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This was another time when Merlin's funny feelings were right. Arthur, Merlin, and the Round Table knights were on a patrol, and everything had been going well. Merlin had his funny feeling and, as usual, Arthur mocked and ignored it. Well, it was right, and they were attacked by yet another sorcerer seeking revenge for the late King Uther's wrongdoings.

The group found themselves thrown from their horses, who were frightened by a loud bang and flash of light. When they stood and went to draw their swords, however, they all found themselves frozen in place. The sorcerer had gone on a long rant about how they had been wronged and he would now seek his revenge, and so on and so forth. It was a good thing that Arthur could move his eyes at least, because it would have been dreadful if he couldn't have rolled them.

The sorcerer started speaking in the language of the old religion as their hands began to glow bright green. When they thrust out their hands, Arthur squeezed his eyes shut to brace for the impact of the spell, but heard Merlin yell, “No!” and found himself shoved to the side instead. The sorcerer cursed in anger, but noticing that the knights had been unfrozen, quickly disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves and smoke.

Arthur started searching for Merlin before the air had even cleared.

“Merlin! Merlin! Merlin, where are you?!” he called.

He searched the area with his eyes and stood still to listen. What he didn't expect to hear was crying. He looked down. There, at his feet, was a crying child. They were small enough to be three or four years old, and looked remarkably familiar. Black hair, pale skin, brown coat, red shirt, blue...neckerchief?

Arthur crouched down and said in what he hoped was a quiet, calming tone, “Merlin? Are you alright?” Large blue eyes filled with tears looked up at him. Little dirty hands wiped at a little sniffing nose, smearing dirt across what should have been chubby cheeks, but were shockingly sharp for a child of that age. The ears could not possibly be mistaken for anyone's other than his manservant's.

“Who are you?” the little boy whimpered. “How do you know my name? Where's my mummy? I want my mummy!” and with that the crying renewed, large tears rolling down the tiny face.

Arthur didn't know what to do. Noticing the knights gathered around in a circle peering down at Merlin and himself, he looked at them helplessly. Percival stepped forward and sat on the ground beside him, turning little Merlin towards him.

“Hello, Merlin. I'm Percival, but you can call me Percy.” He stroked Merlin's hair with one of his large hands. Merlin calmed a little and looked up at Percival. Percival smiled at him and continued, “Are you okay, Merlin? Does it hurt anywhere?” Merlin turned up his little hands to show Percival the scrapes on them. Taking them in his own and inspecting them, Percival saw they were just small abrasions and besides washing them, there was nothing to be done. He knew better to say this, though, so he asked, “Do you want me to kiss it better?” Merlin nodded, so the large knight kissed on hand and then the other, making sure to make a mwah sound. “Better?” Merlin nodded again.

It was then that Merlin noticed that he was surrounded by a group of full-grown men. They were looking at him with concerned—and confused—eyes, but he was intimidated all the same. He practically leapt into Percival's lap and hid his face in the muscled shoulder.

“Percy?” Merlin loudly whispered, “who are they, and why are they looking at me?”

Percival brought one arm around Merlin and rested the other on his downy-soft hair. “These are my friends, Merlin. You and me are friends, right Merlin?” After a moment, Merlin nodded into Percy's shoulder. “Well, if you're my friend, and these are my friends, then they are your friends too, okay?” Another small nod, and Merlin looked up at the group. “Let's say hello, alright?” He drew Merlin back onto his lap and pointed at each of them one by one.

“This is Arthur, Leon, Elyan, and Gwaine.” Arthur had stood again, and he and Leon looked awkward, like they didn't know how to deal with children, but Elyan and Gwaine were smiling at him invitingly.

Gwaine crouched down in front of them. “Hey little guy! I'm Gwaine, the fun one,” he grinned, and Merlin smiled shyly back. Gwaine produced an apple, seemingly from nowhere, and held it out. “You look hungry, lad. How about an apple?” Merlin's eyes lit up, and he grabbed the apple from Gwaine's hand and held it to his chest as if someone was going to take it away again. “It's all yours, buddy,” Percival said. “We've already eaten.” Merlin relaxed a bit, though he still held the apple close. Then he yawned. Gwaine caught on it right away.

“Well, it's been a tiring day, especially for the little one here. Perhaps we should call it a night and make camp?” It was barely late afternoon but, agreeing with Gwaine's assessment of Merlin and not knowing what to do next anyway, Arthur said, “Of course, good idea. Leon and I will gather and take care of the horses, Gwaine can gather firewood. Elyan can start preparing our meal. We caught a couple rabbits earlier, so there should plenty for stew, and Elyan is the only one of us I can trust not to poison us. Well, besides Percival, but he's a little busy.”

The camp was quickly set up. Percival had carried Merlin over to a log, and sat with the little boy in his lap. Merlin silently but cautiously watched as the other men unloaded the horses, set out bedrolls, and started the fire. At Percival's urging, he ate his apple. At first, he took a few small nibbles, but hunger overtook him and nibbles turned into the largest bites his small mouth could manage. Soon, the apple was a core, and a little belch escaped him.

“You were hungry, huh?” asked Percival as took his waterskin and gently washed Merlin's hands and face. Merlin nodded. “'M always hungry.” he said simply.

The other men paused in their activities, taking the statement in. Somehow, they knew that the hunger Merlin spoke of was not the simple hunger of a growing boy, but that of a poor starving peasant. Each of their hearts softened and broke just a little bit for their young friend.

“Then you're just in luck my friend,” said Gwaine, dropping a bundle of sticks into the pile of firewood he had been building up, “Because Elyan here is an excellent cook, so there'll be another meal for you.” Merlin gasped and his eyes widened, like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. “I get to eat again?” he asked, astonished.

This time Arthur answered, “Yes, Merlin, you get to eat again.” He knelt in front of Merlin and Percival and took Merlin's hand in his own. “From now on, you'll be able to eat every day, at least three times a day. Does that sound good to you?” The answer was clear to him, for Merlin leapt from Percival's lap onto Arthur's chest, unbalancing Arthur enough that he fell onto his back. Small arms squeezed around his neck as Merlin squealed, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” and abruptly began to cry.

Arthur didn't hesitate this time, and his arms embraced the small boy, his best-friend-turned-child. His hands felt ribs and the knobs of the little boy's spine through both his tunic and jacket. Merlin had always been thin, especially when he had first arrived at Camelot, but Arthur never thought that a few meals a day would be considered nearly unbelievable for his manservant. Clearly, there were things that he didn't know about Merlin. He vowed that, once Merlin was restored to his proper age, he would make every effort to get to know more about the man.

He lay on his back on the forest floor as his little friend cried into his chest, and rubbed his back while making comforting sounds and assuring Merlin that everything would be alright. The other men in the camp went about their business, conspicuously ignoring the touching scene. After a few minutes, the cries quieted. “Merlin?” Arthur asked quietly. He tipped Merlin's face up, and it became evident that he had cried himself to sleep.

“Gwaine!” Arthur hissed at the nearest man. “A little help here?” Gwaine smirked, but quickly agreed. “Of course, Princess. Anything for a damsel in distress.” he winked. Gwaine carefully lifted Merlin off of Arthur's chest, allowing the latter to sit up, and cradled him in his arms. He looked into the little exhausted face and smiled softly at his first friend, who needed him, Gwaine, the former useless drunkard, now.

He carefully laid Merlin down on a bedroll close to the fire and covered him with a blanket, then removed his own cloak and covered him with that as well. Wetting a cloth from his waterskin, he wiped the tears off his little friend's cheeks. Merlin stirred, his face scrunching up, but just turned over on his side, gripped Gwaine's cloak in one small fist, and settled back into slumber.

By now the only thing left was for Elyan to finish cooking their stew, and for a while the knights just sat around the fire, not speaking, just taking in their strange situation. Finally, Arthur said, “We need to get Merlin back to Gaius. Hopefully he will know how to reverse this curse on him.”

“I've never seen or heard of anything like it before,” spoke Leon. “What did that sorcerer hope to gain by turning you into a child, sire?”

“It'd weaken him for, sure.” interjected Elyan. “Or they might have planned to steal him away, use him against Camelot.”

“Hmm...” wondered Percival, “Maybe the spell didn't have the intended effect at all. It was meant for the king, not Merlin.”

“The only thing I know,” said Gwaine firmly, “is that I will protect Merlin with my life. And, if we can't turn him back, that he's cared for the best I can.”

“The best we can, Sir Gwaine.” Arthur quietly agreed, and they all nodded.

A little while later, the stew was done to Elyan's satisfaction. He ladled out some for each of the other knights, then put just a little in Merlin's bowl. When Arthur asked why Merlin was getting so little, it was explained to him that when someone has been deprived of food for a very long time, too much at first would make them ill.

Elyan went to Merlin's bedroll and gently shook the child. “Merlin,” he called softly. The little boy slowly opened his eyes, and Elyan saw the look of blank confusion as the familiar blue orbs he knew didn't see him the same way. “It's time for dinner.” Merlin sat up quickly, barely giving time for the words to come out of the knight's mouth. “Food?” he asked eagerly “Really?”

“Really, Merlin,” said Elyan, smiling as he handed over the small portion and a spoon. “Careful, it's a bit hot still.” Merlin quickly took it and barely took a moment to blow on it before he started eating quickly.

Elyan stilled his hand. “Slowly, Merlin, or you'll be sick.”

Merlin tried to scowl, but it looked more like a pout. “'M not a baby. I can eat on my own, y'know.”

Elyan tried not to smile and said, “Yes, Merlin, you're not a baby.” Merlin started eating again, slower this time.

Arthur leaned forward just as Merlin was finishing up. “How old are you anyway, Merlin?”

“I'm six Summers old,” Merlin answered. The surprise and disbelief clearly showed on the men's faces, since Merlin looked four years old at best, because Merlin puffed up and proclaimed, “I'm a big boy! Mummy says so, and mummy is always right, so it's true.” Then his face morphed into worry. “Where is mummy? Is she okay? Did she lose me?” His breath quickened as tears welled up in his eyes. “Am I lost? Where's mummy?”

This time Leon came to the rescue. He kneeled in front of Merlin hand put his hands on Merlin's bony shoulders. “Your mother is fine, Merlin. You're not lost, because you're with us, and we're your friends. And we'll protect you. We're knights, and knights help keep people safe.”

To the surprise of everyone, Merlin covered his face and began to wail. “Are you taking me away? Did I do something bad? Did someone see? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to!” When he felt Leon's hand touch his shoulder again, he ripped himself away, gasping harshly, and jumped up and ran into the woods. By now it had gotten dark, and he was very small, so he disappeared quickly from the knights' sight.

When Merlin heard the shouts after him, he only ran faster. There were bushes pulling at his clothes and rocks and tree roots that tripped him up more than once, but he ignored the stinging on his hands and the aching of his knees and just kept on running. It was hard to keep his breath; he was still crying, his exhalations coming out in breathy sobs.

In his panic, he didn't notice a small creek and fell into it, crashing into the water. His head dunked below the surface for a moment, and he quickly came up for air. The water wasn't deep, barely past his knees, so he pushed himself up and continued on. Merlin was desperate, frenzied in his search for a place to hide. After falling a few more times and tearing his coat on a passing branch, he saw a small overhang under a rock, partially hidden by bushes. He went to it, thorns catching on his clothing as he crawled into the space. Merlin curled up into as small a ball as he could and tried to take deep breaths so as not to make a sound. He heard the men calling for him. Knights , he thought. Come to take me away. Tears silently rolled down his cheeks as he began to shiver. He was thin, and he was wet, and the night was cold.

When Merlin had torn out of the camp, Arthur and Gwaine had almost immediately taken after him after a moment of stunned silence. Percival gathered a few torches and lit two, handing one to Leon, and instructed Elyan to stay at the camp in case Merlin came back. Then he and Leon joined in the pursuit of the small, frightened boy.

“Merlin!” Arthur called out again. He and Gwaine were searching around, but the visibility was low under the trees, despite the moon being half full. They had found a few bent branches, but no other sign of the boy.

“Kid's fast for being on such tiny legs. I guess that's what happens when you're running for your life.” Gwaine postulated.

“What do you mean running for his life? We're his friends!” Arthur argued.

Gwaine snorted. “Didn't you see his face when he found out we were knights? He was terrified. As someone who used to hate all nobles—oh, don't give me that face, you know it—I can understand the feeling. Hate and fear are sister emotions.”

They stood in a small clearing where the moon was able to penetrate and tried to figure out which direction to go in. When they heard footsteps, they put their hands on their swords, but it turned out to be Leon and Percival, each carrying a torch. Percival lit two and handed them to Arthur and Gwaine.

“Handy, that.” thanked Gwaine with a nod at the other knight. “Now let's find him. Split up?”

“Yes,” Arthur agreed. “We'll keep our current groups. He probably trusts Percival the most, so having Leon with him will balance it out. Sorry Leon.” Leon shrugged. He knew he had been the one to frighten Merlin, so the plan was a solid one.

“There are a few trails from this clearing,” Arthur continued, “so some of them must have been made by animals. Gwaine and I will take this one,” he pointed in the opposite direction from which they had come, “and you two can pick another at your discretion. Whistle if you find him. Let's go.” They wasted no time and headed further into the woods.

Having torches made the search much easier for the king and the rogue. They quickly found Merlin's trail, now that they could see where they were going. There was clear evidence of his flight; broken branches, flattened grass from falls, and bits of clothing stuck to thorns. The atmosphere become more grave as they came to the realization that their small friend may be injured. When they reached the creek in which Merlin had fallen, they were both stricken; they feared that Merlin had drowned, despite the water being very shallow.

“There,” Gwaine pointed. There was mud displaced on the other side of the creak, and footsteps leading away. They both breathed huge sighs of relief, but didn't relax, not one bit. Now that it was known that Merlin was likely soaked from the water, and the search to find him had become that much more urgent. They found some rocks to cross the water and continued on.

Their calls to Merlin became more plaintive and desperate.

“Merlin,” Gwaine cajoled, “We're not here to hurt you, little guy. Come one out, you're safe with us!”

After a few minutes, Arthur put a hand on Gwaine's arm, halting him. He gave a signal, pointing in the direction of a small outcrop. There, on the bushes underneath, were torn bits of cloth. After a few more hand signals back and forth, Gwaine and Arthur moved into their positions so as not to allow Merlin to escape, now that they believed they had found him.

There was a rustling behind the bushes, a shift, and a whimper, and their suspicions were confirmed. Gwaine crawled between two of the bushes while Arthur stood back, ready to catch Merlin should he try to dart away.

When Merlin heard the calls and footsteps of the knights grow closer, he tried to keep still and quiet, he did, but he was so terrified that he didn't know whether to freeze or flee. His body seemed to be warring with itself, and in his indecision, he had given the footsteps time enough to step right outside of his little alcove. He couldn't help it when a whimper escaped his mouth, but he clamped his hand over his mouth to prevent a sob from escaping.

When he heard someone coming through the space where he had entered, he shoved his way through on the other side of the bushes, thorns be damned. He didn't get far, though, before strong arms wrapped around his waist and picked him up. He screeched, kicking out and flailing his fists against the person who had caught him, but they held him tight to their chest and eventually caught his arms and held them down too.

“No, no, no!” he screamed. “Don't kill me! I'll be good, I promise! No, no, no, no, no—!”

Merlin's screams and cries eventually devolved into sobs as he fell limp in exhaustion and defeat. He wasn't aware of the arms that turned him around to place him chest to chest with their own, or hands stroking his hair and back, the voice shushing him softly, or the tears that fell into his hair.

The small boy's terror began to wane, however, when he didn't feel any pain other than the one cause by his flight in the forest. He felt the warmth surrounding him and the hand in his hair. He heard multiple voices talking quietly and, pulling his head up slightly, saw torchlight.

“I'm sorry.” He whimpered. “I won't do it again, I promise. You don't have to kill me, I promise.”

“Merlin,” said the voice of the man holding him. He looked up. It was Arthur. His blonde hair, glowing in the light, was mussed up, and his eyes were rimmed with red as if he'd been crying. “We're not going to hurt you. I promise you that. You haven't done anything wrong. There's no reason to be frightened. You're okay. You're safe.” Merlin shook his head, trembling. Arthur cupped his cheek. “You're okay, Merlin.” he repeated. “You're safe with us.” Then he hugged Merlin, and Merlin started crying all over again. If Arthur did too, no one said anything about it.

***

They were finally back at camp. When Leon and Percival had heard Merlin screaming, they had come running. They found Gwaine and Arthur sitting on the ground, Merlin in Arthur's arms, both of them trying to calm the distraught child. They all sat in the torchlight for what felt like hours before Merlin began to calm, and then longer still when he became upset again.

When it seemed that he was all cried out, they wrapped Merlin up in two cloaks and Percival carried him back to camp. There were numerous scratches on his face, and who knows how many on the rest of his body, so they knew that he would needed to be attended to quickly to prevent infection. As they all headed back, they marveled at how far and how fast a little boy of Merlin's size had run. Like Gwaine had said, terror can put speed in your step.

Percival laid Merlin down on the bedroll and began to open the cloaks off of him while Elyan brought over the healing supplies from Merlin's saddlebag, which he had prepared just in case. Merlin whimpered in complaint, the chill reaching through his damp clothing quickly.

“Sorry, little one, but we must look you over and treat any wounds you've sustained. He began to remove Merlin's clothing, noticing when the boy winced or hissed in pain. Then he was naked. Merlin, being six, had no sense of modesty, but he was cold, so he folded his arms over his chest. Despite being partially covered, there was much revealed on the small body. The knights almost couldn't believe what they saw.

Merlin was covered in scars. There was large circle of a healed burn on his chest, and what looked to be slices and stabs from swords and daggers. Arthur recognized one scar, from a crossbow bolt, on the boy's lower abdomen. “The scars came with him when he turned.” he said, realizing.

Gwaine had taken the water that Elyan had warmed over the fire and started to wash Merlin down, as Percival, after looking Merlin over sadly, began to wash his clothes. They would need to be repaired, but the priority, after Merlin, was for him to have something to wear in the morning.

When Gwaine turned Merlin to wash his back, those watching gasped.

“Is that—” Leon started. “From the sting of a serket.” Elyan confirmed gravely. “I've never seen or heard of anyone surviving that.”

“Merlin is a wonder.” said Arthur, voice a little choked.

When Gwaine had gotten Merlin clean, he began to apply salve to all of his scrapes and bruises. At this point, Merlin was dead on his feet, so Gwaine was handling him like one would a rag doll, turning him this way and that to get at nearly every inch of him. Running a last bit of salve along Merlin's too-sharp cheekbones, Gwaine declared, “All done, little guy.” He dressed Merlin in a spare tunic, rolling up the sleeves and tying the strings tightly so as not to fall off his small shoulders, and too-large socks that went up past his knees. Merlin's eyes were sliding shut, though he still shivered.

Gwaine looked up at other knights. “Who's ready for bed? Merlin here could use warmer.” Elyan volunteered, removing his chainmail and boots, and settled Merlin into his bedroll with extra blankets and the help of Gwaine. Merlin fell into sleep quickly, though Elyan didn't. He just held Merlin to him like he was a treasure to be guarded.

The other sat around the fire, unable to sleep after what they had witness in the woods.

Arthur looked haunted. “Merlin was terrified of us. Of me. How?”

Leon seemed equally disturbed. “Not all knights are honorable. He is from Essetir. Cenred, and his father before him, cared little for their people. Perhaps bandits and raiders were not the only ones the people of the villages had to fear.”

Gwaine snorted. “I've met dishonorable knights in every kingdom I've been in. Camelot not excluded.” When Arthur opened his mouth to argue, Gwaine quickly said, “Sir Harlow.”

Arthur nodded. “Fair.”

Percival took a sip from Gwaine's wineskin. Percival rarely drank outside of feasts so it was clear this night had effected him deeply. “I never thought I'd see Merlin so scared. I mean, he is a child now, but still. It's still his face.” he said quietly, painfully. The others nodded.

“As much as I tease him, Merlin is an incredibly brave man.” stated Arthur. “When he's afraid, there's a damn good reason for it.”

They sat in silence for a long time, passing the wineskin. When it was empty, Leon volunteered to take first watch. Gwaine would take the last watch. There was no need for a middle watch, since half the night was gone anyway.

Though the men got into their rolls, it was a long time before they fell into their slumber. Still then, their brows were wrinkled in consternation.

***

In the morning, Elyan woke up to find his bedroll empty of Merlin. He awoke with a jolt, sitting up quickly enough to make his head spin a little. He quickly calmed, though, when he saw Merlin sitting next to Gwaine by the fire. He was still in the tunic and socks, with Gwaine's cloak thrown over him, and he was repairing his own trousers carefully with a needle and thread. Putting on his boots, he joined them. “Good morning, Merlin,” he said kindly. Elyan noticed Merlin start a little, though he didn't indicate that he had. “You know how to sew?” he asked, indicating the project in the boy's hands.

“'Course I do. Doesn't everybody?” Merlin asked.

Gwaine chuckled. “No, kiddo, not everybody. Just big boys like us.”

“My mummy taught me.” He frowned. “Where's my mummy? Did she lose me?” Gwaine and Elyan nervously waited for more hysterics, but Merlin stayed calm, if confused.

“Your mum knows you're safe, and with us.” said Arthur, taking a seat beside Gwaine. “She trusted you to my care.” He took in Merlin with all his scrapes, scratches, and bruises. “It doesn't look like I'm doing a very good job of it though.” he expressed morosely.

Merlin finished the tear he was working on on his trousers and tied it off, then looked up at Arthur earnestly. “S'not your fault, Arthur. S'mine. I got scared and ran away. I'm sorry.” His lower lip jut out and began to wobble, so Gwaine quickly interrupted with, “Who's hungry! I sure am. How about you, Merlin?” When Merlin was successfully distracted and cheered, Arthur shot Gwaine a thankful glance, receiving an understanding nod in return.

Elyan helped Merlin get dressed back into his clothes while Gwaine and Arthur took food out of their packs for breakfast. It was just some bread, cheese, and dried meat, but when Merlin saw it, his jaw dropped in awe. They made sure to keep him to his small portions, but he didn't seem to notice, and leaned back as if overfull from a feast when he was done.

Once all the knights were up and had eaten, they packed everything onto their horses, tying Merlin's mare onto Elyan's gelding. Merlin looked wide-eyed at the beasts, as if he'd never seen on up close before. Arthur figured that maybe he hadn't. “Merlin,” he said gently, taking the boy's hand, “I'd like you to meet my horse, Llamrei. She's friendly to everyone who is nice to her.” He brought Merlin's small hand up to Llamrei's nose and placed it on her. “Wow,” Merlin said in awe. “She's so soft.” The horse lipped at Merlin's fingers, and he giggled. “That tickles!”

Arthur knelt down to be at face level with him. “It seems she like you very much, Merlin. Would it be alright if we ride her together?” Merlin looked nervous but excited. “Really? Could I? I've never been on a horse!” Arthur smiled and ruffled his hair. “Really.”

They were all ready to go, so Arthur climbed on to Llamrei. Percival lifted Merlin up, and Arthur took him and settled his friend in front of himself. “Ready to go Merlin?” he asked the excited boy. Merlin made a noise of assent, so he set off at a steady pace. Not too slow or fast, but carefully moderated with Merlin in mind.

They traveled the entire day, stopping only to eat, take care of their needs, and rest the horses. Merlin, his bladder being so small, made the stops more frequent than usual, but other than that they made good time. At lunch time, Merlin claimed he couldn't eat because he was so full from “such a big breakfast,” but Percival convinced him to have a tiny bit of bread and cheese successfully, and Merlin hadn't gotten ill.

The rest of the day was uneventful, and Merlin slept much of the way. They found a place to rest for the night and easily set up camp. Merlin even helped, collecting firewood beside Gwaine, who he had become very fond of. Gwaine had told Merlin many stories through the day—modified for a child's ears, of course—and Merlin found him absolutely hilarious. Arthur couldn't even find it in his heart to tell Gwaine to shut up, because he kept Merlin in such good spirits. No one wanted to see the little boy cry again.

Tonight, Percival cooked. It was rabbit again, but due to the difference in cook and to the available nearby herbs, it was a bit different from the night before. Merlin again got a small portion, which he ate with great enthusiasm. The knights felt satisfied just watching the thin boy eat with such happiness.

It was time to head to bed, so all the knights, save for Elyan, who was on first watch, were removing their chainmail and boots to settle into their rolls. Merlin would be sleeping with Arthur tonight, and the king was helping Merlin get changed back into the overlarge tunic and socks as the boy chatted away cheerfully all about how he and Llamrei were best friends now that they had spent an entire day together, with Arthur exclaiming and agreeing at all the right moments.

He was pulled out the conversation with the ring of steel on steel, and looked up to notice a flash of silver coming towards him. Quickly grabbing his sword, he met it as Merlin screamed. He quickly dispatched his attacker to see three on the other side of Merlin, who was standing oddly tall in the face of danger. Arthur moved as quickly as he could, but he knew he couldn't stop all three. He about to see Merlin get killed. He was going to see Merlin , who was a child, get slaughtered right in front of his eyes. As he lifted his own blade, two swept down towards the small boy.

“No!” yelled both Arthur and Merlin at the same time. Arthur felt a force pushing him backwards, and he stumbled for a few steps. It wasn't enough to make him miss the sight of the three bandits flying several feet. Arthur was off balance for a moment, but quickly took the advantage and ran forward, finishing off all three of the dazed men. He looked around the camp just in time to see Elyan defeat the last attacker.

He turned to Merlin, who was smiling widely at him. “Arthur! We did it!” he cheered, throwing up his hands. Arthur just stood, stunned. Merlin had performed magic. Merlin , who was a child, had performed magic right in front of his eyes. Merlin sensed that something was wrong, and his smile disappeared and turned into a confused frown.

“Arthur?” he stepped forward, and Arthur couldn't help but flinch. Sadness took over Merlin's expression. “You don't like my magic, Arthur?” The king winced, and gripped his sword. “I thought you knew about my magic.” Silence. “You said you wouldn't hurt me!” he yelled. “You said, you said!” The leaved picked up, swirling around Merlin as his eyes turned gold. The fire in the center of the camp flared up, and the horses whinnied. “You said it!” Merlin stomped with each exclamation, and the fire flared to match. “You said I was safe! You said you wouldn't hurt me! You said you were my friend!!” Merlin was crying now, great wracking sobs causing his shoulders to shake and his chest to heave. The fire, still in tune with his emotions, danced with every sobbing exhalation.

The other knight witnessed the whole scene since Merlin had started yelling, but felt somehow that they shouldn't interrupt what was going on with their king and his manservant-turned-child. This moment was important, and they felt it.

Arthur stood and watched the small boy, having some emotions of his own. He was angry, and he felt betrayed. Merlin had lied to him. And he felt hurt, he recognized. Merlin hadn't been honest with him. Weren't they friends? The best of friends? Arthur had never admitted it, but he knew it to be true, and he knew that Merlin understood that also. His Merlin, the grown one. As he watched the boy cry, though, he realized that this was Merlin too. Merlin at his core. Too emotional for his own good, and valuing friendship above all.

Arthur moved towards Merlin. He hesitated when he came to the wall of swirling wind and leaves, but then he stepped through. It didn't hurt him. It was just wind. He continued forward until, reaching the sobbing child, he kneeled. Arthur watched as Merlin was overcome with his emotions, with his feelings of hurt and betrayal, as it broke him to pieces. Then, Arthur accepted. This was what his Merlin was afraid of. Rejection.

Arthur slowly reached out and wrapped his arms around Merlin, pulling the boy into his chest. Merlin gasped and stiffened for a moment, then threw his arms around Arthur's neck and continued to sob. The wind and leaves spun faster around them, and the fire began to spit. One of the knights tried to put it out before it could catch on anything, but it flared back to life.

Merlin cried his little heart out, soaking Arthur's tunic. His cries were losing their strength, however, and he was starting to hiccup. “You said, you said,” he whimpered. “You promised.”

Arthur stroke his hair and murmured back, “I know, I know, I'm sorry Merlin. I'll do better, I promise. I'll do better.”

“You said you were my friend.”

“I am your friend, Merlin, now and forever.”

“You said I was safe.”

“I swear on my honor that I will do my best to keep you safe.”

Merlin gripped Arthur tighter, breathing in hiccups and breathing out whimpers.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

“We're friends?” questioned Merlin desperately.

“The best of friends.” Arthur's voice broke.

“I'm safe?” Merlin whispered.

“As long as you're with me.” Arthur whispered back.

“You promise?”

“Oh, Merlin, I promise.”

Arthur hadn't noticed, but the wind had died down entirely, all the leaves floating back down to the forest floor. The fire burned down low, having exhausted it's fuel, and the knights had to add more wood to keep it going.

Arthur released Merlin, but the boy still clung to his tunic. He picked Merlin up and went to get his waterskin, wetting a cloth and wiping Merlin's cheeks. Then he went to his bedroll, turned it down, and removed his boots with some difficulty, as Merlin was still attached to him. Arthur maneuvered them both under the covers and lay down, and Merlin cuddled tightly into his chest. He put his arms around his little friend, and they both fell asleep almost immediately.

***

The next morning, Arthur found Merlin awake, but still curled up against him. When Merlin noticed that Arthur had roused, he smiled widely at him. Arthur did not hesitate to smile back. “Good morning, Merlin.” greeted Arthur. “Let's have you, lazy daisy!” greeted Merlin, and Arthur laughed. Merlin giggled along.

After Arthur and Merlin had gone to bed, the nights had disposed of the bodies of the bandits. The two hadn't stirred, despite all the noise; they were exhausted. Now, though, they were fresh and full of energy. The group ate the last of their fruits and cheese with some bread, and quickly packed up to set off.

Merlin rode with Arthur again. Their pace was a little faster, since Merlin had grown accustomed to being on a horse the day before, so they were scheduled to make it home to Camelot before dark. They took breaks for lunch and their needs and to rest the horses. Just as the sun was starting to dip in the sky, Camelot's whit castle came into view.

“Wow...” Merlin said in awe. “It's so pretty.”

“Yes, it is rather beautiful, isn't it?” agreed Arthur.

“Mhmm!”

They rode through the town, the townspeople greeting them as they passed.

“Are they all your friends?” Merlin asked Arthur.

“I'd like to think so.” Arthur answered.

“Are they your friends like I am?” Merlin looked back at him.

Arthur smiled and shook his head. “Merlin, no one is my friend like you are.”

Merlin giggled and smiled in satisfaction and rested back on Arthur as they continued on.

When they reached the courtyard, Elyan took Merlin down off of Llamrei and waited for Arthur to dismount, putting Merlin straight into the king's arms. Merlin took the transition easily, wrapping his arms around Arthur's neck and his legs around Arthur's waist, resting his head on his friend's shoulder. He felt safe.

“Now, Merlin, we're going to see Gaius. You remember I told you about Gaius, don't you?”

Merlin nodded. “Gaius is the physian.”

“Physician.”

“Right. Physizin”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Well, we're going to see Gaius, and he's going to check you over and make sure you're alright.”

Arthur had sent Leon ahead to explain the situation to the Court Physician before he and Merlin got there. They didn't want to confuse Merlin, so this bit of subterfuge seemed necessary so Gaius would be in on the secret.

They came to the old physician's chambers and Arthur knocked on the door. It opened fairly quickly, and Gaius ushered them in. Leon was still there, sitting on one of the benches with a cup of tea in his hand. Gaius looked at Merlin. His eyebrow raised. “Remarkable.”

Arthur coughed and set Merlin down on the floor, and Gaius schooled his expression.

“Yes, Gaius. This is Merlin. He is rather remarkable isn't he?” Gaius knew, then, that Arthur knew Merlin's secret.

“Quite, Sire. Hello Merlin,” he said, leaning down a little. “I'm Gaius, the—”

“The physian. I know. Arthur told me.” Merlin said, and turned to Arthur, reaching up to hold his hand. “Right, Arthur?”

Arthur smiled gently at Merlin, and Gaius knew that things between them would be all right. “That's right, Merlin.” the king said. He turned to Gaius. “So Gaius, am I right that Leon filled you in on our, erm, predicament?”

Gaius looked at Merlin, who smiled innocently up at him, still holding Arthur's hand. “Yes, Sire. I have in fact come across a similar situation, and I believe I have a remedy that may work.”

“Really, Gaius. Did that situation involve a, can I say, a remarkable young man?” He looked down at Merlin, who swung their clasped hands and grinned at him, entirely oblivious.

Leon sipped his tea.

“It would be safe to say so, Sire.” Gaius allowed, smiling and shaking his head.

“How fortunate.” said Arthur dryly.

“Quite, Sire.” He looked down at Merlin. “Now young man, I hear that your were injured. It is time to give you an examination.”

Merlin pulled a face. “Does an eximation hurt, Arthur?”

Arthur picked him up and sat him on a patient cot. “It shouldn't this time, since you didn't get very hurt. But I can't promise that it will be fun.” he told the boy honestly. He began to help Merlin undress, all the way down to his smallclothes. He had seen all of Merlin's scars a few times over by now, but they didn't fail to make his heart stutter. How many times had his manservant been in mortal danger?

“Remarkable.” said Gaius again. He had seen the scars on the adult Merlin, at least many of them, but he never would have expected for them to stay on his body when he aged in reverse. He quickly recovered from his surprise and began going over Merlin's many abrasions and bruises. He looked at them carefully, checking for infection, and checked Merlin's temperature, eyes, and heart while he was at it. When he was done, he stepped back and clasped his hands beneath his robes.

“You, Merlin, are a perfectly healthy, if undernourished, six year old.”

“I'm not undoorished!” Merlin scowled.

“Yes you are, Merlin.” said Arthur. “It means you didn't have enough food before.”

Merlin tilted his head, thinking about it. “Oh.” He shrugged. “Okay.”

Arthur, Gaius, and Leon looked saddened by the little boy's quick admission to the fact, but Merlin didn't seem to notice and crawled off the bed and started looking into jars of various ingredients. He was particularly enthralled by a jar of sheep's brain and put his face right up to it.

Noticing Gaius getting nervous at a curious child's proximity to his ingredients, Arthur called out, “Alright Merlin, let's get you dressed now.”

“Why?” Merlin asked, now examining some moths' wings. “I'm not cold.”

Leon snorted into his tea.

Arthur sent a dirty look at his First Knight and sighed. “Merlin, you must wear clothes if you want to have dinner.” That got Merlin's attention quickly, and he hurried over and started putting his pants on backwards. Arthur set him to rights, and soon Merlin was dressed. They left off his neckerchief to make him less noticeable around the castle, but Arthur didn't have much hope of that. He was pretty recognizable, even if he was a child now.

Leon finished his tea. Or appeared to. Arthur suspected that he had finished it a while ago and was just here for the show. He looked at Leon, sending him a I know exactly what you're doing face, and Leon merely smiled pleasantly back at him and stood. “I shall take my leave Sire, Gaius.” He knelt in front of Merlin and gave him a hug. “I'll see you next time, Merlin. And remember, I'm your friend, too.” Merlin giggled and squeezed Leon tight. “I'm happy you're my friend, Leon. I was so silly to be scared. You're not scary at all!” Leon released Merlin and patted him on the head. Nodding to Arthur, he took his leave.

“Well, Gaius,” started Arthur “I'll leave you to do your work. I trust you'll send me a message when you've news?”

Merlin tugged on Arthur's hand. “I'm wearing clothes now, Arthur. Can we have dinner?”

“Yes, Merlin, one moment.”

Gaius smiled indulgently at Merlin, then looked at Arthur. “Yes, sire. I'll notify you when my work is complete. I believe I have everything I need, but if I should not, I'll need to visit the market. Have no worry, I have it well in hand.”

“That's good to hear, Gaius.”

“Arthuuur,” Merlin wheedled, wiggling in place.

“Have a good night Sire, Merlin.”

Arthur nodded, and Merlin waved and yelled, “Bye Gaius!” as he pulled Arthur out the door.

***

When Arthur brought Merlin to his chambers, Merlin had immediately whooped before leaping onto the bed. “This is the biggest bed I've ever seen, Arthur! Arthur, is it your bed?”

“Yes, it's my bed, Merlin.”

“And you sleep on it all alone?” He stood and started bouncing on it. Arthur almost old him to stop, or at least take off his shoes, but Merlin seemed to be having so much fun that he thought better of it.

“Some of the time, Merlin.”

“Who sleeps with you the other times?”

“I have a wife.”

“What's her name?” Merlin bounced onto his back a few times, then stood again and kept jumping.

“Guinevere.”

“That's a pretty name.”

“It is.” He answered, smiling.

“Where is she?”

“Somewhere in the castle.”

“Can she come here?” Merlin was twisting as he bounced now.

“If you'd like. Hold on.” He went to the door and requested for someone to send for the queen and dinner for three.

“Arthur?”

“Yes, Merlin.”

“Why do people call you sire?”

“Because I'm the king, Merlin.”

“Why are you the king?” Merlin seemed to be getting tired and was jumping a little slower.

“Because my father was the king and I was the prince.”

“So you're a king because your father was king?”

“Yes, Merlin.”

Merlin finally flopped onto his belly, seemingly exhausted.

“Like how the baker's son becomes the next baker?”

Arthur laughed. “I suppose you could say that. But other people can't decide to be king.”

“Why?”

“Because you have to be born to it.”

“Why?”

“Because that's just the way it is, Merlin.”

“Why?”

Arthur was trying to come up with something to say when the queen saved him by entering the room.

“Ah, Guinevere!” They kissed and hugged for a moment.

“Is this your wife?” Merlin said, suddenly beside them.

“Oh!” Guinevere jumped, not expecting a small child to pop up beside her when she thought she was alone with her husband. She looked in askance at Arthur.

“Guinevere, this is Merlin.” She looked at him in disbelief and he raised his eyebrows significantly. They spent the next ten seconds in silent conversation while Merlin looked at them back and forth. The queen turned towards Merlin and smiled. “Hello, Merlin! I'm Guinevere, though you can call me Gwen.”

Merlin grinned lopsidedly at her, and she knew without a doubt that this was, indeed, her friend and that he was, indeed, a child. “Hi Gwen! I'm Merlin. Are you Arthur's wife?”

“Why, yes I am.”

“Does that mean you're the queen?”

“Why, yes it does.” she smiled.

“Why?”

Arthur sighed, knowing where this was going. Gwen, however, had experience with children.

“Merlin, come sit with me by the fire. Why don't you tell me about your journey here? Did anything fun happen?”

To Arthur's astonishment, Merlin was entirely diverted from his questioning. He told Gwen all about how he fought off the bandits all on his own, with the little of the knights' help, and how he sat on a giant horse all on his own, with a little of Arthur's help, and how he crossed a raging river all on his own, but needed a little help to get back again. Gwen listened intently, and by the time dinner arrived at the door, Merlin was in her lap playing with her jeweled necklace while she nodded and exclaimed at all the right places.

There was a knock at the chamber door, and when Arthur called , “Enter,” it opened to reveal George with a platter that held far too much food for three people. He set it on the table and bowed to the king, and then to the queen, raising his eyebrow at the dirty little boy in the queen's lap, but not revealing any opinions on his face.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, sire?”

Arthur nodded. “Yes, George. Have a bath retrieved, and find some clothing for day and night suitable for this lad.”

Merlin perked up at the mention of him and waved at George. “Hi, I'm Merlin!”

George looked at Merlin, then at his king. Arthur couldn't help but chuckle. “With discretion, please, George.”

George bowed. “As you wish, Sire. Is there anything else I can do?”

“No, that will be all, George, thank you.”

George bowed again and left the room. As soon as he left, Arthur and Gwen broke into laughter and Merlin, not knowing what they were laughing about, started giggling too.

***

After they had eaten, the bath was brought along with a couple changes of clothes for Merlin. When Arthur had undressed Merlin, Gwen had gasped, but Arthur sent her a look that said that they would talk about it later. Merlin was remarkably compliant about getting in the bath, but complained that the water was too cold.

“Can I fix it, Arthur?” Merlin asked plaintively.

“What?”

“Can I fix the water?”

“Fix the water?” Arthur asked blankly. Gwen also looked confused.

“The water is too cold. Can I fix it?” Merlin asked again, getting annoyed that Arthur didn't seem to understand.

But suddenly Arthur did understand. Merlin wanted to warm the water, with magic. He looked at Gwen, trying to get her to at least partially understand the situation before all was revealed to her.

“You won't hurt yourself, will you?” Arthur asked.

Merlin crossed his arms and huffed. “'Course not. It's easy.”

“Merlin, remember how I said we're friends?” Merlin nodded. “And how you'll always be safe with me?” Merlin nodded again. “And how I'll never let any harm come to you?” Merlin nodded a third time. Gwen watched while all this was happening, mystified.

“Well, I think Gwen feels the same way, don't you Gwen? Merlin is our friend, he is safe, and we will never let any harm come to him.”

“Yes, yes of course.” Gwen agreed easily. “Merlin is our dear friend and we would never want to see him hurt.” Merlin was smiling at her now, and she smiled back.

Arthur nodded at Merlin. “Okay Merlin. Gwen is about to find out, but she is your friend. You can fix the water.”

Merlin's eyes flashed gold and the water began to steam lightly. He giggled and sank into it with a sigh. He didn't notice that Gwen's eyes were wide and her hands were over her mouth to cover her gasp. She and her husband shared a significant glance, and her body eased, then his did as well. This was still her Merlin, who had never hurt her or anyone she loved.

“See, I told you it was easy!” Merlin smirked. Yes, this was the Merlin they knew.

Merlin chatted easily with Arthur and Gwen as they helped him bathe. At first it was just Arthur, but then Gwen was afraid that Arthur would get soap in Merlin's eyes, so she washed his hair while Merlin played with the bubbles. He was delighted that the soap smelled so good and the tub was so big that the water could cover his whole body when he sat in it. Arthur and Gwen enjoyed his simple pleasure together, and they shared a glance that each knew that the other was looking forward to sharing this experience with a child of their own.

Towards the end of his bath, Merlin was showing signs of tiring. They rinsed him off one last time and took him out of the bath, rubbing him down with a bug fluffy towel, of which he marveled the softness of. Gwen finished drying his hair as Arthur retrieved a small night dress. Merlin was floppy with sleep by this time, so it took the combined efforts of the king and queen to wrangle his spiky-haired head and thin limbs into it.

Arthur carried Merlin to his bed and slipped him into the middle. “Kisses?” Merlin murmured. Gwen came over and kissed him on the cheek Merlin looked sleepily at Arthur. “Kisses?” Arthur smiled softly, leaned over, and kissed him on the forehead. Merlin sighed happily and snuggled into the blankets. Arthur went to take his bath, and Gwen sat beside Merlin, held his hand and sang to him as he fell asleep.

***

The next morning, Merlin found himself snuggled between two bodies for the first time in his life. Arthur was on his right, and Gwen was on his left. He smiled widely and just enjoyed the experience of being loved and cared for. He didn't know how long he lay there, but eventually Gwen yawned and stretched, opening her eyes. She saw him watching her and smiled softly.

“Good morning, Merlin dear, how did you sleep?”

“It was brilliant, Gwen. Is this bed made of clouds? It must be, because clouds are the softest thing there is.”

She chuckled and sat up, and he followed suit. “Clouds must be very soft, Merlin, but this bed is made of feathers and wool.”

Merlin's lip stuck out as he thought for a moment. “Yeah, those are pretty soft too. You're the queen, though. You should get a bed made of clouds.” He nodded decisively.

Gwen ran a hand through his messy hair and stroked his cheek. “I'll think on it, sweetie.” She then got a mischievous look on her face. “Merlin?”

“Yes, Gwen?” he asked, big blue eyes looking curiously at her.

“How would you like to wake Arthur?”

Merlin turned and shook Arthur's shoulder. “Arthur.” There was no response, so Merlin shook him harder. “Arthur!” Arthur made a small sound and scrunched his face, before it smoothed back out. Determined, Merlin leapt on top of the king and yelled, “ARTHUR, WAKE UP!”

Arthur certainly woke up. His eyes popped open in surprise and he let out a disgruntled noise as he came to consciousness. When his eyes cleared and he realized what had happened, he saw Merlin sitting on his belly and Gwen pealing with laughter, head thrown back. He wanted to scowl, but he admittedly could see the humor in it, and smiled at the image they all made.

***

After they dressed—Merlin in the nicest clothes he'd ever worn, soft blue trousers and a white linen tunic—and had breakfast, they didn't quite know what to do with Merlin. Normally, Arthur would train the knights, and Guinevere would tend to castle affairs and spend time with the Ladies of the Court. Now, they weren't sure if they should attend to just on or neither and just spend the time they had with Merlin. The king and queen discussed their options while Merlin played with the fire by making pictures out of sparks. There was a knock at the door, and Arthur quickly picked Merlin up, cutting off his spell. Despite having his play cut short, Merlin happily snuggled into Arthur.

“Enter!” Gwen called.

The door opened, and Gwaine strolled in, followed by Elyan, Percival, and Leon.

“Good morning, Your Highnesses.” Leon bowed. “We just wanted to see how Merlin was settling in.”

“My friends!” exclaimed Merlin, wriggling down out of Arthur's grasp and running over to each of the knights in turn, hugging them round the knees while they grinned down at him and ruffled his hair.

It was then that there was a knock on the frame of the open door. They all turned, and pageboy bowed.

“You Highnesses, the Court Physician wishes for you to know that his project is complete and that you may join him at your earliest convenience.”

Arthur nodded. “Thank you, Borin. You may go.” The boy bowed again and exited down the hall.

The atmosphere in the room turned from celebratory to somber. They all understood that Gaius had completed the potion to bring Merlin back to his original age. As much as they missed their fully-grown friend, they were saddened at the thought of this little boy disappearing for good.

Merlin sensed the change in the room and looked around. “Is everything okay?” All eyes turned to him, tender and loving. Gwaine closed the door. Gwen crossed to Merlin and knelt, brushing the hair out if his face. “Everything is fine, beautiful boy.”

Merlin hugged her and asked, “Are you sure?”

She kissed his head and stroked his back.“Yes, love. Something is about to happen that is making us all happy and sad at the same time.”

Merlin pulled back and looked at her face, noticing her eyes were a bit shiny. “How can you feel happy and sad at the same time?”

A tear rolled down her cheek, and he gently wiped it away with a little hand. She laughed a little, though Merlin understood that it was not a happy laugh, and answered, “Oh, Merlin. You'll understand when you're older.” She hugged him tight, and he gripped her in return. When she released him, she was smiling again, though her eyes were rimmed with red.

“I guess it's time to say 'See you later', little guy.” When Merlin turned to face the knights, they were all kneeling down. Merlin went to Gwaine first, who had spoken. Gwaine wrapped him up in a fierce hug and kissed the top of his head. “I'll always be there for you.” Gwaine said, and released him.

Merlin next went to Elyan. The former blacksmith put a hand on Merlin's small shoulder and held his chin in the other. He looked deep into Merlin's bright blue eyes with his dark brown ones and said, “You were always the best of us, Merlin.” He released Merlin's chin and rubbed his shoulder, then stood up.

Then there was Percival. He held Merlin's tiny hands in his own large ones and smiled softly at him. “You're a good friend, Merlin. You'll always have my friendship, as long as you want it.” He rubbed Merlin's back, and then pushed him gently to Leon.

“I meant what I said before, Merlin. I'm your friend. And like you said, I'm not scary at all.” He tickled Merlin's belly until he squirmed and giggled. “Remember that.”

The knights that were still kneeling stood, and they all waved to Merlin as they left.

“See you later!” he called after them, waving back.

Merlin turned back to Gwen and Arthur, and saw that Gwen was crying, and Arthur was holding back tears as well.

“Oh no, oh no! Don't be sad, Gwen. Don't be sad, Arthur.” He tugged at each of their hands.

Gwen, crouching again held his face between her hands. “It's okay to be sad, Merlin. Especially when a sad thing will make you happy again. I'm saying bye for now, but I'll see you later. Remember that we are the best of friends, and nothing will ever change that. Don't ever believe anything different, understand?”

Merlin didn't really understand, but he nodded anyway. Gwen smiled through her tears, and kissed him on the cheek. “See you later, Merlin.” She stood and wiped her face with a kerchief. She hugged Arthur, who held her tight, then turned and left the room.

“See you later, Gwen!” called Merlin.

Merlin turned to Arthur, who had taken the moment when Merlin looked away to wipe his eyes. “Are you saying 'See you later' too, Arthur?”

“Not yet,” Arthur replied, voice breaking. He cleared his throat, and spoke more strongly, “We're going to see Gaius first.” He paused, then asked, “Would you like to walk, or would you like me to carry you?”

Merlin didn't say anything in reply, but he lifted his arms in a clear signal. Arthur lifted Merlin up and rested him against his chest. Merlin's arms wrapped easily around Arthur's neck, while his legs held onto Arthur's waist. Merlin laid his head on Arthur's shoulder. Arthur took a deep breath, and exited his chambers.

The walk to Gaius', to Arthur, seemed to take longer and shorter than usual at the same time. He was looking forward to seeing his best friend as he should be, but he had truly grown to love this child over a few short days. He hoped that, now that he knew the secret of Merlin's magic and seen the scars upon his body, Merlin would be more open with him, and they could get to know one another in a way they never had before.

When Arthur reached Gaius' chambers, he stood at the door for a few minutes, just holding Merlin, feeling the lightness of his small body, breathing in the scent of his baby-soft hair. He wanted to remember this. Merlin was quiet, and clung to Arthur just the same.

Before he could weaken and turn right back around, and remembering that he wanted his best friend back, Arthur knocked.

After a few moments, the door opened, and Gaius stepped to the side to let them in.

“It's ready, Gaius?”

The physician nodded. “Yes, sire, it is prepared.”

Arthur breathed. “What do I need to do?” Merlin felt the tension in his body, and lifted his head.

“He will need to undress, so it's better to bring him to his room. I have left a blanket to drape him in. Take all the time you need, and when you exit, I will administer the remedy. I will do a quick examination to make sure everything is in working order, let him get dressed, and then he may choose to rejoin you.”

Arthur noticed the wording. Merlin may not choose to be with him once he grew again. His heart constricted at the thought. He opened his mouth to speak his assent, but nothing came out. Instead, he nodded, and headed to the back of the room, where Merlin's chamber lay.

Arthur went up the stairs and entered the room, closing the door behind him. He squeezed Merlin before setting him down on the bed. He looked around. There were Merlin's clothes strewn about, and there were odds and ends, useless but pretty or meaningful, on the bedside table next to the half-burnt candle. Those things meant nothing to this little boy, but they meant everything to the man that was his best friend.

“Arthur?” Merlin said, in a small, frightened voice.

Arthur stroked his hair. “Merlin.”

“What's happening, Arthur? Everyone is being weird. I'm scared.” Merlin's eyes were wide, and looking at him, asking Arthur to make him understand.

Arthur sat on the bed beside Merlin and turned towards him. “Merlin, we're friends, right?”

Merlin nodded. “Best friends. Forever and ever.”

“Yes, Merlin, forever and ever. And I will never hurt you, ever, and I will always keep you safe with all the power that I have.” His voice began to quake. “You remember that I told you that?”

Merlin was starting to get emotional, though he didn't understand why. He just knew that Arthur was upset, and that was making him upset too. “Yeah, I remember,” he sniffed.

“Good, always remember that. You are my best friend, and I will never hurt you, and I will always, always keep you safe.” He pulled Merlin to himself and squeezed him tight. Merlin began to cry, and Arthur did too.

“I trust you, Arthur.” Merlin said.

“I trust you too, Merlin,” whispered Arthur into his hair. Then he pulled away, and wiped Merlin's cheeks. Merlin wiped his too.

“Alright, Merlin, we need to get you undressed for Gaius.”

Arthur helped Merlin remove his new clothing, and his boots. They were Merlin's old boots, but they had gotten small with the rest of his clothing when he changed. Merlin loved those boots, and Arthur found himself hoping that Merlin would be able to use a spell to get them back to normal size.

Once Merlin was naked, Arthur wrapped him up in the blanket that Gaius had left there for the purpose. He sat with Merlin a little while longer, looking at him while he was looked at in return. Arthur leaned forward and rested his forehead against Merlin's. The only sound in the room was their breathing. Finally, Arthur broke the silence.

“You're my best friend, Merlin, and I love you.”

“I love you too, Arthur.”

Arthur sat back and held Merlin's hands and squeezed them before letting go, and stood. He walked to the door and looked back into those innocent big blue eyes for the last time.

Merlin smiled, and waved. “See you later, Arthur.”

Arthur gave him a wobbly smile in return. “See you later, Merlin.” and he opened the door and went down the stairs.

Gaius was reading a book at his table when he heard Arthur's footsteps and looked up.

“He's ready, Gaius.”

Gaius didn't say anything at first, but he looked closely at Arthur. “Are you ready, Sire?”

Arthur took a deep breath and looked at the man who had taken care of him his entire life. “I'm not ready to let him go, no. But yes, I'm ready to have him back.”

Gaius nodded and turned towards the stairs. Arthur sat on one of the patient cots to wait.

When Gaius entered Merlin's room and closed the door behind him, the little boy sat, looking nervous and little fearful at what was going to happen. Gaius put on his best fatherly face.

“Hello, Merlin.”

“Hi, Gaius.” Merlin said in a small, shy voice.

Gaius sat down beside him on the bed. “Do you understand why I'm here?” Merlin shook his head.

“I'm here to give you a remedy to make you better.” he said, pulling out a small vial of blue liquid.

“But Gaius,” protested Merlin, “I don't feel ill!”

“Sometimes those kinds of things can be the most pervasive of all.” He patted Merlin's arm. “It will take just a moment, and then I'll look you over and make sure that everything is in working order. Alright?”

The little boy nodded, though his lip trembled. “Alright.”

Gaius uncorked the bottle, and held it out. “It doesn't have the best taste, so it's best to toss it back quickly.”

Merlin took it and was bringing it to his nose to sniff it when Gaius held his hand back. “Don't smell it, just drink it. In fact, pinch your nose, my boy.”

Merlin scrunched his face in anticipation of the horrible taste, pinched his nose, and drank the potion in one gulp. He looked a little green, so Gaius helped him take deep breaths to keep the potion down. A little after thirty seconds, Merlin began to shift. He groaned, as if in pain. Gaius had anticipated this possibility, however, and pulled a second vial out of his robe, waved it under the boy's nose, and gently laid him back as he passed out.

***

When Merlin came to consciousness, he was thoroughly confused. He thoughts and memories were swirling together. Had he slept in Arthur's bed, with Arthur and Gwen? Why had he been crying so much? Most importantly, why was he naked?

He didn't know how long he lay there, waiting for the fog of confusion to lift. Over time, though, the memories pieced themselves back together. He had been a child. Arthur knew about his magic. The knights knew about his magic. Gwen knew about his magic.

He circled back around. Arthur knew about his magic.

From what he could gather, Arthur, the knights, and Gwen were all okay with it. But, it was hard to be angry with a little child, wasn't it? Then he remembered all the 'See you later's'. They had all assured him that they were still his friends, that they still cared about him, that they wouldn't hurt him, and that they would keep him safe. He felt a warmth spread in his chest, before his heart squeezed with fear. What if they changed their minds?

He didn't realize he was sobbing until he felt the bed dip and the scent of herbs wafted over him. Gaius lay next to him and wrapped his arms around his chosen son. Merlin buried his face into his chosen father's shoulder.

“Gaius,” Merlin whimpered. “They know. They know, Gaius!” he sobbed.

“I know, I know, my boy.” Gaius soothed, rubbing Merlin's back.

Merlin cried for some minutes more before his sobs lessened, and his breath began to slow. He would apologize for the large wet spot on Gaius' robes, but he knew that Gaius wouldn't care about that; he cared about Merlin.

“How do I face them?” he asked quietly.

“In the only way you can.” Gaius answered. “As yourself.”

Merlin pulled back from Gaius and looked him in the face. “Who are they expecting?”

Gaius searched his eyes before replying. After another moment of silence he said simply. “Whoever you are right now.” Gaius sat up, stretching his back a little. Merlin followed suit.

“Now, my boy, can I trust you to tell me if there's anything wrong, or do I have to do a full examination?” He brought the full power of his eyebrow to bear. Merlin reddened.

“I'm fine, Gaius. I'll let you know if there's anything strange going on with me.”

“Good. You'd better!” He stood and went towards the door. “Let me check...” and he peeked out. “Yes, Arthur is still waiting for you. You can see that he's not abandoned you at all. In fact, I believe he fears that now that you have been revealed, you will be the on to abandon him.” He looked at Merlin and waved in the direction of the clothes on the floor. “Now I suggest you get dressed and go meet your friend.”

Merlin waited until Gaius had completely exited the room and closed the door behind him before he gingerly got out of bed. His whole body was sore...and he had thought his growing pains were bad the first time! He slowly got dressed, had a drink of water from the cup left beside his bed—thanks to Gaius—and edged towards the doors. It was then that Merlin noticed that he was barefoot.

Merlin looked around for his boots, and when he saw them he nearly groaned out loud. His boots! His favorite boots! They were tiny; six-year-old tiny! Oh, he needed to fix this now , whether Arthur was waiting for him or not. He got down on the floor, wincing as his body protested the movement, and reached under his bed to remove the floorboard and get his spell book. He pulled it out, got back up and sat on his bed and began to search.

“How to make things bigger, let's see...grow bigger vegetables, make muscles appear larger, enlarge your—whoa, NO—moving on.” He flipped through several more pages before he found it. “Clothing enlargement charm. Perfect!” He practiced the words a few times before he actually attempted the spell, the focused on his shoes. The first time, it didn't work. The second time, they just got longer. On his third try, however, they grew to the perfect size.

“Well, while I'm at it...” Right beside the clothing enlargement charm, there was another one for clothing repair. He grabbed a ripped tunic off the floor, got the spell on the first try, then turned it on his shoes. It didn't come out perfectly, but there were no longer any holes and leather seemed a bit thicker, so he was happy with them. He searched for a pair of socks, pulled them on, and pulled on his boots. He looked down, impressed with himself. They fit better than ever before.

Then, Merlin remembered what he was about to do; he was about to face Arthur, who knew all about him now. He had seen the magic, and he had seen the scars. There would be questions. But he had to take strength in what Arthur had last told him. Arthur was Merlin's best friend, forever and ever. He would never, ever hurt Merlin. He would always keep Merlin safe.

Merlin took in a shuddering breath and let out a shaky one. He took another breath, and that one was more steady. He figured that would be the best he could do, so he steeled himself and opened the door.

Arthur was sitting on a patient cot, twisting his thumb ring nervously and looking lost. Gaius wasn't present, so it was probably safe to say that he had left to give them some privacy.

Merlin cleared his throat, and Arthur immediately looked up, eyes widening. He stood. Merlin came down the steps.

“Merlin.”

Merlin swallowed. “Arthur.”

What Arthur did next positively shocked Merlin though, in hindsight, it probably shouldn't have.

Arthur laughed, rushed forward, and engulfed Merlin in the biggest and best hug that he had had in his adult life. Merlin was paralyzed with surprise for a moment, but he brought his arms up to wrap around Arthur, and returned the embrace.

“You're back.” Arthur said into Merlin shoulder, his tone one of wonder.

“I'm back.” Merlin confirmed, then he was quiet for a moment. “I thought maybe you'd hate me.”

Arthur squeezed him again before releasing him, holding Merlin at arm's length. Shiny blue eyes met shiny blue eyes. “You idiot,” Arthur said fondly. “Remember what I said?”

Merlin nodded, looking away. Arthur grabbed his chin and held his face up. “No. Look at me. You look at me and tell me what I said to you.”

“You said,” Merlin started, voice thick and wobbly. “You said that we're best friends, forever and ever.” One tear fell, and then another. “You said that you'll never, ever hurt me.” He swallowed a sob. “And you said that you'll always protect me, on your honor, with everything you have.” His face was yet again streaked with tears, and he briefly lamented the fact that he had cried more in the last few days than he had in the last year, before figuring that Arthur had probably cried more in the last few days than the last half decade.

In fact, Arthur's cheeks were as wet as his own, and he showed no shame in it, revealing himself completely to Merlin just as Merlin had been revealed completely to him. Arthur gripped his shoulders and held his gaze.

“And what else...what else did I tell you, Merlin.”

Merlin swallowed, and whispered something.

“I didn't hear you, Merlin, speak up! What else did I tell you?”

“That you love me.” Merlin sobbed.

“And what did you say to me?” Arthur's voice shook.

“That I love you too!” Merlin cried.

Arthur laughed. “So, you idiot, what else is there to worry about?”

Merlin and Arthur didn't know who hugged who first, but all they knew is that they were hugging, and that they were best friends, they would never hurt each other, they would keep each other safe and, most importantly, that they loved each other like family, like brothers. What else is there to worry about?

***

Epilogue

“Pass it here!”

Percival kicked the glowing, barely-corporeal ball to Gwaine, with Leon nearly intercepting it. He ran down the field, keeping the ball in front of him. He was nearly to the goal circle. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a movement, and before he knew it, Arthur had stolen the glowing ball from in front of him and run in the opposite direction with it. He began to give chase, but he was too late Arthur gave the ball one last kick, and it flew expertly into the glowing circle, causing small sparks to shoot up into the sky.

“Come on, men! Give Merlin a break!” Elyan called from his seat on the picnic blanket. He was ostensibly the referee, but there weren't many rules to enforce anyhow.

Merlin in fact, wasn't even noticing the game at all. He was expending magic, but with his incredible reservoir of it, he barely noticed it trickle out if him to maintain the game of 'circle ball', as Gwaine and Arthur had agreed to call it. The only noticeable difference in Merlin was that his eyes glowed gold the entire time that he maintained the game. Otherwise, he simply caught up on gossip with Gwen as they sipped wine and enjoyed the day.

Merlin had been afraid that his friends would think differently of him all those months ago. As it turns out, they did. They thought him brave, and loyal, and stronger than they had ever expected. The group had gotten to know each other much more closely as a result, and they had become a family all their own.

In addition, Arthur and Gwen were working with Merlin and Gaius on new laws to legalize and regulate magic. Arthur had already removed the death sentence, almost immediately after Merlin's de- and re-aging. People were punished based on the crime, not the method used to commit it. When a boy was brought in for stealing produce with his magic, he was punished for stealing produce, not for his magic. Merlin had cried that day, publicly and unashamedly.

And now they were playing with magic, his magic. Whenever he set the game up for them, his heart grew so much he felt it might burst from his chest. They knew it as well, and they enjoyed the game, so they asked him for his help with it whenever the time allowed.

Life had just gotten better and better for Merlin, and for the Kingdom of Camelot. The people were happier and safer, and their rulers were more in love than ever. They all loved each other. What else was there to worry about?