Thank you for reading. I really hope that this chapter will be good as I know that this is a big moment in the story. As I have never been good at writing the Merlin, Arthur relationship. While its never been a big part of this story I Know it means a lot to people so I'll apologise now for it not being very good. You would think I would have had a plan for that scene from the start. Unfortunately I'm not good at planning and it is coming back to haunt me now.

Arthur had heard the sound of people walking through the trees a little ahead. A great feeling of relief washed over him as he saw Morgana and Merlin walking towards him. He did not look forward to telling them of Eylan's death, but he was glad that they would be there when he had to tell Gwen. He hoped having the people she cared about the most that where still here would ease in someway the blow he was about to deliver. The pair walking towards him seemed to be lightened from the last time he saw them. They of course must have been aware of the end of the fighting. Most likely through Morgana's powering the fire. They knew of the victory but not of its cost. He truly hated being the one that had to bring rush harsh news. They hadn't noticed him yet. He couldn't hear, but he could see Morgana's lips moving. He wanted to allow them to have a few more seconds of joy and trump before he had to dampen it.

When he was about to call out to them he heard a loud rushing sound coming from his right. He turned to look and saw a few feet behind him a saxon pulling out a bow and arrow. He had not noticed the king standing only a few feet from him. He was to focused on the queen walking toward shim. Swiftly Arthur drew his sword and moved before the young man had a chance to notice him. Arthur sadly was not fast enough to stop the arrow from being fired. By the time he turned to look back at Morgana and Merlin he saw Merlin holding Morgana tightly as he helped her to the ground.

His mind was telling him to move, but his body wouldn't move. It was all to much after Eylan, it was just to much. After what felt like a excruciatingly long time Merlin lifted his gaze from Morgana to look at where the attack had come from. There was a strange look in his eyes that Arthur couldn't read. There was no fear there like he would have expected. He knew Merlin despite everything that happened had always cared form Morgana. More than he should the king worried sometimes. So why did he look back at him know looking so calm and determined when Morgana lay seriously injured in his arms.

Merlin met Arthurs eyes and knew exactly what he had to do. It surprised him how quickly he came to his diction. How calm and certain he felt about it. After so long he thought it would feel harder, bigger. In the moment now it felt so simple. Taking in a deep breath he broke eye contact with Arthur and looked back down to Morgana. Her face was white with a thin line of bright red blood trickling down from her mouth. Even though he looked away he was sure that that image was going to be imprinted on his mind forever.

Arthur was now kneeling down on the other side of Morgana. Merlin hadn't noticed him walking over to them. He was going to need both of his arms to do what he had to so Merlin a little reluctantly slide her into Arthur's arms. His hands now free he placed one over the wound, the arrow between his fingers. Griping the arrow with the other he pulled it sharply out. enlarging the wound further. Morgana let out a faint groan at the unexpected pain. Letting them now she was still conscious and aware just very weak. Still full of anxiety and fear Arthur felt a little better knowing this. Merlin wouldn't let himself think to much about it, he had to focus on what he had to do next. He couldn't look at her face again. See any sign of pain there when he was the cause. Now placing both hands over the wound that had started to bleed profusely Merlin tried to ignore the pair of ice cold blue eyes burning into him as he began to work. Not having the still or the patience to mend the broken skin, muscle and everything else back together as well as Morgana would. He concentrated on pulling all of his magic into his hands to heal the wound as quickly as possible. It didn't need to be perfect it just had to close the wound to stop the bleeding and any risk of infection. That he could do.

Arthur watched every move Merlin made as if he was seeing the man that had been his friend for so long for the very first time. He couldn't understand how he had been able to keep something so important from him, from everyone. How he had not know, hadn't noticed anything. When he first meet Merlin he had thought that he just didn't understand what it meant to be heir of a kingdom, the pressure he was under. So he didn't seem to take much seriously. Over the years be had come to trust and rely on him. Believing that what he lacked in scholastic knowledge Merlin made up for with common sense and loyalty. He had also come to simply think that when he wasn't with him or working, Merlin was at the tavern. Maybe seeing a young girl. That was why he a lot of the time seemed to be trying to hide something from him. Turns out that Merlin was keeping something form him but it was not anything that Arthur ever would have imagined.

After the shock wore of a little Arthur's mind became stuck in a loop. What if he was the last to know. Did everyone know that Merlin had magic before him and they had all been keeping t from him too. His father hadn't know or else Merlin would not he knelling across from him now. Gaius, Arthur was sure had to know. The old man was no stranger to magic. Morgana herself might know. He found that hard to believe giving everything that had happened between the two of them or maybe it made more sense. He couldn't believe that Gwen would do that. She would have told him if she had known, like he would tell her as soon as he could. Only a few minutes ago he thought he had the most important thing to tell her, know he had something almost as important.

Merlin could feel Morgana's heart beating slowly through his magic. His magic was unfocused as it rushed forwards, but he could feel that the arrow had tore a small hole in the heart. He knew that it should be healed slowly and methodically. While he needed to act quickly, there was time to do things properly. He just didn't have the patience. Pouring all his energy and focus he closed the tare and pulled his magic back healing the rest of the wound as he did. Leaving no trace of the injury. Not even a small scar on her pale skin.

When he was close to drawing his magic back fully Morgana suddenly took in a deep breath like she was coming up for air after being under water. Her eyes shoot open and she made a move to try and sit up but wasn't able to right away. She fell back into Arthurs arms and he tentatively helped her sit up. Both men watched her not daring to make eye contact with each other. Wanting to avoid the unavoidable conversation they had to have for as long as possible.

Morgana looked down at her chest. She was sure that there had been an arrow there before. She hadn't imagined it. She could still feel a tightening in her chest where she knew the arrow had been. Reaching up she wiped away the thin line of red blood from her chin. She was positive now, there had been an arrow sticking out of her chest, dangerously near her heart. So where was it now. Before she could ask she saw the blood stained weapon lying on the grass near her foot. None of it made sense. The arrow had been removed and the wound was completely healed, that much she knew. The how was still seemed foggy. Exactly as the witch herself felt. The blood loss had made her lightheaded, she just had to rest and taking in deep breathes and it should pass she tried to reassure herself.

"Are you alright." Arthur asked nervously after some colour seemed to return to her face.

She tried to answer but couldn't seemed to form the words. Her mouth was dry and she could taste the metallic blood. So she gave Arthur a nod and a tight smile. Looking in his eyes she could see that something wasn't right. Her chest felt tighter now, like something was pressing down on it, before it sunk to her stomach.

Taking his sister's nod as a sign that they could move past what would under normal circumstances be the most pressing issue of her being shot in the chest with an arrow and move on one of the other pressing issues going on. Holding her a little tighter Arthur gently helped her to stand slowly so as not to make her head spin anymore than it already was. Her hand nearest him griped his arm just as tightly as she was pulled to her feet. Arthur noticed Merlin move to take hold of her other arm. For a second before he touched her he hesitated, but only for a seconds. With both of their help Morgana was back on her feet. A strange air of tension was becoming clear to her, but her mind was still too foggy to be able to give it much thought. Staying standing was taking up most of her energy. She didn't have enough to spare on the men standing on either side of her right now.

With them all standing now Arthur asked her again if she was alright. Having regained her voice Morgana answered verbally this time that she was. Though her voice was low and gravelly, giving him doubts he accepted what she was saying. They all then stood in silence trying to steady their nerves and collect themselves after the unexpected violence they had just gone through.

Arthur clenched his right hand firmly as he looked down at his feet. Concentrating on his breathing. Hoping the wave of anger would wash over him shortly. Lifting his head he lifted his right arm and pulled it back. Then he drove it forward into the side of Merlin's face. The wave did not pass. It crashed violently on the shore.

Morgana stuck mostly between them and still not steady on her feet lost her balance a little, but Arthur place his hand that had not just punched the face of a man that he thought he knew, on her back to steady her and to steady himself after the force of the assault. Her head was spinning worse again now she didn't understand why Arthur had just struck Merlin like that. Hoping to avoid being hit again Merlin kept his head lowered. Waiting for the worst of Arthur's anger to hopefully pass. At least the violent part. Another hit like that and he was sure his jaw would be dislocated. He wiped his tongue over his teeth making sure they where all still in his mouth and not been knocked out.

"Arthur what-"

"He has magic." Arthur cut Morgana off. Spitting his words with disgust and anger.

Turning to Merlin, she looked at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe that after all these years he would let Arthur find out by accident and that he would be so calm about it all. A part of her, she now realised ha never really believed that he would ever tell Arthur or let him find out. That it was a secret that he was going to keep form Arthur and Gwen till he or they died. She herself had found out on her own and by chance.

Feeling her eyes on him now as well as Arthur he looked up, meeting her eyes first. "You were hurt." He said like that made all the sense in the world.

Like he hadn't just reveled his greatest secret. One that he had kept all his life and that could have him killed or more likely exiled from his home. All to heal her from a wound that while serious as a witch, a high priestess and now queen would not have killed her. There had been time she felt sure for him to get her to Mordred or Luke and one of them could have healed her without any issue or questions. While she apricated what he had done she couldn't understand it. Not unless he wanted Arthur to know. That she thought was what made the most sense. He had wanted to tell Arthur, everyone but didn't know how to say the words. This way way he hadn't had to say a word.

Arthur looked back and forth between them, not understanding the unsaid words and the deeper meaning. Then it hit him like he had been punched in the face himself.

"You knew." He accused Morgana sounding more hurt than anger now.

Morgana turned to her brother looking more frightened than she had just been when she had an arrow imbedded in her chest. She didn't want to lie to him. Keep lying to him. She started to get a little angry as she realised that she had not been technically lying to Arthur about anything. She had been keeping someone else's secret. This is what she had been the most scared off, being put in this position. Where Arthur and Gwen would loss trust in her as well for keeping Merlin's secret. The guilt in her eyes seemed to make Arthur angry again.

"I asked her not to say anything." Merlin defended her as he braved saying something.

Quickly he knew that that had been the wrong thing to do. Arthur wound his arm back getting ready to punch him again. This time Morgana took a half step between them. Trusting that Arthur's mainly justified anger would not be great enough from him to end up hitting her right after she had just been shot with an arrow.

"Your defending him." Arthur asked in disbelief.

The king couldn't make sense of the fact that Merlin had been keeping something so important from him and lying to him. He found it almost impossible to understand why his sister would be defending him. His sister that Merlin had poisoned years ago. His sister who had magic and once she understood that embraced it with pride. Arthur thought she would never have agreed with anyone hiding their magic like this.

"From you yes." She answered, strength returning to her voice.

"I'm not the one in the wrong." Arthur yelled at them.

Merlin took a step forward. "Neither is Morgana."

"Don't think I don't know that." Arthur said his eyes burning into Merlin's.

Letting out a frustrated sigh at the inability of the men to actually talk about the situation like the adults they where. Like the king and his adviser they were. Morgana again stepped between them.

"Everything Merlin has done since he came to Camelot has been to protect you. To make sure you became king. A good king. The king that we need."

Arthur let out a frustrated sigh. He was getting tired of the seemingly endless and increasing pressure and expectations that were always being placed on him. It felt like just when he thought he had found his footing something came up and threw everything up in the air again. This was a part of life he knew, but it felt more extreme with him. He was growing tired of constantly having to keep his head above water. While he could, on a logical level understand Merlin keeping his secret the way that he had. Emotionally though he felt that someone else he trusted had not trusted him in return. Not in the same way. Then as an excuse they used their belief and trust in him being a good king as a reason for their withholding. It was this that angered him the most. It made no sense and seemed hypocritical and contradictory.

It was hard for Merlin and Morgana to tell what Arthur was thinking or feeling. The tension in his body was clear. He was clearly still angry and hurt. There was something else. Something they could quite pin point.

"What happened." Merlin asked after a pause.

Coming to the conclusion that something had happened during the fighting that weighed heavily on Arthur. He was scared to speak and irritate Arthur further and scared by what he might say.

Morgana swung her head round to face Merlin not understand his question.

"Eylan's dead." Arthur revealed in a low voice. Rushed so it didn't break.

It was the first time he had said the words out loud. It was difficult, but he was glad in a way to have said it before he had to say it to Gwen. Hopefully that time his voice would be even and strong. Allowing her to break down knowing he would stay strong for her.

Neither Morgana or Merlin knew what to say. Eylan and been so young. Had so much life left to live. It didn't seem fair or right. He hadn't deserved to have his life cut so short. Gwen didn't deserve to lose the last of her blood family. Morgana quickly wrapped her arms around Arthur's neck. He hugged her back. Merlin stepped forward and placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder. He had debated in his head if it was the right thing to do. In the end he had to do something. However small. To his surprise and relief Arthur allowed him to make the comforting gesture. He didn't try and shack it off or pull away. It was a very small thing but he had to take it as a positive one. The first step to being able to move forwards as some point.

"I'll speck to Gwen." Morgana said as she pulled back after what felt like long silent minutes. Arthur was about to object but she carried on. "You two need to talk. All of this, you can't bring that to her. Not now. I'll go ahead and tell her while you both find a way to move forward." Again Arthur looked like he was about to object. "For Gwen. she'll need everyone's support now."

She didn't give either of them a chance to object once she had said her piece. She used a tone that she was just beginning to get used to. One that said her word on the matter was final and you would not change that. Before she left she kissed Arthur on the cheek. She didn't look towards Merlin. Not wanting to make Arthur think that they were communicating with each other and were excluding him. She walked away at a steady pace, her head still not feeling settled. The last thing she wanted to do was stumble and fall right now. She wasn't looking forward to the conversation she was about to have, but the idea that right now Gwen and Gaius would have noticed the fire disappearing and know the fighting was over. Allowing them to feel relieved and joyous right now felt wrong with the knowledge she had of the loss.

Merlin and Arthur stood in silence as Morgana walked away. There was so much for them both to say, let few words were needed. Merlin knew and understood why Arthur was feeling the way that he did. Nothing he could say would change the basic facts of the matter. Neither of them wanted to go over everything, all the years that they had known each other point by point. All the times Merlin had aided Arthur and Camelot with his magic. The times he had given a half lie to excuse his absence or odd behaviour. It wouldn't change anything.

In a way Arthur could also understand why Merlin hadn't told him about his magic. From the second Merlin had arrived in Camelot his life had been in danger. The only way to protect himself was to keep his secret. If what Morgana said was true, and Arthur found it hard to believe that she would lie blatantly for him. Then Merlin had risked his life in aiding him, the son of the man that out lawed who he was. He, who the king admitted had not been the least bit pleasant to Merlin when they first meet and for a long time after.

"It was never about a lack of respect." Merlin began. "I just couldn't risk telling you."

Arthur nodded but didn't say anything.

"I'm sorry."

"I know." Arthur finally spoke.

"It doesn't change anything though."

"No. It doesn't."

It was the tone that he used not his words that confused Merlin. Maybe he was being optimistic. Hearing what he wanted to hear and not what Arthur really meant. He wanted it to be that while things had defiantly changed, the important things hadn't. They were still friends and when it came down to it they trusted it. Things would be different but they could move beyond that in time.

"There is a lot we need to talk about. Gwen should be apart of that-"

"She doesn't know-"

"Merlin-"

"No. Morgana only found out a few years ago. I didn't tell her, she found out. There were times when I thought Gwen might have figured it out, but she never had. Gaius has known the whole time." He felt very guilty saying this before he had a chance to talk to Gaius himself. He felt Arthur would understand him knowing more than Lancelot and he wanted to make a kind of gesture of honestly. "It was never about you. I never told anyone. They found out."

Arthur nodded taking in what he was told. "Now's not the time. We need to put it a side for now. Be there for Gwen."

Merin nodded agreeing with Arthur. He didn't like like having the matter hanging over them, but he understood. Right now there were more important things going on. They silently walked the rest of the way to the barn. The pressure that had been weighing down on them at the start of the day had lifted but now a weight of a different kind pressed door on them. Like the other one deep down they both felt sure they would work through it together.

Thank you for reading. Hope you liked it. Specifically I hope that Arthurs's reaction was not to harsh. I felt that not no matter what else goes on around him finding out about Merlin's magic, he had still lied to him and kept such a huge secret from him. When he trusted him with almost everything. So he was always going to be angry and hurt. That is not taking into account what has just happened. I know they don't have a very long conversation in this chapter. That's because unlike the show there is time for them to talk and deal with the fallout of situation over time. So If there is anything specifically that you look like to see addressed then please let me know so I can work it in.

As always any feedback, comments or ideas that you have are all very welcome.