This chapter is one of the things you voted that you would like to see in the story - Merlin's letter that he left Gaius. So I hope you like it! Please review :)

Chapter 10

The Letter

Gaius checked his chamber was empty before he sat down at his desk pulled out the letter. He didn't want anyone walking in, asking what he was doing, perhaps even reading over his shoulder. Especially Morgause, who was still staying the castle, searching for something that apparently she had not yet found. Her presence did not help his worried mind.

But the chamber was empty and silent. Gaius was alone to read over the letter, and think about what it said.

He looked down at the piece of parchment, written in his nephew's scruffy handwriting, and read:

Dear Gaius,

If you're reading this, you know that I've gone, and the fact that I've written you a letter tells you I won't be coming back. Please, don't be worried, I'm perfectly safe, I just wanted to tell you why I've gone away.

I've broken Morgana out of the tower and we're leaving this Kingdom together. If all goes to plan by the time you read this we've left the castle, and we're running for the hills. I'm leaving Camelot, perhaps forever, which is a hard thing to comprehend, but it probably won't be safe for either of us to come back. However I've made my decision, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make for her. I don't know where we'll go, it probably doesn't surprise you that I haven't planned such a radical decision through, but I know it will be far away from Camelot.

You probably won't approve of what I've done. But I know the risk I've made in making this decision, I have thought about it carefully and decided what's best, and I don't regret it. I'll go to the ends of the earth for Morgana, and there's not many people I would do that for. I have feelings for her I have never felt before, I might even say I'm in love, and I couldn't bear to watch her suffer any more. Locked away like an animal, but when I look in her eyes I do not see a monster. She's just like me.

No one else wanted to help her, so I took matters into my own hands. She deserves as much freedom as anyone else, so why should it not be given to her? Some people may think my acts are foolish, perhaps you're shaking your head right now as you read these words, but setting an innocent person free from their prison, is not foolish.

That doesn't mean I won't miss you. You're the closest thing I've had to a father, and it was not an easy decision for my heart, the thought of leaving you or the rest of Camelot behind. I'll even miss Arthur. I'm not sure how much he's going to miss me, he will probably just get another manservant, but even though working for that Prince wasn't the easiest job in the world, I will miss it. I just had to do what I thought was right. I hope you and the rest of Camelot stay safe while I am gone. I don't know what the future has in store for me, but I hope that Camelot's future will be prosperous. I have done what I can to protect Arthur for his destiny, and I wish him all the best, but I had to follow my heart.

I hope you will forgive me for leaving like this. I don't know if you'll be angry. I tried to tell you about Morgana, about how I wanted to help her, but you refused. I even tried to tell Arthur about the King's ward, but he didn't want to know, he couldn't believe that all he had been told about her was a lie. I didn't know who else to turn to, so I took matters into my own hands, and did what I thought was right. I think if you were in my position, you would do the same thing.

It's so strange, thinking that this letter is goodbye, but I'm afraid I think it is. Perhaps I will come back to Camelot and see you again, or perhaps now I shall be forever running for the hills because I stole Uther's captive ward. Perhaps it doesn't really matter, because I did what I had to do, and I will accept the consequences, whatever the future throws at me, if it means that she is free.

I'm sure in your younger days you had someone you cared about so much, and you would have done the same thing. So I hope one day you might be able to understand.

Stay safe,

I'll miss you,

Merlin.

Gaius put the letter down on the desk in front of him, staring at it. Despite the number of times he had read it, the words still hurt and came as a shock to him. It was true, as soon as he saw the letter he knew there would only be one reason why Merlin had left him such a personal message - he was not coming back. He did think it was foolish to steal Morgana, but he knew when he was a young man he did once feel the same about someone he loved dearly, and would have done the exact same thing. Merlin was right, Morgana deserved freedom.

But because of this Merlin has abandoned his destiny and ran away. He might have just sacrificed the whole Kingdom for one woman. That was not worth it.

What could he do?

Gaius put his head in his hands, overcome with sadness, regret, anger and worry. He just hoped Merlin was safe, and he hadn't made the biggest mistake of his life.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Gaius sat up quickly. "Enter." He said.

Uther walked slowly into his chamber, looking just as worried as Gaius felt.

"Gaius," the King began, "you have always been a good and trusting friend to me, so I wanted to ask you about something." He paused and took a deep breath, the loss of Morgana was still affecting him badly, there were bags under his eyes and he looked so much older. Was it because a witch was missing, or his daughter? "There has been no sign of her, we think she must have gone over the border into a neighbouring country. It's a risk, but I want to send men over the borders to try and find her. What do you think?"

The physician looked down at the letter on his desk. Yes, they were probably over the border, so if Uther did send men they would probably have more of a chance of catching Merlin with Morgana. Their plan will fail, and Morgana would lose her freedom.

But it would bring Merlin back to him, back to Camelot. Gaius knew deep down that Merlin had done the right thing, but at the same time, his destiny was with this Kingdom, it always had been. Sometimes you had to listen to your head instead of your heart.

Perhaps Merlin wouldn't be punished for what he had done if Gaius thought of a good enough excuse, and maybe Morgana would be treated better this time. He would stand by them this time, he would make sure no one would lose their freedom. Uther trusted what his friend had said, his relief and getting Morgana back may just make him see Gaius' side of the argument. It was hard giving up the one you loved for a greater cause, but sometimes it was for the best.

But maybe Merlin would never forgive him if he found out Gaius had advised the King to continue to search for them.

It wasn't just Merlin making the difficult decisions. But after a minute of silent thought Gaius looked up at his King and said, "If you think that's where she's gone Sire, and you need her back, send your men over the borders."

Uther nodded, "Thank you Gaius," he said, and left the chamber, closing the door behind him.