So, this is the talk between Merlin and Arthur. This chapter is full of dialogue, and if you think that Merlin or Arthur are OOC, then please let me know! Thank you to Niyin for the prompt on Merlin talking to Arthur about being "hunted"! It really helped when I hit writer's block!

Enjoy!

When Merlin finally came round, he was aware of a dull throbbing in his left side. His eyes felt heavy, and it took a great deal of effort to finally blink them eye open. Why was he so tired? For a moment, he lay, staring at the ceiling, until a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.

'Gwaine?' His voice was hoarse, and croaky from disuse, and it ached when he spoke.

The Knight grinned and made his way over to his friends' bedside, holding a cup of water. 'Good afternoon, sleepy head. How's the hero of the hour?' He helped Merlin take a sip of water before the Warlock settled back down in his pillows.

'What are you talking about?'

Gwaine's smile slipped slightly. 'Arthur told us what you did. About Emrys…'

Merlin felt his heart lurch. 'He… he did?'

Gwaine nodded. 'Yeah… And to be honest, Merlin, no matter how much Agravaine meant to Arthur, you shouldn't have risked your life against a powerful sorcerer like that. Even if you did manage to kill him.'

'Yeah, I… wait… I did what?'

'You stabbed Emrys and pushed him over a cliff, but got a knife in the side for your trouble. You were lucky too; Agravaine's dead.'

Merlin frowned at the Knight, trying, desperately to remember what had happened. He didn't remember Agravaine's death, and he certainly didn't remember Arthur being there at all.

Gwaine sat down next to him, watching him closely. 'You know, Merlin…'

The young Warlock jolted slightly, turning to look at Gwaine. 'Yeah?'

'For a while there,' he shifted uncomfortably. 'I thought you might be Emrys.'

'Me?' Merlin felt the panic rise up in his chest, but squashed it quickly. Thought… Past tense.

Gwaine laughed. 'Yeah. You were so adamant that he might be on our side, I thought… but it doesn't matter. Camelot's safe again. Thanks to you.'

Merlin smiled. 'Yeah. What do you think Arthur will give me, as a reward?'

Gwaine grinned, evilly. 'You could ask him to do all your chores for a day!'

Both of them burst out laughing, Merlin pressing a hand to his side to ease the discomfort. 'That'll be the day!'

They sat together chortling for a few more moments, before the door the Gaius' chambers opened, and Gaius walked in. He smiled at the sight of the two men, before moving over to his workbench.

'It's good to see you're awake, Merlin. I need to look at that wound.'

Merlin rolled his eyes as he shifted, so that Gaius could lift his shirt. The wound itself had been neatly stitched together, but was red around the edges.

'Was it infected?'

'Just a small one,' the Physician murmured, as he gently prodded the swollen area. 'I kept you sedated, anyway. It's why you've only just woken up.'

'Only just? How long have I been asleep?'

'Three days,' Gaius placed the mixture he'd been smearing on the wound on the side, and began to re-wrap the bandages. 'I shall let Gwaine fill you in.' Gwaine grinned at him, and immediately launched into a story about a training session Merlin had missed. Gaius smiled, and left quietly, making his way to the throne room, to inform the King.

XxX

Gaius returned several hours later to find Merlin asleep and alone. Gwaine had been called away not long before by the King, who had decided he would speak to his servant in the morning.

Gaius was confused.

Arthur had returned with an unconscious, bleeding Merlin and the summary of the fight three days earlier, and Gaius couldn't figure out what had happened. According to Arthur, the Warlock Emrys was dead, killed by Merlin in a struggle after Agravaine had fallen. But that wasn't possible; Merlin was Emrys! So what had actually happened?

A loan grow from the other side of the room caught the Physicians attention, and he hurried to the side of his ward as Merlin opened his eyes.

'Gaius?'

'Right here, Merlin. Are you alright?'

'Just a bit sore,' the young Warlock groaned as he pulled himself into a sitting position. 'I'll be alright.'

'I expect nothing less,' Gaius smiled but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Merlin frowned.

'Is something wrong?'

The Physician sighed. 'It's the story Arthur told the Court. As glad as I am that they're no longer hunting you…'

'You want to know what actually happened out there,' Merlin nodded. 'I'm a bit sketchy on the details myself.'

Gaius sat down next to him, and waited. Merlin took a deep breath.

'Agravaine set a trap, and I walked straight into it. I had to lead him away, and he cornered me on a cliff face. We shouted a bit, then we fought…. I don't remember what happened after Agravaine stabbed me.'

'So Agravaine stabbed you…' Gaius muttered, looking both angry and thoughtful.

'What are you thinking?'

'If Agravaine stabbed you, then… who killed Agravaine?'

They sat in silence for a moment, both of them thinking hard. Merlin was replaying the event in his head, trying to remember if, at any point, he'd seen someone other than…

His head shot up, his eyes wide. 'Just before I was stabbed! Someone yelled my name, and I turned, and that's when Agravaine stabbed me!'

'What happened after that?'

Merlin frowned for a moment, before shaking his head. 'No, it's black after that. Do you… do you think it could have been Arthur?'

'It's a possibility.'

'Do you think he knows?' Gaius reached out and placed a comforting hand on his ward's shoulder.

'We can't know for sure until you speak with Arthur. But even if he does; he lied to protect you. There is more to this than we realise. We must wait.'

The young warlock nodded, and Gaius clapped him on the shoulder.

'Now, since you're finally awake, you really need to eat something…'

XxX

Merlin had managed to clamber out of his bed and was sat at his and Gaius' table, anxiously anticipating the arrival of the King. Gaius sat opposite, unconsciously rubbing his thumb over the back of Merlin's hand. Merlin made no move to stop him; it was a comforting gesture.

He couldn't quite process what was happening. Agravaine was dead, Emrys was no longer hunted, and there was every possibility that Arthur knew his secret!
He reached for his cup of water, only notice that his hands were shaking.

How does it feel, Emrys? To know that your best friend is hunting you like a common criminal? Merlin shuddered at the memory, and withdrew his hand. Gaius offered him a sympathetic smile, before standing up.

'I think it would be better if you and Arthur had this conversation alone.'

Merlin stared at him, looking horrified. 'Do you want to give Arthur more opportunities to kill me, if it turns out that he does know something?'

'Don't be so dramatic,' the old man scolded, causing a small smile to appear on his wards. 'Arthur brought you back to be healed. You have to remember that. He's at least giving you a chance.'

Merlin took a deep breath, and jumped as someone knocked loudly on the door.

'Come in.'

Arthur strode into the room, nodding to Gaius as he entered. The Physician bowed and departed, leaving the two young men alone. Merlin bent his head, worried about what he would see in his friend's eyes.

'How are you feeling?' Merlin jumped slightly, and looked up at the King.

'Better,' he smiled warily. 'Thank you, for bringing me back.'

Arthur nodded, but didn't move. There was an awkward pause; Merlin stared at the table, tracing the scratches in the wood.

'I'm sorry about Agravaine.'

Arthur nodded, slightly. 'Do you remember what happened?'

He shook his head. 'Not really. I remember a fight, but not much of it.'

Arthur tilted his head to the side. 'So you don't remember Agravaine attacking you?'

Merlin gulped slightly. 'Attacking me?'

'Yes, Merlin,' Arthur stated, his face impassive. 'Just after he declared his allegiance to Morgana, and his desire to kill you, Emrys.'

Merlin's heart dropped. Arthur knows. He pressed his heads into his hands, and took a deep breath. 'You were with Agravaine in the clearing.'

The young King nodded again, and made his way over to the table. Merlin leant back a little as he sat down, watching his friend carefully.

'Do you think I'm going to hurt you?'

'I'm not sure yet.'

Arthur nodded at his answer. 'That's fair enough. You have no reason to trust me… just like I have no reason to trust you.'

'So where does that leave us?' Merlin shifted forward as Arthur gave him a humourless smile.

'That depends.'

'On what?'

'On what happens here, and now.'

Merlin narrowed his eyes, but he couldn't detect any trace of anger in the King's expression. There didn't even appear to be betrayal; just a look of deep curiosity.

'What do you want to know?'

The young King smirked and sat back in his chair, looking fairly relaxed. 'It's interesting; Geoffrey did some research, and found it fairly easy to find some old poems and prophecies regarding Emrys. I'm amazed I didn't make the connection then; you would have found something if you'd actually looked.' Merlin had the sense to look sheepish here, as Arthur continued. 'But it wasn't the stuff on you that was interesting. It was the reference to a Once and Future King. Tell me about him.'

Merlin felt stunned for a moment, before he understood. He wants to know if I've been trying to usurp him in favour of another king! 'Well, he's a complete prat sometimes. He's also a supercilious, patronising, dollop head! But he's compassionate, and a good King, although he can be a complete sap sometimes.'

'Me?' Merlin grinned as Arthur stared at him. 'I'm supposed to be this… Once and Future King?'

'Yeah.'

'Right…' Arthur frowned, before clearing his throat. 'That's not what I was expecting you to say.'

'What were you expecting?'

Arthur shook his head, before fixing Merlin with a piercing gaze. 'It doesn't matter.'

Merlin conceded, knowing that it would do him no good to push Arthur at this particular moment.

'Arthur…' The King looked up, encouraging Merlin to continue. 'Why did you save me?'

Arthur looked surprised, but recovered quickly. 'Because you stood up for me, and Camelot, whilst my treacherous Uncle outlined his plans to bring me down. And, despite what I said earlier, Merlin, I do trust you. I need you to tell me what happened out there. Why did Agravaine trick me into hunting you?'

Merlin flinched at the word, and Arthur frowned once again.

'Are you OK?'

'Yeah,' he forced a smile. 'Just, something Agravaine said to me whilst we were out there.'

Arthur sat forward slightly, resting his crossed arms on the table. 'What was it?'

'He asked how it felt, to know that my best friend was hunting me like some common criminal.'

'What did you say?'

'I didn't.'

'What would you have said?'

Merlin took a deep breath, and leant towards the king, also resting his arms on the table. 'It wasn't so much that you were hunting me; you didn't know it was me. It was more the fear of how you would react when you found out; of what it would do to our friendship. I've spent the last five/six years wanting to tell you everything, but I never had the courage to actually tell you. It got to the point where I believed I never would, and to be confronted with this… that's what scared me.'

'I'm sorry you had to go through that alone.'

'I wasn't really alone,' Merlin shrugged. 'I had Gaius and Lancelot for a time. And my mother's always been very supportive. It took me most of my life, but I finally understand that the magic I was born with isn't a curse… it's a gift. One I'm supposed to share with other people in order to make their lives that little bit better.'

Arthur smiled.

And Merlin knew that everything was going to be alright.

XxX

'We still have a lot to talk about, you know.'

'I know,' Merlin smiled, leaning back and propping his feet up on the table. 'Why did you bring me back?'

Arthur jerked his head slightly, taking a sip out of his water glass. 'Agravaine confessed to killing my father and wanting to kill me, and you told him I'd be the greatest King that ever lived. It was obvious who the traitor was. And I've had three days to think things through. Believe me; George had a lot of tidying up to do after the first day.'

They both laughed at that, although cautiously on Merlin's part.

'Now what?'

Arthur gave him a look. 'Now that Morgana thinks that Emrys is dead, I'm almost certain she's going to attack the citadel. When that is going to be is unclear, so we need to be prepared. We cannot let anyone know that Emrys still lives, so we'll have to find some alternative way of getting ready. Do you have any magical allies that we can go to for assistance?'

Merlin beamed at him. 'I can think of a few people.'

Right, so I know nothing about medicine except what I've picked up in AS Biology… which isn't very much. Just in-case I wrote something wrong.

Between this chapter and the last is three day, I think that Arthur would have had a massive temper tantrum, which he couldn't take out on Merlin because Merlin was injured. Then he would have calmed down, wallowed in a bit of self-pity, realised how much Merlin's done for him and means to him, and decided Merlin's his best friend and together they're going to be unstoppable. But that's just my opinion.

Next chapter will be Arthur/Merlin bromance banter, and more reveals. I wanted this to focus on the attack in the forest; the next bit will have Dragonlords and Druids and what not. But no slash. I don't do slash; Freylin and Arwen all the way :)

Thank you to my amazing beta's once again, Arthursmol and Hollyblue2

Please review and let me know what you thought!

TTFN
Valkyriexx