I looked at him and whispered, "Arthur I . . ." as I felt tears stream down my face.

"You what?" he spat back at me. It was obvious that he was trying not to lash out. It seemed like every bit of him was shaking, fighting the urge to strangle me right then and there. I flinched. I didn't want it to be like this.

"I wanted to tell you but - I didn't - I couldn't - every time I thought I could something would happen!" I let out another sob and put my face in my hands, unable to bear another moment of his hateful gaze.

"And you've been trying to tell me for how long?" he shouted down at me. "How long have you had magic? How long have been lying to me?"

I tried to answer but I couldn't seem to find the words. Any explanation that I had seemed to leave me as if they flowed out mingled with my tears.

"How long?" he all but screamed, his voice deathly and terrifying. And yet, I couldn't bring myself to be afraid of him. This was Arthur. And even as he stood towering over my crumpled form on the floor, I couldn't fear him or hate him back. He was all I had.

"All my life!" I cried, wanting, yearning to give him what he wanted. I looked up at him with glassy, bloodshot eyes. "I was born with magic, Arthur! I had no choice in it!" He said nothing back to me. He looked confused, but he was still enraged. I stood then. I stood and I faced him, despite the sorrow that weighted down my heart. "You think I would have chosen this? Why would I want this; to be persecuted and hated for all that I am? I got that enough from just being the only bastard child in Ealdor! Do you really think that I would betray you, Arthur?"

Arthur just stared at me, blank-faced, but eyes beaming with emotion; hurt, anger, sorrow, maybe even a touch of empathy. I saw that and latched onto it with as much hope as I could muster.

"No," Arthur muttered. "No, I don't believe you. How? How could you have possibly been hidden for so long? The Merlin I met all those years ago c—"

"Is the same man standing before you now!" I wept. "I came to Camelot so that Gaius could help me with my magic! That's why I am here! I could barely stand living! With so much hate being spat at me from all directions, my mother feared for my life! I wanted so much to be dead before I came to Camelot; wanting to just leave everything behind and finally be numb to all my suffering rather than stand a moment longer! But then I met you and I saw greatness in you! I saw a man who could see past the evil deeds of others and realize magic for what it truly is; a tool! A weapon that can be wielded for better or for worse, no different from and axe or your sword!" I took a deep shuttering breath to try and calm myself. It didn't work. Everything was too overwhelming. "You are the only thing I live for Arthur! I found a use for my magic; the only bloody thing I seem to be good at! I protect you, Arthur! I've always been protecting you, since the day we met! It is my destiny and I will never stop protecting you as long as there is air in my lungs! Even if you are the one to purge me of my breath I will stand by your side until the very last second! Because you are all that I have Arthur! I can't-"

But I was stopped. Arthur had lunged forward and, for a moment, I held my breath, thinking all that I had hoped for was going to come crumbling down around me in one violent act, enacted by the very person I cared for most in the world. But it didn't. And when I opened my eyes, I found Arthur's arms enveloped around me, his own low sobs humming in my ear. I wasn't sure what was happening, but, as I took a long, quivering breath, I broke down with relief and grasped onto him like he was the only thing holding me down. And I cried into him and he returned the gesture. I don't think either of us was sure if things were truly okay, how things would turn out in the morning. But we didn't care. We simply held on and let all of our regrets and our hate and our sorrow and our secrets out with the rush of our tears. And we stayed there all through the night, holding each other; both of us vulnerable, but safe. Slowly we drifted away, unaware of all other things around us. And we slept soundly with reconcile fresh in our hearts; to be awoken only by the hopeful, grey sky of morning.