Summary: "'I'm not blind, Merlin. I know you haven't really been going to the tavern.'" After watching Merlin more closely, Arthur begins to realize that his manservant is more than what he seems. One-shot. Set in season five.

Prompt: The last words of your novel are, "As night became day, he started to understand the truth." Now, go write the rest.

Shattering Secrets

For the longest time, his manservant's behavior had puzzled him. He was either almost naive or inexplicably wise most of the time. Arthur didn't understand it. He remembered when he had met Merlin, when they'd fought. He'd been intrigued by him, but had thought him a blithering buffoon. He was proved wrong time and time again.

He began to watch him, to try to understand who he really was.

Over the years, time and time again, his manservant proved himself loyal; more loyal than anyone he'd ever met. Merlin was more loyal than Leon, Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan, Percival, than any of the knights he'd ever fought alongside. He didn't understand why, but he wished to.

Arthur began to notice the little lies that his friend made, the ones he'd always believed in the past. He did some investigating. Merlin never went to the tavern, not once. In fact, at times it seemed that he wasn't even in Camelot. And it became more and more frequent. He didn't understand it, why his manservant would leave and then lie about where he went. He was loyal, wasn't he? There was no way that he, out of all people, was a spy for Morgana.

Stumped and no further than where he had begun, the king decided to approach the servant and question him about it.

He found him in Gaius's chambers, the court physician out taking care of his evening rounds.

"Don't tell me. You want me to polish your armor and sharpen your sword." Merlin guessed.

"No, actually." Arthur almost smiled at him, amused. "I just want to talk, Merlin."

"You want to talk?" His manservant frowned, puzzled. "Are you feeling alright, Arthur? You usually don't want to hear a word out of me."

The king ignored his friend's teasing. "Merlin. When you go to the tavern, where are you really going?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not blind, Merlin. I know you haven't really been going to the tavern."

"Why does it matter where I go?" Merlin asked defensively, going back to what he had been doing when his master had entered.

Arthur's frown deepened, for it wasn't like his friend to be so guarding. "You're not in trouble, Merlin. And it's not like I'm going to go around announcing what you've been up to. I'm too busy for that. You can tell me."

"Unfortunately, you're the one person who can't know, sire. You'd never look at me the same if you knew. I'm happier being looked at like I'm an idiot."

"You're not an idiot, Merlin, I know that. But what would you ever need to hide from me? Is it because I'm the king?"

"It's because I don't want to lose my greatest friend." Merlin replied solemnly, holding up his hands. "I'll do anything you ask of me, Arthur, but I can't tell you what you want to know."

The king nodded, not wanting to push the boundaries. "I understand. I won't force you to tell me anything."

"Thank you." His manservant breathed gratefully.

Arthur gave a small smile, backing off towards the door. "Goodnight, Merlin."

He left his friend to tidying up the court physician's chambers, making his way up to his own, where Guinevere would be waiting for him. Upon entering, he smiled fondly at her sleeping form in the bed. He changed into his nightclothes, slipping beneath the covers beside her. She curled up into him with a mumble that he couldn't decipher.

He lay awake for hours, pondering Merlin's behavior and his responses to the questions he had been asked. He wondered what his friend was hiding. It must have been something rather important, if it was a secret that would be strong enough to shatter their relationship. He had no idea what it was. There were few things that would ever turn him against Merlin, and most of them would probably be spells performed by sorcerers like Morgana.

Sorcerers. Arthur frowned. He'd never been fond of magic.

Merlin knew it better than anyone.

What if...what if Merlin was a sorcerer?

The lies and half-truths seemed to make more sense now.

As night became day, Arthur started to understand the truth.