Reawakening
Story 3 in the Reforged AU
CHAPTER 1
The round table was the heart of Camelot. Lovingly oiled to a high shine, its surface gleamed like a mirror in the candlelight. Surrounding the table were twenty-seven oak chairs with plush red velvet seats, each exactly the same. Here there were no thrones. No one person sat higher than another. In this place, all who assembled were truly equal. More than a symbol, the round table was Arthur putting into practice his views on how a kingdom should function. Here the King, his Queen, their advisers and their knights gathered together to share news. To discuss in detail the running of the kingdom. Here, policy could be discussed in minute detail, with expert opinions and civil discourse ruling the day. The respect given to each other by those who sat at the round table was the foundation upon which Arthur's kingdom was built.
"You can't possibly expect them to agree to this. Can you, Arthur? I mean it's ridiculous and you know it!" Morgana was incensed, sweeping black brows lowered over her flashing pale green eyes. The loose curls and small braids of her midnight hair were held back from her face with silver and emerald combs and flowed in shiny cascades around her shoulders and down her back as she animatedly argued with her brother. How dare Arthur expect every Druid in the kingdom to bend their knee to him in order to be welcomed back into Camelot. It was demeaning! It was barbaric!
Arthur managed to stop the sigh before it could escape. "There's nothing ridiculous about it, sister. Think about it from my viewpoint. The leaders of every other holding and community in the realm must do this, right? It's just that for so long we haven't had new groups enter the kingdom or elevated a new noble family that you've never seen it. If we're to treat the Druids as equals then they must in all ways be equal. There are to be no special rules for any one group in Camelot. Everyone is equal under our laws and that means everyone must swear loyalty and agree to be bound by those laws. And it's not every man, woman, and child swearing fealty. It's their Chieftains. We wouldn't have to do this at all if my father hadn't revoked every Druid's citizenship. But the past has passed and we must move forward. I can't unilaterally declare all of the Druids to be citizens. There may be those that do not want to rejoin the kingdom. Each clan deserves the choice." Arthur explained this calmly and rationally. At no time did he allow his irritation to enter his voice or to show in his clear blue eyes. He even managed not to rake an exasperated hand through his golden hair. He knew that having Morgana as an adviser gave him valuable advice from a unique viewpoint and that her challenging him like this was actually very beneficial. But by the gods that woman could drive him mad! He didn't know how her husband dealt with it. Speaking of her husband, Arthur looked to the man sitting directly on his left. "Merlin, what are your thoughts on this? Please tell me you see the logic in this. Not only does it provide a much-needed outreach to the magic users in the kingdom that the ban truly is lifted, but it reassures all of the citizens that no one group is to be treated any differently from any other. This is about equality for all."
Merlin pondered the question. As he thought, he absentmindedly stroked his inky beard, so dark against his fair skin. His deep blue eyes were darting minisculely around as he mentally considered all angles of the question. Finally he nodded to himself and spoke with a gravity and authority that were a result of the changes in him. Merlin was, in many ways, a very different man from the heartbroken shell that had ridden out of the gates a few short months ago. "You're both right, of course. While all citizens of Camelot are equal under the law, asking the leadership of our Druid communities to bend knee publicly could make them feel humiliated, lowered in the eyes of the general populace. I propose that you send someone to the various Druid clans as an envoy. That person could explain about the lifting of the ban, give each Chieftain the proposal and would be imbued with the authority to receive the pledge on your behalf. In this manner, you could obtain the oaths of loyalty without any public display that could damage the relationship with the clans. While some may refuse to swear publicly, I believe that all could see the reason to swear privately."
On Arthur's right, Gwen spoke up. "Merlin, I think that's a good idea. But I will add that we need to make certain that whoever we send is sufficiently high-ranking so as to show the Chieftains the proper respect. We don't want anyone feeling slighted by requesting they essentially swear fealty to a low ranking knight, for instance." She spoke quietly yet her honeyed voice carried to all seated at the round table, garnering murmurs of agreement from everyone present. Gwen's reputation as a wise and kind Queen was well-earned and she was respected by all who knew her.
Gaius spoke up from his seat to Gwen's right. "Perhaps Sir Leon would be a good choice, Sire. He has led the Knights of Camelot for many years and is from a noble and well-respected family.
But Leon shook his head in disagreement. "Thank you for the thought, Gaius. But I was a knight during Uther's reign. I'm afraid the association would be detrimental to our efforts here." Thinking for a moment he said, "What about Gwaine? He's also from a noble family but isn't tarnished by having been one of Uther's knights."
Amusement sparkled in Gwaine's deep brown eyes. He laughed and responded lightly, "Oh you don't want me going out as the lone representative. Don't get me wrong, I am honored to be considered," here he paused, waggling his eyebrows lecherously, "And I would dearly love to personally assure every fair maiden in the realm how very much she is welcomed in Camelot." The group laughed at his comically exaggerated leer. He continued more soberly, "But if the point is that everyone in the land is equal, I don't think that choosing someone simply because they're born to nobility is the right course of action. We want to show that regardless of birth, all who serve Camelot do so out of love for the kingdom, not familial duty. The only reason I'm a Knight of Camelot at all is that isn't how this kingdom functions. I think we need to choose someone with a high rank but who is not of noble birth."
"Or even better," Elyan interjected, "why not send two people. One from noble birth and one not. To show that as they are considered equals by the King, so too are all citizens." This was greeted with more murmurs of agreement. As the Queen's brother, Elyan was technically considered nobility but he dismissed that with a wave of his hand whenever it was brought up. He was now and forever would be the son of a blacksmith. And that suited him just fine.
"Elyan that is a brilliant idea." Arthur stated, proud of his brother-in-law. "So we will choose two people. Sufficiently high-ranking to show respect for these communities, but not solely representing the old idea that noble birth is the only requisite for rank in Camelot. I also think that at least one of the envoys should have magic in order to prove to the Chieftains that there are magic users already respected and trusted just as each of the clans will be."
Percival slowly looked at those gathered at the round table. The only four magic users present were Merlin the Court Warlock, Morgana the Court Seer, Mordred a mid-ranking Knight and Druid, and Gaius the Court Physician. He could see only one course of action and wondered why it was taking so much discussion to get to what was so clear to him. Percival thought sometimes that his friends just liked to hear themselves talk. So often they danced around questions like this for what seemed forever before finally deciding on the answer that, to Percival, was really the only choice. Normally he enjoyed listening to the process while they reached the same conclusion as Percival, but today his foot hurt and the sooner this meeting was over, the sooner he could ask Gaius to take a look at it. So today he hurried things along. "So Merlin and Morgana it is, then. Yes? The Druids already revere Merlin. They both hold a high rank in Camelot. They're both magic users. Merlin wasn't born to nobility and Morgana was, this shows that all are respected in Camelot based on character, not birth. Besides that, sending your sister and brother-in-law is more personal than someone not related to you. They're really the only choice."
Merlin and Morgana shared a quick look. Hands clasped under the table. While neither sorcerer spoke a word, it was apparent to all watching that they were having an intense discussion. Nodding as one they turned their attention back to their friend and King, resolute expressions on their faces.
Arthur inwardly smiled at the exchange. It still surprised him that these two were so obviously happily married. He would not have believed it were the proof not in front of his face. After years of bitterness and betrayals, hatred and heartache, secrets and sabotage, they had still somehow worked through their issues and fallen in love. It was incredible. Remembering, Arthur grew pensive. He still had so many regrets about how he had treated his friend when Merlin's magic had been exposed. Merlin had saved Gaius's life with magic, seeing no other choice and choosing his mentor over his secret. Arthur had...not reacted well. He had banished Merlin from Camelot on threat of death if he ever returned, despite a passionate defense by Gaius and the Elite Knights. That should have been Arthur's hint that what he was doing wasn't right. But one can't change the past. What had followed were months of depression and self-recrimination as he had struggled to accept Merlin hiding his magic from him and his own treatment of his best friend. Merlin had begged Arthur to let him stay. But he hadn't listened. Hadn't wanted to. Arthur had hated himself but his pride had refused to relent, and so he suffered. It wasn't until Gwen had enough of running the realm on her own and had verbally, and physically slapped some sense into him that Arthur had come back to himself, sending the Elite Knights to fetch Merlin home. Merlin had returned right as a rebel group of druids were attempting to take Camelot. Merlin had lead a rear assault with Morgana, the Elite Knights, dragons, and his Atzinganoi allies. Arthur had lead the army of Camelot in defending the castle. The rebel druids and their mercenary army had been ground between the two groups like grain in a mill and had been soundly routed.
Since his return and their reconciliation, Merlin had repeatedly expressed to Arthur that not only was he completely forgiven, but that Merlin was grateful that things had happened the way they had. If Merlin hadn't been banished from Camelot, he never would have met the Atzinganoi and learned of the missing pieces in his life. He and Morgana would never have found themselves stuck together in Ealdor at Merlin's mother Hunith's house. Never would have been forced to confront their past. Never would have forged a new future. Never would have reunited the last two remaining dragons in the land. But though things had worked out well in the end, Arthur knew he would carry the guilt of his treatment of his best friend and the shame for not trusting him to his grave.
Shaking himself out of his reverie, Arthur looked at the two sorcerers and solemnly intoned in his best King-of-the-Realm voice. "Do you, Merlin and Morgana, accept the post of Emissaries of Camelot? To travel to all of the Druid communities in the land and personally invite them to become a true part of Camelot? To duly notify them of the laws of the land. To ensure they understand that they will be expected to adhere to these laws absolutely? To notify them of the trial and judgement system? To elicit from them and administer for them the oaths of loyalty to the realm and her current and future sovereigns?"
As one Merlin and Morgana agreed. Their eyes glowing golden as they gave the vow. "We accept and so swear."
Satisfied, Arthur turned to the next order of business. "Where then, shall you go first?" He asked his emissaries. "There is no single central Druid city or group. They're scattered in a dozen groups throughout the kingdom."
Mordred spoke up from across the table before either Merlin or Morgana could even open their mouths. "Go to my clan."
Arthur turned to the young Knight in surprise. Mordred rarely spoke in these meetings in the months since he had been raised to a Knight, preferring to observe. "Any particular reason for this request, Sir Mordred?"
Mordred shrugged, the casual gesture at odds with his bright eyes. Tears hovering just on the edge of falling. "I miss them. I want them to be able to visit me. I'm proud of what I've become here and I'd like to share my life in Camelot with my clansmen. I know it's a personal request and you have every right to refuse me, my lord. But…" The tears threatened to fall but Mordred blinked fiercely and held them back. "I miss them."
"Done." Arthur immediately agreed, earning a warm smile of approval from Gwen. He would do anything for a friend and since Merlin and Morgana would be meeting with each Druid clan in the kingdom, to be able to so easily grant a thing to one of his knights that meant so much to them? There was nothing to even consider. Of course they would go to Mordred's clan first. Turning to his emissaries he concluded the meeting. "I'd like for you to head out as soon as you are ready. The sooner we can bring all the citizens of Camelot together the better."