A/n: Hey guys – if there are any of you left! Also, hi new folks if there are any! Sorry, I am a lying liar who lies. It's…been a while. Sorry it took this long – life, chronic health issues, a soul-crushing amount of work, the world burning. I apologize if the writing isn't quite what it used to be—I've gotten a bit rusty! I do actually intend to finish it this time, though. I've really been feeling picking up writing again, and I think this is the place I need to start.

I realize this story might hit differently for some of you in light of recent events. If you don't want to read it, that's okay, but it's finally all here if you do.

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Merlin, and I am not making money for this endeavor. As I said last time, literally no one would pay someone this slow. Also, does anyone do these anymore? Or am I like fanfic grandma over here?

A Criminal's Burial

Chapter 9

Carefully balancing the overflowing tray of food and water pitcher in her arms, Gwen barely managed to unlock and open the door to Arthur's chambers without spilling anything on herself. Aside from the glowing fire, the rooms were dark—not even the curtains were drawn to let the sunlight in. Arthur must be hurting, Gwen thought, as she made her way straight for the breakfast table at the back of his chambers. The place used to be so lively—even with the banter.

Gwen could barely see the piles that Arthur had pulled out from underneath his chest of drawers, the pile that she had abandoned sorting as her and Arthur spoke about Merlin's death. Maybe she would open the windows and help him tidy up, though the prospect hurt her heart. Cleaning Arthur's chambers felt like it was sanitizing the place of Merlin. With a sigh, Gwen fumbled for the breakfast table and managed to slide the pitcher of water safely to the top. As she was about to do the same with the tray of food, she heard a voice call out behind her, "Gwen?"

Startled, Gwen dropped the food on the table. The key, which was wedged between her hand and the tray, clattered against the stone floor. A row of linked sausages slipped and slinked off the tray onto the table as bread rolls bounced off the table, rolling on the ground below. An entire bowl of olives capsized, becoming flotsam in the nearby bowl of broth, which splattered on Gwen.

Gwen whipped around, wide eyed, staring at a pale figure, barely illuminated by the ebbing fire embers. "Merlin?"

"Hi, Gwen." Merlin greeted, smiling a toothy smile.

Gwen froze, hands and dress covered in broth, as she stared at the man she could barely make out, sitting in Arthur's bed. Rubbing her eyes, she blinked hard at him before turning on her heel and opening the nearest curtains.

With more light in the room, Gwen turned back towards the bed, half expecting the apparition of Merlin to have just disappeared. But there he was, laying in Arthur's bed, propped up with a series of tactfully wedged pillows.

"Merlin!" she exclaimed, rushing over. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she ran her hand across the un-bruised side of Merlin's face, brushing her fingers against the edge of the yellow bruise around the healing gash on his temple. "You're alive. Arthur said you were dead!"

"Well, Arthur is often wrong," Merlin joked, though he could only manage a puff of a laugh.

Gwen frowned, her brow furrowing. "Seriously, Merlin. We all thought you were dead." Gwen glanced at the angry purple handprints that wrapped around his neck and thought about how lucky he was that he wasn't.

Merlin tried to offer a reassuring smile. "Nope, can't kill me off that easily," Merlin said, the words wilting as he spoke. He reached up and pressed the bruise on his neck, the clear object of Gwen's fixation. It still didn't hurt. Not so easily, indeed.

Swatting at him without making contact, Gwen cried, "It's not funny, Merlin! I've spent the last two weeks worrying about you and the last day crying over you." Her lip quivered and tears welled in her eyes.

"Gwen, please don't cry. I'm sorry," Merlin apologized, reaching over to pat her shoulder.

"It's not your fault." She quickly wiped her eyes with her sleeve and sucked back her congestion. "Are you alright?"

Merlin slowly propped himself up into a sitting position, gestured to his various bandages, and offered a weak smile. "I'll be alright."

"Yeah?" she sniffled, wiping errant tears. "Well, you look terrible." She touched his head and brushed back his hair to reveal the pink wound on his temple. "Let me refill your water. And get you some bread." She glanced at the tray on the table. "Okay, maybe not the floor bread, but there's still one over there." Glancing at the drained goblet on the nightstand, Gwen grabbed it and shot Merlin a watery smile.

Merlin smiled. "Thanks, Gwen."

As Gwen walked over to the upended tray of food, she glanced at the mess that had become of the tub. A small heap of clothing, including what looked like shredded, soiled scraps of fabric and a dirty old cloak, sat discarded at the edge. Merlin must have come to Arthur first, she figured, and in what she could only imagine to be an awful state. How Arthur managed to lie to her that calmly is beyond her, though it explains why he locked the door. "The door!" Gwen recalled, "Arthur gave me the key." Gwen searched for the object and found it on the ground underneath the table, half hidden by the bread rolls. Leaving the goblet on the table, she crouched down and snatched it up, brandishing the key at Merlin as she rose. "I had better go lock it if he gave this to me."

Merlin nodded, and Gwen walked over to the door, locking it before she returned. As she headed back, Gwen realized that was why Arthur must have left all of the curtains drawn. Though the curtains she had drawn were a good distance away from the bed, Gwen opted to close them and opened another set slightly further away, just enough to fill the bedroom with a soft glow.

Whatever had happened to Merlin, Arthur does not want others to know about, she thought. Shaking the thought away with a jolt of her head, she busied her hands by filling the goblet and grabbing the single surviving piece of bread. Turning, Gwen placed the goblet back on the nightstand and held the bread out towards Merlin. He reached out with his bruised, knobbly hands and gingerly accepted it, fingers curling protectively around it. Gwen's eyes followed those fingers back down his arms, which looked emaciated even wrapped in bandages.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Gwen watched as her friend ate the meager offering and reach for the goblet. Though he seemed strained as he did so, he managed to carefully grab it and pull it close to him, nestling it between his legs. Merlin was sitting upright, but Gwen finally noticed that he was holding himself upright, doing his best to not make too much contact with the pillow behind him.

Dropping the last piece of crusty bread in his mouth, Merlin chased it with a swig of water. He passed the cup to Gwen, who mindlessly placed it on the nightstand. She watched him, studying for clues that Merlin would never admit to her.

Merlin saw Gwen's brows furrow in concentration, and he gave her a flimsy smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I'll be alright, Gwen," he said, placing his hand on her knee. "Thank you."

Gwen placed her hand over his and stared at his bruised face, his bandaged body, and felt her face flush with overwhelming emotion. Tears welling up in her eyes, Gwen's lip quivered briefly before she burst into a sob. "I never thought I'd see you again."

Merlin froze, unsure about what to say. Instead he turned his hand over and gently squeezed hers in his.

As Gwen cried, they both heard the doorknob jiggle. Scrambling up, Gwen furiously rubbed her eyes with her sleeve and grabbed the key from her apron. Unsure if this was merely Arthur or someone else, she took a few tentative steps towards the door before she heard, "Gwen?" in Arthur's voice.

Shoulders dropping in relief, Gwen rushed to the door, tears still streaming down her face. She unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing Arthur, who was still hanging onto the back of Gwaine's neck.

Arthur pushed Gwaine inside, sending the knight stumbling forward, and swiftly closed the door behind him. He outstretched his hand to Gwen, and she dutifully dropped the key in his open palm. As Arthur was locking the door, Gwaine looked up at Gwen, eyes puffy and glazed from a night of crying and over indulgence. "Merlin?" he asked, his voice pleading for it to be true.

Gwen sopped up more of her tears with her sleeve and sniffled, "He's alive – awake even! He's in Arthur's bed."

Gwaine briefly exchanged a knowing look with Arthur, thankful that the king would even do such a thing for a servant, and staggered to the back of Arthur's chambers. Gwen and Arthur slowly followed behind him, hanging back in the doorway to give them a modicum of space.

Once Gwaine set his eyes on Merlin, he grinned broadly. "Merlin! You're alive!"

"Observant," Merlin quipped, smiling.

Rushing to his bedside with open arms, Gwaine stopped as soon as he saw the bandages. Gwaine quickly gave up the quest for a hug, but settled for swooping in for a sloppy kiss on Merlin's forehead.

Merlin wiped away at the spot and said, "Gwaine, you reek."

"Merlin, you're alive." Gwaine carefully placed his hands on each of Merlin's shoulders and looked at him wide-eyed like the servant was missing something entirely.

"I know," Merlin said, unsure of how else to respond.

"I didn't," Gwaine breathed for what felt like the first time in the last day.

"Oh," Merlin uttered, realizing that Gwaine had probably spent the whole night in the tavern over him.

"Yeah, 'oh.' Now budge over." Gwaine made space for himself to sit at the end of the bed before plopping down.

Arthur walked over to his bed and Gwen followed. "Now that we're all on the same page," Arthur began, glancing at Gwen and Gwaine, "I need you both to help us. Save Gaius, nobody outside this room can know that Merlin is here, that he's alive. Especially Staunton's men."

Gwaine clenched a fistful of the blanket. "Did they—"

Both Merlin and Arthur replied, "Yes." Merlin's voice carried a weight beneath it as Arthur's seethed with rage.

"But we are not going to show our hand"—Arthur glanced at Merlin—"Staunton and his men are plotting an invasion. They plan on killing me tomorrow—"

"What are we waiting for? Let's take care of them now!" Gwaine interrupted.

"No," Arthur said, shaking his head. "I cannot address this without them revealing their betrayal. They have troops that are already here, and thanks to Merlin, we know where they're coming in and how we're going to stop them. Leon and Percival will be accompanying me tomorrow to take care of Lord Staunton and his men in the castle. His troops are entering at the northern battlements, but they will have to bottleneck to exit the tunnel. Tristan and his men will stage archers at the battlements to pick off anyone who emerges. Bedivere and Ector will lead a ground unit to the entrance of the tunnel. These men will have to come out sooner or later. If they want to surrender, they surrender. If they want to fight, they've got one."

Gwaine, accepting that he has no role at the front lines, asked, "Where do you need me?"

"Here," Arthur replied, glancing at both of them. "I need both of you here. With Merlin," Arthur concluded, eyes finally landing on his wounded servant.

"Arthur," Merlin weakly protested, lifting his hand to illustrate his disagreement. "I don't need protection."

Arthur frowned as he looked the bandaged man up and down. "Clearly, you do."

Merlin glanced down at his hands, and the room fell silent.

Sighing, Arthur continued, looking at Gwaine. "So Gwaine, I need you to sober up and stay here with Merlin. Everything is supposed to happen tomorrow."

Gwaine nodded, and Arthur turned his attention towards Gwen. "Gwen, I need you to take care of Merlin while Gaius is busy," Gwen nodded, and Arthur finished, "I also need you to come here early tomorrow morning. Stay together."

"Why?" Gwen asked.

Arthur's mouth thinned into a line. "I'm not losing anyone else." Arthur pointedly looked at Merlin. "Or again."

The room fell silent once more for a few moments before Arthur spoke, "If I don't come back—"

Merlin's head shot up, fear shining in his eyes.

"—If I don't come back, there's a false bottom in that wardrobe"—Arthur pointed to a wardrobe across from the bed—"It drops into a tunnel that leads to another room across the castle. It's behind two externally locked doors, an old guest room that we never use."

One of Gwen's eyebrows shot up and she crossed her arms, suspicious. "You mean the one that's 'haunted'?"

Arthur snickered, unable to hide a grin. "I wouldn't exactly say 'haunted,' but I did used to climb down there and make noises to spook the staff into staying away…"

Gwen rolled her eyes as Gwaine let out a guffaw. "Of course, you did." Merlin said, a smile plastered across his face.

Still smiling, Arthur said, "Shut up, Merlin."

The pair looked at each other and smiled.

"Now," Arthur said, clapping his hands together before using them to point at Gwaine, "You, go rest." Turning his attention to Gwen, he continued, "Gwen, can you see to it that Gwaine receives some fresh water to wash up, and bring some more food and water up, enough for tomorrow, too. And you"—Arthur pointed his hands at Merlin—"Don't die."

"Yes, Sire." Merlin responded.

"Good." Arthur nodded and turned towards the door. "I must make more preparations for tomorrow."

As Arthur went to leave, Gwaine gave Merlin one last watery smile and grabbed a spare blanket from the end of the bed. "Better follow orders from His Highness," he proclaimed, heading towards the other room to go lay down on the rug.

"Since when do you follow orders?" Merlin asked cheekily.

Halfway out the door, Gwaine retorted with a laugh, "Since when do you?"

Gwen affectionately ruffled Merlin's hair. "I'd better not dally in getting anything. I'll stop by Gaius's, too, and I will see if he needs anything—or has anything for you."

Merlin shared a brief smile with her before she left, and he slunk down into Arthur's criminally comfortable bed. Merlin adjusted himself, wedging the pillows precisely where they needed to go, and drifted off into sleep, knowing that the true comfort was the relief of finally being home.

As Arthur headed towards the armory to make final preparations, he saw Lord Staunton, sauntering down the hall as if he already owned the place. Arms open with an affable grin, Lord Staunton called, "Are you ready for breakfast tomorrow?"

"Yes," Arthur said, "We are looking forward to showing you the best of Camelot's hospitality." He smiled his best fake smile as one of Lord Staunton's open hands descended upon his bicep with a clap.

"I hope, Your Highness, that you will be feeling well enough to join our hunt afterwards."

Arthur forged another smile as Lord Staunton relinquished his grasp. "We shall see. I hope that you have found your accommodations here in Camelot to be as generous as what you have provided me with?"

"Of course, of course," he replied jovially, patting his extended belly. "Very generous."

"I am glad to hear," Arthur responded. "Oh, have you had the chance yet to meet my uncle, Lord Agravaine?"

Lord Staunton thought for a moment, twiddling the end of his thick mustache. "No, I haven't yet, Sire. Quite regrettable, though I look forward to meeting him on the morrow."

"Certainly," Arthur said, stepping aside. "I imagine the two of you will get along quite well. If you will excuse me, I must attend to matters of state."

"Of course, of course. Tomorrow, Your Highness!" Lord Staunton called with a wave as Arthur continued his path towards the armory.

By the time Arthur returned, it was dark outside. Both Gwaine and Merlin were fast asleep, only Gwen was working with the curtains closed and the low glow of the fire and a few scattered candles.

"Arthur," Gwen greeted him softly with a smile, broom still in her hand.

"Hi, Gwen," Arthur replied, utterly exhausted. He began peeling off the layers of armor, and Gwen turned around to give him privacy, suddenly finding the back corner of the room particularly dirty.

"Gaius has already been by," Gwen said between sweeps, "He gave Merlin a tincture to help him rest and heal. Gaius also left Gwaine a tonic for the hangover, not that he has once woken up to acknowledge it. He left me with some things for tomorrow, assuming that he's going to be busy with the wounds from tomorrow…" Gwen stared off at the pile of dirt that had accumulated under her broom.

Armor removed, Arthur grabbed some clothes from his drawers and slung them over his changing screen. "Gwen?" he called in response to her silence.

"It's just…Merlin's wounds."

"You saw them?" Arthur inquired, shimmying out of his pants and opting for a softer pair of pajamas.

Gwen paused before answering, "They're terrible."

"Yes, they are," Arthur affirmed with a grimace.

"I didn't know…" Gwen began, but couldn't bring herself to say anything further.

"That he had scars? Big ones." Arthur finished.

"Yeah."

"Neither did I," Arthur sighed. He never meant for Merlin to be that loyal to him. He never wanted Merlin to be that loyal to him. "He's an idiot."

Gwen stopped sweeping. "What?"

"For not saying anything"—Arthur threw his long nightshirt on and emerged from behind the screen—"Some of those wounds are fresh, at least occurring after he become my servant. How on earth did he manage to hide them?"

Gwen reswept the same pile. "I don't know."

Slumping into the chair at his breakfasting table, he pecked at a few of the grapes on the platter in front of him. The forlorn sausages and bread rolls had long been taken care of by Gwen's uneasy tidying. "It makes me wonder what else he's hiding from me."

Gwen stopped sweeping, left the broom propped against the wall, and said, "You don't think he'd betray you, do you?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, I don't think he would. It's just…there's something about Merlin, isn't there?" He grabbed a few slices of cured meat and glanced over at his servant, who was sleeping soundly across the room.

"I suppose there is, Sire." Gwen replied, stealing a glance at the impossible man slumbering across the room. She turned back to watch Arthur snag a piece of cheese and devour it. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Arthur replied, avoiding eye contact in favor of eyeing more cheese.

Gwen shook her head. "No, you're really not."

Arthur sighed. "I—we just have to get through tomorrow."

Gwen, grabbing a few grapes for herself, probed, "So, what's the plan?"

"Like I said earlier, Leon and Percival are coming with me to breakfast. It was Lord Staunton's idea to have a formal—more intimate—breakfast once I was feeling well enough to do so. It was surmised that we perhaps go hunting afterward and hold a feast prior to his departure, though I imagine that was less so part of their plan," Arthur answered.

"So"—Gwen popped another grape in her mouth—"How do you know the plan?"

Arthur glanced at Merlin, who was still snoozing soundly. "Merlin. He told me that they were planning to kill me at this breakfast. He also said that he had told them…" Arthur trailed off, drawing a hand close to his mouth. He choked up for a minute, thinking of them deciding that they no longer needed Merlin anymore and throwing him away in a pit of the dead.

"Arthur?"

"He told me that he had told them to go through the tunnels that run under the northern battlements. It seems they were scouting it out last night. Leon confirmed." Arthur paused with a sour face, unsure if he should tell Gwen about Agravaine's betrayal.

"Arthur, is there something you're not saying?" She asked, placing her hand over his, which had settled on the table just before the tray of food.

Arthur took a deep breath. "It's just that…My uncle was with them, giving them directions."

Gwen's face rounded out into shock. "Lord Agravaine is betraying you?"

"It would seem so," Arthur concluded, and the pair sat in silence for a moment.

"He was the last one, Gwen. The last person in my family who could possibly betray me." He glanced up at her. "Is there something about me, Gwen? Do I inspire some people to this sort of madness?"

Gwen was taken aback. "Of course not, Arthur. I mean, as Merlin says, you can be kind of a clotpole sometimes…"

"Hey—" Arthur weakly protests.

"…But I think they just want the power. You have a heart of gold, and you want what's best for your people. We know that. You know we would do anything to support you."

Arthur is quiet for a moment before admitting in almost a whisper, "I know. That's what I'm afraid of."

Just before dawn arose, Arthur was awake, not that he had slept much throughout the night in the first place. He had laid in bed next to Merlin, but he was constantly afraid of hitting the wounded man, not to mention the general anxiety about the following day.

Merlin was still fast asleep, and only so much as occasionally snuffled, which assured Arthur that the younger man had not died in his sleep. Gaius's tincture must have done a number on Merlin, that or he was finally able to get some sleep after the ordeal that he had gone through. Either way, Arthur was relieved that he would not have to say goodbye to Merlin before he left for the day. He did not think that he would be able to do such a thing without being emotional, and he was glad to avoid it.

Gwaine, who had woken up even earlier, was already clean, sober, and properly dressed by the time that Arthur so much as got up. Once awake, Arthur directed the knight towards the platter of food that Gwen had prepared as he got ready himself.

Gwaine gladly took Arthur up on the offering and happily filled up on the assortment of foods meant for a king. Gwen arrived shortly thereafter, alerting the two with only the faintest of knocks.

Arthur, now dressed, answered the door and led Gwen to the back at his breakfast-turned-war strategy table. He sat down and looked up at the both of them, "I will be leaving shortly to meet with Percival and Leon, so I need you two to be prepared. Gwen, please watch over Merlin. Gwaine, if need be, please escort them to safety." They both nodded, and Arthur sucked in a breath. "It might be chaotic today, beyond all of this, as we will likely be arresting my uncle for treason."

"Is Lord Agravaine in cahoots with Lord Staunton?" Gwaine asked.

"Yes, he was caught by Sir Leon assisting Lord Staunton scope out the tunnels to the north," Arthur said plainly, trying to not let emotion get to his face.

Gwaine nods with a grimace. "Good luck." Gwaine extended his arm and Arthur grabbed his forearm. After a quick, affirming shake, Gwaine added, "And tear Staunton and his men a new one for what they did to Merlin."

"And Sir Frederick," Arthur added, remembering what Merlin had shared earlier.

"They got him, too?" Gwaine asked.

"Merlin says he saw him," Arthur explained.

"For Sir Frederick, then, too." Gwaine nodded, his mouth a thin line.

As Arthur rose, preparing to leave, Gwen touched his arm. "Please be careful."

Arthur wore a grim expression, but tried to smile. "I'll try."

Before leaving, Arthur spared one final glance at Merlin, who was still asleep in his bed. Ruffling his hair, Arthur repeated quietly, "I'll try."

Merlin awoke an hour later with a start. "Did I miss it?"

"Miss what?" Gwaine responded from his uneasy pacing across the room.

"The murder breakfast," Merlin deadpanned, having no better name for it.

"No," Gwaine replied, glancing out the window. "Though it should be starting soon." Merlin tried to push himself out of bed, but slumped down in a heap. Gwaine glared at him for the attempt, but reassured Merlin, "Arthur can handle it. And he's got Leon and Percival to back him up."

Merlin nodded, but he could not escape the uneasy pit forming in his stomach. Still, he pushed himself up harder and managed to situate himself in a sitting position.

Gwen emerged from the other room, nervously twiddling with one of Arthur's socks that needed darning. "I just hope that it all goes well with Agravaine."

Merlin shot up even higher and threw the covers off of his body. "What do you mean, Agravaine?"

"When Leon was staking out the tunnels, he said that he saw Agravaine down there with Staunton's men. He was giving them instructions," Gwen explained.

Visibly agitated, Merlin slid out of bed just enough to plant both feet firmly on the ground. "So Agravaine's involved in all this?" Merlin asked again.

Gwaine walked over to Merlin's bedside, concerned about the sudden agitation. "That's what Gwen just said. Arthur's planning to arrest him during this breakfast."

Merlin just shook his head. "No, no, no, no. You don't understand. Agravaine is involved in this."

Gwaine put both of his hands on Merlin's shoulders, and Gwen approached the bedside, abandoning the darned sock along the way. "Mate, we understand that plenty. What do you mean?"

Merlin paused before dropping his head into his hands, unsure if he could share this information without incriminating himself, though it was seemingly increasingly impossible to not incriminate himself. "Morgana," he admitted softly.

Gwen perked up. "Morgana?"

Sighing, Merlin looked upright at them both, clasping his hands together underneath his chin. "Agravaine has been working with Morgana to overthrow Camelot, to overthrow Arthur."

"Wait, how do you know that?" Gwaine asked.

Merlin shook his head. "That's not important. What's important is that we have to go. Now." Merlin tried to get up, but the pain in his feet sent him right back down to the bed.

"What do you mean, 'go'?" Gwaine scoffed. "You can't go anywhere."

"Yes. I. Can," Merlin said between gritted teeth as he grabbed Arthur's headboard and pulled himself upright with his right arm, left arm desperately cradling his still-broken ribs. His back ached, and he was sure that he had ripped a few scabs, but it was worth it. To Merlin, it didn't matter if he was facing Morgana without shoes. No one else could stop her.

Gwaine extended his arm in front of Merlin, worried that the man might hurt himself. "Merlin, seriously, what are you going to do?"

Merlin's eyes glanced back at the exit of Arthur's chambers. "We've got to warn Arthur. These aren't just Staunton's men." He shook his head and laughed at his naivete. "I thought it was a lot simpler than this."

Gwen chimed in this time. "What do you mean, Merlin?"

Merlin ground his teeth. "It means that Staunton's men are just the decoy to invade us. Morgana is going to attack. Today. Right now, probably." He threw his arms up in exasperation and instantly regretted the decision.

Gwaine huffed, pushing Merlin back down to sit at the edge of the bed. "Sure, we can warn Arthur, but Merlin, what are you going to do?"

Merlin's eyes flashed bright gold and everything in the room—pillows, papers, books, cheese, goblets—swirled in the air around him. "This," he explained, extending his arms as it all clattered to the ground around him. Standing once more, Merlin glared at Gwaine, his eyes shifting back from gold to blue. "Now get out of my way."

End of Chapter 9

A/n: Magic reveal, commence! Next chapter is almost done being drafted. Hopefully up by the weekend. After that, there should only be one more chapter (two at most if I decide to split it).

Thanks, guys!

~gecko