A/N: I just wanted to thank you all because as of-… Sometime in the recent past, this story became my most favorited story ever. It was already my most alerted by a landslide and it's working its way up in hits and reviews as well. Another chapter or two and whoosh, I can see it surpassing Of Knights and Maidens AND Zara. Which honestly I do not think either is anywhere as good as this.

Arthur awoke unaware of the time and clutching his compass, but with the feeling he should get up. He sat upright and stretched, finally feeling rested. Someone knocked lightly and he jumped a little as the door opened. Merlin appeared with a tray at the door. He had to suppress a grin at the normalcy of it all. Merlin didn't seem prepared to see him awake. "Good morning, sunshine. You're up?"

"Only just." He yawned. "You knocked? Since when do you knock?"

Merlin shrugged, "You feeling better?" He asked as he placed the tray on his table. It was topped with plenty of food.

"Loads, I slept well."

"I should hope so. You've been out for two days."

"What?"

"Calm down. It's not that shocking. You were sleep deprived before leaving Camelot; you were drained by that vision. I'm surprised you're awake today even."

Arthur looked from the tray to Merlin, raising an eyebrow, "So breakfast is for..?"

"It was just in case… I had a feeling you would be awake."

"Is that a feeling you get often?"

"No?"

Arthur watched him curiously but didn't say anything more on it. "How has my father been?"

"Concerned but hopeful, grateful but disapproving. Don't think he likes me or trusts me at all."

"He suspects you. Not for what he should but he does." Merlin was making him increasingly more uncomfortable. He was proper and standing with his hands behind his back just inside the door, obviously waiting for a dismissal.

"You're room is in pristine condition considering Gwen says no one but her was allowed in here for a large bit of my absence."

"I can clean things myself, you know. I'm a prince, not invalid."

Merlin grinned, "Well sire, you had me fooled. You know I'll want you to be more lax on the cleaning now, don't you?"

Arthur looked around as if he expected someone to be there. When he found no one he sighed, "Are you alright, Merlin?"

"I'm fine."

"You aren't acting fine."

"How do you suppose I should act then to illustrate that I am fine?"

"Like you?"

"And how do I act?"

"Not-!... Not like this." He ended picking at a thread on his blanket. What was he? Four?

"Shall I inform Uther you're awake, sire?"

All Arthur could do was nod. Merlin walked out quickly, not even looking back. For some reason Arthur almost wanted to cry. Arthur Pendragon never cries.

It was only a few minutes until his father and Gaius burst in the door with Merlin hanging by the exit. Gaius checked him over, declaring him fit for duty once more. His father smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "A little beast hunting won't keep my son down." His father did not look well though. "Take it easy today. I expect you back to your full duties tomorrow."

"Yes, father." Uther patted his sons shoulder and left the room, with Gaius in tow. Merlin turned to leave as well. "Merlin."

He stopped, looking back. "Yes, sire?"

"Has there been any trouble?"

Merlin shook his head, "No. Not even a bit. It's suspicious."

"Damn." Arthur got up and walked to his window. He could see most of the city from it.

"Arthur?" Merlin was finally more than two feet in his room but it didn't matter right then.

"He's my father, Merlin. Even after… Everything. Everything he's done. He is my father." Arthur looked at him, his eyes pleading with him. "I can't lose him."

Merlin gave him a sad, knowing smile. "I know that."

"I hate asking you to help protect someone who would have you dead."

"You don't need to."

"Have you thought about it? Letting him just die. And don't lie. I'll know."

"I have." He said it with no hesitation but Arthur wasn't surprised. "On several occasions actually. But somehow I always manage to be a bigger person than most… I guess I –begrudgingly- understand."

"Because you know about my mother?" Merlin's eyes went wide and he froze like a caught deer. "You stopped me from killing him, even though he is guilty."

"He is blind. Grief… Does things to people. It does not excuse his actions but I can… Sympathize a little. I turned to Nimueh in an hour of need too and things did not go as planned."

"What?"

Merlin suddenly looked like he regretted that last statement. "When the Questing beast came… I was supposed to give my life for yours. A life must be paid to save another. It tried to take my mother."

"What?"

"Long story. Short version is I nearly lost someone very dear to me, if I had not been any quicker I would have lost her. Uther did not understand what kind of bargain he was making. He heard Nimueh but did not realize how it would all end. He paid a dear price. It drove him mad. I couldn't let you kill him. Not when I almost made the same mistake." Merlin toed the ground sheepishly, "And I, quite selfishly, am happy you exist."

Arthur blushed and looked away.

"I am not justifying his actions. I merely… Understand them."

"You may be the only one." Arthur looked at Merlin, as if staring at him long enough would help him know what was going on behind those eyes. "If you can find it in your heart to have pity for him… So shall I, I suppose."

"Don't kid yourself; you still love your father."

Arthur sighed and nodded. Of course he did. "So what was that, 'born of magic' nonsense you and the queen were talking about? I'm sensitive to it?"

Merlin scowled, "Eavesdropping is rude you know… But yeah, it's the only explanation I have for it. You've always been suspect of me. And magic attracts magic."

"You're insufferable."

"It's the only lead I've got to your sudden prophetic powers."

Arthur glared. "You're a bad influence."

Merlin grinned, "The best kind of bad influence." Arthur couldn't hold back his own smile. This was the Merlin he knew. It lightened his heart to see him joking. "So, are you going to greet the day or stay in your bed clothes til noon?"

"Bed clothes til noon." Arthur went over to his bed and flopped down onto it. "I missed this bed."

"You slept for two days."

"Don't care." He sat and fiddled with his compass some.

"Shame. I could have pointed us home with that."

"It wouldn't have pointed to Camelot."

"What?"

"Trust me on this one. It points to whatever's home for you." Merlin raised an eyebrow, "Umm… It pointed north for Lanval. It probable would point east for you."

"True."

Arthur got comfortable on his bed. "Tell me about the time you were gone. What'd you do?"

"Drank a lot."

"AND?"

"I don't know? Don't remember much else."

"I don't think I've ever seen you drunk."

"You were drunk at the time."

"Was I?"

"Yes. You wished you weren't a prince so you could be a better friend to me."

"That doesn't sound like me at all."

"You are much more sentimental when drunk." Merlin grinned. "And much more honest."

"Shut it. I don't think I said that."

"You did!"

"Lies and slander. I demand evidence."

"Then after the impending danger we'll get drunk again and you'll see. You're a sentimental bleeding heart."

"You're on."