Arthur knew he was awake but didn't want to get up. He was content and happy to sleep a little longer no matter what the time was. He'd dreamed of floating blue lights and language he didn't understand. A deep, soft voice called to him but before he could see who he had awoken a bit. He was just about to fall back to sleep and find who it was when the pillow he was clutching moved slightly. The prince's eyes shot open to find his fingers gripping Merlin's shirt and his head pillowed on his shoulder. Slowly, Arthur tried to move away doing his best not to wake Merlin, only to bump into Gwaine's back. Gwaine lay back to back with Arthur, his hands over his… Tender regions. Sometime during the night, the three of them had shifted away from Lanval, who lay sprawled on the other half of the tent. Careful as to not wake his sleeping companions and alert them to their current predicament, he disengaged himself from them. Heading out of the tent, he found Gwen munching a biscuit and smirking when she saw him.

"Sleep well?"

"I did actually. What time is it?"

"Nearly midday. The queen already sent someone by with food but you all looked SO peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to wake you." She proceeded to giggle mercilessly.

Arthur glared, "Guinevere."

"I am not making fun of you, you know. It isn't funny. It's sweet how much you love him."

"Merlin's the one who said he's in love with me! I never said anything about loving him." Gwen tilted her head as if thinking about that.

"You care about him don't you?"

"I do."

"You've risked your life for him on more than one occasion, you miss him when he's not around, you worry for his safety when he's out of sight, you defy your father and all you've been taught about magic where Merlin is concerned and you'd have chased him to the end of the Earth. You'll always go to rescue Merlin. If that isn't love then I'm a stoat… I am NOT a stoat."

Arthur gapped at her. He hadn't labeled whatever he was feeling as love. That was ridiculous. Merlin was his servant, a commoner… He'd said it before though; Merlin was his best friend. It had always been different from friends he had in the past. Gwen was right about how he treated Merlin. It was different. He wanted Merlin safe; he wanted him far away from his father's grasp. Yet he wanted him close too. He wanted in ear shot at all times, to hear his footsteps in the hall or the other side of his chambers. Because the minute they stopped, he wouldn't know that Merlin was safe. If Merlin was scrubbing his floor he wasn't off trying to be a hero. How was he supposed to keep an eye on him if he was at fairy court?

True was that Merlin could die if he came home. But Arthur might wither away to nothing without him.

Gwen shook her head, "I know you're scared. It's all over your face. Merlin's feelings scare you-"

"Merlin doesn't scare me-"

"Your own feelings then." Arthur cringed. "You're only fighting the inevitable."

"Aren't we all?"

Gwen nodded. "Yes, yes we are."

Someone cleared their throat from between two nearby trees; it was the queen, in a plain light purple dress that matched her eyes. She smiled. "We're building the bonfires. Tonight we celebrate. At dusk we have a spectacle we've been practicing all year. If your friend would like he can put on a few tricks of his own first." She smiled at him and turned to leave when Lanval stumbled out of the tent.

"Anything to ea-!" He stopped when he saw the queen. "Good morning, your highness!" He bowed to her and Arthur raised an eyebrow.

She curtsied, "Good morning, Sir Lanval."

He just grinned at her then before she looked to Arthur, "Sundown." With that she turned and walked away.

Arthur chuckled, "She's beautiful."

Lanval nodded, "Like the ocean."

Gwen snorted. "Lofty goal, the queen of a magical race."

"No loftier than Merlin's goals."

Just then Merlin stepped out of the ten, "What goals?"

Arthur ruffled the sorcerer's hair, "Biggest idiot in existence." It was strange, thinking of Merlin as a sorcerer and still being able to treat him like Merlin. Gwen had some good points in her silly theory. "The queen invited you to partake in some kind of event."

Lanval nodded, "It's a performance. They do magic like performers do somersaults; it's the spectacle they love. Lady Gloriana was telling me about it last night." They all looked to him curiously. "That's her name." Gwen giggled. "What?"

Merlin wasn't paying attention. He bit his lip in thought and Arthur gripped his shoulder, "Merlin?"

"Huh?"

"You alright?"

Merlin broke eye contact first looking off in the direction that the queen departed. "Would you be alright with it, sire?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, "Of course I would, why wouldn't I be?" Merlin did not look convinced. "I'm sure it's an honor to be asked to participate in it."

Lanval grinned, "The highest."

"See?" Arthur clasped Merlin's shoulder. His friend's distress was obvious. "I would like to see it." Arthur wanted to see the magic Merlin possessed. He'd been curious since their reunion, but too afraid to ask. The way Merlin dodged the subject you'd think he was using it to skin puppies or something. Merlin smiled at him sweetly, before grabbing a roll. Arthur smacked the tent flap loudly, "Gwaine! You going sleep the day away or will we have to all this by ourselves." The man was out of the ten and had eaten a roll in a beat. "Better. Want to see Merlin do some magic tricks?" Gwaine nodded. He looked to Gwen and Lanval who also nodded their heads. "Then we are all in agreement!"

Merlin looked surprised but nodded. "Alright, if it means that much too you."

It did. But he couldn't say that. Inside Arthur was trying to fit what he knew of sorcerers to Merlin. He couldn't. Yet he couldn't just rearrange who he thought Merlin was either. If only Merlin would talk about it-

"Honored guests." It was two identical children speaking in an uncanny unison. One carried towels, the other silk clothes. "We are to take you to your spring so that you may bath. Would you all like to go one at a time?" Arthur nodded for them. No need for this to get awkward. "We also have a change of clothes for each of you. One of you please follow us."

They all looked to Arthur, who sighed before nodding to Gwen. "Ladies first." The twins giggled and Gwen followed them.

Gwaine walked over to Arthur and whispered, "Can we really trust them?"

Arthur sighed, "We have too. We don't have a choice."

After their bathes they were each given clothes made by the fairy people. They all looked rather dashing all things considered. The silk really slimmed them. Gwaine had on black and seemed to have taken a shine to the fabric. Gwen's was a deep orange, like the wild flowers on the hill that bloomed every summer. Lanval wore a forest green that matched his eyes. While he, the prince naturally wore the red of the crest of Camelot. Merlin was the last to return from his bath, and Arthur nearly died of shock. He was unaware that Merlin had any muscle under those baggy clothes he wore. However the curves of his arm and legs were more than obvious now in his deep blue fairy garb. He was still slimmer than he was but his awkward boney structure became nearly elegant in the new clothes. NEARLY. Arthur cleared his throat to get the attention of the gawking Gwaine and Gwen. "We're going to be late." He said in his most commanding do-as-I-say voice. Gwaine didn't seem affected by the baritone but Gwen helped drag him along as they walked to the fairies' banquet area. After the feast the show would begin then the celebration would really begin.

"Did the queen say exactly what magic they do in this show?" Merlin asked Lanval.

"Nope. But I hear it's a wonder to behold. Their philosophy on magic is strange. It seems to be both respected but not taken too seriously. I think it only makes sense to them, to be honest. You know, what with the entire population being half mad and all."

Merlin shook his head but Arthur clapped him on the shoulder, "I'm sure you'll do fine." He still remained unconvinced.