Hi guys…

I'm so sorry for the long wait! I was at a point in my life, which I had to make some drastic decisions about my path. In the end I've quite my job and have gone back to continue my education. It felt right at the time, but now in the midst of assignments and what not, not so much.

However I've settled down into the student life again somewhat, so I thought I'd take a break and give you amazing, awesome and patient readers my next chapter. This is a particularly long one, so enjoy!

Chapter 9 … Arthur Makes A Move

When Arthur left Merlin's room, it was not Gaius that greeted him, but young Mordred. The knight practically jumped when he saw the prince.

"Sire, I-I didn't know you were still here." He looked behind Arthur then. "Is Merlin here?" He added when he couldn't see the servant. Arthur felt the Munching Monster again, but he ignored it.

"Didn't he find you?" he asked instead. Mordred only shook his head 'no', and turned a bright shade of red at the look Arthur was giving him. The prince for his part thought that he should apologies for his earlier actions.

"Mordred, about earlier…" if possible the poor boy turned an even brighter shade of crimson. "I wanted to apologies, it is non of my business what goes on in your personal life."

"It's quite alright sire," Mordred amended. "I don't really mind. It's just that I'm new to this, and Merlin's great at giving pointers."

"W- what?" Arthur blanched.

"I mean he does tease me a lot." Mordred continued, not noticing the growing horror on Arthur's face. "But his amazing you know, he always reassures me when I feel inadequate. Like the other day, when I couldn't get up the courage to do it, Merlin was so grate at getting my confidence back up. If it wasn't for Merlin I don't think I'll ever be able to do it…"

"I do not want to know the details!" The prince put up a hand to stop the younger boy. "What you and Merlin do in private is your own business." He paused, and then said, "Just don't hurt him alright."

"Wait!" Mordred choked out. "You think that me and Merlin are…" He did a sort of roll with his hand to indicate what it was that Arthur could possibly be thinking about him and Merlin.

"Together." The blonde supplied. "Aren't you?"

"No!" Mordred all but shouted, then looking sheepish, he added quietly. "I mean no we are not…together."

"Then what was all that I heard earlier?" Arthur asked, trying very hard not to get his hopes up.

"Well there is this girl in town..." Mordred explained. "She's the baker's daughter…"

"And you like her." Arthur summarised.

"Well, err, yes." Mordred admitted. "Merlin was helping me practice asking her out." The monster in Arthur was dancing so vigorously that the prince half expected to be jerked around himself.

"Oh, thank the Lord!" he said before he could stop himself. Mordred raised an eyebrow.

"You seem awfully happy about me and Merlin not being together." The young knight observed.

" Well – well – well –" Arthur spluttered. "It's just – it's just that Merlin wouldn't be preoccupied with you, and he'll get on with his work."

"Or," Mordred teased, seaming to enjoy being the teaser rather than the teased. "You are in love with Merlin."

"What!?" Arthur squealed. "No, obviously not! I mean Merlin and me? No of course not. That is not possible. I mean Merlin and me?" Mordred laughed, actually laughed.

"You do know what they say about too much protesting, sire?" Mordred commented as he made his way to the door. "For what it's worth, I think you two are meant to be" With that he left, and Arthur was left standing there and not knowing what had just happened.

MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA

Arthur was acting weird again. This was a different kind of weird to before. One minute he seamed to not want Merlin around at all, the next minute he would change his mind and not let Merlin out of his sight. The only good thing was that the prince seemed to have stopped picking on Mordred. In fact the two seemed to have become even closer since Arthur had walked in on them when Mordred was practicing romance on Merlin.

Something had happened between the two since then and when Merlin had eventually found the younger boy. What it was, Merlin had no idea. All Mordred had told Merlin was that Arthur had apologized. He was not forthcoming with more information, no matter how much Merlin pushed.

"I'm keeping your secret, you can't expect me not to keep his." Was all Mordred would say, which was fair enough to shut Merlin up. He could have learned to live with that as well, if it wasn't for Arthur's behaviour, and Mordred's knowing smiles.

It didn't help that Merlin had lost the Reveal Stone and couldn't find it and that put him in even a fowler mood.

Eventually Merlin had had enough. Finally he snapped.

It was a normal, uneventful day. Arthur was in one of his bad moods and was taking it out on Merlin. It was the most normal thing he had done recently, so Merlin had put up with it. Then, when walking down a corridor, they came a cross some of the knights. Among them was young Mordred. He gave them both a knowing smile and an eyebrow shuffle for Arthur.

Merlin felt himself get angry. He didn't know why this bothered him so much, but it did. So when Arthur snapped at him the next time, something about his armour, Merlin lost it and snapped back.

Later if you asked him, Merlin wouldn't remember what exactly he said, but he knew that if his mother were there, she would have gasped out loud in absolute horror.

When he calmed down some, he noticed Arthur staring at him with an open mouth. Merlin blushed at his own outburst, before turning and running out of there. He then spent the rest of the day avoiding Arthur. He thanked the Lord that Arthur was dinning with his family that night, and he wouldn't be alone with the blonde prince.

Normally, Merlin hated serving Arthur when he was dinning with his family, because he was reminded more strongly of his own family, and missed them more than any other time.

Was his mother all right? What was his father doing at that moment? What was Will up to? How about Freya? Who was training his faithful knights?

"- Don't you think so Merlin?" The boy in question snapped out of his ponderings at the sound of Princess Morgana. He looked up to notice that the royal family of Camelot was all looking at him, and he felt himself go red at being caught of guard.

"Morgana!" The Queen scolded. "You put the poor boy on the spot!"

"I don't mean to." The Princess explained. "I've heard Merlin give his opinion to Arthur all the time. I would like to hear one of them now." Then she turned to Merlin, to repeat her earlier question. "Do you think Arthur should spend more time with his family?"

She had to ask this of him now that he was feeling the absence of his own family so greatly? "Yes!" What else could he possibly say?

"That's decided then!" Morgana declared. "Tomorrow, Arthur, you will join us for a ride out." Merlin gulped at the death glare that the Prince through his way.

MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA

Arthur had dragged Merlin along.

If he were to suffer through this day, then he sure as hell would make Merlin suffer along with him, seeing as it was Merlin's fault he had to endure this.

Don't get him wrong; Arthur loved spending time with his family. But it was the activities that they had to do on these outings. For example flower picking. Flower picking! He was a man for crying out loud.

Although it seamed that his plan had backfired. Merlin seamed to enjoy the activities Morgana had planned for them. Arthur always noticed that Merlin loved the outdoors. He always had a joyous smile when they went out hunting, even if he didn't like the actual hunting part. He would always suggest the outdoors whenever Arthur gave him the chance to choose where to go, when they had nothing to do.

The day had gone wonderfully well. Arthur had enjoyed himself like no other time. Arthur had spent time with his mother, father and sister and had enjoyed it. Not that he never had before, but for some reason this time he felt a lot more at ease, as if something that was missing before wasn't missing anymore.

At one point during the day, the blond prince had looked over at Merlin, and his breath had caught. The younger man stood in the middle of a filed of yellow daisies. The afternoon sun had shone on his face and hair, giving him a shiny glow. Merlin had his head thrown back and was enjoying the warm kiss of the sun on his skin. He had his eyes closed and a look of total peace concealed his face. At that moment all Arthur could think about was that he has never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

Then the moment was over and Arthur had blushed at the thoughts that had run through his mind. But he knew that he couldn't take it back. He was forced to admit to himself that Mordred had been right; Arthur was in love with Merlin.

Once the prince had admitted that to himself he felt freer, yet more restrained than ever. Yes he had finally accepted what his feelings were, which meant he could no longer ignore them. What could he do? What if Merlin didn't feel the same way? Could he make himself vulnerable like that?

As they made their way back later that afternoon, Arthur couldn't help but shoot Merlin covert glances when no one was looking. His parents' road at the front, Arthur and Morgana followed them and they, in turn were followed by Merlin and Gwen (whom Morgana had dragged along despite the poor girl no longer being her maidservant). Merlin was chatting animatedly with the new lady making her laugh often. Arthur could feel the jealousy raise its ugly head again, but couldn't do anything about it.

"Arthur!" The prince jumped at his sister's sudden loud snap. He turned to her to see an annoyed and concerned look. She must have been calling him a few times. "What are you thinking about?"

Arthur's gaze turned to Merlin again, who was doing a complicated wave with his hands as he talked with Gwen.

"Nothing." He said to Morgana. He should have known better as she followed his gaze to the oblivious two, then giggled.

"If you are entertaining thoughts about Gwen, don't." Morgan told her brother. "I believe she is rather smitten with Sir Lancelot." She giggled again.

Arthur turned and looked at the lady in question. He hadn't known she and Lancelot had liked each other. She was pretty of course. His eyes automatically moved to Merlin as he thought about pretty things. A gasp at his side brought his attention back to the princess.

"It's not Gwen, is it?" Morgana squeaked. "It's Merlin, isn't it?"

"Shut up!" Arthur snapped looking to see if anyone had heard her. It seamed they hadn't.

"Oh My God!" Morgan went on, ignoring Arthur's silent protests. "That is so great! How long have you two…" she did a weird wave with her hand that was meant to indicate a couple, or so Arthur thought.

"We're not." Arthur told her.

"You haven't asked him out yet?" Morgana scolded.

"No." Arthur admitted, no point in denying this to Morgana.

"Well what is the plan?" she pressed.

"I don't know Morgana!" Arthur hissed, exasperated. "I only just found out how I feel."

"Boys!" Morgana threw her hand in the air. "I guess I'll have to help you."

"What?!"

"What exactly are you planning to do about this?" Arthur blushed in answer. "You need my help dear brother." Arthur didn't bother to argue, she would get her way in the end anyway. This way at least he could talk with Merlin in an appropriate setting.

MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA

Over the next week, following the outing with his family, Arthur had changed personality again. Merlin was getting tiered of these drastic changes. The current one however was not so bad.

Arthur had turned nice. Like really nice. He hardly ever bantered with Merlin anymore, had stopped calling him names and insulting him. He gave Merlin less and less chores, and had even begun to thank him for the little he did. Merlin didn't know where this change had come from, but he liked it. Although some of the things he missed, like their banters.

However after a few days he didn't like this change anymore.

Arthur was always giving him chores that would keep him away from the blond. Whenever they were around each other, Arthur would always act awkward, tense and weird. He would avoid looking Merlin in the eye, and simply refused to answer Merlin's teasing. All in all Merlin didn't like it.

The secret prince felt like he was being dismissed. Like Arthur had enough of him, and that thought would cause a pain in the center of his chest like he had never felt before, and his magic would act up, smashing anything breakable with in a five foot radius. He didn't know why he cared so much; Arthur was a prat and a royal one at that. Merlin didn't need him; he had other friends, right?

It all continued in till the following Sunday. Merlin was off, and glad for it. He didn't have to deal with Arthur's dismissal for the day. He lay on his bed and had begun to read a magic book he had borrowed from the castle library. It was a good book, one he hadn't read before. He was so engrossed in the book that he hadn't noticed someone coming in to the main chambers of the physician. Hence why he jumped when there was a sudden knock on his bedroom door.

Merlin leaped of his bed and made his way over to the door and opened it to be faced with a smiling Gwen.

"Hello Merlin."

"Hello Gwen." Merlin smiled at her. "What can I do for you today?"

"I was going to go out to the forest and pick some flowers." The lady explained. "I was wondering if you'd like to join me. I know you like the outdoors and I know you had today of. So I thought you weren't busy. Not that you don't do anything, I mean your not lazy. But I just thought-" Merlin, by now used to the way Gwen tended to babble sometimes, held up a hand to stop her.

"I would love to join you my lady." Gwen blushed, but gave him a warm smile.

The two made their way out of the castle through the town and to the forest, all the while chatting and gossiping about the life of the castle. Merlin enjoyed Gwen's company; she had become a dear friend of his. And not to mention he had noticed how she had stolen Lancelot's heart.

Once they reached the forest however, they were not alone. Arthur, Morgana and Leon were also there. Once they reached the trio however, Gwen became a little tense.

"Oh, Hello" she said rather awkwardly, as if she was repeating the words of off a book. "I didn't know you would be here."

"Yes, we just came out for a walk." Morgana answered her. She too was acting out of character. "But now I think I'd like to go back. Would you escort me and Gwen to the castle Sir Leon?"

"Yes My Lady." Leon said automatically. Merlin was confused. Gwen had wanted to pick flowers, and they hadn't done that. Now they were heading back?

"Thank you." Morgana said to him. "I think Merlin and Arthur would like to spent some time out here." She winked at Arthur, who scowled at her. "Let's go." She then garbed Leon's arm with one hand and Gwen's with the other, and marched them off. Leon had looked just as bewildered as Merlin felt, but Gwen and Morgana wore identical looks of glee. Merlin looked at Arthur to see if he would get his answer there, but the blonde looked… well if Merlin didn't know better he would have said nervous.

"What's going on Arthur?" he asked the older boy, once the other three had disappeared. He was determined to get his answer; he didn't feel like playing these games.

"Would you come with me please?" Arthur said in response. Merlin wanted to refuse, to demand an explanation. But Arthur looked so earnest and shy, that Merlin found himself agreeing and then following the blond further in to the threes. They didn't go far. After a while the threes parted and a clearing came into view.

Merlin's breath caught. It was so beautiful. It was a meadow surrounded by green trees. Wild flowers of all colours covered the floor, and the noon sun shown through the dense leaves. There was a picnic set up, with a blanket and some cushions.

Merlin turned to Arthur to ask what this was about, but his words caught in his throat along with his breath. Arthur was staring at him so intently that Merlin felt like taking a step back. One of the sun's rays had hit the princes blond head, making it almost transparent. His cobalt eyes penetrated into Merlin's own with furious intensity.

Timed seamed to have stood still. Merlin didn't know how long they stood there like that. But eventually Arthur moved closer and slowly grabbed Merlin's hand. He seamed afraid to spook the younger boy. He guided Merlin to the blanket and they both sat down.

"Arthur…?" Merlin whispered. He didn't want to break this thing between them, but he needed to know more.

"Merlin." Arthur began, voice soft. "You have come into my life and changed everything in it. All seams a little brighter, when you wake me up with a smile in the morning. I don't ever want to loos you, or not be with you." He paused, and Merlin noticed Arthur's hands, still in his own, were shaking. He gave them a squeeze, giving silent support. It seamed to work for Arthur then continued. "I have fallen in love with you Merlin, and I want to be with you if you have me."

Merlin had forgotten how to breathe. He hadn't let himself explore his own feelings about Arthur, because he didn't think they could be together. But he had fallen for Arthur too.

"Arthur…" Merlin whispered again. The blond seamed to take that as confirmation. He leaned in and there was no mystery in what he wanted to do. Merlin placed his hand on his chest and stopped him. But after seeing the look on Arthurs face he regretted it immediately. The blond prince looked like his loved ones had died.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed anything…" Arthur began, looking down at Merlin's hand that was still on his chest.

"Arthur." Merlin said more firmly. He raised his hand and grasped Arthur's chin gently and lifted his head to look into his shinny eyes. "I'm not rejecting you Arthur." He smiled in the next second as he saw the hope shine on the prince's face again.

"Then…?" Arthur indicated Merlin's hand.

"I need to tell you something." Merlin explained. "Before we go any further, you need to know something about me, something I have been keeping a secret. If after that you still want to be with me… than I have absolutely no objections."

"There is nothing you can say that will change my mind." Arthur said firmly.

"Just hear me out first." Merlin smiled at him. Arthur sat back and stared intently at Merlin again, waiting for him to begin. Merlin took a moment to gather his thoughts before he explained whom he really was. He was nervous, and he could hear his own heart beat. But he would tell Arthur the truth now; he wouldn't start any thing with him with so many lies between them.

As soon as Merlin opened his mouth there was a shout, calling Arthur's name. Both boys jumped, having snapped out of their little bubble. A minute later, an out of breath Leon stumbled on to the meadow.

"Arthur!" he said amidst gulps of breath. "Your father – needs you – to come – immediately." Arthur jumped up to his feet, and Merlin followed.

"Is everything alright?" The blond asked concerned.

"Yes all is well." Leon explained having gained his breath. "But visitors are coming and you are needed right away."

"Alright, I'll be there, just give us a moment." Leon nodded and left the meadow to await his prince beyond the trees. Arthur turned to Merlin. "You were saying?"

"It's to important to rush like this." He smiled at Arthur and placed his hand on his cheek. "I will see you at dinner in your chambers tonight and we'll talk. You should head out, I'll pack up here and follow." Arthur gave him a warmhearted smile, and then followed Leon towards the castle.

MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA

Arthur felt a little annoyed. His moment with Merlin, which was going so well, was interrupted. That was not part of the plan. He had questioned Leon on the visitors, but Leon didn't know. He had been told by the king to find the prince as soon as possible.

Once he reached the courtyard he came across three anxious looking knights. Lancelot, Gwaine and Mordred were huddled together and whispering worriedly. As soon as they saw Arthur they rushed to him.

"Sire, where is Merlin?" Lancelot all but demanded. Arthur raised an eyebrow, but let it go. He thought Merlin could use some help in clearing up the picnic. So he gave them quick directions and asked Mordred to go and help. The young knight practically ran out towards the forest as if the hounds of hell were on his hills. Arthur looked to the remaining two questioningly, but before either could say anything his father appeared at the door.

"Arthur hurry!" He boomed. "You need to be ready, they'll be here soon."

"Who is coming father?" Arthur questioned as he made his way to the castle.

"The party from Ealdor." Uther explained. "The Emrys' are coming."

End of Chapter!

Dun dun dun!

I feel so evil, muwhahaha.

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