Chapter 4

Arthur shifted restlessly in his sleep.

Magic doesn't have to be evil you know.

Sweat beaded at his brow as he tossed and turned, unable to settle.

I'm sorry, did I insult your precious Camelotian sensibilities?

He frowned unconsciously at the teasing tone echoing through his mind.

Maybe someday, when the right people can see the truth, things could be different.

His breath came in short gasps, his lungs refusing to hold the precious air he needed.

Now that… that would be something worth seeing, don't you think?

Arthur?

'Arthur?'

The Prince of Camelot shot up out of bed, as if to put physical difference between himself and his nightmares. No, not nightmares.

Memories.

He up and saw his ever reliable yet so incredibly dull manservant, George, waiting patiently at the foot of his bed. The usually straight-faced servant looked slightly put out.

'I apologise for the lack of decorum Sire, but I was having trouble rousing you.'

A different room flashed across his mind's eye, a different person ripping open curtains and teasing him for sleeping so deeply. A pillow flung in absence of a real weapon freezing in the middle of the room, eyes burning like fire and smile brighter than the sun.

'That's quite alright George. You may go, I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself,' Arthur told his manservant, hastily shoving him out the door, despite his protests.

When he was alone again, he sank tiredly into his desk chair, resisting the urge to rest his head on the wooden table. His sleeping troubles were something of a common occurrence these days – he felt as though he hadn't slept in months.

Arthur snorted. How entirely accurate.

It had been six months since he first set off to kill a magical beast believed to be murdering his people. It was five months and three weeks since he'd met Gwaine, and five months, two weeks and four days since he'd met the innkeeper-who-was-a-sorcerer that had stopped the killer and saved his life.

Even when he had returned to Camelot, perpetrator in tow and being showered in praise by his father and his people, he couldn't forget the truth. Arthur wasn't the one who'd saved them.

A sorcerer had.

A sorcerer who had not made things easy for him, the baffling idiot. Their final conversation had been playing in his mind over and over again every day since he'd left the inn – not even his subconscious gave him any respite.

He groaned as he recalled it for the hundredth time that week alone.

The three men had made it back to the inn later than they'd hoped, owing to the dead weight of the summoner being carried between them. When they'd finally arrived, Gwaine had volunteered to tie him up in the stables, evidently still sore at being the only one who didn't get any real 'action' in the scuffle. That left Arthur alone with Merlin, who'd immediately headed upstairs to check on the nymphs, but had returned soon after, note in hand.

'They're gone,' he said, by way of explanation. 'They said that Nyla was cured of the poison but that they didn't want to take any chances, so returned to their woods so she could fully heal. They said to say thank you as well you know, for all the help you gave.' He gave Arthur a small smile.

'They don't need to thank me. Anyone would've helped against something like that,' Arthur replied quietly from where he sat at the bar.

Merlin studied him a moment, before huffing and taking the seat next to him.

'Magic doesn't have to be evil you know,' he blurt out, seemingly unable to help himself.

Arthur looked up, startled at the sudden declaration, before the pieces clicked in his mind.

'So Gwaine was right. You do know I'm from Camelot,' he accused, and Merlin gave a quiet laugh.

'You're not a sneaky as you think you are,' he ribbed. 'That and you looked about to jump out of your skin from me summoning some ale.' He shook his head, smiling fondly at the memory.

Arthur settled again and smiled wryly. 'You make a good point,' he consented. His small smile faded, expression growing more serious. 'You saved my life,' he said, and Merlin looked up, that bittersweet smile back on his face.

'Is that really so surprising to you?'

Yes, Arthur wanted to reply. You knew I was from Camelot, so even if you don't know exactly what that means you should be trying to kill me.

But he didn't. From the look on Merlin's face, he didn't have to.

'Magic can be used for many things,' Merlin began. 'I'd say it's like a very multi-purpose tool, but that's not quite true. Magic is so much more than that. It's alive. It listens, it hears what you want and, if you have the skill and power, it acts to make it happen for you.' He took a deep breath. 'That being said, I honestly don't believe there's such thing as 'evil' magic. There are only people, and some of those people are in a lot of pain – so much that they would wish terrible things unto others so that they aren't alone in their suffering.'

'Because of the King,' Arthur dared to clarify, watching closely for a reaction. On finding one, he added, 'You don't like him, do you.' It wasn't a question.

Merlin smiled wryly. 'I can't say he's my favourite person, no. Uther Pendragon is a selfish man. He uses magic when is suits him yet punishes everyone else for it. His actions have brought pain to his people – the sorcerer today wasn't killing people because of something they did. He hurt them to get to Uther, because that's the only way he thought he could.' Merlin stopped, collecting himself and halting his frenzied rant. 'I wasn't there at the time of the purge, but from what I've heard, the King was wise to try putting a stop to corruption caused by people using magic. He didn't stop though. He just kept on killing, and now it's his obsession. He'll never stop.'

There was a heavy pause as Arthur digested Merlin's words.

'I'm sorry, did I insult your precious Camelotian sensibilities?' Merlin quipped weakly, lightening the tension in the room.

Arthur chuckled despite himself. 'If we're talking in terms of the King, your very existence would be an insult,' he replied, quickly sobering.

Merlin smiled, sad but defiant. 'I know,' he said simply. 'I've always wanted to go to Camelot at some point, you know, I've heard it's a sight to behold,' he added wistfully.

'It is,' Arthur said with genuine feeling. 'The castle is renowned for being the greatest in all of the Five Kingdoms. Everywhere you look there's so much life, people going about their day-to-day chores, talking, laughing – it's the reason I do things like chase murderous beasts half-way across the realm.'

Merlin laughed.

'Maybe someday, when the right people can see the truth, things could be different. Perhaps then, I wouldn't have to worry about being executed for getting a drink for my friend,' he said pointedly.

'Now that… that would be something worth seeing, don't you think?'

Arthur sat up straighter and looked down at the notes strewn all over his desk. They were court records – the names and evidence presented for all those who'd been executed for sorcery in the past three years. Arthur had started on this little project about a week after he'd returned, and the list of injustices was still getting longer:

Sarah Coates: found using spells to clean her home.

John Brooks: baker who used sorcery to make his wears taste better.

Thomas Colins: prevented structure destabilisation of his home with enchantments

Peta Moore: made a magical poultice to ease her mother's joint pain.

On an on it went. People were using magic just to make their lives a little easier, but were caught out and executed for it. His father showed absolutely no mercy – he didn't care for the reason. If it was magic, it was evil, so the accused was disposed of.

Magic doesn't have to be evil you know.

Bloody sorcerer. No matter how hard he tried, Arthur just couldn't get the words out of his head. He should really just forget about Merlin – the odds were Arthur would never even see him again anyway.

Knock knock

'Sire? You must be in the throne room very soon! This is a very important day for you!' came George's nervous call.

Right. Today was the day he would choose a Quest and prove to his people that we was worthy of being their king. This Quest needs to be completed entirely alone, and would be one of the greatest defining moments in his life.

No sorcerer could get in the way of that.

He had to travel to the Perilous Lands.

Brilliant. Even his subconscious was against him.

Arthur didn't even remember the conversation with his father or the council, he barely recalled finding his way back to his room. His head was reeling. Again.

He paced his chambers, mumbling anxiously under his breath about being bewitched and the fates themselves being out to get him.

'Arthur?'

He jumped a foot in the air and turned, face burning to see a bemused Morgana standing in his doorway.

'I did knock,' she said, and he nodded distractedly, waving a vague hand as invitation to come in.

'Well, quite the day you've had,' she began, strolling into his chambers and perching delicately on his desk, rearranging the skirts of her purple, embroidered gown. 'The Perilous Lands are certainly not to be taken lightly.'

Arthur groaned and slumped down onto one of his dining chairs. 'Believe me, I know. But I can't exactly change my Quest now, can I?'

Growing up, Morgana had always been someone he could confide in – the sibling he'd never admit to wanting. She'd always been there to listen whenever he griped about Uther, and she kept him in line during his, as Gwen liked to put it, 'bully phase'. But over the past year or so, she'd been different. Colder, more calculating – so much so that even Gwen was starting to worry about her.

It began when Morgause had attacked the castle with the Knights of Idirsholas, putting everyone to sleep except, somehow, Morgana. Whatever happened while everyone was sleeping had changed her into what she is now, but she'd never spoke of it to anybody.

So nowadays, Arthur never knew where he stood with her. There were many times (like now) when he wished they still had their easy camaraderie, so he could have someone to speak freely with.

'Arthur? What is this?'

Arthur's head snapped up so quickly he cricked his neck, gaze narrowing in on the sheet of parchment held in her hand. The list he'd be working on. He'd left so quickly to choose his Quest he'd forgotten to hide it.

Quickly he got to his feet and tried snatching the incriminating writing away from her, but she dodged him easily. 'It's nothing, just some research I've been doing, not especially important but if I could just get that back–'

'Arthur,' she said sternly, her eyes narrowed. 'What's. Going. On.'

He sighed in defeat, and stopped attempting to grab the parchment. 'It's just what it says. A list of people executed for sorcery, and what they had done with it.'

'What, getting ideas for when you're King already? You haven't even finished your Quest yet, don't get ahead of yourself,' she spat, and Arthur winced. He should've known she'd interpret it like that, he knew she'd never condoned executions for sorcery.

'Look at what they did Morgana,' Arthur replied quietly. 'Would you have executed them for that?'

Morgana's disgusted expression melted away into one of surprise.

'What?' she whispered.

Arthur ran a hand through his hair agitatedly. 'Look at it Morgana! Those people never hurt anyone! How could they possibly have deserved what happened to them?'

Suddenly, Morgana looked incredibly vulnerable. 'You… don't think they deserved it. Even though they used magic,' she breathed.

'Look, I know. It goes against everything we've ever known but how can I believe that magic is the epitome of evil when all these people did was – why are you laughing?' he demanded, startled by her abrupt, somewhat hysterical laughter. 'I'm being serious here!'

'Yes Arthur, you are. You know you've never been able to lie to me. And don't worry,' she said once her mirth subsided, though still clutching her sides. 'I won't tell Uther about your side project, but I have to know – what on earth brought this about?'

'Well,' Arthur shifted uncomfortably under her expectant look. Then his shoulders slumped as he resigned himself to going the whole way with this. 'You remember a few months ago when I went out past our borders to chase a magic beast?'

'Of course I do, Uther was furious. Until you defeated it and came back with the culprit, that is,' she confirmed.

'Right, well, I may not have been… entirely alone in doing so.' She suddenly looked very interested. 'Oh, not like that Morgana! Honestly, who teaches you these things I'll never know. Not. A word,' he cut her off before she could reply. She grinned at him deviously. 'Anyway, the fact is, I had help from a man I met in a tavern, and he introduced me to his friend who owns an inn but alsohappenstobeasorcerer,' he finished in a rush.

Morgana was speechless. Arthur felt very proud.

'Are you telling me that you – Arthur Pendragon, Prince of Camelot, a kingdom that refuses to accept magic of any kind – not only took the help of a sorcerer, but actually asked for it?' she summarised, incredulously.

'I know! Even if it was technically Gwaine's idea, it was dangerous, and reckless and it could've gotten me killed but it didn't. He even saved my life, knowing the whole time that I was from Camelot. I doubt he knew I was the Prince but still.' He waved a dismissive hand. 'Gaius told me that my mother loved magic, even if she couldn't use it. Father always told me that she was betrayed by those she thought were her friends but all these years I've been hoping to find something to show me how she could feel that way and now, finally, I have. This sorcerer used magic to stop the killer and save my life, and he asked for nothing in return. He even ranted to me about my father! He's clearly unhappy with the situation in Camelot, but he still wants to visit one day when he's free to. How can you say someone like that has been "corrupted by evil"?'

By the end of his speech, Arthur was panting harshly. Morgana's expression was priceless – she looked gobsmacked, though, like the Lady she is, quickly collected herself.

'Well, well, Arthur Pendragon. Who knew you had it in you.' She smirked, but it was softened by her wondrous tone. Her eyes were suspiciously shiny.

Arthur panicked, trying to go over everything he'd just said in his mind. How had he offended her? When he was younger he could never make her cry even when he actually tried to, usually after she'd beaten him at swordplay.

He cleared his throat uncomfortably. 'Yes, well. As you said, I have other things to focus on right now. The Perilous Lands are, shockingly, rather dangerous so…' he trailed off, and risked another glance as her. To his immense relief, it seemed that her sudden, unfathomable tears were gone.

'Well, I should leave you to it then,' she said with a smile. In that moment, she looked so much like the Morgana he'd known it made his heart ache.

'What, I don't even get a token of good fortune?' he called jokingly as she reached the doors to his chambers.

Inexplicably, she hesitated at his insincere request, before turning back to him with a small, but genuine smile.

'Since when have you needed luck?'

And with flourish of her gown, she was gone.

Arthur grinned, happier than he'd been in months. He'd never say it out loud, but having her support really did mean a lot to him. Perhaps they didn't have to be so distant after all. She didn't seem all that opposed to his newfound views on magic either. Maybe, just maybe they could even work together to change Camelot, piece by piece.

Now that… that would be something worth seeing, don't you think?

Um, surprise?

So, I went back and watched some old episodes and it inspired me to keep writing, so here we are.

Bit of a shorter chapter this time around, but I debated this for so long in my head. I'm so conflicted about where I'm going with Morgana. She makes such a good antagonist but I just really want them to be friends, ok? She's such a strong character, I feel like she could've been a massive enabler for Arthur and Merlin if she hadn't been twisted up by Morgause. I'm basing this story around season 3, but obviously things are different because Merlin wasn't there. In case it wasn't really clear in the chapter, Morgana is still helping Morgause but she never disappeared with her. We will get that story at some point as well.

As always, thanks for reviews/follows/favourites! By my reckoning, we're about halfway there so thanks for sticking with me.

Happy reading!

~Seagrass12