Hi guys!

So, here is my update! One day early than what was scheduled.

Two reasons for that :

One, as I may have mentionned, I'll not be home this week end (because of a wedding 3). So that means I won't be able to watch Merlin (nor the french diffusion of Once Upon A Time) which is kind of despering me. So, I'll just tell you know I love you, be brave, because I fear this episode. I really can't wait to see it!

Two, my muse came back and you probably have CarolinaEirasSa to thank for that because her words went straight to my heart and triggered her.

I also want to thank you all for reading and reviewing. Especially last time. Thanks to all the guest I couldn't respond too. That is so frustrating!

Anyway, here is the chapter most of you were waiting for! I hope it will live up your expectations. I'm not quite sure thought... Let me know will you ?

Enjoy!

Updated November 7th 2015 with corrections by my Beta!

Chapter 36:

When Merlin woke up on the seventh day of his stay in Ealdor, he felt ready to go back to Camelot. He didn't really know why but he felt as if he really should go back. Even if his time with his mother had been great and he was very glad for it, he felt it was the time for him to go back home. And he had learnt to trust those kinds of funny feelings.

He pushed himself up and began preparing breakfast as his mother woke up. He smiled at her and hugged her tightly.

"You're leaving, aren't you?" she asked as she sat down at the table, her voice nothing but comprehending.

"Yes… Yes… I can't continue to hide here, can I?" Merlin answered, feeling almost as if he wanted to change his mind and stay.

"Indeed not." Hunith answered and took hold of his hand. "I was glad to have you back for a while but you have a life and a destiny in Camelot. I am proud of you Merlin. Never forget that okay?"

"Yes mother, I promise." Merlin swore and she squeezed his fingers before letting go to eat her breakfast.

After they had eaten, Merlin packed his things, feeling partly excited and partly sad at leaving his mother and returning to Camelot. He was quickly finished and, too soon, came the time to say goodbye to Hunith. She went to him, her eyes shining with tears and he took her tightly in his arms, feeling like he was back seven years ago, when he first left his small village.

"I'm going to miss you, mother." He said, his face hidden in her neck.

"Me too, my dear son, me too. But you know you can come back whenever you want. And I expect you to write more often, right?" She answered and Merlin could catch the hidden meaning of it. No more hiding important information to her.

"Yes mother. I promise."

"Good. Come on, you'd better get going then… Before I change my mind and decide to keep you here."

Merlin smiled at her joke even if he couldn't stop tears to fill his eyes. His mother saw it and put a hand on his cheek.

"Don't worry Merlin. Everything will be fine."

Merlin nodded and hugged her quickly a last time before making his way out, shouldering his pack. He addressed one last wave to his mother before going to where he had left his horse enjoy its holiday. The beast was quickly saddled and then the warlock left the small town, feeling appeased.

For the rest of the day, he rode along the well-known path leading towards Camelot. He was in no rush so he led his horse at a leisured pace and took time to take in his surroundings, enjoying the peace of the forest and the smell of the trees and flowers around him.

He remembered the first time he had travelled this path, when he was just a young boy excited to go to a huge and unknown city to meet an unknown old man. His thoughts drifted towards Gaius. Their first encounter when he saved him using instinctual magic and how he had been slightly scared of the old man. He smiled longingly, almost wishing he could go back to being that young innocent boy. Thinking of his old mentor was becoming less and less painful now. He wouldn't say the burning and paralyzing pain had gone just yet but it was beginning to get easier and easier to cope with it.

His mother had helped with it, spending long hours convincing him that Gaius' death hadn't been his fault. It had worked. More or less. Now it was just another regrets on his long list. But he understood that he couldn't continue to let the guilt eat him because he had a destiny to fulfil and people that were counting on him and caring for him. And he couldn't let them fall. He had hurt them enough and he just hoped they would forgive him for being such a blind idiot and ignore their concern for him.

As the day went on, Merlin enjoyed reminiscing about Gaius and his other friends in Camelot and when sunset arrived he made camp near a stream, surrounded by trees. He light up a little fire with his magic and laid himself down next to it after eating some bread, observing the stars above him.

In no time, he was soundly asleep.

The next morning he woke to the peaceful singing of birds and the first ray of sun. He felt energized and he didn't lose time in getting up, eating breakfast and gathering his pack. He was pretty near Camelot and knew if he pressed himself a bit he would be able to reach the castle within the next couple of hours, probably early in the afternoon.

So that's what he did. He clicked his horse into a trot and a few hours later he saw the white castle shining in the morning sunlight. He smiled and pressed on, reaching the lower's town gates only a few minutes later.

The guards there nodded to him as he passed them but said nothing more. He made his way through the lower town and was surprised to find it pretty much abandoned. Usually by this time of the day it should be bustling with activity as merchants tried to sale their production and servant ran to complete chores, but today there was no one on the streets. Merlin was intrigued and slightly worried but he decided to wait until he got to the castle before letting real panic set in.

He quickly made his way to the castle's stables and let his horse there before getting out and crossing the gates. He found himself staring at an immense crowd with everyone looking up towards the balcony. Merlin advanced towards them, finding a shadowed corner of the courtyard and waited.

He was oddly reminded of the first time he crossed the castle's gates to witness a sorcerer's execution. He shook his head and looked up. As expected, on the balcony stood Arthur and Gwen looking just as regal as they should as king and queen of the mighty Camelot. Merlin smiled slightly, happy to see his friends and glad to see them looking well. He noticed however that the couple looked a bit anxious, which could be explained by the fact that Arthur had only made a couple of speech on this balcony. But Merlin couldn't help but think there was something else going on and he felt his stomach clench in worry.

He was so busy trying to guess what had made Arthur look so nervous that he nearly didn't noticed when the king actually took a step forward and began to speak. It was the silence around him that made him looked up too. It took him only one sentence to understand what Arthur was doing and he froze in shock.

"What is the king doing? Of course magical users are evil! They are nothing but monsters." A man next to Merlin said to his companion who nodded in agreement.

Merlin took a step back feeling hurt and tried his best to blend in the shadows of the corner and only years of training allowed him to keep an expression of a spooked rabbit off his face. The silence fell once more as Arthur continued to speak and Merlin listened apprehensively. Surely Arthur wouldn't reveal his secret to the whole of Camelot?

He recognized the words Arthur used as Gauis' and couldn't help but feel his heart clench painfully in his chest. He barely could believe what he was hearing. Was Arthur really changing the law on magic? A little part of his mind told him that this must be just a sick joke but in his heart in knew it was the truth and, when people began praising their king in approval, the tears that well up his eyes weren't ones of sadness this time but of pure and utter joy.

The shock over what had just happened kept him in place even when the town's people began to file out the courtyard and that he was nearly alone. His mind couldn't quite catch up how Arthur's words had changed his life and the lives of his kind. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

When he opened his eyes again it was to see Gwaine running towards him with a huge smile on his face and shining eyes. He had no time to prepare himself before the knight took him in a huge hug. Merlin felt a laugh bubble inside of him and he let it go. Tears began streaming down his face but he didn't care because he suddenly felt freer than he had ever felt. It felt as if he could breathe a bit more deeply now that a weight he had never noticed before was lifted from his shoulders.

Seconds or minutes later, Merlin couldn't really tell, he heard his name being called and saw Gwen running toward him in her green robe. The warlock gaveher a huge but slightly watery smile before letting himself be hugged for a second time this day.

"Oh Merlin!" She said in his ear. "I'm so happy you're back! I'm so sorry I didn't understand before! I could have helped you! I'm sorry really."

Merlin took a step back, not surprised that Gwen had, somehow, learnt about his magic.

"You've got nothing to be sorry for Gwen. I should, because I didn't tell you. I promise it isn't because I didn't trust you." He hurried to explain before she interrupted him. "I just didn't want to put that weight on you. I didn't want you to think any differently of me."

"Merlin… I never would." She just sighed before hugging him again. "You have a lot to tell me now, though." She added after she released him.

"Of course." Merlin answered before turning towards Arthur, looking suddenly shy and unsure. "What you've done Arthur… I didn't expect it… You didn't have to, really… I…"

"I wanted to, Merlin." Arthur interrupted him in a strong voice. "What I said was true. You made me realize that I was blind all my life. I couldn't continue to ignore the fact that people were suffering because of my father's hatred and fear. I am sure you and your kind can bring a lot to this kingdom."

Merlin ducked his head in a bow that Arthur had never seen and felt he didn't deserve. He shook his head and took a step closer to Merlin.

"Well, I say that but you will still be an idiot most of the time. I just hope your friends will be better than you."

Merlin laughed, looking up to meet the king's eyes and, without words he managed to express the gratitude he was feeling. Arthur smiled at him and nodded in answer before draping an arm on his skinny shoulders.

"Come on! I'm sure you're hungry and I think they are people who want to talk to you."

Merlin froze a bit, afraid to comprehend what his friend was saying.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"You'll see." Arthur answered cryptically while turning towards the stairs, where Elyan, Leon and Percival where waiting with smile on their faces.

So? Loved it? Hated it? Let me know!

Oh and I'm also looking for prompts for What Could Have Been ;).

Until next time !