AN: You guys are awesome! Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, favoriting and subscribing! This is awesome!

In other words, I have never gotten so much interest in one fic so quickly! That is probably slightly pathetic, but anyhoo... I love you!

And, you guys want me want to update as quickly as possible! So, chapter three! There may possibly be some realizations in this chapter, at least on Arthur's part! YAY!

I know this is a surprise, but I still don't own Merlin. If anyone has a link to any comic con season five trailers they would like to send me, I would greatly appreciate it... Seeing as I don't own the show...

But, in other news! Story time ;)

Chapter Three: Who Else?

The next time Merlin woke, his back felt worse than it had when the guards took him back to his cell, if that was possible. He was in the same position he had been in when he fell asleep, sprawled across the ground in front of the door. His face felt hot, which was strange as it was quite cold down in the dungeons. He painfully pulled himself back to his corner, before falling back into a fevered sleep.

The second time Merlin woke, there was a strange stinging sensation on his back. His brain still felt addled, and he was having a hard time focusing on anything except the pain in his back, but he knew there was someone else in the room. Strangely, this person didn't seem to be asking him questions and his touch did not cause Merlin pain. True, it did sting, but the feeling that came after was one of relief, the fire on his back slowly dulling. When the new person realized he was awake, a cup was pressed against his mouth, and he heard a familiar voice say, "Drink this, Merlin."

Merlin complied, before turning his head slightly and croaking, "Gaius?"

"Yes, Merlin. One of your wounds got infected. I just need to clean them." The old physician said. Merlin was too exhausted to respond again, so he lay still as Gaius rubbed slaves into the wounds and wrapped him in bandages. When he was about finished, Merlin heard another voice command, "Ask him."

Gaius sighed, before saying, "Merlin, do you know where the prince is?"

Merlin scrunched up his eyebrows. He still felt slightly confused, but he knew that that question was important, and that he couldn't let anyone know where Arthur went, so he whispered "No."

There was an angry shout, before a door slammed and Merlin figured whoever else had been in the room must have left. There was silence for a while as Gaius finished with his work, before Gaius said, "Oh, Merlin why can't you take better care of yourself? I told your mother I would protect you, but I can't, you should try putting yourself first once, it would help me a lot. I wish there was more I could do. Drink this, it will help with the pain."

Another cup was pressed against his lips, and Merlin drank the liquid greedily. When it was taken away, he heard yet another voice, possibly Leon? Say, "Gaius, it is time to go."

Merlin listened as the door was opened once more, and then shut quietly. Whatever Gaius had given him sent him into a dreamless sleep, alone once more in his cell.

Haldor, Three weeks later…

Arthur sat out in the woods outside the small village. The longer he stayed, the more obvious it became that he didn't belong here. The people were kind to him, and he wasn't terrible at farm work as long as he had very specific instructions and didn't have to do anything much more complex than carrying large objects around. Gwen seemed quite happy, but Arthur couldn't help but notice that she spent more and more time with Lancelot, how she smiled and laughed only when around him, and how he, strangely, wasn't all that upset about this. At first he thought he was furious, but then he had realized that he couldn't be angry at any of them. He loved Gwen, but possibly not the way he thought he did. She was like a sister, or a very close friend, but not a lover. They had tried to make love once, but it had been incredibly awkward and they had decided that maybe it would be better when they had an actual bed.

And then there was Merlin. Arthur couldn't help it, but the ache that had started when he left Camelot had turned into full-blown agony. He missed his silly little manservant. He missed his big ears, his blue eyes, his goofy grin, the way he talked to Arthur like they were equals, and how he always knew exactly what Arthur needed to hear. Arthur was beginning to realize that he really couldn't last too much longer without him. He felt bad for thinking of leaving Guinevere, after all she had gone through to be with him. She had left her home, her job, and had almost been killed simply because he thought he loved her. So what would she say if he told her that he realized maybe he wasn't so much in love with her. That he might possibly be in love with, as strange as it was to think, Merlin.

Even thinking of his name sent strange pangs through Arthur's heart. He never realized how much he depended on Merlin. How much happier he had gotten since the strange boy had arrived in Camelot and stumbled his way into Arthur's heart. Before Merlin, he really had been an arrogant prat. All his friends were simply friends with him as he was the prince. No one really knew him. He was pressured by his father to be the perfect son, pressured by Morgana to stand up to his father, and pressured by the people to be the perfect king they deserved He had been pushed so many ways by so many people, but somehow he still felt lost and alone. Then Merlin came, with his country-boy ignorance, and he had shown Arthur who he could be, and how he could become the king the people deserved. He had helped Arthur deflate his ego while realizing that he was ready for whatever the kingdom needed of him. He didn't know what would have happened if he had never met Merlin, but he was certainly glad he did.

Arthur wondered what Merlin was doing now. Now that he didn't have to constantly be waiting on a stuck-up prince. Would the king assign him other duties, or would he be without a job? Gaius would no doubt have extra chores for Merlin to complete, but Merlin would probably want to be working, not just depending on Gaius for food and shelter. Part of Arthur wished Merlin had come with him. He liked to imagine that that would have fixed all his problems. Merlin would somehow be able to know what was happening between Lancelot and Guinevere and himself, and he would know just what to say when Arthur felt like a terrible person for abandoning his people. Arthur still believed that there would have been no other way to stop the execution in time, and he certainly didn't regret saving Gwen, but he worried about his people, his knights, his kingdom. He was supposed to protect it, every citizen, not just one girl he may have had a crush on at one point of time.

Arthur knew what he needed to do. He had been thinking about it ever since he reached Haldor and saw Guinevere and Lancelot together. He had a duty to his people, and he couldn't give that up. Guinevere no longer needed his protection. She had Lancelot so she no longer needed him. He wondered why he didn't feel more resentful towards the man, but he couldn't help but think of what he would have if he went back to Camelot, namely, Merlin.

So, taking a deep breath, Arthur started walking back towards the village and the small hut they still shared with Lancelot, praying that he would have the courage to get through this conversation, and that Guinevere would not be hurt by what he had to say.

The three weeks passed slowly for Merlin. After the flogging, Uther had backed off slightly, whether because he thought Merlin really didn't know anything, or, and probably more likely, because he realized he had almost killed Merlin, and seeing as Merlin was the only clue he had to where his son might be, he did not want to risk losing him once more. Merlin still received the odd punch or kick when he wouldn't answer Uther's question, but they generally tried to avoid his back, and never stayed very long. Mostly his punishment consisted of going long periods of time in solitude with very little food and water.

Although the fever he had gotten after one of the whip wounds got infected had faded, Merlin never fully recovered. He supposed that had something to do with being left down in the damp dungeons, with little to keep him warm. During the time he had the fever, Gaius visited him twice, each time asking him questions which his fever addled mind had a difficult time processing. Merlin guessed Uther had thought that possibly he would give something away when he was sick, confused, and being comforted by a familiar voice. Merlin had remained silent though, keeping all the information he had about Arthur secret from the king. When Merlin stopped sweating and shaking constantly, Gaius had stopped visiting, and Merlin had developed a cough. Uther seemed to have noticed this, as when the cough got increasingly worse, Merlin received more and more water, so either it was an attempt by Uther to keep him alive or the guards had taken pity on him and started smuggling him in drinks. Leon would sneak down occasionally and talk to him. As the head of the knights, he had some authority over the guards, so could get down to see him without too many questions being asked. His visits helped break up the solitude greatly, but were few and far between as Leon was constantly leaving Camelot in search of Arthur. Merlin hoped that if anyone did find Arthur, it was Leon. The man was kind, and had known Gwen as a child. He had told Merlin he did not believe her to be a sorceress, no matter what the evidence against her was. Merlin figured that if Leon ever did find Gwen he wouldn't hurt her, he would just try to convince Arthur to return. But, he also wanted Arthur to be happy, so he didn't tell the knight anything about where Arthur probably went.

Merlin lost track of the days quickly. His cell had a small window, but the days he had spent in a fever-induced haze had thrown him off, and now it just seemed pointless to count what proved to be an endless stay in the dungeons of Camelot. He wondered how long it would be before Uther gave up on him, and ordered him executed. It probably wouldn't matter, as Merlin's cough was getting worse and he was getting skinnier and skinnier. Soon it wouldn't matter what the king wanted, his body would give out on him and he would die. When these thoughts filled his mind, Merlin would try to banish them with memories of Arthur. He hoped that Arthur wouldn't forget him when he was gone. He didn't expect the prince to mourn his passing, he just wanted to be remembered by the man he loved with all his heart. Merlin hoped he would be able to see Arthur again, somehow. It was that hope that kept him fighting. Arthur was the light that guided him through the darkness, the raft that kept him afloat when he felt he would drown in his own sorrow. And it was Arthur that he thought of when he fell asleep. Arthur's arms wrapped around him, keeping him warm as the chill of the dungeon's seeped into his bones.

The walk back to Lancelot's house had never felt longer. When Arthur stepped inside, he was glad to see that both Lancelot and Guinevere where already there. If he had to wait any longer he was pretty certain he would talk himself out of it, and would have to work up the courage once more. He moved to sit at the table Lancelot and Gwen where waiting at. They both smiled at him, making him feel slightly nauseous about what he was going to do. He took a deep breath, thought of Merlin, and began.

"Guinevere, Lancelot, there is something I need to discuss with you."

Both their expressions shifted to worry and concern as Arthur spoke with such a serious tone. He hadn't used that tone for so long.

"What is it, Arthur? Is something wrong?" Guinevere asked.

"No. Well, yes. Sort of?" Arthur replied, slightly confused. Something was definitely wrong, Merlin was miles away! Of course, he couldn't just state that as the reason for his concern to Guinevere and Lancelot. He needed to explain himself, especially for Guinevere's sake.

"Tell us, Arthur." Lancelot said, not in a demanding way, just concerned, "We will assist you in whatever way we can." The way Gwen nodded as Lancelot spoke did not help with the queasy feeling in Arthur's stomach.

"I've been thinking, and I can't stay away from Camelot much longer. It is my kingdom. I cannot just abandon it. I am sorry Guinevere, but now that I know you will be safe here with Lancelot, I must return home. If there is anything I can do for you in the future, know that I will do everything in my power to see it is done. But, I now realize that I can stay here no longer." Arthur said, finishing with a sigh. He hoped she understood.

Gwen smiled at him, reaching out and taking his hand before saying, "I know, Arthur. I was surprised you left in the first place. Camelot needs you." Her expression changed slightly, shifting from accepting to slightly guilty as she continued, "There is something I need to tell you as well. And I am so sorry, Arthur, but I can't let you go back to Camelot thinking that I feel the same way as I did when we left. I thought that I loved you, and I do, just more as a brother than as a wife should. I felt terrible that I didn't see you that way anymore, especially after all you had given up to be with me. I am so sorry, Arthur. I hope that you find someone better than me to hold your heart. But, being here with Lancelot has showed me that you do not hold mine, I am so sorry."

Arthur smiled at this. Apparently that hadn't been the reaction Guinevere had been expecting. She looked quite confused as Arthur said, "That's excellent, Gwen! I'm sorry, that sounded bad. That's not what I meant. It's just, I feel the same way. You are like my younger sister, and I want to know your safe and protected, but I do not love you the way I thought I did. All this time I watched you with Lancelot, and I felt nothing. I thought I should be jealous of the way he could make you smile, but I wasn't. I only felt happy to see both of you so happy together. Please do not feel like a worse person for not loving me, for I am exactly the same."

"Thank you, Arthur!" Gwen said, jumping up and pulling Arthur into a hug.

Arthur returned the hug, before he released her saying, "It has been a pleasure seeing you again, Lancelot, but I really do wish to return to my kingdom. I will pack my things and leave as soon as possible as long as you promise to look after Guinevere and make sure no harm comes to her."

Lancelot smiled, nodded and said, "I will always protect her. I love Guinevere more than I thought possible. Thank you for understanding, Arthur."

Arthur just nodded, before turning to gather up his few things. He was about to leave when Gwen called out to him, asking, "What about you, Arthur? I have Lancelot, is there someone else who you love?"

Arthur paused, wondering what they would think if he told them. "Yes." He replied simply. "I really should head out." Arthur said, turning back toward the door.

"It's Merlin, isn't it?" Guinevere said. Arthur tensed, then turned back, smiled at her and said, "Who else?"

Gwen just smiled back and nodded. Lancelot looked slightly stunned, but he was smiling as well. Arthur waved at both of them, before leaving the small village and heading back to his true love.