When Arthur woke, there was birdsong ringing through his ears, a hand in his, sun streaming through the window, and warm breath tickling his face, and when he opened his eyes and realised where he was, his cheeks filled with the deepest pink. Merlin was pressed against him, seeking comfort as he snored lightly, and their fingers were entwined on the pillow between their heads.
"Nnnnnurgh," was Arthur's intelligent response. He gently and sleepily prised his fingers out of Merlin's and rolled over, remaining like that for a few minutes on his back and gathering himself, and then with one last look back to the still-sleeping Merlin (while remembering last night's thoughtful promise of possible blackmail) he slid out of the bed and crept quietly through the room and then down through the court physician's quarters.
It was barely dawn. His father always said this time of day was something called an 'ungodly hour', so Arthur decided that was what it was.
He crept past the strange man who was still in Gaius' bed from the night before. He was flat on his back and catching flies. He then passed Gaius, who was also asleep but in his chair. Both men were snoring loudly, and Arthur wondered why he was even bothering to be so quiet.
Arthur hadn't meant to stay all night, and now that he had, he couldn't stop to pester Gaius like he had planned to, because if Brigit found Arthur's bed and chambers empty, all hell would break loose. His father... Oh, dear God. His father.
That sent him running. It was all Merlin's fault!
Arthur was in his bed for an hour before Brigit bustled in, calling his name in a sing-song voice and holding his breakfast, and she was happily surprised to see Arthur smiling for once. Arthur was so happy he even spoke to his father after he was dressed. He didn't quite apologise, but he spoke to him nevertheless. He said, "Hello, Father," in a really bright voice that made Uther stop in the middle of the corridor and fall behind the knights he had been walking with, staring after Arthur who was going in the opposite direction with a curious look on his face.
He went through the day like that. He saw Gaius – without Merlin – and he briefly worried whether Merlin had left already, but Gaius had the same smile Arthur had on his face, so Arthur hoped that Merlin was still there.
It was a good day. His father even let him have a mock fight with a wooden sword especially forged for him, and Uther had said that if Arthur proved himself worthy, he could begin to train soon and become the best warrior in all of Camelot. Arthur promised that he would. He saw Morgana after that, and they didn't even bother to annoy each other, because after Arthur told her that Merlin was home she was happy, too. They went riding with their fathers in the hot weather and had fun, before Uther and Gorlois convened for council and Arthur decided he had been keeping his distance for long enough.
His day got even better when Arthur pushed his way into the court physician's chambers and scared the life out of him. "Gaius," he started loftily as he walked in uninvited later that day, "you do know that I am able to keep secrets, don't you?"
The old man jumped violently and his head snapped away from Balinor, who Arthur was expertly ignoring for creating such a racket last night – his eyes were trained on his father's most trusted advisor, save for Gorlois.
"Yes, Arthur," Gaius replied carefully, his expression unreadable.
"So," Arthur said, feeling very grown-up as he drew himself up to his full seven-year-old height and puffed out his tiny chest, "why haven't you told me Merlin is in his room today?"
"Oh."
"Yes. Oh, indeed," Arthur repeated, trying to imitate the impressive tone his father always used when he was extremely angry.
In the corner of his eye, he saw the stranger struggling to keep a straight face, a shaky smile on his strange face that was both terrifying and trusting, but Arthur continued to refuse to openly acknowledge the man kept his stance as he waited for Gaius to form some kind of coherent reply.
"Let him see the boy – it's clear he's intruded already," Balinor said eventually with a wave of his hand. There was definitely a type of vague amusement dancing in his eyes that he was having trouble to hide, and Arthur's face was becoming hot as he became increasingly annoyed that this stranger who believed he could laugh at him – he, Arthur, the Prince!
"Oh, alright then! Fine!" Gaius said with a flustered wave of his own hands in the general of whatever heaven there was above them. "Go and see him! Again!"
Arthur shook his head, and Gaius was staggered that Arthur wasn't grinning in his victory and all but skipping up the steps to Merlin's room. "I've seen him already," the Prince declared, his little chest still puffed out and his shoulders squared somewhat. "I wanna know why he's so bloodied up and why he didn't wake up when I was telling him that he was an idiot."
"Well, what it is –"
"Alright, Arthur," Balinor said, dragging a chair behind him towards the Prince. "Gaius, get the kid a stool. We've got some explaining to do."
"Do you think that's... well – er, do you think that's wise, Balinor?"
"Oh, yes," the Dragonlord said importantly, slapping his palms to his knees.
"Why?"
"Why not? If the boy believes he can keep a secret, I don't see why we have to lie. Anyway," he said, finally tearing his eyes away from a pale Arthur to regard the other man, "it's not like we'll be staying long. If his father does find out, well. Damn the consequences! I won't be around to witness them, and neither will Merlin."
Arthur opened his mouth to ask what the brown-haired, frightening man meant, but Balinor held up a finger to silence him. Arthur's chest deflated a little.
"Where's the stool, Gaius?" Balinor asked.
"I'm afraid we don't have one – your son, ah, broke the only one in my possession."
A proud look crossed Balinor's face for a fleeting moment, and then he shrugged. "Fine, let His Royal Highness stand, I don't care."
"He told me he didn't break it!" Arthur cried.
"Well, he did, so, there," Balinor said, becoming incredibly exasperated. "He's strong. Do you want to know this or not, boy?"
"Yes!"
"So be quiet."
Arthur nodded, and Gaius found he could do nothing but hold his breath and hope for the best as the last Dragonlord told the Prince of Camelot all that had happened: Kane, the renegade Druids, Merlin's mother, Balinor's rescue, and their return to Camelot – and he said it all without breathing a word of Merlin's magic, and Gaius couldn't help but pat Balinor on the shoulder gratefully when he was finished. After all – it would be Merlin's secret to tell when he was old enough.
Arthur didn't utter a word during Balinor's tale. He jerked his head in different directions and shrugged his shoulders and smiled and marvelled all at the right times, feeling like he was being told a story like the ones his father told him about the times before the Great Purge in Camelot and legends of old kings.
"But why can't I tell? I can help! My father can help Merlin! He'll put the man back in the dungeons!"
"It doesn't quite work like that, sire," Gaius tried to explain when Balinor left the room to wake Merlin. It was late, and the boy needed to get back into some sort of routine.
"But why?"
"He has magic. He is dangerous."
"Father says that about everyone. I'm not scared, you know. You think I'm scared, don't you?"
"No –" Gaius started to say, but then Merlin came down the stairs rubbing his eyes and saw Arthur, and then Arthur had forgotten everything and was suddenly dragging Merlin to the training field, declaring something about how big of an idiot Merlin was and that he didn't care if Merlin was better or not because Merlin had to learn how to hit somebody properly and that it would actually do him some good. Merlin visibly paled at the thought of committing such violence, but he went nevertheless, absurdly pleased in his tiredness that Arthur was okay and still his friend.
Balinor and Gaius were left in the room with bemused faces.
"Well that went well," Balinor said cheerfully.
"Well? It went well? Gods, Balinor."
Balinor smiled.
A/N: I couldn't resist adding "damn the consequences"! This chapter is happy and somewhat fun, because it's been so bleak recently that I thought you all deserved something nice. Call it character development. I love you all.