Author's Note: Hello, this is my third fanfic and I hope you like. Bit of background info I came up with this story while listening to Evanescence-Missing. That's all now READ!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arthur POVMerlin was late, again. I sat on the edge of my bed waiting for him to come. God, he was such a terrible manservant.
The door suddenly opened and in he came, finally.
"Merlin, what have I said about knocking!" I yelled to him
"Sorry, sire." He mumbled, to his feet.
"Come here, and help me get dressed, then go and get me some breakfast, we're going hunting today." I announced, he groaned.
"Stop moping and go do as I asked." I ordered
So he helped me get dressed and got me some food as I asked, then we went to the stables and I got on my horse and he his.
We galloped up to the edge of the forest just outside Camelot then went to a trot. For a person so uncoordinated he could ride a horse really well.
"So…what are we hunting today." Asked Merlin and I could tell by the tone that he was asking this for conversation rather than because he was actually eager, coz' he certainly wasn't.
"Whatever we can find and it'll be me who is actually hunting. Not you." I replied
"Of course not, sire."
When we first went hunting it was obvious that Merlin could not hunt. When I first found out where he grew up, I was surprised; I mean surely his father taught him to hunt! He would have had to learn to help supply his family with meat! But as it turned out he didn't learn. Now I came to think about it I've never asked him about his father. No better time than the present to ask him.
"Hey, Merlin?"
"Yes, Arthur?"
"I've met your mother and all but what happened to your father?"
I saw him stiffen.
"He left when I was thirteen." He said in a rather cold tone
"Ok." I said, confused and he seemed to relax a bit.
The hunt went great until the end when we were chasing a boar that had come our way. You weren't supposed to hunt boar without a large group of people, as Merlin so kindly told me, but I was eager for a challenge, and this was one I 'd never faced.
We were about to kill it when it charged at Merlin. The horse freaked and went up on its hindquarters, making Merlin fall.
It charged at him and I saw one of its tusks break through Merlin's stupid red handkerchief that he wore around his neck and rip upward as I threw my spear at him and he died.
"MERLIN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" I shrieked
I jumped down from my horse and ran to him. He was fine. There was only a small sliver of blood down his neck. He wasn't paying attention to me he was staring at the boar, with a look of deep pain in his eyes and features.
"God, Merlin you seriously scared me there."
His eyes snapped to mine and the pain I'd seen in his eyes and features vanished but I still saw a little in his eyes.
"Me! Scare the Prince of Camelot! Such a thing has never been heard of! I will have to tell the entire castle this story." He said in a joking tone
"You'll do nothing of the sort or I'll put you in the stocks, I imagine by now that you have made good friends with them, the amount of times your there."
"Well Ha Ha."
He got up and walked over to the boar and took his handkerchief from its tusk and looked at it. There was a whopping great whole in it. For some strange reason I saw a tear in his eye.
"Hey, what's up?" I asked, frowning
"The sky, now we should probably get back."
"Alright."
And we rode back to Camelot.
As soon as we got back, Merlin excused himself, something about going to Gaius to make sure the cut wasn't deep and half ran back to his room.
That was odd, I frowned. Well whatever it is he'll tell me when he's ready not before. But I was so curious, so I caved and decided to follow him.
I walked to Gaius's office and inched the door open. There was no one there. I opened the door completely and strode to Merlin's room.
Ignoring my own rule about knocking and inching the door open a crack, I saw Merlin.
He was talking to the ceiling. He was holding that old handkerchief in his hands.
"I'm so sorry Madeline," he said and I saw a tear running down his cheek, "I tried but I failed. I kept it close like you said to, so I wouldn't be tempted but…it's ruined now I'm so sorry."
He sank to his knees and put his head on the bad and cried freely.
I wish I hadn't come. I hated seeing Merlin like this and tried to close the door quietly but it creaked.
Shoot!
"Arthur!" He exclaimed and swung the door open.
"Uh…Merlin, I can explain see I-"
"What are you doing here? How much did you see? Get out. GET OUT!"
And he slammed the door in my face.
Merlin's POVOh no, oh no, oh no.
Arthur had seen me crying, and maybe he saw me…No he would have said something if he had seen that. Why couldn't he have just kept his big fat nose out of my business? Oh Madeline…
But thoughts of Madeline just made my chest hurt so I stopped.
Arthur's POVI ran to my room and sat down.
I'd seriously upset Merlin and as much as I hate to admit it, Merlin's my best friend and I hated seeing him…be so overcome by emotions, even if I never found out why.
There was a knock at the door.
"Come in."
"Sire, I came to apologize." Asked Merlin as he came in.
"I should be the one apologizing, don't worry about it, you were upset."
There was an awkward silence.
"Okay, um…I'll just go now."
"Merlin I'll never speak of it."
"Okay thank-you."
And he left.
A/N: Hope you liked it. There's more to come. REVIEW PLEASE!!!!! Lots of questions still to be answered like: Who is Madeline? And What happened to make Merlin think of his dad that way? All will be answered in future chapters. YIP YIP YIP!