Author's Note: I'm putting you guys out of your misery with an extra long chapter. I hope you all review! There are only one or two more chapters to this entire story! Almost at the end! If you haven't already, I have one other completed Merlin fic and I'm still brainstorming to write some more in the future! Thank you for staying with me!


When Arthur finally spoke, his voice sounded husky, like he hadn't used it for a long while.

"I would ask you why you didn't tell me," he said, staring at the ceiling resolutely, "but I guess I already know."

Merlin took a shaky breath. He didn't know what to say. Arthur cleared his throat and continued. "All those times I called you a coward," he muttered, and Merlin looked over at the cot beside him. Finally, Merlin sat up in the cot and then stood, pacing around the cot and sitting on a chair instead.

"Arthur…" he started, but the king wasn't done.

"You just let me call you a lazy, incompetent, idiotic coward again and again…" Arthur sat up as well, standing and facing Merlin. "Damn it, Merlin."

"I'm sorry."

Arthur groaned, sitting down into the chair beside the sorcerer. "Yes, well you should be."

Merlin flinched at the biting tone and bit down on the bottom lip, trying to keep the tears back. "I'm not a bad person," Merlin said, trying to sound authoritative. Arthur scoffed.

"No, not for the magic, Merlin."

"What?"

"Look, I just saw inside your mind – clearly having magic doesn't make you evil."

"Then…" Merlin said, hesitant. Arthur turned to look directly at Merlin, his face carved into a mask of deep hurt.

"You lied to me," Arthur said. Merlin couldn't stand the look on Arthur's face, but he also couldn't look away. "You lied… to me." Arthur said again.

"I'm – I wanted to tell you, Arthur, I – "

"I know. I know – but you… I've lost a lot of people in my life, Merlin, but you… I thought you were someone I could trust entirely."

"You can!" Merlin said, horrified. He jumped to his feet. "I would never do anything to betray you!"

"I know!" Arthur yelled, standing as well. "I know everything, Merlin, don't you get that? I know why you didn't tell me – you thought I'd have you killed!"

"Well – when your father was still around – "

"I wouldn't have turned you in!"

"You would have lied to the king – your father – "

"Yes!"

There was silence for a moment, and then Merlin sat down again. "You say that now," he said wearily. "But… you saw everything I've done for you. It's different than if I'd just come out and told you the truth – without context, you probably would have had me burnt at the stake! Or banished, at the very least."

"You saw into my mind, Merlin," Arthur said, voice quaking with fury. "Do you really think I would have done that?"

"I couldn't risk… Even if you hadn't killed me, if you'd sent me away from you, I couldn't be there to… to…"

"To risk your life for me," Arthur finished. "That's another thing – what were you thinking, all those times?"

"Oh, so now you're cross with me for saving your life," Merlin said, standing once more.

"You could have told me!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, alright?"

"This entire time," Arthur said suddenly, the tone of his voice changing suddenly. "You were saving me because of what the dragon told you."

Merlin shook his head. "Maybe at first. But I'd die for you, destiny or not."

Arthur sighed, running a hand across his face wearily. "Every day I've known you has been a lie."

"No – Arthur, you know me better than anyone else. I hid this from you, but everything else, I was honest about."

"I know. I know all of it," Arthur said quietly. The king suddenly changed tracks. "On your first day in Camelot, you discovered you could be killed for what you were. And then you saved my life using magic, got stuck working for me, and met a giant talking dragon."

Merlin nodded, and Arthur burst out laughing.

"Your life is insane."

Merlin smiled warily, and shrugged. "I guess so."

"So, you really don't hate me?" Arthur asked suddenly. Merlin's mouth dropped open.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"Are you kidding?" Arthur said, rolling his eyes. "You have given up everything for me, while I've been bossing you around and throwing goblets at your head as way of thanks."

Merlin shrugged. "Not your fault."

"I killed Freya," Arthur said quietly. Merlin paused for a very long time, and finally spoke.

"You didn't know."

"Does that make a difference?"

"Yes."

"I'm so sorry," Arthur muttered.

"I know."

"And… your father. I'm sorry about him, too."

"Thanks," Merlin coughed. "I'm sorry about your father, too, for the record."

Arthur shook his head, looking bemused. "My father would have had you killed if he had known any of this, and yet you really did try to save him."

"I had to."

Arthur chuckled weakly. "I knew I recognized Dragoon."

Merlin smiled. "Yeah, well… Hey, what do you think Morgana would say if she knew the famed Emrys was me?"

Arthur laughed. "How about we keep that one under wraps for now, yeah? You can be our secret weapon."

"So you admit I'm not totally useless, then?"

"I suppose so," Arthur said, clapping Merlin on the shoulder. "Now – It may be difficult to get some of the senior advisers on board, but I know if we tell Leon and he stands up for you, then…"

"What are you talking about?"

"Legalizing magic, of course."

"Are you serious?"

"I'm not going to lock you up, Merlin. And what sort of king would I be if I played favorites?"

"Isn't it playing favorites to change an entire law for one person?"

Arthur shrugged. "Maybe. But so what? I'm the king."

"I am sorry, you know."

"Yeah, I do." Arthur smiled, and then stepped dangerously close to Merlin. "However, if you ever hide anything from me again, Merlin…" He let the threat hang in the air.

"You don't scare me, you know. I could turn you into a frog if you step out of line."

"Oh, don't you dare," Arthur glared.

Merlin shrugged. "No promises."


Author's Note: What was your favorite part? :)