AN: I don't own Merlin, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Here's chapter 7. I'm actually quite proud that I've managed to get this up today, because I've been busy. Anywho, enjoy :)

Merlin itched his wrist absentmindedly. Theali's mark had appeared there, as he had noticed this morning. Thankfully, his sleeves were long and covered the area, but Merlin was still painfully aware that it was there, a reminder that his time was limited.

"Are you going to tell me what you're thinking about?"

The king's voice cut through the fog of fatigue in his brain, loud and drawling as always, but laced with an undertone of slight concern.

"Nothing," Merlin said automatically.

Arthur scoffed. "Merlin, you've never been so quiet." Honestly, he hadn't been that surprised before, Merlin, loyal idiot that he was, might have been depressed that he was going to die. But when Theali had told them that his death was not necessary, Merlin had hardly reacted at all. Arthur could not help wondering why his servant was not more back to himself.

A pause. Then Merlin spoke up.

"Aren't you wondering who the sorcerer is?"

Arthur sighed. Actually, he had been wondering that. It was all he'd thought of since they'd left that cave. In fact, he'd been so caught up in thinking about it about it that it had taken him half an hour to realize Merlin hadn't said one word.

"Yes. I can't think of a single sorcerer who would be willing to give their life for mine. You'd think they'd all want me dead."

Merlin chuckled. He couldn't help it. Sometimes he thought he was the only sorcerer who didn't want Arthur dead.

"You'd think so."

"Maybe it was a druid? They're peaceful, aren't they? Perhaps one of them wished to stop the destruction and decided to end it, not knowing I planned to."

Merlin stared at Arthur, who was slightly ahead of him and didn't see his servant's eyes boring into the back of the head. He wasn't sure, but he thought he'd heard a trace of guilt in Arthur's voice that he'd tried to hide. He knew Arthur never liked it when someone ended up dying for or because of him, but Merlin hadn't thought that would include sorcerers. He suddenly felt lighter. He remembered the promise Arthur had made, that the druids would be left in peace, and now he was feeling guilty about the death of a sorcerer. Maybe there was a chance Arthur would understand, once Merlin explained. He would be angry, Merlin knew that was a given, it was more a matter of how long he stayed angry, and whether or not his anger would surpass reasoning.

"I don't think it's a druid," he said softly. Technically it wasn't a lie...not really. Right?

Arthur rolled his eyes. "One of your funny feelings?"

Merlin grunted noncommittally.

"Well, I don't know of many sorcerers. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Morgana. I hardly think it was that old man - 'Dragoon', or whatever his name was."

Merlin repressed a snort. He pictured Arthur's face when he realized it had, in fact, technically been Dragoon.

"More likely him than Morgana."

Arthur inclined his head slightly in agreement. "But why would he kill my father and then save me?"

Merlin winced. He'd voiced his 'opinion', before, that it had been an accident on Dragoon's part, not murderous intent, that had killed Uther, though he had done so timidly, knowing the death of the former king was a sensitive subject for Arthur. It seemed, however, that Arthur had not changed his mindset that the old sorcerer, secretly Merlin, had meant to kill his father.

Secretly, though, Arthur had wondered, after he'd gotten over his initial shock of his father dying. Dragoon had seemed genuinely surprised when Uther died. In his grief, he'd been quick to blame magic, as his father had taught him, but his time as king had taught him that his father had not always been right.

And, after all, he could not deny that it was not a sorcerer who had stabbed his father in the first place.

Arthur realized Merlin had not answered. He looked back and saw that Merlin was staring off into space. Either he was contemplating what Arthur had just said, or he had gotten worse.

"Lets stop for lunch. You look ready to fall off your horse again," the king said, only half joking.
Merlin's heart fluttered with nervous anticipation. This was it. He wouldn't let himself procrastinate further.

He set about setting up the fire, but Arthur put a hand out to stop him.

"Just make something simple, you look like you can't spare much strength."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "Is this worry for me I hear?"

"No," Arthur lied stubbornly. "I just don't want my manservant passing out in my lunch."

Merlin smirked, but it disappeared abruptly as he coughed into his sleeve. He looked awful, and Arthur was itching to get back on their horses and ride for Camelot as quickly as he could. But Merlin looked like he could do with some food. And though he clearly had more energy and strength, his pallor reminded Arthur painfully of the time when Merlin had been attacked by(well, thrown himself at)the dorocha, and Arthur didn't like it.

Not that he would tell Merlin any of this, of course.

Merlin was searching through his bag, searching for food. Something caught his sleeve, and it jerked up. Something caught Arthur's eye. A faintly familiar something...

Reflexively, his arm snaked out and grabbed his servant's arm, holding it so the inside of his wrist was facing up. Startled, Merlin followed his gaze to the markings on his pale skin. His eyes widened.
It was Theali's mark.

Merlin glanced back up at Arthur, trying to keep himself from shaking with excitement and apprehension. The forest, the horses, everything seemed to blur away as he honed in on Arthur's face, trying to gauge his expression. Heart thumping wildly, he waited for the hurt, the anger, or just plain confusion to appear there.

Arthur looked confused, but there was also a hint of realization. Merlin swallowed, waiting to see if that realization would grow, or if he would have the painstaking task of explaining to Arthur, of saying it out loud.

After staring down and Merlin's wrist, his eyes snapped back up to meet Merlin's wide ones.

"Merlin," he said slowly, "what is this?"

Kinda short, I know, but I wanted the reveal to have it's own chapter.