Chapter four: Welcome home.

A few days after this encounter in the forest, the door to Gaius's chambers opened and the court Physician looked up from his work wondering who it was.

As Gaius saw who was there his eyes widened, standing in the door way was none other then Merlin. A smiled quickly spread over the old man's face, Merlin stepped inside the familiar room and quietly shut the door, before crossing the room and hugging his friend and mentor. "I'm back." Merlin said to Gaius softly.

Gaius returned the embrace happily and smiled widely at the young man before him. "I can see that Merlin. So are young going to go and tell Arthur that your back? Even I have to say that the prince hasn't been quiet the same with out you here."

Merlin grinned at his old friend and slowly let go of him. "Yes I'll go and see Arthur as soon as I've put my things in my room."

Quietly the young man went into his room and put down his things, Merlin unpacked his things back into his old room, once this was done, the man servant went to locate the prince of Camelot.

Arthur didn't even look up from his book as the door to his rooms opened and closed, he just assumed it was Morgana come to look in on him as she did most days now.

The blond haired prince heard the person padding around next door, who ever it was appeared to be gathering up his dirty cloths, Arthur shrugged so it wasn't Morgana it was obviously a servant, he hated it when they tried to replace Merlin in his life and the blond intended to make that clear yet again.

Quickly the prince put his book to one side, Arthur rose from his chair he stalked into the room next door, to find not another servant in his rooms picking up his dirty cloths but Merlin. . . his Merlin.

Promptly the prince closed his eyes and shook his head he had to be seeing things, but when Arthur opened his blue eyes the warlock was still there in his room and he was still sorting out the dirty cloths. "Merlin?" Arthur said softly to the one before him a soft and almost fearful questioning note to his voice as he spoke.

Extremely slowly the dark haired young man turned round, his grey blue eyes met Arthur's sky blue eyes and he smiled softly at the prince of Camelot. "Hello Arthur I'm back." The man servant stated simply tot he prince.

With out another word or another thought Arthur quickly crossed the room to were Merlin stood, the blond haired prince reached out and touched one of the man servant's hands, the prince of Camelot let out a happy sigh when the hand he had reached for turned out to be solid.

"You came back, you really came back." The prince said with happiness in his eyes and voice.

Merlin smiled brightly at the relived note in Arthur's voice. "Yes Arthur I came back, I had to I love you to much to stay away from you and quite obviously you can't take care of yourself and need me here to help you."

The blond haired prince smiled happily at Merlin and then gently stroked the side of his familiar face. "I missed you so much, I apologise for the way I acted and the things I said to you." Arthur let go of the hand and then embraced Merlin in a tight hug.

With a wide goofy smile the man servant returned the prince's embrace, Merlin was a little upset Arthur hadn't said that he felt anything for him yet, but then again, they hadn't been back together for all that long yet so there was still plenty of time for the prince to confess his feelings if he had any that was.

However the young warlock need not have worried, slowly Arthur loosened his hold on him and gazed into Merlin's grey blue eyes intensely. "I wanted you to know that I didn't tell my father either your secrets."

Merlin looked at Arthur a little confused for a moment before asking. "Why didn't you tell him I can use you know?"

Arthur gazed into Merlin's eyes, he smiled slowly at the man before him. "The reason for that would be because I love you Merlin and I have absolutely no intention of losing you not now or ever."

The prince's smile grew, as he watched Merlin's eyes widen and a delicate blush spread across his cheeks. "Oh, oh Arthur do you mean it?"

"What that I love you?" The prince asked the dark haired young man softly, Merlin simply nodded in answer to this question. "Yes, you idiot I love you."

Merlin smiled widely up at the prince, Arthur couldn't hold back any longer, he gently pressed his lips to the man servants, Merlin smiled and leant into the kiss. Arthur pulled the man servant closer to him and deepened the kiss, Merlin responded by putting his arms round the prince and letting Arthur pull him close.

The man servant and the prince were in heaven, they were happy it was finally all put to rights between them and nothing was going to pull them apart ever again, not even Uthar. Who right at that second had knocked and not receiving an answer had just walked into the room, the king coughed politely and the two men pulled apart a little.

"Yes father what is it?" Arthur asked with early concealed aggravation.

"I take it now your love is back your feeling better Arthur?" Uthar asked his son gently.

Both Merlin and Arthur stared at Uthar and then looked at each other, the king smiled. "Now Arthur, Merlin give me some credit, I noticed long ago that Arthur was falling in love with merlin, it is not what I might of wished but as long as my son is happy then I will be happy. Though we will have to give you a title and some lands Merlin just to keep there from being to much gossip. However this can al be talked about latter, I'll leave you two alone for now I am sure you have much to catch up on." Quietly the king left the two young men alone again.

Arthur gazed at Merlin. "He knew that you loved me and I loved you. . . I wonder why my father never said anything?"

Merlin shrugged. "Who knows. I'm going to get a title and land. . . oh boy."

"What you object to that?"

"Well I'm going to need help I wasn't raised a noble man you know but if it means I get to keep you then it will be worth it."

Arthur smiled at the one he loved. "I'll help you learn what you need to know don't worry my love."

Merlin grinned back at the prince, he pulled Arthur's head down and placed his lips firmly to the prince's, Arthur's sky blue eyes were wide for a moment, then they softened and fluttered closed as he leant into the kiss and pulled Merlin tight against him once more.

The end!

(Yahoo I did it! Well my second fic for this pair hope you all enjoyed!)