A/N Slight delay here, but I think we all knew that my run of updating everyday wasn't going to last. I'm probably not going to update again until next Monday evening at the earliest, but here's a nice long one to tide you over

This chapter was hard to write, but I hope that you all enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I don't earn Merlin. Or Supernatural. Obviously.

Arthur stood for a moment on the porch outside the shack, surveying his surroundings, Castiel's words rolling through his head. And he needed to know. After ascertaining that there was no one else there, he began to walk on the direction of the light. It was a mere flicker in the distance, but he went to it as a moth to a flame. His surroundings were inconsequential compared to his need to understand.
He paused on the brink of the circle of light. He could hear voices, and a child's laughter. Peering thorough the bushes he could see that the source of light was a large bonfire an could make out silhouettes around the flames.
The light illuminated a small village, made up of huts and tents. It wasn't a small settlement, but it was a makeshift one. He could see the children playing by a tent with a large wolf like dog, completely at home.
"Dinner!" called a voice Arthur recognised. A voice which called to his very soul, one he was so relieved to hear. Gwenivere.
That voice of a nightingale continued, "Will you be joining us Merlin?"
Her voice was filled with sisterly affection and concern. Did she not know that Merlin was a sorcerer? Or did she not care? He watched her beautiful face slip into a frown.
"Starving yourself won't help. I insist."
He watched her mouth, glowing in the orange light frame these words. He'd been so worried. He stepped from the bushes.
"I told you to stay put."
Merlin's voice was powerful and broke through Arthur's haze.
"Since when have I ever done what you say Merlin?" the retort slipped out naturally, and surprised Arthur. It almost made it seem as if nothing had changed between the two of them. As if the magic made no difference.
There was an anger in Merlin's expression however, titbit was tinged with something else. As a prince, he had to be able to read people. It was an essential talent when it came to treaties and even everyday conversation. Just talking genially to a visiting Nobel could be a dangerous as walking on egg shells. Except with Merlin. Arthur could say what he liked. Because of this, Arthur had never really tried to read his manservant. Except when he was being surprisingly enigmatic or uncharacteristically wise.
But Arthur was sure that there was sadness tinging the anger coming from his friend. His friend. Even with magic, Arthur saw him as a friend.
Arthur watched Merlin's eyes dart to his right, to Gwen. Arthur shifted his focus to her too and saw her mouth open in shock, her eyes conflicted.
"Arthur?"
"Um, yes."
Something felt awkward. A moment ago, his every fibre of his being had wanted to throw itself at Gwen, but something imperceptible about her, the way she stood maybe, held him back.
"How is this possible?"
Gwen looked up at Merlin who was regarding Arthur.
"I don't know."
"I'm from the past." Arthur decided to add helpfully, walking forward into the conversation carefully.
"Obviously." Merlin commented, a trace of a sneer in his voice. One that was usually reserved by Arthur for use when Merlin acted like an idiot. It was strange hearing his intonations reflected back at him, from Merlin of all people.
"The question is how."
"Oh, a, uh, magical creature sent me." he figured that 'angel' would be a step too far.
A flicker of confusion crossed Merlin's face. This was one of the few emotions this Merlin had displayed since Arthur had met him. Was magic responsible for changing the once expressive man?
Arthur became increasingly aware that Merlin was a good head taller than him. Had that always been the case?
"A magical creature?"
"Yeah. He said that he'd sent me here to make a point."
Merlin's eyes narrowed in thought. For some reason, Gwen refused to meet his eyes, but kept her gaze lowered.
"Where's food?"
A small blonde child had grabbed the hem of Gwen's tunic top and tugged it. The child's friends stood Benin it, doing thief best to look forlornly hungry.
For some reason, Gwen shot a glance at Arthur before replying.
"Coming right up. Have you washed your hands?"
Gwen was presented with a dozen sets of clean fingers. She laughed and fell into what was obviously a routine of serving up the food with the help of a few of the other women. Arthur watched with Merlin, all of his questions stuck in his throat. Gwen's eyes flicked to him every few moments. She seemed nervous which added rigidity to her actions and she ladled stew onto the children's plates. The children retreated to sit on logs placed around the fire and as if given a cue, all of the adults began to queue, each giving a nod of thanks as they received their food. After they had cleared, she beckoned to him and Merlin. Arthur moved forwards and tried to catch Gwen's eye over the bowl, but she furiously refused to look in his direction, looking down into the pot instead.

Feeling somewhat rejected, Arthur stepped aside allowing Gwen to push a bowl upon Merlin who grimaced but stuck to Arthur as he moved away, directing him to a space big enough to house the two of them. Arthur was again aware of the stares he was receiving. He met them, looking into their eyes and wondered. How many of these innocent looking people possessed magic?

They sat down on a log. Arthur pushed his stew around his bowl with his spoon.

"What happened?" He asked quietly, keeping his eyes on his food. When Merlin didn't respond immediately, Arthur glanced to his left. Merlin's bowl had vanished and he was instead fiddling with a large stick which had been in the fringe of the fire, refusing to look at Arthur. After a long while,

"Uther's hold on the throne was tenuous. And some people saw your refusal to take the throne as weakness."

"I'm not going to betray my father!" Arthur spat angrily. However, inside, he knew that his protestation wasn't as strong as it had been earlier, with Castiel.

Merlin finally looked around in surprise, "I never said you would. Either way, one of the leaders, Rex, from the east," Arthur nodded in acknowledgement, "he brought an army. Not a normal army but one powered by sorcerers." Merlin spat the term, startling Arthur. Wasn't Merlin a sorcerer? "They laid siege to the castle. Killed many of the villagers. What we didn't see coming, what I didn't see coming was the rat."

"The rat?"

"A sorcerer snuck into the castle and, well... got to you."

Arthur frowned, thinking over Merlin's words, factoring in the way his voice broke over saying them. His gaze had been determinedly tracking patterns into the ground as Merlin spoke, but he looked up in shock.
"I died?"
Really he'd known it, with Gwen's reaction to him and the past tense... And Merlin knew that he knew so didn't bother dignifying his exclamation with a response. Instead he tossed his tick into the fire. He watched it burn, the red reflecting in his dark eyes.
"I wasn't there. I didn't see it coming." his voice was layered with something akin to buried guilt. "I was considered as loyal to you, so they also tried to kill me. I got out." there was a pause, laden with the events of the past yet to be spoken. "Gaius didn't."
These words hit Arthur like stones. One after the other, sinking deep into his gut. He forced words from his dry mouth.
"What happened?"
For a moment, thought Merlin wouldn't answer him. "I ran to his chambers, but by the time I got there, he was gone, his work shattered on the floor." Arthur recalled the beaker he'd found in Gaius' workshop. It hadn't been touched in five years...
"I ran to find him. He wasn't in the dungeons. They'd decided on quick and decisive action."
Merlin didn't say anymore, but he didn't need to.
"And then you decided to learn magic?"
Arthur tried to make his voice understanding, but he didn't think that he quite managed. Merlin didn't answer at first, remaining crouched towards the fire, an orange tinted silhouette.
Then at long last, "Yes."
"What about Gwen?" Arthur looked at the hut she'd vanished into.
Merlin leaned back, rubbing his knees, "Well you have to understand, it was common knowledge that you two were together which made her a target. I took her with me when I fled. I returned later for our possessions. There were... Complications."
Merlin said that hesitantly, apparently unsure as to entree this was information he deemed Arthur should have.
"Gwen was considered 'spoiled', that's why she stayed in the forest with me rather than setting up in another village. Word travels."
Arthur frowned in anger, "Spoiled? How dare the- what did they-"
"She was pregnant."
Merlin's quiet but forceful words cut through his anger as a knife through butter.
Now shock undulated in his gut.
"Wha..."
Arthur saw that small blonde boy run from Gwen's hut to join his friends who were calling him over.
"C'mon Arthur!" one of the children cried, clearly impatient.
Arthur watched his son- his Son!- join the group and put the shouter in a headlock.
"He's a good kid." Merlin acknowledged from behind Arthur, but Arthur barely heard him. He wad staring at the boy, numerous indescribable feeling writhing inside of him. He took in the boys hair, darker than his own, but pale skin. He looked like his father, a man who bow wanted to rush over to the boy and protect him from all thing out to hurt him. The lad turned and Arthur could make out the brown eyes behind the mischievous twinkle, so recognisable as he saw them so often in Gwen. He made to stand but was restrained by Merlin's hand on his arm.
Arthur made to wrench his arm away and confront the man, but a shout echoed through the encampment.
"They've returned!"
The reaction was immediate. The women streamed from the houses, the men stood in expectation. The children stopped playing, heads all turned in the direction if the shout, as startled fawns. Even the grip on Arthurs arm lifted as Merlin stood, looking into the distance, his cold blue eyes focused and determined.
Men entered the clearing. Arthur recognised Gwaine, Percival and, was that Leon? He looked do different without his uniform.
His son ran to the group and was scooped up by the man at the head.
"Hello twerp." Lancelot grinned hugging the lad who clung to his neck affectionately. "Not been up to mischief have you?"
As his son shook his head playfully, Arthur felt jealousy curl around his stomach and heart. He watched angrily. That was his son. He should be the one greeting him, not Lancelot. Some small part of him knew that this was stupid. He hadn't been part if the boys life, heck he hadn't actually fathered him yet. But the sense of possessiveness squashed this sense and only Merlin's tightened grip on his shoulder withheld him.
This was a sign of how Merlin had changed in his perception. He'd have shrugged old Merlin off by this point. Uncorrupted Merlin.
He saw Lancelot, still clutching his son slip through the crowd and stride up to Gwenivere. She had a strange smile on her face. As Arthur watched, Lancelot closed the distance and lowered his head to Gwen's. Before this eyes, Arthur witnessed one his knights kiss the love of his life. And he saw her respond. With relish.
She then seemed to collect herself, pulling away. Lancelot tilted his head in query and Arthur watched as Gwen looked his way, mouth moving. Lancelot turned and saw Arthur.
A number if emotion flickered over the ex-knights face as Gwen continued to talk into his ear.
By the time Lancelot had set his son down on the floor and started to walk over, the expression was one of set determination.
Little Arthur ran ahead, to Merlin,
"Hey look Uncle! Lance is back!"
Merlin laughed, the first hint of old Merlin he'd seen all night, and replied cheerily,
"Yeah I can see that. We've got to talk though. Why don't you go help your mum?"
Arthur watched the boy skip away. He'd been less than a metre from him. If he'd reached out, he could have ruffled his hair. The boy danced around Lancelot and ran to Gwen who accepted him but kept her attention on Arthur and Lancelot.
Arthur knew that his anger coil be read through his eyes bug Lancelot stared back proudly, the dame determination that Arthur had seen Jen he tried out as a knight of Camelot that first time all those years ago. The extra five years could be read in his face, the Flint I. His eyes, the gauntness in his cheeks. The old dream had been replaced with world-weariness. Somehow this change penetrated the red mist and Arthur felt himself calming slightly. A small part of him whispered, 'at least Gwen hasn't been alone these past years.
"Arthur? Is this possible?"
It was Leon, backed by Gwaine and Percival who were all staring at Arthur in shock and recognition.
"He's from the past." Merlin explained shortly. The men showed their respect and trust in Merlin then by accepting his words and nodding. Lancelot's jaw tightened as he realised the implications regarding Gwen.
"When?" asked Gwaine, frowning.
Merlin raised an eyebrow at Arthur, inviting him to talk. He cleared this throat.
"Um. A few months after Morgana's take over. With the immortal army."
"And what, you just showed up here?"
"Pretty much."
Gwaine whistled, taking it all in stride. "Talk about culture shock. D'you know why?"
Suddenly Arthur felt as if he was back with his men in his own time. He could over look the differences, the hardness in their eyes, the lines and scars on their faces and recognise his men. His friends.
He couldn't look Lancelot in the eye however and concentrated on the other men. He couldn't look at Merlin either. Too much had changed.
"Castiel said it was to make a point."
"Castiel?" Merlin's emotionless voice shattered the illusion.
"That's what he called himself."
A silence rose between the group as nothing else seemed fit to follow the statement.
Until.
"Merlin we have it."
Suddenly Arthur was pushed from the conversation as Merlin swept between them to Leon. Leon passed him a pouch and began to talk to Merlin about the mission, too quietly for Arthur to hear. The others joined in to contribute their input until Arthur stood aside from the group, discarded. Almost.
Gwaine sidled up to him.
"Good to see you Princess."
"You too Gwaine."
"Castiel's the name of an angel."
Arthur did a double take.
"You're religious?"
Gwaine seemed to be weighing his response.
"I grew up with it. I was never sure how much to take seriously. Quite a bit apparently if this guy was actually an angel." Gwaine phrased it as a question, head tilted curiously.
"So he claimed."
"Did he have wings?"
Arthur remembered the great shadows with awe.
"Yes. Of sorts. I could see their shadows."
Gwaine's eyebrows rose into his hairline as he guided Arthur to a different log by the fire to sit.
"Cool! Was he like a sissy angel? You know, wearing a dress with a harp?"
Arthur had to restrain a laugh.
"Anything but. He was..." Arthur searched for the word, "formidable."
"Makes sense, he's s'posed to kill a helluva lot of people come the apocalypse."
Gwaine's eyes were trained on the group they'd left while Arthur digested this snippet of information.
"You dying really changed him you know."
Arthur looked where Gwaine was indicating, to Merlin.
Arthur looked at his old friend and sighed. "Yeah."
"No. You don't get it. Today's a good day. Probably your presence, but he showed more emotion on those few minutes then he has in the past few years." Gwaine ignored Arthur's head spin and continued, "Except with mini-princess, but that's the exception which proved the rule. If Arthur's not there, he closes up like a pub at closing time."
Arthur looked back at Merlin who had his head bowed in serious conversation with the knights, the shadows highlighting the bones of his face, making him look skeletal and hiding his eyes. Magic, Arthur cursed, can really change a man.
As he watched, Merlin, pouch in hand, swept from the clearing and into the shadows.
"What's going on?"
There was an air of action around the camp, anticipation that showed in everyone's stances, their feverish eyes and muted conversation.
"It's all going down tomorrow."
Arthur looked at Gwaine who in turn was tensed, as if ready for a fight.
"What?"
"That gem we just retrieved, I fit understand the ins and outs, but the general picture is that it's a magical artefact which means that we'll finally be able to fight back. Properly."
Gwaine licked his lips and looked across at Arthur. Taking in his nonplussed expression, he continued.
"Merlin's strong, but Jackass has a supply if counterfeit power. The sorcerers under his control, the stronger he is. Merlin's power has grown, exponentially so, but Jackass instigated his own purge, bringing all sorcerers to his realm, willingly or unwillingly. Merlin's been able to keep us shielded, but any outright attack would be suicide, despite the whole 'Emrys' thing."
"Emrys?"
But Gwaine just waved a hand dismissively.
"Tonight, we prepare."
Arthur tried to sort through his roiling feelings and failed, instead addressing an issue that still grated.
"But Merlin, magic..."
Gwaine laughed, but it was a sound empty of mirth.
"Yeah, I know, it took a while for me to get used to it too. But I think it's all he has left." There was heaviness in his voice that mourned Merlin's condition. Gwaine sharply looked across to Arthur.
"Magic isn't evil Arthur. A sword can be used to protect as well as wound. It depends on the wielder."
"But-" but Arthur quietened. He wasn't going to contradict Gwaine when these beliefs must have been all the camp had to justify the depths they had fallen to. Who was he to barge in and start an argument before the final battle? He knew better than most the importance of morale.
That night as he lay down to sleep on the floor of Gwaine's hut, the knights words chased each other around his head and strangely enough began to make sense.
He rolled over, grunting. That's impossible, that much power corrupts. But a sword gives a person power over the unarmed, his mind returned to the analogy.
Arthur sat with his controversial thoughts, letting the debate rage until he fell asleep in the early hours of the morning.

A/N That's me over and done with. I enjoyed writing this, and I hope I displayed Arthur okay.

It's hard to imagine how Arthur would react in this situation but I hope I portrayed it belivably.

Please review. I love opinions.