Another's Favor by ebhg

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! This chapter has lots of lovely little bits in it. I hope you'll enjoy it! Merlin is growing up, finally!


Reunited

Merlin found himself much more at ease as he attended his third feast as a guest rather than a servant. No longer did he find himself fighting the urge to ask Arthur or Gwen if they needed more wine or if they wanted more food. And though he still felt awkward being served by his friends on the serving staff, none of them seemed to hold a grudge.

Over the course of the evening, Gwaine and the other knights tried their hardest to convince Merlin to have another sampling of mead, but the warlock adamantly refused. Mithian laughed as Gwaine approached their table yet again, this time bringing Mordred to help convince the warlock. Merlin sighed, shaking his head at the knight's dogged determination.

"No, Gwaine, mead is not a good idea," Merlin insisted before the knight could say a word. The crestfallen expression on Gwaine's face even had Rodor chuckling.

"The last time you convinced him to drink it, he gave Gaius bright blue hair and managed to lock all three of us in his old room by vanishing the latch-pull," Mithian argued. "Not to mention all the bizarre things that were happening around him and the things he said!"

"My point exactly! We should be having some fun!" Gwaine retorted.

"It wasn't fun," Merlin replied. "Trust me. How would you like it if I drank myself into a stupor again, only instead of turning it blue, I just vanished your hair all together and couldn't fix it?"

Gwaine's eyes widened comically as he brushed a hand over his cherished locks.

"You wouldn't," the knight argued.

"Not intentionally," Merlin chuckled. "I didn't mean to give Gaius blue hair, it just happened and I still couldn't tell you how I did it!"

"It just happened?!" Mordred asked. "How?"

"It has to do with one of the things I explained to these dollopheads when we were looking for you, Mordred," Merlin explained, grinning mischievously at the affronted knight. "My mother sent me to live here in Camelot with Gaius so I could learn to control my magic before it totally controlled me. When I got drunk, all of the control that I had learned disappeared, but none of the power that I had gained in the meantime did."

"His spoon was rattling, platters were crashing, candles were flickering and he was spouting off the silliest things. All this while I was trying to get him out of here and to Gaius before anyone realized! Getting him through the halls was another adventure entirely. He was shouting about having magic and while I'm contemplating gagging him with his neckerchief for the sake of keeping his secret, Gaius' door practically jumps open merely because we came to it with the intent to enter," Mithian laughed, her eyes glinting mischievously at Merlin's reddening face.

"I am so sorry Mithian. I won't put you through that again," Merlin chuckled ruefully.

"I've never been entirely drunk, to be honest," Mordred said curiously. "Do you think the same thing would happen to me?" Gwaine's eyes immediately lit up.

"Alright, Merlin, stick with your bitter wine. Leave the mead to the men," the knight teased, wrapping an arm around his fellow knight.

"You can keep the hangover that comes with it, as well," Merlin said cheerfully, laughing at the slightly concerned look on Mordred's face as Gwaine led the younger man back to their table.

"You turned Gaius' hair blue?!" Rodor asked with an amused twinkle in his eye.

"I honestly didn't mean to," Merlin admitted sheepishly, though Rodor merely laughed.

As the evening wore on, Merlin was glad to see how happy everyone was. Arthur and Gwen were cheerfully presiding over the feast, though the queen was starting to look rather tired. Hunith was pleasantly chatting with many different people, nobles and servants alike. Gaius was sitting beside a wide-eyed Daegal, who had very likely never seen so much food in one meal. Merlin chuckled at the thought of how similar he must have looked when he first found himself in Daegal's position.

Even though his magic was now in the open, Merlin was glad to see that most people didn't shy away from him or turn in fear at the sight of him. His friends amongst the servants still smiled as they greeted him and the knights had all seemed to respect him even more than they had before. Of course, there were still some grumbles amongst the relics on the council, but for the most part, everyone had been rather accepting. Merlin worried that he had been relatively insulated against the worst possible reactions, isolated as he was in the castle, surrounded by those who knew him the best. The true test of the people's acceptance of magic would be when he next went into town.

Just after the queen had excused herself for bed but before the feast could take its usual rowdy turn, the double doors at the end of the dining hall opened. Two of Camelot's guards entered, escorting a group of men dressed in the attire of Catha priests and a few women dressed in grey robes. Merlin recognised Alator himself at the head of the company, though the priest had yet to look his way. Everyone at the head table stood, along with the knights, all of them eyeing the newcomers warily.

"Just when I thought we had broken the habit of having every feast interrupted dramatically," Merlin chuckled facetiously. Arthur heard his comment and gave the warlock a brief scowl before addressing the leader of the priests.

"I am King Arthur; what might your name be?"

The eldest man in the group stepped forward.

"I am Alator of the Catha, a High Priest of The Old Religion."

"I welcome you to Camelot, Alator."

"I thank you for your welcome," the Catha priest replied.

"We are celebrating the appointment of our newest Court Warlock," Arthur explained, gesturing towards Merlin. "What is your business here?"

"It is because of this celebration that we are here. We long ago pledged our support to Emrys, and as he is now revealed, we have come to reaffirm our oath to him and pledge our allegiance to you as the Once and Future King."

As one, the blue-clad priests took a knee and bowed in respect to Arthur. The women stood in the back, their heads lowered.

"Please rise," Arthur entreated, coming around the table to stand before Alator. "It gives me great honor to accept your support and your allegiance. I hope that we can work together to bring about our dream of uniting Albion."

"There is yet another reason why I and my brothers have traveled this journey," Alator explained as he stood.

"What reason would that be?" Arthur asked.

"That would be me," a voice answered from the back. A tall, dark-haired man moved to the front of the group. Merlin looked at Mithian in surprise when she gasped and covered her mouth in shock.

"Mercy!" King Rodor exclaimed, tears forming rapidly in his eyes as he followed Arthur around the table to stand before the young man. The two looked at one another for a long moment before Rodor crushed the young man to his chest in a tight embrace. Mithian, too, came around the table, wrapping her arms around her father and the dark-haired man. Merlin followed slowly behind, a grin on his face as he saw Mithian's happiness.

"You know this man then?" Arthur asked the king of Nemeth with a chuckle, trading a look of amusement with Merlin as the warlock came to stand beside his king.

"Yes, you do as well, though I don't believe you've seen each other in twenty years at least. This is my son, Prince Gavin," Rodor explained.

"Prince Gavin?!" Arthur asked, smiling at the dark-haired prince in astonishment. His memory of the Prince of Nemeth was little more than a fuzzy recollection of wooden sword fights.

"One and the same," Gavin answered, bowing his head to Arthur in respect.

"Where have you been all these years?" Mithian asked her brother, stepping back to grasp onto Merlin's hand. Gavin looked at King Rodor, his eyes apologetic.

"I discovered something six years ago. Something that frightened me greatly," Gavin explained, turning back to his sister. "I have magic, Mithian."

The princess' eyes widened in surprise. Gavin smiled understandingly, nodding in confirmation.

"But then why did you leave? Why did you not tell us?" Mithian asked.

"Uther was still king," Gavin explained.

"My father had no dominion over Nemeth," Arthur said in confusion. "Why would you be frightened of my father?"

"Uther may not have had the power to order my execution, but he certainly had the power to end our two kingdoms' formerly unstable diplomacy. I could not put Nemeth at risk like that. Instead, I requested leave of my duties to go questing, ostensibly to prove myself worthy of the throne. Though in reality, I left to gain control over my growing gift. In my travels, I found Alator and the Catha. I have been studying with them ever since."

"I am happy to see you return, Gavin," Mithian said, smiling happily at her brother before gesturing to Merlin beside her. "You have not yet met my husband."

The warlock smiled at his wife then turned to Prince Gavin, giving the royal a respectful nod.

"I'm pleased to meet you, I'm Merlin," he said, smiling at his wife's brother as he took a step forward and offered his hand in greeting.

"Merlin?!" Gavin asked in shock, looking between Merlin and Mithian in surprise before looking questioningly at Alator. The Catha priest said nothing, but nodded in silent confirmation to his royal student.

"You are Emrys! It is an honor to meet you," Gavin said, falling to one knee in respect before Merlin, the other Catha Priests quickly following suit.

"Er..." Merlin said, utterly shocked, his hand dropping back to his side. Merlin's cheeks reddened as the Crown Prince of Nemeth and a half-dozen others bowed to him. "Please, you really don't have to do that," he entreated, looking nervously around the room at the stunned expressions on everyone's faces. Rodor and Arthur exchanged a surprised look, not realizing until that moment exactly what Merlin meant to the magical community.

Gavin rose to his feet, looking amazedly between his sister and Merlin once again. The warlock stepped back to his wife's side, only to be surprised by the astonished look on Mithian's face as she looked at him.

"It's like I saw in the Cauldron," she whispered. "Not exactly, but it was close."

"Are you planning on staying long in Camelot?" Arthur asked, pulling Merlin and Mithian from their thoughts.

"I was actually traversing your kingdom on my way to Nemeth when we heard tell of today's events while passing through a village not far from here. I had no idea that my sister had married so fortuitously," Gavin answered, smiling at his younger sister. Mithian returned the grin, grabbing Merlin's hand again and giving it a tight squeeze.

"You can return with me, I planned on traveling home in a week," Rodor said. Gavin smiled at his father tentatively and nodded.

"You are not disappointed that you had such a son?" the prince asked nervously. Rodor's face softened.

"I have done you both a great disservice in my attempts to protect you," Rodor said, looking in turn to Mithian and Gavin. "I told Mithian just hours ago, that your grandmother, my mother, had magic. My son, you could not disappoint me, especially not after you took after my mother."

Gavin let out the breath he seemed to be holding, and Mithian smiled proudly at her father.

"Are you hungry?" Arthur asked, breaking the sudden, awkward silence. "Please, have a seat, we're meant to be celebrating tonight."

Instantly, the nobles that had been greedily watching the exchange for gossip fodder went back to their meals and the newcomers were quickly accommodated. Merlin sat beside Mithian once more, wondering just what else Fate would favor them with.


Early the next morning, Merlin sought out Alator amongst the guest rooms that had been afforded the Catha escorting Gavin. Mithian had suggested that perhaps the High Priest would be invaluable in Merlin's study of the pre-purge scrolls that Geoffrey had collected.

"Jonathan!" the warlock called out, seeing a servant coming out of a room down the corridor a ways.

"Ah, your lordship. What can I do for your lordship this morning, your lordship?"

Merlin smiled wryly. He and Jonathan had always been friendly; the sandy-haired servant had always reminded Merlin of Will.

"Please, don't remind me," the warlock groaned.

"Of course not, your lordship. What is it you are needing, your lordship?" Jonathan teased, a wicked gleam in his eye. Merlin sighed.

"Do you know where Alator of the Catha was quartered for the night?"

"You can't sniff him out or some other such magic trick?" Jonathan scoffed teasingly. Merlin rolled his eyes, but grinned at the thought that the servant wasn't uncomfortable mentioning the warlock's magic.

"I suppose I could. I just figured it would be faster to ask someone in the know," Merlin replied. Jonathan looked surprised for just a moment before he schooled his expression and grinned mischievously.

"Well now, I thought you always knew every little thing going on in the castle, but I suppose even the best of us can lose their sense of direction," Jonathan said with a grin before he pointed further down the hall. "He's in the room on the end."

"Thanks, Jonathan," Merlin said, then rolled his eyes as the servant gave an exaggerated bow.

"At your service, your lor-"

"Shut it, Jonathan," Merlin laughed, knocking playfully into the servant as he passed.

"See you around, Merlin. Good to know you haven't changed," Jonathan called, whistling as he went on his way. Merlin shook his head and made his way to the door that Jonathan had indicated and knocked softly.

A moment later, the door opened silently, and Merlin entered to find Alator kneeling by the window.

"Alator?" Merlin called quietly, unwilling to disturb the peaceful calm. The high priest slowly stood and turned towards the warlock and bowed his head respectfully.

"How can I help you this morning, Emrys?"

"I was hoping that I could ask a favor of you."

"Of course."

"Arthur believes that my appointment yesterday will provoke a reaction from the surrounding kingdoms."

"Aye," Alator agreed, nodding.

"He thinks that the time is at hand for us to begin the unification of Albion. That legalizing magic will cause others to reevaluate their treaties with Camelot, opening the door for a discussion of peace amongst all the kingdoms."

"He is truly a wise king, worthy of his destiny," Alator agreed. "How may I assist you?"

"Arthur wants me to redraft the laws concerning magic. The limitations and punishments enacted will surely be an issue of great concern to the neighboring kingdoms. I hope to enable our freedom without creating the power struggle and corruption that became such a problem in the past."

"And you want my assistance in this task?" Alator asked, his brow furrowed. Merlin nodded.

"I believe you would be a valuable addition to my efforts to fulfill my destiny."

Alator shook his head.

"I have not always been a good person, Emrys," Alator said regretfully. Merlin's brow furrowed in confusion. The high priest looked down at his hands, collecting his thoughts before he spoke again.

"You know how it was that I learned of your true identity. To my great shame, I treated Gaius horribly; I have no right to his forgiveness. I have tortured many others in the past to gain my own rewards and I have willingly allied myself with a Priestess who had slipped so far into darkness that she had utterly lost her way. I have been one who has sought the power and has given into the corruption that you are standing against. I cannot taint your efforts."

"Surely your desire to do better now has merit enough to prove your intentions?"

"This is not my destiny, Emrys; I have duties to the Catha that cannot be ignored. But neither do I wish to leave you alone in your task."

"Do you have a suggestion then?" Merlin asked, and Alator nodded with a smile, satisfied with his solution.

"I will have my servant, Finna, stay here in Camelot to help you draft these laws of which you speak. She is faithful to our cause and has been a valuable scribe to the Catha."

"Excellent. Thank you, Alator," Merlin answered gratefully. The Catha priest bowed his head low in respect.

"The honor is mine, Emrys."


On the third day after their arrival, Alator and his fellow priests quietly left the city, leaving Finna in Merlin's service. The woman had proved to be a valuable asset in decifering many of the ancient and crumbling scrolls. Her knowledge of obscure languages surpassed even Gaius'. Merlin was glad of her help, though he was even more glad that she had finally stopped trying to kneel in respect whenever the warlock entered the room she occupied.

With the translation and redrafting well underway, Merlin took the opportunity to get to know his new brother-in-law before the prince returned to Nemeth. He had joined Mithian, Gavin and Rodor that morning for an enjoyable breakfast. They had sat enraptured by the prince's stories from his time spent with the Catha.

Gavin, too, had finally gotten over the awe that he had initially shown at meeting the warlock, much to Merlin's relief. The Prince of Nemeth had a personality rather like Lancelot's; he was honor-bound and incredibly loyal, though he seemed to also share a few qualities with Gwaine, namely the love of a good story. Merlin had quickly taken a liking to Gavin, owing to the prince's easy rapport with Mithian.

"How did your magic first manifest?" Merlin asked Gavin after they pushed their empty plates away.

"Ah. It is a very interesting story; I had only just come of age, actually. I had been on a hunting trip with two other knights when a huge stag came out of the underbrush. It was rutting season and this buck was not pleased that we had trespassed on its territory!"

"I imagine not!" Mithian chuckled.

"Sounds like something that would happen to me," Merlin added ruefully.

"Your luck is as bad as mine then?" Gavin chuckled.

"Worse in some ways!" Merlin laughed.

"What happened with the deer?" Rodor asked, pulling Gavin back to the story.

"It charged us and managed to seriously injure one of my knights. The second was in danger of being trampled by the beast when I just screamed in frustration and knocked it clean off its feet with a wave of anger. It wasted no time in getting up and running away, but I just stood there, dumbfounded, until the uninjured knight came and literally shook me from my stupor."

"I imagine you were very confused," Merlin mused. Gavin nodded.

"I was terrified; Morgana had just made her first ploy for Camelot and hatred for magic was running high. But my knights were my friends; they would not betray me. In fact, they were sympathetic to my plight. They took it upon themselves to swear an oath of secrecy and helped me to organize my questing journey. The rest, as they say, is history."

"That's incredible," Mithian said, eyeing her brother with newfound respect.

"What was the first bit of magic that you did, then?" Gavin asked Merlin in return, eager to swap stories.

"Well, I don't exactly remember the first bit. My mother says that I would make things float over my cradle as a babe. The first actual memory I have of doing magic with intent was willing an apple into my hands from a basket up high on a table."

"My word..." Gavin uttered, looking at Merlin in shock. "How did your mother keep you hidden?!"

"I honestly don't know, but from what she tells me, it wasn't easy."

"I think not!" Rodor laughed.

"Did anyone suspect you?" Gavin asked curiously. Merlin shrugged.

"I think that some of the older villagers suspected something was different about me but they didn't know for certain that I had magic. They knew my father had just left in the night before I was born; some said I was a strange boy and that they wondered if my father had put a spell on my mother."

"That's terrible!" Mithian exclaimed. Merlin nodded.

"Mother was always quick to deny it, though that was the most she ever said about him."

"That must have been difficult," Rodor murmured. Merlin merely shrugged again and smiled ruefully.

"I suppose. But I was a stubborn child, so I guess it didn't bother me as much as it might have and my mother was very patient with me. Especially when I was just a foundling and prone to unintentional outbursts of magic that seemed to happen at any errant thought or whim that I had."

"Your mother sounds like she is a strong woman," Rodor mused.

"She is. She had to be, in order to teach me what she did, and raise me to be who I am," Merlin agreed, smiling at the memories of his mother's frequent, though often gentle, scoldings that he had experienced as a child.

"Hunith is truly lovely," Mithian agreed, smiling fondly at her husband. Gavin looked between the two with a pleased look. He was glad that his sister hadn't been forced into a loveless political match. A comfortable silence fell over the group as they thought about the stories they'd heard already that morning.

"The villagers in the town we passed through a few days ago were saying that King Arthur announced that Morgana had been defeated. Is it true what they were saying? That it was you who defeated her?" Gavin asked, breaking the silence. Merlin's face instantly sobered as he slowly nodded.

"It is true," Merlin whispered.

"You don't seem very pleased though?" Gavin wondered.

"Morgana was once a good friend," Merlin explained. "I'm glad that the darkness that had overtaken her is no longer controlling her. I'm glad that the threat of attack from her is gone. But I regret that her death was ever necessary."

"We in the Catha felt much the same way. We are High Priests of the Old Religion; as such we felt a certain kinship with Morgana as a High Priestess. Alator especially seemed saddened by the news, but he praised that it would bring peace, as you said. It is a strange thing to feel pity for such a person; to mourn them when they have passed on, even though you also can't help but feel joyful that the trials they presented are gone," the prince explained. As Gavin voiced his conflicting emotions, King Rodor listened with glistening eyes.

"Such a feeling is the mark of a responsible leader. To truly feel victory at any death is to fall victim to the same evils that plagued Morgana. Pride, conceit, and envy of power. I believe you are truly ready to assume the throne, my son," Rodor said, smiling proudly at Gavin.

"I think not, not yet. There is much that I still hope to learn from you," Gavin replied.

"That may be so, and you also have an excellent example in King Arthur. He has succeeded when many said he would fail and Camelot would fall within a year. I believe that things will soon be changing and we are well-positioned to witness it."

"I think you're right," Mithian added. "It won't be long before we're going to see the other kingdoms' reaction to the events of the past week."

"I expect that there will be a number of kings that had originally allied with Uther that will not hesitate to let their opinions be known. I only hope that it isn't through declaring war," Merlin mused.

"Be that as it may, Nemeth will stand with Camelot," King Rodor affirmed. Merlin smiled and nodded gratefully.

"Your support is greatly appreciated."

A soft knock interrupted their conversation, followed by the door to Merlin and Mithian's chambers opening. Hunith entered the room, looking at the others with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was interrupting," she said, turning to leave.

"No, Hunith, you're not interrupting," Mithian entreated as Merlin went to give his mother a hug and pull her over to a seat.

"Your excellent conversation is always welcome," Rodor said with a smile, causing Hunith's cheeks to blush.

"Yes, Merlin was just telling us all about how you kept him in line," Gavin said, looking teasingly at Merlin. "How about you tell us the real stories?"

"I think that's my cue to leave," Merlin said, standing up and kissing Mithian on the cheek.

"Are you going to go speak with Mordred then?" Mithian asked. At Merlin's nod, Mithian chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Merlin asked.

"If they got to him the way they got to you at our betrothal feast, he's not likely to be up for much of anything," Mithian laughed.

"What's this?" Gavin asked, his face brightening at the prospect of another story. "What did who do to you?"

"Now I really know it's time for me to leave," Merlin joked, kissing Mithian's cheek one last time before heading for the door as Mithian began the tale.

Merlin chuckled to himself at the memory, wondering just what Gwaine and the other knights had convinced Mordred to do under the influence of too much mead. Smiling at the few servants he passed on his way to the knight's wing of the castle, Merlin pulled up short when he passed a snickering Elyan.

"Do I want to know why you're laughing?" the warlock asked, half amused, half suspicious.

"That depends," Elyan said, struggling to maintain his composure.

"On?" Merlin asked.

"You'll see," the knight said, then hurried off, trying to stifle his amusement once more.

Merlin raised an eyebrow at Elyan's retreating back, but continued on his way to Mordred's quarters. At the door, Merlin was just raising his hand to knock when the door was pulled open and Leon, Gwaine and Percival filed out. The knights seemed tired and slightly disheveled from having slept in their clothes, but all of them had grins spread across their faces.

"What's going on?" Merlin asked suspiciously, folding his arms as each of the knights noticed his presence and froze in place.

"Nothing," Gwaine said innocently. "Nothing at all."

Merlin watched them all leave, then opened the door to Mordred's room without knocking. Inside, Merlin was surprised to find the room was fairly clean and tidy, with no sign that the knights had been tampering with anything or setting up some sort of prank.

"Mordred?" Merlin called out upon seeing the bed empty and no sign of the young knight anywhere.

"Huh?" came a muffled voice.

"Where are you?" Merlin asked, turning in a circle.

"I'm... I'm in, Where am I?" the muffled voice continued, though Merlin was able to follow the sound to under Mordred's bed. Bending down to peer beneath it, Merlin saw that the knight was curled up with his pillow, using his crimson knight's cloak as a blanket. The warlock was surprised, however, to see that Mordred's normally dark hair was a shocking shade of red, bordering on orange. Even more surprising were the long, dangling goat's ears protruding from the garishly colored curls.

"What are you doing under there?" Merlin asked, doing his best to stifle his laughter.

"I don't know... But I'm sure it made sense at the time," Mordred said with a wince before cradling his head in his hands.

"Gwaine gave you mead last night, didn't he?" Merlin asked knowingly. Mordred's brow furrowed.

"Yes, but it was just one," he answered.

"Trust me, it was more than one," Merlin chuckled. "Have you seen yourself?"

"I'm under the bed aren't I?" Mordred asked, sliding out on his belly before wincing at the brightness of the room. Merlin pressed his lips firmly together to stave off the laughter that threatened to bubble up. In addition to the garish color that now imbued Mordred's curly hair, there were bits of straw sticking out like he had originally decided to take a nap in the stables. Which may have been the result of the rather interesting ears the knight now bore.

"What is it?" Mordred asked in alarm, seeing the expression on Merlin's face. The warlock looked around, finally spotting a silver plate on the table. Grabbing it and holding it up in front of his apprentice, Merlin chuckled at the wide-eyed alarm that suddenly struck the young knight.

"How do I fix it?" Mordred asked desperately, putting a hand to his ears before starting to pluck the straw from his curls.

"Funnily enough, I came here to find out when you wanted to hold your next lesson, but now seems as good a time as any," Merlin answered.

"For what?" Mordred asked.

"I'm going to teach you how to reverse whatever you did to yourself last night, no doubt from the encouragement of the other knights. This is a spell that will restore your true nature; now repeat after me: béte mín andwlita, ábare þá sóþ ansíen."

"Béte mín andwlita, ábare þá sóþ ansíen."

"Right, now say it again, but project your intent, your will into it, like you did with starting the fire. It shouldn't be too difficult, as I imagine you'd like to lose the floppy ears," Merlin said, only just restraining a snort from erupting. Mordred nodded, and looked into the silver plate determinedly.

"Béte mín andwlita, ábare þá sóþ ansíen."

"Well, your hair is less orange, but the ears haven't budged," Merlin said. "Try it again, you have to really want to return to your true appearance."

"I do!" Mordred said, his voice bordering on panic.

"I believe you, trust me. Now calm down and try again."

Mordred closed his eyes and took a deep breath, centering himself before he opened his eyes once more.

"Béte mín andwlita, ábare þá sóþ ansíen!" Mordred said firmly; Merlin could feel the wave of magic released as Mordred's eyes flared gold and the goat's ears shrank back into his normal ears. The knight's hair though, was still a lighter color than it was naturally, with an embarrassing pink tinge to it. Merlin smiled and took pity on his frustrated and hung-over apprentice.

"Ábareþ þá sóþes ansíene."

Finally, Mordred's hair darkened to its natural color and the knight looked gratefully into the plate, his appearance fully restored save for the lingering signs of his copious mead consumption the previous evening.

"I'm never drinking mead again," Mordred moaned.

"Probably not a bad idea," Merlin agreed. "Best to stick to the bitter, weak wine. I'm sure you've no desire to repeat this little disaster."

"I'm sure the others would call it an adventure," Mordred chuckled.

"I'm sure they would. We can only hope that those ears and orange hair were all that you had to show for your little adventure. We'll have to ask the knights later if there's anything we need to reverse somewhere else in the castle. For now, go see Gaius. It tastes like a bog, but his headache remedy is quite effective. Then you can come to my chambers and we'll work out a schedule."

Mordred grimaced at the thought, but nodded his agreement. Merlin chuckled at his apprentice's predicament, remembering his own all too well. With everyone else likely still recovering from the feast the night before, Merlin wandered though empty halls back to his chambers, hoping that the most embarrassing stories had already been told.

Unfortunately, luck was not with Merlin that morning. He could hear the laughter through the door; forcing a smile onto his face, Merlin entered the room, his smile dropping completely when he saw that Arthur and Gwen had joined the group listening to Hunith's tales.

"Merlin!" Arthur called out, a wicked grin on his face. "With as reluctant as you are to disrobe in front of others, I would never have guessed you to have been the type to magic your way out of your clothes."

"Mother?!" Merlin exclaimed, his face giving away his sense of betrayal. Hunith merely smiled.

"Gwen wanted to hear some stories of motherhood."

"So you told them all about how I vanished my clothes?! Which I could hardly control, by the way! I was three! One errant thought about how itchy they were or how hot it was and they were gone!"

"I'm grateful that that is no longer the case," Arthur grimaced. Hunith laughed delightedly.

"Merlin, you have no idea how long I have wanted to commiserate with someone who would understand what I went through with you. I love you dearly but your third summer was more challenging than I can say."

"Considering the fact that there is magic within my bloodline as well, Merlin, does that mean our children will definitely have magic?" Mithian asked curiously. Merlin froze in place, blinking slowly as he pondered the question.

"I believe that Merlin's children are bound to have magic," a new voice answered, causing everyone to turn to see Mordred standing in the doorway.

"Is that another prophecy?" Guinevere asked curiously.

"No, but the Druids believe that parents with strong magic are more likely to pass the gift along."

"So we'll eventually have a dark-haired passel of nude children freezing time as they run around the palace?" Arthur asked, grinning at a red-faced Merlin.

"Oh that reminds me of the first time Merlin ever froze something in mid-air," Hunith chuckled. Merlin groaned, covering his face.

"Do tell," Mithian entreated, smiling at her husband.

"I'm quite curious to hear the tale myself," Rodor added.

"He was maybe seven or eight summers old," Hunith began. "Our village had a plentiful harvest that year, including eggs from our hens. Several of the older boys in the village took to using them for juggling practice."

"Is that why you chose eggs when you juggled for Annis?" Arthur interrupted gleefully.

"Yes," Merlin answered with a long-suffering sigh.

"Please continue," Arthur encouraged Hunith.

"Merlin decided that he wanted to be like the older boys, so he snuck some eggs of his own. I caught him just as he tossed them into the air, and startled him when I called his name. All the eggs froze right above him. Usually when he levitated something, it sort of bobbed up and down like it was in water, but these eggs just froze solid. The both of us just stared in amazement until I asked him what he thought he was doing-"

"I lost my concentration and all five eggs fell square on my head," Merlin said quickly. Arthur immediately began laughing, having no trouble imagining Merlin with egg all over his head.

"Yes, yes it's hilarious," Merlin said dryly, though he was fighting his own smile.

"I think we've put Merlin through enough," Mithian said, smothering her own laughter.

"Thank you," Merlin said gratefully, though Gwen smiled at the warlock mischievously.

"We'll just have to ask Hunith for more stories when you're not around."


King Rodor, Prince Gavin and their escort prepared to take their leave of Camelot a few days later. The courtyard was bustling as stable hands prepared the horses and the party from Nemeth waited for their mounts. Merlin stood back a ways while Mithian said her goodbyes and gave her father and brother a farewell hug.

"I have a feeling we shall be seeing you again soon," Rodor said, even as three messengers rode hurriedly into the courtyard. Merlin stepped to Mithian's side as the servants brought the horses forward and Rodor climbed into his saddle.

"Keep your eyes open," Gavin entreated his new brother-in-law. "Morgana may be gone, but she was not Camelot's only enemy."

"I will. Unfortunately, that is a truth I know all too well," Merlin said ruefully.

"I'm sure you do," Gavin chuckled.

"I hope your journey is a swift one," Merlin added, nodding at the Prince and King of Nemeth.

"Safe travels," Mithian entreated, giving one last wave as Merlin wrapped his arm around her, pulling her into his side.

"Until next time," Gavin said, mounting his horse and pulling up beside his father. King Rodor gave one last smile and a nod before they rode out of the courtyard and towards Nemeth.

Merlin gave Mithian a squeeze and began to direct her towards their favorite walking path when a breathless page skid to a stop in front of them.

"Merlin," the young boy gasped. "The k- the ki- the king..."

"Just hang on, catch your breath, then tell me," Merlin instructed, alarmed at the thought that something was wrong.

"The king wants to see you right away."

"Did he say why?" Merlin asked, but the boy could only shrug. Merlin nodded, and smiled. "Thanks for passing the message, I'll head right to the king."

Merlin looked ruefully at Mithian, but the princess nodded understandingly.

"Go to Arthur, Merlin. He has need of you," Mithian said, a smile upon her lips.

"I'll see you later," Merlin promised, stealing a quick kiss before he left his wife smirking at his back. A moment later, Merlin burst into the king and queen's chambers to see Gwen sitting at the table while Arthur slowly paced as he read over an armful of parchments. The king did not acknowledge his entrance, though the warlock could see the familiar exasperation on Arthur's face at his advisor's abrupt entrance. Merlin watched quietly as Arthur paced back and forth as he flipped through the parchments, each bearing a different royal crest.

"What's this?" Merlin asked, moving closer and snatching one of the letters as Arthur passed by.

"These, Merlin, are the first responses to our legalization of magic and you and your new position. I've called for a council meeting in an hour to discuss them."

"Ah," Merlin said, smirking as he skimmed over the first paragraph of the letter he had claimed. "Annis says she always suspected that I was less a fool than you claimed."

"How she could have, I'll never know. You make an excellent fool."

"Very funny, Arthur. You do realize that those donkey ears the goblin gave you would seem pleasant compared to what I could do to you now if you irritated me, right?" Merlin asked nonchalantly as he scanned the entirety of Queen Annis' correspondence. Gwen snorted indelicately into her hand at the memory, but Arthur gave no response. At the lack of retort from the king, the warlock looked up inquisitively.

"You are joking, right?" Arthur asked, his tone betraying the slight anxiety that he tried valiantly to hide.

"Whatever gave you that impression?" Merlin asked as straight-faced as he could manage. Arthur's eyes widened in shock.

"Do you mean to tell me that you would... would turn me into a toad or something?" Arthur asked indignantly.

"A toad?! Please, Arthur, that's completely trite and overdone. That's the best you can come up with?" Merlin asked.

"I've never had to consider the possibilities, now have I? How often have you thought about it?!" Arthur asked with some alarm.

"Oh, Arthur, you would make a very handsome toad," Guinevere laughed. Merlin struggled to maintain his composure, but at the look on the king's face, the warlock nearly fell down he began laughing so hard. The queen struggled not to laugh, but lost her fight and giggled into her hand until she was gasping for breath.

"Yes, my understandable discomfort at the thought of being a toad is very funny," Arthur groused.

"Oh, your face!" Merlin chortled breathlessly, though Arthur's resulting stern expression would have had anyone else hastening to apologize.

"I'm sorry, Arthur, it's not kind to laugh," Gwen said, calming herself.

"Didn't stop you from laughing at me the other day," Merlin argued.

"Have you ever turned me into something you shouldn't have?" Arthur asked suspiciously, a light dawning in his eyes. "Perhaps a simpleton?!"

Merlin instantly shut up.

"Maybe just the once," he admitted.

"I always wondered how you managed to dress me in those horrid clothes. Now I know!" Arthur griped. Merlin had the grace to look sheepish.

"It was the only way to get you out of Camelot at the time. Besides, it was Gaius' idea."

"Gaius'?!" Arthur exclaimed. Merlin shrugged.

"I'd tell you more, but we've got a meeting to get ready for."

"One day, Merlin, you will tell me everything."

"I look forward to it," Merlin answered.


Gwen smiled as Arthur and Merlin left the royal chambers, still bantering back and forth. She was glad to see that their unusual friendship had survived all the recent upheavals intact. It was hard to imagine Camelot without Merlin, and Guinevere was glad to see that the warlock would always be there.

Standing slowly and stretching her stiff back, Guinevere smiled down at her steadily firming abdomen. Her gowns had not yet grown too tight, but the queen found herself lacing them more loosely than she had a few weeks before. Hunith had assured her that she would stop feeling so very ill soon, and Gwen could not wait for that day to come.

"I simply cannot remain inside on such a lovely day," Gwen murmured to herself, immediately setting out to enjoy a walk outside. Halfway down the stairs, Gwen came across Hunith on her way outside as well.

"Please join me, Hunith, you can tell me more about being a mother," the queen entreated.

"Do you mean more stories to embarrass Merlin with?" Hunith asked knowingly. "I'm afraid that if I tell you any more he'll disown me."

Gwen and Hunith laughed at the thought, knowing that Merlin could do no such thing. Soon the two ladies were leaving the city and walking down a quiet lane in the nearby woods.

"How did you manage all on your own?" Gwen asked suddenly, peering at Merlin's mother sympathetically. The queen had been on her own before and knew just how hard it was for a woman on her own, let alone one with a fatherless child.

"It was not easy," Hunith answered. "But the others in Ealdor helped me a great deal. They became my family."

"You're very brave," Gwen said.

"We are each of us brave in our own way," Hunith replied. Guinevere smiled at the woman's innate modesty, knowing exactly where Merlin learned his own humble outlook. After a few more moments of silence, Gwen and Hunith came across Mithian on the path.

"Mithian, won't you join us?" Gwen entreated.

"That sounds lovely," Mithian agreed. "Are Merlin and Arthur off to some noble task then?"

"If you call talking to the council a noble task, then yes," Gwen laughed.

"Only when it's done cheerfully," Mithian joked.

"Merlin should have no trouble there," Guinevere said, giggling. "Arthur though... Tell me, Hunith, has Merlin always been so very cheerful?"

"He was as a boy. He delighted in his gifts, even while keeping them secret. Though as a young man he went through a sullen phase as so many young men do. His friend Will was a great help to keeping him from becoming too gloomy, but after his sixteenth summer, when his magic seemed to be getting stronger with every day, Merlin began to question why he had such gifts. He asked me more than once if he was a monster."

"No!" Gwen exclaimed, though Mithian nodded understandingly.

"It pained me when he would ask such things. I tried to hide it and reassure him, but he could see the hurt in my eyes, I'm sure. After a while he stopped asking and became his cheerful self once more. I think he was just pretending for my sake."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Mithian agreed. "He can be very self-deprecating under all his cheerfulness, not to mention very self-sacrificing."

"I've noticed that as well," Gwen added, nodding at Mithian. "Before you were betrothed to Merlin, I had asked him if he had considered taking a wife or at least having a romance, but he just said that he didn't have time for one. As though serving Arthur and I was more important than he was."

"That's why I'm so very grateful for you, Mithian," Hunith said, smiling at her son's wife. "I can tell his joy is genuine, now. You've brought out a side of my son that I had begun to lose hope of ever seeing."

"I have very much enjoyed seeing Merlin in love," Gwen said, grinning at the princess.

"He's not hard to love," Mithian replied, smiling as she looked down at her feet.

"No, he's not," Hunith agreed.

"Let's get back, I'll bet the council meeting will be over any minute," Gwen suggested, and the three of them turned back towards the city, eager to hear what was in store for Camelot.


Over the course of the meeting, additional messengers arrived bearing more letters from the neighboring kingdoms. Some were favorable, offering their support in the restoration of magic, while others held thinly veiled threats if the ban was not reinstated. There were others yet that stated their position so vaguely that they may as well have declared neutrality on the subject.

"This is precisely what I said would happen," Lord Vidor scoffed imperiously. Merlin fought the urge to roll his eyes. "This peasant boy has brought us nothing but grief."

Arthur stiffened at the nobleman's words and Merlin bit his tongue in irritation to keep himself from giving Lord Vidor worse than goblin-granted donkey ears.

"I urge you to watch yourself, Lord Vidor. You are treading in perilous waters," Arthur said sternly.

The nobleman said nothing more, though his face was red with suppressed anger. Arthur looked around the council room, gauging the reactions of the other councilors. None seemed as angry as Lord Vidor; for the most part, the council seemed quite cooperative for once.

"I believe that Lord Godwyn of Gawant has an excellent suggestion," Geoffrey entreated the room at large as he held up a parchment bearing the crest of Gawant.

"Please, share this suggestion," Arthur entreated the portly historian.

"Lord Godwyn suggests a meeting to discuss a new treaty. He seems open to further diplomacy between our two kingdoms, and there are others who feel the same. This could be the beginning of the unification you spoke of," Geoffrey intoned seriously.

"I believe that it is," Merlin agreed. "We have a unique opportunity before us, one that could be the beginning of a golden era."

"This is your destiny, Sire," Gaius said supportively. Arthur nodded, thinking over the implications of this one decree made less than a week before.

"I agree and I admit that I have hoped for this very thing. We cannot allow this opportunity to forge a lasting peace pass us by. With the continued Saxon aggressions we cannot afford any infighting among the kingdoms of Albion. Geoffrey, I want you to draw up a letter of invitation to be sent to all the monarchs who have sent their responses, whether they are neutral, for, or against our newest legislation."

"Of course, Sire," Geoffrey agreed.

"I can help you with the copying," Merlin offered. "I know a spell that will make flawless reproductions."

"Yes, I believe you do," Geoffrey said, eyeing Merlin shrewdly. "Read any good genealogy books lately?"

"Not since that page turner I read in your library," Merlin answered as he smiled innocently.

"In these letters," Arthur said, ignoring the exchange between librarian and warlock. "We will invite the various heads of state to Camelot in one month's time so that we might discuss a new peace accord. One that will be beneficial to all," Arthur instructed. "Go to your homes, prepare for the negotiations to take place a month from tomorrow. Council dismissed."


With a new deadline of one month before them, Merlin, Mithian, Finna and Mordred set upon the scrolls with renewed vigor. Arthur and Gwen joined them from time to time, though the musty scent of the aged parchment left Gwen feeling queasy. Finna had amazed the king more than once with her quiet devotion to her task and faith in this destiny foretold before any of them had ever drawn breath. She had become yet another example for Arthur's solidifying beliefs of magic.

Having known Merlin for years, and Mordred for a few months, it was easy for the king to accept them as good people, despite the fact that they had been revealed as magic users. Arthur had accepted magic as a neutral force, neither good or bad, but there was still a sense of apprehension that he was struggling to overcome. Seeing Merlin using magic every day had helped ease his anxiety over the issue, but Finna had been the first person that Arthur had come to know personally that had been introduced as a sorceress. The matronly woman had a gentleness about her that soothed Arthur's mind and proved with a surety that magic was not inherently evil, erasing every last lingering doubt that the king hadn't fully realised was there.

"What do you think?"

"Hmm?" Arthur asked, looking up at whom he had come to privately refer to as his magical council and shaking away the last of his thoughts.

"What do you think about this draft?" Merlin repeated, gesturing to the third such document that he and his small council had prepared for the king.

"I think..."

"Don't say it could use a bit more polish. It's shining," Merlin interrupted. Arthur laughed, thinking back on the exasperated look on the warlock's face when Arthur had rejected their first two drafts.

"I was going to say it is excellent. I believe we are ready to present our position to the other kingdoms when they arrive."

"Great," Merlin said, his face brightening. Mithian smiled, giving Merlin's arm a squeeze while Mordred and Finna looked triumphantly at one another.

"I just hope you can say that when you have ten kings and queens staring you in the face," Arthur deadpanned.

The king tried to hold in his laughter at the warlock's sudden crestfallen look, but he was not successful in the least.


A/N: Yay, Finna didn't have to run herself through! He he he. Thanks for reading!