"This is for you."

Blaise's eyes grew as large as saucers when Merlin set an enormous leather tome in his lap. He ran a hand over the cover. "It's beautiful." The young man was sitting up in his own bed, recovered enough to occupy his chamber.

Merlin pulled a chair over to the bed and sat down. "And I've already started it."

Blaise turned to the front page, reading an inscription and then skimming a short biography Merlin had written on his background. He looked up at the warlock. "Thank you."

"It's the least I can do considering what happened to you. And you found the symbol and saved the life of an innocent woman."

Blaise's cheeks flushed. "I fell asleep. I didn't even realize I found it."

"If you hadn't dropped off to sleep at the exact page, I wouldn't have seen it. I think that counts."

Blaise rubbed at his chest. Merlin sighed. "Oh. It just itches."

Merlin firmed his jaw. "Is it...visible?" He'd wondered how much of his name Reynfrey had been able to remove.

"Only slightly. Really, it's alright."

"It's not alright, Blaise. Someone hurt you. That's not alright."

Blaise peered down at Merlin's gift. "I know people make fun of me. I've always been too learned for my own good. But even though I've gotten on your nerves, you've made time for me." Blaise looked up. "Not many people have done that for me."

Merlin felt a surge of guilt. "I don't deserve any praise."

Blaise laughed. "How can you not deserve praise? I know your stories, remember?"

Merlin laughed through a sigh. "That's true."

"I may be just a scribe, but I'm proud of who I am and what I've done. And I suppose if I've devoted my life to Emrys, well, it's a little befitting it's your name I'd bear, isn't it?"

Merlin stared in awe at the boy he'd often put off and been annoyed at waxing philosophical again. He had a sudden feeling he should be spending way more time in serious conversation with Blaise. Blaise's words echoed his own when he'd told Arthur something similar concerning his own pride at being a servant to the prince.

Merlin cleared his throat. "If I ever get frustrated with you again, I want you to repeat what you just said and tell me to shut up."

Blaise beamed at him.

Merlin balanced a tray in one hand as he knocked with the other on Iona's door. From what he'd been told, the woman hadn't emerged in two days. She'd been through so much, he'd thought to stay away and let her recover, but he'd begun to worry her experience had wounded her far deeper than he knew.

The door slowly opened. Iona peeked out. "Oh!" She swung the door open wide, glancing between Merlin and the tray of food he carried. "I didn't think you'd bring my meal today."

"May I come in?"

"Of course."

Merlin strode to the small table in the room, setting down the tray. He turned back to her, trying not to let her similarity to Freya unnerve him. "I thought we might share a meal if that's acceptable to you."

"Yes. That's fine."

Merlin pulled out a chair from the table and gestured to it. Iona approached, sitting down gingerly. Merlin walked over to a decanter on a side table, pouring a couple goblets of wine. He returned, placing one in front of Iona, then taking a seat across from her.

Iona slid a plate off the tray and picked at a pile of fruit.

Merlin nervously smoothed his beard and took a sip of wine. He bit off a piece of a roll. After he swallowed, he broke the awkward silence. "They tell me you haven't been out much."

Iona looked up at him. "I feel so out of place. All this..." She glanced around the room and then indicated the dress she wore, an elegant one Merlin had asked provided for her. "It's a bit overwhelming."

Merlin smiled. "I felt the same way when I first came here. It was exciting, but also so different. And dangerous for me at the time."

"You didn't grow up in Camelot?"

Merlin shook his head. "I was born in Essetir."

"How did you end up here?"

"How about you eat, and I'll tell you."

Merlin launched into his story, explaining his magical birth, his mother's concerns, and how he'd come to Camelot so Gaius could guide his magic. He shared a short version of events that detailed his service to Arthur, his destiny, Morgana's fall, and what had happened at Camlann.

Iona stared at him when he finished. "You've lived an amazing life."

Merlin smiled with half his mouth. "Some of it was quite good, but there was a lot of pain in it, too. I don't know if it's amazing."

"It is," Iona disagreed. "How much you've done for Camelot...How much you've endured."

"I suppose it was just destiny," Merlin muttered.

"I do wonder though..."

"What?"

"How my sister fit into your life? When did you meet her? When did she die?"

Merlin felt foolish for not realizing she'd need to hear about Freya. He reached out to collect her empty plate, setting both his and hers on the tray. He stood, walked to her side, and held out his hand. She took it and he lifted her out of her seat. "Would you like to take a stroll?"

Merlin escorted Iona outside to the small garden at the back of the castle. As they walked, he spoke quietly. "I met Freya when I was only a youth. She had been captured by a bounty hunter."

"Bounty hunter?" Iona asked.

Merlin nodded. "I knew that could easily have been me at the time. I just felt...well, I couldn't leave her in his cage. So I let her out and hid her."

Iona's grip tightened on his arm. "You said she'd been cursed."

"She didn't tell me too much about that, just that a man had attacked her and she'd killed him, then his mother had cursed her to kill. She turned into an animal, a Bastet, at night and was helpless to prevent the deaths she caused."

Iona brought a hand to her neck. "It's difficult to think of her like that. She was always so gentle and kind."

"I saw the same in her," Merlin whispered.

Iona looked over at him. "Is that why you loved her?"

"Yes. But, I also think there was a bit of young love at work. I loved her immediately, and how much of that was youth and how much true I wonder at times. I only knew her a few days before she died."

"I don't think it matters," Iona asserted with a sad smile. "At least she didn't die unloved. Did the bounty hunter find her?"

"No. She was fatally wounded as a Bastet. I took her to the Lake of Avalon and set her bier upon the waters." Merlin closed his eyes briefly against the memory.

"Thank you."

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"For taking care of her."

Merlin nodded.

"And me... What happened to me?"

Merlin stopped at a bench, and Iona sat down. He slipped down beside her. "My story didn't end at Camlann." He related Carwyn's birth and the discovery of his magic, Rankin's first attack and then his attempt to raise Morgana with the power of Emrys. "I believe he didn't die. That he is behind these recent attacks, including you. The mark on you was one of enthrallment."

"What does that mean?" Iona asked with concern.

"It means you would do whatever the person who branded you told you to do. You wouldn't even be aware you were doing it."

Iona spoke in a hushed voice. "So I did poison the prince's wife."

"You had no choice. What I don't understand is how Rankin found you. He certainly could have found out about Freya when he had me imprisoned, but to track you down? Not even Freya knew you survived."

"I don't know."

"It's probably dark magic of some kind."

Iona suddenly leaned forward, her elbows on her knees, her hands covering her eyes.

"I'm sorry all this happened to you."

"Maybe I'm cursed, too," Iona whispered. "The curse of life. I try and try, but I can never get very far before it all goes wrong." Her shoulders began to shake.

Merlin laid a tentative hand on her back. "I'm going to take care of you. I won't let you leave until I know you'll be safe and provided for."

Iona turned teary eyes on him. "I know she loved you. She must have. You're too good and kind for her not to."

Merlin's heart skipped a beat. He reached out a hand and gently wiped her cheeks. "Come. I'll take you back inside."

Merlin kept his arm around Iona as they walked back to her room. When they reached the hall to her chamber, he felt her tense in his grasp. Carwyn stood against the wall across from her door. "It's alright," he whispered. "I promise you're safe."

Merlin directed her to her door, keeping his gaze on Carwyn. "What do you need?"

Carwyn didn't look at Iona. "I wanted to talk with you."

Merlin turned away, pushing open Iona's door. He guided her inside. As he made to exit, she spoke softly. "Would you...dine with me tonight? When you're here, I don't feel so lonely."

Merlin bowed his head to her, indicating he'd return. He shut the door behind him to face Carwyn.

"I tried your room. You weren't there," the prince said quietly.

"Walk with me," Merlin commanded, striding back down the hall. Carwyn paced at his side. Merlin turned into a stairwell, climbing until he reached an empty landing. He leaned against the wall. "Yes?"

Carwyn sat back against a railing, meeting Merlin's eyes. "I should have listened to you."

"You should," Merlin stated directly.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. I don't know what came over me, I just...I know I should have trusted you. After all you've done for me, for Camelot...I was...a clotpole."

Merlin chuckled. "You were."

Carwyn rubbed at the back of his neck. "Forgive me."

Merlin sighed. "Carwyn, there's nothing to forgive. I understand. Sometimes when you love someone, you don't listen very well." Hadn't he refused to believe Gaius' claim that Freya was a Bastet, unwilling to admit she was a danger?

"I suppose that's true."

"But you have to think more clearly as king," Merlin went on, unwilling for the prince not to learn what he needed to out of this. "You can't let your emotions rule you, not when people's lives are at stake. That's what Uther did, and you are far better than he ever was."

"I hope so," Carwyn murmured dejectedly.

"I know so," Merlin said, pushing off the wall to clap the prince on his shoulder.

Carwyn smiled at him. "How often did you have to take my father to task?"

Merlin laughed. "It would take me too long to count."

Carwyn's gaze sobered. "Mother says you think the sorcerer Rankin is behind all this. That he didn't die."

"It makes the most sense."

"We destroyed the whole caverns when we rescued you."

"Do you know how many times I thought Morgana had been defeated and she returned?" Merlin asked. "All this is too much like him. He taunts me, then tries to destroy me. He tried to kill you and Gwen, then me, and now he's after others I care about."

"Do you think we're ready for him?"

Merlin rubbed at his beard again. They might not know until he was upon them. "The best we can do is keep the warriors and knights alert and training."

Merlin leaned against a window frame, staring out at a grassy field blowing in a breeze. His eyes followed the slim form of a woman with dark hair falling down her back as she picked her way through the field, pausing now and then to gather flowers. Iona had become braver in the past week. He'd insisted she couldn't just stay in her chamber, and she'd promised she'd try for him. He'd caught a glimpse of her out this very window and became aware she made daily trips to the field next to the castle. Every time he passed the window, he found he hoped to see her and had stopped now when he sighted her again.

"Ah...So that's what so holds your attention."

Merlin jumped, standing and whirling around. "Gwen."

Gwen stood just behind him. She moved to the other side of the window. "How is she?"

"Better," Merlin muttered, flustered to have been caught staring at Iona.

"Good." Gwen peered out the window for a moment, then looked back at him. "Do you remember when you said I wasn't too old to love?"

Merlin raised his eyebrows warily.

"You aren't too old either."

Merlin glanced back out the window. Iona had knelt in the grass, a bunch of flowers in her lap. "I banished any hope of that kind of love long ago."

"Why?"

Merlin kept his gaze on Iona. "When I loved Freya, I almost left Camelot with her. If circumstances had let me, I would have. And Arthur would have been alone when I willingly threw my purpose to the wind."

"You've fulfilled your destiny."

"Some of it," Merlin amended. "What was made clear to me."

"Then pursue her."

Merlin sighed and met Gwen's eyes. "My life is you and Carwyn and Camelot."

"The Pendragons can spare you to another," Gwen stated firmly.

Merlin propped his head against the window frame. He didn't dare hope for love, not now. "What has happened most of my life, Gwen? How much danger have I been in? I can't ask someone to join me in that."

"Maybe you should let her decide if she wants to join you. I knew when I married Arthur it wouldn't be easy. I knew I would live under threats. I did so of my own accord."

"Maybe I'm also afraid I feel for her just because of Freya," Merlin spoke quietly. "It wouldn't be fair."

"You won't know unless you take a risk and get to know her."

Merlin looked out the window to see Iona making her way back to the castle. What should he do? He felt Gwen's hand on his arm.

"Let yourself take a chance, Merlin." She patted his arm and began to walk away when Merlin called after her.

"So, Leon..."

"Just don't go there," Gwen warned without looking back.

Merlin smiled.

"Master Rankin?"

A man in a dark robe looked up from a chair beside a fireplace, setting a book in his lap. "Yes?"

"This arrived, sir," a podgy man reported, holding out a rolled parchment.

"Ah, good." Rankin accepted the parchment, and the man bowed and retreated. "You know, that man and his wife were the first I ever enthralled."

A man in a robe resembling his looked up from another book peppered with strange symbols.

"I sometimes feel sorry for them."

"Why?" the other man asked.

"I removed their enchantment years ago, but they'd been so affected, they continued to follow me. I think it must have something to do with weak-willed minds."

"What does the letter say?"

Rankin unrolled the parchment. He smiled. "Emrys is distracted."

"Is it time?"

"Soon."

Rankin lifted up the book in his lap scribbled in the hand of an eager young scribe.

"Anything useful?" the other man asked.

"Oh, yes. Emrys is stronger than I even guessed."

"Then your plan is in jeopardy."

Rankin smirked. "The spirit of Morgana smiles on us, I think. Emrys is strong, but long ago, she provided the way of his defeat, though she didn't know it."

"How do we stop him?"

Rankin turned a page in the book. "All in good time," he cautioned. "All in good time."