Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of its characters, though I really wish I did lol!

A/N: It's done! Please let me know what you think :) I had fun writing this, and I hope you had fun reading it. Thank you silk-mistress for being the beta of my story, you did an amazing job!

Under the Assumption of Death

Chapter 8 – The Awakening and The New Begining

Hours later there had been a short awakening, and a small ripple of relief flooded through the small inhabitants that had been present in the small room. Merlin managed to croaked out a few words, drank some water that Arthur offered him, and quickly slipped back into sleep.

Gaius had fretted at first, fearing that Merlin would lose the use of his arm, and the thought of the young man being forced to cope with such a disability for the rest of his life had made Arthur shudder. He had spent hours feeling regret for an injury that was inflicted just so that he might live. Arthur had sworn that if the appendage was indeed lame, he would make sure that Merlin would not suffer any loss for it and that the boy would be taken care of, whether his father would approve of his desicion or not. This was a promise he had made to himself.

The next morning there were discoveries and awkward conversations about death and magic. At one point, Gaius had thought Merlin would pass out when they told him Arthur knew. His ward's face had quickly been drained of all color. They pacified him, but it was clear that what little they did discussed had worn the boy out.

Merlin did give them the gift of relief when he flexed his fingers briefly before quietly returning to sleep. Gaius informed the prince that the movement meant that the arm had not been permanently damaged, and with time the mobility should return. There was still a possibility that the arm could be weaker than before, and the physisian had said it would always be more susceptible to being dislocated again, but it would work and that was all that mattered to Arthur in the end.

MERLINMERLINMERLINMERLIN

That afternoon, Arthur returned from his duties to find Merlin sitting alone on the bed, back propped up by a mountain of donated pillows. His arm had been immobilized with tight bindings that wrapped and held the appendage against the boy's bare chest.

They both stared at one another in uncomfortable silence, neither having had the chance to truly discuss with the other what their new-found status was.

"You're looking better," Arthur ventured.

"Gaius says I can get out of bed later today as long as I don't try and do anything stupid," Merlin said.

"That's good" Arthur nodded, trying to figure out his next move. He had almost decided on how to broach the subject when Merlin finally beat him to it.

"How much do you know?" Merlin whispered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I know you know about me, you told me as much. You also said you didn't care, but how much did Gaius really tell you?" Merlin had been ready for 'some', or 'a bit', but when the blond moved towards him and actually answered, his stomach flipped.

"Everything," Arthur answered. "And apparently I am not responsible for as many heroic deeds as I have been lead to believe."

"You did many heroic acts," Merlin started, his lips curling into a smile. "You just had a little help doing them is all."

"Modest," Arthur smirked, directing the word at the younger man.

"Well then, maybe now I can finally get the credit I deserve," Merlin grinned, then his smile faltered. "Where does this leave us now?"

"Same place as before, in a way," Arthur answered, sitting down on the edge of the bed "...but different at the same time."

"I always thought you'd be mad," Merlin said ruefully. "Thought you'd throw something at me at least...or something."

"Well maybe I would have been, and for a moment I guess I was at first..." Arthur hesitated. "...but then I was no longer waiting to plunge to my death, and instead I was watching as you fell in my place. Harboring anger over kept secrets didn't really seem to matter at that moment."

"And after?" Merlin asked.

"I didn't seem to matter then either. I know it should have. I had thought about it, but as far as I knew you were...dead, and I couldn't—not at you," he explained. "Not after what you did, and after my talk with Gaius, I would have been a real prat if I could have found a reason to hold a grudge then."

"Thank you for accepting the truth, for accepting who I am," Merlin aknowledged gratefully, looking away.

Arthur smiled, and took a breath. "I know I said we could never be friends, and I know that no one could ever know any different, but I wanted you to know, Merlin, that despite everything I've said that I do consider you my friend. Assumedly, your're probably one of my only real ones, and I do and have appreciated the things that you've done, and the sacrifices you have made. You're a good man, Merlin, better than I deserve somtimes, but I'm glad you stay. "

Merlin felt the heat rise in his cheeks. such attention was not a regular occurance in his life. He found the praise, though comforting, quite embarassing at the same time.

"I stay for you, Arthur," he revealed. "You, too are a good man, and I have said before that you will become a great king. What I have done is for who you are, and who you will be. It's my destiny."

"So you stay because you are bound to a predestined fate?" Arthur asked.

The warlock frowned and could swear he heard disappointment in Arthur's tone. "At first," he admitted, "...but know that I do it because I believe in you Arthur, and I trust you. I, too consider you a friend, despite what I have been raised to believe, just as you have overcome the beliefs that you yourself have been taught in order to accept what I am."

"You'll always stay, won't you Merlin?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"Who else would make sure to keep you're ego down a few notches and dare to call you a prat? Besides I believe I told you before, if you remember, that I'd be happy to be you're servant till the day I die."

The prince snorted. He then moved to hold the younger man's gaze with a look that spoke volumes. "You won't always be just my servant, Merlin," Arthur promised. "Things will be different when I am King."

"I know," Merlin murmured knowingly. "but that's not why I stay."

Arthur closed his eyes and nodded. "Thank you."

Together they smiled.

Somewhere in the depths of his cave the dragon chuckled, his golden eyes shining. The future looked bright indeed.

FIN :)