Well, as I told you I can't for the life of me stop writting and here comes another chapter. Never in my life of writing fanfiction I had been as inspired as with Merlin. Hope my muse won't leave me and can finish this story.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter

Disclaimer: I own nothing but this plot. Sad indeed.

The time Arthur managed to save Merlin… from the truth. Part ll

'Sometimes no answer is also answer'

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"Did Gwen turn down another date?" Merlin asked worriedly, with a plate of food on his hands. "Oh, no, let me guess, what did Gwaine do this time?"

Arthur looked up from his papers and saw as Merlin closed the door with his foot and then carried Arthur's favorite dinner to his wooden table, with a flick of golden eyes the papers that were all over the place aligned themselves on the shelves, the one Arthur had in his hand battled him for a moment before Arthur, with a quiet smile, opened his hand and the paper flew to join the rest.

"Or maybe you are just mad because I haven't fed you." Merlin said with a smirk as he sat opposite of the king and motioned to the plate. "You always get cranky when you don't eat."

"I don't get cranky." Arthur snapped eyeing the food before he took one piece of chicken and motioned to Merlin. "So? What are you waiting for?"

Merlin shrugged and moved his hands to rest lazily behind his head as he suppressed a yawn. "Already ate dinner with Gwaine and Lancelot."

Arthur nodded and ate in silence as Merlin babbled, unware of the dark aura around the Prince.

"Quite the journey they had, but—of course you know that, they reported it to you." Merlin snatched a strawberry from the plate and was surprised when Arthur didn't smack his hand away. Shrugging Merlin took another one, maybe another phase in the 'recent kindness' of the Prat.

"I hadn't read it, Merlin. They just gave it to me today."

"Right." Merlin said as he eyed Arthur with what the latest knew would be a proposition for doing magic. "I saw Gwen today."

"Really?"

"Yes, and I thought, hey, it's been a while since you both had been together for a date." Merlin winked as he took this time a piece of mango, it was rare these days. "I can use some magic and cover for you."

"Why?" Arthur this time raised his eyes to look at Merlin and Merlin's smile faltered. There was something definitely wrong with Arthur today and Merlin couldn't quite place it. It wasn't unnerving per say, but… whatever it was it was troubling him.

"Because? Gwen actually wants to, she was the one who more or less requested it." Merlin chuckled. "It took her ten times to actually say it, she was so nervous!"

Silence. Merlin took his time to look at Arthur, who was eating normally, however his eyes were concentrated on some pattern of the plate.

"Arthur?"

"What?"

"Im talking about Gwen? You know, date and everything?"

"I heard."

Merlin looked at every corner of the room before he leaped to his feet and he took the goblet of water from Arthur's hands in a swift motion.

"What—"

"This is not poisoned." Merlin stated as he sniffled the water and then glared at the food. Suddenly he eyed that chicken leg with the most suspicious. "Maybe the food, are you feeling well? Dizzy? Out of sorts?"

"Merlin…" Arthur said coming back to his old self as he glared but he didn't mean it and Merlin was panicking because Arthur had not yelled. He fully expected a "What are you doing, idiot?" not just a quiet "Merlin…" So Merlin whispered under his breath and he looked to the food, water and Arthur and when nothing changed he let out a burst of breath.

"Alright, I don't know what's happening."

"Nothing! Im fine. "Arthur said as he snatched the goblet of water from Merlin and the sorcerer took his seat again, this time head to the side as he eyed Arthur almost like he didn't know him.

"Alright, then; if you are not poisoned and under any kind of spell that I can tell, please, do share what happened to your pratinesh?" Merlin smirked and waited patiently for Arthur to do his share.

Arthur didn't, he just stared at the end of his goblet and finally put it aside.

Now Merlin was concerned. Arthur was not only being, well—quiet, he had put his food aside.

That was a first.

"Are you sure you are alright?" Merlin went as far as touch Arthur's forehead and the prince finally snapped, pushing Merlin's hand away.

"Cut it out! You idiot! Im fine! Im just thinking about tonight's meeting."

"I was talking about Gwen so I don't believe that."

Arthur glared.

Merlin glared back.

Arthur crossed his arms and the sorcerer crossed his too.

"Are you serious?"

"Are you?" Merlin said amused at Arthur's behavior. Something happened and Merlin wanted to know what.

"Stop. Imitating me."

"Stop being an ass! Oh, sorry, you were born like that, my mistake."

After a whole minute of this Merlin when Arthur refused to talk to him Merlin babbled as usual, two minutes later he was still babbling.

"—You know? Gaius says im the most stubborn sorcerer in the five kingdoms but that's just him."

Arthur finally grunted and he uncrossed his arms, raising them to the sky.

"Fine, Fine! I'll tell you but if you laugh about it I will throw you to the stocks for a month." He barked. "I mean it, Merlin."

"Gee, for a month." Merlin clasped his hands on his lap as he made one of those funny faces when he was thinking an amusing idea. "I wonder how many magic tricks I could learn alone, ya know, without interruptions." Merlin was actually imagining it. "One month without chores. You know what? Tell me. I will laugh. Merrily."

Arthur glared once more and finally he chuckled, the real first smile on the whole day. "How old are you? Five? And im being nice."

"Fine. I won't laugh. Unless is very funny then I can't keep promises." Merlin said easily as he took another mango. "This things, good lord. This is the reason why im your servant."

Arthur scoffed as he rolled his eyes. "For the food?"

"Definitely."

Merlin didn't push the topic but he waited patiently as he ate all the slices of mango's he could find. Arthur finally rested his elbows on the table, eyes casted on the food before he looked up to Merlin.

"If I tell you that what is bothering me it's just for me to know, would you let it be?"

Merlin wanted to make a quick retort but he saw the serious expression on Arthur's face, he looked down for a moment in deep thought and then with resolution he nodded.

"Yes." Merlin said and both of them leaned back on their sits. "I understand"

"Well that was easy." Arthur scoffed but he nudged Merlin's arm with a grin.

Merlin shrugged, he looked serenely towards the prince trying to convey what he was thinking. Arthur didn't know everything about Merlin. There were many secrets Merlin wasn't' ready to share and he knew Arthur had his own. Arthur was very insecure about himself and he tried to down cast it by being bossy, and obnoxious, and by being the best he could be so other wouldn't look down at him. Merlin couldn't understand how Arthur did things most of the time, Merlin, deep in secret, admired Arthur maybe just as much as Arthur admired him. He scoffed. Stupid dragon.

"Everybody has their own demons, Arthur." Merlin finally said. "We have to face them on our own at our own time. Just remember you've got me."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Im surprised Merlin, you… you almost sounded…"

"…Wise?"

"God Forbid."

The two friends smiled and then Arthur clasped his hands together.

"Alright, so what's this I was wearing about Gwen? A Date? Perfect. Can you cover for me, let's say… for a week?"

Merlin gasped aghast, a hand to his heart in fake dignity. "Even I can't cover your pratinesh around the castle for that long. Uther would hang me, forget the stocks!"

"You are useless as always. Can you actually do something, Merlin?"

"Oi! More respect." Merlin said with mock anger and then he grinned smugly. "Im still the most powerful warlock to ever walk this earth, or so I've been told."

Arthur gave him two second of indulgence before he kicked Merlin's left leg under the table.

"Obviously they are wrong. Probably confused you, I would be understandable."

"Prat" Merlin hissed as he rubbed his knee.

"Idiot."

Merlin was about to retaliate when there was a knock on the door. Merlin sighed and went to open the door when Arthur raised his brows in amusement—(You are still my manservant, you idiot!)—and inside came Gaius.

"Gaius please, come take a sit, Agravaine should be here any moment." Arthur said amiably to the old man, however Gaius looked like he was about to faint. Arthur and Merlin shared a look and soon Arthur was on his feet.

"It's everything alright?"

"Gaius?" Merlin asked concerned as he steered the old man to a nearby chair. "What is it?"

Gaius shook his head and looked first towards Arthur and then to Merlin.

"I don't know…"

"Gaius?"

"Close… close the door will you, Merlin? We… we need to discuss something of… importance."

Arthur and Merlin understood the glance and at once Arthur was by the door, he dismissed the guards and ordered to not be disturbed and then Merlin closed the door placing a spell on it to avoid people passing outside to overhear them. Arthur put the lock, just in case.

"What is it?" Merlin said as he took a seat on the other side of Gaius and Arthur took one in front them, both facing the very pale and shaking Gaius before he recovered. Merlin knew in an instant that Gaius was not his protector, his Father, he was Physician Gaius, with an air of sufficiency and facts that was about to deliver a heavy blow.

"I was with Uther."

"He demanded to see you, that's right." Arthur nodded, all official and royal now, his hands laced in front of him. "Is he okay?"

"Physically, he is."

"Physically?" Arthur repeated and threw Merlin a glance before he settled back.

Gaius shook his head in astonishment, placing his hands on the table with his palms up. "Well, it's… I just don't know how to explain it… Uther is not that old and in all honestly… I don't think—It just doesn't make any sense! I ran every test, I gave him a potion to sleep and he recovered and he… he's the same."

"The same? What happened then? Is he ill? A… mental affliction? He's uh… under a spell?" Arthur scoffed as he waited, a bit on panic lacing his voice with the news.

Gaius sighed and ignoring Arthur for the moment he looked towards Merlin and Merlin shook his head instantly, understanding in a second that look. It was the look that Gaius had mastered through the years. A look that said 'Merlin, this is about magic, so you better hurry and do something about it.' And then Merlin would make his quick scape, Gaius would help him solve the problem but in the end it was always Merlin the one left with the tough decisions.

When in patrols, deciding who would get his help first while trying to not be caught. When facing Morgana. He had to poison her. He had to lie about Mordred. The druid kid. How many times he had lied to Arthur? How many times he had sacrificed himself so Arthur would be blessed with ignorance? He had been the sorcerer in Ealdor and Will had died protecting him. He was tired of it. He didn't want to decide on who got to live or not. He was tired of facing this great destiny alone. Always alone.

Merlin scoffed enraged for a moment. Arthur had always had someone there for him. His Mother first, then his Father, he was cold, and he was wrong about Magic and Merlin hated him but he loved Arthur more than his life and that should mean something, isn't it? The knights, ready to die for him if he ordered them. Then Gwen, sweet and beautiful Gwen who loved Arthur even with all his faults, and Merlin heart constricted when he remember Freya. Who had left him too soon… if he had told Arthur before… she would be alive. All of his suffering had been born because he had done things alone.

So many sacrifices he had made and he envied Arthur for a moment. He wanted to be loved by the people, to have knights to respect him. To just… to just not be alone for once. To be able to share his pain and decisions. He was just so tired and here was Gaius, telling him to leave. Telling him that once again he would have to hide the truth. Maybe they had done this same routine so for so many years nor Gaius or him knew how to do or behave around Arthur anymore.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked and Merlin was sure something must be showing on his face that Arthur noticed his state. Looking around he smiled grimly. The whole lights on the chambers were levitating around him in an erratic but beautiful pattern even if he said so himself. With a sigh and a flash of gold he put them where they belonged.

"Sorry."

"Merlin." Arthur had taken his arm over the table and shook him till Merlin looked up. Merlin realized his eyes wet with unshed tears and he shook his head. "It's alright. You've got me."

Merlin looked towards Gaius and then to Arthur. In that moment his heart just decided that after years he didn't want to be alone anymore. He had Arthur now. They had to do this. If he didn't trust Arthur then what was the point?

"No, no this time, Gaius. This… this is what we have been waiting for."

"Waiting for?" Arthur asked bewildered as he retracted his hand and leaned on the table. "Waiting for what?"

Merlin and Gaius shared a glance and Gaius nodded tiredly.

"Very well, then." Gaius turned towards Arthur to speak and Merlin relaxed. He wouldn't do it with Gaius support. "Now listen, both of you. As I said this is about your Father. I—I do believe that Uther is under… some sort of spell, however it will take time to understand where is it coming from or how is working."

"What happened to him? Is he in danger?" Arthur asked at once.

Gaius shook his head, relaxing with a movement of his hands. "No, no, he's fine, Sire. He's asleep as we speak. It's you im worried about."

"Me? It doesn't matter what kind of spell he is. My Father would never hurt me." Arthur said aghast.

"Not… in his right senses. No." Merlin added In a low voice and Arthur glared at him. "Just tell us, Gaius already, is he in love with a troll once again?"

Gaius just sighed and finally delivered the blow that Merlin had been expecting. "Uther… is under the belief that he never had a Son."

The silence that followed was brief, Arthur clasped Gaius shoulder with a grin over the table.

"Gaius, you almost got me there. So funny." Arthur rose from his seat to get some water, filled his goblet and then when he turned and found that Gaius and Merlin were incredibly serious he dropped the goblet. Arthur looked crestfallen and angered the next. "Did—did my father forget me? It's that even possible? Im his only son!"

"Who could do this?" Merlin asked bewildered towards Gaius and then rolled his eyes. "Alright, we all know who did this but now, it's reversible? Did you check his food? Was it a potion?"

Gaius shook his head. "I had tried everything… no potion that I know of at least, and no matter how strong the potion it will wear off if it was not meant to kill, he had been under it for hours, so that rules potion out. If it is a spell is a very powerful one." He gave a meaningful look to Merlin. "I do administered him a potion to sleep till morning and Agravaine went on patrol and one of the guards on the door is Lancelot."

Merlin understood at once and looked to Arthur, Arthur wasn't saying anything, he had gone very quiet during the conversation. Merlin sighed nodded to Gaius and left not before telling Gaius to meet him in half an hour in their chambers.

"See what could have caused this. I'll take a look at Uther." Merlin stopped at the door, waiting, for one last piece of advice… that never came.

Merlin wanted to hear Arthur's approval, to give him some kind of permission, but the prince was looking down at his goblet lost in thought and Merlin after one last look at Gaius left the room.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Arthur put the goblet down the moment Merlin was gone. He was at a loss of what to do. Face enemies? Got it. Armies, thieves, evil sorceress. Face illness and battle wounds. Train knights, kill people, do boring meetings, go to far away lands, and go lengths in name of his King. Yes to all of them.

Face a Father that wouldn't recognize your face? Not on his list. Morgana had gone too far this time and he was almost angry at Merlin for not killing her when he could. His mind just wasn't cooperating, the solely fact on what he had heard had left him speechless. Could magic be that strong?

"The man." He said to himself as he walked with purpose to get his sword. "If Merlin is right and word has gone around—"

"I assure you no one besides Agravaine and me knows about this." Gaius said in a low tone of reassurance. "Agravaine and I managed to convince him to stay and make all his work inside his studio, I kept an eye of him all day, that's why I didn't come sooner, Sire. He's asleep now, he won't wake up for a few hours."

Arthur didn't say anything but just raised his sword, thinking fast.

"Where are you going, Arthur?" Gaius asked as he saw Arthur head for the door.

"Isn't it obvious? Im sure the man than sneaks at night did this. In any case he has contact with Morgana. We find him, we find Morgana, we find a cure." Arthur said in short sentences and then Gaius rose from his seat. Why, pray tell did all young man had to be so impulsive?

"Arthur, sit for a moment. You are no thinking clearly. You will win nothing heading right now to chase a man you don't even know."

"Gaius—you can't—"

"I won't stop you, Sire, but you need to listen to me first."

This was the reason he didn't want to let Arthur know about this. If Merlin was wrong about Arthur the Prince would be dead before Uther could remember he had a son.

"We can't let people know! What would they say? That their king is losing his mind!" Arthur screamed angered as he stepped back from the door because Gaius was on the way, he paced around like a jailed lion. "My Father is not crazy, Gaius. Morgana did this to him. I won't have his people looking down at him for something that isn't his fault."

"Arthur, you won't achieve anything if you leave right now. Whoever did this can't possibly know just yet, Agravaine and I decided to not say anything to anyone." Gaius sighed and motioned once again to the seat. "Sit, I'll explain."

"Then we need a cure." Arthur said not listening. "I'll find this—this traitor and force him or her to say how to break it. I'll set a patrol and keep an eye open for anyone who looks suspicious."

"How do you know that is a cure what he need and not a spell? Magic, Arthur, is more complicated than you think. It's an art and Merlin—"

"You want me to trust Merlin with my Father's life?" Arthur snapped.

"He had saved your enough times hasn't he?" Gaius glared and Arthur put his hands on his waist.

"I didn't mean it like that." Arthur said in a low tone, guilt on his face. "I know he—Aright, then what do you want me to do?"

"For the moment we need to wait till—"

"Gaius—I can't just do nothing." Arthur controlled himself to not snap again. "What If it was Merlin who would had forgotten you, what would you do?"

"I don't know what I would do." Gaius said sternly. " But going around losing my head wouldn't be an option. There's always a way."

Gaius smiled fondly remembering that it was exactly what Merlin was always telling him, and so far so good, isn't it?

"Says the man who doesn't know what is happening!" Arthur snapped and Gaius took it in stride.

"No. Say's the man who trusts Merlin."

Arthur looked struck for a moment and lowered his pacing however he looked like if he was searching for a way to get out of his chambers at once at the same time, Gaius finally realized that in the end it would be Arthur's decision and his alone.

"Arthur, sit."

"Gaius—"

"Sit. Just five minutes and then I will let you leave. Uther is fine. You can wait a few minutes. Don't make me do something I would regret, Arthur. Now come, Sit."

Arthur rolled his eyes, like if Gaius could ever be a treat to the Prince but he sat, hands on his sword ready to bolt, however, Gaius had to give the young lad a break. Arthur behaved with every royal blood he had in his system with his actions.

"Im sorry Gaius." He nodded and looked to his sword. Like seeing something the old man could not. "There's a lot I don't understand and that—unnerves me. Magic is something that I was teach to hate and be afraid of, to look for a way to eradicate it as quickly as possible… Im trying to tell myself I know better but…"

Gaius moved to sit once again with a sigh and patted Arthur back with a soft smile. This life was coming to be too much for him If now he had to care for Merlin and Arthur at the same time. He could only deal with so much.

"I'm going to be honest Sire, and I can only hope you forgive me."

"Please." Arthur said tiredly but honestly. "Speak freely."

Gaius nodded, unsure of how to being but once he found the words he was brief and concise, trying to get Arthur to understand the predicament they were all in.

"For four years, Sire, all I ever did was take care of Merlin in the best way this old body could allow… I love Merlin like my own son, Arthur and there's nothing I wouldn't do to protect him. Keeping him alive gave some meaning to my boring life. He was a bless and I do hope he continues to be one, not just for me, but for others too, for other for his kin."

Gaius said and Arthur was listening intently as he stared down at his sword, however Gaius was old enough to know when someone was paying attention or not.

"I understand the fears you and you Father hold towards magic, however that doesn't mean magic is evil… Merlin had done nothing but good since he came into Camelot four years ago, God only knows were would we be without him and is something that Merlin—sadly, doesn't hear very often. Still he protects you and this land with everything he has. He believes in you Arthur, even when I did not."

Arthur raised his brows at him. "What do you mean? You have always been loyal to me, I think of you as a grandfather of sorts."

"I do too, Arthur, however when Merlin came into my life my biggest fear was that one day he would probably would be caught. Killed as he burned tied to a pyre when his crime was being born, I always advised him to not do magic unless it was necessary, to hide who he was, even from you…and still my biggest fear came true just a week ago." Gaius said and raised a hand when Arthur went to interrupt, silencing him with a raised brow. "Sire, you had all the power, all the right reasons to not trust Merlin, you could have killed him and you chose to spare his life, you chose to keep him safe and for that, Arthur I don't think either me or Hunith will ever be thankful enough, but this 'sacrifice' you are making is just one for the many Merlin have had to endure over the years." Gaius stopped to let than sink and he patted Arthur shoulder again. "Right now, what its happening to your Father im afraid, is a very strange form of magic, I don't know where did it come from, neither do I know if it can be broken but the only one who can solve it is Merlin."

Arthur leaned back heavily on his seat, crossing his arms in defense of what was coming next.

"Merlin… Merlin had made mistakes; sadly magic is not a science it can backfire." Gaius said sadly, thinking of all the times Merlin had to endure a failure of its own making. Arthur looked to the floor, hands on his sword deep in thought.

"But Merlin had never failed on saving your life Arthur. Running in the middle of the night following a man we do know nothing about can end the very same life that Merlin had tried and sacrificed so much to protect." Gaius continued, never in his life he had talked so much with anyone about Merlin. He only had Hunith and even then her visits were scarce. He tried to do what Hunith would have done. To give Arthur a chance. After all Merlin had done so, isn't it?

Arthur turned his eyes to the faint blue of Gaius', insecure about how to proceed.

"You are no good to this kingdom dead, the same as Merlin will do no good tied to a pyre. I do too believe in the world you will create Arthur, and I do believe that you will bring peace to this land, however this is not about what do I believe or not. I trust Merlin with my life and I trust your judgement but the question remains… can you have faith in Merlin? A bit of the faith that he had seen in you all these years?"

Gaius leaned back on his seat and then pointed to the door in silence with his head, hands clasped on his lap. A clear remark that Arthur could leave at any moment if he wanted. Neither of them moved for the longest of time, Gaius analyzing the stony face of Arthur as the man came to a conclusion maybe Merlin had been right. Maybe the way to do things around in Camelot will change with the both of them…

And then much to Gaius dismay, Arthur raised to his feet, his sword at hand and left, closing the door behind him without a second glance.

Well, that was it! Hope you like it and PLEASE any review that states how you feel with how things are progressing will be very much apreciated. I already have the outline written to the end but I would love to hear your theories... see what Arthur might do next... he's going to be the death of me.

Please do tell if maybe im going maybe too OOC? I slaved myself on this chapter but Merlin and Arthur need to behave differently around each other after all, but not too much. Gods I suffered.

Infinites thank yous to all the favorites and follows.

-Juliet'lovestory-