A Stranger's Gift

Diverges from canon during Episode 10 of Season 5, "The Kindness of Strangers." A patrol of knights led by Mordred sees two people in earnest conversation at the old temple, one of them a sorceress. When a line of fire is thrown up between them and the pair, the woman escapes. However, one of the knights captures the other – Merlin.

Chapter 1

"Flowers," Arthur had said. "Don't forget the flowers." No doubt he expected Merlin to simply snatch something quickly from the palace gardens near the kitchens when he fetched Gwen's breakfast tray. Despite Arthur's wish for haste for his Queen's breakfast in bed, Merlin thinks, "I'll get the gillyflowers that Gwen loves," and heads out through the postern gate to find some. He is so relieved to have her back, safe and well, free of Morgana's enchantment. Saving her had been a long and arduous journey.

Once they returned to Camelot, it took Merlin a few days to recover himself from the effort of summoning the white goddess at the cauldron, not to mention the aging and gender switch spells. He's decided as a result of that experience that he's glad he will never be an old woman. Along with the aches and pains and other indignities of old age, there were all the layers of heavy, hot, uncomfortable clothing. He much prefers the simplicity of loose breeches and a tunic, topped by his favorite tan jacket. He wanders along at the edge of the woods near the caste, lost in his reverie. The sound of men leaving the Citadel to start a patrol of the outer grounds rouses him back to his purpose. "Flowers. Right. I need flowers," he mutters to himself, striding along with purposeful directness, intent on his task.

He spots the gillyflower bushes and starts walking among them, bending to pick choice bunches as he goes. He looks up at the sound of the voices of the men on a patrol a short way away. Turning back to his task, he's startled when an older woman accosts him unexpectedly. "Be still," she says as she grabs his right arm. He drops the flowers at the sudden touch. He looks at her, surprised that she appears to be relieved to see him. He looks down at her arm at the curious tattoo he sees etched inside her arm, just above her wrist. She continues to speak. "The great battle is nearing. You must listen to me, Emrys."

"How do you know my name?" He looks at her sharply.

He fears always that his identity would be discovered. Morgana has been seeking Emrys for years and would do anything to discover his identity; he's known her desperation, ever since she had the Catha take Gaius captive and torture him. Alator the Catha had extracted the truth from Gaius, but also learned of the future that Emrys was destined to build with Arthur in Albion. Alator's loyalty is now to Merlin, not to Morgana. But Merlin cannot know who this woman is. She's bringing him warning of a great battle to come, but is it to help him or to threaten him? He looks into her eyes, hoping to see the answer reflected there. She doesn't answer his question, but continues to talk.

"Arthur's enemies are closer than you think," she says in a low tone. "If you value your King, we meet tonight at the old temple of Aeru." She pauses, glancing around apprehensively. "Come alone or not at all."

She turns from him and quickly melts away into the woods at the sounds from the nearby Camelot patrol passing by. Merlin looks around, trying to make sense of what he'd heard. He'll have to go to the old temple to learn more if he is to protect Arthur. There was a real sense of urgency in her words. Merlin stands for a moment looking out into the woods where she had disappeared, thoughtful; he had seen no malice, no evil in her face, only concern and her determination to deliver her message. He hastens back to the castle, leaving behind the bouquet he had gathered for Gwen. The tray he brings to the royal chambers is bare of the flowers that Arthur had requested.

xXx

Later, after Merlin told Gaius of the encounter and listened to his explanation of the unusual marking he had seen on the woman's wrist, he leaves Gaius's chambers and sets about his chores for the day. Eventually he heads to the armory to tackle the polishing and repair of Arthur's equipment. He sits on the bench with the whetstone in his hand, drawing it down the length of Arthur's sword. After a few minutes, his arm stills. He reflects on his conversation with Gaius about the woman he had met in the woods. He knows it was the right thing to do – to discuss this with Gaius, but he feels that he hadn't been able to convince Gaius of his certainty that the woman meant no harm.

Gaius had been adamant that Merlin not seek her out again, fearful that her presence means that Morgana knows of Merlin's identity. "If ever you held me in any regard, please do not do this," he'd said. Remembering the plea, Merlin feels guilt at the betrayal he knows Gaius will feel when he later learns that Merlin went to see the woman later at the temple despite his plea. He'd meant it when he said, "you know I wouldn't do anything to hurt you, Gaius," but knows that it wasn't exactly a promise not to seek her out. He doesn't want to hurt Gaius, and doesn't feel that his actions will. He only knows that he needs to learn what she has to tell him if it will help Arthur.

xXx

Arthur strides across the courtyard, heading to the armory, lost in his own troubled thoughts. Gaius had just visited him in his chambers with a strange warning. So, now Arthur needs to do something about Gaius's information that there is a sorcerer in Camelot's vicinity. Gaius had said that a patient had told him that there was a follower of the old religion who practiced her craft at night in the Darkling Woods near the ruined Temple of Aeru. When Gaius had said that he believed this woman posed a threat to the kingdom, Arthur decided he needed to take action promptly. Any threat to Camelot could not be taken lightly. After he spoke to Gaius, he quickly donned his red quilted gambeson and slipped his chain mail over his head, wondering where Merlin was when he needed him. He was still fastening his belt around his waist when he left his chambers.

When Arthur walks into the armory, his entrance interrupts the knights who are teasing Gwaine by lobbing his helmet about. He walks into the midst of the group and snatches the helmet mid-toss from Leon. Arthur enjoys Percival's moment of embarrassment before he chucks the helmet out of Gwaine's reach back over to Percival. The knights break up their horseplay in relief.

"Mordred, I have a task for you," he says pulling Mordred aside to talk quietly near the door.

"Sire?" Mordred says, pleased to be singled out. "What can I do for you?"

"I need you to take a small group of men out to the ruined Temple of Aeru in the Darkling Woods to find a woman who I have reason to believe poses a threat to Camelot."

"Of course, my Lord. When?"

"Tonight, after dark. Be careful, Mordred, she may be dangerous; I understand that she practices the ways of the old religion there. But make sure you bring her back to Camelot, for questioning." Arthur claps him on the shoulder, and turns to leave the room, calling Merlin to follow him.

Merlin had seen this exchange from the other side of the room, but was too far away for him to hear what Arthur had told Mordred. Merlin puts aside the whetstone and the sword he had been polishing and, frowning, walks over to follow Arthur from the armory.

xXx

That evening just after dark, when Merlin had completed his chores for the day and had a quiet supper with Gaius, he sits on his bed listening to Gaius snore gently as he dozes in a chair near the cook-fire. He has time before he needs to tend Arthur later that night, so he intends to sneak out to find the mysterious woman to find out what information she could give him to protect Arthur from the threat she had warned him about. He quickly and quietly makes his way past Gaius and through the room to the stairs leading to the portico off the courtyard. Keeping to the evening shadows, he passes through the gate that leads to the Darkling Woods behind the Citadel.

He locates the woman standing among the ruins in the center of the old temple. When she hears him approach, she turns and kneels before him. "Great one," she says. "I am Finna. I bring you greeting from my master, from Alator."

"Please . . . don't," Merlin says, embarrassed by her obeisance.

When he helps her to her feet, she repeats her warning from earlier in the day. "The great battle nears. The fate of Camelot rests in the balance. Only you, great Emrys, can ensure the triumph of the once and future King."

"How do I do that?" he asks, with trepidation in his voice.

At that moment, she hears a noise and glances behind Merlin to see the group of men carrying torches to light their way, running through the ruins of the temple toward them, swords drawn. They've clearly spotted Merlin and Finna in their conversation; Mordred and the other knights run toward them, shouting. The two turn and run from the patrol, stopping behind a tree, hidden from the patrol's view. Merlin throws up his hand and tosses back the knight in the lead as he closes in.

He turns to Finna and tells her to flee. "I'll find you, you have my word," he promises. "Go quickly." She escapes at a silent run into the woods.

From behind the tree where he's hiding, Merlin sets a line of fire in front of the knights, and spins around to sprint away to make his own escape. Gaheris, a newly invested young knight, dashes through the flames and tackles the fleeing man in a show of bravado. Before Merlin can scramble away, Gaheris raises his arm and delivers blow to his head with the pommel of his sword. The flames are extinguished when Merlin loses consciousness.