Sunlight streamed in through the small window in the upper corner of the room waking Merlin. He squinted and moved his hand to cover his eyes, but found his muscle groaned in response from the previous days hard work. He could feel that we he was wearing all of his clothes save his shoes as the second the pair had returned they had scoffed down dinner and then promptly crashed, just barely making it into bed. He yawned and stretched out his tied and sore muscles, immediately regretting the action.

"Oww!" He moaned collapsing back to the cot face first groaning in discomfort.

"What're 'uo on 'bout?" Arthur said rolling over and facing Merlin in his half-conscious awakened state.

"M' sore." Merlin said turning his head so that he was face to face with Arthur.

" 'Cause 'ur a wimp. 'Nd an idiot." Arthur mumbled.

" 'M not, 'ou're still a prat."

" 'Ou always say 'hat. Think of something 'ew. Oh, forgot, 'our're not that 'mart." Arthur said chuckling a few times.

"At least I 'on't laugh at my own jokes."

"Laughed 'cos it was funny."

"Wasn't"

"Was"

"Wasn't"

"Was, 'nd you won't 'mit that 'cause you're a faery princess."

" 'M a faery princess?"

"Mhm, 'ou are. You go 'to the forres' with 'em and dance every full moon. 'S exactly what you do."

"No, 's what you do."

" 'S not."

"'Thur Pendragon Crown Prince of 'amelot and High Princess of the faery court, born to kill, be a prat and dace in the moonlight." Merlin said then he laughed a bit.

"You 'ust laughed at your own joke so ha and ha."

"You did it twice."

"No, didn't."

"Yah, 'ah did."

"Nu-uh."

"Yuh-huh."

"Boys! I hope you're up! You've got one hour before you have to be at Gaerth's so wipe that sleep out of your eyes and get a move on!" Clara called to the sleep drunk pair.

Merlin, somewhat used to hard farming and getting up early, rolled over and got up groaning and his muscles felt as if they'd been ripped apart. Arthur, however, just mumbled something under his breath and rolled onto his other side.

Yawning widely, the young warlock enter the small hovel of the kitchen where he saw Clara calmly drinking her tea. "Well at least we have one of the pair awake and somewhat functioning." She said looking up form her tea and smiling softly and Merlin. "Although I'm not quite sure how your other half is doing."

Merlin took a seat across from the elderly lady, his black hair sticking up in the back as a sign of his rather atrocious bed head, his clothes were mussed.

Wait, his clothes.

Why was he still dressed in his grubby clothing.

"You came home exhausted ate all the food and passed out on your cots the second you hit them. I'd guess neither of you are all the accustomed to the hard life of a farmer?" Clara said observing how Merlin had looked at his clothing in shock.

"I was, like what- about a year and a half ago, then I moved to Camelot and managed to get myself stuck with that great arse." Merlin said smiling fondly at the memories.

"You don't seem to mind." Clara said raising one of her white eyebrows in question.

Merlin seemed to contemplate the question for a few moments before answering. "I-I don't know he's gotten better, he's changed."

Clara looked at him warmly, knowledge twinkling in her eyes. "I have a feeling he's not the only one who's changed since you arrived at Camelot, of course I didn't know you previously but, I suppose I have a rather funny feeling my assumption would prove to be true. So tell me, why would you head to the heart of a kingdom that hates people such as us?"

"Honestly, I didn't have anywhere else to turn to, my mother was friends with the Physician there and he's been taking care of me ever since he's excellent really. Together we've been saving the royal family all this time, it's quite a job let me tell you." Merlin said smiling to himself, this not going unnoticed by Clara.

"I can imagine, so what's this physician's name, perhaps I know him all we healers seem to intermingle at one point in time really." Clara asked.

"Oh, his name is Gaius, he's got white shoulder length hair, gives you the eyebrow look a lot." Merlin answered fondly, remembering his home in Camelot.

"Gaius?" Clara said disbelievingly.

"Yah, why?" Merlin asked, her response seemed out of place.

"Oh." Clara said simply looking and stirring her tea a sorrowful expression crossing her face which was mirrored in the reflection of her tea.

"Is something wrong?" Merlin asked, clearly worried by the sudden change in her mood.

"No, don't be silly not at all perhaps you should awaken Arthur, best not be late again." Clara said, clearly plastering a false smile on her face.

"Alright." Merlin said, his hopes with talking to Clara about his mother dashed.

Merlin walked down the tiny hallway to their shared room where Arthur was currently sprawled out on his tiny cot. His mouth hung open and his bed head clearly obvious, pieces sticking up all over his white pillow, if Merlin hadn't been accustomed to the seeing the sleeping prince he might've called the scene as 'adorable'.

Taking advantage of the sleeping prince he grabbed his own pillow and crept up on Arthur making sure the prince did not hear his footsteps on the floor. He crept closer and closer until he was standing over the prince and with a great cry he hit the prince square in the face with the pillow.

"Ahhhh!" Arthur said sprawling awkwardly and his limps flailing about him clearly not expecting a surprise pillow attack. Merlin took the opportunity to hit the stunned prince in the face with the pillow yet again, Merlin's laughter ringing throughout the small hut.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelled throwing his arms up to defend his face and the pillow attack by his manservant.

"Revenge!" Cried merlin continuing the assault, "Reeevengeee!"

Arthur, now prepared for the pillow fight grabbed his own weapon, his pillow, and used it to block the next blow from Merlin who was laughing rather hard at this point. The Prince took this chance to land a blow to Merlin's face, the sorcerer was knocked back a few steps and Arthur took his this as his chance to get too his feet, pillow in hands.

The two faced each other, pillows in hands mock circling each other and identical grins plastered on their faces. They mock circled each other, holding their pillows as swords and grinning like complete and utter fools.

"So we meet again Prince Arthur." Merlin said in a fake deep voice, trying not to laugh.

"Indeed though I'm terribly afraid this meeting shall be our last, Merlin Prince of Darkness." Arthur said glaring at his manservant trying to will his smile to not show.

"Prince of Darkness, wow Arthur truly creative, color me impressed." Merlin said a smirk gracing his high cheek bones.

Arthur took the chance that Merlin was distracted and charge at him trying to hit Merlin in the head with his pillow but missed when Merlin ducked and instead hit Arthur in the side. The fight broke out in chaos.

Merlin was basically just swinging his pillow in the general direction of the prince, Arthur using the same tactic against Merlin. Merlin started to run around the small room, Arthur chasing him yelling, "You shall fall Merlin Prince of Darkness!" Merlin practically crying he was laughing so hard.

"Ahhhahahaha!" Merlin cried as Arthur overcame Merlin's pillow assault and tackled him to his be mat Merlin raining blow after blow upon the Prince.

"Surrender!" Arthur said trying to womp Merlin with his pillow.

"Neverrr!" Cried Merlin in-between laughter.

"So be it then!" Arthur said in his prattish voice before receiving a pillow to the face via his manservant who was now overcome with a surge of laughter.

Using this to his advantage Arthur managed to get Merlin's wrist and pin them to the floor."Do you surrender at last Merlin, Prince of Darkness?" Arthur asked his manservant once again.

"Neverr!" Merlin cried dramatically.

Arthur smirked at his friend, "Than you leave me no choice!" He said and then in once swift motion picked up his pillow and continued to hit Merlin in the face and upper torso repeatedly both laughing and in near hysterics.

Merlin swore he'd never seen Arthur that happy in the entire time he'd known him.

"Boys! Do you just have this affair with being late?" Clara said sticking her head into their small room. At seeing the pillow fight she just smiled to herself and wondered how two people could manage to be so oblivious to their own feelings.

This seemed to resonate with Arthur and he straightened up getting off of Merlin, who was currently blushing, "I'll just get dressed then..." His sentence trailing off once he realized he was already dressed. "Wow Merlin, dressing me in my sleep who knew you could be so dedicated? Oh wait no, you just forgot to undress me, didn't you?" Arthur said glaring at his manservant.

"I was tired!" Merlin said to his own defense.

"Well I was still dressed and in case you fail to notice I am the-" Arthur started saying rather prattishly before he was interrupted by Merlin yet again.

"-Crown Prince of Camelot. I know, you go around shouting it a lot in case you haven't noticed." Merlin said rolling his eyes at the blonde prince.

"I..what I do not!" Arthur sputtered back at Merlin indignantly.

Merlin crossed his arms, staring down at Arthur with his blue eyes, "You do actually, it's very annoying not to mention prattish."

"Oh yah well-" Arthur said trying to counter Merlin's attack.

"Boys! Honestly Arthur how old are you?" Clara interrupted.

"20" Arthur said somewhat sheepishly.

"And you Merlin?" Clara said peering down the bridge of her nose to look the warlock in his eyes.

"19" Merlin murmured.

Clara turned his gaze back to the prince. "So Arthur don't you think it's time you learned to dress yourself?" She queried.

"...Maybe..." Arthur said looking at the ground like it was much more interesting than his conversation with Clara.

Clara clapped her hands together, "Excellent! Well now that that's settled I think it best you be on your way, wouldn't want you to be late...no wards of mine are late just to let you two know since you seem to attract danger and foolishness." She lectured returning to the kitchen the boys following her as was shooing them out the door.

"Oh, you have no idea." Merlin said shaking his head at the elderly woman.

"Go on now, here's your lunches I packed for you two. Have a great day boys, and try to not get yourselves in trouble. Remember public displays of affection are frowned upon!" Clara said handing them their little lunch sacks that looked more like a snack then lunch as she hurried them out the door smiling and giving each of them a kiss on the forehead as they set of too Gaeth's farm. The pair exchanging matching looks of confusion at her statement of public displays of affection.

()()()()()()()()()

They reached Gaerth's farm relatively quickly as they now knew where it was and this time they were not distracted with chasing each other around, all though there was quite a bit of shoving that went on, but that was to be expected really.

Gaerth was out in the fields shoveling an ominous brown heap into a waiting cart a young lady standing next to him swinging her hips to an invisible beat, hands clasped behind her long black hair streamed in the wind behind her, her stained dress flowing around her in the gust of wind. She seemed to notice Merlin and Arthur and hurried ran over to greet them, not even attempting to behave like a lady.

She was skinny, almost unnaturally so, her dress seemed to hang of her and her gangly limbs which seemed to just dangle of her body. She wore an old tattered dress that seemed to be small for her height and the hem of her dress was a good foot above her ankles, the garment covered in patches. She had exuberant green eyes with long black lashes and her complexion was that of a tanned brown form working beside her brother in the field in the days. But the most striking feature was her smile which seemed to have a life of itself. There was a large gap between her two front teeth, but she seemed so happy to see the visitors.

"Hi! My name's Jae! You MUST be Merlin and Arthur! You aren't from around here right? I think that that is SO cool I want to travel but Clara says no, I also really want to be a princess but I can't be that either which is a shame. Gaerth tells me I wouldn't want to be a princess but I really do. Think of all the horses in the stable there! I mean dresses might be nice and all but I REALLY love horses. I think they're jus SO smart and lovely and-"

"Jae; a simple hello would be fine." Gaerth said reprimanding his younger sister. At seeing how crestfallen she now seemed Gaerth kneeled down beside her, "Princesses have to have good manners." He added smiling to the little girl.

Jae's smile returned ten fold. She curtsied to the two men and stood up back straight, "Well then if you'll follow me into my royal kingdom I would be very much honored." She said her smile blinding.

"Your highness." Merlin said bowing slightly to Jae who giggled. "I'm Merlin, my Lady and this is Arthur." Merlin said nudging Arthur to bow as well. He did, rather awkwardly and stiffly, "Lady Jae, I'm Arthur." Jae giggled even more, smiling broadly.

"Such gentleman here in the Court!" Jae said continuing to play along.

Arthur smiled at her softly, "A man is not measured by the money in his pockets, but by the love in his heart."

Jae smiled even more, "Then," She said picking up a nearby twig "I dub you Sir Arthur Knight of Camelot." She said tapping it on each of his shoulders.

"Thank-you my lady." Arthur said gravely looking up with his blue eyes sparking. Merlin could feel his chest warming, that his prince had grown so much over this past year, it still amazed him. Arthur, who had once been uncaring and spoiled, was now the most compassionate person he knew. He was funny, stubborn, brave, loyal and sympathetic. Everything you could want in another person, in Merlin's eyes he was perfect.

"C'mon Sir Arthur let's go play!" Jae said grabbing his hand and pulling him abruptly to his feet trying to run the house.

Gaerth seemed quite amused, "He can't play Jae he's got to work."

Jae's smile faltered, "But he's a knight, knight don't farm they fight! We're going to protect the Kingdom and have adventures and slay-"

"Jae!" Gaerth said cutting her off abruptly, "We don't speak like that, and you know that!" He took a deep breath and let it out, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Why don't you go get some flowers?" He said a fake smile in place.

"Can Arthur come with me?" Jae asked hope in her voice.

Gearth was about to say something but Arthur cut him off, "Not right now; but how about after we'll save Camelot from the dragons?" He said his smile reaching all the way up to his eyes.

"OK!" Jae exclaimed happily and started skipping to the meadow turning around to wave to Merlin and Arthur; the pair waved back a smile in place.

"Sorry about that, she's just-different that's all." Gaerth said his face clouded.

Arthur waved him off, "She's perfectly fine."

"I know, I just she wouldn't bring it up so casually, it makes everyone so uncomfortable and none of the village children will play with her now." Gaerth said shaking his head sadly.

"What's it?" Merlin asked innocently enough.

Gearth looked around shiftily, "Camelot, you know the Kingdom, more specifically Uther Pendragon."

Before he could think better of it Arthur spoke, "What do you have against the King?" a bit indignantly, receiving an elbow from Merlin.

Gaerth's eyes seemed instantly saddened, "Listen it's a long story and we have a lot of fertilizing ahead of us, how about I tell you as we go if you really must know."

"Alright then." Arthur agreed finding the answer acceptable.

"Great." Gaerth said sadly. "Now here's what we need to do first, we need to get that manure into that cart so we can spread in on the field."

"Manure?" Arthur asked slowly.

"Of course," Gaerth responded as if Arthur asked if air was necessary to breathe, "what else would we use to fertilize our crops, chicken meat? Or as Uther would see it the blood of our enemies." He said bitterly picking up a shovel and hoisting a shovel of manure into the cart.

Merlin picked up a shovel and started to shovel as well and seeing Arthur standing there like a stupid sod who had no idea what he was doing he tossed a shovel towards Arthur who caught it and looked at the pile disgustingly.

"Well it's no going to shovel itself." Gaerth said looking at Arthur as if he'd suddenly grown a third head. Slowly, Arthur scooped up a shovel full and attempted to get it into the cart but missed.

"Hey! That's expensive stuff there buddy don't waste it, Jez did you ever work on a farm before?" He asked Arthur.

"Um, not I'm er...not really the farming type..." Arthur sputtered out trying to cover his tracks.

"So then what kind of type are you?" Gaerth asked.

"Well he's a prat that's for start." Merlin interjected.

Arthur shot Merlin an annoyed look, "Hey, watch your mouth Emrys I'll have you know I'm a brilliant swords man."

Merlin scoffed at Arthur's claim, "Comparing your sword fighting skills with a ten year old doesn't count you know."

Arthur glared at Merlin and started walking towards him shovel in hand, "I'll show you my sword fighting skills Merlin-"

"Ok, guys I'm actually still here I hope you know." Gaerth stated, more than a bit worried as too what he might actually witness if he let the conversation continue in it's direction.

The pair both looked at him and got back to work, shoveling cow dung into the cart quietly.

But the quiet was not to last as Arthur and Merlin could never be characterized as 'quiet types'. "You said something about Uther soaking the fields with the blood of his enemies...what did you mean by that?" Arthur asked out loud. Merlin, from the other side of the cart, shot him a look that they were supposed to be undercover at the moment.

Gaerth looked up from his shovel full, "You mean you actually like King Uther?" Gaerth said like there was something foul on his tongue.

"I take it you don't?" Arthur said dodging the question with all the effortless grace he had learned at court.

Gaerth glared at Arthur, "No I do not, and if I didn't worship the Goddesses so devoutly I would have killed the man by now." He said so much hate in his voice he could've killed.

"Really? Why?" Arthur asked, intrigued and worried at the same time, Merlin shooting him a glance that was telling him not to pry. Shockingly, Arthur ignored Merlin's look and his blue eyes were ablaze with questions.

Gaerth put his shovel down, walking over to Arthur meeting his blue eyes. "You want to know why? I'll tell you why. He killed my sisters, my mother, my brother and my father. This land is soaked in the blood of the thousands he killed, wait not that's not possible. You want to know why? Because he burned most of his victims alive! There was nothing left, nothing to hold, just ashes, ashes that blew away in the wind." Gaerth said vehemently, his eyes burning with hatred.

Merlin, relating to his plight shot Arthur a 'Don't say anything stupid look' and proceeded forward laying a hand on Gaerth's shoulder in a calming manner. "You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to.' Merlin said in a small voice.

Gaerth looked up, "No, I want everyone to know what that man-" he spat out angrily, "did to my family and to my sister. My little sisters."

He looked up, his eyes clouded with tears, "We lived in Camelot during my childhood, I'm the youngest of all of us." His voice breaking at the end, he took a deep breath recollecting himself as he continued on with his tale. "Keayon, was the oldest he was 12 at the time, the twins Jae and Caerle were 8 and I was 4. I was playing with my friends, we all were when we heard the Queen had died in child birth, my mother came running sobbing and we took what we could and we left. She had a friend who worked for the palace and they had told my mother to leave at once, that Uther had lost in and in his grief was banning magic and killing all who practiced it. We were leaving when Caerle was playing in the streets with Jae and a horse was spooked by the guards, it reared up and stomped on Caerle." He took a calming breath his knuckles white. "Jae being her twin rushed over to her and laid her little hands on Caerle's chest healing her with her magic. Her-her hands were so little and Jae was so sad and worried that was her twin her best friend and she couldn't let Caerle die. The guards saw this and pulled Jae and Caerle apart but my mother couldn't let her babies be harmed so she used magic against the guards, but they had a sorcerer too and he took her too, and my father and my brother, but not me. I don't have magic." His voice broke and he was silently weeping into his hands, his body shaking.

Arthur's blonde eyebrows knitted together, how could Jae still be 8 years old, she must be at least in her 20's, better yet how was she still alive?

"I don't understand," he muttered "how is Jae still 8 then and why is she here?" He asked.

Merlin shot Arthur the mother of all glares, and continued to try to comfort Gaerth in his grief and pain.

Gaerth looked up, "I'll tell you why, because he tortured them. The guards brought my family before the King and he had my mother and father killed on the spot, my brother too. But not my sisters, he'd seen what they could do, that they were twins. So you know what they decided? To experiment! To experiment with my little sisters too see if they could rip the bond they shared apart! They did too. It killed Caerle since she was always the quite one and the maid managed to get Jae out of there before they killed her." He said in a rush, his pain obvious as his tears fell silently down his cheeks.

"She's going to die soon, that's why we came here. Clara is such an excellent healer, the fact she's been able to keep Jae alive this long is proof enough of that." He collapsed in sob's as he thought of his 'little' sister dying.

Arthur looked at Merlin, so many questions filling his head he was unsure where to even begin, fortunately for him it seemed that Merlin could read him well enough to know what he was about to ask.

"A twin cannot survive without it's other half." Merlin said his voice seemed broken and laden with grief for the poor child. "Gaius had me help deliver twins once, the older boy died and soon after the younger girl died as well." Merlin said his blue eyes going foggy with the memory.

Arthur stood there, dumbstruck and completely numb. He didn't understand wasn't magic evil? Wasn't it? But she was just saving her sister and to have her should ripped apart...

Wasn't it against everything he'd ever learned?

"She'll appear eight years old forever,never really aging because technically she no longer exists because her soul is too shattered. So don't be alarmed if she forgets you tomorrow she has me...memory troubles." His voice breaking all over again. "That bastard look what he did to my sister, my big sister is now my little sister. I ask the Fates why and they never answer me back, why must she suffer like this. Why?" Gaerth asked some unseeing force, his grief coating his words.

"I'm sorry." Arthur said, his blue eyes clouded with a myriad of emotions.

"I just need a drink and too wash off my face, I'll...I'll be back in five minutes or so.." Gaerth said tossing his shovel down and taking off towards the river.

"Arthur?" Merlin said stepping over cautiously to his friend.

"I don't understand...I...just don't." Arthur admitted to his friend.

"I know." Merlin responded laying his hand gently on Arthur's shoulder. They stood like that for a few minutes each ensconced in their thoughts and a quite and calming silence over took them as they waited for Gaerth's return.

Gaerth returned a short while later he still seemed slightly upset, but at least he was trying to mask it now. "Alright, now that we've got all the manure in the cart we're going to spread it on the field Arthur you take the cart and Merlin you shovel because I saw how earlier this guy with a shovel and it didn't look so good."

Merlin laughed, "It's because he's a clot-pole."

Gaerth let out an abrupt bark of laughter, "A what?"

"Clot-pole." merlin answered.

"And what the hell is that?" Gaerth asked the young sorcerer.

"Him." Merlin said pointing to a scowling Arthur.

"You're hilarious." Arthur gritted out between his pearly whites.

Merlin shrugged the prince off, "I do try."

Gaerth shook his head, "Best we get back to work I'm going to get some chores done around the fields and when you two are down with that we'll have lunch, yah?" Gaerth more stated than asked.

"Sounds good." Merlin said nodding his approval of the plan, picking up his shovel. Gaerth nodded and began his trek back the main house, meanwhile Arthur stood there very unsure of what he was supposed to be doing.

Merlin chuckled lightly, "Do you have any idea what it is you're actually doing?" He asked the prince.

"Um...well I just need to..um..push this? Yah, push this." Arthur said struggling to push the cart which was unmoving.

Merlin covered his mouth to keep from laughing as Arthur failed to move the cart using all his strength. Eventually the incognito prince decided to really put his back into it and strained in vain against the large cart.

"What's so damned funny? I'd like to see your skinny arse push this thing it's massive." Arthur said puffing out his chest, a natural defense mechanism for the prince.

Merlin, no longer able to control his giggles, laughed outright, "That's because you're not supposed to push it you massive pillock! That's what we have donkeys and horses for. Oh, honestly Arthur." Merlin said shaking his head, humor etched into his features.

Arthur scowled at Merlin, "And just where are we getting this creature from?" He asked his manservant.

"Oh I don't know, maybe the stables?" Merlin said shooting him a crocked smile. Arthur gave him a blank expression which really only made Merlin grin wider feeling really quite clever.

"Lead the way then, Merlin." Arthur said drawling his manservants name out.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

They found the stables located behind the house to the left and had found a rather older looking donkey and decided he would be a safe bet and couldn't possibly cause any trouble for the pair.

Oh, how they were wrong.

"Merlin, it won't move!"

"What do you mean, 'it won't move'?"

"I mean THE SODDING CREATURE WON'T MOVE you moron!"

"Come up with something new you've been using that one for how long?"

"If you don't get over here I'm going to have it permanently written on your forehead."

"Fine!" Merlin grumbled as he made his way over from the shovelful he was unloading to where the prince was staring quizzically at the donkey.

"It's not moving." Arthur explained.

Merlin rolled his eyes, "Really I just had NO idea." He said sarcastically.

Arthur glared at him, "So what do we do?" The prince asked folding his arms across his broad chest.

Merlin sighed a long suffering breath and walked up the donkey's face. "Come on then," he started softly at the creature reaching out to pet it's muzzle when the donkey's head lurched up and tried to bit Merlin.

"It tried to bite me!" Merlin exclaimed jumping away from the sassy donkey.

"I thought it was trying to lick you." Arthur shrugged nonchalantly holding back his laughter by biting his lips.

Merlin glared at him. Turning his attention back to the donkey Merlin decided to try to gain it's friendship first, "I know it's hard being worked all day every day and not getting any thanks-" he shot a glare at Arthur who pointedly ignored him "-but sometimes you have to solider on because people are depending on you-"

Merlin was cut off by an indignant, "The only things depend on you for and you're either late or they're not done."

"Quite you!" Merlin hollered at the prince who just rolled his eyes.

"Don't listen to him, he's just a big prat," Merlin cooed at the donkey, "We would just really appreciate it if you could move and help us out a bit, then we promise we'll take you back to your stall and you can rest and eat. Does that sound good?" Merlin finished sweetly.

"It sounds like you're trying to seduce him." Arthur grumbled and received a sharp elbow to the side for his remark.

"You're fond of using that thing aren't you?"

"Very, in fact."

"It's very pointy."

"Well it's not covered by fat like someone else's." Merlin said looking pointedly at Arthur. "Now let's see if-" Merlin said reaching out his hand and trying to stroke the donkey's muzzle only this time merlin managed to pet the donkey.

"Oh see, you're just misunderstood." Merlin said relating to the donkey.

Arthur huffed, "Well I would let you pet me if you talked to me like that too." the prince declared. Wait a moment, he wasn't supposed to actually be saying that out loud.

Merlin spun around, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just that you never treat me nicely and if you did maybe I'd give you some time off." He said letting a breath he had been holding out.

Merlin turned back around to continue petting the donkey, "I'd be nice if you weren't such a prat." Merlin continued to coo praises to the donkey and Arthur maybe felt himself getting a little jealous. Maybe. Because Merlin never talked to him like that and he'd saved Merlin's life and also, this was a donkey. And donkey's were smelly creatures with flies and they were donkeys and this donkey could not have Merlin. Merlin was his. Wait, what? Was he really arguing with himself over being jealous of a donkey.

That was stupid.

Really, really stupid.

"Are you done yet?" The prince huffed annoyed he'd been jealous of a donkey over his manservant, a rather ridiculous train of thought really.

Merlin sighed, "I suppose so, now you hooked him up to the cart right? Tightened all the straps?" He asked giving the prince a quizzical stare.

"Yah, yah, I'm actually competent." Arthur huffed.

Merlin just gave him a 'Gaius eyebrow' accompanied by a "Right...Well, if you say so then get her moving, just tap her on the but and she'll start going then pick up the handles and be sure to steer. I'll go and get my shovel." Merlin explained.

Arthur looked at the donkey a bit off put to actually touch it. The old looking donkey was missing part of an ear the tail seemed far too short and the coat could be described as mangy at best. "Well then you heard him, 'YAAH'." Arthur said idiotically smacking the donkey much too hard. The startled, elderly, donkey gave a squeal and promptly took off away from the prince. However, the cart had not been properly attached and the donkey took off leaving the cart, the prince, and the sorcerer behind.

"What the..." Merlin asked turning to find the donkey missing and a very startled prince. "I thought you said you tightened the bloody straps you clot pole!"

"I did!" Arthur protested.

It only took a quick glance at the harness on the cart to affirm Merlin's suspicion, "No you didn't you didn't even fasten them right!"

"I didn't know how!" Arthur said back his arms in the air demonstrating the level of exasperation he felt.

"THEN. ASK. You don't have to know everything and you're never to high or mighty to ask for help you dollop head! Now we have to spend hours looking for the poor frightened thing!" Merlin yelled at Arthur, clearly angered by Arthur's incompetence. He stomped off after the donkey, turning around to glare back at Arthur when he saw the prince continuing to stand there, "Well, let's go we haven't got all day!"

Arthur mumbled something unintelligible following Merlin with his tail between his legs and his eyes transfixed upon the ground.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

"Oh, quit you're mopping you drama queen." Merlin said climbing over yet another shrubbery.

Arthur gave a solid, "Hmph." In reply continuing to trek after Merlin.

"Now you're really just a two year old for Chrissake Arthur grow up." Merlin said growing exasperated. They'd spent the past two hours scouring the surrounding forrest for the donkey and Arthur had went from disgraced to moping and Merlin couldn't tell which was worse. If he'd just learn already that it was okay to ask people for help already they wouldn't be in this bloody mess. But oh no, Arthur was really a genuine prat who couldn't manage to learn his damned lesson because he already thought he already knew everything. Or maybe because Arthur didn't want to seem weak in front of him? But that was just stupid! They were friends after all and Merlin blushed at the thought the Arthur had held him while he mourned his father. Friends stood together through the god times and the bad, they trusted each other. Or did Arthur not trust him enough to show him his weak side? Merlin sighed heavily, it could mean so many different things with someone as emotionally complex as well as constipated as Arthur. So they trekked into the forrest further, a quite tension hanging about them.

"Do you hear that?" Arthur whispered holding his hand up, Merlin shaking his head in response.

Arthur looked around creeping closer and then pushing through a bush and some bristles into a small clearing where a donkey stood casually chewing.

Merlin smiled softly and walked right up to the donkey who took a frightened step back.

"Oh, shhh sweet heart everything's going to be just fine I won't hurt you. I promise. It'll all be ok, we'll head back to the stable and everything'll be ok." He said slowly taking each step closer and closer to the donkey and then laid his hands gently on it's muzzle. "It's okay. It's okay." He murmured to the donkey softly stroking it's tattered fur.

Then it hit Arthur.

It hit Arthur like a fully galloping horse and for a moment he forgot to breathe.

This was Merlin, the core of Merlin.

He loved. He loved everything and everyone, he didn't care what they looked like he showed even the most downtrodden of creatures with respect and love. He loved, he was kind, he was brave, he was clever, he was Merlin.It was like every being resonated with him, like every creature fell in love with him and now he understood, for a brief moment, why.

But as suddenly as it came it was gone, like a leaf swept away by the wind.

"Arthur, we should head back now, she'll follow me as long as you don't spook her." Merlin said calmly.

Arthur just nodded, his eyes downcast while memories that he did not want to remember came to the forefront of his mind. Memories that stayed buried for a reason.

They trudged on for a while in a slightly tense silence that Arthur was loathe to disrupt because he knew he was wrong and it wasn't as if he was going to admit it. So instead he suffered under the heavy weight of the silence content on daydreaming about Camelot and his soft bed there.

"You know I'm your friend." Merlin said finally breaking the silence.

Arthur rolled his eyes tersely, "No, here I thought you were a cow that chose to follow me all this time."

Merlin looked down his blue eyes a mixture of hurt and anger, "I'm serious you know, I'm your friend you can trust me. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."

Arthur spun around quite angry at being told to show his emotions for once,"What is it with you and all these emotional talks please can we just let this go!"

"BECAUSE YOU NEVER TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT THICK SKULL OF YOURS UNLESS I FORCE YOU TO TELL ME!" Merlin yelled at him, his blue eyes seemed to shine in the light.

"My thoughts are my own damnit!" Arthur yelled back.

"Well so are mine and I still share them with you! I don't care if you're the prince or the village simpleton Arthur I don't care! I don't care if you tell me your whole life you've wanted to be a princess or if you feel a certain way! You're my friend and incase you didn't know that's how friendships work I trust you and you trust me, this isn't a one way street here! I'm so tired of trying to guess your thoughts or coercing them out of you!" Merlin shot back at him.

Arthur stood there a little shell shocked for a moment, and while Merlin had been his manservant for about a year and he really should be used to these brazen displays of emotion from him, some part of him always got a bit effected by it. He shook it off attributing it to his upbringing in a court where everyone secretly hates each other and rooms filled with fake laughter.

Only two words came to his mind. "I'm sorry." Regretting the hurt he'd caused his close friend.

"Me too. I know I shouldn't pry..." Merlin trailed off unsure how to continue.

Arthur shot him a sad half grin, "Well it hasn't stopped you before."

Merlin smiled softly back, "We...we should head back." Arthur nodded in agreement leaving there emotions once again, in the forrest.

()()()()()()()()()

The rest of the work day passed uneventfully, both absorbed in there own minds and thoughts. Occasionally they would banter back and forth but they always returned to their thoughts.

Merlin thought of his friends in Camelot and hoped they were faring well as he wasn't sure how Uther was missing his only son. He hoped Morgana and Gwen were alright, he knew they would be so long as they had each other. Of course Gwen would be happier if Lancelot was there by her side but Gods knew where he was vainly fighting for honor. He wondered if he'd ever find a love like theirs. Sure he'd liked a few pretty girls but most of them turned out to be either evil sorceresses or creatures intent on killing him. He shook off the thought of a soulmate- he had a destiny to fulfill and a prince to protect after all, love could wait for a bit longer.

Arthur, on the other hand, was ensconced with thoughts of the young girl Jae. He no longer knew where he stood on sorcery, or what to make of his father. He remembered growing up trying to earn his fathers attention with awards or trophies, sometimes it worked and other times it didn't. Hell, he'd looked up to his father and now? Now what did he do? He believed in his heart of hearts that what he had done-what he still did was wrong. Maybe magic wasn't evil? Maybe the people who used it were? What if he were King what would he do? The question lay at the forefront of his mind. Whenever he and his father got into a disagreement he would ask his son what he would do in his position. What would Arthur do when he wore the crown? He liked the idea of seeing it gradually returned to the land, maybe restrictions put on it? He didn't know, and hopeful it would be a while before the decision came to rest upon his shoulders.

"Are you guys done?" A familiar voice said interrupting the pair's deep thoughts. The pair turned around and saw Jae standing there wearing a torn pink dress flowers spilling out of the hem of her dress which she held up. "I thought we could play pretend, see I even picked flowers to put in your hair! I could be the princess and Merlin could my friend and you'd have to rescue us." Jae explained her eyes sparkling and her lips in a sweet smile.

Merlin felt his heart strings threaten to rip in two at the young girl's suggestion, especially after hearing all she had endured. For once in his life, Merlin seemed out of words. However, Arthur didn't seem to miss a beat in replying,"Sure, that sounds perfect. I'm always rescuing Merlin anyways, he's quite the damsel in distress." Arthur said smirking at his friend who was glaring daggers at him.

"Yay!" Jae exclaimed clear joy in her voice her green eyes filling with pure happiness as she rushed up to Merlin dropping the wildflowers at his feet so she could sort through them to find the perfect one. Merlin shot Arthur a quizzical look out of the corner of his eye but either Arthur didn't seem to notice or he just didn't care. Jae seemed to really be contemplating which flowers were the best, her soft brown eyebrows were drawn in together and her green eyes looked long and hard at the flowers in front of Merlin.

Her features suddenly changed and she looked up at the prince, "Which ones do you like for Merlin?"

The prince put on a look of over acted contemplation and kneeled down beside Jae so he was more of her height. He looked at the flowers before him, "Hmmm...I think the blue ones." Arthur said.

Jae lit up, "Perfect!" She said clapping her hands together enthusiastically. "They match his pretty eyes! I almost missed it, but good thing you noticed." Jae said smiling.

Arthur flushed a bit reaching rubbing his neck, becoming a bit uncomfortable. he'd picked blue because Merlin wore it a lot not because he had noticed Merlin had 'pretty eyes'. She picked a few flowers from the bunch she reached up trying to put them in Merlin's hair which didn't work out to well because he was much taller then the girl. Seeing this Arthur lifted her up shifting to be in the crook of his arm so she could tuck the flowers behind the manservants unusually large ears.

"Perfect! Jae announced happily, "Don't you agree Sir Knight?" Jae asked Arthur.

"Perfect." Arthur said nodding putting Jae back down. He bit back his laughter as Merlin blushed and glared at the same time, quite a peculiar combination really. Arthur ,however, just snickered some more at his friend who managed to think of a quick comeback to the teasing.

"Doesn't Arthur get flowers too?" Merlin asked Jae keeping his eye contact with Arthur.

Jae apparently liked the idea a lot and she soon arranged a bouquet of flowers for the prince, "Here," she said "you have to give these to me, you always give a princess flowers, and Merlin when you rescue us. Merlin you can be a princess too!" She said firmly.

Arthur nearly burst out laughing at the suggestion but Merlin shot him a glare that could rival one of Morgana's so he managed, just barely, to keep his laughter to himself.

"Dragon!" She screamed grabbing Merlin's hand and running. "We have to get out of here! Oh I wish we had a knight!" she said running with a feigned expression of fear while looking rather pointedly at Arthur.

And so Arthur chased after them.

()()()()()()()()()()

They spent the remainder of the late afternoon playing princess and dragon's with the young girl who's laughter was incredibly infectious and who's smile shone like the sun. For someone with such a dark past her spirit shined the brightest of them all. She was really something, Merlin thought to himself, she was so sweet but had rather a bossy side to her, not to mention sassy.

Even though she ran in around in an old tattered dress that could have been considered rags she was the most beautiful girl Arthur had ever seen.

"Oh there you are." Gaerth said reaching the small patch of grass they had been playing in for the last hour. He was clearly surprised to find the workers playing with his younger sister, especially after telling them all that had happened to the young girl.

"Arthur and Merlin where playing with me. There was a dragon chasing us and because Merlin and I are princesses but you can't tell anyone because we're in disguise, right Merlin?" She asked seeking backup.

Merlin nodded his head and and smiled at her kneeling down beside her so he would once again be here height. "Right, and we're being chased by this huge ruthless dragon but I-" He was explaining in a very animated tone before Jae decided she wanted to tell the tale again.

"He ate a poisonous flower! Only true love's kiss could awaken him, but we have yet to find his true love! But Sir Arthur managed to slay the dragon, he's Merlin's true love! He was gonna kiss him!" She smiling ear to ear looking back at the blonde man who was now blushing and looking at his manservant rather awkwardly. Kiss Merlin? No, not even for Jae. Merlin was a friend a close male friend and no matter what anyone speculated that was it.

"Jae..." Gaerth trailed off in a reproachful tone, he really didn't approve of his sister trying to make the two men kiss even if they were dating.

"I know, I know it's sundown and they have to go home and eat supper so say goodbye." Jae said clearly disappointed.

Gearth looked at her pointedly and she sighed heavily, gloomily walking over to the pair. She hugged Arthur around his legs, "Bye Arthur." Arthur smiled fondly at the young girl.

He bent down and gave her a real and proper hug, "I'll be back tomorrow and slay that dragon, OK?" He asked and her green eyes absolutely shone.

"Ok." She said hugging him back and smiling into his shoulder.

"Oh I see I don't get a hug..." Merlin began sarcastically before huffing dramatically and he soon found himself with an armful of Jae and a muffled, "Goodbye Merls."

"Bye Jae." He said fondly.

He smiled at Arthur and they turned around to walk back to their farm.

"Wait!" Jae said grabbing Arthur's hand quickly. He turned around clearly surprised. "You forgot the flowers, you have to give them to Merlin." She said before she dashed off quickly retrieving them and bringing them to the prince.

"Thanks Jae." Arthur said giving her a half smile as he waved, turned around, and walked away back towards Clara's house.

They walked for a few steps in silence but with the two of them it naturally didn't last o]long at all. "She's adorable." Merlin said breaking the silence.

Arthur smiled at the ground, "She is, that she is."

"You were, surprisingly, not a complete and utter pillock." Merlin said jokingly at first before softly adding, "When did you get to be so good with kids?"

Arthur laughed softly, "You really know how to flatter people don't you?" He paused for a moment, "Well, if you must know...I uh..." Arthur stammered his facing flushing to the roots of his golden hair. "I...uh...I really wanted a little brother or sister when I was growing up so when Morgana came to the palace when I was..what...six? I was very...er...excited I suppose you could say and she only ever wanted to play dolls and...I..er..might have played with her...once!" He stammered out rubbing the back of his next and blushing adorably.

"You played dolls with Morgana?" Merlin said raising a quizzical eyebrow at the Prince.

Arthur seemed to be growing more and more embarrassed, "Once! And it was because..she just when she first came to the palace she was so sad and I just wanted to cheer her up because my father told me she was you know...like my sister now." He said looking at the ground.

"Well I think that's very sweet of you." Merlin said noticing how embarrassed Arthur had gotten.

Arthur looked up from the ground, "Really?" he asked his blue eyes shining in earnest.

"Really." Merlin agreed. He'd seen this side of Arthur before, the scared to show weakness, scared to show emotion side. Where it was as if showing any sort of weakness, even in front of his most trusted friend, was some sort of crime like he would be punished for made Merlin's chest constrict painfully, to know the lofty expectations of the court on him, to be the King they all knew he would eventually need to be. Expectations far beyond the years of Arthur.

"You know Gaerth said they they're hosting another game tomorrow and they..er invited us." Arthur said to his companion as they walked through the small village.

"Really? Sounds fun." Merlin said.

"How'd you get so good at it?" Arthur blurted out.

Merlin's inky eyebrows arose in surprise to the outburst, "I practiced." He answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ah," Arthur began "I forgot how simple your life is compared to mine." He said.

Merlin snorted, "Yah, you try being me for a day."

"Sounds like the life, I get to sit around and do nothing." Arthur said smugly.

Merlin glared at him, then his expression softened, "You have no idea just how much I do for you."

For some reason Arthur couldn't respond with the cocky 'nothing' that sat heavily on his tongue. Maybe it was Merlin's melancholy expression, his blue eyes cast downwards swimming with emotion.

So he said nothing, for once Prince Arthur held his tongue and opened the door to Clara's small hut for his manservant.

"Oh, these are for you." Arthur said dumbly handing Merlin the flowers that Jae had given him.

Merlin smiled at him, one of those soul melting smiles that both stung you and made you swoon.

"Thank-you, i'll go put them in some water." He said softly and began searching for a small vase while Arthur went to their room.

Truth be told Merlin was hurt. Hurt because he felt like he was hiding a bit of himself from Arthur, hurt because of the burden of destiny weighing him down. He wished now then ever he had someone who knew him, who knew not just Merlin, but Emrys as well. He wanted to be free of this burden, he wanted to tell Arthur. He wanted to tell Arthur all the times that he'd lied to him. God, how that stung. Knowing he'd lied to his best friend. Straight to his face. Even though he knew, he knew he was doing it to protect Arthur didn't make it sting any less. Much like the wound on his back. It was just pain either, it was tiredness. He was tired, tired of fighting tired of all the dying. He just needed to rest for a bit then he'd be ok. He knew he couldn't though the Prince would always need saving. So he'd pull himself together if not for his sake then at least for Arthur's. Yes, he could soldier on for Arthur. He believed in Arthur, he believed in everything they would build together. As long as Arthur was ok Merlin would be ok too. He would make himself strong for both their sakes.

"You should put those in some water, we wouldn't want them to wilt they're really very beautiful." Clara said from the doorway.

"They are," Merlin began and was unable to stop "Arthur gave them too me."

"I know." Clara said gently taking the flowers out of Merlin's hands as he stood their transfixed with his eyes staring out into no where.

She filled an old misshaped pot with water setting the flowers in them. "It's ok, it's just for now." she said softly laying a hand on the warlock's shoulder.

"I know, but it doesn't make it hurt any less." Merlin said a few silent tears slipping down his cheeks.

Hello again everyone!

Ok, that ending was very sad but very necessary when you think of all the internal conflict going on in his mind. What Merlin and Clara are talking about- well that you can decide for yourself. So Jae. What does everyone think of her? I know that a lot's happened here in this chapter but Jae will come to be a bit more important muchhh later on. like think the third book. Also what do you think of Clara? I came up with her before I watched past season 1 and so I did NOT know about Alice. -_- but ah well, any guesses as too what will happen with her? I don't really want to give that much away but Ygraine is actually going to be making a rather heartbreaking appearance eventually and that will be painful but after that happiness shall return. Right now is till a bit 'fluffy' for me so any readers who like more heart breaking fanfic there will be after the first 30 chapters or so. Thanks again for all the reviews and favs and follows they mean so much to me! You can follow me on tumblr at .com

Always and eternally yours,

Rachel