Merlin waited in the new King's chambers, just like the happy little servant he was. He had been so happy today that he had nicked a bit of extra food from the kitchens for Arthur's dinner, as a gift. He had even passed Agravaine in the hall, who scowled and glared at Merlin something terrible, which Merlin, happily smiled in return to. He felt as though all his worries and fears had left him, like his chest could finally breath and his shoulders were bare of their bourdon. It was a nice feeling, one he hadn't felt since coming to live in Camelot, and one that had gotten worse over the years.

Arthur walked in just a moment or two later, throwing off his cape and looking at the table with extreme intent. He sat down at the table and dug into his food, without a word to Merlin.

"Good evening, Sire," Merlin said anyway, in a happy and not at all sarcastic tone, like usual. Arthur looked up at this, chicken leg in his mouth.

"Merlin," he said, as he chewed. Terrible manners for a king, Merlin thought, but Arthur never had manners unless he had to, at feasts and what not. "I haven't seen you since this morning."

"How could you when everyone's got you locked away in the council chambers all day?" Merlin asked, but he smiled nonetheless. Arthur shrugged, looking a bit more agitated about this.

"Well, that will soon change," Arthur said, looking down at his plate. "They've made me miss lunch again."

"I'm sorry," Merlin muttered, itching to discuss something else. "I brought you extra food, I figured you would be hungry…and..."

He stopped there, he didn't want to tell Arthur it was a thank you for not throwing him in the cells, but that's what it was.

"I can see that," Arthur stated then, "I was just wondering," he smiled. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No," Merlin said, leaning back and forth on his heels, he wanted to tell Arthur something, but he just didn't know how to get them into that exact area of conversation. "You're list of chores left me busy all day; I'll eat when I get down to Gaius."

"That might not be for quite some time…"

Merlin shrugged.

"Come, eat with me," Arthur said then, kicking the chair next to him, with his foot, smirking up at Merlin as he did. Merlin, however, did not like this idea, not one bit.

"Eat with you? I can't, that's…that's…" he wanted to say strange, but held his tongue, he just shook his head instead, and Arthur laughed at him.

"When have you ever been keen on edict?" Arthur asked. "Sit down!"

Merlin listened, sliding into the seat Arthur had offered, but he felt strange doing it. Servants are not meant to eat with the King, now, picking a bit of food off their plate when they're not looking…that's a different story. The King offered him a chicken leg and a half of bread then, he took them, watching Arthur closely.

"I've been thinking about what you told me this morning," Arthur said, after sipping his wine. Merlin bit his lip at this. "It seems Agravaine knows."

"I know," Merlin nodded. "I sort of cought me last night, doing-"

"I really don't need to hear details," Arthur stopped him, Merlin flushed a bit. "I straightened him out though; I told him you are no different than him or I."

"You did?" Merlin asked, with a grin. So that's why Agravaine looked so annoyed, he laughed in spite of himself. "I still can't believe you are taking this so well…"

"I truly do not understand why everyone thinks I would take it so badly, you, Gaius, Agravaine," Arthur spat, looking rather peeved. "Does everyone think I'm heartless?"

"I don't think you're heartless at all, I think since you were raised a certain way …everyone just expects you to be angry about it," Merlin told him, taking a bite of the bread. It was good.

"I suppose…but I'm not my father," Arthur shook his head, pushing away his plate, that still had plenty of food on it. "I don't want to live in his shadow, I want to be my own king and do things my own way."

"You will," Merlin said, swallowing some of the bread. "You just need a bit more time, is all, you just started being king, you can't expect everyone to forget how your father ruled..."

"No, of course not," Arthur shook his head. "He was a good king, just sometimes…"

"I know," Merlin smiled. Arthur returned in and pulled the plate back over to himself. Merlin watched him for a second or two, before opening his mouth again. "Arthur," the King looked up. "I just want you to know, I won't…do anything in front of you, not if you're uncomfortable with it."

"Thank god for that," Arthur said, giving Merlin a rather disturbed look. "I might be understanding, but I'm not that understanding."

Merlin nodded, a little disappointed, he was hoping Arthur would let him show him a bit of magic, at least the un-dangerous kind, Arthur had never seen how beautiful magic could be, it wasn't all dangerous and deadly. Merlin supposed that would take some time and he would wait, until Arthur was ready.

After they were finished eating, Merlin handled clearing up the dinner mess while Arthur went over to his desk, looking over the papers. Merlin readied the bed for Arthur to sleep in and took the dishes back to the kitchens, by the time he got back the new King was ready for bed. This was much easier than the night before and a lot easier than it had been to ready the man that morning. But Arthur had been right, by the time Merlin was able to head down to his and Gaius' chambers it was rather late. He was surprised to see the physician still awake, as he walked in.

"Where have you been?" Gaius asked, snapping a book shut as Merlin came further into the room. Merlin gapped his mouth open and shut, shrugging. "I've been looking for you all day!"

"I was tending to the King all day…what else?"

"Did you say anything to him about you having magic?" Gaius asked, standing up and walking over to him.

"Yes, you know I did," Merlin told him, starting to feel a little worried about the man's heath. He was rather old after all.

"I mean after that, I assume you have just left his chambers, did you say anything about using magic or having magic?"

"Yes, we had a talk about it…" Merlin trailed off. "He told me he set Agravaine straight."

"What he told Agravaine and what you told him are two very different things, Merlin," Gaius let out a sigh. "Did you tell Arthur you have magic?"

"Yes!" Merlin all but yelled, getting aggravated and more importantly, confused.

"Did you use the words, 'I have magic'?"

"I, uh…" Merlin mumbled. "What are you getting at?"

"There is no easy way to tell you this, my boy…" Gaius put a hand on Merlin's shoulder. "The King thinks that you are gay."

"What?" Merlin yelled, and he did yell this time. "What do you mean he thinks I'm gay?"

"He told me himself, in the council, I've been trying to find you ever since."

"I don't understand…why would he think that?" Merlin asked, he was completely flustered, and so confused. Arthur thought that Merlin was gay? That didn't make sense…

"What did you say to him…exactly?"

"Exactly...?"

"Yes, exactly?" Gaius nodded.

"I don't know…I just went on about how my mum thinks I'm special but I'm really not, and how I don't want to be seen as a monster or different…"

"No wonder he thinks you're gay, " Gaius shook his head then, walking over to the table. "You didn't do much of a job convincing him otherwise."

"But he said he already knew!" Merlin said, it dawning on him now, Arthur thought he was gay and had even before Merlin said anything. "I'm going back to his chambers and straighten him out right now!"

"And what do you plan on telling him?" Gaius asked, as Merlin stomped over to the door.

"That I have magic and he is a big, fat clotpole for thinking I'm gay!" Merlin yelled, whipping around to glare at Gaius.

"So you can be put in the cells?" Gaius asked, with a raised eyebrow. "I think you ought to reconsider your options."

"I'm not gay!" Merlin growled, stalking back over to Gaius, even if he was angry, he knew Gaius had been right.

"Look at this," Gaius said, ignoring his last statement, shoving a book into Merlin's arms. "I've found a potion that will remove a certain memory the drinker has, as long as this spell works right," Gaius pointed out the incantation on the page. "It is powerful magic, though, I am sure you can handle it."

"When would I be around Agrvaine to make sure he drinks it?" Merlin asked, still angry. "And even then, Arthur still thinks I'm gay!"

"Tomorrow night, he plans to dine with the King, probably to discuss you...in private. You will be there to serve, make sure he gets the potion," Gaius said, as if it was all so easy. "And as for what Arthur thinks…I'm afraid there is very little we can do about that."

"Can't we give him a bit of this potion too?" Merlin asked. "Make him forget what I told him?"

"I'm afraid not, all of it has to be drunk by Agrvaine for it to work," Gaius said, walking over to the counter and picking up a small vile. "In time, a year or so, you can simply tell him you've grown out of it, that it was a phase of some sort."

"You can't just grow out of being gay, Gaius..." Merlin trailed off, sighing heavily. His head hurt all of a sudden, it was like his hangover had come back. "I'm going to bed."

He shrugged up the steps, still angry; he fell into his bed and rolled into his back. He couldn't believe this, he had been so happy, thinking Arthur knew and understood, he had been living a lie all day. Arthur had said he already knew, that he had known since they went to Ealdor... that Merlin nor Will would hide it from him, what exactly did he think happened between Merlin and Will...?

Merlin didn't want to think about it.