A/N: Alright, the results are in! The story continues! :D

*** a few months later ***

Merlin and Arthur trudged quietly through the snowy forest, Arthur hugging his cloak close to his chest while Merlin walked through the woods entirely unbothered by the cold.

It was Merlin's birthday, although Arthur didn't know that. Merlin had ensured that remained a secret, as he wasn't fond of elaborate celebrations or really being the focus of more than two people at a time.

A few months before Arthur had tried to convince - or rather, force - Merlin to inform the other knights of his abilities. Arthur took a while to get completely accustomed to seeing Merlin performing magic in public, or, at least, semi-in public, considering proposing lifting the ban on magic would be a complicated task. He noticed a lot of things other people just seemed to overlook, like when Merlin would miraculously cause a stack of branches to fall on the head of an unsuspecting bandit who was charging towards one of the knights, or just manage to knock out an armed knight of Cenred's kingdom without a sword. He also noticed that Merlin had gotten considerably better with a sword, since it seemed (although he was nowhere near ready to challenge Arthur) he was not a complete idiot in terms of defending himself without magic.

Seeing all of what Merlin did for the group of knights while hiding his magic, he could only imagine what his servant would be capable of when in the spotlight. He had tried subtly suggesting he reveal his magic numerous times, but it seemed despite Merlin's uncanny ability to lie when his life depended on it, he was not adept at reading signals.

So finally, one night during a trek to one of the outlying villages to investigate complaints of wyvern attacks, Arthur told Merlin, in no uncertain terms, it was time to tell the other knights. He was entirely unsure how Merlin had managed to keep his secret for years, as he himself was finding it impossible to conceal for more than two weeks.

The group sat in front of a fire, all except Merlin distancing themselves from Gwaine on account of the stench of his sock's being an invasive scent that might knock one out. Merlin had once joked that sitting beside one knight exposed him to less of the contagious arrogance that seemed to come with wearing the red cape and from then on had sat next to Gwaine, who Merlin often considered one of the least selfish or arrogant of the group, on each expedition.

"Merlin, I think it's time you told the other knights about your secret."

An instant feeling of dread washed over Merlin as he felt all the knights' eyes turn towards him. He wasn't ready. Didn't Arthur understand he wasn't ready? What the hell was he doing?

"I-I don't know what you're talking about Arthur, are you sure all that extra weight you've put on hasn't dragged down your intelligence?"

Arthur ignored the quip, pressing on without noticing Merlin's thinly veiled panic.

"Merlin, either do it or I will."

At this, Merlin started to become angry. He stood up quickly, ignoring the rush of lightheadedness he felt from that motion and the growing tightness in his chest. "It is not your business what I tell or do not tell the knights and to threaten that you will reveal a secret you presume I have is not only out of character but also deeply disappointing. If you choose to reveal my business then you choose to relieve yourself and those around you of my company."

He stormed off, not used to such confrontations and feeling the tightness in his chest evolve to an ache, and then to a pain. He felt as though he was surely dying, but started running anyway, off into the distance towards where he knew Freya's lake was.

Gwaine stood angrily as well. "Arthur, can I talk to you in private?" He tried his best to sound unassuming, although he knew exactly what it was that Arthur was trying to reveal.

Arthur sighed, but stood up and followed Gwaine far enough away to be out of earshot of the rest of the knights.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? Look, Princess, I'm not sure if you realized, but you and your father have ingrained generations of Camelot residents with an internalized fear of magic. What do you think is the first thing they're going to hear if Merlin confesses that he has magic? That he's evil. They're going to draw their swords because of something you did. And poor Merlin has been kind enough to allow you the blissful ignorance of not knowing what immense fear he has to deal with, but when your first day in Camelot is marked with an execution of your kin, it's hard not to be terrified. So if I were you, I would appreciate that Merlin is even still your friend, because if my father executed your kin, tried burning your only remaining father figure at the stake and repeatedly put the fear of god in you, and then I did the exact same thing, defended his actions and even perpetuated them myself, I'm not sure you'd still be peachy with me. I'm going to go find Merlin who is likely scared out of his mind and who will now have to tell the knights about the secret you revealed he has far before he's ready and try to bring him back here, but by the looks of it Merlin is finally standing up for himself and I honestly could not be prouder."

Arthur was left stunned as Gwaine shoved him aside and ran off in the direction Merlin had fled. Arthur sat down where he was, deep in thought. He'd been so busy with his own emotions, he hadn't even stopped to think of Merlin's emotions. Who was Arthur to demand time to accept who Merlin was? Merlin was dealing with constant persecution and unfair targeting of his kin, watched Gaius be put on trial for the very thing Merlin was attempting to hide, and watched Arthur brush aside Merlin's grief under the grounds that Gaius was a sorcerer and undeserving of any love or affection, and when Arthur watched his own father deteriorate even though he was still there Merlin focused solely on trying to make sure Arthur was okay.

How the hell had he missed this?

Gwaine finally caught up with Merlin who had only just then stopped running, although he wasn't as fast as Gwaine by a long shot. He was hyperventilating, and clearly not from running. His knuckles were white from gripping the fabric of his shirt above his chest and he was crying, crying like a scared child. It was a sight Gwaine had never seen before and hoped never to see again.

Although he wasn't sure exactly what to do, purely out of instinct he sat beside the young boy and pulled him into an embrace, wordlessly comforting his friend as the choked sobs eventually quieted down into sniffles and then, finally, sleep.

He laid Merlin down, with Gwaine's bag as a pillow and his own blanket, and then made a small fire, staying awake to keep watch of the small separate group they had formed.

An inexplicable anger burned in his heart against Arthur, and as he watched Merlin's chest rise and fall peacefully, rhythmically, he promised that not a single other tear would stain his friend's face.

Arthur never knew of what happened between Gwaine and Merlin that night, but he did know one thing:

It distanced Merlin and Arthur considerably, and as the two went to meet the other with the firewood they collected, he felt immense guilt that he could be so insensitive as to cause Merlin to feel unhappy around him. Despite being envious of Gwaine and Merlin's relationship, he knew it was his fault that he did not have that with Merlin, and resolved to try and mend the hurt he caused Merlin that night and all nights prior.

The two rejoined the group by the dying fire and replaced the logs, met with thanks from all of the other knights.

As the knights all joyously retold the stories of their adventures (embellished to the point that they could almost be considered completely fabricated) Gwaine begun quietly humming a song that could only be heard by Merlin, who was, again, the only one who chose willingly to sit beside Gwaine.

He recognized it as a tune unique to Ealdor, a gentle ethereal tune that was sung to the children on their birthdays. Merlin couldn't dream of how Gwaine came to know the tune, but smiled at him, and the two shared a brief moment of kinship before a Percival knocked over his canteen of water on the fire, sending a groan of displeasure through the group. Merlin and Gwaine offered to retrieve more firewood which was received with overwhelming gratitude from the knights who were already shivering as though they'd fallen through the ice atop a frozen pond. As the two plucked piece after piece from underneath the trees where a few pieces remained dry, Gwaine continued humming the gentle tune, until they had gathered all the necessary firewood and had to return to the group.

A/N: To all Merthur fans, never fear: more is to come!