Disclaimer: I do not own the creative world of the Arthurian legend nor anything from the show Merlin.

A/N: This is the first "chapter" to my collection of one-shots. Each will be different and unique, hopefully none the same. They will be based off of the songs in my Merlin playlist, so if you want to see one based off of a certain song, let me know. So, the first one. Enjoy!

Rumour Has It

Merlin was upset, and that was putting it lightly. He was furious with the world, with is so called friend, with Morgana, but mostly with Arthur. It was all Arthur's fault, even if it wasn't, Merlin was going to continue to blame Arthur for the way eveything was.

Merlin had left three months ago for a small journey back home. He had missed his mother and wanted to pay respects to his old friend Will and the place he grew up. It had been over two or so years since Will's death, but Merlin still felt the pang in his chest. Of course, it wasn't just from watching your childhood friend die. It was because of having to lie to Arthur's face more than one time. Lying to the man you loved just wasn't an easy task Merlin had come upon understanding. So, when Merlin appeared back in Camelot to find that the newly crowned king had taken a bride, Merlin was quite furious. His first stop was to Gaius to check in, but soon after that he was headed up to the ward - or rather princess of sorts - to gain the wanted information.

"Enter," Merlin heard Gaius say after a slight knock on the physician's door. He slowly crept through the door planning on scary the old man just a tad, or as much as you could after you knocked on a door before entrance.

"Merlin, you can't fool an old man like myself. It is quite useless to try," Gaius called out with his back to Merlin and his face examining his work. But, as he turned around to face the young warlock, a bright smile told Merlin that he was kidding, no matter how true the words were.

"Merlin, how was your trip?"

"Relaxing if you wish to put it that way," Merlin replied as he waltz over to the work space.

"I sure hope so. You were gone longer than anyone expect. Arthur had many thoughts on sending knights out to your village to at least be sure you were still alive," Gaius explained, eyeballing the measurement of some chemical of such.

"Arthur thought of me?"

"Don't act so surprised Merlin, you are his servant, or more so his friend. He wouldn't be Arthur without worrying about you."

"Yes, yes, of course. Well, I must check in with the others now. I shall be back later," Merlin said running out the door.

It was only so that Arthur had thought of Merlin, for he knew that he had meant something to the king. Arthur had saved Merlin's life almost as many times as Merlin had saves his. He would not have risked his life so much if he hadn't meant something more than just a lowly servant. But, Merlin didn't know how much he meant to the king, so naturally his heart jumped at the bit of information Gaius had given him.

Merlin quickly made it to the main part of the castle in a matter of minutes, saying hello to all those who spoke to him. To be honest, there were not many people who talked to Merlin at all unless with Arthur or Merlin needed information. Most of the people kept to themself only out of fear of anyone personally connected to the Pendragon family. But, it might as well been because Merlin was on a mission, and in no need to sit and talk to many of the people.

"Merlin!" he heard a strong voice from his right yell. Turning his head ever so slightly, he saw three masses of hair, two deep brown and the other short and blonde. Without having to see them, he knew that Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine were making their way slowly to him, big smiles on their face due to Merlin returning to Camelot.

"Merlin! So glad to have you back! Almost thought you had died," Gwaine said, pulling Merlin into a awkward hug of sorts.

"Nice to have you back Merlin. Arthur was yet again attempting to have a search party go out and find you," Percival proclaimed as they began walking with Merlin in the direction he was going. He really didn't want the company on the way to Morgana's room, but he had missed his friends. They were nice to have around.

"I had a right sense to hit Arthur upside the head the fourth time he tried to do it, but now it is the fourteenth time and it is like second nature," Gwaine remarked.

"He tried to send out a search party fourteen time?" Merlin asked amazed.

"Yes. Fourteen times of worrying about to a point of break and trying to bring you back to Camelot, even against your will if that was needed," Lancelot confirmed as Merlin stopped dead in his tracks.

"Why would he send a search party if he knew exactly where I was going?"

"Well..." Gwaine started.

"There has been some rumours going around the kingdom," Lancelot interrupted Gwaine giving him a look that told him to shut up more than anything.

"Rumours? About what?" Merlin asked.

"About you naturally," Gwaine answered taking a bite of an apple that Merlin was sure had appeared from nowhere.

"There have been rumours about me going around the kingdom for three months and no one thought to come and get me?"

"They were horrible rumours, Merlin!" Lancelot announced.

"What were they?" Merlin demanded.

"That you were a female and pregnant with Arthur's baby," Percival said from agaisnt the wall.

"That you were a sorcerer and Arthur spared your life as long as you left Camelot for ever," Gwaine said finishing off his apple as Lancelot gave Merlin a look of remorse.

"Is that it?"

"Not at all, Merlin," a sweet voice interjected announcing the presence of yet another person. Turning to look at the origin of the voice he saw Morgana standing there in a dark blue dress that made her look like a goddess. Though Merlin fancied Morgana a lot, he was in love with the devil's brother.

"Morgana!" Merlin yelled walking at a fast pace toward her to envelop her in a hug so grand it should have hurt.

"Nice to have you back Merlin. Have a safe journey?"

"Indeed," he said as he let go of the witch and his friend.

"May I still the fellow from you three for a bit?" Morgana asked Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine linking her arm with Merlin.

"Yes, my lady," Lancelot answered as he bowed watching the two turn away and stalk off.

"I swear, if Merlin doesn't marry Arthur, he is going to marry Morgana," Gwaine spoke as Percival laughed his agreement.

Merlin and Morgana walked to her chambers, ignoring the door that blanked out Merlin's mind. Once they reached upon their destination, they made themselves comfortable within the suite.

"So what is this I hear about rumours about me? Me! No one even knew I existed until I left!" Merlin yelled, not being as comfortable as he would have liked.

"None of them are true Merlin, except the sorcerer one," Morgana explained lightly. When Morgana had begun to sense that she was a seer, Merlin had told her of his own powers so they both would not feel so alone. That was how they got so close, almost like brother and sister if you didn't see some of the things they tried on each other exploring their magical powers.

"Besides that one, which only Gaius, you and I should know about, what are the others?"

"The last one was that you and Arthur had been together, but before Uther's death, he banished you from the kingdom. He then forced Arthur to marry Gwen in order to keep each of you from them. Of course, this is just a rumour because I know it not to be true. But, most of the surrounding villagers have made it seem like the logically explanation as to why the pri- king's beloved servant was gone for three months without giving word to his friends," Morgana explained furthur giving a judgmental yet friendly look to Merlin on the last part.

"I got carried away with helping to attend to everyone. So is that why i got strange looks on my back to the castle?" Merlin asked, laying down on Morgana's bed as if it was his own.

"That is most likely the reason. The first one can be dismissed now because you clearly were not gone nine months and you have shown had you been a woman and pregnant. The other two will probably spread more now that I think about it."

"Is there-"

"Oh my," Morgana interjected the beginning of Merlin's sentence.

"What?"

"There is one more that you should worry about," Morgana conveyed with a worried look on her face.

"Which is?"

"That Arthur loves you and when you so assumed fled the kingdom he vowed to bring you back until his dying day."

Merlin thought for a minute. Arthur was worried about him, trying to send out patrols to find him, wanting him to come back to Camelot as soon as possible. From the outside it seemed as if this rumour was true; that Arthur did love him. But, Merlin knew that if love was being put onto the table, it was brotherly coming from Arthur. Either way, this was the rumour that could be true.

"Is it true?" Merlin insisted with a question.

"Is what true?"

"Don't be coy with me Morgana. Does Arthur love me? Did he vow to bring me back until his dying day?"

"More or less, yes, it is true."

It was quiet for a few minutes while Merlin thought out his next words and Morgana studied his face seeing that in the past three months it had changed.

"How does- to what extend is this love he has for me?" Merlin asked coyly.

"I don't really think it is for me to say. Maybe you should go see him."

"Why did he marry Gwen?"

Merlin was now getting up and walking around the room. He was too nervous to sit.

"To keep the blood line going," Morgana suggested with a shrug.

"You don't know?"

"He doesn't tell me everything, Merlin."

"So you know-"

"Go ask him, now. Gwen is spending time with her brother today so Arthur is alone. If you ask I am sure he will tell you," Morgana concluded standing up and leaving her own room. She knew Merlin well and knew that he would need time to think before he did anything. And think he did.

"Morgana says he loves me, but she won't tell me in which way. If I go there and declare my undefying love for him, and he doesn't feel the same way things could go very bad."

The one thing Merlin didn't know was if Arthur knows he is a sorcerer. He had been gone for three months, and in three months Morgana could have told Arthur about her powers, and even his own. Maybe to protect herself, or to protect him, but he didn't know. He didn't know anything. He needed to find out and fast of he was going to have a heart attack.

He was stalking across the room and was near the door when it burst open and a stature with broad shoulders walked through. Merlin knew who it was by the way they walked, not by the brilliant blue eyes catching his eye. He didn't dare speak either, he simply watched Arthur come in the room, shut the door, and stare at him for what seemed like years.

"I didn't think you were ever going to come back," Arthur spoke first, softly but as kingly as he could make it.

"I am sure you would have sent people to get me if I stayed away any longer," Merlin retorted quickly.

"Merlin-"

"No, don't Merlin me. I was only gone for three months and I come back and here that you tried to send knights to get me after two weeks?"

"Yes but-"

"Didn't trust me? Didn't know how to tell me that you didn't want me to go before I left?"

"Came to a realization more like it," Arthur muttered under his breath so Merlin only heard a mumble and a groan.

"What? I am here now, so tell me everything, and I mean everything."

"I don't understand-"

"You married Gwen," Merlin blurted. Arthur looked down and Merlin could see Arthur's face fall.

"Yes, I did marry Guinevere."

"How come no one told me until I got here an hour or so ago?"

"Because no one could find-"

"I told you where I was going. I went home, Arthur. Did you not tell anyone else that?"

Merlin studied Arthur's face as he brought it up to look into the dark that he assumed Merlin's face was in.

"No," he admitted.

"Why the hell not?"

"I was afraid that if my knights saw you without you having warning they were there that...that you would..."

"That I would what?" Merlin asked completely fed up where this conversation was going.

There was a gust of wind from the window and Merlin turned to look at it. He did not notice the window open before when he came into the room but he was sure it had gotten colder. Still looking out towards the window he did not feel Arthur walk quietly to stay directly in front of him until Merlin turned his head around again. In only seconds Arthur pushed his lips against Merlin's, snaked his arms around Merlin's waist and had Merlin gripping Arthur's shoulders. It was completely unexpected, but Merlin would not have done it any other way.

Arthur pulled back lightly, leaving his body pressed firmly against Merlin's and leaving them both breathless.

"I didn't want you to run away," Arthur said between breaths. "I was afraid you just wanted time for yourself, that you didn't want to be here anymore."

"I never wanted to leave, but I needed to see my mother. Morgana said to go, she pursuaded me."

"Morgana is a hand full," Arthur laughed.

"Did she tell you-"

"That both of you are sorcerer's?"

"Yes," he breathed out a breath he had no clue he was holding.

"Yes. She explained everything."

"And you aren't mad?" Merlin asked as he moved back to look Arthur in the eyes.

"Not mad as persay hurt more that you lied to me for years. But, I got over that when she told me you loved me."

"That evil little witch," Merlin thought.

"She wasn't suppose to be the one telling you that," Merlin said quietly.

"Better that she did though," Arthur replied, moving his hands up and down Merlin's side.

"Not that I was a sorcerer, dollophead."

"Oh...hey! Just because we are...here doesn't mean you can call me a dollophead."

"We are...here... in Morgana's chambers in the middle of the day with no one around and I can't call you dollophead?"

"Not at all, Merlin," Arthur said before capturing Merlin's lips once more.

There was so much more that Merlin wanted to discuss with Arthur like what they were going to do with Gwen, exactly what Morgana had said, why Gwen was mysteriously out today of all days, and how Arthur knew to come into Morgana's chambers. But, all the talking about have to wait as Arthur started to undo Merlin's trousers one painfully string at a time.