Here it is!
Merlin has no choice, he must face Morgana himself. But first, not knowing if he'll make it back alive...he must tell Arthur. He must tell Arthur the truth.
I had to do it. Sooner or later he had to find out; I decided I'd like it to come from me.
"My lord?" I started but I stopped. He was at his desk, looking over some papers.
"What is it Merlin?" he asked, trying to sound annoyed with me. But in his tired state I could see through it. I was his friend, though I wondered if he'd ever really acknowledge me as anything other than a useless and horrible servant. If he really thought I was that bad, I wouldn't have been still around.
"Do you mind if we talk?" I asked biting my lip.
"About what?" he rolled his eyes as though I had just asked the world of him.
"Well," I walked over at sat at the edge of his bed so that I was facing him. "You know that I'm a good person right?"
"What?" Arthur snapped at me. "I am busy Merlin. If you're going to ask me stupid questions—"
"This is important, okay?" I told him roughly. "You will hear what I have to say!"
Arthur was taken aback by my tone of voice. He leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow at me. "What is this about?"
"Promise me, that no matter what I say, you will listen to the end," I commanded him.
He looked me in the eye and it registered in him how serious it was. He was confused and intrigued. "Go on," he urged me.
"You know I'm a loyal servant, you know I'd never do anything bad right?" it almost sounded childish coming from my mouth, searching for reassurance.
"Of course I know that Merlin," Arthur's eyebrows furrowed, "I'd trust you with my life."
"I have saved your life more times than I can count. I have saved your life, your father's life and all of Camelot on several occasions. I don't care about not receiving the glory either but I need you to know the truth," I began quickly until my voice began to slow. "I hope you understand. I can't change who I am. I wouldn't if I could either."
"What are you going on about?" Arthur asked shaking his head.
"Arthur…I'm a sorcerer."
"What?" Arthur snorted. "No you aren't!"
"I am."
"You aren't," he pushed.
"NO seriously Arthur," I told him, "I am."
"Aren't."
"Am."
"Aren't."
"Am!"
"Knock it off Merlin! It isn't funny," Arthur roared at him. "Just stop."
"Arthur, I know it's hard to believe but I'm telling the truth," I said slowly.
"Merlin, I'm not stupid. You, a serving boy, an evil sorcerer?" Arthur let out a bellow of laughter.
I clenched my teeth angrily. Very slowly, I held out my hand and produced a small little flame in it that shone blue and purple. "Not all sorcerers are evil Arthur! I am a sorcerer, King Arthur Pendragon. You will acknowledge this!" I felt my eyes stop glowing and I looked back over at him.
His jaw was hanging open, his eyes were wide and he was staring right at me.
"I don't—I can't believe this. I won't believe this," Arthur said nearly trembling his hand rested on the hilt of his sword. "I will not believe that my best friend—that you lied to me after all these years. That you were really one of the very enemies I was trying to rid to world of." It was all but a whisper and it made my eyes drop away from his face.
All hope I held was gone. Arthurs words had condemned me.
"What would you have had me do?" I asked him. "Turn myself in to your oh-so-understanding and merciful Father? Tell you, his son? You were my best friend too Arthur, I lied so that I could live and protect you. Now…I can't lie anymore, even if that means that…" But I couldn't continue. My voice broke under the strain and that was how we stood.
I stared at the floor, he stared at me. Silence.
"How many times?" Arthur broke the silence.
"What?" I asked looking up, not hiding the tears that streaked my face.
"How many times have you saved my life using magic and taken no credit?" he asked with an equally watery face. "Answer me!"
"I don't know," I sobbed shaking my head.
"Where did you learn?"
"I was born with it," I promptly replied shutting my eyes, unable to look at him. "It wasn't something I learned. I couldn't help it."
"Why do you tell me this now?" Arthur demanded.
"Because I am going away now. Even if you try to stop me, I will escape. I will go and find Morgana, and I will kill her and then I will return for my exile."
"You're going to face Morgana?" Arthur asked and I nearly smiled. The sound in his voice, this disbelieving, underestimating tone was there…and perhaps….concern?
"I am the most powerful sorcerer that has or ever will live Arthur," I told him opening my eyes. "I will do whatever it takes to save you and Camelot."
"You would return to die?" Arthur asked him in disbelief.
"If I survive…I've put my life out to save you so many times Arthur, by now it's just second nature," I told him jokingly, opening my eyes and smiling.
"I don't see what's funny about this. I should call the guards and have you arrested," Arthur barked at me, turning to face the window so he couldn't see his face.
"I've told you already Arthur," I replied. "I have a mission. But I'll be back."
"Why?"
The question hung in the air for a moment as I blinked in surprise.
"Why what?" I finally asked.
"Why do you want to put your life on the line for me yet again? My father did nothing but persecute your people. Why would you care if I lived or died?"
"You are my closet friend Arthur. But before….I saved you because I hoped that someday, you would change things for my kind. I was told that my destiny was linked to yours, that we were connected."
"And now?" Arthur asked me and I wished I could see his face. "Do you still believe I could change things for those of magic?"
"Yeah," I grinned at myself. "I never stopped believing."
"Well then," Arthur faced me once more his eyes staring into mine. "Do what you must and then come back. You were right Merlin, I can't stop you. But when you return….
I cringed and thought of burning, the fire that scared me so.
"We have much to discuss."
I stared at his face that smiled at me. I shook my head unsure of what I would find when I came home. But there was one thing I was sure of, Arthur knew the truth now, and yet his eyes looked at him the same they always had. Like the silly, incompetent, best friend: Merlin.
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