After Kay has eventually woken up, been fed a watery porridge Arthur had deemed unfit for a sorcerer (said porridge promptly fell on the Princes breeches), Merlin explained that he had put a numbing salve on the wound so it wouldn't hurt for a few hours, and hopefully get over the fact he had lost the arm before the pain became apparent.

As the Knight took in the information, Merlin went to the far wall of the hovel, a door seeming to appear as he reached out. Arthur watched in fascination as the warlock produced tan leather bag- that looked empty, a horn like instrument engraved in blue, which was put into the bag and a dark green, seemingly leather, quiver, accompanied with a few dozen shiny arrows and a simple, but beautiful dark brown bow. He put the bag over his shoulder and the quiver around his waist before shutting the wall door and watching it fade before turning to face Arthur.

"Blondie, would you say you could make your way from here back to where-ever-you-came-from?"

Nodding slightly Arthur said, "It would exactly be any trouble."

"I have to go and warn my home village that Aulfric is on the move and that he is building an army. If he will attack anywhere first he will attack there. The defences of this place will keep you safe so you can stay here, once Sir Kay has healed fully or enough to travel take him back – to wherever – and warn everyone that possible attacks will be on the horizon." Merlin seemed calm as he spoke, but his tone had gone grim towards the end.

Arthur studied Merlin for a few seconds before standing up and simply stating, "No." Arms crossing he added, "As much as I'd like to forget it, you saved me, twice, earlier. So no, I will not allow you to run off into the wilderness alone. No matter how undefeatable you seem." The last part being added as Merlin attempted to protest. "Sir Kay, are you well enough to accompany us to his village?" Kay nodded, despite his thoughts being with Merlin's comment of 'Where-ever-you-came-from', before sitting up and slowly standing on wobbling legs but yet again, promptly fainting, Merlin's reflexes stopping him from falling in a heap.

Glaring at Arthur, Merlin carefully lifted Kay back onto the bed, before turning to face Arthur. "You're insane. I plan on making it a quick journey to the village but with you two with me I'll not only have to defend for myself but save both your arses! And Kay can't even stand let alone make a three day journey!"

Face red Arthur stood tall replying sharply, "You won't need to protect me! I may not have magic to help me but I know I'm a good swordsman! And what are you? 17? Magic or not you have no authority over me!"

Merlin's glared deepened, clearly insulted, he drew himself to fall height and towered over Arthur, "17? I am not some adolescent you can bully due to age. Besides, I'm 19 and I only use magic in fights when I'm out numbered and have to be quick." Looking Arthur in the eye he added, "You hardly look older than 19. So who are you to judge?"

"I'm a Royal. It's expected." Came the well rehearsed reply.

Merlin let out a harsh laugh and muttered, "I'm an all powerful prophesied Warlock, to say it's expected would be an understatement." Before sighing and turning to grab another tan bag, stuffing salves, water pouches and other supplies in it before throwing it at Arthur, annoyance written all over his face. "I'd be lying to myself if I said you were going to stay put and not follow."

XxMERLINxX

They left shortly after that with few words and a floating, but still unconscious knight, having done a quick burial for Sir Ewan (his sword having been magically shrunk and in Arthurs shoe to return to Ewan's family) before setting off into the early morning.

Arthur watched in a never-ending-fascination as Merlin's eyes swirled with gold. Never, would he had thought that he would be one day causally walking with a sorcerer, who he secretly feels attracted to, and who he would probably follow into battle despite knowing his fall intentions. All his life he had been told that sorcery is the biggest and most deeply related source of Evil, that there is nothing that can cause as much damage as someone who knows the art of Sorcery. Sure, he had never whole-heartedly believed that all people who knew of Magic where evil, it just happened that every sorcerer Arthur had met had attempted to kill him, though he blames that fully on his father. Arthur knows that not everyone his father's has killed for being sorcerers either did not possess an ounce of magic or use their magic against their Kingdom, but if Arthur were to voice such concerns he would immediately be either casts into the dungeon or spend hours with his father roaring in his ear about the events of 'The Great Purge'.

Looking at Merlin again he couldn't help but smile at how awkward he seemed when doing simple things such as walking. The fact he can't seem to walk more than a meter without stumbling over either his own feet of an un-expecting tree route.

After four hours of walking in silence as the sun rose Merlin stopped and looked over at Arthur, claiming that he, Arthur – a Prince trained since birth for extreme situations non-the-less, looked dead on his feet and should set up camp.

After watching Merlin carefully deposit Sir Kay on a bed of magically gathered leafs, he went and sat down, his back against a flat boulder and simply watched Merlin sweep his eyes about their site, muttering words and eyes softly aglow before going to sit next to Arthur, a small stick twirling through his fingers.

"You're not use to the presence of magic are you?" It was a soft question, curious but not demanding.

Pausing slightly, Arthur didn't want to re-voice his whole thought process from early replied with a simple, "I was brought up to believe it was evil, but not always thought so."

Smiling slightly, Merlin let the stick float midair before adding small stones a leaves to orbit it. "After the Aulfric incident, a friend of my mum's took me to the Kingdom of Camelot," Arthur's face turns unreadable, "and taking me under his wing for a few months. I was bursting with magic; I had repressed it for the most part of my life and didn't know how to handle it, so he taught me. Showing me techniques to control my emotions and such. I didn't know until I had left how dangerous it had been for the both of us due to my presence, that the king used an iron first to crush all magic and we would have both been killed." Merlin looked thoughtful as he went on, "I don't think I ever thanked him. He took me back to my village attempted to settle me before heading back. I ran away shortly afterwards. The villagers were scared of me, scared of what I could do. Every few months I came back though, to see Will... my oldest friend."

A calm silence enveloped them, both deep in thought. Arthur wondering who the mysterious helper was and Merlin thinking of the events that had been occurring as of late.

"Blondie," Snapping Arthur out of his thoughts, "What were you doing in the forests anyway?"

Arthur carefully thought out his answer, making sure he would give too much away from what he said, "I was sent out to catch or put a stop to a thief who had been stealing from travelling Royals. Pretty ridiculous in my- Why are you laughing?"

Merlin at first had started to giggle but laughter soon shook his frame at Arthurs demanding question. Arthur watched in both annoyance and awe as Merlin seemed unable to stop laughing, blue eyes reflecting the still rising sun with a grin on his face, but eventually managed to gasp out, "Do you mean the thievery of Lord Godwyn and King Bayard?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed dangerously, "How would you know that?" Though he had a feeling he knew the answer.

Merlin's laughter subsided as his eyes took on a mischief's twinkle, "So Blondie, what are you going to do with me? "

Arthurs pulse raced as an image of Merlin tied up entered him brain – Arthur's shadow looming over him as he smiled shyly at his 'captor'. Face red, Arthur looked away from Merlin, trying not to move as he felt a stirring in his gut.

Seeming to take note of Arthur mood, Merlin leaned over him and whispered in his over-sensitive ear, "Can't you take the heat of handling me Sire?" Arthur's hearts skipped a beat at Merlin's word, the thought of handling Merlin processed quickly through his brain, images of a writhing-beneath-his touch-Merlin, almost too much to handle, though the use of Sire, not going a-miss, so Merlin was listening earlier.

Trying to keep calm Arthur kept his gaze fixated upon a tree stump, and kept his voice steady as he asked, "Do you still have the stolen items?"

Merlin, mouth still near Arthur's ear breathed down the blond's neck, "No, I sold them to a trader before sending the money off to... somewhere." Nose now touching silky blonde hair, "so what are you going to do, stop me or..." The sorcerers pink tongue darted out and licked the Princes lobe, "...Or hold me hostage?"

Despite the evident problem in Arthurs lower regions, he made quick to move out of Merlin's reach and turn his back on him. He was the Prince, preferences or not, he would have to marry a Princess or Lady and produce an heir. He may be a Prince, and he may be arrogant, but he would not subject himself or another to a meaningless, though probably mind-blowing, round (or rounds) of sex. He wanted commitment and wouldn't settle for less.

Back still to Merlin he said, "We should start moving again soon," he started to walk towards a large gathering of trees and shouted over his shoulder, "I'll be back in a minute."

It was obvious what he was going what he was going to do, but he didn't want to walk around with a raging hard-on for a few hours.

As soon as Merlin was out-of-sight, Arthur sat on the ground, pulled down his trousers and made quick work on himself. Re-displaying the earlier images of Merlin, tied up or beneath him, bringing him over the edge to a quick release.

Grabbing the nearest leaf, Arthur rid himself of what-ever had got on his breaches before pulling them up and heading back to where the raven haired sorcerer and unconscious Knight awaited him.

Or so he thought anyway.

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Sorry for the amazingly odd uploading times, it's pretty much a write when i get the time, upload straight away thing I'm doing. Plus i should really re-read this before uploading it, but i can't bring myself to do it xD

Thanks again for reviews and such!