Gaius and Merlin were thankfully in Gaius' chambers when Arthur arrived with the girl. He had burst inside, scaring the both of them. But he paid no mind to that, as he rushed in and placed the girl onto Giaus' bed.

"What has happened?" said Gaius, but he was already approaching her, eyes scanning over her form.

"Lancelot?!" said Merlin, in surprise, and maybe a hint of shock too, just as Arthur had felt when seeing him. Arthur had more heard their quick exchange of hello's rather than seen it. And then Merlin was rushing to Gaius' aid, to help in anyway he could.

"These marks are magical," said Gaius then, using a thumb to open one of the girls eyes. The unseeing brown only lolled into the back of her head. Arthur felt worry fill him.

"Can you treat it?" asked Hunith, who had followed them here, fit to help too.

"I can, of course I can." said Gaius, as he rushed around now grabbing different tools and veils of colored things. He paused then however, and looked around the room. "But I cannot possibly do it with so many people in here," he said, almost angry and started waving his arms, as if he were shooing them away. "I need peace and quiet!"

"I want to be here when the girl wakes!" companied Arthur, glaring at Gaius, who glared right back. And Arthur had to admit, Gaius' glare was far worse than his own. "I want to know why the bandits took her and put her in a cage...I want to know what they wanted from her!"

Gaius' eyes narrowed now. "And so you shall, once she is cured."

"And Lancelot rescued her, he has a right to stay!" Arthur continued to argue. Gaius let out a ragged, angry breath and turned away dramatically. Merlin looked up then, and this was the first time in several days that Arthur's eyes had met his. They seemed to will him into compliance. "Fine," he retorted. "Come get me as soon as she wakes," he said. "I am going to speak to my Father..."

"I should go..." said Lancelot then. "I am not welcome here...when the girl awakes tell her I-"

"I will not tell her anything," said Arthur, turning to glare at Lancelot now. "Why do you think I am going to speak to my Father? I am going to get you pardoned."

Lancelot stared at Arthur for a long moment. "You don't have to..."

"Yes, I do."

Arthur went and found his Father after this, he explained the girl and how Lancelot brought her here to be treated by Gaius, and although Uther was sympathetic toward the girl, he was less so toward Lancelot. Even in Uther's drunken state, the best Arthur could do was get Lancelot a pardon for three days, nothing more. Enough for the girl to be healed, so said Uther, only so Lancelot had peace of mind on this, and then he was to leave. Arthur didn't like it at all, Arthur wanted Lancelot to stay, Merlin would want Lancelot to stay...

And what Arthur really wanted, despite most things, was for Merlin to be happy. Also, for Lancelot to be a Knight, because the man fought nearly as good as Leon. Arthur could only imagine if both Leon and Lancelot were his knights...they would never lose a battle. But alas...it could never be. Arthur returned to his own chambers, instead of going to find Lancelot. Because he felt foolish, he had been sure Uther would have agreed on the permanent pardon, and now he had to tell Lancelot he had been wrong and he had promised something he could not fulfill. He knew, of course, that Lancelot would understand, he was just like that...but that was annoying.

Merlin came through his door, a good hour or so after Arthur had come to sulk there. He smiled at Arthur, the first real one in several days. "Gaius says she needs rest, but she should be fine..."

Arthur nodded, Merlin continued to look at him, as if waiting for something. "My Father refused the pardon," he said and Merlin didn't look very surprised. He shrugged. "He can stay for three days...but the girl can stay as long as she likes."

"Do you want to come see her?" said Merlin then, without mentioning anything about Lancelot. Arthur was thankful for that, he didn't want to deal with a sad Merlin. "She isn't awake yet, but Gaius says she should wake any time now."

Arthur nodded and stood up. They didn't say anything, as they walked to Gaius' chambers. Arthur could still feel the strain between them, but it was mending. That was all that mattered to Arthur, really. When they reached Gaius' chambers, Arthur found that they had moved the girl, to Merlin's room. Arthur walked up the stairs to the room and noted Lancelot leaning against the wall, watching her. He felt shame, that he hadn't done as he told him he would do, Lancelot seemed to understand this, as he only look at Arthur and nodded. He had expected it, and maybe Arthur had too...he had just hoped.

"She still hasn't woken up," explained Lancelot. "But her breathing has become much less labored. I think she sleeps."

Merlin nodded and went and sat down on the edge of his own bed, gingerly. "Yeah...she's asleep."

There was a noise behind them now, from the room below. Arthur had thought maybe it was just Gaius, or Hunith, who might still be here, but then in walked Gwen, nearly pushing Arthur out of the way, as she did so.

"Hunith told me what happened," she said, but her eyes were not on the girl in the bed, instead they were planted on Lancelot. Who, suddenly now was stood straight, eyes on her in return. "Lancelot," she said, as if she might be surprised he was there. Arthur thought she was definitely not, Hunith had told her. "You might not remember me..."

"Not remember you?" said Lancelot then, forgoing the sleeping girl and walking toward Gwen. "I have thought of you every day since I have left Camelot, Guinevere."

Merlin stood up then, as Gwen made some kind of 'Oohh,' noise with her mouth, and smiled rather big. Merlin rolled his eyes and walked toward Arthur. "I want to...talk to you downstairs," he said to Arthur, and then didn't give Arthur time to respond to this, only grabbed his arm and yanked him toward the door. Arthur willingly went. They went downstairs and Gaius was not there, Arthur really had no idea where Gaius was actually. But he didn't ask, they kind of just stood there now, by the table, not speaking to each other. Arthur thought that they ought to just get their troubles out with, say them and get them over with. But they never did that, so Arthur continued not to say anything.

"I should go," said Arthur, after a long time of just completely nothing. Merlin looked over and titled his head, as he looked at Arthur.

"Why?" he asked. "Don't you want to speak to her when she wakes up?"

"I did, but...-"

Whatever Arthur planned to say, and even Arthur didn't know what that had been, it was lost by Lancelot and Gwen both walking down the stairs quickly. Gwen came over to them at a run, and Arthur had thought for a second she was going to say the girl woke up, but she didn't. She only heaved several breaths, like she had been under water or running very fast, for a long time.

"Lancelot has nowhere to stay here," she announced, all of a sudden and Merlin's eyes landed on her, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Well...your bed is taken, and you will have to sleep on the floor, and we can't have Gaius sleeping on the floor, so there is nowhere for Lancelot to stay."

"Yes," said Lancelot then, on the other side of Gwen. "So Guinevere has graciously offered for me to stay with her."

Understanding hit Merlin all at once, Arthur noticed it, right as it had hit him, too. He worried for Gwen's virtue for a moment, but that was not his place to question it. Merlin was nodding now, with a smirk. "Alright," he was saying. "But you're going to miss out on our late night chats on the floor..."

"A pity," said Lancelot, with a grin. "Invite the Prince in my place."

For some reason, Arthur's cheeks turned red at this, and his eyes traveled to the stairs and the doorframe of Merlin's room. Maybe the girl had woken up? He could only wish, so he could get out of here.

"He's not that good at conversation..."

Arthur's eyes snapped back then and he glared. "I am so!" he retorted. "And stop talking about me as if I am not here."

"It's not fun, is it, huh?" retorted Merlin and Arthur hardly knew what he was talking about. He never did that to him, and if other Nobles did, he couldn't help that.

Somehow, after that, Lancelot and Gwen found excuses to leave, Merlin watched them go with a grin. Arthur noticed this, but didn't mention it, because he didn't know how good of terms they were on yet. They were bantering back and forth again, but that didn't mean all was completely forgotten. Arthur certainly hadn't forgotten about how completely foolish and humiliated he felt in those woods. But he refused to think about it now.

"We should return to the girl," he said instead, and walked up the narrow steps and through the door. Merlin followed behind him. When they entered the room, to both of their shock, she was stirring. Merlin dashed around Arthur and landed at the side of his bed, he lowered himself down to his knees, as he watched her take sharp breaths. Arthur walked closer as well, eying her closely. "Is she alright?"

"I think so," said Merlin, but what did he know really? Gaius was the real physician, Merlin only helped him most of the time. But Arthur believed him anyway, he got closer. Her eyelids started to tremble and flutter open and shut. So much so, that Arthur could see the brown of her eyes from how wide they would open, only to shut again. With baited breath, Arthur inched closer again. And then suddenly, a gasp as if someone had just punched her, her eyes burst open and she sat up straight, wide eyes peering around the room. She franticly looked between the two of them, as if confused. Arthur could understand that, she had passed out in Lancelot's arms, now she awoke with two total strangers staring at her sleeping.

She let out a scream and pressed herself back into Merlin's headboard. She screamed louder and shoved Merlin's hands away when he went to grab them. "It's alright...it's fine..." he was saying, in a softer voice than he had ever talked to Arthur before. "We're not going to hurt you..." The girl paused in her thrashing and screaming and titled her head, looking at him. Her eyes traveled over Merlin for a long moment, before she relaxed and he reached out and took her hand in his own. "I'm Merlin..."

She didn't say anything, only continued to look at him, and Arthur, although he understood her ordeal, he wanted answers. He stepped closer still, almost to the edge of the bed. "And I am Arthur Pendragon," he said, and then her eyes snapped to him, and she pushed Merlin's hand away, leaning back and glaring at Arthur like he had just cursed her mother. Merlin looked between them concerned.

"He is alright, too," Merlin explained. "He helped save you...we want to know what happened to you." She turned back to him, relaxed a little bit at the sight of him, and then let out a long sigh. For a second, Arthur had thought she was going to speak, but she didn't. Merlin did instead. "What is your name...?"

She opened her mouth to talk, and then closed it again, heavily lidded eyes glared up at Arthur, before she looked back at Merlin and frowned. "My name is Freya..."

Freya didn't seem to like Arthur much, or at all and Arthur had no idea why. He left them then, when every time he even moved, she jumped. He thought it was rather useless for him to be there. He could only assume Merlin would get the information they needed out of her, whatever it was, and return to tell Arthur. Which he did not, at least not right away. He didn't come to Arthur's chambers until the following morning, with a plate of cold breakfast in his hands. Sometimes Merlin's serving skills were rather disheartening.

"She's a druid!" he announced though, as Arthur lay in his bed, back hurting and eyes tired. "Not from the camp we went to, another one. But then it was attacked. The bandit's destroyed their camp, she doesn't know if any of them lived, but they took her."

"What use did they have with her?" asked Arthur, as he sat up in his bed and ate the cold breakfast anyway. He had a busy day ahead, he needed it. "Lancelot says she was in a cage, why would they do such a thing?"

"They could think that's where someone with magic belongs," offered Merlin, and Arthur frowned, he could only think of Morgana at these words.

"I am only glad Lancelot took care of them," said Arthur, darkly. He got out of his bed then, stretching. Merlin watched him. "Where is the girl now?"

"Freya is with Morgana," said Merlin and Arthur smirked. Of course, Morgana would be thrilled by this news. Not that this girl was hurt, but that she was someone with magic like her.

"Does she still hate me?"

Merlin laughed a little at this now. "She didn't hate you, you're just a prat and she could tell."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "She hadn't even spoke to me..."

Merlin pulled a face. "It's really obvious."

Arthur had a Knight training and then he was to patrol the town. Which was what he was doing now. He walked through the town rather quickly, honestly. Because he was hungry and he had forgotten his cape and it was rather chilly outside. He walked around the lower town, where most of the crime took place, if there was any. It was always very petty. Today there were children play sword fighting with tree branches, an angry blonde woman yelling at them to shut up and Lancelot was watching them, leaning against the door to Gwen's house, smiling with a pleased sort of look on his face. Arthur didn't want to know why he looked so pleased, but he did approach him.

"Hello, Sire," he smiled, as he got closer. He smelled like Gwen. So, a bit like soap and flowers. This made Arthur both happy and alarmed at the same time. Not that he really cared what they did together, he was happy for Gwen, she deserved love, it just felt strange to think about. And it also made him feel a little jealous, because even though their love was not to last, as Lancelot had to leave Camelot, at least it could happen at all. The person Arthur wished to be with he could not have...not just because he didn't feel the same way, but for so many other reasons.

"The girl woke," he told Lancelot, who nodded.

"I know, Merlin had told me last night," he explained and this struck Arthur. It annoyed him for a second, because why did Merlin tell Lancelot last night, but didn't return to Arthur's chambers to explain the girls plight? He pushed these thoughts aside. Though. Arthur's face must have shown something, because Lancelot continued then. "I know your thoughts on people like her, but I do not believe she is dangerous."

"I have no thoughts on people like her," Arthur retorted then, and Lancelot's eyes widened. "I see her as a girl who needs our help and she shall get it. No more needs to be said about from where she came."

Lancelot's eyes roamed over Arthur for a long moment, face scrunched up as he did this. And then, he grinned. "Very well, Sire. I won't mention it again."

"Thank you," said Arthur and Lancelot's grin turned into a real smile.

"I am not trying to pry, really," he said then. "But Guinevere told me that you and Merlin-"

"It's not true," said Arthur, cutting him off and waving a hand in the air, as if dismissing it. Lancelot's smile did not fall.

"But you wish it were...?" Arthur stare at him, not sure how to answer this, because yes, he did wish it were true. Arthur shook his head and opened his mouth to talk, but Lancelot continued on. "I saw it in your eyes, when I mentioned his name. You wished it had been you he had come to talk to last night."

Why did Lancelot know this? Was he a sorcerer, too? Was that why he was such a good fighter? Trickery! "I didn't say that..."

"You hardly had to," said Lancelot. His smile shifted back to a grin and he tentatively reached out and took hold of Arthur's shoulder. "I suppose many things have changed since the last time I was in Camelot."

Indeed, they had. Much more than Lancelot could dare ever know. Not even with Arthur and his feelings, but with Morgana, and Arthur's views on magic. But Arthur would tell him none of this, he couldn't. There were only two people who got to know Arthur's true thoughts, or at least as true of thoughts as he was willing to offer. Arthur left Lancelot then, to return to the castle. He was still hungry and cold. On his way through the courtyard, toward the main entrance, he noticed Morgana coming out of the doors, behind her was a brown haired girl wearing one of Morgana's purple dresses. And Arthur thought that was a far better look for her than the rags she wore before, but if Uther found out Morgana let her wear it, he would be furious.

"Arthur!" Morgana shouted for him, sounding very pleased indeed. Arthur was very glad she was so happy, but this girl had magic, therefore meant she couldn't stay in Camelot forever. Arthur had already done enough lying to Uther for Morgana, he couldn't do it for anyone else. The girl, Freya, looked very worried, and she inched behind Morgana as she and Arthur met in the middle of the courtyard. "Where are you running off to?" she was asking him now, smirking. "To see your beloved? He's with Gaius...arguing."

"Why are they arguing?" asked Arthur. Morgan looked behind her, at Freya and then leaned forward, grabbing Arthur by the shoulder and pulling him closer.

"Gaius says she can't stay, Merlin wants her to," she whispered in his ear and he sighed. He agreed with Gaius, however, he was rather afraid to tell Morgana that. Morgana pulled back and she smiled over her shoulder again. "Have you spoken to Arthur yet, Freya?"

Her eyes widened when she was addressed and they landed on Arthur, growing even wider. "No..."

"You should...I know he looks like a bastard, but I promise he is really not so bad," said Morgana, and then turned back to Arthur with a playful smirk. "...deep down."

"Thanks," he retorted, with a roll of the eyes. He turned to Freya then and lowered his head, a sign of respect. "Hello."

She gasped and inched closer to Morgana. "Hi," she said, in almost a whisper. Arthur couldn't understand why she didn't like him. Yes, alright, he was a Pendragon, but he had helped her, had made no move to harm her at all. This toyed with him, and it continued to do so, for days to come.

In those days, Lancelot had to leave, which made Gwen go from the happiest Arthur had seen her, to the most depressed, and Arthur felt for her, he understood, every time he saw her he offered her a kind smile. Not that he didn't do so before, but now it was more enforced. He wanted her to understand he was there for her, should she want to talk. Arthur was rubbish with feelings, but at least he could listen.

On the sixth day of Freya's stay in Camelot, Arthur got a knock at the door of his chambers. Which was odd in itself, as everyone just blew in all the time anyway. He had been there before this, pacing back and forth, in worrying thoughts, as there had been an attack on a man the pervious night, it looked as if he had been attacked by some kind of beast, but there had been no sighting's of one. This puzzled Arthur, because after all that had happened this year, he didn't think he could take much more. The person at the door knocked once more, and it sounded so soft and unassuming, that it bothered him. He wrenched his door open and there stood Freya. Hair done up today in a braid. Morgana was having so much fun...

"Freya," he said and she no longer cringed when he said her name. She was very short, but she was doing all she could to peer around the room, to see inside. He moved to allow her to do so. So, she walked inside, put only just through the doorframe. "Can I help you?"

"I was looking for Merlin..."

"Oh," Arthur scoffed and she jumped at this, which made him feel bad. He continued. "I don't know where he is...I hardly ever know where he is."

"Oh," said Freya sadly. "I wanted to see him."

"I can tell him you were looking for him?"

"No..." she trailed off, eying the room one more time, as if Arthur was lying and hoarding Merlin or something. He wasn't, but he did like the idea. But just then, rounding the corner and coming toward the door, was Merlin himself, looking a bit too chipper for someone who knew a man had been attacked last night, with no good reason why. He looked between Freya and Arthur, as he too, entered the doorway. "Merlin!" cried out Freya and leaped forward, taking his hand in hers. "I was looking for you!"

Merlin froze, eyes gazing down to their now shared hands, then to her, and then to Arthur and then back to her. "Oh, I was in the kitchens."

"What were you doing in the kitchen?" asked Arthur, but he went ignored, because Freya started speaking again, her eyes were on Merlin, they had been since he had come in though. And they were so bright and full of something...

Arthur thought he understood it then.

"Morgana wanted to go on a picnic, can you come with us?" she was saying. "I don't want to go into the woods alone."

Morgana would be able to protect her much more than Merlin ever could. He wanted to say that, but Arthur held his tongue. Merlin was shaking his head now, looking over at Arthur and then back to Freya again. "I have work to do..."

"Oh," Freya said, sadly now.

"When do you ever do your job?" asked Arthur, and Merlin looked over with a glare. Arthur couldn't help it, he couldn't hold it in. It had just slipped out. He grinned at Merlin in return.

"Alright...I will come then," said Merlin, pointedly. Freya made a noise that sounded like 'squwee,' and jumped forward and hugged Merlin. Arthur turned away from this, he was not needed anyway. "I'll join you in a moment." Freya left then and Arthur didn't turn around, but he could feel Merlin's eyes on him. "You really don't care if I go with them...?"

Arthur turned back around finally and shrugged. "I figured you had better go, with how she feels about you."

"What?" said Merlin then, looking at Arthur confused. "Who...?"

"Freya," said Arthur, with a smirk. He didn't know how he felt about this, of course kind of hurt. But then again, Merlin didn't feel the same way for him, so who was Arthur to stop him if he fell in love? Yes, it would hurt, but...in the end, it only mattered to Arthur if Merlin was happy. Obviously Arthur couldn't make him happy, if Freya did...so be it.

"What?!" Merlin repeated. And instead of focusing on things that would depress him, like the realization of what this could mean, Arthur only rolled his eyes and glared at Merlin.

"Oh, come on, I saw the way she was looking at you!"

"What is with you and your father looking at the way people look at each other?!" complained Merlin. "I didn't see anything..."

"Of course you wouldn't," Arthur retorted. Merlin glared at him.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," said Arthur, turning away again. "Go on your picnic. Have a good time...just don't start snogging her in front of Morgana, she'll never stop making fun of you for it."

"Arthur, I don't-" but then Merlin stopped talking and Arthur wasn't man enough to turn around and look at him again, so Merlin just walked out and Arthur let him go.

(A/N: Okay, I know I am super, super late with this one. Like grossly late, but let me explain why. (Warning: A lot of rambling ahead, do skip if you do not care!) Okay, apart from my usual business, I wanted to update a few days ago but I stopped because I am a superstitious weirdo, it was like midnight and I looked and it was Friday the 13th, I was like no son! When I posted the pervious chapter on here, it took like five days to actually post and I was like I am not chancing this. And then I was going to update last night, but I ended up watching a twelve hour live stream instead and at the end of this live stream the channel was deleted...so I wasn't missing that cry fest. (RIP Unas Annus, my heart is dead with you.) But anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I don't know when the next update will be, like I am being honest. It is bad as hell timing, but my mind needs a vacation from this story, because I don't want to make it become...for lack of better word, shitty, I want it to continue being good quality. I am afraid if I just force myself to write, it will not be the best it can be. That being said, I am starting to try to work on it again. This chapter has not edited by anyone but me also, so any mistakes I am sorry about.

There is one more thing I would like to ask you all; feel free to ignore and just go on your way, but I have been jonesing (wanting, for ppl who are not 50 years old,) to post a new kind of story. Like, I am tired of canon stories and I do love me a Morden Day AU but I am over doing them right now, and I obviously want to keep with Merlin and Arthur, as they're my favorite to write about, but lately I have really been considering a crossover between Merlin and Doctor Who (because I have been rewatching DW lately, and I just think it would be fun.) But like I don't think people would read it, I looked into the tag for a second and I was like ehh...idk, my question is basically, would anyone be interested in reading a Merlin/Doctor Who story? And what Doctor, if you do, would you like to see with them? (Don't say 13, please!) But yeah, just let me know, I would love to do it. I think I have a good idea that is both Merlin-y and Doctor-y. Okay! Ranting and BS over, thank you!)