Merlin was tired.

He had woken up early to help Arthur get ready for his hunting trip than had to go with Arthur on the trip and save his life twice without getting caught. Then it was back home and polishing armour then helping Gaius with his work and then back to being order around by Arthur who wanted things moved and clothes laundered. Then Arthur wanted Merlin to keep bringing him and his new wife food in bed. Once Arthur told Merlin he could leave Merlin went back to his room and collapsed onto his bed.

So Merlin was tired. No scratch that. He was exhausted!

"So I take it this means you're too tried to help clean my leech tank?"

Merlin recognized Gaius's voice and turned over on his bed. It was too tired to get up though.

"Newly-wed Arthur is turning out to be a lot more work than single Arthur was," Merlin said with a sigh.

"Ah but being married to Gwen is making for a happy Arthur," Gaius said.

"Oh yes!" Merlin said. "So happy in fact that he has forgotten I need sleep."

Gaius laughed. "He will be back to normal eventually."

"Yeah," Merlin said, then added only in his mind, 'And one day I will be able to stop lying to him.'

"Night Merlin," Gaius said and left.

Merlin lay down to sleep but though his body was drained his mind was full of what ifs.

What if everything went right and he was able to tell Arthur who he was? And his weary mind humored him with a fantasy.

"Don't be stupid, Merlin," Arthur said, "This can't be of your doing. Magic was used."

Merlin's smile widened. "Oh how many years have I waited to tell you this! You have no idea."

Arthur turned his head away and made to leave the room. He was stopped but a sudden gust of wind that closed the doors.

"Very funny Merlin," Arthur said, turning around to face his friend, "What did you do, attach a sting to it?"

But as Arthur turned he saw it: Merlin's eyes were glowing.

"No way!"

"Yes way," Merlin said grinning.

Arthur didn't have anything to say. He just stared with his mouth slightly open.

"Uther is gone," Merlin said, seriously, "You are king. And I believe you have come to understand what magic is. I have nothing to fear anymore."

"Fear?" Arthur said jokingly, "So that's what kept you cleaning up after me all this time when you could have just skinned me?"

Merlin laughed. "Well not entirely."

"You must tell me," Arthur ordered. Merlin grinned. His eyes glowed and the lights went out.

"Oh must I," Merlin's voice came through the din. They were in Arthur and Gwens chambers but Gwen wasn't there. It was night so no light came through the windows to replace the candles Merlin extinguished.

"Yes you must," Arthur said but now with a hint of doubt in his voice. Merlin's smile was not seen in the dark.

Then suddenly every candle in the room not only light but sown brighter than ever! It was like the room was glowing, like the light was emanating from everything in that room. Arthur had to shield his eyes. Seeing that he had made his point Merlin returned the light to normal. Arthur looked up with new eyes at his old friend.

"All those times I made you muck out the horses, or polish my boots, you could have killed me without even touching me." Arthur's voice had awe in it.

"Yes," Merlin said simply, "But more impressive than that I think is all the times I saved your life and made it look like an accident." Merlin started to laugh. "Or all the times I made you think it was you who had saved your own life."

Arthur stared more intensely at his friend and suddenly images raced through his mind. Images of his luck changing after he had met Merlin. Fires lighting themselves and allowing them to escape. Branches falling on attackers from behind. Enemies that his instincts told him should have been standing but when he turned around they had been on the ground.

And then there were the times he couldn't remember defeating the beast or he had thought he had blacked out but woken up to find he must have won right before he blacked out.

Oh and this explains why Merlin had always gone with him on his dangerous adventures but hadn't seemed as scared as he should.

The more he thought the more he saw. He had to shake his head to clear it.

Merlin was passing in front of Arthur now, and though he seemed menacing to Arthur he had a smile on his face just like the one he had always known. And Arthur couldn't help but know Merlin wasn't going to hurt him.

"There were also the times you got poisoned and magically recovered," Merlin laughed, "Oh the things I have done for you!"

His laughter faded and he stared at his friend the same way Arthur was staring at him.

"And now it is your chance to replay me," Merlin said, "Magic is not evil just as a sword is not evil. It is the person wielding the weapon that makes it good or evil. You King Arthur must be the kind of kings who uses all of his resources to the best of his abilities and who knows that if a power as immense as magic exists someone else will use it against you even if you deny its power. If your father had not had me watching his back for all those years magic would have destroyed him to prove his ignorance idiotic. Even if you believe magic to be dangerous, is it not more dangerous to have no knowledge of that which you fight against. Uther did not understand this but I believe you do. I believe in you Arthur and so must you believe in yourself."

Merlin's words seemed to wash over Arthur in waves. First was shock; next fear and finally understanding.

"You protected my father even when you knew he would kill you if he learned the truth," Arthur said. It wasn't a question. Arthur remembered this much but now it all seemed so much more.

Merlin said nothing and for a while no one spoke.

Then Arthur groaned. "I really didn't pull that sword out of the stone did I?" He looked miserable about this.

Merlin smiled. "I magic'ed it out with the same spell I used to put it in. But that sword was also forged for you, and you only, by the dragon your father locked under the castle. Even if you didn't pull it out alone it doesn't mean it isn't rightfully yours."

"What do you mean it was made for me?"

"Gwen's father crafted the metal but the dragon gifted it with the power of no other sword. It can kill that which is already dead. When the dragon did this for me he did it with one condition: it was to be yours and yours alone. If anyone else got their hands on it nothing but evil would come of it."

Silence followed this statement. Arthur seemed to be absorbing this.

"Arthur." The voice was coming from the other side of the magically closed door. Both men recognized the voice.

"Can I tell…"

Merlin inclined his head. "As long as you don't have me executed." He smiled.

Arthur laughed slightly and opened the door to his Queen, Guinevere.

"You are missed," Gwen said when she walked in but stopped speaking when she noticed the atmosphere of the room. "What's going on?"

"Far more than I ever thought possible," Arthur told her and he turned to Merlin.

"Yes I know Merlin," Gwen said confused, "What are you on about?"

"Shall I tell her or would you like to show her?" Arthur asked Merlin.

"A different trick this time perhaps," Merlin smiled and soft unknown words escaped him as his eyes glowed and the room danced.

Literally danced. Every object in the room was moving to an unknown beat. Gwen and Arthur stared in amazement as their breakfast dishes jumped over a floating table. The wardrobe doors opened and their clothes joined in the dance.

Merlin lifted his hands in the air and started to conduct them like an orchestra and as he did so music played. Music that made all the dancing look natural and expected. Music that filled your very soul with light.

When Merlin ended the show he looked at his friends once more for… something.

"You are a sorcerer?" Gwen said in shock.

"Since the day I was born," Merlin replied.

Arthur scoffed. "Since the day you were born," he said, "What were you floating then, your crib?"

Merlin laughed but said, "Yes. I was not an easy child to raise."

Arthur laughed. Now that it was quiet and Merlin's eyes were normal Arthur could once again see his friend in them.

"You will always be welcome in Camelot," Arthur said as he looked his friend straight in the eye.

"Thank you," Merlin said then a wicked grin crossed his face. "There is something I have always wanted to do."

Arthur looked wary, "And what is that?"

Merlin charged Arthur and wrapped both arms around him in a furious hug then promptly pulling away he slapped Arthur in the back of the head.

Arthur whined. "What was that for!"

"Everything," Merlin said with a grin.

The Merlin lying on his bed too exhausted to move smiled at his wonderful thought. Just being able to save Arthur's life without having to hide would be great. He sighed. He really should go to sleep.

But wouldn't it be more interesting—not that his life needed to be more interesting but just for the sake of fantasy—if there was some horrible catastrophe and he had to tell Arthur sooner.

The situation wasn't good. Merlin knew that. He could see Arthur fighting for his life and Gwen losing ground just meters behind him. Arthur couldn't see her. Merlin knew he could save them but today was not the day he had planned to reveal who he really was. But if not today there would be no other day.

With Bandits closing in on all sides, Merlin lifted his arms up and spoke. The words flowed from him like water. As he finished a great burst of energy pushed out from his body and busted the bandits back. The energy then forced a dome over the area to protect them from any remaining threats.

When Merlin looked down to see who had seen him he forgot to breathe. Gwen was lying on the ground behind Arthur who still hadn't seen her. He was starting in wonder at his appointment, now unconscious two meters from him.

"What's going on?" Arthur cried but as soon as he turned around he forgot to care about getting an answer. "Gwen!"

Without checking where he was going or who could attach him he ran to his wife. Merlin stood where he had cast the spell on and watched.

"No, no, no, no," Arthur said. "No, no. No you can't die!"

"I agree with you, love," Gwen said gently. "But I am afraid I have no choice in the matter."

Arthur held her and wept all the while saying no over and over again.

Merlin knew he could help and if it meant saving Gwen it really wasn't a choice. He went over to Arthur who looked up.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried like a drowning man who had found air. "Can you help? Did Gaius ever talk to you about a herd or something?" He was reaching and he knew it; it was in his voice. What he didn't know is that he was asking the right person for help.

"I can cure her," Merlin said matter-of-factly.

"What!" Arthur screamed. "Then do it!"

"No matter what will come of it?" Merlin asked.

Arthur's face gave Merlin his answer.

"Move aside then," Merlin said and he laid his hand on Gwen's chest. Words unknown to all that watched poured from him as he used all he knew to save his friend.

Once the words ended Gwen gasped as if her lungs were being forced to functions then her breathing evened out and she opened her eyes. She was fine.

Merlin backed away.

"Don't stand!" Arthur said. "Rest."

"But I feel fine now," Gwen said, trying to get up again. "And we can't be safe here. Where did the bandits go?"

"That is a good question," Arthur said, turning to Merlin.

"What question would you like me to answer, sire?" Merlin said as unemotionally as he could. He was scared. Really scared that saving his friends lives had cost him their friendships.

"How did you save Gwen?" Arthur asked.

"Magic." It was that simple after all.

"You're a sorcerer!" Arthur said amazed.

"Since the day I was born."

Arthur's legs gave out. He collapsed on the ground. Gwen sat down next to him.

"Why are we safe?" Gwen asked when no one spoke for what felt like years.

"I am maintaining a shield around us," Merlin said.

"You were able to drive all the bandits back, maintain a shield and heal Gwen at the same time?" Arthur asked.

"Yes."

Arthur stood up, angry now.

"And what am I supposed to do with that information, huh?" he asked. "Kill you or thank you?"

"I would prefer you thank me," Merlin said, "Especially since this was by no means the first time I have saved your life with magic but I must make you perfectly aware of one thing: you would not be able to kill me."

"Just because you and I are friends does not mean you can escape the law," Arthur said.

Merlin laughed. "That was not what I meant."

"Look around you," Merlin said. "Without me you would both be dead and that is just within the last hour. I have saved your life and your kingdom so many times since we meet that I have lost count. If you wish to make me your enemy know this: whenever you fought Morgana if was not you who defeated her; It was me."

"You're more powerful than Morgana?" Arthur said stunned.

"Oh yes," Merlin said, smiling. "Morgana is not the last of the Dragon Lords or the fated Emeriss." And he started to speak the words of dragons while Arthur and Gwen started at him.

And down from the sky flow the Great Dragon, Kilgharrah as he was so named by the Lord who hatched him. He landed in the area around the shield Merlin was still maintaining.

Any bandits that not knocked out had fled by now; Merlin lowered the shield.

"What are you doing!" Gwen yelled as she saw the shield lower. "That's a dragon!"

"I know," Merlin said and he turned away from Arthur and toward Kilgharrah.

"I see you have revealed who you are, young Warlock," Kilgharrah said.

"I had no choice," Merlin said.

"I understand but know this I do not know what revealing your powers early will do. It is out of my hands."

"I understand," Merlin said. "I called you here for another reason."

Kilgharrah inclined his head. "What is it this time?"

"Two things actually, the first of which you have already done just by showing up."

"Ah," Kilgharrah said. "You wanted to show off." He seemed to sigh.

Merlin looked guilty.

"As long as it doesn't happen again," Kilgharrah said. "Now what was your other favour?"

"That will depend on Arthur," Merlin said and turned from the Great Dragon to Arthur who was still too stunned to speak.

"You're the Last Dragon Lord?" Arthur said slowly.

"Evidence," Merlin said motioning to Kilgharrah. Arthur's gaze shifted.

"You attached Camelot," he said and even though Arthur was looking at Kilgharrah it almost felt like the accusation was for Merlin. It was Kilgharrah who answered.

"Yes I did," Kilgharrah said. "It was revenge for what your father did to me and my kind but I have no quarrel with you Arthur Pendragon."

"How can that be?" Arthur asked. "I am my father's son."

"True," Kilgharrah said. "But you are also wiser, kinder and more open-minded than your father. It is your destiny to be the greatest king Camelot has ever seen."

"How can you know that?"

"I am very old," Kilgharrah said. "So old you can't even image. And I have seen the prophecies and I know."

"Well that was cryptic," Arthur said.

Merlin laughed. "He does that."

"If I didn't defeat you back then what made you stop attaching Camelot?" Arthur asked next.

"Merlin," Kilgharrah said simply. "He came into his gifts and I was forced to obey."

Arthur turned to Merlin now. "What does he mean?"

"That man we went to find," Merlin said. "The last of the Dragon Lords, he was my father."

When Arthur didn't speak, Merlin continued.

"A dragon lord only receives his gifts if the Lord before him dies."

"So that's why you couldn't stop the attack before we went on the mission but you could after?"

Merlin nodded.

"You let him escape didn't you?" Arthur said looking at Merlin.

"I made him a promise that if he helped me save Camelot I would give him his freedom. I didn't know what he would do once he got it."

"He helped you save Camelot!" Arthur asked.

"Many times," Merlin said. "And not just Camelot but also your life, Uther's and Morgana's."

"I need to sit down," Arthur said and promptly sat on the ground again, Gwen standing over him.

"What will happen now?" Gwen asked.

"Any number of things could happen but they are all contingent on one thing: Arthur," Merlin said.

Arthur looked up. "Surely you have just proved that nothing I do is important."

"But that is the opposite of what we just proved," Merlin said. "Were you not listening?"

"You just proved everything I have done and accomplished was done or helped along by you."

Merlin smiled in that condescending way that no other servant had ever dare smiled at Arthur before. It was one of the many reason Merlin had always fascinated him. Now he knew why. The illusion was shattered.

"You know for a stuck up prat you have very low self-esteem," Merlin said, lightly.

"What do you mean by that!"

"You have the admiration, love and respect of thousands. They believe in you. But on top of that you have me." Merlin smiled. "I have shown you who I am and now you know how important you must be for me to protect you for all these years. For me to put up with all the chores and ordering around and lack of thank you's."

Arthur seemed to stand taller.

"Why is it that as long as Merlin believes in you, you can do anything?" Gwen asked her husband.

"That's not true!" Arthur exclaimed.

Gwen started naming off times this was in fact true and Merlin helped her.

"All right fine!" Arthur said at last. "So what is it that is all contingent on me then?"

"Where we go from here," Merlin said, simply.

"What do you mean?"

"You are the king of Camelot," Merlin began. "And though you could not catch me to kill me if your life depended on it you could banish me. So either we all go back to Camelot together or I get aboard Kilgharrah here and we leave. To live our lives with the magic we had no choice in possessing but have used for years to help you. If I have not convinced you by now that magic is just like a sword in that whoever wheels it determines whether it is good for evil, I never will. Choose now. Do you want to still be my friend even if I am a sorcerer? Will you allow me to return to my home in Camelot?"

Arthur didn't speak. He couldn't stop thinking but he also couldn't think. It was too much. His mind was full and empty at the same time but in the end it all came down to one thing: could he never see Merlin again?

"I will not banish you for who you are," Arthur said. "But the Kingdom cannot know till we are able to teach them what you have taught me. But I promise one day they will. And on that day you will be the Magical adviser to the throne."

Merlin's face lite up. "Thank you," he said.

Merlin's mind once again returned to the here and now where he really should be getting some sleep, and since he was out of great ideas for I-get-to-tell-Arthur-who-I-am daydreams it was time to do just that.