They met at the top of a mountain a few years later after Merlin tried to kill him and the first thing he did was save their life. That was when Merlin entertained the idea that Mordred just maybe wasn't actually as bad as prophecy made him out to be.

Of course, in the back of his mind, Merlin still had doubts. What if this was a trap? What if Mordred was merely biding his time to commit something truly evil?

The last words young Mordred spoke to him, "I shall never forgive this, Emrys, and I shall never forget" echoed in his mind, sending shivers up his spine even years later.

There was always a possibility that this was a trap, Merlin acknowledged, but as he lied down on the icy hard ground, back-to-back with Arthur in attempt to preserve as much warmth between them as possible and their bellies just a little less empty than they could have been, Merlin couldn't see the purpose of Mordred pulling a trick like that, not when Arthur and Merlin were already defenseless and at his mercy.

Then Arthur and Merlin managed to slip away, and the slave traders gave chase. Arthur shot them all down before they could cross the chasm, and when Mordred came after them, Arthur warned him not to follow and he heeded. Arthur spared his life and Merlin wanted to protest, that Mordred would come after them later and he is destined to kill you, Arthur, can't you see?!, but he couldn't, because Merlin was beginning to lose track of who was sparing who.

"He once saved my life. I owe him a debt," Mordred had said when Merlin asked why he was helping them. "I promise, your secret is safe with me."

Mordred had magic and could have easily used it at the chasm, but instead, let them go. How many times did someone have to spare another's life before his debt was paid? How far should someone go to keep an enemy's secret because of a promise, even though it served him no advantage?

Arthur knighted Mordred after he literally stabbed Morgana in the back and saved their lives yet again, and instead of attending the ceremony, Merlin waited for him outside afterwards.

"Let me help you with your cloak," Merlin said, playing his part of a servant even though they both knew he was more than that. Still, Mordred held still for him. The years had done well for the Druid boy, even on the run. Merlin had to tiptoe to reach around his neck to unclasp the cloak.

"If Arthur knew you had magic, things would have been quite different," Merlin said after putting Mordred's cloak aside. "So tell me something. You still saved his life, multiple times." Merlin looked at him. "Why?"

"Because Arthur is right," Mordred answered, young and sincere and perhaps just a little naive. - "You and I are not so different," he had once said. - "The love that binds us is more important than the power we wield. Morgana had forgotten that."

Merlin looked at him for a long moment, before saying, "You've been knighted."

Mordred looked down at his knight's chainmail, blinked at Merlin's state of the obvious, and said, a little hesitant, "Yes."

Merlin slowly smiled. "Welcome to the Round Table, Mordred. Let's do our best to cover our King's ass, shall we?"

I just finished watching Merlin not long ago and although I know the end was predestined due to Arthurian stories, I just couldn't help but wish things didn't turn out the way they did between Merlin and Mordred. They could have been great together, hence this little indulgence. I'm hoping to write more of them in the future.

Thanks for reading!