Merlin's health continued to improve steadily over the next few days until at last, on the eve of the wedding guests' arrival, Alice pronounced him mostly recovered from his ordeal, though she advised him to avoid strenuous activity, including major spellcasting, for a while longer. Merlin was just happy to finally be allowed out of his chambers without her and Nimueh nagging him about needing rest.

The first thing he did with his newfound freedom was to go outside for a walk on the palace grounds, to the place Morgana had said he was most likely to find Kilgharrah. Sure enough, the dragon was sunning himself in the sculpture garden; with his eyes closed in pleasure he at first appeared to be sleeping, but he snapped back to full alertness at the sorcerer's approach. "Merlin! I am pleased to see you up and about again, and looking so well."

"I'm not sure I'd be so pleased if I were you. I'm not here for a friendly chat," Merlin said grimly. "You bullied Morgana into following your interpretation of prophecy-"

"To protect you, Merlin," Kilgharrah interrupted.

"You're not protecting me by threatening Morgana! If you hurt her you might as well kill me yourself, because life without her… Well, it wouldn't be much of a life. Except for my father, she's the only person I've ever really loved."

"I know," the dragon said gently, "which is why I took such pains to avert what was prophesied without destroying the witch."

"And I appreciate that, although the way you did it bothers me."

"Oh, really? Are you upset that the witch is now barren? Did you want to fill the palace with hairless, pink, squalling infants?" Kilgharrah chuckled.

Merlin gave him a withering look in response. "I hadn't thought that far ahead, but I would have expected that's what you would want, to ensure that there would always be dragonlords in the world. The fact that you don't seem worried about me being the last of my kind makes me think you must have some sort of contingency plan, and I've been racking my brain while I was stuck in my room, trying to figure it out."

Kilgharrah's bony eyebrow ridges lifted. "And have you?"

"Well, I'm sure you know I don't intend to ever be with anyone other than Morgana, so that must mean it doesn't matter if I never have an heir…and then I remembered what the druids and certain other creatures of magic call me: Emrys. I knew it meant 'immortal' but I'd never given much thought to why people called me that until now. Then it all made perfect sense, because it doesn't matter if a dragonlord has no heirs to pass his power on to if that dragonlord never dies…" Merlin's voice trailed off. "At least, that was the only conclusion I've come up with so far, but if that's what you're thinking you're wrong, because I'm not immortal. I get older every year just like everyone else, and I nearly died when the serket stung me, so I'm obviously not going to live forever…am I?"

"No, you are not immortal." Kilgharrah paused, then added, "Not yet."

"But you're saying I will be? You aren't worried about continuing the line of dragonlords because you honestly expect me to be around forever?" The dragon said nothing, but his silence was confirmation enough. "You're insane," Merlin declared with a shaky laugh. "There has never been a true immortal - even dragons die eventually, even though it can take thousands of years."

"Yes, but you are not like a dragon, or any other being that has ever walked this earth for that matter; your connection to the magic that is the core of our world is deeper than any of the rest of us can claim. You hold the essence of magic itself within you, whereas other creatures like human sorcerers and myself possess only a tiny spark of the gift which lends us whatever powers we are permitted to use during our brief journey through the world of life. When you cease denying your true nature at last, I believe your powers will be limitless."

"I don't believe you."

"Oh, but you do, young warlock. Deep down you have always felt like an outsider even among those closest to you, because you know you are not like them. You are a being apart."

Merlin had nothing to say to that, because Kilgharrah was right. He had felt different, separate, from even the other sorcerers who were supposed to be his peers ever since his magic had first manifested and began growing at an alarming rate, and he knew they felt the same about him. Even experienced priestesses like Nimueh whispered behind his back that they had never seen anything like him. Since then he had learned to hide the true extent of his powers, to pretend he wasn't all that special…still, the feelings of not belonging persisted, gnawing away at him like rats trying to escape the dark corner of his mind where he had banished them.

It should have been a relief to finally hear an explanation for what made him different, but there was one very big problem with it. "What about all my friends, my family? Everyone I care about is mortal. Kilgharrah, I don't want to live forever, not if it means spending eternity without Morgana. I meant it when I said I never want to be without her. And then there's my father, Arthur, Lancelot, Will, Gwaine, Freya, Gwen…"

"I am sorry, Merlin," Kilgharrah said gently. "This is why we dragons keep mostly to our own kind - to avoid the sorrow that comes with attachment to creatures with such meager lifespans."

Merlin scowled at him. "Well, I never expected my friends' 'meager lifespans' to be a problem, but now you're telling me I'm supposed to watch them grow old and die one by one until I have no one left. If that's my destiny, I think it's a lousy one. At least there's one bright spot - you said the reason I haven't become immortal yet is that I'm denying my true nature, so I'll just have to keep on doing that."

Kilgharrah huffed out a thick stream of smoke; Merlin often resisted doing what fate demanded of him, which Kilgharrah could only attribute to typical adolescent defiance, but this was taking it too far. Only the Goddess Herself could have made Merlin what he was, and he actually thought he could subvert Her will? That was blasphemy, and a dangerous one at that. "Now see here, Merlin-"

"Wait, I think I heard someone calling me."

Sure enough, Will soon appeared and came shuffling up the path toward them, looking extremely reluctant to get too near Kilgharrah. "Hey, Merlin, you ready to come inside? It's almost dinnertime."

"Merlin and I are discussing matters of grave import, and we are not yet finished," Kilgharrah said imperiously, glaring down at the intruder.

Will gulped. "Sorry, Great Dragon, sir, but Merlin really needs to be there tonight." Balinor had announced a feast that evening to celebrate Merlin being back on his feet - with the royal wedding so close, a festive atmosphere had taken hold in the city, and the people needed only the flimsiest excuse to start celebrating a day early.

"It's fine, Will; Kilgharrah may not be finished, but I have nothing more to say on the subject we were discussing. Let's go."

###

Halfway through the banquet, after everyone had had a chance to take the edge off their appetites, Balinor stood up to make an announcement. "In the days since Prince Merlin and Lady Morgana returned to us-" He paused as the hall erupted in cheers "-there has been a great deal of speculation as to how they managed their daring escape. However, there is one person whose part in this adventure has been largely overlooked." Here he was interrupted again, this time by curious whispers. "The Lady Morgana has told me," he continued loudly, "that she and our prince most likely would not have left Escetia alive without the help of her maidservant. Step forward, Guinevere."

Gwen approached the high table slowly, her eyes downcast to avoid the stares riveted on her. "Yes, your majesty?"

"Look at me, girl. You showed great courage and loyalty in helping Merlin and Morgana when you could have simply saved yourself. For that, you have the entire kingdom's gratitude, and mine especially. What will you have as your reward?"

"Reward, your majesty? And you…are asking me what I want?"

Balinor nodded. "Nothing I might offer can repay the debt I owe you for your aid in returning my son and the young woman I have come to think of as a daughter to me, yet if there is anything you desire that is within my power to grant, I will. Riches, lands, jewels - you need only ask and it will be yours."

Gwen had no idea what to ask for, though; she'd never given any thought to what she would want if a king offered her whatever she desired, and she didn't want to waste Balinor's incredibly generous offer by asking for the wrong thing, so she tried to quickly think through her possible choices in spite of all the expectant stares making it rather difficult to think rationally.

Land was ruled out almost instantly - she wasn't a farmer, so she couldn't manage a large plot of land by herself, and she didn't want to live on her own out in the countryside anyway. Gold might be a better option, but she didn't really need it since her job as Morgana's maid already provided her room and board in the palace and enough income to cover her basic necessities, and Gwen had no desire to live an extravagant lifestyle above her station. There were better uses for the king's money. She discounted jewels for the same reason; she didn't need the money she could get from selling them, and she certainly couldn't go about her duties bedecked in precious gems.

"I'm sorry, sire," she said at last. "Your generosity shows you for the great king you truly are, but I am happy with my lot in life. Really, you don't need to give me anything."

Balinor was perplexed; this was the first time someone had declined when he offered to reward their brave deeds. "Well, if you are content with the life of a servant…"

Merlin leaned forward. "Excuse me, Father, may I make a suggestion?" When the king motioned for him to go on, he said, "Anyone who proves themselves to be as courageous and loyal as Gwen is usually knighted, and she wouldn't be the first woman to serve in our army."

"Well, yes, historically the ranks of Dagon's knights have included a few sorceresses," Balinor said slowly, "but…"

"But magic is not a requirement for knighthood, and I assure you Gwen is the equal of any man on the field of combat," Morgana cut in. She wasn't sure why Merlin had proposed making Gwen a knight, but he must have a reason, so she decided to play along.

Balinor must have thought the same, because he raised no further objections. "Does this suit you?" he asked Gwen.

"Yes, sire," she squeaked, not wanting to seem any more ungrateful than she already did for turning down his previous offers.

He then declared that the knighting ceremony would take place as soon as possible before the wedding festivities commenced, and the feast went on without any more noteworthy occurrences. After it was over, Gwen, Arthur, and Morgana cornered Merlin and demanded to know what he was up to.

"Well, aside from the fact that I think Gwen would make a good knight, I would have thought it was obvious." Three blank answering stares told him it wasn't. Merlin sighed. "Princes and servants are forbidden to be together," he said as if explaining that one and one made two, "but there's no rule against princes and knights consorting, which surprised me since most knights are men. But then when I remembered how Arthur said hitting one another is a sign of affection among knights, and how frequently they punch each other, it made a lot more sense."

"I didn't mean that kind of affection!" Arthur exclaimed while Morgana and Gwen laughed.

"If you say so."

"But how did you know that Arthur and I…" Gwen trailed off, blushing.

Merlin shrugged. "Again, it was obvious, although I was starting to wonder if the two of you would ever figure it out. Then I heard you'd ended things with Lancelot. Don't feel bad about it, Gwen," he added when her blush darkened and she looked down at her shoes. "I have a feeling he'll find someone else, maybe sooner than you think. There'll be lots of girls at the wedding, and one of them might catch his eye. Meanwhile, you and Arthur can finally be together. You're welcome."

He and Morgana left then, to give the new couple some time to themselves. As Merlin walked her to her chambers, Morgana said, "There's one thing that still puzzles me. If you wanted to smooth the way for Gwen and Arthur, why didn't you have your father make her a lady of the court? That would make her an even more suitable match for Arthur."

"For one thing, granting someone a title is more complicated than knighting them. For another…well, you always made being a lady sound boring."

###

Gwen was knighted the very next morning, in a suit of armor and cape that had been magically altered to fit her overnight. All the knights of Dagon attended the ceremony and congratulated her afterward, including Lancelot, who said he would be proud to fight alongside her. "After all, none of the rest of us can claim to have saved the lives of both our future king and queen in one fell swoop."

"Thank you." There was an awkward moment in which they just looked at each other, neither knowing what to say and not quite able to meet the other's gaze; then Gwen burst out, "If it will be too hard for you to see and train with me every day-"

Lancelot quickly cut her off. "No, no, it won't. The truth is, I sensed from the beginning that you had reservations about me. Perhaps I should have let you go sooner, but I hoped…"

"No, if anyone should have let go sooner, it's me. It's just that I really did care about you…"

"But you never loved me." He had even heard whispers that she'd already found somebody else, and for a second he considered demanding to know if there was any truth to those rumors - surely she owed him that much - but then he decided he didn't really want to know. He did however want to know why she'd let it go on so long if she only saw him as a friend; he should have asked when she first broke off their fledgling romance, but he'd been too taken aback at the time. "Were you aware of that all along?"

Gwen shook her head, looking miserable. "I should have realized it sooner, but I was always too preoccupied with easing Morgana's adjustment to her new life and keeping our friendship alive while she and Merlin grew closer, so I never took the time to examine my own feelings." And then she somehow fell for Arthur, but she didn't want to make Lancelot feel worse by telling him that. "I'm sorry I wasted your time."

"It's all right, Gwen; I know you did not deliberately set out to hurt me. You're too kind to ever do that. Maybe we'll make better comrades in arms than lovers, eh?"

"Maybe," she said with a small, embarrassed smile. "It's so strange, being thrust into this new role I never imagined in my wildest dreams. I would have been perfectly happy serving Morgana until the day I died, and now…"

"You can still serve me," the lady interrupted, having come up behind Gwen unnoticed. "After all, every princess needs a knight to be her champion, to win tournaments and jousts in her honor. Normally her husband would do that-"

"But Merlin isn't a knight," Lancelot finished. It was the most polite way of saying that Merlin wasn't likely to win any tournaments for Morgana.

"No, and choosing another man as my favored knight might have unfortunate implications. So, will you serve as my champion, Guinevere, lady knight of Dagon?"

Gwen soundlessly opened and closed her mouth several times before managing to say, "I would be honored, my lady."

The lady and her new champion shared a sisterly embrace, one which thankfully could not be misinterpreted by even the most determined gossipmonger, until a blast of trumpets outside broke them apart. Morgana flinched and glanced around wildly as if searching for an escape route, but before she could flee, Merlin came up to the trio. "Sounds like the first of our guests have arrived. We'd better go greet them."

Morgana reluctantly took his arm. "Merlin, what will I do if it's him?"

"When he shows up, and he will, you're going to smile and act pleased to see him, and you won't say a word about the things you learned from Nimueh, and he'll be gone in a week or two. Then you'll never have to see him again. You can do this, Morgana."

Morgana gave him a strained smile of gratitude and let him lead her out to the castle's front steps, where Balinor, Arthur, and the rest of the royal court were already assembled. Arthur gave them a slight frown as they hurried into their places, but they ignored him; Morgana gazed fixedly at the road where the guests would soon appear, and Merlin anxiously watched her while subtly trying to loosen her viselike grip on his arm.

A figure on an impressive chestnut stallion came into view mere moments later, followed by a large entourage of knights on horseback, a variety of servants and attendants both mounted and on foot, and several wagons and carriages carrying supplies and important people who didn't feel like riding, all decked out in the familiar scarlet and gold of Camelot. The blood drained completely from Morgana's face as the man in the lead stopped at the steps' base, smiling up at her and Arthur, and she clutched Merlin so tightly that his arm began to go numb.

Uther Pendragon had arrived.

Hope you all enjoy Lady Knight Gwen; I wanted to have Balinor do something to show his appreciation for what she said, and this seemed like a better reward for saving his son than, oh, making her a servant to a royal spoiled brat. That's more of a booby prize. Then there was that time Arthur said she was the equal of any Camelot knight, and the lightbulb went on in my head.

In my first draft of her post-breakup chat with Lancelot he was a little tougher on her for inadvertently leading him on so long, but that didn't feel like Lancelot; he's always unfailingly polite and chivalrous, even when his heart's been broken.

Working back to the beginning, I hope my explanation for what makes Merlin different from every other magic person made some speck of sense, or at least inspired less head-scratching than the way Balinor's ghost laid it all out in the Crystal Cave. At least my version doesn't include Merlin's true self being an old man with bad teeth.

For the next chapter…I think I've finally run out of stuff to do before the wedding (unless Uther goes berserk from being surrounded by sorcerers and goes on an axe-murdering rampage). I mean I could cover the week of tournaments and parties building up to the big event, but I don't think we need to see all that, do we?