#01 - Walking

The first time younger Arthur meets the strange boy, they're both walking — one angrily away from the castle and the other eagerly towards it.

#02 - Waltz

The other boy, who introduces himself as Merlin, moves as though he is waltzing to soundless music.

#03 - Wishes

When Arthur tells Merlin he wishes he wasn't the price, Merlin laughs and says, "Don't be such a dollophead."

#04 - Wonder

Arthur has no idea what a dollophead is, but he is appropriately insulted.

#05 - Worry

Although Arthur worries that his father will not accept his request, Uther doesn't even bother asking to see Merlin before giving his permission.

#06 - Whimsy

Sometimes, Arthur imagines Merlin as being his friend instead of a servant.

#07 - Waste/Wasteland

Merlin's eyes remain glued to the half-eaten scraps on Arthur's plate when the prince is finished, but he never asks for anything

#08 - Whiskey and rum

Whiskey and rum create welts and redness, and even though his left eye is swollen shut, Arthur knows he sees a fleeting eldritch rage in Merlin's eyes.

#09 - War

The king wakes up with a bout of sores and a wet cough the next day; Merlin is overly cheerful.

#10 - Weddings

In the right light, Merlin's eyes look like twin gold marriage bands.

#11 - Birthday

"Some things don't have beginnings, only ends," Merlin says, not giving Arthur a satisfactory answer to his original question.

#12 - Blessing

Some aspects of Merlin is…not quite right, but Arthur is willing to pretend otherwise because no one else smiles so brightly, jokes with him, or makes faces at him during the monotonous meetings he is forced to attend (and eventually lead).

#13 - Bias

For some strange reason, Merlin thinks he is the best servant to ever walk the earth no matter how many times Arthur attempts to correct him on the matter.

#14 - Burning

The only time — the only time — Merlin's mask falls is when the scent of smoke hits the air.

#15 - Breathing

"Breathe — come on, you can do it — in and out with me."

#16 - Breaking

Arthur doesn't know what he said, but one of his decorative pots goes flying across the room and shatters against the wall.

#17 - Belief

"Merlin had nothing to do with it, and he is the last person on earth who could ever use magic or harm anyone."

#18 - Balloon

A sausage floats across the air in front of Arthur's face, but he sees nothing, thank you very much.

#19 - Balcony

An invisible force yanks Arthur back and up from his fatal descent before delicately placing him back inside the castle.

#20 - Bane

Gaius won't let Arthur in to see Merlin while the poison takes its course, but before the elderly physician can shut the door, he catches a glimpse of Merlin's eyes.

#21 - Quiet

"If my stupid, idiotic servant doesn't show up, I'm going to — when did you come in?"

#22 - Quirks

For an entire day, Merlin goes about humming an eerie tune under his breath, and the next, he is completely silent.

#23 - Question

"What's it like - knowing other people?"

#24 - Quarrel

"You don't belong here, so how do you know what any of this is like?"

#25 - Quitting

Despite Merlin's grand announcement that he quits and would rather rot in an eternal grave than serve Arthur another day, he still shows up in the morning.

#26 - Jump

"Trust me, Arthur, I'm not going to let anything happen to you, even if you are a dollophead of a human."

#27 - Jester

"Funny joke, Merlin — wait, you were joking, right?"

#28 - Jousting

"And you really run at each other and poke each other with sticks?"

#29 - Jewel

In the light of the campfire, Merlin's eyes glitter as he stares, unblinking, at Arthur.

#30 - Just

"Is it?"

#31 - Smirk

When Arthur hears that his father has died, he catches Merlin's face twisted into an expression of amusement.

#32 - Sorrow

Does Merlin understand pain, the absence of someone you love, the emptiness, the grief, the same way he does?

#33 - Stupidity

"The things you're always worried about…they're so…doltish."

#34 - Serenade

"It's a death song my mother taught me when I was young."

#35 - Sarcasm

As sharp as a sword, Merlin delves out his thoughts to anyone, no matter his or her status and to mixed receptions.

#36 - Sordid

The day after Merlin disappears for hours to collect firewood, their company stumbles across the camp of the bandits who were chasing them and discover the ground littered with bodies.

#37 - Soliloquy

"You would be lost without me, Arthur, you understand — completely, totally, utterly-"

#38 - Sojourn

Arthur's back aches, and he doesn't think he can lift another foot to slog through the mire, but he keeps going because there isn't another option.

#39 - Share

Merlin offers a cold, thin hand in help to haul him up.

#40 - Solitary

"I promise you, Arthur, that one day, you'll be king, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make that happen."

#41 - Nowhere

"Them? They're nothing for you to worry about anymore."

#42 - Neutral

What do you do when you know something you'd rather not?

#43 - Nuance

Two sides to a coin, light and dark, malevolent and benevolent: Arthur doesn't know which one to choose, which one to turn his back on, because it might just hurt too much.

#44 - Near

But when Merlin is there, hovering behind him, he can breathe more easily.

#45 - Natural

Perfectly, Merlin raises his hand, and the monsters chasing them are ripped apart like flowers with a single word.

#46 - Horizon

Without warning, Merlin leaves, a black silhouette against the edge of the setting sun as the darkest hour approaches; even though Arthur calls and screams after him, he does not turn around.

#47 - Valiant

He fights because it's the only thing he knows to do.

#48 - Virtuous

"I've reached the edge, and my job is done now...the rest is up to you, Arthur."

#49 - Victory

Years later, Arthur's teeth still ache from the static electricity that clung to the air.

#50 - Defeat

Whenever he brings up Merlin's name, he can't understand why he is met with blank looks and "who's Merlin?"