"Arthur!" Merlin called to him, as he, Arthur, slipped in and out of sleep. He wished to stay asleep forever. "Arthur...wake up!"

He blinked his eyes open and turned in the direction he thought Merlin's voice was in. It was normally in the same spot every morning anyway. His eyes lolled, as he spotted him by his desk, with a plate of breakfast. "What now...?"

"I have to tell you something important," said Merlin, and Arthur's eyes opened a little bit more, to look at him. "Sit up, I can't tell you this laying down, Prat."

Arthur sighed and threw his body around a little bit, as he pushed himself up, against his headboard, to look at Merlin better. "What is it?"

"It's about Catrina..."

"Oh...I'm going back to sleep," said Arthur, and he tried to bury himself back into his blankets, but Merlin reached out and grabbed his arm and stopped him. "I don't want to talk about her, I don't even want to go to her coronation today...if she weren't having a baby, I would strangle her with-"

"Arthur!" Merlin cut him off, and Arthur refused to listen to him, he struggled to get free of his hold and lay back down. "Arthur, she's..-"

"Having a baby," he retorted. "I know, I had said if she weren't..." he was in a bad mood, for good reason. "I know what she is trying to do. Push me out and make herself and this...seed take over everything. The thing will probably be crowned Prince before it is even born, and I am to be left to the dogs-"

"ARTHUR!" Merlin shouted, making Arthur take pause and stare at him. "SHE'S A TROLL!"

Arthur continued to stare after he said these words, but now for another reason, He started to laugh. "Merlin..." he shook his head. "I appreciate you're support, but she's not that bad!"

"No, Arthur," Merlin argued, looking a bit crazed, for a second. "She's actually a troll. A real stinking, rubbish eating, troll!"

"I don't understand," said Arthur, confused now, and no longer amused. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I followed her, last night, out of the castle..." said Merlin. "I didn't know where she was going, it was late, well after you went to bed, it seemed odd...so I followed her and..." Merlin pulled a face. "She's a troll, Arthur."

"How could that be possible?" offered Arthur then, he wasn't going to say he believed Merlin, but he had never lied to him before, not about important things anyway.

"I don't know," admitted Merlin, with a pout. "Magic...?"

"Merlin," Arthur sat up, in his bed a little bit more. "You are sure about this?" Merlin nodded, his eyes meeting Arthur's now, but not in the way they usually did, this one was serious, like he was trying to make him believe him with just his eyes alone. Arthur did, even if it seemed rather out there. "Do you have any proof?"

"No," said Merlin, with a sigh. "I couldn't stay too long to...watch, I got caught by her servant, Jonas."

"Does he know you know?"

"No, I don't know..." muttered Merlin, pouting a little more now. "I told him I was out picking a flower that only blooms at midnight, for Gaius. But I don't think he believed me."

"Have Gaius back your story," said Arthur then, throwing the last of his blankets off of himself, sleep was a long gone thought now.

"Oh I did," said Merlin then. "He will, he also went to talk to your Father this morning about how his wife is a smelly beast...that didn't go so well, of course. Gaius nearly got thrown back into the cells."

"My father wouldn't believe such stories anyway," retorted Arthur, not at Merlin, just at the thought of his Father. "He thinks he is beyond being told anything."

"I know..." muttered Merlin, looking around the room in thought. "I don't know what we can do..."

"Nothing," said Arthur, as he stood up, out of bed. "You saw her, but I am afraid that is very little to go on, we will have to wait to see if she shows herself."

"She won't," said Merlin and Arthur shrugged.

"Then that is my Father's problem, he did this to himself."

Arthur ate his breakfast and made his way slowly, to the crowning, he didn't quite care if he were late or not. When he got there, he walked over to Morgana and stood next to her, and instead of her usual jabs, she just patted him on the shoulder and looked sadly at him. When the ceremony began, Catrina walked in, wearing another long, white and flowing dress, and Arthur found that rather off putting, as white showed a sign of purity, which clearly Cantrina had very little of. If she were pregnant with the Kings love child, as clearly she convinced it before the marriage, and if Merlin was really right...and she was a lying troll. Either way, Arthur watched her graciously accept his throne and when she was done ,kissed his Father harshly on the lips. He hoped she had just eaten a fresh pile of dung before this, Uther deserved to kiss a steaming pile of sh-

"Arthur," said Morgana then, in his ear and he gulped and looked over at her, she looked at him with pity. He hated it. "Uther will see what he did is wrong, he will give you your title back."

"I'm not sure he will, Morgana," Arthur sighed, as she tucked her hand under his arm and they walked out together. "I have done him a disservice of some kind, I was not a good enough son..."

"Because you grew a conscious and stopped killing everything you didn't understand on sight, I know," retorted Morgana. "It is what makes you better than him."

'If I didn't know better, Morgana, I would think that was a compliment," said Arthur, and he smiled over at her, even though she frowned at these words. "As touched as I am, I suppose it doesn't matter now, I will never be king."

"Yes you will," she said then. "I know you will, Arthur...I've seen it."

"In your dreams?" he offered, and he wasn't making fun of her, he knew she thought these dreams were real. She looked over at him and shrugged.

"Yes," she said, a bit snappy. "I have seen you being king before, I've seen you married and have a Queen..."

"Oh joy," he retorted, she ignored this.

"Though, she has changed a few times...and mostly, she is not there," said Morgana, and at this point, they had walked so far, that they had nearly made it to her chambers. "Once I saw her as a brown haired woman, she had light skin and looked very kind, but also stern...someone who could rule along side you well. In other dreams, I've seen Gwen sit on the throne next to you..."

"Gwen?" asked Arthur, with a face done up in lines. "She's a nice girl...she's smart and very kind, but she couldn't be queen, she is too timid."

"It is something she needs to work on, I try," said Morgana, as she pushed open her door to her rooms and offered Arthur to come in with her, he did. "In one dream, I had twice, she sat on the throne alone..."

"Where was I?" offered Arthur, as he came into her chambers and sat at her table, Morgana went and sat at her vanity, looking at herself.

"I sensed so much sadness in her, in the room she was in...Sir Leon was there as well," explained Morgana, as she stare at Arthur, with big eyes, through her vanity mirror. "I think you were dead."

Arthur huffed at this. "Well, I don't like that dream."

"I didn't like it either," admitted Morgana. "But Arthur, I think these are more than just dreams...you know that sometimes they come true."

"Yes, he nodded, though he didn't believe it. "You have said it before...the ravens and the Dragon."

"I think they are bits of the future..." she said then, eyes still big, but more glossed over now, as if she were tired suddenly. "Or possible futures, I don't know how it happens..."

"Have you spoken to Gaius about this?" asked Arthur then. Morgana frowned again, troubled. "He would have a good idea what it might be, if they're not just nightmares."

"He says it is not true, that these dreams are nothing to worry about," she explained, her lips curled then, in distaste. "But they only get worse and worse...as time goes on, and there is nothing that will stop them."

"It has to be something, Morgana," said Arthur then, and she nodded but looked rather sad. Arthur thought it was about time he left, he didn't want to upset her. He stood. "I have a Knights training," he explained his quick exit. "Talk to Gaius again, tell him your worries, he will do all he can to help you."

"I know," she mumbled. "Thank you, Arthur."

Arthur left after this, and went to attend his Knight training, however, as his heart just wasn't really in it, he called it a short day and let them go after an hour. This allowed Arthur to go on his afternoon of rounds in the upper town earlier than normal. He mostly just walked around aimlessly, there wasn't much to do, at least in the lower town there were petty crimes Arthur sometimes put a stop to, but that was rather rare. He was about to call it a day, and head back to the castle for lunch, when someone called his name, from behind. He turned around, to see Hunith walking toward him, a basket of flowers under her arm. There was just seriously something about flowers and people in this Kingdom. Well, people being Gwen and Merlin...and apparently Hunith. Arthur didn't really see the appeal of flowers, they always just ended up dying.

"Hello, Sire," said Hunith with a kind smile and Arthur smiled back. Her smile grew then. "I mean Arthur..."

"How are you?" he asked, not sure what to say, he was not good at small talk, or really any talking...unless he was yelling at his men or at someone, then he was alright. Seriously, he had long thought he might as well just let Merlin do the talking for him, he was much better at it.

"I am well," said Hunith then. "I have not seen Merlin today, is he alright?"

"Yes," said Arthur. "He's um...just busy today."

"Oh," said Hunith, Arthur didn't want to say that Merlin was probably off trying to figure out a way to prove Arthur's new Step-Mother was a troll, he didn't think Hunith would quite understand, and Arthur was not sure that was what he was doing, but probably, otherwise Arthur would have seen him by now. "He normally comes to see me in the morning's, is all."

"He was up late last night..." said Arthur then. "He was...researching."

"I see," Hunith nodded, but gave Arthur a strange look, he smiled at her again, awkwardly this time. "Was he with you...researching? I had seen Gaius late last evening, he didn't mention any studying Merlin was doing, he had said he was still with you."

"Yes," answered Arthur, though he had no idea why he continued to lie to her, he was obviously pretty bad at it. "We were researching fighting techniques." Hunith's eyes widened a little at this bit, and nodded again. "It was Merlin's idea, he is very interested in form."

"I am sure he is," said Hunith then, with a smirk. "He has always really shown an interest in certain...forms."

Arthur nodded. "Yes," he said, and then looked longingly up at the castle. He turned back to Hunith. "I will tell him to come see you, as soon as I see him."

"There is no need, as long as he is alright," said Hunith then, smiling again. "I should go put these in water," she held up the flowers. "It was lovely to see you, Arthur, I always enjoy talking to you, it's very...interesting."

Interesting? What did that mean...? Arthur nodded all the same, and bid her a farewell, as she walked off, toward her home. Arthur made a break for it then, and rushed back toward the castle. He got all the way through the courtyard and up the first set of stairs inside the castle, before someone else was calling him. He stopped and sighed, turning around to see Leon taking the steps by two's.

"Where is Merlin?" Leon asked. Arthur frowned at him, why was Merlin so popular in this Kingdom all of a sudden?

"I have no idea," said Arthur and Leon frowned, very troubled. "Why...?"

"The King has ordered his arrest, he has all the Knights searching for him now," said Leon, and Arthur's mouth fell open, in shock.

"What...?" he muttered, that couldn't be right, why would Uther arrest Merlin? That made no sense.

"I sent the Knights off, to look in the lower town, while I searched for you...I figured you would be with him," said Leon. Arthur glare at him.

"So you could arrest him?!"

"No...Sire," Leon stare at Arthur, both in offense and alarm. "So I could warn him. I hardly think Merlin would do the things they are saying, and I understand I am going against code, against my King..." Leon's eyes widened a little, as he stare at Arthur. "But I cannot arrest Merlin, in good conscious. He is my friend..."

Arthur smiled at this. "You did the right thing, Leon. Why is my Father arresting him?"

"The Lady Catrina says her servant caught Merlin stealing her Father's sigil," explained Leon. "It's a load of hogwash, obviously. She is framing him for something, just no idea what."

"She's a troll," said Arthur, without much thought, and without having ever decided if he believed that or not, and Leon stare at him for a long moment. "An actual troll...the kind that rolls in dirt. Merlin found her out and now she wants him out of the way."

"Arthur that...sounds ridiculous, you know?"

"But it is the truth."

"I believe you, Sire," said Leon, seriously. "It just seems odd your Father wouldn't realize he's sharing a bed with a troll..."

"He is easily manipulated, clearly," retorted Arthur, Leon sighed. "Go find Merlin, check with Gaius, that is where he probably is...I will speak to my Father. He will stop this now, or I worry what will happen between us if he doesn't."

"Yes, Sire," said Leon then, and rushed off. Arthur waited for him to be gone, before he marched, instead of toward his chambers, toward the council chambers now. He burst through the door, making it hit the wall, with a loud bang. Uther was there, along with the Troll, they were eating lunch. Well, Uther was, Catrina was pretending. His Father looked up when he entered, and his face faulted for a second, from sureness and irritation at the noise Arthur had made, to that of fear, before stoning back into something that looked like sternness.

"Why are you arresting Merlin?" he demanded, though he knew why, Leon had told him.

"He stole something very precious to me, Arthur," said Catrina, rather than Uther, who just stare at him, instead. Arthur didn't look at her, he kept his eyes on his Father.

"Call of the Knights," he said, his voice was that of a calm rage. It was not his usual acts of anger, where he would shout and throw things, this was a different kind of anger, cold and dark, and unlike when he shouted, he meant every word of what he said. "You will do it now...or you will lose your son."

"I will not," Uther retorted. "Merlin will pay for the crimes he has committed."

"You know he has not committed any crime!"

"Yes he has," said Catrina, and her voice was airy and light, but it was undertoned in anger and dislike. Good, because Arthur hated her. "Jonas saw him..."

Arthur refused to speak to her. "You know what Merlin means to me, Father," he said instead. "Call off the Knights, do not make me choose between you and him..." this was a warning, and when Uther said nothing, Arthur took in a deep breath, because he already knew Uther's answer anyway. "You know it will not be you I choose."

Uther's eyes widened a little, but he didn't say anything. Catrina stood and Arthur had to remind himself she was supposedly having a baby. "I know he is a good friend to you..." Arthur hated how she was right, because friends was all they truly were, but oh how wrong she was, because Merlin could never be just a friend to him. "But there will be others. Who come along..."

"She is right, Arthur," said Uther then, and the fiery anger he felt soared through Arthur like a true fire burned wild. "There will be others."

"I see you are so willing to place your heart in disgraceful places, Father..." he said, eyes turning to Catrina for the first time, with great hate burning in his eyes, worse than he had ever felt for anyone. "But I am not so easily willing."

He stormed out then, because it was pointless to try and argue with them, they would not listen. Instead, Arthur started trying to think of the places Merlin might be, the time of day it was, he might be in Arthur's chambers. Arthur rushed there. He pushed the door open and there he was, as if nothing at all was wrong, cleaning something off of Arthur's desk. Arthur shut and locked the door behind him. He readied himself, for this conversation, he wished he didn't have to have it.

"Merlin," he said, and Merlin turned around, with a smile.

"I was wondering where you were..."

Arthur advanced at him. "You need to leave, right now," he said, and Merlin's smile fell. "Leave Camelot, no questions...just go."

"What?" Merlin said, confused.

"The Knights are looking for you as we speak, Catrina is accusing you of stealing her Father's sigil," said Arthur, Merlin only stared at him, his mouth hung open a bit.

"But I didn't!"

"I know this..." said Arthur, but Merlin wasn't moving, so Arthur grabbed him around the arm and started dragging him toward the servants quarters, he could leave through that door, and slip down the stairs, out of the castle...out of Camelot. "Clearly, she knows you know her secret."

"I haven't stolen anything!" retorted Merlin, looking annoyed now.

"I know!" complained Arthur. "But you have to go, I will not let them arrest you."

"I don't want to go!" he argued. "I don't want to leave you!"

Something turned in Arthur's stomach at those words, like the butterflies that were normally there, whenever Merlin was around, had turned against Arthur suddenly and wanted to kill him. "You have to."

"But Arthur, I-"

whatever he wanted to say, he couldn't, because then there was knocks at Arthur's door, and something that sounded like whoever was behind it, had plans to break the door down. Merlin stare at the noises, scared, Arthur was too, if he were being honest. He turned back to Merlin then. "GO!"

Merlin frowned, worse than Arthur had ever seen him do so before, and turned toward the servants door. Arthur feared he would never see him again, he would just be gone forever and all the things Arthur felt for him would probably kill him, very slowly of course, with vengeance. "Merlin..."

Merlin turned back and stare at Arthur, stare at him like he too, was worried he would never see him again. "Arthur...?"

"I-" love you, but that wouldn't happen, it couldn't. And if by some miracle, it ever could happen, Arthur didn't want it to be like this. "...be careful."

Merlin nodded, and then dashed out, and Arthur look after him, at the space that was now empty without him, and he hated his Father even more, he hated Catrina...the stupid troll! He would make sure she paid for this, even if he didn't know how yet. She had taken everything from him, his Father, his throne...and now Merlin, and Arthur had enough.

(A/N: That stinkin' Troll, am I right?! Okay, so here is the thing, I read a comment on my other story I write, saying I basically ignore that one and focus on this one way more, which is 10000% true, but like this story is nearly (when I am not doing school work,) every thought that I have anymore, like...last night I straight up was dreaming about this story. I dreamed of a scene of Merthur at the lake (Death free btw,) I was writing in my dream and now I am going to add it into my story, in real life. I don't know...I just love this story, and yeah it's not the prefect fanfiction, but by far in my opinion, it is the best I have ever written and I love it so much, that's why I update so much. But yeah...I just thought I would share that thought. Enjoy the chapter. I love Leon in this chapter, he is showing his loyalties to Arthur and Merlin rather than Uther, it was very nice...sometimes in the show the Knights are just complete idiots. Like in season 5 when "Gwen" accuses Merlin of trying to kill Arthur...like ALL the knights know they are in love, why the H E double hockey sticks are they not immediately like nah bitch, there is something wrong with you! It's just baffling, anyway...byee!)