After Merlin has fulfilled his role as the hag Dolma, his injuries and exhaustion cause all to be revealed. Reveal!Fic.
As they walked away none the wiser, Merlin celebrated silently that all had gone well and he could soon lift the glamour spell which hid his appearance. His head pounded and he fought the sway which battled with his sense of gravity. The spell had left him weaker than ever before, leaving him feeling empty inside and wishing for sleep. He stumbled back towards the rock, barely making it a step before his vision darkened.
Arthur knew there was something going on that he couldn't wrap his mind around, the familiarity of the old sorceress. Turning around to yell his thanks once more his eyes widened at the sight of the woman wavering where she stood. He jogged forward reaching for the hag as her legs gave and she crumpled. He heard Gwen cry out and was joined by his Queen kneeling on the damp ground, together they rolled the witch on her side, gasping when her... no, his face was revealed.
"Merlin!" He gasped, the servant... the sorcerer, looked awful; pale and exhausted, his face was scratched from their previous fall and when Arthur's hand came away slick with blood he realised there was head injury Merlin had not seen fit to disclose, nor Arthur, too worried for his queen, had bothered to check for.
"I...it was him." Gwen stuttered. "All this time, all those close saves... were him." She looked at her husband hoping to see a worried friend but only saw a stony face; lips thin and jaw set. "Arthur you cannot believe him evil, look what he just did for us, and how it has affected him! Arthur I swear to god if you..."
"Guinevere." His voice, calm but forceful, stopped her rant and she looked on as her king shifted his grip on the servant, lifting the injured man into a carry. "We need to find his bags, unless Merlin wishes to return to Camelot in a dress." At this Mordred, who had been frozen where he stood, snapped to attention and jogged off in the direction they had last seen Merlin before Dolma had revealed herself. "We shall return to the horses and make camp while we treat his head injury. Hopefully he will wake and we shall have a... discussion."
"Arthur..." The Queen whispered, fearful of the King's rage.
"I won't kill him Gwen, or banish him... I promise. What we just saw was not evil...I just want some answers." She nodded, pushing herself off the floor and glancing back at the lake, she shivered; her dress was soaked completely, the silk now water-logged and weighted and she hoped Arthur had packed an alternative outfit for them both, knowing the thick clothing under his armour would be no easier to walk in than her dress.
Later, after drying and changing the group sat huddled around a meagre fire, the horses tied to a nearby tree and Mordred cooking a simple stew. They had opted to leave Merlin in the woman's clothing after realising his normal attire was hidden underneath and the extra clothing would leave the injured man warm. The man had shuffled and moaned in his sleep and the three awake members of the travel party watched quietly for any signs he would wake and begin his explanation. It wasn't until Mordred, bored by the wait, reached behind his back and snapped a large twig in his hands. The result was instantaneous. The warlock catapulted into a sitting position and took in the expressions of his friends. Gwen was smiling weakly, Mordred was as blank as ever and Arthur's face was serious and grim. Oh god. The warlock scrambled to his feet, the long dress he wore wrapped around his legs like thick ropes and the raggedy, black scarf fell from his shoulders as he stood on its end and tripped backwards. He fell against a tree, managing to stay standing he struggled to free his feet. Have to get away. Have to leave. His shoulders heaved, his lungs burning and he did not notice the king approach until a heavy hand gripped his wrists and pulled them away from where they scrabbled at his dress.
Merlin. Merlin. "Merlin." He cried out as strong arms pulled him away from the tree and sat him down "Merlin you're not going to die!"
"I am!" He pulled back, falling off the log he had been placed on, bringing Arthur with him until his back rested against the cool ground and Arthur knelt above him, hands still restraining him.
"No you're not. You're safe I promise you. Now I'm going to let you up, you're going to sit down by the fire and you are going to tell me everything about your magic. No death penalties." Arthur's voice was calm and firm and his eyes shone kindly. "Merlin you idiot."
He explained almost everything. Mordred was sat to his right so Merlin skipped the bane problem but left nothing else out. Despite the fire Merlin shook with nerves, staring into the fire as if he expected it to swallow him whole. By the time he told the group of Morgana's magic Gwen had come to rest at his side, the Queen's warmth and friendship a steady presence as he told his story. Her husband sat across the fire from the two, desperately trying to appear non-threatening. He was angry, not really at Merlin, for his story spoke of truth and filled in the gaps of Arthur's memories and misconceptions, but at himself and his own stupidity. A small part of him did feel betrayed, he could not dispute that, but that was merely a small emotion; a jealous part of him that wished for Merlin's trust, not just now, but for the past several years he had so obviously been missing it. The King replaced Mordred at the warlock's right side and took his advisor's hands in his much larger ones. Merlin's nervy shakes turned to shudders as his breath hitched and sobbed, he found himself encased in his friend's arms, his face crushed lightly into Arthur's chainmail and Gwen's hands rubbing up and down his back in an attempt to placate him.
"How are we going to explain this?" Arthur whispered to his wife once Merlin had calmed and stilled. "All the times he's let someone else take the credit for his deeds, I just don't know what to do."
"We take him home." Was the simple response. They rewrapped the bandages around Merlin's head which had been roughed up during the brief struggle and settled down for the night. Merlin safely tucked in next to the Queen while Mordred and Arthur took turns on watch. Morgana was out there after all and she would not be happy that they had stopped her plan of poisoning the Queen's mind.
The next morning was less of a struggle yet came with its own difficulties. Merlin, silent in his brooding, was still injured from the fall; his balance off and pupils slightly uneven. Arthur had not escaped unscathed from his tumble either; his ached incredibly but he knew from experience there were no breaks, however the pain he had ignored in his rush to save Gwen would no longer let him be. At worst there was a crack or two in the bone. But they would have to wait. They had not thought to bring a spare horse with them on this quest, so Gwen rode Merlin's horse back to Camelot, while the unbalanced warlock sat behind his king, his weight a steady presence on the King's back. The King and Queen kept up a good dialogue during the ride back, hoping to reassure the servant that he had nothing to fear from either of them. It seemed to work, slowly but surely the warlock began talking back until they were all sharing a calm and easy going conversation. It wasn't until they reached Camelot's gates that Merlin once again became silent.
The hush remained until the horses pulled to a stop in the courtyard, the many knights and servants coming to watch the small procession. Arthur dismounted quickly and was in the process of helping a trembling Merlin down when he heard Gaius approaching through the crowds.
"Arthur! Merlin! What on Earth happened?" The old man shouted, taking in the cowering form of his ward and the fear in his pale blue eyes. "Oh Merlin, my boy," he reached forward and tugged the young man into a tight embrace.
"Our mission was a success." Arthur announced to the knights that had gathered. "It was long and arduous and I think I can speak for us all that we would like a rest for now. Tomorrow night we shall have a feast in our Queen's honour." At this he sent a small smile to his wife, before turning his attention to his injured friend. There was a lot to discuss.