So many ideas none of them for this fanfiction. Okay, plot gremlins time to focus.

Arthur and Merlin dismounted their horses followed by Sir Gwaine and Sir Lancelot. Sir Elyan and the small group of guards stayed on their horses. The small group was near the border of Camelot and Elmet about a day and a half's ride from the city. Queen Gwen, Morgana Sir Percival and Sir Leon had stayed behind in Camelot to take care of the city.

There were rumour that the land that had not long before been a desolate waste land had taken a turn for the better. However that was not why the King of Camelot and his Advisor/warlock/protector was there.

"looks like were the first ones here," Arthur said looking around as patted his horse's neck.

""hello Emerys"" Merlin heard in his head.

"yeah, looks like" Merlin agreed nonchalantly as he looked around.

""where are you?"" Merlin Telepathed.

""we have set up camp not far, myself a couple others are on our way to meet with you and the king.""

"are you sure this is the place," Sir Elyan asked

"ask Merlin," Arthur told him.

"he's the one who made the arrangments for this"

""how did you know we'd arrived?"" Merlin asked telepathically.

"we are in the right place Elyan," Merlin said.

"it's hard to tell but there use to be a school here"

""charms around the area to let us know when someone passes them"" another voice answered.

""we will be with you momentarily my lord""

"why would there be school in the middle of the forest," Elyan asked

"it was a school that specialized in knowledge and practise of magic" Arthur explained.

"my father had it burned down during the few months of the purge"

Everyone silently looked around them, a few of the knights glanced at Merlin taking in his reaction to this place. Perhaps if things had been different, if Igraine hadn't died or if Uther had not blamed magic for his loss. Merlin just might have gone to this school.

The building had been burned completely to the ground leaving only a small section of wall here and there. If you didn't know what to look for you could ride through the area and never know what had once been there. The guards were nervous about being in this place, they had taken the opportunity that Arthur had offered and had taken to reading about the history of magic in Camelot. It was why the king had chosen them to come with him. They had been over heard talking about their doubts that magic was as bad as Uther had claimed.

""I am not A my lord"" Merlin telepathed back.

Arthur still holding his horse's reins stepped closer to Merlin speaking to him in a voice just loud enough for the warlock to hear.

"how long do you think they will keep us waiting?" he asked.

"they are here," Merlin said looking over Arthurs' shoulder.

Arthur turned to see three men in druid robes stepping into the small clearing. Each of them held a narled wooden staff that most druids had. The gaurds saw them aswell, their hands instictivly going for their swords. They relaxed when Arthur caught their eyes and shook his head in the negative signaling for them to stand down.

One of the druids stepped forward, Arthur recognized him as one of the druids that he had left Mordred with when he was a young boy but he could not quite remember his name. It had after all been over four years since he had seen the man and that had only been for less than five minutes.

"King Arthur" The man spoke bowing.

"my lord Emrys"

"I am not a my lord Iselder," Merlin said

"I wish you would stop calling me that"

"I thought his name was Merlin," one of the guards said in a hushed voice that every one could still hear.

"My name is Merlin," He said to the druids while at the same time low key responding guard's confusion.

""did The fisher king not pass to you the ring of sucesion"" one of the druids telepathed.

""he gave me his ring yes, but that does not make me a my lord"" Merlin telepathed back.

"my appologies Merlin," Iselder said

He then turned his attention to the King and his knights.

"I must admit that while we were pleased to hear of the changed made to the laws in Camelot as suttle as they are, and the request from you king Arthur to speak to use about peace between our people and Camelot. There are some of us that are still sceptical about your intentions."

"you have my word my intentions are peace for all people living in Camelot and her alies," Arthur said.

"I know of the wrong done to the druids because of my father and because I believed him for so long. But my father is gone now and I know thruth of why he did what he did. I know that he was wrong to blame anyone for my mothers death let alone punish an entire people who had nothing to do with it".

"a life time of prejudice is had to over come" one of the other druids spoke.

"as is a life time of fearing for your lives," Arthur said.

"I know that my telling you that you no longer need to fear for your lives from Camelot won't erase that fear. I mearly ask that you allow me to prove it".

"we will" Iselder said.

The third druid stepped forward.

"King Arthur if you and your escorts would leave your horse and follow us" He said

"we will guide you to the summit"

Arthur looked around at his men catching there eyes, he and Merlin caught each others eyes. Merlin nodded letting Arthur kow he did not sence any danger from these men.

"men," Arthu spoke. "leave the horses and follow the druids".

"Sire?" one of the gaurds questioned.

" do not worry, your horses will be taken care of and will still be here when you are ready to return to Camelot," Iselder told him.

Arthur and Merlin follow Iselder with the knights and gaurds following on the narrow trail behind them. Sir Lancelot and the other two druid brought up the rear of the group. Merlin could see why Iselder wanted them to leave the horses, the forest was thick around them and the path was wide enough for a person to walk but would be to narrow for a horse.

It was actually kind of perfect the trees were to close together for anyone to get through with out getting stuck, the only way to get through was on the path which was narrow and twisted and turned not to mention no one had even realized it was there until Iselder pointed it out so it was well hidden.

After about twenty minutes the group stepped out into a clearing that was ceilings by the tops of the trees. The clearing was larger than the one they had left their horses in and there were tents set up with one large but not to large tent in the middle. It was bigger than the others but still small enough that it could be taken down very quickly, the druids had learned to be efficiant.

"I am sorry that we didn't bring Mordred with us" Arthur spoke to Iselder.

"Merlin sent him a letter inviting him to come with us, unfortunatly we are having this meeting during the harvest season and Mordred wanted to stay in Ealdor to help the town."

"it would have been nice to see him again" Iselder said " but I understand, I am glad that he was finally able to find a place he felt he belonged"

"did Mordred not feel like he belonged with the druids" Arthur asked wondering if he had done the right thing by bringing the young boy to the druids after all. Perhaps the boys life would have been better had he brought him to Hunith right away. Then he remembered he hadn't even met Hunith yet when he first met Mordred, when Morgana had been trying to sneak him out of the city.

"I can not tell you of the inner feelings of another person your highness" Iselder told him.

"but I do know that he came to dislike our way of life. Many of our people would like to be able to settle down in one place"

Druid leaded lead everyone into the large tent. There was was large flat rock that Merlin rightfully guessed was meant to be used as a table. There were large brown blankets on the ground to make a make shift floor and rocks set up around the table just about the size of small chairs. There was one for everyone. The rock table was about three feet high and while it was not round it was also not rectagular like most tables so there was no place that would be called the head of the table.

Iselder invited every one to sit down.

Arthur sat down beside Iselder and Merlin sat beside him soon the others followed suit, the four gaurds that had been brought with them stood by the walls of the tents as did an equel number of druids.

Each person was poured a drink and a few plates of deshelled nuts and berries were place on the table for everyone to share. It wasn't much but it was enough for everyone in the tent if no one took more than their fair share.

Merlin looked around the room as Iselder officialy welcomed Arthur and thanked him for this opportunty to talk about peace between Camelot and the druids. Sir Gwain sat across the table from him while he seemed to be relaxed Merlin knew his friend well enough to know that he was allert as he always was when they were meeting with dignitaries about peace treaties. Although Merlin guessed that the druids would not consider them selves foregn dignitaries since a lot of them did live in the kingdom of Camelot.

Sir Elyan and Sir Lancelot were also relaxed but allert. Merlin also noticed that the few Druid, the two men that had accompanied Iselder to greet them at the burned down school along with two more men and three women.

He could hear the druids speaking to each other telepathically, he wondered if they knew he could hear them as most people could only hear telepahic messeges directed at them. He also paid attention to what every one was saying, he was talented like that.

"" which one is Emrys"" He heard what sounded like a child telepath.

He turned his head to see a couple of children peaking into the tent through the opening. He caught there eyes and smiled a little giving them a small wave. The childrens eyes widened and they quickly turned and ran from their spying place when they relized they had been caught.

Merlin turned to see Iselder turned his attention from the place were the children had been to the druid that was asking Arthur a question. Iselder and Merlin caugh each others eyes, both had laughter in them at the antics of the young children.

" understand your concern," Arthur said responding to the druids question of why Magic has not yet been fully restored to legality if Arthur has truly come to realize the laws are wrong.

"but my father has taken over twenty years building up peoples fear of magic, I intend to change the laws slowly to ease the people into it"

"if I may ask" one of the women spoke" do you have a plan for when it will no longer be elligal to have magic in Camlot"

" I am afriad we don't know yet" Arthur said.

"Arthur has already decreed that it is no longer against the law to study the fundamentals and history of magic in Camelot," Merlin said.

"we are hoping that giving people the opportunity to understand magic at a fundemental level will settle some of their fears and make it easier on them when the king fully removes the laws against magic, which we hope will be soon but like Arthur said we don't know for sure when just yet"

One of the gaurds looked at Merlin, he surprised the guard. The ex servant had certainly become more confident since the king had promoted him. The guard did not expect what happen next, expected the king to remind him to mind his place.

"Merlin speaks the truth," Arthur said.

" I also need to speak to the other kingdoms that my father has convinced to follow his example"

"yes I am afraid it is not just Camelot that has pursicuted our people, I would suggest you be careful there are kingdoms that are more lenient with their laws on magic and then there are places like Amata."

"I have heard their king is very stricked but I've never met the man" Arthur said. "my father always said that Serrem was someone you didn't want as an enemy"

"Serrem makes your father look almost like a saint" Iselder told him "he may be the only person we know of who hates magic more than your father did, unlike Uther no one knows why"

"are there druids living on Serrem's lands?" Arthur asked

"not that we are aware of, our people are warned against even setting foot on Amata lands " one of the druids spoke.

"may I ask why you think Serrem is worse than Uther?" Merlin asked.

The druid turned his attention to Merlin, he thought for a few second trying to think of how to word what he would have to tell Emrys. This was the most powerfull warlock in the world but is seemed the most uninformed as he was still so young.

"while Uther was bad, decapitating and even sometimes burning people who had or were accused of having anything to do with magic he at least killed them considerably quickly. Serrem had been rumoured to enjoy torturing sorrcerers before executing them."

"there have even been a few times when he has ignored a kingdoms borders in the persuit of an accused sorcerrer"

Arthur and Merlin both frowned as did the knights, each knight glanced at Merlin non of them liking the idea of Merlin being tortured. They thought about Morgana and Mordred, their thoughts wandered to Balinor and the years he had spent in hiding before Kilgharrah had found him and told him about his son.

Arthur clenched his fist for a second when he immagined what might have happened had Merlin and Morgana been caught going through Amata when they had been returning to Camelot after being taken by Morgause, or if Mordred had wandered on the land during the time he was traveling with random groups.

"that will never happen in Camelot," Arthur said. "the druids are safe on Camelots lands so long as they do not use their magic to cause anyone harm. If Serrem ever ignored Camelots borders and tries to take anyone under my protection he will be dealt with."

"and who my lord do you consider under your protection" one of the women asked.

"Any one who lives on Camelot and Escetir lands is under my direct protection and I will assist my alies should their borders be ignored and they need help." Arthur said. "this would also include druids living on my lands aswell"

The Druids all looked around at each other silently debating.

""how do we know it's not somesort of elaborate trap""

""yes he could planning on waiting until there are many druid incuding our leaders out in the open and then arresting and exicuting us""

""Arthur did bring Emerys with him and was it not our lord Emrys who first contacted Iselder about the summit with Arthur""

""how do we know he is truly Emerys""

""well for one thing"" Merlin Telepathed "" I can hear all of you without even trying, in fact I don't seem to have choice in the matter.""

every druid eyes turned to the young man sitting beside the king.

" Arthur is honest in his desires to make peace and welcome the druids back to Camelot" Merlin spoke out loud.

"if I thought for one moment that helping him to find the druids would put your lives in danger I would not have done it"

Arthur leaned over to speak to Merlin,

"telepathy?" he asked.

"yep," Merlin answered.

Arthur straighted back up and looked at each of the druids as he spoke.

"each person that was choosen to come with me including the guards were choosen because of the doubts that magic was the evil thing my father claimed it was, I am not only hear to tell you that you no longer need to fear Camelot but to ask you to visit Camelot show people that they don't need to be afraid of you."

"and how would we do that" one of the druid men asked.

" by just being yourselves," Sir Gwain said.

"I have already decreed that the Druids would no longer be persicuted" Arthur told them. "this meeting is to let the druids know that you are welocome in Camelot. I would also like to appoligize for everything that has beed done to the druid because of my father and myself. For years I believed what my father told me even when it meant ignoring my own contience when it told me what I was leading my knight to do under my fathers orders was wrong. I was so sure my father knew what he was talking about that he was being honest and truly cared about what was best for his people I didn't let myself consider that he was wrong until I was forced to see the truth."

"you think an appolgy will make up for the lives lost"? One of the druid women asked.

"of course not," Arthur said "nothing will ever make up for the lives that have been taken, all I can promse you as that no one will ever be executed simply because they have magic ever again. Unless of course they use their powers to commit a crime in which execution would be the punishment weather or not they used magic to do it".

"that is understandable," Iselder said.

"then it is settled, we will spread the word the druid people no longer need to fear Camelot"

"thank you and I hope we can prove that to be true," Arthur said.

Iselder invited everyone to join the druids for the midday meal before returning to Camelot. It was a sunny day so the meal was taken out side, one of the druid women explained that they only ate inside when it was to cold and or raining. There were several fires with cooking pots over them. The druids that were cooking refused Merlins offer to help claiming they were almost done and there was nothing they needed help with.

Everyone ate and talked among the druids and each other. The druids were carefull to only speak telepathically when absolutly neccesary since they now knew that Emrys could hear them without purposly trying.

After the meal Iselder and the other two driud that had guided them in were preparing to escort Arthur and his men back to the horses. Before they could leave a middle aged woman in druid robes came into the camp looking around. She spotted Iselder speaking to Merlin.

""Iselder I need to speak with you"" She telepathed walking up to them.

"" what is it Shiara"" Iselder askes sensing the woman was distressed.

""the trescilian peice, its gone"" she told him.

""you lost it?"" Iselder asked.

""I believe it was stollen by a man who called him self Borden, I had thought he was injured and tried to help him. I left him alone in my tent to get bandages for only a moment when I returned he and my knecklace with the part of the trescilain I was trusted to take care of was gone""

""let us hope that he is only a common theif and does not know what he holds, after all it is only one piece."" Iselder said.

""what is a trescilain?"" Merlin telepathed.

and that is the end of this chapter about half way through my plot gremlins started to plot have the chapter end with that question? After all we do need to find Aithusa and I don't think anything that happened in Camelot would have changed Bordens path yet.