Merlin One-Shots!!

So many secrets

Prince Merlin AU. This is gonna be a short one, and it's gonna start of very quickly but I promise it will make sense in the end.

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"You lied to me!"

"Arthur I didn't want to. I desperately wanted to tell you. But if my father found out I was here, I was alive, he would have waged war on Camelot. I couldn't risk that."

"Then why come in the first place." Arthur was seething. His best friend of eight years turns out to be Prince of Anahaven, the most powerful warlock in the world and a fugitive of his own kingdom.

"Because I needed to hide. Is that what you want to hear? I was a scared kid who needed a place to call home as everywhere I went cast me out like the monster I am." Merlin was close to tears. The Knights present knew better than to make a sound in fear of angering the royals further.

"Merlin-" Arthur began but was cut off when Merlin ran out through the throne room doors, using magic to slam them shut.

Arthur cursed to himself and ran after his friend. How did this go so wrong?

---

It was like any other day in Camelot. Arthur was awoken by Merlin throwing open the curtains as per usual. Arthur lobbed a goblet at merlin missing by a long shot due to his sleepy state.

"Come on you have a meeting to attend to."

Arthur reluctantly got up and allowed Merlin to dress him, biting back a blush as he did so.

The morning went smoothly. The meeting was boring and uneventful, so much so that Arthur almost dozed of! It wasnt until lunch that the day took an unexpected turn.

A serving boy burst into the throne room looking pale. Arthur tilted his head in frustration but allowed the boy to speak.

"There is a representative from Anahaven here. He demands to speak with you sire." The boy stuttered, clearly afraid by the mention of Anahaven.

Merlin too turned pale. He has spent his entire life trying to escape that place. A place of injustice and death. Everyone knows how bad Uther was during his rule. But take that and multiply it by ten and you have King Balinor. Blinded by hatred for the Pendragon line and non magical folk, Balinor set out to destroy them all leaving only the most powerful sorcerers left to rule Albion. Balinor had wanted Merlin to kill an innocent child whom was born into a druid family but was unable to perform magic.

Merlin refused.

Balinor was furious. So furious that he declared Merlin a traitor and wanted him dead. So Merlin did the only logical thing. Run.

That's how he ended up in Camelot. Sixteen and terrified of being found out. He went to Gaius for help, then the next day landed a job with Arthur of all people.

But now Anahaven was here, wriggling its way back into Merlin's life.

Like the serving boy he was as white as a sheet and that didn't go unnoticed.

"Send them in." Arthur said. Merlin moved into the shadows to hide from the representative.

A knight cloaked in black bearing the Ambrosious crest strode into the room with purpose.

"State your name and your business here." Arthur said with his normal kingly authority.

"My name is Sir Christian. I am here to find the heir to Anahaven, Prince Merlin. He was branded a traitor and escaped five years ago. We have heard word he is hiding in Camelot."

Arthur gave his servant the side eye only to see the face of a terrified boy pleading back at him. In that moment he cast aside any feeling of duty.