One Sister's Vow

by ansera

When Special Auror Merlin Emrys is forced to protect Muggle Arthur Pendragon, he assumes that the job will be an easy one. Then he meets the man, and he just might kill Arthur before anyone else can. Merlin/Arthur.

Hey everybody. This is posted on my LJ here: ansera . livejournal . com/30406 . html - remove the spaces. I would rather you read it there, and comment there (You can post anonymously) as it's easier for me to reply. Sorry for troubling you all, but it really is nicer there. Plus, there's accompanying art that simply must be seen.

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To:
Merlin Emrys
Special Auror

23.7.2006

From:
Guinevere Smith
Secretary at Pendragon Offices

Protecting Arthur Pendragon

I am writing to inform you that your duty of protecting Arthur Pendragon, son of sir Uther Pendragon, begins on Monday, 17th April of 2006. A limo will arrive at your flat at 0700 hours. You will report to the Pendragon Headquarters by 0730. Once there, you will meet Arthur Pendragon.

You will be given one week to familiarize yourself with his routine. The following week, you will head the protection detail of Arthur Pendragon. Please note that Arthur Pendragon is unaware of magic, and thus you will use it discreetly. Uther Pendragon does not wish for his son to find out about the magical community. You will receive further information tomorrow at the Headquarters.

Upon arrival, please ensure that you are dressed appropriately in Muggle clothing. You will be allowed to keep your wand throughout the period, although you are advised not to use it excessively or unnecessarily. Your lack of familiarity with the Muggle world will be explained beforehand.

Merlin stared at the letter with a frown on his face.

At the age of 18 he had joined the Aurors. He had received the necessary Outstandings in his subjects in Hogwarts, and he had had the eye for detail and the pure magic needed to make Captain within years. Now, as a Special Auror, under only the Head of the Office –a position held by Harry Potter— he was considered one of the best Aurors in the Department.

Thus, when Harry called him to his Office, he had sat down, expectantly waiting for an assignment worth the credentials that followed his name.

"You have to protect Arthur Pendragon," Harry said without warning.

"You want me to what?"

Harry frowned at him, since Merlin rarely ever, if at all, spoke back to him. He expected to hear the one thing Merlin said dutifully at every assignment: It's done, Sir. Nothing more, nothing less. He did not allow for his subordinates to talk back to him, but Merlin was a friend, so he made a slight exception.

"You are being assigned to protect Arthur Pendragon," Harry repeated, folding his hands calmly and laying them on the table. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes, there is," Merlin sputtered out.

"What is it?" Harry asked, looking straight at him. Ron often said that Harry lacked all forms of tact, and Merlin tended to agree with him, especially when faced with situations such as the one he was in.

"Well, he's a Muggle," Merlin pointed out.

Harry shrugged. "He's an important Muggle. You know that we are sometimes made to protect the more influential ones." He was right, it wasn't common, but it wasn't uncommon either.

"But, I didn't even take Muggle Studies in Hogwarts," Merlin tried fruitlessly.

Harry spared him a soft smile. "You have Muggle-born friends, and you've spent enough time with Ron and Hermione to know the basics. And the basics are all you need to know."

Merlin felt a headache coming on.

"Are you objecting to the mission, Merlin?" Harry asked sharply.

"Well, no, I guess I'm not-"

"Then why the questions?"

Merlin closed his eyes briefly, "Are you punishing me for telling James about snogging?"

Harry laughed, "No, but I will be doing something about that later."

"But Muggles don't ever need this level of protection, Harry. It usually warrants at most Auror protection, or a pair, even you have to admit that a Special Auror being delegated the task of Bodyguard is rare," Merlin pointed out fairly.

Harry shrugged again. "I know, but the orders come from too high up for me to argue. Uther Pendragon has big friends, and while I don't like it any more than you do, some ass-kissing needs to be done for me to keep this job."

Merlin chuckled lightly at that.

"So, you have nothing against the assignment?" Harry asked patiently.

"Well, not exactly-"

"Perfect, you will receive a letter informing you of the proceedings."

Merlin straightened in his seat, he wasn't speaking to Harry from the Friday night dinners anymore, this was the Head of the Auror Office, Harry Potter. "Of course, Sir," he said, although his voice was not as firm as it usually was.

"You have no prior connections to Arthur Pendragon?" Harry asked as part of the routine.

"No, Sir."

"You believe yourself capable of conducting yourself in a proper manner with these Muggles?"

"Yes, Sir."

"In that case," Harry straightened in his seat. "You are being assigned the task of protecting Arthur Pendragon. You will continue until told otherwise by myself or the Minister of Magic, no one else." Merlin had tried to hide his surprise at that, usually, a simple letter from the Secretary would suffice –he wondered just how important this Arthur Pendragon was. "You are allowed to use magic under extenuating circumstances, but otherwise, try to resort to Muggle means."

Merlin nodded, although not with the same emphasis he usually had.

"If you are clear, like I mentioned, you will be receiving a letter on how to conduct yourself," Harry smiled kindly at him, "Good luck."

"Thank you, Sir." Merlin stood up and walked out of the room without further speech, without even giving his usual phrase.

Now, he stared at the letter with a sense of impending doom hanging over him. Ron walked over and clapped him on the back. "Harry told me about the job, tough luck," Ron said, grinning unapologetically. "But, this guy gets the ladies around him right, maybe you could pick up a thing or two."

Merlin punched him on the shoulder lightly, giving him a half-smile.

"Hey, Hermione's at home, right?" he asked.

Ron looked surprised, but nodded. "Yeah, I think she's trying out some working from home thing," he shook his head. "Crazy woman."

Merlin grinned, for all his insults, there was no doubt that Ronald Weasley loved his wife. "I'm going over," he said, walking towards the lift.

"Why?" Ron called out to his retreating figure.

"The computer," he shouted back, jogging a few steps to slide into the lift. He swatted at the papers that flew over his head, and then grinned as Percy Weasley entered after him. "Hey."

"Hello, Merlin," Percy greeted him formally, but he still smiled warmly.

"How're the kids?" he asked, he had seen them last three weeks ago at the Weasley gathering, but work had consumed too much of his time after that.

"They're good, Lucy's been learning how to speak in French from Victoire," Percy said, smiling fondly at the memory. "She's a natural."

"Like her father," Merlin said. "And Oliver?"

Percy frowned, "Working." Merlin sensed the tension, but before he could switch the topic, Percy continued. "It's not so bad though, Mother has forced him into coming to every weekly Weasley meeting." Merlin saw the glint of wicked amusement in the older man's eyes.

"But, what about the team?" Merlin asked, wondering how Puddlemere United took their star Keeper leaving every Sunday.

Percy smirked, "Mother paid the Captain a visit."

Merlin winced. No one was about to complain and risk the wrath of Molly Weasley. "I see."

"And yourself?" Percy asked, as though only just realising that he hadn't asked.

"New job, protect Arthur Pendragon," Merlin said in a confidential whisper.

Percy's brows rose. "Arthur Pendragon?" he asked in disbelieve.

"You know him?"

"You don't?"Percy shook his head. "His father is Uther Pendragon, the billionaire. He owns the Pendragon companies, they make everything, both for wizards and Muggles. Clothes, toys, baby products, you name it, Uther Pendragon has it."

Merlin was starting to understand why Arthur Pendragon warranted such security.

"I'm heading to Hermione's to use the computer, find out a little more," Merlin admitted.

Percy nodded, "Wise move. It's good to be informed. Come see me if you have any more trouble."

Merlin grinned at him gratefully, "You're helping out the Archives right?" He knew that Hogwarts would be closed for summer vacation now, so Percy wouldn't be needed as a Professor for some time.

"Of course," Percy said.

The lift pinged, and Merlin stepped out, waving at the man behind him. He stepped into the fireplace and said, "The Weasley Apartment," clearly, since he had learned his lesson when he had ended up at Charlie's house instead three times consecutively.

"Hermione," he called into the house loudly. He watched as the woman came from the kitchen, hair more frizzy than usual, eyes wide, with wails following in her wake. "The kids?" Hermione only nodded wearily.

"Hey," she said, managing a smile, "What are you doing here?"

Merlin bounded over and hugged her, then walked towards the kitchen, only just managing to move away from the zipping figure that yelled, "Hi, Merlin," followed by another figure that waved and left.

"Hey, Hugo, Rose," he called out to them, although they were already gone. He turned back to Hermione, "Could I use your computer?"

"Do I want to know why?" Hermione asked dryly, hands on her hips.

Merlin laughed, "I'm taking on a case with Arthur Pendragon, I thought it would be wise to learn more about him."

"Arthur Pendragon?" Hermione's eyes widened. "You're going to see The Arthur Pendragon? Son of The Uther Pendragon? Owner of The Pendragon Companies?"

"Yes, yes, and yes," Merlin smirked, "Jealous?"

"Absolutely," she admitted freely, mouth hanging slightly open. "Do you realise just who they are?"

Merlin shook his head, "Nope, and I really don't want to know, except I have to." He dumped himself on the couch, lounging on it with his eyes closed. "I don't want to do this."

He could sense Hermione rolling her eyes. "Yes, you do. You don't need the computer for this. Arthur Pendragon is the son of Sir Uther Pendragon, who is actually a descendant of a royal line. At the age of 23, he started his own company, the Pendragon Line, which later evolved to become a string of companies that had a hand in pretty much everything –from clothes, to books-"

"And baby products, I know, Perce told me," Merlin said, waving away the facts. "But what does that have to do with Arthur?"

"You have to understand Arthur's father to understand Arthur, listen," Hermione said, frowning, and Merlin dutifully followed. He didn't think it would be wise to argue with a Hermione Granger who was on a roll. He hoped the lecture wouldn't last more than a few minutes though, he tended to lose his ability to listen at that point, and Hermione was frighteningly capable of spotting a person who wasn't listening to her.

"His father managed to make himself a millionaire by the age of 27, by 35, he was well into his first billion. That was when he had Arthur, after marrying his wife Igraine. Igraine, although I don't think Arthur knows it –since her wizarding blood was weak at that point— was a witch. She died a few years later, and though most people don't know, she was killed by a Death Eater. Of course, Uther Pendragon had already found out about the magical community since he had the right to know as her husband."

"How exactly do you know about-"

"Ask me no questions and I shall tell you no lies, Merlin," Hermione said primly.

Merlin raised his hands in defeat.

Hermione took a deep breath, then she continued, "After that, Uther claimed that he detested magic and everything to do with it, effectively separating it from his world. But, his products are so well-known that even the magical community uses it, even if they don't know it." She looked at Merlin with amusement, "Have you ever played with a PD toy when you were a kid?"

Merlin nodded, "Yeah, they were all the rage then. Those balls that were soft but didn't burst, and those small games that you could carry around everywhere, all that."

"PD, Pendragon." Hermione grinned.

"Are you serious?" Merlin frowned. "But those are clothes."

"A fashion line," Hermione nodded. "Very big with the youngsters. Uther Pendragon might not like magic, but whoever works for him understands that we're a large enough community –a rich enough community— to help him earn more money, and they're not going to turn that away for anything in the world."

"But, Uther doesn't argue?" Merlin was confused.

Hermione shook her head, "Frankly, I don't think Uther interacts much with them. His companies are run by different people who basically have to report back to him, I don't think he looks into the details. He just collects the money."

"And where does Arthur come in?" Merlin asked, getting to the subject at point.

"Well, Arthur Pendragon was born with a golden spoon in his mouth. He never had to lift a finger to do a thing, and he never had to actually work. He buys the clothes that his personal designer chooses, eats the food that his chefs make, exercises as his private trainer tells him, acts as his life dictates."

Merlin's brow rose, Arthur Pendragon sounded like he lived a depressing life.

"He lives a sad life, really, for all the money that he has," Hermione said, and Merlin quickly asked another question before she got the idea to start Save Arthur From Uther –SAFU for short— or something.

"So, why the sudden need for protection?"

Hermione looked surprised at the question. "It's not sudden, Arthur constantly has protection, bodyguards who protect him from any possible enemies who lurk around."

"Like a Muggle Harry Potter?" Merlin guessed.

Hermione laughed, "Something like that, although I don't think Harry's that famous. In proportion, if you look at the number of Muggles who know Arthur and the number of wizards who know Harry, then by percentage Harry might be more popular, but Arthur Pendragon knows more people," she explained.

Merlin nodded in understanding, "Do you have any idea what could have started the need for an Auror? A Special Auror, at that." He didn't ask the question out of arrogance, but simply stated it as fact that he was a Special Auror –and a damned good one, at that— and it wasn't a usual practice, especially considering the circumstances that surrounded one Arthur Pendragon.

Hermione shrugged, "Sorry, Merlin, but that's as far as my knowledge goes." Merlin stood up, sensing that the conversation was over.

He walked over to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder, when Hermione said, "You know, it's almost funny."

Merlin looked at her, "What's funny?"

"Merlin and Arthur, from Arthurian legend, you know," she grinned.

"What?" Merlin frowned. He knew Merlin –enough jokes about him and his pants ensured that—but this Arthur was new.

Hermione shook her head, "Muggle thing."

He shrugged, smiling at her, before he said, "Emrys House."

Hermione was still shaking her head seconds later, murmuring, "Strange, so strange."

Arthur Pendragon was not a dumb man, as the papers made him out to be.

He smiled as some girl started squealing at the sight of him, before walking quickly into the building. The words 'Pendragon' were labeled on practically every item in the building, not to mention on the building itself. He nodded at the men he recognized as acquaintances of his father –never friend, because as far as he knew, the only friend his father had was Gaius— and smiled at the women he had slept with at some point in time; he didn't know any of their names, but he had been raised to be somewhat decent.

"Mr. Pendragon," Guinevere said as he entered the room, standing up, "Your father did not arrange a meeting with you today."

"Well, I'm arranging a meeting with him," Arthur said smoothly, ignoring her protests as he flung open the door that led to his father's office. It was a large room, with windows that looked over the streets of the city and artistically arranged furniture that was created to intimidate those who entered.

The effect was lost on Arthur; muffled by having played Hide and Seek in the same room as a child with Gaius.

"Arthur," his father drawled, looking up from his paper. "Such a drama king," he said, rolling his eyes.

"You've gotten me another bodyguard?" Arthur asked, not bothering with the trivialities that would have been required of him in front of anyone else.

Uther's eyes hardened, and then narrowed. He deliberately removed his glasses, and Arthur sat down, sensing the speech that was about to come. He had long ago learned the signs. "He is necessary," Uther said shortly.

Arthur's brows rose, his father did not sound any more pleased than he was at the situation. But, if his father did not like something, he could simply change it, make it not happen. He wondered what had changed when the door opened again, and Gaius entered with the silent flair that made the man.

Gaius, Arthur thought, was one of the few constants in his life as a Pendragon. As far as Arthur could remember, he had always looked the same –white hair curling at the ends, bright eyes shining with interest at something or the other, expression one of calmness.

"Arthur, Uther," he greeted with a welcoming smile, seating himself next to Arthur.

"I'm guessing you had something to do with this?" Arthur asked with a slight smirk, it sometimes amused him how much influence Gaius had over his father. Of course, his father would never admit it, and Gaius never mentioned a thing or that influence would be lost.

Gaius nodded solemnly, sparing a fleeting glance in Uther's direction. "Indeed, I felt that it was necessary, given the circumstances."

"What circumstances?" Arthur demanded, picking up on the sincere worry in the man's tone.

Uther interfered smoothly, "You need not know."

Arthur resisted the urge to roll his eyes; his father would never stop considering him a child. He had hoped that things would have changed since he had taken a more active interest in the business, but it had proved useless. "It is my life, is it not? Or do I not need to know that either?" he asked sarcastically. Uther glared at him, but otherwise, there was no answer. Gaius sighed wearily, giving Uther a glance that spoke far more than Arthur would ever understand, almost like an old-married couple. Then he frowned, shuddering at the thought.

"Uther," Gaius chided his father with that one word. "Arthur," he turned to face him, and Arthur waited for an explanation. Gaius usually provided them, sometimes dragging them out annoyingly, but at least he provided them, which was better than nothing.

Arthur frowned when Gaius continued to keep silent. "Gaius?" he prompted.

"Yes, well," Gaius stalled, and Arthur's brows furrowed harder at the sight. Gaius did not stall, Gaius did not falter, he was Gaius. "You see Arthur, we have received some information, and no I will not tell you exactly what for, it is far too explicit-"

"I'm old enough to know about explicit things, Gaius," Arthur said dryly.

"But I am not old enough to speak about them to you," Gaius retorted sharply. "As I was saying, we have received some information that places you in a position of danger. So as to avoid this danger, we have hired people whom we consider of the highest capability."

Uther's face darkened visibly, "Highest capability my-"

"Uther," Gaius snapped, shooting him a warning glance. "As I was saying, they are of the highest capability and we believe that he will be able to protect you." He shot his father another glance as Uther opened his mouth as though to say something.

"He?" Arthur picked up on the pronoun.

Gaius nodded. "Indeed, Merlin Emrys is his name. We believe that he will be able to provide adequate security. He will be arriving tomorrow morning, so do arrive on time."

Arthur rolled his eyes, he had already planned to be late for whatever it was, and if it was such an unpleasant meeting than he would have to be later than usual. "What makes him so special? And what makes this explicit information so special too, I receive lots of threats, right?" He knew he was constantly in danger, being heir of the Pendragon fortune, so he knew that the threats and the possibility of an assassination came with it. He had never seen Gaius or his father look so… unsettled before, though.

"Yes, well, the threat comes from a more credible source then most," Gaius said, frowning.

"Sounds like you know this person," Arthur commented, watching for their reaction. He got one too –his father grew tight-lipped, face drawn into a cold mask that Arthur had only ever seen on one other occasion, when some fool had mentioned his mother, and Gaius shook his head and refused to meet his eyes, which was a first for him.

"And the boy, Merlin," Gaius continued, trying to ignore the comment, "He has excellent references."

"That's it?" Arthur asked disbelievingly. "They could have been faked, or the sources could be incredible, or-"

"It's all been checked Arthur," Uther snapped, although Arthur heard the underlying pride that Arthur was, finally, taking into account reality and its obstacles.

"Double checked?" Arthur dared.

"Quadruple, actually," Gaius said with a slight smile. "You are far too precious to risk, Arthur."

Arthur felt his cheeks color with slight embarrassment, but he was as skilled at hiding his feelings as his father. Or so he thought –except for the fact that the two people sitting in the room were the only people in the world who were able to look through the façade with frightening ease. "So, this Merlin is clear?"

"Crystal," Gaius assured him. "In fact, I believe he is a distant relative of mine."

Arthur tried not to wince. While he trusted Gaius with his life, he wouldn't trust Gaius to protect it. "Lovely," he said with forced relief, "That's just great."

Gaius coughed to hide his smile. "A very distant relative," he reassured Arthur.

Arthur calmed slightly, "And he's coming tomorrow?"

"Morning at 7.30," Gaius informed him, smiling at Arthur's obvious horror.

"We will see you tomorrow, Arthur," his father said, waving a hand towards the door. Arthur got the signal and walked out, almost crashing into the figure that was walking in.

He almost apologized, but he recognized her a second before he did. "Morgana," he smiled thinly.

"Arthur," the woman air kissed him, before walking through the door. He shook his head in a mixture of awe and amusement at the woman, his cousin, although he would never admit to the relation.

"I'm sorry for Morgana," Guinevere apologized immediately.

"It's fine," Arthur said quickly, before the girl could start on a spiel about how Morgana was simply troubled and did not mean a word of it. He knew that she wasn't, and he also knew that her every syllable was deliberate. "So, this Merlin is coming tomorrow?" he asked as an easy distraction.

Guinevere smiled widely and nodded, "Yes. I've written a letter, he should have received it."

Arthur nodded slowly. "Well, I guess we'll see what this Merlin," he sneered, "is like soon."

Merlin climbed out of the limo, trying not to stumble as his head swam slightly. The thing he had arrived in had moved far too much for his liking, and without any of the quickness that he had become accustomed to as a wizard. He looked up at the large building before him, keeping his mouth firmly shut so that his awe wouldn't be given away too quickly. For all their inadequacies, Muggles could definitely build.

He walked up the stairs briskly, allowing his eyes to scan over the layout of the building, but otherwise keeping his gaze fixed straight ahead.

He was dressed in what Muggles usually wore; a pair of jeans that were indecently tight, and a long shirt that was sufficiently loose, with his wand discreetly hidden behind the sleeve for easy use. Hermione had whistled at the sight of him, which he guessed meant that he looked good.

"Mr. Emrys," he heard a slightly familiar voice, and turned to look at the woman standing before him.

Her hair was no longer messy, but rather, pinned up tightly in a bun, and gone were the muddy ragged clothing, replaced by clothes that were pristine and starched, although, the smile on her face had stayed the same throughout the years. "Gwen," he moved forward, hugging the girl tightly before moving back. "Of course, Guinevere Smith, I hardly noticed the name."

Gwen laughed lightly, "As it is to be expected, we secretaries tend to be overlooked."

Merlin stared at her a while longer, appreciating her figure. He had last seen her as a teenager, giggling over some boy or the other at Hogwarts, smiling shyly at him every time he passed.

"You joined a Mug- Pendragon company?" he asked, smoothly sailing over the word.

Gwen nodded, "My father wanted me to be less affiliated with that world," she didn't need to expand, since Merlin understood perfectly. For all his kindness, Mr. Smith had very little understanding of the Wizarding world, and he often openly showed his displeasure.

"You should have said something in the letter," Merlin chided slightly, moving to the side as people left the lift and walked briskly to their various destinations.

"And risk the wrath of Uther Pendragon?" Gwen asked incredulously. "I don't think so. He's not very fond of the wizarding community," she said dryly. "In fact, what are you doing here, Special Auror?" Her voice dropped for the last two words, since secrecy was expected of them, and Gwen had always been the type to follow the rules.

"I was hoping someone here would be able to tell me," Merlin said honestly, shrugging. "I just received the order."

"And you followed, I'm surprised," Gwen said teasingly, although her expression became serious a while later. "I'm not sure why Arthur needs extra protection, everyone's being so hush-hush about it. I've never seen Uther look so disturbed, though." She frowned, thinking of the elder Pendragon.

Merlin nudged her, "Don't fear, Merlin's here."

Gwen laughed, "Of course, still the same catchphrase? I'm almost disappointed."

"I have another one for the Heads, and speaking of which," he walked towards the lift, startlingly similar to that in the Ministry of Magic, "How do I get to his office?"

"I'm supposed to be guiding you there actually," Gwen said, glancing at the dainty watch on her left hand. "Hurry, it wouldn't be wise to be late on your first day." Gwen expertly pressed a button, and Merlin marveled at the feeling of travelling in a lift without things flying over his head. The doors slid open, and Gwen walked out.

The change in her was visible. Her face had hardened slightly, and her back straightened. Merlin had never seen his ex-Housemate look so confident, so at ease in her own skin. He had a fleeting wonder if it was because of the change in lifestyle, or the Pendragon influence. He guessed that it was a mixture of both.

She rapped her knuckles on the door twice firmly, waiting for a man's voice to say, "Enter," before she opened it, beckoning him through with an almost unnoticeable tilt of her head.

Merlin's eyes flitted across the room, taking in the large glass windows –easy attack, although they were undoubtedly reinforced with something else— and the imposing nature of the room, as well as the two men in it; he straightened himself, appearing weak here would be unwise. He vaguely recognized one of them, but he kept his eyes fixed on the other, whose head was still bent down, writing something onto a parchment of sorts with a quill of sorts. Muggle inventions.

While the man busied himself with his work, he took note of the doors. One that surely led to a bathroom, another that led to a connecting room, the one he had entered from, and a concealed one that he only noticed because of the faint difference in wood –one that most people wouldn't have noticed, but Harry Potter had drilled them into learning to find them. Harry had a strange focus on doorways, Merlin would have said that he feared them, but it was more of a wary nature, a fear of what might lurk beyond the doorway.

"Mr. Emrys," the man's eyes turned to look at his, cold and dark, and Merlin didn't allow himself to flinch in the power of that gaze. "Uther Pendragon," he introduced himself, holding out a hand. Merlin shook it firmly, not surprised when the other's man's shake was just as steady as his own. He sat down on the chair, realising that Uther Pendragon must have had it cut short, because he rarely sunk into a chair as he did in this room.

"Pleasure, Sir," he said, tilting his head politely. He turned his eyes towards the other man in the room, finally putting a name to the face, "Gaius." Gaius had no other name that he knew of in his family; he was a distant uncle or something.

"Merlin," Gaius smiled warmly. "How nice to see you again."

"Indeed," he replied, even though he hadn't thought of Gaius in years. He knew Gaius would not sense the lie. It was the only thing that he had a natural talent for, besides magic.

Uther did not beat around the bush, rather, he hit it straight on. "You are being hired to protect my son. We have received some letters that have been threatening, and we have been assured that you are the best for the job."

Merlin nodded, not bothering with humility. "May I see these letters, Sir?"

Uther stared at him for a few seconds, but Merlin must have passed some test, because he opened a drawer next to him and pulled out two envelopes. Merlin took them carefully, although he knew they must have already been processed for fingerprints and the like –the television at Ron's place taught him enough.

He pulled out the letters, opening the creased pages. They were simple in nature, only a few words written in block letters. Arthur will die in place of Uther, the first letter read. The next was just as simple, with the same style of writing: Arthur's blood is on Uther's hands.

Whoever was writing these letters did not intend to hurt Arthur, they wanted to hurt Uther. Arthur was simply a manner of which to do so.

"Do you know who wrote these?" he asked, knowing that they either did or had an idea about it.

"No," Uther lied, although Merlin hadn't been expecting a truthful answer. "But we wish to be prepared."

They were hiding something from him, these two men. With anyone else, Merlin would have demanded an answer, but he sensed that if he did, he would only be pulled off the job and reassigned, so he kept his silence, biding his time. He would get his answers by the end of it, he always did.

"You will protect him," Uther stated.

Merlin nodded. "It's done, Sir."

He heard the door squeak open before the man entered, but he tried not to roll his eyes at the dramatic entry. Arthur Pendragon was already proving himself to be a right pain in the arse.

Arthur was angry, or more accurately, fuming.

He had woken up to an alarm clock that refused to get close enough for him to throw –one of those stupid things that made you run after them. Then, his clothes had been too tight for him because some foolish servant girl hadn't been paying attention while washing. Then his food had been too sour for his tongue, and the stupid chef had refused to admit his mistake. And to top it all off, his father still insisted on him being there to meet that new guard.

He parked the car outside the building, knowing that he wasn't supposed to but not particularly caring at the moment, and threw the keys to the startled door man. "Park it," he growled darkly, walking into the building.

The people around moved out of his direction, steering clear of his path. The only person who dared to approach him was the only person whose head he wouldn't bite off. "Arthur," Gwen said, holding out a hand. "Merlin is here-"

"First name basis with him?" Arthur asked sarcastically, trying not to show his surprise as Gwen blushed. She did know him then. It only fuelled his anger further for some reason.

"He's in your father's office," she continued, pointing at the large wooden doors.

Arthur walked towards the doors, lingering outside for a few seconds to hear his father say, "You will protect him."

"Overprotective bastard," he murmured darkly under his breath, ignoring the shocked gasp that Gwen let out.

"It's done, sir," a new voice said, and he took it as his cue to enter the room, pushing the doors open in a grand gesture.

"Father, Gaius," he announced the names in true Pendragon fashion instead of simply saying them. He turned to each man in turn and nodded once sharply before looking at their new visitor; the man who was to be assigned the task of protecting him.

He was nothing like Arthur had expected. He was not a bulky heavy-set man with thick eyebrows and small, hard eyes and closely cropped hair. Rather, his eyes were of the most devastating of blues, his brows were shaped nicely in arches at the sight of him, and his hair hung in an artistic mess around his face, as was the fashion these days. Although, he guessed that this man knew nothing about fashion, so it was probably a natural mess.

"You must be Merlin," he said, eyes moving over him appraisingly and lips curving into a charming smile. Merlin would be fooled, the other two men not so.

Merlin did not outwardly show any sign of shock at the blatantly lust filled glance, but Arthur thought that he saw a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Yes," he answered, not hesitatingly, but rather filled with a kind of silent confidence in his own abilities that was strangely reassuringly.

"And you must be Arthur," Merlin said, standing up. Arthur watched as all image of 'bulky' or 'heavy-set' disappeared at the sight of the long legs encased in tight jeans that, thankfully, came into his line of vision.

"Indeed," Arthur practically slid forward on the floor, grasping the other man's hand and holding on just a second too long before letting go. He wasn't particularly attracted to this Merlin figure, but he took his entertainment where he could get it.

Merlin smiled slightly, before he turned back to Arthur's father. Arthur sat down next to him, legs spread and hand tapping at the wooden chair. He hid his grin as his father threw him an annoyed glare and Gaius frowned, knowing that he was baiting his father. Arthur shrugged at him, it was no fault of his that his father took the bait every single time. Pendragons weren't supposed to be gullible, anyway.

"Merlin," Uther said loudly, over the incessant tapping, "You may follow Arthur to the mansion-"

"What?" Arthur spoke out, "Why does he have to live with us?"

"Because I said so," Uther said, smirking.

Merlin looked far too amused with that bit of interaction for his liking.

"Very well, sir," he said, bowing his head. Arthur wondered how someone so subservient was supposed to protect him. "Should we leave now?" he asked politely, and Uther nodded, already turning back to his work. Gaius spared them a smile, but he too disappeared by the main door.

Arthur glared at Merlin one last time before he walked out, hearing the footsteps follow him the whole time.

"You can take this room," Arthur said, pointing at the room next to his own.

Merlin's brow rose. Arthur Pendragon obviously did not understand Merlin's duty, or the way the wizarding world went around protecting their wards. "I don't think so," he said, walking into Arthur's room.

Arthur turned to see him placing his bags near the doorway, looking around the area with a quick eye.

Merlin's eyes rested on him briefly, noting the annoyed surprise. "Listen, I know you don't want me here-"

"Now, where did that wit appear from?" Arthur asked sarcastically.

Merlin kept his temper under control, taking off his jacket –uncomfortable thing that clung to his body far too much—and laid it across a chair. "Not a choice on either of our parts. Deal with it."

Arthur drew himself to his most haughty position, "I will not listen to you."

"You can try not to." Merlin felt amused. It showed.

"I will not. I am Arthur Pendragon, I do not listen to small fags who can't even-"

Merlin's eyes narrowed, and he walked forward, pushing Arthur onto the seat. "I am your bodyguard, understood? Not your slave. While I am under your father's service you will do as I say, not the other way around. You will go into rooms after I have checked them, you will eat anything after I have tasted it, you will drink only after I have drank from the same cup, you will not leave my sight."

Merlin liked to think that the power he exuded made Arthur shut up, but he had a feeling it was more because he was already planning ways to make his life hell.

"Of course, Your Highness," he continued sarcastically, "If you want to have your friends visit, I will have to check through them first. And if you want to have ladies in your bed, be sure that I'll be watching."

Arthur smirked, standing up. Merlin was easily taller them him by a few inches, but Arthur had broader shoulders, a broader figure.

They were well matched.

"I will open all letters you receive, I will look through every gift you get, I will dig through your closet of clothes if I have to, but Arthur Pendragon, your freedom," Merlin smirked, the sadistic part of him always liked this part, "Is nonexistent from this moment on."

Arthur walked towards his room, throwing a glance back at the last second. "Who said anything about ladies?"

Merlin blinked. Then he laughed, lighter than he had in a while.

Arthur Pendragon might be a prat, but he almost assuredly a fun one.

Ron would hate this guy, he thought fondly.

"Come on," Arthur's voice rang out from the room. "Aren't you supposed to go through my clothes before I go out?" Merlin walked into the room, taking in the large door that he assumed led to a closet –if the trail of clothes were any indication— and another to a bathroom. Arthur stuck his head out of the first door, looking at him with a raised brow. "Well, hurry up, I don't have all day, you know."

"Where are you going?" he asked with a frown. He was supposed to make sure wherever Arthur Pendragon visited was a safe area, but, at the same time, Harry had called him a 'special' case.

Arthur walked out, holding a few shirts in his hand. "New club. Morgana told me I should visit."

"You do everything this Morgana asks you to?" Merlin asked skeptically, he could not imagine Arthur following anyone's orders. Arthur threw him a withering glance.

"No, but she's usually right with the new clubs." He walked towards his full-length mirror, holding the shirts towards his body.

"Why would the club be open this early?" Merlin asked.

Arthur rolled his eyes and sighed impatiently. "They're open all the time. People don't leave until lunch time. Then they come back after a few hours of sleep."

"Oh." Merlin had never been one to visit clubs, the most he had had were a few drinks after a particularly rough day at work.

"Which do you think looks best?" he asked, frowning at his reflection. Arthur looked at him expectantly, and Merlin realised that he actually wanted an answer.

"Erm- the blue one?" he guessed. The other one was a bright green, too much attention attracted, and the other a pale yellow, which would have, as Hermione said it, clashed with his skin tone. The blue was soft, brought out his eyes or something, his mother was fond of using such euphemisms.

"Well," Arthur studied himself in the mirror again. "Fine." He pulled off his shirt, and Merlin was given a glimpse of a toned chest before the blue shirt was pulled on. Arthur turned around, running a hand through his hair, before he noticed Merlin. "You know, if you're going to come out with me, you're going to have to get a change of clothes." Merlin looked down at himself, the pants were similar to the ones that Arthur wore, although he guessed that the blond man's was more expensive, and the long-sleeved shirt was practical.

"It looks fine," he stated. Arthur opened his mouth as though to argue the fact, then he decided against it.

"You're an idiot," he said.

"Well, you're a prat," Merlin retorted.

Arthur laughed –a sincere laugh for the first time since Merlin had met him— and shook his head. "You know you can get fired for that?"

Merlin grinned, "I think you enjoy my company far too much."

"I've only known you for half a day."

"People say I'm very likable."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "People lie. They're trying to make you feel better."

Merlin almost scoffed, "Percy does not lie to make you feel better. Neither does Oliver."

"And do I know who this Percy and Oliver are?" Arthur asked pointedly.

"Well, no," Merlin admitted, "But, they still don't lie. Not without a proper reason anyway."

"You think they don't consider you and your feelings an important enough reason?" Arthur asked. Merlin knew what he meant, but he also knew his friends, they had too much honesty to lie. Not to mention that Percy could not lie for the life of him.

"It is, but they still wouldn't."

Arthur's eyes met him, and Merlin thought he saw something, although he didn't know what, in them. A second later it was gone.

"The club's a few streets over, the limo's waiting," Arthur said, walking away.

Merlin followed him, hand moving over where his wand was hidden. Constant vigilance, Harry had always said.

Merlin was annoying, Arthur realised after a week with the man following him. Not an obvious annoyance like Morgana, but a more subtle annoyance. He did not intend to annoy Arthur, that much he knew for a fact, if only because he was too nice to want to annoy him. But, the constant following was annoying nonetheless.

That explained why, as Merlin walked into the shop before him and checked it before signaling for Arthur to enter, he snapped.

"For fuck's sake, what are you doing here," he said sharply, pushing Merlin away forcefully. He felt hard muscles beneath his palms, and Merlin didn't move an inch.

"Your father believes that you are in danger, I work for him," Merlin said calmly. "I am protecting you."

"From what?" Arthur asked, although he kept his voice low. The shopkeepers were nosy buggers. "What's going on?"

"There have been letters," Merlin informed him, although he did not expand. "I am not allowed to reveal further information."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "If I'm in trouble, shouldn't I be allowed to know the details?"

Merlin shrugged, "That's not my decision to make. Ask your father."

"What are you, his henchman?" Arthur said in a low growl, stalking towards the changing room and pulling Merlin behind him. He knew how this would look like. Just as well as he knew that no one would be able to hear them from the room. It was soundproofed. He pushed Merlin into the room, using all his force to have an effect on him. For all his gangliness, Merlin was surprisingly strong.

"You can try convince your father," Merlin said calmly, but Arthur saw the tips of his ears redden, he was becoming angry. "But I cannot disobey his orders."

"You're his lapdog too?" Arthur taunted, "His bitch?"

Merlin's eyes narrowed. "You insult your own father so candidly?"

"You going to tell me not to insult your Master?" Arthur smirked.

Merlin relaxed suddenly, as though everything was crystal clear to him in that second. "No, just not to insult your own father." He leaned against the wall casually, and Arthur realised the position they were in, with his arms on either side of Merlin, leaning over him threateningly. Although, if anyone were to interrupt –and he knew every person in the store was standing on the other side of the door wondering if they should do just that— it would seem very different. He backed away from Merlin quickly.

Merlin gave a small half-smile.

"You've finished the hissy fit now?" he asked, voice amused.

Arthur threw him an annoyed glance. "It was not a hissy fit."

"Yes, it was. You were acting like a spoiled prat." Merlin crossed his hands, nodding firmly.

Arthur assumed the same position on the opposite end. "I was not. I was making an argument. And I was not acting like a spoiled prat, I was acting like how I always do."

"So you always act like a spoiled prat," Merlin said agreeably.

"It only sounds like behavior or a spoiled prat to those who know no better," Arthur informed him.

Merlin scoffed. "What's there to know? You're rich, you're spoiled, and you rub it into the faces of everyone who isn't."He continued when Arthur started to speak, "You think you're so much better than everyone else because you have money. But, you know that the people around you can't be trusted. You have no one whom you're actually close to, so you hold a grudge against everyone who does have someone." He ended his speech with a superior expression on his face.

"So, who's your someone?" Arthur asked curiously, not denying anything.

Merlin frowned in confusion, "What?"

"You said I have a grudge against everyone who has someone, and according to you, I have a grudge against you. So, who's your someone?" Arthur explained his question.

"Well," Merlin thought about the question, "I guess- no, not yet. I will, just not now- I think, I hope."

Arthur smirked at him. "You're single?"

"For now," Merlin said quickly.

"You've always been single?" Arthur asked, making it sound like a statement as much as a question.

"No," Merlin protested. "I've been with people before at Ho- school," he fumbled over the word, moving on before Arthur could note the error and question it, as he was sure to do. "Loads of people, I was the most popular guy in my level."

Arthur scoffed disbelievingly. "I bet."

"If you do, you'll lose." Merlin stuck his tongue out at the blond man before he could stop himself. When Arthur's brow rose, he realised what he did and froze. "Erm- well, yes-"

"Exactly how the most popular guy in your school behaves? Wonderful," he said dryly.

Merlin stuck out his tongue again. "It was cool then."

"It's not now," Arthur said childishly.

They both stopped as they realised their conversation. Merlin seemed slightly uncomfortable at the realization, a frown forming on his face.

Then, Arthur laughed, a light rush of emotion that rose in him and escaped from his mouth unexpectedly. Merlin stared in surprise, then started laughing, and soon they were both clutching at their stomachs and laughing without reason, but with neither feeling the need to stop.

"God," Merlin said, gasping slightly, "This whole- whole week, don't think I've heard you laugh."

Arthur forced himself to stop, taking large breaths, "I don't think I have in a long time."

Merlin grinned at him, "Well, then it's got to be part of my job too, making you laugh." Arthur thought he saw a teasing glint in his eyes, but Merlin looked away before he could be sure.

"I guess it is," Arthur agreed, feeling himself still grinning away like a kid on Christmas, although none of his Christmas' had made him feel so good. Not like Merlin had.

Arthur made a mental note to make Merlin laugh whenever he could, and blush too. They both looked fetching on him.

Merlin settled himself into his seat, watching as Arthur stepped up in front of a group of men in fancy suits and styled hair, nodding at Gwen for her to start the slide show. He sat at a small nook at the corner, allowing him clear sight to the three doors in the room –the main one, from which most people entered, the side door, which was reserved for those who were classier, like Arthur and by connection Merlin, and the third, which was actually hidden behind a large red curtain. The windows were all locked, and double plated with bulletproof glass, and Merlin had discreetly added a layer of wards to the entire room when Arthur had not been looking.

For exactly twenty four days, Merlin had been sitting in that same nook every day from morning till sunset, unless it was a weekend, at which point Arthur found it his right to do nothing. He couldn't say he blamed the Pendragon son. Standing in front of some boring rich men and instructing them on how to get richer –the Pendragon way, of course— could not be that exciting.

But Arthur had been doing just that, out of some loyalty to his father and the company –insults aside, Arthur was loyal to both— and Merlin had never heard him complain. Not one iota of displeasure shown at his duty.

If not for the fact that Arthur started whining every evening about having to do this, he would say the man enjoyed it. As it was, he guessed he was exaggerating. It would not do for Arthur Pendragon to seem to be enjoying something difficult.

Merlin grinned at the man, making wide hand gestures to explain his point.

He had mentioned it earlier, how good he was at influencing the people. As he was trying to explain it without sounding fawning, he had settled on, "You're good at what you do."

"Of course I am," Arthur had said, waving a hand as though it were expected. "I am a Pendragon, you know. I'm not dumb."

"I never said you were, but I never expected you to be like this either," Merlin had said, sitting down next to him, carefully not expanding on what the 'this' was either.

"You mean smart?" Arthur had cut to the point.

Merlin had nodded slightly reluctantly, it felt cruel to be insulting him now that he knew Arthur was far from dumb. "Well, it's not like you have the best of reputations or anything. All my mu- friends who knew you said that you were, you know, a playboy." The word was not one that Merlin was used to saying, and it felt foreign on his tongue.

"A playboy?" Arthur had not taken offence –far from it, he sounded pleased. "Not bad. Think I can make it to the level of slut by next summer?" He had grinned wickedly, and Merlin had hit him with a pillow to hide his spreading blush.

He watched as Arthur finished his speech, nodding professionally. He stood up and walked towards the man, keeping an eye and his ears on the doors the whole time. "Nice work," he said, as he had for the past few weeks.

Arthur rolled his eyes, as though the compliment was lost on him, but Merlin liked to think that he sounded pleased at it every time. "Whatever, come on, I want a proper drink. We have wine at the Mansion, I think we should have a bottle of the 2001 La Cueva del Contador somewhere," he murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

Merlin did not know what that meant, except that it sounded expensive, and a lot like the other wines that Arthur had dutifully drunk every day. "Maybe you should lay off the wine for a day or two, Arthur," he suggested slowly. While he had no clue as to the effects of constantly consuming wine, he didn't think taking anything excessively led to anything good.

"Giving me orders now, Merlin?" Arthur, thankfully, did not sound annoyed. However, he didn't sound like he took Merlin seriously either.

"Just suggestions," he said, forcing his tone to remain casual. He didn't even know why he cared if Arthur drank himself to death, except that he didn't deserve it.

"Thanks," Arthur said dryly, "But I think I'll stick with the wine."

"I don't think-"

"Good, it's not your job to think," Arthur snapped. He softened at the hurt expression on Merlin's face. "I need something, okay? And wine's better than smoking or whatever."

"Isn't there anything else?" Merlin asked, feeling something in him that he wasn't sure he wanted to identify.

Arthur chuckled, "I could get laid every night. But I really don't want you to watch."

Merlin kept silent, feeling his cheeks burn. The wizarding community did not talk about things like this so casually, not where anyone could overhear it anyway. Muggles seemed to have no problem with it. Either that or it was Arthur. He liked to think it was Arthur. He didn't need to think of Hermione talking about things like this with her Muggle friends.

"Or do you want to participate?" Arthur asked, and Merlin blinked in confusion.

"What?"

Arthur shook his head, although Merlin thought he sensed a slight disappointment permeating from him. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing, Merlin."

He hated it when people lied to him. Especially Arthur.

Arthur watched as Merlin opened his letters. He had stopped feeling like he should protest the invasion of privacy after the first two months. Since then, watching Merlin look through his letters every evening –and he thought that Merlin did the same thing in the mornings as well— had become a part of his everyday lifestyle. Just another thing that he had become used to, more because it was Merlin doing it than because he actually liked it being done. Not that he would tell Merlin that.

It would ruin the fun of seeing the man blush every time he said something that even hinted at sex, or involved sex, or suggested sex.

He didn't deny that Merlin was good at his job though.

Three months and not the slightest hint of trouble, but Merlin was still on his guard, still as watchful as ever. Arthur, in that time, had tried to get him to change his dressing sense, but he had only managed to make Merlin wear more fashionably tight jeans –for his entertainment for whenever Merlin bent over— and less ugly long sleeved shirts.

He wondered if Merlin's arms were scarred or disfigured, since he insisted on always covering it. He chalked it up to another one of those weird things that made up Merlin.

"Anything new?" he drawled lazily, watching as he tore open another envelope carefully, always keeping a large distance between the two of them in the case of something happening. What exactly Arthur didn't know. It was almost as if Merlin expected to have the plague sent to them or the likes.

Merlin shook his head, but kept his eyes on the letters, scanning through the lines and fully absorbing their meaning. He put it down on a pile on the right, which were the letters that had already been checked.

"You've got to go see your Dad later, don't forget," he reminded Arthur absently, throwing away the envelope into a black rubbish bag.

"Yes, Mother," Arthur said sarcastically, "And he's my father, not my Dad," he corrected, making a face at the word used.

Merlin paused mid-action. "Why not Dad? It means the same thing."

"No, it doesn't," Arthur said, he knew the difference between a father and a Dad all too well. Merlin would have to learn it himself.

"Well?" Merlin prodded.

"Well what?" he asked, knowing what Merlin meant but still refusing to answer.

"Are you going to tell me the difference?" Merlin asked, as though it were obvious.

Arthur smiled, "Nope. Figure it out."

Merlin rolled his eyes good-naturedly and turned back to the stack. He barely glanced at a few before throwing them away. Merlin had learned soon enough that Arthur didn't read letters from fans who wanted to meet the great Arthur Pendragon, so he had started throwing them away himself.

He stopped at an envelope, his instincts on alert.

"Arthur, get into your room," he ordered. Arthur did not question before he obeyed, slipping into his room. Before he entered, he threw a last glance at Merlin, worried, although he kept it hidden. "I'll be fine," Merlin added as an assurance, and Arthur closed the door behind him.

Merlin opened the envelope carefully, hands covered with Muggle gloves while he wandlessly cast a few spells to check for danger. As it proved itself safe, he took out the letter.

Uther caused Arthur's death.

He didn't like the use of the word 'caused'. Whoever was writing these letters expected Arthur to die. While Merlin knew that he had prevented the death of all his protectees, Arthur felt different. More vulnerable to danger than anyone else. He pulled out the cell phone that Gaius had given him, using simple instructions to teach him how to use the device. He clicked a few buttons, feeling relieved when it started to ring.

"Pendragon Offices," Gwen's voice rang out clearly. "Who may I ask is-"

"Tell Uther there's been another letter," he cut in. "This time sent to Arthur's mail. First time too," he added, recalling that the other letters had been sent to Uther.

"Wait," Gwen said, and Merlin could hear the worry in her voice. "Is Arthur-"

"Arthur's fine. He's in his room. The place is clear," Merlin said, using short sentences to steady the girl.

He heard her exhale before the definite click on the phone meant he was being switched lines. "Another letter?" Uther asked immediately. "What does it say?"

"Uther caused Arthur's death," Merlin quoted. "As your son's bodyguard, I have to ask if you have any enemies." He hadn't asked the question before, but it felt like things were about to turn, and Merlin needed his answers.

"Of course I do," Uther snapped. "I'm rich."

He heard Uther mutter something and another voice sounded, "Merlin?" Gaius said his name fretfully, and Merlin allowed himself to feel slightly pleased that someone cared about his safety as well as Arthur's. "You two are fine?"

"We are," Merlin assured him. "The letter?"

"Bring it to the office later," Gaius ordered, "And try not to touch it."

Merlin nodded, but spoke when he realised that Gaius couldn't see him. The floo system was so much more practical. "I will." There was a short burst of breath on the other end before the line went dead, his ear filled with the repetitive beep.

He took a few breaths, laying the letter and its accompanying envelope aside before he walked towards the door of Arthur's room and knocked sharply. "Arthur?" he called. He heard the sound of movement and someone fiddling with the catch. "Don't just open the door, you prat, ask me the question," he said in an annoyed tone. The practice used during the time of war would prove to be as useful as ever in these situations.

"Fine," Arthur replied, just as annoyed. "What do you and I like to sing in the shower?"

"The Sound of Music," Merlin answered, grinning slightly. The latch was unlocked, and Arthur opened the door, also grinning. "I like that movie." Hermione had forced everyone to watch it, and Merlin was the only one who had stayed awake through the entire thing. The entire team had fallen asleep –out of exhaustion at the day or boredom at the movie he hadn't asked.

"So do I," Arthur admitted, stepping back to let him in. "Is it an all clear or am I in quarantine or something?" He flopped himself down on his bed, looking up at Merlin through half-closed eyes.

"All clear," Merlin said, sitting on the bed. "And, if you were in quarantine, at least I'd be here with you to keep you company."

"You're not exactly the sort of company a guy wants when he's stuck in his room," Arthur said lewdly, and Merlin blushed.

"Shut up," he muttered before switching the subject. "We should be going to your father's," he stressed the word in remembrance of their earlier spat, "office now."

Arthur forced himself to a seat, leaning on Merlin with an arm around his shoulder. "Do we have to?" he whined.

"Yes, sorry," Merlin said, only half meaning it.

"No, you're not," Arthur said, and Merlin swore he saw the hint of a pout in his lips.

"No, I'm not, now come on," he pulled himself up before holding out a hand. Arthur did pout this time, but he grabbed the hand and pulled himself up. Merlin let himself hold on to it for a millisecond longer than he needed to before pulling away, turning around swiftly.

Arthur watched with blind shock.

He recovered with appreciated speed and shook his head to clear it of the thoughts. Too many thoughts; none of them he should have been thinking in the first place. He walked behind Merlin, letting them drive to the office in complete silence. Usually, Merlin filled it with his senseless chatter or Arthur with his more sensible chatter, but something seemed to have stilted conversation for the time.

Arthur smiled at Gwen as she rushed up to them in front of the building, eyes scanning him up and down like women usually did, except for less improper reasons. "Are you two okay?" she asked, hugging Merlin and running her hands down his arms. Arthur frowned, it didn't seem all that proper anymore.

"We're fine," he answered sharply, and her hands dropped to her sides. "Come, Father will be waiting."

Gwen nodded emphatically, and they were in his father's office within seconds, both groups staring each other down.

"The letter?" his father asked, breaking the silence. Merlin took it out of his bag, giving it to Uther, handling it gently. Uther snatched it with less finesse, pulling it out and reading it swiftly, face darkened fully by the third time he had read it. "She's getting closer," he muttered.

Merlin nodded seriously, "She thinks she can kill Arthur."

Arthur frowned, "How do we know it's a she anyway?"

"Handwriting," came the unified answer from his father and Merlin. Neither was looking at him, though. He dumped himself on the seat, watching as they read the letter for the thousandth time, wondering why everyone was so worried about a letter when he got so many. It wasn't the first time the thought had crossed his mind –and it probably wouldn't be the last— but he still hadn't received his answers.

Or answers that satisfied him, anyway.

Arthur felt like he was the child amongst the adults in the room –ignored completely. Merlin and Uther were still discussing the letter in hushed tones, Gwen was talking to Gaius, as though she knew what was going on, and the thought that she might made Arthur unreasonably annoyed.

He cleared his throat pointedly, and there was no reaction.

"I don't think you need to increase the security," Merlin was saying, frustrated, "She can't get him. I know it."

"You can't be sure-"

"Of course I can," Merlin frowned insistently.

Arthur moved on to the next conversation.

"Do you really think that she can get to Arthur?" Gwen bit her lip worriedly. "I mean, I know that Merlin is one of the best au- bodyguards around, but she sounds a little too much for him." Arthur's ears perked up.

"I am sure that Merlin is perfectly capable of handling anything this woman throws at him," Gaius patted her back. "Don't worry, you'll increase your blood pressure."

That was uneventful; he turned back to his father. From the expressions on their faces, they were becoming steadily angrier at one another, and whoever had written the letter. Arthur knew that his father was keeping something from him, and from the looks of it, Merlin suspected the same thing. The only difference was that Merlin was idiotic enough to question his father while he would wait for the right time to get it out of him.

"You need to tell me what you know or I won't be able to help Arthur," Merlin pressed his father, shaking his head.

"That is classified information-"

"Hell with classified, he's your son, don't you care? If you don't tell me he could very well get killed," Merlin bit out.

"I thought you said you could protect him."

"I can try," Merlin said, "But I can't assure you anything if you're keeping something from me. With these sort of cases the details matter, I need to know exactly what I should be looking out for."

Uther drew himself up to his full height, which wasn't too intimidating since Merlin was tall. "You should be looking out for everyone who is considering harming my son."

"Do you at least have a description?" Merlin tried, weaving away from that thread of the conversation.

"You look out for everyone," Uther repeated firmly, "And that's it."

Arthur blew out a puff of breath, watching as a plane flew across the building a distance away, and his eyes were momentarily blinded by the sun. He closed them instinctively, and then kept them closed. The darkness was bliss for those brief seconds.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Arthur?" Merlin asked, moving in front of him and half kneeling. "You okay?"

Arthur nodded. "I'm fine, just tired."

Merlin nodded as well, "Late night," he smiled fondly. "Prat. Told you not to have that last drink."

"If I hadn't I wouldn't have gotten that girl's number," Arthur retorted.

Merlin laughed, "You don't need her number, you got everyone else's in the room."

"Still not enough," Arthur insisted.

Merlin pulled him to his feet. "That's enough out of you, come on." He smiled at the occupants of the office, although it dimmed when his eyes rested on Uther, before he led Arthur out. Away from the everyone else.

Arthur smiled softly, "Thank you," he said, climbing into the backseat of the limo and stretching out across it. "Maybe I should stop the wine," he said, and he watched Merlin frown in confusion before his expression cleared in recollection.

"That would be good," Merlin said carefully.

"I think so too." Arthur grinned giddily before he fell asleep to the thrum of the car beneath him.

"Morgana," Arthur said the name as a greeting as the girl air-kissed him.

"Arthur, darling," she drawled in a fake American accent. "Merlin," she did the same for him.

"You've been to America lately?" Merlin asked, sitting down opposite the girl and next to Arthur.

Morgana grinned, "Yep, Tiffany and Lorry wanted to visit that new shop that opened up, and since your Dad," she looked at Arthur, "owns it, I just went as part of the publicity."

"Camelot," Arthur recalled. "Supposed to be all the rage with the youngsters."

Morgana rolled her eyes. "I swear Arthur, you make yourself sound like an old man. You are part of that 'youngsters' group, you know. Anyway, Gwen should be joining us soon, and she said that she'd be bringing a few friends of hers from school." Morgana bit her lip, "She doesn't bring them around very often. Don't tell her I said so, but they're all really weird. Apparently, the guys were in this war. But even the girls act like they were in it."

Merlin froze slightly, before forcing himself to calm. Morgana knew nothing about wizardry, or the connection between him and wizardry. "Really?" he asked, keeping his voice politely interested.

"Yeah, they all wear really weird clothes. Especially this girl she brings around, some Gineva or something-"

"Ginny," Merlin corrected, then bit his tongue.

"How did you know that?" Arthur asked.

"Well, I had a friend in school called Ginerva, we all called her Ginny," Merlin explained, hoping that they wouldn't connect the dots. They didn't.

"Whatever, anyway, she says that these guys were her friends during school, so everyone be nice, okay?" she looked at them with harsh stares, forcing herself on them.

Merlin nodded, although his mind was in a blaze. If anyone amongst Gwen's friends recognized him, and they probably would, he was screwed. His cover would be blown.

"Gwen," he heard Morgana call out and saw her stand and wave Gwen over. He wanted to turn around and see who her friends were, but that would be too abrupt.

"Hey Morgana," she hugged her friend. Then she caught sight of Arthur and Merlin, and her expression changed to a slightly horrified one before reverting back to her usual grin. "What are you two doing here?" Merlin only heard the shake in her voice because he was looking for it.

"We decided to join you for lunch," Arthur said casually, and while it was not uncommon for Arthur to join the luncheons, or for Merlin to follow him, it had never been this sort of a situation. "Who's your friend?"

"Hi," Merlin heard a woman's voice, one he recognized immediately because he had been hearing it for years. "You must be Morgana, I'm Hermione Weasley."

Hermione sat down next to Gwen –next to Merlin—never once giving away her knowing Merlin.

Merlin let out a sigh of relief, if anyone would be able to fake this lunch, it would be Hermione. "Merlin," he introduced himself, "And that's Arthur." Arthur smiled slightly, but continued sipping at his drink. He did not know Hermione Weasley, which meant she was not rich, which meant he did not need to know anything more about her. Merlin had understood quickly that Arthur lived on a need to know basis. Hermione did not fit the bill. To Muggle standards anyway, any wizard would be lucky to know Hermione, the women who supported the rights of everyone and everything.

"It's nice to meet you," she said sincerely, and Merlin saw the glint of knowledge in her eyes.

"I knew Hermione at school," Gwen explained. "She used to tutor me."

"You were always smart," Hermione said quickly before Gwen could further undermine herself. "You just needed a slight push. Gwen and I met again after school, when she visited my parents' dentist shop."

Merlin laughed, Hermione's dentist parents were famous in the group. "Your parents are dentists?" he asked anyway, since he shouldn't have known.

"Yes," Hermione smiled kindly.

"And yourself?" Merlin asked.

"I fight for rights," she said simply, as though she didn't own her own building with different sections for the various creatures and people of the wizarding world and a total of over two hundred people working under her, most spurred by the thought of the victims instead of any want for money.

"That sounds interesting," Merlin commented, suddenly enjoying the game they were playing.

He knew the moment Hermione understood, her eyes brightened with a new delight. "Indeed, I have a few people working for me, and we fight for the rights of everything. From gays to elves," she laughed, as though it were a joke, and the two other Hogwarts students at the table laughed with her, knowing she meant it literally. "It's interesting work, you get to meet many people and things every day."

"Hermione's brilliant," Gwen said with a smile.

Hermione blushed slightly, "I'm just doing my part for society. What about you, Merlin?" she asked, turning to him. "What do you do?"

Merlin had his cover story prepared for this eventuality. "I work with law enforcement, not near as exciting."

"But it has to be," Hermione gave a wide grin, although Merlin saw the hidden smirk. "You must carry guns and everything, it's as far off to me as –oh, being a wizard!"

Merlin shrugged humbly, "It's not that great, just simple work for a simple man."

Arthur cut in suddenly. "It's not great at all. In fact, it's rather boring." He glared at Merlin, and he wondered if Arthur had liked Hermione, if he was jealous. "Arthur Pendragon," he introduced himself properly, holding out his hand.

Hermione's eyes widened satisfactorily. "Oh- it's, an honor, I've read your essay on the inter-relationships between offices in different countries, your theory that it would be strengthened with a common head was fascinating," she said sincerely, and Merlin knew she meant it. He felt slightly proud that he had an idea of what she was talking about, since he was usually lost, as he had heard Arthur make that particular speech. Five times.

"Oh?" Arthur smiled –Merlin recognized it as the same smile he used to seduce the women in the clubs— and wondered if he should warn Arthur or Hermione first.

"Yes, in fact, I was wondering if you would-"

"You're married," Merlin blurted out, the first thing that came to his mind. Then he pointed to the ring on her finger, a simple gold band. "How long?"

Hermione smiled again, although it looked more knowing this time –what she knew was beyond Merlin— and answered, "Eight years. We have two kids."

"Congratulations," Merlin said. "How are they?" He missed the Weasley children, they had filled his life with pure entertainment for hours on end.

"Wonderful, the younger one is just learning how to do more advanced reading and the older one is learning dance," she said, nodding her head. Merlin understood –they were fine, and they wanted their Uncle Merlin back. He felt a rush of warmth in his chest, along with slight sadness that he hadn't seen them in months.

Arthur seemed to notice, because he interfered again. "I'm afraid we're going to have to leave."

Hermione's face fell, "Already?" Merlin knew it was because she wanted to listen to his theory as much as she wanted to spend time with Merlin.

Arthur grinned, "Maybe next time, see you," he waved at Gwen and Morgana, and the two of them walked back to the limo in relative silence. "Merlin-" Arthur started, then he shook his head, reconsidering, and let it go.

"What?" Merlin asked, looking at him.

"Well, I was just wondering," Arthur said, stuttering slightly, which surprised Merlin, "If you- well, if you, missed back home." Arthur's cheeks tinted to a slight pink. "Your family and friends, back home, away from m- all this."

Merlin was about to answer no, but reconsidered the question. Arthur wanted him to be honest. "Yes, sometimes." Arthur looked down, eyes shifting to the side. "But then, other times, you or Gwen or Morgana do or say something, and I don't." Arthur looked up at him, eyes lit with something Merlin thought was hope. "I miss my family, but, you people, well, you're like my makeshift family for now." Arthur smiled at that.

"I like that." He nodded.

Merlin tried to read between the lines, but he found nothing. "So do I."

"What did you do before?" Arthur asked suddenly and eagerly, "Before you came here. Who were you?"

"Well, I did what I'm doing now, except for more important stuff, and for other people," Merlin shrugged. "I'm used to being away from my family, I guess. And they've gotten used to it too."

"You were the same Merlin?" Arthur questioned.

"No," Merlin answered automatically, and he realised it was true, he had changed. "I knew less about stocks and trades and inter-office relationships for one, and I didn't have butlers or servants doing everything for me, and-" Merlin's eye was caught by a display in one of the shops. "See that?"

Arthur followed his finger and looked at the display. It was a chocolate shop. And, as the primary focus, there were chocolates, each shaped in the theme of wizardry.

"That's what I was before this," Merlin told him.

Arthur frowned, "You were a chocolate?"

Merlin laughed, "Something like that."

"So what are you now?"

Merlin thought of an answer, "Now, I'm wine."

Arthur looked stumped for a few seconds, but he grinned. "Come on, wine-boy, let's get you back to the Mansion before you become drunk on yourself."

At the mansion, Arthur zipped away to his room, walking into his closet and rummaging about busily. After a minute or two, he pulled back with a victorious, "Ahah!"

"What?" Merlin asked, sitting down on the couch.

Arthur stepped out, hands behind his back. "Close your eyes."

"What?" Merlin asked.

"And don't say anthing?"

"What?" The question was fast becoming his new catchphrase.

"Just do as I say," Arthur said impatiently, and Merlin obeyed, keeping his ears open, secure in the knowledge that it would take an expert an hour at the least to crack the wards he had created around the house, then another to get into the wing, and yet another for the room.

He felt something against his lips and pressed them shut.

"Open up," Arthur ordered.

He parted open his lips, and he felt something being pushed into his mouth, fingers following them for less than a second before pulling away. He felt the taste and his eyes snapped open to see Arthur, a box of chocolates in his hand.

"Now you get to be a chocolate again," Arthur said, slightly shyly.

Merlin bit the chocolate, savoring the taste before swallowing it. "I think I was getting used to being wine."

Arthur held out his other hand, with a bottle of wine held tightly in it. "You could be both if you wanted," he said.

"You know," Merlin's brow rose, "With the chocolates and wine, I'd say you were seducing me," he said teasingly, letting out a laugh.

"And if I was?" Merlin's laugh stopped abruptly, and he looked at Arthur, who had his head cocked and was staring at Merlin seriously. "If I was, what would you do?"

"I'm your body-"

"If you were a stranger on the roads, and I'd given you chocolates that aren't even in the market yet and wine that cost a 100 000 dollars, what would you do?" Arthur asked, voice low, and Merlin swallowed.

"I- I don't think-" His voice cracked.

Arthur was in front of him before he could say anything, "Like I said, don't think." Then Arthur's mouth was on his, soft lips and an insistent tongue pressing against his own, and Merlin had opened his mouth before he could remember his job. Arthur's tongue was in his mouth, pressing against his own and the inner walls of his mouth, tasting like wine and mint, and his job was forgotten.

He pulled away suddenly, and Merlin blinked, dumbfounded.

Merlin looked up at Arthur, eyes wide and lips bruised and hair in a mess all because of him, and he kissed him again, harder this time, Arthur's hands sliding against his back, and Merlin's hands were clutching strands of blond hair and tugging at the silk of his shirt.

When Arthur's hands were on his chest, Merlin came to his senses and pushed him off suddenly. "We can't, we're not supposed to be doing this," he said, steadfastly not looking at Arthur because he knew he would forget all reasoning.

"Since when have I done what was expected of me?" Arthur dared, and Merlin shook his head.

"We can't," he was losing focus, he was getting too attached. "I shouldn't even be your bodyguard anymore, I should get someone else to replace me, I should be leaving right now." Merlin stood up, "I'm so sorry, tell your father I said so too, and Gwen, and Morgana, I didn't mean to." He ran a hand through his hair, messing it further, and tugged at it hardly. "Gods, what've I done?"

"Nothing I didn't want to do?" Arthur suggested unhelpfully.

"No, I shouldn't be-"

"Merlin," Arthur's hands landed on his shoulders, and Arthur stared right at him, into him. "Shut up. We'll forget it, happy? I've already forgotten." He let go, and stepped away towards his room. "Now, excuse me, I need to jerk off to a dream I just had about fucking you."

Merlin groaned and dropped on the chair. This should not have happened.

Merlin was sorting through Arthur's letters, carefully not thinking about the kiss that had occurred the night before. Definitely not thinking about how soft Arthur's lips were, how smooth his hair was, how tight his muscles were-

Not thinking about it.

"And Morgana said that someone in her group of bimbotic friends wanted to spend the night in Arthur's room, you know," Gwen said, and Merlin made a humming sound of agreement. He was using an ear piece, which he thought had sounded absurd, but it was efficient, so he didn't complain. Muggles were more innovative than he had originally thought.

Hermione would love for him to spread that thought to the rest of the guys.

"And she was wondering what Arthur's room looked like," Gwen went on, and Merlin heard the clicking of the keyboard in the background.

"Like all rooms," Merlin answered.

Gwen perked up, it was practically tangible, even over the phone. "I forgot, you would know what it looks like, right? What does it look like? Does it scream rich or something, like a huge four-poster bed or something?"

"It's a huge bed, sure," Merlin agreed noncommittally. "But he doesn't take up too much space when he's sleeping, so it's actually shorter than you'd expect."

"You know how he sleeps?" Gwen said in awe.

"Of course I do, I sleep in the same room," Merlin said absently, throwing away a few fan letters. He had noticed that the same girl had written a letter every day for the past month and made a mental note to keep the next one out of kindness and force Arthur to reply. He kept his ears fixed on the ears coming from Arthur's bed room, hearing the familiar squeaks as Arthur twisted in bed and the soft rumble of breath.

"You sleep there every night?" Gwen asked with her voice soft and questioning.

Merlin smiled at a letter from a child, "Yeah," he answered. Something about some project Arthur had headed. Then he paused, finally realising the conversation he was having, and, more importantly, whom he was having it with.

"Oh my god." It never ceased to amaze Merlin how someone who worked as the secretary of Uther Pendragon and made a living in being mature and controlled could so easily revert to her teenage childish self with all the added girliness within the timeframe of a second. "I swear Merlin, I won't tell anyone," she promised solemnly, voice gleeful.

"There's nothing to tell," Merlin said quickly, dropping the letters and hand raising to the earpiece, as though he could force her into agreeing with him by pressing it.

"Of course," Gwen agreed, but Merlin already knew that she thought otherwise.

"Gwen-" he tried, but Gwen cut into his explanation, the honest one that meant that he slept on a pull up bed and there was absolutely nothing going on between Merlin and Arthur –kiss or not.

"I've got to go," Gwen said, and the line went dead.

Merlin wondered how long it would take for Morgana to find out; how long it would take for the press to find out.

He let out a groan.

"Too early for that," he heard a voice and looked up to see Arthur. He had been so intent on Gwen that he had forgotten about Arthur. He had forgotten his job.

He needed to leave. This wasn't safe for him or Arthur.

"Don't even think about it," Arthur said, lying down on the couch, as though he had read his mind. "It's too early for us to argue. Can we please do it when I'm awake?" Merlin kept his eyes on the back of Arthur's head, not letting it stray lower, to the bare back with slight scratches on it, or the pants that rode too low on his hips.

"I wasn't going to," he managed to say haughtily, sitting down at the edge of the couch, carefully not allowing for physical contact between him and Arthur.

Arthur had no such qualms, because he reached his foot out and nudged Merlin's thigh. "Get me a drink."

"It's early, it'll only be brought up in half an hour," Merlin said, squeezing into the seat next to Arthur's legs. "Why are you up so early anyway? I'm surprised, it's only 6.30." He glanced at his watch, then back at Arthur. His back was tense, and Merlin would have offered a massage under any other set of circumstances.

"Couldn't sleep," Arthur mumbled, pushing himself up. Merlin fixed his stare on the coffee table. Then Arthur leaned his head on Merlin's shoulder. Merlin tensed, but didn't push him off. "You know a song?"

Merlin did, but none that would make sense to a Muggle, and none that he would sing. "No," Arthur sighed and rubbed his head into Merlin's shoulder, as though it would make him start a song.

"Sing me a song," Arthur said, voice weary with sleep. Merlin was about to protest, but Arthur looked up, eyes dark and with dark circles that spoke of insomnia.

"Okay," he agreed, wracking his brains. He knew a Muggle poem, and cleared his throat nervously. "Because I do not hope to turn again, because I do not hope, because I do not hope to turn, desiring this man's gift and that man's scope, I no longer strive to strive towards such things."

Arthur smiled. "T.S. Elliot," he said softly. "Because I do not hope to know the infirm glory of the positive hour. Because I do not think, because I know I shall not know the one veritable transitory power, because I cannot drink.
There, where trees flower, and springs flow, for there is nothing again."

Merlin continued smoothly where he ended. "Because I know that time is always time, and place is always and only place, and what is actual is actual only for one time, and only for one place, I rejoice that things are as they are and I renounce the blessed face, and renounce the voice because I cannot hope to turn again. Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something upon which to rejoice."

Arthur's head gradually fell into Merlin's lap, and he stroked the soft hair with gentle fingers.

"And pray to God to have mercy upon us and pray that I may forget these matters that with myself I too much discuss, too much explain. Because I do not hope to turn again, let these words answer, for what is done, not to be done again.
May the judgement not be too heavy upon us, because these wings are no longer wings to fly, but merely vans to beat the air. The air which is now thoroughly small and dry, smaller and dryer than the will. Teach us to care and not to care, teach us to sit still."

Arthur's breathing deepened and Merlin lowered his voice to a near whisper.

"Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Pray for us now and at the hour of our death."

Arthur let himself fall asleep to the droning tone of Merlin's voice.

Uther stared at him emotionlessly. "You have been granted a day off."

"But- why?" Merlin spluttered in an incredulous tone. Uther's expression did not even waver.

"You may spend it as you wish," Uther continued, not answering his question. "Your duty of protecting Arthur is void now. You will start again tomorrow at 8 in the morning. Do not be late."

Merlin stood up, sensing the end of the conversation. He shut his mouth abruptly –leaving it hanging open would be uncouth— and turned around and walked out. The moment he reached Arthur's room, he flung himself on the large couch, staring straight in front at the fireplace. He did not even know what to do with a day off. He'd been protecting Arthur for almost ten months now, it would be disconcerting to visit any of his wizarding friends now for a day then leaving again for months on end.

So caught up in his thoughts, he hardly noticed when the blond man dropped himself next to him. He did take note when Arthur started speaking though. "So, I've been talking to Gwen lately-"

Merlin cut in quickly, thinking of his give-a-way from the day before. "Listen, Arthur, you have to believe me when I say that I never meant to insinuate anything when I told Gwen what I did, I was just a little distracted, and it wasn't like I could have lied to her or whatever. I know that this," he pointed between them, "wouldn't work out- it shouldn't work out, it's not even possible," he said, voice not as firm as he would have liked it to be. "So, whatever you hear, don't take notice." He nodded, that sounded fine. "So, what was it you were going to tell me?"

Arthur shrugged his shoulders casually. "I just came to ask you out."

Merlin froze, then his mouth opened to speak before his brain could command it otherwise, something that seemed to happen around Arthur with annoying frequency. "Today?"

Arthur smirked, "You didn't really think you got a day off for the fun of it did you? Mind you, it took a while to convince Father, but it's not like I don't have a hundred other people watching me whenever I go out anyway. And you already did the mail today, and the rest will be going straight to the Uther Offices for Gwen to handle."

Merlin could not stop the grin that spread across his face. "You do realise that I literally spend every second of every day with you?

Arthur scoffed, "Yes, but that's as my bodyguard, not as my," he searched for the word, before settling uncertainly on, "date."

Merlin's grin widened, "Just because I'm not on the job does not mean that I'm going to stop doing my job, you know. I'll still be protecting you."

"Can't be any worse than what you're doing now," Arthur shrugged.

"It won't be any better, either," Merlin retorted.

Arthur threw him a laviscious smirk. "I know one way to keep your mind off the job."

Merlin felt himself heat, but had an answer on the tip of his tongue. "Two."

Arthur frowned in confusion, "What?"

"Well," Merlin leaned back and away from Arthur deliberately, "I was pretty distracted when you were nice to that fan girl the other day, you know, when you wrote her a letter in reply," he said, expecting the glare that was aimed at him.

"That was not an act of kindness, it was what I am supposed to do," Arthur waved away the compliment, as though writing to 12 year olds to wish them a Happy Birthday was a part of his duty as the Pendragon son. "And hurry up and come on or all my hard work will have been for nothing," Arthur said, standing up.

"Hard work?" Merlin's eyes narrowed.

Arthur smirked, "Come out with me and find out just what."

Merlin nodded, trying not to appear to be too eager. From the smug expression on Arthur's face, he guessed that he was failing. Arthur pulled him up, and Merlin didn't have time to think, much less act, before Arthur had pulled him off towards his car.

"No limo today?" he asked.

"Trying to be discreet, genius," Arthur rolled his eyes. "How do you think that would work out if I was driving around in a stretch limo?"

Merlin smiled in understanding, "Okay, where are we going?"

Arthur let out a slight groan, "You've never been on a date before, have you? I'm not supposed to tell you or it won't be a surprise. God, are you sure that you were the most popular guy in your school?"

"Oi," Merlin said, faking insult, "Fine, keep it to yourself. So, did the girl like it?"

"Yeah," Arthur smiled, "She sent another letter today." Merlin knew she did, since he had read it, but he let Arthur tell him about it anyway. "Apparently, she's laminated the letter, it's in the middle of her room. Her brother is super jealous, because he never got a return letter from David Beckham."

Merlin let out a laugh, "Maybe you should get him one," he suggested.

"Ask David Beckham to write the boy a letter?" Arthur asked him, sending him a glance, then he grinned. "Maybe I will." He pulled the car to a stop, "There."

"Where?" Merlin looked at their surroundings. It was still bright, but it was as though someone had dimmed the light of the entire area. There was a large grey building in the middle of it, with smaller shops surrounding it.

"Come on," Arthur got out of the car, and Merlin followed him. He was surprised that not a single member of the press had followed them, but was even more surprised when Arthur headed towards the grey building. He slipped into the door, pulling Merlin along by the hand.

"What is this place?" he asked, looking at the walls with faded wallpaper and the dead flowers in a vase. A man stepped out of a door, a small book and a few sheets of paper in his hand. Merlin stepped in front of Arthur instinctively, but the other man pushed him back.

"Jean," Arthur moved forward to shake hands with the man, obviously someone he knew. "This is Merlin."

"Merlin," Jean practically purred the name. "Such a lovely name. And such a lovely face to go with the lovely name."

Merlin smiled at him, "Thank you."

Jean turned to Arthur, suddenly all business. "You know the rules, Arthur," he gave him two sheets of paper. "You will not tell anyone about what you see in these rooms." Arthur nodded, pulling out a pen and singing a sheet before handing the other to Merlin.

"Should I read it before I sign it?" Merlin asked, and Arthur shook his head.

"I already have before, it's fine," Arthur assured him.

Merlin signed the paper, before giving them both to Jean. "So, no talking about anything in these rooms?"

"Not a word," Arthur said, and the hold on his hand tightened briefly.

Jean went towards the door and tapped it, and it opened for him. Arthur pulled him in, and Merlin entered the next room. He tried not to gasp.

He had never seen a single building change so drastically within two rooms. The wallpaper looked like something out of those magazines Hermione had been flipping through when they had redone their house, the flowers were arranged almost blindingly, and the lights were fixed into extravagant chandeliers.

Merlin looked around. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the entire area was the people.

He recognized most of them from the parties that Morgana was fond of holding and the clubs that they too often visited, stars from Hollywood and the top everyone from every area, and a few more from the wizarding world.

One in particular: Harry Potter.

That could not be good.

"Here," Arthur led him towards a small table in the corner. Merlin followed him, carefully not looking in Harry's direction. He only had a glance, but he saw a head next to his, the back of a head. He wondered if he could sneak in another look –after leaving Ginny, Harry hadn't seen anyone, so he wondered if this was new or if it had happened in the past months.

Merlin slid into the chair, and then heard a slight rumble of noise around them, but otherwise, silence. It was a Charm; he would recognize the effects anywhere.

"Merlin," Arthur said softly. "I came here, to tell you something." Merlin kept his face neutral, although his muscles tensed on instinct. "Merlin- I, well," Arthur faltered.

Merlin frowned, "Arthur?" he asked insecurely. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

"I do," Arthur insisted. "I just don't know how to," he bit his lip. "I mean, it's, well, you have to promise not to freak out-"

"Arthur, calm down," Merlin laid his hand on Arthur's, "I promise that, whatever it is, well, I won't freak." He saw Harry stand up a few tables down, walking towards the bathroom. He gave him a small glance and the slightest tip of his head. Merlin looked back at Arthur, who seemed to be getting more worried by the second, and continued. "I'm going to go to the bathroom, how about you tell me when I come back?"

Arthur nodded, "Yeah, that'd probably be best." He held up a finger for the waiter, and Merlin slid out, walking towards the bathroom. He felt a hand drag him the moment he entered, pulling him to the corner.

"Hey, Harry," he greeted.

"Merlin, what the hell are you doing here?" Harry asked in a whisper.

"Me? What are you doing here?" he shot back, and Harry locked the door wandlessly. He couldn't risk anyone entering here seeing either of them, contract or not.

"I'm here-," Harry shook his head. "I asked first," he said childishly.

"Who cares?" Merlin said, "And who was that guy? Are you going out with someone? Does anyone know? Can I know? Can I meet him?"

Harry blushed at the questions, "No, you can't know who he is and I'm not going to let you meet him either. But, why are you here, and with Arthur Pendragon too?"

Merlin thought of his date. "We're just coming here for fun."

Harry's brow rose, "Do you realise what this place is, who it's for?" Merlin shook his head. "It's for dates, you idiot. Arthur Pendragon has brought you here as a date, not as his bodyguard." Merlin already knew that, and within a second, so did Harry. "Oh god, you're dating your- What were you thinking? Merlin, this goes against every rule in the book!"

"I know," Merlin bit out. "But, I can't do anything. I can't just," he shook his head, "It's Arthur." He shrugged —it was the only explanation he had.

"Merlin," Harry shook his head. "We'll work on that later, but, this place is a wizarding area. It's for wizards and Muggles, but only Muggles who know wizardry." Merlin's eyes widened, "Exactly, if Arthur knows this place, then he knows about the wizarding world."

"So, today's announcement-"

Harry nodded. "If he's going to tell you about the wizarding world-" He shook his head, "I don't know what you should do. This has definitely never happened before. If you admit to being an Auror, it would be the easiest thing for us, of course-"

"Arthur would be pissed though," Merlin added.

"Your problem, not mine. But, if you don't, then he finds out later, well, it will still be the same thing for us. Uther obviously doesn't know that his son does, so he'll have to deal with those repercussions-"

"Arthur will still be pissed," Merlin moaned.

Harry grinned. "Either way, it's not my problem. Good luck." He pushed Merlin towards the door leading out of the bathroom.

Merlin stopped, "Hey, who was your date?"

"Find out yourself," Harry said, walking out with him. The moment they exited, they turned in their different directions, as though they had never known each other before.

Arthur looked up at him as he walked towards the corner and sat down. "So," Arthur started, "I've made a decision. I'm going to just tell you."

Merlin nodded, "That would be good."

"Merlin, my mother was a witch."

Arthur looked at him steadily, and Merlin wondered how he was supposed to react to such an announcement. Harry was right, he would have to tell him sooner or later, although later sounded extremely appealing at the moment. Then again, he might just become more angry the longer time he chose to keep it to himself. But, if it was later, then he could just run away back to the wizarding world and never see Arthur Pendragon again for the rest of his life.

That part sounded awful.

"Well?" Arthur prompted.

"Arthur, I have something to tell you too," Merlin said slowly.

Arthur frowned, "You don't seem surprised by my announcement. Why aren't you sounding surprised?"

Merlin swallowed loudly. "Because I'm a wizard."

Arthur froze. He saw the change, the way his mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed and his whole self darkened. He sat still, his hands remaining on the table without touching the drink, his body poised to lunge. He did not say anything, but he did not need to either.

"Arthur?" Merlin whispered.

"You're a wizard," Arthur stated. He nodded. "A wizard." He nodded again. "This whole time." He couldn't do anything but nod. "And you didn't say a thing?" He kept silent.

It was as though the entire room had been silenced, sound proofed from everyone else. The people were still moving but Merlin couldn't hear a thing, just the blood rushing in him and his heart beating too quickly. He saw Harry throw him a worried glance, but couldn't bear to reassure him. He did not know himself if he was alright. He was far from it.

Arthur exhaled, then he inhaled. Exhaled again. He wished Arthur would say something. Anything.

"You never said a word," Arthur said after a while.

"I couldn't. I'm an Auror, I had to do my job," Merlin said.

"An Auror?" Arthur frowned.

"Like the wizard version of police," Merlin informed him.

"I know what it is," Arthur snapped. "I'm just wondering why you didn't tell me earlier."

"I couldn't," Merlin repeated, not sure what else he could say as an excuse, "My job means I listen to whoever hired me. And your father very explicitly wrote that I cannot tell you a thing about my wizard side."

Arthur scoffed. "What? Now you have one wizard side and one Muggle side?" He shook his head. "You could have told me, anytime you wanted to. You chose not to, so don't get blaming my father for it. I actually thought- no, I wanted to think that I could trust you." Arthur made a move to stand and Merlin hastily pulled him back down.

"Well, I really couldn't, Harry would have killed me," he glared at the back of the head of the Head Auror.

"Harry?" Arthur frowned. "As in, Harry Potter?" Merlin nodded, and Arthur's brows rose, impressed. "You actually know Harry Potter on a first-name basis?"

"Of course I do, we work at the same place, survive the same things," Merlin waved it away. "That doesn't matter. I didn't mean to hurt you, I never did. And if I didn't tell you, and I know I should have, then I can only blame myself. And I'm sorry," Merlin ended softly, looking down at his hands.

Arthur softened. "Don't look like that Merlin, I'll feel like I'm kicking a puppy or something."

Merlin brightened, "You did the other day."

"Only because it refused to shut yapping," Arthur said with a grin. "And you look worse than it."

"Cuter too?" Merlin asked teasingly, sliding next to Arthur.

"You wish," Arthur said, nudging him. "And don't think I'm not pissed with you, I'm just-"

"Saving it for later?" Merlin beamed. "I don't mind." He looked up as Harry walked towards them cautiously. "You know how you were fawning over Harry-"

"I was not fawning."

"Earlier?" Merlin ignored him. "He's coming over." Arthur looked up at the figure.

"That's it?" he asked, keeping his voice quiet. "I expected someone… bigger. He looks tiny."

"Don't be fooled, he's wicked with a wand," Merlin said, straightening as Harry reached their table. The man stared at him for a few seconds, then sensing the clearing of any tension, he brightened.

"Hi, I'm Harry," he held out his hand to Arthur. "You must be Arthur." Arthur shook the man's hand, moving in so that Harry could take a seat at the table. Harry did so without hesitating, so Merlin guessed he had already made his excuses to whomever it was he had come with. "I hope you're not too annoyed with Merlin for not telling you about wizardry, we're not allowed to, under the law."

Arthur nodded understandingly, as though he hadn't had a fit when he had found out. "Of course, do you frequent this area?" The topic was switched so casually –and Harry didn't even blink— that Merlin wondered if he had missed some unsaid thing at the table.

"Not exactly," Harry shrugged. "I don't visit this area too often, only a handful of times so far."

"Who have you come with?" Arthur asked, and Merlin brightened, since Harry might be forced to answer.

"Just a friend," Harry side-stepped the question, and Merlin sunk into his seat in an annoyed slump. "I shouldn't be intruding on your date anyway," he smiled at the two of them, "I'll see you soon." He stood up and walked towards his table.

"You couldn't have asked him again?" Merlin whined to Arthur the moment Harry was out of earshot. "Do you know how much Ron would give me to get him a name?"

"That would be rude, idiot," Arthur rolled his eyes.

Merlin looked at him. "How come you know about the wizarding world anyway?"

"My Mom told me, when I was younger," Arthur said slowly in admittance. "She always said that she wanted me to be a part of it, even though I was a Squib. She put me in contact with a few wizarding kids, and I've kept in touch." Merlin opened his mouth to ask another question, but Arthur answered it before he could. "They haven't been sending many letters lately, and I make sure that it's sent to someone else."

"Who?"

Arthur smirked, "I'm not going to tell you."

"Come on," Merlin tugged at his hand. "You know you want to," he sing-songed slightly.

"But that would ruin the fun of anticipation," Arthur teased. "We wouldn't want to take away your fun would we? Either way, it's no one you know. He's just a wizarding friend who keeps all my letters for me, so far anyway."

Merlin frowned, "He?"

"Don' t be jealous, Merlin, it's unbecoming," Arthur deadpanned.

"Arse."

"Idiot."

"Prat."

Arthur grinned. "And you love it."

Merlin didn't lie to him again.

Arthur watched as Merlin fidgeted again. The Auror had been especially nervous these last few days, although Arthur had no idea what was causing it. What had set it off. After nearly a year of being together, and a month of knowing the Secret, there could hardly be anything worse.

And it was getting annoying.

"You're not pleased," Merlin commented.

Arthur let out a huff of annoyance. "Really?" he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "How ever did you guess?"

Merlin waved a hand humbly. "Must be my natural wit, you know."

Arthur groaned, "Is sarcasm lost on you?"

"Nope," Merlin grinned cheekily, "I just choose to ignore it."

Arthur ignored him, turning back to the sheets of paper in his hand. His father was introducing a new line of shops after the popularity of Camelot, and he had too much to do, and too little time to do it, because of the rush. Morgana wasn't helping either, insisting that they bring the release forward because of some fashion show. Arthur rolled his eyes at the thought of his cousin.

Merlin resumed fidgeting. "Don't you have anything to do here?" he grumbled, placing his feet on the coffee table. Arthur pushed them off absent-mindedly.

"Yes we do, and if you remember, you did one of those things this morning," Arthur reminded him, with a smirk at the memory, looking over the papers. One of the advantages of being with your bodyguard was that you had all the time in the world to do anything you liked –it wasn't like anyone could argue the time they spent together.

Merlin grinned. "Can we do it again?" he asked, crawling over towards Arthur. He pushed him away with one hand, expression somewhere between awe, disgust and amusement.

"You're like a fifteen year old pubescent," he commented as Merlin licked at his neck.

"You're just jealous," Merlin murmured, pushing his lips against the skin.

"Of you?" Arthur scoffed. "I don't think so."

Merlin looked up. "Good thing I know so, then."

Arthur managed to push him away, and Merlin landed ungracefully on the sofa, letting out a puff breath. He blew his bangs from his face. "I'm bored, Arthur," he said plaintatively.

"Then amuse yourself, "Arthur instructed, hiding his smile at the petulant pout on Merlin's face.

"Fine," Merlin announced. "But see if I blow you off again during a board meeting because you're bored."

Merlin had him, and he knew it.

"Fine," Arthur sighed, ignoring the victorious smile on the other boy's face. "What do you want to do?" he asked, voice as though he were speaking to a child, which was exactly what Merlin was acting like.

"Explore," Merlin said surely. Arthur's brow rose.

"What are you now? From horny teenager to annoying five year old."

Merlin stuck out his tongue to prove the point. "Come on," he pulled Arthur off the seat, talking conversationally as he walked through the halls. "You have like five hundred rooms in this place or something, and I've only been in the first four hundred." He walked through the halls with more of a practiced ease than Arthur ever had, since he tended to keep to the few rooms he already knew. Merlin led him into one of the rooms at the West Wing of the Pendragon Mansion, a thoroughly unfamiliar Wing and room.

"I don't think we should be here," Arthur warned, frowning at Merlin. He had never stepped inside these four walls before.

"Come on," Merlin insisted, pulling at his hand and walking towards a cupboard.

"Why do I feel like you've been here before without my permission?" Arthur asked dryly, catching the slightly guilty expression on Merlin's face before it faded into one of false bravado.

"I'm your bodyguard, I should be everywhere," he said defensively. Arthur held his hands up in surrender as Merlin dropped to his knees, opening the small cupboard and rummaging through it. Arthur smirked, enjoying the view, even as Merlin let out a victorious, "Ahah!" as he pulled out a thick grey, leather-bound book.

Arthur sat down next to him, noticing the dust that settled on the book and the cupboard, the entire room was caked with it. He looked at the book again, thinking carefully, it looked strangely familiar.

"Father, what is that? Could I see it too?"

Something about his father, he remembered seeing the man read it when he was younger.

"Not now, Arthur, I'm busy. Stop interrupting my work."

He had shoved Arthur away, he recalled, insisted that what he was doing was work, even though the traces of tears on his cheeks spoke otherwise.

"Who is that Father? Why aren't you telling me anything?"

Even then, he had known that his father was keeping secrets from him. He had sensed it as a child, he knew it for a fact as an adult.

Merlin opened the book to the first page, and Arthur was looking into a familiar face. One he thought of all too often in his dreams, holding out her arms and beckoning him to jump into them. One who smiled at him even when he made a mistake and only ever laughed with him. One who had left him far too soon, when he had still wanted her to stay. One whose picture he had safely tucked away deep in the drawers of his desk, for only his eyes to see.

His mother.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked cautiously. Now Arthur knew why Merlin had been so careful, so cautious. He must have recognized Arthur's mother, since he had searched Arthur's desk thoroughly on arrival and would have found the picture for sure.

But, Merlin, for all his idiocy, knew that she was a touchy subject.

Arthur ran his fingers over the picture. His world had dissipated to one room; one album. He took the book from Merlin gently, flipping through the pages one at a time, letting himself appreciate each picture.

His mother, laughing, her hair whipping around her face because of the force of the wind.

His mother, dancing in the middle of a room, lost in a world only she could see.

His mother, smiling gently at something on the other side of the window, fingers reaching out to touch it.

His mother, standing in a kitchen with an apron, covered with floor and butter and everything that should have been in the bowl rather than on her.

His mother, wiping at some shelves, this time with a man standing next to her, shaking his head in amusement.

His mother and his father again, in some concert, grinning with the strangers that surrounded them.

His mother and father, standing in front of a cot, looking into it with awe.

His mother, with a small figure cradled in her arms, smiling at it, eyes shining with love.

His mother, hugging the small figure of a boy with a gap-toothed grin.

His mother and him, jogging in the park, running after the leashes of dogs.

Arthur stopped at the last page.

His family, three people including him, seated around a fireplace, just being.

Like he and his father never were today.

He remembered his mother, vaguely anyway, but the sight of them together in the picture, it was proof of their brief existence together. Proof that his father had never bothered to provide for him. Proof that he guessed his father missed as well.

He jerked suddenly. "Is there more?" he asked Merlin, whose hand remained on his shoulder as a comforting presence. Merlin nodded. "Where?" he demanded, and Merlin pulled out another book from the cupboard, the same grey texture. Arthur grabbed it greedily.

It was filled with pictures of his mother, younger this time, surrounded by figures he guessed were his grandparents –long dead— and her friends, none of whom he remembered from his childhood, none of whom his father had kept in touch with, none of whom had bothered to check up on the child of their dead friend.

He hated all of them. They were lucky, to spend so much time with her, time that should have been his.

Merlin's hand on his shoulder tightened, as though sensing his thoughts, and the man moved to be closer to him. Arthur let his head rest on Merlin's shoulder as he turned the pages, smiling at a few notes written on the edge of the pages. "Me and Jenny, such a good movie!" and "Me and Matt, the cats are so vicious," and "Me and Nimmy, sisters forever."

Arthur stopped at the picture, of his mother and another woman, their hands around each other's shoulders. Their faces were similar, but he didn't think they were actual sisters –his father would have told him if he had an aunt. He hoped so anyway, it would be cruel not to, even for Uther Pendragon. The women in the picture looked so happy, Arthur felt happier just looking at it.

He turned the page, and the next few pages were filled with pages of her and this Nimmy, giggling in tight dresses, smiling and licking at ice cream, smirking and posing extravagantly for the camera, heads thrown back in laughter, standing next to a group of men, on either side of his father, looking down on him.

It was strange, but for all his prodding, he could not remember this woman.

His father had never mentioned her either.

"Nimmy," he murmured the name.

Merlin nodded. "Arthur, I didn't bring you here to look at these pictures. Well, I did, but that wasn't my only reason."

Arthur looked at him. "What did you want?"

Merlin turned the next few pages, before settling on a page with a piece of paper stuck to it, a letter.

Iggy,

I'm missing you so much. I hope Uther's treating you well, if he's not, just send me a letter and I'll be there to spell him to hell and back within the second. Arthur's not giving you too much trouble is he? Besides when you gave birth to him, of course. I swear, I have never seen so much blood before, it was awful to watch. And you squeezed my hand so tightly I thought my bones would crack. Anyway, everyone here is fine (Although they all want to know why you didn't invite them to the wedding, I told them to mind their own business and that everyone important, namely me, went) so don't worry. I know you will anyway.

With lots of love and hugs and kisses,

Nimmy

Arthur smiled fondly. "She must have known my Mom pretty well."

Merlin frowned. "Yeah, she did, and she knows you and Uther as well."

Arthur heard the tone of his voice –nothing he could identify, but far from pleased— and looked at him with slight concern. "What's wrong?"

"Arthur, that- that Nimmy," Merlin shook his head. "The handwriting in that letter, I've seen it before, it's- Arthur, it's her, she's the one who's been sending you letters. It's her I have to protect you from."

Arthur felt his entire body freeze. "What do you mean?"

"I would know that handwriting anywhere, Arthur, I've read those letters too many times to count. They match, each stroke and curve, and I even sent it to a friend of mine," they both knew he meant a wizarding friend, "And it's proven. It's from the same person."

"But- that means-" Arthur stopped himself before saying the words.

"Whoever this Nimmy was, she knew your mother," Merlin looked back at the page. "And she's trying to kill you." Arthur looked at himself, struck with horror that someone who knew his mother could want to hurt him, her only living blood connection.

Sisters forever, the book taunted.

Arthur and Merlin sat in silence.

The two books were on the table in front of them, staring at them mockingly. Merlin hadn't called Gaius. Arthur hadn't called his father. The books simply lay there, not touched.

The silence that had fallen over the room was audible.

"Arthur," Merlin started, and then he stopped, as he had a few times already.

Arthur bit his lip. "I think," he said, the first words he had spoken since they had left the other room hours ago, "That I need to clear things up." Merlin frowned, not completely of confusion, and he expanded. "I need to find out what my Mom was doing in the wizarding world, her friends, her family, her life, her everything." His hands flung out at the end of his words.

"Don't you already know all that?" Merlin asked. "From your wizarding friend?" He placed slight stress on the last word, still curious as to who this friend was and how well he knew Arthur.

Arthur smiled slightly, as though sensing Merlin's jealousy –not that it was expertly hidden— and shook his head. "His Mom knew mine, but we don't usually talk about our parents." Arthur shrugged. "It's a touchy subject. For both of us. He doesn't know much about his Mom, she died during the War, so he doesn't know much about mine either. All he does know is the wizarding world in general, and that's all he can share with me."

Merlin relaxed. "Well, so now we need information."

"Data, facts," Arthur continued. "Do you know someone who knows a lot about witches who died years ago?"

Merlin grinned. "Actually, I do." Arthur looked surprised. "Come on, he should be free right now, Hogwarts is closed for the holidays, so he should be doing work for the Ministry now, probably the Archives." Arthur allowed himself to be pulled up. "I'm not sure if he can help us, but it's worth the try, and he knows a lot, so he should at least know the basics if not anything. And if he fails, then we go to straight to Harry."

"Harry?" Arthur frowned, "Are you sure you're allowed to go to the Head of the Auror Offices for your own uses?"

"I'll go as a friend, not as an Auror," Merlin said. "And he owes me, so he can't exactly complain."

"What did you do for him?" Arthur asked curiously.

"I can't give away all my secrets," Merlin teased. "Anyway, he's done it even more than me. And if all else fails, you go begging Hermione. She might not know anything about it since she's so busy with all her societies-"

"Hermione?" Arthur recalled the name. "Isn't that Gwen's friend?"

Merlin froze. "Can we please not argue about her as well right now? It's bad enough that there's the whole keeping the wizard thing secret thing and then this mother's best friend thing and if we add the how do I know Hermione thing, I don't think my brain will be able to take it, it'll explode or something-"

"Merlin," Arthur interrupted. "Stop blabbering." Merlin shut his mouth. "I'll ask you about her later."

"Thank you," Merlin smiled. "Anyway, she should know people who knew your Mom, although most of them would have been lost in the first War. If she had taken part in it, of course. And then there's the question on what school she went to-"

"Hogwarts," Arthur answered. "That much I know."

Merlin nodded. "In that case, we can make a side trip to Hogsmeade and visit Hogwarts to check the records of the past students, there should be a book. Wait," Merlin said suddenly, as though he had only just realised something, "How did your parents meet if your Mom was in Hogwarts?"

"They said that they met in some random street, Mom was a little lost and Father helped her find her way to this pub there, something about a Leaky Pot-"

"Cauldron," Merlin corrected, and then he grinned. "Your parents met at a wizarding pub?"

Even Arthur laughed at that. "Weird. But anyway, my Mom must have told him about the wizarding thing later, and since he was already starting his own business then, and it's not like we have much in terms of family on his side, so he didn't have to worry about telling his parents. I'm guessing anyway, if I went according to their version it would be a revised edition," he said dryly.

"Well," Merlin tugged him closer. "I guess we better go find out the truth."

There were inches between their bodies.

"Why do I have to be so close to you?" Arthur asked.

"Because I like it," Merlin said with a laugh. "And I'm not that good at Side-Along Apparation, so the closer the better, it'll be easier for me."

"Side-Along Apparation?"

"It's like," Merlin searched for a suitable description, "You know how in X-Men Nightcrawler disappears from one place then appears in another while holding on to Storm?" He had liked the movie, insisted on watching it three times on Arthur's giant television. Arthur nodded, he had been forced to watch it with Merlin. "It's like that, except with less smoke and more sound when we disappear and reappear." Arthur nodded again in understanding.

"Will it hurt?" he asked warily.

"Only if I splinch you, or both of us." Merlin tried to say it casually, but Arthur caught the shake in his voice.

"Splinching isn't good, is it?" He already knew the answer, though.

"Nope," Merlin answered honestly. "You trust me though, right?"

Arthur answered without hesitation. "Yes."

Merlin pulled him closer, "Then hold on."

He pictured himself in one of the lesser known Apparating points in the Ministry, and felt his body being sucked into that area between areas, before it was abruptly pulled out onto concrete land. Only his hands holding on tightly to Arthur's waist caught him before he fell.

"Fuck," the man cursed darkly, resting his head on Arthur's shoulder for a few seconds. "Don't ever do that again. Ever."

Merlin laughed. "Don't worry, it gets better with time."

"I don't want to do it again, so it doesn't have to get better," Arthur said. He opened his eyes slowly, looking around him at the groups of people walking along the corridor, most talking busily with their neighbours, others worriedly fingering their wands, yet a few more reading a book that seemed to move as they read it, the pages flipping of their own accord.

It was one thing to know that magic existed, but it was another to see it in action.

"Wow," he murmured, moving away from Merlin to turn to the scene. Merlin smiled at him fondly, resisting the urge to do something ridiculous like snog the man silly. He looked like a child on Christmas, although he had probably never felt this happy on Christmas since his mother died. "You get to live with this every day?" he asked, voice awed and slightly envious.

Merlin nudged him. "You get the computer. It beats all."

Arthur stared at him, "You have magic."

Merlin grinned. "That is true."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Idiot."

"Prat."

"Where are we supposed to go?"

Merlin stepped into the crowd, holding Arthur by his hand without the shame that accompanied most of the people he knew. No one seemed to even notice. "We go to my friend. He'll be in the lower levels." Merlin walked towards the elevator, half-dragging Arthur behind him, since the man was insistent on stopping and watching every small magical action that caught his eye.

"Arthur," Merlin said impatiently, although it was quite endearing.

"Wait, wait," Arthur's feet forced themselves to stick to the ground. "What's that?" His eyes widened at the Floo system, with people disappearing in green flames that didn't seem to hurt them. "Why is the fire green? And why isn't anyone burnt? And where are they going? And why don't you just use cars? Do you even have cars?" He rattled off the questions, and Merlin laughed loudly.

"You are such a Muggle," he said fondly. "It's the Floo system, the fire is, well, I'm not too sure. It's like you step inside, state your destination, then you appear in that fireplace. And we do have cars, but not many, the Floo is faster, you know."

Arthur absorbed the information with all the seriousness he had when he was in a meeting.

"So, can you go to anyone's house? Have you covered my fireplaces? How if someone comes through those-"

Merlin interrupted the increasingly worried flow of words. "Yes, you can, but I've blocked your fireplace, so no one can come though. Don't worry, I'm not an idiot," Merlin said, then added, "And don't say anything."

Arthur smirked, as though reading Merlin's mind. They arrived at the elevator, and Merlin entered, dragging Arthur behind him. "Who's your friend?"

"Well, you know Hermione, right? Her husband's brother," Merlin said, "Percy, to be exact. Fred and George would be at the store, and Bill's in Egypt, and Charlie's stuck in Romania, and Ron's probably in the Auror Department. I have no idea where Ginny is, she changes her jobs a lot, Mrs. Weasley calls her a free bird."

Arthur looked confused. "A lot of people in one family?" he guessed.

Merlin nodded. "Yeah. Percy's the smart one in the family."

Someone else entered the elevator, and Merlin brightened. "Hey, Neville, what are you doing here?" The Neville man froze, as though shocked to see Merlin, then grinned at him, grabbing him in a hug. Merlin returned it, "Long time no see."

"Is your assignment over?" Neville asked, pulling back.

Merlin shook his head. "My assignment is over here," he tilted his head towards Arthur. Neville took a look at him, then stepped back in recognition. He looked like he was about to bow, which would have been comical, when Merlin rolled his eyes. "Please don't look so impressed, he's not that great."

Neville's voice dropped to a whisper, "Merlin, that's Arthur Pendragon."

He sounded appropriately awed to Arthur's ears.

"Nice to meet you, Neville," Arthur held out his hand and gave a charming smile –he knew it was charming because he had practiced all his looks in front of Gwen and asked her to honestly rate them— and Neville shakily shook it. This man seemed slightly familiar for some reason. "Do I know you?" he asked, trying to place his face and name.

"Y- Yes, sir, we met in the San Diego Herbology Conference in-"

"Of course," Arthur said, nodding in remembrance. "You gave a marvelous speech on the possible uses and advantages of various plants in terms of Pendragon businesses, incredibly centralised speech, if I remember correctly, and you own your own center, do you not?"

Neville nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I do, it's doing brilliantly. In fact, if you had the time, I'd be glad to talk to you about a possible sharing of research between the Pendragon Herbology Unit and my own."

Arthur smiled at him, "That sounds like a plan." The doors opened and Neville stepped out, a slight bounce in his step. Arthur smiled after him, and Merlin's lips pursed. Arthur glanced at him. "Jealous?" he smirked slightly as Merlin threw him an annoyed expression.

"I don't need to be," Merlin retorted, and the doors opened again. "Come on, this is our stop." Arthur followed him out, looking around curiously. There were many doors, each looking the same as the one before and the one after, and Arthur wondered how they differentiated them. Merlin walked expertly past four of the doors to stop at the fifth, rapping his knuckles against the dark wood. The doors opened in front of him, and he looked at Arthur. "Well, come on now. Percy doesn't like tardiness."

"We haven't made an appointment with him," Arthur noted.

"True, but we should be quick anyway," Merlin grinned, and Arthur stepped into the room. There were rows after rows of shelves, each stacked with books. Most of them looked like they would break if someone even tried to open it. Merlin looked slightly lost, then he spotted something in a distance and walked towards it, Arthur obediently followed him. It looked like the sort of place where he could get lost all too easily.

The man standing before them looked right at home amongst the books and, Arthur only just noticed, parchment. It looked far less convenient than paper, he thought cynically. He was lanky, with a lean frame, all angles. He wore the same funny attire that he had noticed on the others in the area, a long black robe of sorts. The drabness of his outfit only made the red of his hair even more shocking. The man looked up as they walked into the corner, and Arthur saw his face. Freckled, with thin spectacles covering bright blue eyes, and again the red hair caught his eye. It was combed down, but the ends were turning in curls, and Arthur knew if let down it would be a curly mess.

The man smiled, and Arthur realised he was quite attractive.

"Merlin," he said softly, keeping his voice low in the quiet area. "It's so good to see you." He put the book down carefully on the table, then noticed him. "You must be Arthur," he smiled without stuttering at his name, and somehow, Arthur wasn't surprised.

"Hey, Perce," Merlin sat down casually on a chair, ignoring the slight frown directed at him from both Percy and Arthur. "We need help."

Arthur sat himself down next to Merlin, although more formally.

"Oh?" Percy asked dryly. "What a surprise."

Merlin continued, "Yeah." Then he turned to Arthur, as though beckoning him to speak.

"Yes," Arthur straightened. "I have recently found some information about my mother which I would like to confirm. And additional information about the subject would be appreciated as well."

Percy frowned, and with a few murmured words, the books on the table flew away. Years of living with Uther Pendragon hid the amazement from showing on Arthur's face. "I suppose you want me to keep this secret," he asked, as though knowing the answer. Arthur nodded. "Very well, what do you wish to know?"

Merlin took out his wand –it wasn't the first time Arthur had seen it, but it never failed to thrill him slightly— and said something under his breath, and Arthur felt the air around him change.

Merlin nodded, a signal for Arthur that it was safe to talk.

"My mother," Arthur started, and Percy sat down, sensing a long speech. "Used to go to Hogwarts, and I want records on her time there, any information, what subjects she used to take, the teachers she used to have, the people she hung out with, organizations she didn't like, her friends, foes, anything and everything available about her from her time in Hogwarts." Percy nodded, understanding. "And, after that, I want to know how she met father, whether she kept in touch with her friends, what happened to her and her connections to the wizarding world." Percy was still nodding, mumbling slightly to himself.

Merlin grinned slightly at the sight.

"After that, I want to know-" Arthur took a deep breath. "How she died, exactly, and who was involved in her death." Percy frowned slightly, and Arthur continued without commenting on it. "Why my father decided to break contact with the wizarding world because of the death, the connection between the two-"

"And basically everything I can find about your mother," Percy summarized.

Arthur smiled slightly peevishly. "Basically, yes."

Percy laughed softly. "I think I know where to start," he said, standing up. "It's quite the coincidence really, because after Merlin mentioned your name months ago, I decided to look you up, see what I could find." Arthur started, and Merlin shook his head.

"He does that a lot," he assured him, and Arthur calmed at the words.

"Anyway, I found out a bit of information about your mother, and then I hit a roadblock at the time of her death." Percy frowned, annoyed with the fact that he hadn't been able to find the information he had wanted, then brightened. "So, I dug deeper, and that's when I found out about the Death Eaters."

"Death Eaters?" Merlin straightened. Arthur knew about them, wizards and witches who had supported Voldemort, but nothing else.

"Yes," Percy nodded. A large folder came flying at him and he caught it deftly. "Igraine Pendragon was actually killed by a Death Eater by the name of," his eyes flew across the page before stopping, "One Nimueh Misengard."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Nimmy?"

Percy looked surprised. "How do you know that name?" He shook his head. "Anyway, your mother's death was covered up, heavily so, by the Ministry."

"Why?" Arthur asked impatiently.

"Because Nimueh Misengard was a Ministry worker, she was part of the Department of Mysteries, she was an Unspeakable."

"But," Merlin looked strangely worried at the mention, although Arthur didn't know why, "That would mean that she had-"

"Access to many highly classified files of the Ministry. Once caught, it was found that she was not working under the Imperius but rather of her own free will, and the Ministry was already under pressure for having lower class employees working for Voldemort, for someone of her status," Percy broke off, shaking his head. "The Ministry could not risk such a leak, so her capture was kept confidential."

"Is she in Azkaban?" Merlin asked.

"She escaped Azkaban a year after her capture," Percy said in answer. "It isn't mentioned how she escaped, whether she was an animagus or if she had outside help, but she did manage to do so. Since the Ministry hadn't told the public about her arrest, her escape had to be covered up as well. So, according to all official files, Nimueh Misengard doesn't exist."

"So how did you find out about her?" Arthur asked suspiciously.

"I," Percy said haughtily, "Have other sources. I went to McGonagall and called in a favour. She remembered your mother and Nimueh, said they were attached at the hip in Hogwarts, and that your Mom called her Nimmy and she called your Mom Iggy. McGonagall said that they were both bright students, although Nimueh was exceptional. She kept it well hidden, but if she had even tried in the least, she could have become the best student Hogwarts had ever seen. Without even trying she received all O's for her OWLs and NEWTs." Percy looked slightly annoyed at the news. "Said that she was quite the prodigy."

"And my Mom?" Arthur asked quickly, turning the subject to the other woman.

"Your mother could have been an incredible witch," Percy said with a small smile, almost sadly. "But she met your father and made the choice to abandon the wizarding world to be with him."

"That's dumb," Merlin stated.

Arthur's eyes narrowed, "Don't call my mother dumb."

"I didn't," Merlin clarified. "I called her actions dumb, there's a difference."

"Either way," Percy said, voice louder than theirs and with all the command of a Hogwarts teacher, "Nimueh has not been since. She's been forgotten in the wizarding world, and since the only person she knew well was your mother, and your father didn't even ask for an investigation-"

"He probably didn't even know he could," Arthur protested.

"Maybe not, but your mother's parents were both killed in the war, and with the number of people dying during those times, it wasn't particularly noticed. And Nimueh, well, she was an orphan, and she didn't know anyone but your mother."

"So why did she kill her?" Arthur bit out sharply.

Percy's brows rose, "I don't know," he said honestly. "You'll have to ask her yourself."

"And my father?"

Percy shrugged. "He, perhaps rightfully, blamed the wizarding world for the death of your mother and chose to abandon all contacts. He knowingly did hold a few businesses here, but he never came into direct contact with any witch or wizard, at least not on purpose. He has a secretary who is a witch, but that is only because of the fact that he needed someone with wizarding knowledge to manage both worlds-"

"Gwen's a witch?" Arthur asked incredulously. Merlin winced, and Arthur caught the gesture, turning towards him. "You knew that Gwen was a witch and you never told me?" Percy hid his smile behind the folder. "How could you, Merlin?"

"Well, it wasn't my choice to make-"

"You chose to keep another secret from me, you chose not to tell me about Gwen, you chose to keep yet another part of your life away from me, you chose-"

"Arthur-"

"And even after I found out that you were a wizard and I didn't even fire you for that, mind you, you kept secrets from me. After I expose my whole damn life to you like some sort of fucking freak show you keep things hidden away, as though you don't trust me with your own, as though you don't love me like I love you, as though you don't care about the fact that I just might want to know about you and your life and your friends and your wizarding world-"

Merlin kissed him, softly and tenderly, with his tongue stroking Arthur's lips and the inner walls of his mouth, and his hands mimicking the action on his hair. He waited for Arthur to relax against him, hands moving around him and tongue returning the soft actions, before he pulled away.

"So," he said softly, almost conversationally, with his forehead resting against Arthur's, "You love me, do you?"

Arthur felt himself heat. "No."

"Yes, you do," Merlin said teasingly. "Arthur Pendragon, the legendary businessman, falls in love with Merlin Emrys, his bodyguard." He laughed, "Sounds like some flaky romance novel." Arthur rolled his eyes, although he was still blushing, a faint colouring high in his cheeks that Merlin stroked with a finger.

It was like something was hanging in the air –the fact that Merlin hadn't returned the words.

"Well," Merlin said, kissing him softly on the lips again. "I love you too."

Neither of them noticed when Percy left the room.

Arthur was going to be caught by the end of the day.

He was too happy.

"Hi," he greeted Merlin, sitting next to him on the couch. Merlin had been flipping busily through the file Percy had given them the day before, but he dropped it on the table when Arthur came out. Merlin and Arthur looked at each other for a few moments, not entirely sure how to act. "So," Arthur looked away, still smiling –and he was pretty sure he was blushing as well now— "How's the file going?"

Merlin ignored the question to stare at him with a tilted head and amused eyes. "I never imagined you to be the blushing virgin."

Arthur's smile dropped. "I am not a blushing virgin. I'm not even a virgin."

Merlin's brow rose. "You've had sex with a guy?" They hadn't had sex yet, it was a step neither of them had felt the need to take. Arthur knew enough about sex to play around with other acts, and Merlin had never been brave enough to raise the question.

"Well, no," Arthur admitted. "My father would have killed me if it had leaked out."

"So you are a virgin," Merlin looked too pleased with the information.

"Are you any better?" Arthur asked.

Merlim smirked. "Actually, I am."

Arthur showed his plain shock. "You had sex with a guy?" he asked, with an absurd combination of surprise, anger, jealously, and too many emotions that he couldn't be bothered to identify.

Merlin nodded. "Ex-boyfriend," he waved a hand lazily.

"Who?"

Merlin seemed amused at the question. "Will, an old friend."

"Still a friend?"

"Yes, actually," Merlin grinned. "I send him Christmas and Birthday cards every year. And I've visited him thrice in the past two years. I meet him pretty often right now, since we both attend pretty much every Puddlemere United match, and we both like a lot of the same Quidditch games."

Arthur scowled. "I don't like this Will guy."

"You don't know this Will guy," Merlin pointed out.

"I don't need to know him to know that I hate him," Arthur said firmly. "He sounds like an arse."

"Jealousy, dear Arthur, does not become you." Merlin moved over to straddle Arthur, arms hanging on his shoulders. He kissed him on the nose. "Plus, Will's dating some other guy, the last I checked. Really hot guy too, all toned body and lean muscles and-"

Arthur kissed him hungrily, plunging his tongue into Merlin's mouth.

"You ever talk about your ex or his boyfriend again, I'll kill you," Arthur warned. "I ban you from ever seeing him again."

Merlin frowned. "I'm not your slave, you don't get to choose who my friends are." Arthur bit his lip. "Really. I'm your bodyguard, I'm in charge. Didn't I make that clear a year ago?" He shook his head as Arthur tried to kiss him, moving away from him sharply. "Just because you're Arthur Pendragon does not mean you're," he stopped and blushed. "You know."

Arthur smirked. "What do I know?"

"You know, that you're in charge of all that stuff," Merlin squirmed uncomfortably in Arthur's lap. Innocently.

Arthur's face tipped back. "Fuck."

"Really, Arthur," Merlin said, not really acknowledging Arthur. "I know that you're rich and that you're used to being the al- alpha in your relationships, but for this one, I insist that we have equality. I don't understand why a couple can't just be together without one person having more power than the other."

Arthur nodded, hips pressing upwards at the same time.

"I can only hope that in the future you acknowledge the fact that for all your wealth, you are not more powerful than everyone else in the world. Well, you are more powerful than a lot of people," Merlin admitted reluctantly, before shaking his head and continuing. "But the fact remains that between us, we are equals in every way that is important. And- Arthur, are you listening?"

Arthur was not listening, and pressed a kiss on Merlin's neck, "Nope," he said. His hands lowered to Merlin's arse then up his back to his shoulder blades, resting there and kneading the muscles. "How do I take your mind off this subject?" he asked, nibbling at the skin gently.

"Arthur," Merlin tried, although his eyes fluttered slightly.

"I think I can do it," Arthur said, his lips moving upwards towards Merlin's ear, making soft puffs of heat against the skin.

Merlin made another attempt, although he still shuddered. "Arthur, I'm trying to have a conversation."

"I don't want to," Arthur said childishly, and he set about convincing Merlin that having a conversation was not what they should be doing then.

"Ar-thur, stop trying to distract me-" Merlin's eyes closed and he let out a soft moan.

"Fuck the conversation," Arthur's voice was low, husky. He pushed Merlin back on the sofa, moving so that he was over the man, looking down into his blue eyes, dark and heated. He stretched out then turned so that the other man's lankier body was stretched out over his, their legs tangling together and groins pressed against each other. "You shouldn't even be thinking about one once I'm finished with you."

Merlin didn't.

The next two weeks were some of the happiest Arthur had ever felt.

He wondered if he should feel guilty that he felt happier with someone he had known for less than two years instead of the family he had known all his life. Not that his family was the best family ever.

Morgana's brow rose when she first saw him, and she didn't even air-kiss him. "You've been fucked," she stated with a smirk. Merlin blushed behind him, and her brows rose. "By Merlin. The rich boy and his bodyguard, sounds like some romance crap that Gwen would read."

"Morgana," Gwen chided, pulling Merlin into a hug. "I'm so glad for you two."

Arthur sat down, lounging on the seat while Merlin sat next to him.

"How long?" Morgana demanded, twinkling eyes layered with a glint of steel. She was dressed in a short skirt and a tiny top, attracting attention from everyone at the shop. She smiled at someone she knew, dropping it the moment the person turned away. She stared at him searchingly.

Arthur shook his head. "Too open."

She nodded, understanding what he meant and dropped the subject for a later time. Gwen was not as smart.

"How long have you two been together?" she asked with a grin.

Merlin was an idiot.

"Not too long, don't worry. I wasn't lying on the phone you know, when I said nothing happened that time," Merlin said with a tone of secrecy.

"What did you say on the phone?" Morgana asked curiously.

"He was sleeping in the same room as Arthur," Gwen informed her. "Did I help you two get together? I would love it if I were matchmaker for the two of you, you know. I've never been matchmaker, except for Will and-" she stopped.

Merlin shook his head. "He knows."

"He knows?" Gwen asked, and Arthur gave her a few seconds to absorb the shock.

"I know."

Morgana frowned. "You know?"

Arthur was surprised. "You know?"

"Of course I know," Morgana rolled her eyes.

"Then of course I know too, then," Arthur said.

"Why do you know?" Gwen asked him.

Arthur shrugged. "I've always known. Just not about you and Merlin."

"You've always known and you didn't tell me?" Morgana asked, displeased.

"I know many things that you don't, Morgana dearest," Arthur gave her a sly smile before downing the small drink before him.

"What else do you know?" Morgana was persistent if nothing else.

Arthur smirked. "Nothing you need to know."

"I want to know," Merlin piped up.

Arthur huffed exasperatedly. "You already know, idiot."

"I do?" Merlin asked with his brows burrowing before he brightened. "Oh wait, I do know."

"What do you know?" Gwen asked innocently.

"Nothing you want to know," Merlin assured her.

Morgana shook her head. "Everybody shut up. Gods, what's with the knowing?" She settled back in her chair and locked her fingers together, resting her head atop them, adopting a wise position. Arthur didn't think it suited her in the least. "So, you going to tell anyone?" she asked.

"Some people already know," Arthur said calmly.

"Since you're not worried," Morgana said, "I'm guessing it's no one that your Father is going to meet anytime soon. Which means that it is someone from their," she tilted her head towards Gwen and Merlin, "Place. Which means you've seen people from the area, people that Merlin knows. Which means that you're practically meeting the family, which translates to this is serious," she deduced.

Arthur didn't argue with the deductions.

"That is so sweet," Gwen squealed. Then she became quiet at the looks she was receiving from the other occupants of the shop. "Anyway, who'd you meet? And when did you meet them?"

"Percy," Merlin said simply. "We visited the Ministry the other day to find some information, so, of course, Percy is the easiest for all that. We met Neville too, in the elevator, but apparently he knows Arthur from some time back, some conference or the other."

Gwen nodded, and Arthur guessed correctly that she knew this Neville as well.

"You and Merlin went to school together, then?" he asked politely, even though there was a stirring in his stomach too similar to jealousy.

"Yep," the girl said enthusiastically. "Merlin and I were both in Gryffindor, and we were in the same year and the same classes so we hung around together quite a lot. He was the Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor though, so we were technically in different circles. I actually took Muggle Studies for one," she sent Merlin a look that Arthur couldn't decipher, although Merlin seemed to understand it fine, and he laughed.

"I don't need Muggle Studies," Merlin stuck out his tongue at her. "I already know how to use the computer and the TV and," he dug a hand into his front pocket, hips rising slightly to make space within the pocket of the tight jeans, "I have a brand new phone." He held it out to Gwen, waggling his brows. Arthur had bought it for him a while ago, and had to spend a week teaching the idiot how to use it. People tended to change their phones every other week; there was always something new, something better.

Gwen laughed. "I am so proud of you," she said teasingly. Then she looked at Morgana, "You should really see Merlin playing Quidditch, though. He was wonderful, the best Chaser I've ever seen."

Merlin blushed at the flattery, but he did not say anything against it.

Arthur knew what Quidditch was roughly; his friend had tried to explain it to him. It had seemed too confusing, and Arthur did not understand why any male would want to ride on a broom, it would be highly uncomfortable. Football was so much more sensible.

"Have you played this Quidditch," the word was foreign on his tongue, "Lately?" he asked Merlin.

Merlin chuckled. "Not like I've had the opportunity to go around playing Quidditch recently. You are a very time-consuming man, Arthur Pendragon," he said lightly.

Arthur frowned. "Why don't you play it?"

"I can't," Merlin shrugged.

"But-" Arthur stopped himself from continuing. Merlin couldn't play the game, he was Arthur's bodyguard. It wasn't exactly a nine to five kind of job. He still didn't like it though.

"I don't want to either," Merlin continued, knowing that Arthur would feel guilty, even if he would not admit it. "I like my job, Arthur. And Quidditch isn't something I played that often, anyway. I was busy as an Auror, so it's not that big of a change."

Arthur's displeased expression did not change.

"Really, Arthur," Merlin smiled at him. "I'm perfectly happy where I am, Quidditch is just a game. I can play it whenever, you know."

Arthur did not know when whenever was. When Merlin quit his job as a bodyguard? When Merlin left him and the normal world for good? When Merlin decided that the wizarding world was preferred to Arthur? He bit his lip testily.

"Arthur," Merlin said warningly. "Don't use that brain of yours too much, you might hurt yourself."

Arthur laughed, the weight in the room lightening somewhat.

Gwen and Morgana were looking at them strangely, and Arthur turned away.

"Anyway," he looked at Morgana, "How are the Camelot shops going?"

Morgana grinned happily at the mention of the shops. For all her clothes and bimbotic nature, she was more of a shopping entrepreneur than Arthur could ever be. She knew her fashion better than anyone Arthur knew –which was saying something— and she made use of it, even if Uther did not allow her to open her own line. "It's fantastic," she said. "The shops have been growing in popularity in France and parts of Europe especially. The olden line is huge in Britain-"

"Olden line?" Merlin asked.

"Since Camelot is based off the olden times, we have clothes that are based on the clothes worn then. The dresses in particular are off the shelves within seconds, they're not nearly as long, of course, but the detail in them, the embroidery appeals to both the young and those from the older generation, so it's pretty fair, you know."

Morgana, Arthur thought, sounded smart for a change.

The woman looked at him with a dry stare, "I do have brains you know."

"You just choose not to use them?" Arthur asked cheekily, and ducked away as Morgana's hand swung towards him. He spared a fleeting glance for Merlin, "Aren't you supposed to be protecting me from attacks?"

Merlin grinned. "Only the lethal ones."

"Morgana is lethal," Arthur retorted.

"Not now," Merlin said, "She hasn't finished telling us about the stores. Only then will she be truly lethal." Gwen laughed. "Morgana likes talking about her clothes, she wouldn't dare not finish telling us about the new hip craze that's hitting the nation," Merlin said mockingly, although not cruelly so.

Morgana rolled her eyes. "No one says hip anymore, Merlin."

"I do," Merlin pointed out.

"Let me rephrase," she said sweetly. "No one who is anyone says hip anymore, Merlin."

Everyone at the table laughed, and Merlin pouted. "Oh, that's nice, gang up on me." He crossed his arms. "See if I help you people anymore."

Arthur nudged him. "Don't be too pissed, they've done it to me too."

"But you deserve it," Merlin wailed, keeping his voice quiet so nobody at the neighbouring tables would overhear. "I'm an innocent."

Arthur scoffed. "Innocent?" He stared at Merlin, images of the man stretched out under him and above him and against the table and in the bathroom running through his mind.

Merlin blushed.

Morgana hooted. "What have you two been up to?" she asked slyly.

Arthur winked at her. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"I do, that's why I asked."

"We're not going to tell you," Merlin said in an affronted tone, as though the very idea was ludicrous. Arthur carefully did not look at him. "You've told your cousin about what you did with other people in bed?" he asked incredulously, hitting him on the arm lightly.

"Well, who else could I tell?" Arthur asked, wounded.

Morgana smirked. "And it's not like he does anything that adventurous. Arthur's tame," she said, stressing on the word excessively.

Merlin stared at her. "Arthur? Tame?" He looked between Morgana and Arthur. "What do you people consider tame anyway?" Then he shook his head. "Actually, don't answer that question. I don't think I want to know."

It was Morgana's turn to stare. "Wait," she looked at Arthur, then demanded, "What have you been keeping from me?"

"Wait," Merlin held up his hands. "So we have been adventurous?" He sounded strangely pleased at the fact.

"Yes, Merlin, we are," Arthur assured him. "And yes, Morgana, I have been keeping things from you, and no, I will not tell you." Arthur took another sip of his drink, smiling lazily.

Morgana's eyes narrowed. "I will get it out of you."

Arthur watched her over the rim of his cup. "You can try."

"Merlin, are you sure?" Arthur fretted, patting down his hair. Then he looked at himself in the mirror and messed it a little, before frowning at himself and patted it down again. Merlin watched him with a bemused expression, lying on the bed, making no attempt himself to right his appearance.

"Arthur, calm down," he tried.

Arthur did not listen. "I mean, how if they don't want me there, or if they don't know what to do with me, or if they kick me out the moment I go in, or-"

"Arthur," Merlin interrupted. "They invite me every week, and Percy made sure that they've extended the invitation to you as well this week. Mrs. Weasley likes practically everybody, and all you have to do is smile and she'll be charmed, I assure you."

Arthur paused to look at him, relaxing, "And you?"

Merlin laughed, "I was charmed a long time ago." Arthur walked towards him, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Merlin tugged him down so that he lay sprawled across it, his stomach resting on Merlin's stomach comfortably. "You really should calm down, didn't Gwen say that stress turned your hair grey?"

Arthur lifted a hand to run through his hair. "Would you stop loving me if I had grey hair?" he teased.

"You'd have to deal with me being a crippled old man with rotting teeth, so it's a fair trade," Merlin laughed.

"I refuse to deal with rotting teeth."

"You would leave me over the state of my teeth?" Merlin sounded mock hurt.

Arthur scoffed. "Do you really think I can't afford proper dental care?"

Merlin only laughed. "Either way, calm down. Once you've been invited to a Weasley lunch, all you have to do is survive and you're a part of the family. The first time I met them, I had to go through all of them, I had my hair turned pink by the end of the day, Ron said I got off lightly."

Arthur turned around to look at Merlin's face. "How did you meet them anyway? The Weasleys," he clarified.

"I was a good Auror, on level with Ron, and we were paired up for assignments pretty often. I met Percy through Oliver, because I went to a number of the Puddlemere United Quidditch practices, so that was enough really. And I don't think there's a wizard or witch alive who hasn't visited Fred and George's shop," Merlin said, grinning at the memories.

"Ron's the youngest boy, right?" Merlin nodded. "And Percy's divorced, with two girls, he has shared custody, and he's dating Oliver Wood, Keeper of Puddlemere United." Merlin nodded again. "Ron's married to Hermione, two kids. Harry's divorced Ginny, two kids there too. Bill's married to Fleur, the girl Victoire is best friends with Harry's godson, Teddy-"

"For God's sake, Arthur," Merlin stopped him before he could continue, "They're not going to interrogate you on their personal lives."

"It never hurts to be prepared," Arthur said haughtily. Then he stood up in one swift gesture, looking at himself in the mirror. Again. "You're sure I'm dressed fine." He studied his jeans and shirt with a critical eye, glancing towards his wardrobe.

Merlin caught the movement and grabbed his hand. "Don't even think about it. If I have to sit through you choosing something else, I'll die of boredom or something."

"Merlin, I am never boring," Arthur said patronizingly.

"So you think," Merlin mumbled, and continued before Arthur could comment. "Jeans are very cool in the wizarding world. When it was first introduced, Hermione had a fit because Muggles had worn it for ages."

Arthur's nose wrinkled delicately. "Do you have to use that word?"

"What word?" Merlin frowned. "Muggles?"

"It makes me feel like some sort of a disease," he said testily.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "It's just a word Arthur. I'm used to calling non-wizarding people-"

"Much nicer term."

"Muggles, and I refuse to change just because you're a prat," Merlin ended the conversation. He stood up, then pulled Arthur towards him. Merlin looked down at him. "You're short."

"You're just tall," Arthur retorted.

"And I'm never going to let you forget it," Merlin said, and Arthur only had the time to close his eyes in a cringe and dig his head into Merlin's chest before the sensations overwhelmed him. There was a churning in his gut and a loudness piercing his eardrums painfully, then nothing.

The ground found his feet, and he asked quietly, "Are we there yet?"

There were laughs around them, and Arthur opened his eyes. He was in the middle of a lawn of sorts, with a rickety house before him. People were everywhere, most of them with the distinctive red hair he recognised from meeting Percy. There were at least six similar male redheads staring at him, with two women, and then too many children. Arthur looked at them warily.

A hand placed itself at the small of his back. Arthur looked at Merlin, who smirked.

"They don't bite," the man whispered into his ear.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "No, you all just have wands to spell me into oblivion instead."

Merlin scowled. "I've never even used mine on you."

"But you have threatened me with it before," Arthur reminded him. Merlin had, although Arthur knew he would have never actually acted on the threats.

"Only because you were acting like a prat," Merlin said.

"I only act like a prat when you act like an idiot," Arthur said quickly.

"I only act like an idiot when you act like a prat," Merlin said, cheeks flushing.

Arthur smirked. "Chicken or the egg?"

"If you're the chicken-"

"You're thinner than me," Arthur waved a hand. "You'd make a better chicken."

"Chickens don't have wands, genius."

"And eggs do?" Arthur asked incredulously.

Merlin was about to retort when a small woman stepped between them. Arthur looked down at her, she was wearing a flowered dress, with grey strands in her hair, but kind eyes. "Merlin," she hugged the man first, and he had to bend comically to return it. "It's been too long." She turned to him. "And this must be Arthur," she reached forward and hugged him too, and Arthur froze. Merlin grinned at him unhelpfully. The woman pulled back and waggled a finger at Merlin. "Don't be rude." Merlin looked down, and Arthur smirked.

Coward, he mouthed. Merlin glared at him.

"Come now, you must meet everyone," the woman, Mrs. Weasley he guessed, said quickly.

"I'll do that Mrs. Weasley," Merlin interfered. "Wouldn't want to trouble you." Suck up, Arthur thought. Mrs. Weasley, for all her size, did not look like someone he should cross though. Mrs. Weasley frowned, unsure on whether she should trust Merlin with such a duty, but Merlin continued smiling calmly, and she walked away towards the house.

"You're really talented at that, Merlin," Arthur said sweetly.

"What?" Merlin asked obliviously.

"Kissing arses," Arthur replied.

Merlin hit him on the shoulder, and two of the red-headed boys bounded up to them, one on either side, a hand thrown too comfortably around Merlin's shoulder. "Now, now Merlin," the one on the left said, "Don't be abusive to your boyfriend."

"Unless he likes the pain, of course," the other one added.

"And if he does you shouldn't introduce him to Bill because I heard he and Fleur have been getting up to some funny stuff recently-"

"And you know how our dear sister-in-law likes to share," the left had the nerve to wink at him.

"This one looks possessive though," the other said thoughtfully.

"I would be careful if I were you," leftie said, "he could just as likely kill you."

"Merlin," Arthur snapped, shaking his head at the confusion. "Who are these two?"

"Fred and George," Merlin said in a painful groan, head dropping to his chest. Arthur had heard about these two, tales that had seemed too fantastic to be true. Now that he had seen them though, he had the inkling that Merlin hadn't been lying about a single one.

"Pleasure to meet you, Fred," leftie held out his hand, and Arthur shook it carefully.

"Then you must be George," he turned to the other. His eyes passed swiftly over them, noting all their similarities, down to the last freckle on their faces, and the few differences, a tuft of hair here and a small thread loose from the shirt of the one called Fred.

"Absolutely spiffing," George said, and the twins laughed at some inside joke. Arthur smiled politely, tolerantly, but did not ask further. He did not wish to encourage them. His gaze wondered, and then settled on a familiar figure.

"I'm afraid Merlin and I must take our leave," he said apologetically. "I see an acquaintance." Merlin seemed surprised until he followed his gaze, nodding. "It was nice to meet you," he said smoothly, not a hint of a lie on his tongue. He slipped away, dragging a willing Merlin behind him, and walked towards one of the few people in the group he knew, one Hermione Granger.

"Hello," Hermione said with a bright smile, looking away from the redheaded man –there were too many— she had been talking to, "It's so good to see you again, and under more truthful circumstances too." She gave a small grin in apology, and Arthur discarded it.

"Already forgotten," he said. "And this is?" He turned to the redhead.

"Ron, Ron Weasley." The man grinned. He was, Arthur thought, a happy man, probably hot-tempered, and easy to start a fight with, held grudges too, but a generally happy man. He had that look about him, that he usually saw in old men with comfortable marriages or war veterans who were healthy. From Merlin's accounts, it was probably the latter. "Hermione's said loads about you," he continued, a slight edge to his voice. Hermione elbowed him, and he sent her a look, not in the least apologetic.

"And Merlin's said a lot about you," he countered, meeting his gaze. They exchanged silent words –possessive and protective which would have them chided by their partners but needed to be said— before smiling.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Men."

Merlin snorted. "Tell me about it." Then he frowned, "Did I actually just say that about my own sex?"

Arthur grinned, "Everyone knows you're the girl in the relationship, Merlin."

"Right, because I'm the one begging for it every night," Merlin shot at him.

"You're the one who started tearing when you watched Titanic," Arthur said, slightly incredulous.

"I've never watched it before," Merlin protested. "It doesn't count. You cried the first time you watched Bambi."

"I was five," Arthur said.

"Still the first time you watched it," Merlin said, crossing his arms childishly. "It doesn't matter the first time."

"The first time is the most telling," Arthur said, with the air of one who was quoting.

Merlin's brow rose. "Who said that?"

"I just did."

He shook his head. "Arthur, you can't quote yourself. It doesn't work like that."

"Merlin," Arthur said in the same tone. "Quotes have to start somewhere."

"You can't be just anyone to make a quote-"

"I'm Arthur Pendragon, I'm not just anyone."

"He's got a point," Hermione pointed out. Merlin ignored her.

"No, you're anyone. Who is the son of someone. Does Donald Trump's son get to make quotes?" he asked, as though that settled the issue.

Arthur grinned. "You remembered who Donald Trump was, I'm surprised."

Merlin smiled back, nodding, "I saw him in that magazine on your table, on the increasing prices of some stocks in some market thing." Arthur laughed.

"You just reduced the biggest competitor of herbology products to 'some stocks in some market thing'," he shook his head with amusement. "My friends would be insulted."

"It's a good thing I don't care about them, then," Merlin said. "Except for Gwen, and Morgana," he added the last name as an afterthought.

Arthur grinned. "Don't you love my dear cousin?"

Someone cleared their throat pointedly, and Arthur turned to his left, Merlin following him. "Harry," he smiled at the man, who was smaller than he had originally thought. Merlin waved, and Harry slipped between Hermione and Ron. He, for some reason, fit perfectly between them, not intrusive or breaking apart their relationship, but rather adding another piece to the puzzle. Arthur wondered what could cause that sort of unity between three people, even after two of them became officially together.

"How are you two?" Harry asked, smiling gently, as though he had lived longer than everyone else, been through more than the others. Arthur didn't doubt it.

"Good," Merlin chirped. "How about you and your new friend?"

Hermione picked up the emphasis on the word. "Friend?"

"Friend?" Ron frowned. "Harry, are you seeing someone?"

Harry glared at Merlin. "Not for now, and if I was, I would wait until I was sure that it was something before telling you."

Ron looked wounded. "You would keep things from us? Your best friends?"

"Who is he?" Hermione demanded. "Is it someone we know? From Hogwarts? Gryffindor? Or is it another House?"

"Is it Slytherin?" Ron inserted, "Is that why you aren't telling us? Because we won't mind that much-"

"I won't," Hermione corrected. "You would be upset for at least a week before deciding to speak to him again." She looked back at Harry. "If he is Slytherin, is he from our year? I heard that Marcus Flint was seeing someone-" Harry's face twisted at the idea. "So it's not him, what about that guy, a year higher from us, the one who always lurked around the school-"

"Flyer something, right?" Ron guessed.

"Something like that, or maybe it's Hufflepuff," Hermione continued. "If he is, I'll make sure that Fred and George don't tease him too much, although, you don't know many people from Hufflepuff, only those in our year. And they're all married or dating someone." She paused, "Harry, you're not dating a married man are you?"

"No," Harry burst out. "Guys, it's just someone. Yes, you know him. No, I'm not going to tell you who he is or where he's from," he added as Ron opened his mouth to speak. "I'll be sure to introduce you soon, okay?"

Hermione looked reluctant, but Ron accepted the offer quickly, sensing that Harry wouldn't give away anything else.

"Fine," Hermione gave way after a second, although she sent a look to Harry, one that Arthur couldn't decipher, but Harry did, making him nod slightly in return.

"So," Merlin said, changing the subject, "What're the odds for the World Cup?" Arthur almost thought they were talking about football, but Ron started on about Chudley Cannons and Puddlemere United, so he knew they were going on about Quidditch. Hermione rolled her eyes, and then walked away. Arthur stayed there for a few minutes, absorbing the friendly chatter between the three men, before he moved away, going towards the house. He was side-tracked by a more familiar head.

"Percy?" he called out, walking towards the man.

Percy and the man next to him looked over at the sound. A brunette, a lean body, hard with muscles. He wasn't particularly handsome –he would be to Gwen, though— but he had an open, friendly face, but with a narrowness in his eyes as he moved closer to Percy. He kept his expression neutral, he wasn't sure where the two of them stood.

"Hello, Arthur," Percy smiled warmly. "It's nice to see you again. This," he tilted his head to the man next to him, their hands twined together, "Is Oliver."

"Oliver Wood," Oliver introduced himself, pressing himself closer to Percy. The man glanced at him, as though knowing what he was doing, but did not move away.

Arthur hid his smile. "Arthur Pendragon, you play for Puddlemere United, didn't you?"

Oliver's brow rose. "Yes, I didn't know you knew the wizarding world that well." It sounded partially a question.

He shrugged. "I have friends, they like the game, they like your team, most of them like you." He could see why. "They say you're the best Keeper the team has ever had."

"Not that good," Oliver laughed. "But I hope to get there someday."

Percy rolled his eyes. "Oliver's being annoyingly humble. He's brilliant, you should see him play." Percy's eyes sparkled with amusement and care for the man next to him. Arthur thought he saw it sometimes, whenever he looked into the mirror, with Merlin next to him.

"That would be nice," Arthur said. "I've never been to a Quidditch match."

Oliver's eyes widened in shock. "You haven't? It's the best game in the world, I'll have to get you tickets for the next game. I insist that you come to watch, it's a must, it's a need, you can't not watch it-" He was becoming increasingly frantic, as though Arthur had just paid him a personal insult.

"Don't mind him," Percy cut in. "Although we will get you and Merlin tickets."

"Thank you," Arthur said sincerely, it would be interesting if nothing else to find out how the game worked. A man walked up to them, typical flaming red hair, with scars marring an otherwise handsome face.

"Hello," he sounded friendly, but with an undertone in his voice that cautioned Arthur. "Bill Weasley," he held out a hand, shook firmly. Arthur noticed that his hands were callused, scarred. Dangerous lifestyle Bill Weasley led.

"Arthur," he said. He wondered how many more introductions he would have to live through before the end of the day. "You're the cursebreaker?" he ventured a guess. He knew Merlin had said something about one of them, the eldest if he remembered correctly, and this one definitely fit the profile.

Bill nodded. "Yep, Charlie's the dragon one," he pointed towards a stockier man on the opposite end of the garden. The poor fellow was surrounded on either side by the twins. Arthur would have let his mouth drop at any other time. Bill smirked slightly, as though knowing what he would have done at other times.

"Dragons?"

A hand was thrown around his shoulders casually, and Merlin leaned against him. "Dragons." He smiled smugly. "Told you being a wizard was cool."

"You thought the computer was the best thing in the world two minutes ago."

Merlin grinned unrepentantly. "Porn."

Merlin picked up the letters, before throwing them onto the table exasperatedly.

Arthur walked towards him, pushing his feet of the table. "You're thinking about this far too much."

"You're thinking about this far too little."

"You should calm down, Merlin." Arthur moved, pushing Merlin gently with his hands until he was kneeling on the couch behind him. "And I think I know how." He pushed Merlin again, making him lie on the couch, Arthur straddling his waist.

"Arthur, I should be doing work, trying to find the psycho who's trying to kill you," Merlin moaned. Arthur lay his hands on his back, kneading it gently.

He tutted lightly. "God, you're tight."

Merlin's shoulders shook slightly, "That sounded so wrong."

Arthur leaned down so that his mouth was against Merlin's ear. "I think it sounded perfectly right." He licked the earlobe, nibbling it before moving away.

"You're not exactly sane," Merlin pointed out, forcing himself not to lean into Arthur.

Arthur dug his fingers into Merlin's shoulder, smiling when he heard the soft groan that Merlin let out. "Like I said, tight. You really need to learn how to relax, Merlin. Or you'll get grey hair before fifty." He knew Merlin was smiling.

"You'd hate me with grey hair, I know." Arthur laughed softly at the comment.

"No," he admitted. "But few people can make it look good."

Merlin scoffed. "Let me guess, you're one of those lucky few who can?" Arthur dug into a particularly tight muscle and he bit his lip to stifle his moan.

"Of course, it's in my genes," Arthur said haughtily. He moved his hands lower down the man's back, moving back as he did.

Merlin scoffed again. "Like father like son. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The-"

Merlin froze.

Arthur groaned. "You've got to be kidding? You're getting a brainblast now?" He moved off hastily as Merlin stood up. "Gods, you're worse than Jimmy Neutron."

"Jimmy Neutron?" Merlin didn't continue the issue. "Your father knows this Nimueh. But he doesn't know that we know." Arthur nodded patiently. "No, he probably knows everything about this girl, which means he knows why she's after you. He might not know it, but he might know where she is."

Arthur frowned, "How could he not know what he knows?"

"He might know other pieces of information that he doesn't think are useful. I didn't press him the last time, but if we know enough about this woman's character, we'll be able to find her. Wizards have means of finding people that Muggles don't, so we could be able to do a whole list of things, we could place a tracking spell, search through the records, use a loc-"

"Stop," Arthur interrupted quickly. Merlin stared up at him, eyes alight. "Have you any idea on how to go about convincing my father to give up information willingly? I don't think even the wizarding world allows for force."

Merlin obviously hadn't thought that far. "Well, you're his son, can't you get it out of him?" Regardless of how well Merlin knew Arthur, he didn't know much about Pendragon relationships.

"No."

"Come on, Arthur, can't you at least try?"

"No."

"Give it a shot at least," Merlin tried. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"He could kill me."

"He wouldn't kill his own son, and he would only be protecting you-"

"From an enemy who, according to you, can't get to me," Arthur pointed out.

"That was before I knew who she was. Arthur," Merlin sounded desperate. "You can't risk your life because you can't stand your father-"

"It's the other way around," Arthur said quickly.

"It doesn't matter either way," Merlin snapped, standing up. "I'm not letting you tempt death just because you're an idiot-"

Arthur stood up, using his broader build to counter Merlin's height. "I cannot disobey my father-"

"It wouldn't be the first time-"

"Not for things that are important," Arthur said firmly. "Merlin, I am a Pendragon. I know you're not a Muggle," it was the first time he had used the word in context of himself. "And I know you don't know much about Pendragons, but," he searched for the words, "I can't just abandon my responsibilities because someone's after me."

"There's no point in responsibilities if you're dead," Merlin burst out. He was right of course, but Arthur knew he was too. Even if Merlin didn't understand. "Arthur, you can't die." He was begging, he didn't care.

Arthur softened, then he grabbed Merlin and pulled him towards him, capturing him in a crushing hug.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, but that didn't stop the shakes that raked Merlin's body, didn't stop the pain in his heart. "I'm sorry," he repeated, like a chant or a mantra, but it didn't help. It never would. But Arthur couldn't do anything else.

Merlin muttered darkly under his breath as he watched Arthur give another lecture. He didn't bother to pay attention to the prat this time, he didn't care what Arthur was going to do with his businesses in China, or what he intended to accomplish with the architecture in the area, or what he thought would happen the people there, or how they would benefit. He wasn't going to pay attention to a word the man said.

He watched as the death wish walking gestured and pointed to some slides, then again as a studious brunette asked a question, smiling flirtatiously at the same time. It was a feat, really, how seemingly hard-working women started hitting on Arthur the moment he smiled.

The prat should learn not to smile in these conferences. It was a dangerous thing, his smile.

"If there are no further questions," Arthur said, and Merlin dutifully tuned out, keeping his eyes and ears fixed on the doors and windows, each opening, each guest. There was a smattering of applause around the room, and movement as everyone stood up.

Merlin moved towards Arthur immediately, because whether or not he liked the man particularly right now, he still had a job to do. And since Arthur had grown into some twisted courage and had told Merlin –in no messy terms—that he would be putting himself into harm's way to draw out Nimueh. And he called Merlin the idiot.

Arthur was flipping through his papers, and Merlin carefully did not look at him directly.

"Today went well," Arthur said after a while. Merlin grunted. Arthur turned to look at him. "I thought there were good questions, especially Ms. Brown over there," he pointed towards the brunette, who smiled leeringly under his attention. Merlin grunted again, moving unconsciously between the two. "Fascinating stuff, Ms. Brown is made of. Did you know she graduated from college at the age of fourteen?"

Merlin bet she couldn't make a plate dance. So there.

"She holds some very interesting conversations, they excite otherwise boring meetings," Arthur continued, not at all fazed by the lack of response. "I've went out with her a few times, a few years ago. Morgana hated her, but father thought she would make the perfect bride." Arthur seemed to find it endlessly entertaining that Merlin snarled at the mere mention of his father.

He kept silent though, the longest time yet. They were both counting.

"Horribly boring in bed though," Arthur added, and Merlin's eyes glittered darkly, but otherwise he said nothing, gave away nothing.

They walked out of the building by the back door, getting into the limo swiftly.

Arthur sighed immediately, shoulders slumping. "You're an idiot, Merlin."

"Then why do you want me around?" Merlin asked.

"Why do you stay around?" Arthur returned smoothly, leaning into the soft seats.

"It's my job," Merlin bit out. It wasn't the full reason, and that sort of a lie wouldn't be believed by anyone, much less Arthur. But Arthur's defenses seemed to be low, because he sank further into his seat, not looking at Merlin. Merlin looked at him, trying to ascertain whether or not he was pretending, but Arthur seemed to actually be hurt. "Arthur," he sighed.

Arthur looked at him, eyes sad. "I really am sorry."

Merlin looked away, then back at him. "You know it's not just the job, right?" Arthur smiled slightly and nodded. "Good." He let the silence linger for a few more moments. "But you're still a prat."

There was a soft laugh. "I don't think so."

Merlin smiled, recognising the routine. "Good thing I know so."

"Actually," Arthur's head tilted. "This time, you don't." Merlin frowned. "We're not going back home, Merlin."

"Then where are we going?" The fact that Arthur had switched destinations wasn't surprising –since the man had done it on several occasions— but the fact that he had told Merlin about it was.

"The Pendragon Offices."

Merlin did not let his mind think, because he might be jumping to conclusions, and he didn't want to have to suffer another blow to his heart now. He cleared his throat, which had suddenly become parched. "W- Why?"

Arthur was still smiling, although he looked anything but happy. "To talk to my father about Nimueh." There was no beating around the bush or stalling for time with Arthur. He stared at his hands for a few seconds, and Merlin kept silent, sensing that he was about to continue. "I don't remember much of my Mum, Merlin. I would like to." Then he looked up at him. "And you are important to me. Do not doubt that."

Merlin looked at him, mouth gaping. Then he moved forward, kissing Arthur on the lips hungrily, clutching at his hair with tight fingers. "I won't," he said against Arthur's mouth, "Never." He wrapped his hands around Arthur's neck and eased off.

"You're lucky they don't have a camera in here," Arthur said.

Merlin's lips thinned dangerously as he sat down again. "I give you the kiss of my life and my solemn promise to forever be with you and you're thinking about cameras?"

Arthur grinned. "I'm thinking about far worse things, but they might have a mike somewhere in here, so I'll keep it for the bedroom." Merlin opened his mouth to protest, then shut it again, rolling his eyes.

The car stopped suddenly, and they both quietened. Merlin bit his lip. "This is it."

"What are we, in some cheesy show? Honestly, Merlin," he nudged him towards the door. "This is it, I swear," he grumbled good-naturedly, and Merlin laughed.

"I could always say, it's the moment we've been waiting for," Merlin said dramatically. "The hero and his dashing bodyguard come face to face with the man who has plagued their dreams, following their lives like the very hounds of hell-"

Arthur kissed him gently.

Merlin could recognise a shut-up kiss when he saw it, although he didn't care very much. "I think if this bodyguard thing doesn't work out, I could become a writer."

Arthur's brow rose. "Stick to the bodyguard work, trust me." He stepped out of the car, looking like the magazine version of Arthur Pendragon –cool, calm and collected— immediately. Merlin preferred his Arthur. Their shoes slapped against the floor as they headed towards the offices.

Gwen smiled at their arrival, although she noticed the worry in their eyes and tenseness in their shoulders. "Just go in," she said gently, not inquiring any further.

Arthur did not respond, too caught up in his thoughts, and Merlin smiled at her gratefully. Her eyes held a question, but she didn't demand an answer for it. Gwen had always been good at that, knowing where to stop.

Arthur entered the room without knocking, and Uther looked up. "Father," he greeted stiffly.

Merlin stayed silent in the back ground.

"Arthur, Merlin," Uther put away his papers. Merlin suddenly felt wary, and he looked at Arthur. The blond man looked painfully neutral, and Merlin knew that even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to prevent the events that were about to occur.

"I think we need to talk," Arthur said shortly, not sitting down. Uther frowned, then nodded.

"What about?" Uther asked.

Merlin stepped closer towards Arthur, and Uther's eyes narrowed at the movement. He couldn't say anything about their relationship if they managed to conduct themselves properly –it would mean he would have to acknowledge the fact that his son wasn't as straight as he thought, and he would never do that willingly.

"My mother," Arthur said, and Uther tensed.

"I do not wish to talk about her-"

"It is not a matter open for discussion, Father," Arthur snapped, and Merlin saw the Pendragon in him for a few seconds before he calmed. "I need to talk about her."

Uther looked like he was about to protest, but another figure stepped through the door at the corner. "Uther," Gaius said gently. "We knew this day would come." He looked at Arthur, who kept his eyes trained on his father. "I expect you already know that Merlin is a wizard."

"Yes." Gaius nodded slowly.

"Indeed, your mother was a fine witch," he smiled faintly. "Talent, power, only without the mind to use either." Arthur's mouth drew back and Gaius swiftly continued, "She was smart, but she did not think it right to use her magic as an advantage over Muggles." Merlin had always thought Gaius a Muggle, but the word sounded so natural on his tongue he wondered if Gaius was a Squib.

"And Nimueh?"

Gaius' brow rose. "You know her, then." It was not a question, and neither of them spoke in answer. "Very well." At the words, Uther opened a small drawer at the table and pulled out a thick file, before throwing it towards them. Arthur caught it nimbly, turning it open.

Merlin recognised the two girls in the first picture. Everybody in the room did.

Arthur turned the next page, then the next, then the next. They were filled with pictures of the girls, from a young age –maybe three at most— to their older years, young ladies as McGonagall would have called them. Merlin recognised a few of them from the other album, but most were new.

There were a few notes scribbled at the corners, and Merlin identified Uther's handwriting from the occasional letter he sent Arthur.

"They were best friends, Nimueh and your mother," Gaius said fondly, Uther maintained a strange silence. "They grew up together in Hogwarts, and even before that, they knew each other well as children. As wizarding children would know," he glanced at Merlin, "you often meet each other at daycare centers or the like. You learn the basics of magic, and Nimueh was considered exceptional, even at that age, while your mother was practiced, but without the wish to make too much of her powers."

Merlin nodded, they knew all of this from Percy. "Some of the best in their class."

Gaius smiled. "They could have become anything they wanted to be, anyone they wanted to be."

"Why didn't they?" Arthur asked, and Uther looked up.

"Your mother did not live long enough for it," Gaius shook his head. "She met your father, and Nimueh-" He didn't continue.

"She loved your mother," Uther spoke up for the first time. "Every time she went out with me, Nimueh absolutely hated it. Every time I visited their apartment, she would make sure that I didn't stay long. She took every measure possible to ensure that your mother never stayed with me."

"But she did," Arthur said.

Uther nodded. "Yes, your mother had a strong will, she wasn't fazed by Nimueh's rage. She never had been." He did not sound like himself, Uther didn't. "She announced her decision to marry me. Her parents were not happy, but they came to accept it. The problem lay in Nimueh."

"She wasn't happy," Merlin guessed correctly.

"Not in the least," Gaius agreed. "She lost it. Your mother tried to calm her, but she refused to listen."

"Nimueh was very powerful," Uther said softly.

Gaius looked down. "But, she was a temperamental witch. She had never had full control of her powers."

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, and Merlin turned to him.

"Most wizards and witch can control their magic, with their wand. Others, like Harry, can do wandless magic, but you have to be very powerful. If you don't have control, it's unstable. It's why wands were created, to direct the flow of magic. Without it, you'd be casting every spell that came into your mind."

"So if you wished to kill someone when you were angry," Arthur trailed off, and Merlin nodded.

"Exactly, so," he looked at Gaius, Uther having turned away and gazing at the sky, "She wished death on Mr. Pendragon?"

"No." The single word from Uther held more pain than any man should feel in a lifetime. Uther turned to face them, lines carved into his face, face grey, "She wished death on your mother."

"She killed her?" Arthur's voice was low, but the silence in the room made sure that it was heard.

Uther did not answer. His expression answered the question.

"She killed her?" Arthur repeated, voice louder. "She killed my Mom!" he screamed suddenly, and Merlin stepped away. It wasn't his place to interfere now. "She killed my Mom and you-" his voice cracked.

Gaius looked torn between comforting his friend and his surrogate son. "She was caught," he said, an attempt to appease them, although it didn't work very well. "She was put in Azkaban, the whole matter was hushed up, of course, and it didn't receive any publicity."

"Since she was an Unspeakable, a Death Eater in Voldemort's era, they kept the whole thing secret," Merlin said softly.

Gaius looked surprised at the words. "How do you know this?"

"Friends," Merlin shrugged.

"Yes, but you must understand, she was an exceptional Unspeakable, she had access to everything-"

"And the Ministry couldn't risk someone being aware of the leak of information," Merlin continued.

"Or the Minister would have lost his job immediately."

"And no Minister wants to lose his post, no matter the cost," Merlin ended.

Gaius nodded. "They kept her capture a secret, so the opposite was easy enough," Gaius explained. "Nimueh had no family, besides Igraine, so nobody noticed her disappearance. When she escaped, all her records were erased. Even if Nimueh had tried to return to the wizarding world, she would have no past so as to speak of, or a future. She had never existed. There were people who remembered her, but no one knew Nimueh well besides Igraine, and that," Gaius shrugged, there was no need to continue.

"But wasn't there a search?" Merlin tried.

"Of course, but all done in secret. There wasn't much hope," Gaius said. "If she could escape Azkaban, there was very little she couldn't do."

"And now?" Arthur spoke up.

Gaius looked at him carefully. "Nimueh has not existed for the past twenty years. Why she has decided now to show herself –and why she is targeting you— I do not know. But, Arthur, you cannot be drawn into her trap." Gaius was unusually stern, "She will kill you if she finds you, do not doubt that."

Arthur did not meet his eyes, and Merlin felt a sickening pull at his gut.

"That is why," Uther said with a smirk, "Extra precautions must be taken." The pull was back, doubled if anything. "Merlin, as of now, your duty as bodyguard for Arthur Pendragon has been revoked. You will report to the Head Auror of the Auror Offices today at 3 p.m. sharp for reassignment." Merlin's eyes widened, shock and anger. "Arthur will be receiving another team from the Ministry at your departure."

"What?" Merlin burst out.

He was hardly aware of anything before Uther's words penetrated the fog in his head. "You had better get going, it's almost three."

He glared at Uther, feeling his eyes darken as he watched the man.

"I'm the best person to protect Arthur," he wouldn't trust anyone else to do the job, "I know him better than any team, I don't know what you've done but just because you're bloody homophobic does not mean you risk your son's life for it," he raged. "You're practically throwing him to Nimueh, you arrogant son of a bitch-"

A hand on his shoulder, and Arthur pulled him away. "Come on," he whispered, and Merlin gave one last glare at the bastard called Uther Pendragon before he followed Arthur out of the room.

Arthur was too quiet, and Merlin stopped him in the middle of the room, uncaring of Gwen's inquisitive eyes.

"Arthur?" he whispered. Arthur looked up, eyes dark and dead. "Your father is an idiot, I-" He had to leave. It was two minutes to three.

"Go," Arthur said dully.

Merlin bit his lip. "I don't want to," he admitted.

"But you're going to anyway," Arthur said, a hopeless tone. Merlin resisted the urge to go back into the office and use all the training he had learnt on one Uther Pendragon. Merlin caught sight of Arthur's expression and had him in a tight embrace. Arthur's hands surrounded him, running up and down his back.

Merlin moved back to give him a heated kiss, ignoring the slight gasp from the corner of the room. "I don't want to," he said again, because Arthur was right, he would anyway –it was his duty. "Now," he pulled away, stumbling on the emptiness behind him. "Because, Gods, Arthur," he kissed him again.

"Can't you stay a while longer?" Arthur pleaded, and Merlin almost broke.

"I want to, Gods, I want to, but if I stay even a little while longer, not even your father could make me leave," he ran a hand along Arthur's jaw line, kissing it softly.

"Hero complex," Arthur said, smiling slightly.

Merlin let out a small laugh. Then he sombered, "Please take care of yourself," he whispered.

Then he Apparated.

Harry Potter looked up as his door was slammed open.

Merlin entered, skin flushed and eyes narrowed, the air around him practically crackling with the infusion of anger with magic. His hand moved towards his wand –he had seen things like this happen, it usually resulted in nothing good.

Ron entered a moment after Merlin. "I tried to stop him, man," then he looked at Harry, "What did you do this time?"

Harry had an idea of what had set Merlin off, and he carefully set his wand on the table, where Merlin could see it. It was the closest he was going to get to non-threatening anyway. Everyone knew he could do wandless magic, either way. Although, he sometimes thought that Merlin was stronger than him. Far stronger, and when angry, it just made everything worse.

"I couldn't have done anything," he said before Merlin could speak. "The order came from Kingsley, and I can't disobey the Minister of Magic."

Merlin scoffed. "You're Harry fucking Potter. You can do whatever the hell you want." Ron sent him a pointed look, since it was true. Harry sent him an annoyed glance.

"Not in this case, I couldn't have-"

"Arthur could die," Merlin burst out. "This Nimueh, she's as powerful as you Harry, if not more." Merlin's lip was bleeding from where he had bit it too hard. "You can't reassign me now-"

Ron straightened from where he had been slouching against the door. "Wait, you reassigned him?" he asked, as though the idea was unfathomable. Harry understood what he meant. "What if it was me and Hermione-"

"Hermione and I," a voice corrected from the door, and Hermione entered the room. "I heard that Merlin was back and causing trouble." She shifted her glance to Merlin, then back to Harry. "You're reassigning him from the case?" Even she sounded disbelieving. She shook her head, "Harry, if this Nimueh is as powerful as Merlin says she is-"

"She killed Arthur's Mom because she couldn't control her magic, she escaped from Azkaban and hasn't been caught for the past twenty years, she's sent us too many letters and not one of them could I trace," Merlin listed, becoming angrier at each point.

Hermione's eyes widened. "Wait, Nimueh," her eyes flickered from side to side as she thought.

"Smartest girl in Hogwarts," Merlin prompted.

Her eyes widened. "McGonagall said she died later."

Merlin shook his head. "No, she didn't. She's alive and after Arthur and you," he turned back to Harry, "Fucking reassigned me!"

Harry stood up. "I might be able to oppose the Minister, but not when the entire Minsitry's on his side."

"If this were Hermione?" Merlin countered immediately. "Then what would you do?"

Harry faltered. He looked away shiftily, "Not even then. I would go after her myself," he looked at Merlin seriously, "But there would be absolutely no Ministry backing to it."

Merlin heard the meaning behind the words. "I don't need Ministry backing to save Arthur."

"And you'd be willing to take unpaid leave?" He picked up his wand and murmured a few words, and a few papers started filling themselves up.

"For the next month if I have to," Merlin said, just as gravely.

Ron frowned, then he gave a small smile. "You know, I've been thinking of taking a break from work myself. Why don't you have me take unpaid leave for the next week, Harry?" Merlin looked at him gratefully.

"And I've been thinking about taking a break from helping the people," Hermione said lazily. "I think the lazy idiots under me need training for when they have to take over." She grinned at Merlin, "This would be an excellent time for them to learn, don't you think?"

Merlin laughed, and Harry's eyes glittered with a light he hadn't seen a while; since before the paperwork.

"And as Head of the Auror Offices," Harry said pompously –sounding strangely like Percy when he was giving a lecture on the importance of newts eyes for the stability of the world economy— "I think I'm in need of a break from the crime that runs rampant in this place."

"By moving on to worse evil?" Merlin teased, because the question needed to be asked.

Ron snorted, "That's a definite break," he said with the same teasing tone.

Harry finished the papers before sending them off in a sharp whizz. He clapped his hands together, "That's that, then." He looked at Merlin, younger than he had seemed for a long time. "I think I know where to start with helping your Arthur."

Arthur picked up the letter. It seemed strange, reading letters that hadn't already been ripped open and read by Merlin. They had the thrum of magic within them, as though someone had cast a spell to check for danger, but they were otherwise intact. Arthur wondered if Merlin had read his letters because he was a more capable bodyguard, or if he was simply too curious about Arthur's life.

He had read it twelve times already –had every line scorched in his memory— and he had thrown it on the table twice in exasperation; paced around the room to the extent that the carpet bore footprints; yelled at it as though someone might be listening to it on the other side; done every possible thing a man could possibly do to a letter without destroying it. The thought of ripping it to pieces had occurred to him a few times, but he thought it would be wiser to preserve the evidence.

He bit his lip, and then read it again. His eyes flittered across the table, but his mind recited the lines without the need to absorb the information.

Arthur
You have been lied to your entire life.
The truth you can find only with me.
Go to the Camelot near your house.
Further instructions will be provided to you there.
I look forward to meeting the son of the greatest witch
ever to have lived.
Nimmy

Arthur didn't know angered him the most about the letter. The fact that this Nimmy thought she knew anything about Arthur's life where he knew almost nothing; that she taunted him by having them meet at his father's most famous shop; that she dared mention his mother.

He guessed it was the last.

Arthur stood up, his mind made up. He walked carefully towards the doorway, hearing two of the buffoons his father had hired. They were nowhere near as efficient as Merlin, as one person, had been. Or perhaps Merlin had just excelled over everyone else in his field.

Whatever the reason, they were not difficult to fool. Arthur let out a soft cry, and there was a noise as they moved towards the door. "Mr. Pendragon, you okay?" the first one called out. His name was Duck or Goose or one of those things. Arthur pretended to fumble with the doorknob then opened it shakily.

"I'm afraid that I have caught a bout of ocheramicrosis," he said, voice weak.

The other one frowned. Either Jack or Jen or something that started with a J. "Oche-what?"

Arthur shook his head. "It's a non-wizarding disease." He looked up, eyes widening as though startled, then stumbled away from them. "You should move away from me."

Duck-man moved a step away on instinct. "Is it contagious?"

J-man was smarter than him. "How do you know it, anyway? The file said nothing about you being a doctor." He looked at him suspiciously.

"Oh, my wizard friends told me all about it." He let out a soft groan. "Simply awful for Muggles, but it's practically deathly for wizards." He let out an exaggerated moan and fell onto the couch ungracefully. He smiled into the couch at the whispers coming from the two men. Merlin would have been proud of acting of this rate. Although he wouldn't be pleased at why he was doing it.

"Man, we can't take care of him," Duck said, glancing at his still body.

J-man looked at him, then spoke up. "We're not supposed to leave you for anything-"

Arthur waved a hand lazily. "Go write a letter to the guy in charge. He'll understand. Nothing's going to happen to me in two minutes." Duck was practically outside of the room already, but J-man faltered. Arthur almost felt sorry for him –Uther would have his head once he found out.

J-man nodded reluctantly, "We'll be back in five." Arthur waited until their footsteps had faded away before he jumped up, moving out of the door. He listened carefully at the staircase before racing down, leaving the house quickly. Once he was outside, he tried to look as casual as possible, the glasses and casual clothing disguising him well enough.

The shop was a few blocks away, and Arthur loitered around the area for a few minutes before gathering the courage to enter the shop. He went through the clothing, surrounded by people doing the exact same thing except for real, and moved towards the back door.

Nimueh had not been too specific with her instructions.

He entered the back room, and knocked into a small woman. "Sorry," she mumbled, gathering the clothes that had spilled onto the floor. Arthur hesitated before leaning down to help her.

"My fault entirely," he said, passing the clothes to her. The moment their hands touched, he had hardly any time to think about the fact that things had gone horribly wrong before there was a familiar sensation pulling at his navel, and he fell onto the darkest marble floors he had ever seen.

The woman looked different in these surroundings, regal and magnificent. She wore a grand dress in blue velvet under her cloak, lips dark with red lipstick, eyes bright against her pale skin. She smiled at him kindly, as though she hadn't transported him to her house without his permission. "Hello, Arthur," she greeted, her voice strong and cultured. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Nimueh," he groaned.

Nimueh laughed, as if there was anything amusing in the least in the situation. "You've found me, rich boy."

Merlin cursed as Harry made a few floo calls. His gut was screaming danger, and he knew that Arthur –the idiotic prat— had gotten himself into trouble. "Are you done?" he snapped. Even Hermione didn't reprimand him. A Special Auror's instincts were clever things, and she knew that he was probably right.

Harry pulled his head out of the fireplace, face grave. "They'll meet us at the house directly." Merlin didn't bother with a nod before he Apparated from the office to the long path outside the Pendragon house. He heard distinct pops behind him and a low whistle.

"Merlin, your boyfriend's got a nice place," Ron said.

There were the sound of running footsteps, and two people came running out from the inside of the house, wands outstretched. They put them away at the sight of them, since no one didn't recognise Harry Potter. Merlin almost rolled his eyes at their stupidity.

"Where's Arthur?" he demanded.

The smaller man shook his head sadly, and Merlin's gut clenched. "Sorry, Merlin, but he's got ocheramicrosis."

He frowned. "What?"

"Yeah, he's in his room right now, we just sent a letter to you Harry," they looked at him. "I've got a family," the larger man said, "I don't need them getting sick. St. Mungo's is expensive, you know."

Merlin shook his head. "He's-" His fingers clenched around his wand. "You left him alone in his room?"

The bigger one nodded, looking surprised. "Yeah, he can't go anywhere if he's sick-" Merlin didn't hear the end of the sentence, already running towards Arthur's room. He heard the sound of footsteps following him and staggered into the room, eyes scanning it before falling on a piece of paper on the table.

A very recognizable piece of paper with very recognisable hand-writing.

He Summoned it wandlessly, reading it even as his heart dropped lower. "God, the idiot," he mumbled darker curses under his breath. The others read it over his shoulder, and Merlin heard similar curses erupting from Ron's mouth.

"He fell for that?" Hermione asked incredulously.

Merlin shook his head. "He knows it's a trap. He just doesn't care that it is."

Harry frowned. "Camelot's the shop, right?"

"We won't find anything there," Merlin's eyes flittered towards the clock. "She probably has him already." He didn't want to think about what she was doing to him.

"We don't have time, she's angry and wants Arthur dead," Hermione said, and Merlin closed his eyes for a moment.

Harry nodded. "We need to find all the information we can about this woman, find out where she might go if she wants to play out something like this. Anyone who knows her, has met her, even the slightest connection could help." Merlin knew such drastic actions weren't usually taken for one person, but, in this case, finding Nimueh was more important than finding Arthur.

To them, anyway. He couldn't care less what happened to Nimueh.

There was a loud pop, and Percy Apparated onto the scene. "I think I know where." Merlin wasn't surprised by Percy's arrival –since he was one of the few who had even known Nimueh before this and practically everyone in the Ministry would have heard his encounter with Harry— but the others were. Percy ignored the surprised expressions, laying out his papers over the coffee table. "I was looking through the records for Nimueh since you mentioned her before and I was," he paused, "curious." Meaning he had nothing better to do with his time because Oliver was too busy with Quidditch training.

"I think I found her-"

Merlin interrupted him before he could explain exactly how. "Where?"

"The new apartments in the cross between Wrackier and Knockturn Alley, second floor, third room." Merlin Apparated before he could continue.

"Nimueh," Arthur said the name again softly. His head was pounding, and he didn't even know why.

Nimueh's lips twisted in some imitation of a smile, except devoid of any real happiness. Then her hand raised, pointing towards his figure on the floor, and she muttered, "Imperio," and Arthur had a second to understand that he didn't know the word before a fog fell over his head.

It was a queer feeling, as though he was there, but not, all at once.

"Come here," Nimueh said, her voice polite and soft, and Arthur felt his feet walk towards her. He frowned inwardly –he didn't want to near the woman. She was crazy. He focused on his feet to stop. They faltered, moving more hesitantly. Nimueh's expression remained like that of Morgana when she was hosting a function, graciously cool. "Come," she said again, voice firmer this time.

Arthur felt a slight pain lace through his body as he kept his feet still, forcing them to stay still on the ground, fixing his eyes on a spot next to his feet to focus his mind. He didn't know what this woman was doing, but he knew he didn't like it; wouldn't obey.

Nimueh giggled. "Just like Iggy, you are, Arthur. Not following the rules." She clucked her tongue.

Arthur kept his eyes down.

"You know something, Arthur?" she asked conversationally, seating herself on a lush purple couch. "You look a lot like Iggy."

His head perked unconsciously at the words. Insane or not, she knew his mother. More than anyone else.

"Why are you trying to kill me?" He sounded strangely calm, although maybe it wasn't so strange, considering how gracious Nimueh was acting.

Nimueh laughed lightly –Arthur would have considered it friendly hadn't he known for a fact that she would kill him if he made the slightest move to attack. "I am afraid that while I don't want to kill you," she said it sadly, "I have to." It sounded nothing like the words of a psychopath.

"Why?" he asked, because he needed to stall for time and because he wanted the reason.

Nimueh looked surprised. "Isn't it obvious?"

Arthur frowned.

Arthur will die in place of Uther.

Arthur's blood is on Uther's hands.

Uther caused Arthur's death.

"My father?" he guessed.

Nimueh nodded. "Of course, Uther Pendragon," she spat the name like a vile curse, "Is not a good man, Arthur." She moved towards him, and Arthur flinched as she petted his hair. "He deserves worse than death."

"Which is why you're going to kill me," he ended.

He knew he was right. But Nimueh confirmed it anyway, "Exactly, you must die."

The bitch even sounded sorry for it.

The apartments had been created in the place of another set of older apartments, a plan by the wizarding world to 'make new of old' because people were reminded too much of old by the sight of it. He looked around him, at the small group that huddled behind Harry, Ron and Hermione. Percy had joined them, after sending a message to Oliver, who was standing protectively next to his partner. There was also Neville Longbottom, far from an Auror, but definitely capable and, more importantly, trustworthy. Katie Bell, another Special Auror, was there, bringing Hannah Abott with her. The only faces Merlin didn't recognise were Dennis Creevey –but Harry vouched for him, and he trusted his judgement— and Lavender Brown.

"Katie says a Muggle is being held up there," Hannah said, a finger creating curls with her hair, a gesture of preparation for battle that Merlin recognised.

"Yes," Merlin said, "Arthur-"

"Pendragon?" Neville asked, eyes bulging.

"Yes, Arthur Pendragon-"

"Son of Uther Pendragon?" Brown asked, mouth hanging.

"Yes-"

"Weren't you supposed to be-" Katie started, but Merlin cut her off.

"Yes, but not anymore."

"You were taken off the assignment?" Oliver asked, that was news to everyone but four –Percy had already known, news travelled fast amongst the Weasleys.

Merlin could understand the question's necessity, it happened infrequently, if ever. "Yes, I was. He was taken by a sorceress called Nimueh-"

"She beat the Ministry Aurors?"

"Not exactly-"

"How did he-"

"Why did she-"

Hermione let out a long breath.

"Everybody listen up," Merlin said, not loudly, since they were hiding in an alleyway and didn't need to attract any more attention. The others responded instantly at the return of the Special Auror, silenced. "Nimueh is an extremely powerful witch. She could do wandless magic twenty years ago and has been planning this event for twenty years."

"So," Harry picked up where he left of in a comfortable rhythm, "Let the four of us," he pointed to himself, the two next to him and Neville, "Handle Nimueh. The rest of you focus on getting Arthur out of there and into safety. She probably has strong wards around the area, we need a way to break them."

"I can do that," Dennis spoke up.

"Good," Merlin said. "She intends to kill Arthur at all costs, so make sure that he is out of the way, more than anything. Dennis, you, Hannah and Katie go first, take out the wards. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, you four slip in, take care of Nimueh. The rest of us will follow, I'll get Arthur, you cover for me. Everybody got it?" They all nodded. "Then let's get in."

Arthur screamed as pain laced through his body, cutting through his bones and muscles effortlessly.

Nimueh smiled, and then laid her hand on her lap. The pain stopped immediately. "You know, I told Iggy from the start: Don't be with him. It won't bring anything good. She refused to listen to me," Nimueh shook her head. "And Uther," her eyes darkened, and Arthur knew what was coming and tried to brace himself for the pain, although it was a shock every time. She screamed, "He killed her! Crucio!"

His forehead hit the cool floor even as the pain hit him again. He felt the pain –it never started anywhere, just suddenly everywhere— tear through his body, like a claw probing inside him for a secret he didn't have.

He had wondered after the first few times why no one had come to his rescue, why no one had heard the screams. But this was a witch, he knew, she must have means of silencing his sounds from the outside world.

"He killed her," she screamed again, and Arthur swore he saw the air around her change colour, spark.

Every time she said it, the pain heightened, the sensation that death was coming neared. Although he had yet to reach that point.

She stopped suddenly, and Arthur took in deep breaths of gasps, feeling his throat muscles ache, knowing that he couldn't scream even if he wanted to.

He saw footsteps nearing him, sharp taps against the floor. Then a face, near his own, blurry through the haze of pain that surrounded him.

"Why didn't you stop him?" she asked, almost childlike. "Iggy didn't deserve to die."

Arthur shook his head weakly, in agreement; his mother did not deserve to die.

"You don't deserve to die either, Arthur," she continued thoughtfully.

He felt a flicker of hope.

"It's a pity you have to."

It died quickly.

Nimueh moved away. "Your mother was a beautiful woman," she said, walking into the next room. He could not summon the energy into his legs to run. Then he felt light, like a floating sensation, and he was flying, stuck mid-air. He gaped at his floating body, even as it moved towards the room Nimueh resided in.

His body was let down gently on the couch, and he let himself sink into the softness.

Nimueh looked over at him. Then, almost lazily, "Crucio."

He fell off the couch, and let out a soft whimper as he heard a crack. He couldn't feel the breaking of his bone –how was supposed to identify one pain when their whole body was wracking with it— but he knew it was broken.

She looked utterly bored. "This is not as exciting as I thought it would be," she announced, walking towards him. "How is your father supposed to know you were tortured if you don't look it?" She moved her hand, not bothering to speak this time, and Arthur found it in himself to scream as cuts tore his body, bleeding him. "Better," she said thoughtfully.

Arthur refused to let himself cry. Even as the blood dripped onto the pristine floor, even as he coughed out more blood, even as the pain overtook him. Nimueh's eyes flickered to his prone form, then her hand moved, and it started all over again.

The boy was a genius, Merlin thought, as Dennis' fingers flew, mouth muttering words he couldn't catch as he searched for a hole in the wards. He had explained it briefly, that there was almost always a small gap between the wards, and once you found it, you could get rid of the rest of it smoothly.

With Nimueh, the trick was not to set off the alarms.

Dennis nodded, and Merlin felt his insides turn at the screams that escaped the room. They had predicted torture, which was why they had silenced the area, but Merlin hadn't prepared himself for this.

He continued with his work, since the sound was just one layer. There were a few more. Harry and his three were whispering to each other, planning out a line of action.

"Done."

At the sound of the softly spoken word, Harry moved past him, a friend on all sides, as he went towards the door. He held up a few fingers, closing one on each second, before he opened the door silently. A surprise attack was good and well, but loud was not the way they would beat this woman. It needed more tact then that.

"Get him to St. Mungo's," Hermione ordered, pressing something to his hand. "Just say, positive hour."

Merlin nodded. He opened his hand, fingers lying out flatly. It was a charm, from one of those bracelets that women liked to wear these days. The letter A. He gave a small smile, how fitting.

He watched as Hannah and Katie carried the wards with Dennis, since it would take a constant flow of words and strength to keep them open for the others to enter and for Arthur to escape. Even as he watched, sweat formed on their foreheads at the effort.

"We can keep it up for about ten minutes before they fall back," Katie said through gritted teeth. "Get him out."

Harry nodded to show his understanding, before they slipped through the door, opened by a quick mutter by Hermione. They were gone for two seconds before Merlin followed him, Percy, Oliver and Lavender on his left, right and back respectively.

The house was huge, but the screams directed their path fairly easily.

Until they stopped.

Ron entered the room on the left with Hermione by his side, silently casting a few spells. He exited, and then nodded once sharply to signal that the room was clear. The other two had gone into the room in front, but nodded once as well. Clear.

They turned in unison to the room on the left.

And, as if on cue, the screams started again.

Nimueh lifted her wand for a change, and Arthur watched with cold eyes as she neared him. "Arthur, Arthur, Arthur, if only your father were here to see you in this state. Do you think he would enjoy it?" Her eyes darkened with hatred, "Like he enjoyed Iggy's death?"

She jerked away suddenly, as though collecting herself.

"Ready?" she asked, knowing that he was far from it, unable to reply even. She stood up, eyes dead. "Crucio," she intoned, and a jet of red light erupted from her wand, aimed at him with no room for error. Arthur's entire body tensed, and then he screamed as pain overwhelmed him. It stopped suddenly, too soon, and he felt a sickening anticipation. "Arthur, guess what?" she asked childishly. "I've made a new spell. Want me to show you?" She laughed. This time, she didn't speak as her hands moved towards him.

There was a flash of blue, and Arthur felt something wrap around his throat, and something crawling into him, through every opening in his body. Tendrils of blue that crept their way through the length of his body, and searing agony as they cut something inside him, tearing his insides without warning. He felt it move outside his body as well, like ivy wrapping his legs together, binding his hands to his chest. It left his mouth free to scream, though.

Suddenly Nimueh frowned.

The worming continued though, in its quest of desecrating all that was left of Arthur's body.

"It seems we have friends here," she said slowly. "Let's help them find their way."

Any happiness that he felt at her former words evaporated quickly.

Then the tendrils were everywhere, piercing as well, as though they were growing thorns even as they moved. His screams became louder, until they were everywhere, all that he heard.

Leaving him to his pain, Nimueh turned towards the door, preparing herself for something. But before she could do anything, the door burst open under the pressure of eight people's spells. Nimueh's eyes wandered around the figures, even as Hermione said, "Expelliarmus."

The wand flew out of her hand, and she smirked. "Did you really think that would stop me?"

"No," Hermione said snidely. "I just wanted the pleasure of doing this." She snapped the wand into two, before the throwing the pieces into a corner of the room. Nimueh flinched, as though she had been hurt.

"Crucio," she said, hand turned towards Hermione.

"Protego," Hermione said automatically, flicking the spell away.

"Stupefy," Harry and Ron said in unison, and Arthur would have continued watching if not for the sudden agony that overtook him as the thorns pierced his stomach, spreading downwards quickly, that forced his eyes to shut.

Merlin moved quickly, beside Oliver. "Arthur," he said, voice etched with worry. "Finite Incantatum," he said, letting out a soft sigh as the blue tendrils withdrew, turning into dust and flying away with the air.

He grabbed onto Arthur's body, before he said, "Positive hour." He only had a second to wonder if it would upset Arthur's condition before they landed in the emergency section of St. Mungo's.

Merlin watched with weary eyes as people traipsed through the room. He gave up trying to read the too-small words of the magazine, he didn't even know what it was called, and fixed his eyes on the door Arthur was behind. He stood up, pacing the room for a few minutes, before sitting down again, a routine he had held to for the last two hours.

The sound of footsteps pierced through the fog in his head, and he looked up to see Gwen and Morgana leading Gaius and Uther to him.

"What happened?" Uther asked immediately, glaring at him as though he caused everything.

Merlin bristled, and Gaius lay a hand on Uther's shoulder to calm him. "Has Nimueh been caught?"

"Will she be going after Arthur again?" Gwen asked, biting her lip.

Morgana was more calm. "Is Arthur very badly hurt?"

Merlin took a few deep breaths, unable to meet anyone's eyes. "He's been in there for the past two hours, the Healers haven't told me a thing. Nimueh is dead, you have Harry Potter to thank for that. As well as the efforts of Ron, Hermione and Percy Weasley, Oliver Wood, Neville Longbottom, Hannah Abbott, Dennis Creevey, Katie Bell and Lavender Brown. Arthur has suffered tremendously while held hostage by Nimueh, she made up spells, the Healers find it difficult to find Counter Curses for curses they can't identify."

"Will he die?" Morgana asked shortly.

Merlin shook his head. "No." Not if he had anything to do about it, anyway.

"Why did he meet her?" Uther asked.

"Because he wanted it to be finished," Merlin said, trying not to yell at him. "He was sick and tired of the constant worry, and the fact that he didn't know anything about his mother, and that you wouldn't tell him, and no one was helping him, and-" He stopped himself at the frown one of the passing Healers threw him. Lowering his voice, "He hated what Nimueh was doing to you. So he put at an end to it."

Uther lurched at the information. "He did it for- me?"

Merlin couldn't answer the question, but his silence was answer enough.

There was an ominous silence hanging over them, before a Healer walked into the room. Everyone stared at the woman, skinny and with a wide smile. "I'm Healer Hunith. I'm the Healer in-charge of Arthur Pendragon," she didn't show any visible reaction at the name, "You are his family?"

"Can we see him?" Uther demanded, "Is he okay?"

The smile stayed, and Healer Hunith did not sway. "Arthur will make a full recovery. He suffered severe internal and external damage from the spells. From what we know, besides the Cruciatus Curse, Arthur was hit with a new curse, of dark magic. We weren't able to identify the spell, but we were able to heal the damage sufficiently." She smiled kindly at them. "We've moved him to another room, so you may see him."

"Oh, God," Gwen leaned into Morgana, muttering Thank You's under her breath. Morgana hid her face under a curtain of hair, hugging Gwen. Uther moved away, seating himself, while Gaius moved to speak to the Healer. Before he could, Merlin hugged her.

"Thanks, Mom," he whispered.

"No problem, kid," she said, pulling back to grin at him. "I can't let anything happen to him before I meet him, right?"

Merlin laughed for the first time since they'd found Arthur. "I think he'll like you."

"Wait," Morgana looked up. "She's your Mom?"

"Hunith Emrys, it's nice to meet you," Hunith said. "You must be Morgana and Gwen," she said, smiling gently at the two girls. "And Gaius," she turned to the older man. "It's been too long."

"Indeed," Gaius said, surprise evident in his tone. "I didn't recognise you."

"Well, times pass, people change," Hunith said with a shrug. "Mr. Pendragon, you should be able to go ahead. But keep the number of visitors small. We know nothing about this curse or its after-effects, so we want to keep him as calm as we can," she said, a hint of steel in her voice.

Uther stood up, nodding. "Of course, Gaius, myself and Merlin will go ahead, then?"

Merlin froze for a second at the sound of his name, before forcing himself to move. He didn't think Uther would appreciate his emphasizing the sudden kindness. Gwen was doing that already, giggling and rocking softly.

"Of course." If Hunith's smile had widened at the sound of her son's name, no one said anything about it. "Please do remember to be quiet though, he needs rest more than anything."

They entered the room, and Merlin tried to keep his expression neutral at the sight of Arthur lying in the white bed, skin pale, bandages wrapped around him completely, his face an unearthly shade of white with dark bruises covering them. Uther moved to his side, brushing hair off his face, obviously uncertain how to act.

Arthur's eyes opened slowly. "F- Father?"

"I'm here, Arthur," Uther said. "How do you feel?"

Merlin thought it was obvious how Arthur was feeling –completely covered with bandages and bruises— but didn't comment.

"Better," Arthur said, although he didn't try to move.

"I cannot imagine what convinced you that meeting Nimueh was a good idea," Uther started, and then stopped when Arthur let out a sigh. "But, whatever the reason, you are well now, and that is all that matters." Gaius smiled proudly at the words.

Arthur let out a small sound, disbelieve, and blinked rapidly. "Thank you."

"Merlin was telling us that the Aurors from the Ministry of Magic and a few of their wizarding friends helped him rescue you," Gaius added, patting Arthur's hand. "I believe that we must return the favour somehow, so-"

"Merlin?" Arthur asked abruptly, eyes flitting around the room.

Merlin stepped up, "Here, Arthur."

Arthur stared at him for a few moments, not blinking, not moving, just looking, and Merlin smiled at him. Uther looked between them, frowning slightly, but Gaius lay a hand on his arm and shook his head.

"I believe that Gwen and Morgana wish to hear about your state," Gaius said smoothly, and he walked away, tugging Uther along with him.

Uther glance back, "Arthur-" he broke off. Then he shook his head. "Never mind."

Arthur smiled, "Thank you, Father."

Merlin waited for the two men to leave the room before he moved to Arthur's side, stroking his face. "You are an idiot, Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur let out a laugh, and then winced. "Note, don't make me laugh."

Merlin lowered his body and kissed Arthur gently on the lips. "If you ever do something like that again, I'll kill you myself."

"Like you could kill me, Merlin," Arthur rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "What happened to Nimueh?"

"Harry's taken care of her," Merlin said.

Arthur nodded.

"So, it's over?" he asked, a childlike quality to his voice.

Merlin kissed him again. "It's over."

Arthur broke out into a grin. "Hey, you know that nurse person-"

"Healer."

"Whatever, she has the same last name as you," Arthur said, delighted at the coincidence.

"You are so easily pleased, you know?" Merlin said fondly, "And she should. She's my Mom."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Your Mom saw me naked?" He blanched.

Merlin laughed, "Don't worry, it's her job. And she will never mention it again, so you can forget all about it."

"I can't believe the first time I meet your mother, I'm like," he waved a hand at himself, slowly, because it was still sore, "This."

"I don't know," Merlin said, "I think I like you like this."

"You like me tortured?" Arthur said, pouting.

"No, I just like you."

Arthur grinned. "Good, because I like you too."

7.1.2008

Dear Merlin,

Honeymoon

Hi, Merlin! How are you and Arthur? (This is from Morgana too, by the way.) Gaius said that you two are travelling around the world, but Morgana's inclined to believe that you're hiding away somewhere, away from everyone. I know you said that this owl could find you anywhere, but Morgana doesn't believe you, so she wants an address so that she can send a proper letter. If you're wondering, we still don't know who Harry's new guy is. (It's Neville. What a waste.) And don't trust Morgana, she's assuming that it's Nev since they keep giving each other looks. (The same you two give each other, love-sick puppies.)

Wherever you are, remember to bring something back for me. (And me.)

Have fun on the honeymoon (Have wild raunchy sex) and don't spend too much time indoors (having wild raunchy sex) and try get in some exercise (So, more wild raunchy sex). Keep well, and keep safe, and don't get yourself hurt.

Love,

Gwen (And Morgana)