There were three things that inspired me to write this story. The first one was Merlin using his status as Arthur's servant to his advantage as seen in chapter one. The second thing was scar the thing that went down in this chapter. The third one, well, the third one is coming up in a couple of chapters :)


It wouldn't be fair to start interrogating Merlin in the state that he was in, but the scar was right there, and Arthur couldn't think of a time where he would have gotten it. In battle, the biggest injuries Merlin had suffered where some nicks and small cuts on his arms, and occasionally a blow to the head, but not a cut as long and deep as one that would leave a scar like that.

"You're looking at me like you've never seen a wound before," Merlin joked weakly. They would need to give him some time to rest before moving on.

"No," Arthur said, not really able to bring his mind up to speed with the events happening, "I just… where did you get that?" He gestured vaguely to the scar.

Merlin raised an eyebrow. He would probably have laughed if it wasn't for the pain, "Seriously, Arthur? You were right there."

At first Arthur was confused. If he had been there, he wouldn't be asking, but it occurred to him that that wasn't what Merlin was talking about.

"Not the wound, Merlin, the scar," he clarified, slightly frustrated.

Merlin looked slightly taken aback, and then looked down to examine himself, as if looking for what Arthur was referring to, and then looked like he was contemplating what to say.

"It doesn't matter," Merlin finally settled on. It was possible that the loss of blood wasn't helping him think straight either, because if he thought Arthur would let this go, he was very wrong.

"Of course it matters. First you don't tell me that you've been abused by the very people I call trusted knights, allowing yourself to get a burn that you will never properly heal from and now I find that you have a scar that looks like it could have killed you, but I have no idea when you got. How does that not matter? You said that you were mine, and I take care of my possessions."

"Actually I do that," Merlin said and rolled his eyes. Arthur would honestly have slapped him if he wasn't bleeding and in pain.

"Merlin-"

"Arthur," Lancelot interrupted, seemingly done with taking care of Merlin's wound, "I don't think you two are up for this conversation right now. Perhaps you should let Merlin rest and then come back to it some other time. Maybe when we are not surrounded by dead bodies?"

Arthur wanted to protest. He wanted answers now, but Merlin did look like he needed rest and since he apparently wasn't dying, there was no rush. No, what was important now was to find a place to stay for the night, so that Merlin could rest and the knights could regroup before continuing their journey.

They decided to not set up camp right in the middle of their slaughter, and so they sent Elyan and Leon out to look for potential spots they could set up camp. They came back not an hour later, having found a small cave not even a ten minute ride from their current location and they moved. They were careful with Merlin who was half-asleep throughout the entire ride, and it took them almost an hour to get to the cave in order to accommodate him.

Percival and Lancelot took care of the food, and soon the knights were sitting around their fire (provided by Arthur) and talking about none other than Merlin.

"You should teach him how to use a sword," Elyan suggested, "Would come in handy since he always joins you on missions."

"You think I haven't tried?" Arthur shook his head, "You should have seen him the first time he held a sword. He could probably have done more damage with a stick. At least with a stick there was no way for him to cut himself by accident."

"I don't think it's his fighting abilities that are the problem," Gwaine remarked, "Whenever he sees that the princess is in danger, it's like all logic escapes him."

The knights nodded in agreement. Merlin could be quite smart in combat and had survived far more dangerous situations than what they had faced today, but he always got hurt when Arthur was in a position where he could possibly have gotten killed or suffered a lasting disability. Merlin was loyal and more ready to die for Arthur than the prince was comfortable with. Which reminded him of the scar.

"Does anyone know how Merlin got his scar?" Arthur decided to ask. It was possible that Lancelot or Gwaine knew something that Arthur didn't. Or maybe even Leon, as he had known Merlin since he came to Camelot, and was often present during battles where Arthur had lost consciousness.

"Oh, the one on his shoulder?" Percival asked, and Arthur looked at him with wild eyes.

"There is one on his shoulder?"

"What were you talking about?"

"The one on his abdomen," Arthur explained, his voice a little louder than it should have been.

"I thought you were talking about the burn," Elyan said quietly, and Arthur shook his head again.

"I know all that I need to know about his wrist."

"No, I meant the one on his chest."

"Okay, my brain is officially exploding," Gwaine exclaimed, "How many scars does he have?"

Arthur's brain also felt like it was exploding. This did not make any sense. Merlin should not have any scars, at least on his upper body. When peace had first been made between Camelot and Mercia, when Merlin had drunk poison for him all those years back, he had had no scars. Arthur knew that for a fact because he had forced Merlin to put on the hideous servant's uniform right in his chambers to make sure that Merlin would wear it. And while Arthur had taken note of Merlin's thin body and distinct lack of muscle, he knew that there hadn't been a single scar on his body then. Which meant that every single one of them were from his time in Camelot.

Arthur tried to think, he really did, but nothing came to mind. What on earth had happened to his servant and who had been responsible? A voice inside his head told him that he had been the responsible one. That if Merlin could hide a burned wrist, what was stopping from hiding other scars and marks of abuse or injury? If Merlin was so ready to die for him, what was stopping him from having already taken a blade, an arrow or a spear for Arthur, without his knowledge and never told him about it?

Arthur put his head in his hands and let out a groan of frustration. He knew Merlin. He knew he did. His personality was so straight forward, but knowing a person and knowing about a person, Arthur was starting to realize that those were two different things.

"It kind of makes sense though, doesn't it," Gwaine mused and Arthur looked up at him, because, no, it did not make sense, but the knight continued, "Merlin always takes care of all the invisible threats."

"What do you mean?" Percival asked, being the only who didn't know Merlin before his knighting.

"When I first came to Camelot, Arthur was almost killed by two bandits in disguise. Merlin figured out very quickly that they were up to no good, but no one really believed him. Even though I ended up saving the princess, I'm sure Merlin must have done things like that before. He's just that kind of guy," Gwaine gave Arthur a look, almost like he knew more, but didn't say. Arthur was about to demand that he continue, until he recalled when he had met Gwaine for the second time. Gwaine had sworn to never speak of it again, so Arthur would have to ask him when the other knights were resting. It was easy to volunteer himself and Gwaine for first watch.

"Spill," Arthur demanded, as the two of them were standing watch just outside the cave, "What do you know?"

"Do you know why Merlin followed you into the perilous lands?"

"Because he doesn't know how to leave me alone?" Arthur responded, recalling how many times Merlin had offered to go with him just in case something happened.

"Because he knew Morgana had given you an enchanted bracelet that was slowly killing you," Gwaine explained and suddenly the whole quest made sense for Arthur. He had felt incredibly weak during the whole ordeal, and when Merlin had found him, he was no longer wearing Morgana's bracelet and dizziness had faded immediately. In his surprised state at finding both Merlin and Gwaine there, he hadn't had time to think about it further, and had merely accepted the situation as it was, focusing on finishing the quest.

"But that suggests that Merlin knew about Morgana before everyone else. Why wouldn't he tell anyone?"

"Maybe she threatened him?" Gwaine suggested, clearly not knowing much more than Arthur, "Maybe he knew that no one would believe him."

"So instead he just tried to stop her himself," Arthur concluded, putting the pieces together, "That probably explains a couple of things… and all of the scars. It's probably Morgana then."

"Probably," Gwaine said, but that was the end of it. Arthur was surprised that Gwaine stopped talking completely, but he too would have been tired after everything that had happened. He was probably worried about Merlin too.

But as Arthur was sitting in the dark, thinking about everything he had learned, he thought that he was beginning to understand why Merlin had never said a word. How many times had Arthur not told Merlin how much Morgana meant to him? And after she had fallen down the stairs. Arthur had cried for her, and what could Merlin do? Tell Arthur that he shouldn't be sad, because she was evil and trying to kill them all? Arthur would never have believed it. As much as he trusted Merlin, he had known Morgana for longer. Grown up with her, loved her as a sister. And if Arthur didn't listen to Merlin, then who would? No, it had been safer for Merlin to keep it a secret and act by himself.
And for that he had gotten hurt. Perhaps it was time for Arthur to not just have faith in Merlin, but to let him know that he had his full trust. After all, how could Merlin know that Arthur was a safe person to come to if he had never said it? Merlin always told him that Arthur could confide him when he needed to, but had Arthur ever done the same for him?

After a couple of hours, Lancelot and Percival took over the watch, and Arthur was surprised at how easy he fell asleep with so many things whirling around in his mind.

It was surprising, to say the least, that Merlin was the one who woke him up, and that it was Merlin who had made them breakfast. Arthur was about to ask him how he was, but Merlin was faster.

"I told you I wasn't dying," he smiled cheekily, as if having read Arthur's thoughts. Sometimes he really thought that Merlin could do that.

"Your gut was bleeding less than twenty-four hours ago," Arthur pointed out sleepily (he really wasn't a morning person, even when on missions).

"That was yesterday," Merlin said brightly, "But today is a new day."

Arthur raised an eyebrow, and lightly poked Merlin in the side. His servant flinched in pain and Arthur rolled his eyes: "Wounds like that don't disappear overnight. Don't pretend to be better than you are."

Merlin shrugged, and Arthur sighed. He would have to keep an eye on him. If he didn't, there was all the chances in the would that Merlin would simply ignore the wound and not realize the damage that he had done until it had reopened and he fainted because of blood loss.

Arthur looked to the mouth of the cave. Elyan and Leon were still standing watch as the three other knights were resting. Merlin likely woke Arthur up to give him a chance to actually wake up, before the others came to. But that also meant that the two of them could have a private conversation. Arthur doubted that the other knights had told Merlin about their conversation last night, therefore Merlin only knew that Arthur knew about the huge scar on his abdomen. That would be what Arthur would ask about for now. Just to see how much Merlin was willing to talk.

"Where did you get that scar?" Arthur asked again like he had done yesterday. Merlin stopped dead in his tracks and looked at Arthur, clearly not wanting to have this conversation, but damnit, Arthur was the prince and he demanded to know. Merlin no longer had the excuse that he had blood coming out of him.

"It was a long time ago, don't worry about it," Merlin deflected once more, but Arthur was not letting this go.

"I said where, not when."

"The Darkling Woods."

"And who gave it to you?"

"I answered your question, Arthur, it's really not important."

"Merlin!" Arthur hissed trying to keep his voice down. He saw Elyan give him a look before he turned back to watching out for bandits and other threats, "Just this month you have let someone beat you, kick you and burn you and told no one. You used yourself as human shield to protect me and didn't even demand as much as a 'thank you'. And now you're saying that a scar that looks like it came from a deadly wound isn't important? Listen to yourself. You would never let me get away with it."

"Of course not," Merlin said, "You're the prince, but I'm just a servant so it doesn't matter. Besides, I'm alive, aren't I?"

"You may not be so lucky next time," Arthur said, hating how it was a given that Merlin would endanger himself to protect Arthur again. Hating how little Merlin thought of his own life or how much he thought of Arthur's. And what had he even done to deserve such loyalty and devotion, when he clearly didn't even have his trust?

They didn't continue their conversation after that and merely prepared for the last leg of their journey to Mercia. It went peacefully and silently by.

They spent three days in Mercia. Arthur spent most of his time with Bayard, while his knights took some time to rest. Merlin was treated by the royal physician – at Arthur's request – and the two of them saw little of each other, Merlin being mostly in the company of the knights whenever they got bored. However, on the last evening, Merlin – who had recovered remarkably well - drew Arthur a bath while they discussed their journey home. It felt awfully familiar as Merlin washed his back and tried to convince Arthur to change the route.

"We should avoid bandit infested areas this time," Merlin suggested light-heatedly, knowing that Arthur had been thinking the same thing.

"So you propose that we take the route you originally came up with," Arthur replied, trying to put Merlin in a good mood. They had hardly talked since the morning in the cave, and it felt wrong to not have Merlin constantly chat about something, or trying to lighten Arthur's mood in a weird roundabout way.

"No," Merlin merely replied, "I think we should make a new one entirely."

"And why is that?" Arthur asked, curious about Merlin's thought process. He had been so against everything Agravaine had suggested that perhaps, now that his uncle wasn't here, Merlin was more willing to speak.

"I have been thinking-"

"Hopefully not too hard." Arthur received a splash of water and soap in his face for that.

"I have been thinking about what Agravaine said," Merlin began, and that made Arthur slightly suspicious, "I don't have the knowledge about the borders of Camelot that he does, so he probably had a good point when he said to avoid a lot of population."

Arthur wanted to accuse Merlin of lying, because surely, this was a lie, but he let him finish. Even if - when - Merlin lied, he always had Arthur's best interest at heart. This time around, that interest was probably keeping them alive.

"But I still think that we should avoid areas that are too secluded and easy for ambushes. If we extended our travels by two days, we could travel through open space and still be within a relative distance from any of the villages if we ever need assistance. We could even pass Lord Owen's fort along the way."

"I'll think about it," Arthur said and he could almost feel Merlin's smile behind him. Arthur wasn't smiling though. He was thinking. Thinking about what Merlin had said. The route that Merlin had originally came up with would be just as safe as the one he had just suggested, the only difference was how long they would be traveling. Logically, they should have stuck to Merlin's first suggestion and take the risk of word getting around about the travels. No, Merlin's real objective wasn't to avoid what had happened on the way to Mercia. It was to take a route unknown to anyone in Camelot. A route unknown to Agravaine.

Arthur shook the thought out of his head. It didn't make sense. If that was what Merlin was thinking, then that would mean he suspected Agravaine of selling information to someone outside of Camelot. Instead of Agravaine and Merlin playing tug-of-war with Arthur's trust, wouldn't it be better for Merlin to speak up about his suspicions? Arthur knew that Agravaine always spoke his mind, even if he knew Arthur didn't like what he had to say. He had warned him several times to not take the advice of a servant (regardless of that servant being Merlin or Gwen), but Arthur always told him that it could never hurt to listen. If Agravaine and Merlin really had two different agendas, it wouldn't make sense for Agravaine to be the only one to speak up. Unless Merlin was the traitor.

But no, that made even less sense. Merlin had nearly died for Arthur so many times. Perhaps it was just a matter of Merlin not like Agravaine. Or maybe it wasn't Agravaine who was the problem. Maybe it was someone his uncle regularly talked to and Merlin was afraid that he would let something slip. His uncle was rather talkative, especially after a few drinks. Or, Arthur reminded himself, perhaps he was merely thinking too much into it. Morgana's betrayal wasn't behind them just yet - and maybe it never would be - and perhaps Arthur was seeing traitors were none were.

The only thing Arthur knew for certain was that Merlin wasn't telling the full truth about so many things that Arthur could only wonder how many secrets he kept.


I love scar reveals! Ugh! It's one of my biggest weaknesses in this fandom!