A giant thank you to all how have followed, favorited, reviewed and stayed with this! As a thank you I am giving you the next chapter which is one of the longest yet!

Enjoy!

Arthur Pendragon had been challenging Percival and Leon to a test of skill using daggers, dodging and defending themselves with other weapons against the small knives. Currently, he was having sharpened, heavy wooden sticks thrown at him by Leon, when a familiar face caught in his peripheral vision. His attention having shifted, he was now in danger of losing his concentration.

Turning his focus back to the next weapon speeding towards him, he reminded himself that Guinevere had been in and out of the physician's chamber checking on her friend while Gaius was out doing his rounds. So why was she out in the training field? He glanced over again to see a flash of silver and a full head of dark hair. Gwaine? The knight had been showing up late increasingly often since Merlin had returned, if he came at all. He understood why the tavern frequenting man did this, however, the king was stressed enough with the council looking down their nose at him and didn't need the addition of an irresponsible knight. Annoyed and ready to beat the easy going man with his favorite crossbow, he turned his full attention to where his queen was standing along side the knight, to see a hooded figure between them.. Who?

"Arthur!" Gwaine warned, too late. Leon had expertly aimed the next projectile at his target and launched it. Merlin watched in slow motion as the spear grew ever closer to his distracted king. He knew he could stop the weapon with little effort, but a shadowed thought crept to the forefront of his mind.

Should he stop it?

It would be all too easy to do nothing and let the weapon continue it's corse to the knight that had made his life so complicated. The one man he dedicated to protect, and guide. A spark that seemed to originate from the core of his being had him feeling abruptly horrified, making his hand rise at the last instant.

A spilt second later when Arthur turned back to Leon, the stick had cracked and torn right down the middle, veering off in different directions and whizzing right past the king.

Merlin let his hand fall back to his side shaking slightly from a fight that could not be seen. A fight to which he could plainly see both sides to before, but now it seemed the line between them was becoming blurred.

Arthur looked back over to Gwaine who signaled him over. He called for Leon to pick on Percival for throwing targets, and proceeded over to his queen, knight, and the cloaked stranger. Gwen had walked forward to meet him with a cloth, as he tossed his weapon of choice aside. Once he had caught up to the remaining pair under the cover of an outside corridor, he noticed the cloaked man had bent his head. After Arthur had shot a questioning glance from his wife, to Gwaine, and back to the clocked figure, the person's hood was thrown back with a flick of his head.

"Hey, Arthur." He greeted with a tired smile.

"Merlin?" he hissed motioning for them to retreat back into the castle. The king noticed Gwaine was the one to restore Merlin's hood a top his head, which he thought odd but quickly disregarded it. The blonde knight led the small group until they found an empty hallway, where he spoke again.

"Why did you bring him here? He's suppose to be resting and under guard!" he exclaimed quietly to his knight with a stern expression.

"I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't speak of me as if I were not present, Arthur." Merlin replied determinedly. He had been been recuperating and doing very little before that under the watchful gaze of his mentor. The very person he had given so much to protect had hardly come to see him, and the warlock knew why. The king simply didn't want to make up his mind, because the decision he knew he had come to or the options brought before him were not ones he agreed with. The servant knew the knight wanted everything to return to the way it was, but it couldn't, so he was renewing his efforts to turn a blind eye. But Merlin refused to let him. He went to the king to make him see that that was not an answer and there was no escaping this. He wanted him to see that, as he had not made up his mind, nothing was going to heal them, nothing was being resolved, and neither of them could move forward.

Resolute in his decision, he continued looking defiantly at his king. "I asked them to bring me here."

"He wanted to make sure you were unharmed by, your last meeting." Gwen explained hesitantly.

"It was either this or tying him to the bed. However, this was not my favored way of going about things." Gwaine looked guiltily to his out stretched gloved hand, glinting sliver, in the exposing rays of light coming through the open window revealed a thick, freshly polished chain. The knight looked pitting and disgusted by it's presence as he shifted it to his other hand with a soft clink, revealing more of material that trailed heavily over to it's other recipient.

Arthur gazed grimly to the metal he knew was attached to the servant's wrists hidden under his cloak.

"We thought it would be best to hide his identity for now as well, as much as we can at least." Explained the queen.

"Right well, he is still a-"

"Still here." The person he was referring to pointed out. Merlin was not going to be dismissed, not this time. Gwaine snorted at the stiff irritation in his tone that reminded him of his friend before all this happened.

"Fine then! What was this about checking on me? As you can see I'm in perfectly alright." The king said, disgruntled. He was irritated at that fact that no matter the restrictions he seemed to put around this man appeared to have vanished at the sorcerer's request! Despite himself, he felt as though he needed to be honest in the way he regarded himself. He had made it a habit to say whatever he needed to in order for the ones he spoke to to leave him alone. He had never held anything back before though, and now he was lying to himself daily as he went about his life, without his friends.

The warlock's gaze hardened briefly, recognizing the truth veiled in the light hearted dismissal. "Perhaps to an untrained eye, sire. But not to one with my particular abilities." Glancing around the corridor wearily and indicating the open windows he quickly added before the king had the option to express what he thought. "I rather not do this under watch if you don't mind."

Arthur sighed, allowing himself to concede and relax his defensive, cold demeanor. He turned leading them down to a lower floor.

He felt strangely comforted at these turn of events. He had felt so horribly conflicted, and exhausted yet unable to rest for long. It was as though help had come to reassure him and to tell him to rest, as though something in the air was beginning to settle.

They quickly decided on an empty room that was last used as a wash room, now deserted.

Gwen closed the door behind them, locking it securely. Arthur had grabbed a torch off the wall in the hallway, it's small flame quickly dying. The queen took the torch and began shed light on the rest of the room, to which Gwaine didn't hesitate to undo the chains from his friend as soon as he could see enough not to hurt him. Merlin tugged the cloak off, throwing it to a nearby table, rolled his shoulders and checked his wrists, a faint print left by the heavy manacle was visible in the dim light.

"Right. So, how does this work exactly?" asked Gwaine, looking around uncertainly. As curious as the knight seemed at the prospect of witnessing his friend preform magic, he was also eager to return the servant to the temporary safety of his courters.

"Well, actually I just need Arthur to stand here." Merlin instructed gesturing in front of him. He shifted uncertainly trying to settle himself and connect with the instinctual magic that flowed as freely through his veins as did the air around them.

He could have done this without the need of concentration, just by grasping at it in a fleetingly thought, but lately his magic had been acting erratically. He could perform simple spells periodically, but still, something was off, as though it were being pushed down by a wet cloth. Truthfully he wasn't used to people watching him do magic, he had always been alone, hidden by a wall of some sort, or unaware of it while protecting someone.

The sorcerer took a deep breath, closing his eyes, his instinct would be all he needed.

He slowly pushed his senses beyond him willing it around the confines of the room. He recognized Arthur presence, feeling a pang go through him as he felt the king had changed. While Gwen and Gwaine seemed normal, the queen with her gentle warmth that those without magic could easily feel, and Gwaine with his calm, content, easiness he always carried with him. Even as he shifted, the king seemed hardened by the turmoil that surrounded them both. Strange, as he had never been able to see or feel anything about himself in this ability. Concentrating around him again, he searched for anything that felt wrong, poisonous, harmful, or dark.

Moments had passed as everyone held their breath, expecting the wind to change, or a light to appear. They didn't know what would present itself, as they were rooted to the spot.

"Any day now, Merlin." Arthur said after about a minute, clearly waiting for something to happen.

The warlock, jolted out of his deep concentration, squeezed his eyes shut as he was welcomed back with erupting pain that came back to him with agonizing clarity. He tried to calm the raging pain by placing both hands on either side of his head, splaying his fingers.

"Silence, I also needed silence." He said gritting his teeth. He felt suddenly dizzy being ripped from his meditative state coupled by the sensation of his head thrumming under his fingers.

"Are you alright?" Gwen asked going over to him from her place by the door.

"Yes. I- well if I hadn't been interrupted, I'd be much better."

"What do you mean? You act as thought your finished. Nothing has happened." Arthur observed skeptically.

"I am. I couldn't find anything dark around you. You're fine, as you said." He reaffirmed in a clipped tone of irritation, turning away from the royal. He hadn't been able to sense anything dark in the room, but usually when he made it to concentrating like this, as he done every so often after Morgana's last attack on Camelot, he could sense everything within the castle, and narrow it down to a location, or person. It had been a calming action to perform, but now it left his strength uncomfortably drained.

What is wrong with me?

"Merlin? Is it your head again? If you're all finished why don't you go back and rest." Gwen suggested, trying her best to stay in the middle of the situation, near her husband for support, and close to her best friend who looked like he would lose his footing at any second.

"You look like you may need it, mate." Gwaine agreed in what he hoped was a more persuasive then apprehensive tone. "Let me just put the torches out.." Gwaine added, moving to the flame nearest him.

They stopped, as they could all now hear foot steps approaching from a distance. They had minutes at most before they were caught in this, difficultly explained situation.

"Looks like there's no time for that. Allow me, sire?" Merlin asked, glancing over to the blonde, amazed he could hear anything besides the throbbing that was threatening to crack his head open.

He was still getting used to the idea of having to ask instead of just doing things that needed to be done. Now he felt he needed to at least let the knight know when he was about to do something, still being a prisoner and labeled traitor. He half expected for Arthur to simply tell them to leave and be locked in the cells for real now he was well enough, but he didn't.

Left with very few options the king nodded slightly. Merlin had to shake away a small amount of surprise and clamped his eyes shut again, allowing the pounding in his head to intensify as he used a hand to knead his forehead, and turned his attention to the heat of the dancing flames, letting a spell roll of his tongue.

At once and without a hint of any wind the torches were extinguished. Gwen reacted unexpectedly quickly as she rushed to the door, allowing Gwaine and a newly clocked figure to rush past them and out of sight, leaving the king and queen to start up a spontaneous conversation amongst themselves as the serving girl passed them.

"That was quite handy. You do that often?" Gwaine asked, attempting to lighten the mood as soon as they found an empty corridor on the way back to the physician's chambers.

"Not really, a few times before. I usually end up lighting them." Merlin answered, hoping he wasn't vague enough to be heard as something akin to a criminal. He was trying to accustom himself to the pain in his head that began to fluctuate, making it more difficult to ignore.

"Really? I'd like to see that sometime." Gwaine said, staring at the man in wonder, walking somewhat slowly beside him. Merlin's eyes snapped open as gaped at the knight in a way that suggested the man was sprouting another head. Gwaine grinned, watching him quizzically. "What? I'm not from Camelot remember? I've met some sorcerers before, very secretive of course, but good drinking company."

Merlin snorted, smiling slightly. "Should of known it would be at a tavern."

They walked back into Gaius's chambers, the knight handing his friend the shackles and instructing him to hold one end of the chain under his cloak, unwilling to put the metal on his friend again. As they met to the guards outside the physician's chambers Gwaine easily fabricated a story about interrogating the servant.

Merlin reentered the familiar room shrugging off his cloak and jacket, setting the chains on the table, and making himself at home. His friend did the same, lungeing about the table while his brained relaxed a bit and began to whirl excitedly at all the possibilities the servant's abilities brought to mind.

The warlock continued walking over to the work bench, and began shuffling through the many bottles there, searching through squinted eyes for another pain remedy for his head. He found a decent looking one, squeezing his eyes against the pain, and uncorked the bottle when Gaius walked back in.

"Merlin! I came back earlier for some supplies when I saw you had left!" he said reprovingly ignoring Gwaine who began eating an apple. "I checked with the guard who said a knight and the queen had accompanied you, but- What are you doing?!"

Merlin stopped before swallowing the continents of the bottle in one go. His head was getting impossibly worse, and the physician's yelling wasn't helping. His mentor rushed over and snatched the bottle from his hands.

"Might I ask why you're trying to poison yourself with so much belladonna?"

Gwaine tensed and dropped the apple, suddenly alert and staring in disbelief from one man to the other.

"If it will rid me of his headache I'll try anything." Merlin mumbled, closing his eyes and walking back to his room.

Gaius exchanged a curious glance with Gwaine before telling the knight he needed to speak to the servant and stop him from accidentally doing anything else hazardous. The knight understood and grudgingly left him to it, wishing him luck and smoothly dusting the fruit off while he finally reported for his duties.

Gaius pushed open the door to see a young man in his bed lying on his back with a pillow over his face.

"Merlin?" He received no answer. "Honestly, my boy, what has happened to you now can't be worse then what's past."

"My head. I feel like it's about to spilt open." He whimpered, moving the pillow up far enough to be heard, but not enough to allow the pillow space for the light reach his eyes.

"After that spell you used I'm not surprised. You were lucky to escape the when you did." Gaius explained coming to move a chair over to sit by the bed. "It's expected to have some side effects, this is your punishment I'm afraid. Were you fully aware of what that spell would do?"

"Yes. I already went out to check on Arthur and it ended up working the way I wanted it to-"

"Not to Arthur you foolish boy!" Gaius snapped, breaking his glare at what was visible of his ward's face when the servant gritted his teeth.

The physician sighed, continuing in a softer tone. "That spell was used to torture criminals into madness to get information on their victims by having them feel the pain of the people that fell at their hand, using their memories against them! Their cries were said to be heard from more then a league away."

"I modified it so I could control my memories for Arthur to see, as he wished. I made it so he could see and hear what I have without receiving any of the customary pain."

"So you decided to be the recipient of the brunt of the spell?"

Again he received no answer, the physician sighed, standing up, annoyed and about to leave him to the pain of the responsibility of his actions, when he heard a very small pained voice.

"I needed him to see, Gaius. I've waited for years to be found out, doing everything I believed to be right to protect this kingdom. I just can't wait any more. I can't take the pain of not knowing his decision. My dreams, if they are not visions, have shown my future to be tied to a burning pyre. All I can do and have done is stay in the shadows, but I'm not there anymore. Everyone knows. Oh Gods what can I do to make this stop? I was accustomed to being unnoticed, glad of it at times. I can't take this anymore-"

"Stop Merlin! You must breathe!"

Merlin's explanation had grown from tears to a point where he was struggling to breathe, his nerves bursting through into his head. Gaius was forced to rush out of the room and grab a ready made, powerful sleeping draft.

This was not good. Merlin had only just begun to make progress returning to his normal self, now he seemed to he slipping backwards.

He rushed back into the room grabbing his wrist, only his mouth visible from under the pillow, tipping the vile's contains into his ward's panic stricken body. He watched as, slowly, he pulse returned to a safer pace and his breathing evened out.

"Please be patient a little longer." He whispered, quickly moving the pillow back under his head and brought a damp cloth other is forehead and eyes. "Your destiny is no jest. Hold on just a bit longer."

"Enter." called the king.

Gaius entered the rulers' chambers that evening while they were in the midst of their dinner. He walked in calmly before the king and queen, hands folded.

"Gaius? Has Merlin's condition worsened? Gwaine told us earlier of his worsened headache."

"Yes. I fear that was the terms for allowing you to see into his mind." He stated calmly.

"Is he well? Is there anything that can be done about it?" asked a concerned Guinevere.

"I have done all I can for the time being."

That didn't sit well with the queen. "Which is?"

"I have had to give him a powerful sleeping draft, without any pain relief. This action I took had little to do with the spell he used however." He approached slowly. Arthur gestured for him to be seated on his other side across from the queen.

"What do you mean?"

"Merlin has been waiting anxiously in the shadows for his secret to be unveiled. He has protected you both along with the entirety of the kingdom, watching as his fears, weather they have been conscious or not, have turned into fact. He could have disappeared long ago, but he did not. He chose the harder path of standing to fight every threat set before him, all the while growing to use his talents in accordance with the best interests for the kingdom seeking no reward. He is slipping back to the Merlin you found over a month ago, sire, hardly the ghost of the man you once knew, and seems he is on the path becoming even less then that. He cannot wait much longer for his fate to be decided, he is being crushed by that lack of knowledge he use to crave and is now too frightened to fathom what will become of himself."

Arthur studied the physician for a long while, a contemplating, hoping to find an answer in the aged man's face. Then looked to his wife, resting a hand on hers as she seemed alarmed and at as much of a loss as he was. "What would you have me do, Gaius?"

"My view is that you have three options, my lord. You can banish him, where he will become the man he is slipping back to, and be lost to us forever." The physician closed his eyes briefly, pausing to push the thought from his mind of his ward and what would become of Camelot without it's protector. "You can have him executed, easing many of the minds within the kingdom and thus destroying it's future." Arthur looked at him quizzically, taking in his words. "Or finally, you can accept him, causing many things to change, while having him at your side as he has always been to seek counsel from if it is needed."

Arthur closed his eyes, thinking. Concentrating on all he had seen and been through with his servant. Could he truly make any of these choices with confidence?

"What ever you decide, sire, a choice must be made soon. Or I fear all his sacrifices and services will have been for nothing in the end."

The last high priestess strode confidently through the woods with a cruel delighted smile lighting her pale face.

After finally tracking down and purchasing the knowledge of an particularly intriguing spell she had recently been searching for. The inventive sorcerer's work was traveling through the realm among black magic users with increasing excitement, using new and impressive methods for playing with their victims.

As she neared her campsite one her men ran up to her. She frowned, annoyed by his sudden presence.

"My lady." he bowed slightly out of breath. "We've found the smuggler."

She smiled. As she had traveled and gained alliances, she had heard rumors of her brother running a servant out of Camelot for the crime of saving the queen using magic. She had awoken in the night to the feeling of her spell on her former maid break and had started questioning her contacts closer to Camelot. Upon hearing of another sorcerer in the city that was still alive, she had hoped to meet and win the servant, who had survived so long in the magic banned city, to her side and had begun searching for the source of this rumored information to find if there were any truth in it.

"Then we should not keep our guest waiting any longer." she smiled cruelly dismissing the messenger.

Today was a good day indeed.

Merlin's headache lessened over the next few days, and he became more himself, trying to busy his mind with Gaius's vast library of books, keeping the windows open at all times. He never explained why he did this. The physician believed Merlin to be connected to the elements themselves, needing the fresh air and sounds of the outside world to keep him stable, sane, grounded, and there. Days turned to weeks and the thought he had tried to push away was becoming more apparent to him then ever. He was a prisoner in his own home, trapped. The knights closest to him would come to visit, and sometimes he would be fine more or less, other times the sorcerer would be forced into a drug induced sleep, vanished behind in the books he read, or become lost in his thoughts.

What was there to keep you happy in reality when your life was in suspended motion?

His mind had developed a shelter for his sanity, protecting him from the truth of what would most probably happen.

Gwaine had voiced his opinion many times to Arthur, seemingly to no avail. What was he to do? The knight had threatened to leave his position, but he could no more sway the king's mind then break stone with a single thrust of his fist. What was to become of the servant? Would he be killed for all the trouble he had gone through the years to save everyone, especially the king? Would he be shunned and banished, leaving the prophesies to be empty words, forgotten promises? Had this destiny been nothing but a test to see if the world was ready for change? Or to see how much one person could handle? Was he not even the right person? Had the druids made a mistake in naming him Emrys?

Gaius had ceased to give any advice or even speak to the king. He attended court meetings but refused to give any input, playing the part a busy physician. Leon was tense around Arthur, torn between duty, loyalty, and friendship. Percival tried to stay out of it completely, only visiting the prisoner once and, while in the king's presence, only express his opinions when asked, keeping his distance. Gwaine was on still on speaking terms with the knights, and occasionally with the queen, but refused to even look at their king. He visited the condemned man every chance he could, trying to keep him up to date with everything that happened outside of the physician's chambers. Guinevere was at a loss. She kept her head high and tried to stay above it, staying on speaking terms with the king, but kept to herself most of the time deciding it to be unsuitable to be visiting a criminal with her new ruling status. The lords and ladies along with the rest of the counsel had quieted since the sorcerer was put under constant guard, and allowing the king to decide the final ruling for himself. The rest of the people of Camelot carried on with their lives, some with slightly dampened spirits.

Arthur kept his demeanor as normal as possible if not stiff, having to let the men he put in the cells go as he could not convict them for anything , and continuing to conducting business as usual. This decision was to stake the future of the kingdom, and it was tearing him apart. Should he keep to his father's traditions? Or would every time he sentenced a sorcerer to death, see the face of his old loyal servant? One thing was certain, once a decision was made, his life would change. Either banishing or executing the magic user would remove his confidant he had grown so use to having by his side. Should he accept Merlin as a practitioner of magic, and therefore abolish the laws and efforts his father had worked so hard on? Merlin had done so much, but that was the point. He had saved the king and queen more then once, kept their confidences, sacrificed himself, gone into perilous situations with him willingly seeking no reward or concern for his own well being. He had set things in to motion by both acting, and choosing to do nothing. He had done things, killed people, helped wanted men escape, sheltered and helped those running from the law, lied to him.

That was it. He had made his decision and for better or worse he would stick with it.

"It's true my lady."

Morgana raised her head, considering the man's words. He was a thin, greedy, bit of filth as he shook slightly under her distasteful gaze. Being a smuggler ordinarily mean his claims could be trusted, but she began to believe his fear was more powerful then his lust for gold.

"You say the servant is still alive?"

"Yes, my lady. He was retrieved a month ago and there are rumors the king fighting an enchantment, only keeping the boy under guard and taking no disciplinary action."

"Perhaps. The arrogant king is continuously short sighted and about most the obvious matters." She smirked as a chuckle elicited from her men around her.

"If that is all, my lady.." he said bowing a backing away.

"What of your reward?"

"Reward?" he asked, his head shooting up to face her with gleaming eyes.

"Yes, I offer you protection, as I am aware your, profession can be unpredictable. In return I want you to swear fealty to me and relinquish half your earnings."

"Loyalty of a smuggler and half my profit?!" the man laughed incredulously. His mad laughter grew, a harsh wheezing sound erupting from his rancid mouth.

The witch smiled. "I was hoping that would be your answer." she replied evenly, jerking her head upwards as her men moved to punch the man in the stomach, another yanking his head up and slitting his throat.

"Take whatever you wish of his stock." she called to her men. "Bring me his companions, or rather, the ones that are left when you finish." She smirked as the men cheered and ran, swords raised, back to the smuggler's wagons. As they left, she retrieved a rather large sum of gold left on the body. "Half as promised."

The following morning the king had requested everyone gather in the throne room; lords, ladies, knights, and counsel members alike. Everyone bustled in to the spacious chamber, whispering amongst themselves concerning the purpose for the meeting. Once everyone had arrived, the king entered the room with his queen through a private entrance, everyone bowing in recognition of their presence. He lead the queen to her throne beside his, taking her seat as he raised his arms in welcome addressing the others in the room.

"Greetings to all." The king spoke to the room at large, wearing his chainmail, red knights cape embroidered with the crest of his forefathers, his crown atop his head.

"I have asked for your presence today to hear the story of a selfless, loyal, courageous, man. One deserving of recognition. A man that has done nothing but serve to protect this kingdom since his arrival years ago."

He continued to share the story he knew, touching lightly on each adventure, each brave, noble, act. Allowing the tale to be known to all, for it to be spread throughout the kingdom to all of Albion.

"Recently, I believed this man to have harmed the queen, but in reality, he saved her very existence." He turned to regard his wife wearing one of her luxurious gowns, her crown worn proudly upon her head. She looked at him, eyes widening in astonishment as she caught on to who he was referring to. She gazed back adoringly into his eyes, smiling as tears were beginning to work there way to the surface. This was the man she had seen in him all those years ago. One that could rise above any adversity, reigning true to those that called him their sovereign.

"He told me it was his job to protect me. Any knight can explain that this is not so easy a task. In doing so, he had undertaken the safety this entire kingdom upon his shoulders, becoming Camelot's mysterious, and silent guardian." At this he motion for one of the guards.

Four guards made their way into the room, each holding a chain attached to the prisoner, who shuffled along between them mostly obscured by the men. The captive wore a cloak with the hood over their head, shielding their identity. A chain protruded from the prisoner's neck, a small gleam of a shackled collar visible from under the cloth held one of the lead guards. Chain linked cuffs locked around the cloaked wrists in front of the captive attached to one heavy chain held by the guard in front of them. Two more chains connected with the shackles on the person's uncovered ankles to the remaining guards. The prisoner between them was brought to stand before the king, then pushed none to gently down to their knees.

"I wondered after all that has come to pass if he was to be trusted." He paused looking down and closing his eyes, opening them again and looking to the cloaked man. "Now I know him to have my full trust and confidence. Many of you would call him a simple servant, but I know him to be much more, and am proud to call him my friend. His name?" He gestured for the hood on the man's head to be removed, his identity revealed. "Merlin."

Gasps erupted form the crowd as Merlin's clouded eyes looked up to the king, his cloak collected by a guard, allowing him to be seen clearly. Arthur paled at the look in his friend's eyes. He had not seen him since the servant had insisted on making sure he had not suffered from his memory spell. This was what Gaius had warned him would happen had his decision taken too long to make. The sparkle of pride and hope was gone, and in it's place nothing remained.

He mentally shook himself, looking over to the physician in alarm before hearing another voice.

"But your majesty, he is a sorcerer!"

Arthur gave the man a measured look. "He is also, as I have stated, the savior of our queen."

"He used magic!"

"Yes, and with that same ability has saved us all many times over."

"This is unlawful!"

"Laws can be changed!" the king shouted. "And as of this day foreword I will work towards a kingdom where sorcerers are only considered criminals if they have wronged another." He proclaimed. Turning back to his friend, he drew and raised his sword incrusted with gold, and swung.

There was a flash of fear in the sorcerer's eyes and he lifted his hands up instinctively to feebly protect his head or possibly slow the sword's decent, though his magic didn't react. To his surprise he did not feel death knocking at his door, instead he felt a heavy pressure fall away from his wrists. He blinked up to see his binds had been removed and the chains broken. Stunned, he looked up to see Arthur smiling down at him and offering him his hand. Merlin's blue hazy eyes cleared as though the fog had been blown away by a new breeze, and he reached to grasp the king's arm.

Guinevere Pendragon stood, tearing up, smiling broadly and put her hands together. The applause grew from around the room, even a cheer was heard supposedly from Gwaine, and Merlin turned around to see some smiling faces as Arthur stepped back to join in with his wife, giving Merlin the moment the man had dared dream of.

He looked around a sudden, true grin erupting on to his face, the likes of which had not been seen for months as he turned slowly to see each face, some with a sign of relief, perhaps not even meant for him. His gaze slid back to his king, and he bowed low. Instead of a pompous retort in answer, he was pulled into a fierce hug by the queen, soon joined by the knights of Camelot. He received pats on the back, hands messing up his hair, and a few bear hugs. A loud torrent of wind broke out, as Merlin turned to see a woman in a black dress appear out of the air.

Chaos ensued.