If Only They Knew

A cute little one-shot based on how the two sides of the coin can't help but connect even when they don't realise they are. No spoilers as far as I know, and I revolve around the idea of the stars connecting them, so. Merlin/Arthur, obviously. Enjoy, and don't forget to review x

Not for the first time, Camelot had suffered an unexpected heat-wave. The sun had been cruel, and drowned the kingdom in heat, desperate to force all chill away into the neighbouring lands. But, the people had suffered. Merlin had suffered. It had been one stressful day for him.

The villagers had been coming to Gaius all day with sunstroke, heat rashes and severe dehydration. It had been Merlin's job to assist the physician, to help with the patients and to search the surrounding forests for herbs that hadn't been starved of nutrients. However, it had also been Merlin's job to aid Arthur, be the manservant he was. The prince was in a bad mood due to the unnatural torridity, and to his lack of sleep because of the heat, and because of the unquenchable dryness of his mouth. And Merlin was his whipping boy for the day. Yet, the warlock didn't blame him for it; he was just being Arthur the prat.

And then, Merlin had to cope with the never-ending heat. With the burning on the back of his neck, and the blazing in his throat, and the constant sweating. It was enough to drive him mad.

That's why, when evening came and the sun left, finally letting Camelot cool, the kingdom sighed. And Merlin sighed, leaning his head against the cool glass of his chamber's window. True, it was still too warm for him to sleep, and behind him, his bed was a pile of twisted covers that had been thrown on the floor, so it matched his untidy room.

He was sat on his window-ledge, directly in the rays of moonlight that illuminated the shadows of his room, all light having been extinguished. Gazing out into the cloudless night, he did feel frustration, knowing that the lack of rain would mean tomorrow would be as full of drought as the previous day.

But, he pushed that to the back of his mind, and instead, his gaze focused on the sky. A canvas of inky night, blotted with blazing stars, shining constellations in shapes of mystic creatures and historical characters, all so stunning and ancient that they had watched the world blossom and grow. Pressing his thumb and forefinger together, he held the shape of circle he'd made with his left hand against the window, and, as always, the sight of thousands of stars in that tiny space took his breath away.

Merlin adored the stars. Such powerful, mysterious lights, burning billions of light years away. Only the heavens knew if they held life like the warlock's world. He liked how they were lights in the dark. How they brought hope.

But, although no one else knew it, that wasn't the only reason he loved the stars.

You see, you had the stars. And then you had Arthur Pendragon, heir to the throne of Camelot and hero to the people. Every time Merlin looked into Arthur emerald pools, he saw whole constellations no one else saw. Creating the form of a great king, full of compassion and strength, with a heart of gold and a wise mind. He too would one day bring hope, and be a light in the dark.

It was because of Arthur that Merlin loved the stars. And, little did he know, that at that moment when he gazed up at the shining orbs and thought of the prince, that the prince was staring up and thinking of him.

Standing by his window, and leaning against his chamber wall, with his arms crossed across his chest, Arthur found himself looking up, through the stained glass window, and up into the night sky. Self-luminous celestial bodies, their light glimmering against his pale skin from galaxies away.

He knew his manservant was obsessed with those stars, as he always caught him glancing up at them when Merlin was in his chambers in the evening. Often, when they were out hunting, Merlin would watch the stars before he went to sleep, and, although the warlock didn't notice, Arthur would watch him watch the sky.

Personally, Arthur didn't get what was so great about them. They were just lights. True, they were good, but not amazing. Not majestic. Not mind blowing and bewitching. Just nice. Although, he guessed that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Although, maybe they were a bit fascinating. Well, no one knew anything about them. They could be weaved from magic, with sorcery being their very core, transmitting its power onto others, gifts from above. Or they could be the fragments of those lost to the darkness afterwards, pieces of their souls that still shined onto the world below.

And this got Arthur thinking. And believing. The people of his life that he never lived were up there, if the stars really were souls, the people that should have been in his childhood. He imagined his mother was the brightest, smiling at him because he had never seen her smile. The kings of the past, his ancestors, would be up there. With their eyes of accusation.

Arthur imagined he would be up there one day, watching his own kin as they ruled a new world long after him. His blood and name would go on, and he could watch it as a star above. Arthur would be in the stars.

The prince didn't fear death, even if it meant he wouldn't be a star in the sky, and he would be nothing. Didn't fear the pain, or the darkness. Didn't fear the waiting for death to take him. Although, Arthur did fear being alone.

The need for someone, the desperation of feeling someone's hand in his, of knowing he could face this with someone by his side. That was what Arthur wanted. And, although he didn't realise, he'd already found it. For this very reason, subconsciously, his thoughts turned to Merlin.

Would he be a star before the warlock? Would Merlin be a star before him? Seeing them in front of him, he couldn't imagine it. Merlin – stupid, brave, foolish, trustworthy and hopelessly loyal but thoughtless Merlin – with all the power of the heavens? Ha. What would the world come to?

Arthur couldn't imagine Merlin with that power in his eyes, seeing his sapphires glow amber like the stars of the night sky. It seemed so odd. Yet, part of him smiled quietly. It seemed so right.

And so, the night wore on, and the boys stayed looking at the stars. Who would think that things such as stars, so very far away from the world, could connect two strands of the rope of fate? And who'd have thought the most powerful warlock and the greatest king that ever lived would have fallen so pointlessly in love? And who'd have thought it would all be a river of secrets? If only they knew.