I don't own Merlin. Sadly, belongs to the BBC.

Just a little one shot I thought of

Summary: Arthur loves Merlin. Merlin loves Arthur. But when Gaius tells Arthur that Merlin won't let a relationship form while there are still secrets that are hidden Arthur plans to change that...

Set after Series 4 episode 3.

I apologise in advance for any mistakes I have made

Arthur Pendragon stood and looked at himself in the mirror, chainmail on, sword in his belt, Merlin had dressed him, got him ready, today is the day of his coronation. He is to be crowned King. His father had died protecting him, taken a sword to the heart, collapsing in his arms.

He closed his eyes as he remembered his father's last word, it was his name, he said his name smiled at Arthur when Arthur smiled with relief, and then it happened, within seconds he was gone, it had been three days and still no sign of the old sorcerer, Arthur had sent knights to his small home he and Merlin went to but no trace.

A light knock sounded at the door and Merlin poked his head in, "whenever you are ready sire."

"Merlin." Arthur said, stopping the brunet from leaving.

"Yes?"

Holding out his hand he looked sadly at Merlin who gave him a sympathetic look and instead of taking Arthur's hand Merlin wrapped his arms around him and held him close.

Arthur welcomed the hug and squeezed tight before moving his head back to stare Merlin in the eyes, keeping eye contact and not blinking Arthur slowly moved forwards but froze when Merlin pulled back. "Again Merlin?"

"Yes Arthur, we can't until you know all about me, all of my secrets,"

"Merlin we have known each other for seven years, you know me inside out."

"Of course I do Arthur I am your servant and do everything for you. Come on, you are about to be crowned King."

"Merlin?"

"Yes?"

"When will I know your secrets?"

"When the time is right, only then can we be together, if you will still have me of course, if you will I will be yours, heart, body and soul Arthur."

"And everyone will know about us?"

"Yes, once you know my secrets I wish to keep no more unless absolutely necessary."

Merlin stood and watched proudly as Arthur became King, he was the loudest in shouting 'Long Live The King' with the biggest smile on his face.

Gaius nudged Merlin. "Now you know what I mean don't you my boy."

"What's that?"

"Being proud of someone you like and being proud of someone you love is very different."

"I never said I love Arthur."

"You don't have to Merlin it is written all over your face. It is written all over Arthur's as well."

"I know he loves me Gaius and he knows I love him, but I can't, until he knows who and what I am then I can't Gaius, I will not start any relationship on lies."

"Smart move my boy. When are you going to tell him?"

"Gaius I can't, he told me hours after Uther's passing that magic is pure evil, magic is me Gaius it is what I am it is who I am. I hate to say this but it can never be Gaius. I killed Uther, Arthur will never be with me."

"Merlin you didn't kill Uther."

"Gaius is was my magic I used on him my magic that finished him off!"

"Merlin how many times it was the chanted chain around Uther's neck that did it."

"Yes but as powerful as I am I should have sensed it if it was full of dark magic."

Arthur couldn't help but watch Merlin, he had been so happy for him but now he was talking to Gaius he looked sad, angry. He watched as Merlin hurried from the room leaving Gaius looking helpless and sorry.

Shaking the hands of his people Arthur smiled and nodded and spoke to each in turn as he hurriedly made his way to Gaius.

"Arthur, congratulations."

"Thank you. Gaius what is wrong with Merlin?"

"It is not for me to say sire. Although I do have something to say, something that is of the utmost importance, it concerns your father."

Arthur was standing just inside his chambers after hearing all what Gaius had told him. "So the old man didn't kill my father?"

"No Arthur, if anything he made it so Uther could see you one last time."

"May I see the chain?"

Gaius took out the chain from his pocket and handed it to Arthur and watched as the young King studied it closely.

"Morgana's."

"Yes Arthur. It is."

"How did she get this to my father? I had guards outside the room the only people allowed in there was me, you, Merlin, my uncle and Gwen."

"Yes sire, one of who you just mentioned put the chain around his neck, one who hasn't been in your life very long, one who hasn't risked their life and shown that they have to protect you. One whose allegiance is fake."

"Agravaine."

Gaius sighed and smiled a little. "Well done sire."

"But why? Agravaine has told me and shown that he detests magic."

"Arthur remember a few years back, a knight returned, killed some of your knights in challenges, you threw your gauntlet down..."

"Yes, you locked me in my room."

"Arthur, that knight was your mother's other brother Tristan, he hated magic but he hated your father even more, Agravaine is just the same, Tristan was brought back by the woman who led you to the cave to retrieve the flower to save Merlin who got poisoned drinking your goblet. He came for revenge on Uther, nothing could kill him and return him to his grave, nothing, except one thing, the sword you now possess."

"The sword I pulled from the stone?"

Gaius sighed. "Just what has Merlin been telling you? Sire do you mind if I sit down? If I am to tell you from the beginning I need to sit."

Merlin was stood in the room where Uther now rested. "I am sorry sire. I never meant for you to die. I wanted you to live, I know Arthur will be a great King, a better one than you, you did a lot of bad things but you didn't deserve to die. I should have sensed it, the chain around your neck, why didn't I sense it!" Merlin started to shake in anger, not noticing the windows starting to shake, the candles in the room now floating and shaking and swirling.

"It's my fault! All my fault!"

Arthur stood up. "How has Merlin done all of this?"

"With his biggest secret Arthur."

Just then a knight hurried in the room. "Sire something is happening in the room where your father is buried, the doors are rattling loud noises are coming from inside."

"What kind of noises?"

"Banging and clattering, and something that sounds like an anguish scream."

Arthur hurried from the room."

"Oh Merlin my boy if you didn't want him knowing he will now." Gaius whispered as he followed as quickly as he legs would allow.

Arthur turned the corner and reaching the rooms where Uther now laid Arthur ignored the rattling of the doors and pushed them open with all his might and hurried in to see Merlin just there on his own on his knees, his hands in his hair, rocking back and forth. "It's bad enough I couldn't save my own father and I couldn't even save you, the father of the man I love! What is wrong with me!?"

Arthur hurried over and dropped to his knees, trying to see past everything flying around in the room, he pulled Merlin's hands away from his head and instead of being shocked to see his King he just cried all the more making Arthur wrap his arms around him in a tight hug.

"It's alright Merlin, everything will be alright I promise, calm down please, come on, breathe with me, think of us, just you and me, all alone, nothing to worry about, just you and me." Arthur said as one of his hands ran up and down the brunets back, sighing in relief when he felt the brunet start to calm down, the things flying around the room now slowly descending to the floor.

Merlin took a deep breath and buried his face into Arthur's neck feeling a whole lot calmer.

"Better now?"

"Yes."

"Calmer?"

"Yes."

"Good. Now without working yourself into a state again can you answer me one more question?"

"Okay."

"Magic Merlin?"

Gaius closed the doors and looked at the knight who fetched Arthur. "Would you mind fetching the King's Uncle and tell him he is needed here right away as Arthur needs to talk with him."

The knight nodded and walked away.

It was a week later and Arthur now knew everything about Merlin, all of his secrets, as soon as Agravaine walked into the room that day Arthur had his knight's arrest him and after much interrogation Agravaine showed his true side, he was executed the following day.

Merlin and Gaius had told Arthur that Morgana would be expecting Agravaine with an update, Merlin knowing where she lived rode out with Arthur explaining that not only can his sword kill those that are already dead but it can kill high priestesses, like Morgana, and could also kill Merlin. In the dead of the night Merlin and Arthur walked into where Morgana now lived and saw he sleeping on a makeshift bed.

"Are you sure this will work?" Arthur had whispered. Merlin only smiled and told him to trust him and that was all Arthur needed. Unsheathing his sword he held it high above the sleeping form of his sister before bringing the sword down, Morgana had gasped and opened her eyes and looked from Merlin to Arthur before she breathed her last breath.

They were now safe and Arthur knew all of Merlin's secrets but Merlin still said no when he went to kiss him, he always stepped back and said no more secrets, he just couldn't understand it, so he went to Gaius.

"The ban on magic hasn't been lifted Arthur, Merlin is still not free, no more secrets meaning he no longer wants his magic to be a secret but it always will be as long as the ban on magic stays."

"Then I will lift the ban on magic, only reason I haven't done so before now is because I have let the Kingdom celebrate the death of Morgana and that they are all now safe."

"Sire If I am honest then even if you do that Merlin might still turn you down."

"Why?"

"You are King Arthur, you are to marry a woman, have an heir, he will fear that people will not accept him as who he is. They will be grateful as his magic has saved them all so many times but they won't accept him, especially if he is more powerful than Morgana and she managed to do all of that and bring all that terror."

"But Merlin isn't like that, Merlin is so kind."

"I know sire but you must remember, Morgana wasn't always evil."

"So I must find some way for the people to accept Merlin and show them that they have nothing to fear with him."

"Yes sire, but how you can do that I do not know."

Arthur stood and thought for a few seconds before smiling. "I know."

Two days later Merlin walked into the throne room to see Arthur standing there. "Arthur what is it?"

Arthur just smiled. "Come to the courtyard with me Merlin."

Opening the doors Merlin frowned when he saw the courtyard filled with people, even going back to the market place. "Arthur why are all these people here? What is going on?"

Arthur said nothing and merely excused himself as he made his way through the crowd, pulling Merlin with him until he was in the center with Merlin.

"People of Camelot I suspect many of you are wondering why I have called you here, all of the knights know so it is just all of you to now know. From this day forth the ban on magic will be lifted, druids and those who possess magic are free to come here and no longer live in fear. I am not my father, meaning I know that magic is not evil, those who choose or use it for the wrong reasons make people believe this. As of today there will be a court sorcerer, a powerful man who will handle all of the crimes related to magic in this Kingdom, it is a man who has saved us all time and time again and never once got a thank you. Well I am thanking him now. People of Camelot, I give you your new court sorcerer. Merlin."

Merlin stumbled forwards when Arthur nudged him and those who knew Merlin so well cheered but others, more than those who were happy were not, Arthur looked around and saw the bigger majority of people with frowns on their faces, just like Gaius said, they wouldn't accept him.

Arthur stepped forwards. "Can everyone see me?" he called out. "Hands up who can." Arthur looked around and saw all those who wouldn't approve or accept had their hands up. "Good." he said before turning Merlin around to face him.

"Merlin, you have stood by me through everything. Saved my life and this Kingdom countless of times, if it wasn't for you we would have all been dead years ago. For this Merlin I not only thank you, but I also love you for it. I will do something now not even my father would do to anyone."

Merlin frowned. "Arthur?"

Arthur said nothing and dropped to his knees in front of Merlin and bowed his head.

People gasped all around them seeing their King bow to another. Within seconds everyone else where on their knees bowing their heads at Merlin, but Merlin only had his eyes on one person. Dropping to his knees he cupped the King's face and raised the blonds head. "Now there are no more secrets." he smiled before placing his lips on Arthur's.

The end.

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