Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter thirty: We need to talk, Merlin.

Gwen yawned as she sat down, she was glad Arthur was calming down. He hadn't blamed Merlin, yet. Although his mood was unpredictable, he had just found out Merlin hadn't released the donkey spell straight away. Gwen knew it was revenge for all the objects Arthur had ever thrown at him over the years, but Arthur was not pleased.

Arthur himself was truly annoyed, how dare Merlin leave the spell on for longing than needed! It had been one of the single most embarrassing moments of his life. The only thing that topped it was his trousers falling down in the middle of that council meeting. So Arthur began plotting how he would get revenge on Merlin, forgetting Merlin had powerful magic. Whatever Arthur could do, Merlin could do ten times better with magic.

Gwaine was grinning like an idiot, he had seen Uthur with no hair! Not everyone got the chance to see that. Seeing Uthur so often and looking so alive, he had keep reminding himself that Uthur was dead, so therefore Uthur couldn't kill Merlin. Gwaine would have sooner died than to have ever let Uthur kill Merlin.

Percival was still in awe. Merlin was taking so many risk to save Camelot, risks some knights wouldn't even take. Percival was glad he could call Merlin his friend and glad Merlin would always have his back, if ever Percival got into any kind of magical trouble. Percival smiles, he hoped Arthur got over himself soon because, Merlin would most definitely be a good court sorcerer.

Leon was still slightly shocked, Merlin was powerful. He had defeated everything thrown his way and had little to no help at all. Leon couldn't help but smile as he thought of all the trouble the goblin had caused Merlin. He knew without a doubt Merlin would rather face a goblin or any other magical creature, than Arthur right now. Arthur was in the mood for revenge.

Elyan smiled as he thought about everything Merlin had done, he was loyal. He winced slightly as he thought about all the injuries he had suffered. It couldn't have been easy fighting Morgana on his own. Elyan glanced at Arthur, he would never admit it, but he missed Merlin just as much as everyone else, if not more.

Tristan glanced around, his gaze settling on Arthur for a moment. Arthur didn't hate Merlin, he was jealous. He had watched Merlin go on so many adventure, Arthur was jealous of people who had helped Merlin. Not that many had, he was also annoyed Merlin had never trusted him. Tristan could understand that, Merlin was his best friend.

Isolde watched the crystal, as they pulsed with magic around them. The level of care Arthur showed for Merlin, couldn't be destroyed by a couple of choices made to save the kingdom and keep it safe. Merlin and Arthur friendship was strong, it could not be destroyed that easily. Arthur had after all risked being caught in the caves when he went back to try and find Merlin, all the two of them needed to do was sit down and talk.

Gaius sighed Arthur and Merlin had come so far, they had gone from hating each other to being like brothers. This problem Arthur seemed to be having with the decisions Merlin had made would do little to no damage to their friendship, Arthur usually over reacted. So all Arthur needed to do was calm down and talk to Merlin.

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Merlin grinned as he appeared just inside the crystal caves, no one had noticed him yet, so he slowly walked forward until he was standing next to Taliesin.

"How many adventures have they seen now?" Merlin asks.

Taliesin turns. "My lord!"

"Please don't call me that," Merlin mutters. "There is no need."

Taliesin nodes. "In answer to your question, they have just finished watching 'goblin's gold'."

Merlin smiled. "Does that mean Arthur knows I left the spell on for longer?"

Taliesin nodes. "I'm afraid it does."

"Merlin!" Gaius suddenly exclaimed, spotting him from the other side of the cave.

This got everyone else's attention as they turned to look.

Gaius pulled Merlin into a hug. "My boy, what are you doing here?"

Merlin smiled, as he pulled of his cloak, he was still dressed in his royal robes and crown. "I have a letter for Gwaine and I need to speak with Gwen."

Everyone was slightly shocked at Merlin's appearance, they had all seen him being crowned, but it was still a surprise.

"A letter?" Gwaine asks.

"Yeah," Merlin answers. "You know where someone rights a message on a bit of paper for someone else."

Gwaine glares at Merlin, who just laughs and hands him the letter.

Gwaine grins. "Thanks, for delivering this…. I've never known a king to deliver a letter before."

Merlin rolls his eyes. "Just because I am king of the druids doesn't mean I can't do things myself. Believe it or not I don't even have a servant…. Sadly when we visited queen Annis I had to have a servant."

Leon looks at Merlin. "You visited queen Annis?"

Merlin nodes. "I signed a peace treaty with her this morning. I also have peace talks coming up with king Rodor and king Godwin in the next couple of days and possible king Olaf."

Leon looked surprised. "Queen Annis hardly signs any peace treaties, Uthur tried to form an alliance with her for years."

Merlin shrugged. "All that matter is we have peace between the kingdoms. She is a powerful ally and the peace between our kingdoms will last for many years to come, I hope."

"Would you sign a peace treaty with Camelot?" Arthur suddenly asks.

Merlin glanced at Arthur, he could tell Arthur was angry for some reason. "I would…. But my kingdom is about to go to war, I do not have time to shunned and prosecuted by your council. Their hatred for magic is strong, until I know they will not attempt to harm me or the envoy I travel with, I will not risk a peace talk."

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Merlin turned to Gwen and smiled. "Gwen, I need to speak with you…. I wish to apologise."

Gwen frowns. "Why? You haven't done anything."

"I forgot your birthday." Merlin answers. "I'm sorry."

Gwen shakes her head. "It wasn't you fault, I was in exile."

Merlin nodes. "Well you won't mind if I give you your presents now then?"

"Merlin, there is no need to get me anything." Gwen mutters.

Merlin grins. "There is every need, Gwen, you are my best friend!"

Gwen smiled. "And you are mine."

Merlin beamed and reached into the pack he had placed on the floor. "This," He explains holding out a small gift. "Is from my mother, Hunith."

Gwen took the gift and slowly opened it, it was a pair of earrings. "Oh, they are beautiful!" Gwen gasps. "You must thank Hunith for me."

Merlin smiled. "I will. This is from Alice." Merlin holds out the second gift.

"Alice?" Gwen asks, taking the gift.

Merlin nodes. "Gaius's love."

Gwen held the gold belt in her hands. "This is amazing, thank you!"

Merlin grinned and held out a third gift. "This is from Gaius."

Gwen glanced at Gaius, who smiled quickly before giving Merlin a questioning gaze, which Merlin returned with a small smile.

"Wow!" Gwen gasp. "This is perfect." In her hands she held a golden circlet. She rushes over to Gaius and pulls him into a hug. "Thank you so much."

Merlin shifted slightly as he held out the fourth and final gift. "And this is from me, happy birthday Gwen!"

Gwen held out the dress, speechless. It was a deep scarlet colour, with gold embroidery of roses and vines on the shelves and around the shoulder. Gwen held it up against herself, it was beautiful and suited her perfectly.

She looked up at Merlin. "I can't have this…. It's for nobility."

"Gwen," Merlin answers. "You are to be queen of Camelot, you are nobility!"

Gwen wrapped her arms around Merlin hugged him. "Thank you."

Merlin grinned. "You're welcome."

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Merlin sat down on the cave floor beside Gaius and Gwen. He had agreed to stay and talk for a while, they may have seen many of his adventures but not all questions could be a seared by Gaius and Taliesin.

Tristan was the first to speak up. "The high priestess Nimueh, you killed her. I was have heard it said that those who killed a high priest or priestess were punished, so why weren't you?"

Merlin sighs. "Nimueh wasn't innocent…. She abused her power. After the purge started, she turned her hand to dark magic. For twenty years she studied the dark arts and many forms of dark magic which were banned from practice by the high council of old.

"She trained Morgause in those arts too, and in turn she trained Morgana. That's how Morgana knew forms of dark magic such as necromancy among others. Lucky for Camelot, forms of dark magic take a lot of power, so attacks from such magic hardly ever happened.

"The spells and magic the three of them used where punishable by death, if used for evil purposes. The same if I was to use them for dark proposes, I would be sentenced to death or imprisoned by the Sidhe elders. The only ones with the power to kill high priestesses were high priest or high priestess of a higher order.

"I am the last high priest of the triple goddess, much like Morgana was the last high priestess of the triple goddess. I alone had the power to kill Nimueh for her crimes, so I did. But at the time I didn't know I had to, I simply killed her because she treated the people I care about…. So in answer to your question, no, I will not be killed for killing three high priestess of the old religion."

"Three?" Isolde asked. "You only killed Nimueh."

Merlin shakes his head sadly. "I doomed Morgause to die when I used magic to throw her into a wall. The head injury she suffered would have killed her, if she had been sacrificed first…. I used a spell to bind Morgana's magic when you took back Camelot, allowing her to be killed by a mortal weapon. If I hadn't cast that spell she would still be alive."

Tristan nodes. "You are high priest of the triple goddess, why not a god?"

Merlin smiles. "There is a high priest and a high priestess of every god and goddess, the triple goddess is simply the highest order, the ones with the most power."

Isolde glances at Merlin. "How are you high priest? You have had no training as far as I know."

Merlin smiled. "You don't have to be trained, although most are and I will be trained when there is time. You just need the power and the knowledge of the old religion, training is simply to gain higher power and more knowledge."

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"Sigan." Leon muttered. "Is his tomb really safe under Camelot."

Merlin nodes. "It is. I have placed many spell on it, if anyone tries to brake in I'll know about it. Also to get past the spells, you would have to have powerful magic and know where the tomb is, for the mine was sealed also."

Leon stared at Merlin. "Surly the spell will lose power over time?"

Merlin shakes his head. "You have a great many magical objects in the Camelot vaults, I simply bound the spell to many of those objects. Their magic is what powers the spell, and that power will not run out for many years."

Elyan looks up. "Did Sigan really use magic to build Camelot?"

Merlin nodes. "He did, but the magic within the stone is weak. Almost all the magic has faded into the land around the castle."

Elyan nodes. "What is a sorcerer uses the magic within the walls to destroy Camelot?"

Merlin laughed. "That would be impossible for most sorcerers to do."

"How so?" Leon asks.

"Because the magic was Sigan's. Only Sigan can use his magic…. Everyone who uses magic has their own magic signature, only they can control their power."

"But you have undone the work of many sorcerers in the past." Elyan mutters.

"When someone casts a spell, only they can control it…. Counter spells, simply defeat, deflect or destroy the other sorcerers magic, but never controls it. That is why I couldn't use magic to kill Arthur when Morgana enchanted me, a sorcerers magic can only be controlled by them of their free will…."

"You tried to kill Arthur!" Leon hissed.

Merlin runs the back of his head nervously. "I guess you haven't seen that yet, have you? I've had so many adventure I sometimes forget the order. And yes I did try and kill Arthur, Morgana caught me and enchanted me to. I would never do it lf my own free will."

"What about dragon's?" Elyan asked, before Leon can reply. "You could force Kilgharrah to do magic against his will?"

Merlin nodes. "But that is only because I am a dragon lord. Most creatures of magic cannot be controlled by another, hence why people never have pet griffins."

Leon shakes his head, before asking. "So Camelot is completely safe from Sigan and his magic?"

Merlin sighs. "It is possible someone of high power can release Sigan, but it is unlikely and if it did happen I would know about it."

Elyan smiled. "Lets hope for Sigan's sake that never happens."

Merlin glanced at him. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

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Percival hadn't really thought of any questions he wanted Merlin to answer, he knew he would never truly understand magic and its laws, he knew the basics. He was simply happy to watch Merlin do his thing and not worry about the odd unanswered question.

Merlin glanced at him. "No questions?"

Percival shakes his head. "Not really, I'll never truly understand the magical world."

Merlin smiled. "You must have at least one question."

Percival thinks for a moment. "The knights of Medhir."

"What about them?" Merlin asked.

"Were they wraiths? I mean they were immortal, they seemed a lot like the wraith Nimueh created to try and kill Uthur."

Merlin sighs. "The knights were neither dead or alive…. They were both but neither at the same time. The magic used was complicated. From what I understand of it, their souls were trapped between this world and the next, leaving them suspended between life and death.

"When Morgause awoke them, the simply called the tormented souls back to the bodies, causing them to live once more. Being alive nor dead meant they could not be killed or feel pain, nor did they have a conscience. I may be wrong but that is how I understand it to work…. I am yet to practice that kind of magic."

Before Percival can speak Gwaine comes bounding over and sits down. "I have a question, can you turn this water into mead?"

Merlin glares at him for a second, before meeting Percival's gaze and his eyes flash gold. Percival noticing the flash of gold in Merlin's eyes turned to look at Gwaine and bursts out laughing, Gwaine looked at him.

"What?" He asked.

Merlin tried to hide a smile. "Do you have a serious question or not?"

Gwaine thinks for a moment. "Can you give Arthur donkey ears again?"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "No, seriously, do you have any questions?"

Gwaine shakes his head. "All I need to know is why you have done what you have done and that has already been answered. I don't need to know what magic was used, or why you were never punished for killing high priestess. All that matters is, we are safe, Camelot is safe and not all magic is evil."

"I have a question," Percival quickly mutters. "How is the spell you just did elemental based…. Gaius said you could only do elemental based spells without the use of a spell."

Merlin smiled. "I did use a spell, I just incanted a spell in my mind, what Gaius said is true, I can only do elemental based spells with no spells at all."

Gwaine grins suddenly. "I have a question, Sidhe staff?"

"What about it?" Merlin asked.

"Only the Sidhe can use them, so how can you?"

Merlin smiled. "I know the basics about Sidhe magic, so therefore I have basic control over weapons created by them. The spells I use whole wielding the Sidhe staff are said in the Sidhe tongue."

Percival glances at Merlin. "How many languages do you know?"

Merlin smiles. "A lot, I know many of the magical languages and a couple of the old tongues. I'm mostly able to read them, rather than speak them…. You have to when you live with Gaius, many of his books are in different languages and scripts."

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Gwen pulls Merlin into a hug. "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Merlin asks, slightly confused.

"You have had to suffer all those years on your own and for that I am sorry." Gwen almost cries. "I'm you are my best friend, I should have been there for you, like you were there for me."

Merlin hugged Gwen back before pulling away. "It's okay Gwen…. If I had told you about my magic it would have endangered you. If Uthur ever found out, he would have executed everyone who knew about my magic…. All that mattered was you were all safe."

Gwen smiled sadly. "I should have noticed you were suffering…. There were times when you were so upset and I never asked why."

Merlin grinned. "Least you noticed, I am glad you noticed, it shows you cared."

Gwen hugged Merlin again and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for healing my father!"

Merlin laughed. "I'm sorry about getting you accused of witchcraft."

Gwen shook her head. "You healed my father and saved me. Getting accused of witch craft was scary I'll admit, but you didn't give up on me."

Merlin grinned. "So do you have any questions?"

Gwen thinks for a moment, before glancing round and whispering. "I know you are Dragoon."

Merlin glanced at her sharply. "How?"

"Gaius said you took my place when I was accused of enchanting Arthur…. Dragoon was the sorcerer who took my place, so you must be Dragoon."

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Yeah, I am. I used an aging spell, I knew Morgana planted a poultice under Arthur pillow to frame you…. There was no way I could prove it was Morgana's doing, so I took your place."

Gwen smiled. "Thank you."

"You're not mad I played a part in killing Uthur?"

Gwen shook her head. "No, you would never kill anyone unless they threatened the people you cared about. I know you went there to heal him…. But some times people are just meant to die, you can't save everyone."

Merlin nodes. "I sometimes wish I could undo what happened that day…. But the past is the past."

Gwen nodes. "You tried your best and that's all that matters."

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Arthur glared at Merlin for a moment. "Why did you let the dragon live?"

Merlin stared at Arthur. "Why do you think? I'm a dragon lord, it is my job to protect the dragons."

"It killed hundreds of people!"

"So have you!" Merlin answers. "You kill bandits, armies that attack Camelot and any other thing people who mean you or the kingdom harm. How is that any different?"

"I killed them for a reason, to protect my people. The dragon was killed for the pleasure of it."

"Kilgharrah does not kill for the pleasure of it, Arthur, he kills when he has to or when he has to protect those he cares about. When he attacked Camelot he was angry and felt the need for revenge."

"Why would he want revenge on Camelot and her people?"

"Did you not listen to anything my father told me? Kilgharrah watched all of his kin, be slaughtered at Uthur's hand! He was then imprisoned in a cave underground as some sort of trophy Uthur could brag about! He had every right to be seek revenge!"

"That is no reason to kill innocent people!"

"By that logic, Uthur had no reason to kill thousands of innocent people, yet he did! Least Kilgharrah is sorry for what he did!... Both acted in anger, fuelled by the need of revenge…. Kilgharrah has helped me save Camelot time and time again, he is loyal to me, I refused to kill him when he was blinded by anger and has seen what he has done was wrong!"

Arthur glared at Merlin. "My father was nothing like that dragon!"

"No he was worse," Merlin answered. "He hunted my kind and slaughtered my kin, all because of the mistake made by one witch…. You have to understand Arthur, Kilgharrah acted in anger and he is sorry for what he has done."

"Do not speak about my father in such a way!" Arthur yells.

"Then do not insult my kin!" Merlin answers. "Everything I have done, I have done in hopes of protecting Camelot…. I'll admit I have made mistakes and have paid the price. I have only ever wanted to protect Camelot…. You have to understand I would never harm Camelot of my own free will, I will always protect it."

Arthur glared at Merlin before sighing, Merlin voice held nothing but truth. "You swear this dragon will never attack Camelot again."

"I swear he will not attack Camelot, while I am alive." Merlin promises.

Arthur nodes. "Good."

Merlin sighed, he hadn't even asked about Morgana yet!

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Merlin crept up behind the envoy, moving quickly and as silently as possible. Arthur had finally seemed to come to terms with the choices Merlin had made, but it had taken both he and Gaius to convince him, Morgana would have turned evil no matter what they had done. As he pulled himself into the saddle of his horse, Alator turned to him.

"Nice of you to return, Merlin."

Merlin smiled. "You noticed."

Alator nodes. "I hope your trip was fruitful."

"It was," Merlin answered. "If convincing Arthur I always made decisions for the good of Camelot, was a good thing."

Alator nodes. "You are doing well, Merlin. It will not be long until the once and future king unites the land and frees magic once more."

Merlin sighed. "It will take time…. The council in Camelot still have strong feelings of hate for our kind…. But I hoping Arthur will be able to change their way of thinking, now that his views on magic are changing."

Alator sighed. "You have a hard destiny Merlin, as they say Rome wasn't built in a day. You have a life time to change the world around us and you have already started that change."

Merlin smiled. "I guess you are right, I just hope the changes happen sooner rather than latter…. I miss Camelot a lot, it had been my home for the last three/four years."

Alator smiled. "I have no doubt one day it will be your home again, but for the time being we have more pressing matters to deal with…. While you were gone some of scouts watching the far mountains reported activity, we are holding an emergency meeting tomorrow at dawn when we get some more detailed reports."

Merlin glanced at Alator, clearly worried. "You think the war is starting?"

Alator shakes his head. "It has already begun."

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Hey next up is Gwaine and the crystal caves. I have used the proverb 'Rome wasn't built in a day', I have always thought king Arthur united the lands after the Romans left, but I may be wrong. Until next time,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.