Chapter 9 Restoration
A/N: Edited and Revised May 2021
The king knew exactly how nervous Merlin had been at the prospect of his mother coming. Thus, he had been only too willing to personally escort Hunith to her son when she had turned up at the training fields. He had shrugged off her insistence that a servant could help her to Merlin, and not just because Merlin and Morgana were currently off limits to servants. Mostly, he was happy to escort her because apparently there was someone who could ultimately control the strong-willed warlock even better than Gaius. Arthur hoped to see Hunith in action; he was seriously considering asking Hunith to stay in Camelot. Perhaps Merlin would learn some sense of self-preservation if she did.
"Mother!" Merlin exclaimed, glancing quickly towards Morgana's hiding place in panic before he rushed forward to embrace Hunith and block her potential view of Morgana. "How did you get here so quickly? The messenger couldn't have reached Ealdor more than two days ago. I wasn't expecting you for another day or two, at least."
"Nathaniel and Ceren were traveling this way to sell some surplus grain, so they let me ride along in the wagon," Hunith explained. "Now tell me, what's your news? You have apparently been given new accommodations."
"Yes, I have," Merlin affirmed, but didn't elaborate any further. Hunith laughed, wondering at her son's odd behavior.
"Merlin, what is going on?"
"He's been promoted, for one," Arthur answered for a speechless Merlin. Hunith smiled brilliantly at Arthur's words.
"How wonderful!" Hunith exclaimed.
"And married for another," Morgana said, coming to stand beside Merlin and taking his arm as had become her habit. Hunith's smile fell and she gasped in shock. She took a step back, looking at Merlin with narrowed eyes. Hunith put her hands on her hips then lifted a single eyebrow, looking eerily similar to Gaius.
"You eloped with Morgana?!" Hunith asked incredulously.
"No!" Merlin denied.
"What were you thinking?! How did this happen?!"
"I wasn't exactly planning it," Merlin muttered mutinously.
"It was rather a surprise," Morgana agreed, nodding her head.
"A very big surprise," Arthur added, just as Gwen burst through the door.
"Merlin! I just heard that your mother has arrived! Oh," the queen fell silent as she realized that Hunith was there already and that there was a palpable tension in the room. The peasant woman acknowledged Gwen with a genuine smile and a nod of her head, then she turned back to her son with steel in her eyes.
"Explain, young man," Hunith demanded, her voice deceptively calm. Merlin gave the only answer he could.
"It was the dragon's fault!"
Hunith looked sternly at Merlin for a full minute before speaking.
"Young. Man. Not only are you married, but to the woman who tried to KILL YOU and TAKE OVER Camelot?!" Hunith's face melted into utter confusion. "Surely there is some rational explanation for your actions. For why Morgana is married to you instead of in the dungeons?!"
"It wasn't exactly planned, you see," Merlin began.
"So you said," Hunith replied.
"It was the dragon's fault," Morgana offered.
"Well, you did start it," Merlin said, crossing his arms and looking at Morgana with raised eyebrows. As a dragonlord, he couldn't help but get defensive of the dragons. Nevermind that he had said the same thing not two minutes before.
"And we've already established that I wasn't in my right mind," Morgana said with forced cheer, meeting Merlin's eyes pointedly.
"So you had to be out of your mind to marry Merlin?" Arthur interjected with a triumphant grin. Merlin and Morgana both turned towards Arthur and glared at the same time.
"Would someone PLEASE tell me what happened?!" Hunith demanded.
"Come and have a seat," Gwen offered, leading Hunith over to the table and guiding her into a seat before sitting beside her, holding Hunith's hand in support. Merlin and Morgana dutifully sat down at the table across from them while Arthur took the seat at the head of the table, closest to Guinevere. Hunith listened intently as her son began to explain the events of the last month to her.
"You were enchanted?" Hunith asked at long last, looking at Morgana with pity and sadness in her eyes. Morgana nodded, tears glistening in her eyes.
"I was," she confirmed when she was finally able to find her voice.
"You don't remember anything?" Hunith asked. Morgana shrugged, looking down at her hands clasped on top of the table.
"I'm still struggling to remember the last four years, though some things have returned to me in dreams. Most memories aren't pleasant and they haven't come easily."
"No, it seems not," Hunith agreed, reaching across the table to squeeze her new daughter-in-law's hand. Then she turned to Merlin with a fond expression.
"My son, a married man. Imagine that," she said, smiling tentatively. "I'm sure I would have liked to have seen it. Balinor explained it to me once, but since there weren't any dragons..." Hunith trailed off, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Merlin stood up and came around the table to pull his mother into his arms.
"I'm sure in his heart, you were his wife, dragonfasted or not. He was very emotional when he spoke of you," Merlin explained, tears welling in his own eyes. Arthur, Gwen and Morgana looked away, allowing mother and son to have their moment.
"Thank you," Hunith whispered, pulling away and patting Merlin's cheek affectionately. "Now, you just need to give me some grandchildren and all will be perfect."
Merlin's face burned. "We- W-We'll keep you posted," he finally stammered out, trying his hardest to ignore Arthur's poorly smothered grin and Morgana's sudden renewed interest in the spellbook.
"We'll just let you all get fully caught up," Arthur said, standing and walking towards the door. We expect all of you tonight at seven in Guinevere's and my chambers, we'll have supper together."
"Thank you," Hunith accepted, awed to be dining with the king and queen.
"We'll be there," Merlin acknowledged. Arthur nodded, then offered his arm to his queen and together, they left the room.
"Then Uther sent Arthur to summon Gaius for an urgent problem. We get to his chambers and we find Uther completely bald! He looked so angry!" Merlin laughed.
"As he should have been! Baldness is not becoming of a king," Arthur insisted, to everyone's amusement.
"But the next day at court! At the time I was so stressed over getting the goblin back in the damn box that I couldn't see the humor in the situation for a long while afterwards, but oh-"
"Don't even mention that day!" Gwen shuddered.
"What happened? I don't remember," Morgana asked,eyes narrowed as she struggled to pull the memory forth.
"Don't ask! You'll be sorry to remember that day," Gwen insisted. Morgana just looked more confused, and looked at Merlin with a raised eyebrow.
"Gaius was possessed by the goblin by that point; he had started to give out bogus remedies to 'cure' a plague that he invented in a scheme to get gold. He gave Uther, Gwen and you, Morgana, a potion to cause horrible wind. Thinking back on that day, after I had caught the goblin, I probably laughed for a full half-hour."
"Didn't you get arrested?" Morgana asked, concentrating harder on her memories.
"Merlin! You didn't!" Hunith explained. Merlin tried to look innocent, but only succeeded in looking sheepish.
"Yes, he did, and it wasn't the first time," Arthur answered. "It's amazing he lasted as long as he did in secret. How many times have you been arrested for sorcery, Merlin?"
"I've been arrested, as myself, four times in all. Of those four, twice the charge was sorcery, but I was always proved innocent in the end," Merlin admitted, smiling smugly.
"As yourself? What does that mean?" Arthur asked, eyes narrowed.
"Well, there was that time that you arrested me as Dragoon."
"Merlin! That was you?! But he was an insolent, doddery old man!"
"It was an aging spell! I had to get the focus off of Gwen, so I created another sorcerer to take the blame. I was supposed to just change back into myself and let Dragoon mysteriously disappear, but the enchantment was too strong. Gaius managed to slip me a restorative potion just in time though," Merlin said, shrugging.
"You nearly burned for that!" Gwen said, alarmed.
"Merlin!" Hunith gasped. Merlin just shrugged once more.
"Dragoon... YOU insulted me and my father! You made me carry you like a horse! You-" Arthur cut off, staring at Merlin, hurt clear on his face.
"I didn't kill your father, Arthur," Merlin said gently.
"No, I did," Morgana said quietly, gaining their attention. Morgana dropped her gaze, staring down at her lap to avoid the hurt in Arthur's expression. "I remember making an amulet to reverse any healing magic used on Uther. Agravaine took it... I'm so sorry, Arthur. Though I despised him, I know what he meant to you."
"Why did you despise him so? He raised you and loved you. Treated you like a daughter, even if he denied your parentage," Arthur asked.
"He hated what I am," Morgana explained. "I had witnessed so many senseless executions that when I realized that I had magic, I was terrified. I had seen so many people killed for being exactly what I am."
"He wouldn't have executed you, Morgana. He wouldn't have been able to," Arthur said, though Morgana shook her head in denial.
"No one was immune to his prejudice, not even the nobility. Perhaps he wouldn't have executed me, but he wouldn't have hesitated to banish me or hide me away in the dungeons."
"Perhaps," Arthur allowed, his voice soft. "But perhaps not."
Morgana closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"Every day, I was so scared that Uther would realize that my dreams were not normal dreams. I thought many times that my life would be so much easier if Uther was gone. I thought I was ready to see him die when he had Tom killed. I even arranged a quiet assassination, but I couldn't go through with it. I ended up saving him. I realized then that as hateful as the man was, he did love me."
"That must have been incredibly difficult," Hunith said. Morgana nodded, looking down at her hands once more.
"I was very conflicted, at least until Morgause took me away. Then I had only one goal."
"To take the throne," Arthur acknowledged sadly. Morgana nodded regretfully.
"Morgause had said that it was a good thing that Uther was my father, because that meant I had a rightful claim to the throne. If I had been in my right mind I would have realized that the rights to succession do not take unacknowledged, illegitimate children into account. I tried to get Uther to admit that he was my father after I fell down the stairway, but he wouldn't.
"I think his refusal to claim me fueled the hatred that had taken me over more effectively than anything else, and Morgause knew it would. That's why she felt it was such a good thing. She must have known that Uther would never admit to his indiscretion with his best friend's wife, and that his refusal would incite my anger. She was always so quick to stoke my temper..."
Morgana finally met the king's tear-filled eyes, her own eyes red and moist.
"Uther may have loved me in some way, but he loved you more."
Arthur shook his head. Though he accepted Morgana's apology, he immediately refuted her last words.
"He loved you more than you can understand, perhaps even more than me. He sought the magic he hated to heal you when you took that fall on the stairs; yet when the questing beast bit me, and I was near death, our father was prepared to let me die, rather than use magic. Father was devastated when you claimed the throne and he was broken when you fled with Morgause. He was never the same again."
"I wish that I had been stronger and lived up to what Gorlois raised me to be," Morgana admitted. "That I had fought Morgause, or thought of anyone other than myself. I was weak."
"Morgana," Merlin interrupted. "You could not have broken that enchantment; you were not weak. It took both of our combined strength to eliminate it."
Morgana's tears finally fell as she nodded, acknowledging Merlin's words.
"We must not forget the guilt of the man who dealt the fatal wound to begin with," Arthur reasoned. "Whether or not either of your magic finished my father, it would never have been an issue if not for Odin and the assassin he hired."
"I cannot let myself forget my part of it," Morgana whispered.
"Nor can I," Arthur replied. "But I can forgive. To forget would only invite us to repeat our past mistakes."
"Then I will strive to never repeat my mistakes," Morgana vowed sincerely.
"You were not truly in control. You must remember that as well, or you will never forgive yourself," Merlin said softly. Arthur cleared his throat, eager to leave the painful subject in the past.
"So that makes five arrests for you since you came to Camelot," Arthur said, trying to pull them out of their melancholy. Merlin immediately followed Arthur's lead.
"No, four for me, one for Dragoon, the doddery, insolent old man," Merlin grinned.
"Merlin! That is nothing to be proud of!" Hunith insisted.
"It's alright, Hunith," Arthur soothed. "All of us here have spent some time in the cells at some time or another. Technically, we're all committing treason by sitting here with two known sorcerers, especially considering that Morgana hasn't been officially pardoned yet."
At Hunith's shocked expression, they all laughed until tears streamed down their faces.
"About that," Merlin said a few minutes later as they calmed down. "Morgana had a thought earlier, about her and I possibly going somewhere for a time, at least until things settle here."
"What?!" Gwen asked, looking at her friends in alarm.
"I am struggling with being confined in our chambers," Morgana admitted. "I may truly go mad if I have to stay cooped up for very much longer. But I understand why time is needed. Which is why I thought perhaps Merlin and I could go somewhere."
"You have nowhere to go," Arthur exclaimed.
"We have my hovel in the forest," Morgana replied.
"Or we could go to Ealdor for a time," Merlin offered, grimacing at Morgana's mention of the hovel.
"Give us a little more time," Arthur entreated the witch and warlock.
"Yes, please, you can't leave yet," Gwen pleaded with her friends, looking at Morgana especially. "We've just gotten you back, and I promise, we are almost ready."
"I suppose I can wait a little longer," Morgana offered, giving a small, if somewhat disappointed smile. "Especially if we can dine with the king and queen more often."
"Of course!" Gwen agreed.
"George may have to be included in our secret," Arthur mused, much to everyone's amusement.
"It was nice to get out of these rooms, if just for the evening," Morgana said as they entered their chambers and shed their concealing cloaks.
"It was," Merlin agreed. "Probably the most pleasant evening we've spent in a while."
"Your mother is just as lovely as I remember," Morgana offered.
"Thank you," Merlin replied, a smile on his face as he drifted around the room and silently lit their candles, one by one.
"She forgave me so easily."
"That has always been her way," Merlin murmured.
"I'm glad," Morgana whispered as she slipped behind the screen and began to prepare herself for bed.
Merlin laughed, tugging off his tunic to wash quickly before ducking into his curtained alcove to change into his nightclothes. "She was so angry when she realized that Will knew about my magic. I was afraid that she would be angry at me for telling Arthur. I should have realized that she'd been expecting this news for a while now. It was our being married that truly shocked her."
"It shocked us, too," Morgana reasoned, coming out from behind the screen in her nightgown. "I'm glad Hunith didn't pull you all the way back to Ealdor by your ear for telling your secret."
"So am I," Merlin agreed, smiling shyly as Morgana moved to the vanity, removing the ties from her braids as she sat down. Merlin watched in undisguised fascination as Morgana loosened the plaits and combed through her hair with her fingers. Morgana winced at a particularly difficult tangle before reaching for her hairbrush.
"Let me," Merlin said softly, feeling an irresistible urge to touch Morgana's long, dark hair. Morgana handed him the brush with a bewildered expression, but turned towards the mirror regardless. Merlin gathered her hair in one hand and began to brush the ends, just as he'd learned to do while caring for the horses' tails and manes. Not that he'd admit that particular fact to Morgana.
Her hair was considerably silkier than that of a horse, Merlin mused as he started to make longer strokes with the brush. Just as he reached the crown of her head, he caught her eye in the mirror and was taken aback by the expression on Morgana's face. Merlin was the first to admit that he had little experience with women, but he felt reasonably sure that the flush on Morgana's cheeks had little to do with embarrassment.
Looking back to his task, Merlin brushed her long hair for several minutes more before putting the brush back on the vanity and taking her hair in his hands again. Morgana was surprised when Merlin's deft fingers began to braid her hair in a loose plait suitable for sleeping.
"I didn't know you knew how to braid hair," she said, her voice rough.
"How do you think a peasant farmer makes rope?" Merlin asked rhetorically. His voice was just as strained as Morgana's. He hadn't realized how very intimate it was to care for someone like this. It was one thing to attend to Arthur, but this was entirely different. There was no sense of duty or obligation in brushing and braiding Morgana's hair. Instead, there was a desire to help her and to touch her. It left a certain charge to the air that seemed to resonate between the both of them like a buildup of magic. The sensation seemed to intensify every time their eyes met in the mirror. With a practiced hand, Merlin tied off the braid and stepped back, extremely aware that his face was just as flushed as Morgana's.
"Do you need anything else?" he asked in a strangled voice.
"No, I'm fine," Morgana said, struggling to keep her voice from trembling. Merlin took a deep breath; neither of them moved, but held one another's gaze in the mirror. Merlin wasn't prepared when Morgana suddenly stood and turned away from the mirror. The two of them froze, their bodies practically touching from shoulder to hip. Merlin's feet seemed stuck to the floor and Morgana's eyes couldn't seem to leave his lips. He could feel the gentle touch of her breath as she inhaled a deep breath into her nose and released it slowly from her mouth. It suddenly brought to mind the memory of the night Morgana had tried to tempt Merlin. The night they were dragonfasted. The thought was enough to push Merlin into motion.
"I had better get to bed," he said, backing hastily away and practically diving into his bed behind the curtain. Morgana tried to calm her racing heart with a few more deep breaths. Once she had, she settled into her big feather mattress and tried to understand why she felt so disappointed.
It wasn't more than a few hours later that Merlin heard Morgana start to thrash in her sleep. He hadn't been able to settle after brushing Morgana's hair and the moment they'd had when she'd stood up. His body felt tense, anxious and entirely unable to relax.
Just when he thought that perhaps Morgana had settled back down into sleep, he heard her.
"No, no, no. Don't shoot them. No! Run away, no! Please don't do this! I wouldn't do that, why did I do that?!"
Merlin didn't waste any more time. He threw back his thin blanket and rushed to Morgana, grabbing her by the shoulders to steady her as he sat facing her on the bed. Tears were running down her face in great streams and her breath was starting to hitch as she became overwhelmed by the memory.
"Morgana! Wake up!" Merlin called, instinctually reaching out to her mentally as well.
"Calm down, I'm here!"
With a great jolt and a startled scream, Morgana sat up and threw herself into Merlin's arms, pressing her face into his chest.
"Merlin! Please tell me it isn't true, tell me I didn't kill innocent people! TELL ME!" she screamed.
"I'm sorry, Morgana, I can't. I know it's difficult, but you have to remind yourself that it wasn't you, not really."
"No," Morgana moaned. "Why don't you hate me? I hate myself! How could I have done that? There were mothers and fathers, sons and daughters in that crowd. I ordered the soldiers to fire. I was him, Merlin! I was Uther! I was worse! I should have known better, I AM A MONSTER!"
"No." Merlin stated calmly. There was steel in his voice and that more than anything caught Morgana's attention. She pulled back and looked into Merlin's eyes.
"If anyone was a monster in that situation, it was Morgause. You were under an enchantment! One darker and more powerful than you can believe! Aithusa had to bind us in the most intimate way she could to make it possible for me to break it. You have to forgive yourself, or you will never find peace."
Morgana said nothing, but nodded her head and pressed her face into Merlin's chest again. He wrapped her snugly in his arms and rocked her until her breathing evened out in sleep. Closing his eyes and pressing his lips to the top of her head, Merlin started to lay Morgana back on the bed. Her hands fisted into his nightshirt at the movement, and the whimper that escaped Morgana's lips was enough to keep him from leaving. Just for a few minutes, he promised himself, laying down beside her and holding her tight.
It was there that he found himself the next morning, on his side, still clutching a sleeping Morgana to his chest. Merlin was certain that he'd lain on top of the covers last night, intending to go back to his bed. Yet he was now inexplicably under the covers with Morgana. She was cradled protectively in his arms; her arms were tucked snugly between them and their legs were tangled comfortably together. Merlin was rather surprised by just how much he enjoyed the unfamiliar contact.
He tried to move as little as possible in order to take a good look at Morgana. Her face was smooth and the dark circles that had been under her eyes in the days previous had lessened considerably. Merlin had just closed his eyes, intent on going back to sleep when he heard the door latch shut followed momentarily by light footsteps approaching him. Merlin froze, listening, not wanting the intruders to know he was awake.
"Aren't they so sweet, Arthur?" Gwen whispered.
"Disgusting, more like," Arthur replied, not bothering to check his volume.
"Shhh! You'll wake them up!" Gwen cried.
"Isn't that why we're here? They should be honored! They're being woken up by the king! In any case, they have to get ready, the council meeting is in two hours!"
"I've rarely ever seen her sleep so peacefully," Gwen explained.
"Nor him," another voice chimed in. "He was always such a restless child, tossing and turning and kicking off his blankets. Too much energy to just lay down and sleep. Ran me ragged!" Hunith sighed affectionately.
"Maybe he just needed more work," Arthur theorized. "I've seen him fall asleep while riding a horse and sleep like the dead if he gets so much as a soft patch of ground beneath him."
"That's because you worked him to the bone," Gwen argued good-naturedly.
"And if I hadn't, he'd have run us ragged just like Hunith said," Arthur replied.
"I'll just go arrange the trays," Hunith said, humor evident in her tone.
"I'll help you, Hunith," Gwen offered amicably.
Merlin's eyes flew open. Several things came together in his head in that second. The council meeting that he was attending as a speaker, rather than a servant, was just hours away. It was the life-defining moment that he had been working towards for the better part of a decade.
And he was still in bed, with Morgana. Arthur and Gwen could see them and his mother was there too. It was that thought that had him sitting up in a hurry, dumping Morgana unceremoniously back onto the bed.
"What are you doing in here?" he asked, struggling to get untangled from the blankets.
"We could ask you the same question," Arthur said smugly. "Scratching that itch?"
"Arthur! My mother is right over there," Merlin said under his breath, pointing to his mother and Gwen, who were still arranging the food at the table. Arthur just grinned, enjoying Merlin's discomfort.
"We've got two hours until the council meeting, so get your lazy backside out of bed and get dressed!"
"Would you shut up?!" Morgana groaned, sitting up beside Merlin and glaring at Arthur.
"Come on, Morgana, you're coming too."
"What?! I thought we were going to wait until after the people had had a chance to accept magic?" Morgana asked, suddenly nervous.
"The both of you have been waiting years, if not your whole lives, to be free. I realized after your request at dinner last night that you don't deserve to live a prisoner's life any longer, and I cannot make an entire people live in fear to make another group more comfortable."
"Arthur," Merlin replied, his voice suddenly tight with emotion.
"Yes, I know. I am a great king. Now get out of bed," Arthur replied, quite effectively banishing any sort of sentimentality with one smooth stroke.
"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Merlin asked, narrowing his eyes. The king just stood there, arms folded and a smug grin in place.
"I have endless means to torture you, Merlin, of course I'm enjoying it."
"Clotpole," Merlin muttered, getting up and stomping over to the changing screen.
"You really have a way with people, don't you?" Morgana asked sarcastically.
"It's one of my many charms," Arthur agreed.
"You're right Merlin, his head is as big as his waist," Morgana said loudly.
"I think his head may have finally surpassed his waist," Merlin said cheekily. "Careful, Arthur. Your head might fall right off your shoulders!"
"You're just full of wit this morning Merlin. Why don't you save some for the council?" Arthur replied, finally moving off towards the table to get his breakfast.
Merlin quickly joined them at the table, dressed in his usual clothes. Morgana rose from the bed to take her turn behind the screen and was just getting into her dress when Hunith came and gave a light tap on the wooden edge of the privacy screen.
"Yes?" Morgana asked, unsure.
"Can I help you with your fastenings, Morgana?" Hunith offered.
"Oh," Morgana replied, surprised. "Yes, please."
Hunith smiled as she came around the barrier, taking the ties of Morgana's kirtle and coaxing them tighter. Morgana felt warm at the attention. She had never really had a mother figure, and she hadn't realized how much she wanted Hunith's approval until that moment.
"You're good for each other already," Hunith whispered as she laced the gown tightly.
"What?" Morgana asked, pulling herself from her musings, curious as to what Hunith could mean.
"Merlin has always been such a lonely person, even when surrounded by people. No one has ever been able to really relate to him, and he's had to keep so much to himself. Seeing you with him this morning has eased my heart a great deal."
"We're not really very good at being together yet," Morgana admitted. Hunith smiled knowingly.
"I know," she replied. "But with a little more time, I feel that you two will share a great love."
"Thank you, Hunith," Morgana whispered, taking Hunith's hands and squeezing them affectionately. She was grateful that Merlin's mother was so accepting of her, despite the things that she had done in the past.
"Let's get you fed, then? You could use some meat on your bones! Both of you are just too thin! You're looking half-starved!" Hunith said, wrapping her arm around Morgana's shoulder and guiding her around the screen. Morgana wasn't sure what to think about being called half-starved by a peasant woman who would obviously know the trials of having little to eat. Had the last four years really affected her that much? Morgana sat without protest when Hunith guided her to a chair at the table.
"Mother, are you threatening to feed her?" Merlin asked, starting to serve a plate for Morgana. He knew well what it was like to be force-fed by his mother. As a child, he'd tried to insist that he was just naturally thin, but Hunith had argued that no one was naturally skin and bones. Merlin had begun to expect that constantly containing his excess magic had the side effect of burning through anything he ate before it could really 'stick to his bones' the way his mother had tried to make it.
"Honestly, the both of you are too thin! A childbearing woman needs to be well-fed to keep her healthy!"
"Mother!" Merlin exclaimed, turning just as red as Morgana. Arthur and Gwen were stifling their laughter behind their hands.
"Well, that goes for the queen, too!" Hunith added, turning to Gwen, who immediately stopped giggling. "You both need to be prepared for when you find yourself with child. It's much healthier for the mother and the babe," she said reasonably. The rest of the meal was eaten in embarrassed silence, save for occasional comments about the meeting to come.
"Good morning," Arthur said as the various nobles filed into the room and began to take their seats at the table. Merlin stood behind and slightly to Arthur's right side, waiting to be called on. Gwen sat at the king's left, regal and poised in her finery, every bit a queen. Hunith and a hooded Morgana stood in a small antechamber attached to the council room, waiting to be summoned. The knights of the round table stood around the sides of the room, ready to help if needed, but also present to show their full support for the revelations and changes that would be made.
"Thank you for coming today. I realize that this isn't our usual council schedule, but I appreciate your willingness to be here."
"What is it that we have been summoned for," Geoffrey of Monmouth asked curiously. "I've not been made aware of any disputes or threats that would warrant a special council."
"There are things we need to discuss," Arthur said evasively, wanting to have everyone seated and attentive before he began. The last lord took his seat and Gwaine and Leon shut the doors with a heavy thud.
"We are here, sire, so let's discuss whatever it is you want to tell us," Lord Beynon entreated Arthur. The king gave the lord a cool look. Lord Beynon had always been an ardent supporter of Uther's policies, but had become even more anti-magic after Morgana had killed his son, Sir Bertrand, on her quest to tear open the veil.
"A time of great change is upon us; we must all look forward to a united Camelot if we are to achieve our ultimate goal of peace."
"A noble goal, to be sure," Geoffrey agreed.
"I'm pleased to hear you say as much. As you know, last month I made good on a promise made nearly a year ago, and met with the druid people at their clan meet. We came to an agreement; they are to be allowed free trade and to be treated with the rights and respect befitting a citizen of Camelot," Arthur said in a strong voice, daring any to contradict him.
"As you say, sire, we knew this already," Lord Beynon said, his impatience clear.
"In the month since this meeting, we have seen no aggression from the druids, and have actually seen an increase of trade within the city."
"Do we really want their kind in our city?" Beynon interrupted with a question he had repeatedly brought up in the last month.
"Yes, we do," Arthur commanded, daring Beynon to protest further.
"I can attest that the druids have never instigated any aggression towards Camelot or her people. They eschew violence in all its forms," Geoffrey interjected, leaning forward onto his elbows and moving to the edge of his seat.
"I can also attest," Gaius agreed.
Arthur nodded his head to the physician and the librarian, grateful that he seemed to have another ally within the council.
"The druid people are not merely a peaceful people," Arthur continued. "They are a people who have always embraced magic."
"Yes, it's been a terrific boon to our city to allow such vermin into Camelot. I suppose you want to legalize magic next?!" Lord Pellinor scoffed. He too, had lost a son to magic.
"As a matter of fact, yes, I do," Arthur stated boldly.
"This is madness!"
"Dismantling the kingdom!"
"Your father would roll in his grave if he knew!"
"Besmirching the honor of Camelot!"
"ENOUGH!"
Everyone fell silent, shocked by the forceful tone of the usually gentle queen.
"The king has his reasons and I'm sure if you would all be so kind as to listen, you would agree," Gwen said calmly.
"Thank you, Guinevere," Arthur smiled lovingly at her before turning back to the council. "My father was a good king, this I must acknowledge. He helped this kingdom to flourish out of chaos and brought prosperity to many of our people."
"Aye," Lord Beynon interjected. Arthur gave him another warning look, causing the lord to bite his tongue.
"Though he was a king, my father was still an imperfect man. Because of his tremendous grief, my father was blinded; for most of my life, so was I. However, I can no longer allow the condemnation of an entire group of people simply because of the circumstances of their birth. I cannot deny that my father's anger and prejudice sowed the seeds for much of the hatred and magical attacks we have suffered these last few years."
Silence fell around the council room as Arthur looked each member of the council in the eye, daring them to object. None did. Gaius smiled encouragingly and nodded his head in approval, giving Arthur the strength to continue.
"Fortunately, unbeknownst to us, Camelot has benefitted from magical protection."
"Impossible!"
"Are you so sure?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at Lord Pellinor. "Open your eyes. We have faced many undefeatable magical beasts and immortal foes, yet always we have been victorious. Why is that, do you think?" Arthur asked rhetorically. The silence was thick, every member of the council waiting for the king to explain.
"You are correct in your estimation of the nature of our foes. What is this magical protection that has been offered to us?" asked Geoffrey, finally breaking the silence in his eagerness to hear the answer. Arthur smiled at the aged court historian.
"The truth is, Camelot would not stand as she is, if not for the efforts of one man. This man risks his life simply by being a warlock within the borders of Camelot. He does so to protect us from those who would seek to use magic against us, as he has for many years. I owe him my life, as do you all."
At Arthur's words, the council looked around nervously, as though trying to see the evil that they feared lurking within the room.
"Merlin, if you would?" Arthur entreated him. Merlin stepped forward.
"You would have a servant address us?!" Beynon argued, glancing surreptitiously at Gwen with thinly veiled contempt.
"He is no longer my servant," Arthur replied. "I have promoted Merlin to my personal advisor. He has proved himself worthy of the title many times."
"Is he to tell us which of your commoner knights is this fabled good warlock?" Lord Pellinor asked, watching Arthur's closest knights as though one of them might sprout horns and start to fling spells at all of them.
"No," Merlin laughed.
"Then what are you here for?" Geoffrey asked, his eyes glinting with eager anticipation.
"I am here to tell you that I am that warlock," Merlin said bluntly.
"You've tried this before," Beynon argued, looking at Guinevere before pointing at Merlin accusingly. "You have been accused of sorcery before. The accusation was proved false."
"I was telling the truth then, as I am now," Merlin argued.
"You expect us to believe this?" Pellinore asked, looking at Merlin in disbelief.
Merlin didn't reply, but cupped a hand close to his chest, whispering forbearne. Without a word, he extended his hand, alight with a small flame, for all to see. Half of the council seemed stunned, though not alarmed. The others leaned back into their seats as though Merlin's magic was a contagious affliction. Closing his hand, Merlin let the flame extinguish.
"This is treason! He's bewitched the king!" Lord Beynon argued, causing several other council members to look more nervous than before.
"I can assure you that I am under no such enchantment," Arthur stated firmly.
"Where's the proof?" Lord Beynon asked dubiously.
"Merlin, enchant Lord Beynon," Arthur ordered.
"Excuse me?!" Merlin asked bewildered, as Lord Beynon protested outrageously.
"I would like to show the council what one looks like while they're under an enchantment. Just don't make it irreversible," Arthur said pointedly to Merlin. "I'd also like for you to pick a random person in the room and include them in the enchantment. The rest of us will try to pick out the secret person."
"Right," Merlin agreed, meeting Beynon's angry glare and murmuring a variation of the spell he used to create Arthur the simpleton. Merlin almost felt guilty by allowing the spell to reach beyond the rude noble and affect Sir Leon, but Leon was nothing if not loyal. No one would expect him to act in any way disloyal. Beynon blinked slowly for a moment, then looked around him in confusion.
"I'm sorry, what were we talking about?" he asked. Those sitting beside him nearly stood up in their shock.
"What do you remember?" Geoffrey asked curiously, leaning forward to look more closely at Beynon's glassy eyes.
"Ahhh, hmm. I don't know, what are we doing here?" The other nobles around the table gasped, shocked at the complete change of character in the man. Then they looked around them nervously, knowing that Merlin had been ordered to enchant another in secret.
"I myself have been enchanted before," Arthur admitted. "Not by Merlin," he added when the council looked at the warlock suspiciously.
"Perhaps if you explained the enchantment to the council, the situation would become clearer," Gaius encouraged. Arthur smiled at the physician in thanks.
"I was put under a love spell in an attempt to undermine the crown of Camelot. And no, it was not placed on me by Guinevere." Arthur's eyes flashed to those present, warning them not to contradict him.
"If not Guinevere, then who placed this enchantment on you?" Lord Pellinor asked.
"It was not perpetrated by the lady in question, but by a sorcerer in the employ of King Alined. I'm sure you can all recall how absurdly I acted at the time, and the fiasco that ensued because of my and Lady Vivienne's actions. To my knowledge, she may still be enchanted, as it required a kiss from one's true love to break it."
Arthur looked to Guinevere and smiled, acknowledging to all in the room that Gwen had been the said true love to break the enchantment.
"And I need not remind you of the disaster that nearly befell us all when my father was enchanted to marry the troll? He was very obviously not in his right mind," Arthur reasoned. Several members of the council visibly shuddered at the reminder of that particular incident.
"I was enchanted as well, when Lancelot returned after his sacrifice," Guinevere offered. "I would never have betrayed Arthur that way, and neither would Lancelot. At the time, I couldn't understand why I had done what I had. In either of those situations, if anyone other than Merlin had paid closer attention to how out of character Arthur or I had behaved, things might not have gotten so out of hand. For that matter, if people weren't so afraid of magic, they might have voiced their suspicions had they had them at the time," Gwen explained.
"These situations do nothing to encourage us to legalize magic. They merely prove the evil nature of sorcery," Pellinor argued, even as Gwen shook her head.
"Magic is not evil. A wise man recently told us that it is the heart of the magician that decides whether magic is light or dark. Magic does not automatically make a person evil. There is choice in all things, even magic."
Arthur smiled at Guinevere once again, before turning to Merlin. To his alarm, and his amusement, the warlock in question was starting to scratch at his arms absently and fidget where he stood. They needed to hurry things along before Merlin was thought to be enchanted himself. Which, Arthur supposed, wasn't entirely far from the truth.
"Can any of you see the second victim of Merlin's spell?" Arthur asked, though as soon as he caught sight of Percival, Gwaine and Elyan struggling to remain composed, he had a feeling he knew who it was. Sure enough, a glance towards Leon confirmed his suspicions. The first knight of Camelot was currently waving his arms to and fro within his scarlet cloak, watching the voluminous fabric wave in gentle undulations in utter and complete awe.
Arthur's bemused expression caused everyone else in the room to look towards Leon. The loyal knight remained oblivious to the eyes watching him, interested as he was in his own cloak. Then Leon caught sight of his own hair and began to pull repeatedly on an errant curl, just as awed as he was with the cloak.
"Merlin, I think we've seen enough," Arthur ordered. "It is obvious when one has been enchanted, if you know how to look for the signs."
Merlin instantly restored both men and stepped back, grateful that he had taken the time to learn such a spell after Arthur had remained a simpleton for far longer than Merlin had intended. Arthur watched as Beynon and Leon both blinked and looked around them in confusion.
"As I said previously, with our recognition and acceptance of the druids, it's only natural to reverse the ban on magic. And, Lord Beynon, I'm glad that you brought up enchantments, because we've recently had some startling revelations in that respect," Arthur said, hurrying things along for Merlin's sake. The warlock was surely ready to start pacing at any moment.
"What revelations would those be?" Geoffrey asked, finding his voice once more.
"After our envoy left the council with the druids last month, we had an altercation with Morgana whilst we were encamped for the night on our journey home."
"Morgana!" Geoffrey gasped, looking around at the shocked expressions of the other councilors. "We heard nothing of this attack?!"
"No, the nature of the altercation was kept confidential. We were fortunate that Merlin was able to fight Morgana, magic for magic."
"Morgana is a High Priestess of the Old Religion. Her power is significant; I doubt any but the fabled Emrys could withstand her and live to tell the tale," Lord Geoffrey said, leaning forward and eyeing Merlin in eager anticipation.
"Ah, well, that's because I am the one the druids call Emrys." Merlin admitted.
"You are Emrys?!" Geoffrey asked in a stunned whisper. The elderly librarian sat back heavily into his chair, awe and incredulity in his expression. Merlin met Geoffrey's probing gaze and gave a quick nod.
"Yes. It is my destiny and duty to protect Arthur and Camelot."
"You defeated the witch, then?" Beynon asked.
"In a way, yes," Merlin confirmed. "While I was confronting Morgana, I realized that she was under a powerful, dark enchantment."
"Who could enchant a witch?" Lord Pellinor asked. Merlin looked at him and smiled humorlessly.
"Her half-sister, the high priestess Morgause."
"How could you possibly know that?" another councilor asked, suspiciously.
"I could sense Morgause's magical signature within the enchantment," Merlin explained, shrugging.
"Could you really?!" Geoffrey asked, his expression alight with curiosity.
"Yes, actually, everyone's magic has a unique feel," Merlin replied, but cut off when Gaius placed an arm on the librarian's shoulder.
"I will discuss magical signatures with you at another time," the physician offered, seeing just how fidgety his ward was becoming and wanting to hurry things along. "For now, why don't you explain the nature of the enchantment?" Merlin nodded thankfully, and described the enchantment to the council.
"Lies, Morgana was corrupted by her own magic," Lord Beynon scoffed. Merlin shook his head.
"Do you not remember how very different Morgana was when she returned after her disappearance?" Merlin asked incredulously.
"I think you may have been one of the few who noticed," Gaius interjected.
"I noticed," Gwen added. "She was very different."
Merlin nodded gratefully. "She was unable to fight the curse, as she was unaware that it was even there. Morgana was little more than Morgause's puppet. In fact, the enchantment was starting to drive her insane."
"Is the witch dead then?" Lord Montague asked viciously, for he too had lost a son to Morgana. Merlin narrowed his eyes at the lord.
"Morgana lives," Merlin answered, stressing his wife's given name. "I was able to break the enchantment and restore her to her true self with the help of a dragon named Aithusa."
"A dragon?!" several in the council shouted in alarm. "Are we to be plagued by the beast?"
"Yes, a dragon. No, we will not be attacked, they are under my control. I am a dragonlord," Merlin admitted.
"A dragonlord?!" Lord Beynon exclaimed.
"Please stop interrupting my advisor," Arthur ordered, seeing how all the interruptions were adding to Merlin's fidgeting. "Go on, Merlin." The warlock nodded his thanks and continued, explaining Aithusa's role in the confrontation.
"If Morgana still lives and she is no longer evil, then where is the witch now?" Lord Montague asked doubtfully. Merlin reached out mentally and called for his wife.
We're ready for you, Morgana.
As one, the council turned their heads towards the exit leading to the servant's antechamber as the door was opened. Hunith came in, her arm linked with that of a cloaked figure. The peasant woman smiled supportively at her new daughter-in-law and went to stand by the wall as Morgana stepped forward and dropped her hood.
"I'm right here," Morgana said as she sank to her knees, humbling herself before them. "I am truly sorry for the things that I have done in the last four years; as Merlin said, I was beholden to Morgause's enchantment and desires."
"Preposterous!"
"A likely story!"
"How can we be sure this alleged innocence is not a trick?"
"I can assure you, councilmen, that this is no trick," Arthur assured, meeting each councilor's gaze. "I witnessed the breaking of the enchantment myself."
"As did I," Leon added, taking a step forward. As one, the other knights added their witness.
"And I," said Gwaine.
"And I as well," Percival affirmed. Morgana hung her head, taking a deep breath before she continued.
"To my utter shame, in these last few years, I have done terrible things that I am not proud of and I ordered others to do the same. It is my hope that in time, this council and the citizens of Camelot can come to forgive me and accept my humblest and sincere apologies," Morgana finished, lifting her head to meet the eyes of everyone in the room.
Merlin pulled her to stand at his side, grasping her hand within her voluminous cloak and weaving her fingers in his discreetly, reveling in the soothing contact.
"We all know Morgana to be a talented actress. How do we know this is not another of her schemes? The only proof that we have of the veracity of this enchantment is the word of a self-admitted liar. They could have orchestrated the whole ordeal to fool you and your knights," Lord Beynon said, glaring at Merlin and Morgana.
"You have insulted my intelligence and my honor as well as that of my knights. You will not speak of my advisor, my brother in such a way again, Lord Beynon, or you will regret it. That goes for all of you," Arthur replied, addressing the whole room again. "Merlin has my trust and you would do well to offer yours, as well. We all owe our lives to him many times over," Arthur reprimanded.
"Your brother?!" Geoffrey asked, shocked. Merlin snorted under his breath and shook his head. Only the court historian and genealogist would get caught up on that one word amongst all the words that the king had said.
"Merlin and Morgana find themselves married. Morgana is my half-sister, therefore, I claim Merlin as my brother," Arthur explained, to the utter shock of the council.
"It was an unexpected circumstance of the dragon's help," Merlin hurried to explain. "As I said, the enchantment over Morgana was extremely powerful and well-entrenched into her mind. I could not have broken it alone."
"But you are Emrys?" Geoffrey asked, confused. Merlin shrugged ruefully.
"I have plenty of power on my own, but the nature of the enchantment was such that I couldn't break through it with brute force and leave her mind intact."
"I see," Geoffrey replied as his eyes widened in understanding. Merlin nodded before he continued.
"Thankfully, because I am a dragonlord, Aithusa was able to bind Morgana and I together in a dragonfasting, combining our minds and our power for a brief moment during the rite. That was how I was able to break the enchantment."
"A dragonfasting, you say?" Geoffrey asked excitedly. Merlin could see the hope shining in the portly librarian's eyes.
"I witnessed it myself," Arthur attested. Gwaine, Leon, and Percival all added their witness as well. Geoffrey smiled in great relief.
"What does that mean?" lord Montague asked, seeing the relief in Geoffrey's expression.
"Rest your minds, gentlemen, for he speaks the truth. It is written that a dragon can bind a dragonlord and his bride, but only if they are honorable and worthy, for the binding will not hold in an impure heart," the librarian assured those assembled. Merlin and Morgana smiled and nodded to Geoffrey in thanks.
"A dragonlord and his bride," Gaius emphasized. "As Morgana is indeed the king's half-sister, Merlin is no longer a member of the royal household, but a member of the royal family."
None of the council said a word, but nearly all of them fainted when Gwaine asked curiously, "Does that make Merlin a prince?"
Merlin made a sort of choking sound, causing Morgana to clap him on the back a few times.
"Gather the people," Arthur said to the council, ignoring the question and his former manservant's reaction entirely. "We lift the ban on magic at the third hour after the noon bell. We will immediately thereafter hold a mock trial to explain Morgana's innocence and pardon. Council dismissed."
Merlin slowly blinked his eyes owlishly at the people circled around him. He was forcibly reminded of his experience in Jarl's lair, but at least this time he was reasonably sure that he wasn't going to be sold as a slave.
"You are such a girl, Merlin," Arthur said, steadying the warlock as he swayed.
"Prince Merlin." Gwaine chuckled. "You're honestly a better fit for the title than most nobles out there."
"Gwaine?"
"Yes, sire?"
"Shut up."
"What makes you think I will?"
"I can restrict you from any alcohol and make you train three extra hours every day for a week."
"Shutting up, then."
"I thought you might," Arthur grinned.
"Please tell me he's wrong," Merlin said, holding his head and grimacing.
"He's wrong. Technically, Morgana has never held the title princess, considering that she's an illegitimate child of our father. If she did have such a title, as her husband, you would have been granted the title of royal consort. It's a powerless title, though. Besides, what's wrong with being a prince?"
"I've names and destiny enough, I don't need to add prat to the list," Merlin said, relieved.
"Merlin?" Arthur scowled.
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
"What makes you think I will, Arthur?" Merlin asked, repeating Gwaine's question. At the king's incredulous expression, Merlin smiled cheekily. "You said yourself, we're brothers now, and family is not so bound by decorum and titles." Merlin nodded innocently, enjoying every moment of Arthur's discomfort.
A/N: Reviews are appreciated!
