Arthur's POV in Merlin's memory

I'm rushing up strange stairs and I can see in Merlin's head, him remembering that I got bit by the questing beast and then something about a price to pay but it all ends once I'm standing in front of this woman in red clothing. "STOP!"

She looks at me and smiles wickedly. "Back again so soon young Warlock?" 'WARLOCK! WHAT IS A WARLOCK!?' I think loudly but this thought is my own and not Merlin's.

"What have you done?" I feel anger...and I hear his voice...as if daring her to answer.

"Your mother is safe. Isn't that what you wanted?"

I look at Gaius' body. "Did you kill him?"

"It was his wish."

Suddenly a rage unlike any other spread through my entire body...it was almost maddening. "I BID MY LIFE FOR ARTHUR'S, NOT MY MOTHER AND NOT GAIUS!" 'He bid his life for mine?'

"The old religion doesn't care who lives and who dies! Only that the balance of the world is restored. To save a life a life must be taken. Gaius knew this."

"It is not the old religion that has done this it is you!" I speak to her, unafraid of her and almost as if she should tread carefully when speaking to me.

"Come now, we're too valuable to each other to be enemies."

"No, I share nothing with you!" My heart is pounding in my chest and I'm disgusted at her words.

"With my help Arthur will become king..."

"I will make Arthur King, but you will never see that day!" I lift my hand and a fiery beam comes out of it and she catches it. 'HE will make me king?'

"Your childish tricks are useless against me Merlin. I am a priestess of the old religion." She shoots a fire ball at me and I dodge easily enough. Once I get up she speaks once more. "You too, are a creature of the old religion. You should Join me."

"You think I would join forces with such a selfish and cruel magic? Never!"

"So be it." She shoots a fireball at me and I feel a searing pain all over my chest. "Pity. Together we could've ruled the world."

My rage has turned into liquid fire all over my body. I can feel rage, resentment, determination, sorrow, and judgment. "You should not have hurt my friend!" I lift my hand into the air and I look up at the sky. I can feel power surging through me and a thunderstorm forms above me. I slowly and gracefully bring my hand down in front of me to the woman and lightning strikes her down and kills her.

I rurush to Gaius' dead body and I hold him. "Gaius? Gaius?" I shake him as fear starts to set in. "NO! NO!"

"Merlin?"

"Gaius? Gaius, you're alive!"

"What did you do?"

"Nimueh is dead. The balance of the world has been restored." I smile at him.

"You amaze me. You've mastered the power of life and death itself. We'll make a great warlock of you yet." 'Gaius knew!?'

"So you believe in me now?"

"Well...I would do...if...if you could stop this blasted rain!"

I wake up and I move quickly away from Merlin. I sit up and stare at him. "What are you!?" I ask with hurt and confusion running through me at once.

I can see the equal amount of emotional pain on his face, and I remember that until the truth spell wears off he has to answer all questions truthfully. "I'm a warlock. I was born with magic. I didn't choose it, but I use it for you and only you, Arthur."

"Show me." I ask not knowing what will happen.

I see Merlin look around and his eyes finally settle on some candles and without uttering a word he waves his hand and lifts the flames off the very candles. As they dance in the air the flames begin to make the outline of a dragon, as he's doing this I notice how almost...content he looks. He looks at me and the content look turns into one of caution and almost fear. "I've been like this since before I could talk...So..." He then looks up Liya and asks, "What next?"

"I feel that...after learning what he learned he should see a moment of your sorrowful joy since the two of you met...and I think he will understand a little more what you've given up. Now..." She then looks at me with a sorrowful smile. "I will not only show you his sorrowful joy, but I will show you what he has done for you despite having that joy being ripped away in the same day." Before I can ask anything I feel myself fall against the pillows once more.

I'm in the forest and I'm collecting firewood. "This wood is too wet."

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find a way to make it light." I can feel a sense of happiness but also anxiousness run through me. I look over to Balinor, the last dragon lord and I compose my thoughts. "When you healed Arthur I heard you mumble some words."

"An ancient prayer."

"I thought it might've been more than that."

"The old religion can teach us many things."

"The old religion? Is that something you were taught?"

"It's not something you can learn. it's either a part of you or it isn't. my father knew it, and his father before him."

"Were they also dragonlords?"

"We'll need some kindling."

Suddenly I feel anxious and brave at the same time. "You mentioned...you spoke of Ealdor. You took refuge with a woman."

"It was a long time ago."

"I grew up there."

"Ealdor."

"Yes. I know the woman."

"Hunith?" I can feel my heartbeat in my ears.

"Yes."

"Is she still alive?"

"Yes. She's my mother."

"Then she married. That's good."

"She never married." I quickly say, as I feel like I need to hurry to the point. "I'm your son." 'So Merlin is not only a Warlock but the son of the last dragonlord...'

"I don't know what it is to have a son." He finally says to me.

"Nor I, a father." I look over and I see...myself...this is strange..."You musmust not tell Arthur." He walks towards me and once again my heart is pounding in my ears. He hands me the pile of wood and smiles at me. My heart feels so much lighter now and a feeling of cool relief rushes over me.

The scene changes and its almost nauseating but I catch a quick glimpse of Balinor dying and me telling Merlin that no Man is worth his tears and finally I've stopped at a clearing and I'm watching the great dragon burn everything. I watch myself get knocked unconscious and it turns out there WAS no fatal blow. I look up at the dragon and I speak in a deep and authoritative tongue I don't know how but I know I'm saying something to the lines of...

'Oh great dragon, listen to me! I am a dragonlord, your kin, your brother! Look around you! Look at what you've done! You have harmed innocents and killed many out of selfish anger! Women and children weren't even spared. Please, calm yourself and look around you...you were once better than this...you are not a cruel creature so please don't become one...you are better than this...stop fighting...please look around you...be calm...please.'

The dragon bows his head in a remorseful manner and I lean to the ground and lift up a spear. "I am the last of my kind, Merlin. Whatever wrongs I have done...do not make me responsible for the death of my noble breed."

I lift up the spear and lunge it towards him but it doesn't connect and I hear a frightened roaring sound coming from the dragon, and then he looks at me in what seems like confusion. "Go! Leave! And if you ever attack Camelot again...I WILL KILL YOU!" He bows to me and I toss the spear back to the ground. "I have shown you Mercy. Now you must do the same for others."

"Young warlock, what you have shown is what you will be. I will not forget your clemency."

I wake up in front of Merlin again who seems to be more guarded than before...I can't really blame him. "You're the last dragonlord, a warlock...someone born with magic, and extremely powerful judging from your fight with the priestess or whatever...yet you stayed a servant...why? Why not just take the throne? You have the power to do so!"

"I don't want the throne. I have no desire for it. All I want is for you to become a good and just king, and I believe you will do that. I have no desire to harm anyone other than your enemies and even then I'll probably try to simply knock them out unless it's absolutely necessary to do so otherwise."

"You have magic and you've been doing it right under my father's nose...UNDER MY NOSE!"

"I'm so sorry, Arthur..."

"Now I will show you his biggest fear...and remember young Pendragon...you can do nothing to change what's in front of you...and this will be different."

"How so?"

"You will not experience this as Merlin. You will experience this as yourself but what the two visions you will see both have one thing in common." Before I'm asked why I feel myself fall asleep but I don't fall back on the pillows.

Arthur's POV as himself in Merlin's biggest fear.

Suddenly I'm in the forest and Merlin and I are running from something. "You just HAD to go poke at it with a stick! You stupid clot-pole!" I can hear Merlin's voice shouting.

"Oh shut up, Merlin! I didn't know the damned snake was a giant Fomorrah! How did you know what it was anyway?"

"Gaius told me what he thinks has been attacking innocent travelers and I came to tell you, and that's when you suddenly wanted to go for a hunt and just moments ago poke a large snake...WITH A STICK!"

We jump behind a boulder and we look in front of us to find out we're not the only ones running from a giant Fomorrah. There are bandits here and not any bandits...these are Cenred's men. "Hello gentlemen..." I say before I suddenly feel Merlin pulling my arm and dragging me into a clearing. He shouts to the sky in an authoritative tone I recognize but the Arthur in this...dream...suddenly feels disgusted and betrayed. As the dragon flies over our heads I watch as Merlin's eyes turn into a liquid gold and he knocks back at least a dozen of Cenred's men.

After the fighting was done, and the giant Fomorrah was dead I walk over to Merlin who is happy and thankful to the dragon, and I hold the tip of my sword to his throat. "Arthur, please...let me explain..."

"I don't want explanations from a sorcerer. I, Prince Arthur Pendragon brand you a traitor and you will be beheaded by my sword." I could feel myself forcing Merlin to kneel to his knees...the great dragon did nothing but look mournful. I felt my arms lift up as I clutched my sword. 'NO NO NO NO!!!' It didn't matter what I did, I couldn't stop my arms from making the final swing, but before I see Merlin's head roll the scene changes once more.

'Please don't let this one be about me killing him!' I silently beg.

Suddenly I'm in the forest and Merlin and I are fighting back to back."Arthur, for once could we not travel without your old enemies popping out of nowhere?"

"They are your enemies to, Merlin. I hope you know that."

"You don't have yo remind me. I've saved your royal backside more times than I care to count, and you still somehow manage to get us into trouble."

"Hmm...usually that would be your personality trait, and I think I've been a good king since...everything."

"I have no doubts about that, Arthur...but nothing will ever out weigh how much of a dollop-head you are." I can hear Merlin laughing and for some reason it makes me smile.

"We're outnumbered here Merlin." I say as I notice there are at least five sorcerers and twenty bandits. "Would you do the honor old friend?" I can hear the mirth in my own voice and I can feel laughter threatening to escape.

"My pleasure, Arthur!" I see Merlin jump in front of me. He is wearing a a royal blue shirt, black pants, black boots, and the hood he is wearing is a ruby red color with the Pendragon crest on it. He moved his hands up and conjure up a wind storm behind us. In front of us he summoned a thunderstorm to send lightning bolts to the ground, sending the bandits and sorcerer's flying, but one of the major things I notice is how content and proud Merlin is in protecting me and serving me with his magic.

Without warning I feel a piercing pain go through my body and I touch my side to find a blade. "Mer...lin..." I croak out.

I no longer hear any bandits or sorcerers. I look around just before I fall to my knees...Merlin did it. He took out the bandits. "Arthur...ARTHUR!" I can tell by listening to the leaves crunch that Merlin is rushing towards me. "No, no, no...you can't die. No...please...no...You're my best friend you clot-pole you can't die now! Not after everything we've been through and accomplished!"

It's getting hard to breathe but I can see him crashing to the ground in front of me, holding me up. I can see his tears and his pale face. "Mer...lin..."

"No...I can fix this...I can..."

"Merlin...It's fine...We've brought...peace to the land and...we've welcomed...magic back. We've done the impossible. You've been a good friend to me..."

Arthur's POV in the tent

The scene vanishes and I wake up. I look at Merlin and back at Liya. "Did you see well enough into his fears?" She asked.

I looked at Merlin and he was staring at me...as if waiting for judgment. "Merlin..."

"Yes, Arthur?" His tone is something that...just...Isn't Merlin. It's mournful, expectant, remorseful, and...something unexplainable. Merlin is usually outgoing, playful, energetic, foolish, mysterious...though, now I know why...and he jokes with me, but this...this isn't the Merlin I know...even after everything I've discovered...he was still the same Merlin before he held this expression on his face in front of me.

"Why...do you fear my dying over being executed?"

He looked at me completely dumbfounded and broke out into a nearly hysterical laugh. "That's what you want to ask me?" This is Merlin. This is my friend. His eyes smile when he laughs and when he's happy its almost as if he is the embodiment of childishness and merriment, but i have to remember that what I want to know is actually quite a serious matter to me.

"Yes, it is. You are a powerful warlock...in Camelot...you should fear being executed or the pyre not..."

"You're right and wrong. Remember she said that both would be similar? It wasn't just because you were in it...I'm afraid...no...I'm terrified, that one day I won't be able to protect you and be by your side."

I look at Liya as I remember what Merlin was wearing in the last thing I saw. "Merlin was wearing a hood with the Pendragon crest and the rest was like a proper uniform...is that one of the things we're going to talk about?"

"Yes, and I am glad to be able to witness the first reactions of the two men who will bring about the greatest time of peace the world has ever known. I am also equally glad that you have seemingly accepted Emrys."

"Wait...Emrys?" I look at Merlin and he looks back at me with a slow nod and a hint of shock. "What is it?"

"You accept me?"

"I wouldn't still be talking to you if I didn't you clot-pole."

"That's my word!" He smiles at me.

"Yeah? it fits you perfectly." I smile back at him and then look to Liya. "So, his name isn't actually Merlin then?"

"No, it is." He answers. "Emrys is what the druids call me, and I know you couldn't hear it but Keera and I were having a rather interesting conversation on our way here. I can project my thoughts to them and they can do it back...and thats how we communicate most of the time."

"Wow...wonders really never do cease around you. So...what is this whole Destiny thing about?"

"Oh, please let me tell it Emrys!" Keera rushes in and sits next to Merlin and I.

"Keera, you're supposed to be in bed!"

Merlin laughs and holds up a hand to Liya with a smile, "It's alright. I did promise her I would tell her how it went. Go ahead Keera, and if you don't know certain things I'll help."

"Oh thank you, Emrys! Alright so there is a prophecy about the once and future king of Camelot and thats you, Arthur and the most powerful warlock to ever and will ever walk the earth. That's Emrys...but you call him Merlin. He also has many more names but anyway...the two of you share a destiny to unite the lands of Albion and bring magic back to Camelot! The prophecy and your destiny are basically the same thing. The two of you are like two sides of the same coin...no matter how much one of you may try...you can't live without each other...it's...what the word...instinctual that the two of you save each other's lives. You have a bond like brothers. Oh, and I know we have to wait until you do become king, Arthur, but it is worth the wait...isn't it Emrys?"

Liya looked at me and then at Merlin which made my curiosity only grow when I looked to Merlin as well."Young Pendragon..." Liya begins to say. "There is something you should know of how some see our friend Emrys here...If you were to make the comparison with how powerful he is, how revered he is, and how many are loyal to him...the comparison would only lead to one other with those attributes which would be...?"

"A...King..." I look at my best friend...my scrawny, foolish, clumsy, lazy, always late, and mystical friend and for some reason I find it hard to breathe.

"If it makes you feel better, Arthur I've asked them to not call me Lord Emrys or anything like that. Again, I have no desire for the throne or any throne. I have had people suddenly come forward and bow before me and pledge their allegiance to me, but I'd still rather serve you Arthur. Now, obviously...I can't stop everyone from treating me like a I'm a King...and I've grown used to it in a way...but no...I'd still rather serve a dollop-head like you any day. My destiny is to be by your side, Arthur, and I'm proud of that."

For some reason I feel a sense of pride, shock, wonderment, and awe all at the same time as I try to process all of the information...Merlin is basically a King to them...and he would rather stay by my side and be servant. I watch him smile and leave the tent when suddenly i hear him call my name. "What is it...Merlin..." We both look out into the camp and not onky is there a huge celebration seemingly going on but many of the druids are standing in front of Merlin and I.

"What's going on here?" Merlin asks and I'm wondering the same thing. This is a grand celebration with wonderful music and glorious colors.

Keera comes out of the tent and tugs at my chain mail. "This is a celebration for you and Emrys. We knew that you would accept him if you were given enough information, and this celebration is for you accepting Emrys as a good and close friend of yours, but today is also the beginning of magic returning to Camelot."

"Keera...I don't know what to say..." Merlin clasped his hands over his mouth and looked at me then back out to the camp.

"Don't thank me, it was mother's idea."

"Arthur, what do you think?" He looks at me once more and I can see the tears of joy spilling from his eyes.

"I think that once I am king...a lot of things will change, and hopefully for the better. Will you help me...Emrys?" I hold out my arm to him and he grabs it with a wide smile.

"Gladly!"