Hey everyone, this is a continuation of the story, "The Purge Continues"

It was a bright and early afternoon in Camelot; a stark contrast to the chilly cold front that siezed Camelot the past few days driving everyone to stay indoors. The warm winds blew hard through the castle windows and traversed through the corridoors, rustling the servant women dresses as they clutched ever so tightly to themselves whilst giggling as they carried their laundry baskets to and fro the castle rooms. Although word had gone out Uther was sick, if anyone found out Uther was in critical condition, the kingdom would be vulnerable for attack by the many enemies seeking and quenching for revenge. It was advised by Uther himself to tell everyone that he was under the weather due to the drastic change of weather that came over Camelot. Most people in the castle decided to not waste any time staying indoors, in the cold and unlively place, and absorb the sunlight that cast upon them. There was much to celebrate. The warm weather was upon them, the King was happy Emrys had died, and the towns were busling again because of the spirit of joy caressing the kingdom. Of course Emry's didn't die, he was viewed as dead by Uther and the rest of the kingdom. Pockets of people did however know Emrys lived on, but they were no fool to correct the king after what the King did in order to search for Emrys. The continuation of the Great Purge was not on anyones wishlist that morning, and so those small amounts of people who knew, who knew Alvarr was not Emrys, zipped their mouths and continued shovling the earths soil onto their gardens, and selling pies. Even the birds ignored what occurred a few days ago, and tweeted sweetly as they sat on the ledges of the marble sills in the castle rooms, to present their song as an invitation to those behinds the walls of the castle. The windows had framed the lush green trees that rustled loudly in the wind, shaking off a few leaves to dance in the fresh breeze.

Arthur walked out of his room stiffly and rubbed his face feeling groggier than ever. Giving Merlin a day off felt like void in Arthur's stomach as he recalled taking out his own clothes and preparing fresh water to wash his face with. The pounding headache he had just didn't help either, but his rumbling stomach distracted him enough to take action by heading down to the royal kitches, which vented out a sweet aroma of duck and minced meat soup- Arthurs favorite. But Arthur had to do something first, and that was to check up on his father, despite feeling a sort of bitterness againsthis father after what he learned was the truth. He learned everything that caused the Great Purge, from him being a half brother to Morgause and Morgana, to his mother working with a magical community peacefully, to his fathers treacherous decisions he took upon friends and foe alike. But of course, what made his gut sink to the ground was when he heard he indeed was born from magic. Arthur silently appreciated Merlin for the first time, as a person he could confide in with his troubles and worries that overcame him with stress. He felt good to know that Merlin didn't judge Arthur for being born from magic, and was almost surprised Merlin seemed to not be terribly against those with magic. As Arthur headed inside his fathers room, he viewed the light and shade cast over his fathers sleeping face and found it strangly symbolic to his fathers personalities. He left the room, walked down the stairs and headed to the dining table to begin taming his rumbling stomach that nagged him for some delicious food. As he walked towards the dining room, he couldn't help but hear the clashing of utensils against a plate, and the slamming of a cup on the table after what he thought was a fish gulping water. Arthur approached the room cautiously, peering at what person was raiding the lunch prepared for royalty. Merlin

"Merlin!" called Arthur disapprovingly. Merlin was in the middle of slurping his minced meat soup and looked up at Arthur with a big smile.

"Arthur! You've finally woken up!" Merlin grabbed a roll and tossed it at Arthur. Arthur caught it against his chest and looked at perplexed. "I thought you would never wake up today... you were sleeping like a log. " Merlin said tearing a piece of the roll off and chewing at it. Arthur observed the freshness in Merlin's face. He obviously slept well. And bathed.

"What exactly are you doing here?"

"What? This?" Merlin asked stuffing the rest of the roll in his mouth. "I os initeh u eeh be-" Merlin swallowed after seeing Arthur looking puzzled. "I was invited to eat at the royal kitchens after the service I provided Camelot!"Merlin said in a cheery voice. "Kings Orders. " Merlin smirked looking at Arthur in a mischievous way. He tore off a leg of duck and chewed on it.

Arthur took a seat across Merlin and watched him gnaw at the duck leg. "What exactly does father think you did?"

"I helped Gaius of courss.. heal Uther from the poison Morgause used on him. "

"Right. " Arthur said, still staring at Merlin.

"Well go on, eat. " Merlin insisted, pointing at the food.

Arthur looked at the mess Merlin left behind on the table. There duck was picked of it's flesh (but the plum sauce was intact), the rolls were ripped in half and dresnched in the minced meat soup that spilled over the wooden table. If Arthur wanted a little fruit, he'd have to choose from an array of bruised or half eaten fruit. Merlin chewed a bit slower as he too looked at the mess and gulped down his bread roll.

"Hmm... you want some of my soup?" Merlin offered.

Arthur blinked and shook his head.

"No Thank You…" Arthur smirked sarcastically. He tore a piece off of what was left of the duck and stared at Merlin while taking a bite.

"You should have seen breakfast! That was something else!"

"You ate breakfast too?"

"Yeah! It was fantastic! Arthur, you reallllly take breakfast for granted-"

"Weren't you too sleepy to wake up for breakfast?"

"It was a late breakfast... couple hours ago infact. I'm surprised you slept so much to tell you the truth. I was more sleep deprived than you were. " Merlin said staring at a piece of grape between his fingertips, admiring it's plump juicyness it was expected to bring. "You know, you really don't look all that rested... "

"I couldn't really sleep... " Arthur said solemnly, jabbing at the duck in disgust, as he realized it was a piece of tendon.

"You're telling me… I had the worst nightmare. You came up to me and told me that Morgause somehow got this list of sorcerers from the Great Purge. It was awful. "

Arthur looked up at Merlin staggered, in almost absolute disgust.

"Merlin. That did happen. Morgause DOES have the list!"

Merlin stopped chewing his grape.

"WHA? Arthur! What are doing here then! We should have gone after her!" Merlin whispered, drawing his head nearer, absolutely aghast.

Arthur stared at Merlin shocked, mouth open, ready to attack.

"Merlin! YOU'RE THE one who was BARKING about how we have 'time' and that we don't need to go after her!" he yellwed, leaning closer.

"Are you crazy? Since when did you ever listen to me!" Merlin spat back.

A servant came by and approached Arthur. "Sire, would you like some more duck…?"

"Yes please... " Arthur smiled tensely, turning to Merlin infuriated, waiting for his lungs to exert fire at Merlin. The boys waited for the servant to leave.

Merlin shook his head adamantlly. "Arthur, we can't sit here, you don't know what Morgause can do... "

"You told me Morgause wouldn't do anything to me… are you saying now she might?"

Merlin looked down.

"Arthur... I have no idea. You were talking to a sleepy man before. "

Arthur looked down, not heated up, though a little steamed and shook his head before he divulged the next piece of information he hid from Merlin for the past 10 minutes.

"It doesn't matter. "

"What are you talking about…we need to go after her!" Merlin said shaking his head in mad laughter.

Arthur was silent.

"I already did. "

Merlin stared at Arthur and blinked. He didn't say anything for a few moments that Arthur began getting worried.

"What?" Merlin breathed.

"I already went... I couldn't sleep last night. My mind was on Morgause... so... I took the magical travelling necklace and went to Carmarthen. "

"You went... to Carmarthen... using the magical necklace?" Merlin asked horrified.

"Yes... I did it so that I could stop Morgause from using the list. " Arthur said trying to justify it to not only Merlin but himself.

"And did you?"

"No. She was gone. "

"Unbelievable!" Merlin said shaking his head, scolding Arthur with his eyes. " Aside from using magic, since when did you go on these adventures without me...? "

"It wasn't an 'adventure' Merlin. Besides, I gave you your chance... you, wanted to sleep! "

Arthur poured some wine in his cup to dissapate Merlins penetrating stare of disbelief with what he tried was nonchalantness.

"Arthur... are you really that comfortable using a magical necklace? Your father would kill you! Literally!"

"Merlin, I will only use magic when it is an utmost necessity. My mother worked with magical people… I don't think it's as evil as my father sees it. My mother can't be that naïve and mindless. "

Merlin tried to process this new information the best he could and didn't know what to say.

"Arthur, really, you need to be careful... I don't know what your father would do... "

"Thank you Merlin for your concern. But it'll be alright. I know who the pardoner is when it comes to people breaking the rule... "

"You mean your father?" Merlin said as a matter of factl-ly.

"No. " Arthur said sipping some wine from his cup. "Me. Gaius is having me help my father take on some activities. My role is to sign pardons for people who break the law of the lands. " Arthur said in a simple smile.

Merlin shook his head stunned. He knew should embrace it but the fact that Arthur was breaking alot of rules began to unnerve Merlin a little more than he would have expected. He shook his head when the servant came in and placed a freshly cooked duck on the table, leaving it for the boys to attack. Merlin reached out for it when Arthur pushed Merlin's hands off.

"You had yours Merlin. This one is mine. "