Hey, all! Sorry for the wait! I worked incredibly hard on this chapter. I really hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. This is the last part of episode one. Also, I've already gotten my idea for episode two! I won't give away a lot, but the title is: "The Sorcerer's Bane". I hope to do the character's justice and please enjoy!

Episode 1: Life Goes On (Part Two)

Merlin swallowed the nervous lump in his throat and asked, "How is he?"

Gaius sent him a judgmental look and began to put away his medical supplies. "Just a bump on his head. He'll have a bad headache when he comes to, but he'll be fine."

Merlin released the air he had been holding and stole a glance at Arthur's unconscious body. The king would have a fit if he realized he was sleeping in Merlin's bed, but for the time being, resting would only make him better. Merlin changed Arthur from his ripped red tunic to a new blue one. There was a large gash on his forehead from connecting with the potion table, but Gaius proposed that wrapping it in bandages would only slow it's healing process. His right eye, which was the closest to the wound, looked a little swollen.

Merlin knelt closer to the bed and hovered his hand near the eye. He breathed in, about to mutter a spell when Gaius coughed purposefully into his fist and eyed Merlin suspiciously.

"What?" Merlin asked defensively and innocently.

"Arthur has told me how often you use magic around him," Gaius mentioned after a pause, closing the first AID box and latching the lock. The old sorcerer looked concerned as he said, "I'm sure you're happy about it, but this situation could be more dangerous than the last."

Merlin straightened his back and frowned. "I'm not following you. This is what I've always wanted."

Gaius's worried expression turned soft and he smiled solemnly. "Not yet, my boy. Arthur is a single man. A king he may be, but he remains a single man. Your dream and destiny is to change Camelot's mind, not just Arthur's."

Merlin was beginning to get agitated with that same idea; Arthur had mentioned that as well. He spoke quickly, revealing his annoyance, "I still don't get it. Arthur is the king. All he has to do is snap his fingers and the ban on magic is gone."

Merlin watched as Gaius's withered face turn hard with frustration. The old man replied grimly, "Do you have any idea how many people have died because of that ban? What of their loved ones? If someone you loved was burned at the stake for simply being born and not a year had passed since the ban was removed, wouldn't you be angry? Someone you love died for a flimsy law that meant nothing to the court?" Gaius's face softened once noticing the dramatic change in Merlin's expression. "Merlin… it is a very fragile matter that must be dealt with the utmost care. Arthur has realized this and it's time you do, too."

Merlin's thoughts immediately went to his father. However, more upsetting thoughts followed which consisted of Freya, and Mordred, and Morgana. Gaius was right. As was Arthur. Merlin was angry at himself for not realizing such an important fact earlier.

Merlin followed Gaius into the living room silently. The room was a wreck because of the conflict with the baby griffin; the bookcase had fallen, as did the alchemist table, which left the floor with a sticky, syrupy texture and cluttered with books. Merlin had just begun cleaning when the door that led to the stairway flew open, revealing a tousled Gwaine.

"Gaius!" the knight cried, looking exhausted, but flustered more than anything. "There… There's something terrorizing the market! It doesn't look like any creature I've ever seen!"

Gaius sent Merlin a menacing glare and looked back to Gwaine. "Has it hurt anyone?"

Gwaine ran his gloved hand through his long, brown hair and exhaled loosely. "No, but it's been destroying food stalls. And those bloody talons look like they can rip someone apart. Most of the knights are out on a scouting mission, so we haven't got enough to chase the thing down."

Gaius smiled humorlessly at Merlin. "Don't worry, Merlin will help."

Gwaine looked at the sorcerer with a perpetual gaze and chuckled. "Not to doubt Merlin's abilities as the court's physician's apprentice, but does he have any experience with crazy, flying lions? You sure he's up to it?"

Merlin frowned and then smiled proudly. "Stop talking like I'm not here. I may not look like it, but I've had experience with a griffin before. A much bigger one, even."

Gwaine laughed wholeheartedly, walked over to Merlin, and clasped his hand around the boy's shoulder. "Well, then, Merlin the griffin-slayer. Would you accompany me to the market and demonstrate these interesting abilities you have?"

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Arthur woke to a laughter that sent an annoying chill down his spine. He was still in a daze, but he was able to make out a few things being said in another room: Merlin… griffin-slayer… demonstrating interesting abilities? Arthur cracked his eyes open in concern for those words and was met with instant pain in his skull.

Upon realizing he was in Merlin's bed, Arthur hopped to his feet and walked quickly out of his servant's chambers. He found Gaius sweeping up pieces of broken glass.

"Oh, sire, you're awake," the old man announced to himself and stopped sweeping. "How do you feel? Merlin told me what happened."

At the mention of Merlin, Arthur's anger spiked up. He wanted to throttle that man. "Has anything happened? I thought I heard Gwaine…"

"Ah, yes," Gaius began and waddled over to the fallen table. "He and Merlin left a moment ago. They're going to try to catch that griffin you boys let loose."

Arthur felt a pang of guilt and decided to take a defensive turn. "Merlin said it was harmless."

Gaius shot him a look and replied, "Sire, you should know now when Merlin thinks something is true and when it is indeed true. Regardless, he has never failed to clean up his own mess. You should get some more rest and leave it to Merlin."

Leave it to Merlin. Arthur thought he'd never hear all those words in a single sentence. The most surprisingly thing of all, was that Arthur was angry to hear them. After finally being told that all of his accomplishments over the past six years were tied to Merlin helping him behind the scenes, Arthur was having a hard time getting his mind around that idea. Merlin was always helping him, even though no one knew. Even though he didn't know. Arthur didn't know of all of Merlin's suffering. He didn't know how much effort his servant had to put in in order to get Arthur to where he was today. He didn't know… anything.

"Sire?" Gaius intruded on Arthur's thoughts.

"Y-Yes?"

"No, it's just you look very pale. Perhaps you should lie down back in Merlin's bed before going to your chambers."

There it was again. Arthur would be using Merlin in order to strengthen himself. What kind of bloody king was he? Arthur clenched his fists and dug his nails into his palms. He quickly swiped up the chest that had released the griffin.

"No, I'm feeling better," was all Arthur said and he glided passed a concerned Gaius and out the door, holding the box tightly against his chest.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Merlin was jogging behind Gwaine when a brown blur passed in front of them, cutting them short.

"There!" Gwaine announced, unsheathing the blade at his side and running after the creature. Merlin, unfortunately, didn't have enough endurance to keep sprinting.

The sorcerer slowed to a halt and he placed his hands on his knees, breathing raggedly and heavily. There was a thin sheet of sweat on his face. It was an incredibly hot day in Camelot. He looked around the market to find that it had become nearly empty from the panic of the young griffin. A few desperate stall tenders were cleaning up their merchandise and then proceeded to flee the scene.

Merlin recounted his first encounter with a griffin: kill it with magic. However, this one was still just a baby. It wasn't doing any harm. It was just scaring people. He had to get it back into that chest and back into the castle's basement. No harm done. Sadly, Merlin had left the chest back in Gaius's chambers. Merlin was about to mutter a spell in order to send Gaius a telepathic message and ask for the box, but the old man had to take his time down the stairs much less run down them. Arthur was his only hope and the king was probably still asleep.

"Merlin! It's heading your way!"

Merlin looked up to find a yellow beak rushing up to meet his forehead and his body flung backwards from the impact. However painful it might've been, Merlin had to take advantage of the griffin's collision. He wrapped his arms around the heavy creature and pulled it down with him. The talons immediately began scratching him, but the worst one was one of the griffin's nails had nearly sliced open his arm as his back cracked on the dusty ground of the marketplace.

Gwaine ran up to the two writhing figures and raised his sword, waiting for a chance to strike.

"No!" Merlin protested loudly, holding the young griffin in a tight bind, but somewhat lovingly as his arms were wrapped fully around its torso. "Don't hurt it! Just… Just give me a minute!"

"It's tearing open your arm!" Gwaine retorted, gripping his sword's hilt harder.

The knight's statement was certainly true. A white, hot fire was constantly licking at Merlin's right forearm and he felt a warmth spill out of his flesh and onto his clothes. He squeezed his eyes shut and decided to simply wait it out. Wait for a miracle.

"Merlin!"

The sorcerer opened his eyes in surprise at the familiar voice.

"I have the box!"

Merlin's face immediately split into a wide grin and he found Arthur running towards him with the chest in his arms. Upon seeing its cage, the griffin began squawking and thrashing about even more. Merlin replied with an even tighter hold on the creature.

"You're going to put that insane thing in a box?" Gwaine questioned their method, but the knight didn't pressure his king and his best friend.

Arthur fell to his knees, unlatched the locks, and placed the open end near Merlin. "It's open! Just get on your stomach!"

Merlin did as he was ordered, despite the pain on his arm. He scuttled close to the box with the help of Arthur, who had put one hand on the griffin, as well. The griffin was then pinned between Merlin's chest and the box, so the creature took the area with more space and crashed into the box. Arthur immediately closed it and slammed the locks shut.

Merlin's body collapsed on the ground as he began to recuperate. Despite his heavy breathing, there was a hint of a relieved smile on his face. Arthur was leaning heavily on the box, exhausted from sprinting with all his might from nearly the highest part of the kingdom to the lowest part.

"I guess you weren't kidding, Merlin," Gwaine laughed with excitement as he slid his sword back into its scabbard. "You are familiar with these creatures."

Between ragged breaths, Merlin laughed, "I wouldn't lie!"

Arthur sent Merlin a judgmental look, recalling the sorcerer claiming that the griffin wasn't dangerous, but the king chuckled it away. No one really got hurt.

Arthur supposed the griffin wasn't as harmful as he thought.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Merlin winced painfully as Gaius wrapped medical bandages around his injured arm after sewing it back together.

"We should keep it in a sling, as well. Just until it stops hurting constantly," Gaius suggested and taped the end of the bandage so that it wouldn't fray. "What have you done with the creature?"

Merlin answered as he was inspecting his healing injury, "Arthur put it back underneath the castle. You know something, Gaius?"

The old man looked up quizzically from packing his medical supplies.

"I don't think I used magic at all today."

After a beat, Gaius replied, "And what do you think of that?"

Merlin exhaled slowly and looked out the window of Gaius's chambers into the night sky. "I'm not sure. It feels strange, but… I feel relieved, as well."

Gaius waddled over to the shelf near the window and gently placed the medical bag on top of it. On the way over, however, he had to take careful steps as to not trip over the mess that was still there from that morning.

"Do you recall me telling you that this situation could perhaps be more dangerous than the last?" asked Gaius calmly.

Merlin blinked. "Yes, but I still don't understand that. Shouldn't it be better, with the King of Camelot knowing my secret?"

"Getting too comfortable with magic in this age of… 'no sorcerers allowed'… is the dangerous part. If anyone were to find out the king knew of a sorcerer and didn't burn him at the stake, there would certainly be anger stirring within Camelot."

Merlin swallowed at the thought and looked towards the floor. "How much longer, Gaius? How much longer until I can be who I really am?" Merlin's voice was soft and quiet.

Gaius walked over to Merlin and placed an encouraging hand on his shoulder. Gaius replied with a father-ly and friendly voice, "My boy, you have gotten this far. The person you care for most in the world knows who you really are. You can't stop. You not only have my help, but now you have Arthur's. It's your destiny to change Camelot and you've shown more progress."

Merlin looked up at the old man and a smile grew on his face. "You're right, Gaius."

Gaius smiled back and let go of Merlin's shoulder. "However, for now, it's your destiny to clean up my chambers after what you and Arthur did with that griffin."

Merlin swiped the air with his fist in disappointment. He was sure Gaius forgot. Despite his dissatisfaction, Merlin laughed with Gaius's chuckles as they both cleaned up the mess.

[ cue Merlin ending ]

END OF EPISODE ONE