Top of the morning to you all! So here I am with the next chapter, but first thank you to everyone who left a review :)

And to my beta and second pair of eyes, Paralelsky

o}O{o

It turned out that Mordred' expedition had been just what he needed, despite everyone's else displeasure. Gaius, Gwen and Morgana were thrilled that he was making a speedy recovery, but the point they tried to make about going against the physician's orders was falling on deaf ears. The only one who was able to talk any sense into him was Arthur who, under threat of Morgana, was doing so as gently as possible a few days later.

"I mean honestly, Mordred, how stupid do you have to be? What were you thinking?" Arthur demanded impatiently after giving him a short lecture. Mordred stood in the middle of the antechamber, with his hands stuffed into his cloak pockets and pouting quite spectacularly. "Well?"

The boy shifted and preferred to study the floor. He mumbled something he knew Arthur wouldn't be able to understand. He was bestowed a raised eyebrow which prompted him to sigh. "I was picking herbs," Mordred admitted, each word said like he scraped them from his tongue. "Or trying to."

Arthur laughed despite knowing it would not be appreciated. "Was that so hard?"

His servant gave him a disparaging look. "I didn't do anything wrong, Sire," Mordred maintained.

"You put yourself in danger," the prince drawled, "and you worried Merlin. Isn't that right, Merlin?"

The child in question nodded emphatically, causing Arthur to smirk triumphantly. Merlin was at his customary spot at the table, playing idly with two of his toys. Mordred made no attempt to hide the petulance gleaming in his eyes, but Arthur did not mind. The memory of seeing the boy too tired to keep his eyes open was still fresh in Arthur's mind.

"I don't need to stop training you do I?" Arthur asked, playing his final card.

Mordred's face contorted in shock at once. "No!"

"Then mind your recovery. I don't want to see you hurt," Arthur finished and went back to his reports. The papers were currently being trampled by Merlin's toy horse, which Mordred had dubbed Ethel for its resemblance to a cow.

Arthur was oblivious to Mordred's shy smile as he went to save his report. He swiped it away and held the rumpled pages apathetically. Merlin bit his lip apologetically, but there was no hiding his grin. Arthur attempted to favour Merlin with a scolding look, but ended up tossing the papers back down and grabbing Sir Arthur and stamping the pages with the toy.

Merlin giggled delightedly, and renewed his efforts. Mordred, who had been meaning to tell Arthur about the combat book he was reading, stood completely frozen. Merlin's laugh had carried throughout the chambers; it was childish and carefree, chiming like a bell. It was exactly like Mordred had imagined, but instead of being overjoyed that Merlin laughed out loud for the first time since they'd known each other, he felt devastated.

His lips curled downward on their own before Mordred stopped it. His eyes started to burn and his nose itched. Merlin carried on playing with Arthur who was doing a good job of ruining his report, neither of them noticing that Mordred had gone quiet. But he was always quiet, Mordred reflected. The prince did not even know what he had done. In the two years that Mordred had spent with Merlin, he had never gotten him to laugh. Not once. And now Arthur did it without a thought, without trying.

When Merlin laughed again, this time louder, Mordred felt a strong need to escape. The younger boy was not even paying him any mind, like it was not a momentous occasion. Mordred forced a smile on his lips and rubbed at his eye. "I'm rather tired, Sire," he said, hoping his voice did not sound too thick. "Would it be too much trouble to look after Merlin for a bit?"

Arthur gave him a passing glance before grinning and putting the toy knight down. "Not at all," he said.

Merlin finally looked around at him, but Mordred ducked into a bow. Not able to make eye contact with him, Mordred turned on his heel and hurried out of the chambers. As soon as he closed the door behind him, tears swelled in his eyes and nearly blinded him. But he hastily wiped them away and walked briskly down the hall with his head down. As soon as he entered the first stairwell, he bolted up the steps all the way to the highest floor where he knew no one would be. Feeling like the walls were closing in on him, Mordred found the hall where he and Arthur practiced and he wedged himself into the corner, burying his head into his knees. His shoulders shuddered as he sobbed, distraught that Merlin didn't seem to need him anymore.

o}O{o

Mordred tried to think of it as a great accomplishment that he made it to night time without anyone noticing how he was feeling. Merlin looked at him oddly before the boy fell asleep, but neither he nor Gaius was the wiser. Now Mordred was lying beside Merlin, staring at the darkness despondently. Was this destiny? He thought bitterly. He knew that the prophecies said that it was to be Emrys and The Once and Future King to unite Albion, but made no mention of him in that respect. Only that he would guide and protect Emrys to his destiny.

Had he already done it then? Was his part in Merlin's life fulfilled? Did Merlin not need him anymore?

Feeling tears gather in his eyes, Mordred peeled himself off his bed. Merlin did not stir as the older warlock grabbed his teal cloak and left the room. In the main chambers Gaius was fast asleep and snoring, not aware Mordred was sneaking out of the chambers. Outside the door, the corridor was empty save for the shadows looming where the fire light did not touch. Torches lined the walls and enabled the eleven year old to see clearly. Making his way without being observed did not pose a problem even while blinking back tears.

Mordred felt far from calm as he almost mechanically walked through corridors, keeping to the walls to avoid attention. The distance grew between him and the physician's chambers, and soon he had breached the courtyard. Stars were glittering in the black sky, illuminating the square and the guards standing watch by the main doors to the castle. Mordred put up his hood, the boy's lips and chin the only thing discernible to the eye. Not knowing another way out of Camelot besides the gates, Mordred started on his way. Keeping an eye on the guards and staying in the shadows clinging to the castle wall, he soon made it into the lower town.

Once there, he settled behind a troop of barrels to stop and listen to his surroundings. Not even the exhilaration of sneaking around could make him feel better. If Merlin did not need him anymore, Mordred figured that he was better off without him here. And even though he kept seeing the faces of his friends in his head, he was feeling too hurt to reason with himself. He wanted Selwyn to tell him what to do. Reassured by the prospect of seeking council, Mordred peered out from behind the barrels and scanned the street. Wooden houses stood like sentries, but no patrols could be seen or heard. Taking his chance, the young guardian stole out of his hiding place and ran quickly down the dirt road. His footfalls were muffled by his soft leather boots and he encountered his first real problem when he arrived at the gates.

Mordred could see the dark outline of the forest past the gates and road. He hid behind a stand belonging to the last house on the end of the row, eyeing the two guards talking with each other in front of the gates. For a moment he stood indecisive, when he came up with an idea. Across the street, there stood a neat pile of chopped wood next to a line of barrels and crates, posing as a perfect distraction. Mordred poured all of his focus on them and breathed out slowly.

"Binne tófléon," he whispered under his breath. To his immense satisfaction, the barrels tipped over onto the crates, sending them clattering out of the way. He watched the guards jump a mile and lower their spears cautiously. After trading anxious glances the taller took the first step forward.

"Who's there?" he shouted and picked up his pace when no answer came.

They passed Mordred's hiding place and the boy ducked out when they were several paces away. He kept low to the ground and made it past the gate unhindered. When his foot touched dirt, he started to sprint. Mordred's cloak streamed behind him, rushing in his ears alarmingly loud. But the tree line grew larger as he blew by it. He quickly found a tree to hide behind and glanced back toward the city. There was no commotion at the gates so Mordred breathed out in satisfaction and turned around, holding his cloak so it wouldn't get caught on any branches.

It was hard to see- the moonlight did not reach well into the trees. But he walked slowly, taking his time and trying hard not to look back. After a few more steps he stopped, needing to turn around and peer through the trees. The castle appeared bright against the darkness, and Mordred felt the lack of safety that being inside its walls provided. He could not go back though. If Merlin did not need him anymore Mordred did not know what he would do. But he found that he could not move forward and his eyes remained locked on the castle.

o}O{o

Merlin woke up knowing that something was not right. He sat up and quickly found the problem- Mordred was not beside him or anywhere to be seen. Merlin did not hesitate in climbing off the bed, but was intimidated by the darkness. He stood between the two beds, staring at the spot where Mordred should have been. A large part of him wanted to climb back under the blankets, yet the bad feeling he had spurred him onward. The door was open, so Merlin walked through hurriedly and scanned the main chambers, feeling his stomach fall when he realized that the older boy wasn't there. Gaius was sleeping soundly and Merlin spent a few excruciating moments debating whether or not to wake him. The young warlock was wary of getting Mordred in trouble so, against his better judgement, he dashed across the chambers and opened the door louder than he had intended. Not knowing exactly where Mordred would be, but feeling an urge to turn left, Merlin departed the physician's chambers forgetting to put on his boots as well as shut the door.

He found his way to the eastern gates purely on instinct, and luck let him escape the notice of the guards. There were two of them inspecting a mess across the street from Merlin and not taking any heed of the gates. Free to leave the city, Merlin rushed to clear the gates feeling terrified and confused. The wind was picking up, it cleaved through his thin night shirt and made Merlin relieved that he had forgotten to take off his neckerchief before falling asleep. It was a comfort to him. His bare feet came to a stop midway between the city and the forest, making time for him to gather his courage.

Merlin had no idea where Mordred had gone or why he had left him. The tears threatening to fall since he had woken up finally spilled over and blurred his vision. He wanted Mordred to come back. Merlin was scared- even though the moon shone bright overhead the black sky was still menacing. And Tynan could be waiting in the shadows for all he knew. Merlin bit his lip and looked back at the castle, wishing he had Arthur with him right now. He should have woken up Gaius. But Mordred was in the forest, he was sure of it. So Merlin pressed on, frightened but too scared to go back without his guardian.

When he entered the tree line he started to sob quietly. The coming of night had poisoned the forest, twisting the trees into shadowy monsters. His hands clasped against his throat in an attempt to protect it from the ghoulish branches reaching for him. The uneven ground was rough under his toes without his boots to protect them and the wind rustling through the unseen leaves seemed to whisper threats. But he needed to find Mordred. He walked for what felt like ages before his fears rooted him to the spot and he whirled around to try and see the castle. But it was gone from view, causing Merlin to cry harder.

What if he never found his way back? What if Mordred was gone forever? What if Tynan got them?

Many more scenarios flashed through his head, growing more outlandish in time with his panic. His breaths started to come in ragged pants and he opened his mouth without realizing what he was doing. "Mordred!" Merlin screamed, his eyes flashing gold.

o}O{o

Mordred had not moved from where his feet had decided to stop. Through the trees he could still see the castle, lit by the moonlight overhead. It was beautiful, the pale stone almost shone in the night and Mordred could see pinpricks of light in a few windows. A snapping twig caused him to wheel his head around in alarm. He listened and relaxed as he heard something small move through the underbrush, a squirrel he would wager.

Mordred sighed quietly, and put his back to Camelot. As he tried to convince himself to move, his brow puckered severely and his throat became tight. He remained motionless, not even trying to prevent the whistling wind from biting his skin. "I can't," Mordred whispered to the forest. Just as he turned back toward the castle, snagging his cloak on a clawing tree branch, a piercing shriek shot through the forest. Mordred whirled around in surprise, recognizing his name. "What?" he breathed. It was a child that had called him, but he didn't know any young children in Camelot. Except-

"Mordred!" The voice screamed again and this time Mordred realized at once.

"Merlin!" he shouted back- disbelief and panic coursing through his veins. "Merlin?" Mordred started to run in the direction Merlin had called him from, as fast as he could and fighting his way through branches and undergrowth.

"Mordred!" Merlin shouted again. A thought that this was a trick orchestrated by Tynan flitted through his mind but he quickly dismissed it. Mordred heard Merlin cry out in his nightmares before and the fear in the child's tone was too real and familiar to him. "Mordred!"

"I'm coming, Merlin!" he yelled. Mordred tried to run faster, well aware of the dangers the forest posed to Merlin. In his haste he tripped over a gnarly tree root, hidden by the night. He crashed down into the leaves and scraped his hands but he scrambled to get up again.

"Mordred?" Merlin called out in fear. His voice was closer and Mordred knew that the boy had heard him fall.

"Merlin!" he called and frantically tried to see through the darkness. And then ahead of him and around a shadowy obstruction of trees, Mordred glimpsed a small figure. "Merlin!"

The child turned and cried out tearfully before barrelling toward Mordred. The older boy stretched his arms out while running and slid onto his knees to catch Merlin. They wrapped their arms around each other and hung on tightly.

"What are you doing out here?" Mordred demanded, grabbing Merlin's narrow shoulders and pushing them apart.

"You were gone!" Merlin sobbed. Mordred froze and stared at his lips. "I was scared!"

"You're talking," Mordred breathed.

"Why did you leave?" Merlin asked him, too needy of his own answers to care about giving any to Mordred. The child's voice was quiet now.

"Merlin!" Mordred called sharply and then said gently, "you're talking." The boy just stared at him and tried to stop crying, blinking his tears away. Mordred raised his hands and wiped Merlin's cheeks before laughing despite tears gathering and falling from his own eyes. "You're talking." He hugged Merlin then, wondering if this was only the realest dream he had ever had.

Merlin was the one who pushed away this time and he stared miserably at Mordred. "Were you running away?"

Mordred hid a grimace. "I don't know what I was doing," he admitted quietly.

"You were leaving," Merlin reminded him, his cobalt eyes once again becoming glassy.

"No," Mordred stated, "I'll never leave you. Never." He was sure now- Merlin did need him. And trying to take just a few steps away from the castle just now proved pointless anyway.

Merlin blinked a few times, weighing the older warlock with his eyes. "Promi-"

"I promise." Mordred smiled and Merlin smiled back.

o}O{o

Getting back into the city posed a bit of a problem for them. Having gone around to the southern gates, Mordred almost got them caught by stepping out of the shadows too soon. But some quick thinking and a little magic had sent the guards off their trail. On the way back to the physician's chambers there were more guards patrolling the streets and it took Mordred a long half hour to pass them by without notice. Merlin was hanging on to him, his arms wrapped around the older boy's neck like a vice grip causing Mordred's arms to hurt from carrying him all the way. The younger boy had not moved since they left the forest, but when Mordred abruptly stopped walking, he lifted his head.

The door to the physician's chambers was open, a fact which Mordred didn't like at all. He placed Merlin on the ground and started forward, making sure that the child was safely behind him. Merlin looked up and opened his mouth to speak, but a rush of motion had him snapping it shut and grabbing the back of Mordred's cloak. A panicked looking Gaius came running out the room, shoving the door open further and causing it to collide with the wall behind it.

He noticed them at once and stumbled to a stop, blinking at them furiously. Merlin stepped fully behind Mordred and did not see the wince that passed over the servant's face. Gaius did however and the physician went from looking worried to harsh.

"What are you doing up?" he demanded, his voice like a crack of a whip.

Mordred tried to glance backward at Merlin, but the boy was too small to see. He did not begrudge the boy's silence in the slightest, so he faced Gaius feeling nervous. "We, um-"

"Get inside," the physician interjected and grabbed Mordred by the shoulder. He ushered the boys inside and guided them to the table before lighting the candle. Merlin and Mordred sat at the table while Gaius remained standing, looming over them angrily. It occurred to Mordred that the sight of Gaius is his nightgown with dishevelled hair was rather funny so he had to look down to hide his smirk. But the physician's next words turned it into a frown.

"Do you know how worried I was?" Gaius asked them, "I woke up to find the door open, both of you gone! I thought the worst!"

Mordred looked down in shame and glanced at Merlin. The dark haired boy's lips were trembling and a tear was clinging to an eyelash.

"I'm sorry," Merlin whispered softly, his disused voice barely a change to the silence.

Mordred was surprised that he spoke but smiled in relief, having not been certain that Merlin would continue to talk. The older boy then looked at Gaius to gauge his reaction and was not dissatisfied. Gaius' mouth was open in wonder and his eyebrows were so scrunched together that they looked like a bushy grey zigzag. His next reaction was to look at Mordred for affirmation. When the servant grinned, Gaius spluttered, "Did he...?"

Mordred nodded and Gaius went to kneel in front of Merlin. He child brought his hands up to wring his neckerchief and squinted down at his hands. "I left the door open," Merlin confessed in a hushed and tearful voice. It was high pitched and muddled with childish timbre. "I forgot." He then began to rub his bare feet together. They were stained with dirt and likely freezing from the walk.

Mordred set his arm around Merlin's shoulders comfortingly and looked on as the distress left Gaius' features. The physician smiled and grabbed Merlin's feet, cradling them in his hands to warm him up. "I was only worried, Merlin, it's alright," Gaius said gently. Mordred stared at the physician in awe of the restraint displayed, but grateful for it since Merlin was easily frightened. Gaius laughed and picked Merlin up so he could sit and place Merlin on his lap. The boy settled into Gaius' hold, too big to curl up, but still trying to.

Gaius shared a smile with Mordred who leaned into the physician's side, dispelled of his apprehension. "We will talk tomorrow," Gaius told the both of them, "but for now promise me you will not pull a stunt like that again."

"I promise," Mordred vowed while Merlin nodded.

"Good," the physician harrumphed, "I'm much too young for heart attacks, you know."

Mordred laughed tiredly, now exhausted from the day's activities. He had not pushed himself like that since drinking the poison and it was finally catching up with him. Mordred blinked heavily, and slumped against Gaius before he was aware of it. In the morning he would not remember Gaius guiding him to bed, just the blurry sight of the short stair case barely lit by the warm candlelight. And when he woke up the next day it was past noon.

o}O{o

Oookayyy, there it was, Merlin spoke! Was that satisfying for you guys or was it a disappointment? I'm hoping not the latter..

Thank you for stopping by and reading :) Please review and tell me what you thought of it!

Now, back to homework for me. Tear.