A/N: rainy days are awesome. It means no ability to do anything outside which means writing gets thrown back on the table. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

-)-(-

The hour was late, and the flame of Arthur's candle was gradually wavering. But still he sat, staring at it absently, almost seeing through it. Rain was thrashing against the windows, a howling wind accompanying it. The clouds had appeared from seemingly out of nowhere, just as Gaius' funeral had started. Throughout the ceremony the weather had only worsened, rain thundering down to the point in which one could barely see a hand in front of a face. It had been nothing but a relief to finally get inside.

But then Merlin had been led to the dungeons and Arthur had been the victim of many a severe glare. His knights had turned from the scene, unable to watch. Gwaine had gone to forcibly wrench the guards off of his manservant but Elyan had restrained him, pinning him to a wall until Merlin had vanished from sight.

The last hollow, pleading look that had been sent to Arthur had not vanished from his mind though. Nothing could shake it. It was as if Merlin was begging for him to come save him.

Arthur ground his teeth, turning away from the table in disgust. He owed Merlin nothing. After all, he was the traitor.

"My Lord?"

The king started, head whipping around to find Sir Leon standing there, a slightly apologetic look on his face. "I apologise, I thought you had heard me."

Arthur shook his head minutely. "How any of us can hear anything over this rain is a miracle in itself. Where did it even come from?"

Leon had no answer to that.

"Am I a fool Leon?"

The knight frowned, carefully approaching the chair in which Arthur sat. "And why would you ask me such a question Sire?"

Arthur shot him an incredulous look. "You know as well as I do why."

"I respect the decision you have made," Leon eventually answered, words slow as he mulled over them. "Whether it turns out to be the right one or not…that is something we shall have to see."

"So you're saying you don't exactly mistrust Merlin?" Arthur demanded, gesticulating each word with a shake of his finger.

"He has been loyal for many years. I cannot say if that was simply a ruse to fool us all or if it was genuine. I would like to think Merlin would not be able to fool us so…" He sighed. "And yet he managed to keep such a secret for so long."

Arthur gave a thoughtful nod. "I have called him a terrible liar more times than I can count. Clearly he has been playing me." His nose crinkled. "But surely he is still a bumbling idiot."

Leon smothered a grin behind a hand. "I'm sure even the most talented of performers could not fake such clumsiness," he assured. "And certainly not so often."

"I should certainly hope not."

Abandoning his spot at the table, Arthur strode over to the window, a hand resting against the cool glass. The ferocity of the rain beating against it was almost frightening and he grimaced. His sympathy went to the guards who had been rostered on tonight. They would undoubtedly return drenched. He only hoped they did not also develop illness, for they had, at present, no one to provide treatments.

'No one except Merlin,' a tiny voice reminded him. Arthur hastily beat the thought down.

His gaze narrowed as he noticed a fog starting to creep its way into the palace courtyard. He rubbed his forehead wearily. That just made everything better. He'd lost his physician, one of his valuable trade routes, his manservant, and now his damn visibility, all in the course of a few days. Was this punishment for something? Had someone put a curse on him?

Oh gods…he was starting to sound like his father.

"Where is he?"

"You can't jus-"

"You'd best tell me where he is! Now!"

"That's enough now. Leave it. What's done is-"

"How can you say that?"

The voices of Gwaine, Leon and Elyan blended together as the doors to his chambers were pushed open, Gwaine glaring at Leon, the knight who had dared try and stop him. Once more Elyan was attempting to hold him back, but he was disastrously less successful this time. Gwaine flung his arm off and marched towards Arthur, placing a warning hand on the hilt of his sword when Leon went to challenge him. Percival came to stand in the doorway, arms folded and making no move to either assist or halt Gwaine.

"How could you do this?" Gwaine shouted, finally reaching Arthur's side.

"Do what?"

The knight growled. "Don't go playing dumb princess. Locking Merlin away was bad enough…but not letting us see him?"

Arthur folded his arms sternly. "Well forgive me for believing that you might try and help him escape."

"You think he wouldn't have done that already if he'd wanted to?" Gwaine snapped, eyes narrowed. "He's got a bloody dragon at his command. I'm fairly confident he could master opening a door."

Arthur froze, having never thought of this. His mind then flashed back to every time a door or grate had been mysteriously burst open. Had that been Merlin every time? And if so, what was preventing him from doing it this time?

"Gwaine…" Elyan called softly, shooting him a level look.

At the look, Gwaine seemed to deflate, letting his anger drain away and then nodding slowly. "Arthur," his tone was quiet now. "This isn't about Merlin being a sorcerer…not now. This is about Merlin. Merlin who just farewelled the person he saw as a father. He just said goodbye to the person who is closest to him…He doesn't deserve to alone. No one does."

That struck a chord and Arthur remembered when his own father had died. When he had finished grieving, it was Merlin who was waiting for him, Merlin who stuck with him, who tried to console him. And what did he do in return? Banish his loyal servant to the dungeons, to suffer, alone?

His hands balled into fists by his side. Some friend he was.

A crack! of thunder had them all jumping, the mood so tense that they had been wholly absorbed by it. Gwaine whirled around to stare at Percival worryingly and the larger knight nodded sombrely. "He's getting worse."

"What?" Arthur asked, thoroughly confused. "It's lightning-"

"In a storm that formed the moment Gaius' funeral started. Even when he died, the sky went grey."

Leon's eyes widened. "You're not suggesting that Merlin-"

"Is doing this?" Gwaine finished, raising an eyebrow challengingly. "I wouldn't put it past him."

Percival nodded, taking a step forward. "In my land, many of the powerful sorcerers who dwelt there had the ability to change the weather, be it by accident or conscious thought. To create rain in a famine, sun on a freezing day. To make the sky cry as they cried."

"So you're saying this rain…is Merlin's feelings?" Arthur stated disbelievingly.

"We're just saying it could be," Gwaine said, holding his hands up. "The only way to know for sure would be to ask Merlin yourself."

"Is Merlin alright?"

All those gathered turn to the doorway, where Gwen was cautiously standing. She wrung her hands together under their scrutinising gazes. "I'm sorry, but I heard from one of the cooks that Merlin had been taken to the dungeons. What happened?"

"I think we might leave that one to Arthur," Gwaine spat, turning on his heel and exiting the room. Surprisingly, the other knights followed his lead, slipping out together and pulling the door shut behind them.

Once they were gone, Gwen turned dark eyes to Arthur. "You locked Merlin in the dungeon?"

Arthur gestured towards the seat he had abandoned at the table. "You'll need to be sitting for this Guinevere."

-)-(-

"I can't believe it."

Arthur said nothing, instead merely nodding.

"And yet…" Gwen frowned, as if internally scolding herself. "I should have known."

"Excuse me?" Arthur spluttered.

Gwen simply looked at him. "Oh come on Arthur. We've both known ever since we've met him that there was something different him. And I don't mean his ability to attract trouble. You've seen it, just as I have. Merlin's always been different."

"But a sorcerer? Guinevere, he could be working against us!"

"Oh don't be silly," she scoffed. "Why would Merlin ever want to hurt any of us? He's protected us too many times to secretly want to kill us. He was so upset when Morgana turned on us."

Arthur's eyes widened. "Because she's a sorceress!" he exclaimed, another piece slotting together in his brain. "Merlin wanted to help Morgana understand her powers…he had magic like she did."

"But he never told her," Gwen sighed sadly. "Morgana spoke of how alone she felt, because she was different. If only she had known that Merlin too had magic." She studied Arthur carefully. "Does it really bother you so much that he has magic?"

His face took on an affronted expression. "Of course it does!" At Gwen's piercing gaze though, he slowly relented. "Well…maybe not. I…"

"He lied to you," Gwen finished. "He lied to you and that's why it hurts so much. You thought you trusted each other, and you're hurt because Merlin was hiding something from you."

Arthur gave a noncommittal grunt that she took as a yes.

"I'm sure he was only hiding to keep himself safe. Merlin lived in Ealdor, where magic was allowed and yet he chose to come here, where he could be killed. He constantly lived in fear. Any day someone could find out his secret. And you have to admit that when you first met him, you would have been the first to lead him to the gallows."

"Guinevere!" At her challenging look he grudgingly nodded. "Alright…but that was a long time ago," he pointed out.

"Maybe the time was never right," Gwen suggested, shrugging slightly. "Maybe he didn't want to force you to choose between him and your father. Maybe he thought you would be safer if you did not know. None of us know what Merlin was thinking."

Arthur snorted. "I doubt even Merlin knew what he was thinking."

Gwen did laugh at that, even if she looked a little unimpressed by it. Something crossed her mind and she gave a tiny laugh. "Oh, Arthur, he did tell us."

His eyes narrowed. "When?"

"Do you remember, when my father was ill? And he was saved by a poul…" Gwen's hand flew to her mouth. "That was Merlin! He saved my father. That's how he knew…how he knew to ask if he was better. Merlin planted the poultice! How could I have been so stupid as not to notice?"

Arthur's own blue eyes widened. "He burst into the council and told my father he was the sorcerer. He was telling the truth!...and I laughed him off. I called him an idiot."

"Perhaps why he didn't tell you again?" Gwen teased. Her eyes flickered to the candle and she got to her feet. "It's late my Lord. I'll see you tomorrow?"

Arthur nodded, watching Gwen slip from the room. He certainly had a lot to think about.

-)-(-

"Open the door."

Merlin started, head smacking into the stone wall behind him. He rubbed it sourly, waiting for the pain to subside somewhat before finally letting his eyes flick to Arthur.

"Pardon?" he asked, voice so hoarse it cracked.

Arthur rapped his knuckle against the lock of the cell. "Open the door. I know you can."

Merlin glared at him. "What will this prove Arthur? You already know I can use magic."

"Merlin."

Huffing, Merlin wearily pushed himself to his feet, shuffling over to the door. Sparing Arthur one last grim look, he stretched out a hand towards the lock. "Tospringe." As expected, the lock clicked and the door swung open, effectively freeing him. He shrugged. "Now what?"

Arthur was giving him much the same look. "Why would you stay in that cell if you could do that?"

"Because you're my king and I am your servant," the answer came without thought. "My loyalty lies with you."

That must have been the answer Arthur was looking for because the king opened the door wider, ushering him out. "Come," Arthur ordered, striding towards the dungeon's exit. "You said Aithusa's life was a choice between mine and Gaius'. You're going to tell me everything about just who it was that forced you to make this choice."

Merlin paused mid-step, staring at Arthur's back quizzically. "Why?"

Arthur turned round to face him, eyes burning. "Because no one brings pain to my people, especially not you, old friend."

-)-(-

A/N: so Arthur's finally got his thoughts figured out and has decided which side to choose. Merlin and Arthur's 'big talk' will come in the next chapter. Feel free to let me know what you thought. :)

~DeathGod777