Arthur was glaring out the window when Merlin came into his room. "Can you believe my father kept me from accepting the challenge?"

"I think we have bigger problems."

"Oh?" Arthur turned to Merlin. "This involves that doesn't it."

"It's Gaius's theory, for the record. He believes the knight is a wraith. A dead man brought back to life."

"A dead man?"

"Your…" Merlin shifted nervously, "uncle to be precise."

"My uncle? You mean my mother's eldest brother, Tristan?" Arthur asked, stepping closer. "My father said he died when I was little."

"Gaius said he blamed your father for your mother's death and challenged him to a fight to the death. He thinks a sorcerer brought him back so he could get his revenge."

"Why would he blame my father? My mother died in childbirth."

Merlin's eyes widened. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't know. Gaius didn't say."

Arthur turned away, face blank. "Did Gaius say anything else about the wraith, if that is what he is? How can we stop him?"

He shook his head. "He said no mortal weapon could stop it. It won't stop until it gets what it wants."

"You mean until my father's dead."

"Most likely."

"We can't let that happen."

"I know, Arthur."

"What were you thinking?" Merlin snapped when he came into the room.

"I got this from my father already. I don't need it from you too," Arthur growled, pulling off his gauntlets.

"We don't have any idea how to kill the wraith yet! How could you challenge it?"

Arthur threw his gauntlet at Merlin's head, but the warlock ducked.

"Oh, now you're challenging me?"

"I will not allow my knights to die needlessly!"

"Oh, but you can die needlessly!"

"Not if you do your job and find some way to kill the thing."

Merlin narrowed his eyes at Arthur. "You know if a mortal weapon won't work -"

"I know, Merlin. As I said, do your job."

Merlin nodded and went to fetch his spellbook.

"I've got it!"

Arthur looked up from his dinner. "What have you got? Obviously not my dinner as Gwen had to deliver it."

"I know, I asked her to," Merlin said, waving his hand. "I was busy with my other job. Which was what I was trying to tell you, I think I've got it!"

"You've got something that can kill the knight?"

"Yes, well, maybe," Merlin said, pacing in front of Arthur. "There's a story about how a sword forged in dragon flame can kill anything, alive or dead."

"Including a wraith?" Arthur perked up.

"I said anything, didn't I? It's just a story, but it's all we've got," Merlin said.

"How would we even obtain such a sword?"

"We know of a dragon."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Yes, but we can hardly bring him to a blacksmith."

"But we might be able to bring a blacksmith to him," Merlin countered.

"We can't reveal you or the dragon."

"We won't have to," Merlin said, jumping forwards and slapping his hands on the table.

The noise clearly disrupted Cavall, whose head peaked over the table to glare at Merlin before disappearing back into his spot on Arthur's lap.

Merlin considered commenting on it, but pressed on instead with, "Gwen's father is a blacksmith, remember. She's helped him out before. She might be able to forge the sword for us. Then you can use it to kill the wraith in your duel."

Arthur thought for a moment before nodding. "Go to her, tell her what's happening and see if she can help. If she can, do it immediately. Don't waste time coming back."

"Right," Merlin turned to leave.

"And Merlin, bring the sword straight to me. We can't let a magic sword end up in the wrong hands."

"Of course."

"Now hurry!"

"You have no idea how long it takes to forge a sword, do you?"

Merlin blinked.

Gwen sighed and shook her head. "Merlin, it can take days, weeks, sometimes even months to forge a sword worthy of a prince."

"Arthur has hours."

"I know."

"Is there nothing you can do?"

Gwen bit her lip and glanced back towards her house. "Does the sword have to be truly forged in the dragon's fire or can it just be reforged?"

"I don't know," Merlin said, mentally wondering what the difference was. "The story only said it was 'begotten in the dragon's breath'. That might work."

"It will have to," she said, tugging her scarf closer with a shiver. "We don't have time to forge a sword, but we might be able to reforge one if we hurry, and with a little bit of magical help."

Gwen led the way into her father's forge and started gathering supplies. Merlin held out his arms and she began piling different tools in them. When she was finished, she slung a bag over her shoulder and grabbed one of the nicer looking swords from the rack.

"Let's go."

"Merlin," the dragon greeted them when they came into his cavern. "My Lady."

Gwen blushed. "I am no lady."

"Perhaps not yet."

Gwen turned to Merlin, who shrugged. "He's always like this. Just ignore it." He turned to the dragon. "Do you know why we're here?"

"It may surprise you, Merlin, but my knowledge of your life is not universal."

"It's to do with Arthur. His life's in danger. He will die unless Gwen can make a weapon that will kill the dead."

"So what do you come to ask of me?"

Gwen held up the sword. "Merlin believes if we reforge this sword with your fire, it will have the power to do so. Is he right?"

The dragon nodded. "Yes, My Lady, but the dead do not return without reason. Who has he come for?"

"Uther," Merlin answered.

"Then let him take his vengeance and the wraith will die without my aid."

"But it's Arthur who's going to fight him. You have to save him."

"That is your destiny, young warlock, not mine."

"But if Arthur fights the wraith and dies, Camelot will have no heir. I will have no destiny."

The dragon shifted, looking between the two. "A weapon forged with my assistance will have great power."

"We know."

"You do not know. You can only guess. You have not seen what I have seen. If you had, perhaps you would not ask this of me."

"What do you mean?"

"In the wrong hands, this sword could do great evil. It must be wielded by Arthur and him alone."

"I have already promised Arthur to bring it straight to him. No one but he will wield it."

"You must promise me as well."

"I promise."

"Then I will help you."

"Arthur, we did it!" Merlin said, closing Arthur's door and unwrapping the sword.

It was beautiful. Gwen had fashioned a hilt for it worthy of a prince and the dragon's fire had engraved the blade with runes proclaiming Take me up on one side and Cast me away on the other.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked when he received no response, looking up to see Arthur lying on his bed, fully clothed.

He set the sword down on Arthur's desk and rushed over to his prince. He sighed when he felt Arthur's breath and heartbeat. He gave the prince a shake and called his name, but received no response other than a hiss and swipe from the cat curled up against his side.

He looked around the room and spotted a vial like the ones Gaius uses for medicine on Arthur's table. He grabbed it and brought it to his nose.

It was a strong sedative.

Uther.

At least that explained why Arthur's door was locked.

Merlin ran over to Arthur's wardrobe and pulled the book out from its hidden compartment. He flipped through before finding the spell he was looking for. "Ic ácwice þé."

Arthur groaned and sat up.

"Arthur!"

"Shut up, Merlin," he muttered. He rubbed his eyes then looked out the window. "What time is it?"

"Nearly time for the challenge."

"What?" Arthur jumped to his feet, then wavered under vertigo.

"Careful. The spell woke you, but the sedative is still in your system."

"Sedative?" Arthur glared at the bottle on the table. "Gaius drugged me!"

"He wouldn't have done it if it wasn't on your father's orders."

"Oh, I know. As soon as I'm done with the wraith I'll deal with him." Arthur marched over to his wardrobe. "Did you get the sword?"

"Yes. The dragon said it should work, too."

"Good."

Merlin helped Arthur dress then hid the book as the prince grabbed the sword.

Arthur looked it over appraisingly. "It's perfect, worthy of a king. Give Guinevere my compliments, and remind me to pay her. A sword like this deserves a hearty commission, even without the magic."

"She didn't do it for the money, you know."

"Still. Come on, I need my armor."

"I helped make it, by the way."

"Shut up, Merlin."

Arthur was still looking over the sword as Merlin finished his armor. "You know, a sword as fine as this deserves a name."

"Really? You didn't want to name Cavall, but you'll name a sword?" Merlin muttered.

"Your beast wasn't deserving of a name."

Merlin rolled his eyes.

"I think I'll call it… Caledfwlch."

"A fine name, sire," Merlin said sarcastically.

"Arthur!"

The two turned to see Uther marching into the armory.

"Father," Arthur said, turning away.

"What are you doing here?"

The prince sheathed his sword and grabbed his helmet.

"I have a fight to win. Now, if you'll excuse me." He marched out before the King could say another word.

Uther glared at his back before turning to Melin, who flinched. "You let him out?"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I hadn't known you'd wanted him locked up," Merlin lied.

"You better hope Arthur comes out of this without a single scratch or you will regret it," Uther growled before leaving.

"You alright," Gwen asked, coming in.

"Uther is going to kill me one of these days," Merlin bemoaned.

"Arthur won't let that happen."

"Leave," Uther snapped as he pushed through the doors to Arthur's room.

Merlin quickly fled at Arthur's nod.

"My son -"

"You had Gaius drug me!"

"It wasn't your fight."

"It was. The Knight's Code is very clea-"

"Be damned! I believed you would die. And that was a risk I could not take. You are too precious to me. You mean more to me than anything I know, more than this entire kingdom, and certainly more than my own life."

Arthur was stunned. "I… always thought that…"

"What?"

"Well, that… I was a big disappointment to you."

Uther sighed and came forward to set his hand on Arthur's shoulder. "Well, that is my fault, and not yours. You are my only son. And I wouldn't wish for another." He gave his shoulder a squeeze then stepped back. "I am proud of you. You fought well and won. According to Gaius, it shouldn't have been possible."

Arthur felt a sliver of guilt sink into his heart as his hand fell on Caledfwlch's hilt. "Thank you, father."

"Once more magic has failed against Camelot's might. Your might."

Arthur bowed his head as Uther took his leave. Merlin slipped back inside a second later.

"I'm living a lie and it's all your fault."

"I'm sorry," Merlin said. "Honestly."

"I know." Arthur's grip tightened before he drew Caledfwlch and held it out to Merlin. "Here. You need to hide it."

"It was made for you."

Arthur shook his head. "It's too powerful. I'm not worthy, not yet. I said it was fit for a king, and I was right. Once I'm king, once I'm no longer living a lie, then perhaps I will be worthy of it."

Merlin smiled and accepted the blade. "This is why you will be a great king one day."

"Just make sure you put it somewhere no one will ever find it."

"I know just the place."

"I DIDN'T MEAN LEAVE IT AT THE BOTTOM OF A MAGICAL LAKE, YOU BLOODY IDIOT!"