Title: Rarely Pure, Never Simple

Author: Arisprite

Summary: The moment of truth takes Merlin by surprise, but can he gather the courage to say it?

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, BBC and Shine do, nor do I own much of the dialogue in this story. Lines will not be marked, but if your recognize anything, it comes from season 1, episode 10, The Moment of Truth.

A/N: I've always loved this episode,and I wanted to go more in depth on some of the scenes. As I got going, however, I couldn't narrow it down. The entire episode just had to be done. Therefore, the monster that would not stop, is this episode novalization. It is as close to canon as I can get, non slash, missing scenes, introspection, character studies, and pre and post ep story. Enjoy! It is finished, and will be going up in it's entirety in the next couple of weeks.


"Truth is rarely pure, and never simple." Mark Twain


Merlin woke to the sun blazing into his room, slashing across his face with all the subtly of a …well, of Prince Arthur. He sat bolt upright, and stared at the window, realizing with a jolt that it was much later than he needed to be awake.

"Why didn't Gaius wake me?" He mumbled in a panic, rising and fumbling into his clothes, running down the stairs. In the main room, Gaius was engrossed in something on the table, involving a large amount of beakers, and bubbling liquids. Merlin didn't stay to see what he was doing.

"Bye Gaius, I'm so late." Merlin shouted, running out the door in a whirlwind of papers. Gaius did not look up.

He rushed to the kitchens, and skidded to a stop outside the great wooden door, trying to stop panting, and pull himself together. Merlin entered, his breath slowing, and twisted through the busy kitchens to where the Prince's meals should be. There was nothing on the board, and Merlin felt a twisting of panic.

"Mary!" Merlin called the head cook, one with whom he had a tumultuous, but rather fond relationship. "Mary, where is Prince Arthur's breakfast?"

Mary turned in her cooking, and eyed him in annoyance.

"You didn't show up, so I sent it up with a serving girl before it got cold."

Merlin groaned. That meant that Arthur had been woken and served by someone already. He was already awake, and probably waiting with a list of punishments on hand. That was so much worse than Merlin simply waking him late, since at least them the prince would have had extra sleep to temper his anger.

"Oh, I'm dead."

Merlin turned to high tail it to Arthur's chambers, and try to damage control the situation, when a hand on the scruff of his neck made his pause. Mary dragged him back, glaring, but underneath was a smidgeon of sympathy.

"'Ere," She said, pushing a hot sweet roll into his hands. Merlin grinned at her.

"Aw, Mary. You do care."

Mary grunted, and swatted him with her ever present towel. "Oh, get on."

Merlin sent one last smile backwards and scampered of, wolfing down the roll. It was delicious, one of Mary's best recipes, but he couldn't still be chewing when he showed up to Arthur. He swallowed down the last of it as he rounded the corner, and burst into Arthur's room, wincing in anticipation.

"Sorry, sorry! I'm late, I know." Merlin said hurriedly. Arthur was sitting at his table, with the empty plate of breakfast before him. He was glowering, and Merlin knew that Arthur wanted to give the impression that he had been waiting for ages, when Merlin knew he probably had just finished. He was still in his nightclothes, and wore an impressive glare.

"What excuse do you have this time?" Arthur asked. Merlin winced.

"Ah…It's not my fault? Gaius didn't wake me…" Arthur rolled his eyes.

"So you're blaming Gaius?" Arthur said. Merlin shook his head.

"Not blaming, no…he was busy. With something. And I was asleep, so I didn't get up."

"Obviously." Arthur finished, sighing. "Well, you're here now. So you can draw my bath. I have a council meeting in less than an hour, so hurry up. If you're capable of that?"

Merlin muttered something about lazy, annoying princes, and Arthur put on his best pleasant voice.

"What was that?" Arthur asked with a terrifying smile.

"Nothing." Merlin said, and fled the room towards the water pump.


The path to the Court Physician's chambers was familiar to Hunith, as was the jostling crowd. Camelot was as she remembered; busy, loud and fast. Merchants shouted their wares, and everywhere people bustled to and fro.

Hunith's elbows recalled their long forgotten practice of jabbing and jerking to get her way, and in a few moments time, she was heading up to the citadel. The morning sun reflected off the white stone just as it had done years ago, and she stood still for a moment. This city was the place of much pain in her life, but there were also moments of joy including the wonder of the city itself, the beauty and majesty of the castle. Then she turned, shaking her head. Merlin lived here now, not Hunith, and there was no time for dallying.

She entered the square below the castle, and began searching out the pathway that would lead to Gaius' quarters.

It was then that she heard a sound that made her heart soar.

"Mother?" Her son, Merlin's voice came to her ears, and she turned around with a smile already on her face. He looked the same as ever, fetching water, but he set it down as she gasped out his name, and ran to him, intending to sweep him up into her arms and never let go.

Merlin smiled delightedly at seeing her, but as she neared, his face changed to confusion and a bit of anger. His eyes focused on her bruised cheek. He took her shoulders, stopping the embrace, and raised one hand to hover uncertainly above her face.

"What happened?" He asked. She pursed her lips, wondering how to begin, but she wasn't answering fast enough, and so Merlin leaned in urgently. "Who did this to you?"

Hunith realised that her earlier thought that Merlin looked the same as he'd done when he left Ealdor was wrong. He did look different, and sounded different too. Older, more mature, as if he'd seen things, and done things he would never tell her about. When had Merlin begun sounding so...almost threatening?

She sighed, putting her hands to Merlin's face, taking him in sadly. Hunith knew the news she brought would hurt him. His home was under attack. Ethan, a few years older than Merlin, had always been kind to him and now he was dead.

"Some things have happened in Ealdor, my son." Merlin let out a breath, scooping up her bedroll as well as the bucket he'd set down when he saw her, before turning to lead her to Gaius' chambers.

"I can see that." He eyed her face, anger still darkening it. "Who hit you, Mother?"

"I'll tell you and Gaius together." Hunith said, walking forwards with him. Merlin nodded, biting his lip the way he did when he was anxious. Then, suddenly, Merlin leaned over, and kissed her unbruised cheek.

"I'm glad you're here, regardless. I've missed you." He smiled at her then. Hunith felt her eyes well up at the look; that at least hadn't changed. She kissed him back, having to lean up on tiptoes to reach his cheek.

"I've missed you too, Merlin."

They quickly covered the distance between the square and the physician's chambers, catching up from the time they last saw each other.

Merlin made her laugh more than once with stories about his life as a servant to the prince, and she told him who's gotten married, and what changes had gone on since he left.

When they reached Gaius' chambers, the man himself was engrossed in staring at a bubbling vial, and didn't look up.

"I'm very busy at the moment, so unless it's an emergency, kindly close the door on the way out." Gaius said, scribbling something down frantically. Merlin's mouth quirked and he shut the door behind them with a decided click. Gaius continued on, still not looking up.

Hunith hid her smile behind her hand, remembering Gaius from years ago; he hadn't changed a bit.

Merlin folded his arms, and leaned against the door, smiling openly. He cleared his throat.

Gaius spared a single glance up, before turning back to his experiments in annoyance

"Merlin, can't you see I'm busy..." He trailed off, doing a double take towards the door, and his former apprentice standing there. "Hunith!"

Hunith smiled at Gaius, coming forward to be enfolded in a warm hug. "It's good to see you."

"My dear girl," Gaius said, pulling away. However, his smile faded when he saw her face. "What's happened to you?" His hand hovered over her cheek, like Merlin's had done.

Merlin meanwhile, moved her things further in, and pulled out a chair for her to sit. Hunith sat gratefully, feeling the effects of her day of travel. Merlin pushed a cup of tea into her hands, the steaming liquid moments from being cold water. Hunith murmured her thank yous, but Gaius gave Merlin a chastening look. He returned a sheepish look to his guardian, and Hunith felt a chill at how easily she'd dismissed that blatant magic use. She realized how much more careful Merlin had to be here, than he'd ever had to be at home. A pang of guilt and nervousness crossed her heart at sending her boy here, where a single mistake would result in getting him killed.

Hunith blinked away her thoughts, focusing on the two expectant faces perched on the bench across from her. She sighed, and rubbed her brow, wondering how to start.

"Why don't you tell us what happened, my child?" Gaius said, patting her on the knee. Hunith nodded, taking a sip of the tea. There was a bitter flavour after swallowing, which coated the tongue; a mild pain reliever which would ease the tightness in her face, and the tired ache of her head, but leave her wits intact. Her son had been learning. She raised an eyebrow at Merlin, before shaking her head, and taking another gulp.

Thus fortified, she began her story. As she finished, she had to fight back tears of relief and stress. Merlin, who'd taken in the story in tense silence, with anger and grief crossing his face in turns, knew now. He would help. Hunith wondered when she'd come to depend so on her boy, who really was a man now.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden slamming as the door to Gaius' chambers was thrown open violently. A voice, commanding but young, then bellowed her son's name.

"Merlin! Where have you been, you lazy idiot? I called for a bath an hour ago!" Merlin had jumped when Arthur stormed in, and now stood, looking apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Sire. I...forgot." Merlin glanced at his mother, a blush creeping over his face. So, this was the prince Merlin worked for. She studied him, where he stood in the doorway, mid tirade. He looked so very...knightly: Blond, muscled, (handsome, if her mature eyes could still judge aright) and arrogant.

"You forgot." Arthur's voice dripped with an I-should-have-known quality, rolling his eyes heavenward. He threw his hands into the air. "I had to go straight off to a council meeting, and I was nearly late, and I feel bad for the poor sod who sat next to me, all because my useless servant forgets to draw my bath. Honestly, Merlin, what could possibly..." He stopped suddenly, seemingly realizing that there was something different in the room. Arthur's eyes came to rest on her, and his brow inched upwards. She stood in the moment of quiet, and curtseyed, her form still good after years of disuse. She had to hide and amused smile at the look on his face. Oh yes, at first glance he was rude, arrogant and oh so manly, but there was no venom in his voice, only honest exasperation (and really, Merlin seemed to inspire that emotion in many people, herself included, so she couldn't blame him that!) Other masters would have beaten their servant for forgetting a chore, but Arthur seemed a different type.

Merlin seemed frozen, stuck between being on the end of a lecture from Arthur, and the news from his mother. Finally, his brain seemed to wake, and gestured sharply to Hunith.

"My mother!" Merlin blurted. Arthur's face cleared of its mild confusion as comprehension came. "Arthur, this is Hunith, my mother. Mother, Prince Arthur."

"Pleasure to meet you." Arthur responded, his manners kicking in.

"Hunith arrived this morning, sire." Gaius interjected. Arthur then seemed to notice the bruise on Hunith's face, and the tense atmosphere he'd interrupted.

"What's happened?" His tone had shifted, subtly, to a prince, instead of an exasperated but fond master. Hunith could almost hear the protective instincts coming to the fore.

"My home village is being attacked by raiders." Merlin said, his face serious. "They've killed one, hurt others," He looked at Hunith worriedly, "And are intending to steal all the food the villagers have."

Arthur frowned, taking in the news. Hunith stepped forwards, speaking boldly to the prince.

"I've come to speak with King Uther, and ask for his help, my lord."

Merlin looked to the prince. "Please, Arthur. Can you get her in to see the king?"

Arthur's eyes held her sons gaze, and then swept over her, lingering on the darkening bruise, before nodding.

"I'll see what I can do."

Hunith felt her knees go almost weak in relief. "Thank you," she murmured, and her son echoed.

"Thank you, Arthur."

Arthur said nothing, but clapped Merlin on the shoulder and strode out, leaving three hopeful gazes in his wake.