There is going to be one more chapter after this one and no more, I mean it this time. However I'm going on holiday on Monday for a week so it won't be up till after that I'm afraid. Though on the plus side a week lying by the pool in the sun will mean I'll have lots of time to write so it shouldn't be too long after I get back that the next chapter is up. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to everyone who's taken the time to read this and special thanks to everyone who's reviewed and Roses-as-lips for the beta. Enjoy. x

Part three

Merlin fled Arthur's chambers, closing the door swiftly behind him. He stared at it, frozen in shock. He backed up to lean against the wall opposite the door. He couldn't manage to tear his gaze away from the block of wood that separated him from the person who held his life in his hands. Eventually his legs gave way and he sank to the floor, leaning his head against the cool brick of the wall behind him. He wished he knew what Arthur was thinking, how he was dealing with the situation. He briefly considered going back in and making Arthur listen to his explanation but his courage gave out, he didn't want to have to face Arthur looking like that ever again.

He closed his eyes in despair and cursed his bad fortune. What on earth had possessed him to tell Arthur? There were many options they hadn't tried yet; he hadn't even asked Gaius if he knew of a solution. For all he knew there was a perfectly simple, non magical solution to this whole mess that wouldn't have resulted in him revealing his secret. He despaired at himself, all it had taken was for Arthur to look at him with that heartbreaking look in his eyes and he had Merlin doing anything he could think of to make things right. Will had always said that Merlin was a sucker for people in distress and his need to help people would get him into trouble one day. Well it looked like his old friend had been right.

A loud crash jolted Merlin out of his thoughts and he looked back at the door in front of him fearfully. Another bang followed this and soon all that could be heard was the loud crashes coming from behind the door. Merlin scrambled to his feet, knowing that if Arthur found him out here now it was not going to bode well for him. He realised that the angry noises coming from behind the door were telling him all he needed to know about how Arthur was taking the news.

Without another seconds hesitation Merlin set off sprinting down the corridor. He passed many people who called out to him, concerned, but he ignored them all, focused on his destination. He knew that Arthur wasn't taking his news well and, while he hoped that eventually Arthur would calm down and come round, he couldn't take the risk that it would be anytime soon.

Skidding to a halt Merlin pushed open the door to the physician's chambers and hurried inside. So focused on what he had to do he didn't notice Gaius until he grabbed his arm.

"Merlin?" He asked concerned, "What's going on? Why the rush?"

Although his young ward was always rushing around, late for one thing or another, Gaius could tell that there was something different today. The panicked look in his eyes and the scared expression on his face told Gaius there was something very wrong. When Merlin didn't answer Gaius repeated his question.

"Merlin what's happened?"Then a sudden thought hit him, "Is it Arthur? Is he okay?"

"He's fine." Merlin muttered distractedly, "Oh Gaius I've done something stupid."

"Well there's nothing new there my boy." Gaius joked, trying to lighten the boy's spirits but to no avail, "Tell me what's happened."

Gaius firmly directed Merlin into a chair, ignoring his protests, and sat himself on the bench by his worktable, looking at his ward expectantly. Merlin took a deep breath and gazed into the trusting face of his mentor as he spoke.

"Arthur knows." He said simply, not knowing how else to explain.

Merlin watched as he saw Gaius freeze. He knew that there was nothing else that Arthur could have found out that would make Merlin so frantic other than his big secret. Merlin watched carefully as Gaius processed this and waited for the question he knew was coming.

"How?"

Merlin sighed; knowing that no matter how he phrased this, it wasn't going to sound good. He knew, from the moment he stepped into the room, that Gaius was not going to be pleased with the turn of events. He could only hope that the older man would come up with a solution to the mess he had gotten himself into.

"I told him."

Hearing it out loud it sounded even worse than it had in his head and Merlin braced himself for the scolding he knew was going to come.

"You told him?" Gaius asked in disbelief, "After all the effort we have put into making sure that no one finds out your secret you went and told the crowned prince! Do you have a death wish?"

"I thought he'd be okay with it, I didn't think it would be this bad."

"He's not ready Merlin, he's only seen the bad in magic, he doesn't yet know the good it can bring." Gaius sighed, "He's been brought up on Uther's prejudice, he doesn't know anything else."

"I know all that!" Merlin exclaimed, "I just thought, once he let me explain, that he might come to understand. But he wouldn't even let me explain."

The tears that Merlin had been compressing inside started to leak out and slowly run down his cheeks. Gaius' face softened as he realised how bad Arthur's reaction must have been to cause this response from Merlin. He reached over and patted Merlin's shoulder comfortingly. Merlin smiled up at him through his tears and tried to get his emotions under control.

"Why don't you tell me what happened." Gaius suggested gently.

So Merlin filled him in on everything that had happened that afternoon. However when he reached the bit where he revealed his secret Merlin found that he couldn't go on. He couldn't relive the horror of Arthur's reaction again and he found his voice caught in his throat. Fortunately Gaius understood and didn't press the issue.

"After every life and death situation you two have been in together, Arthur finds out your secret over a shirt?"

Gaius couldn't quite believe that this was how Arthur had discovered it. Not through Merlin revealing himself to save Arthur and Camelot or even through Arthur catching him in the act, but over a stupid shirt. Merlin snorted and Gaius' words, having thought the exact same thing moments before. Gaius looked down at his young ward and felt fear for the boy well inside of him. If Arthur's reaction had been so terrible that Merlin couldn't even speak about it then it couldn't bode well for the young warlock; Gaius had to get him out of here.

"Merlin you have to leave."

Merlin looked up at Gaius with confused eyes. Was Gaius throwing him out? Was he going to abandon him now there was a risk that he could be caught hiding a sorcerer? Merlin's already fragile heart broke a little more at that thought. He couldn't lose his best friend and his father figure in the same day; he didn't think he'd be able to cope with that. However Gaius' next words soothed his worry.

"If Arthur's gone to the king then we need to get you out of here before they come looking for you."

"Arthur won't report me to Uther, he wouldn't do that."

Merlin was trying to convince himself as much as Gaius. If he was honest with himself he didn't really know what Arthur would do in this situation. The prince's mind worked in strange ways at the best of times and Merlin wasn't able to predict what course of action Arthur would be leaning towards now.

"Merlin we have to expect the worse, we don't know what Arthur will do." Gaius was the voice of reason as always, "If it all blows over and he doesn't tell Uther then you can come back but until then I think that it's best that you leave. Go back to Ealdor; it's outside of Camelot so Arthur and Uther have no jurisdiction there."

When Merlin didn't make any move to follow Gaius' advice the older man pulled him out the chair and gently pushed him towards his small room.

"Go pack a bag, I'll go to the kitchen and see what supplies I can get for you."

Merlin numbly moved towards the door at the back of the room and entered his borrowed chambers. He surveyed the room and grabbed the bag resting in the corner that he usually packed when Arthur dragged him on one of his hunting trips. He knew Gaius was right; he had to leave until things at least blew over or Arthur came to terms with everything without informing Uther but he just couldn't bring himself to leave. He wanted to rush back to Arthur's chambers and explain everything.

However once again his courage failed him at the thought of facing Arthur's wrath. He slowly started packing his bag, praying to every god he could think of that things would be okay.

Before he had gotten any further there was a knock on the door. Merlin froze and turned to stare at the doorway. His heart beat frantically in his chest as he realised that this might be Uther's soldiers come to take him away. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his panicking brain. It was clearly not Gaius at the door as he had no need to knock and Merlin couldn't see Arthur knocking if he had come to confront him so that ruled those two out.

And come to think of it Merlin didn't think that if a group of guards had been sent to arrest him then they would be knocking politely and giving him a chance to escape. Still holding the half packed bag Merlin moved cautiously into the main room as the knock came again. Merlin had just reached the door when a voice came echoing through.

"Merlin, are you in there? It's Leon; I need to talk to you."

Merlin frowned in confusion. The only time Leon came to see him was if Arthur had sent him with orders. However if that were the case then the knight wouldn't be sounding so tentative. And Merlin reasoned that if Arthur wanted him at the moment then he would most likely come looking for him himself. Also, if Leon was looking for him to arrest him then he wouldn't come alone against a dangerous sorcerer. Maybe he had come to warn him of Uther's hunt for him. However Merlin couldn't see Leon betraying his king for a simple servant. If it was Arthur then Merlin had a sneaking suspicion that the knight would side with his prince over his king, but not with his prince's manservant.

Whatever the reason the suspense was killing him and Merlin decided the best course of action was just to face the problem head on, something he was sure Gaius would warn him against were he here. However Merlin ignored the Gaius like voice in the back of his mind and pulled the door open.

The look of utmost relief crossed Leon's face as Merlin opened the door and looked at him puzzled. Leon seemed to hesitate and Merlin didn't see this as fitting with any scenario he had come up with. He decided to play it cool and pretend he didn't have a clue what was going on.

"Sir Leon, how can I help you?" Merlin asked pleasantly, stepping aside.

Leon moved past him into the room and stood nervously, surveying the room. Merlin frowned, completely confused. This behaviour was most unlike the knight. And, while he seemed to have more tact than most of his fellow knights, Merlin had never seen him as one to beat about the bush.

"Is everything okay?" He asked concerned.

"No...yes...well you see..." Leon broke off in frustration, unsure how to voice his concerns, "It's the prince."

Leon didn't miss the colour drain from Merlin's face at this news and wondered what had happened to cause this reaction. He wondered if Merlin had had something to do with Arthur's extreme behaviour. However he couldn't think of anything that their simple Merlin could have done that would cause the prince to become angry enough to trash his rooms.

"I'm worried about him. You see I was walking past his rooms and I heard this crashing noise inside. And then it suddenly stopped so I went in to see what had happened and he's trashed his whole room. He said he was redecorating but I'm concerned for his health. He wouldn't let me stay and, well, you're the only one who seems to be able to get through to him these days so I was hoping you could see if he was okay and find out what's wrong." Leon blurted, all his concerns rushing out at once.

Merlin was rather taken aback by this shock announcement which was the last thing he had thought Leon was here for. It seemed he had been right and the crashing had been Arthur taking his anger out on the room. At least he's not taking it out on me, Merlin thought wryly. He surveyed the knight in front of him and saw the genuine worry on the man's face. Merlin almost smiled at the complete loyalty Arthur seemed to induce in his knights. However this pleasant thought was short lived as he realised what these loyal knights would do to him if Arthur was to tell them his secret.

"Merlin?"

Leon was looking at him curiously and Merlin realised that he was waiting for a response. So caught up in his thoughts he had forgotten that he needed to reply. He cast round; searching for the right thing to say that would reassure the frazzled knight and get him to leave so Merlin could get on with fleeing.

"I'll be sure to check in on him." Merlin said, plastering a false smile on his face, "I just need to finish up here and then I'll go straight there. But I'm sure it's nothing, you know how he gets sometimes."

Leon smiled as he remembered how a teenage Arthur used to have terrible mood swings leaving the rest of them to walk around him as if on eggshells so as not to antagonise him. Though he hadn't seen Arthur so out of control for a long time now. However he knew that Merlin would be able to deal with it. There was something about the skinny servant that seemed to relax the prince, though Leon wondered whether part of it was just that Arthur had someone he could insult who would actually fight back. It had been good for him to find someone that would stand up to him and to learn that he couldn't get his way all the time.

Leon was about to leave, satisfied that his prince was in safe hands; figuratively speaking as nothing was safe if Merlin was holding it, he was the most clumsy person Leon had ever met, when his gaze landed on the bag in Merlin's hands.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked curiously, wondering if this was linked to the prince's strange behaviour.

Merlin frowned at him for a moment before he realised what Leon was talking about. He somehow managed to keep control over his expression and stop it giving him away however inside he was panicking. He couldn't tell Leon the truth, that would end in certain death for him, so he cast around for a believable lie.

"Um...I was just finishing unpacking from the last hunting trip. Arthur's not exactly given me much time recently to do it."

Merlin mentally crossed his fingers, praying that Leon would believe this and leave. The knight seemed to pause for a moment before accepting Merlin's words.

"Well thank you, Arthur has a good servant in you. If there's anything I can do to help him just let me know."

With that Leon strode past Merlin and out the open door. Merlin stared after him for a moment before slowly pushing the door closed. He shook himself; the whole meeting had thrown him off completely. Remembering the urgency with which he was supposed to be packing Merlin covered the distance to his room in a few long strides and continued to rush around, trying to find everything he would need.

The conversation with Leon had convinced him that Arthur wasn't taking the news well. He felt an added sense of panic as, if Arthur was so angry that it was causing his knights to come find him with their concerns, then it must be serious. He prayed that he wasn't going to have to face Arthur's wrath any time soon, or the king's for that matter. Merlin could do without angry royals after him, as it would probably result in his death. He understood Gaius' reasoning that he needed to get out of Camelot. At least if Arthur then did decide that Merlin deserved death then he would be too far away for them to find him.

So caught up in his own thoughts and packing Merlin didn't hear the door to Gaius' chambers bang open and a figure stride in. He darted round his room; leaving more mess in his wake than was there originally. Satisfied that he had everything he would need he bent and pulled up the loose floorboard to tug out his most precious belonging, which also happened to be the most incriminating.

However that was the same moment that he heard someone clear their throat behind him. Merlin froze, hoping that he had imagined it. But now he was paying attention he could hear to figure behind him breathing heavily. Closing his eyes he turned round slowly, hoping he was mistaken as to the identity of the intruder. His eyes shot open and he was met with a pair of angry blue ones.

He had been right; Arthur was stood in front of him, glaring at him furiously.