Arthur's POV

I meet up with the rest of my men in the courtyard. I'm panting heavily due to having run around the entirety of the citadel three times over. I glance around at the sullen faces of my men and know that we have failed though I ask anyways, just to be sure.

"Anyone find the intruder?" I ask the crowd.

They shake their heads in a silent no.

I sigh. "Did anyone get a good look at the intruders face? Or any information on them for that matter."

A few Knights walk forward. The man in the lead starts to speak, "We ran into him when we went to search the lower dungeons."

I turn to face them with new hope in my eyes. "Go on."

"He's a sorcerer and quite a young one. Perhaps nineteen or twenty years old. He's around your height I believe, and had short black hair with blue eyes."

"He had very prominent cheekbones as well," another man pitched in.

I nod. Well that helps a little. At least there's a place to start. "Good work. I'll relay the news to my father immediately. Meanwhile I want the rest of you to get some rest. Training is still on for tomorrow."

The men all nod and scurry back to their chambers. I let out a breath and start to make my way to the council chambers to deliver the information.

-----

My father bursts through the council chamber doors angrily. His face is set in a scowl. He looks at me sternly before speaking, "You lost the intruder?" I can tell he's struggling to keep his voice calm.

"I'm sorry father. He slipped through our fingers," I reply.

He smashes his fist down on the table in frustration. "You allowed him to escape? I taught you better then this Arthur."

"He had magic so I don't doubt that he was one of Balinor's."

He sighs, his rage seeming to quite down. "What else? Did you find his motives?"

"Unfortunately no."

"Has any documents gone missing? Maps, battle arrangements, anything?"

"Nothing is out of place. I checked myself."

My father starts to pace back and forth in a line. He rubs his forehead as if trying to rid himself of a migraine. "Anyway to track this sorcerer?"

"I have a description of what he may look like but it's a very broad range."

"Send the Knights out on a search."

I nod. "Yes father."

I turn and head out the door to relay the order. Just before I shut the door I can see my father slump down on his throne in exhaustion. I glance down sadly, feeling guilty that I disappointed him.

-----

Merlin's POV

I sprint through the forest, dodging branches and tree roots with slight difficulty as I make my way to my steed. I arrive panting. I hold onto a nearby tree for support as I catch my breath. I look behind me. No one seemed to have followed. I grin proudly.

I glance up at the sky to see the sun starting to rise along the horizon. I have to get back quick. I mount my horse as swiftly as possible, double checking to make sure I have everything before riding back home.

-----

I manage to make it back to the town just as most of the townspeople begin waking to start their day. I ride my horse to the stables and hand it to the stable boy before running into the palace. I race to my room, shove my satchel under my bed, and throw on a change of clothes just as Gwaine walks in.

"Merlin, hurry up! Their serving dumplings today! We need to go before they run out. Come on!" Gwaine calls excitedly. He grabs my arm and pulls me out the door before I even get the chance to respond. We race out of the palace gates and into the dinning pavilion. We arrive to see a long line of people waiting. I notice Lancelot near the front who smiles and beckons us to him. Gwaine grins and pulls me towards Lancelot. We stop beside him and wait in line.

"I can always count on you Lance to be at the front of the line," Gwaine laughs, slapping Lancelot on the back.

"It's only because I wake early. If you didn't sleep in all the time you could as well," Lancelot explains with a small smile.

"Merlin sleeps in too!"

"I do not!" I say with a frown.

"Well when I came to get you this morning you look like you just woke up."

"Today was different. I was doing something..."

"Like what?"

"...important things."

"Right Merlin. Very important things." Gwaine winks.

I roll my eyes at him. Gwaine turns back to chat with Lancelot. I start glancing around the pavilion. People are all laughing and simply enjoying themselves. I smile warmly at the pleasant bliss. The calm and peacefulness. My smile fades when I remember what Kilgharrah said last night, that a tragedy would soon befall both here and Camelot. I can't picture anything that could disturb this quite and frankly I don't want to. I will stop whatever this 'tragedy' might be, with or without the dragons help.

"Merlin?" I hear Lancelot call.

I whip my head to face him. "Hm?"

"Do you want your food or not?"

I look up and see we're at the front of the line. The cook is holding out my plate of dumplings in front of me. "Oh, sorry. I was thinking," I apologize and take the meal.

Gwaine chuckles. "Don't try to hard. It'll fry your brain," he says teasingly.

"Is that what happened to yours Gwaine?" I reply with a smirk.

"Exactl- Hey!"

I laugh, Lancelot joins in as well. Gwaine puts on a fake pout. "That's not funny," he mumbles.

"Sorry, sorry. Come on let's go eat."

-----

I drop my armour on the floor when I arrive in my chambers. Training was much more tiring then usual today, especially since I didn't sleep last night. I open my wardrobe and change into another pair of clothes as my current ones are sticking to my chest with sweat. At least I have nothing left to do today. Father doesn't have anything planned for awhile so I can rest.

I collapse onto my chair. I lean back, propping my legs up on the table. I stare up at the ceiling, with nothing to do my mind begins to wander. The first things that pops to my head are the various questions that had formed from the strange meeting last night. I sit up properly and try to shake the thoughts from my head. Not right now. Think about this stuff later. You need rest.

I get up and walk over to the bookcase. I skim my finger over the bindings of the various books on the wall. What should I read? One of spells and monsters, or perhaps a story. A story sounds nice. I pull the first one I see off the shelf. I blow the dust off before slumping down on my chair and cracking it open excitedly. I'm just about to read the first page when a knock sounds on the door. I look up. "Come in," I say.

Morgana opens the door. She's wearing a bright green dress that reaches the floor. She strolls in and ends up kicking a piece of my armour. She frowns, picking up the gauntlet. "You really should clean this place Merlin," she says, tossing the stray piece into my desk.

I roll my eyes. "Are you my mother now?"

She giggles. "Well I'm a little too young for that role aren't I?"

I smile. "Indeed. So what have you come here for?"

"Ah yes, I was hoping you would know where your father is."

"At this time he's probably in the council chambers."

"I checked there already. He wasn't present."

"Then I can't help you. I'm sorry."

"Alright, thank you Merlin." She turns and leaves, shutting the door behind her.

I turn back to my book. I start to read the first page. I'm about halfway through when another knock sounds on the door. I set my book down, annoyed. "Enter," I call.

My father pushes open the door. "Hello Merlin. Have you seen Morgana anywhere?" He asks.

"She just came asking for you."

"Do you know where she went?"

"She went to the right."

"Thank you Merlin." The corner of his lips turn up into a smile. He shuts the door.

I let out a breath. How does someone read with all these interruptions?! I stand and pull on my coat. I walk out the door and head out into the forest. I know of a quiet place to read.

I enter the clearing, taking a good long look at the cascading falls. I grin. Finally, peace and quiet. I slump down by a tree and flip open the book in my hands.

-----

Arthur's POV

I trudge slowly through the forest. My shoulders are slumped with exhaustion from the events of the night before and also from training.

I soon arrive at the edge of a familiar clearing. The trees clear from my vision. Immediately, a bright smile spreads across my face when Merlin catches my eye. He's sitting against a tree, a book in his hands. A happy grin is plastered to his face as he turns from page to page, chuckling to himself every once in awhile.

Suddenly his head whips around to face me. His grin grows even wider when our eyes meet. "Arthur! It's good to see you," he says, setting the book down beside him.

"It's good to see you too," I reply with a smile. "You really enjoy reading don't you?"

Merlin smiles even more. "I love it. Stories are one of my favourite things. Tales of heroes and villains, rescuing the maiden in distress. They're all great to me. They're always so... exciting. The want to figure out what happens next, to read page after page into the night just to reach the conclusion and I guess... I also love the happy endings."

"The happy endings?"

"Yeah... you know the 'and they lived happily ever after'. With the war going on you never know what will happen. You could get your happy ending but, then again, you might not." Merlin casts his eyes downward, they cloud over as if remembering something unpleasant.

"I'm sure we'll both get one. A happy ending. If we don't, then I'll make it happen." I grin.

He looks up and smiles. "I'm sure we will too."

I approach and sit down in the grass beside him. I yawn loudly, rubbing the tiredness from my eyes. "Didn't sleep last night?" He asks.

"No, couldn't. There was an intruder in the pala- I mean in my home."

His eyes widen slightly in panic. "Was everything alright? No one got hurt?" He leans in, trying to examine me for any injuries. I smile. He's so caring, so kind. I guess that's what I like about him.

"I'm fine. No one got hurt."

"Did you manage to find who it was?"

"Unfortunately, no."

"Is there any way I can help?"

I hesitate. I don't want him to put himself into danger. This is a sorcerer. He could hurt him. No matter how well the lanky boy can climb a tree he can't beat a sorcerer. "That's alright. I can handle it."

Merlin purses his lips. "If you say so, but like you told me. If you need anything just ask. I'll be there."

"Thank you Merlin," I stop and think for a moment, "actually there is something you can help me with."

"And what's that?"

I lay down on his lap and stretch my arms. "I'm tired. I couldn't sleep at all last night with all the commotion."

I can see him blush as he tries to hide his face with the book. "I get that your tired but why are you sleeping on my lap?"

I raise an eyebrow. "Why not? It's comfy. Much better then the ground."

"Why can't you sleep at home on your own bed?"

"Because the intruder stole it."

I hear him stifle a laugh. "They carried the whole thing out of the house? And no one noticed?"

"Okay no they didn't, but your lap is much more comfortable."

Merlin huffs. The tips of his ears turn pink again. "Fine. Only this one time."

I give a victorious smirk. "Since you have a book... read me a story."

He looks at me in surprise then chuckles. "Like a bedtime story?" He teases.

"Yes, something wrong?"

"I'm sorry. Do you want a cup of warm milk as well? Maybe a lullaby?"

"Hearing you sing sounds nice too."

He blushes even more. I laugh. He's so fun to tease. That flustered expression is the cutest thing. Like how his cheeks turn red, or how his eyes start to dart around. The way his shoulders tense up ever so slightly.

"I'm joking. You can just read."

"So you were serious about that?!"

I pout. "Of course. That book seemed interesting to you. I want to hear what it's about."

Merlin smiles. "Alright. Fine." He flips open the book to the first page and begins to read. The words flow like a river from his lips, calm and soothing. I close my eyes and listen to his voice as they paint images of gallant heroes in my mind. I let Merlin's voice lull me into deep sleep, making me dream about what I had said before. A happy ending for both of us.