AN: Ok, I'm back. I'm being bad and updating this story again instead of Mirror Mirror. I'm so sorry. Well, you guys probably don't mind, but I still feel bad. And I just love this chapter a lot. I had to write it twice as I sort of accidentally deleted it once, and I had fun both times.

Anyhoo, I hope you all like this chapter as much as I do! Also, in case anyone is curious, I think this fic should be approximately twenty-one chapters-ish? Things are changing already, but it should be somewhere around there. Just to let you all know.

And thanks so much for the support! I love all of you so much! Especially everyone who found time to review, you are all simply fabulous!

I still don't own Merlin. I hope this didn't come as too much of a shock to anyone

Chapter Three: Merlin

Well, things could have been worse, Arthur thought. On the bright side he had found Emrys' camp. But, he had been captured, which would probably mean that he would either be killed or ransomed back to his father, both of which sounded equally unfortunate at the moment. He tried to block his father's disappointed face from his mind, focusing instead on learning as much as he could about Emrys and his associates as his captor shouted, "Oh mighty Emrys! I think you have a stalker." and pulled Arthur into the little camp where the man was standing with his back to Arthur and the man holding him.

"Did you bring another girl to our camp, Gwaine?" the mighty Emrys asked, still not turning around.

"Nope." his captor, Gwaine apparently, said, "This one came all by himself. And he's definitely not a girl, although he's not too hard to look at if you squint a little, I guess."

"What are you talking about? Have you been drinking again Gwa-" Emrys said turning around at last and freezing, jaw still opened, waiting to finish his companion's name. Gwaine began to protest Emrys' accusation but was cut off as Emrys regained his composure and said, "That's Arthur Pendragon."

"Yes I do believe it is." Gwaine said, as if it was completely normal to have the man hunting them down in their camp.

"You brought Arthur Pendragon to our camp?"

"Of course not, Mer-" Gwaine was interrupted as Emrys said, "Don't tell him my name!"

Emrys needn't have worried, Arthur hadn't heard any of what had been said since Emrys turned to face him. His mind had been lost to the memories of a young, dark-haired warlock ever since Emrys had turned around. Arthur knew he had seen those bright blue eyes and enormous ears before. He was sure Emrys was the boy from the forest. So, he hadn't heard anything Emrys and Gwaine had just said; as instead he had been listening as a small boy turned back to him and said...

"MERLIN!" Arthur shouted. "I remembered! Your name is Merlin!"

When he had shouted the name, both Merlin and Gwaine had turned towards him. Gwaine's jaw had dropped while Merlin's was pulled into a thin line. Gwaine apparently got over his surprise quickly and said, "Wait a minute, you two know each other?"

"No." Merlin replied quickly before Arthur could shout, "Yes! You're the warlock from the forest! I can't believe your ears have actually grown since then."

"And I can't believe you're even more of a prat." Merlin replied snappily.

"Okay, you two definitely know each other." Gwaine interjected. "How come you never told us you were on a first name basis with royalty, Merlin?"

"We only met once." Merlin defended.

"You saved my life!" Arthur added.

"I may have possibly saved his life when we were children." Merlin elaborated.

Gwaine had begun to reply but Arthur cut him off before he could finish, shouting out, "You're Emrys? How can you be Emrys?"

"Gwaine, could you go make dinner or something?" Merlin said, completely ignoring Arthur, "I want to talk to our guest alone."

"Awe, can't you just magic something up?" Gwaine whined.

"Do you remember what happened last time I tried to 'magic something' up?"

"I try not to." Gwaine replied with a grimace.

"Exactly." Merlin replied, "Now could you please go start dinner or gather firewood or something, I really want to talk to Arthur on my own."

"Ok," Gwaine replied, "but only if you promise to tell me the story of how you saved prince-y boy's life."

"Fine, if you leave us alone."

"You sure you don't need me to rough him up a bit, make sure he knows whose boss?"

"Gwaine..." Merlin said in a slightly exasperated tone.

"Alright, Alright, I'm going." Gwaine said, handing over the rope that held Arthur to Merlin. Arthur probably could have pulled away; Merlin still appeared to be made of sticks, just like in his memory. But Merlin would probably be able to stop him using magic, and Arthur was quite excited to have a chance to talk to the boy from his memories once again. So, he let himself be lead over to a tree at the far side of the camp, and with a flick of Merlin's hand, he found himself bound to said tree.

"So, you're Emrys?" Arthur asked again as Merlin sat down beside him.

"That is what the Druids call me." Merlin replied looking across the camp instead of at Arthur, which was starting to get quite annoying.

"Are you going to kill me?" Arthur asked. This finally got Merlin to turn towards him as he replied, "Kill you! Of course not!"

"So you're going to hold me for ransom. Or are you going to torture me to find out Camelot's weak spots, because I won't tell you anything!"

"You really must think the worst of us. We won't hurt you, or ask for any ransom, don't worry." Merlin said, watching Arthur with amusement.

"But what about what Gwaine said?" Arthur asked, quite confused. Wasn't he their enemy? Why wouldn't they hurt him?

"What? That he would 'rough you up'? He was joking, or being overprotective. One of the two. Don't worry about him. We don't hurt others."

"So what are you going to do to me?" Arthur asked, confused.

"Talk to you. Probably give you some food, eventually we'll have to knock you out so we can move without you seeing us."

Arthur didn't know what to say to that. If things had been reversed his father wouldn't have hesitated to kill Merlin. He looked around the camp; there really wasn't a whole lot to it. There was a small fire pit in the center, with four bed rolls lined up near to it. Gwaine was watching him suspiciously from a corner of a camp as he mixed something together in a pot. Arthur turned back to Merlin and said, "You haven't kept any of the gold."

"No." Merlin responded quickly, "We didn't lie in those letters. All the money we took from your father we gave to the people it was taken from. Uther takes more than he needs, so we take the extra to those who actually need it."

"My father only takes what is necessary to protect the people." Arthur replied, not really believing what he was saying. "You shouldn't steal anyways, it's a crime."

"How are seven feasts in the past fifteen days 'protecting the people'? We only steal from you because your father is a greedy pig and if you can't see that than you're just as bad as he is."

"You can't talk about royals like that." Arthur responded automatically. He might have slapped his forehead if his arms weren't tied to a tree.

"You sound a lot like your father." Merlin responded. Arthur had to agree with him. "You can't expect respect without deserving it first. The man who caught you, Gwaine, taught me something I think might help you understand. He was born a noble, the son of a knight in Carleon's army. His father died fighting for his king, and his family was left destitute, their king wouldn't help them when they needed it most. He told me that what he learned from his struggles is that nobility is defined by what you do, not by who you are. When you earn your title as prince, I will address you as such."

Arthur felt a little annoyed by that. He had spent his entire life trying to prove he was good enough to be the prince. "What do you expect me to do to earn it?" he asked, "I've been training with a sword since I was five, and I've won every tournament I've fought in since I was eleven. I've attended council sessions and helped greet foreign dignitaries and been bored out of my mind learning about Camelot's history. What else do you expect me to do?"

Merlin turned and looked directly at him and said, "I expect you to use your skills with a sword to defend your people, not your honor, I expect you to protect the citizens, even when it means disagreeing with your father, and I expect you to be able to make your own decisions instead of following those of others blindly. Only then will I address you with the respect a prince deserves."

There was a lull in the conversation as Arthur contemplated what Merlin said. Merlin had turned away from him and was watching Gwaine talk with two other men who had arrived at some point in their conversation. After a brief silence Arthur said, "Why does Gwaine fight my father if it was Carleon who wronged him?"

"He is under the impression that he owes me." Merlin said, still watching the others, "Thinks I saved his life. He got into a bit of trouble with a group of thugs in a bar, and they looked as if they were going to really hurt him, so me and Percival stepped in and helped him get away. He probably would have been fine without my help, but still. I also think he likes having company. Plus, he's fun to have around. He's a good man, and dead useful in a fight. And he makes things more lively. He understands our cause, Queen Annis is changing Carleon, they don't need help like the people here do."

There was another silence as Arthur thought of something he had wondered for quite some time, and said, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Me Merlin or Me Emrys?" Merlin said, looking back at Arthur.

"Merlin. There's something I've always wondered about the day you saved me."

"Alright, but I won't promise I will answer. And I would like to ask you a question in return."

Arthur nodded and asked, "Would you have saved me all those years ago if you knew who I was beforehand?"

Merlin thought for a moment before saying, "Honestly, I don't know. I wish I could say yes, but back then I'm not sure. I was young, and I was angry. If I had found you a year earlier I might have killed you myself. I almost tried to go to Camelot to get revenge. Can you imagine that? A little nine year old magic user marching into Camelot, no plan, no allies, and trying to kill the king. It would have been suicide. Iseldir convinced me not to, and he taught me about the Druid beliefs in non-violence towards everyone. I didn't really understand what everyone meant for quite a while, but now I do. I think I would save you now, I'm less sure about your father, but I don't want him to die either."

"Is Iseldir your father?" Arthur asked, curious about this peaceful man.

"No." Merlin replied quickly. "He found me. I was very lucky his tribe noticed the smoke left from the fire that Uther's knights set. That fire killed my parents, my friends, everyone I knew. Iseldir and his tribe came to help the survivors. I was the only one." Merlin paused here for a moment, squeezing his eyes shut as if to block something from his vision before he continued, saying, "He let me live with his tribe, and taught me their ways and of my destiny. I owe him my life." Merlin paused for a moment, apparently lost in his memories. Arthur didn't think he should interrupt his thoughts so he waited until Merlin said, "Now for my question. Do you agree with your father's stance on magic?"

"Yes." Arthur replied automatically before he actually thought about the question. Merlin's disappointed glare made him think about his answer. He had replied exactly as his father would expect him to, but was that really how he felt? After thinking a bit more he said, "No. Maybe? I know how I am supposed to feel, but I'm not sure. Ever since you saved my life I've questioned it. We've been attacked by so many magic users; I just figured my father was right. He's always told me magic corrupted, but then I realized that a lot of the people my father killed hadn't really done anything evil. And most of those who tried to hurt us did it for revenge, not for power or anything else. And then you come back, risking your life to save the starving people, and you don't even think of killing me when you're given the chance, yet you have more power than anyone else I've met. You might be single handedly changing my views on magic."

Merlin laughed at that. "I'm glad. I guess I have one more question. What will you tell your father when you get back?"

"Nothing." Arthur replied. "I won't let him kill you now that I've finally found you again." Arthur blushed. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. But it was true. He had always been afraid each time his father had announced he had caught another sorcerer, afraid that it would be the big eared boy from the forest.

"Thanks," Merlin said sheepishly, "but I think you'll need to tell your father something after disappearing for a night. We just need to think of something you can say that won't give us away. Why don't you tell him the truth, partially at least, say you were following a lead on Emrys, but were captured my men. We were planning on torturing you for information, but you were able to use your amazing cunning and skills to escape me. You wanted to fight us, but we took your weapons, so you weren't really able to. Oh! And we were wearing masks the whole time, so you didn't get a good look at our faces. Do you think your father will buy that?"

"Probably." Arthur said, "He might even be proud of me for getting that close."

"You wouldn't want Uther Pendragon not to be proud of you; he's just a pillar of moral righteousness." Merlin said sarcastically.

"He is still my father." Arthur replied.

Merlin nodded then stood and said, "Thank you for speaking with me. I should probably stop before those three pull me away. I'll see if we can't get you some food, although I don't think it will be quite up to the standards of your royal palate."

"Thank you." Arthur replied lamely. He wished he could have thought of more to say. Merlin seemed so much more eloquent than he was. Arthur couldn't hear what the outlaws were saying as Merlin joined their group. The other three seemed slightly upset with Arthur as they kept glaring at him. Merlin kept on waving their comments away and laughing. Every once and a while he would smile at Arthur, making a warm feeling spread in Arthur's stomach. Gwaine and one of the others eventually dragged Merlin away, leaving the biggest of the lot to bring a small bowl over to him. He untied Arthur than retied him a bit tighter than necessary, leaving one of his hands free so he could eat the stew in the bowl he had brought. While Arthur ate he said, "Merlin may be trusting and kind, but we want you to know, if you do anything to hurt him we will make you pay. We don't all believe in non-violence like he does, if we find out you lied to him and report all this to your father, I promise you will regret it."

Arthur nodded and said, "I won't. I promise you."

The large man didn't look like he trusted Arthur, but he nodded before taking the bowl and retying Arthur to the tree more securely. He then walked away in the direction the other three had gone, leaving Arthur alone.

It was starting to get quite dark when Merlin returned, the large man who had talked with Arthur following him. When they were close enough for Arthur to hear them he could hear the large one saying, "I still don't see why you can't just wipe his memory. You've done it before."

"I want him to remember this, Perce. He's different from his father." Merlin replied.

"How do you know? How do you know he won't run back to his father and tell him all about us? I'm just trying to do what's best for us, Merlin."

"I know Perce, but I trust him. What if he's the one?"

Perce didn't respond to this at once, letting Arthur ponder what that could mean until Perce said, "You think he's the Once and Future King? Uther's son?"

"I don't know, alright, but I think it's possible. He doesn't share his father's views. He could fix things peacefully; he's the only one who could change things without there needing to be war."

"Just be careful, Merlin."

"I'll be fine, Perce. You worry too much."

Perce grunted in response and sat next to the fire, keeping an eye on Arthur as Merlin approached him again.

"He sure doesn't like me." Arthur whispered when Merlin was close enough to him to hear.

"He's just being ridiculous." Merlin said, yelling out the last two words so Perce would be able to hear them. They received another grunt in response, which made Merlin laugh before he said quietly, "You remember how I said Gwaine might be a little over protective? Well he's about a hundred times worse than Gwaine. Probably because we grew up together."

"He seems a bit violent for a Druid." Arthur said, figuring they must have met in the Druid camp as Merlin said everyone from his village had died.

"Percival, a Druid?" Merlin said with a laugh. "No. He was an orphan like me. The Druids adopted him after his mother died. He probably blames you father a bit as well, which would make him even more suspicious."

"Was his mother a witch?" Arthur asked, thinking that might be why he blamed Uther for her death.

"No. She was a farmer and seamstress. From what Percival has told me she was quite the lovely woman, but I never got to meet her."

"So then why does he blame my father for her death?"

Merlin was silent for a moment. He glanced across the fire to where Percival was still watching them. Then he turned back to Arthur and said, "They were poor. His father left them before he was born. Apparently he didn't want to have to deal with three daughters and a pregnant wife, so his mother had to raise them on her own. They did alright for a while, till a plague struck their village. Percival and his three sisters all got sick. Their mother spent all their money on taking care of them, so she didn't have anything to spend when she also fell ill. She died of the sickness, leaving them only with her debts. They were going to be sold into slavery to pay them back, but Percival broke them out and they escaped into the woods. We found them a couple days later, living in a cave. He believes that if it hadn't been for the taxes your father asked for, she might have been able to save herself as well."

Arthur was silent. He had seen that the people were suffering, but hearing the story of how one family was almost destroyed by the high taxes his father asked for really made it obvious that things needed to change.

"I probably shouldn't have told you all that." Merlin said. "I just want you to understand how the taxes affect the people. That's the reason Percival joined me, he doesn't want anyone else to have to live through what he did."

There was silence again as Arthur pondered this. After this pause Arthur asked, "Do you really think I'm the Once and Future King?"

"You know the prophecies of Emrys?" Merlin asked in surprise.

"I had to do something when I was supposed to be catching you. Your name was the only clue I had, so I learned everything I could about the legends."

"Ah." Merlin said, pausing before he continued, "I'm not sure. But when we met as children, it was almost like I felt something telling me to save you. Like it was more important than anything else. There's something special about you Arthur Pendragon, you could change the fate of this kingdom. Now, I'm sorry about this, but I need to make sure you don't see which way we go tomorrow. It shouldn't hurt, but you might be a little dizzy when you wake."

Merlin then whispered some words Arthur didn't understand, sending Arthur into a deep and dreamless sleep.

When Arthur woke, he almost wondered if the whole thing had been a dream. The camp was completely empty, except for a small note where the fire pit had been. Arthur was no longer tied to the tree, so he stood, stretching his stiff limbs. He felt a little dizzy as he stood, but besides that he felt fine. He walked over and picked up the note. It was written in the same handwriting as the ones they had found in the empty vaults. It didn't say much, just thanked him for not telling his father and explained the quickest route back to Camelot. The only thing that was really special about the note was that it wasn't signed Emrys, it was signed Merlin.