A/N: Sorry I didn't update when I expected to, but my laptop had crashed and I had to go buy a new one. Let me tell you, it's hard switching from a PC to a Mac, though you probably already know that… Things just took longer to transfer than I originally thought it would!

I should probably mention that this obviously takes place AFTER season 3 so there will be spoilers. There is no slash, as always. Just friendship.

Disclaimer: Merlin is not mine. Merlin owns himself; he does have control over his life, though the Great Dragon would tell you differently.

Merlin began shaking his head violently. "I… I… I… I have no idea what you're talking about!" Wow, he really needed a better comeback.

But Leon didn't believe him. "I saw you, back there, you said some strange words and your eyes they changed color!" Glancing at the knight's sword, he saw that Leon's other hand was on the hilt of his weapon. "Don't try and deny it. Are. You. A. Sorcerer? Don't lie to me, boy!"

Merlin gulped, honestly scared for his life. He'd always liked Leon, and frankly he couldn't blame him for this. "Look, it's not what you think!" The sword was out. "Oh, please don't use that… Okay, yes, I have magic. No, I wouldn't use it against Arthur, against any of you! Think about it, Leon. How long have I been in Camelot? If I wanted to hurt… anyone, wouldn't I have done it already?" Merlin's words came out in a jumbled mess.

The forest grew silent as the two locked eyes. "Does Arthur know?" he suddenly asked, his grip loosening slightly.

Slowly, Merlin shook his head. "No, I haven't told him yet. But I have to ask you not to tell Arthur, either."

"Who else knows?" Leon asked, ignoring the request. When Merlin didn't say a word, he asked again. "Who else knows, Merlin?"

"We know, Leon, now let him go," a voice echoed softly.

Looking at the newcomers, Merlin saw Lancelot and Gwaine standing with their swords out, staring straight at Leon. "You alright there, Merlin?" Gwaine asked bluntly. He nodded once, assuring his friends.

Hesitantly, Leon let go of Merlin. "I won't tell Arthur, but I will keep an eye on you. If you do anything…"

"I understand," Merlin said completely serious. "Thank you."

The knight nodded. "I guess I should thank you as well, for saving my life."

Merlin grinned. "Don't mention it, literally."

The four of them returned to the campsite after helping Merlin get the firewood. They were greeted with a very confused Arthur, which, in turn, is a very dangerous Arthur. "It took four people to go collect firewood?" he exclaimed. "One second everyone is here, and the next, it's only three of us!"

"I just went to check on him," Leon spoke up. "The forest is infested with bandits, and after all, he can't defend himself." There was an irony in his voice that only Gwaine, Merlin, and Lancelot caught. Arthur nodded once, knowing that made perfect sense, and didn't question why the other two went along, which was fortunate, seeing as they didn't have a story to go with that one.

Without hesitation, Merlin began setting out his bedroll for the remainder of the night. His head was buzzing with questions and worry. Leon now knew. Leon was totally loyal to the crown, yet he said he wouldn't tell Arthur. That's good, but did that mean he would kill Merlin in the night? No, that wouldn't be very knightly.

Did Percival know?

The warlock glanced at the strong man. He was leaning up against a tree on first watch. After taking a quick sweep of the campsite with his eyes and seeing that everyone was asleep, Merlin got up slowly. Using the stealth that Arthur would wish Merlin would use during hunting trips, he snuck over to Percival.

"Merlin," Percival said, surprised. "Can't sleep?"

He sat down across from the knight, shaking his head. "No, not really," Merlin admitted.

It grew silent quickly, an awkward silence that Merlin couldn't bear. His ears almost hurt from the stillness of the night.

"Percival?" he asked, his voice sounding unusually loud. "What exactly did you see, back during the fight?"

The man shrugged. "Just that bandit coming up from behind you," then he pondered. "Then I turned back to the bandits who were attacking me. When I looked back at you, your attacker was lying down ten yards from you." Merlin searched Percival's face for any sign of… well, anything, but found nothing. Just then, Percival grinned. "How did you manage that, Merlin? You didn't have a sword, did you?"

Merlin flashed that smile only he could pull off. "W-well, I-"

"Merlin," a voice called harshly.

It was Leon.

Damn, that knight had woken up and saw that Merlin was missing from his spot. When he said he was going to keep an eye on the young warlock, he wasn't kidding!

"Over here," the servant called quietly, waving a hand in the air.

Sir Leon came rushing over, looking straight at Percival. "Has he been any trouble?"

The knight chuckled. "When is Merlin trouble to anyone but Arthur?"

Sighing, he said, "Alright." He looked as if he wanted to say more, but held his tongue.

"I'll take the next watch," Merlin offered, seeing both knights yawn at the same time.

"No," Leon shook his head. "I'll do it. You both should get some rest." Merlin rolled his eyes. Knights always wanted glory for doing something hard, like staying up really late when tired. He watched Percival shrug and go back to his makeshift bed and quickly fall asleep. Under the intense pressure of Leon's glare, Merlin went back to his bed as well. Shifting his attention back to Leon, the man was constantly nodding off and snapping back to life.

Fifteen yawns later, Merlin had had it. He wasn't going to let the guy mentally torture himself. It was ridiculous! He got up and once again went over to the tired knight, actually waking him up from another accidental nod-off.

Leon woke with a start. "Damn it, Merlin," he swore, running a hand down his face. "What is it?" Merlin winced at how harshly the words came out.

"This is absurd. I'm not even tired, so just let me take over from here," he tried to persuade Leon. The man glared up at him, taking his eyes off Merlin for a split second to look at Arthur. Merlin groaned inwardly. How in the world was he going to make Leon trust him? "Look, if I try to run away, you can capture me and get the credit for turning in the 'evil warlock,' okay?"

He continued to stare at Merlin, thinking hard. "Warlock?" he asked.

Merlin sighed. "Alright, evil sorcerer," he huffed. "Just go get some sleep because I'll probably be too tired to do much saving tomorrow seeing as I can't sleep now." The warlock half smiled at the knight, giving his last attempt at persuasion.

"Arthur," Leon called, glaring even more at Merlin now.

The prince shot upright looking like he was drunk. "W-what, Leon?"

"Your turn for watch, sire."

Merlin cocked his head to the side. "That works too," he admitted.

"Merlin, what are you doing up?" Arthur asked, rubbing the gunk out of his left eye as he came up to the two men. As his manservant was trying to conjure up yet another pathetic excuse, Arthur put a hand up. "Save your breath. I'm too tired to care." Leon and Merlin began walking back to the campsite, but stopped when Arthur suddenly called, "Where do you think you're going, Merlin?"

The warlock turned back around. "Uh, I'm going to sleep."

Arthur shook his head. "No."

"No?" both Merlin and Leon asked at the same moment.

"No, you see, Merlin here is going to keep me company. He doesn't even look tired," Arthur shot back. Before anyone could protest farther, he added, "There's something serious we must discuss, Merlin." Merlin's heart just about skipped a beat while his stomach did a back flip.

Could Arthur possibly have seen him use magic? It was likely. To be honest, Merlin was surprised that Arthur hadn't figured it out ages ago with all of the 'strokes of luck' and tree branches falling on top of people at random moments when Arthur might lose a battle. Really, how did that prince survive all those years without him?

Flashing Leon an apologetic grin, he went back to Arthur's side, at his every beck-and-call, not caring about being thanked or praised. Deep down, he was relieved that Leon had found out. He was as loyal to the Pendragons as anyone and he hadn't run Merlin through yet. There was hope for the Royal Pratness after all!

Arthur gestured for his servant to come sit down; his face suddenly softer after Leon had got to sleep, which didn't take long whatsoever. "Merlin," he whispered to the raven-haired boy sitting across from the prince. "You know that I value you as a trusted friend, and you're the only one I've ever told about my father's," Arthur paused for a moment, looking down at his hands, "about my father's mental illness." There was another long string of silence as he struggled to say the words. "Back when we took back Camelot, and you and I were sitting on the steps, you said that maybe I should become king." A single tear slipped down the prince's cheek. "My father is getting worse, and I'm not sure if I'm as ready as I once believed I was."

Leaning forward, Merlin looked his friend directly in the eye. "I'm sorry. Take it one step at a time, I guess." The blond prince snorted. "What?"

Rolling his eyes, Arthur said, "Usually when I tell you these things, Wise Merlin comes out. I'm not very impressed right now."

"'Wise Merlin'?" he asked, chuckling.

"I know," Arthur ran a hand over his face. "I never thought I'd say that when I first met you." He looked towards his sleeping knights with sad eyes. "I just wish I could know how things will turn out. What if I'm a terrible king? What if… what if I can't live up to my father's standards?" He gave Lancelot a brief glance. "What if I never marry Guinevere?"

Realizing the situation, perhaps this was the time to come clean, to tell Arthur everything about their destiny. For a minute, Merlin second-guessed that choice, thinking it was foolish to think that, but the look of complete and utter grief and sadness on Arthur's handsome face didn't suit him too well.

That was it. He made up his mine.

"Arthur, there is a way of knowing." The prince looked up. "I know you're going to be the greatest king that Camelot – that the world – has ever seen! You will go down in history for all the great things you will do. Damn Uther's standards for you, Arthur, because he may be your father but you two are completely different people," Merlin said quickly, yet serious. "And when you're king, there will be nothing to stop you from marrying Gwen. You love her and she loves you. That will stay the same, and she will wait just as you've waited. Now, stop doubting yourself, or else I will have to continue to think you are a prat!" Arthur and Merlin laughed quietly, the prince shaking his head.

His thoughts shot back to the prophecy. "What is it I'm supposed to shed light upon that's considered dark?"

Merlin bit his lip. "Arthur, think about it. What's thought to be dark under Uther's reign?"

The blond seemed taken aback. "Magic." Merlin grinned, nodding his head in agreement. "I'm supposed to shed light on magic? But sorcerers are evil, how does that work?"

"I'm not," Merlin muttered softly to himself.

But, of course, Arthur heard something. "What was that?" he asked softly, now playing with a stick and carving a poorly drawn dragon in the loose earth.

This was it; now or never. He could tell Arthur about his magic, make him see sense before his friend killed him. It was so simple. All he had to say is that he wasn't evil. He had been protecting Arthur even when they hated each other. Merlin had rehearsed that scene in his mind in the long hours of the night; Arthur finding out while Merlin was saving him, Arthur finding out when Merlin told him the day of his coronation, Arthur finding out when Merlin fought off Morgana sometime in the future. But not one of his rehearsals included him telling Arthur so suddenly in the middle of a random night in the bandit-infested woods.

"I said," His voice got louder, "I said that… Will wasn't, you know, evil."

Damn, he was too much of a coward to tell Arthur!

"Of course, I'm sorry. William was a good man." Arthur bowed his head, kicking himself. What was he saying? Was he actually saying that a sorcerer was good? Did that mean that more could be good? No, his father always told him that those who practiced magic were evil. No doubt. But now Arthur had doubt. He was full of doubt, in fact.

Emrys, he was supposed to be evil. It was as simple as that, but could his father really be wrong? Wait! That would mean Merlin was right. That couldn't be. His father had always taught him that sorcerers were evil, and Arthur had only once questioned that philosophy.

"Always remember, Arthur, that those with magic are evil. To know one sorceress or sorcerer is to know them all; they are pure evil," Uther told his seven-year-old son with pride. They walked into the empty Throne Room side by side.

Arthur tilted his blond head. "How do you know that? Can't it be used for good, father?" he asked innocently.

The king glared down at his boy. "Magic is evil. It corrupts. Anyone who tells you different is lying to you. You can never believe a word of those with magic."

"But how do you know?" he pressed.

"Do not ask these questions!" Uther bellowed before turning on his heel and leaving the room. There Arthur had stood, frightened. He understood; if his father said it then it is law and is true.

Coming back to the present, Arthur shook his head. "Emrys," he muttered.

"What about him?" Merlin asked with what sounded like malice in his voice. He really did hate that name.

Ignoring the fact that his manservant was acting slightly out of character, Arthur banished his stick to the ground. "What if I do kill him? If Emrys dies, does that mean…?"

"You will die," Merlin finished for him.

The prince lifted an eyebrow. "Do you believe that?" The warlock nodded twice. "I thought you'd say that." And then Arthur asked Merlin a question that Merlin never thought he would hear. "Merlin, what is your view on magic?"

Merlin looked up in surprise. "Well," He thought about just saying 'I don't know. I'm just a servant.' But to hell with playing dumb! "I think that magic is good or evil depending on how the person chooses to use that gift. For all you know, Emrys is one of the good warl… sorcerers."

Standing up in aggravation, Arthur began pacing. He hated it when Merlin was right! "If only we could just talk to him!"

"No," Merlin shook his head, staring directly in front of him. "Emrys wouldn't be that stupid to go and talk to Uther."

Arthur snorted. "Well, he is in Camelot, the very place that banned magic by punishment of death."

"It's rather smart, actually," Merlin snapped, trying his best to defend his sanity. "If he's in Camelot, it's easier to protect your royal backside. I mean, no one would suspect Emrys to even be in Camelot in the first place. It seems to me like the perfect cover."

Arthur glared at his servant. "You seem well informed," he snapped.

"Me? Nope. Just guessing, that's all," Merlin held up his hands in surrender. Their conversation grew quiet, neither one of them wanting to say what was on their minds.

Arthur feared Merlin would find him crazy if he told the servant what he was conflicted about, while Merlin feared Arthur would run him through with a sword if the prince knew that little secret that the warlock almost let spill out of his mouth. It was a rather odd and complicated friendship the two had, and to think Uther – the very man that was the center of each other's conflicts – had brought them together.

Every day, Merlin wanted to say that the reason for not telling Arthur is because Gaius tells him to protect his secret. However, a dark part of him knows that it's because Arthur is Uther's son. If Arthur had been an ordinary person, Merlin would probably have said, "Hey! I have magic, Arthur!" by now, but Arthur wasn't ordinary. He was a prince, no matter how much Merlin treated the prat like a normal person. The prince had been trained to believe magic was evil by Uther. If it weren't for Uther…

It was because of his father. His father had given the order to restrain Emrys so that he could burn at the stake. Arthur never took joy in executions like his father did. How can anyone enjoy watching a person die, no matter if they practiced magic or not? Gaius had lost friends during the Great Purge, and he had to watch them burn. Gaius practiced magic and he definitely wasn't evil! But Uther always told him that those with magic were evil. But if Emrys protected Camelot, surely he couldn't be evil. Arthur cursed to himself. He wouldn't be having these mental debates if it weren't for Uther…

~(o)~

"We're almost there," Arthur called from the front of the group.

The knights trudged on in the midmorning sun. No one particularly enjoyed walking all the way back to Camelot after walking through all the lower towns the previous day. The food had taken off with the horses, and Arthur didn't have any hunting gear except for his sword, which couldn't kill a deer from forty paces.

"I need a drink," Gwaine piped up, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Lancelot turned his head. "You always need a drink, my friend." The group buzzed with mild laughter at the knight's witty comeback.

"Can we sit down?" Merlin suddenly asked, his feet killing him.

Arthur rolled his blue eyes. "We are not that far from Camelot. Don't be such a girl, Merlin."

Ah, the infamous line of Arthur's. "Stop being such a dollophead!" Merlin countered and Gwaine snorted.

"You know, I still don't know what that means!" the prince exclaimed.

"Do you want to know?"

"That would be helpful, yes."

"In two words?"

"Shut up, Merlin."

Elyan suddenly stopped in his tracks. "S-sire," he called out, fear in his voice. Everybody looked at the knight with tentative glances.

"What is it, Elyan?" Arthur asked.

Not saying a single word, he just pointed to the castle in the distance. "Smoke," was all he managed to choke out. The men squinted their eyes to see, and sure enough, inside the very walls of Camelot Castle, smoke rose high, but only in one spot. The fire was controlled.

Without needing to be told, everyone's paced picked up. It was clear that they needed to get back to the citadel as fast as humanly possible.

Merlin could have sworn that the trip was made in record time. Twenty minutes later, they reached the gates of Camelot. All seven of them rushed into the courtyard to see the pyre aflame, the fire licking hungrily at the victim's remaining flesh.

Arthur stormed into the Throne Room, an angry frown on his face. The king turned around, putting his hands on the back of his throne. "Father, what's going on? Why was there an execution?" That was sort of a stupid question, but he couldn't take it back now. Arthur needed as many answers as possible.

"I finally realized how to lure Emrys to us," Uther said, not completely there mentally. "We must execute all those who have been suspected of magic. We must burn all those who have been associated with magic and sorcerers until Emrys will come forward."

Lancelot and Gwaine shot Merlin a tense glance before regaining their composure.

Arthur, however, ran as fast as he could out of the room and down the stairs, not stopping until he reached the dungeons. He pushed his way past the guards and ran right up to the cell where everyone was being held captive.

"Guinevere," he growled, his heart beating as he searched the dark cell, hoping there would be no response.

A curly, dark haired maiden rushed to the bars, entwining the prince's fingers with hers. "Arthur," Gwen cried, her voice grief-stricken. "Uther, he won't let us go unless Emrys turns himself in!" There was sheer panic in the maid's voice, and it tugged at his heart.

The prince stroked at her face with a gloved hand. "I promise, I will not let you die," he assured her, but she turned away as the tears cascaded out. "Guinevere, I love you. You're not going to be burned, and I will do whatever it takes to free you."

A/N: As I promised to some of you, there is no cliffhanger. At least, I don't think this is much of a cliffie. Review and… Merlin will give you three wishes!

Merlin: I'm no genie! Look, no lamp or anything! Haha!

Me: *does Morgana glare*

Merlin: Fine. I'll grant the wishes. BUT no wishing for more wishes! That will give Arthur ideas about stocks and mucking and just… NO!