Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter One

"Merlin?" Arthur asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, sire?"

"Do you believe the rumors?"

Arthur turned away from the window, curious to hear his servant's thoughts, only to find that Merlin was unusually focused on setting out the king's dinner.

"What rumors?" he asked distractedly, his voice light and casual.

Arthur snorted at him. "You're joking, right?" Merlin finally looked up, staring at him blankly. "The rumors about this… Emrys. Do you believe them?"

Merlin shrugged. "I guess it depends on the rumors. There are an awful lot of them."

"Yes," Arthur sighed. "There are." The rumors had moved like wildfire through Camelot in recent months. They seemed to have started somehow with the druids, but all of Arthur's attempts to get to the root had proven futile. And while Merlin was typically helpful for talking out these sorts of problems, he had been unusually useless on this particular topic. Trying to get him to say two words about Emrys was like pulling teeth.

"He might be my greatest ally in leading Camelot to prosperity. He might be my greatest enemy and bring the kingdom to its knees. He might mean to enchant me and use me as a puppet king, forcing me to bring back magic." Arthur recited the different possibilities he had heard, pacing agitatedly.

"You should eat, sire." Merlin gestured to the meal he had so carefully laid out, but Arthur ignored him. Honestly, he felt a little annoyed with his servant. The entire kingdom was talking about Emrys. Why wouldn't Merlin?

"They all seem to agree that he's a sorcerer, which doesn't bode well for the 'greatest ally' theory. And yet… I don't get the sense that he's an enemy. I mean, based on the rumors. The overall tone of them isn't exactly hostile, is it?"

"Your dinner is getting cold, sire."

"Honestly, Merlin, not everything is about food," Arthur grumbled, finally taking his seat. But as he lifted his goblet, he gave Merlin a sideways glance. "And what's with all the 'sires' tonight? I half expect you to start bowing any minute."

Merlin's lips twitched. "Don't worry. I think I can resist the impulse, should it arise."

Arthur scoffed, feeling tempted for a moment with a smile of his own. But he set his goblet down again without actually taking a drink, and the heaviness immediately settled back over him.

"A young man came to court today," he said, finally getting around to the events that were truly on his mind. "He said he had been traveling with a trader who had a written copy of the prophecy about Emrys. He was bringing it here, to try to sell it to us. But they were attacked on the road, and scroll was stolen. He believes it to have been Lord Elric's men."

"You don't say?" Merlin said in mock surprise. "You know, I was standing right there when he said it."

Arthur waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, but since when have I ever been able to count on you actually listening? Anyway, Lord Elric is not exactly friendly in his feelings toward Camelot. It doesn't sit well to have him know this prophecy while I'm fumbling in the dark."

"I know," Merlin agreed quietly.

A plan had been forming in Arthur's mind all day, although he wasn't sure until this moment that he was going to act on it. "We leave at dawn, Merlin. I cannot just sit here and wait to see if this Emrys ever appears. And right now, retrieving this prophecy is our only lead."

"I'll see to it we're ready," Merlin said, and unsubtly nudged Arthur's plate closer. When that failed to work, he reached over and grabbed a piece of meat from it. Arthur swatted his hand, but Merlin expertly dodged him.

"There's no point in letting it go to waste," he pointed out practically, taking a bite. "If you want to eat your dinner, eat your dinner. Otherwise, it's just rude not to share."

Arthur scowled and took a bite, but quickly fell back to just poking at it.

"I think… I think he must be an enemy." He felt uneasy saying it. It just didn't sound or feel right. But instead of feeling the vitriol or fear that he always remembered from his father's tirades against magic, Arthur just felt… disappointed. Like he wanted Emrys to be real and to be an ally. As ridiculous as that was.

"Why do you think that?" Merlin asked.

Arthur shrugged. "Why else would he hide? And for goodness sake, Merlin, why are you standing over there? I can't see you when you hover behind me like that." This was quickly becoming one of Arthur's pet peeves. He wasn't sure when it started, and he was well aware of the possibility – even probability – that Merlin had always done it. But he'd only noticed it recently, and it irritated him to no end.

"I didn't realize you liked looking at me," Merlin quipped as he moved into Arthur's line of vision.

Arthur gave him a dirty look. "I like being able to see people's face's when I'm talking to them. It's weird to talk to an empty room and then have someone reply behind you."

It's weird not to be able to read someone's expression.

For instance, right now. Merlin glanced down at the floor and smiled, and Arthur would have missed it if Merlin were still hovering behind him. In fact, Merlin looked almost smug. Or… maybe proud?

"What?" he demanded.

Merlin shrugged a little bit. "It's just… surprisingly unprat-like. Wanting to look at people when they talk. It's not all elitist and royal. Like you're the only person that matters."

Whatever Arthur had expected, that wasn't it, and he waited half a moment before he was sure a punchline wasn't coming. "Oh. Thanks. I think." And then he realized that Merlin was committing the second pet peeve that Arthur had recently noticed. "You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Changing the subject." Arthur picked a piece of carrot off his plate and threw it at Merlin's head, and Merlin batted the vegetable away irritably. "It's something you seem to do a lot when I'm trying to talk about something important."

"What were we talking about then?"

"I asked you why Emrys would hide unless he's an enemy. What do you think? Is it possible he's an ally?"

"I think," Merlin said carefully, "that hiding doesn't necessarily make him an enemy."

"Really?" Arthur was genuinely surprised. "How so?"

Merlin stared at him like he was stupid. "Sorcery is still illegal in Camelot, Arthur."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Still?" he echoed, and he saw Merlin's eyes widen slightly. "You think one day it won't be?"

All expression disappeared from Merlin's face, like a door slamming closed. "I suppose that depends on what happens with Emrys," he said blandly. "Should he prove to be an ally, I suspect you'll need to… reevaluate Camelot's stance on magic."

Arthur snorted and pushed the uneaten plate of food away. "Reevaluate the stance on magic. Wouldn't that be opening a can of worms," he muttered. "But why would he lie if he's an ally? I know—" he continued before Merlin could answer, holding up a hand. "I know it's illegal. But if he's an ally, wouldn't he find a way to tell me? And why would he be an ally to a kingdom that kills sorcerers anyway?"

It had been pointless asking Merlin to move, because Arthur couldn't read the look on his face anyway. This was the third thing he had recently noticed with Merlin. Sometimes he turned into this… other Merlin. One who wasn't an idiot. One who sometimes asked Arthur hard questions and said wise things, and above all, one who Arthur couldn't read. His tone was careful, his face neutral. Arthur usually felt like he knew Merlin completely, but when this other Merlin showed up, sometimes Arthur felt like he didn't know his servant at all. The feeling discomfited him.

"Don't you think it's possible, Arthur," Merlin suggested, "that Emrys could respect you as king even if he disagrees with you? Don't you think it's possible that he would be your ally because… well, because he believes in you?"

Merlin was staring at the table, and no matter how long Arthur watched at him, he would not look up to meet Arthur's eyes.

"No," Arthur said finally. "I don't think it's possible. Why would he believe in me when he knows that if I ever caught him, I'd have him executed?"

Merlin shrugged, still staring at the table. "Maybe he doesn't know that for sure. Maybe he thinks there's a chance that if he proves himself, you'd change your mind about magic. Arthur, someday you'll have to make a choice about what paths you're willing to consider."

Arthur shook his head disbelievingly. "Honestly, Merlin, sometimes I'm amazed by how naïve you are. Regardless of his intentions, he's a criminal, and Emrys is a fool if he thinks I'd break the laws for one man." With a sigh, Arthur pulled his plate back to himself and began to eat. And he couldn't keep the disappointment out of his voice as he repeated, "I think he must be our enemy."

"So Arthur means to confront Lord Elric?" Gaius asked in surprise.

"I don't know if he means it to be a confrontation," Merlin admitted with a frown as he loaded up his bag. "He's only taking a small group. Leon, Gwaine, Percival, and Elyan. And me, of course," he added as an afterthought. "I think he might intend to take it by stealth, not force."

"You mean steal it," Gaius said dryly. "That doesn't sound like Arthur. And for goodness sake, Merlin, you must leave me with some supplies! I do have an entire town to tend to, even with the king gone!"

"Sorry!" Merlin hastily put a few bottles back on the shelf. "You just know how these outings always go! Someone is bound to end up with an arrow or sword in them at some point, and I can't always heal them with magic!"

When Gauis looked away, he quickly grabbed one of the bottles again and stuffed it back into the bag.

"I think Arthur is a little desperate," he admitted, returning to their original topic of conversation. "Normally he would try to approach this diplomatically, maybe try to buy the scroll or even just ask nicely to see it. But he knows Elric is no friend to Camelot, and he's completely unnerved by all the rumors about Emrys flying around for the past few months. Honestly, I think he'd do just about anything to find out what's in the prophecy at this point."

Merlin sat down at the table and watched Gaius work for a long moment.

"Gaius?"

"No."

"What? I didn't even ask—"

"You were going to ask whether you should just tell Arthur the prophecy," Gaius said pointedly, and he stared at Merlin until his ward lowered his eyes guiltily. "But you cannot tell Arthur the contents of the prophecy without raising suspicion. He'll wonder how you know. He'll wonder what else you know. And without telling him the entirety of the truth, there's no reason for him to believe you any more than any of the other stories floating around. Unless…"

Gaius trailed off and took the seat across the table from Merlin.

"Unless?"

"Unless you're ready to tell him everything."

Merlin's mouth dropped open in shock, but the only sounds that came out were incoherent splutters. "Tell – what? Arthur?" he shook his head, not unlike a dog after a bath. "Gaius, are you seriously telling me that you think I should tell Arthur everything?"

"No. I'm not."

Merlin felt himself deflate. For just a brief moment, he had felt something. Hope, he realized. He had felt hope. Terror, of course. And uncertainty and disbelief. But mixed up in all that… hope, that maybe the time was finally coming when he wouldn't have to continue piling on the lies and secrets.

"I don't know when the right time is, Merlin," Gaius admitted. "I don't think it's yet, but I honestly don't know. Uther is dead. Arthur is king. But the people are still scared of magic, and Arthur has been on edge since these rumors started. But I also don't know if the rumors will stop. I don't know if there will be a better time. So no, I don't think you should tell Arthur now. But… it's possible. And ultimately, it's a decision you'll have to make yourself."

Merlin sighed. "I have to tell him soon, Gaius. I can't keep it from him forever."

Gaius smiled at him, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I know, Merlin. But you've been saying that for years."

"Yeah," Merlin said heavily. "I know."