Here it is, the third chapter! I had such bad writers block with this, and thats why its so short. But I tried to get across the knights feelings...

"I was never really accepted in Ealdore…" Merlin started. Arthur gulped, how much pain was his oldest friends confession causing him? And was this a tale they all really wanted to hear?

No, it wasn't a story they wanted to hear.

As Merlin ran through the story- leaving out the magic bits of course- the knights were completely still, engrossed by the horror coursing through their ears. They couldn't help but flinch every time Merlin had talked about Kanen. The distress and pain so obvious in his voice the knights could feel it, feel it like the memory was their own. The brave knights of Camelot were nothing compared to the heroic figure they all adored, they had seen men go through less and come out worse. Merlin's bravery would have been commended had he been a knight.

Merlin had so much taken from him in his years, and the knights figured they had not heard half of it.

Elyan was of course devastated for his friend, but couldn't help admire as the warlock told his story. Courageousness and strength till the end. Elyan would take this story with him everywhere, he would allow it to change him and control his actions. Make him a better knight, and a more worthy friend to Merlin.

Leon was confused as to how someone who looked so innocent could have gone through so much. He had seen Merlin age at least twenty years since being at Camelot- from all the stress. Before he had never understood, he knew now that Merlin still had a lot of secrets he was holding back on. But Leon would never fully be able to comprehend just how many secrets Merlin had.

Percival wanted to hug Merlin, his scrawny friend looked like a lost child- alone and afraid on a cold dark night. He cared for Merlin and since Lancelot's death they had got closer, bonding through their similar damage by the loss. And now he saw him cowering from his own thoughts, it stung. Percival had lost all his family, and considers the knights and Merlin his brothers, but Merlin more so. He couldn't help but shudder when his brave friend started whispering about the pain of the whip.

Gwaine could see his friend struggling, he patted the shaking figures shoulder in the hope it would comfort him, it just made him flinch away. This added to Gwaine's grief and a fresh dose of sadness over came him. He wished he could make Kanen pay for the anguish he had caused; Gwaine would hurt Kanen like he did Merlin if he had even the smallest chance. Merlin for a long time was the only person who would put up with his crap, his only friend. Now he had the knights- his brothers in arms- but Merlin still meant more to him.

Arthur was gob smacked. Yes he did sometimes call Merlin useless, but he never meant it, ever. Arthur always knew there was something else to Merlin. But he could never put his finger on it, and he still wasn't sure. He had allowed Merlin his moments of glory, but he suddenly came to see Merlin in a different light. Arthur saw a worthy man of more than just his friendship. Seeing his friend hurt made him mentally kick himself. From that moment Arthur promised himself he would treat Merlin better.

When Merlin finished they were all stuck in silence, "You cannot begin to understand how delighted I am that I was the one to stick a sword threw his gut" Arthur broke the silence with whispered anger. "You what?" Gwaine glared- he wanted to kill the bastard. "I went to Merlin's village to help his mother stop raiders from taking the crops. Had I known previously what he had done, I would have prolonged that pain" The darkness in Arthurs voice heightened as he smirked. "I remember that, I- had to cover for you" Leon scolded.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that Merlin" Percival murmured, and the warlock gave him a smile. "It's not your fault Percy" Merlin disagreed, he was the only one allowed to call Percival: Percy. "Its no one but K-kanens fault. And he paid. Now if you all don't mind, I don't want to talk about it anymore" Merlin grew angrier as he got to the end. Suddenly he stood up, grabbed the dishes and ran of to the river to clean.

Gwaine got up to go with him, but Arthur grabbed his arm and yanked him back. "He needs time" the king declared, Gwaine couldn't protest with that, but it doesn't mean he had to like it.

"He's trying to hide from it" Elyan stated. They knew it was true, Merlin was running from the truth, he had for years. "We need to help him, but I don't know how?" Arthur admitted miserably, looking down playing with his fingers while he spoke, the last part on purposely muffled. They looked at their king with awe- did king Arthur seriously just admit he didn't know how? Gwaine saw an opportunity "Pardon princess?" struggling to hold back a grin. "You heard. Idiot" frustration plastered Arthurs face. Gwaine was content with that; he would have pushed it had Merlin not been in such distress.

"Lets go find him, and Arthur you right, we need to help him. And we will" Gwaines voice took on a serious tone. And with that, they ran off towards the river in search of their friend.

They had no clue how, but one thing the knights knew, was they would help Merlin through this no matter the cost. They would go to the end of the earth for their friend, through the fire, to hell and back. Because at some point Merlin had been there for them in their time of need- either mentally or physically. And they owed him, they owed him so much, and yet, they still didn't know just quite how much they did…

Soooooooo. Please tell me what you think- I think this is the last part to this story. But please, if you have anything you want me to write about, a storyline, more whump, strong merlin ect. pm me :) (NO SEX SCENES EVER)

And thank you for your reviews previous, keep 'em coming, pleaseeeeeeeee? ;D