Chapter Seven: The Sword and the Table (Part One)

Long before dragons and prophecies, sorcerers and kings, Iris played along a rocky shore, unaware of what the future held for her. Her hair was still brown then, and her brother held her hand as they searched the shallow pools for smooth pieces of sea glass.

Her parents watched them both, smiling at the sounds of their laughter. They, too, did not know what the future held for them, the violence and the bloodshed that they would experience in their final moments.

Iris would chase a seagull, then point in awe as a pair of sleek dolphins danced in the waves nearby.

And these memories would eventually fade with time, until all she could remember was the smell of the sea, and the sound of the waves beating against the shore.

Ooo0ooO

"Do you realize what you have done?"

"I did what I had to to keep you safe."

"You still lied, Iris! Keeping my name and Morgana's name out of it does not change that you broke our most fundamental secret!"

"It was time to change! It was time to tell him, I know it was! We cannot hide from this forever, Merlin, not from him nor any of our friends. You know I'm right."

"And what if he had killed you?"

"You and I know he wouldn't have. You know that, Merlin… Please, I do not want to fight. I am free and I am alive. We have other things to battle than each other. Agravaine still possesses Mordred and Nimeuh is still out there."

"I am tired, Iris. I am tired of being afraid."

"I know. I am too. But all of this, this coming war, it is happening for a reason. Emrys… This is nothing you or I could control. This was decided by the Fates long before you and I were even born. Perhaps long before our ancestors were born."

"I only want…"

"Your dreams are my dreams. My heart beats with the same desire. And one day… we will see that it all comes true. And if it does not happen, we will create it. Together."

Ooo0ooO

Iris dreamed of that beach, of that day night after night. She would wake up, still smelling the salt air.

Merlin dreamed of ravens and dragons, and the pure white banner with a golden dragon stitched across it. He dreamed of that bloody battlefield and would wake up to the smell of death.

When Iris rose, she would leave Merlin in their bed, kissing his cheek and whispering a gentle dream spell that would take him away from that nightmare. She then sought out Arthur, who would wait for her on that eastern wall. It had been this way for two weeks now.

This morning he was waiting with Gwen, who was holding his hand as Iris approached. When the king and queen heard her footsteps, they turned to face her.

Iris paused briefly at the sight of Gwen, giving Arthur a questioning look. He did not respond but merely stepped aside as Gwen reached out her spare hand to Iris.

The sorceress took the queen's hand, blue-green eyes meeting deep brown, before she understood.

Gwen had always seen more than she let on. At first, it was easy to see what some might have wanted to keep hidden when she herself was a servant. It was easy to quietly navigate the long halls, to overhear hushed conversations, to watch body language.

When she had met Merlin, it was as if she had met a kindred, kind spirit. She was quick to notice his quirks, to see how he kept a part of himself hidden away, especially from Arthur. The way his eyes had changed colors, which she only saw briefly, could easily be dismissed as a trick of the light. The way he defended Arthur, how he was always at his side, however, was not something to dismiss.

Gwen watched him in the months before Iris arrived. Merlin was always quiet, but something in him changed when Iris rode into that square and had woken up in the physician's quarters.

And then there was a light within him, like a star, that glowed whenever she was near. Gwen often wondered if Iris knew how she seemed to glow too. One could dismiss it for love and Gwen supposed that was true- until she saw Iris's eyes glow that same copper color one day years ago. Until she finally understood what it meant and understood that she too had a secret to keep locked away.

More time would pass and eventually Gwen found it easy to keep the secret. She saw her two friends fall in love, then she herself fell in love with none other than the crowned prince. And those she loved- Iris, Merlin, Arthur, Morgana, Gwaine, Lancelot… she saw how deeply each of them loved Camelot, and saw that when Iris and Merlin's eyes glowed, then eventually Morgana's. It was during times they were defending their kingdom. They glowed as brightly as the knight's swords in the sun, as fiercely as Arthur's did when he was crowned king.

Then finally, there came the day that Gwen knew eventually would come… the day that Iris would use her magic in front of Arthur and he would have to make a choice.

And so he did.

Iris blinked slowly. "How long?" she softly asked.

"Does it matter?" Gwen smiled. "You are my friend, Iris. My sister. I would do anything for you."

Iris choked slightly, eyes filling with tears as an incredulous smile spread across. "Does it matter? Surely it does, Your Majesty." Then her shining eyes turned back to Arthur.

He seemed to understand the question she could not quite ask. "My queen is full of surprises, apparently, but who am I to argue with her? Although I am irritated not to be privy to this secret of yours."

Gwen arched her brow at him. "Arthur, does that part truly come as a surprise to you?"

Arthur sighed deeply. "No," he admitted, before his expression grew somber. "I am sorry you felt as though you had to hide all of this from me. That all of you did."

Iris stilled, watching him very carefully. Her eyes quickly darted to his sword, then back to him.

Arthur then arched a brown in turn. "Do you really believe I did not know you were still hiding some truths from me, Iris?" He slowly removed the hand that had been resting on the pommel of his sword, reading that glance perfectly. "I know you would surely die rather than put Morgana in harm's way. And Merlin…"

The king trailed off, shaking his head. "I know what you would do for Merlin. After all, I saw it. And if I were in your shoes, and it had been Gwen… I believe I would have done the same thing."

Iris clenched her shaking hands. "I… We have never lived a day where our choices and secrets did not tear us apart inside. But we did it for you and for Camelot… for the future."

Arthur smiled. "I know. I supposed you, Merlin, Morgana and I have a lot to discuss."

"Actually, Your Highness," Iris said, smiling back slowly. "I believe this meeting calls for more of us."

Ooo0ooO

When the meeting was set, the attendees all met at the disclosed location near dusk. When they all arrived, they saw that Iris was already waiting for them.

Merlin approached her first, noting the subtle glow surrounding her. Her eyes were flecked with copper, as if a part of her magic had been set loose.

"What is this place?" Leon asked first.

"An ancient castle from a kingdom that fell many centuries ago," Iris said. She flicked her wrist, lighting up all of the candles in the room.

"This was before people feared magic," Iris continued, ignoring the hands that drew swords. Instead, she turned, leading them into a hall where a massive round table sat, as if waiting for them.

"In this kingdom, according to the tales, magic was celebrated. Magic was used as another way to defend the king and his people, as well as a way to sustain the crops during the dry or winter season. It was used to heal people, to keep them healthy."

The sorceress gestured to the round table, to the accompanying chairs- just enough for all of the knights and Arthur.

"This is where the king and his chosen knights sat, and some of them were also sorcerers. They knew that swords and magic could be used to defend and protect, not to kill and destroy."

"And so it is here we will sit," Arthur said, taking him place in the seat that had a crown carved into the stone. "And it is here we will become the Knights of the Round Table, once more allies to those with magic who choose to use it to defend our kingdom."

Leon, Percival, and Elyan exchanged a look before sitting down. They glanced at Lancelot and Gwaine, who were staring at Arthur and Iris.

Iris merely smiled. "Do you ever doubt me, brother?"

Gwaine grinned. "I would never dare."

"You knew?" Elyan blurted, eyes widening.

Gwaine lifted his brows at the other knight. "You didn't?"

Lancelot scoffed, shaking his head as he took his seat next to Leon.

"You too?" Leon asked quietly.

Lancelot shrugged. "I have a feeling Iris and Merlin have a lot to catch you up on."

Iris winked at the bewildered knights, before smiling at Merlin. "Are you ready, Emrys?"

Ooo0ooO

Morgana arrived at the ancient, crumbling castle as the moon was starting to reach its peak in the sky. She saw the torches lit within and dismounted from her mare, leaning against her warm side.

The night seemed to whisper around her, the rustling of the grass, the swooping sounds of bats flying nearby. And with it, she could almost hear the strange, hissing whisper of a creature she knew lurked these woods.

"The sword has been placed, princess, and soon it will find its master… and you will be the one to guide him to it. You will know when it is time, heart of Camelot. Darkness is coming and soon with it, war."

Heart of Camelot…

The moon seemed to shine a little brighter, just for a moment, like a pulsing heart.

Morgana closed her eyes and listened as the darkness continued to whisper to her.

"Morgana?"

Jolting, Morgana opened her eyes to find herself half-surrounded by familiar faces. She smiled. "I need to have a word with you, Arthur."

Iris and Merlin gave her a look and she nodded in answer. Iris then looked around, as if sensing what Morgana had been in tune with. Even Merlin gave the nearby trees a wary glance.

"I will escort you all back to the castle," Iris offered. "Merlin will stay with Morgana and Arthur."

"We have ridden back to Camelot in the dark plenty of times," Percival reminded her.

Iris's eyes lit up, quite literally. "Ah, yes, but never this way, Sir Percival," she said, before extending her hand. From her palm, a light grew and expanded down the trail from which they had come, and danced in the grass like fireflies.

"Where will you go, Lady Morgana?" Leon asked.

"There is a place I need to show Arthur. You will see when we return. Do not worry, I will return the king in one piece."

With that, the group split into two, with the largest following after Iris and her lights, while Morgana led Arthur and Merlin further into the darkness.

Come now, heart of Camelot. It is time, it called to her, again and again.

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own BBC's Merlin or its characters.

Author's Note: Please review!