I might sequel this I don't know yet. I would if you guys want it. I would place it with Uther dead and Arthur king... possibilities unfold

No Time Left

So that is how they fell asleep. Their heads resting on each others as they leaned against the wall and their fingers intwined in their laps. The knights didn't have the heart to move them or wake the prince and take him away from the man he obviously loved so much!

"How long do you think they have been-together?" Elyan asked quietly so not to wake the sleeping couple. They all glanced over to Merlin's cell as the two men slept leaning on each other.

"I honestly have no idea." Gwaine said shaking his head, "I mean I'm fine with it I'm just surprised Merlin never told me. Or at least slipped up about sleeping with the crowned prince of Camelot." The trio nodded, "Leon do you have a guess you know him the best."

"Longest after this I don't know if I would say best." Leon said thoughtfully, "I would say a rather long time, but what about Merlin having magic!" Gwaine looked at his hands, "You knew." The knight in question looked up and nodded slightly, "You didn't say anything." There was no question.

"It's Merlin!" Gwaine quietly exclaimed, "He wouldn't hurt a fly, couldn't hurt a fly, let alone harm Arthur in anyway! Plus I only found out as he was protecting me with it. Same as he did tonight." They were quiet as they thought over everything they had discovered.

oOo

"How did I miss this, Gaius?" Uther asked bewildered as he sank into a chair in his chambers, "My son, sharing his bed with a man, a servant, and a warlock?!"

"Sire," Gaius said diplomatically, "What is your problem first and foremost?"

"All of them!" The king yelled, "Magic is out lawed! The servant is far below his class! And Merlin happens to be a MAN! How can I over look any of that? The boy most likely wants the throne for himself and is enchanting my son to get it." Gaius was quiet.

"Sire, how you feel about Arthur is how I feel about Merlin." Gaius said almost forcefully, "I have lived with him and have watched him grow for these years and I know that he would never do this. He may be a sorcerer, but he is not evil in any way, I vouch for him."

"Gaius," Uther said as if he were a simpleton, "He used magic! In Camelot! I have no choice, but to execute him and that display of affection must be caused by an enchantment! There is only in person I know of who could and that person must be killed to end it! Only then can Arthur be returned to normal."

"Uther," using his name startled the king, "what I am saying is that Merlin would not use his magic to harm Camelot. And last night he only used magic to kill the griffin. He only used his magic to save the city."

"We have defeated these creatures before without his help." Uther said haughtily.

"Magical creatures can only be killed with magic." Gaius said quietly which shocked Uther into silence.

"It does not matter he used magic and he is involved with my son." Uther said evenly, "His execution still stands for dawn."

"There is nothing that can change your mind?" Gaius asked, Uther shock his head no, "Very well. I will inform Arthur."

oOo

Gaius didn't bother going to Arthur's room, knowing that the prince wouldn't be there when Merlin was in the dungeon. When he got to the dungeons he ran into the three knights who had escorted Merlin down there to begin with.

"Gaius!" Leon was the first to see him, "What is the world from King Uther?"

"Merlin's execution still stands." The physician replied solemnly, "Is Arthur in there with him?" The three knights nodded affirmative, "Good, Merlin doesn't have much longer." They all lapsed into deathly silence.

Unbeknownst to them the couple heard every word and their only reaction was to move closer together, how they did this is unknown since there was so little space between them to begin with.

"Merlin," Arthur whispered to the man next to him, "I have a few things I want to tell you." Merlin shifted his head so he could look at his lover's face.

"Yes?" Merlin kissed Arthur's forehead.

"I- I'm gay, I love you, and I don't have magic." Arthur said quickly trying to mimic the way Merlin had said it so close to a year ago. The prince could feel his warlock's vibrations while he chuckled.

"After all this time I never would have guessed that." Merlin said still chuckling, "I have a few more things I want to say-"

"Merlin!" Leon called as he came to the bars of the cell, "It is almost time, we need to go." Both boys on the floor looked to the only window and saw the pale lines of light peaking through the bars. The couple stood up helping dust each other off.

"One more moment, please, Leon." Arthur was almost begging. Leon's face fell.

"I'm sorry, Arthur, we waited as long as we could. We need to go." Leon walked out of the cell. Once the knight was gone the two men were holding each other once again. Merlin pulled back and ran his fingers over Arthur's face again, for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Arthur please promise me something." Merlin said quickly knowing the knights would be back soon, "Please promise me that you won't take this out on your father. Forgive him don't hold onto this please. That is my last wish." Merlin was crying now knowing he would never see his lover again; as well as knowing the grudge Arthur would hold over his father and how it would ruin the rest of his life.

"Merlin," Arthur said burying his head in his lover's neck taking in his scent for as long as he could, knowing he would never smell it again after today, "I can't promise that. I'm sorry, love, but I can't forgive him for what he is about to do."

"Arthur," Merlin said bringing their faces together wiping the tears away from his prince's bright blue eyes, "understand that he is doing this because he believes it to be right-"

"But he's wrong!" Arthur exclaimed animatedly. Merlin waited for him to calm before continuing.

"Then when I die show him love for me." Merlin said leaning their heads together, "Show him that you love me and that you forgive him. Please, Arthur, for me." Merlin spoke as softly as their tears fell to the dungeon floor, Arthur shifted his head and they brought their lips together for the last time, "One last thing," Merlin said as they pulled apart, "Happy One Year Anniversary." Merlin made a small smile that Arthur tried, and failed, to duplicate.

"Arthur, your father is looking for you." Elyan called as he came to the front of the cell. Arthur made the movement to leave.

"Arthur," Merlin called stopping him, "promise me, Arthur you need to promise me! Don't hold this against him! Please!" Everyone within ear shot could here how Merlin begged on behalf of the man who was going to kill him. That broke Arthur down, he sobbed as he exited the cell; he turned around and looked at his lover's tear covered face as he begged

"I promise," Arthur whispered, relief flooded Merlin's face, "to do the best I can, Merlin, but I love you and- and I don't want to see you die." The sobs retook control and Arthur fled to clean up and see his father.

oOo

The knights brought Merlin up from the dungeons and to the door that leads out to court yard, the same one where he had killed the griffon and showed his love for Arthur; it felt like a lifetime ago instead of the night before. Before Merlin is lead out the knights say their good byes; guards Merlin didn't know who was going to tie him to the pyre since none of the knights were willing to lead their friend to his execution. Gwen came and said her farewell while crying and explaining Morgana was giving the king the silent treatment, he asked Gwen to beg the same thing Merlin begged from Arthur, she agreed to.

"Leon!" Gaius called as he came to the group, "please let me have a moment alone with Merlin. He has become a son to me and I would like a moment to say good bye in private, please." Leon nodded and the surrogate father and son duo left to a room off to the side.

"Gwen, do you have any idea how long Arthur and Merlin have been together? We have been trying to place a time, but we can't. They kept their secret very well." Leon said as they waited for Merlin to return with Gaius.

"I don't remember anything," Gwen furrowed her brow as she thought, "wait there was a time it was a year ago. Today actually! I hadn't seen Merlin and I went to Arthur's chambers to see if Merlin had been kept by Arthur doing chores again. When I got there Merlin didn't have a shirt on, he said he had slept on the floor, but Arthur kept giving him looks. I didn't think much of it, but a year!" The knights had stopped talking and listened to Gwen.

"A year?" Gwaine was stunned, "How did we miss it?" Before anyone could ponder the thought further Merlin and Gaius were back.

"Thank you, Gaius, for everything you have done over the years." Merlin said as he hugged his father figure one last time.

The guards came and escorted their prisoner to the pyre.

"Citizens of Camelot!" King Uther began his speech as the unnamed guards tied the warlock to his execution, "This man you see before you has been found guilty of treason of the highest order! He has been found guilty of sorcery! And of enchanting the crowned prince to obtain the throne!"

Gasps were heard throughout the crowd, most knew Merlin and all the help he had given with Gaius and Gwen. People of the town had come to appreciate the clumsy boy and admired him for putting up with the royal family, even though he assured them that Arthur was different than his father and they trusted him to be right.

"I have no choice, but be committed to his execution!" The king's hand fell and the wood was set a light.

The crowd watched in horror as the flames leapt up to catch cloth and flesh. No one would ever forget the smell. The crowd watched as their prince, who was suppose to support the king, fled the scene with tears streaming down his face. No one missed the fact that the king's ward was not present, nor were many of the knights. The crowd watched and their eyes filled with tears and at least half the crowd fled just as the prince had. No one would ever forget the sound. The only one who remained unchanged was King Uther; no one would ever forget that either.

oOo

Arthur locked himself in his room during his time of mourning and refused to see anyone during this time. He knew to fulfill his promise to Merlin he needed to be alone to recover. Gwen had tried to enter, but he couldn't bring himself to let her in.

In his solitude he eventually fell asleep. Alone.

He hadn't fallen asleep by himself in exactly a year.

"Happy One Year Anniversary," Arthur whispered to the empty bed as he cried himself to sleep.

oOo

It was in the middle of the night when Arthur woke up wondering why anything would want to bring him to the reality of his lover being dead. His eyes teared again as he turned over in their bed as he instinctively reached his arm out to grab Merlin only to feel the cold air tuck itself there instead of a warm slender waist he was used to. The sobs filled the chamber.

"Oh, look at you," A voice whispered in the room, "I never knew you cared so much." The voice continued to tease. It was too familiar and caused Arthur to curl into a tight ball.

A hand touched his arm causing him to flinch and uncurl to see who was able to unlock his door.

"Merlin?" Arthur choked out as he stared in wonder as the moon light filtered through the raven black locks he knew so well, the same light made those blue eyes light up, just as the pyre had, "This is a dream?" Arthur whispered in amazement, as the figure that looked so much like Merlin smiled the smile that made Arthur's heart melt and beat faster.

"This would be the best dream if it were one." The figure said as he kneeled down to look closer at Arthur's face, "Arthur, love, I am right here." He reached out a hand and stroked his lover's face. Arthur's eyes widened at the physical contact of the apparition.

"Merlin?" Arthur said more surely as he sat up bringing his hands to wander around his lover's face once again, "How-How is this possible?" A smile broke over his face as he gathered the man he loved into his arms and kissed him passionately for several minutes.

"When Gaius pulled me aside this morning he had a plan," Merlin said as he regained his breath, "with a spell and a duplicate went in my place."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur asked gently as once again they lay side by side in their bed.

"Arthur," Merlin chuckled as he pulled his prince closer, "there wasn't exactly time." Arthur sighed in pleasure as the familiar vibrations ran through him once again.

"How did you get out of the castle?" Arthur asked kissing the top of Merlin's head, he could feel the other man smile.

"Being magic I have my ways." Merlin said in a deep voice, "Aging potion actually."

"You do know now that we have to be even more careful now that you are dead right?" Arthur said looking down at his dark hair warlock.

"Yes, but I thought we could talk about that tomorrow." Merlin said as he shifted resting his head on his hand, "Right now I thought we might enjoy the fact that one year later we are still here. Well, more or less. I happen to be dead." They both laughed, Merlin leaned down and kissed the man he loved more than his life, and now he had proven it.

Once their lips met their instinct took over as hands traced faces that were forged in memory and fingers trailed over skin that will never be forgotten.

"I love you, Merlin." Arthur whispered an hour later, the two of them were just happy to be with the other.

"I love you too, Arthur." Merlin whispered as he trailed kisses down his lover's jaw.

They spent the night in each others' arms.

But as the sun rose Merlin was gone.