"Who else know about you?" Arthur asked one morning. Merlin had just delivered breakfast.

"Well Gwen and Gwain know. Oh and Morgana knows. But I did not give her that information willingly." Merlin told him. Arthur nodded his head.

"Well I have caught up with everything. You and I have a lot of catching up to do since I apparently missed some information. How about you and I go on a journey to see if we can find the infamous Quince. It's supposed to be a really sweet fruit that's hard to attain. We can talk along the way. It should take two-three days to reach the tree. More than that if bad weather strikes." Arthur estimated. Merlin thought about it. Gaius should be fine alone. Merlin doesn't need to even help that much since he's taken on a new apprentice.

"I would love to go on a journey. I will just need a little time to pack up some supplies." Merlin said. He left the room to head down to the kitchens to pack four days worth of food for two. He then brought the satchels of food to the horses, and strapped them on. He noticed that Ebony was walking outside for a change.

"Hello Ebony. What you doing out here?" He asked. Ebony just meowed and rubbed up against his leg. Merlin picked her up.

"Don't cause any trouble while I'm gone, okay." Merlin told Ebony. She just lifted a paw, and laid it on Merlin's nose as to say 'ok.' Arthur walked into the stable, and saw the display and laughed.

"She really does understand what you say." Arthur said. He stroked her fur, and Merlin let her wander off. Arthur strapped his sword onto his pure white horse, and Merlin ran inside to fetch his magic book, sword, and a couple changes of clothes. He then ran upstairs to grab Arthur a bag of extra clothes, and brought it down.

Once everything was strapped onto their horses, Merlin said goodbye to Gaius, and left Camelot with Arthur.

They rode for a couple of hours, then took a break to drink some water and asses their map.

"We should probably reach mid point by nightfall. There should be a cave system around the area for us to sleep in." Arthur said looking at the map. He folded it away, and they let the horses break for a while and only walk.

"So Merlin. What can you do with you powers?" Arthur asked.

"I can do pretty much anything since I posses the magic of creation as well. But it really drains me to the point where I way pass out. Technically I can even create food, but it just feels wrong to do so." Merlin answered. Arthur smiled.

"So can you create weather?" Arthur asked. Merlin nodded.

"Only if I'm feeling a really strong emotion. If I'm extremely sad it will rain, and if I'm extremely happy it will be sunny. But almost all the time the weather occurs by itself. I think I only caused severe weather once." Merlin said.

"When was that time?" Arthur asked casually.

Merlin sighed. "Do you remember that horrid storm a couple years back? A lot of fields got soaked in water, and trees were being struck by lightening. That was me." Merlin told him. Arthur did remember. It caused a lot of trouble.

"May I ask what happened?"

Merlin nodded. "Just before I tell you what happened, I am no longer angry at you. You had somewhat of a right to do so, and I understand where you came from." Merlin warned, which made Arthur uneasy.

"There was a giant leopard with wings rampaging the streets at night. You caught the woman and was going to execute her. One night I found her hiding. She successfully escaped. I didn't know who she was at the time and helped her. I brought her a change of clothes, water, food, a fire, and kept her company. I had fallen in love with her at the time. Then I found out that she was the creature. But I did not mind. She talked about running away from Camelot and living together. Having children. Living life not in fear of persecution. But I told her that I had to stay to protect you. She stayed with me. I tried my best to lock her up at night because she was cursed to become the monster when night fell. And one night she escaped. You and your knights tried to catch her, but you ended up slaying her. I tried to stop you, but I was too weak at the time. I was so grief stricken and angry. She was the only woman besides my mother that I had loved. I ended up floating her body down the lake of Avalon, and lit the flame that burned her. That night the storm began. Every day I would go to the lake to cry and mourn. Slowly I stopped going, and mourned with Gaius. Then I stopped mourning. I still love her for a long time, but I have finally accepted her death. And I forgave you long ago. It was her destiny to meet me and to die. She wouldn't leave Camelot unless she was with me, so I kept her here. But was the only time I went out of control." Merlin finished his story. It felt good to finally tell someone other than Gaius. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. Arthur looked grim.

"I can't believe I hurt you again. Do you still miss her?" He asked. Merlin thought for a moment. He never forgot about her, but he never really thought of her these days.

"I still loved her for what we could have been, but wasn't. I don't think of her everyday, but her name passes my mind once in awhile. I don't think I miss her anymore simply because we had not been together so long as it is. I don't feel grief anymore. If anything it felt good to share the story. I feel like a weight was lifted." Merlin told Arthur. He nodded.

"I'm glad you feel that way. I guess that explains how I feel with my mother. But then again I was never with her to begin with." Arthur said. They rode in silence for awhile. They had reached a very colorful part of the woods, and the sun shining made everything look twice as nice. Since fall was there, the trees were colored red, orange, and yellow. Only a couple of trees were still green. As they rode, Arthur noticed something. A little red leaf had fallen onto Merlin's head, and he did not know.

Arthur silently laughed at him as they rode. It was amusing to him. He turned his horse closer to Merlin, and pulled it out of his hair.

"You had a leaf in your hair for he past 15 minutes." Arthur chuckled. Merlin blushed and laughed along. They picked up the pace, and ran through the woods, nearing the mid point. Darkness soon fell, and they reached the caves. Fortunately in time for the rain to start.

They lead their horses into the cave with them, and they set up camp. Merlin was able to create a fire with his magic, and he rolled out the ground blankets for them. He pot the pot of food over the fire, and cooked the veggies and salted meat together to create a stew. He poured Arthur and himself a bowl, and they ate.

"This tastes pretty good. You always do make good hunting stew." Arthur complimented him. Merlin smiled. A gust of cold wind blew into the cave, and they shivered. Arthur retrieved the blankets, and he gave one to Merlin, and kept one for himself. They chatted and ate the stew, enough for seconds and half of a third.

"Have you named your horse yet Arthur? I know she is new, but she'll need a name." Merlin said. Arthur shook his head.

"I haven't named my horse. How about you?" Merlin shook his head. He had the horse for only a short time. He bought him after saving up money.

"Maybe we can name them Night and Day." Merlin suggested.

"So you'd name your horse Day?" Arthur joked.

"Prat." Merlin joked.

"Turnip head." Arthur retorted.

"What about it though?" Merlin asked. Arthur nodded.

"They are cool names. Yours can be Night and mine Day. It fits." Arthur concluded.

Merlin collected the bowls, and rinsed them in the rain. He came back, and handed the horses some older vegetables that he brought along.

"How about I tell you a story and show you a little magic?" Merlin smiled. He sat next to the fire, and told Arthur to sit across from him.

Merlin manipulated the fire in front of him, and told his story.

"Once upon a time, there were dragons roaming the lands. Magic was used by many people, but with that came those who used it for the wrong reasons." Merlin made the fire turn into to many dragons.

"Then came along King Uther, who had a grudge against magic. He believed it to be the root of evil and greed. So he started a purge. He killed many druids and magic users. Made it illegal. Tortured people in the streets. Almost every who originally lived in Camelot died. Those who didn't fled. Unlike Gaius. He ordered the destruction of every dragon except for one." Merlin made the fire look like Kilgarrah.

"King Uther requested that Balinor, the last dragon lord, bring the great dragon Kilgarrah. He posed as wanting to make an alliance with the dragon. Instead he drove Balinor out of Camelot, and imprisoned Kilgarrah under the castle. He was bound in chains, unable to fly too high to reach fresh air." Merlin showed Kilgarrah flying the cave.

"Kilgarrah knew of the destiny that fated him and the next dragon lord, so he waited patiently. Soon came a new bastard child named Merlin, whose father left, and mother ridiculed for years. Merlin grew up controlling his magic. The villagers knew and picked on him. He wasn't allowed to go anywhere. He had only one friend. Many of the villagers and older kids would beat Merlin up every day. Threw rocks through the house windows, hoping to strike someone. His best friend was always there to save him. He even saved Merlin from drowning in a river." Merlin made the fire bend to look like him and William, laughing in the woods.

"Merlin had saved him many times from bullies by using magic, but dared not to use it to save himself. Merlin came back one day with a new friend. Arthur Pendragon. There was trouble ensuing in Ealdor, and it needed to be corrected. A raid came, and Merlin tried to control his magic, but he was not trained at the time. He sent a miniature twister to save Arthur from an enemy." Merlin created a tiny twister. Arthur remembered that time.

"Someone was suspected of sorcery. But at the moment the fight was important. William got struck down at the very end of the fight, and was about to die. He saved Merlin by claiming he was the one that set the twister. Then he died. Merlin stayed behind the bury his childhood friend, and they left the village. Forget me not flowers were placed on his grave. Merlin was sad at the time, but he finally set his mind on other things, and continued his quest to fulfill his destiny. He soon made new friends, like Gwain, and Leon, and Percival. His best friend through all was Arthur and Gwen. They helped him so much without realizing it." Merlin paused. He changed the picture of the grave with Arthur, Gwen, Gwain, Leon, and Percival all dancing around.

"Merlin had more troubles down the road, but it sorted itself out every time." Merlin concluded his story, and the fire turned to its normal flickering shape. Merlin poked his head to the side and smiled. Arthur admired him. Through all the shit Merlin had been through, he could smile like that after telling his life story.

"That was amazing." Arthur said. He had seen a new light in Merlin. As if he was seeing the real Merlin for the first time.

"We should probably go to sleep. We'll need to head out early if we want to reach the Quince." Merlin suggested. Arthur agreed, and Merlin retrieved more blankets. They laid next to the fire, wrapped in blankets. It was still cold though from the damp air and gusting wind. They both shivered.

"Ugh Merlin." Arthur said, cutting the silence. "You can get closer. We can keep each other a little warmer. You know. So we don't freeze." Arthur said awkwardly. Merlin didn't say anything. He just scooted close to Arthur, and pressed his back against Arthur's.

"Goodnight Arthur."

"Goodnight Merlin."

THE GAY IS STARTING YALL IM SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG BUT I WANTED TO START SOME SUSPENSE UP IN THIS BITCH! THE GAYNESS WILL ONLY INTENSIFY FROM HERE!

~Alex