AN: Oh, wow... I'm SO SORRY EVERYBODY! It has been an appallingly long time since the last chapter! I hope you all haven't given up on me or anything...

I had a brief writer's block, and then I got an email about a new follower or favorite (Love those! They brighten my day! *hint hint*) I basically thought "Oh yeah, that thing called fan fiction...". Also, I'm reading this new book called Fangirl, which obviously reminded me, since it basically described my life.

Anyway! Enjoy the next (though rather short) chapter! Post more soon!

Now...

As warlock and king stepped out into the bright air, Arthur immediately took to asking more questions.

"So, where are we walking to?"

"I don't know. We're just walking."

"Are you lying to me?"

"Why would you ask that?" Merlin asked, genuinely confused.

Arthur just looked at him incredulously. After being convinced that Merlin was actually confused, and not joking, he spoke.

"When have you ever not?" Arthur asked, his anger rearing its ugly head. "Lied to me, I mean."

The smile fell from Merlin's face, and Arthur knew that had been a low blow. "Sorry."

"I never wanted to lie, you know. Once we'd gotten to be friends,"

"We are not friends! You are my servant and I am the king and, above all else, you are the most powerful warlock ever to walk the earth!" Arthur's tirade interrupted Merlin's apology.

"Then why haven't I been burned at the stake?" Merlin said quietly, running a hand abashedly along the back of his head, ruffling his black hair.

Arthur at once knew he'd been trapped. He gazed off into the distance, eyes unfocused, until Merlin pulled him back.

"Once we'd gotten to be friends," Merlin paused, expecting Arthur to correct him again. The king was silent. "I wanted to tell you every day. But I couldn't."

"And why not?" They had begun descending into the valley, dewy grass brushing at their shoes and trousers and little crickets springing to and fro.

"It's my destiny to serve you, Arthur. I am always loyal to you."

"But you didn't think that feeling was reciprocated?"

"That's a big word Arthur, well done." Merlin cajoled, smiling for the first time. Arthur took a swing at the back of Merlin's head, but his arm bounced off an invisible shield.

"Cheater." Arthur muttered, noting Merlin's eyes flashing gold. Merlin smirked, elated at being able to use magic in front of the king. It was a new feeling, and not all bad.

"I knew that you were loyal to me - you've rescued me from bandits and we've had so many adventures together, I can hardly dismiss that."

"Then, why-" Arthur asked again. Merlin held up a hand, stopping the King - physically, not with magic.

"I didn't want to force you to choose between your father and me. So, when I told you - in order to save Freya - I knew I needed to run, because a very wise friend once told me that we are destined to work together and unite Albion, two sides of the same coin, and all that rubbish."

Arthur looked slightly shocked: the 'and all that rubbish' seemed to cover a lot of ground.

"Well, ok then," The King amended. He looked around for something else to grill the Warlock on. Finally, his eyes rested on the staff that Merlin was casually swinging next to him as they walked. "What's that thing?"

Merlin looked a little startled as he realized he was carrying it. He sometimes forgot that he was no longer among people who always knew about magical oddments, like Freya or the druids.

"It's a staff." He replied. Again - Merlin felt that this should be obvious. The waves of power radiated from the staff, even though it just a channel for other magic.

"But... what does it do?"

"It's a Sidhe staff, I got it when they were trying to kill you, and one of them tried to drown you in the lake of Avalon. Or wait, no, I don't think Gaius and I told you about that."

Arthur neither remembered that nor knew what it meant, so he just asked again.

"But what does it do?"

"Whatever I want it too." Merlin shrugged. He turned to Arthur and noticed that the King was looking a little unhappy with that prospect.

"It's like a channel for magic. I don't really need it anymore, but I also don't want to tire myself out, in case I do need to do magic, so I just brought it anyways."

"I see." Arthur said, not sure how to respond to this casual discussion of something so forbidden, despite the fact that he had brought it up. Would he ever be used to it?

They had crested the other side of the valley, and were now about to enter the woods, with sparse trees and no path. Nameless things seemed to skitter among the trees, and dark mist hung in the air.

"Are we really going in there, Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"Scared, Arthur?" Merlin said with a smile, knowing what the reaction would be.

"A king does not get scared, Merlin."

"Then what is the problem?"

Upon hearing this, Arthur stalked into the woods, calling as he went, "There is no problem!"