Hey everyone, this is my new story! I actually started writing it maybe a year or so ago, and I still haven't finished it, so it's a work in progress. I've been meaning to type it out for ages and I wanted to start it for the new year! I hope you enjoy my new story "Uncovering Secrets" and i'll try to update frequently.

For "Dicovering Feelings" and "Discovering Truths" fans, this is not in the same storyline as they are. There is no slash in this story.

Set in between Season 4 and 5. If I have mad any mistakes in the timeline throughout the story, please let me know.

The gallop of hooves was deafening in Merlin's cold ears. His icy breath was mist in front of his face. He really didn't want to be up this early but he had to, it was, sadly, part of the job in being Arthur's ever-present guard (even if Arthur didn't know) and also, of course, part and par of being manservant to the prat. Arthur, Sir Leon, Sir Gwaine, Sir Percival and Merlin all rode out on an early morning patrol. They rode through the forests on the barely visible path. They had only been riding for 15 minutes but it felt like forever to Merlin. Arthur saw the look of absolute boredom on his manservant's face and rolled his eyes.

"Uhhh, what's wrong Merlin?" Arthur asked. Merlin sat upright and looked straight at Arthur, his prat of a boss.

"I was just wondering why are you, Arthur, King of Camelot, on an early morning patrol? And why did you invite me!" Merlin almost shouted at the end.

Arthur just shrugged, "Why not?"

Merlin sighed. "Well it's not like anything bad happens on patrol, anyway."

And with the last word leaving his mouth, they all heard the sounds of twigs snapping coming from the forest around them.

"You just had to open your big mouth, didn't you Merlin." Arthur angrily whispered. He turned around and signalled the Knights behind him and they all dismounted their horses and went in different directions into the now quite forest.

"What do I do?" Merlin asked, still keeping it to a whisper.

Arthur quickly turned and said, "Just say here. Mind the horses!" And left into the wide forest before them.

Merlin mumbled angry words to himself, 'prat' and 'dollop head' were said quite a few times. After he got of his horse, he stood just waiting, hearing the sound of steel on steel, sword on sword. Merlin closed his eyes for a few seconds, but snapped them open quickly, his magic sensing someone behind him. Merlin turned to face the assailant and simply raised his palm, not even needing an incantation. The man flew back, his sword coming loose in his grip, which was held near Merlin's chest.

Merlin bent down and grabbed the sword from the unconscious mans grasp. But as he did, he didn't see the arrow coming straight for him. With his eyes wide, he tried to jump out of the way but he was too late. The arrow hit him before he hit the ground. The pain, now traveling through Merlin's left shoulder, was so intense, he wanted to yell out. But he couldn't, as he could see his attacker running down the hill, straight at him. The greying man now stood in front of the bleeding Merlin and raised his recently loaded cross-bow to Merlin's face. But, with an ounce of strength Merlin didn't know he had left, he raised the shaking sword in his right hand and plunged it straight into the mans heart.

At that moment, Gwaine came back over the hill covered in blood, some of it his, some of it not. He saw as the greying man fell to his knees, crossbow slipping from his hands. The man fell flat, and Gwaine stopped breathing. The clattering of a sword snapped him out of his trance and he rushed over to his best friend.

Merlin's vision was blurring but he vaguely saw someone running toward him. He tried to put pressure on his shoulder, but the blood kept seeping out, coating his hand in thick, red fluid. Merlin saw the person was nearly in front of him now, but he couldn't stay conscious anymore, he was in a sea of pain.

As soon as Gwaine's knees hit the ground, Merlin's eyes rolled back and he fell into Gwaine's now open arms. He spun Merlin around so that his head was cradled between Gwaine's chest and arm. He immediatly placed his dirty, already-bloody hand over Merlin's left shoulder, putting as much pressure on the wound as he could.

"Help!" Gwaine yelled, hearing no more sounds of action in the forest surrounding him. A minute later, Percival appeared on top of the hill, his sword dripping blood.

"What's wron-" he started, but as soon as he saw Merlin in Gwaine's arms he came running down the hill and fell to his knees next to Gwaine once he reached them.

"What happened?" he asked a more-than-confused Gwaine.

"I'm not sure, I-" he cut off and looked back down to Merlin.

Percival rose and moved over to the unconscious body on the other side of the horses.

"Now this is what I think," he stated, pointing, "Merlin knocked this man out and someone from high up the hill shot an arrow at him, then came down to finish the job when Merlin stabbed him."

Gwaine nodded and was about to respond when a voice came from the boy he was holding.

"Congratulations, you've figured out the mystery, can you pull this arrow out of me now?" Merlin's voice was slurred and came out as a mumble.

Gwiane smiled. "So you're awake then, aye?" He asked, but Merlin had already passed out once more. "Or not..."

"We need to get him to Gaius as fast as we can. Where are Arthur and Leon?" Percival asked.

"Well, I'm here," came the distant voice of Sir Leon, "as for Arthur, I cannot find him anywher- what happened to Merlin?"

Gwaine shook his head, "No time to explain, but we need to get to Camelot now before he bleeds out. One of us should wait here for Arthur."

"I will, take Merlin back. I'll search the surrounding forest for Arthur." Leon stated.

Percival and Gwaine simply nodded.

"Help me lift him on my horse." Gwaine said quietly, even though he didn't mean to.

He was scared. For once in his life, he was scared. Scared to loose the only person he could truly call his friend. Sure, he had the Knights, but no-one understood him like Merlin did. No-one. Leon's voice made him jump back to reality.

"You go, now, otherwise Merlin won't make it."

With Merlin safely on Gwaine's horse, they rode out and stared to head back to Camelot. Gwaine looked back, the dead and un-conscious men, the horses and Leon were soon out of view. He looked ahead now and saw the first turret from Camelot castle. Not far now. He wouldn't let Merlin die, he couldn't.

I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter! Plenty more to come, so please follow, review and favourite! And let me know if I have made and mistakes, they are all mine!

Disclaimer: I don't and never will own Merlin *weeps openly*