The ride back to Camelot was quite. Even Gwaine didn't have some riveting tale to share. In subdued silence, they reached the cities limits by the next night fall. No one was around in the lower town, or the upper for that matter. And the castle was eerily quiet as they entered. Merlin was up and walking again, but his mind was a little fuzzy. He had used most of his energy on a healing spell (for his broken wrist and ribs. He took a pain-killer that didn't really work for the whip wounds.) and now was slowly being guided to Gaius' chambers in a dazed stupor.

Arthur had a protective arm around the warlock and Gwaine, again, was leading. They took the short cut to the physician's chambers and found themselves in there. The silence was beginning to unnerve them, so without knocking, they headed in.

The unofficial Knights of the Round Table, Guinevere, and Gauis were all in there. All had grim faces and Gwen's eyes were red rimmed. Upon seeing who entered, most gasped and two jumped up.

"What happened?" demanded to king, arm around Merlin unconsciously tightening.

"We-we thought…" started Gwen. With a look from Arthur, she continued. "We thought Merlin was dead."

Gauis then got up to take his ward from the king, who looked like he wanted to hold the warlock for a little while longer. The physician led Merlin to his room, so he could examine his patient in peace.

"Why would you think that?" asked Gwaine.

"What else would've made Arthur act like he did before you left?" said Lancelot. "You were closest to Merlin, so we thought you two left to find closure or something."

"But we now see what happened," said Leon, nodding towards Merlin's room. "Merlin got turned back into a man and I guess…." He trailed off.

Arthur felt something bubble in his chest. His eyes slid towards Merlin's door. He did not want to be here, being questioned by his friends. He wanted to be in the other room with Merlin.

"So what happened to Merlin?" asked Elyan. Gwaine relayed the story of how they went searching for Merlin (and for some reason leaving out the part in which Arthur basically proclaimed his love for the servant) and how at the castle, the man, Lamir, was whipping everyone's favorite warlock. All agreed that it was way too cliché that the man had only gotten Merlin so he could get to Arthur. What surprised them was the lack of guards and planning on Lamir's part. If he was expecting the king of Camelot to come, why hire young boys, and so few of them at that, to guard the world's most powerful warlock? The stupidity of some people….

While Gwaine was relaying their tale, Arthur had been trying to sink into the background. He managed to almost get to Merlin's door, when he caught Lancelot's eye. The knight simply raised an eyebrow and Arthur gave him a grateful smile.

"I was wondering when you'd get in here, Sire," said the aged physician, taking in the warlock's back. Merlin was now asleep, no doubt drugged with a sleeping draught.

Arthur nodded and went to Merlin's side, grasping his hand in his own. Gauis didn't even look up. The physician would question what medical care the warlock had been given, and Arthur would readily reply. About an hour later, the physician had deemed the lash cuts uninfected, put some ointment on the spider-wedded bruises, and knowing the king wouldn't leave, he gave him a foul looking liquid with instructions to give it to Merlin when he woke. Arthur nodded and the physician left.

"Oh, Merlin," said the king, stroking the warlock's hair, "How do you get yourself in these situations?"

Merlin woke an hour later with glazed eyes and a confused look. He sat up in bed. With some coaxing, he downed the bottle Gauis had left with a disgusted face. It was yet another sleeping draught, and the warlock fell unceremoniously on the king. Arthur simply just pulled Merlin on to him fully and grabbed a blanket, wrapping it around them both. When sleep started to take the king as well, he was sure people were watching them, but he really couldn't care less.

"I knew they would make a good couple!" said Gwen, as she and the knights moved away from the door. They had witnessed the affectionate display the king had put on and had watched as he pulled the warlock onto his lap.

Leon raised an eyebrow. "But they're both men now. Is that even heard of?"

"I've heard of it," said Percival, usually not one for talking. "There was three couples of them in my village."

"Really?" asked Elyan wide eyed, never hearing of such a thing. Percival nodded.

"Will Arthur try and marry him?" asked Gwaine.

"Oh, I hope so!" said Gwen, eyes gleaming. "I'm planning their wedding right now."

"Really, Gwen?" asked her husband, kissing her forehead affectionately. "Why not give them time to test how they like each other?"

"Arthur already asked Merlin to marry him when he was a girl," Gwaine supplied. "Their wedding was supposed to be yesterday."

"Oh, right," said Gwen. "But I'm still planning it for them!"

"Planning what?" asked a voice. Everyone turned. It was Arthur.

Everyone kept silent, until Gwen couldn't help herself. "Your's and Merlin's wedding! I can't wait! You're perfect for each other!"

Arthur blushed. "Ummm…." He looked at his knights for approval of still loving Merlin. Lancelot raised an eyebrow and smirked, Gwaine gave him a look that said we all know it, Leon had a poker face, and Elyan and Percival looked at each other, then to the king.

Arthur put on his king/business voice, but nevertheless stuttered. "As you know, I am-am still in l-l-love with Merlin." His face was far too red. "And it is my intention to m-m-marry-"

He was surprised to find all of them smiling. He got a few pats on the back, and a hug from Gwen. When the maid pulled away, she whispered, "Hurt Merlin in any way, and I'll take a knife and remove all your fingers."

Gwen scared him sometimes.

After that mini-celebration, Arthur returned to Merlin's room, finding the warlock curled in a ball on his bed. Arthur slipped in next to him, wrapping his arms around the raven-haired one. He pulled something out of his pocket, which was hard to do, being squished against Merlin and the bed. It was his mother's ring. He loosened the warlock's hands and slipped it on his left-ring finger. He noticed something else in his pocket. He pulled it out, finding Merlin's neckerchief. Smiling at the cloth, he gently tied it around his once-servant's neck.

That night the king slept in Merlin's room. When he woke up, he realized it and gladly kissed the warlock's forehead. Merlin groggily woke up and smiled at him.

But then his smile vanished.

While writing this chapter, I kept feeling like King Arthur and Merlin from the actual myth/legend were watching me. It was like Merlin yelling, "I am not Colin Morgan! Nothing in this fanfic you're writing ever happened!" and King Arthur was like, "Since when was magic outlawed in Camelot? And Bradley James looks nothing like me!" Wow, that sounded less crazy in my head... So anyways, thank you to Don-V, bubzchoc, Lady-Blade-WarAngel, and WRose for reviewing! You rock! :D