AN: Seriously, how has nobody figured out about Merlin's magic?
They sat that 'the truth shall set you free' and normally it does. The truth, though painful can help restore what had been destroyed by lies and hatred. It can lead to love, happiness and forgiveness. However in Camelot a certain truth can lead to one's funeral pyre or chopping block. And for Merlin; the latter options seemed to be a certainty for the warlock.
The six of them had been ambushed by bandits in the woods. While the knights were fighting them off, Merlin was trying to save them while using his magic. One of his spells caused a branch to give way and fell on the fleeing bandits. The fighting over the knights all turned and stared at Merlin. Luck had not been in his favour and they had all heard him yelling the incantation. All of them were staring at Merlin like he was the enemy. None of them said anything. After what felt like an eternity; Arthur turned and mounted his horse.
"Let's get back to Camelot." Arthur instructed. The knights and Merlin followed suit. None of them knew what to say. Whenever they returned to the castle; Arthur didn't say a word to his servant; he just gestured for Merlin to follow him to the Great Hall. The knights decided to find Gwen and tell her what they had just discovered.
"Did any of you know?" Gwen asked as she, Elyan, Leon, Percival and Gwaine sat in her and Arthur's chambers.
"There was always something about Merlin; I just was never able to put my finger on what it was." Gwaine replied.
"I think it's because Merlin the last person you'd suspect would have magic. If he was so powerful why did he put up with Arthur and us for all this time?" Percival questioned.
"I know he's my brother-in-law but if I had magic and Arthur treated me the way he treats Merlin half the time I'd have probably turn him into a slug or something." Elyan added.
"A lot of things make sense now. How Merlin always seemed to get out of trouble; how impossible situations or battles seemed to solve themselves. It was Merlin." Leon said.
"I always sort of knew. I think when we fought the Lamia; that sealed it. You were all under her spell but Merlin wasn't affected because of his magic. The Lamia must have known that; it's why she wouldn't let him near her. That and, he doesn't know this, but when Morgana turned me into a doe and I was hit by that arrow;" Gwen hesitated and absent-mindedly rubbed the spot on her thigh where she was hit. "I heard him; I was feverous but I heard Merlin use magic to heal me."
"What's going to happen now? Arthur's not as extreme as Uther when it comes to sorcerers but Merlin's lies to him and all of us for years." Gwaine asked.
"I don't know imprisonment or banishment probably." Leon said. They all looked at one another and got to their feet. The five of them hurried down to the Great Hall were they could hear Arthur yelling at Merlin.
Arthur couldn't believe it. Merlin was a sorcerer. Merlin; the idiot who could never do anything right had magic. Arthur knew magic was evil; it had killed his parents, destroyed any goodness in Morgana and affected so many with its vileness. The fact that he considered Merlin to be a friend was insult to injury. How could he be Uther Pendragon's son and friends with a sorcerer? As Arthur vented his frustrations and accusations towards Merlin; he was also debating on what to do. He could almost hear his father and uncle in his head telling him to execute, imprison or banish the servant.
Merlin however was only speaking to answer the questions. Yes, he had been born with magic. No, he had never tried to destroy Camelot. No, nobody else knew about his power. Yes, he had put spells on them but only to save their lives. Merlin had known that someday this day would come; he expected it to be a lot sooner but Arthur wasn't the sharpest sword in the armoury. It was strange but he wasn't scared at the possibility of dying or imprisonment or banishment. He wasn't listening to Arthur's rants but noticed the ranting had stopped by someone opening the door.
"Did any of you know about this?" Arthur demanded looking at Gwen and the knights. They shook their heads. They had suspected but never had it confirmed. It was too easy to look at all the evidence but shut your eyes to the truth.
"I'm sorry to have to do this Merlin but you've left me with no choice. I hereby banish you from Camelot. To return will be on pain of death." Arthur ordered and turned his back. Merlin hung his head and nodded. At least he wasn't being executed.
"You can't do that!" Gwaine shouted.
"Stay out of this Gwaine." Arthur snapped.
"Gwaine's right Arthur. You can't banish Merlin. We've known Merlin for five years; do you not think if he was evil then he would have tried to kill you already?" Gwen argued.
"We trusted Morgana and look where that got us. I can't take the chance when I have a kingdom to run!" Arthur insisted.
"You sound like your father." Elyan commented coldly.
"Good, maybe that means I'm doing this right. Merlin you have until tomorrow morning to pack up your belongings and leave Camelot. If I see you here after that time; I will kill you." Arthur warned.
"I understand." Merlin said. "I'm sorry it has to be like this."
"No!" Gwen exclaimed and took Merlin's arm and looked him in the eyes. "You can't leave."
"I've been banished." Merlin replied. The two of them looked at one another; remembering the same conversation they'd had a year before only this time the roles were reversed.
"Then I'm leaving with you." Gwen said.
"What?" Arthur snapped. Gwen looked at her husband and her sadness turned into resolve. "I said if Merlin's being banished then I'm leaving with him. Merlin's done so much for us over the past number of years and I don't care that he has magic. I know you're a good person Merlin. You were there for me when I needed you and now I'm returning the favour."
"I'm going as well." Gwaine added, walking over to Merlin and Gwen, clapping his friend on the shoulder.
"So am I." Elyan added.
"Me too." Percival said.
"And me." Leon agreed. The three of them stood with Merlin, Gwen and Gwaine and stared at Arthur who looked stunned at their unity and defiance against him.
"If you banish one of us, then you banish all of us." Gwen explained.
Arthur looked at his wife and friends and knew he had a choice to make. He had been raised to believe all magic was evil. Magic had ripped his family and kingdom apart. All his experience with magic told him that anyone who had it was evil. However Merlin had always been a good and loyal friend of his. As much as the king hated to admit it; he regarded Merlin as the pain-in-the-backside younger brother he'd never had. Besides, Gwaine had been banished by his father and he himself had banished Guinevere yet Gwaine was one of his best knights and Guinevere was his wife so it seemed banishment never worked. The group of six waited as Arthur debated with himself over what he was to do.
"Alright you win. I want you to tell us everything. All about your power and what you've done with it over the years. Then maybe I'll reconsider your banishment." Arthur said. They all sat down at the table and listened to Merlin explain how he was born with magic; how he'd come to Camelot and the various ways he had managed to get them out of danger with his magic. While some of the stories were quite serious; the various assassination and uprising attempts he'd stopped; there were also some funnier stories like the revelation that Merlin had been the one to unleash the goblin and the re-telling of the time Morgana had enchanted him to try and kill Arthur. By the end of it; Arthur was overwhelmed by the real amount of work Merlin had done for him and Camelot over the years.
"You win; I repeal your banishment and I'm sorry for having doubted you." Arthur apologised.
"It's fine, you can't help being an idiot." Merlin replied, smiling for the first time.
"So know that we know you have magic that means that you'll be able to do all these extra chores to make up for lying to us for so long." Arthur grinned and began listing jobs for Merlin to do. Merlin looked at the others before muttering an incantation under his breath to return Arthur's donkey ears.
As the others laughed, Merlin reversed the spell and grinned to himself. It felt good knowing that his friends now knew his secret. It was like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. However he hadn't told them he was really Emrys or a DragonLord.
After all, some things are best kept to yourself.