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I don't really know what this is, just some sort of one-shot that came out of nowhere.

For all of Arthur's teasing about him being a girl, Merlin couldn't help but gasp when the heaven's suddenly opened. A storm had been brewing since dawn, and now he was out in the middle of a forest with no way of sheltering from it, it had decided to hit. He had told Arthur going hunting with the sky looking like that was a bad idea. But as usual, the prince had decided he knew what was best, Merlin was talking nonsense and they were going anywhere.

Cursing his prat of a destiny, Merlin wiped the already sodden hair out of his eyes as he squinted through the sheets of rain. He was sure Arthur had been just in front of him. But as his eyes adjusted to the darkness that had suddenly seemed to have fallen over the forest, it was only to realise that Arthur was no longer in view.

"Arthur!" Not knowing what else to do but to call for him, Merlin dismounted. Holding the reigns loosely in one hand, he began moving forward slowly. By keeping his eyes on the ground, he was able to avoid the worst of the water running into them and could study the soft mud for any tracks about where Arthur might have gone.

To Merlin's amazement, he actually found some. He knew the prince would be pleased when Merlin finally caught up with him, for Arthur had taken it upon himself to try and teach his servant the art of tracking. Merlin had a feeling it was a way of trying to get him to be more stealthy in a hunt, but he had never been able to get Arthur to admit it. For now, however, Merlin was too focused on keeping his eyes on the tracks and making sure he didn't lose Arthur once the prince veered off from the path.

Tugging his patient horse behind him, Merlin made slow progress as he followed the tracks. He was soaked, he was cold and he was fed up. If he hadn't been trying to keep his powers a secret, he would have showed Arthur precisely how frustrated he was. But luckily for the prince, Merlin intended to keep his head attached to his shoulders and just settled for grumbling for now.

"Merlin," an irritated voice finally cut through the haze of annoyance in Merlin's mind and he glanced up to find Arthur was standing directly in front of him. Merlin blamed the weather for obscuring Arthur's approach, but he could tell by the look on the prince's face this was not the first time he had called him. Merlin tried to grin but his face refused to do so.

"Where did you go?" He said bluntly. Why hadn't Arthur told him that he was leaving the path as soon as the storm hit?

"To find shelter, come on." It was only then that Merlin realised Arthur was without his horse or his pack. Hoping it meant the shelter was nearby, Merlin bit back the retort dancing on the tip of his tongue and followed Arthur through the undergrowth. He made sure he kept his eyes on Arthur's back at all times so as not to lose him again, but did find that he stumbled more often than not. Merlin blamed the mud. Arthur just rolled his eyes.

The pair walked in silence. Merlin thought that it took forever to reach wherever it was that Arthur was taking them, but he knew that was just because he was cold. Arthur wouldn't have left his horse to come looking for his servant if he thought he would have to go too far.

Eventually, however, the prince suddenly disappeared from sight again. Merlin's heart skipped a beat and he had a wild second of wondering whether he should learn a tracking spell before he drew level with the same spot. Instantly, he forgave Arthur.

For the prince had somehow found a small cave in an otherwise impenetrable wall of rock. The entrance was just large enough for Merlin to lead his horse through and leave the creature tied to the makeshift line Arthur had already established before moving towards the back of the cave. It wasn't deep, but there was space for a small fire at a safe distance from the horses.

"Did you know this was here?" Merlin dropped to his knees even as he spoke. Someone knew it existed for there was a bundle of wood resting next to where a fire had clearly been before. Luckily, it was far enough from the entrance to the cave that it was still dry, despite the storm raging outside.

Arthur didn't answer and Merlin looked up to find the prince looking a little sheepish. He took that to mean Arthur not only knew the cave existed, he was the one who had left the wood on a previous visit. Deciding it would be easier to talk when he had stopped dripping water, Merlin set to work arranging the branches. There was just enough of a breeze that he couldn't get the wood to light initially. But as Arthur made to check on the horses, Merlin breathed a word, let his eyes swirl gold and the wood caught. He knew what Gaius would say about him using his magic for trivial things. But he also knew it would be worse if Arthur got sick. This time, it was nothing to do with his destiny. It was just because Arthur was a terrible patient and Merlin was often the one to bear the brunt of his frustration.

As soon as the fire was burning, Merlin slipped off his jacket and his boots, arranging them so they could at least dry a little in the cave. Arthur came back to join him. The prince seemed to hesitate for a moment before he followed suit, realising there was no point in staying wet when an alternative was available. Merlin hid his smile as Arthur sat down on the other side of the fire. In a situation like this, it was as if Arthur's titles and responsibilities just melted away from him and left the man in their place.

"Told you there was a storm brewing," Merlin eventually muttered, realising the silence was stretching on for just a little bit longer than he was happy with. Arthur had normally started giving orders by now. To his discomfort, Arthur looked up, then just as quickly dropped his gaze. Merlin frowned.

"And you believed me all along, didn't you?"

"I do know how to read the signs of a storm, Merlin," Arthur drawled, making to shift position. But Merlin sat upright. Something wasn't adding up here.

"Then why did you insist on coming hunting? If a storm was brewing, you know the animals seek shelter because they sense it long before us."

"So you do pay some attention then."

"Arthur, why are we out here?" Merlin felt like there was something he was missing and for a reason he couldn't explain, it was making his heart pound painfully hard in his chest. Arthur had been acting odd all day, almost as if he had just been waiting for the storm to hit rather than actually hunting. Now he was thinking about it, Merlin realise they had been dawdling in this area for a while as well. That coupled with Arthur already knowing the cave was here and even having it stocked and ready… Merlin swallow hard.

"What's going on?" He knew suspicion was lining his tone but he couldn't help it. For a moment, he didn't think that Arthur was going to answer and the only response he would get was the thundering of the storm just outside. But eventually Arthur shifted.

"I needed to talk to you away from prying ears."

"So you decided to come out in the middle of a storm?"

"We're highly unlikely to be followed, don't you think?"

"Why would be followed? You go out on hunts all the time."

"I've never knowingly gone out with a sorcerer by my side."

Arthur's words were so casual with his voice not changing tone in the slightest that Merlin almost missed them. There was a split-second delay, then he felt as if the ground had dropped beneath him. If he wasn't already sitting down, Merlin was sure he would have fallen. He was acutely aware that he was staring at Arthur with his mouth hanging open.

"I'm no… you… I mean…"

"I know, Merlin." Arthur said bluntly, his tone making it clear that it didn't matter how much Merlin wanted to deny it, Arthur wasn't going to let him. "I've known since we returned from the Perilous Lands."

"How?" It was the only word Merlin was capable of whispering at that moment in time. He knew he should be continuing to deny it, reassuring Arthur that he would never hurt anyone, he didn't want the throne and he was there to protect him. But it was as if his mind had frozen. Gaius had warned him, time and time again, that he needed to be careful.

"I heard you send those creatures away. It was like my body was under a great weight, but I was still conscious. I wasn't sure it was your voice until you took the bracelet off and there you were."

"Arthur…"

"Can you stop looking at me like I'm about to run you through? That was over a month ago, Merlin. And instead of handing you over to the guards, I'm making sure that we are alone."

"Are you going to make it look like an accident?"

"What?"

"Killing me?" Merlin wasn't sure how Arthur was sitting there so calmly when he felt as if the world was falling apart. Why was the man not reaching for his sword? Why-? Merlin stopped himself there. Why was he worrying about why Arthur wasn't reacting worse and instead focusing on the fact the prince clearly trusted him.

"Why are we out here, Arthur?"

"I wanted you to tell me the truth," Arthur muttered, refusing to meet Merlin's gaze. "Away from the threat of the guards, away from everything in Camelot. Away from…from me being a prince. I just wanted you to tell me it's true."

"It's true," Merlin whispered, understanding dawning on him. Arthur wasn't going to turn him in. Merlin knew had he been going to, he never would have made it back from that quest. Judging by the weight that lifted from the prince at Merlin's words, he had been going out of his mind for the last month trying to work out if what he had heard was truly what had happened.

"What happens to me now?" Merlin said, his voice not rising. The worst part was that he knew he would accept whatever Arthur threw at him. Arthur, however, merely glanced over at him.

"You cook this," he ordered, tossing over the one rabbit they had managed to catch all day. Of course, now, Merlin knew it was because Arthur hadn't been trying compared to the prey being scarce. He had just made sure he had caught something for them to eat while weathering out the storm.

"That's it? Aren't you angry?"

"I'm furious, Merlin. And hurt. And still trying to decide whether I can trust you. But I can't just throw you in the stocks without you messing something else up first and you seem to have done annoyingly well recently. So consider yourself on stable duty from now until forever."

"Yes, Sire."

"But I won't turn you in if that was what you meant."

Merlin wanted to ask why. He wanted to know why Arthur had put their friendship above his loyalty to the king and his father. But he also didn't want Arthur thinking about it too much in case he changed his mind. Realising he was the one who needed to do some serious thinking about what happened now, Merlin set to work.

One thing he did know for sure, however, was that this changed everything. But what he hoped was that maybe, just maybe, it might make his destiny a little easier.