I'm back. And OMG I can't believe the amount of response I got. Thanks to every one who Reviewed, Favourited or put this Story (or me) on Alert. You are so amazing, I'm on it as soon as I can, please stick with us and…wow.

I hope you like the deal I close with Merlin's magic…and the way I line out the relationships between the characters. I still ignore everything after 4x8, by the way.

This time our heroes face magic, uncles, maidservants and lullabies.

Disclaimer: It's all BBC, alright? Now back off.

Warnings: Plain old slash. Obviously.

The Toddler

– Chapter Two: Hidden Feelings –

"What are you going to tell the council?"

"The truth, well, part of it at least." Arthur grinned. "If they dare to ask, that is."

Leon raised an eyebrow at him. "Your Uncle-" Arthur elbowed him. "I'm sorry; Lord Agravain is going to ask for sure. And he's going to ask why you brought him."

Arthur watched Leon's face splitting into a wide grin. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Of cause not, my Lord", Leon said laughing.

Arthur groaned. Leon was two years older than him and they had been best friends since the age of four and six. Arthur had admired the older boy for already starting his education to knighthood back then and Leon had always been the only one, Arthur would complain to about things that would have been embarrassing in front of every other person.

Of cause he had a similar, though different, relationship to Merlin these days but his friendship with Leon was still deep.

"It's not his place" Arthur muttered.

"When has he ever cared?"

"You're slowly starting to put the attachment of your head to your body in danger", Arthur barked.

Merlin gave a little whine and put his hand on the one Arthur was holding him with. Automatically Arthur lifted his other hand, so that Merlin could take it.

"You angry?" the toddler asked timidly.

Arthur cursed his own heart for softening. "No, small one, I'm not angry."

Merlin snuggled his head into Arthur's shoulder. "Sure?"

Arthur smiled and kissed his head. "How could I be?"

Leon was discreet enough to at least try to hide his grin, but Merlin just snuggled closer to Arthur, as if to seek more contact, than there already was.

They were now right in front of the door to the hall, where the meeting was supposed to take place.

"After you", Leon said cheekily.

"You just spend too much time with Gawain", Arthur mumbled and entered the hall with as much dignity as he could.

Almost immediately, but not fast enough, everyone fell silent and bowed as Arthur and Leon (and Merlin) made it to their places.

Leon on the side of the table, Arthur (and Merlin) on the head.

But then the councilmember's expressions became astonished and somewhat questioning and Arthur found himself silently urged to answer.

"Is something the matter?" Arthur asked casually, ignoring Leon's grin.

"My honest respect, Sire, but", his Uncle said. Oh, goddamnit, why was Leon always right? "What…oh, I beg your pardon, who is this?"

To Arthur's surprise Merlin's head snatched up at the sound of Agravain's voice and the child stared wide-eyed at the Lord.

"This is Mer – my manservant", Arthur said slowly. "He got – well, as you can see…it was magic."

Leon stifled a laugh at his King's lame explanation. Arthur wanted to glare at him, but at the exact same moment Merlin awoke from his state of shock and threw his arms around Arthur's neck.

"Evil man", he whispered into the other's ear.

Arthur could only guess that his face showed either confusion or amusement. "I assure you, no one here is evil, love", he whispered back. "He can be intimidating at times, but…"

"Evil man!" Merlin said, still quietly, but firm. "Make him away."

To his shock Arthur realised that the child trembled. He pulled Merlin a bit away so that he could see the others face. He had tears in his eyes and looked as though he was about to cry every second. Instantly Arthur pulled him back to his chest and hugged him tightly.

"Hey, small one, it's alright. It's fine."

Arthur did his best to ignore all the looks that were on him.

"Sire, this is really not the place to bring…" Agravain began, but Arthur shut him up with a look.

Merlin started to sob into his shoulder. "Please", he whimpered.

Leon cleared his throat. "Perhaps", he said. "Perhaps, milord, we should cancel this meeting. Until this…unfortunate situation is…solved."

Merlin was still crying, actually sounding like a small child now and Arthur could feel his shirt getting wet.

"Good idea." He did not storm out. He just went faster then usual.

He left everything else to Leon and entered the next empty room that came his way.

Arthur sat down in a chair and let the slowly calming down Merlin sit in his lap. He rubbed the toddlers back and made a few soothing noises, while Merlin clung to his shirt.

"It's alright, love, you're safe with me, you know that, don't you? Schhh calm down…I'm here. I'm here."

Merlin looked up to him with red eyes. "You prop- prot- proptect –"

"I'll protect you", Arthur said softly. "From all the evil in the world."

Merlin smiled angelic and tried to touch Arthurs face with his hand.

Arthur took the outstretched hand. "You don't have to be afraid of him. I know he is intimidating and brutal, but…"

"Evil", Merlin said seriously. "I don like."

Arthur kissed Merlin forehead. "Whatever you say."

Merlin didn't seem quite satisfied, but he settled for snuggling into the others chest.

They continued to cuddle for a little while. Merlin was very clingy, hiding his face in Arthur's shirt. Eventually there were more soft words and heart-warming smiles exchanged.

Suddenly, Merlin turned, faced the table and pointed towards a bowl with apples on it.

One apple exploded.

Alarmed, Arthur straightened up, looking from the table to Merlin. "Did you just do that?"

Merlin bit his lip and blushed burgundy. He looked guilty and worried and obviously tried to make an excusing face.

"I knew it", Arthur said triumphantly. "But, darling, you remember not to do that here, right?"

Merlin stopped for a second. Then his face got confused and startled. But he still wore that worried look. "But…I bad?"

Arthur sighed. He'd known, well suspected, that Merlin was a magic-user for some time now, but this was not a subject he was keen to bring up.

Especially not while Merlin was in this state.

"Small one, you know I wouldn't be mad at you. I know that you are a wonderful person, you can't hurt a fly and you would never do anything evil."

He lifted the toddler up, so that they were on eye-level. "I love you", he whispered and kissed both of Merlin's cheeks.

Finally Merlin smiled. "You too."

"And now ", Arthur said. "I assume that you wanted an apple for eating."

After feeding the child, Arthur went to see Gaius again.

"Any progress?" he asked, trying to keep Merlin from grabbing his hair and trying to eat it.

"Unfortunately not, Sire. I believe, I am getting a certain idea but until I know something to turn him back…that can still take time."

"Then we won't disturb you, right, Merlin?"

Merlin looked at him with big eyes. "Yah!" he said, clapped his hands and started to giggle.

"Sire, are you sure you want to take care of him? I'm sure he'll demand your full attention and your work…"

"I will take care of him", Arthur said firmly. He thought back on trying to feed Merlin, while at the same time cleaning up the exploded apple. "Though I'll admit he's a little exhausting", he added with a little smile.

Merlin poked Arthur's cheek. "Am not!"

"Are too", Arthur said laughing.

"Am no-hot!"

"Are-"

"Chrm chrm." Gaius raised his eyebrow at the two.

Arthur cleared his throat. "We better be going."

He was supposed to train his knights now, so he just headed or the training-field, though he doubted that there was a way to train while having to watch over Merlin.

"Oh my! It's true?"

Arthur turned to see Guinevere hurrying towards them.

"I…guess?"

"Everyone gossips about it. Oh, the poor thing! That's so nice of you, doing all that for him…" Guinevere kept on babbling. She always started to babble, when she was nervous.

"We're fine, Guinevere", Arthur said carefully. The situation with her was…delicate. "Apart from the obvious."

He failed to gesture up and down Merlin with his head.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Guinevere asked concerned and looked at Merlin closely.

Merlin yawned.

"Oh", Arthur said. "I was about to say, I'm heading for training, but if he's tired, I'll have to bring him back up. Wouldn't have been that effective anyway. And Gaius is looking into it."

"Oh, but I can take him", she offered immediately. "I have some free time right now and I'm a woman, I'm sure I can handle it."

Arthur briefly thought back on Gawain's attempt of doing so, but…it had to be worth a try.

Little did he know.

He tried to hand Merlin over, but the toddler wouldn't let go of his hold on Arthur's neck. At first he blamed it on the tiredness and loosened the child's grip himself, earning a little whine.

But as soon as Guinevere tried to take him, Merlin whined again, louder this time. "Noo wanna stay wif youuu!"

Arthur sighed. "Small one, it would be a lot easier if you-"

"Not heer!"

Ah. Arthur pulled Merlin back carefully and hugged him close. Half tiered, half stubborn, Merlin hid back in Arthur's shoulder.

"Maybe…he just doesn't recognize me?" Guinevere asked timidly and deeply shocked be the reaction of the toddler.

But Arthur knew what it was. It was his second encounter with the feelings Merlin usually didn't show. And that within what couldn't be more than two hours. And now he realized that maybe Merlin was actually scared by Agravain or at least thought him creepy and…well, evil. Because this time, it was the jealousy that he knew Merlin was feeling, clearly shining through. But of cause neither Merlin nor Guinevere recognized it as such. Guinevere couldn't know that she did anything wrong when meeting Arthur, but his guilt nearly took over as he realized how deep Merlin's pain had to go.

"Maybe", he choked out. "I guess I'll take him to bed now."

Arthur lay with Merlin on the bed. He wanted to say 'I'm sorry' but Merlin was yawning again and maybe they should talk about this when he was older again. So instead he did something he never thought he'd do someday.

He quietly began to sing a lullaby.

"Hush little baby, don't you cry,
Daddy's going to sing you a lullaby.
If that lullaby won't work,
Daddy's going to buy you a mockingbird.
If that mockingbird won't sing,
Daddy's going to buy you a diamond ring.
If that diamond ring turns brass,
Daddy's going to buy you a looking glass.
If that looking glass gets broke,
Daddy's going to buy you a billy goat.
If that billy goat won't pull,
Daddy's going to buy you a cart and bull.
If that cart and bull turn over,
Daddy's going to buy you a dog named Rover.
If that dog named Rover won't bark,
Daddy's going to buy you a horse and cart.
If that horse and cart fall down,
You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town."

Merlin fell asleep about halfway through, but-

"I don't think your father actually sang you this?"

Arthur turned to see his new audience. It was Gawain. "No, my nurse did. I like it though."

"I've been looking for you", Gawain said. "But I'll just tell them, you couldn't make it."

Before Arthur could even speak he was gone. What, no mocking? At all? He shrugged and turned to the adorable sight of the sleeping toddler.

Maybe he'd just settle with watching Merlin sleep.

Woah, so if I'm correct it took me exactly a week and you can expect the next chapter – in a week.

I know, the lullaby might not have been completely appropriate for the fifth-century, but the have mirror's and everything so…I hope you can merciful overlook it (is that correct grammar? If not, sorry, no native speaker…).

I also know I was somewhat mean to Guinevere, but…I'm a huge Arthurian geek and I just can't stand her. Sorry.