"I'm sorry. I know he was a close friend."
It hurt to hear someone talking about Will in the past tense – nothing would ever change what they were, not even death.
"He still is."
"You knew he was a sorcerer, didn't you? Was this what you were going to tell me?"
Merlin took his eyes away from the body, and stared at Arthur, unable to hold his anger.
"What difference does it make? He's dead. What if he had magic? Does that change the fact that he saved you, or that he was brave, or does it make his actions less worthy?"
Arthur seemed shocked at Merlin's explosion, but that didn't sway him from continuing.
"And do you really think that if he was a sorcerer, I would betray his secret to you of all people? He is my best friend, Arthur. I would never risk his life like that, ever. Telling you something like that – it's pretty much calling for him to be executed, because you can never see the person who's there, only the magic and your father's ideas about it."
Hunith took a step closer to them, sensing her son's distress, but he warned her off with one look.
He turned back to the pyre, watching as the blazes consumed the last of Will.
"You are right" said Arthur, softly, and Merlin looked at him, bewildered. "I promise you, for Will's sake, that this won't happen again – never again I will comdemm a person by their magic alone, but judge their deeds."
Merlin nodded, accepting it, and after a while, he finally spoke.
"Will was not a sorcerer" he turned and looked straight into Arthur's eyes. "I am. I was born with magic. I used it to save Ealdor – I used it to save people that I care about. I have done it before, and I will do it again. If you want to hate me for it, fine, but I won't allow other people to pay the price of my crimes."
Arthur's gaze was locked in him, and he could feel the whole of his body waiting on Arthur's answer, waiting for the rage and the violence, but when Arthur's hand touched his back, it was gentle and caring.
"Thank you for telling me. You are a brave man, Merlin. I shall remember that from now on."
Merlin opened his mouth, startled.
"So, you aren't firing me?"
Arthur chuckled, before replying.
"No such luck."
And as he messed Merlin's hair and walked away, Merlin knew it would all be fine.