A/N: 100 REVIEWS. I DIED. I REALLY DIED. It was bothering me to no end that I had 99 reviews, I don't know it just bothered me and I was stubbornly saying 'I won't update until I get 100' with crossed arms and a pout— very Arthur's style- but after like two hours I gave up and started to wrap this chapter for posting and ta-da! Before uploading it 100 reviews! Thank you, Suricata for your review and all the past 99 reviews. Jesus, I'm just so happy (: I could write an essay on my happiness but you don't want to hear it( but is all because of you all who like this story and had favorited it or reviewed) So, here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it.

Time Is Running Out

"Are you certain this will work, Merlin?" Arthur asked for the tenth time in less than half an hour.

"Yes, it will. Stop asking me that." Merlin whispered mildly annoyed and controlled himself to not roll his eyes at his friend. Arthur nodded reluctantly as he tilted his head, it wasn't like they had any other choice, was it? They were both back-to-wall by either side of the hall that led to the kings chambers. After a moment Merlin risked to peek over the corner.

There, guarding the huge wooden doors to Uther's room, were Sir Percy and Sir Alistair, both standing upright, stares fixed to the front, spares in their hands, they looked ready to defend and protect their king at all costs, at least from far away it looked like that, but Merlin could swear he saw Sir Alistair dozing off where he stood.

Like on cue Arthur smirked smugly towards Merlin.

"See? They are not incompetent." Arthur whispered back. Merlin had told the prince just before arriving that countless times he had been able to have access to prohibited rooms or chambers around the castle because the guards were sometimes either sleepy or too naive to fall for his magic tricks. Arthur refused to think that Merlin could fool his entire castle guard and he was relieved to see his two knights where were they were supposed to be.

"Ready?" Merlin asked fully ignoring Arthur's remark. The Prat would see soon enough.

"Whenever you are ready, although I still think it won't work. I trained them." Arthur emphasized the last three words.

"That would explain it." Merlin mumbled but Arthur still heard him, throwing him a deathly glare. The sorcerer ignored him and bent to waist level, peeking around his corner, raising his hands in front of him. After a moment of concentration and self-consciousness—it would be a long way till he was comfortable with Arthur staring so blatantly at him while doing magic—his eyes flashed gold.

Arthur instantly looked down the hall, his stare flickering from Merlin to his knights waiting for any indication that Merlin's magic was working. Would they just drop unconscious? Will they disappear and appear at the other side of the castle? Would Merlin make Arthur and himself invisible? At that thought, Arthur glanced surreptitiously down at his hands for a moment when suddenly the tilting of the torches on the other side of the hall caught his attention.

He was not the only one.

"Did you see that?" Sir Percy elbowed Sir Alistair, who blinked away his sleep and stood straighter in an attempt to look more awake.

"What?"

"Something moved."

"Maybe just the wind." Alistair answered back, however, after a second or two, this time one of the torches flickered completely off while they could hear something—or someone—had tumbled something out of their vision.

"Yes, air my royal ass, Alistair." Sir Percy grumbled and Alistair shrugged as he raised his spare higher.

Arthur realized that the torches out of his sight suddenly flickered off as the hall grew darker, and then he heard the slap of what he realized should be a window. Arthur raised his eyebrows, silently amazed at what Merlin could do with things even that were out of his visual range, he would have to ask about that later, he thought as he looked down at Merlin, eyes still glowing gold, Arthur shivered and looked once again down the hall.

His guards had yet to move and he gave his knights a bonus point in his head. It could be the wind, Arthur thought, surely they weren't about to ran off leaving the king unprotected. He scoffed, of course not.

"Is somebody there?" Si Alistair called out loud, sword at the ready. Merlin closed his eyes for concentration, enhancing his senses, seeing without really seeing the torches out of his visual and then he lifted them from where they hang and let them fall over, thudding on the floor quite noisily.

This time the guards did hurry and disappeared down the hall.

Arthur's mouth dropped open before he caught himself. Unbelievable. He waited a few seconds for their footsteps to fade away and stepped into the hall annoyed, arms crossed.

"Are they always that stupid?" Arthur asked bewildered, pointing aghast to the place they had been standing. "They didn't even see anyone. It could be a bloody assassin and he would just saunter inside my father's room!"

"They fall for anything. I can make a list of that too if you want." Merlin said smugly knowing better than to say 'I told you so,' he wouldn't hear the end of his chores if he dared. He straightened up and walked to open the chambers of the king without much fuss. Arthur made a mental note to teach his knights that never, no matter what, the knight's chambers should left be unguarded. He rolled his eyes. No wonder they were always attacked and if it was this easy to drive them off it was a miracle indeed that his Father was alive.

He sighed and focused on what they had to do at the moment. There will be time to scream at his knights later.

He followed Merlin inside and closed the room quickly and softly behind him. He motioned for Merlin to stay put and with the stealth that Arthur had been gifted with, he walked in almost pure darkness to the edge of the bed where his Father rested, he knew this room like the back of his hand so no worries to stumble on anything—like he feared Merlin would do. Waking the whole castle in the process.

Once he caught sight of his Father face he felt a lump on his throat. It's been a week since he had seen his father's face. Since the funeral of Agravaine Arthur had done everything in his power to avoid his Father, not wanting another confrontation, and since his Father had no use for him it has been fairly easy, now, however, just a step away Arthur pressed his lips together. He could see Merlin lifting things, lighting fires, driving away his guards and still a part of him refused to believe his Father had forgotten him.

Arthur shook his head, he didn't have time for a breakdown or stupid thoughts, he could deal with that later. So quickly took his father's duvet as gently as he could, letting it fall by his waist. There, resting lazily on his chest, he could see the white stone, almost eerily shining in the darkness. Arthur took a steady breath, his hand hovered over it when movement caught his eye, he almost jumped in fear.

It was only Merlin, though, standing on the other side of the bed, Arthur closed his eyes and hands in fits. One of these days he was going to die for having a heart attack. He glared at the sorcerer but Merlin was ignoring him as once again his eyes flashed gold, Arthur froze where he stood, not prepared to see Merlin doing magic in the middle of his Father's room and suddenly he was scared that Merlin would try something on his Father—what, he didn't know— but a million thoughts ran through his mind in less than a second. In the end, none of his fears came true, all that Merlin did was help, as always, as he silently and eerily had lifted the chain from his Father's chest so it would be easier for Arthur to take. Arthur's heart was beating fast but he berated himself, how many times, he thought, how many times since he trusted Merlin blindly? Wherever Arthur was concerned he trusted Merlin with his life and he hoped Merlin could trust him with his, however, the thought that he could out rule his Father with just a thought nags him and upsets him because Merlin wouldn't do it. Never. So why his brain still fought him?

After a moment, Arthur relaxed and focused his eyes on the stone levitating on the air. No time to ponder about Uther and Merlin either. He internally swore, he was just not accustomed to enter nobody's chambers—let alone his father—to steal.

Arthur silently took the fake stone from his pocket and for a flicker of a second he stared down at it, remembering how he got it.

Gaius had made it in less than half an hour while Arthur and Merlin talked about how they would proceed with the plan.

The rock itself consisted of heated glass, sugar and lime that Gaius had put together and then Merlin— using magic— had compressed it so it was a solid but moldable rock. After that Arthur had taken it and with a knife he had sculpted it to make a very accurate resemblance of the rock.

Merlin was impressed; he didn't know Arthur could… make things. As Arthur worked on making this rock an exact replica Merlin sat on a stool trying hard to not look taken aback at the sight. Merlin was sure that Arthur was good at two things: Weapons—he knew firsthand how skilled Arthur was with swords, knives, maces, spares, whatever that could be turned into a weapon, Arthur excelled at it—and second being a prat, honestly, Merlin thought, that had to be some kind of talent.

So Merlin watching as Arthur skillfully worked with a knife—not to hurt but to create—was beyond him, wisely he chose not to say anything, dare Arthur hear of it, he would never shut up about it. Arthur's ego definitely didn't need a boost.

As he worked Gaius, Arthur and him agreed that Merlin could not do the task alone, touching or applying magic to the stone will set it off so they left the stealing to Arthur. Moreover, (despite Arthur's protests) they also agreed they would wait for the chambers to be empty to test the objects, they didn't know what object it was or if the stone will shine enough to wake Uther, so they would just go in and out and try their plan next morning, once Uther was outside and it would be safe for them.

Arthur was done soon enough and passed the stone to Merlin, who froze it, per se, so the stone would keep its form.

"Do you think he will notice?" Merlin asked Gaius as he gave him the rock for analysis. He had never seen the rock more than just once.

"It will work for a day," Gaius said pondering the rock. "Looks and weights almost the same but it doesn't work of course. The material won't stick for long either so the faster you find the object the better."

Merlin tried hard to not look crestfallen. "Do you mean that we still have to give it back?"

"I'm sorry Merlin," Gaius smiled softly as he patted Merlin's shoulder. "Sooner rather than later Uther might test it on something and only God knows what would happen if the stone doesn't work, for all we know he tests it every night. Or worse, what if it breaks and see's it's a fake, we can't risk it, Merlin."

"It's alright, Merlin, you are safe," Arthur said robotically as he stood from his stool and looked out the window. They had just a few hours before dawn so they better get going. "So, do you have a plan for entering a place you are not supposed to be in? I can't saunter in like I used to do, word might get out that I visited my father at night, and if he finds out and don't recall the event he would find me to hang me." Arthur said turning to face his friend with dread and crossed his arms. "We could always attempt to climb the walls from outside his balcony with a rope or something, his window is never locked."

Merlin and Gaius shared a glance." Actually, it's easier than you think."

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

All of that happened in the flicker of a second Arthur took to contemplate the stone. He scoffed angrily. It had been way too easy, alright.

Now focused and quick on his task Arthur hovered over his Father's form, the chain still levitating in the air. He took the cold stone on his hand and for just a fraction of a second, he stared down at his father's face, fearing his Father would wake up, usually he did whenever he felt a presence but the king was at peace this night and if he felt or not Arthur's presence it was not one that the king found as a treat. Arthur then quickly unlocked the white stone from its golden grasps and placed the new one instead, he panicked for a moment when the stone wouldn't stay put. He didn't have to worry much, though. Merlin raised his left hand and the stone shined for a flick of a second, getting magically attached to the chain. Arthur admired the work, as far he could tell it looked exactly the same.

Arthur relaxed,—he wasn't even aware he was so stiff— pocketed the magic stone and nodded toward Merlin, tilting his head to the exit. Time to go. Merlin lowered his hand and as it went slowly down the chain went down too, to finally rest where they had found it. Merlin grinned, shrugging a bit.

"Easy." Merlin whispered as Arthur took a step to the exit.

However, before Merlin could feel smug about it, the King coughed and rolled in his sleep and both friends laid flat to the floor on either side of the bed quicker than it took them to process what was happening.

Arthur closed his eyes for a moment. He felt incredibly stupid doing this, since he was a teenager he had never sneaked into his father's room for anything, he had done so several times in the past yes, to either grab a couple of coins or just to mess around but right now he felt like he himself was a thug in his own castle, stealing from his own father, lying flat under his bed, with Merlin, nonetheless. He started a mental list of chores for Merlin to do tomorrow.

Merlin and Arthur shared a glance from under the bed— Arthur was glaring more like glancing as he mouthed 'your fault' Merlin grinned impishly (If he told Arthur all the times he had been in a position like this he would have to make a list of his own) the second the room as quiet again and once Arthur risked a look at his Father—peacefully sleeping— they quickly scattered to the exit, making their quick escape in a silent hassle. Thanks the Gods Merlin managed to not trip on anything.

Once outside and far away from the hall—still unguarded Arthur noted with panic once Merlin pointed it out— Merlin and Arthur walked to Gaius's chambers. One happier than the other, Arthur could feel the smugly-ness coming out from Merlin—who walked with crossed arms and a grin on his face by his side.

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur said before Merlin had time to say anything. "I don't need to hear it."

"And I don't like to say it but—" Merlin shrugged, enjoying the moment, Arthur closed his eyes in dread. "I told you so."

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

Merlin woke up to the sound of chatter outside his room; he grunted and rolled to his side, trying to muffle the sound with his pillow. Sunlight bathed his skin instead and groggily he raised a hand to stop the light hitting his face. He sighed, so much for sleeping. It took him a moment but finally he found the strength to sit, blinking away his sleep and yawning.

One look at the window and Merlin realized it was well past midday. He sat straighter, panicking for a moment. He couldn't remember the last time he had overslept, but he knew that if Arthur himself had not demanded his presence it indicated that he still had time to hurry up before Arthur came bursting in yelling at him. After all, today might be the day that they find the cure to Uther's illness.

He stood up and stretched, yawning as he did so and then went to change himself into some fresh clothes. Outside the conversation kept going and he strained his ears but could not discern anything, he didn't want to eavesdrops, it could be a patient or a friend of Gaius. However, before stepping out, though, he looked out from a hole on his door, fearing it might be Uther but a smile grew on his face when he saw who was there.

Lancelot and Gaius both turned their heads at him when he opened his door and walked down the three steps.

"Good Morning, Merlin," Gaius said amiably from the table as Lancelot—who was sitting across from Gaius—waved lazily. "I see you are finally awake."

"Mornin'" Merlin said tiredly as he let himself fall on a stool next to Lancelot and nodded to both of them.

"Long night?" The kind knight said as a good morning before he nodded to the plate of food in front of him, Merlin raised his brows for an explanation. "Saved you what Gwaine and the rest didn't want, they were having a bit of a hangover, apparently not in the mood to have breakfast."

Merlin chuckled, remembering that yesterday he had gotten a few drinks with the knights, helped James to win his game of dices, lost his own game of dices, helped Percival out of Gaius's room—speaking of which where was he? He wondered looking around—, made a double of the white stone and entered the Kings chambers to steal the original one, with Arthur's help—a miracle by itself— all in one night.

He hummed happily, proud of himself, and after a quick thank you he indulged himself on the food. It surely beats whatever Gaius could make for breakfast.

"It was an interesting night, Lancelot," Merlin said knowingly as Gaius shook his head. "I tell you about my night if you tell me if Gwaine left with a maid or not."

Lancelot smiled softly as patted Merlin's shoulder. "You sure are keen on losing bets lately, uh?"

Merlin smile fell from his face. "What? I was sure he was going to leave with Bree!"

"He was about to but Percival needed help getting to the castle so him and I brought Percival back, he is in his knights quarters, both of them happily snoring," Lancelot chuckled. "Trust me, Leon and I would know."

Gaius gave Merlin a sharp look over the news and Merlin got prepared for an earful, he had promised to bring Percival back but in the middle of this enlightenment of a plan he had completely forgotten about his friend. In that moment, though, someone timely knocked on the door, saving him from the reprimand Merlin was about to get. The sorcerer was about to stand up before Gaius stopped him, going to open it himself.

"If it's Uther better me the one who opens the door," Gaius said wisely, after all since Agravaine's death Gaius had become almost like a second entity around the king, Uther felt like everything fell on their shoulders now.

"Well, hopefully today will be the last day we deal with a King without an heir, right?" Lancelot said quietly as Gaius opened the door.

"I got the idea at the tavern, you kind of helped actually, first time your scolding pays off," Merlin smirked as he ate his fresh fruit. "I take it Gaius told you about it then?"

"He was in the middle of it." Lancelot accepted as he looked over his shoulder, in case it was Uther or any of the knights but he was relieved to see just the delivering boy. "So you finally figured out a way to cure Uther, knew you could do it."

"I found a way to find the object that is making him ill, it's not the same as a cure."

"So you found a way," Lancelot said with an infuriating smile. "And I take it that is why, out of the blue, Gwaine and I got a shift on guarding the chambers of the King today, isn't it?"

"Might or might not have anything to do with it." Merlin shrugged with twinkling eyes as he finished his food.

Lancelot and Merlin were silent for a moment before Lancelot chuckled warmly and placed his hand on Merlins shoulder amiably.

"Good Merlin, I'm proud of you," Lancelot said honestly. "I'm relieved to see that things are looking up."

"Indeed, you are right. You bringing me actual breakfast—don't ever tell Gaius I said that—Gaius and you both proud of me, Percival finally sleeping in the knights quarters with an almost healed leg, Arthur actually accepting that out of the two I'm the best—" Merlin grinned.

"He did?"

"Kind of… it was implied—I think." Merlin chuckled drunk in happiness, he didn't know why, but after stealing the rock he had felt like things were finally getting into the right direction. "He was glaring at me, alright, and it might have been sarcastic but—"

"Merlin," Gaius interrupted them as he walked back to the two friends at the table, a soft smile on his face. "You got a letter."

Merlin smiled like a child when Gaius gave him an envelope, he didn't need to be told who had sent it after all. Lancelot stared at it in hidden curiosity and silence and Merlin rolled his eyes. He could almost feel Lancelot question in his mind. Lancelot was always so proper, even after all they have gone through.

"No big secret, Lancelot, it's a letter from Mom." He said as he turned the envelope and read his Mother's name on it, a letter directed to Gaius—it was easier for the royal messengers to get Gaius things faster, safer and quicker across kingdoms—and gave it to Lancelot. "She writes from time to time."

"Tell me what she says about the last remedy I sent her," Gaius said absent-minded as he sat to read his bunch of letters, some were from friends and other were orders that he would have to make and deliver. "And tell her she needs to visit soon if her problem with her back persists."

As Merlin and Gaius immersed themselves on a conversation about Merlin's Mom Lancelot turned the envelope on his hands with melancholy, he had lost all his family years ago so there was no one outside Camelot who would bother to write him, but he was glad that Merlin still had his Mother to talk to. Merlin would berate him dare he say what he thinks, after all now living with so many knights it was like he had a bunch of annoying brothers—Merlin included— there was also Arthur and Gwen, who he still loved but knew, for now, that it was entirely platonic. It was true he had no more relatives alive but that didn't mean he didn't have a family and he was grateful for it.

Gaius rose from his seat on the table, mumbling something about doing a potion for a friend and scattered to the other side of the room to get to work, bring with him the rest of his letters. The knight turned the letter one last time to give it back when Lancelot frowned; staring at the envelope like suddenly it was a foreign object.

"What is it?" Merlin asked.

Lancelot stared at the letter once again before he looked up to Merlin.

"Your letter… someone opened it." Lancelot said, giving the letter back to its owner.

"What?" Merlin asked dumbfounded as he turned the envelope on his hands. "I don't see anything."

Lancelot was calm as he talked but Merlin knew it was pure façade. The knight took the envelope from his hands and pressed it softly against how it was tucked, so the sides would fill with air. He did it just barely, enough for Merlin to see that someone, very delicately, had cut the paper and had pasted it back. Now that Merlin was paying attention the left side—the side that had been opened and closed— was a little bit sticky.

"See? Someone cut it, quite neatly and pasted it back." Lancelot said as he placed the letter against the sun and they could see a stain where the paper had not been just paper. Lancelot lowered the letter and let it rest on the table. Merlin's eyes shined gold but he could not discern of feel any kind of magic placed upon it.

"Is it common for letters to be opened? To pass uh—a certain safety code?" Merlin asked truly believing that there must be a valid reason behind it, a solid reason, none of the previous letters had been violated but how would he know? He was always so eager to read them he didn't pay much attention.

Lancelot sighed and after a moment of contemplation shook his head.

"Anything that Gaius receives practically passes without second questions, your Father trust Gaius and he knows he gets important information, after all, he is the King's physician. Merlin, you might not understand because you live with him but Gaius is an important man, furthermore, Uther protects him and has given Gaius permission to receive letters, potions, books and information from around the kingdom that no one else can read, that's why Gaius seals his letters with wax and a medical emblem." Lancelot was quiet for a moment as he waited for Merlin to process this. "If your letter was addressed to him it should not be opened, Merlin. Solely because Uther's demanded it, if it was addressed to you maybe but— Gaius?" Lancelot suddenly asked and Merlin blinked when Lancelot crossed the room, apparently forgetting he was in the middle of a vital conversation with the sorcerer.

"Gaius," Lancelot repeated heading to the table where the physician was immersed in his job. "May I take this? I just want to see something."

Lancelot signaled to a book next to his letters and the physician moved a hand, muttering about the importance of silence during work, not even glancing up from his work. Lancelot came back with the book and under it four stolen letters.

Merlin raised a brow and Lancelot shrugged seriously. "Let's not scare the man just yet."

Then Lancelot took the letters and stared at Merlin. "If all of them were ripped open, then we know it was standard protocol… if not…"

Merlin nodded and both of them quickly assessed the envelopes, doing the same tricks Lancelot had done before, however, they looked intact. Merlin placed a few spells but once again found no enchantments. So it was not a safety pass and Merlin internally cringed.

"Who would do this? What for?" Merlin stared at his own letter almost in anger. It made him incredibly mad to think someone had read his mother's words before him. Privacy was something he basically relied on and now that someone had gone out of their way to do this made him incredibly angry.

"Someone who knows you are receiving letters from your mother," Lancelot said in a quiet voice in fear Gaius would hear them but the old man couldn't be paying more attention even if they were yelling. "Merlin, this was thought trough. It was not a coincidence. This person knows who your mother is, so it has to be someone close to you, see? The letter says your mother's name. Hunith—"

"But it's not directed to me." Merlin stopped Lancelot, shaking his head slowly. "It makes no sense."

Lancelot hated to break it for Merlin, but apparently breaking the truth to Arthur and Merlin was part of his job recently.

"Merlin, why your mother writes to Gaius? To hear about you." Lancelot said. "Someone wants to get information about the two of you."

"They want to know if I have magic… using my mother's letters." Merlin nodded in dread "Well, they must have been disappointed, she never makes mistakes like that."

"She's a smart woman." Lancelot nodded relieved.

Both were quiet for a time, processing what they had just found out. Someone was spying on Merlin, how recently they didn't know but Merlin didn't like it. He thought all suspicions had died with Agravaine but apparently that was not the case.

Finally, Merlin reached for his letter and tore it open. Lancelot looked away to give Merlin privacy, and the sorcerer swaged in relief after reading it, passing the note to Lancelot. Rightly so not a word about magic was written, apparently as long as Hunith knew Merlin was alive and well she didn't care much about anything else.

Instead, she talked about if Merlin was behaving, if he was eating correctly, if he had made more friends, how were Arthur and Gwen doing, and so on—Lancelot smiled when she addressed him too, asking for the 'kind night who helps Merlin with his skills' Merlin was her son, for her Merlin was just her boy learning and living far away from her. All in all, the letter sounded exactly as a worried and loving mother would sound. Hunith reminded him of his mother in more than one way, and the knight almost in reverence returned the letter.

"Still, we have a problem." Lancelot sighed as Merlin folded the letter. "Someone inside the castle doubts about you, one that it's not Agravaine."

Merlin nodded and after a moment turned on his stool so his back was pressed against the table.

"It's getting out of hands, Lancelot," Merlin said closing his eyes letting the air on his lungs go. Lancelot for a while had been trying to get Arthur and Merlin to talk about Morgana and their curse of action, since they had been on not good talking terms he had dropped it, but now Merlin realized taking care of Morgana and Uther was the first priority. "In any case, where is Arthur, we must already be heading to Uther's chambers."

Like summoned Arthur opened the door dressed in his normal clothes, as usual, no cape and no crown, he nodded towards Gaius as a good morning and closed the door with lock. One look at his face and Merlin was sure that he had not been the only one receiving bad news.

Arthur crossed the room in long strides to sit on a stool across from his knight and sorcerer, he didn't say anything, he just let his head drop unceremoniously to the table with a soft thud and grunted.

Merlin internally sighed. So much for things looking up.

Well, here's the chapter, I probably erased 6 whole pages of it from all the changes I did but I like how it turned out in the end. It's not a serious as it sounds but I do think is about time they start to see that time is running fast. The chapter is long enough as it is so you will find out what happens next in a few days. For the first time I have nothing written before time, just the general idea of where this is heading so it might take a little bit longer than usual, besides I have to start dealing with school and all that boring stuff like real life.

So who do you think is reading Merlin's letters and what do you think happened to Arthur? Next chap a lot of things will be decided and the so waited part of them finding the vase will be next too.

Thank youuuu once again for your reviews and have a lovely lovely day. I think I already PM everyone who reviewed the last chapters but I will double check. It was easier when I did trough here.

Suricata: Keep what you thought of Gwaine in mind, and yes, I love Morgana, she makes a brilliant villain, you will find out what she's planning in a few chapters, I dare say you will really not see it coming, lets see if I can surprise you.