Author's Note: A second chapter was requested for this one as well so here goes. Also a note on timing, these one shots, until further notice, all happen before the companion story The Labyrinth, with the clear exception of the chapter that inspired that story. I own nothing.

Beltane Part 2

Lancelot and Merlin rode for a day before stopping to make camp. Merlin looked excited and nervous. Lancelot smiled slightly. Only Merlin could be like this, the one time she could be herself and she was practically shaking with nervousness. She sat down next to the fire he had started and stared into it. Lancelot sat down next to her.

"Ok, what's wrong? You look nervous." Merlin grinned slightly.

"Yeah I guess you could say that. I need to tell you something before we get to the camp. I just hope you don't see me any differently after I tell you." Merlin was watching her hands. Lancelot raised an eyebrow at her, how could she think that his opinion about her would change? What could possibly be bigger than having magic? Merlin took a deep breath still staring at her hands.

"There is a prophecy, that one day a great king will rule over all. He is the Once and Future king and he will bring peace to the lands but he will never succeed alone. Standing at his side will be the greatest warlock of any time. Emrys will stand by the Once and Future kings side and together they will bring peace and magic back to the lands." Merlin glanced up at Lancelot who was trying to process. She decided to give him a bit of a push.

"Arthur is the Once and Future king." She could almost hear something click into place in Lancelot's mind.

"That makes you Emrys doesn't it?" Merlin nodded slowly.

"That is what the druids call me." Lancelot nodded.

"So most powerful warlock ever huh?" Merlin blushed slightly.

"Yeah. There's that." Merlin looked nervous and Lancelot wrapped an arm around her shoulder and grinned.

"Well, good for you. I guess that explains why you were born with your powers huh?" Merlin nodded thoughtfully, smiling slightly.

The next day they made it to the druid camp and Lancelot finally understood why Merlin had told him that story. The looks in the eyes of the druids were full of awe and respect as they bowed to Merlin. They came to a stop in the center and a tall man in deep green robes came forward. One of the younger men, this one in brown robes, stepped up to the horses and Merlin handed him the reins to her horse. Lancelot followed suit as a young man in red came up to his horse. The druid smiled nervously. Lancelot smiled reassuringly at him as the man in green robes helped Merlin off her horse. The man smiled at her and bowed low.

"It is wonderful to see you again Emrys." Merlin smiled back.

"Please you don't have to bow. It is good to see you again too Tauren. I am here on official business though." Tauren smiled.

"You are the representative King Arthur sent to celebrate Beltane with us?" Merlin grinned and nodded. Tauren looked ecstatic.

"That is wonderful! My apologies I do not believe I have met your companion." Merlin turned to Lancelot and smiled.

"Tauren this is Sir Lancelot, knight of Camelot. He's also one of the only people I trust with my secrets, we can speak as freely as we wish around him." Tauren bowed to him and smiled.

"It is an honor to meet one so trusted by Emrys." Lancelot bowed back.

"The honor is mine." Tauren smiled and led them into the camp introducing people as they went. The smiles and bows directed at Merlin were genuine and reverent while they were tentative and a bit nervous around Lancelot. But soon the celebration began and the druids began to relax as they danced around a large bonfire to songs that seemed to materialize from thin air. Merlin was sitting with a group of children around her. They were laughing and gasping as she told them stories and showed them magic. She cupped her hands together and blew into them as her eyes blazed gold. She opened her hands and a swarm of bright gold butterflies flew out of her hands into the air around them, glittering as they moved. There were squeals of delight as the young girls danced around trying to catch the butterflies. Merlin turned back to the boys and tapped a finger on her chin thinking for a moment until she nodded and breathed across her flat palm. As she did her eyes blazed gold again and several dragons made of sparks and light flew into the night air to the delight of the children. Someone cleared their throat lightly next to Lancelot. He looked and saw that Tauren was watching Merlin play with the druid children.

"She is quite extraordinary isn't she?" Lancelot nodded in agreement. She was that, even without magic. Tauren smiled as one of the braver young men stammered an invitation to join the dancing around the fire. Merlin smiled brilliantly and accepted.

"Yes she is." Tauren nodded.

"We are all glad she has someone within Camelot she can truly rely on. We have seen her journeys in out visions and dreams. It has not been an easy road, nor will it be one. Destiny is never easy." Lancelot nodded. It was a miracle that all that darkness in her life hadn't changed her. He said as much to Tauren who turned thoughtful.

"I do not believe that it has not changed her. I just believe it has affected her for the better. She has seen the worst of this world and come out the other side better for having learned from it." Lancelot nodded as he watched Merlin spinning around the fire with her partner. Tauren held out a package to him.

"This is for you, good sir knight. Place it on your windowsill and it will ward off enchantments that mean you ill and enhance those that mean to help." Lancelot thanked Tauren and looked down at the small crystal in his hand. When the song ended Merlin laughed and came back over to Tauren and Lancelot. Tauren smiled and held out a hand to her. She took it and smiled as he bowed again. A druid girl with stunningly red hair and green robes sidled up to Lancelot.

"Would you like to dance Sir Lancelot?" Lancelot nodded.

"I would, but I don't know how to if I'm honest." Merlin grinned and called over to them.

"You're never going to learn standing there! Go on have a bit of fun, it's a celebration." Lancelot grinned and took the girls hand.

Merlin smiled watching as Lancelot finally stepped out of the corner and joined the party. This was going much better than she had thought it would. Tauren smiled at her and led her over to the healer's tent.

"We have a gift for you Emrys." Merlin was about to protest when a young woman came forward and held out her hands. Curled in them was a small fluffy white bird. An owl no bigger than Merlin's palm. It looked up at her with devastatingly intelligent gold eyes. It stood in the girls hand and hooted before flapping its wings and taking off into the air to hover in front of Merlin's face. It slipped in the air and Merlin instinctively caught it holding both hands out flat. The owl continued to gaze up at her with those intelligent eyes. Then he nuzzled her hand and carefully walked up her arm to her shoulder where he settled and went straight back to sleep. Merlin laughed lightly.

"We found him several days ago with a broken wing. We healed him and attempted to release him back to his home but he refused to go. He would not let anyone care for him he simply sat around waiting. We believe he was waiting for you. He is quite extraordinary. He sat around reading while he waited." Merlin nodded as she ran a finger over the owl's soft feathers.

"Truly I believe it. There's just something about him." She couldn't place it but she could sense the magic in this small creature and had seen the intelligence in his eyes.

"What will you call him?" The girl who had been holding the owl asked looking relieved to be rid of the small fluffy bird.

"He needs a big strong name. How about Archimedes?" The owl woke and looked at Merlin before nodding and settling back down. Merlin and the druids laughed.

"I think he likes it!"

The party went on all night but unfortunately Merlin and Lancelot had to set back off for Camelot at around noon the next day with their supplies replenished generously by the druids and their new passenger settled on Merlin's shoulder.

Arthur watched the gates anxiously. It was the third day that Merlin and Lancelot had been gone. There had been no word from them or the druids but really he wasn't worried. But he felt his breath catch in his throat as Gwaine, one of the only people who entered his rooms without knocking, came barreling into his room.

"Well!" Gwaine grinned.

"One of the sentries spotted them, definitely Lancelot and Merlin. They will be here within the hour." True to his word the pair entered the gates about half an hour later. Both looked tired but happy. Arthur stepped forward as Gwaine helped a slightly travel rumpled Merlin off her horse.

"If this keeps happening I am going to end up spoiled rotten." She commented as he set her down on her feet. Gwaine grinned then frowned at the fluffy thing on her shoulder. He was about to comment when Arthur interrupted him.

"And we absolutely cannot have that. How did it go?" Merlin grinned.

"Amazingly! The druids really are nice people." Merlin carefully lifted the necklace from around her neck and handed it back to Arthur. He nodded and was surprised when she reached into her saddle bag and pulled out a wrapped item. She handed it over.

"From the druids, they wish you a merry Beltane. They also said that if you place this crystal in the window of a room it will keep everyone inside safe from harmful magic for a full cycle of the moon. After that it needs to sit in the light of the full moon for one night." Merlin shrugged and rubbed a finger over the fluffy thing on her shoulder. It seemed to almost purr.

"Merlin what is that on your shoulder?" Merlin grinned.

"This is Archimedes! Archimedes, say hello to Arthur." The thing stirred and was revealed to be a tiny owl. It hooted and fixed its overly large intelligent eyes on Arthur before taking off from Merlin's shoulder flying once around Arthur's head and then settling back on Merlin's other shoulder. Lancelot chuckled as Merlin laughed.

"Awe he likes you! I got to go unpack and talk to Giaus, I'm assuming I have the day off?" Arthur was about to say no when those big gold eyes snapped back open and glared at him. He nodded watching the owl closely as Merlin grinned and raced off with her bag as one of the stable boys took her horse. The owl's head had swiveled and was watching him over Merlin's shoulder.

"What am I going to do with her?" Arthur whispered aloud as she and the mysterious owl disappeared around the corner.