Hi guys! Look, I'm back! I do apologies for being gone too long, I was out of the country for the past 6 months or so, and where I was I had very bad Internet access.

But I haven't forgotten you guys! And I was so glad to see that you guys hadn't given up on me! I'm still getting alerts from you guys!

So with out further ado, here is the next part…

Chapter 6 … To Search Or Not To Search

The next day the Knights bid the Druid clan goodbye, with Arthur reminding young Mordred to be in Camelot in two weeks time, and they left for the next village.

Another five days passed similar to the rest of the search. On that fifth day, they were riding towards the border of Camelot and Essetir. The atmosphere was subdued, as it was to be expected so close to the enemy lands. Arthur was feeling frustrated, because he believed that the Emrys Prince (for goodness sake they could have at least told them his first name!) Was in Essetir, and he was itching to go over the border and find him and get this over with.

Arthur was thinking to tell his men to take a break, when an arrow whistled through the air and embedded itself on the floor in front of Merlin's horse. The young steed didn't panic. Arthur was impressed; Arrow was an impressive animal indeed.

Everyone quickly dismounted, and drew their swords. Even Merlin had one, although he had no armour on. Arthur frowned at that, they should really think about getting him one.

There was an intense pause, were they waited for something to happen. They couldn't see whom it was that was attacking, as whomever it was, were hiding among the trees. In the end Arthur had had enough. "Show yourself!" He shouted at the trees.

"Soldiers aren't welcome here!" Was the shouted response he got. Arthur faced the direction he thought the shout had come from. A lone man stood with an armed bow and arrow. He had strong features and blonde hair.

"If soldiers aren't welcome here," Arthur took an angry step towards the man, "then why did you attack the only one among us who isn't a soldier?"

"Careful knight," the stranger said raising his bow, at the same time there were many rustles among the trees. Clearly this man wasn't alone. "I didn't attack him, I was aiming for you."

"Then you are a poor shot indeed." Arthur snorted.

"On the contrary," the blonde man sneered, "I'm quite good, and you were just lucky. I can assure you it wouldn't last!"

"Do you know who you are talking to?" Arthur demanded.

"An arrogant knight," the man amused. There was a chuckle from next to Arthur.

"Shut up Merlin!" He hissed angrily, and then facing the man, he spoke loudly. "Why attack us? We mean you no harm!"

"Not the experience we have had!" The man bellowed, seething. "You should not even be here! This is Camelot!"

"Who do you exactly think we are?" The blonde Prince asked, confused by the last comment. "I am Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prince of Camelot." The reaction he got was unexpected. The blond man lowered his bow and stared.

"You are from Camelot?" He asked.

"Where else would we be from?" Merlin jumped in before Arthur could say anything.

"Essetir," the man responded. "Their soldiers come here attacking all the time." Arthur felt his blood boil.

"Why haven't you reported this to the court?" He demanded. "This is an act of war!"

"Aren't you at war with Essetir already?" the man asked.

"Yes," Arthur continued. "But that is no excuse for this. You should have reported this."

"Like it would have made any difference!" The man bellowed. "You nobility don't care about us mere peasants!"

"That's not true! Where did you here that?" Arthur was shocked; all he and his family ever did was for the people.

"It's quite obvious, from your well bred knights, right down to the treatment of your servants."

"Have you been living under a rock?" Arthur asked, amused. "Half my knights have come from a peasant background! And here is my servant, ask him how his treated." Arthur said gesturing to Merlin. The man stared at Arthur, who added, "you can't judge us, when you don't know us." The man then disarmed his bow, looking to Merlin.

"You're happy being his servant?" He asked.

"I'm a servant, of course I'm not happy!" Merlin said rolling his eyes. Arthur turned round eyes on him, demanding what he's doing, with them. "But if I'm to be a servant, there is no one else I'd rather be a servant of." The young boy explained. "I'm happy to be his servant till the day I die." Arthur kept on staring with round eyes, this time for a very different reason. Merlin too was staring at Arthur, his eyes purring sincerity. Arthur felt a sort of swelling in his chest, when did Merlin's opinion matter to him so much? Probably when he realised that someone who saw all your faults would only give true and valuable compliments.

Arthur didn't know how long they stared at his each other like that, but it was a woman's voice that broke their gaze.

"We can trust them I think." She was a pretty blond, who looked like she could more than take care of herself. She was talking to the man, whom she stood beside of. She gave the man's arm a squeeze, looking him deep in the eyes, before facing the men they had nearly attacked.

"My name is Isolde, your Highness." She told Arthur. "This is my husband, Tristan."

"Is it just the two of you?" The blonde Prince asked.

"Yes."

"Then what about all the rustle in the trees?" He asked her. "How did you do that? Do you have magic?" She laughed.

"No sire, we don't have magic." Isolde smiled.

"Then how?" She only touched her nose with a mysterious smile.

"We'll come to Camelot to report what we know." Isolde told the Prince. Tristan grumbled but put away his bow and arrow, and then he gave a whistle. At the sound two beautiful horses, one pure white and the other a deep creamy chestnut colour, walk towards the two.

"Well in that case, we'll head back to Camelot," Arthur decided. "I very much doubt our search will lead anywhere anyway."

"Whom are you searching for?" Isolde asked.

"It's nothing." Arthur waved away the question. He wasn't about to tell strangers what his mission was. He was truly sorry to stop the search, but he genuinely didn't think that the Emrys Prince was in Camelot.

MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA

Merlin couldn't fault Arthur for stopping the fruitless search. He would have done the same in Arthur's shoes. The search was pointless for a different reason to what Arthur thought, but nevertheless it was.

As they were riding back, Tristan rode next to him.

"I wanted to apologies," the blonde man said. "I was not meaning to harm you, I don't usually miss." Merlin smiled at him, amused. It had been Merlin's magic that chose the course of the arrow, but Tristan didn't need to know that.

"It's okay," he said. "I'm glad you missed."

"Do you really like him that much?"

"When I first met him, I thought the same as you, that he is an arrogant ass." Merlin paused remembering his first two encounters with Arthur. "But over the short two-month I've known him, he has proven himself ten times over."

Merlin remembered all the times Arthur had shown his true colours. Like when he stopped walking to let an elderly man with his cart go past first. Or the time he had picked up a little girl's doll when she had dropped it from where she was in her mother's arms. The mother hadn't noticed, but both were grateful of Arthur. And you only had to watch as Arthur interacted with his family or training his knights, like when he listened to Merlin in teaching them the difference between arrogance and pride, to know how wonderful he really was.

How about when Arthur started leaving his boots by the wall next to the door, after Merlin had tripped over them and nearly broken his neck. Or when he stopped throwing hard objects when one left a massive bruise and Merlin's forehead. Or when he would ask Merlin to share his meals in a completely roundabout way, because he thought the servant was too skinny. Or when a knight, after getting drunk and – thinking him an intruder – had accidentally nearly ran Merlin through, found himself badly hurt the next time he'd faced Arthur in training and was now getting all the graveyard shifts. Poor guy would never drink again!

They travelled for the rest of the day, the atmosphere, a content one. They camped in a clearing that night, and settled in to sleep. Merlin as usual was lying next to Arthur, head to toe.

"Merlin?" Arthur whispered.

"Hmm," Merlin responded.

"Are you awake?" The blonde asked. The brunette hummed again. "Do you think I did the right thing?" Merlin opened his eyes, suddenly wide-awake. This was another thing, Arthur actually asked Merlin's opinion, and seemed to genuinely listen to them.

He didn't have to ask what the Prince was talking about.

"Depends…" Merlin started, not really knowing how he felt himself. "What are your reasons?"

"I really don't think that the Emrys prince is here in Camelot." Arthur explained. "If he has been kidnapped, then he'd be in Essetir, I'm sure of it. If not, I really don't see what he would be doing in a village or somewhere like that."

"Those are all good reasons," Merlin reassured him. "Why are you doubting yourself?"

"Because I feel like I'm abandoning him," the blonde sighed. "If it was me I would have liked to know that people are looking for me."

"Don't worry Arthur," Merlin reassured again. "I'm sure the Emrys Prince would do the same."

"Is he a good prince?" Arthur asked Merlin. The brunet didn't know what to say. Was he a good prince, when he had never interacted with the people?

"I think so," he said eventually. "He tries to be."

"Is his illness really bad that he can't leave the castle?" Merlin wondered why Arthur was suddenly interested in… well him.

"I think he could have left the castle, but the king and queen were too worried to let him." He stuck to the parts of the truth he could say.

There was a beat of silence, and then suddenly, "why did you leave Ealdor?"

"I don't know." Was all Merlin could answer.

"Come on, Merlin," Arthur teased, putting his foot in Merlin's face. "Stop being so interesting!"

Merlin pushed the blonde's foot away before saying, "I just didn't feel content anymore, and I didn't feel like I belonged." Again he spoke parts of the truth.

"Do you feel like that in Camelot?"

"No," Merlin thought it was because of destiny, but didn't want to say that, instead he simply said, "I don't."

Soon after that Arthur's breathing evened out and he fell sleep. But Merlin couldn't. His mind was going in circles. How long could he really keep this up? What would he eventually tell Arthur? He had grown to like the other prince and had begun to think of him as a very good friend. Should he keep lying to his friend?

Merlin had a troubled sleep that night, and when morning came he was not rested at all. This led to him not being fully aware of his surroundings, which is what he blamed later for what happened next.

They had just set off, when Arrow started behaving strangely. The usually calm beast was very unsettled. She was whining and not doing as Merlin directed. Even an infusion of Merlin's calming magic didn't seem to help. It was when Merlin concentrated to see what was bothering his loyal horse, that he sensed it. He should have sensed it sooner. It was magic, dark magic.

Before he could warn Arthur, a lone man walked out of the trees. He had that chilling look in his eyes that all dark magic users possessed. He was dressed from head to toe in black, with a raven-feather coat.

"Sigan!" Arthur hissed, unleashing his sward.

"Arthur Pendragon!" the sorcerer said in a booming voice. "I wish I could say it's a pleasure." Yep this one had the evil smirk too.

Merlin knew the story of Cornelius Sigan. He was an evil sorcerer that had lived many years ago, and had helped build Camelot. But when he got too powerful the king of that time had ordered his execution. Sigan had vowed to return and take back Camelot, and had managed to keep his soul in a crystal. Few years ago, when his hidden tomb was found, a lowly thief had broken in and accidentally released his soul. Sigan had taken over his body and ever since had been trying to take over Camelot. He had used all sorts of ways, setting Griffins on Camelot or bringing the gargoyles to life. Although he was powerful, he couldn't seem to compete with the love the people had for the Pendragons, and the support they had. Merlin knew that his own father had sent Kilghrrah to help with the gargoyles.

"You have threatened Camelot for the last time!" Arthur bellowed, aiming his sward at the raven man.

"Camelot is mine!" Sigan snarled, letting loos a fireball at Arthur, who dived out of the way. Following that a battle of sward VS dark magic ensued.

Merlin for his part used both sward and magic whenever he could. He cursed as a tree root twisted around his ankle. He should be able to easily take care of Sigan, but he's never been in battle, another thing he had his upbringing to thank for. Thankfully Merlin didn't just have magic, he was magic. The elements listened to his magic more strongly than any other's, so it was very easy to persuade the root (and any others) to let go.

He looked up to see Arthur struggling against a swarm of… butterflies. Merlin rolled his eyes. He walked over, commanding the beautiful insects, with his magic, to leave the blonde alone.

"You okay?" he asked. Arthur just nodded, stony faced. As another fireball nearly fried the two, Merlin growled. He had had enough.

The hidden prince walked to the middle of the battle and let loos a roar. Everything came to sudden halt. Everyone on that battlefield turned and stared at him. Sigan, with a look on his face that said he was now taking Merlin very seriously, stepped forwards.

"So you have magic?" he said menacingly. "But you cannot stop me! I have been looking for a more powerful body to inhibit, yours will do nicely." With that blue mist began pouring out of his mouth and flew fast toward the brunet.

"Merlin!" was the last thing he heard Arthur shout, before the misty soul hit him in the face.

MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA

Arthur grabbed a hold of Merlin, the surprise of the boy's magic taking a back seat, as the blue mist of Sigan's soul twisted around the servant's body. Arthur could do nothing but watch hopelessly as the blue mist entered Merlin's body through his mouth and his nose, the body in his arms shuddering through tremors.

Suddenly Merlin went limp, and Arthur lowered him to the floor. The brunet was whispering with his eyes shut tight. Arthur crouched next to the boy and placed a hand on his cheek. "Merlin?" he called gently. The younger boy's skin was ice cold and snow white. "Merlin?" he called again a little loudly. However Arthur jumped back as Merlin opened his eyes.

Merlin's eyes were pure black and he had no whites. Arthur griped his sward tightly; he really didn't want to run the younger boy through.

Merlin stood up abruptly with the evil smile of Sigan on his face, which looked really out of place. He opened his mouth, probably Sigan wanting to gloat, when the smile dropped and he frowned instead. Then a scream ripped out of him that made the hairs on Arthur's body stand on end. The blonde prince was feeling useless, not knowing what to do.

"NO! NO! NO!" Merlin's body screamed with Sigan's voice. "This is not possible! You can't be…" Before he could finish, his mouth opened wide in a silent scream and the blue mist of Sigan's soul left him. The mist moved, in what Arthur could describe as a frantic way, clearly trying to find another body to occupy.

However Merlin, now with golden eyes, roared and the mist… burnet up in a shower of golden sparks.

Arthur stared at Merlin, and Merlin stared at Arthur. Then the younger of the two fell to the ground in a dead faint. Arthur ran to him and felt his neck for a pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when he found one.

"Sire?" Sir Owen approached him. "Did your servant just defeat Sigan?" Arthur snorted a laugh of disbelief. Yes Merlin had just defeated one of the greatest sorcerers of their time. Arthur stood up and addressed his knights.

"It seams that the evil sorcerer, Sigan, is deafened once and for all." Loud cheers met him. Arthur smiled at them, the gravity of their victory only just beginning to seep in.

"We'll make camp here for the night and rest, we'll head back to Camelot in the morning." With that everyone began to set up camp, including the couple they had picked up. Arthur for his part asked Owen's help in setting Merlin into his cot.

As far as Arthur could tell, Merlin had collapsed from exhaustion. Arthur of course was no physician, but there was no physical wound on Merlin that he could find after checking him over. He prepared his own cot next to the younger boy and settled down, keeping and eye on Merlin. He accepted the food one of his knights brought over, and then made an attempt to wake Merlin up so the boy could eat. His attempts were pointless, Merlin remained in a deep slumber.

Arthur slowly ate his food, looking at his knights. Their spirits were high, laughing and joking around. One of Camelot's greatest enemies had just been defeated. Arthur looked back at Merlin; the younger boy constantly surprised him.

The blonde prince smiled thinking of all the little things Merlin did that stuck with Arthur. The boy was incredibly nice and kindhearted. He hated hunting, simply because of killing furry creatures, although he was very good at it. There was that one time they went hunting over night, and because of Merlin's instance on walking around loudly, they hadn't caught anything to eat. Merlin had rolled his eyes at Arthur's grumbling and had, in five short minutes, hunted a rabbit for them to eat.

Arthur had been amazed, so Merlin could be quite and stealthy if he chose to. As they had eaten the rabbit, Arthur had vowed never to let Merlin hunt again. The boy was absolutely miserable, he hadn't even eaten much, and Arthur had eaten most of it. He was absolutely miserable, especially after he had found out that the rabbit had a few babies.

There was also that time, when Merlin had dropped all of Arthur's armour in the middle of town, only to rush and help an old lady carry her shopping to her home. Arthur had watched as Merlin had listened, with apt attention, to all the stories the old woman had to say about her family, seeming to take it all in. Arthur hadn't had the heart to be angry about his armour.

How could Arthur also ignore the fact that most of his knights had taken to Merlin so easily? Or how there was always a worm bath waiting for him after long and hard training days, something that, before Merlin, he had to always ask for? Arthur thought about the days that Merlin had thought he had done something good and worthy, and his favorite food would end up on his dinner table.

Despite all of his grumbling, Merlin was the best servant he'd ever had, and Arthur had begun to think of him as his friend. The boy made him feel things he couldn't understand, and for some strange reason the younger boy's opinion had come to matter to Arthur all the more greatly. He figured that someone who didn't treat him like the prince he was, and instead treated him like the human he was, could only give him sincere compliments.

Arthur thought about what Merlin had said about him to Tristan. Perhaps he had made an impact on Merlin too.

Arthur lay down to sleep, looking at Merlin to make sure he was still sleep, and then he eased himself into an easy slumber.

End of Chapter!

Hope you guys liked it! And just because you guys are so awesome, I'm going to post another tiny chapter just to give you some Merlin goodness!

As usual read & review!