EDIT: Merlin/Arthur slash. Season three Morgana spoilers!

Merlin's stomach growled.

"Will you stop that?" Arthur said, slamming his fork down.

"I'm sorry! I can't help it!" Merlin retorted, a little louder than he had intended.

"What is wrong with you, Merlin?" Arthur shouted. "You've been acting weird all day!"

"I'm sorry, sire." Merlin knew he had crossed a line.

"You've been worse than usual! First you woke me up two hours late. Then you nearly ruined my armour with that stuff you got from Gaius's stores. You almost dropped my lunch and you spilled water all over my floor. Are you sure you even woke up this morning?"

Merlin winced, but hid it by turning to adjust Arthur's bed sheets which were already in perfect order. "I'm sorry, sire," Merlin said again. "I was unable to sleep well last night. Um...Gaius snores rather loudly sometimes," he added at Arthur's questioning look.

"So you were late because you couldn't sleep." Arthur looked unimpressed.

"Yes, but don't tell Gaius I told you he snores," Merlin added hastily. "He'd be so embarrassed."

"Well, maybe you should tell him. I'm sure he'll have something he can take for it." Arthur said, looking annoyed. "It'd be good for you both."

Merlin smirked, "You're probably right, Arthur," he said. "In fact, I think I'll go tell him now. That is, if it suits you, sire."

"Sure," said Arthur, who had returned to his lunch. Just as Merlin turned to leave however, he looked up and suddenly said, "Wait. Why are you smirking?" His tone was suspicious.

"Oh, well, I'm just glad to see you enjoying your lunch," Merlin lied quickly, perhaps with a little resentment. His own belly ached with hunger and he felt slightly irritable.

"Now really," said Arthur indignantly. "Like you would be glad of something like that." He suddenly looked alarmed. "Is there food on my face?"

Merlin suppressed laugh. "No!" he said with a smile. "There's nothing wrong with your face."

Arthur eyed him suspiciously, but Merlin could have sworn he saw his cheeks turn the slightest shade of pink. "You're not lying?" Arthur asked.

"No! There's nothing!" Merlin assured him, but then he could not stop himself and he said quickly, "Except now it seems to have changed color." His smirk grew and he avoided Arthur's gaze.

"What do you mean?" asked Arthur loudly, with perhaps a twinge of embarrassment.

"Nothing!" Merlin said quickly. "I must be seeing things, sire."

"Yes," Arthur said, seizing the theory. "You have sleep deprivation. Go rest before you do anymore damage, Merlin."

"Thank you, sire. I will." Merlin hastened out of Arthur's chambers.

He felt a little guilty for lying to him, but how could he tell Arthur that the real reason he was exhausted was that he could not stop worrying about Morgana? He had searched through his magic book all night looking for some way of stopping her or revealing her true intentions. He did not even notice that he had fallen asleep until Gaius had pulled his head up from the book and told him it was it ten o'clock.

Now he walked back to Gaius's study deep in thought. His vision was slightly blurred, the result of a mere four hours of sleep. When he opened the door to the study he found Gaius making potions. As the old man turned and opened his mouth to speak Merlin stopped him, saying, "No, I'm not doing any chores right now. I've missed breakfast and lunch and I didn't get much sleep. I am going to eat some bread and cheese and then I am going to bed."

He half-expected Gaius to say something, but the old man simply shrugged understandingly and returned to his potion-making.

Without another word, Merlin grabbed his food and went to his room. He threw himself belly-down onto his bed and grabbed his book from under it. As he took a bite of bread, he started flipping through it hoping to find some kind of idea.

Before he had turned more than a few pages, his eyelids grew heavy and his head sank closer and closer to the book. He swallowed his mouthful of food and allowed sleep to overtake him.

It seemed like he'd hardly closed his eyes for more than a minute before he woke to somebody shaking him by the shoulder. He turned over to see Gaius staring down at him.

"Prince Arthur is here, Merlin," he whispered, looking mildly surprised. Merlin looked past Gaius to see Arthur standing in his own bedroom doorway wearing an unreadable expression. This gave Merlin a bad feeling, and he turned back to Gaius and asked, "How long was I asleep?"

"About four hours," Gaius replied, "He said he wanted to speak with you. Alone," the physician added with a questioning look.

"Huh. I wonder what I did that was so bad even you can't know about it," Merlin grumbled sleepily, getting up.

"I'll take this for you," said Gaius a little louder and Merlin turned to see him picking up the book he had just been using as a pillow.

"Oh, yeah, thanks Gaius," Merlin replied, rubbing his face. "Sorry I couldn't find anything in it."

As Gaius left, Merlin realized Arthur had still not said anything, which made his bad feeling grow worse.

"What is it, sire?" Merlin asked, still rubbing his face and worrying at what was coming.

Arthur turned to look at Merlin directly in the eye. "I just wanted to apologize for earlier. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

Surprised, Merlin said, "Its fine, sire. I've been a mess tod-"

Arthur continued, "No, it's not...I really am sorry I yelled...and...You need to know that."

There was a moment of silence in which Merlin stared at Arthur in disbelief and Arthur averted his gaze awkwardly. He seemed strangely embarrassed. Merlin did not know what to say and was a little relieved when Arthur spoke again.

"I trust you slept well?" he asked.

"Yes, I got a little rest," Merlin replied hesitantly, suspicious of the thoughtful inquiry.

"Good," said Arthur, suddenly back to his usual brisk self, "because I need you to clean my armour and muck out my horses."

"Of course," Merlin mumbled, and he began to walk toward the door. However, he was stopped suddenly by Arthur's hand on his chest. Merlin looked questioningly from the hand to Arthur's face and saw a strange expression there. He appeared oddly torn. Then he said very quickly and without looking at Merlin. "I don't want you to do it now."

Again, Merlin did not know what to say, but was even more surprised when Arthur turned his gaze back to his and the next second he felt the prince's lips meet his own. Startled, he stepped backwards, and his heel hit the corner of his bed. As he reeled, arms flailing, Arthur grabbed his shirt and stopped him from hitting the floor. Arthur pull him back up fiercely and suddenly his hot breath was on Merlin's face and his fist still gripped his shirt tightly. Shocked, Merlin could not look at Arthur. He merely tried to understand what had happened. Then he made himself turn his eyes back to Arthur's and saw an expression of torn intensity change to confused resignation. Before he knew what he was doing, as Arthur's grip on him loosened he raised his trembling hands to Arthur's face and pressed his lips against his prince's.

The kiss lasted only a few seconds before they parted. Perhaps due to his exhaustion or the intensity of the situation or both, tears began to well in Merlin's eyes as he stared at Arthur, still wordless.

Arthur stared back for a moment, then looked away with the same resignation Merlin had seen flicker in his eyes before. Then his expression hardened and he said,"Speak of this to no one." His eyes flitted back to meet Merlin's once more, but then he dropped his hand from Merlin's shirt and turned to leave, adding in a slightly strained voice, "I'll expect you in my chambers tomorrow morning as usual." Then he was gone.

Please review! I'd love to know what you think of my first fan fiction! Constructive criticism is loved! Thanks for reading!