Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of its characters or dialogue. They belong to the BBC.
Morgana, what are you up to now. You've given me the slip twice already, but I'll figure you out. It's people like you who give us all a bad name.
"So, who are you," Gwaine asked.
"I'm Merlin," said Merlin, glancing briefly in his direction. "Wait, do I know you?" Something about the man was strangely familiar.
"Do you spend a lot of time in taverns?" Gwaine asked.
Merlin grinned. "Despite popular belief, no."
"I doubt it then," said Gwaine. "I'm Gwaine."
Gwaine extended a hand for Merlin to shake, and Merlin took it with a smile. Then his face turned serious again.
"What's been going on around here?" Merlin asked. "How's Uther?"
"Uther?" Gaius asked.
"Yes," said Merlin. "He hasn't... done anything, has he?"
"Not that I have noticed," said Gaius uncertainly.
Merlin let out a sigh of relief. "Right. I need a place to lie low for a while."
"I hate to say it," said Gaius, "but as long as Gwaine is here there will be guards in and out all the time. As much as I would love for you to stay here, it's not safe."
Merlin's smile slipped a bit. "I suppose I had better go."
Gaius nodded, then pulled Merlin in for another hug. "Take care, Merlin. Uther is still searching for you. You need to be careful." He stepped back.
"You know me." Merlin grinned.
"Yes, unfortunately I do."
Merlin scurried through the corridors, trying to think of where in the world he could stay. His thoughts were cut short abruptly by a cry of "Halt, who's there?" and the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.
It would appear that the usually inept guards had finally caught on. They had really bad timing.
Merlin ran. As he rounded a bend, he spotted the door to a supply closet. In desperation, he ran towards it, muttering a quick spell to unlock the door and another to lock it behind him.
"Merlin!"
What?
Leon felt the ache in his bones as he forced his weary feet to carry him the last few steps into Camelot. It had been a long few days, and he still hadn't come to a conclusion as to what he was going to do about Merlin.
Automatically, Leon's feet took him to the physician's chambers. When he opened the door, Gaius looked up from some notes he was writing. Behind him a tanned man lay asleep on a cot.
"Sir Leon, how may I help you?" asked Gaius formally.
"Do you have anything to help with blisters?" Leon asked with a weary smile.
"Of course. Take a seat."
Leon sat and watched as Gaius sifted through the bottles and jars on his shelf. The silence was palpable.
"Gaius," Leon asked hesitantly, "would it be safe to say that you knew Merlin better than anyone?"
Gaius froze, then nodded.
"Did you know about Merlin's... talents?" Leon continued.
"Why do you ask?"
Leon hesitated. What could it hurt? "He saved my life," he said. "With magic."
Gaius raised an eyebrow, and with a glance at the sleeping man said: "Perhaps we should move into the other chamber."
He led the way into a smaller room, and gestured for Leon to sit on a low bed. Probably Merlin's, thought Leon.
Gaius turned to him. "Yes, I knew Merlin's secret, and I can assure you that whatever you might think about magic, Merlin is not evil."
"I know..."
"Merlin?"
"Arthur? What are you doing here?"
"You shouldn't be here."
"And you should?"
Arthur eyed his former manservant. "Look, you idiot, my father has got half the kingdom out looking for you-"
"And yet you haven't killed me," Merlin commented wryly.
"You haven't killed me either," Arthur replied.
"After all the work I put into keeping you alive?" Merlin asked indignantly.
Arthur felt his hopes lift a little; perhaps he had been right.
"So that was you? Valiant, and the Griffin?"
Merlin looked surprised, then he nodded. "And so many other times."
"Other times?"
Merlin nodded, and there was a smile on his face, but behind the smile was something deeper; a desperation to prove himself.
"How do I know I can trust you?" Arthur asked. He wanted to believe it, he really did, but he could not pin his hopes on it until he was certain.
Merlin muttered a few words, and Arthur's hand flew to his sword. Merlin held out his hand. Hovering over his palm was a sphere of white-blue light, and Arthur recognised it instantly.
"It was you," Arthur said. "All along it was you." He pulled himself back. "Damn you, Merlin! Why didn't you tell me?" He shrugged in exasperation. "I forgive you, I think, but you are going to tell me the whole story later. And I want to know all of it. No more secrets."
Merlin grinned, and Arthur suddenly found himself engulfed in a hug. He waited a few seconds and then gently pried Merlin away.
"Okay, enough! I said I forgive you, not I love you! I can't very well be seen hugging my servants."
"Arthur, I think my position became void along with the death sentence," Merlin pointed out.
"Well obviously there has been some mistake there. I mean, how could someone like you have magic?" said Arthur. "I'm sure I can make my father see sense and we can get everything back to normal."
He grinned. Merlin grinned back.
Happy Easter to all!