A/N

Italic's are thoughts

Bold Italic's in the letter indicate the words Merlin skipped over the first time.

Chapter Two

"My name is Merlin. I didn't lie about that. It's the name my mother gave me, but the druids they gave me another name."

"Emrys."

Merlin nodded. "Yes. I never knew until the day I met Mordred. He was the one who told me. I wanted to know more so I talked to a friend he let me know about this prophesy. I mean I knew about the prophesy before, but I didn't understand how important it was to the druids."

"Why do they call you Lord?"

Merlin stopped and turned to look at Arthur. "I don't exactly know." They look up to me they trust me and believe that I am the one who will help them get their freedom. Accomplish my destiny and help the Once and Future King, who is you by the way, build Albion. Oh, and while we're at it I have magic and use it to protect you. "It's complicated to explain."

Arthur sighed and took a deep breath it was obvious that Merlin was going to need a bit of prodding to get a straight answer. Arthur pointed at the letter, "Read it."

"No."

"Merlin. Read it."

You're not ready to understand what it says. I'm not ready to tell you "Arthur I can't."

"Please just read it."

"Promise me you won't be mad."

"I can't do that, Merlin. Quit stalling and read it. We are not leaving these chambers until you read that letter. Word. For. Word."

Merlin nodded and stood up turning around to face away from Arthur. If he was going to do this he didn't want to know what his reaction would be. Also, he knew the kinda man Arthur was and he was not the kinda man who would stab an unarmed man in the back.

"Dear Lord Emrys, I give you my loyalty and await the peaceful future which only you can offer. With that being said as leader of my clan it is my duty to inform you that we have been approached… that we have been approached by Morgana Pendragon… She informed us that she has been going from one druid clan to another as an effort to increase her army's numbers. She preaches slander and besmirches your good name. She wishes your death and is willing to do whatever necessary to see it so. I refused her offer to join her ranks and so have all of the other clan leaders, however the same can not be said for a few of the younger members of our clans who have suffered due to the unjust laws in place. They are so young and can't possibly understand anything but revenge. I hope you are merciful and can set them straight if you ever come across them…... I know deep down they look up to you and will give you their trust if given the chance…Thank you for everything… That's all I won't reveal their names."

Arthur nodded processing the information in the letter. Why were the druids swearing fealty to Merlin and why are they informing him about Morgana and what peaceful future could Merlin of all people offer what seemed to be the entire druid race?

"That's all?"

"Sort of…"

"What are you leaving out?"

Merlin sighed and found his place in the letter, "… The part of the younger members is more closely directed to one specific person they mention him by name and apparently… I can't Arthur, it's all too much."

Arthur frowned and raised his hand placing it on Merlin's arm, "What are you afraid of?"

Merlin sighed and turned to look at Arthur's hand resting on his arm. Arthurs hand tightened gently, and Merlin looked up at him, "I don't want you to hate me. I don't want to hurt you. I… I'm scared that if you know the truth about me you'll never trust me. And I trust you Arthur I do. I would die for you, have come pretty close actually but my secret it's something I lived with my entire life and I need time."

Arthur laughed and removed his hand, "That is absolute crap. Look Merlin. Your secrets are your own, but there will never be a right time. I trust you. We have gone through so many battles together, so many quests, we've risked our lives for one another. So, let's make an agreement. I'll listen to your story; this letter is the beginning and tomorrow or next week or month you can…" Arthur trailed off and picked up the letter bag and spilled it on the table "… pick another letter any letter and read it to me. Tell me what they mean and if you feel that in that time you are ready to tell me more, any secrets you are ready to tell me. I will make sure to listen."

Merlin nodded and turned away from Arthur a tear already trailing down his face, "I… Thank you."

"So, before we continue…" "Continue?" "… Continue with this letter. I want to know why you think I won't trust you."

"I have a secret and I have only used it for you. I believe in you Arthur, but these past couple of years you've been hurt by those close to you and I'm afraid that you will not be able to understand me and think that I'm a traitor or am going to hurt you. But I will never ever do that Arthur I swear to you."

"Okay. I don't understand, but I believe you."

Merlin nodded in thanks and made to grab Arthur's arm when there was a sharp knock on the door. "Sire? It's Elyan and Percival…"

Arthur stood up and tossed the bag at Merlin signaling him to put the letters back, "Give me a minute!"

Merlin gathered all the letters and looked around Arthur cleared his throat and signaled to push it under the bed for now. Merlin nodded and pushed it under the bed and made his way towards Arthur's side.

"Enter!"

Arthur grabbed the letter from his desk and placed it on the table, "There are two Lords east from here. I need you to go to the estate, get the Royal Genealogist Gregory of Monmouth to give you the paperwork necessary. He should have both Lords seals of nobility along with their paperwork on their estate's perimeter, and then ask him to get you the map for that area to compare. I'm sure Gregory can let you know about both Lords boundaries so that when you take the paperwork to both Lords you can compare them to their own maps and address the issue properly. Make sure to set the boundaries of the perimeter and have them both acknowledge it. If both Lords are refusing send me a letter then tell me that they can come themselves and bring up their grievances in court."

"We'll straighten this out, Sire. You can count on us."

"Thank you. I want the Lords to receive the letter I sent first so give it a day or two before you set off." He waited for them to nod in confirmation, before dismissing them and turning to Merlin who was… organizing his wardrobe by color.

Arthur smiled and made his way towards the bed taking out the letter bag and looking for the letter Merlin had read to him. "How come you can make my room moderately decent while yours looks like a pig sty?"

Merlin scoffed and made his way to the table grabbing the letter bag from Arthur. "I get paid to clean your room. And my room isn't that bad…"

"…Right"

Merlin pulled the letter from his jacket and waited for Arthur to take his seat.

"Right so the letter."

"You can start from the beginning again leave nothing out."

"Dear Lord Emrys, I give you my loyalty and await the peaceful future which only you can offer. With that being said as leader of my clan it is my duty to inform you that we have been approached by Morgana Pendragon. She informed us that she has been going from one druid clan to another as an effort to increase her army's numbers. She preaches slander and besmirches your good name. She wishes your death and is willing to do whatever necessary to see it so. I refused her offer to join her ranks and so have all of the other clan leaders, however the same cannot be said for a few of the younger members of our clans who have suffered due to the unjust laws in place. They are so young and can't possibly understand anything but revenge. I hope you are merciful and can set them straight if you ever come across them. Young Mordred especially. We have been made aware of his destiny for as long as we have known about yours Emrys and despite of this we still have faith. We have kept Mordred from learning his destiny and have taught him the path of healing and light. I know deep down he looks up to you, and the Once and Future King as well, and I am certain that he will give you his trust and be an asset towards the future you are destined to create if given the chance. Thank you for everything your humble servant… awaiting patiently."

Arthur nodded the letter must be from Mordred's old clan leader then Isolde… no that's not it… "What prophesies are they talking about? You mentioned them but never said what they actually were? And what do they have to do with Mordred?"

"There are many prophesies the one about Emrys and the Once and Future King is mine."

"Right and what is this prophesy exactly. King? Are you a king as well Emrys the Once and Future King? What exactly does that mean Once and Future?"

Its Merlin's turn to laugh now and he shakes his head, "No. I am not a King. Certainly not The Once and Future King. The prophecy is about me and the once and future king and well in short the druids believe that it is my destiny to protect and guide the once and future king so that together we can create Albion and bring peace and prosperity to all the land."

Arthur's jaw dropped slightly before composing himself. Merlin had a destiny with some King! "Who? Who is this future king your destined to be with?!"

Merlin frowned; he should tell Arthur he really should but there was already so much he had on his plate. He should wait till later after he told Arthur everything. After he told him about his magic… if he accepted him. No point to tell Arthur and force him into a destiny along side him if he wants nothing to do with him.

"I can't say. Not yet, but I will tell you. One day."

Arthur bit his tongue but nodded, he did tell Merlin that they would go at his pace. "Fair enough. What is Mordred's destiny it was mentioned in the letter?"

Merlin took a deep breath this talking about prophecies and revealing secrets business was exhausting, "Mordred is destined to kill the Once and Future King. That's partially why I've been some what cold to him. I can't let him hurt him, he's my destiny and I don't know what to do about Mordred he seems loyal now, but I'm afraid to put my trust in him."

"You shouldn't judge a man for something he hasn't even done yet. Destiny or not Mordred is a good man, a good knight and I trust him. Your destiny however well I can't say I agree with this so called king, but he shouldn't be quick to sentence Mordred without giving him a chance."

"I guess your right about that, and I will try to be less hostile towards him, for now at least."

Arthur nodded and moved on to his next question, "What about Morgana? Why does she wish your death? What's her role in all of this?"

"Morgana wants me dead because I foiled her schemes far too many times. There's also the part where I may have betrayed her trust, so she isn't particularly fond of me. She doesn't know that I am Emrys, but she hates both Merlin and Emrys around the same… Probably Emrys more because there is a prophesy about Morgana and me. She is the darkness to my light, the hatred to my love and some other nonsense, but basically it is my destiny to kill Morgana."

"WHAT! You are going to kill Morgana?"

"Trust me I don't want to. I've been given many opportunities to kill her, but I don't have the strength she was my friend once. I cared for her and she trusted me with her secret, but I couldn't trust her with mine and I ended up pushing her away. She also has this other destiny with Mordred. She and Mordred are going to be united in evil. I think it's cause she and I are destined to be enemies and Mordred and y.. his destiny to kill the once and future king."

Arthur paused letting everything sink in. This person in front of him looked like Merlin, but he sounded broken. How had he never seen that Merlin carried this terrible burden on his shoulder. He always saw Merlin as harmless, but at this moment he could feel the power in his presence. For nearly a decade this man he knew and considered his close friend had an army of druids who had sworn their loyalty to him and revealed all of their prophesies and opened him to a destiny filled with betrayal darkness and pain so that one day he could help a man unite the five kingdoms.

"I'm sorry that must be a terrible burden to carry."

"I've gotten used to it. And besides I'm not in it alone. I believe in the Once and Future King and I need to do everything in my power to make sure that my people… the druids, can one day live in peace."

"Right. Did you know about Mordred and Morgana's destiny back then? Did you know Morgana had magic?"

"Yes, and yes. I learned about them from a friend I went to him to ask him about what Mordred meant when he called me Emrys and he let me know of the destiny he and Morgana carried. I almost let him die. I wasn't going to show up, but I couldn't do that to him. He was just a child; he was lost and afraid and he put his trust in me. As for Morgana I chose to ignore her destiny. She was my friend I wanted to believe that she would never hurt us. I had a feeling about her magic, her dreams caused her so much pain, and I discovered that in her dreams she saw visions of the future, horrible things. And then when her window shattered she was so scared because it was her magic that caused it. She was terrified of what your father would do to her. She trusted me and confirmed my suspicions, but I still refused to believe that she would use her powers against us. I decided to help her. She decided to run away to be with people who would understand and help her control her gift, so I choose to take her towards the druids. I knew they would take care of her, but then Uther thought she was kidnapped so I had to go back and try and warn her, but everything went wrong. And soon after I guess it was too much for her she was petrified of what would happen to her if your father found out and then her fear turned to hate and then Morgause came along and was there for Morgana in a way I never could be."

Arthur stood up from his seat this was too much. At least for today.

"Thank you, for telling me Merlin. Can I ask one more question and then I'll relieve you for the night."

"That's okay I still have to go get your dinner and its still early we could go to the training field."

"We'll we both need a break so just one more question and then you can go do whatever you'd like while I go train. I need some time to process."

"Very well what's your question?"

Arthur took a breath and grabbed hold of the chair in front of him, "It's about the Once and Future King…" Will you leave to be with him? "… You know what never mind… you should go."

"Arthur?"

"I'll see you at dinner, you are free to lea… go for now Merlin."

Merlin nodded and stood making his way to leave grabbing his bag of letters to take with him. Arthur needed space for now.

A/N

So there you have it. Thank you all so much for reading along with favoring and following this story. This first chapter was all about prophecies since it's easier to get that out of the way and for Arthur to have some sort of understanding of Merlin's. Merlin was a bit refrained from revealing his magic but he did leave several clues and it was some what implied Arthur should he really want to figure it out only needs to put all the pieces together on his own before Merlin tells him. Also about the whole once and future king thing I wanted to hold that off but I can't really explain why I guess its for the reason I gave but also because I want Arthur to realize his connection with Merlin on his own.

As for the next chapter I'm not quite sure what to do. I know that for sure I'm doing a chapter about dragons and Balinor, but I don't particularly know where else to lead this. That being said if you guys have any particular requests or ideas feel free to comment. Also the next chapter might take a while to write and post since I am trying to catch up with my Dragons in Camelot story, but I'll see if I can make something for this story to post in the next couple of weeks.

That's all for now thank you again so much for reading.

~Agent C.