As I lay on the cold ground of my fathers' cave trying to sleep, I knew the attempt would be futile. Too many thoughts were dancing across my mind. It had been over three months since my flee from Camelot to my self-banishment here, but I'd heard nothing from Arthur. I tried not to be too surprised and disappointed, as I knew that I should be grateful that it was the lack of news that was irritating me, and not the wrong type of news. This morning, I had silently listened in on the conversation of a couple of passing villagers, and had learned that Arthur had been put under house arrest — if 'house' arrest was the appropriate term for someone who lived in a castle — with Uther having issued a warrant for my capture, dead or alive. I wasn't going anywhere in a hurry. Although I knew that listening in on a conversation was unethical, I was glad I had. As much as I hated to admit it, I'd been beginning to doubt Arthur's last promise to me. Now that I knew that he couldn't get in contact, instead of wouldn't, I could sleep easier. Well, that was the theory at least. Even though I had a thin blanket, I shivered at the chilly night air. Keeping my eyes closed, I created a mental image of the pile of wood in the fire pit behind me.

"Forbearnan," I whispered. The crackle of the flames behind me indicated that the spell had worked. The fire would burn and keep me warm until the morning. I had kept my magic a secret for so many years in Camelot that it felt strange being able to use it whenever I wanted, even though I was getting used to being on my own. I tried not to dwell on the past, but it was difficult. There was no Gaius to confide in, no Gwen to console, no Morgana to stop and no Arthur to annoy. I couldn't even call Kilgharrah for fear that he may give away my position. If a dragon was to appear where a known Dragonlord used to live, the news might reach Uther's ears.

"Merlin?" The voice was so quiet that I began to doubt it was really there at all. My body had frozen, and my mind couldn't think of any spells that would help me in this situation. Come on, I thought, think Merlin, think. Have all those horrible training sessions with Arthur and the Knights taught you nothing? Unfortunately, I was facing the wrong way to squint a little and see if I could make out the location of the voice's owner. I briefly thought about using the teleportation or sleeping spells to escape, like I had from Camelot, but this would mean having to give away my position. The fire was probably illuminating me more than was wise, but again, extinguishing it would look suspicious.

"Merlin? Is that you?" The voice had only grown a little stronger, but that was all I needed to recognise its owner. I stood up instantly, accidentally dropping my blanket into the fire.

"Arthur!" I stood there, literally grinning from ear to ear. I'd never been so happy to see the 'dollop head'. Arthur would probably tell me to 'stop looking so pleased with myself'. I saw that Arthur's sword had been brandished, but he was now in the process of putting it back in the scabbard. He was muttering.

"Of course, I should've known it was you. Who else could light a fire without moving?" He paused for a second and looked at me. "Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"You do realise that something other than wood is still burning?" He gestured towards the remnants of my blanket which was probably, by now, severely fire-damaged.

"Ah," I said unhelpfully, as I dragged the blanket out of the flames using an edge which had not yet been touched. "Brimstréam!" The pockets of fire on the blanket were doused instantly with a jet of water.

Arthur shook his head. "Who would've thought, after all this time, that 'Merlin the idiot' actually turned out to be 'Merlin the sorcerer'?"

"I didn't enjoy keeping it from you, but it was the only way. The amount of times I saved your life and you still thought I was a complete idiot..." One glare from Arthur told me that he was not interested in having the 'I told you so' conversation. "Sorry."

"Am I allowed to come into your...cave, or do I have to learn some kind of magic first?" His sarcasm made me realise just how lonely I'd been.

"I'd say that you hadn't had your breakfast this morning, judging by your tone, but seeing as it's the middle of the night..."

"Good observation, Merlin," said Arthur as he sat down next to the fire.

"How did you get out? This morning I heard people saying you were under house arrest."

Arthur shrugged. "The guards are stupid. They'll drink anything alcoholic, given to them by anyone, so I had Guinevere put a sleeping potion in their wine." He paused, as if struggling to find the right words to continue. "I promised that I'd come for you when it was safe. It was naïve of me to believe that it would ever be safe for you in Camelot while my father lives."

This thought had crossed my mind as well. "So why are you here if I can't go back?"

"My father should have known that I would try and escape. Once I'd succeeded, it was only a matter of where I would go, and I knew that you would be here."

"Are you sure that you weren't followed? That Uther didn't just make it easy for you to escape, knowing that you would come and find me? He'd have me executed on sight and you returned to the castle."

"No, I'm not sure," he said simply. "That's why as soon as the dawn comes, we're leaving. Get some rest, we've got a busy day tomorrow."

It was like I'd never left.