Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters....but I'd like to own Arthur.

Merlin lay in darkness and agony, waiting for it all to end. He had said his goodbyes to those he held dearest and now had accepted his fate. As he began to feel himself slipping away, he heard the voice. As much as Merlin wanted to go, the voice wouldn't let him. The young man felt himself rising towards the voice; a voice that was becoming increasingly familiar. He suddenly recognised it: Arthur. Arthur needed him, Arthur was telling him to come back. He couldn't leave Arthur; not when he needed him.

"Ar-thur!" The prince looked up to see two blue eyes staring at him.

"You came back!" He nearly shouted in joy, before remembering the situation and bringing his voice to a whisper.

"You...needed....me." was the raspy reply. Arthur grabbed the bowl of water Gaius had been using, and dripped some of it into his friend's mouth.

"It's all going to be ok now." Arthur said. Merlin nodded slightly then dropped back into sleep. However, Arthur was not worried. He knew that the warlock would not leave him now. The prince lay down beside his friend, still holding his hand.

When Gwen woke to the crowing of a cockerel, the first thing she saw was Arthur, lying next to Merlin, still holding his hand with a smile on his sleeping face. She quickly shook Morgana and Gaius awake, signalling them to stay quiet, and pointing toward the two boys. Gaius stole over and felt Merlin's forehead, then slipped back to the girls.

"His temperature is down; I think he might be on the mend." They all looked over at the duo. "I don't know what happened last night, but I think Arthur gave him something to live for." He smiled.

"Now we've just got to stop Uther from killing him" Morgana explained, breaking the mood completely.

"We can't just pretend that he's dead. Uther will want proof. He'll want something to show the people he doesn't tolerate magic; like Merlin's head on a pole." Arthur winced as Morgana made that statement. The group were still in the cell, keeping up the pretence that Merlin was dying. In fact he was looking much better. He had woken up briefly, when Arthur did, and taken some water and some food. Now that the warlock wanted to live, his body was healing incredibly quickly. The fever was nearly gone and the wounds had faded to near his normal skin colour. But he was still weak, and fell asleep again rapidly.

"Uther certainly won't let him live for much longer now he's getting better" Gaius said defeatedly, moving a strand of hair out of Merlin's eyes.

"We can't let it happen!" Arthur and Gwen said simultaneously.

"I'm afraid Uther can't be reasoned with when it comes to magic. I'm still surprised he let you see Merlin, even if he was dying." Gaius replied, dreading the thought of losing the boy he felt so strongly for. "He's too weak to use magic to free himself, and it would be nearly impossible to get him out ourselves."

"I like a challenge!" Arthur said, rubbing his hands together.

"I know what we can do." They all turned to see Merlin trying to sit up. Arthur quickly kneeled behind him to support him. "I could make Uther forget; make all of them forget."

"You're not strong enough Merlin. A spell like that could kill you in your state!" Gaius retorted.

"I have to try. I'm needed." The warlock tilted his head back to look at Arthur as he said this. The prince gazed back.

"If we kept him safe until he was stronger; he would be able to cast the spell." Morgana said thoughtfully. "But how?"

Uther was worried. His son had been in the sorcerer's cell all night; so he went to check on him. He was surprised to find Arthur, Morgana, her maid and Gaius all sitting around the still form. The king quietly called Gaius over.

"Isn't it dead yet?" he demanded. The others did not even turn to look at him.

"Very nearly, Sire. By my reckoning he has only a few hours left. It's amazing he's lasted this long." replied Gaius, looking at the floor as he told the lie.

"Very well." Uther turned to leave.

"Sire?" Gaius called after him. "What would you like me to do with the body?"

"Bring me its head and leave the body in the forest for the animals." The king ordered.

"Arthur, Morgana, Gwen. Come away now. There is nothing more you can do." Gaius said, escorting them out of the cell and following behind. They all cast one look back at the boy, expressions of grief on their faces; but hope was secretly in their hearts.

As Gaius went to check on Merlin that night, he gave the guards some wine he had brought with him. There was only enough for one goblet each so the guard captain agreed. Merlin's eyes shot open as soon as he recognised Gaius's tread.

"Gwen will be here in half an hour. The guards will only be asleep for a short time. Arthur, Morgana and I will be dining with the king to avoid suspicion. I will see you later." Merlin nodded before lying back down and holding himself motionless.

It was a dreadful hour and a half they spent in the king's company. Arthur appeared to eat heartily, but in fact ate very little. He spent the whole time looking as his plate and clenching his fists; as his father lectured him on how evil sorcerers were. Morgana sat there looking pale, not touching anything. Gaius tried to keep up appearances by agreeing with the king occasionally, and expressing how shocked he was that a warlock had been living under his roof. Uther had just paused in his rant to sip some wine when the alarm bells rang out. A guard burst into the room, shouting that the sorcerer had escaped. Uther looked round at the shocked faces of his dinner guests; it was obvious they hadn't known anything about it.

"Arthur, take every able-bodied man and search Camelot from top to bottom. I want him back; dead or alive!"

Arthur rushed out calling all the guards to meet him in the courtyard in five minutes. Morgana retired to her chambers. Gaius went with Uther to search the physician's chambers; Uther assumed that would be the first place Merlin had gone to.

Arthur ran up to his chambers, supposedly to get his sword and chainmail. Gwen looked up from behind the bed as he entered and Arthur crossed the room to where she sat with the panting Merlin.

"We only just got here when they started ringing the bells. He's a lot weaker than he's making out." Gwen said, indicating the warlock. "Where can we hide him?"

"There is a secret chamber. Pull down on the second torch left of the windows." There was a muted grating as part of the wall moved sideways to reveal a small room. Arthur carried Merlin into the room and placed him carefully on the bed already prepared there. "I'll be back later" the prince said to his friend. "Go and see to Morgana. She looked ill at dinner." His words sent Gwen scurrying out the door as he closed the wall to the secret chamber. Pulling his chainmail over his head, he grabbed his sword and ran out.

Merlin woke up to the sound of banging nearby. He had no idea where he was but he instinctively kept silent.

"There's no sign of him in here!" He heard a voice shout, and then there was silence. The only thing Merlin could do was go back to sleep.

Arthur had been searching hard for several hours, but with no sign of the warlock. Eventually Uther caught up with him and sent him to bed, before he collapsed, commending his hard work. Obviously he wanted to see the sorcerer dead too. A short while later he passed Gaius hurrying along to Arthur's chambers.

"Gaius."

"Yes, Sire?"

"What are you doing?"

"Arthur requested a sleeping draught. He said that he needed some proper sleep, without worrying about finding the sorcerer."

"All right then. Carry on." Gaius hurried off, leaving Uther to make his own way to bed.

Arthur looked up as there was a knock on the door to his chambers.

"It's Gaius." Gwen opened the door and Gaius nodded to Morgana and Arthur before crouching by Merlin's side. The boy was sitting propped against a pillar, a half-empty bowl of broth beside him and a cheeky grin on his face.

"Looks like you're feeling better" Gaius said, smiling back.

"Don't be fooled, he's as weak as a kitten. He can hardly lift his arms." Morgana interrupted.

"I can too." Merlin demonstrated. His arm rose up slowly until it was level with his chest, but no further. It began to shake violently and was dropped fairly quickly. Sweat beaded his forehead.

"I can see that. I prescribe plenty of sleep and regular meals." Gaius chuckled, then started pulling things out of his pockets.

"I've had enough sleep already!" The protest was cut short as the physician poured some potion into his mouth. The boy's eyelids closed immediately, and he slumped back against the pillar.

"This draught will keep him asleep for about two hours. Feed him whenever he wakes and then give him a mouthful of this." Gaius looked round at all of them. "Sleep is the best thing for him now. It's the best thing for all of you now. Goodnight." With that he left the room, Morgana right behind him. Gwen remained behind in the hidden chamber to look after Merlin when he woke during the night. Arthur undressed himself and got into bed. He would sleep well tonight, knowing his friend was safe.

Please Review. Next Chapter will be up tomorrow.