"If you are sacking me anyway, you might as well know this." Merlin held open his hands and spoke soft words of magic to allow a blue flame to appear. He had known that Arthur wasn't serious about sacking him, in fact, they had been playfully bantering. That might have been why he suddenly felt the need to be so open with the Prince of Camelot. Merlin closed his hands to extinguish the flame.

"What was that," Arthur asked, though he knew perfectly well what it had been.

"You know what it was, so do your worst." Merlin stood his ground. He was beginning to wonder if revealing his magic had been the right move.

Arthur stared back at him, dumbfounded. His mind was trying to process. Merlin had magic. How long had that been going on? Quite some time, he would wager. So, Merlin wasn't just some bumbling servant. Arthur had always known he was more than that. He knew Merlin to be brave and kind and sometimes annoyingly honest...

Arthur hesitated. But, that wasn't true, was it? Who knew how many times Merlin had bent the truth to conceal his magic. Arthur could see why he would have. It was a matter of survival, really. But what if there were other things that Merlin misled him on? What if...

Arthur didn't like the dark place his thoughts were headed next. Up till this point he had considered his manservant what one might call a 'friend.' Clearly, he would never tell him that to his face. Nor would he tell anyone else. But now he found himself wondering how real that friendship had been?

"Why did you come to Camelot," he asked in a firm tone.

"What? What do you mean? I came here... well..." Merlin realized that he had never shared this particular story with Arthur. "I was using too much magic back home, so my mom sent me away."

Arthur gave a dry laugh. "So you came [here]? Where using magic can get you killed?"

Merlin nodded, feeling uncomfortable. "I'm not sure my mom realized how bad things were here."

"Bad?" Arthur frowned. "Things are not 'bad' here, Merlin. We maintain order and peace."

Merlin swallowed. He didn't want to screw things up with Arthur. The Prince wasn't calling for the guards, so that was a start. Even though the warlock felt like fleeing, he stood, unmoving, determined to face Arthur.

"Why did you begin working for me?" This was the question that Arthur was most dreading the answer. What if Merlin had been using him, for a way at Camelot?

"I didn't even want to work for you!" Merlin shot back. "I couldn't stand you! But I didn't exactly have a choice, now did I?"

Arthur could remember the early days. Merlin did seem to dislike him. And why not? Arthur had humiliated him, assaulted him, thrown him in the dungeon. But Merlin had approached him. What if he had orchestrated the whole thing from day one? Arthur shivered at the thought.

Merlin could finally see what the root of the problem was. Arthur was doubting his loyalty. Well, Merlin couldn't exactly just start spewing out the truth, of how much he looked up to Arthur and believed in him and... cared for him. That might even make him look more guilty if he tried to prove his innocence. He would just have to have faith that Arthur could truly see him.

Arthur did not like all of his dark doubts. He wished there was a way to be sure of Merlin's intentions. But there was not. He would just have to trust in him if he was going to. Though he wasn't ready for that yet, by any means. "Why Merlin? Why stay as my servant, day in and day out? Why pretend to be such an idiot. Tell me your agenda."

And Arthur could see by the look on Merlin's face, that he was right. There was a reason.

"I..." Merlin wasn't sure that Arthur could handle the entire truth. "Arthur..."

The Prince narrowed his eyes. He could feel his anger building. "Have you been plotting Camelot's downfall?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Then what is it, Merlin?" Arthur could not believe how calm he was being, despite the situation.

Merlin couldn't bring forth the words that Arthur was asking of him. "It wasn't for anything bad," he muttered at last.

The Prince felt his chest clench. So Merlin truly wasn't going to tell him? "All right. Well, I will be here if you ever decide you want to share. For now, it's late. That will be all, Merlin."

Merlin hesitated. He did not want to leave Arthur right now. But what could he do? Why couldn't that prat appreciate how honest he had been in the first place? Merlin finally nodded his head, solemnly. "Good night, Arthur."

There was no response.

Merlin left. Instead of going home, he went on a walk through the lower town so that he could think. What had he done? Why had he shown Arthur his magic? He had known that the Prince couldn't handle it and yet he had done it anyway. What had possessed him? He knew the answer. In that moment, when he had shown himself to Arthur, he had believed the Prince would accept him.

Maybe he still could, Merlin thought, hopefully. Arthur wanted to know why he was here? Maybe Merlin should tell him of the prophecy? Arthur might accept it? But then again, Arthur could reject it far worse than he was already dealing with the fact that Merlin had magic. Normally he would ask the Great Dragon for help but Merlin was worried to hear an answer that he might not want to hear. He could imagine the dragon telling him to keep quiet or risk losing Arthur forever. Was that how prophecies worked, though? Could talking about them, ruin them? Merlin wanted to share everything with Arthur. Especially now that Arthur knew about his magic.

The warlock struggled with this inner battle all through the night.

He wasn't any closer to an answer the next day, so he avoided Arthur like the plague. In fact, he tried to avoid Arthur as long as he could, until, at last, the Prince cornered him one day.

"There you are," he said to Merlin, casually.

Merlin swallowed. He was not fooled. He could see the fire in Arthur's eyes. But he remained silent, knowing that Arthur would soon do more than enough talking for the both of them.

"I will have to sack you if you continue to avoid your duties as my servant."

Merlin tried to clear the dryness from his throat.

"You do still want to be my servant, don't you, Merlin?" Despite the anger that was clear in Arthur's features, there was a hint of uncertainty in his tone.

Of course Merlin wanted that. But he knew that things could never go back to the way they had been. He knew deep in his soul that he had to tell Arthur the truth, the whole truth, and he feared when he did so, Arthur would no longer hold out such an offer.

"I suppose I should take a hint from your absence. Clearly, a servant's position wouldn't appeal to someone with magic, for too long?"

Merlin wanted to speak, but he was having trouble finding the words.

"We had a good run," Arthur stated. This time there was a clear sadness that lingered. He reached out and gave Merlin a pat to his shoulder.

"Arthur wait!" At last, Merlin had found his voice. "There is something you need to know. I do care about you, but there is a reason I stayed on as your servant. There is a prophecy that says that together you and I will bring magic back to the lands. It is my destiny." He hoped Arthur would know how much he did care about him, outside of the prophecy. However, Merlin was done hiding. If Arthur could not accept him, he would leave Camelot on this very day and try to fulfill his destiny elsewhere.

Arthur considered his words. There was a prophecy? He had always been taught not to take those lightly. "Says who?"

Merlin gave a puzzled expression.

"How did you learn of this prophecy, Merlin?" Arthur asked in annoyance.

"Oh! The umm... the... Great Dragon under Camelot told me."

Arthur raised an eyebrow. First off, dragons didn't talk... did they? But it only took Arthur a matter of moments to conclude, "I want to meet this dragon and hear this prophecy for myself, and if it is true..."

Merlin held his breath.

"...I suppose you should resume your duties straight away."

Merlin nodded profusely. Was Arthur truly saying he would go against his father, one day? It seemed so surreal that he scarcely dared to believe it.

"Merlin don't look so surprised!" The Prince shot out a hand to lightly slap the back of Merlin's head.

The warlock rubbed the spot, more for effect than because it actually hurt.

"Now Merlin... when do I meet this dragon?"