Hi everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long since I last posted a chapter, I've been really busy with school exams and have had barely any time to write. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, or any of the characters.

Gwaine's eyes snapped open.

He took a deep, shuddering breath and sat up, looking around cautiously. He was on the bed in his chambers, in Camelot. He took another deep breath, trying to compose himself, and started when he heard a knock at the door.

Gwaine opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. The knock came again.

"Gwaine?" He recognised Percival's voice and sighed in relief before remembering that his friend was angry at him. Angry because Merlin was a sorcerer.

The dark haired knight drew in a sharp intake of breath. He tried to respond, to tell Percival that he was alright, but instead a strange cry came from his lips.

"Gwaine?!" Percival was worried now. There was a ring of anxiety in his voice and Gwaine tried to answer him, to reassure him that he was alright, but he couldn't move or speak.

"Gwaine!" Percival burst through the door, looking around frantically. His face relaxed slightly when he saw Gwaine on the bed, but his expression soon became wary and he approached his friend carefully, as if worried that the dark-haired knight would attack him.

"Gwaine?" he asked again quietly, edging closer to where his friend sat. "What happened? Are you alright?" It was only then Gwaine realised that his body was covered in sweat and he was visibly shaking. He looked down at his hands and was surprised to see beads of blood slipping along his fingers and onto the bedcover from where he had dug his fingernails into his palms. He found the sight strangely amusing, and allowed a small smile to split his features as he watched the red liquid seeping into the cloth. Percival looked horrified.

"How long have you been here?" he asked tentatively, glancing around the room. "We couldn't find you…" Percival trailed off as Gwaine looked up at him, his entire face full of pain that he was trying desperately to hide.

…...

Gaius looked up as Percival shouldered his way into his chambers, leading an apparently stricken Gwaine. The knight's dark, wavy hair was plastered to his forehead, and his face was covered with a fine sheen of sweat. He seemed pale, and his eyes slid over the elderly man as though he weren't there. Percival glanced up at the physician, his clear blue eyes worried.

"What happened to him?" Gaius asked, instantly moving towards them.

"I'm not sure", Percival responded, gently guiding Gwaine onto the physician's bed. "He was like this when I found him."

"Physically, he seems fine", Gaius remarked, bending over to peer into Gwaine's staring eyes. The knight blinked, seeming dazed, then looked up at Percival. His lips twitched, forming the smallest flicker of a smile.

"Thanks", he said, his voice hoarse and scratching his throat. Percival dipped his head in acknowledgement, lightly clapping his friend on the shoulder. Gaius felt Gwaine's forehead, then shook his head.

"There's no trace of a fever."

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" the larger knight asked quietly.

"His symptoms suggest he has suffered some major shock", Gaius confided. Percival looked back at Gwaine, who had buried his face in his hands.

"But he was in his room when I found him. What could have happened to make him like this?" Gaius raised an eyebrow, his eyes also flickering towards the dark-haired knight.

"I've no idea."

"I have to go. Arthur's expecting me." Percival raised his voice, looking at Gwaine although addressing both him and the physician. Gaius nodded his understanding and Percival turned and strode towards the door. He paused on the threshold, glancing back anxiously before turning and closing the door behind him.

Gaius stood still for a moment, lost in thought, before raising his chin resolutely. He headed towards a shelf of medicine books, but was stopped as a hand grabbed his arm and held it firmly. Gaius turned back to see Gwaine gazing at him with a mixture of desperation and defiance.

"Gaius." The knight's voice was low and urgent, yet hesitating, as if he had been bursting to tell this for a long time but was not sure he should. He tightened his grip on the old man's arm and Gaius looked down in surprise. When he looked back up Gwaine was still staring at him with that same crazed desperation.

"Merlin has magic."

…

Percival raised his arm and hesitated before knocking on the door to Gaius' chambers. He could hear footsteps coming closer and the door was opened a few inches to reveal Gaius peering out at him.

"Percival!" The physician opened the door wider and let him in. Percival glanced over to the corner of the room where Gwaine was sleeping.

"How is he?" he asked quietly.

"He'll be fine", Gaius assured him. "He received a sudden shock, as we suspected, but I'm confident he will be back to normal shortly." Percival nodded, glancing over at Gwaine once more. The dark-haired knight shifted in his sleep.

"Did he tell you what happened?" Percival asked, his voice low. Gaius glanced over at the sleeping knight.

"You'll have to ask him that."

…..

"Gaius." The knight looked up at him desperately. His voice was low, his eyes large in his pale face, yet his grip remained surprisingly strong.

"Merlin has magic."

The physician froze for a moment, before trying to relax his expression.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly, hoping that he wasn't, that he couldn't be sure what he had seen. Gaius' mind was working overtime. This was what Merlin had been muttering about. This was why he had been calling Gwaine's name in his sleep. The knight had discovered his secret.

"I'm sure", Gwaine replied unwaveringly, trying not to picture the way his friend's eyes had glowed gold – the same wicked, golden fire that had killed his mother.

Gaius took a deep breath and sighed heavily, sinking down onto the bed, next to Gwaine. He tried to think of what to say, how to reassure the knight that Merlin had only ever used his magic for Arthur and for Camelot.

"He uses his powers for good, Gwaine", he said finally. Gwaine's eyes widened and he involuntarily drew back from the elderly man.

"You knew?" he repeated, accusation layering his tone. Gaius exhaled heavily, looking down into his lap. It was not his place to reveal Merlin's secret. But Gwaine had already discovered the truth – at least a part of it – and Merlin was in no condition to explain why or how he used his powers. The knight had to be told – had to be made to realise the enormous sacrifices Merlin had made for the good of the kingdom. If not, he could mistakenly believe that Merlin – or his magic – was dangerous. And they couldn't risk the knight exposing Merlin's secret. He sighed once more. He was going to have to tell Gwaine everything.

…..

"Merlin was born with magic."

He had been shocked into stillness at Gaius' words. Gwaine had travelled to many kingdoms – and many taverns. He had been to places where magic was not outlawed and had seen with his own eyes that good could come of it as well as bad, but his mother's death was still branded into his mind and he couldn't help being wary of the strange powers some people possessed. He knew, of course, that certain people had a natural aptitude for magic – that was why there were some sorcerers who were so much more powerful than others – but he had never heard of somebody being born with magic.

"How – how is that possible?" he had asked, his mouth dry. Did this mean that there was no way to stop his friend – his former friend? Gaius shook his head.

"I didn't know it was", he confessed. "Merlin has been able to perform incredible magical feats since he was born – feats that would take most sorcerers years to learn." The physician leant forward slightly, his eyes full of desperation. He didn't want to do this. He didn't want to explain his ward's destiny to Gwaine. But the knight had to understand why Merlin did what he did.

"The druids call him Emrys. He is said to be the most powerful sorcerer ever to walk the earth. And he has used this great power to protect Arthur, to bring about Albion."

Gwaine stared at the elderly physician, stunned. Not only had the man admitted to concealing a sorcerer, but now he was saying that Merlin was the most powerful sorcerer in all time. But he couldn't be, could he? How could Merlin be that powerful?

"He's dangerous", Gwaine said softly. Regretfully. "A sorcerer cannot be trusted." Gaius' face fell, and the old man sighed wearily as he looked into Gwaine's eyes, studying them for a sign of uncertainty.

"Gwaine", he began, with the air of one about to say something very important. "Merlin has never used his magic for anything but good. For the good of the entire kingdom." Gwaine found himself listening, hoping that Gaius was right, that Merlin could still be good even with magic. But he remembered Merlin's eyes, their normal blue replaced with that terrible golden fire, and the way his mother had died at the hands of a sorcerer.

"He has saved Arthur's life countless times, and the lives of everybody in Camelot." Gaius looked up at the young knight seriously. "How do you think we have held against all Morgana's attacks? Merlin is the one who has helped us defeat her.

"The druids view him as a figure of legend. He has a destiny that has been foretold since the dawn of time – to protect Arthur and return magic to this land." Gaius sat back, giving the other man a moment to come to terms with what had been said. "Arthur is the Once and Future King. It is Merlin's destiny to protect and guide him, and assist him in uniting the land of Albion." Gwaine stared at the physician, his mind reeling with the information he had just been given.

…..

Hello again! Sorry to stop the flashback, but there will be more insight into Gwaine's past and the death of his mother later on in the story. Please review and tell me what you think!