The trek back seemed far longer than the trek there. The knights said nothing but kept staring at Arthur. He hung his head and wouldn't look at them. Gwaine tried to walk beside Merlin and Arthur, but Arthur shied away from him whenever he got too close, pressing so close to Merlin that Merlin almost fell several times. Eventually, Merlin had to ask Gwaine to keep his distance. Gwaine pouted but left.

Arthur's behavior didn't make sense. He was a knight. Surely from a very young age, he had already been put on that track. So why was he afraid of them?

Arthur began panting heavily. Merlin wanted to offer to pick him up, but tiny Arthur probably had just as much pride as big Arthur, if not more. Convincing him to let himself be picked up would undoubtedly be a losing battle.

Leon emerged onto the road and cursed heavily. Merlin had to tuck his hands into his belt to avoid clapping his hands over Arthur's ears. What was wrong with him? Arthur wasn't actually a child. Why did he want to take care of him like one?

Merlin and Arthur emerged onto the road, which was far too empty. His heart sank. Their horses were gone. "Did the horses run off?" Merlin asked.

"Or they were stolen." Gwaine kicked a rock and cursed. "We're going to have to walk back."

Arthur melted into heaving sobs.

"Arthur?" Elyan exclaimed.

"What, can the princess not handle a short walk?" Gwaine commented.

Merlin cast a fiery glare at Gwaine. He knelt in front of Arthur and grasped his shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Arthur shook his head. He covered his face with his hands and kept sobbing.

"Arthur, tell me what's wrong," Merlin pressed. "I'm here for you, I'm not here for Uther. You can tell me what's wrong."

"We…we're gonna be late," Arthur said between hitching sobs. "We're… gonna… take… for… forever… to get home… and… and Father's… gonna know… and… and he's gonna punish me."

That prickling, staticky, something's-wrong feeling returned. Arthur wasn't the type to cry, especially not like this, and he was always brave, almost foolishly brave. To be this scared of his father's punishment? Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

"It's all right, Arthur," Merlin said. "I'll tell your father it was my fault."

Arthur shook his head. "He won't believe you. It's always my fault. I'm the prince. It's my… my… 'sponsability. Even if… somebody else…" He shook his head again.

"Then I'll take your punishment," Merlin said. "Whatever your father prescribes, I'll take it."

Arthur's sobs quieted. "You'd do that?" His eyes shone.

Merlin nodded.

"He'll kill you." Arthur's lip jutted out.

Merlin shrugged. "I think you'll find I'm pretty hard to kill." He stood up and stuck out his hand. "You ready to go?"

Arthur wiped his face with his sleeve and slipped his hand in Merlin's. He nodded. "I wasn't crying."

"Of course not," Merlin said.

Even quieter now, the knights, Merlin, and Arthur started towards Camelot.

The sun was setting in the sky, darkness falling in the woods. Arthur had become completely exhausted, stumbling along with his eyes almost closed. Merlin had picked him up then, and Arthur was so tired, he didn't protest, just wrapped his arms around Merlin's neck and rested his head on his shoulder.

Gwaine glanced back. "Is he asleep?"

Merlin nodded.

Gwaine dropped back to Merlin's side and nodded at Arthur. "What do you think is wrong with him?"

"He's six years old when he shouldn't be," Merlin said.

Gwaine rolled his eyes. "You know that's not what I meant." He tucked his thumbs into his belt. "I don't think I've ever seen him cry before."

"And you had to make fun of him," Elyan said. "He's just a kid."

Gwaine shrugged, but he seemed to hang his head a bit. Or maybe it was Merlin's imagination.

"Leon, do you know what's wrong?" Lancelot asked.

Leon shook his head. "I wasn't in Camelot when Arthur was that young. By the time I joined the knights of Camelot, he was already a squire."

They quieted. If not even Leon knew, then none of them had been in Camelot early enough to know what was wrong.

"He was afraid of Uther," Lancelot said.

"Aren't we all?" Gwaine said.

"Can't you stay serious for one minute?" Elyan snapped. "You know this isn't normal. Arthur doesn't cry. And I've never seen him afraid of his father, not like that."

Arthur frowned and whimpered. Merlin shifted his arms so one could support him with one arm and rubbed his back. Arthur sighed and tightened his arms around Merlin's neck.

"He's afraid of us too," Gwaine said.

"Why?" Percival asked.

"I mean, we're his knights," Elyan said.

"He doesn't know that," Merlin said. "He thinks you're his father's knights."

"He's not afraid of you," Lancelot commented.

"I told him I serve him, not his father," Merlin said. It all went back to Uther. What he couldn't figure out was why. Arthur was supposed to be the one person Uther was nice to.

"Plus, who could be scared of Merlin?" Gwaine said.

The other knights laughed except for Leon. Leon walked off the side of the road. "Let's make camp here." He stopped in a small clearing about twenty yards from the road.

Merlin and the rest of the knights followed him Merlin sank down on the ground, his back against a log. Normally, he'd start a fire himself, but he wasn't willing to put Arthur down, not when he was in such a vulnerable state and Merlin was the only one he trusted.

"I'll make a fire," Elyan offered. He walked off to gather firewood.

Arthur shivered, tucking himself against Merlin's chest.

"Here." Percival set Arthur's things down and unclasped his cloak. He draped it around Arthur and Merlin.

Merlin smiled at him. "Thank you," he whispered.

"Gwaine," Leon said.

Gwaine, who had just flopped down on the ground and pulled an apple out of his bag, raised his head. "Yes?"

"I need to speak with you."

Gwaine put his apple back in his bag and stood. "All right."

Leon drew him off. Merlin couldn't tell what they were saying, but from the tone and Leon gesturing to Arthur, it was clear Gwaine was being lectured.

Elyan returned and built the fire, then Merlin, Percival, Elyan, and Lancelot sat around the fire silently.

"What do we do when we get back to Camelot?" Percival asked. "Who's in charge?"

"Agravaine?" Elyan suggested.

"Oh gosh, I hope not," Merlin said without thinking. Percival, Elyan, and Lancelot turned to stare at him. He shrugged. "I mean, no offense to Arthur, but his uncle is so…" He trailed off, not exactly sure what word he was looking for.

Lancelot nodded. "I'm glad Arthur's happy with him, but…"

"I wouldn't put him in charge of a country," Elyan finished.

"Exactly," Lancelot said.

"Well, hopefully it won't come to that," Merlin said. "If we can disguise his absence until he's restored to his proper form, we won't have to worry about it."

Arthur's heavy warm body was lulling Merlin to sleep. Lancelot, Elyan, and Percival continued their quiet conversation, but Merlin fell fast asleep.