This story is a sequel to my previous fic: Lesson To All. It can be read separately as well since they aren't particularly connected, although I do recommend that you read the prequel. You might not understand some parts.

This fic is set between 4x08 and 4x09.

Merlin balanced the large laundry basket in his arms as he made his way to the King's chambers. He carefully avoided bumping into any of the other servants on the way. Arthur would kill him if he got his clothes dirty.

He reached his destination and as usual, he barged in without knocking.

Arthur was sitting at the table, wearing his classic red tunic, going through some papers with a quill in his hand. "You'll never learn to knock, will you, Merlin?" He didn't even bother looking up from his work.

"It would be a real shame if I did, sire." Anyone but him would've been in the stocks for such insolence. Arthur merely shook his head and got up from the table.

There was a knock on the door. "Enter."

The door opened and Merlin's least favourite lord walked in. Agravaine. Oh how Merlin hated that man. While Arthur strongly believed that his Uncle was nothing but good and had his best interests at heart, Merlin had a very different opinion.

He'd tried to warn his master about Agravaine's true motives but the King never listened. He got angry every time he brought up the topic.

"Sire." Agravaine dipped his head low in respect. The lord had been desperately trying to earn back his nephew's favour but he was in the process.

Arthur was still quite short with his uncle over the older man's views on servants and how to treat them. They didn't quite see eye to eye on that matter.

"What is it Agravaine?"

Merlin watched Agravaine from the corner of his eye, while making Arthur's bed. The man wanted to talk but not in front of Merlin. Why? Because the manservant was the only one who hadn't been fooled by the slimy arse.

"It's a delicate matter, your Majesty." Just as he'd expected.

Merlin crossed his fingers and prayed that his King wouldn't kick him out now. He needed to know whatever Agravaine was about to say.

"Merlin stays, Agravaine. He's my most trusted."

"But si—"

"Merlin. Stays."

Agravaine inclines his head in resignation. "As you wish, my Lord." Merlin mentally thumped Arthur on the back. "

Good job clotpole!

"An urgent matter has come to my attention, sire." Arthur raised an eyebrow expectantly at Agravaine.

"It seems there might have been a break-in last night, your Majesty."

Arthur, who'd been going through his papers, stilled instantly. "A break-in? Are you sure?" He demanded sharply. He took in the news with a considerable amount of skepticism.

How could a break-in have happened without anyone seeing anything?

But then, now with Morgana out there, one could never be too careful. "What sort of break-in? Why wasn't the warning bell rung?"

"I'm not quite certain yet, but it may have happened in the lower part of the East Wing."

That's where the armory and plans were located.

"Are you sure about this, Agravaine?" Arthur was already grabbing his sword and belt. He was out of the room, Agravaine and Merlin following him.

Something wasn't right and Merlin knew it. If there really had been a break in, someone would've seen something. Agravaine was definitely up to something again.

They reached the East Wing quickly. The room to where all the plans and maps were kept was locked and two guards stood on either side of the double doors.

"Go and fetch the mapmaker." Arthur ordered one of the guards who hastened to carry out the command.

A minute later, a boy, no older than sixteen, came running towards them, along with the guard.

He paled when he saw the King himself standing before him. Merlin didn't miss the way the boy looked at Agravaine: uneasy and scared.

The boy bowed to Arthur in a way that reminded the manservant of George. "Forgive me, sire. My master is unwell so I'm looking after the room right now."

"What's your name, lad?"

"Eoghan, your Majesty."

"Tell me, where were you last night?"

"I was right here, sire, working. My master had given me certain tasks to fulfill. I was in this room, sire, all night." Eoghan's eyes unwillingly flickered towards Agravaine. Arthur didn't notice, but Merlin did.

"Open this door."

The boy took out the keys from his satchel and unlocked the door.

The room looked perfectly alright. There were rows of shelves on either side stacked with old books and parchments. There was a table in the center on which some work lay, half done.

"Take a look around, Agravaine. See if there's anything amiss."

The lord went in one direction while Arthur in the other. Agravaine disappeared behind one of the many rows.

"So sire, I'm your most trusted?"

"Yes, Merlin. Your brain's rather rusted."

Agravaine waited until his nephew and his bloody pet were well out of sight and earshot before hurrying to the shelves located in the far end of the room.

That's where the plans of the siege tunnels were kept. He'd promised the Lady Morgana that he'd deliver the plans. He couldn't afford to disappoint her, not again.

He found the shelf and pulled out the roll he required. He put the empty case back onto the shelf and hurriedly stuffed the map deep into his robe pocket. He would have to put them back as quickly as possible.

He turned quickly and accidentally bumped against the shelf hard, knocking over a candlestick in the process.

Before he could pick it up, there was the sound of footsteps and the King and his annoying manservant came to that part of the room.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at him questioningly but Merlin stared suspiciously.

That blasted boy and the old physician were always suspecting him!

"Is everything alright, Uncle?"

"Perfectly, Arthur. Just a slight clumsiness on my part. Nothing to worry about."

"Very well. So is everything in place? Anything missing?"

"No, sire. Everything's just fine."

"Thank God for that."

While Arthur was convinced that everything was okay, Merlin possessed a very different opinion. He looked at Agravaine skeptically. The lord was hiding something and Merlin was sure of it.

"Arthur, you have to believe me! Something isn't right here. Agravaine was lying to you. You need to see that!"

Merlin could see the beginning of an argument but he refused to be dissuaded. He didn't care if he ended up in the stocks or even in the dungeons for his insolence, but Arthur needed to see the truth.

His master, who'd just finished changing into his night clothes came out from behind the screen and glared at him.

"We've been over this, Merlin. I don't know what grudge it is that you hold against Agravaine, but it has to stop." Arthur sounded irritated and close to angry.

"I'm telling the truth! You and the knights have been searching tirelessly for the traitor in the palace when he's been right under your nose. Agravaine is the traitor! Are you so blind that you cannot see what's right in front of you?"

The King walked forward until he was inches from him. "That's quite enough, Merlin. I've been overly tolerant of your claims and accusations against Agravaine but it's really starting to get out of hand. Rein yourself in, Merlin. I've had enough of this rubbish."

His master walked away from him and towards the bed.

Merlin could see that Arthur was upset with him. He still had one last move to make.

"You called me your little brother, sire. Do you still mean what you said?"

He felt bad about using Arthur's proclamation in such a manner but his friend—older brother— needed to know. He had to protect Arthur at all costs. It was his destiny.

The man whirled around. "Of course I do, Merlin. What's that got to do with this?"

"Then please, listen to me, Arthur. I'd never make up something like this. Every time I try to talk about this, you get upset. Just this once, please hear me out. I'm begging you."

Arthur noted that Merlin sounded desperate and nearly close to tears. What could possibly bother him so much about Agravaine? He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You have five minutes to explain."

Merlin's face brightened up almost instantly. "Thank you. Look, I'm not accusing Agravaine just because I dislike him. I have proof, Arthur."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at Merlin. "You have proof that Agravaine is the traitor that I've been searching for?"

"Remember that time when you and the Knights were attacked by bandits?"

Arthur remembered that very clearly indeed. Merlin, the endearing, clumsy buffoon that he was, had been injured and Arthur had lost him while carrying him to safety. He'd spent days searching for his manservant.

"Few knew about the route we were taking that day, Arthur. You said it yourself. The only ones who knew were you, the knights, Gaius and Agravaine. Your knights are incredibly loyal, Arthur. They'd die before betraying you. Gaius has been serving Camelot well before your birth. That leaves only Agravaine."

"Merlin, th—"

"He was also the one who put the idea of Gaius being the traitor inside your mind, wasn't he? He convinced you that Gaius had run off. You never would have thought of blaming Gaius by yourself. Why? Because you know that he would never do anything to betray you. He loves you too much."

Arthur respected the old man a great deal. As a child, after a particularly bad argument with his father, Gaius was the one to comfort him. And what Merlin was saying was true. His uncle was the one who had suggested that the old man could have been the traitor.

"And Agravaine told you that it wasn't appropriate for you and Gwen to be together because she was just a servant."

That was also correct. True, he'd ignored his uncle's advice after thinking about it, but Agravaine was the one who'd protested about him and Guinevere.

Now as he thought about it, why would Agravaine think that his relationship with Guinevere wasn't right? The public loved her and so did the palace staff.

As for Gaius, Arthur still felt guilty about suspecting the man.

"And today, how could he have heard about a break in when the guards themselves saw or heard nothing? No one did. Not even the apprentice and he was there all night. I know that you found it ridiculous when he gave you the news. But, you believed him because you feel he can do no wrong. He's your uncle and you want to trust him. But he's not a good person."

With a sinking feeling in his gut, Arthur realised that Merlin's words were starting to make more sense.

"Please, Arthur, I'm begging you to believe me. Something isn't right here. Your uncle is hiding something from you. He doesn't want what's right for Camelot."

Arthur remained silent for a long time. If what Merlin said was true and Agravaine was indeed the traitor, then he had a lot of work to do.

In all these years, Merlin was the one who'd stood by him unconditionally. The knights and people were loyal to him. But, Merlin was more than that. He wasn't exactly a friend, not quite. He was much more. Merlin was more like that adorable little brother you just couldn't stay mad at. He was the one who'd been there for Arthur after Uther's death.

The least he could do for Merlin was give the boy the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it was time to pay his dear uncle a visit.

"Come on, Merlin. We've got work to do."

Agravaine fastened his cloak and grabbed his satchel. The plans of the siege tunnels were safely tucked into his robes. Morgana had demanded them.

He would have to put the plans back as soon as he returned lest someone noticed anything. It had been quite easy to steal the plans. Arthur was a fool who blindly believed him because he was his uncle.

He was ready to leave when there was a knock on the door.

Damn it! Who could it be at this hour?

He opened the door and the sight twisted his stomach into several tight, uncomfortable knots.

There stood King Arthur with the captain of his knights: Sir Leon, four other guards and that blasted manservant of his.

"Going somewhere, Uncle?"

And that's the first chapter. I plan on updating soon, don't worry. The bromance between Merlin and Arthur is just so amazing and I can't get enough of it. So, I turn to fanfiction.

The show ended long ago and I'm not even close to over it.

Now that Arthur has taken Merlin's advice, things will play out a lot more differently for Agravaine. More fluff and bromance coming up in the next chapter.

Review the chapter!