The Once and Future King

by CarpeDiem14

At the battle of Camlann Merlin saves Arthur's life. However, everyone discovers that Merlin is a sorcerer and Arthur banishes him. Five years later, Arthur and Merlin realize they can only fulfill the prophecy together, side by side. The next morning they wake up in the past, in their young bodies.

7. The Poisoned Chalice

VI. The Poisoned Chalice

Merlin stands at a window in one of the towers, looking down into the courtyard. From his chosen spot he has a good view on everything that is happening below, and he watches King Bayard and his entourage ride through the castle gates.

Arthur and Morgana are standing in front of the large staircase, both wearing their crowns. Several members of the council are present, as well as a contingent of knights in their magnificent red cloaks. Behind them on the walls of the castle, the banners of Camelot are moving in the light breeze and the golden dragon on each banner shines brightly in the sunlight.

All of this was orchestrated to demonstrate Camelot's strength to Bayard, and looking down from above, Merlin must admit that it looks very impressive.

Uther is not present, and he isn't going to attend the festivities this evening either. Per Gaius' instructions he still needs rest and the commotion of the feast where the peace treaty will be signed could be detrimental to Uther's health.

While Arthur and Morgana are greeting King Bayard, Merlin is focusing on someone else entirely, and that is Nimueh. She's wearing a dress in red and blue again and her black hair is tied under a blue headscarf. Standing amidst the servants that have accompanied King Bayard to Camelot, she's trying to appear as unobtrusive as possible. She has lowered her gaze, but Merlin can see her watching the knights and Arthur in particular. Just as in the other time she has cast a spell on herself to prevent Gaius or anyone else from recognizing her, but the spell is no match for Merlin's magic.

Although Arthur had been skeptical, Merlin hadn't doubted for a moment that Nimueh would come to the castle with Bayard's entourage. Her plan to poison Camelot's water supply by releasing the Afanc into the cistern has only resulted in the deaths of four people, and that means Nimueh hasn't come close to achieving her goal. She wants to see Camelot and Uther suffer as revenge for the death of her sisters. The fact that Arthur is king now doesn't matter to her, for in her opinion Arthur is just as guilty as his father. This time, however, Merlin will stop Nimueh before she even has the chance to set her plan in motion. Bayard has brought two ceremonial chalices to Camelot which will be used after signing the treaty to toast to peace between Camelot and Mercia, and when Nimueh will sneak into Bayard's chambers and try to exchange one of the chalices for a poisoned duplicate tonight, Merlin will already be waiting for her.

Down in the courtyard Arthur leads Bayard up the stairs and into the castle. The knights and nobles follow them, as do some of the servants, while others stay behind to tend to the horses. Nimueh is included in those following their king, and Merlin watches her disappear inside, before he leaves his place at the window to get back to work.

With all the servants busy preparing everything for the feast the next evening, it's easy for Merlin to keep an eye on Nimueh. Only a short while later they meet in one of the corridors, and just like the last time, Nimueh uses the opportunity to engage Merlin in a conversation by dropping a pile of bedsheets and blankets. Merlin helps her pick up the sheets and when she looks at him with seductive glances he pretends to fall for her act and be embarrassed. She introduces herself as Kara again and tells Merlin what an honor it must be for him to be the king's manservant. Then she smiles, her blue eyes twinkling, before continuing down the corridor. Apparently, Nimueh is again pursuing the plan to tell Merlin about the poisoned chalice at the last moment. If Merlin were to try to prevent Arthur from drinking from it, Bayard would be accused of trying to poison the King of Camelot and that would shatter the peace between Camelot and Mercia again. That's what happened the last time, and even though a new war between Camelot and Mercia was averted at the last moment, the relationship between the two kingdoms had been strained ever since.

That evening, while Arthur and Bayard are negotiating the final details of the peace treaty late into the night, Merlin watches the corridor to Bayard's chambers. Just before midnight his patience is finally rewarded when Nimueh comes around a corner with a stack of colorful bedsheets in her hands. She looks around for the guards patrolling through the castle before walking quickly and silently to the door of Bayard's chambers. Muttering a few words, she runs a hand over the lock before opening the door and slipping inside the room.

Merlin waits for a moment before leaving his hiding place and following Nimueh. He casts a spell on the door to Bayard's chambers that opens it silently, and as he enters the room, he sees Nimueh standing at a small table with her back to him. The stack of bedsheets lies open beside her on the table and Nimueh is holding an angular silver chalice, which must have been hidden in the pile of sheets.

Before Merlin closes the door behind him, he lifts the spell again and the door falls shut with a soft but audible sound. Casting two more spells, Merlin locks the door and prevents any sounds from inside the room getting outside.

Nimueh flinches at the sound of the door closing, turning around in one swift motion. As she does, Merlin catches a glimpse of an ornate wooden box in front of her, and he can make out two identical silver chalices, like the one in Nimueh's hand.

Nimueh stares at Merlin, startled, and unconsciously raises her free hand. When she recognizes him, however, she lowers her hand again, and her expression relaxes.

"Merlin," she says surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you," Merlin replies calmly.

Nimueh shakes her head, smiling faintly, pretending to be confused. "I don't understand…"

"I know who you are," Merlin interrupts her. "And I know why you are here, Nimueh, Priestess of the Triple Goddess."

In an instant, Nimueh's whole demeanor changes. Her body stiffens and she looks at Merlin with suspicion and hostility, raising her hand again.

Merlin reaches for his magic, erecting an invisible shield in front of him. "Don't do that," he warns her quietly. "I don't want to hurt you."

Nimueh's lips curl mockingly and she laughs. Though she doesn't attack Merlin, she doesn't lower her hand either.

"As if you could hurt me," she says with a sneer. "You may have magic, but you are only a servant, and I'm the last of the Nine High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess as you seem to know already."

"You should know better than to judge someone by their appearance," Merlin replies with raised eyebrows, before shrugging. "But you're right. I am a servant. I'm Emrys and I serve the Once and Future King Arthur Pendragon."

Merlin spreads his arms and reaches for his magic. A sharp wind blows through the room all of a sudden, and in the next instant the chamber goes dark, as if all light was being sucked away. The fire in the fireplace goes out and the light of the moon, falling through the large windows, disappears. The air is crackling around them and shimmering sparks of pure magic flare up and whirl through the room. A moment later it's over and the light returns. The wind ceases and when Merlin lowers his hands the stream of magic around them disappears.

Nimueh stares at Merlin, her eyes widened in disbelief. Until now, she must have thought she was the most powerful sorceress alive, and she seems to be having a hard time accepting that this is not the case.

Merlin clasps his hands in front of his body, looking at Nimueh patiently. "I know you sent the Afanc to Camelot. Four people died, before I figured out what was happening."

Realization shows on Nimueh's face. "You killed the Afanc. And you obstructed my view."

Nimueh had been trying to keep an eye on the Afanc through a magical mirror, but Merlin blocked the scrying spell, and after the Afanc was dead, the spell stopped working anyway.

Merlin nods. "Yes, I did. I know you've already tried to harm Camelot once, and I also know you are here now to exchange one of the ceremonial chalices for a poisoned one. You want to punish the Pendragons and all of Camelot for what Uther did to your sisters, and to achieve that you want to destroy the newfound trust between Mercia and Camelot."

"How can you know that?" Nimueh asks, staring at Merlin with an incredulous look.

Merlin, however, shakes his head with a mild smile. "That will remain my secret, I'm afraid. All that matters is that you don't have to do any of this. Arthur is not his father. He's an honorable man, and he will fulfill the prophecy. You know what I'm talking about. The Once and Future King will bring back magic to Camelot and lead all of Albion into an era of peace and prosperity."

"How do you be so sure that Arthur Pendragon is the Once and Future King?" Nimueh asks mockingly, but Merlin can see that she's struggling with herself. Merlin's words sounded almost too good to be true and for that very reason she forbids herself to believe him.

"I know because I know his very soul. We are two sides of the same coin. I believe in him, I will stand by his side and I love him with all my heart."

Nimueh looks at Merlin in surprise, and the fact that Merlin can see her surprise tells him that she is not quite over her initial shock.

"I know you're only trying to destroy the Pendragons because you think magic can only return to the land when they're dead, but that's not true," Merlin continues empathically. "It's only a matter of time until magic will be free again. Arthur is going to lift the ban on magic as soon as he can, you just have to give him a little more time. He has only been king for six days. The people need to trust him before he can make such profound changes. Camelot has lived in fear of magic for nearly two decades, but I promise you from now on no sorcerer will be executed in Camelot for using magic peacefully."

Nimueh looks at Merlin for a long moment, before turning away from him and back towards the table, apparently trying to make a decision. She has sensed that Merlin is incredibly powerful, and she can't deny that he is more powerful than she is. Attacking him would be foolish, but Merlin holds himself ready in case Nimueh's decision is not in his favor.

When Nimueh finally faces him again, she has merely regained her composure, and her lips are curled in a sneer. One that Merlin remembers all too well.

"I want to believe you, but how can you make that promise?" she challenges. "The great Emrys, the most powerful sorcerer to ever walk the earth is nothing more than a servant right now, hiding his magic from the world."

Merlin doesn't allow Nimueh's words to provoke him. "Arthur knows who I am," he tells her. "He knows about the prophecy, and he has embraced our destiny. Magic will be free again, and I will stand by Arthur's side as Court Sorcerer of Camelot, but we need more time. Hand over the poisoned chalice, and you can talk to Arthur and see for yourself that I speak the truth. You can be an ally of Camelot once again, or you can decide to become our enemy. In that case, I will take the chalice from you by force and make sure that you never again pose a threat to Camelot."

Nimueh raises an elegantly arched eyebrow, but after a moment she holds the chalice out to Merlin.

"Here. This one is the poisoned chalice. I haven't had time to exchange them yet."

Merlin steps forward, watching Nimueh carefully, before taking the chalice from her and reaching for his magic to make sure Nimueh indeed gave him the poisoned chalice. She would have had the time to exchange them, but she told Merlin the truth. The chalice in his hand is the one she had brought to Camelot. Merlin isn't entirely certain, however, if Nimueh gave him the chalice because she believes him, or because she can't defeat him in battle and is playing for time.

A smug grin plays around Nimueh's lips, as the chalice passes Merlin's test, but Merlin ignores her.

"Thank you," he says sincerely. "And now come, we should not stay here any longer. Arthur and Bayard will soon have finished their negotiations. I will take you to Arthur's chambers, and we can wait until he returns."

Nimueh reaches for the pile of bedsheets on the table behind her and looks at Merlin, waiting.

"I will take those," Merlin states and Nimueh smiles mockingly before handing over the sheets so Merlin can hide the poisoned chalice inside them again.

After leaving Bayard's chambers, they don't encounter anyone on their way through the corridors to Arthur's rooms. Once inside, Nimueh takes a seat at the table in the antechamber next to the big fireplace and crosses her legs. She watches Merlin as he puts the pile of bedsheets on the table, before taking out the poisoned chalice and placing it next to them.

Merlin briefly considers joining Nimueh at the table, but decides against it. Instead, he walks over to Arthur's wardrobe, after placing a quick spell on the chalice so that Nimueh can't mess with it again. Just to be on the safe side.

Merlin busies himself with selecting Arthur's clothes for the next day and placing them next to the wardrobe on a chair. He turned his back on Nimueh in doing so, but it wasn't bothering Merlin too much. She won't attack him as long as there's actually a possibility that Merlin was telling the truth, and although she's a serious opponent, Merlin knows his magic will warn him; if Nimueh should try something.

"How long have you been playing the part of Arthur Pendragon's faithful manservant?" Nimueh asks finally.

Merlin doesn't give her the satisfaction of reacting to her mockery. Instead, he takes his time smoothening the red fabric of Arthur's shirt, before placing it over the back of the chair.

"I'm not playing a part," he says finally, looking at her briefly. "I told you, I'm his servant. It's who I am. I will serve Arthur until the day I die."

Nimueh snorts, shaking her head. "Such devotion. What has he done to deserve this?"

Merlin thinks back to the day he first came to Camelot long ago and Arthur acted like a pompous git. A smile comes on his lips. Arthur had been an arrogant ass at first, but then he started surprising Merlin.

"He's the best man I know," Merlin finally says. "He's brave and kind and loyal and if anyone can unite Albion and bring peace to the people, it's him."

"And I'm sure he appreciates you cleaning his room and washing his clothes."

Merlin once again ignores Nimueh's snide remark. Instead, he walks over to Arthur's desk and brings a pitcher of watered wine as well as three cups from a cabinet to the antechamber. After placing the cups and the pitcher on the table, he looks at Nimueh with a smug smile on his lips.

"Yes, he does. Just like he appreciates me sharing his bed every night and killing evil sorcerers who try to harm Camelot."

Watching Nimueh for a moment, Merlin decides to sit down at the table after all. She looks annoyed because Merlin hasn't risen to her bait, but before she can make another pointed comment, the door opens and Arthur enters his chambers. He looks tired and wipes his eyes with one hand as he closes the door behind him. When he notices Nimueh sitting at the table though, he stops, his shoulders tensing.

"It's alright," Merlin quickly says in Arthur's mind. "She's here to talk. I've shown her that I'm Emrys and I told her that we will do everything in our power to fulfill the prophecy, but that you need more time to lift the ban on magic. She's not entirely convinced yet, but I think she wants to believe us."

Arthur nods, barely noticeable, before his eyes flicker to the chalice standing on the table.

"She hadn't exchanged the chalice yet. This is the poisoned one," Merlin answers Arthur's unspoken question and Arthur's gaze rests on the chalice for another moment, before turning to Nimueh.

"Good evening, Lady Nimueh."

He walks over to the table and sits down across from her.

Nimueh is eyeing him with a wary expression on her face. "I suppose you know more about me than just my name."

Arthur nods. "Yes, I do. You were one of the Nine High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess. You were also a friend of my mother and father, and you are the reason I was born."

Nimueh tries to hide it, but Merlin can tell she is surprised by this knowledge. Arthur seems to notice her reaction as well.

"Yes, I know about the circumstances of my birth," he continues. "You created my life with magic, but my father didn't take your warning seriously. For to create a life, a life must be given. And when my mother died, my father blamed magic and began a campaign to kill every last sorcerer and magical being in Camelot."

Nimueh nods with exaggerated appreciation. "I'm amazed that for once in his life Gaius could apparently bring himself to do the right thing and tell you about the circumstances of your birth. Tell me, Arthur Pendragon, do you hate your father as much as I do?" she asks mockingly.

"Yes, I do," Arthur replies bluntly. "But he's still my father, and that is why I showed mercy when I ended his reign over this kingdom."

Merlin grimaces slightly as Arthur reveals this secret, but Arthur has felt that it is their best chance to convince Nimueh that Arthur truly intends to make amends for his father's mistakes.

Nimueh looks surprised, but then she starts laughing and shakes her head. "So the reason Uther Pendragon isn't himself anymore wasn't an unfortunate accident," she says, amused. "You did that."

Arthur nods. "Merlin orchestrated the accident and cast a spell on my father."

Nimueh's eyes narrow. "Why?"

"Because I couldn't stand next to him for a single day longer and watch him hunt sorcerers and execute innocent people in the courtyard just because their neighbors accused them of sorcery, when their crops were growing bigger than their own."

A smug smile appears on Nimueh's lips. "Then you will have no problem with killing him. For I demand Uther Pendragons head for the murder of my sisters."

Arthur keeps a straight face, shaking his head. "That's not going to happen. I won't kill him, and I won't let you kill him either."

Nimueh grits her teeth, glaring at Arthur. "He has slaughtered my sisters and destroyed our temple and I will not rest until he pays for these crimes with his life!" she snarls.

When Merlin sees Nimueh's eyes flash golden, he stands up, already placing an additional invisible protective shield over Arthur. Arthur however, raises his hand, indicating for Merlin to stand down.

Reluctantly Merlin obeys, sitting back down, but he keeps a watchful eye on Nimueh.

"My father has done terrible things, but all this bloodshed must come to an end. And it ends here, today," Arthur says firmly. "If you cannot accept that, then you will not be part of the future that lies ahead, and I will not allow you to leave this castle alive."

Merlin watches Nimueh closely, ready to intervene should she try to attack Arthur or himself. She is still glaring at Arthur, gritting her teeth as she seemingly weighs her chances. She knows that Merlin is capable of killing her, and that he will do so without hesitating if Arthur commands him. Merlin hopes, however, that as a servant of the Triple Goddess, Nimueh will be able to place the return of magic and the Old Religion over her desire for revenge.

Except for the fire crackling in the fireplace, there's complete silence in the room. It takes a few moments, but then Nimueh closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, before looking directly at Arthur.

"I will renounce my desire for revenge if it's the price for reviving the Old Religion and returning magic back to the land."

Arthur nods. "Thank you," he says, but Nimueh is not finished.

"Before I give you this promise, however, as a sign of your sincerity you will release the Great Dragon Kilgharrah, whom your father has chained up under the castle."

If Nimueh had hoped for a reaction from Arthur, she's disappointed. Arthur merely grimaces and shakes his head.

"I can't do that. He will burn Camelot to the ground for what my father did to him and his kind during the Great Purge. I can't fault him for wanting revenge, the same way I can't fault you, but the people of Camelot don't deserve his wrath. Without a Dragonlord at my side, I can't release the dragon from his prison."

"Then everything Emrys promised me, has been a lie," Nimueh snarls. "Your father killed the Dragonlords, every single one of them!"

Nimueh is about to get up from her chair, but Merlin's next words make her pause. "No, he didn't."

Turning her head to Merlin, Nimueh looks at him suspiciously.

"Balinor is still alive, or Arthur would already have a Dragonlord here in Camelot, for I am Balinor's son," he tells her. "Gaius helped Balinor escape after Uther tricked him into imprisoning Kilgharrah."

"You're Balinor's son?" Nimueh asks, fixing Merlin with an incredulous look.

Merlin nods. "Yes, I am. And we know where Balinor has been hiding for all those years."

"We will find Balinor and bring him back to Camelot," Arthur promises, his tone firm. "And then I will free the Great Dragon from his chains. This I swear on my life and my honor."

Nimueh assesses Arthur silently for a long moment.

"I want to believe you, I really do," she finally says softly. "For all our sake and for the sake of Albion." Then she stands up, casting a quick glance at Merlin, before turning to Arthur again. "I will leave after the festivities tomorrow and I will wait until I once again hear the sound of mighty dragon wings gliding through the air. Then I will know that you have spoken the truth and that you are truly the Once and Future King. But don't take too long, Arthur Pendragon. Or I will be forced to take the fate of magic back into my own hands."

Arthur nods, raising from his chair as well. "I understand."

Nimueh holds his gaze for another moment, before walking to the door and leaving Arthur's chambers without another word.

The festivities the next day on the occasion of signing the peace treaty between Camelot and Mercia last well into the night. When Arthur finally returns to his chambers, he has no idea what time it is. Making his way across the room and towards his bed, Arthur opens the clasp of his red cloak, dropping it to the floor behind him. Removing his crown from his head, he places it on a table in passing, before dropping into his bed face first, still wearing all of his clothes.

Arthur had quite a bit to drink that night and the only reason he can still walk on his own is Merlin had poured him a cup of water after each cup of wine. He can't remember exactly when Merlin started doing it back then, but by the time Arthur became king in the other time, it had been a fixed component of every feast in Camelot. Arthur can still follow even complex discussions and form clear and sophisticated sentences after several cups of wine or mead without any difficulty, but as soon as he stands up, he completely and utterly loses his balance.

Arthur sighs in a long-suffering way, before turning over sluggishly. Lying on his back now, he stares at the canopy of his bed, reviewing the ceremony in the throne room this evening.

"Honestly, drinking from that chalice took quite some effort," he admits. "I was toying with the idea of just letting it slip out of my fingers so it would fall to the floor and I wouldn't have to drink from it. And having Nimueh stand right there in the back was not helping."

Turning his head, Arthur looks at Merlin, who has just picked up Arthur's red cloak from the floor and is now putting a hand over his heart with feigned indignation.

"I am deeply shocked," he says, emphasizing every word. "Don't you have faith in me at all?"

"Of course I have faith in you," Arthur assures him. "And I knew the poisoned chalice was standing here the entire time, but… well sometimes things just don't go according to plan." Arthur scrubs a tired hand over his eyes.

"Well this time they did," Merlin replies, before walking over to the bed where he then sets about removing Arthur's boots and socks.

Arthur lifts first one leg and then the other to help Merlin at least a little bit.

"We can't waste time searching for your father," Arthur says after a moment. "He has been living in that cave we found him in since he left you and your mother in Ealdor, right?"

Merlin grabs Arthur's right arm, pulling into a sitting position. "That's what he told me at least," he replies with a shrug, before opening the buckles on Arthur's ornate leather jacket.

"Alright," Arthur sighs. "You still remember the way?"

"Yes, I think so."

Merlin pulls the jacket from Arthur's shoulders, before unlacing Arthur's shirt. Arthur isn't paying attention, instead he's staring straight ahead thoughtfully.

"I can't leave Camelot while Bayard is here and even after that… I'm the newly crowned king, I can't just ride into Essetir, at least not without an escort of no less than twenty knights." Arthur exhales heavily. "This was so much easier when I was just the prince."

"I will go then," Merlin simply says, after pulling Arthur's shirt over his head.

Arthur helps Merlin by raising his hands above his head. Once the shirt is off, he looks straight at him. He knows that Merlin can take care of himself, but letting him ride to Essetir alone just doesn't sit right with him. "But not on your own."

Merlin tilts his head. "I can take care of myself very well."

"I know you can," Arthur replies contritely. "But I would be sleeping a lot better, when I knew someone had your back."

Raising an eyebrow, Merlin crosses his arms in front of his chest. "And who is going to accompany me? There are no Knights of the Round Table yet. We haven't even met Lancelot in this time."

Arthur stares at Merlin, blinks slightly, because for a moment he has indeed forgotten that neither Lancelot, nor Gwaine, Percival or Elyan are Knights of Camelot yet.

Merlin has forgotten something as well, though and Arthur grins smugly. "Well one of the Knights of the Round Table is already here, isn't he? Leon has been a Knight of Camelot for years."

Merlin raises an eyebrow, looking at Arthur doubtfully. "Leon has been one of your father's most trusted knights until a week ago," Merlin reminds him. "One of the knights Uther usually sent out to hunt down and kill sorcerers."

Arthur can't believe Merlin has so little faith in Leon, and he shakes his head. "Leon is more than that," he counters. "He's a good man. He has just always been loyal to his king, upholding the oath he has sworn. But he was a Knight of the Round Table as well, just like Lancelot and Gwaine and the others."

"That may be, but I don't think he's ready to accept that magic is not evil and that I'm not an evil sorcerer, who wants to kill you and destroy Camelot. And I very much doubt that sending him to Essetir to search for my father, who is not only a sorcerer, but a Dragonlord as well, and who should help you keep the dragon, that's been chained up under the castle for nearly two decades from reducing all of Camelot to ash, when we release him, is going to change his mind."

Merlin raises an eyebrow, daring Arthur to disagree with him. Then he opens Arthur's trousers, pulling them off.

Arthur gives Merlin a defiant look. "I have known Leon since I was nine years old. We fought together side by side many times. I know what kind of man he is, and he will not disappoint me. Leon will accompany you to Essetir to search for your father, and that's my final word, Merlin."

Merlin presses his lips together. "Very well. In that case, I will of course respect your decision, sire," he says pointedly. Then he walks over to the wardrobe, pulling out the shirt and trousers Arthur usually sleeps in and tossing them at Arthur's chest, before starting to clear away Arthur's clothes.

Arthur pouts. "Merlin…" he says pleadingly, but Merlin doesn't turn to face him and Arthur tries again. "Merlin, come one. You know I didn't mean it like that. I wouldn't know what to do, if something happened to you. Try understanding me and have a little faith in me and Leon."

"I have faith in you," Merlin replies with a sigh, looking at Arthur again. "It's just that I don't think Leon is ready to learn that I have magic. And I don't want you to be disappointed if I'm right."

"Well if that's the case, then you can say you told me so and change his memory." Arthur tries to make it sound light-hearted, but he knows it would hurt him if Merlin were right. That's not going to happen though, because Arthur knows Leon. After a moment, Arthur's eyebrows furrow, however. "You can change someone's memory, right?"

Merlin nods reluctantly, before heaving a sigh. "Yes, I can. I just hope that you know what you're doing."

"I always know what I'm doing," Arthur states with utter conviction.

Merlin snorts, but the corners of his mouth twitch slightly. "No, you really don't."

Arthur shrugs. "Most of the time, though."

Merlin goes way back to the wardrobe, pulling out his own sleeping clothes, before returning to the bed. "Yeah and the rest of the time it's on me to save your royal ass."

Arthur grins smugly, before letting himself fall back onto the mattress, watching Merlin change. "You love my ass."

Merlin shakes his head, laughing. "You are unbelievable. Come on, let's get your royal ass into bed properly. It's late, and you have breakfast with Bayard."

Arthur groans and closes his eyes, trying not to think about having to get up in the morning. He's going to have a headache, that's for sure.

Merlin, meanwhile, dresses Arthur in his sleeping trousers and shirt, before turning him to face the right way in his bed. After that, Merlin lies down next to him, pulling Arthur close, before putting out the candles in the room with a brief flash of his eyes.

After Bayard and his entourage leave Camelot late in the afternoon two days later, Arthur summons Leon to his chambers in the evening.

When there's a knock on the door, Merlin gets up from the bed to open it. Arthur also gets up from his place behind his desk, walking into the antechamber.

"Sire, you wanted to see me?" Leon asks without further ado, after entering the room, stopping near the table and looking at Arthur expectantly.

Arthur allows himself a small smile. Leon is the epitome of a knight.

"Yes, Leon," Arthur replies, leaning against the table behind him. "You have always been one of my father's most trusted knights, and you have served Camelot with honor and dedication for many years. I've sent for you because I have a question for you and I want you to answer truthfully."

Leon looks a bit confused, but he nods. "Of course, sire."

Arthur takes a deep breath, before asking his question. "Do you believe magic is evil?"

He watches Leon carefully, noticing how his brows furrow briefly, as he considers his answer.

"Practicing magic is against the law, sire," Leon finally says in a firm voice.

Arthur smiles quietly at this very diplomatic answer.

"Yes, it is," he finally replies. "But that wasn't my question."

Surprise and confusion appear on Leon's face. "Sire, have I given you any reason to doubt my loyalty to you or to Camelot?"

"No Leon, you have not," Arthur says, shaking his head. "You are my best and most honorable knight. We have known each other for many years and I consider you my friend. I ask you as your friend and not as your king that you answer me sincerely. Do you believe magic is evil?"

Leon assesses Arthur silently, and he hesitates for a brief moment, before shaking his head. "No, sire. I don't believe magic is evil. But power has a habit of corrupting people. I've witnessed it many times, even in some knights."

Arthur allows himself a smug smile as he glances over at Merlin. He knew Leon would not disappoint him.

"A wise answer, Leon. Thank you for your sincerity," Arthur finally says. "And now please give me your sword."

"Sire?"

Arthur ignores Leon's confused look, extending his hand. "Your sword, Sir Leon, please," he prompts.

Leon hesitates for another brief moment, before drawing his sword and offering it to Arthur, hilt first.

Taking the sword, Arthur places it on the table behind him. Then he gives Merlin a nod and Merlin steps forward. Without taking his eyes off Leon, Arthur sees Merlin's eyes flashing golden and a moment later a small, blue fireball the size of an apple appears in Merlin's right palm.

Leon's eyes widen, and he inhales sharply, as he takes an unconscious step backwards. Next, he wants to draw his sword, but his fingers grasp at nothing. Staring at Arthur who has just taken his sword from him and is now blocking Leon's way, his face morphs from shock to disbelief.

Arthur watches Leon carefully, as Leon's eyes flicker back to Merlin and to the small blue fireball. It takes a moment for Leon to realize that Merlin makes no move to attack him or Arthur and that Arthur is standing next to Merlin and the fireball is completely at ease.

Finally, Leon's face settles on a look of confusion. "I don't understand," he says tentatively, his eyes not leaving Merlin.

"Merlin is a warlock," Arthur explains calmly. "He was born with magic. He could move objects with magic before he could even walk. Since he arrived in Camelot he has only ever used his magic for the good of the kingdom, and he has saved both my life and that of my father many times. We share a destiny foretold by an ancient prophecy, and I intend to fulfill it by bringing magic back to the land and starting an era of peace and prosperity for all of Albion."

Merlin closes his fingers and the blue fireball disappears.

Leon's eyes dart back and forth between Arthur and Merlin, before finally settling on Arthur. "Why are you telling me this, sire?"

"Because I have a task for you and this task requires you to know all of this," Arthur replies. "What I still need to know is whether you can trust me that Merlin is not an evil sorcerer and that I only want the best for Camelot and the people of my kingdom."

Leon takes a deep breath, before nodding. "Yes Arthur, I trust you. And Merlin is probably the last person who could be an evil sorcerer. No one as clumsy and kind-hearted as Merlin could be plotting to take over the kingdom. Unless it was all an act, but then he probably could have killed us all twice over by now and taken the throne for himself."

Arthur snorts in amusement, rolling his eyes, as Merlin actually looks a little bit flattered.

"Thank you, Leon," Arthur finally says emphatically. "I knew that I could count on you. Let me tell you a story, then. It's about my father and the last living dragon that he imprisoned under the castle nearly two decades ago."

A/N

Nimueh must have used a spell to disguise herself somehow. Otherwise, at least Gaius and Geoffrey should have recognized her.