REDEMPTION

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Sorry for the loooooong delay. Haven't had a lot of time to write and got stuck on the transition between the last chapter and the scene that I had in my head that started this whole fic. So I finally decided to focus on the ending and worry about other things as they come up. Hope you enjoy this chapter and haven't lost interest in this type of story.

*Special thanks to cflat for pointing out that in the last chapter I had written Elyan into it. Totally forgot he was dead, because my other story takes place in season 4. I went back and changed it.

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Chapter 3

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Arthur stood, trying very hard not to pace; to look authoritative, instead of nervous. He glanced around at the main tent, where just yesterday they had been mapping and planning the battle. Now, however, it had been transformed for a new purpose. A small hand full of knights stood around the edges while four soldiers stood on guard, two inside and two outside the main entrance. To his left, Guinevere sat in one of the two chairs that had been brought in for them, but Arthur was to anxious to sit.

In the middle of the room, hands bound behind his back, head hung and eyes staring at the ground, knelt Mordred. Arthur had mixed feelings about the boy. He had saved Arthur's life; been a promising knight, but he had magic and had sided with Morgana. Deep down Arthur knew Mordred's betrayal was driven by grief, but if the boy had been a true knight, he would have put Camelot before his personal feelings.

Arthur shook his head and looked to his right, and sighed at the emptiness. Gaius and Merlin should have been there, but there were still many wounded that needed attending to.

In situations like these, Arthur still felt like a young, inexperienced prince, and felt he needed Gaius's wisdom in such matters.

Merlin, he wasn't quite sure about Merlin. He had always been there, to support Arthur in the most difficult of times, except of course this last battle. He had been surprised upon walking into the medical tent, looking for Guinevere and found Merlin running around and tending to the wounded.

He was relieved that he was okay, but also angry and disappointed that he hadn't been there earlier, when Arthur had really needed him. Despite Gaius's explanation about sending Merlin away for vital supplies, there was something in the back of Arthur's head that just couldn't accept that explanation.

'Arthur, I'm sorry I had to leave you. I didn't want to. I hope one day you'll understand why.' The words he'd heard the night before played in his head. The dream he'd had, of Merlin talking to him; warning him about Morgana's plan. He paused. Confusion and fear wiping away the emotions of the moment before. He hadn't really thought about it until now. The warning in his "dream" had been valid. Morgana had sent a force to attack them through a hidden pass.

Arthur only had a second to think on this new revelation as a familiar grunting reached his ears.

"Out of my way. Go on, move aside," the old man's grating voice sounded outside the tent. A second later, the white haired, red robed figure walked awkwardly into the tent.

The guards followed him in, hesitation on their faces. They looked at their king. Arthur nodded and waved them away.

The old man snorted at them, "Humph." The he looked at Arthur. There was a softness in his eyes as he bowed, eyes never leaving the King's. "Your highness." His eyes glanced in Mordred's direction, a snarl appeared on his face. Even though Mordred still had his eyes on the ground, Arthur had a feeling that the boy knew the old sorcerer was sneering at him.

"Please." Arthur gestured with his hands to a position next to the thrones. The old man complied, leaning on his staff, eyes never leaving Mordred.

"Well," Arthur stated, taking his seat next to Guinevere "Shall we begin." He took a deep breath. "Mordered, you are charged with treason; having willingly conspired with Morgana Pendragon to wage war on Camelot. This act has resulted in the loss of many innocent lives. What say you to these charges."

A heavy silence hung in the air. It only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like minutes.

"I know, there is nothing I could say or do to rectify the wrongs I have done, so I can offer no defense My Lord, and I will accept whatever punishment you see fit." He said all this, never taking his gaze off the ground."

Arthur felt a pang of saddness at the complete and total surrender, but also a sense of pride. The boy knew he had done wrong, and was willing to accept the consequesses for his actions. To Arthur, this was Mordred's true character, that a of knight.

"After all that...drama," the old man waved his hand wildly, "you've suddenly realized the error of your ways, eh? I find that hard to believe." The old man crossed his arms. "Why?" Arthur wanted to interupt and tell the old man to lay off. Afterall, Mordred had surrendered willingly. But a part of Arthur was curious after the answer to that particular question. Mordred remained silent, but Arthur could see his demenor change. Before, he had been submissive, but still, proud and strong. Under the scrutiny of this Emrys character however, he shuddered and his shoulders sagged.

"Bah!" The old man exclaimed suddenly. "I never trusted you because of this right here. You betrayed us. As I always knew you would." At that, Mordred's head snapped up, eyes focused on the old sorcerer. Anger and hurt radiated from those young eyes. The two stared at eachother, but Arthur got the feeling there was more going on, as silence filled the tent. Something he had heard long ago, about a power the druids possessed came into hi memory.

"That's enough." He said firmly. Both men looked at him, puzzled. "This is a court of Camelot. If there is something that needs to be said, it will be said, aloud, for all to hear." He looked at the old man. "Or you will be expelled from this hearing. Do I make myself clear?"

The old man had a bemused look on his face, but he bowed his head and stood back. Arthur looked at Morderd who was looking at the ground once more. Arthur could hear and see the deep breaths that now racked the boy's body. The old man had upset him, and Arthur was worried what he might do. He did posses magic after all.

"Mordred, look at me." Arthur said softly. The boy took a deep breath and stilled himself, then he met Arthur's eyes. "You saved my life and have served nobly as a knight of Camelot. But you betrayed us, costing the lives of many. I need to understand why. And why then, now, did you surrender?"

"I think we all know the answer as to why I turned to Morgana," the boy said through clenched teeth. "But I surrendered," he looked at Arthur, "because of him." He nodded in the direction of the old sorcerer. "Morgana, needed to get Me.." he paused, "master Emrys out of the way in order to be able to be successful in atempt to take Camelot." He looked at the old man. "She found something."

"The Gean canach." The old man said quietly. Mordred nodded and looked back to Arthur.

"It was legend that it could strip a sorcerer of his magic, but she had to be sure it worked first." He shook his head. "She unleasehed it upon Ari, a powerful sorcerer who was an ally. He had never done anything, to deserve that, but she didn't care. I saw then, how she would betray her own kind, to get what she wanted. Her hatred for you both was almost as strong as her lust for power."

"And yet you let her carry out that plan?!" The old man suddenly, hot with anger. "You stood by as she sent that thing to Camelot, to me!"

He looked away from them. "At the time, I hated you. Thought you deserved it." Mordred said, shame in his voice. "You had so much power, and yet what had you ever done to help our kind." His tone changed as he looked at the old man, seething with anger. "You betrayed Cora and me, and she is dead as a result. I trusted you! And you betrayed us, you let Cora be put to death for magic while you hid, behind your position inside Camelot, to save your own skin. Even now, they do not know the truth."

"Enough!" Emrys grumbled. He moved forward as if to strike the boy. Arthur put out his arm and stopped the old man. They glared at each other. Two things had stuck in Arthur's mind as he had watch the verbal exchange. Emrys's and Mordred's references to the old man being in Camelot.

He gave the old sorcerer an angry look. "I will deal with you later." He said so that only the old man could hear, then pushed him back. He turned to Mordred, who still looked at the old man defiantly.

"Mordred," He called the boy's attention back to himself. "I know you cared for the girl, but she chose her fate. There was nothing anyone, even you could've done to change that."

"You could've, as King. But your laws give no option to those who have magic." He held Arthur's gaze. "We thought you were different," he looked to the old man, "but we were wrong."

"No," the old man said defiantly. "You were right." He moved to Arthur's side. "Arthur gave Cora, the chance to renounce her deeds, that of killing, not of magic, and go into exile. But she deified him. Said she was proud and hoped that Arthur died and Camelot came to ruin. She gave him no choice."

Mordered glanced from one man to the other trying to process the information. The old man continued. "Of course in you juvinile anger, you didn't stay long enough to find out the truth before running off and betraying me to Morgana."

Arthur quickly interjected. "Which brings us back to the original question, since it's obvious you didn't understand the truth about Cora's death, why are you here now? What changed?"

"Emrys." Mordred said looking intently, defiantly at the old man. "When Morgana learned that you were heading to the Crystal Cave, she went after you. She came back, saying that you were indeed powerless, and she had trapped you in the cave to die." He looked away. "But then, there you were. Above the battleground, calling down lightning, commanding the dragon...and all the stories that the druids used to tell me, about the one called Emrys, returned. "

There was silence in the room. Even the old sorcerer didn't have a snide comment. Arthur looked at the old man next to him. He wanted to ask Mordred, 'What stories?' but it was not the right time to address all of the new concerns that were being brought to light.

"Mer..My Lord," Mordred said. He looked at the old man, the anger having faded from his tone. "We've had our differences in the past, and I know there is nothing I can do to make up for betraying you to Morgana, but I needed you to know, I wanted to say, I was wrong, and I'm sorry." He bowed his head. "My life, is now in your hands."

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Gwaine watched the proceedings of the trial. 'Of course,' he thought, 'you couldn't really call it that.' It had become a spat between the old man and the boy. Both magic users. Both men that the King had trusted in the past. Although Gwaine understood why Arthur was choosing to trust the old man now, he had saved their backsides after all, Gwaine felt he was giving him too much freedom to speak. He and the other knights would have to keep an eye on this sorcerer. Then something that Mordred said caught his attention. 'The Crystal cave.' Gwaine blinked. He had taken Merlin to the Crystal cave. When he had left him there, Gwaine had been worried, but Merlin had assured him that he would be safe. Had Merlin gone to get the old man? Mordred had said the old man was hiding in Camelot. Had Merlin known all this time? He would need to talk to Merlin, but could he trust him now? Or should he bring his concerns up with Arthur first? Whatever he decided, it would have to wait. Arthur, right now, had his hands full.