HOKAY LOOK there was all this trouble with logging onto my account to the point where I temporarily made a new one and then I no longer had a laptop and I'm not gonna go into details because that's not why you're here. Just please know how sorry I am for disappearing like I did.

It's impossible to describe how excited I am to be updating something again - even finishing something! Woo! I'm sorry if it's a bit rushed. I just so badly wanted to finally be able to upload something.

P.S send some love ReluctantSlashFan's way. She's convinced everyone's going to be coming after her with pitchforks and torches for not updating in a while.

Leon shook his head to an expectant Arthur, grimacing at once again being the bearer of bad news. They stood by the city gates, guards marching past them in increased numbers under the moonlight. There was still no sign of Daell. He appeared to have slipped through their fingers - it seemed he was good at that. According to the owner of the inn Daell had been staying at, he'd been sneaking out of a side door each night Leon supposedly kept watch. Leon was not proud of letting something so simple slip by him.

Arthur sighed, running a hand through his blond hair. Exhaustion lined his face and his eyes shined with frustration. It had been a long night, to say the least. "Alright. We'll expand the search out to the woods tomorrow. Get some rest, Leon."

"Will you be doing the same, sire?" Leon asked.

Arthur looked back up to the castle. "Soon," he admitted.

Waking up, to Merlin, felt like being dragged out from under the water after a long time of being submerged. The rushing in his ears was the first thing he noticed. He listened to it slowly quieten down as he became aware of cool night air on his face and a severe, piercing pain in his lower back. Finally, with gargantuan effort that he felt sure he should be getting some kind of reward for, he cracked his eyes open.

A shadow was blocking the moon from hitting his eyes and for a moment Merlin was grateful - a searing headache was immediately assaulting his senses. But he began to focus, the shadow began to take shape, and he was suddenly remembering every nightmare he'd experienced in the last few days. He sat up with a gasp, his wound immediately screaming in protest, but Daell reacted quickly. The older man clapped his hand over Merlin's mouth, pushing him back onto the mattress.

"You've cause me trouble for the last time, boy."

His other hand came to wrap its calloused fingers around Merlin's throat, and without hesitation the warlock allowed his eyes to glow gold. Daell was sent flying across the room. He slammed into a wooden shelf, glass vials and ceramic jugs crashing around him as he fell to the floor. But so did Merlin, writhing in silent agony as the ache in his back flared up. His magic was busy healing his wound. Directing it towards anything else, at this point, could be suicide.

Daell grappled to his feet and Merlin felt it wasn't much of a choice. He looked up at his advancing uncle through watery eyes and raised a hand. Daell was lifted into the air with a cry of fright, his hands scrabbling against his throat and he gasped for air. But Merlin watched on, confused. He hadn't done that.

"You're not welcome here," growled a familiar voice. Standing at the entrance to Merlin's room was Gaius, one arm outstretched, his eyes pinned to Daell like daggers thrown against a target.

"Gaius," Merlin gasped, because he was tired and confused and still in so much pain, and despite all this, he did not want to see his uncle killed. His mentor flicked his gaze towards him, the fury on his face immediately transformed to concern, and Daell dropped to his knees with a curse.

"You bloody fool!" he cried, and charged for Gaius. Merlin yelled to stop him, tried struggling to his feet, collapsed again when his back inflamed, and looked on in horror as Daell reached his friend.

"Halt where you stand or you'll never take another step!"

Daell froze, a curled fist already pulled back to strike the physician.

"Turn around, Daell." He did, and Merlin watched the look of horror spread across his features. The warlock could not look to the chamber door himself, held in place by pain in his back, but he knew that voice, and he had never been so relieved to hear it. Arthur had joined them.

"M'lord - " Daell tried, his voice a simpering mess of its earlier rage, but whatever Arthur did to shut him up - narrowed his eyes, held up his hand, aimed an arrow at his face - Merlin would never know.

"We have so much to talk about, Daell," Arthur said with dangerous levity. "Let's save it until we're alone, hmm?" Daell's hands, now at his sides, began to shake, and he tried to cover the growing fear in his eyes with a look of defiance. If Merlin had not been on the brink of passing out, he might have laughed. "Take him away." Two pairs of feet stomped past Merlin's head and he watched through a pained haze as the guards manhandled his uncle away. The next thing he knew a blond head of hair was in his face, two tired blue eyes looking into his. "Merlin? Can you hear me?"

The response was an undignified wheeze that would usually prompt taunting from the king, but Arthur only grimaced and called for Gaius' help in moving Merlin back to the cot. They held him gently and rolled him carefully onto his side. Still, Merlin had to bite down on his lip so hard it bled to swallow down the yell that threatened to escape, and even then a rough moan crawled its way out of his throat. That one push of his magic had not gone unpunished.

"You're alright, Merlin. You'll be alright." Arthur moved out of the way for the physician, who stepped in and crouched down by his ward. "He'll be alright, won't he Gaius?"

Bending forward to get a better look at Merlin's back, the old man grimaced. "Yes, sire. In time. It will not be an altogether speedy recovery."

Arthur nodded stiffly, his arms crossed tightly against his chest. Merlin looked up at him, unable to speak but hoping his face conveyed his thanks. Arthur looked back at him, troubled. Merlin forced a small smile to his lips, trying to prove he was okay, and let his eyes close. Exhaustion was beginning to overwhelm him. The rushing in his ears was back, but he allowed it to gradually block everything out. Just before he was submerged back under the water of unconsciousness, he heard Arthur murmur "his own nephew, Gaius. Why would he…"

When Merlin next awoke, it was to hushed but angry voices.

"You're being a complete idiot!"

"Are you saying he doesn't have a say in the matter?"

"I'm saying you might as well ask a druid to pass sentence. The bastard will never get what he deserves if you let Merlin - "

Immediately his body tensed, and of course this set off the ever-waiting pain in his back, and a hiss had slipped through his lips before he could even open his eyes.

"Now look what you've done!"

"Me?! I'm not the one that's bloody yelling!"

"So what the hell do you call that awful sound escaping your mouth, Princess?"

"It's quieter than your less-than-dulcet tones!"

By this point Merlin had managed to crack open an eyelid and was gradually getting used to the sunlight streaming through the window and right into his face. Really, after all he'd been through, that was just insult to injury. The voices kept arguing.

"Sorry, Merlin. We were told to let you sleep, it's just that some of us haven't quite grasped the concept of doing what they're told."

"Oh, that's rich, coming from you!"

Finally he opened the other eye and brought the room into focus around him. Gwaine was sitting on a stool by his cot, looking partway between relieved and annoyed, and Arthur was leaning against the wall, his arms again crossed, mostly just looking annoyed.

Merlin tried to mutter a greeting, but with his face still half-buried in the pillow, it more or less came out as "huurmflgur".

Gwaine grinned all the same. Arthur just huffed importantly. Summoning up what Merlin felt to be incredible strength, he turned his head enough to speak unobstructed. "Everything… okay?"

Gwaine answered "fine," at the same time that Arthur started "we need to talk" and the two glared at each other. Not for the first time, Merlin guessed.

Finally Arthur pushed himself off the wall and stepped forward, looking distinctly uncomfortable. "How are you feeling?"

Merlin seriously considered the question before answering. "I wouldn't go asking me to join a patrol any time soon." He paused. "Or to roll over." Wiggling his toes experimentally, he added "if I could just not move for a few days that'd be great." His back was throbbing.

Arthur nodded seriously. "You'll get your rest. George can assume your duties until you're back on your feet." A grimace at dealing with other servant marred Arthur's features and despite the circumstances, Merlin grinned. Unfortunately, it wasn't the end of the conversation. "Merlin, I need to talk to you about your uncle."

The warlock immediately stiffened. What had happened to Daell while he was out? What had the man said to Arthur? To the guards, to anyone? Oh god, did Arthur know?

His breathing came quicker and he could feel sweat on his brow and immediately Arthur looked guilty. That was probably a good sign. Gwaine frowned and rested a hand on Merlin's shoulder in support.

"What did he… where is he?" Merlin finally rasped.

"In a cell, where he belongs," Arthur answered immediately. "If I have my way he won't be leaving for a long time to come."

"If I had my way…" Gwaine growled, but Arthur ignored him and continued.

"Daell admitted to being behind the ambush we encountered on our search. The story of the sorcerer was just that; a story to lure us out there. He's in league with the Saxons." Merlin felt a pit of shame open up in his gut. The Saxons were determined to overthrow Arthur and conquer Camelot, had been for some time now. To think his own flesh and blood had willingly betrayed Arthur in this way…

"I'm so sorry Arthur."

"I need to understand something, Merlin." Arthur's face had become stoic, any emotion shut off behind a mask. "You clearly didn't trust him from the start. Did you know he was working with our enemy?"

Gwaine shifted slightly. "Arthur, now might not be the best time - "

"I didn't know," Merlin interrupted desperately. He needed Arthur to know he wouldn't betray him like that. Not after all of the treachery he had already suffered through. "Arthur, I swear I didn't know."

The king nodded, never taking his eyes off of his servant. "I believe you. I know you're loyal to Camelot, and to me." Something warm trickled through Merlin's chest at the words, but he was not given time to enjoy it. "How long was he hurting you, Merlin?"

This Merlin did not answer. He looked down and to the left. Someone had cleaned up the broken shelf and its contents. Gwaine's grip on his shoulder tightened fractionally.

"Merlin." Arthur sounded less patient this time. Still, he did not answer. It was too risky. Everyone in the room knew Arthur knew it had been going on since Daell arrived in Camelot, but if Merlin admitted to that, Arthur would expect him to admit to other things. Like why Daell did it, and why -

"Why didn't you come to me, Merlin?"

Yeah. That.

Merlin sighed softly, keeping his eyes lowered, and tried to keep his face impassive. He knew this was hurting Arthur, and in all truthfulness it was hurting him too. For the millionth time since discovering his destiny, Merlin wished he could just tell his friend the truth. He wished he did not have to carry this burden, these secrets, every day like a heavy sack against his shoulders. He wished he could give Arthur the same trust the man had given him, time and time again.

Instead, he stayed silent, and Arthur turned away.

Finally, he said "I originally came here to ask your opinion. About what to do with your uncle." Merlin braved looking back up at Arthur, who kept his back turned. Gwaine had gone back to glaring at the king. "As I said, if I have my way he will remained locked in a cell and the key will be lost in a dung-heap, but he is your kin. You deserve input on what is to become of him." The words were spoken matter-of-factly, in a flat tone.

Merlin stared at his back. Arthur wanted him to pass judgement on Daell?

Gwaine hastily jumped in; "before you get all Merliny on us, Merlin, just remember that flesh and blood or not, your uncle is a right bastard. I know you like to see the good in people and you're all about second chances and whatnot, and that's adorable, really. But Daell doesn't deserve your kindness, you know." He sent more daggers the king's way. "It's what I was trying to tell the princess before he woke you up."

Arthur didn't rise to the bait. He continued to look out the window, awaiting an answer. Merlin knew he would be angry for some time over him not talking about Daell. But, in the back of his mind, he was already coming up with ways to fix things between them. The silence stretched on and Gwaine opened his mouth again.

"If it were up to me we'd tie the bastard to a - "

"Banish him," Merlin said softly. He couldn't live with Daell here - not with the secret he apparently still had yet to reveal. Merlin would never sleep well again. And he couldn't see the man killed - not by his own orders. He'd taken lives of far more evil people in the past and they were enough to haunt him. He could not add his own uncle to the list.

They were blood, after all.

Gaius kept a firm hand on Merlin's wrist as the young man leaned heavily against him. They shuffled slowly, painfully, towards the window of their chambers where they could see the sun just beginning to rise over the trees. A figure was walking through the city gates, a small party of guards and knights accompanying him. They would follow him all the way to the border, ensuring the man truly left.

Merlin breathed heavily through the pain still crashing over him, watching with little feeling as his uncle was escorted away. Gaius squeezed his wrist and muttered "he won't hurt you again, my boy."

"He could have," Merlin replied. It was something that had been bothering him for days. "All he had to do was tell one of his guards about me - he could have told Arthur himself, Gaius! It was what he had been holding over me this whole time - " Merlin's voice cracked slightly - "if I told Arthur the truth about him, he would tell the truth about me. About… what I am. So why didn't he?"

Daell paused in the distance and looked back. Merlin shivered. He could swear he was looking right at their window. Gaius patted his cheek, prompting the warlock to look at his mentor, and Merlin was startled to see the glint of mischief in the older man's eyes. "He was convinced not to."

Merlin stared. Gaius simply stared back, a dark smile on his lips, and winked. "An old man has his ways, Merlin." Without further explanation he continued, "now, let's get you back to bed before you pass out again."

Merlin risked one more look out the window. His uncle was still staring up at them, and it was hard to tell from such a distance, but suddenly Merlin had a feeling the man looked just a little bit scared.

And fin! I love you guys. I'm so happy to be back. I hope I can add to one of my other stories in the next week or so.