The ones of you who are still with me on this should be sainted or at the very least get a knighthood. I mean I read over some of the first chapter the other day and holy crap! Why did you not just leave again right away? There is so many mistakes that I felt like being sick. However, the lovely Mica is looking it over in between the new chapters and she can find the time to do it.

I salute you for staying with me through all the mistakes.

Chapter 14

The last was said with a glare that would have made many men shake in their boots but to Mordred´s credit he didn't even blink.

"Which question do you want answered first my lord?"

"The one that's had me worrying for the longest. How did you get together with Merlin and not even think to ask me if it was okay to do so?"

Merlin jumped up at what he said.

"What do you mean without asking you? You have no say in this matter. It is about Mordred and me; it has nothing to do with you."

"Merlin. Please. Sit down and remember he thinks of you like a sister."

Merlin ignored Mordred and kept glaring at Arthur.

"Merlin. Please?"

Merlin tore her eyes from Arthur to send an irritated look at Mordred, but she sat back down. Arthur and Gwen were staring at them with open mouths. Arthur gathered himself first.

"How did you do that? She never listens to me like that."

Mordred just smirked and shrugged a shoulder.

"What can I say? She loves me. And I am sorry I did not come to you but like she said: it´s not really any of your concern. But I do plan to marry her one day, if she will have me."

He smiled a big smile at Merlin when she took his hand and smiled at him. The way Gwen was looking at them spoke volumes of how sweet she thought they were.

"But…"

"Arthur, stay out of it."

"But Gwen..."

"No stay out of it."

Arthur sent a mock glare at his wife before he rubbed his face in his hands and sighed.

"Fine. But if you hurt her…"

He let the rest of the threat hang in the air but Mordred just nodded at him. Merlin felt a little put out that she apparently had nothing to say in this conversation that would have any meaning what so ever.

"And as for not telling you about my magic, I didn't really think about it as I haven't really used it in years. It is easier to hide it if you don't really use it."

"Did Merlin know of it? She did, didn't she? She did not look all too surprised back there."

"I am here to and can answer for myself. Yes I knew. I´ve known since the time we saved him when he was a kid."

Arthur looked at her with a slightly put out expression.

"And you never once thought to tell me?"

Gwen had apparently also had enough of being excluded from the conversation and just put in the back ground.

"What good would it have done if she had told you? None, so it doesn't matter. Now, the last question if you please. Who is this Emrys?"

Merlin tensed a little but relaxed when Mordred held her hand tighter in a calming manner.

"Emrys is a legend of my people. She is the most powerful witch who ever had or ever will walk the earth."

Gwen and Arthur looked confused at Mordred, and Merlin couldn't really blame them. It was not very much information and she did not think Arthur would accept it.

"Why would she tell us to hand her over? Is she trying to get her on her side?"

Mordred gave a small laugh at that.

"Emrys would rather die than work with Morgana and Morgana knows that. Emrys is the only one that Morgana truly fears. She doesn't even want her on her side, as Emrys is fated to be her doom so she wants to kill her. Emrys lives and works in Camelot. She has done so for many years now."

"Why does she fear her other than because she is fated to kill her? You make it sound like it is more than that. She lives in Camelot? Why? Can´t Morgana make a deal with her so that she stays out of her way? And if she lives here and is so powerful then why has she never attacked us?"

Mordred looked like he was thinking things over and Merlin was starting to get a little bored but at the same time it fascinated her the way Mordred was talking about her. It sounded like he was in awe of her.

"Because Emrys has more power in one finger than Morgana does in her whole body, Emrys doesn't have magic. She is magic! She lives here because her friends live here. Her life is here and her destiny is to protect Camelot and the once and future King. Morgana could never offer her anything that could make her betray all that she loves. She has always fought Morgana since she turned evil and protected Camelot as she best could."

"The once and future King? What does that mean? How does she protect Camelot? I mean, she can´t be very good at it. If she has so much power, why doesn't she just kill her? "

"The once and future King is a legendary figure who is very real none the less. He is said to unite all the lands of Albion and create a peaceful future for magic and non-magic folk alike. You are the once and future King, but some of the clans don't believe it so they fight against you. And she protects Camelot and her people with all she has and is. Emrys hates to kill. She only does it when there is no other option. Morgana has a habit of making it difficult for her."

Merlin felt like glaring at Arthur for basically calling her bad at what she did. If he knew how many times she had saved his pratish ass, he might say differently. But she wanted to kiss Mordred for standing up for her like that but had to settle with sending a burst of love to him.

"Difficult how?"

"Your father. Emrys really did try to save him, but Morgana had Agravaine place a talisman on him that reversed the healing she did."

Arthur stood up and started to pace the room. He stopped more than once to look at Mordred with a frown. He stopped and went over to the table and placed his hands on it so he was in front of Mordred.

"How do you know this? And that Dolma person is Emrys?"

"I know because she was told me. And yes before you ask. I know who she is and I am not going to tell you as she isn´t ready for you to know her. Yes, she is Dolma but at the same time she isn´t. The Dolma is a disguise."

"Okay I need some time to think about this. Merlin, go do your chores. Mordred, I want to talk to you alone!"

Merlin glared at Arthur but left through the door and went for the kitchen to get Arthur his dinner. When he had things to think about he liked to eat alone and she knew Gwen had promised some Noble woman that she would dine with her.

"How much is he threatening you?"

"Not too much. He is just reminding me that all the knights see you as a sister, a baby sister. Merlin? I am very sorry about Kara. She was not at all like that when she was younger. She used to be so full of life and warmth. I can´t help but wonder what happened to her."

"They will probably give you hell about it in training."

She felt him cringe at the mental image of what they would probably do to him.

"I am very sorry that Kara has become what she has. But it was her choice. Maybe it is my fault that Morgana is getting so many allies. I should have tried long ago to make Arthur see sense but the timing has always been off for it."

"Merlin it is not your fault. Are you coming to my chambers later… I…"

Merlin could feel how uncomfortable it still made Mordred feel to let her know that he needed her sometimes. It was one thing that he needed her sexually but that he needed her emotionally was another matter entirely.

"You don't have to say it. I will always be there for you when you need me and even when you don't. Are you still with Arthur?"

"Yes and he knows I am talking to you. Well not Merlin you but Emrys you. He wants to know why you don't want him to know you."

She smiled a little at that. Arthur was not as stupid as he looked but she did what she could to make sure his ego did not get too big. It was really hard work but it was worth it. It was how she had subtly, okay not at all subtly, made sure he stopped being such an ass. Now he was just an ass, a clotpole, a prat, or whatever she felt like calling him at the time.

"I figured he wouldn't just let it go but he did not want Gwen to be mad at him. Just tell him that too many things are at stake for him to know."

He was so predictable.

"He is not pleased."

"No, I don't suppose he is. But never the less it could really complicate things. People already had thoughts about you having magic with you being a druid. But me? I can go anywhere and people still talk, even if I am the Kings servant and his friend, they know I won't tell. And it also helps that everyone sees me as stupid."

Merlin actually hated how everyone saw her as stupid but if that was what it took, for now she could handle it. Her friends knew she wasn't as stupid as Arthur made her out to be but even they didn't think she was anything special as in things she could do.

They knew she was special in her own way but she still longed for a time where they knew she could take care of herself. But she hoped that when that day came, they would not look at her differently just because she had magic. She might not be as useless as they thought but she was still accident prone, that she did not think would ever change and somewhere in her hoped it wouldn't. It made sure she stayed down to earth even though she had enough power to crumble mountains.

"I know what you mean. Well, I have been dismissed for now so I will retire to my chambers. See you later my love."

Merlin was back at Arthur´s chambers with his dinner and she had talked the cook into giving her an extra plate as she had a feeling that Arthur was going to want to talk to her. She used her elbow to open the door knob and her hip to push it open.

Arthur was standing at the window looking out with a very thoughtful expression on his face, but did not react to her closing the door. She sat the tray with food and wine on the table and placed Arthur´s plate by his preferred chair and the plate for herself at one of the others. She looked to Arthur, who had still not moved at all.

"Sire the dinner is served."

Arthur gave a little jump and Merlin realized that he had actually not heard her moving about. He turned to her and glared a little at the amused smile she was sending his way. He sat down and started to eat when he saw the other plate and Merlin sitting down. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do you think you are doing Merlin?"

Merlin picked up her fork and pointed it at the King.

"Well, you are probably going to chew me out over Mordred and I might as well eat to since I am hungry. So let me have it Sire."

Arthur mock glared at her for a moment before sighing as Merlin just ate.

"Okay then. Why Mordred? I mean, you have had plenty of men looking your way and most of them you have just ignored. It´s not that I'm not happy for you, I am actually very happy for you. For the last couple of years it has been like you have been depressed and you seem happier now."

That was a good question and she needed a moment to think it over. Why was Mordred different? She had tried making it work with one or two of the stable hands and one other servant. The knights and those of higher rank had never held any appeal to her. In the end, she had no clue, other than he loved her and could relate to her. He knew who she was and it didn't change how he felt in any way. But that was not the total truth either. She just loved him and couldn't really say why. He was Mordred.

"I am happier now. I love him. He makes me smile and loves me for me. You know the clumsy, idiotic, maid servant. I have been kind of down I guess. You had Gwen and who did I have other than the knights? Yes I know that I had you and Gaius but that is not by any stretch of the imagination the same."

Arthur was smiling a little at her but also had a little frown on his face like there was something else he was thinking about.

"And the fact that he has magic doesn't bother you at all?"

Merlin felt like bursting out laughing at him at the question. Of course it didn't bother her, she loved it. It made them more compatible in a way. She had found out by experience that she could not be with a non-magic person as her magic didn't feel comfortable or safe with them.

"No, why should it? You know that I don't believe all magic is bad. It is the person who uses it that can be either good or bad."

"And what of this Emrys? What do think about that? Don't look at me like that. I know that there is a brain in that head of yours and I am starting to think that you might not be as stupid as you like people to think you are."

They were both done eating but stayed seated at the table. Merlin thought of how she could answer that satisfactorily but still not tell too much while also feeling the need to tell him not to use her. And of course she wasn't as dumb as he thought; it was actually really hard work to keep that image up.

"Emrys? She could be a powerful ally but I think you should be very careful not to use her for her powers, as I really don't think she would stand for it."

"Really? What have made you think that?"

Merlin smirked at Arthur at the end of it. He really wasn't as oblivious as he sometimes seemed to be.

"You are probably right. This is what I mean. You sound like you know exactly what you are talking about, you give advises that are far from dumb time to time. Of course there are times where it makes no sense what you say."

Okay so maybe he was as oblivious as he seemed at times. Merlin felt a little insulted because when had she ever given bad advice? It wasn't her fault that things didn't go according to plan, except for hunting as that always, okay almost always, went according to plan. Just not Arthur´s plans.

"I will have you know that all I say has merit. You are just too much of a clotpole to listen half the time."

Arthur picked up a potato and threw it at her and she only just managed to pull her head out of the way in time. She sent him a rude smile when she delivered the comeback she thought was just the right amount of insolent, but still very appropriate considering that he was the one trying to start a food fight.

"Don't throw the food, even if you are full, it´s not fitting for a King."

"Merlin, just get out of here would you? I will get someone else to take the rest of the dinner down. I am sure Gaius has heard about Mordred by now. By the way Merlin, do you know how much power Mordred has compared to Morgana?"

Merlin had just gotten up and turned to leave but whirled back to face him with a furious look on her face and only just able to hold on to her magic. Arthur was wearing a startled look on his face at her outburst. Merlin might not lose her temper often but when she did it was a sight to behold.

"Don't you dare think about using him against her! He might be able to hold his own against her but in the long run she would kill him so don't you dare!"

"Calm down would you. That wasn't what I was thinking at all."

Merlin did not believe him for one second as he looked very guilty and ashamed. She could deal with the fact that he risked her life on countless, pointless quests as it was her life. He was not going to use Mordred as a weapon because she would never allow him to be used like that by someone he respected.

"No? Then what was it?"

Arthur didn't say anything to that but did not keep eye contact with Merlin. Merlin probed his mind a bit like Mordred had taught her one night when they were extremely bored, she never really did it as she didn't like it but this she felt this was important. She found that he had thought about it like she suspected but that he had no intension of going through with it.

He was actually a little weary of her. She probed a bit deeper and pulled out because while her eyes did not glow when she probed in his mind she was oozing so much power that even Arthur felt that something in the room had changed, like the status quo had changed.

She rarely used so much power that it oozed off of her but Mordred had once told her, after begging her to let go, that it felt like she was the single most powerful and terrifying thing in the world, which she was but she didn't want that kind of power, the kind that could make people tremble in fear at the mere sight of her.

"I mean it Arthur. Don't do it. You would regret it."

She would never hurt him directly but if he did decide to do it she would fight him tooth and nail if that was what it took. She didn't really fear that Morgana would kill Mordred but she did fear that being used like that would make him bitter towards the King.

"Just go Merlin."

Merlin could hear that he was trying not to let her know that she had put him out of sorts, but did not manage to hide it. But never the less she bowed deeply to him.

"As you wish, my lord."