Title: Destiny Discovered
Fandom: Merlin
Rating: T
Warnings: Slight violence and mild language. No beta. All mistakes are my own
Pairings: Mostly Merlin/Arthur friendship. Some mentions of Arthur/Gwen romance. No Slash
Spoilers: Through the end of season 4
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or the world of Camelot. They belong to BBC.
Series/Previous: Discovered Series; Follows Dragonlord Discovered, Emrys Discovered
Summary: Merlin's been revealed as a warlock. Now, they all have to deal with the aftermath and, in doing so, they might just finally step into the rolls they are destined for.
Author's Note: I wrote another sequel. Again…who saw that coming? Lol. Also this is not beta'd at all. I'm posting immediately after writing and will come back to edit at a later date. My sister and I have started a blog. Please follow the link on my profile and tell us what you think!
Destiny Discovered
Leon pulled Arthur aside as he and Merlin walked into the castle. "The other knights and I will try to calm down the lords if you there is other business you wish to see to."
The king just nodded grimly. He knew exactly what Leon was referring to and, as much he wanted to pretend for a while that he hadn't been betrayed by another family member, Arthur knew that he needed to deal with his uncle. He needed to know what Agravaine had told Morgana and, frankly, getting those answers might actually help him deal with the situation currently surrounding Merlin.
Before he could talk himself out of the decision, Arthur spun on his heel and made his way toward the dungeons. He trusted the knights to keep an eye on Merlin, if the idiot didn't come track him down when he realized that Arthur was missing. This was something Arthur wanted to at least start alone. Partly because he suspected that Merlin had at least suspected, if not outright known, that Agravaine was a traitor.
The prospect that Merlin might still be keeping things from him actually didn't bother Arthur that much. It had been hard enough for him to accept that magic wasn't everything that his father had said it was. He couldn't imagine that it was any easier for Merlin to stop keeping secrets after doing so his entire life just to stay alive. Arthur couldn't blame Merlin for that. As much as he hated that there was still some part of Merlin that was afraid to trust him with everything, Arthur couldn't and wouldn't blame his friend for waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Looking back, Arthur honestly couldn't say exactly what it was that had convinced him to trust Merlin when they'd been standing before the ruins of the Tomb of Ashkanar. His entire belief system had been turned upside down, but throughout it all, Merlin had been standing there, looking so lost and guilty and sad and not unlike an animal backed into a corner. It had been enough to give Arthur reason to withhold judgment for the time being. Because despite all of the evidence, Merlin had still been Merlin.
He had never been more grateful for making a decision in his life.
By the time Merlin had told his story, Arthur had been in absolute awe. The little voice in his head that sounded uncannily like his father had attempted to whisper many times throughout the course of the night that Merlin was lying, but his explanations made so much more sense than anything he'd been told at the time, or since, that it had been easy to ignore that voice.
It had been a relief to finally have some insight into the mystery that was Merlin. From the day the idiot had stood up to Arthur for the first time there had been something off about him, something that had intrigued Arthur. On the surface, Merlin seemed so open and easy to read, nothing more than a rather happy-go-lucky, hapless, even sometimes brainless country boy turned servant. Yet behind the imminently likable personality and goofy grins there had always lurked something more. Arthur had often glimpsed it. He'd seen the strange moment of insight, where wisdom, of all things, had come from Merlin rather than idiocy, and where the weight of the world seemed to rest on his thin shoulders. He'd seen Merlin's unwavering loyalty and conviction. He'd just never known what it meant.
Merlin had been his first true friend, the first person to challenge him whether he was the crown prince or not and, though he hadn't been able to admit it to himself for the longest time, Arthur hadn't wanted to lose that. So, he'd ignored the signs. He'd ignored the strange loyalty Merlin had shown him, even when he was really was a prat or conveniently pretended that they were as close as brothers because he didn't want to admit that he was wrong. He'd ignored the way that Merlin had always seemed to have some idea of what was going on, whether it be Valiant, or Sigan, or an immortal army, or any of the myriad other things that had happened to them in the years since they'd met. Arthur had ignored the times that Merlin's eyes had become strangely shuttered and he'd gone quiet. He'd ignored the absurdity of the idea that Merlin was spending entire days in the tavern, even though he knew Merlin had little taste for drinking. He'd ignored it all.
Well, perhaps ignored was the wrong word, Arthur mused as he made his way through the lower levels of the castle to the cells. He hadn't ignored anything, not really. He'd been aware of the strange facets of Merlin's personality, of the little aspects of the many situations they'd found themselves in that just didn't quite fit. Arthur just hadn't allowed himself to dwell on them and what they might mean. Now that he looked back, now that he had all of those missing details, it staggered Arthur what Merlin had endured almost completely alone.
He'd gone through every emotion on the spectrum the night that he'd listened to Merlin's tale. The idiot had started at the beginning for Gwen's sake and had gone into more depth. Merlin hadn't held anything back. The sheer number of times Merlin had risked his life and had been the only thing that had stood between Camelot and destruction still staggered Arthur.
It hadn't been until he'd been alone later that night that Arthur had realized that Merlin had danced around a couple of subjects. He'd mentioned destiny a couple of times, but hadn't really explained what he meant. Even then, Arthur hadn't been put out by realization that Merlin was keeping something back. It had only made sense that there were a few things that Merlin either hadn't been comfortable enough to talk about or just hadn't known how to say. So Arthur had let it pass, knowing that Merlin would tell him in his own time now that he could without fear of reprisal. Now that he knew exactly what it was that Merlin had been hiding, Arthur really couldn't blame him for not saying anything. If Merlin had tried to tell him anything about Emrys or the Once and Future King or even that Agravaine was a traitor, Arthur's brain might well have exploded.
Having reached the cells, Arthur waved away the confused looking guards and stormed past them. He forced all thoughts of Merlin and magic and the coming confrontation with the council out of his mind so that he could focus. He needed to be clear-headed for this.
Agravaine was in the smallest, darkest cell, something Arthur would need to thank the knight who'd hauled him off earlier for. Forcing himself to remain impassive, Arthur strode forward and stood before the bars.
"Hello, Uncle," he said coolly.
Agravaine spun around, undisguised surprise on his face. "You're alive?"
"So it seems. Does that surprise you?"
The silence that stretched between them spoke volumes.
Arthur clenched his fist in an attempt to reign in his rapidly growing temper. "Why?"
"Why?" Agravaine repeated. "The people of this kingdom have suffered enough under Uther's tyranny and you would only continue his legacy, his vendetta against magic. Morgana is the rightful heir and she would free the magical peoples. I will not stand by and watch you destroy this kingdom."
"I am not my father," Arthur hissed, losing his careful grip on his temper. "What must I do to prove that? I have never been so swift to judge or so blind the opinions of others. Even my opinions of magic have never been so unbending as my father's."
"You carried out his orders!"
"I had no choice! I may have been a prince, but he was my father and my king. He would only accept so much disobedience from me. He had me thrown in the dungeon for helping a man who saved my life, just because he was a servant. What could I have done? I'll admit that I've had my doubts about magic, but I have never been as uncompromising as my father."
"You have done nothing for this kingdom in the year that you have ruled!"
Arthur fought the urge to throw his hands up. "You know full well that there was little I could do while father yet lived. He was still king in name. Most of the council still gave him their loyalty. There would have been a revolt if I'd just walking in one day and announced, out of the blue, that I'm abolishing the laws on magic. No matter how much I want that, it had to be done slowly."
"A true king would have made that decision without hesitance," Agravaine spat. "He would have changed the laws and enforced them."
"Becoming Uther in the process?"
Both Arthur and Agravaine looked toward the entrance of the dungeons. Merlin was leaning below the single torch that gave light to the dingy space. His face was impassive, but the power he'd been exuding in the courtyard still surrounded him. Arthur couldn't help but impressed by how intimidating Merlin seemed, even dressed in his usual ratty tunic and neckerchief.
Before Agravaine could retort, Merlin continued. "You would have whomever sits on that throne rule with an iron fist, just as Uther did. You would have someone uncompromising. You would have a tyrant."
"I would have a just ruler," growled Agravaine. He was giving Merlin a truly hate filled glare and was gripping one bar of the cell so tightly that Arthur thought it was a miracle his knuckles weren't cracking. "Not one who would persecute those with magic. That is something you should want as well."
"Oh, I want it more than you can possibly imagine," Merlin said quietly. "I have lived my entire life in fear. That is something that you, as someone who does not have magic, can begin to comprehend. You don't want justice. You don't want equality. You want revenge."
That drew Arthur up short. "What?" he demanded.
Merlin faltered slightly, clearly kicking himself for bringing up whatever it was that he'd brought up. He ran a hand through his hair. "Do you remember what I told you about why your father hated magic so much?" he asked eventually.
Did he remember? How could he forget? That day would forever be ingrained in Arthur's memory.
It had been about a month and a half since Arthur had learned that Merlin had magic and Arthur had mostly come to terms with all the implications of the discovery, even if he hadn't been able to say it. He'd found Merlin a safe place to practice. He hadn't been so overwhelmed that he hadn't noticed how many times it had been Merlin's raw power and sheer luck that had saved the day. As a knight, Arthur knew how important it was to drill and practice. Natural skill wasn't enough. He would never forgive himself if Merlin got himself killed doing something selfless. So Arthur had dragged Merlin out to an old storehouse that had been abandoned as long as he remembered and told the warlock that he was free to do what he wanted there and that he expected Merlin to actually know what he was doing the next time some magical force attacked Camelot.
Unfortunately, Arthur had come to that realization a little too late. Less than a week later Uther had been mortally wounded by an assassin. Merlin had volunteered his admittedly meager healing skills only for it to fail before the spell was even cast when he noticed, at the last moment, a charm around Uther's neck. With a little help from Gaius, they had discovered that once the charm was placed on a person, any healing magic used on them would be reversed. Merlin had spent three days straight, without sleep, trying to find a way to break the spell, but his single spell book hadn't had the answer and the king had died.
Two days later, Arthur had seen to it that several trunks filled with books his father had confiscated during and after the Purge found their way down to the storehouse.
Now the newly crowned king had a question that he had finally worked up the courage to ask. In an attempt to somehow make sense of why his father had so hated magic when it was so clearly capable of such wondrous thing, Arthur had poured over the old records. He'd been surprised to find that magic had once been common and even welcome in his father's court. He needed to know why that had changed.
Keeping to the shadows and taking little used corridors, Arthur carefully made his way down the Dragon's Den. He'd been down there a couple of times since Merlin had really settled in, but it was a risk he tried no to take too often.
Merlin was leaning against Aithusa, his legs crossed and a book in his lap when Arthur walked in. The warlock just barely glanced up when the door opened, obviously accustomed to people coming and going. Arthur new that the other knights were often down there watching Merlin hone his craft.
"Why did my father hate magic?" Arthur asked without preamble.
Startled, Merlin looked up. "What?"
"I've been through the records," said Arthur, pacing the length of the room. "Magic wasn't always banned in Camelot. On some level, I knew that. Gaius did once practice himself, but I never realized that not so long ago, magic was commonplace. Father had a court sorcerer and close ties to the druids. So what changed?"
With a heavy sigh, Merlin closed his book and set it aside. "I'm not sure I'm the person to tell you, Arthur. Everything I know about it, I learned from Gaius. He could answer you more easily and more completely."
"A fact I'm well aware of. I want the answer from someone who's had to live with the consequences."
Merlin nodded once in understanding and pushed himself to his feet. "Again, I preface with the warning that everything I'm telling you I've either learned from Gaius or a couple of other sources. It's all second hand. It's my impression that, before the Purge, there wasn't much in the way of any sort of law to govern the use of magic. It was mostly up to the priests and priestesses of the Old Religion. Unfortunately, not all magic users actually subscribe to the beliefs of the Old Religion. There were many people who used magic irresponsibly."
"Are you trying to tell me that the Purge was inevitable?" Arthur asked in disbelief.
"In a sense," said Merlin. "Something was going to happen eventually, but there was an event that was the reason behind the severity of your father's response."
"Whatever it is that you're trying not to tell me, just tell me," growled Arthur.
"Your mother was barren. Uther wanted a son, an heir, a family, so he turned to magic. He turned to Nimueh, a high priestess."
"She was the court sorcerer," Arthur said hoarsely.
Merlin nodded. "She agreed to grant Igraine a child. To this day, I don't know if she warned your father or not, but the magic of life and death is not to be taken lightly. To create life where there was none before, that life must come from somewhere. It's the same principle behind saving someone from certain death."
"Just get to the point, Merlin."
The warlock fiddled with the hems of his sleeves. "Nimueh wasn't evil. I've met her and I know that much. I honestly believe that if she had foreseen the outcome, she was a gifted seer, that she would never have agreed to it."
"MERLIN! Are you not saying what I think you're not saying?"
"If you think I'm saying that the cost of your birth was your mother's life? Then yes."
Arthur sank to the floor in an ungainly heap. "What?"
"It seems to be the way of the Old Religion, that the cost is something dear to the person involved. Magic wouldn't accept my sacrifice on your behalf when you were bitten by the questing beast because we're both necessary. It wouldn't have solved anything. So, my mother's life was forfeit instead. Nimueh didn't get to choose who was taken in my stead."
"But she cast the spell, knowing that someone would die?"
Merlin ran a hand through his hair again. "Maybe. I'm not entirely sure. It's possible that didn't realize that Igraine couldn't have children and just thought that she was having difficulties conceiving. The spells are pretty much the same, from what I've gathered. She might not have known exactly what she was getting into."
"Either way, I'm still the reason my mother is dead. Is that what you're telling me?" Arthur demanded.
"Yes and no," said Merlin desperately. "Magic demands a price, yes, but it's not your fault."
Arthur dropped his head into his hands. He was only vaguely aware of Merlin crossing the room to kneel beside him. The feel of Merlin's hand on his shoulder helped ground Arthur a bit.
"I think her death drove your father a little bit mad," said Merlin quietly. "He needed something, anything to blame and distract him from the guilt he felt. Magic was convenient and no one would find anything suspicious about his decision to crack down on the people using magic for the wrong reasons."
"But it was never enough," Arthur whispered. "He could never forget that she was gone or why and because he could never completely destroy magic, he could never stop."
Merlin nodded. "Morgana was the last straw. He saw it as another person that magic had stolen from him. Despite everything he had done. That broke him. I'm so sorry, Arthur."
"No, I asked and I knew that I most likely wouldn't enjoy the answer. Thank you for being honest. I'd be go before someone notices that I'm gone." Merlin didn't try to stop him when he rose to his feet and hurried out of the storehouse, feeling as though his world had been turned upside down.
Again.
"Arthur?"
The sound of Merlin's voice shook Arthur from his memory. He visibly shook himself. "Of course I remember that, Merlin. How is that important?"
Merlin gave Arthur a look that clearly said that the warlock knew where Arthur had disappeared to for whoever long he'd been lost in his memories. Arthur had never brought up the subject of his mother's death with Merlin again after that, though he had spoken to Gaius and reached some sort of closure. Since Merlin didn't know that, Arthur gave him the universal signal for move along and just answer my bloody question.
"I think that Agravaine blamed your father for Igraine's death," said Merlin. "Just like so many of the others that have attacked Camelot, that turned into a desire to see everything Pendragon destroyed. Though how that translated into supporting Morgana, who is more like Uther that you will ever be, is beyond me."
"Uther destroyed everything he touched," Agravaine snarled. "How could his son, raised in his image, be any better?"
"No, better the daughter, who was also raised in her father's shadow," said Merlin sarcastically. "Morgana's only virtues in your eyes are her magic and her hatred of Uther, never mind the fact that she is cruel and uncompromising. She would do to those without magic, what Uther did to those with magic."
"Enough!" Arthur nearly shouted. "Obviously your opinions on my right to rule are very different, so let's leave it at that. What have you told Morgana?"
Agravaine remained stubbornly silent.
"Arthur, she grew up here," said Merlin. "I doubt there's much he could have told her that she didn't already know. The must he could have done is keeping her abreast of events in the city as they happened and be her general dogsbody. In fact," Merlin pushed himself off the wall and strode forward, dangling something from his fingertips, a very familiar pendant. "I don't suppose you recognize this."
"How could I possibly?"
"Well, I can sense Morgana's magic on it and it was placed around Uther's neck, thus ensuring that I could do nothing to heal him. Morgana never would have made it into this castle without my knowing, which means that someone within the castle had to have planted it."
Realization hit Arthur like a ton of bricks. Rage pulsed through him, but he would not be his father. He would not pass judgment, no matter how deserved, in a fit of anger. No, he would wait until his emotions were under control and then he would make his decision when he could do so as a king, not as a grieving son. He would be a better king than his father, the sort of king worth of the loyalty his friends showed him.
"Come, Merlin. We have more important matters to deal with. I hope you enjoy your accommodations, uncle. You've earned them."
Without looking back, Arthur strode out of the cells, Merlin trailing after him.
"Why did you come?" he asked once they were out of earshot of the guards and Agravaine.
He didn't need to see Merlin to know that the other man was raising an eyebrow. "Do you really think that I would let you face your uncle alone? You're my friend, Arthur. I wouldn't let you do something like that without someone there with you and, honestly, I was not ready to go into the council room. The shouting was making me nervous."
"This from the man who can face down dragons and immortal armies without blinking," said Arthur dryly.
Merlin just shrugged. "What can I say? There's no possibility of using magic to get out of this one, which means I have to rely on my charm and most of those stodgy old lords don't like commoners, much less warlocks."
"You're not alone in this, you know."
"I know. Doesn't mean I'm not still nervous. I still half expect to end up with my neck on the chopping block."
"I would never—"
"I know," said Merlin, cutting off Arthur's indignant reply. "But it's not exactly easy to just forget something that's frightened me for more than twenty years. Fear like that is irrational."
"And it's my father's fault that you and so many others have that fear," Arthur growled.
"Don't do that to yourself," Merlin warned. "There was nothing you could have done."
"I should have tried."
"How? If Uther had thought you were sympathetic to magic users he would have disowned you, only son or not, and you know it."
Arthur bit back a sigh. "I still should have done something."
"You did. You became friends with a commoner who routinely spoke out of turn, routinely risked your life for those your father saw as beneath him, and you were never blinded by magic the way your father was. In fact, I seem to remember you smuggling a druid out of the city. It might not have seemed like much, but it was something and now that you're king, you can do even more."
"And I will," Arthur vowed. "I will not be my father."
"I never thought that you would. Now why don't we go prove that to everyone else?"
Arthur just shook his head, once again in slight awe of the trust Merlin was showing him. Until recently, he had done so little to prove himself worth of that trust. He'd done as his father had said and persecuted those with magic. He'd often treated Merlin poorly and been his father's son. But Merlin still believed in him and he would prove that to the kingdom.
"This isn't going to be easy," he warned Merlin.
The warlock cocked an eyebrow. "Since when is anything we do easy?"
"Point. Well, we shouldn't keep them waiting any longer."
"If Arthur doesn't hurry up, we're going to have a full scale riot on our hands," Elyan muttered to Leon. "Where is he?"
"Dealing with other pressing matters," Leon muttered back.
Elyan grimaced. "Agravaine?"
Leon nodded tersely.
"Well, if princess doesn't hurry up, we're going to have pressing matters to deal with," Gwaine hissed. He was swiftly losing his temper with the entitled idiots that made up the council. Leon and Percival had been calmly assuring them that Arthur would be there shortly, but they were growing impatient.
"Should one of us go and get him?" asked Elyan.
As if in answer to his question, the door swung open and Arthur swept in, Merlin half a step behind. The warlock looked distinctly green around the edges, but he had his head up and his back straight. The council immediately erupted into an even greater uproar than before. Arthur ignored them. The knights fell into step behind him and arranged themselves before the dais while Arthur made himself comfortable on his throne.
"I don't suppose you have a creative way of getting everyone's attention?" he said, leaning toward Merlin when the shouting didn't stop after a good five minutes.
Merlin arched an eyebrow. "What would you suggest?"
"Something impressive enough to get their attention, but not something that will have them going for their swords. Unless you'd like the entire council to try to run you through, that is."
"I'll think I'll pass on that," Merlin grimaced before becoming thoughtful. Gwaine had to work not to bounce on the balls of his feet with excitement. He loved watching Merlin doing magic. After a moment, the warlock snapped his fingers. The golden dragon in the pennant that hung above the throne sparkled and stirred. It lowered itself to all fours, turning a baleful glare on the shouting men. Merlin smirked, an expression that Gwaine mirrored. His eyes flashed golden a second time. Without any further warning, the dragon roared.
Everyone whipped around and shut up so quickly that mot of the knights almost laughed. The dragon, looking smug, if that was at all possible, reared back up onto its hind legs and went still, nothing more than a rampant sigil once more.
"Couldn't Aithusa have done that?" Arthur asked conversationally. His voice echoed a bit in the sudden silence.
Merlin shrugged. "Maybe. But I thought an actual dragon growling was such a good idea given the circumstances."
"Did you animate that the same way Valiant animated his shield?" asked Elyan.
Gwaine was mildly surprised that Elyan remembered that incident as it had only been mentioned occasionally and he hadn't even been there when it happened. Gwaine sure as hell hadn't remembered it. But now that Elyan had mentioned it, he was curious, too, and clearly so was Arthur.
"Not exactly," said Merlin, clearly searching for the best explanation. "That was a spell that mimicked life. It gave the snakes some semblance of a body. That's why the dog I practiced on became a real dog. This is more of an animation spell. If I performed it on that same statue, the result would be a stone dog running around, rather than a flesh and blood dog who just used to be stone."
That actually made sense, but before Gwaine could say that, one of the lords lost his patience.
"Sire, I must protest! This sorcerer is making a mockery of you! You cannot allow this to continue!"
"Why is that?" Arthur asked calmly.
Albric drew himself up. "Sire, you're father's position on magic was very clear. He more than proved that it is evil and destructive. You are dishonoring his memory and inviting chaos into Camelot."
"Tell me something, Sir Aldric, how many times has Camelot miraculously survived some disaster or another?" asked Arthur after a moment's silence. "Or do you truly believe that the immortal army, either one of them really, just evaporated on their own? I do hope you're not that naïve."
"Are you suggesting that magic had something to do with those victories?"
Gwaine had to give Arthur credit for not reacting to the man's patronizing tone. He would have punched Lord Aldric by now, if it was up to him. Arthur, however, just smiled tightly. "That is exactly what I am suggesting. In fact, if it hadn't been for Merlin and magic, Camelot would no longer stand many times over."
"It's obviously a scheme of some sort!" shouted Sir Ector. "He is attempting to destroy this kingdom!"
Arthur glared at the man. "Somehow, I don't think that repeatedly saving my life and the lives of every person in Camelot is much a scheme for destruction." He raised his hand and stood when several of the council members shouted. "I do not appreciate having my intelligence questioned in such a manner. Do you not think that I extensively questioned Merlin upon discovery of his magic? Do you really think that I was so ignorant of his character after considering him one of my closest confidantes for nearly a decade?"
He took a step forward, seeming to fill the hall with his presence and Gwaine saw, not for the first time, but more strongly than ever, just why Arthur was destined to be such a legendary king.
"You saw for yourselves, not an hour ago, if he so wished it, Merlin could level this kingdom without so much as blinking."
"Oi!"
Gwaine snorted at the so very Merlin responded. Arthur merely rolled his eyes and Gwaine knew that that was exactly what he'd been hoping Merlin would do: prove that having magic hadn't changed him.
"Obviously he wouldn't," said Arthur, shooting Merlin a look. "But he could. And if he didn't do it himself, he's apparently some sort of magical messiah. All it would take is a single word, and any number of sorcerers would march against us. He hasn't done that. He had stood, alone, untrained, hunted, against enemies that we could never hope to fight alone. He did again just this day."
He paused for a moment, and some of the righteous anger left him to be replaced with pure conviction. "I have seen what magic is capable of at the hands of someone who has not been embittered by the persecution my father started. My own sister, a woman many of you have known for years, became everything my father feared because she feared for her life and because had no one to turn to. People driven to the edge for the same reason have threatened my own life. Merlin and Morgana both were born with magic. They had no choice but to learn how to live with it in a land where they could be condemned for something that they had no choice in.
"I have seen too many people suffer for this. How many times have our people been caught in the middle? Magic and magic alone has stood between us and destruction too many times for me to ignore it. I have seen the good and evil that magic is capable of. It is part of our world and I will not deny it any longer, not at the cost of the safety of this kingdom and its people. From this day forth, magic is no longer banned." His words met with an uproar but Arthur merely raised his voice. Gwaine suspected that Merlin might have used a bit of magic to help Arthur be heard, but he was too busy keeping the lords from pushing forward.
"Those with magic will be treated fairly, as any other citizen," Arthur shouted. "They will be punished only for using their power to the detriment of others, just as any murder, or thief, or traitor would be punished. They will be free to live their lives without fear. I will offer them aid in reestablishing their homes here. Anyone who persecutes someone simply because they have magic, will be punished. This will be a kingdom of peace and equality. Magic is part of us. It is part of this land and I no longer deny it."
The shouts slowly quieted as each man slowly came to realize that Arthur was completely serious. Seeing that he was finally getting through to them, Arthur waved Merlin forward. The warlock hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping up to stand beside Arthur, who said in ringing tones,
"With magic by my side, I will lead this kingdom forward."
"Why?" demanded Sir Ector immediately, clearly directing his question to Merlin. "Why would do this? Why would you help the son of a man who has persecuted your kind?"
Gwaine bit back a smirk. When Merlin got impassioned about something it was hard not to be impressed by him. He believed in what he was saying so much, that you couldn't help but see that when he got going.
"You think I should want revenge. That I should be angry and want recompense for the wrongs visited on my people. Am I right?" asked Merlin. He took the stony silence that followed his question for confirmation. "I don't believe in revenge. I've seen too many people that I care about eaten away and destroyed by their desire for vengeance. I've seen too many people caught in the crossfire. Before she discovered her magic, Morgana nearly died for the revenge of another. I can't count the number of times I've saved Arthur from someone who would have killed him for something his father did before he was old enough to even speak. I've nearly died because someone wants revenge on someone else. It doesn't solve anything. It's a vicious cycle that I would see end."
One of the lords whose name Gwaine didn't know scoffed. "Do you really expect us to believe that you've done all that you have claimed simply because you dislike vengeance?"
"No," said Merlin. "That was simply my answer to what you were obviously attempting to imply are my motives. I have fought to protect my friends and my home or because it was something I believed in or simply because it was right. The first time I saved Arthur I did it even though I thought he was a prat with no redeeming qualities."
Without missing a beat, Arthur smacked the back of Merlin's head, who just shrugged it off and kept going as if nothing had happened.
"That didn't mean I was going to let a crazed witch with a grudge kill someone, no matter how big a royal arse they were."
"I'm honored," Arthur drawled.
"You should be, because it wasn't long before I started to see the destiny that I'd been told about, the kingdom where commoner and noble, magic and mortal could exist side by side in harmony. I believed in it. I still believe in it. I will believe in it, because I believe in Arthur."
Without warning, Merlin straightened and began to emanate power, just as he had in the courtyard earlier, effortlessly shifting between servant and warlock. "Camelot is my home. That is all the reason I need to protect it."
Gwaine didn't even bother to bite back a smirk at that. It was obvious that the council was being swayed. Then, a man near the doors of the chambers, another that Gwaine couldn't name, spoke up.
"Let's say we believe you, and, as you have lived here so long and have on more one occasion saved the king's life, I am inclined to. What of the others? How can you can guarantee that no one will take advantage of our kindness?"
"I can't," said Merlin honestly. "There are a lot of people who have been greatly wrong by Camelot's laws and who have lost everything. Some of them will want nothing more than to strike a blow for those they've lost. That said, most will listen to me when them that this is not a trick and that they really can live their lives in peace."
"Why will they listen to someone they most likely considered a traitor?" demanded Aldric.
"Because I'm Emrys. As loath as I was to believe that, I am…how did that druid put it?" he asked Arthur.
The king pretend to think for a moment and Gwaine nearly laughed at the pair's all too familiar antics. "I think he said something like 'Emrys is the greatest warlock who has or ever will walk this earth. He is magic incarnate.' Oh, and I think there was something about helping a certain king bring 'unprecedented peace and prosperity' to the kingdom. That sound right?"
"Yeah it does," Merlin grinned before turning back to the council. "They've been waiting for me, because for whatever reason, Arthur and I together are the one who must fix this. The people of magic want this to end. Most want nothing more than to live without fear. If you give them that chance, they will take it."
"This isn't up for discussion," said Arthur. "I've made my decision. Magic is returning to this kingdom. I don't kid myself into believing that Merlin and I, no matter what prophecy or destiny there is, can do this alone."
"You won't be," interrupted Gwaine before he could stop himself.
He half expected the usual exasperated glares from his fellow Knights of the Round Table, but Leon just spun on his heel and mounted the dais steps until he stood just below Arthur and Merlin. "No, they won't."
Without hesitating, the others followed suit. With a little coaxing from Gaius and a pointed look from Arthur, Gwen went to stand in her rightful place as the future queen.
"It's your choice whether to accept your changes or not. This is not a whim. I have known for Merlin's power for some time and since that discovery, I have taking steps towards these changes. I truly believe that this is the direction Camelot must take. You can join us, you can aid us, or you can leave."
The council just gaped, unable to deny the strange power of Emrys, the Once and Future King, his Queen, and his most loyal knights.
Author's Notes: Basically, this is just to wrap up some of the loose ends from Emrys Discovered. I know it's a lot of exposition, but I really wanted to show Merlin and Arthur and the Knights and Gwen finally taking up their rolls. Obviously Merlin and Arthur were the focus. I couldn't think of a good way to work Gwen in without it just feeling like too much, because this really is about Arthur's big test as a king and Merlin's test as a warlock. It's not my favorite, to be honest, but it did need to be done. There might be another installment, dealing with Agravaine and maybe some sort of test for Arthur and Merlin. We'll see. Anyway, R&R.