Chapter 20: Confrontations

As planned, Merlin had been excused from the previous day's meeting and, as a result, had managed to avoid Arthur completely. Today would not be so easy and he woke up with a low groan realising that, not only did he have to face his friend for the first time since the revelation, but also had to take part in today's Alliance meeting where the subject of magic would be raised.

The very last thing Merlin wanted to do was see Arthur for the first time at the meeting itself so, suddenly determined, he got dressed and made his way down to the kitchens to collect the king's breakfast.

He walked through the large door into the hot, noisy bustling space to be greeted by complete and total silence as everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at him. He swallowed hard and forced himself to smile broadly.

"Greetings," he said cheerfully. A few grins flicked across a couple of faces, an embarrassed frown on others. Quickly the kitchen staff turned back to their work and the sound returned, although Merlin could easily hear the difference in the tone – most were now obviously talking about him and the latest gossip about Elaine's mother.

"Well?" said Emma as she handed him the usual laden tray for the king. She had recently taken over as head cook; probably the main reason why, at long last, Merlin seemed to be putting on a bit of weight.

"Well, what?" he replied, quite aware that he was blushing at the intense look she was giving him.

"Morgana?" The attractive blonde said incredulously.

"Jealous, Em?"

"Certainly not but … I do question your taste."

"You question my taste?"

"Well yes, sometimes I question my own too, especially in regard to you." She lifted a hand to gently stoke one of his cheek bones and he swallowed hard. Alright, so it was those with magic that seriously affected him, but that wasn't to say he'd remained completely immune to other advances that had been made to him over the years. "How are you coping?" Her voice was suddenly, surprisingly gentle.

"So far, I'm fine but, if you hear any screams in the next few minutes, you better grab a couple of knights and ask them to come to my rescue." He nodded down at the king's tray and she smiled her understanding.

"Well, you know where I am if you need … comforting?" She grinned wickedly at him, obviously enjoying seeing his colour change, before she suddenly turned to a number of the staff who had again ceased work and were watching the pair with great interest.

"Well, what are you staring at? Back to work the lot of you, or you'll have me to answer to." Merlin hastily left the room, slightly worried about how much Emma was starting to sound like the old cook.

xoxOxox

Merlin reached Arthur's door and gently pushed it open with magic before walking in. Gwen had already left and so it was just the usual sight of the sleeping king, sprawled across the bed, his sheets half tangled around him. Merlin put the tray on the table, walked over to the curtains and swallowed hard before pulling them open dramatically.

"Let's be having you, lazy daisy!" he shouted loudly.

"Merlin! How many times have I told you not to ..." Arthur sat upright as he began his tirade, before suddenly remembering the situation and freezing. Both men just stared at each other for a long time, neither knowing how to continue.

"I've brought your breakfast, Sire," Merlin said eventually.

"I am actually feeling hungry this morning," Arthur said as he got up and made his way over to the table. Merlin debating making some comment about how hung over he'd probably been the day before but resisted it. Instead he sat down opposite Arthur and watched him nervously as he ate.

"What?" The king asked after several long moments of having Merlin stare at him.

"Arthur, I'm really sorry."

"Apparently, it wasn't your fault," he replied, not looking at his advisor as he continued to eat.

"Then, I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Arthur, I didn't know how to tell you about … that." Arthur gave a grunt as a reply and inwardly Merlin breathed a sigh of relief, somehow knowing that it would work out - that he would be forgiven ... eventually.

The sudden thought of Artie and his magic flashed through his mind and he stifled a groan. No, no matter how much he wanted to be honest with Arthur, that one wasn't his secret to share. Or his three secrets. He sighed loudly, causing Arthur to look up at him.

"I'm … sorry about what you had to go through and … for the fact I teased you about ... it over the years," the King said very quietly. Despite their more equal relationship nowadays, it was still very difficult for Arthur to apologise and especially difficult for Merlin to accept – especially in these circumstances.

"Don't be. It's over and, as Gwen pointed out, we do have Elaine as compensation." Arthur stopped eating, looking suddenly guilty.

"I haven't seen her since. I suppose I should …?"

"Yes, but there's no rush. She's fine."

"She is? She must be so angry."

"Elaine? No. Luckily in that regard she really does take after me." Arthur grunted again.

"About today's meeting?" the King continued after a few more mouthfuls.

"I need to be there today, don't I?"

"Yes. Merlin, the good news is that very few of our visitors are scandalised by this latest gossip."

"Well, ah ... that's good."

"The bad news is that most are positively gleeful about it." He gave Merlin a look which was very nearly amused and, this time, Merlin allowed himself to groan out loud.

"Yes, I had something similar in the kitchens." Arthur gave him a very long, measured look.

"That … that can't be easy."

"Arthur, don't. I just want to forget about it and, to be honest, I'd rather have you being rude to me than sympathetic … it just seems wrong somehow." That at least was the truth. He hated the fact that Arthur had not been told the whole truth, even though he was fairly confident that it had been the correct decision.

xoxOxox

Merlin and Arthur entered the council chambers to be greeted by instant silence as all eyes fell on them. The pair exchanged a glance, both amused by the tense atmosphere.

"Still alive then, Merlin?" asked King Rience eventually and Merlin smiled weakly at the joke, throwing an apologetic glance towards Arthur who very nearly smiled in return. Seeing that the pair had obviously come to an understanding, the other kings, princes and knights also relaxed their tense expressions.

"The situation has been ... discussed," said Arthur curtly. "However, this is not why we are gathered here. We have important talks to continue. Gentlemen, ladies, shall we?"

The meeting started with a round up of the various topics mentioned the previous day. That had started in the afternoon to allow Arthur to recover from his hangover and the whole of Camelot to settle after the revelations of the night before. Merlin had obviously missed all of the talks about trade, communication lines and numbers of soldiers promised in times of crisis and, for once, was alert and focused as he made sure he understood everything that had been agreed on so far.

"So, if there is no more on that for today, we are left with the sensitive subject of magic within the greater area of Albion," said Arthur firmly. He and Merlin exchanged a nervous glance.

"I understand why this is being discussed," said Rience, "but I am surprised to find that some of you are supporting it's use. My kingdom has suffered greatly from Cenred's association with Morgause and I believe Camelot also had problems with a number of sorcerers over the years including Mor ... ah ... her sister." He quickly changed tack, his eyes flicking nervously between Arthur and Merlin.

"King Alined has never had a problem with magic in his kingdom," said Caradoc, "and it has been that way for as long as anyone remembers. Yes, we have had evil sorcerers plotting against us, but we have also had our own sorcerers to counter them. In that way it is no different to being attacked by an army and using one's own knights to defend."

"Magic is hardly the same thing," Reice countered.

"We do not see a difference," said Caradoc defiantly.

"Ultimately, I do not think it is the duty of this Alliance to dictate the policy of the other kingdoms in regard to sorcery," said Arthur. "Wasn't that what we were saying about the various other subjects mentioned yesterday? The important issue here is that we should not allow these differing opinions to detract or prevent this alliance from happening. We should not wage war on each other because of our differing views on magic."

"But, what about these Dromerd?" Reice asked.

"What? Are you having problems with them too?" asked Merlin, surprised.

"Well yes, surely you aren't, not if the rumours are true?" Escetia's king replied. He saw Merlin's face and laughed. "No I'm not talking about the other evening's revelations, I'm talking about the fact that most people here are referring to you as Arthur's court sorcerer."

"Oh that," said Merlin, surprisingly relieved. "Yes, that is true."

"May I ask why you have turned against your father's policy?" Rience then asked of Arthur.

"Simply because I cannot counter a magical attack if I do not know how to fight against it," said Arthur and he explained the situation so far to the group in front of him: How he had slowly allowed Merlin to take a greater role within Camelot and how the whole castle was now magically protected to prevent entry from sorcerers bent on destruction.

"So, why are these Dromerd after you then?" asked Elena.

"Because their leaders had personal grudges against my father and do not believe that I am any different from him," said Arthur in a tone of voice that was almost a growl.

"How are you dealing with them, then?" asked Rience.

"We haven't had much to deal with, as it happens. Just a couple of minor threats whilst we're out in the open, some thefts and a few abductions of some young people with magic but, even that's easing now."

"You're lucky then," said Rience. "We're struggling to cope. It's the main reason I'm here actually. I've no idea how to defend my people against these attacks."

"What are they doing?" asked Merlin.

"Thefts, as you said. Polluting our water supplies. Breaking out all of my prisoners, appearing in the middle of executions and scaring my citizens."

"I am having many of the same problems," Vivian admitted.

"You still give an automatic death sentence to any who practice magic?" asked Arthur, in a tactful voice as he could manage.

"Not automatic," said Vivian "My father did, but we tend to banish them now, as long as their other crimes are not too great."

"The problem with that is that any that escape or are banished go running straight to the Dromerd," said Rience crossly.

"Are they attacking you?" Arthur asked Elena and Caradoc.

"No, but then we have always accepted magic," said the latter. "It seems that they're only after the kingdoms that ban it or ... have banned it in the near past.

"What is the purpose of these attacks?" asked Elena.

"To return magic to Albion," said Merlin.

"Which we might even be persuaded to do if they stopped pushing us," said Vivian crossly.

"But, none of this is really want we want to be focusing on," said Arthur. "What we want to see is if there would be any use in using what magic we do have against our mutual enemies outside of Albion."

"Do these foreigners have magic?" asked Caradoc.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"My understanding is that they don't. Or, at least, nothing like we have here. The reason is simple. The centre of all magical power is within Albion itself and so it is here where the strongest sorcerers and creatures live. Others further a field may be able to access the source, but here is where the true power lies and so ... we should use the natural resources we have - just as we would if we discovered a new metal that made stronger swords."

"Where is this centre?" asked Rience.

"You speak of the Crystal Cave?" asked Trickler in an awed voice. "It is real then? Not a myth?"

"Yes," said Merlin calmly. "It is real and exists here in Camelot."

"Can these Dromerd access it's power?" asked Caradoc.

"They won't be able to find it, if that's what you mean."

"But you know where it is, don't you, Merlin?" said Tricker then – total awe apparent on his face.

"Yes, I have been there but ... it cannot be found unless it wants you to find it. Having magic is not an automatic pass to it and most sorcerers and those without magic will walk by it without ever knowing it's there." He didn't add the fact that most of that was due to the spells he himself had cast to protect both the druids and the cave itself.

"So, how can we use it?" asked Caradoc.

"Use it? We can't ... I mean, you can't, ah..." Everyone started at him and he knew he had turned red. "It's not a weapon as such. It does have some powers but … few can access them. No, it's ... it's just the centre of all magic, every sorcerer accesses its power without even realising they're doing it. As such, our only advantage is our proximity to it - that we have more magic than our mutual enemies."

"Which could be seen as a disadvantage when you think that it also means we also have more people within Albion that can use it against it's leaders," said Rience.

"True but ... again, I think we are talking about two separate issues here," said Arthur. "The Dromerd and the outsiders. Perhaps the three kingdoms that are directly affected by the terrorists can discuss those issues afterwards but, for now, we need to see if there is a way that we can take advantage of this magical centre whilst defending against our outside enemies."

"You expect us to welcome magic in order to do this?" asked Vivian.

"No, I just wish to see whether you would accept the fact that you might be fighting alongside some people that do have it. Honestly, if our joint army had just these two magical advisors with it - I expect we could defeat an enemy twice our size."

"Twice our size? Surely not. How would that be possible?" asked Rience.

"I could put a barrier up to stop the enemy coming any further forward," Merlin explained. "Or throw a bank of fog their way, or make it rain on their side of the field and not ours. Given the right circumstances I could probably simply flatten the whole lot of them." Everyone stared at him and he shrugged in response.

"Come on, Merlin," said Trickler. "That would take far more power than just one man had ... even two men." Merlin turned to the older man with a small smile. That smile, Arthur thought. He was glad it wasn't just him that was affected by it - Tricker's face paled as he saw the warlock's expression. "I-I don't understand," he said nervously.

"Even heard of Emrys?" asked Arthur lightly and was amused to see the man's eyes widen even further as the turned back to look at Merlin in obvious shock.

"Emrys?" he breathed.

"Hello," said Merlin calmly, waving a hand at the other sorcerer.

xoxOxox

Elaine wasn't really sure how she'd managed to change jobs in the space of a couple of days. First she ran errands for Elyan, usually delivering repaired swords to the castle after work when she went to visit Merlin. Then she'd find herself hovering around the smithy during her free hours and talking to James about his work. Then Greta's daughter turned up and said she was hoping to take over her mother's business and, although she would be grateful of some help initially, she didn't think that a full time apprentice was needed.

Elaine had planned to tell Merlin about it that evening, thinking perhaps that things had probably quietened down in the palace now and she might be able to return but, somehow, they never really talked about her job - Elaine had just started to fully master the pendant's power, and so it was mostly a magic lesson where she continued to practice that and develop her other burgeoning powers.

So, the following day, she checked Greta's daughter had no questions or jobs for her, before crossing the road to talk to James and ask if there were any errands she could run for him. Telling him of her effective redundancy, she took a deep breath and asked her next question.

"So, James, do you not have an apprentice yet?"

"No, and I really should. Camelot was without a blacksmith for several years before I arrived. Elyan has other duties and so I really should make sure there's someone else who can do the work."

"What about me? Can I be your apprentice?" James paused mid strike to stare at her sceptically.

"It's hardly an appropriate job for a lady."

"The queen might disagree," she argued.

"That is not exactly the same thing."

"Can I at least try? What would you usually ask a young apprentice to do on his first day?" James gave her another, very long look.

"Alright but … I'm quite sure the King would have me in the stocks if he found out – never mind what your father would do to me ..." He quite visibly shuddered as he said it and Elaine laughed.

"Oh, Merlin won't mind and I believe Arthur is feeling a whole lot calmer now he doesn't have to deal with me and my strange ideas every day."

So, within a couple of days, Elaine was spending only a brief time at the apothecary stall and most of the day at the blacksmith's and she soon found that she enjoyed working far more now that she had this more challenging job. Elyan also agreed to work with her and that, of course, was what she'd really been hoping for – a chance to learn how to make and work on swords and gain a little more knowledge about the weapons as a result.

So, at the end of the second day of her apprenticeship, she found herself delivering the newly repaired and sharpened swords back to the training ground whilst the most experienced knights were training. Amr was now in this elite group but, as she carefully walked over to the large container that held the weapons, none of the men looked up at her and she continued her task unnoticed. Just before she left, she allowed herself to watch the session from a distance. She was fairly skilled for a woman but, was nowhere near the standard of Amr and so rarely saw him train. She couldn't help but feel proud of how her cousin held his own, even against those that had the extra few years, inches and muscles that he had not yet gained. She found herself hovering around the training ground for far longer than she'd intended, just to watch such a talented display.

xoxOxox

After spending far too long watching Amr and the other knights training. (Really, she was sure it shouldn't have grabbed her attention anywhere near as much as it had), Elaine realised there was no time left to go home and so decided to go inside the palace a little earlier than usual, ready for her planned meal with Merlin. She had assumed that Arthur would be in the hall for the final session of the Alliance talks but the meeting had obviously finished early, because she suddenly rounded a corner to find herself standing in front of the king for the first time since that fateful evening.

"Sire," she said with a elegant curtsey.

"Sire? Elaine!" He sounded hurt and she looked up at him with wide eyes, surprised at the obvious distress in his voice.

"Ah, Arthur?"

"Of course, Arthur. Have you been avoiding me?"

"Ah … yes … we, that is I thought that …"

"What? You thought I would be angry with you?"

"No, but … Merlin thought, whilst these talks were …"

"You really are his daughter, aren't you? As if I'd blame you." To Elaine's total surprise he held her arms out to her and, wide eyed, she moved forward for a hug. It was very brief, of course, and it was obvious Arthur felt awkward about it but still, she was grinning broadly as they parted, delighted at the gesture from the least emotional of her parents.

Despite his words, Elaine could not fail to notice the next look Arthur gave her, or the slight flinch as he apparently reacted to something he saw in her face.

"I don't know how I didn't see it before," he muttered, almost to himself and she guessed that he must have seen something of her mother in her features. "Where have you been hiding, anyway?"

"Not hiding - working. In the town."

"That really isn't appropriate," he said.

"Perhaps not but, I'm enjoying it and … after all of this … I know that you can't treat me in the same way as you did before. I know I can't be your daughter but …"

"Who says you can't?" he interrupted. "In fact, you now have even more of a right to be considered a lady of court than you did before. I may have banished your mother from Camelot, but you are not her and your blood line is now noble through more than my adoption of you. I thought we'd settled this years ago – by making you my ward, I could ensure that Merlin was able to be a father to you, whilst still working for me and, well ... he is family. To be honest, he was, almost from the first day he arrived here – even if neither of us could acknowledge it at the time. He is the closest thing I've ever had to a brother and so that makes you my niece on both sides of the family, even if I will continue to think of you as my only daughter."

"You do? I'm still your little princess?" Arthur laughed loudly and gave her another brief hug.

"Always. Now, I'm going to have a long talk with Merlin and see if we can reach some compromise here. You really should come back to Court."

"I can't, Arthur, not quite yet. There are … reasons but ..." She bit her lip, knowing that she couldn't not fully explain why she was living in the town.

"I just don't want people thinking that I've disowned you," he said with a frown.

"I know you haven't and that's all that matters … I just don't feel comfortable being here ... yet."

"If you need a little break, I understand. Wait for all the gossip to die down - that makes perfect sense but, I will make an announcement when our visitors have gone. I will let the court know that you are still my ward."

"T-thank you, Arthur."

"Where are you off to now?"

"To have dinner with Merlin?"

"Of course. Off you go then." Despite the earlier affection, she curtseyed to him and left, her mind in turmoil as she tried to understand the strange number of emotions that had suddenly overcome her.

xoxOxox

"I'm so confused, Merlin," she said, throwing herself into her father's arms the moment she entered the room.

"Elaine, what ever is the matter?"

"I thought I was coping so well with … everything, but it seems like … it's only now that it's all beginning to hit home."

"What's happened?"

"I spoke to Arthur?" She saw Merlin's face darken and quickly hastened to explain. "No, no, he was fine. Actually, I think he was a little hurt that I'd been avoiding him and that we might think he'd wouldn't like me any more but … he now doesn't want me working in the town. I think he's just hoping that everything will go back to normal but … it won't, will it? It can't come back. Everyone's heard the gossip now and … it's only now that I understand what Amr was saying the other day. No-one's going to trust me now they know Morgana's my mother."

"Elaine, that's not true."

"Of course it is. I've seen it in your eyes too. I saw it in Arthur's today when he looked at me. I've seen it in just about everyone I've walked past in the last couple of day."

"Seen what?"

"Fear."

"Elaine …"

"You said she used to be good, Merlin. What if that happens to me? What if there's something about her blood or her magic that forces me to change too?"

"That's not going to happen. It's not possible. You are completely different to Morgana, even when I first knew her. So, she wasn't essentially evil then but … she always had the capability to hurt and she was - she is selfish, which you are not. When bad things happen to her she has to find someone else to blame … everyone, anyone but herself. Here you are, instantly blaming yourself ... worried about what everyone else is thinking and feeling. That's what I always did … still do. Such emotions are not always helpful but … they do not lead to evil."

"I do need to be away from here right now though." It wasn't a question.

"I think it's the right thing to do for the moment, yes."

"And I want to. I'm enjoying it but … how can we explain to Arthur without …?"

"Elflet, none of this is your problem and none of this is your fault. Let me deal with Arthur … Artie … all of it. You just enjoy your new life and take the time you need to come to terms with everything."

"Thank you."

"Now, is there anything else bothering you? Anything else I can do to help?"

"Yes. Can I have another hug?"

xoxOxox

A/N The good news is that I've just had an excellent couple of days of writing and am pleased to say that I've almost reached the end of this story. I've now hastily written the climatic chapters - 26 and 27 and just have the final rounding off left. Not only that but I managed to publish chapter 6 of KAC yesterday and plan to get the rather naughty chapter 7 out before chapter 21 of this fic is published – as it relates to something from the beginning of this chapter and the middle of the next (any thoughts as to what I'm going to reference?)

I'm still not certain about which other back stories to include in KAC so, if you have any ideas - any things you think I've hinted at during this fic that you would like to know more about ... please let me know.

After my sudden improvised idea in chapter 6 of KAC - I was amused by the reminder that Arthur was (sort of) Merlin's brother in law. I had already written this chapter by then - with Arthur openly saying that he'd thought of Merlin as his brother for years anyway.

This chapter was originally chapter 20 and 21 and I did enjoy ending the 'first' one on Merlin's comment to Trickler but, as both were so short and I wanted to move things forward, I thought it made more sense to make them into one.

E/N A later reviewer grumbled about my/Merlin's description of Morgana as 'selfish' which surprised me. I love Morgana, (Even more now than I did at the start of the show) but am quite willing to acknowledge that negative character trait as one of my own and so I'm hardly one to judge. She may have been pushed onto her path - she certainly was a victim of circumstances - but, so many things she said in S1 & 2 show us that she usually only supported other people when it coincided with her own beliefs.

17/2/12