Author's note: I know it's getting redundant, but I feel inclined to thank you all. Long chapter today, at least considering the length of my other chapters. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Merlin and all its characters do not belong to me.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted as he enacted the next part of his plan. It had taken Arthur a while to get over the information he had gleaned from his manservant, but he had quickly decided that if he wanted the whole story, he was going to have to get it himself.

He had never really noticed how secretive Merlin was before the game of Truth or Dare, and he didn't really pay his manservant much attention before then, either, even though he was the prince's closest friend- Not that he would ever admit that. Knowing that Merlin of all people had known about Morgana's betrayal made him wonder what other secrets he had been hiding, if this was one of the small ones. He stormed up the stairs into Merlin's room, ignoring a very flustered Gaius. His plan consisted of giving Merlin the day off, then forgetting, like he has done so many times.

So, it was a great surprise to see that Merlin wasn't in his room. He turned around and walked down the stairs.

"Gaius, where's Merlin?" he asked, attempting to sound hostile, but coming off as confused. Gaius raised an eyebrow at the prince's tone.

"He went out, sire. Said he was going to visit a friend," the physician explained, then frowned as he saw Arthur's disappointed expression.

"Well, I shall go find him, then!" Arthur explained, but Gaius's expression stopped him from leaving.

"Sire, you gave him the day off, remember?" he said, and Arthur attempted to look surprised, though he still planned on going after Merlin. Gaius sighed as the prince failed at his attempt at shock, "Sire, I know it really isn't my business, but I know you're planning something, and I know my advice most likely won't be listened to in your current state-" Arthur resented that, "-but I would advise against this plan of action you are taking. Merlin has a right to secrets, and I'm sure he will tell you when the time is right. Pushing him will only push the right time further away."

Arthur gaped. He had suspected that maybe Merlin had told Gaius about his plans, but didn't really expect he would have. He tried to think of what to say, and, coming up with nothing, shut his mouth and walked out the door, planning to go after Merlin. He was stopped by Gaius, surprisingly.

"He's down by the lake, if you're going after him," the physician said, Arthur turning around in surprise at his words, "I don't approve of your plans, sire, but right now… I think he might need a friend."

Arthur nodded, and walked out the door to find Merlin. Only when he was outside of the city's gates did he question why Merlin needed a friend when he was visiting one. He pushed on, anyway.

…

Merlin was glad Arthur had given him a break, though he knew the reason for it. The prince was, yet again, trying to give Merlin a guilt trip by pretending to forget it was his day off and asking him what was wrong. But, Merlin thought as he skipped pebbles across the lake, he would have an actual reason to ask what was wrong with Merlin today. It figures the prince would give him a day off a week after the anniversary of Freya's death. He threw another rock across the lake, this one failing to skip across the water and landing with a splash. He just wished that he'd gotten to see more of Freya than a reflection in a pool of water and a hand during Morgana's attack against Camelot. He sighed as he looked at his reflection in the lake, ripples spreading out from where his tears hit the water.

He jumped as the bushes behind him rustled and Arthur walked out. Merlin frowned. He shouldn't have told Gaius where he was going…

"Merlin?" the prince's voice brought Merlin out of his bitter thoughts, "Mind telling me what you're doing?"

Merlin sighed, turning away from Arthur and staring across the surface of the water. Arthur walked over and sat down next to him, looking at the warlock with concern. He turned to the lake as well.

"It's very beautiful," Arthur said, "I can understand why you like it here."

"It's where I laid her to rest," Merlin said, as surprised as Arthur that he'd opened up to the prince. He smiled helplessly as the prince frowned at him, concern etched into his face. Part of him had wanted to say that to Arthur, and the words had just slipped out. Funny how secrets work like that, he thought, come out at the strangest of moments and never hurt on the way, like you think they will. He sighed, and there was a moment of silence before Arthur put his hand on his shoulder. Merlin looked up at his friend's concerned face, then looked across the water again, silence between the two again.

"Who was she?" Arthur asked eventually, Merlin sighing at his words. Arthur frowned, "Merlin, if you never open up about this, it'll hurt forever."

Merlin frowned and hung his head. He knew the prince was right. Besides, he could stretch the truth a little, couldn't he?

"Her name was Freya," he said, Arthur looking at his manservant and waiting for him to say more, "She was a druid, and was hunted by Uther," Merlin looked up, worried that he maybe had said too much, but there was no spark of recognition on Arthur's face. Just pity.

"He found her?" Arthur asked, and Merlin nodded.

"She was killed. I burned her body here," Merlin said, and Arthur frowned. If she was killed by Uther, then she would have had an unmarked grave, as all of the sorcerers and druids killed by his father did. He opened his mouth to ask about that, but then closed it, realizing that it was probably a sensitive topic for Merlin.

"I'm sorry," he said, and Merlin frowned.

"Wasn't your fault," Merlin said, though he sounded as if he were trying to convince himself more than Arthur. The prince pointedly ignored this, and, after a pause, Merlin continued, "We wanted to run away together- go to a place where nobody would recognize us: somewhere in the mountains with a few fields, a couple of cows, and a lake. This was as close as I could get before she…" Merlin trailed off, a tear hitting the surface of the water. Arthur frowned, not sure what to say to his friend.

Merlin took a deep breath, calming himself. He looked at Arthur, "Anyway, no use in dwelling on the past. Let's get back to Camelot, shall we?"

Arthur nodded, glad to see that his manservant didn't need comforted. He wasn't really good at all that girly stuff. A thought then occurred to Arthur, and he frowned, looking at Merlin.

"Merlin?"

"Mm?"

"That wasn't the big secret that you weren't going to tell me, was it? That you were in love with a druid?"

Merlin went to shake his head, but thought better of it and said, "Yeah, that was it. Sorry for not telling you."

Little did the warlock know that Arthur could hear the lie in his voice.