Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter thirty-seven: The eye of the phoenix.

Taliesin appeared out of thin air in the middle of the crystal caves, a small smile visible on his lips. Glancing round he spots Gaius and quickly makes his way over.

"Gaius." He greets.

"Taliesin." Gaius replies.

"I have to inform you that, Merlin Emrys has married."

"Married?" Gaius asks.

Elyan who wasn't sitting far from them edges slightly closer to listen in on their conversation.

"Yes, Merlin Emrys has married the lady of the lake." Taliesin informs Gaius. "There marriage has formed an alliance between this realm and Avalon."

"So it was a marriage of alliance?" Gaius asks.

"Yes."

Elyan eyes widen slightly and he quickly got up and moved over to where Arthur and Gwen were sitting.

Gaius shakes his head. "Merlin would never marry someone he does not love."

Taliesin smiles. "It was a marriage of alliance and love."

"But Merlin does not know anyone in Avalon."

"The lady of the lake goes by another name." Taliesin smiles.

Gaius thinks for a moment. "Freya?"

Taliesin nodes. "When Freya died her soul was bound to the lake, making her a being of Avalon and the gatekeeper of Avalon."

"But she is dead." Gaius mutters.

"The Sidhe know a strong and ancient magic," Taliesin replies. "There magic does not have to bow to the rules we must follow."

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Elyan sat down beside Gwen, who had just been given a flower by Arthur, who had earlier sneaked out of the caves to get it. Gwaine, Leon and Percival soon joined them.

"I just heard Taliesin speaking with Gaius," Elyan explained. "Merlin has married the lady of the lake to form an alliance between this realm and Avalon."

"What!?" Everyone exclaimed, getting the attention of Isolde and Tristan, who quickly make their way over.

"Merlin would never do that!" Arthur mutters. "He would only marry for love."

Gwen nodes her agreement. "Merlin thought it was madness, when Arthur was going to marry to form a stronger alliance with king Godwin and his kingdom."

"Who did he marry?" Isolde asks.

"The lady of the lake." Elyan states.

"The lady of the lake," Tristan sharing a look with Isolde. "We have heard stories about her."

"What did they say?" Leon asks.

"She is the gatekeeper of Avalon," Isolde answers. "And the guardian of the sword Excalibur."

"Seer's have foreseen the marriage of Emrys and the lady of the lake for many years," Tristan adds. "Their wedding was of great importance to the golden age of Albion."

Isolde nodes. "Many stories and legends say that Emrys and the lady of the lake were lovers. I guess that is true being they have married."

Elyan shakes his head. "Taliesin said it was a marriage for alliance, not a marriage of love."

Isolde smiles. "A marriage can be of love and alliance."

Before anyone can answer Taliesin speaks up.

"We much watch the next adventure, you still have a lot to see today…. We cannot waste time speaking of matters that do not affect what we are about to watch."

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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's room lit by candles. Arthur washes his face in a basin filled with water as Merlin prepares his cloths. After Merlin has prepared Arthur, they stand outside the throne room, before Arthur enters and kneels in the middle of the hall. Merlin watches him through the gap, Gwen appears and joins him, after joking around Merlin explains what Arthur is doing. He is waiting for a vision, which will show him a quest he must go on if he is to prove he is worthy of the throne.

"I'll never get your traditions," Gwaine mutters. "Because Gwen is right, how does crouching on your knees all night help."

Arthur glanced at Gwaine. "I had to wait until a vision came it me."

"So why sit on your knees all night? Why not just sit in a chair and wait?" Gwaine asks.

"Because Gwaine it is tradition." Arthur answers.

"I bet you thought about Gwen though." Percival jokes.

"I had to wait for a vision to come to me," Arthur answers. "There wasn't a lot else to think about."

"So you did think about Gwen." Elyan teases.

The following day, Merlin is awoken by Uthur and the council as they pass, more or less over him, as they make their way into the hall. After entering the hall, Uthur asks Arthur what quest has been shown to him. To which Arthur answers there is only one path he can take, he must enter the realm of the fisher king and find the golden trident, spoken about in the legends of the fallen kings. Uthur reminds him that if he is to show he is worthy of the throne he must complete the quest alone and unaided, to which Arthur answers he does.

"I though only those who had magic could have vision." Percival mutters.

Gaius sighs. "Those with magic of high power often do have visions…. But the vision Arthur was shown was slightly different. It was shown to him by the spirits of kings past."

"I didn't see any ghosts." Arthur speaks up.

"Just because you did not see them, does not mean there were not there." Gaius answers. "Only those of strong magic can see the dead that travel into this realm."

"So Merlin could have seen them?" Gwaine asks.

"He could have." Gaius nodes.

Tristan glanced at Arthur. "Did you have to choose that quest? Hundreds have tried it and failed in the past."

"I did not choose it," Arthur replies. "It was shown to me in a vision."

Gwaine bursts out laughing as Uthur said the quest must be completed alone and unaided.

"Alone and unaided, my arse, Princess." Gwaine laughs.

"Don't say a word, Gwaine." Arthur warns.

"What does it matter? Everyone going to see what happened anyway."

"Shut up, Gwaine."

"What happened?" Leon asks, glancing between the two of them.

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Later whilst Gaius and Merlin eat, Merlin asks who the fisher king was. Gaius tells him, he was a sorcerer who lived many hundreds of years ago. Legend has it, he was wounded in battle, but the wound did not heal and the infection spread through his body and land, reducing the once rich and powerful land to nothing more than a waste land. Merlin asks why Uthur was so worried and Gaius tells him some believe the fisher king still lives, kept from death by his magic. And that the lands are called the perilous lands, few who travel there live to tell the tale.

"Was he really a sorcerer?" Elyan asked. "The stories I have heard simply said he was a king cursed by a sorcerer."

Gaius nodes. "He was a sorcerer."

"The legend?" Percival asks. "Is it true? Is the fisher king still alive?"

"When courage, magic and strength entered the realm of the fisher king, he was alive." Taliesin answers. "But magic granted the fisher king his finally wish, the gift of death."

"Courage, magic and strength?" Leon asked. "Are they people?"

"You will see." Taliesin answers.

Percival shakes his head. "No one who enters the perilous lands alone and unaided make it out alive."

"Arthur did." Elyan points out.

"Then he was lucky." Percival mutters. "Even large groups of people do not make it out alive."

Later that day, whist Merlin is sorting Arthur's bed and hiccupping, much to Arthur's annoyance. As Arthur looks through the maps he has of the perilous lands, Merlin keeps hiccupping. Merlin walks over and picks up some of the maps, none of them are the same. Arthur informs him that it is because hardly anyone goes to the perilous lands. Merlin asks him why he couldn't have chosen anything a bit easier, to which Arthur answer going to get some herbs from the lower town wouldn't cut it. Merlin offers to go with him, but the quest must be done alone and unaided. So Merlin leaves to let Arthur prepare, but not before hiccupping one last time.

"Why did you even bother looking at maps?" Gwaine asks. "No one else used them."

Arthur glanced at Gwaine. "I needed to know how to get there…. Plus some of the maps showed where the tower was."

Gwaine smiles. "You would have better luck now, though, the perilous lands are not so perilous anymore."

Percival glanced at Gwaine. "What do you mean?"

"Merlin Emrys used his magic to restore the perilous lands," Taliesin answers. "It is now one of the only kingdoms in Albion where magic is practiced freely."

Leon glanced at Arthur as Merlin offered to go with him. "Magic…."

"What did you say?" Elyan asks. "I didn't quite hear you."

"Nothing," Leon mutters. "Just thinking out loud, that was all."

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Elsewhere in the lower town, Gwen and Morgana are visiting the market. Gwen picks up a piece of orange material and uses it as a scarf covering her head and shoulder. Morgana smiles at her and looks at a piece of purple cloth, suddenly an old women grabs her wrist and asks for a couple of minutes to talk. Realising it is her sister, Morgause and she quickly walks away with her. But Gwen notices and calls after her, Morgana tells her she will only be a moment. Once away from the market Morgause asks what quest Arthur had chosen and Morgana tells her. Morgause then gives her a bracelet and tells her what to do with it. As Morgause passes Gwen, Gwen sees her true form in a mirror and when she turns to look all she sees is an old women. Morgana tells her the old women had no money to feed her family and she felt duty bound to help her.

"An aging spell, they are risky and powerful spells to use," Gaius mutters. "I am surprised she had the strength to keep it up for so long."

"Why not use a glamour?" Isolde asked.

"It would have used too much magic…. To have to enchant the eye of everyone at the market would have been difficult and would have required a lot more magic."

Percival shakes his head. "That bracelet cannot be good."

Elyan nodes. "It's going to kill Arthur isn't it?"

"So that's the reason Merlin needed my help." Gwaine mutters. "I always did wonder."

Leon glanced at Gwaine. "Strength of courage?"

"What?" Gwaine asks.

"Nothing." Leon mutters.

"That bracelet," Tristan asks. "It was an eye of the phoenix, wasn't it?"

Gaius nodes. "It was but how did you know?"

"Because we once had to smuggle one into Cenrid's kingdom." Isolde answers.

Later in the castle, Gwen waits outside Arthur room. Once he appears the two of them talk, Gwen wishes Arthur didn't have to go. Arthur gives Gwen a good bye kiss and quickly leaves. Down in the court yard, Uthur, Morgana and the knights gather on the steps to see Arthur off. Morgana and Uthur speak and Uthur tells her Arthur is sole heir to the throne, to which Morgana tells him she is sure a Pendragon will rule over Camelot for a long time to come. Merlin prepares Arthur horse and wishes him luck. But as Arthur is about to leave Merlin notices the bracelet, his attention is drawn to it by the power magic. Arthur tells him it was gift from Morgana before ridding off, Merlin watches him go, knowing Morgana has planned something and whatever it is, it can't be good.

Gwen smiles at Arthur. "I am glad you made it back."

"As am I." Arthur smiles.

Isolde smiles as she watches Arthur kiss Gwen. "Love is a beautiful thing."

Leon shivers slightly as Morgana tells Uthur a Pendragon will rule over Camelot for a long time to come. "The people will never bow down to her."

Elyan nodes his agreement. "They will always want Arthur to be their king."

"Good thing Merlin noticed the bracelet." Percival mutters. "I hate to think want would have happened if he didn't."

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Back in Gaius's chambers, Merlin starts looking through books for the bracelet. Gaius asks him if it was jewel, but Merlin tells him it was brighter than a jewel and that he could sense the magic coming from it. Merlin tells Gaius that it came from Morgana, so therefore it can only mean one thing, Arthur is in danger…. Hours later Merlin and Gaius are still looking, Gaius tells Merlin they have looked through every stone possible. But then Gaius remembers the eye of the phoenix. Showing Merlin a picture of it, Merlin conforms that's what it is. Gaius tells him what it is and if it is worn for too long, the person wearing it will die. Merlin knows he has to go after Arthur and Gaius warns him not to go alone. And so Merlin sets out to find help and track Arthur down before the eye of the phoenix does its job.

"Least Gaius found the right book." Gwaine mutters.

Gwen nodes. "I wish more of us had known about Morgana…. We could have helped."

Gaius smiles. "Anyone who knew about Morgana, would also have to know about Merlin and all did to stop her. But only magic could be used to stop her, so if too many questions were asked Merlin could have been found out and killed... That was a risk Merlin and I were not willing to take."

Elyan shakes his head. "So who did he ask for help? I mean so far its only Lancelot who knows about Merlin's magic and I doubt he could have found Lancelot in time."

"He asked Gwaine," Leon answer. "Courage, magic and strength."

Gwaine grinned and Arthur just glared at Leon.

Later that night, Morgana casts a spell and the eye of the phoenix starts to draw energy from Arthur. After the spell is complete, Gwen appears asking Morgana if there is anything else she needed, but is told to leave. After asking if something was burning, Gwen is yelled at by Morgana and quickly leaves. Outside the door she stops for a moment, glances back before continuing on her way.

Gwen smiled sadly. "That's when I was sure Morgana was no longer the person we once knew…. The old Morgana would never have yelled at me like that."

"The Morgana we knew," Arthur mutters taking her hand. "We never have used a gift like magic, for such evil and selfish reasons."

"A gift?" Tristan asks. "Since when does the son of Uthur Pendragon call having magic a gift?"

Arthur smiled slightly. "Since I have seen all the good it has done for me and my kingdom. Without magic I would be dead, without magic the kingdom would have fallen."

"But without magic, there would never have been anything to save the kingdom from." Tristan points out.

Arthur sighs. "I have come to believe magic is like tool, you chose what it is used for. It is not magic that corrupts, it is power."

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The following day in the woods, Arthur is attacked by two bandits, but struggles to fight them off. And the eye of the phoenix continues to drain a lot of his energy. After killing both bandits, Arthur lies on the floor whilst he gets his breath back. Elsewhere in the forest, Merlin reaches the top of a hill overlooking a small town. After entering the town and going to the tavern, Merlin ducks out the way of a flying object and closes the door. After seeing Gwaine thrown along a table they greet each other before running. They crash through the market before hiding behind a stool for a moment, before being seen again. As they run up some steps and along a wall, Merlin explains why he needs Gwaine's help. After the two of them jumps from the wall into a pile of hay, the quickly flee into the woods.

"That bracelet really is draining your energy fast, Arthur." Leon mutters. "I'm surprised Merlin and Gwaine reached you in time."

Arthur sighs. "I had wondered why I felt so tied, weak and dizzy whilst on that quest."

"Least you managed to kill both bandits without getting injured." Elyan mutters.

Percival grins and turns to Gwaine. "Is that how you and Merlin always meet? In the middle of a bar fight!"

Gwaine smiles. "The third time we meet we had both been captured by some men in Cenrid's kingdom, whilst Arthur was looking for the cup of life."

Arthur shakes his head. "You and Merlin had way to much fun doing that."

Gwaine grins. "What can I say, Merlin and I know how to adventure in style."

"No," Arthur answers. "You both know how to try and get yourselves killed."

Gwaine rolls his eyes. "They would never have caught us."

"What if the hay pile hadn't been there?" Elyan asks.

"Merlin could have used magic or something." Gwaine grins. "Or I could have fought them, Morgana made me battle her men with a wooden sword, whilst I was half staved and I still won."

Arthur just shakes his head.

Arthur continues on his quest and reaches the bridge to the perilous lands where he is greeted by Grettir, who appears out of the shadows of the bridge. He asks Arthur who it is, who wished to cross his bridge and Arthur tells him he is a knight on a quest to find the golden trident of the fisher king. And Grettir calls him Courage, to which Arthur tells him, no he's prince Arthur of Camelot. Before Grettir lets Arthur pass he gives him some advice, to complete this quest, apart from courage, there were two more things he needed to complete this quest. Magic and strength. As Arthur passes Grettir grabs his arm and tells him he has a nice bracelet. Arthur tells him it was gift given to him by a friend how wished him good luck and hoped it would keep him safe, Grettir just laughed.

Gwaine glared at Grettir, he still hadn't forgiven him for turning his sword into a flower.

"Grettir," Gaius mutters. "The keeper of the bridge."

"Why does the bridge need a keeper?" Elyan asks. "It only a bridge."

"It is the safest way to enter the perilous lands," Taliesin answers. "To cross the border anywhere else, would be dangerous and unsafe. So therefore the bridge must be guarded and kept in good condition."

"It didn't look in good condition." Percival mutters.

Leon turns to look at Arthur. "You were courage, so Gwaine you must have been strength…. That why neither of you really won the Mêlée, it was the ultimate test of strength and courage."

Gwaine grins. "Yet both of us wouldn't stand a chance against magic."

Arthur sighed. "It seems like everyone but I, knew what that bracelet was doing…. Why didn't Grettir just tell me what it was doing?"

"Would you have believed him?" Percival asks.

Arthur shakes his head.

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As they make their way toward the perilous lands, Merlin asks Gwaine why the men at the tavern were so angry at him, before Gwaine asks Merlin how he found him and they joke about going in every tavern. Elsewhere in the perilous lands Arthur is making his way through the waste land, with the eye of the phoenix still drawing away his energy. Back in Camelot Gwen is helping Morgana and Morgana gives Gwen the night off as a way of saying sorry for yelling at her the night before.

"You always seem to be in trouble when it comes to taverns, Gwaine." Leon mutters.

Gwaine grins. "What can I say, it must be a gift."

Elyan shakes his head. "You have only survived in Camelot for this long, because Merlin is always stepping in to help you or drag you back to your room at night."

"Like Merlin needs anymore work," Percival sighs. "He was Arthur's servant, secret protector and the person who helped druids and people wrongful accused escape the dungeons."

Gwaine smiles. "He's my best friend."

Gaius sighs. "You are lucky you are stronger than most, Arthur, many would have been completely drained of energy by then. It made it worse that you were traveling through a harsh and unforgiving land."

Arthur glanced at the screen. "What happened to the bracelet, when I returned to Camelot I no longer had it and I never saw Merlin with it."

Gaius smiled sadly. "It granted the final wish of a once great and powerful man."

Leon turns to Gwen. "I take it she gave you the night off so you would stop asking questions."

Gwen nodes. "I think she did and also, I think she did sort of care about my feelings. When she became queen she told me she was glad she still had me as a friend."

Merlin and Gwaine reach the hill overlooking the perilous lands where Merlin jokes that Gwaine has never been there because there are no taverns. Back in Camelot, Morgana returns to her room, after calling for Gwen but getting no answer she repeats the spell she did the night before, unaware that Gwen was watching her from behind a screen. Back in the perilous lands Arthur is struggling as the eye of the phoenix continues to draw energy from him. After forcing himself to keep going, Arthur falls into a large pit filled with water and mud, as he tries to escape the eye of the phoenix draws even more energy and Arthur passes out.

Arthur glances at Gwaine. "You and Merlin are the only two people I know who can joke at the darkest of times."

Gwaine smiles. "It is good to keep the mood light in dark times, not many who enter the perilous lands return and we both knew that."

Isolde turns to Gwen. "You were lucky Morgana didn't find you."

Gwen smiled slightly. "I knew something was going on and I needed to find out what…. That was the best way."

"Who did you tell?" Tristan asks. "You couldn't have gone to Uthur or Arthur."

Gwen smiled. "I went to the only person I knew could help and tell me I wasn't seeing things."

"How dignified, Princess," Gwaine laughs. "Falling into a pit of mud is always a good idea."

"Shut up, Gwaine."

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After traveling some more they reach the bridge to the perilous lands. Gwaine signals for Merlin to wait while he goes round to check the area is safe, but Merlin just walks forward. Grettir greets him as magic and Merlin glances round to see if Gwaine heard. He also tells Merlin that this is his quest, not Arthur's. Gwaine appears behind Merlin and draws his sword as Grettir greets him as strength and Gwaine gets his sword turned into a bunch of flowers. Grettir tells Merlin as he crosses the bridge that the fisher king has waited many years for this day and not to deny him what he wishes.

Percival glances at Arthur. "You must have known Merlin and Gwaine followed you, so why did you never work out all three of you made up courage, magic and strength?"

"I had more important things to worry about," Arthur answers. "Plus at the time, I would never have believed someone would use magic to help me."

"Why was it Merlin's quest?" Elyan asks. "As well as Arthur's."

"Being king of the druids is slightly different to be king of a kingdom," Taliesin answer. "But they still have to prove they are worthy…. Merlin has proven himself worthy through his deeds, but he still needed to go on a quest, to claim what the fisher king had given him."

"What did the fisher king give him?" Leon asked.

"Help." Taliesin answers. "A light to guide him when all seemed lost."

Back in the mud pit Arthur regains consciousness and uses his sword to hook a vine and pull himself free of the mud. Once he is free he lies on the ground, in an attempt to regain some of his energy. Later that night elsewhere in the perilous lands, Gwaine and Merlin are sitting around a camp fire. Suddenly there is a shriek of a beast in the distance, Merlin asked what it was and Gwaine tells him it was a pheasant, a really large one. Merlin tells Gwaine he can turn back if he wants, Gwaine laughs and tells him he's not scared of pheasants. After Merlin asks him why he wanted to do this, Gwaine tells him it was to help a friend, Merlin was his best, first and only friend. After hearing some more shrieking they agreed it sound like three pheasant…. At least.

"I bet Merlin and fun cleaning that armour when you returned to Camelot." Elyan mutters. "It must have taken him ages."

"He could have just used magic," Percival points out. "He's used it for a lot of his chores."

Leon shakes his head. "I hope Gwaine and Merlin catch up with Arthur soon…. I don't think he'll last much longer."

Tristan glances at Gwaine. "Pheasants?"

Gwaine nodes. "Really big ones."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "How you and Merlin survive anything is a miracle."

Gwaine grins. "Merlin informed me that the pheasant problem has been taken care of and the lands are now perfectly safe from large pheasants."

Arthur just shakes his head. "Unbelievable."

Percival glances at Gwaine. "Was Merlin really your only friend?"

Gwaine nodes. "He was…. When you travel from town to town, kingdom to kingdom, you don't make a lot of friends…. You only seem to find more and more enemies."

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Back in Camelot Gwen has left Morgana's chamber and is hammering on Gaius door, who quickly opens it. After finding a fearful and distraught Gwen on his door step, he lets her in and Gwen tells him: she didn't know who else to talk too. Gwen explains to Gaius what she saw and knows Morgana is practicing magic. Gaius tells her all may not be what it seems, but Gwen knows what she saw. She tells him she fears Morgana no longer means well to any of them, anymore. Gaius tells her that he fears she is right.

Isolde glanced at Gwen. "It must have been hard to know a friend could change so much."

"Morgana was always so kind," Gwen nodes. "At first I refused to believe it…. I didn't fear the magic, but when she lit that fire, you could sense the darkness in the air."

Leon glanced at Gaius. "Why did you not tell Gwen what you knew?"

"Because to do so," Gaius answers. "Would have meant explaining all Merlin had done to stop her, we could not risk anyone knowing about Merlin's magic…. He was the only one who could stop Morgana."

The following morning back in the perilous lands, Arthur has just woken up after spending the night asleep on the ground close to the mud pit. He slowly gets to his feet and continues on his way, he finally comes to some boulder and claims up them, reaching the top of a land cliff, he spies upon the tower before him. But luck is not on Arthur's side, two Wyvern's are circling around the tower and spot him. Not far behind him, Gwaine and Merlin have just reached the top of the land cliff and watch as Arthur battles the Wyvern's on the plain before the tower. As Arthur battles the Wyvern's the eye of the phoenix continues to drain his energy.

"Wyvern's." Percival mutters, tracing the scar he had on his arm, from the scratch he had got at the isle of the blessed.

Elyan glanced at Arthur. "You were lucky you fought them off, the bracelet had brained a lot of your energy."

"If you had passed out there," Leon mutters. "Merlin and Gwaine wouldn't have been able to save you."

Tristan nodes. "Morgana knew if Arthur never returned questions wouldn't be asked, if his body was ever found, it would look like an accident and Arthur had simply fallen victim to his quest."

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Arthur escapes into the tower, just as Merlin and Gwaine approach it. Gwaine tells Merlin they are Wyvern's, cousins of the dragons and creatures of magic, so to be careful. As Arthur is once again spotted by the Wyvern's. Merlin and Gwaine are taking it in turns to lift the gate and crawl under it, as soon as they are through they split up and try to find Arthur. Arthur seals a door before collapsing to the floor as a Wyvern tries to break through, the eye of the phoenix had drained almost all of his energy. Meanwhile Merlin hears the cries of the Wyvern and follows the sound, Gwaine elsewhere is running through passages calling Arthur's name. The Wyvern crashes through the door seconds after Arthur passes out. Merlin jumps between Arthur and the Wyvern's commanding them to leave in the language of the dragons.

"Merlin can control Wyvern's?" Leon asked shocked.

Gaius nodes. "Like Gwaine said they are cousins of the dragons, as a dragon lord Merlin can control any creature from the dragon family."

"What about sea serpents?" Percival asks.

"They are sea dragons, so yes he can control them," Gaius answers. "But I do not know of there are many sea serpents left."

"Merlin didn't know he could do that, did he?" Isolde asks.

"I fear he didn't," Gaius answers. "I think he simply relied on his instincts in that case."

Merlin quickly removes the bracelet from Arthur's wrist and Arthur wakes up and is more than annoyed to see Merlin. Suddenly a third Wyvern appears, but Gwaine kills it. Arthur gets more annoyed and said he wouldn't be surprised if Gwen and Morgana had come along too. Merlin and Gwaine just share a look as Arthur walks off on his own. Merlin asks Arthur if he wants help or if he would rather do this alone. Arthur simply helps Merlin's name, Gwaine rolls his eyes and Merlin grins. As they make their way through the tower Merlin asks Arthur if he knows where the golden trident is or if there is any clues, to which Arthur answers it's a quest not a treasure hunt, but it sort of was a treasure hunt.

"You were luck there," Percival mutters. "You would have died, if Merlin had done nothing."

Leon shakes his head. "I guess it was fair, in a way, that Arthur had help. Most princes don't go on quests with cursed bracelets."

Arthur shakes his head. "I was supposed to do it alone."

"A thank you, would have been nice." Elyan sighs. "Merlin risked a lot following you on that quest."

"Merlin took the bracelet," Gwen exclaimed. "Wouldn't in drain his energy?"

Taliesin shakes his head. "Merlin did not wear the bracelet, it only has an effect on the person if they are wearing it. So Merlin was perfectly safe."

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As they continue through the castle, Arthur and Gwaine pass a room, but Merlin stops and peers through the doorway. Calling Arthur and Gwaine back, telling them it looked like a throne room. Stepping into the room, Merlin triggers a trap door, thankfully Gwaine pushes Merlin forward into the room. Merlin was now trapped in the room, whilst Arthur and Gwaine were outside it. Both Arthur and Gwaine call Merlin's name, but the stone door is too thick to hear through. Gwaine starts looking for a way to open the door…. Arthur pulls a brick out the wall, knowing there is a way to open the door behind it. Hundreds of bugs crawl out the gap, Gwaine just smirks and tells Arthur to do it, it was his quest after all.

Leon shakes his head. "You should have been more careful, old towers and castles are full of traps."

Percival nodes. "Good thing Gwaine pushed Merlin out the way."

"Most traps trigger a lot faster than that," Gwaine mutters. "If it wasn't for the fact the tower was so old and ruined, it would have been too fast for me to have pushed Merlin out the way."

Gwen smiled as she watched both Gwaine and Arthur panic as they called Merlin's name through the stone trap door. "It good to see you both care so much."

Gwaine smiles. "Merlin will always be one of my closest friends."

"And mine." Arthur adds.

Gwen smiled. "But does he know that?"

Meanwhile Merlin calls Gwaine and Arthur's names through the door, but can hear no replies. Knowing the door is too thick to be heard through, Merlin turns and walks further into the room. As he approaches the throne a faint and weak sounding voice greets him, causing him to jump slightly. Merlin circles around the throne to find the fisher king, covered in cobwebs and holding the golden trident in one hand. Merlin bows his head slightly and the fisher king turns to look at him. Merlin hears a noise from the door, the fisher king tells him it is courage and strength and without their help he would not be here. Merlin asks the fisher king what it is he wants and the fisher king tells him he wants an end to his suffering…. He wants to die.

"He called my name first!" Gwaine grins.

Arthur glared at Gwaine. "And why is that important?"

Gwaine smiles. "No need to snap, princess…. Anyone would think you were jealous."

"I am not jealous!"

"Of course not."

Everyone else just rolls their eyes.

"The fisher king," Tristan mutters. "Not many have seen him."

Gaius watches as Merlin talks with him. "Merlin was given a great honour to speak with the him…. His council was always wise."

Isolde glanced at the image of the fisher king. "It must have been hard to have lived for so long, alone and in pain."

"Many seek immortality, an endless life to many is a gift and a great power." Taliesin speaks up. "But to those who are immortal, it is a curse. To watch all those you care about die and to never join them in the afterlife is the greatest suffering of all."

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The fisher king tells Merlin the time of the once and future king is dawning and now his time can finally come to an end. The fisher king then tells Merlin this is not Arthur's quest, it is his. Arthur thinks the prize is the golden trident and drops the golden trident to the ground. When really the prize is something far greater: water from the lake of Avalon. The fisher king gives Merlin the water, telling him he has kept in safe all these years, waiting for the right person to claim it and that person was Merlin Emrys. He warns Merlin that Albion's time of great need is near and that he must be strong in that dark hour, for Merlin alone can save her. His powers are great but he needs help and that is what the fisher king was giving him. As Merlin takes the water the fisher king informs him, when all seems lost, this will guide the way.

"The time of the once and future king," Arthur mutters. "A golden age of peace."

Taliesin smiles. "The golden age is almost upon us, you choices make once you return to Camelot will shape the future of Albion for all of time."

"Albion's time of need," Elyan mutters. "Did the fisher king know about the immortal army?"

"It was possible," Gaius answers. "Merlin alone was the only one who could destroy them and the water helped him. But no future is set on stone, there were other forces which could have thrown the kingdom into darkness."

The fisher king asks for something in return, at first Merlin thinks he has nothing to give, but then he works out he has the eye of the phoenix bracelet. The fisher king gets to his feet and stands before his throne, Merlin kneels down as the fisher king holds out his wrist. Taking the bracelet, Merlin places it on the fisher kings wrist. The bracelet drains the last of the fisher kings magic, the magic that was stopping him from dying. Merlin shield his face as the fisher king disappears in a whirlwind, his final thank you echoing around the room. Seconds later the door opens and Merlin quickly gets to his feet, where Arthur greets him and Gwaine pulls him into a one armed hug. Arthur picks up the golden trident and they can finally leave.

Everyone smiles sadly as the fisher king finally gets his wish of death.

"Merlin has a kind heart," Percival mutters. "That must have been hard for him."

Leon nodes. "But he knew it was what the fisher king wanted."

"He even thanked Merlin," Elyan adds. "He helped someone who had suffered for years to finally find peace."

And so they return to Camelot, but Gwaine has to leave them at the border, he after all banished from Camelot. Merlin promises not to tell anyone that Arthur had help and Arthur rides ahead to give his father the golden trident while Merlin stays behind to pick some herbs, just in case he needed proof as to what he was doing over the last couple of days. Morgana who was watching from her window sees Arthur arrive and drops her cup of water to the floor. Gwen quickly makes her way over and sees Arthur on the court yard below, much to her relief. Later Uthur congratulates Arthur and Morgana is not in the slightest bit pleased. Later that night Merlin shows Gaius the water the fisher king had given him. Merlin asks Gaius if he believed the fisher kings warning, to which Gaius answer they already know of one traitor within Camelot's walls and it would be foolish to ignore his words.

Isolde smiles as she watches Morgana shock of seeing Arthur return alive and well. "She couldn't have sounded less happy if she tried."

Gwen sighs. "I was so relieved Arthur returned, but Morgana…. She was so angry…. From that moment I knew for sure she was using magic against us."

"Morgana let her hate and fear change her," Gaius speaks. "It turned he heart cold."

Arthur watches as Uthur congratulated him. "At the time I felt like my father was more pleased about being able to add the golden trident to Camelot's vast collection of artefacts, than anything else."

Gaius smiled sadly. "Uthur was never good at expressing how he felt. In his eyes, to show emotional attachment to anyone, was a show of weakness."

"Must be a Pendragon thing." Gwaine mutters.

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Hey hoped you liked that, next chapter should be up soon.

Blessed be,

TreeOfLife1997.