A/N: This story takes place at the end of season 4, during the "Sword in the Stone" arc. It is a magic reveal story so it will change how season 5 would progress. I will mainly focus on Merlin and Arthur because they are my favorite characters. This chapter is really a prologue setting up for the rest of the story so I'd suggest reading through chapter two to see if its your cup of tea. ;) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or any of the characters in it, unfortunately. If I did, I wouldn't have ended the show!

Chapter 1

Isolde rested against the tree, while Tristan went to fetch some more water from a nearby stream. It was one of the rare moments the couple was not together, especially now that Isolde had been injured, Arthur noted with some envy. He remembered when he and Gwen had shared a similar bond.

However much he tried to not think about his lost love, she haunted his thoughts daily. Of course, it didn't help that Merlin brought her up on a fairly regular basis as well. 'He hasn't been in the stocks for a while...maybe exiling him would be a little extreme, but if he dares to mention Gwen again, there will be consequences! If we make it back to Camelot that is…'

"Thank you again for saving me Arthur. I have to say you are a much better actor than I would have expected. I mean with all the tree hugging and following Merlin around like a lost puppy for days, that was quite convincing- and Tristan and I aren't easily deceived!" Isolde said.

Arthur stared at Isolde puzzled for a few moments. He looked around for Merlin and saw that he was fumbling around in a food sack, trying to find a snack for the road. They didn't have time to stop, and were attempting to reach Ealdor before nightfall. As usual, his servant looked completely oblivious.

"Isolde, what do you mean by days? I only woke up from my injury yesterday," Arthur replied. Now it was Isolde's turn to give Arthur a puzzled look.

"Ah, maybe you were just out of it from a head injury as well," Isolde said.

Merlin came over and handed Arthur some bread, and from his evasive expression, seemed to have heard Isolde's last comment. Arthur glared at him, trying to convey, 'I will be getting a detailed account, with nothing left out, later.'

"Well, Tristan is back, no time to lose! We are almost to Ealdor!" Merlin said jumping up quickly. A little too quickly, for he managed to trip on a tree root and fall flat on his face- or he would have, if Arthur hadn't grabbed his arm at the last minute and yanked him to standing. "Ow! Can you please not pull my arm out of socket!" Merlin complained.

"I wouldn't have to merlin if you weren't the clumsiest servant in the five kingdoms" Arthur said. Merlin grumbled under his breath in response, and they continued toward Ealdor. Arthur felt bruised and exhausted himself, and was looking forward to a bed, even if it was a pile of hay. Tristen's words and his own self doubt about being king were haunting him as well. He had appreciated Merlin's words of support the night before, not that he would tell him that. Merlin always seemed convinced he would be this great king, and even if the support was just from his servant, it made him feel slightly better.

"Mother!" Merlin yelled, embracing the petite woman, with her kind eyes and ready smile; merlin took after his mother in that. Arthur was surprised they were already in Ealdor. He had seen them approaching it, but hadn't noticed they were already there, which spoke something of his mental state. Arthur was familiar with how a concussion felt, having experienced quite a few in his time, but this felt different in a way that he couldn't quite put his finger on. From what Isolde said and how he felt, he would think he had been enchanted, but of course that was ridiculous.

Hunith ushered them inside, offering them food and a place to rest while Merlin cleaned Isolde's wound.

"I've cleaned her wound, and as long as she gets plenty of rest, she'll be fine," Merlin told the concerned Tristan.

"Thank you Merlin for everything you've done for her," Tristan replied. Merlin smiled warmly, nodded, and went to catch up with his mother.

"I'm sorry, I've brought this misfortune upon you," Arthur said.

"I may have lost my cargo, but I still have my beloved Isolde, and that is what matters," Tristan replied.

"Then you are far richer than you know," Arthur said, his thoughts drifting wistfully to Gwen again. 'I can almost hear her voice in my head. I really must be losing my mind.'

'Agravain. It had to be Agravain leading the charge against his village.' Merlin's blood boiled when he thought of Agravain's betrayal, and how it was tearing Arthur apart. It took every ounce of his self control not to go out there and attack Agravain and protect his village, but he could not reveal his secret, and he had to flee with Arthur if he was to protect him. 'If I leave the prat for one minute, he'll stumble across a hidden Serket nest that has been is stasis for millennia, but will magically be activated by Arthur's presence.' Something always happened to Arthur when Merlin wasn't there.

Merlin followed them around back and out of the village, but they soon heard screams following them. They fled with Merlin guiding them to some nearby caves. The flames of the enemy torches were getting closer, and he realised what he must do. There was no way they could face an army on their own.

"You all go ahead, I'll cover our tracks," Merlin said. As soon as Arthur, Gwen, Tristan, and Isolde were in the cave and out of sight, he called Kilgharrah.

"Did we lose them?" Arthur asked.

"We're safe," Merlin said.

"You're sure?" Arthur asked.

"Do I look like an idiot?"

"Yes."

"He doesn't change does he?"

After a moment of trying to remember the way, over which Arthur, of course, gave him a royal hard time, Merlin pointed them in the direction they should go. Arthur pushed his way through to the front, always insisting by his actions, if not his words, that he had to be the one to face the danger first. 'Always thinks he is the best one to fight off danger, the arrogant prat,' Merlin thought, and if he was honest with himself, he thought it somewhat affectionately. Merlin had to shove his way to the front a couple times, insisting that he knew the way better, and secretly wanting to be in front in they did run into any unforeseen danger in the tunnels.

Merlin started hearing noises, like metal armor being jostled, and suddenly Arthur was at the rear of their party, holding up his hand for silence. Merlin quickly joined him and listened. There was a sound of boots grounding into rock; they were being followed.

"I thought you said you had lost them," Arthur said.

"I thought I had." Of course Agravain had gotten past Kilgharrah. If there was a chance for Merlin to look incompetent in front of Arthur, fate would take her opportunity.

"It won't take long for them to catch us," Tristan said.

"I'll go back."

"What are you going to do?" Arthur questioned.

"Create a diversion."

"It's too risky," Arthur argued.

"I know these tunnels, Agravain doesn't. You keep going."

"Merlin...don't do anything stupid," Arthur said.

"Me?" Merlin asked with a cheeky grin and disappeared down the tunnels. He noticed Arthur's concerned stare lingering in his direction. 'I swear, one of these days Arthur will realise I can bloody take care of myself.'

He quickly found Agravain and his men as they had been closing in fast. Agravain saw him and gave chase, and Merlin led them away. Unfortunately, the only way in the opposite direction of Arthur was a dead end.

"Merlin!" Agravain called to him, and triumph filled his eyes as he saw they had Merlin trapped.

"Be careful," Merlin stared at the floor, knowing that if he looked at the man who had Gaius kidnapped and tortured, had ruined his attempt to heal Uther, making Arthur hate magic, and had betrayed them on countless occasions, he would be very tempted to kill him. Agravain was Arthur's uncle, and Merlin knew Arthur would want to deal with him personally, but his magic was sparking inside of him. He was barely keeping his strong emotions in check; one of the difficulties of being an instinctual magical being. Agravain had no idea of the danger he was in.

"What are you talking about. Where is Arthur? Tell me. Now... Or I'll have to kill you," Agravain said, full cocky arrogance in his voice. He had escaped the dragon, and now he was just facing a helpless serving boy.

"I don't think so," Merlin replied. Agravain and his men ran at Merlin, and he casually threw them back against the cave wall. They had underestimated him, again, and they had made the mistake of not just threatening him, but Arthur as well. Agravain was the only one that stirred.

"You have magic," Agravain said standing up

"I was born with it"

"So it was you! You're Emys!"

"That is what the druids call me," Merlin said, staring Agravain down.

"And you've been at court, all this time...at Arthur's side," Agravain chuckled. "How you have managed to deceive him. I'm impressed, Merlin. Perhaps we are more alike than you think," Agravain said with a smug grin, then reached out a hand of friendship.

Merlin put up a hand in warning. Agravain backed off, then lunged forward at him with a knife. Merlin lifted his other hand and flung Agravain like a rag doll down to the ground. He stared at Agravain's still form. 'I warned you to be careful.' Merlin looked at the dead bodies around him. 'At least Arthur wasn't around to see this.'

"Merlin," Merlin heard Arthur, and he panicked. He ran straight out into the tunnel and straight into Arthur. "Where have you been?" Arthur asked. 'Did Arthur see or hear any of that?' Merlin's heart that had not raced at all during his confrontation with Agravaine was beating like a drum now. He needed to distract Arthur, to make sure he didn't ask any questions so he asked the first thing he could think of.

"Were you worried about me?"

"No… I was making sure we weren't being followed," Arthur said defensively. Arthur was normally better at hiding any feelings for his servant, which meant he must have been really worried, which warmed Merlin's heart. He never quite knew where he stood with Arthur at any given time.

"You came back to look for me," Merlin said.

"All right it's true. I came back to look for you cause you are the only friend I have, and I couldn't bear to lose you,"

"Really?" 'Hah, he is obviously joking.'

"Don't be stupid," Arthur said and turned quickly to walk away. 'Just what I thought.' Arthur might have been joking, but his genuine concern warmed Merlin's heart. He still had nagging doubts that Arthur could have seen or heard something, but surely he would have said something if he had, and any concern on Arthur's part would have turned to disgust if he knew who, or what, Merlin really was.

Arthur sat against the tree in the Forest of Ascetir, Tristan's words about him not being anything special, and not being king anymore were harsh, but true. 'Do I deserve to be Camelot's king?'

"Arthur, what's the matter?" Merlin asked sliding down beside him. Arthur ignored him. "Don't listen to Tristen, he doesn't know you.

"I trusted the wrong people," Arthur said, and the words he had overheard in the cave haunted him. He had only heard one thing his uncle had said, but it had been enough, Merlin hadn't denied it. The words replayed in his head, 'How you have managed to deceive him. I'm impressed, Merlin. Perhaps we are more alike than you think.' Agravain had to have been talking about Merlin deceiving him, who else would Agravain be impressed with Merlin deceiving besides Arthur. He wanted to ask Merlin about it, but he didn't have the heart for that conversation right now, and did not know if he should believe what Merlin would say. He had trusted Merlin for years. He was sure Merlin wouldn't betray him, but he had been sure of the others as well.

"They betrayed you. That wasn't your fault." Merlin interrupted his disturbing thoughts. 'Is it my fault that you betrayed me, Merlin' he thought, but banished those words from his lips.

"No, I was a fool. I misjudged everyone. My uncle, Morgana...Every decision I've made has been wrong."

"You are being too hard on yourself," Merlin argued.

"I should be more discerning, wise...a statesman, a king. Tristan is right, there is nothing special about me. I'm just like everyone else."

"You're not. You are a worthy king!"

"I'm good with a sword."

"Your people love you!"

"And most of them are dead, thanks to me."

"No, most of them escaped. They are in the forest. I'm sure of that."

"If they are, they will have to find themselves a new king," Arthur said with finality. Then he left Merlin to take over the watch and get some sleep.

Arthur was awoken by Merlin shaking him. He tried to groan and roll back over, but it did not work as well on the cold ground as it did in his nice comfy bed. Arthur finally opened his eyes and got up.

"This had better be good, Merlin! I don't have time for your ridiculous games" Arthur complained.

"Follow me, I have something to show you," Merlin said, and proceeded to tell him this children's story about a sword, that supposedly belonged to King Bruta, and could only be pulled from stone by his descendents and the true King of Camelot.

And then he saw it; the sword in the stone was the most beautiful thing he had ever beheld. He had only a moment to take it in before his knights and his people started showing up and making a semi-circle around the sword. 'What are they doing here? Was this Merlin's betrayal, to humiliate him in front of his people?'

"What the hell are you playing at?" Arthur asked Merlin.

"You can draw it sire. You just have to have faith," Merlin replied. Arthur went up to the sword, and tried pulling it out, but it was firmly embedded in the rock. Nothing short of magic was going to get the sword to pull free from the rock it was stuck in. He glared back at Merlin, who just gave him one of his annoyingly encouraging looks. 'Have faith he says, oh that makes it easy…' Arthur focus on all his hopes for Camelot, and focused on the king he wished to be, even if he was not there yet. He pulled, and it came out, the sun gleaming off the gold blade.

The crowd erupted in cheers, "Long live the king!"

They had made it to the throne room. It had been difficult, but they knew Camelot inside out, and Merlin had faith in Arthur's tactical abilities after seeing them succeed again and again. Morgana and Helios were waiting for them. Arthur and Morgana exchanged words, but Merlin was not paying much attention to them. Morgana hadn't tried to use magic yet, and he was anxious for her to attempt it. And then he heard his name.

"Not even the great Emrys can save you now," Morgana said. Merlin sucked in his breath, and Arthur glanced at him. 'Why did Arthur look at me. Surely, he doesn't know!'

Morgana raised her hand attempting a spell, but it failed. Merlin smiled. 'This day is ours Morgana.' He raced after her, but by the time he found her, she was attacking Gwen. Wasting no time, he cast a spell, throwing her backwards into the rubble. When the dust cleared, to Merlin's disappointment, she was gone. Merlin turned and helped Gwen up, and they went back to the throne room, only to see Isolde dying in Tristan's arms. It made the victory seem hollow in some ways as he watched Tristan's pain, but in other ways it made victory seem that much more valuable. If Morgana was queen there would be no end to people's suffering.

Gwen was finally his Queen. When he looked at her now, he no longer felt the betrayal and bitterness. It had been replaced by love. What he was most worried about was his ability to trust her, but the past few months had taught him of his own weaknesses, and shown him that to be human is to make mistakes that must be learned from. He trusted Gwen with his life, and he trusted her with Camelot.

"Gwen, I hate to send you away so soon after we are together again, but Queen Annis insisted on meeting you, and I cannot get away at the moment," Athur said with an apologetic smile.

"I understand, Arthur. I really do. It just seems to me there is something else you aren't telling me. Something has clearly been on your mind," Gwen said. Arthur grimaced. He hated keeping things from Gwen, especially because she was very good at telling when he was keeping something back. 'If only I could tell her, but then she wouldn't leave.'

"Honestly, it's Agravain's betrayal that's been bothering me. It makes me think, who else might be deceiving me that I don't know of."

"You can trust me Arthur. If you want me to stay for now, we can push back the trip to see Queen Annis." Gwen replied.

"No, no. I'll be fine. It will be good to have some time to process the events of the past week. We've been on the run so much, my thoughts are a whirlwind."

"If you are sure my love, then I will see you in a fortnight," Gwen said, reaching up and giving Arthur one final kiss before leaving his chambers.

Tomorrow he would confront Merlin, and he did not want Gwen around for the chaos and destruction this confrontation might bring. When Morgana had mentioned that the great Emrys couldn't protect them this time everything in his head had clicked into place, and now he just had to talk to Emrys. He was prepared to do whatever was necessary to get Merlin to talk.

A/N: Chapter two already written and coming soon!