MERLIN - CONTACT

AN: Hey everyone! Soooooooooo sorry it's been longer than I said. I've just had so much college work to do and was feeling a bit stressed out. But between that, I was working on this chapter, so I hope that it is enough to please until the next. How are we all enjoying the new series eh? Pretty intense. Put your opinion of it in your reviews if you want. Thanks soooooooooo much to everyone who has reviewed, and added this fic to their favourites or is following it! Really appreciate it. Keep the reviews coming :) Anyway, enjoy! BTW I apologise for any mistakes I have made, and there also will be parts in this chapter where there will be references made to previous un-programmed events.

...~~C~~...

At the hour's end, both Arthur and Merlin were in the courtyard securing their bags to the saddles of their horses. Merlin's faithful jet black mare snorted and reared its head up in the chilled spring morning air, as if nodding a hello to her rider. Merlin smiled and patted the horse's nose. It was a horse that had been with her from the start, she had named her Rhiannon. When an animal has been with you for so long, they seem to know what you're feeling and things about you that even your closest friend might not even know, and right now Rhiannon knew her mistress wasn't in happy mind terms with the man accompanying them on the trip. When Arthur attempted to move around her to help Merlin with her packing, the mare lunged her head forward to nip at the man's head.

"It's alright, girl," Merlin calmed Rhiannon down and shrugged at her prince, not so much in an apologetic way, more just a 'you know what she's like' way.

Arthur lifted his hands in the air jokily and went back to his own horse, Cade, a light brown, muscular built stallion only given to him last month. Horses were horses to Arthur. If you had to bring one into battle with you, there was always the risk of it being cut down. So the prince liked to switch horses regularly. What was the point in getting attached to something that might be gone before you know it?

...~~C~~...

By nightfall, they had just reached the borders of Camelot, and it was still a few hours ride over it to get to Ealdor. The two decided not to push it and set up camp for the night. Well, Merlin prepared the bed rolls while Arthur kept out of her way by collecting the fire wood.

Once the fire was roaring, dinner were eaten and they had gotten themselves comfortable, Arthur and Merlin sat in silence.

The prince kept glancing at the girl across from him. Never had they had such an awkward uncomfortable wall between them, even compared to that time they nearly hugged after Arthur made a half assed apology for not believing Merlin about his troll step-mother. As much as it pained him to admit it, he missed what they had. Which he had to say was a strange relationship. At times he would treat Merlin like a servant, then on trips a knight without armour... or plumbing.

But when it came to feelings and proper girly matters, he didn't know much more how to react than a father with only sons. Merlin was a girl, and guessing he sometimes forgot that, created situations like this when he really wished his father would let him have more friends who were girls growing up. Besides Morgana. That way he would be more experienced and know what to say that will make it all better.

But that wasn't the case.

He wondered if he should break the silence with a joke or comment that lead to the two of them bantering like they did about the prattish prince and the worst servant in the world. Or just go straight into the heavy waiting conversation about their problems and 'feelings'

But in the end he didn't have to, because Merlin got there first with both.

"Look at this, Arthur. You should have left collecting firewood to me, this wood is obviously too damp to burn," she said, waving a stick in front of him as an example.

The prince snorted "Yes, well, if you ask me, whoever ended up going would have had that same dilemma. Why don't you just..." he wiggled his fingers in the pile of wood's direction, not knowing what words exactly were fit to say.

"Seriously? You want me to..." Merlin copied his actions teasingly. Not even needing to use her hand, the girl's eyes flashed gold, and a strong gust of wind blew around the camp. A few seconds later when it stopped, the fire still burned and the wood was bone dry. Arthur hadn't moved an inch. Not out of fear, though he still didn't know what to do when his servant used magic around him. While the wind whipped away from them, all he did was stare at Merlin, who looked ahead at the fire before her, until the gold faded from her eyes once again.

"I can tell that you still don't like it... When I use it."

"I never said that."

"Yes you did. When I came back with Gwaine from giving you time to think. You said you didn't want me using it."

"That was until I realised it was making you miserable. And... with... with your illness, stress was the last thing I wanted to put you through. Merlin," Arthur put his hand on Merlin's shoulder to get her to look at him, which she didn't. "Merlin, I- "

"Arthur," finally Merlin turned to him, and his hand dropped. "We don't have to talk about this. I understand. Finding out someone you have known for years has magic is a lot to take in. I've always imagined in my head how you'd react if you saw me use it or I confessed. To be honest you reacted a lot milder than I thought."

"Really?"

"Well I'm still here, aren't I?"

That hit hard. "You didn't honestly think I'd have you executed did you?"

Merlin shrugged "I didn't really know what to expect. So much was happening at the time. Camelot being attacked, your father trying to marry you off, Mordred becoming a knight... finding out about my illness..." The servant looked down at her hands ringing on her lap. "There has never been a good time to reveal myself but... sod's law it should happen then. I knew you were going to hate me-"

Arthur took the girl's hands in his own without thinking. Their hands were cold despite the fire, but the gesture was warm, and the longer they touched, a tingly feeling grew. As the prince looked up, blue met blue intensively.

"I never hated you Merlin. You hear me? Angry, yes. Disappointed, yes. Feeling stupid for not seeing it sooner, definitely. But the moment you left, I had to have you back here again. I had things I had to say. But I knew awaiting my decision wasn't the only reason you had to leave the kingdom for a while... And like then, I have things I have to say now.

"I'm so sorry for how I reacted before, Merlin. I should be used to seeing you in dresses by now. But when I saw you walk into my chambers with that one on, my mind blanked."

Merlin frowned. "Why?"

Arthur hesitated. "... Because you looked amazing, Merlin. It was like a work of art you were born to wear. It was never about your place or that you are not pretty enough to pull it off because you did, and you are."

Merlin's cheeks coloured and she had to look away so Arthur couldn't see. But he did, and he smiled.

"I guess what I trying to say is that I was taken back by how lovely you looked, and I didn't want anyone else seeing you as I did."

He let go of the serving girl's hands and leant his arms on his knees as he turned to the fire.

Merlin smiled softly to herself. Nothing else had to be said on the matter so they sat in relatively comfortable silence until it was time to settle down to sleep. Arthur was jealous. Arthur wanted to protect her. Arthur was being his normal self, and made everything right again in a way that wasn't Arthur. But compared to the oblivious man that punched you in the arm to cheer you up, this new sensitive Arthur was rather refreshing. And she was almost certain it would not last, but would enjoy it while it lasted.

For now, Merlin laid down on the her bedroll eagerly waiting to see her mother again.

...~~C~~...

AN: Hope you liked it. To be honest I don't really know now when I shall update again but don't worry. I will be working on it from this point and I am working on finishing up within the brackets of Christmas. Please review and I shall see you later :)