My Biggest Secret

A/N: What is that? No, it can't be? Yes! Yes, it is! An update!

So…. Here's an update. I know it has been forever since.

I've been working on this FOREVER. And here it is. I really hope you like it!

I want to thank everyone so much for the kind words I received on my last update. It really means a lot that you enjoyed a story I really loved to write. So thank you. Stay safe out there, and take care!

"I still don't think this is the way to go." Arthur said for probably the tenth time.

Merlin sighed. He, Arthur and the knights had been riding for two whole days, and he was tired of being contradicted.

"Look," Merlin said, for at least the fifth time, "the lore said that the only way to lift the curse and clean the well is to go to the Lady of The Well. She is the protector of the wells in Camelot, and since we upset her enough to curse ours, it's her we need to apologise to."

Arthur winced at his words, and Merlin immediately regretted them. He knew that Arthur blamed himself. They were headed north, to the Lady of the Well, to lift the curse she had cursed on Camelot, making all the wells turn dry with sand. It had all started when Arthur for fun had made Merlin fetch new water every time the servant came up to his chambers with a jug, complaining the water was to cold, than to hot, than saying that he didn't want water at all. This had gone on for three days, before Merlin one day found out that the well suddenly was full of sand instead of water. After some studying in Gaius' books, he'd found the legend of the Lady of The Well, an ancient sorceress who protected the wells of the land, and made sure the water was always clean, but turned it to sand if it was misused.

And now, the knights of Camelot were heading to her home to plead her to turn the sand back to water.

"Up ahead." Leon suddenly said.

Merlin was woken from his thoughts as the approached an old ruin.

"We're here." Merlin whispered.

"Don't be ridiculous Merlin." Arthur said. "How could you possibly know-"

"Because The Lady of The Well is standing right in front of you Sire." Merlin interrupted.

Arthur lifted his head to see a young woman stand a couple meters in front of him. She was beautiful, clad in a long blue dress that was torn in the hems. She had long golden hair that reached her waist, and a mischievous smile on her lips.

"Knights of Camelot." The woman greeted.

Arthur dismounted his horse and took a step forward.

"My Lady," Arthur said. "we're here to-"

"I know why you're here young king." The woman said. "You're here to ask me to lift the curse on Camelot. I can do that, but only if you go through my test first."

"A test?" Gwaine asked.

Arthur turned towards Merlin.

"Did any of your books mention a test?" he asked.

Merlin shook his head. Arthur sighed.

"Very well." Arthur said to the Lady of The Well. "What is this test?"

"Follow me." She said with a smile and turned around.

The knights reluctantly got of their horses and followed her deeper into the old ruins.

"My Lady, I-" Arthur called after her.

"You may call me Naja." The Lady of The Well said.

"Naja, where-"

"Shhhh." Naja hushed. "Don't spoil the fun."

She lead them deeper and deeper into the ruins, until they finally stood in what must had been the old courtyard. Naja had stopped next to a well, the only thing that was still intact in the old ruins.

"This is the Well of Truth." She said. "To lift the spell you must all do just one thing."

"And what is that?" Merlin asked, afraid that he already knew the answer.

Naja smiled, and she was looking straight at Merlin as she said:

"You must all confess your biggest secret."

Merlin could feel the colour leave his face. As he looked around, all the knights looked a bit pale as well.

"It's very simple." Naja said. "You'll all be given a stone. Then you stand around the well. When you've confessed your secret, you drop the stone. And don't try to lie. You won't be able to drop you stone unless the words you tell are true."

"That's it?" Gwaine asked.

"That's it." Naja agreed. "There is just one more rule. From the moment you start confessing, to the moment the stone hits the bottom of the well, no one else besides the confessor is allowed to say anything. If you do, even if you utter the smallest gasp, you have lost your chance to lift the curse."

Arthur looked at his friends before he made a decision.

"So how do we start?" He said.

A few minutes later, all the knights and Merlin stood around the well, a large stone in their hands. They all looked at each other, no one saying a word.

"No matter what," Arthur finally said, "no matter what is uncovered today, know that I'll never regret making you my knights. I consider you all as friends, and I'll still do when all this is over. You've nothing to be afraid of."

The others nodded. Everyone was too nervous to smile.

"Are you ready gentlemen?" Naja asked. "Who wants to start? Any volunteers?"

"I'll go." Elyan said. "Better get it over with."

Naja smiled.

"Go ahead." She said.

Elyan took a deep breath.

"I wasn't at my father's funeral because I was in prison" Elyan confessed. "This, Gwen knows. What she doesn't know is that I was in prison for stealing food. I'd no money, and it was the only thing I could do to survive."

He dropped his stone, and before long, they all heard the stone hit the water. No one dared utter a word. The knights stood silent, looking at each other.

"Well, that wasn't the best start now, was it?"

They all turned around to see Naja sitting on a rock behind them, studying them.

"You can talk between confessions." She said, and all the knights sighed in relief. "But that wasn't much to discuss now, was it? A bit boring if I'm honest. Who's next? And let's hope the next secret is juicier."

"I can go." Gwaine said. "But I'm afraid you'll be disappointed my lady."

They all give him a curious look.

"My father was a nobleman." Gwaine said. "He was a knight, and when he died, the king did nothing to help my mother. I've despised noblemen for all my life after that. Until I met you Arthur."

Arthur gave Gwaine a smile as Gwaine dropped his stone. Somehow, it felt longer before Gwaine's stone hit the water than it had when Elyan dropped his.

"What was that?" Percival asked when they finally heard the splash.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you?" Naja said. "The heavier the secret weighs on the confessor, the longer it takes for the stone to hit the water."

"You didn't feel like that was something you may have told us before?" Lancelot said.

Naja shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?"

No one felt like arguing. Instead, they turned to Gwaine.

"Are you alright?" Percival asked.

"Getting there." Gwaine said.

"How to you feel about noblemen now?" Arthur asked.

"Well," Gwaine said with a mischievous smile. "The can still be prats, but they are growing on me."

Merlin, Lancelot, Elyan and Percival laughed as Arthur and Leon protested.

"Moving on." Naja said, putting out all the laughter.

"I guess I'll go." Percival said. "Before I start, I want you all to know that I didn't keep this from you because I didn't trust you, but to protect her."

He took a deep breath.

"I have a daughter." Percival said, and a fond smile played on his lips. "Her mother is married, and was when we… you know. It would be a scandal if it came out that her husband isn't the father, and she would be disgraced. So would my daughter."

He dropped the stone. It hit the water fast.

"You're not ashamed of it." Naja said before anyone could ask why Percival's stone had dropped faster.

"No." Percival said, shaking his head. "I only keep it a secret to protect my daughter."

A small smile spread on the big knights lips, and Merlin and the knights smiled at their friend's happiness. Even though they had never heard of this daughter before, it was no doubt that Percival loved her.

"What's her name?" Lancelot asked his friend.

"Rose." Percival said. "She is six years old, and loves to climb trees. At least from what I've heard from the letters her mother send me. She sends me one each year, so I at least get to know some details of my daughter's life."

"Have you ever met her?" Elyan asked.

Percival shook his head.

"No." he said. "But one day I will."

They all smiled at the found way Percival spoke of the daughter he hadn't met, before Naja reminded them of what they were supposed to be doing.

"Very well." Lancelot said. "I'll go next. I'm still in love with Guinevere. I try not to be, but I am. I'm so sorry Arthur."

Lancelot opened his hands to let go of the stone, but found out he couldn't.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "That was the truth."

"That's the truth, but there's something else you need to confess." Naja said.

"But it's not my secret to confess!" Lancelot said, immediately knowing what she meant.

"It doesn't matter." Naja said. "Just do it."

Lancelot looked over at Merlin, who nodded.

"Fine!" Lancelot said. "I also know Merlin's secret."

This time the stone dropped.

"You're no fun." Naja pouted. "But fine. It'll just build up the suspense for Merlin's reveal."

She blinked at Merlin, but Merlin just stared back. Arthur put his hand on Lancelot's shoulder.

"Know that I meant what I said Lancelot. No matter what, you're still my friend. We can't control our hearts. No matter how much we want to."

"Thank you Arthur." Lancelot said.

"I knew I could trust you with my secret." Merlin said, replacing the shame in Lancelot's heart to pride and joy.

"I'm curious about this big secret of yours Merlin." Arthur said.

"All in good time, my king" Naja answered in Merlin's stead. "All in good time. I think it's the good knight's turn next."

"I guess that means me." Leon said, and shocked everyone when a tear fell down his face. "I've carried this secret for many years, and never told anyone until now." He paused and took a deep breath, steading his emotions.

"I once killed an innocent woman." Leon sighed. "It was in the middle of battle, and I didn't see her coming. When I heard her, I turned around, stabbed on pure instinct, before I realised who I was stabbing. I called for help, but by the time anyone came, she was gone. She… she died in my arms."

Leon dropped the stone. It took what felt like forever until it hit the water. Once it did, they all stood silent around the well. Arthur lifted his arm, and for a second, Merlin thought he was going to punch Leon in the arm, the way he'd once did Merlin in a ridiculous attempt to comfort him. Luckily, Arthur did no such thing. Instead, he laid a hand on Leon's shoulder. So did Lancelot. Percival stepped forward and surprised everyone by embracing the sobbing Leon.

"It was an accident." Percival said. "You didn't mean to hurt her."

Leon dried his tears, embarrassment on his face. He looked at Arthur and gave a joyless laugh.

"No man is worth my tears right?" he said as he dried his.

"That really is a ridiculous saying and I shall stop saying it at once." Arthur said.

"Yes, you really should." Merlin said.

The others nodded in agreement. They all stood quiet around the well, giving Leon the time he needed to calm down. Even Naja was quiet. But not for long.

"This is the best lineup in years." She said gleefully. "It didn't start to strong, but it's getting better."

"You're enjoying this?" Gwaine said angrily.

"Oh, I'm enjoying this very much." Naja said and blinked at him.

Gwaine looked as if he wanted to say something colourful, but before he'd the chance, Naja turned towards Arthur.

"Now it's your turn my king."

Arthur held his stone over the well. He only hesitated for a second before he started talking.

"I know what my father did to my mother. I know he made a pact so I could be born, and that it cost my mother her life. I hated him for it. The first thought that went through my head when he died was 'good'."

He dropped the stone without looking at the others. The stone hit the water fast. The knights and Merlin looked around when it did, no one saying a word. Even Naja seemed surprised.

"You're oddly at peace with this." She finally said, studying Arthur.

"I loved my father very much, but the love was bruised when I realised what he'd done to my mother. I realised a long time ago that I didn't agree with my father on certain things. I still love him, but him killing people to pay for his mistakes made it easier to forgive myself for my own thoughts."

Arthur looked around at his friends, and even though his face was stoic, his eyes were begging them to say something.

"You know," Merlin finally said. "the thing you said to us, about no matter what's said, we'll still be your friends? Well, that works both ways."

The others nodded.

"Definitely." Percival agreed.

"We all have father-troubles mate." Gwaine said and put a hand on Arthur's shoulder.

"I know King Uther was difficult some times." Leon agreed.

Arthur smiled.

"You guys are no fun." Naja complained from behind them. "Where is the drama? The screaming and judging?"

"Sorry Lady." Gwaine said. "Not today."

"Well, we'll see." Naja said. "Because I've saved the best for last."

The knights looked around, and confusion was clear in their faces as they realised Merlin was the only one left.

"Merlin," Arthur said. "you're up."

Merlin looked back at Naja as she sat on a stone behind Gwaine. She was studying him, a wicked smile on her lips.

"Oh, this is going to be good." She said, licking her lips.

Merlin sighed, and turned towards the well again. He took a deep breath, then another. Finally, he rose his gaze, and looked at Arthur as he started talking.

"Very well, here it comes. I have magic."

He was very impressed that the knights managed to keep quiet.

"I was born with it" Merlin continued, "and the druids say I'm the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth."

Merlin paused and tried to drop his stone.

It didn't work.

"Oh no, you won't get away that easily." Naja said. "This is you moment to tell it all Merlin."

Merlin couldn't bare looking at his friends, so he fixated his eyes on Naja instead.

"Fine." Merlin said. "I killed the griffin. I've fought witches, bandits. I've been punched, poisoned, pelted with fruit. I released the Great dragon. I was also the one who sent him away. I can do that, because I'm the last Dragonlord. I got that power when my father died. My father was Balinor by the way."

Merlin was on a roll now, and he looked up at his friend as he continued to speak. Behind them, Naja was smirking.

"I hatched one more dragon. His name is Aithusa. He lived with Morgana before she died. I'm also Dragoon the Great and the Dolma. I created Excalibur and I defeated Nimueh and Cornelius Sigan."

Suddenly, Merlin remembered the stone he was holding. The confession had made him forget it, but now he dropped it into the well. It was dead quite as they all waited for the stone to hit the bottom

"And by the way," Merlin said "the Druids call me Emrys."

Seven heads was turned towards him, their mouths open and their eyes wide. Then the stone hit the water, and the questions started raining over him.