alone talked with them.

He felt no surprise that all of their friends and family had been a part of The Old Religion long before him and Merlin. Instead, he felt satisfaction in knowing that they all had support in this scheme. Smiling, Arthur sipped at his tea, watching the small groups talk.

The TV was on as background noise. Suddenly, the room fell silent, all eyes on the screen as clips of riots all across the Empire aired. The new law had been made public the week before. Five days, fifteen riots and thirty dead, and still the Empire was no closer to getting any control.

"This is our time. We strike at the heart of the Empire and we'll bring the diseased beast down once and for all." Nimueh was standing in the doorway, electric blue eyes blazing. "Send out word to everyone. It's time to gather our troops."

Around them, the war camp buzzed with activity, even at such a late hour. Arthur could only stare out across it in amazement. They had had no idea how many were actually a part of The Old Religion. And this was only one camp. There were hundreds of others, spread around the globe, ready for the signal to attack, to strike at the hearts of the Empire, to tear down the walls that had been built so many hundreds of years prior.

Above, the clouds scuttled over the starry sky. He knew there were planes up there, tracking their approach, studying their weapons. Arthur didn't care. It was now, finally that they could be free. The scent of the upcoming battle was on the breeze, making people's blood simmer.

Footsteps behind him announced Merlin's approach. "When we first met as children, did you ever think something like this would ever have happened?" he asked, leaning into Arthur's side.

"No," Arthur tugged the brunette around until Merlin was standing in front of him, his face highlighted by the lights behind Arthur, "but I wouldn't change it."

"Me neither." They were silent for a few seconds. "And now, you will be leading these people into battle for freedom. I think your mother would have been proud right now."

Arthur swallowed as his throat grew tight with emotion. Leaning forward, he kissed Merlin, pulling them tight together until nothing could separate them. Pulling back, he panted, arms tight around the man he loved. "Right now, all I want to know is if you are proud of me?"

"I am, Arthur, I am." Merlin smiled at him with his brightest smile and Arthur felt his resolve click into place. He would fight for a world where he could love this man without fear of being separated. Around them, the camp readied for battle.

Epilogue

Standing in the pale winter sunshine, he breathes deeply, enjoying the crisp air. Winter has finally arrived and with it the snow has followed, coating everything in white. Brushing icy flakes from his coat, Merlin looks around. He's supposed to be waiting for Arthur here, a meeting point for afterwards if they had survived this revolution.

He can't remember the exact point when they had become separated, but he can remember the moment he had realized it, a sudden dawning that Arthur was somewhere he couldn't protect him. It had now been months since he had last seen him, though brief messages passed by word of mouth kept him in the loop and told him that Arthur was still alive.

He'd travelled all over the Empire in these last few months, ferried secretly by any means to get him to important meeting points. He knew the systems running the Empire like the back of his hand, had even encoded a few of them and The Old Religion had used him to get through, to take the Empire down from all sides.

The Golden Age, as most had started calling, still wasn't steady. There were still pockets of the Empire that needed to be routed out, the Emperor had escaped in the chaos and was still at large. A new system needed to be created, lands that the Empire had taken given back to the rightful descendants.

From what he'd been hearing, many had started calling Arthur their Golden Leader, images circulated of him in battle, leading their troops had been shown all over the world. Merlin secretly agreed with them. His partner seemed to shine in the images, finally in his element.

Shivering, Merlin shuffled his feet, peering around for anyone who might be coming his way. The park was still deserted. The buildings surrounding it were pock marketed from fires and explosions, the fight here having been long and hard, but he could still see his old home where he and his mother had lived with Gaius.

They were safe as well, taken to a safe house right before the battle had hit the base. Shockingly, by Major Kilgharrah – and hadn't that been a surprise – who had been in league with Nimueh since almost the beginning.

An armored truck rumbled down the road nearby and Merlin's heart sped up, but it kept on by, not stopping. The phone in his pocket buzzed, a call coming in. Juggling it in his gloved hands, he finally pressed the button on it and brought it to his ear, "Hello."

"Turn around," Arthur's voice said over the small speaker. Whirling around, Merlin stared as Arthur emerged from the copse of trees that lined the other side of the park. His blonde hair shone brightly under the pale sunlight, dark coat flapping in the cold wind that blew swirls of snow around them.

Merlin dropped the phone, uncaring as he took off, running full pelt towards the blonde. Arthur just grunted as he slammed into him, his arms wrapping around Merlin, holding him close. "Arthur," Merlin breathed out, arms wrapped tightly around Arthur's neck.

"I'm here, Merlin, I'm here," he whispered back, pulling his partner into a kiss.

End.