Life Outside of the Shadows

by TreeOfLife1997

Based at the end of series four. When Merlin reveals his magic to save the life of Isolde, has he just sacrificed Albion's golden future? Or has he just began the new age? Arthur and the knights must come to terms with Merlin's magic. So with a little help from Taliesin, they watch Merlin's adventures. And with a new form of dark magic rising, will all be learnt before all is lost?

32. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter thirty-one: Gwaine and the crystal cave.

Arthur sighed, he was feeling slightly better now he and Merlin had talked. The others also seemed to have cheered up to, Gwen was still admiring her gifts. Arthur was sure Merlin did it on purpose, he must have known everyone else forgot Gwen's birthday and wanted them to feel bad. But then and again Merlin was never one to make people feel bad, unless it was Arthur in need of his ego deflating.

Arthur smiled as he looked round. Gwen and Isolde were talking and admiring the dress Merlin had got Gwen, which proved Merlin was a girl, he got Gwen a dress!

Tristan and Leon were playing a game of dice whilst finishing off their lunch, where the dice had come from was anyone's guess. By the looks of it Tristan was winning. Which was a surprise, Leon always won dice when they played at the tavern.

Gaius and Taliesin seemed to be have a conversation on some unknown subject. But from the look on Gaius's face whatever they were talking about wasn't good news. And more than likely had something to do with Merlin and the war his kingdom was about to fight.

Elyan and Percival were trying incredible hard not to laugh at Gwaine who had green hair, this caused Arthur to do a double take…. Gwaine had bright green hair! Arthur shook his head he wasn't even going to ask. It was probably Merlin who did it, he was the only one with magic, who would pull a prank like that. Gaius and Taliesin were far to mature.

Taliesin suddenly speaks up. "We need to watch the next adventures, there is not much time now…. Merlin will soon need your help."

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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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The scene shows Arthur and Merlin on their way to a tavern after a day hunting.

Gwaine nodes in agreement. "I always have a tankard of mead after a day hunting."

"More like nine or ten." Elyan mutters, having seen what Gwaine classed as 'light drinking'.

Percival shakes his head. "The tavern really isn't the best place to know what the mood is like, most go there after a long day working to relax or drown their sorrows."

Leon nodes his agreement. "You are better off listening to people talking at the market or just walking through the lower town."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Going to the tavern has always worked for me."

Gwaine grins as Merlin insults Arthur. "Merlin is correct, you are simple."

Arthur glared at Gwaine. "I am not!"

"A pit cocky, Arthur," Elyan laughs, as Arthur thinks the barmaid called him handsome. "You can't always think people are talking to you."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Least I didn't look as smug as Merlin."

"He had every right to be smug!" Gwaine laughs. "Mary hardly ever complements anyone."

Tristan smiled as they saw Gwaine sitting on the tavern near them. "I had been wondering how you meet Gwaine."

Percival shakes his head. "This can't end well." He mutters, as a group of thugs enter the tavern.

Arthur steps into help Mary as she is threatened by the leader of the group.

Arthur sighed. "Merlin had to open his mouth."

Gwaine grinned. "You have to admit, it wouldn't have been half as fun if he hadn't."

Leon rolls his eyes. "Trust it to be Gwaine who started the fight."

"How did no one see Merlin throw that bench?" Elyan exclaimed.

"To be fair, everyone was a bit preoccupied fighting." Percival answers.

Gwen glanced at Gwaine. "How did you miss him throwing the plates? You were right there?"

"To be honest I wasn't really paying attention to anything but the fight at the time." Gwaine replies.

"Only you and Merlin could introduces yourselves in the middle of a fight." Leon mutters.

Elyan nodes. "And there the only two brave enough to save or insult Arthur without knowing who he is."

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Back in Camelot Gaius and Merlin treat Gwaine's injury.

Gaius smiled with pride. "He'll make a good physician, one day."

Percival glances at Arthur. "You seemed surprised Merlin knew about healing, he did live with Gaius for years."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Merlin acts like an idiot most of the time, of course I was surprised!"

The following morning, Gwaine wakes up in Merlin's room, just as Merlin brings him breakfast.

"You really hated nobles didn't you?" Elyan mutters.

Gwaine's nodes. "Many are who are corrupted by the power there status brings them. And I have witnessed what that corruption makes men think they can do and get away with."

Percival nodes. "Many nobles think they can do what they like to those of lower status, because not many would take the word of a peasant over the word of a lord."

Arthur sighed. "I'm king now and I swear everyone will get a fair trial, no matter what their status."

Gwen smiles. "Then you will be a great king."

The scene changes to Arthur and Merlin talking about the Mêlée.

Elyan glances at Arthur. "I don't think it's wise to throw things at a warlock of considerable power."

"It wasn't that bad." Arthur defends himself. "I do it whenever he annoys me."

Gwaine grins. "Only if you do it now, he can stop it mid-air and throw it back at you, twice as hard and without a single word."

Elsewhere in Camelot, the two thugs, Dagr and Ebor, from the bar fight and buying some swords.

"I have heard of those blades before," Percival mutters. "They appear blunt, but are sharper than most other sword."

Leon nodes. "I have heard legends about them, I didn't think anyone knew how to make them anymore."

"Those crystals….?" Isolde asks.

"Were glamour's," Gaius answers. "They changed the eye who beholds them. It did not actually change their appearance."

Gwen winces slightly as the old man selling the swords was killed. "How evil." She muttered.

Elyan shakes his head. "They have no honour."

Back in Camelot Gwaine is getting changed. Not long after he walking through the lower town when he starts to flirt with Gwen.

Both Arthur and Elyan glare at Gwaine.

Gwaine holds up his hands. "I wouldn't touch her princess, she is yours after all."

"You better not." Arthur threatened.

Everyone laughs at Gwaine's failed attempt to flirt with Gwen.

Gwen smiled. "That really didn't work."

Gwaine sighs. "Not ever pretty girl is easy to please…. You have high standards."

Elyan glared at Gwaine. "How many times have you been in trouble because of the girls you 'court'?"

Gwaine smiles. "I have been chased out of town a couple of times."

Everyone rolls their eyes knowing it was more like a couple of hundred times.

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In the woods about a day's ride from Camelot, Dagr and Ebor attack and kill Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan and use the crystals to take their appearances.

Gaius shakes his head. "Glamour's are tricky things, ones that use crystal are hard to spot, unless you know what you are looking for…. Magic can be used for such trickery sometimes."

"Their voices changed," Elyan muttered. "I only thought it was for appearances?"

Gaius shakes his head. "Glamour's of high power such as the ones they used change everything, the way you sound, the way you look and even sometimes how you act."

Leon sighs as the two thugs ride into Camelot. "This isn't going to end well."

Gwaine snorts. "Good job princess, give Merlin to the people who wouldn't think twice about killing him or causing him a lot of pain."

Arthur sighed. "I didn't know they were going to try and cause us harm."

"He was your servant, Arthur!" Gwaine answers. "The castle has servants who are hired to care for guests, you can't just make Merlin do all the work."

Gwen sighed. "Merlin should have asked for help, it couldn't have been good carrying that massive trunk up all those steps on his own."

Gaius sighed as he watched them make Merlin move the trunk around them room. "I surprised he didn't hurt his back."

Later on Merlin is eating his dinner with Gaius.

Arthur nodes in agreement to what Gaius said. "Sir Oswald was kind and he always treated servants with respect."

Everyone laughed as Merlin spat his food at Gaius, Gaius just shook his head.

"Hey!" Arthur complains. "I am a kind master."

After going to the tavern with Gwen, Merlin is forces to make Arthur pay for Gwaine drinks and food. After dragging Gwaine back to his room, they talk.

Everyone looks at Gwaine in shook.

"Your father was a knight?" Arthur finally asks.

Gwaine nodes. "He was."

"So that's your secret," Leon mutters. "The secret only Merlin knows."

Gwaine nodes. "I have only ever told Merlin…. Even when I have been so drunk I couldn't think straight, I have never told anyone. Merlin is my first and best friend he knows everything about me."

The following day Merlin and Gwaine are forced to clean the boots for the whole army.

Gwen looks at Arthur. "That was unfair."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "It wasn't that bad."

Gwaine snorts. "I'd like to see you clean the boots of the whole army, princess, I don't think you'd even be able to clean one boot."

Arthur glared at Gwaine. "I am the king I do not have to clean boots and never will."

Gwaine smiles. "Then you would have no idea how much work and effort it takes, how Merlin ever survived being your servant, I don't know!"

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Later that day, Arthur fights Sir Oswald aka Dagr and wins. Later still while cleaning the knights' rooms, Merlin finds the swords and cuts his figure. Seconds later sir Oswald and Sir Ethan appear.

Gwen shiver slightly. "He could have got an injury far worse than that, think what damage those blades could do in the tournament."

Gwaine nodes. "To you those blades may be a legends here in Camelot, but in other kingdoms they are used. I have seen the damage they can do…. The sorcery they are forged with makes them sharper than you could ever make a normal sword."

"Do you think sir Oswald noticed Merlin cut his hand?" Leon asks. "Or was he just paranoid?"

Back in Gaius's chambers Merlin plans on how to steal the blades as proof that sir Oswald and Sir Ethan mean to kill Arthur. And so that night, Merlin sneaks in to try and steal the blades.

Leon shakes his head. "One day Merlin is going to get caught sneaking into peoples rooms…. He really does take risks."

Elyan sighed. "Wouldn't you do the same if you knew it was the only way to protect Camelot?"

"I would try," Leon answers. "But I would more than likely get caught, I'm not that good at hiding."

Percival watches as Merlin spots the crystal. "The crystal powered the spell, does that mean if you take the crystals off the spell no longer holds?"

Gaius nodes. "There are some which hold even hold after the crystal is removed, but they are far more powerful and rely on the power of the sorcerer as well as the crystal."

Elsewhere in the castle, Gwaine knows Merlin should be back by now and goes to find him. He walks in on Sir Oswald and Sir Ethan throwing knifes at Merlin.

Gwaine glares at the screen. "I'm glad they are dead…. I cannot say that about many who are dead, but I am glad they are."

Arthur nodes. "They were evil men."

"They used sorcerer for all the wrong reasons," Taliesin speaks up. "Magic is a gift not all are given, those who abuse that power will be judged, in the next realm."

"The summer lands?" Percival asks.

"That is what Wiccan's call the next realm, yes." Taliesin answers. "But you would know it better as the realm of the dead or the spirit world."

Gwaine glances at Leon. "I never thanked you for arresting me."

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Later Merlin informs Gaius of who the knights really are, as they walk to the ordinance Gwaine is having with the king.

Elyan, Leon, Percival and Tristan all node in agreement as Gwaine declares nobility is decided not by how you are born, but by what you do.

Gwen smiles. "I am glad you spoke up for Gwaine, Arthur."

"I sometimes wished I hadn't the trouble he caused me." Arthur signs, with a slight smile.

Gwaine glares at Arthur. "I don't cause trouble."

"No you attract it." Percival laughs.

"Almost as bad as Arthur and the magical trouble he attracts." Elyan agrees.

The scene changed to show Gwaine leaving, both Merlin and Gwen said good bye.

Gwaine smiled. "I still find it hard to believe Merlin can put up with me, he's forever helping me home from the tavern and keeping me out of fights."

Elyan rolled his eyes. "He's the only one who can put up with you."

Gwen blushed as she watched Gwaine work out she has feelings for Arthur. Arthur smiled at her, which made her blush even more.

Later that night Merlin and Gaius try and come up with a plan to save Arthur. Merlin knows he's going to have to use magic. The following day Merlin prepares Arthur's amour for the Mêlée and Uthur gives Arthur a sword.

"Merlin was going to use magic!" Isolde exclaimed. "Half the city was going to be there and the king!"

Gaius sighs. "I did tell him, but he had to keep Arthur safe…. The same as if it had been any of you, Merlin will risk his life time and time again to keep his friends safe."

Tristan glances at Gaius. "How can you live with him risking his life all the time? The fear of him being caught all the time must be hard to live with."

Gaius smiled. "After four years you learn to live with it. But he fear never goes, it's always there at the back of your mind."

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As Merlin prepares Arthur for the Mêlée, he asks Arthur to withdraw, but Arthur refuses.

"You should really start listening to Merlin," Isolde mutters. "Every time he warns you about something or not to do something, it always turns out there was something or someone trying to kill you."

Arthur sighed. "I know, but I could not withdraw. The people expect me to fight and win, so they know they have someone strong leading them. I needed to prove I was fit to lead them."

And so the Mêlée begins. As the knights are knocked out one by one, Merlin is forced to use magic to save Arthur. His magic causing the saddle on the horse to snap as one of the thugs from the bar fight approaches from behind.

Gwaine grins. "Nice spell, I can see how that would come on useful in battle."

"He didn't use a spell." Percival points out.

"Which makes it all the more awesome." Gwaine grins.

"Who's the other knight helping Arthur?" Isolde asks.

Arthur, Leon, Gwen and Gwaine all smile, knowing who it was.

"Well Merlin clearly knows whom it is," Tristan smiles, he glanced at Gwaine. "It's you, isn't it?"

Gwaine smiles. "I couldn't say, wouldn't want to spoil it."

Arthur rolls his eyes. "They all know it's you Gwaine."

Gwaine uses the enchanted swords to kill Dagr and Ebor saving Arthur.

Gwaine smiled. "You are lucky both me and Merlin risked our necks to save you."

Arthur nodes. "I am glad to have friends such as you."

"So who won?" Isolde asks. "You didn't fight."

"I gave the field to Gwaine, so he won." Arthur answers. "But it was never announced because Gwaine had been banished."

Later on Gaius shows Uthur who the knights really were. Arthur then convinces Uthur to let Gwaine go and not be killed. As Arthur, Gwaine and Merlin speak, Arthur tells Gwaine his father was wrong and if it were up to him Gwaine would stay. Merlin tries to convince Gwaine to stay, but Gwaine goes. Arthur and Merlin watch him leave from the walls of the castle.

Everyone laughs as Arthur got jealous of Gwen and Gwaine saying good bye.

"Don't worry princess," Gwaine mutters. "I knew she was yours."

Elyan laughed as Merlin mocked Arthur on what the rules allowed. "Merlin was right, while Uthur was king, Gwen and you could never have been together."

Arthur sighed. "Many of my fathers' rules are wrong and I hope one day I'll be able to change them for the better, but the council as still convinced Uthur was right."

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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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The scene starts with Merlin and Arthur being chased though the woods by a large group of bandits.

Elyan shakes his head. "We seriously need to do something about those bandits, I've yet to go on a patrol and not come across any or the deeds they have done."

Leon nodes. "We need to do something, but what? The woods are large and they are bound to know hiding places we don't."

"Ask Merlin," Gwaine jokes. "He knows all the best hiding places."

Percival rolls his eyes. "I'm sure Merlin, if he wanted to, could just enchant the forest to attack them. That would no doubt have them fleeing the forest."

Gwaine laughed as Arthur told Merlin to trust him only for them to get spotted by the bandits. "Poor Merlin, having to trust you."

Arthur glared at Gwaine. "There is nothing wrong with trusting me, I know my way through the woods."

"Yeah, but so do the bandits." Elyan points out. "They probably know the woods far better than us."

Merlin suddenly seems to hit an invisible wall, as they enter the valley of the fallen kings.

"That was the magic of this valley," Taliesin explains. "The valley is after all home to the birth place of magic."

Percival nodes. "Is that why so many people fear this place?"

Taliesin smiles. "Many believe this land is cursed, it is called the valley of the fallen kings for a reason. Some believe the fallen kings of old cursed this land, but it is not. People can feel the magic here and that scares them, hence why they believe it is cursed."

Arthur is shot with an arrow and falls unconscious and Merlin is forced to hide both of them, until the bandits pass.

Gwen gasps as Arthur is shot with an arrow, everyone else looks slightly worried, but they all knew Merlin must have found a way to save him.

"See Merlin really does know all the best hiding places." Gwaine smiles trying to lighten the mood.

After finding a place to hide from the bandits, Merlin creates a healing poultice and tries to heal Arthur wound with magic.

Gaius nodes his approval. "That healing poultice was excellently made and only using herbs found in the area. His knowledge is good, but he still has a lot to learn."

Arthur glared at the screen, as Merlin insulted him. "I am not a pompous arrogant part."

"I'll think you'll find he said 'pompous arrogant prince'!" Gwaine laughs.

"Why did the spells Merlin used, not work?" Percival asked.

"He used spells to heal a different type of arrow wound. There are different spells for different kinds of arrows." Gaius explained.

Surprisingly no one commented on Merlin almost crying as he failed to heal Arthur. Even Arthur knew better than to say anything, he had seen the losses Merlin had suffered because he didn't know how to save them.

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Out of nowhere Taliesin appears, startling Merlin. He healed Arthur and told Merlin he had something to show him.

Gwaine grins as Taliesin appears. "So that's how you meet Merlin."

Everyone rolls their eyes, Gwaine really had a habit of stating the obvious.

Arthur turned to Taliesin. "Thank you for healing me."

Taliesin smiled. "I am simply glad I remembered the spell correctly."

Everyone watched in silence as Merlin entered the crystal cave and was showed the first to images, one of Morgana with a crown on her head and the second of Dragoon.

"He saw Morgana as queen, so he knew she was going to claim the throne?" Leon asks.

Gaius shakes his head. "The future is not set in stone, it can be changed."

After Taliesin convinces Merlin to look into the crystals, Merlin walks further into the cave and the visions start. An image of Morgana struggling with a horse, followed by her drawing a knife from its scabbard, followed by her walking down a corridor. What could be blood or wine, dripping from a hand into a pool of red liquid below? Merlin yelling, flames surrounding him. Merlin crashes backward into the wall of the cave, only for a second crystal to show him more images. Only this time it shows Morgana about to kill the king. Merlin forces himself to look away and falls to the ground. Only for a third crystal to continue the images. Morgana kills the king.

Everyone was silent for a moment.

Finally Elyan asks a question. "Merlin looked like he was in pain, why was that?"

Taliesin sighed. "The power of crystals are strong…. Many sorcerer are driven mad by the power. Imagine a powerful spell being thrown at you, you would try and fight against it…. Merlin didn't want to see the future but the crystals forced him to watch."

"Least he knew Morgana was going to kill the king." Gwaine mutters. "If he hadn't known he might not have been able to stop her."

Later outside the caves Arthur wakes up.

"You still look like a toad, princess." Gwaine laughs.

"Least I don't have green hair." Arthur answers.

Gwaine grabs a lock of hair and pulls at it, so he can see it. "Oh ha-ha Merlin." He laughs sarcastically.

Percival grins. "Why did he do it?"

"A couple of weeks back, I may have tipped some paint over Merlin…. It took him hours to wash it out his hair, so this is revenge."

"Why?" Percival asks.

"It was a prank!"

"Tipping paint over someone's head, was a prank?"

"Yes!" Gwaine exclaimed. "And a good one at that, the look on his face was priceless."

Elyan glanced at Arthur. "Magic is still outlawed, so still no chance of you turning into a 'handsome prince' or should it be king now."

Arthur glared at them. "I do not look like a toad."

"Didn't Dragoon say you looked like a toad or something about you being a toad?" Gwen asks with a smiles. "I'm sure he did, so Merlin isn't the only one to think that." She knew Merlin was Dragoon but Arthur didn't.

Percival smiled. "It could be worse, Merlin could have turned you in to a toad."

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On the way back to Camelot, Merlin is almost completely silent, much to the worry of Arthur. He's doesn't even react when Arthur tells the king Merlin helped save him. Gaius instantly knows something is wrong. Later that night Merlin tells Gaius about what he saw.

Tristan smiled. "You were worried about Merlin."

"No…. He was just unnervingly silent." Arthur answers.

Isolde sighed. "You know it's not a weakness to admit when you are worried about a friend."

Gaius sighs. "Having visions of the future can sometimes do more damage than good, when events have yet to come to pass, trying to stop them can sometimes cause them to happen."

Taliesin nodes in agreement. "The crystals can show you one of many possible futures, most of them will never happen."

Elyan frowns. "So you could be shown a vision by the crystals and it may never happen?"

Taliesin nodes. "It may not, but what Merlin saw came to pass."

The following day Arthur tells Merlin he is getting Morgana a dagger for her birthday, causing Merlin to worry. On his way out of the castle he sees Morgana struggling with a horse. He rushed to Gaius and informs him of what he has seen, but Gaius still doesn't believe it's going to happen.

"Why didn't you believe him?" Leon asks.

"Because I refused to believe Morgana would kill the king herself." Gaius answers. "All the time she has tried to kill Uthur, she has played it safe. Made sure it could never be traced to her. But to go and kill Uthur like that would have got her killed, there was no way anyone else could have been blamed."

Later on Arthur shows Merlin the dagger he has got Morgana, it isn't the dagger from the vision, to Merlin's relief.

Gwaine laughs. "Imagine if you got Morgana the dagger she used to try and kill the king."

Percival smiled. "That would have been truly helping the enemy!"

Leon shook his head. "I'm glad it wasn't the dagger, I think Merlin would have freaked out if it was."

Later on that night at Morgana's birthday feast, Arthur gives Morgana her gift. It is the dagger from Merlin's vision.

"Oh god," Gwaine laughs. "You got Morgana the dagger she was going to try and kill the king with."

Arthur glared at Gwaine. "This isn't funny, she was going to try and kill our father."

Elyan smiled slightly. "I'm glad Merlin knew about it, imagine if he hadn't, the king would have died."

Leon nodes. "I still can't believe Merlin would protect someone who would have had him killed for the way he was born."

Later that night, Morgana leaves her room to go and see Morgana. Merlin uses magic, to stop her, but causes Morgana to fall down the stairs, injuring her head.

Everyone winces slightly at Morgana fall, but no one could say they truly felt sorry for her. They had all seen the evils Morgana had done and the pain and suffering she had caused everyone.

Later that night, Gaius comforts Merlin, who is still coming to terms with what he has done.

"That proves of the goodness Merlin has in his heart," Taliesin explains. "Even though Morgana is one of his greatest enemies and would destroy all he works so hard to build, he still felt remorse for the way he stopped her from killing the king."

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The following day, Uthur sits with Morgana. While Merlin walls through the castle, he finds Arthur comforting Gwen and it makes the guilt he feels worse. He speaks with Arthur, after he is done comforting Gwen. Whilst speaking with Arthur, Merlin suddenly understands how much Morgana means to everyone and knows he must do something.

Arthur sighed. "There have been many times since Morgana and Morgause took Camelot, that I wished Morgana had never been found…. I just wish there was something we could have done to stop Morgana from taking the path she chose."

Gwen nodes. "I wish the same…. But it was her choice to make."

"Gwen is right, she made her choice," Gaius agrees. "It was of her own free will, she joined her sister. She wanted to be free at first, but she went around seeking it the wrong way. Then when she found out Uthur was her father, she wanted the throne and free those with magic. But she would have ruled much like Uthur did, only difference is all those with magic would be innocent, no matter what they had done."

Back in Gaius's chambers, Uthur is still sitting with Morgana. He starts speaking with Gaius unaware of Merlin sitting in the room next door. Uthur tells Gaius to use magic to heal Morgana, surprising both Gaius and Merlin. He also tells Gaius that Morgan is his daughter. Both Gaius and Merlin now know why Uthur cared so much about her.

Arthur glares at the screen. "He is a hypocrite and a liar!"

Gwen places a comforting hand on Arthur's arm. "He did what he had to…. He did what he thought was best for you."

"He hunted and killed thousands of people for the use of magic and kept killing them even after Morgana was better, yet he ordered magic to be used to save her!" Arthur answers.

"I do not agree with want Uthur did," Gwen answers. "But even you turned to magic to try and heal Uthur."

"Is there anything, you and Merlin don't know? Regarding the safety of the kingdom of course." Gwaine asks.

Gaius smiled. "There is very little we do not know."

"So you and Merlin knew Morgana was Uthur's daughter, I can see now why Merlin wasn't surprised when we found out." Arthur mutters.

Gwaine smiles. "I doubt anything would surprise Merlin, he seems prepared for anything."

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Later on Merlin takes a remedy to Uthur, Gaius thought it would help ease Uthur's mind. Merlin waits as he listens to Uthur talk and does nothing as Uthur had a breakdown, before heading out. He then watched Arthur training in the rain, before returning to find Gwen and Gaius beside Morgana. He knows he has to save her.

Arthur stared at the screen. "Did he really care about Morgana that much?"

"I believe he was talking about both of you, Arthur," Gaius answers. "He cared about both of you dearly, even if he wasn't that good at showing it."

Arthur nodes. "Why couldn't Morgana see how much everyone cared about her?"

"She was blinded by hate."

Gwen smiled sadly. "That must have been hard for Merlin, seeing us all so upset and knowing he was the one who caused it."

Gaius nodes. "It wasn't easy for him."

That night Merlin summons the great dragon and orders him to give him a spell to heal Morgana, even though the dragon warns him no good will come of the witch living. He uses the spell to heal Morgana.

"He should have let her die." Gwaine mutters.

Percival sighs. "I don't think Merlin would have been able to live with the guilt…. No one but he and Gaius knew Morgana had turned against us, everyone else would have been devastated, if she had died."

Tristan watches the screen. "The dragon looked furious."

Gaius nodes. "Kilgharrah hated Morgana, for she threatened the age of peace and the creation Albion."

Isolde shakes her head. "I can understand why he felt the need to save her, but he really should have let her die…. She killed so many people, she has done so many evil things…. She wouldn't have hesitated to kill any of you, even before that happened."

The following day Gaius returns from collecting supplies to find Morgana awake and being comforted by Uthur. Gaius is clearly surprised and works out Merlin must have done something. After Uthur thanks Gaius, Gaius goes to find Merlin and Merlin explains why he had to heal Morgana.

Leon looks at Gaius. "He thought you used magic, didn't he?"

"I fear he did," Gaius answers. "But as you know I did nothing."

Gwen smiled. "Merlin has such a kind heart…. He would save an enemy, just to save others from suffering the grief of their death."

Gaius smiled. "Kilgharrah once said, the will to see good in people will be his down fall and I fear he is right. The goodness in his heart and the will to help people will be his down fall."

Back in Morgana's room, Gwen has just finished helping Morgana. She then leaves Uthur to talk with Morgana.

"She heard didn't she?" Elyan asks. "She knew Uthur was her father."

Gaius nodes. "I fear she did."

Leon shakes his head. "That simply gave her all the more reason to hate Uthur."

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Later that night Morgause enters the castle and meets with Morgana. Morgana tells Morgause she is Uthur's daughter and Morgause warns her not to do anything rash in her anger and need for revenge.

"She's going to try and kill the king." Elyan mutters.

Arthur watches the screen. "She is more like Uthur than she would like to think."

Gaius nodes, his agreement. "She was like Uthur and would have ruled with the same coldness and fear Uthur did."

Gaius ad Merlin tend to the servant who was attacked by Morgause and Merlin sees the next image he saw in the crystal and knows he has stopped nothing.

Everyone watches with worry, knowing Morgana is most definitely going to try and kill the king. Gwen grips Arthur hand and watches as Merlin and Gaius exchanged looks on the screen.

Morgana waits until Gwen has finished cleaning her room and dismisses her for the night. Merlin runs through the castle, when he reaches Morgana's room he thrown into the wall and knocked unconscious.

"That looked painful." Gwaine muttered.

Elyan nodes. "And the room is on fire."

Morgana slips past the guards and into Uthur's room, where she takes the dagger Arthur gave her and prepares to kill the king. Meanwhile Merlin wakes up and runs, knowing he has to reach the king before Morgana kills him.

"Come on, Merlin." Gwen mutters.

Arthur watches as Merlin races through the halls. "Run faster!" He hisses, forgetting in the heat of the moment that Uthur didn't die that night.

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Merlin bursts into the room just as Morgana is about to kill the king. He uses magic to explode all the windows, stopping Morgana and waking the king. Morgana quickly lies as to why she is in the kings' room and Merlin hides behind a pillar.

Everyone breaths a sigh of relief.

"Thank god he got there in time." Gwen mutters.

Leon nodes. "I had to keep reminding myself Uthur didn't die that night."

"He did cut in quite close," Elyan mutters. "If he had got there a second later, she would have killed Uthur."

Tristan shakes his head. "Why Morgana didn't just kill Merlin, I don't know…. She knew he kept ruining all her plans."

Isolde nodes. "I don't think it ever occurred to her to just kill him…. She isn't the type to do it herself unless she knows it can never be traced back to her."

Later that night Gaius warns Merlin if Uthur dies, Arthur is all who stands between the Morgana and the throne of Camelot.

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Hey, hoped you liked that, sorry it took longer to get this one up,

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.