Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter twenty-three: The sins of the father and the lady of the lake.

Arthur smiled, as the others slowly sat down ready to watch some more of Merlin adventures. It was about three hours after dawn and everyone had just finished eating breakfast.

"Why are you so happy, princess?" Gwaine asked, glancing at him.

"No reason," Arthur answered. "I've just been thinking."

"Wouldn't want you to hurt you self so don't think too hard." Gwaine grins.

The other almost laugh, Arthur rolled his eyes, he couldn't help but notice how much he sounded like Merlin. Merlin had in truth, stopped by the caves last night and they had spent a couple of hours talking, hence Arthur's happy mood.

"Well," Taliesin speaks up. "It is time for us to begin."

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In a time of myth and a land of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy, his name…. Merlin.

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"Let me guess," Elyan mutters. "Morgause is going to try and kill Arthur."

"It wouldn't surprise me if she does." Leon mutters. "She's tried before."

Percival nodes. "Do you think Merlin killed her? I mean we haven't seen her since the immortal army."

Gwaine shakes his head. "Morgana was taking her to the isle of the blessed, remember?"

"I believe Morgause was dying, Morgana would have used her as a blood sacrifice to open the veil." Gaius answers. "But I guess we'll find out whether that is true or not."

Gwen shivers. "The battle for Arthur soul, that cannot be good."

"Who's that knight?" Isolde asks. "Whoever they are they are good with a sword."

"Lucky," Tristan mutters. "They killed five knights, just as you were knighting five new ones."

Isolde smiles slightly. "Morgause, she's quite good with a sword."

Leon glances at Arthur. "You seemed quite surprised that she was a women."

Arthur nodes. "Women don't usually fight."

"Morgause was Morgana's half-sister," Gaius speaks up. "They had the same mother. Morgause was chosen by Nimueh and trained as a high priestess."

"And there goes Merlin with his good advice again," Gwaine grins. "But how does Merlin know about combat, sorcerers fight a lot different to what we do."

Gaius looks at them all as if they were stupid. "Merlin was Arthur's man servant, he had to learn about stuff like that."

Everyone nodes and looks at little I embarrassed they didn't think about that.

"You sent Merlin?" Percival asks. "You didn't know anything about the women. She could have killed him."

And so they watch the fight, Morgause wins.

Gwaine bursts out laughing. "Saved by a girl and beaten by a girl! And you tease Merlin about being saved by a girl!"

Arthur just growls. "For all we know she could have used magic."

"No Merlin would have sensed it," Gaius speaks up. "The only magic she used was the healing bracelet."

Percival smiled. "Even Merlin found it funny. Why has he never used it as blackmail?"

Elyan nodes. "None of us knew about it."

"I can see why Merlin never had to worry about Arthur finding out about his magic," Gwen smiles. "Morgause used it right in front of him and he didn't notice."

Arthur shakes his head. "I don't get how I kept missing it."

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"How could she have none your mother?" Elyan asks. "She doesn't look old enough."

"Morgauses's mother and Arthur's mother were good friends," Gaius answers. "Morgause would not have been old enough to know Arthur's mother. But she would have been told a lot by from Nimueh."

"Why was Uthur so worried?" Leon asks.

"She knew the truth of Arthur's birth, Uthur feared Arthur would find out." Gaius answers.

Gwaine laughs. "Merlin was most definitely enjoying the fact Arthur was beaten by a girl. And he used magic in front of you Gaius, how did you not notice."

"Merlin is strange," Gaius mutters. "I sometimes wonder about his mental health. So him suddenly acting strange is nothing to worry about."

"You needed more rope," Gwaine grins. "It could have been worse, that was quite a soft landing."

Arthur glared at him. "Don't say another word Gwaine."

"They so say horses are quite intelligent, you know?" Percival mutters.

"Yeah," Elyan answers. "But it does help the horse was enchanted."

"That had to hurt though, being thrown of a horse like that," Leon mutters. "I'm surprised he was okay. I've none people who have broken ribs and worse after that has happened."

"And yet Merlin still managed to save Arthur without him noticing." Gwaine grins.

"So Merlin never knew his father," Gwen mutters. "We should have guessed really, he never really spoke about his family or his past."

Gwaine shakes his head. "Merlin once told me he meet his father just before he died, so he knew his father if only for a couple of hours."

Arthur looked up. "Why didn't he tell me?"

"Merlin said Uthur hunted his father down after he escaped from Camelot. He said Uthur and his father were friends, Uthur followed him to his home village and his father was forced to flee to protect Hunith." Gwaine answers. "Looking at it now, his father must have been a sorcerer, so by telling you could have got him into a lot of trouble with Uthur."

"So my father ruined the lives of hundreds of people all because he could not live with the guilt." Arthur answers.

Gaius sighs. "If your father had not started the war on magic, Merlin would Bev have been born. Merlin's birth had been foreseen since the dawn of time, he would be born of the darkness which threatened the very magic of the earth and it time would help the once and future king unite the lands and return magic. Merlin was born to protect you, that alone is the only reason he was born, to protect you and save all those with magic."

Arthur takes a step back. "Merlin was only born because of what my father did?"

Gaius nodes. "Merlin is the saviour of magic. He is Emrys, a being of pure magic."

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Everyone looked at Gaius, who smiles slightly.

"You risked your life to save her." Gwen smiles. "You took quite a risk."

"Sometimes I wish I didn't, she has caused a lot of problem for Merlin and Camelot since you first met her. She was the one who trained Morgana to use her magic." Gaius answers. "But at the time I tried to save as many as I could."

Gwen smiled. "You did a good thing, saving people like that. It was not your fault Morgause choose to use her magic for evil."

Gaius shook his head. "Nimueh was the one who trained her. I should have known it was going to turn out like this."

They watched as Merlin and Arthur arrived at an old castle to meet Morgause.

"'And what would you know about magic, Merlin?' Good question Arthur," Gwaine laughs. "Like he would have answered that truthfully."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Gwaine."

"You would rather be killed than brake your word?" Elyan asks.

"I can see why Merlin is always complaining," Leon mutters. "You really do make it hard for him to save you all the time."

Arthur looked at Gaius. "So that was truly my mother I saw."

Gaius nodes. "It was, but she would never blame you for her, or your father. She made the deal with Nimueh knowing her life was the price."

Arthur nodes. "Merlin told me the same thing."

"You spoke with Merlin?" Gaius asks.

Arthur nodes. "Last night he appeared out of nowhere and he had a talk."

Gaius nodes. "Did he explain it to you?"

Arthur nodes. "He did."

"Trust Morgause to taunt him about it," Gwaine mutters. "It's like she wants him to hate his father."

Elyan nodes. "So what his mother said was only half true."

Gaius nodes. "Arthur's mother entered the deal knowing she would die. She gave her life knowing her son would live."

Percival shakes his head. "What about Morgana?"

Gaius sighs. "Morgana was the daughter Uthur had with another, out of marriage. Hence why her claim on the throne is not valid. Morgause and Morgana have the same mother, Morgause is Morgana half-sister, but is of no relation to Arthur."

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"Merlin really didn't like Uthur, did he?" Isolde mutters. "He doesn't show the man true respect. He always guarded around him."

Gaius smiled slightly. "Merlin never killed Uthur, but he would not go out of his way to harm him. He only saved Uthur because I asked him too, or to stop the pain it would cause Arthur."

Tristan looked at the fight Arthur and his father were having. "Uthur was a cruel man in many ways, what he did to those with magic who unforgivable. I can remember a lot of the things he did."

Gaius nodes. "It was a horrible time. I always feared Uthur would turn on me, like he did so many others."

"You really tried to kill your father?" Elyan asks in disbelief, he and his father had had disagreement but he would never have harmed him.

Arthur nodes. "I was angry and upset."

"Yeah but still he was your father." Percival mutters. "No matter what he did he loved you and cared for you."

"He murdered hundreds of interconnect people, all because he couldn't bare the guilt." Arthur defends. "All those people who died and were killed, most had done nothing wrong. I followed by father orders and have killed many druids, people who are peaceful and people who are my best friend's people. How Merlin can even look at me knowing that, I don't know. What my father did was unforgivable, but I know he thought it was best, but it wasn't."

"You seemed quite shocked, Gaius." Gwen mutters. "That Merlin said Morgause was lying."

"I was, he knew it to be true. But to stop Arthur from killing his father he doomed himself and his kin to suffer once more at the hands of Uthur. Merlin will always bare that guilt, that he could have saved all those he died since that day. But he did what he thought was right at the time. You claim that it is hard to make decisions that will affect the lives of your people. Merlin has to do the same, if Merlin makes the wrong choice hundreds of his kind will die. Like when he sent Morgana to the druids, many died then. Merlin has to makes choices which shape the future in a much bigger way than you could ever dream of. He is a legend in the making."

"That must have hurt," Leon muttered. "Being thanked for condemning his own kind and kin. How Merlin put up with you while you said all those things about him and his people, I'll never know."

Arthur shakes his head. "I have many things to tell him I'm sorry for, that being one of them."

Gwaine grinned. "Bet Merlin had a heart attack finding the king in his home. The one person who would kill him if he ever found out who he was."

Percival nodes. "Bet Merlin hated being left in the same room as him alone."

Elyan shivered. "Rather him than me, I was scared of him I don't even have magic."

"Least the king thanked him." Gwen mutters.

Isolde nodes. "But also told him he was fighting his own kind."

"Yet he threaten to hang him," Tristan mutters. "What a way to say thank you."

Gaius smiled. "Merlin really didn't like that. I was surprised myself."

Arthur smiled. "He stopped me killing my father knowing I could never have lived with myself."

"Nimueh seemed quite shocked to see was Uthur was still alive." Elyan smiled. "It could have been much worse if she knew Merlin was responsible for it."

Everyone nodes, wondering just how much Merlin was willing to sacrifice to save them all.

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In a time of myth and a land of magic, the destiny of a great kingdom rests on the shoulders of a young boy, his name…. Merlin.

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"He doesn't look like a very nice man." Gwen mutters.

"He was a bounty hunter," Gaius explained. "He would catch those with magic and sell them to the king."

"That poor girl," Isolde mutters. "How could someone do that? Imagine what her family must feel like."

"She obviously liked Merlin," Gwaine grinned. "She didn't even move when Gaius walked past."

Gaius smiled sadly remembering what happened. "She did." He whispered but no one heard.

"Merlin really did seem surprised about that didn't he?" Leon mutters.

Gaius nodes. "It was the first time he had seen that happen."

"Why do I get the feeling Merlin is going to help her?" Percival mutters.

"Because it's Merlin," Arthur answers. "He the only person stupid enough to help her."

They watched as Merlin sneaked out and down into the lower town. He checked the tavern before going to the cage.

"He should really be more careful with his magic." Gaius mutters. "Anyone could have seen that."

"And they nearly got court." Elyan sighs. "I would have hated to think what would have happened if they had been court."

Gwaine grins. "I bet that guy had an awful headache after that."

Leon shakes his head. "He needs to be more careful."

"I think this is the most amount of times I've seen Merlin use his magic," Arthur mutters. "It is usually only one or two spells, so far he cast about four."

"She seemed surprised Merlin helped her." Gwen mutters. "But Merlin would help anyone."

Gaius smiles. "He was right though, it could have been him in that cage. If anyone had found out in his home village, that could have been him."

"Freya!" Isolde exclaimed, turning to Gaius. "She's…."

Gaius nodes. "She was."

"She was what?" Arthur asks.

Gaius just shakes his head. "You'll see."

"Merlin is so kind though," Gwen smiles. "A true gentleman, he gave her his jacket."

"And so Merlin steals Arthur food," Tristan smiles. "He really must be the worst servant. He insults you and steals your food. For a girl."

Arthur rolls his eyes, belfry yelling. "I am not fat!"

Everyone laughs.

"He used magic to heat your bath water," Leon mutters. "I mean talk about taking a risk."

Gwen turn to Arthur. "That wasn't very nice, throwing water over him like that. He could have caught a cold, then you would have had an ill servant."

"She was cursed?" Tristan asks.

Gaius nodes. "She was, but I don't know who by or why."

"Good thing Merlin wasn't recognised," Elyan mutters. "Imagine what Uthur would have done to him."

Percival shakes his head. "Merlin is too clever to get court. I'm sure he would be able to lie his way out of it."

Gwen smiles. "He must have been so happy to be able to use his magic freely in front of someone like that."

"A druid," Gwaine smiles. "It's just Merlin's luck."

"How so?" Arthur asks.

"Could you imagine if he fell in love with someone who didn't have magic?"

"He didn't love her," Arthur mutters. "He just helped her."

Gwaine shakes his head. "He loved her, of that I am sure. He once spoke of a women he loved, when I asked him why he was never interested in anyone. I'm sure this is her."

"Wow," Gwen mutters. "That's beautiful."

Isolde nodes. "Magic can do so many pretty things."

Tristan nodes. "His magic is powerful, he learnt it so quickly."

Gaius nodes. "Magic is second nature to him."

"You didn't believe him do you Gaius?" Elyan smiled.

Gaius smiled. "I didn't. But I am glad he helped people like her."

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"Stealing Arthur food aging, with magic," Gwaine laughs. "How did you never notice?"

Arthur rolls his eyes. "He's so annoying, how I ever put up with him…."

Percival grins. "Good catching though."

"Oh god," Gwen mutters. "He got caught by the bounty hunter."

Elyan nodes. "This can't end well."

Leon sighs with relief. "Good thing Arthur saved him then."

"I knew he stole my food." Arthur mutters. "I knew it."

Gwaine laughs. "But you didn't know how."

Gwen laughs. "I love how you actually checked to see if you were fat."

Arthur rolls his eyes. "I am not fat."

Gwen sighs. "Look at the two of them. They are such a good couple, I'm so glad he found someone. It's just a shame he never trusted me enough to meet her."

Gaius smiles sadly, Isolde and Tristan share a look, they all knew she was dead. But only one of them knew why.

Gwen just keeps on smiling. "Look at the two of them, they are so sweet."

Elyan grins. "So he has a girl."

"I wounded if we will be able to meet her." Percival mutters.

Leon shakes his head. "I think it more whether she wants to meet us…. We are people who hunt down her kind."

Arthur shivers slightly. "I remember those attacks, it was the girl, Freya, she turned into a beast at night and killed people."

"She was cursed Arthur," Gaius speaks up. "She didn't have a choice."

Gwen laughs. "Trust him to create a rose."

Gwaine smirks. "Bet that was handy when chatting up the ladies."

Elyan rolls his eyes. "He used magic, he couldn't just do it for anyone."

"Least they didn't get caught," Leon mutters. "You would have thought he would have looked better, I mean Freya was worth a lot of money to him."

"Oh my god," Gwen exclaimed. "They kissed."

Arthur smiled slightly. "So he really did love her."

"Merlin was going to leave Camelot!" Gwaine exclaimed. "What happened? Why was he still there?"

"You'll see." Gaius answers.

"So that's why he was stealing a dress," Gwen mutters. "I never believed that reason he gave."

Elyan laughs. "I can't believe Arthur thought he was cross dressing or something equally ridicules."

"Poor Freya," Gwen mutters. "Cursed to turn into such a horrible creature."

Gaius nodes. "But that didn't change what Merlin thought of her. He still loved her, he always will."

Gwen stared at Gaius. "How could you do that? Tell Uthur, when you knew how much Freya meant to Merlin."

Gaius shakes his head. "I did what I believed to be right, at the time I had no idea what she meant to Merlin. I just thought he was helping her, had I known they were in love I would have helped them escape."

"He still believed he was a monster?" Percival asks.

Gaius nodes. "I think he still does sometimes."

"How could he think that, after all the good things he has done?" Elyan asks.

"Merlin has done many good things, but by doing what he believes is right has killed many." Gaius answers. "You are yet to see some of the things he has done, which have killed a great many people. Maybe them you will understand why he feels that way."

"Well least she killed the bounty hunter," Gwaine mutters. "It stopped him from sending more people to their deaths."

Gwen glares at Arthur. "Why couldn't you have let her go?"

"She was a danger to Camelot." Arthur answers.

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"And Merlin nearly killed Arthur and some knights," Gwaine grins. "He must have truly loved her."

Arthur glares at him. "If I hadn't have moved, I would have died."

"Poor girl," Percival mutters. "Cursed to kill forever more because a man attacked her."

Leon nodes. "Poor Merlin, maybe if he had had more time he could have lifted the curse."

"He carried her all the way to the lake?" Arthur asked. "I didn't think Merlin was that strong."

Gwen wiped the tears away. "Why did Merlin never tell us? His love died in his arms and he never told us!"

Isolde gripped Tristan hand, tears threatening to fall. "He has suffered so much and yet he still has a kind heart."

Gwen hugs Gaius as the tears stream down her face, Gaius rubs her back.

Arthur looks at the screen a look of sadness on his face. "Why didn't he tell me the truth?"

"You did just kill his girlfriend." Gwaine points out, angrily.

"Plus he would have got in a lot of trouble had he told you." Percival adds, his voice think with sadness.

Leon nodes. "When this is over, we'll have to pay our respects at the lake."

"Yeah," Elyan agrees. "And I think Arthur will have to beg Merlin for forgiveness."

Everyone smiles as Merlin once aging calls Arthur fat, even through the tears.

"How did he ever forgive me?" Arthur asks, more to himself than anyone else.

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Hey all, hope you liked that. Next chapter should be up soon.

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.