Epilogue
"In a land of myth, and a time of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young man. His name, Merlin."
The children giggled, gathering in closer as if to better hear Kilgharrah's next words, while the parents of the children's stood a few steps behind warily, as if ready to grab their children and run away should the Great Dragon make any sudden moves. As if they could outrun the dragon anyway. And yet, it was the best of progress the people of Camelot could make, six months after the battle with Morgana and Arthur slowly working to repeal the ban on magic. While magic wasn't officially legal as of yet, word quickly spread around that the king was willing to overlook people using magic to help around, starting with those injured in the battle. Of course, while Arthur was continuously pressurized by his council - which mainly consisted of Uther's men - to avoid anything and everything to do with magic, it was with utmost tolerance that he ignored their words, unable to completely dismiss them, or otherwise being feared as enchanted.
But for the time being? Magic was still considered illegal - as illegal as it can get with a knight on patrol turning a blind eye to a healer working her magic on a young child not ten feet away.
Currently, within the castle, it was another one of the council meetings that Arthur had found himself in again.
"I am telling you, my lord! This is pure idiocracy-"
"Are you calling me an idiot, sir Thomas?" Arthur asked, his eyes narrowing. The man blanched, stuttering for a few seconds as he tried to regain his footing in the argument.
"Of course not sire! But you must see the ridiculousness of this idea-"
Arthur interrupted once again, his face steely as he sat back in his throne, coolly regarding the elder man.
"And now it seems to me you are implying my rulings ridiculous."
The man shut his mouth closed with an audible clacking of his teeth.
When no more words seemed to be forthcoming, Arthur opened his mouth to talk, but someone else spoke first.
"Your majesty, you have come to us with the idea of breaking a law most certainly deeply ingrained amongst the people of Camelot," a tall man, Sir Richard, spoke. While he was still one of the men appointed by Uther, Arthur was more inclined to think that the man still had a mind of his own, instead of being one of the many other puppets being controlled by strings attached to a dead man. "And yet, at the same time, you do not wish to break it, but… to update its terms to something more lenient for a group of people we have been so far taught to see as the epitome of evil."
If anything, Arthur's gaze grew colder as he wondered if he thought wrongly of this man.
But Sir Richard continued to speak, calmly and collected with his thoughts and speech, as opposed to the fumbling Sir Thomas.
"But what I have been seeing in the streets of the lower town so far, and much like your knights, my lord, pretending not to see, is many of Camelot's people being saved for situations that we would have previously been preparing the funeral pyres or burial grounds for. We are seeing a new generation evolving without having to worry whether or not they will be able to overcome one of the coldest nights of many to come, we are seeing our parents living for many more months when before, we wondered if today will be the last day one gets to spend with their parents. I am seeing," Sir Richard's face suddenly softened, his voice the kind to be easily heard throughout the hall now lowering to an extent where the people in the room had to hold their breaths to be able to hear the man's next words. "I am seeing my son regain the use of his legs, no longer having to worry of the sickness eating away at his limbs as it has disappeared without a trace. One would have never thought that just weeks ago, my child was bedridden, blankets pulled high and people refusing to see him, minus the physician, worried that the blackness overcoming his legs will spread to them," Sir Richard's voice rose again, and this time, he met each and every one of the people's gaze in the room head on, his sight lingering on Sir Thomas and a few others particularly vocal with their strong dislike towards magic, before returning to Arthur. "This is because of magic! Are you telling me, evil has cured my son? Are you telling me, that it is this very evil that has now helped my son to continue his training on this very castle's grounds, in hopes of becoming a knight of Camelot? Because if this is evil, then I fear, my lord, that I am one amongst it. I fear that I support the cause of those who use their magic, to help heal our people, to fight amongst our knights, I support the magic users with no ill intentions who wish to live in Camelot, and to be regarded as it's citizens."
He nodded as he finished his speech, and thick, heavy silence, blanketed the room in the aftermath of Sir Richard's words.
Arthur's gaze wasn't as cold anymore, and if anything, he smiled kindly at Sir Richard now. He mentally made a note to tell George to remind him of dropping by the training grounds later, to see for himself how the man's son was doing.
Recollecting his thoughts, he readied himself to speak with Sir Geoffrey spoke this time.
"All those in favor of keeping magic banned with the punishment of death?"
Sir Thomas's hand went instantly up, along with a couple of other uptight men's. Uther's men, Arthur couldn't help but note.
"All those in favor in changing the laws regarding magic?"
Sir Richard's hand, went predictably up, along with Sir Geoffrey. A tense second passed, and slowly, one by one, every other man in the room had raised his hand.
Calming the quell of victory surging through his chest, Arthur stood, the other men soon scrambling to get out of their chairs as well.
"The verdict is passed then. I will publicly announce the changes to be made on the laws tomorrow. The council is dismissed."
And before anyone could try to have some final words with the King, Arthur turned around and made his way out of the chambers using the servant's tunnel, George hot on his heels.
"You should talk to her," Merlin murmured, looking outside the window he was leaning against.
"She betrayed us. She should be happy that I didn't even report her to anyone apart from Percival, and that's so he could keep an eye on her. I can't even bear to look at her, Merlin," besides him, Gwaine leaned against the opposite side of the window's frame, but looking towards the warlock instead.
"Eira didn't deserve what happened to her. She struck out the only way she knew how, Gwaine. And besides, she's making up for it now, isn't she?"
As if to prove the warlock's point, Merlin watched as the blonde in question made her way across the courtyard, a basket of laundry resting against her hip, pausing in her steps to bow respectfully to the familiar figure of Sir Richard before going on her way.
Merlin liked Sir Richard. The man had once stopped by Gaius' chambers to consult the physician, and when he saw Merlin shakily sitting up from his cot, he neither expressed neither disdain or nonchalance, and even though Merlin was sure that the entirety of Camelot knew of him now, he still smiled at the sight of Merlin's familiar and kindly asked after his health.
Gwaine's voice brought Merlin back to the present.
"Believe me, I know… maybe one day I will talk to her again, but for now…"
"You're still too hung up on her betrayal to forgive her for actions," Merlin finished for him, his voice flat. Gained grimaced at the implications, immediately opening his mouth to apologize when he realized how true the statement stood for the warlock as well.
But Merlin waved it off before he began.
"Don't mention it," he said tiredly. He started to slowly push himself away from the windowsill, and Gwaine straightened, ready to step forward and help his friend.
"I can do it by-" he winced, his hand going to his stomach as his knees buckled. The wound, for all intents and purposes, was gone, but inactivity for even a short period of time had caused Merlin's muscles to cramp up. It may have slowly started to get better, but the warlock had his days. Today was definitely one of them, and that was all Merlin could think of before his face was rushing to meet the ground, his eyes closing as he braced for impact.
And then strong arms caught up, holding Merlin upright against a firm body's chest.
"Ok, so I couldn't do it by myself," Merlin conceded, sighing, too embarrassed to open his eyes.
"Yes, as we have already long established that, Merlin, it's quite clear that you can barely manage anything on your own."
The warlock's eyes sprung open, and he pushed himself away from the figure holding him with a hiss of pain. Behind them, Gwaine looked at him, offering a sort of helpless shrug.
Mouth opening, he tried to answer, but meeting the all too familiar face of someone whom he thought he was actually forgetting, Merlin found he couldn't bring himself to reply.
"And there you go, reverting to your original state of impersonating a fish," Arthur mentioned, annoyance written clearly on his face. Merlin shut his mouth, and just stared.
Arthur sighed.
"Hurry up and get well, you idiot. George is driving me crazy," Arthur muttered. From behind him, George himself suddenly turned a corner, pausing before his eyes landed on the king. He lit up, and made his way quickly over to the trio.
"My lord!" George called out, and the sound of his voice, Arthur cursed, looking behind him to see George walking towards themselves as fast as he could without breaking out into a full on sprint.
"Speak of the devil."
But Merlin didn't bother with even grinning, too hung up on Arthur's previous words.
"Wait…" Arthur turned towards Merlin, an eyebrow raised in question.
"Does this mean…"
"It means. You're still my servant. Taking up far too many sick days. But come tomorrow, you'll find yourself another post instead," Merlin's heart dropped, but Arthur went on, not noticing the color bleeding out of Merlin's face. "Should you wish to accept it, you'll fine yourself dealing with the role of… well. Dealing with all the sorcerers and sorceress out there; training them, helping them, doling out a suitable punishment should they harm anyone. We're still trying to figure out an official term, but I'm sure Gaius will come up with something that isn't too pansy," Arthur finished. By then, George had caught up with Arthur, slightly out of breath. He looked like he was about to say something, before he caught sight of Merlin. At first, the man looked annoyed, but then he suddenly raised his eyebrows.
"Are you alright?"
In synchronization, Merlin found himself being the sole attention of Gwaine, Arthur, and George. It was then he realized that he had gone deathly silent - he didn't think he was even breathing at that moment.
At Gwaine and Arthur's concerned gazes though, he finally managed to push out a word.
"Oh."
Aaaaand I'm done. Please check my bio for information on my latest disappearance, but i'll let y'all know that I might be posting stuff now… not necessarily Merlin, though I am gonna wrap up a couple of loose ends.. but ive been having a supernatural fic in mind that's been wanting to get out, to be honest :)
R&R?
