Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story, the characters from Merlin are not mine.

Well, for all the new readers welcome and for all the old ones, I'd like to say sorry for the wait. This is a revised chapter so there is nothing new in terms of content. Expect the revised chapters to come at least in a weekly basis.

That said, happy reading!

Prologue

He sat there staring at the fire burning brightly in the night. Much like him in reality: alive and shining when only shadows are cast, but ignored when the bright sun is out. He didn't mind living behind the darkness, living in Arthur's shadow, never to be acknowledge for his contribution in his prosperous kingdom. He didn't want the glory, as tempting and as lovely as it had sounded in the beginning. As the years passed, he simply wanted to be truthful. To stop hiding what he is, to stop constantly showing only halves of himself.

He was many things, the faithful friend, the clumsy servant, the wise man, the fool, the coward, the brave man, the humble man, the peasant, the warlock... He was Merlin and he was Emrys. He was every one of those and yet sometimes, he thought he was none of those, sometimes he did not know who he really was. Perhaps, he had lost himself in the half-truths and lies along the years.

One day he would come clean, but when will that be. Would it be in his terms, or will he be force to reveal it? When it does come, because he's not sure he could bear it if it never came, he would bear all the consequences that came with the deceits. Part of him felt that it would be easier if they never knew, but he digressed.

So many things have happened that would make them never understand the beauty of magic. So many things that made it seem like a tool of destruction in lieu of a tool of many uses.

It can be destructive, fearful and dangerous, but it can be beautiful, passionate, awe aspiring and so innocent. "Just like fire," he murmured. You can kill with fire and you can use it to light a hearth. Darkness and light, there is nothing without those two sides...

He sighed, he knew it was not the magic that would bother his friends, it was the deception, or rather the lack of faith in them. He did not want to lose their friendship; he did not want to see the betrayal in their eyes.

He knew waiting made it worse. It made it harder to say the truth, harder to be open and to be fair it was easier to lie, to hide, to act as he was expected. Excuses, a never ending cycle of them, that never failed to convince him and for what? It was comprehensible in Uther's reign but not in this one. This time, it was to spare his emotional pain. He expected banishment and some sort of change between their dynamics and maybe that was it. Maybe that was all it was.

He gazed at the sleeping knights and king.

"One day, but not today..." he whispered distantly thinking he had been saying them to often nowadays. Merlin stood up and stretched his arm above his head, and winced at the popping sounds his shoulder made. That was enough brooding for one night and he figured he'd cross that bridge when it came.

He smiled lightly, for all his mental complaining about hidden identities and its woes, he was genuinely happy. Sometimes though, trudging up a smile felt like a weight. He did laugh a lot though when he bantered with Arthur's and at Gwaine's antics after all.
Craning his neck, he looked at the moon and saw it at its peak. His shift was over and he would finally rest and leave all what transpired today behind, or at least at the back of his mind.

Merlin unconsciously widened his smile as he pondered on the way he should wake up Gwaine. After everything, he thought he deserved a good laugh. Said knight was sprawled in his cot, mumbling of things, he was not sure he wanted to know. Though as he approached him, he thought he heard the words attempt, virtue and...Merlin, wait what?

He promptly froze, hovering in front of the knight's body, looking very much like a startled deer. Let it be known that Merlin very much liked his virtue Gwain-less and he would rather never hear those three words in the same sentence again.

He shuddered slightly as he pictured- "No! Not happening and oh no he's waking up and I don't want to know!" his eyes darted around the camp to look for something, anything to knock his friend out. Spotting the unwashed cooking pot, he tried to reach it but was stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist.

Bleary eyes locked on his very pale face, which was now sporting a familiar, albeit, nervous smile.
"What...Merlin, did you come to save me?" he asked relief shining through his obviously sleepy eyes.

"Save you from what...exactly?" the warlock prodded slowly, his own relief slightly hesitant to grow.

Suddenly Gwaine sat up, released his wrist and chose to clasp his hands on Merlin's shoulder and squeezed lightly. The brunet inched his face closer to Merlin and stared into his eyes with intense madness. Merlin loved Gwaine like a brother, but if someone had asked him at this very second, what he thought of the knight, he wasn't too sure what he'd say.

"...Believe me Merlin, when I say all of it was an accident, I mean it! It was an accident and really, isn't it a bit harsh to punish me like that?" he babbled. At Merlin's confused stare, Gwaine rambled on readily.

"I mean even for Arthur that's pretty cruel, it was just a prank really, and my virtue is not for sale, not even if it's for the sake of the kingdom, especially not to them. The man cannot take a joke, convince him! Use all your merlinesque arguments!" at the young man's chuckle, the knight shook him, as if it would relay the urgency of his situation. "I mean really, I didn't think he'd actually prepare a wedding of all things...I...can you imagine the nuptials Merlin!?"

"Them?" the warlocks inquired, curiosity piqued once he realised, that his virtue was not in fact involved in his friend's dream.

"Yes them, I swear to you my friend, they are evil incarnate! You believe me right mate? I would never go for anything but maidens, right?" he released Merlin and sat on his rump. "You know I love my women, like I love my apples..."

The knight waited expectantly at his friend, while the younger stared at the ground in contemplation.
"...Eaten...?" he answered after a moment of silence. Merlin winced when he realised the implication.

Catching on quickly, the eldest smiled slyly and laced his arm around the servant.

"That too I supposed, but I was going to say with curves. I didn't know you had it in you, mate!"

Merlin could feel the tail tale feeling of embarrassment creeping on his neck and cheeks. It was moments like these that he cursed his pale features. All he could do was hope that he delivered the nonchalant look and that his flushed cheeks could not be seen in the darkness.

Apparently they weren't, as the noble laughed at him genially. Merlin cleared his throat, which was understood by the other as he settled for grinning.

"...I'm not sure I'm following everything...I mean about them," here the dragonlord pulled his upper lip slightly imitating his friend, "but I promise if it ever happens I'll help you. For now though, it's time for you watch."

"...My...watch...?"

He glanced at the camp they had made for the night and laughed boisterously for a moment before a few grunts told him to shut up.

"Right," he drawled, "My watch. Well, thanks for waking me up mate. Good night and beware of them, Merlin, and remember to protect your virtue!" he grinned cheekily and promptly sat cross-legged sword at his side, in front of the fire.

"Good night Gwaine," he said as he turned his back to the fire and buried himself in his own spread out cot, a bit further than said knight. As he was falling asleep, his friend called out his name. He hummed drowsily to show that he was listening, if barely.

"Mate, if any nightmare plagues you, I'm willing to listen."

Merlin heard some shuffling, as if the knight couldn't settle in a comfortable position. The young man couldn't help but feel a rush of gratefulness and affection at his friend. Smiling softly he thanked the man and eased into slumber.

As Gwaine, listened to the steady breathing of his mismatched brothers, he let his thoughts wander to the servant.

The usually cheery servant had seemed off during these past few weeks, "Maybe longer," he murmured, thinking about the fact that his smiles were getting a little less genuine as of late. He hadn't notice at first; he only had that nagging feeling of wrongness. That feeling was confirmed when he saw the servant's sombrely gaze at the fire, as if it held all the answers.

He had woken up near the end of Merlin's shift, and panicked slightly when he saw the servant approach him and so, he spewed the first thing that came to his still somewhat sleep addled mind.

Hell, he and the fire may not have all the answer, but he, on the other hand, did have a sense of humour, which Merlin happened to share. For now, maybe it would be enough to let Merlin know he would be there to listen as well as make him laugh.

And so the legend of Gwaine's infamous loyalty was born. Said knight would move heaven and earth if he knew it would help someone he cared for. If one little made up dream could make him smile, imagine what a prank could do.