That afternoon after the drama caused by Arthur's will reading had calmed down, Merlin walked the familiar route to Arthur's chambers and pushed open the door. None of them had been in there since they had left for the Isle of the Blessed and the room looked exactly the same as it always had. Merlin exhaled deeply and prepared himself as he looked around the room debating where to start before crossing to the wardrobe and opening it. Merlin studied the clothing before organising it into piles. The everyday clothing was put into one pile; any cloaks were put into another, the shoes into a third. Merlin knelt down and began folding the clothes and as he worked, Merlin immersed himself physically in his tasks but mentally, he was in a whole other world.

The concept of revealing himself had been one that had always been plaguing him ever since he came to Camelot. Once he knew he couldn't reveal himself, it was the one thing he wanted to do more than anything else. However Merlin had never been able to; not only because of the illegality of magic but also because by letting others know his secret he was endangering them. The last thing he had ever wanted was for people to get hurt or killed because of his magic even though it had happened time and again. There were so many reasons he was grateful for having magic and at the same time, he held so many regrets. The main one of course was being Morgana. If he had told her the truth, would it have changed how their paths were marked out? Could he have stopped her from becoming who and what she was now?

The main setback about revealing himself was that Merlin didn't know how the others would react. It was all fine and good believing that they would accept him but in reality, how would they feel? How would Merlin feel if someone he seen as a close friend, almost a brother, told him that they had been lying to him from the day they met? He'd feel angry, hurt, betrayed and he would struggle to trust that person again. After all if they had lied for so long, how could he tell what was truth and what were lies. Merlin wasn't daft, his inner conflict of would he/wouldn't he had been the cause of nightmares and sleepless nights as he considered all the possible outcomes of revealing the truth about himself.

How was he even going to do it anyway? There were only three people who knew his secret; Hunith obviously knew from when he was a baby. She would fondly recount how he would summon his blanket if it slipped off him a baby or levitate food towards himself if he was hungry. Gaius saw him use magic the day he arrived and it was the reason Merlin was there in the first place. Lancelot had simply overheard him use magic to defeat the Griffin and simply agreed to keep his mouth shut. Merlin had never actually told anyone he had magic, he had usually just been caught doing it. Once again Merlin found himself debating those two key questions. How was he supposed to tell everyone the truth and how were they going to react?

"Merlin,"

Gwaine walked into the room and joined Merlin who was kneeling on the floor by a pile of neatly folded shirts and cloaks. Gwaine sat down on the floor and looked at the clothing and footwear and clapped a hand on Merlin's shoulder.

"How are you holding up?" Gwaine asked.

"I'm alright I guess," Merlin shrugged and Gwaine held his gaze.

"Merlin I know you better than that and you're not alright. None of us are." Gwaine stated, Arthur's death had affected all of them. Through all his jokes and teasing; he had great respect for Arthur and seen him as a good friend. All they could really do was put on a brave face and try and get through whatever came at them next. Merlin nodded in agreement as he looked around Arthur's room.

"It's just hard, knowing he isn't coming back. I keep thinking of things I need to tell him and then I remember. There's so much I wish I told him, things I should have said." Merlin explained and Gwaine nodded thoughtfully.

"Listen to me Merlin; if you keep holding onto these regrets they can really affect you. All these 'should haves' are bad for you. If there is anything you want to tell me, you know you can." Gwaine reassured, out of all of them he knew that Arthur's death has affected Merlin and Gwen the most and they were the ones attempting to stay strong for the rest of them.

Merlin managed to smile at Gwaine. "Thanks Gwaine,"

"Don't mention it. It could affect my reputation." Gwaine joked as he took some of the cloaks out of Merlin's hands. "Where are we taking these then?"

Gwen looked over at Uther as she stood in his chambers. After Elyan had found her on the stairs, she had gone to talk about what she would have to do with the councilmen as well as organising care for Uther. There was so much they had to do, so much that needed to be sorted. The other kingdoms had to be informed of Arthur's death and what would happen in the running of Camelot. The townspeople needed to be told who would rule over them both as the new regent and after Uther dies. Uther's healthcare needed to be seen to. On top of that Gwen would have to move into the castle and there was the possibility of the various reactions to Arthur's death and her newfound regency. There was so much that had to be done and so much that needed to be done. As Gwen regarded the apathetic king, she wondered how Uther would react to her being named Arthur's heir.

"Sire," Gwen said as she sat beside the king. Uther didn't move or acknowledge her in anyway and Gwen decided to get it over and done with. "I need to tell you something about Arthur's will." At the mention of Arthur's name, Uther turned his head and looked at her.

"Arthur's will?" Uther whispered. Gwen reached over and took his limp hand and prepared herself for the possible outcomes.

"Arthur has named me as his heir." Gwen explained and Uther looked at her.

"You? Why you?" Uther asked confused. Was this not his servant? How could she, a common woman, rule this kingdom, his kingdom?

"He believed that I could do it. I understand if you disapprove, you wouldn't be the only one. Lord Agravaine has already told me exactly what he thinks about Arthur naming me as his heir. He isn't happy but according to Geoffrey because my brother is a knight, I am technically a lady and could be named as Arthur's heir. I never asked for it, I don't want this sort of power. I never have." Gwen confided in Uther. She had put on a fairly brave front for the others but secretly the idea of being queen completely scared the life out of her. So many lives would depend on her; so many expectations and demands; so many choices to be made; how on earth was she going to do this?

Uther looked at Gwen. His mind was not all there anymore; things came and went but throughout all of it, this woman had been there. She fed him, washed him, tended to his every need but she never complained or got angry at him. Uther could also remember different facts about this girl, no woman. Her father had been the blacksmith who died because of him; on numerous occasions he had imprisoned her and sentenced her to death and yet, here she was caring for him when he could no longer do it for himself. She was strong, reliable, kind but there was the fact she was of common blood and her own confession that she did not wish to be queen.

"You do not want this?" Uther asked; how could she not want the power that so many have fought, killed and died to take but has been willingly offered to her.

"I'm just scared. I know that people will not willingly accept me as Arthur's heir, much less queen. I know I don't have the background that a queen ought to but if Arthur has asked me to be his heir then I cannot let him down." Gwen reasoned. The bottom line was if she didn't become queen, Morgana would and nobody wanted that to happen, not after what had happened the last time Morgana had been on the throne.

"You are very unusual," Uther stated. This woman was very confusing but he had a strange sense of trust in her. If she could look after him, even after all he had done to her, then he knew she could look after his people. Arthur had always been able to make good judgements and unorthodox as this decision was; Uther felt an inexplicable sense of trust in her. Gwen looked at Uther, unsure of how to react to that statement.

"Sire,"

"Arthur must have known what he was doing when he chose you. He always knew how to make the right choice." Uther said before pausing and looking at Gwen. "My lady,"

It wasn't a flat out voice of approval but it was also not what Gwen had been expecting. She had been expecting to see a flash of the infamous Pendragon temper however wasn't going to argue with it. For a moment they sat in silence before Gwen looked at Uther.

"I might not be able to take care of you like this anymore." Gwen stated; they were still working out just who would deal with the king's care. Uther needed someone with medical training in case he did some injury to himself but also someone who could take care of his needs like a servant. A servant couldn't give him the medical care and a physician wouldn't be able to deal with his basic care needs.

Uther looked at her blankly. "Why? Are you going somewhere?"

Gwen looked at Uther who moved his hand and looked back out the window again. His gaze was unfocused, blank and Gwen knew that it meant their conversation was over. Gwen got to her feet and looked at the king before leaving the room.

"Your highness, a messenger has just arrived from Camelot. They have important information for you." In different kingdoms, different servants and guards addressed the king or queen in the room. Each king and queen allowed their messenger to enter and give them the parchment that had been bound and sealed with the official wax seal of Camelot. As the messenger was dismissed, the scroll was unfolded and read by the king and queen. The letters were identical and relayed the same information; Arthur's death and the nature of his death as well as an offer to visit Camelot in order to meet the newest heir to the Camelot throne. In each of the kingdoms, the letter was met with a range of responses.

King Rodor of Nemeth looked at the letter and turned to his wife and daughter who had been regarding him curiously as his expressions changed as he read the parchment. Rodor handed the letter to his wife Isabelle who read it, quickly darted her hand over her hand and chest before passing the letter to her daughter. Mithian read the letter before handing it back to her father. Nemeth and Camelot had never had a close relationship but had always been allies however it had been a few years since there had been contact between the kingdoms. The last time Mithian had seen Arthur must have been about three or four years ago. She had found the young prince to be quite arrogant but had heard that he had matured somewhat. Everyone in the kingdoms had heard of how he had managed to defeat Morgana with a ragtag group of knights. His death would undoubtedly be a great loss to his people.

"Will you be going to Camelot Father?" Mithian asked.

"I think I shall have to," Rodor replied. "Arthur had been a good boy; his death will be a great loss."

"Indeed it is." Isabelle agreed shaking her head.

In Gwant, Lord Godwyn sighed heavily and requested that one of the guards fetch his daughter. A few minutes later, Elena entered the room, a lot more gracefully and quietly than what she would have done when she had been possessed by the Changeling.

"Father, what's wrong?" Elena asked as she entered the room and frowned at her father who was sitting holding a piece of parchment in his hands. Lord Godwyn looked up at Elena and gestured for her to sit down. Elena sat down at the table and Godwyn took her hands. Elena looked at her father, she could tell that something terrible had happened.

"It's a letter from Camelot." Godwyn stated and Elena looked at the parchment nervously.

"What does it say?" Elena asked.

"Prince Arthur has died." Godwyn explained and Elena clapped a hand to her mouth in horror. Arthur dead? how? Why? When? "He sacrificed himself to save his people." Godwyn explained and despite her shock and horror at the death of someone she considered a friend (as well as once being expected to marry him), Elena found a sense of understanding from that claim. She knew what kind of man Arthur was, everything he did was for the good of the kingdom. Even if he hadn't liked the idea, if it benefitted the people of Camelot, he agreed to do it.

"So who would take control of the kingdom?" Elena asked, aware that had her and Arthur's marriage gone ahead at their fathers' insistences, that would have been her taking control of the kingdom. Even though she was a princess, Elena had no real desire whatsoever to rule over a kingdom, especially not a kingdom like Camelot.

"Arthur had chosen his heir, a Lady Guinevere. The letter invites us to meet her." Godwyn replied. He couldn't recall meeting a Lady Guinevere the last time they were in Camelot but in fairness, they had been a little bit distracted to say the least.

"Guinevere?" Elena repeated. That name seemed familiar, where had she heard it before? Elena looked at the letter before feeling a few tears prick her eyes. She mightn't have loved Arthur but they had managed to become friends. She would miss him.

"Caerleon, have you read this?" Queen Annis asked her husband who nodded his head. Relationships had been strained between their kingdoms in the past while; war had almost been on the horizon for both of their lands. Despite their opinions concerning the Pendragons, Annis could not without a sense of pity about the death of the prince. He was too young, barely more than a boy to have died in such a way; giving his life for his people. One of their sons, Oisin, would be about the same age as him. Annis could not imagine losing Oisin and as she re-read the letter, Annis considered the possibility of going to Camelot and just as she thought that, Caerleon spoke.

"We shall need to arrange a time to visit Camelot. In a few weeks I believe." Caerleon offered.

"The people will need their time to mourn and adjust," Annis nodded in agreement as Caerleon ordered a servant to fetch some parchment, quills and ink for them to write a response confirming their visit for three weeks time.

Whilst the majority of kings and queens felt a sense of pity and loss of some extent about the death of Arthur, King Odin felt a sense of emptiness. This was what he had wanted was it not? This was justification for the death of Stefan, his only son. He had gotten what he had wanted, Arthur was dead, if not by his hand but nonetheless dead. Odin had always thought that if Arthur had ever died he would have been pleased to hear the news; possibly even celebrating that fact. The reality of the situation was completely different; Odin just felt nothing. No sense of justice, no sense of victory or even any anger that Arthur hadn't died at his hand the way Stefan had died at his. Odin was a callous man but not even the death of Arthur Pendragon seemed like a cause for celebration for him. Odin looked again at the letter he had been sent before debating the idea of meeting this new heir of Camelot. He was unfamiliar with this Lady Guinevere and was curious as to why Arthur would have named a woman as his heir however there was just too much bad history between their kingdoms to visit Camelot. Odin shook his head, he would not visit Camelot just yet.

Morgana paced furiously around her hovel. The rage caused by being usurped to her rightful throne was obviously yet to abide and in fact the more she paced and dwelled on the subject, the angrier Morgana got. How dare Gwen steal her throne? How dare Arthur name a commoner as his heir? She was the rightful heir to the throne! It would be hers and nobody would get in her way. Morgana needed to work on a plan. She needed to get rid of Uther and Gwen and then, and only then would Camelot be in the hands of whom it rightfully belonged to. Her.