A/N : Hey you guys! Okay, so I'm back from my vacation, and I finally wrote this last chapter, trying to make it as perfect as I could... You can't imagine the sadness I feel departing from this story. It has been my world for some time now. I think I might cry. (I'm such a wuss, and even more obsessed since I can hear Arthur saying in my head : "Don't be such a girl, Merlin." Although, I AM a girl, so maybe he'll forgive me - - grin - -)

Anyway, as always, please please tell me what you think, because not only has this story meant the world to me, but YOUR reviews made that world all shiny and beautiful! Yay!

Xo, as always

Arthur

The grey rock moved swiftly along the silver, and when sunlight momentarily caught the blade in its warm rays, a flash of gold gleamed next to his hands. His movements were steady and controlled, an easy rhythm that kept on repeating itself. His mind, on the other hand, was going a million miles an hour. The betrayal was still so fresh, the bitterness in his mouth still acutely there. He hadn't known what to do with his cousin, so until he passed his judgement, Grady resided behind locked doors.

The shuffling of feet should have scared him, especially after everything that had happened – he clearly remembered the moment where everything had fallen apart, the ache inside of him, and the voice calling out – but it didn't. For he knew that tread.

"Are you trying to steal my job?" The grin spread across Merlin's face as he came to sit beside him, and Arthur smirked.

"What, and become my own servant?" His mouth twitched. "Not in a million years."

"Here," Merlin prodded, holding out his hand and reaching for the nearly sharpened blade. "Let me." Who knew there'd come a time when he actually volunteered to do Arthur's chores. But after everything, he was glad to do it.

The sword was passed swiftly, and still no anxiety was evident in Arthur's conduct. Nevertheless, he was quite sure the man sitting next to him could see right through him. "Something bothering you?" His companion casually threw out, never tearing his gaze away from his task, knowing it would be easier for Arthur to reply without heavy, questioning eyes staring him down.

"I thought I might go and see my cousin today." He inwardly cringed. 'I thought I might'.. the incertainty in that statement made a coward out of him, and if there was one thing he couldn't afford to be, it was precisely that. Clearing his throat, he revised his sentence. "I'm going to see my cousin today."

"I'll come with you."

"No." His head snapped in Merlin's direction, instinctively. He hadn't even made up his mind to do it before he had. "I need to do this on my own."

"Arthur, I want to see him. He nearly killed me, or have you forgotten?"

He flinched. Of course he hadn't forgotten, and he supposed he never would. The pure helplessness that had come over him had been unlike anything he had ever experienced before, and the mere idea that Merlin might die, laying still in the prince's own, bloodstained bed, was unbearable. The fact that his friend now casually threw out a question such as this stung, a bit.

"Of course I haven't." He closed his eyes in thought. Taking Merlin with him to see Grady would only be fair to him, but somehow he didn't trust the situation where the three of them would stand in the same room. He wanted to spare Merlin the possible pain his cousin's words might cause. God, he himself hadn't been able to let the angry, hurled words slip from his mind for a second. The murderers of pure innocence will crumble to the ground.

He raised himself from the stone bench where they sat, side by side, and touched a hand to Merlin's shoulder. "Let's get this over with."

-

Merlin

The eyes that glared at them from behind the iron bars were filled with pure hatred, and still he didn't understand why anyone thought Arthur would deserve something like this. He didn't think Arthur knew himself, though he seemed more steady than a couple of days ago. Maybe he did know. For now, Merlin decided he would stand a little to the side, not wanting to interrupt the talk he knew Arthur needed to have with his prisoner, but still there when he was needed.

"I see you've settled in," Arthur ventured forward, his seemingly confident steps hollow on the stone.

Merlin felt torn between sighing at Arthur's prat-ishness, or allowing himself to smile at the sarcasm in the statement. The latter would, no doubt, spark their prisoners rage, so he kept it to himself, curious as to how the conversation would continue.

"Enjoying the sight, are you?" Grady spat. "Enjoy it while it lasts, my prince." He bowed, spitting to the ground before Arthur's feet when his head moved down.

"Grady…" Arthur's jaw clenched. "I still don't understand what I ever did to you."

"You murdered her." The voice was shrill, high pitched to the point where it didn't even seem to be his, anymore. "You know you did."

"That's NOT true!" Merlin leaped forward, the protectiveness evident in his voice. How dare he pin the lady Ygraine's death on Arthur? What had happened to her was an unfortunate accident, nothing else.

Arthur, however, turned to Merlin in an attempt to silence him, the slightest sign of amusement written on his face. "Hush, Merlin."

"Yes, wizard boy, keep away from things that you don't understand."

"Hey!" Arthur whirled around, pointing a menacing finger at his cousin. The meaning behind it was so clear, and Merlin felt a warmth spread inside of him. Arthur was protecting him, as well. The word wizard hadn't even made him flinch, this time. Yet Merlin was grateful that the room was empty except for the three of them, for even a traitor could expose him.

Sadness overpowered the anger in Arthur's eyes, and Merlin understood that the pain of the words had finally started to cut. "So is that why you were here? To punish me…and my father, for what happened to her?"

Grady's smiled maliciously. "That, and to make sure the true king of Camelot claimed his rightful place on the throne."

"Ah." Arthur started to pace in front of the bars, as if he was the one caged instead of his cousin. When Grady turned to glare at Merlin, he returned it gladly. "And I suppose you think you are that rightful king."

"Yes."

Arthur looked at him again, incredulous. "I can't believe this."

Grady gripped the bars now, clenching and unclenching his fingers violently. "You'll get what's coming to you."

The prince sighed. "So will you. Come on, Merlin. There's nothing we can do."

Before turning away, Merlin took another step towards their agressor. "You didn't bring us down. And you never will." He gave the man a victorious smile. "Remember that."

"Come on, Merlin." Arthur pushed him towards the exit with a small nudge, muttering something about 'always so dramatic.'

-

Merlin neatly folded Arthur's clothes, letting them rest on the bed before he stored them away, letting them enjoy the softness of the underground, that he himself had experienced a few days ago. A smile spread across his face when he remembered how Arthur had kept watch by his side, sleeping on the floor while Merlin slept in his bed.

The sudden cheerfulness hadn't gone unnoticed. Arthur sighed. "What is it, Merlin?"

"Nothing," Merlin lied, knowing that even the slightest truth about what he was thinking would be returned by a snide remark. "I'm just…" he turned to look at his friend, resting against the window, occasionally glancing at the courtyard. "Thank you, Arthur. For what you did."

"Hm." Arthur hummed. "Well, I wasn't fighting the battle on my own, was I?" He raised his eyebrows in a meaningful way, his eyes gleaming with a returned gratefulness.

"No," Merlin smiled. "No, you weren't. Uhm, listen, I know we never really talked about what happened, and I know now may not be the time, but I was wondering..."

Arthur gave him a quick nod. "Well," he took a deep breath, his chest expanding widely, "you're not a half-bad servant, Merlin. Stick around."

"Okay," he said, trying not to let his happiness show. "I suppose I could endure a few more years of this."

"Damn right you could." He paused, and Merlin could tell he was looking for the right words to say, and debating whether or not to speak them out loud. "Merlin – " he eventually said, tilting his head slightly, trying to catch the other man's gaze as best he could. "I trust you."

A short pause followed that statement, while his eyes turned back to the greyish sky. He sighed dramatically. "Anyway …just wanted you to know."

"Oh." Merlin looked interested in the clothes all of a sudden, tucking the sleeves underneath the remaining fabric, the deep burgundy color resembling the blush he felt creeping into his cheeks. "Thank you, ... Arthur."

So? Pleaaaase pleaase tell me what you think? If you do, then I'm thinking I might start writing my next story (maybe tomorrow, maybe even tonight! right now, I'll just snuggle up into a couch and watch the Labyrinth of Gedref. Or Morte d'Arthur. Or Moment of Truth. I haven't decided yet!)..

Oh, and if you were wondering what is/was going to happen to Grady & Ulrich, well - - it would be more likely that Ulrich would be executed because of sorcery, but I don't if I wanted to do that. Grady wouldn't be executed either way, I'd just stick him in prison for a long time, or make him serve as a servant somewhere in Camelot under strict supervision (can you imagine, Grady, who thinks he's fit to be king, sweeping the floors? Hehe.). I'm just going to leave it up to your imagination to give make them serve the sentence you think is best appropriate...

Xo, as always! You guys are the best, and I really hope you'll enjoy my next stories! Please continue to let me know!