Merlin scowled at Bedivere and the King as they trained together. Merlin had thought it hurt to see Arthur favor Mordred but now to watch him favor Vere…it was too much. Arthur nodded to Bedivere and corrected his stance and then demonstrated to the others he was training. Merlin surveyed the King's new recruits and frowned. One of them, Griflet? Gareth? Galahad? Caught his attention. He looked familiar in an odd way. Merlin continued to watch him as the knights trained.

Bedivere didn't know how it had happened but he'd somehow managed to make it into a group of a select few to be trained by the King himself. There were ten of them in total. Galahad, Kay, Gareth, Lucan, Griflet, Pellinor, Cador, Dagonet, Mordred and Vere himself. They were all good enough that they didn't require the years of training that it took regular knights. The other men who had tried out would have to go through this arduous process, taught by Sir Leon.

And because Vere was spending his days with the King, it meant he was seeing a lot of Merlin as well. He didn't understand why Merlin was allowing himself to be a servant and to be bossed around by a King that he wasn't even subject to. Technically Merlin was subject to Cenred. Or Cenred's successor, now. Merlin was no longer outright hostile towards Vere though. But he hadn't warmed up to him either. He seemed to be a big supporter of the avoidance tactic.

He avoided but he watched. He watched like a bird of prey. Bedivere sometimes went to bed with the feeling of being watched. Everywhere he went, Merlin was there, searching out any potential threat. Bedivere wondered how the other knights had missed it. They all joked about Merlin being a clumsy and ignorant fool. They saw Merlin standing there with a dazed expression. Bedivere saw him scrutinizing every inch of every room.

He didn't know how it had happened but Arthur had earned the loyalty of one of the few who had real reason to hate him. Merlin's hawk like gaze was always searching, trying to protect Arthur. The only person that Merlin seemed to ignore was Mordred. Merlin saw him and distrusted him but he still paid him little attention. As though he wasn't even a valid threat.

Bedivere saw all that and more. He saw what even Merlin did not: Mordred's almost desperate yearning for Merlin's acceptance. Mordred's magic screamed and begged for it but was met with the brick wall that was Merlin.

Bedivere's mother had been a high priestess in training at one point. Bedivere and his sister had inherited her gifts. Bedivere's magic had no outward manifestation though. It heightened his senses and made him fully aware of magic's flowing path through life. He could sense the relationships between magic, people, places and creatures. And that was how he knew that Mordred yearned for approval from only Arthur and Merlin. And even then it was in equal measure. Mordred viewed Merlin and Arthur as equal and as his superiors.

Thinking about it as he went through the drills, Vere paused. He'd not stopped to consider Arthur's relationship with magic. Which was stupid of him, really. Arthur was a progressive King and yet he ruled over a Kingdom where magic was feared more than the plague. He watched Arthur as he called out the drills. Magic swirled around him in golden rays, caressing and embracing him. Vere had never seen a man so loved my magic, except perhaps Merlin.

Vere glanced over at Merlin and frowned. Merlin was studying Galahad with a curious expression on his face. It wasn't hostile or aloof, in fact it was downright cheerful and full of wonder. For the first time in weeks he looked like the Merlin that Vere had grown up with. Vere felt Merlin's magic tentatively reach out at caress Galahad. He gasped at the strength of that small tendril. It was far more powerful than he'd ever felt Merlin's magic. And if this was just a wisp then what was the full potential?

Mordred seemed to have felt Merlin's magic as well because he looked back and forth between Merlin and Galahad. Galahad had noticed by now that he'd gained the attention of Arthur's manservant. Instead of scowling at Merlin like most knights would he smiled and continued with the drills. It seemed as though his smile had confirmed something to Merlin who smiled widely.

Arthur glanced at him and smiled slightly at the dorky look on his face. Merlin laughed delightedly and continued to shine the King's other set of armor. In that smile from Galahad he'd seen Lancelot's smile. They were related somehow. He knew it. Arthur called an end to the drills and Merlin made a beeline to Galahad. The other trainees gave him a strange look and wandered off to talk to Arthur some more. Probably to hear him recount one of his "victories."

"So," Merlin said, strolling beside Galahad as they approached the armory. "How do you know Lancelot." Galahad stumbled and chocked, looking at Merlin in horror and then glancing around. Lancelot's name was never said here. He was a disgraced friend of the king. He had tempted the queen. It was practically treason to bring up that event and Merlin mentioned it in a very blasé way.

"He was my older brother." Galahad admitted finally. Merlin winced. Galahad walked ahead of him and into the armory. He shouldn't have said that! He berated himself. Now everyone would know and he'd be chased out of the citadel. Merlin followed him in and closed the door for privacy.

"He never mentioned you." Merlin said, helping Galahad put away his gear. Galahad looked at the manservant in shock.

"You knew him?"

"Of course." Merlin smiled warmly. "He was my best friend. One of the best men I've ever known."

"But..the queen…"

"Ah. So you've heard of their tryst." Merlin scowled grimly.

"He hadn't sent word in a while but I didn't have the time or money to come check on him. When I heard that the King was allowing peasants to become knights I knew it was my chance. So I packed up my home and came here. Only to find out that he was dead. And on top of that he was a traitor. He'd betrayed the King's trust and then killed himself. 'He will be damned for sure.' That's what everyone told me. I find it hard to fit their image of him with mine." Galahad said quietly, placing a mace on the table. Merlin reached out and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"Their image is wrong." Galahad looked at him, teary eyed with hope shining through. "God, Galahad, how old are you?"

"Twenty one summers last week." Merlin winced.

"And how old would Lance be, were he still living?"

"Twenty eight." Merlin nodded. Lancelot was twenty four when he died. The first time.

"Listen to me." Merlin grabbed his other shoulder. "Lancelot was a good man. The bravest and noblest of us all. But he knew things. Things that none of them out there don't know and never will. Dangerous things. Arthur was going to sacrifice himself and I was going to stop him. I was going to take his place but your brother was a true friend. He sacrificed himself to save me. They'll tell you that it was because he was saving Camelot or protecting Arthur. And he was but a great deal of his reason was to protect me, so that I might live."

"Because of your magic?" Merlin looked at him in shock. "He mentioned that he had a great magical friend. It's you isn't it?" Merlin nodded. "and the dangerous secrets, they had to do with your magic." Another nod.

"I took him to meet a friend of mine. A dragon. And the dragon mentioned my destiny. Mine and Arthur's, to restore Camelot to greatness and free magic once again. Lancelot sacrificed himself so that I might live. And I love him for it. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't hope to do him proud. When he came back… It wasn't really him. Morgana had risen a shade of him from the dead. It was his body but she filled it with memories and thoughts and she controlled him. She enchanted Gwen. I can't go out there and tell everyone this. I have no real proof and it's been years. But I'm telling you that is how it happened."

Galahad wiped his eyes and stared at Merlin as if searching for a lie in his monologue. "Lancelot loved Guinevere but he recognized that she loved Arthur and not him. He would never have done anything to upset his friend's happiness. He was a good man and you would do well to remember that. So fight like Lancelot and emulate him and I have no doubt that you will be one of Camelot's finest knights."

Galahad smiled and hugged Merlin just as the King and the other knights entered. The King frowned in confusion and Merlin patted Galahad on the back. "We'll talk later." Galahad said, pulling back. "I have a feeling that you and I will be great friends."

"The best." Merlin smiled as Galahad left the armory. Arthur, Mordred and Vere stared at Merlin in confusion. The other trainees put away their gear and scampered off.

"You replacing me?" The King laughed as Merlin got to work on removing his armor.

"For what? I don't need a new boss do I?" Merlin snarked, pulling the chainmail over the King's head.

"I thought I was your best friend. Now it's Galahad? You don't even know him." Arthur frowned at him in confusion. Merlin looked at Arthur in shock, clutching the chainmail to his chest.

"We're best friends?" Arthur felt a pang shoot through his heart at that. Vere felt it too. Arthur had thought it obvious by now. Merlin had been with him for seven years. Merlin was his one and only friend. But apparently they weren't even that.

"I thought we were. Guess I was wrong." Arthur stood and made for the door. He glanced back to see Merlin staring at him in confusion, hurt and…joy?

"You're the one who's always harping about how we can't be friends. I think you'll forgive me if your sudden proclamation was shocking." Merlin said in wonder.

"And why would I say we can't be friends?" Arthur snarked, leaning against the door frame.

"Well first it was because you were a prince and I was just a servant." Merlin began ticking on his fingers. "Then it was because you were King and you could afford the luxury of friends. God forbid a servant as a friend. You've just spent so long saying we weren't friends I guess I started believing it." Merlin shrugged awkwardly and folded the chainmail.

Arthur winced and looked to Mordred and Vere for help. Mordred shrugged helplessly; he knew nothing of Merlin's friendship. It was unattainable to him. Vere was frowning at Arthur in distaste. Arthur had quickly learned that while Merlin hated Vere, it wasn't mutual. Vere would quickly defend Merlin from the other knights and anyone else who spoke ill of the servant. Apparently he didn't like that Arthur had said those things.

"Bullshit." Vere said finally. Merlin looked at him in shock and Mordred chocked. Arthur looked on in confusion. "I bet Arthur's been your best friend since the moment you met."

"He tried to take my head off with a mace! He threw me in the dungeons!" Merlin exclaimed in denial.

"And you saved his life later that day."

"Well, yeah." Merlin shrugged awkwardly. Arthur was weirded out, watching them converse without the insults and complaints that had marked the previous week.

"You two are practically brothers." Vere smiled. He looked at Merlin and tapped his nose, knowingly. Merlin scowled but then smiled.

"Never had a brother." He looked at Arthur and frowned but shrugged. "You'll do." He clapped Vere on the shoulder, nodded and Mordred and bumped into Arthur as he left.

"What just happened?" Mordred asked aloud. Arthur shrugged and the knight left in confusion. Arthur turned to Vere and raised an eyebrow.

"I just got you a brother and I think Merlin is finally starting to warm up to me and Mordred."

"Yeah, that's gonna happen." Arthur rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

"Arthur?" they both hesitated. When the King gestured for Vere to continue he did so. "Um…well I was wondering if you could get my sister a job as a maid or something? Living at the inn is pretty costly and I won't be able to support us both on my salary."

"You live at the inn?" Arthur frowned in outrage. "Why don't you have a house or something?"

"There were none available in the lower town."

"Well then you can have chambers here. Nonsense I insist." He said when Bedivere tried to protest.

"All the same, she'd like a job. She was never one to sit idle."

"Well Guinevere recently charged her last maid with treason. She can have that job." Arthur smiled and left. Bedivere stood there blinking in shock. Treason? How the hell does a maid commit treason?