So this is part four. It's actually the last part of the story, all that's left is a ridiculously short epilogue. If you're wondering why I called them 'Parts' instead of 'Chapters', it was because this story was originally going to be this neat three part little ficlet, but this happened instead and I still like the sound of 'Parts'.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, you guys.

By The Lakeside

Part Four

The king and queen stood staring at Gaius in stunned silence.

"Immortal?" Arthur repeated. "Merlin's immortal?!"

He thought back to what Freya had told him. We are separated by a void that everyone but Merlin can cross. Though I do believe we will be together eventually, Merlin has many, many years before his time in Avalon.

"Freya said he had many, many years before going to Avalon," Arthur said, voicing his previous thought. "Is that what she means? Merlin will live on, but eventually die?"

"The void," Gwen said, suddenly realising the cryptic words of Merlin's love. "The void he can't cross is death, but everyone else can because everybody dies. Everyone but Emrys, the immortal one."

"But she said Merlin would join her Avalon eventually," Arthur protested.

"I have no doubt that Merlin will eventually pass from this world," Gaius said. "But not before he has outlived us all."

Arthur just shook his head, imagining his friend staying the same as the ones he loved all aged and passed away. Merlin having to live on without them. "That is awful. That can't be right."

Gaius nodded sadly. "Merlin has proven these last few days that he can still be wounded. He can still die. But I do not think age will be his undoing. He will age but he will not fade, if the stories of Emrys and the name itself are to be believed."

"Poor Merlin," Gwen whispered.

"Why him?!" Arthur demanded, suddenly angry on behalf of his best friend. "Why does it have to be Merlin?!"

The two others were silent, unable to answer his question.

The king decided to push aside the startling revelation of his manservants supposed immortality. Right now he needed to focus on finding Merlin. That was his main priority. They could focus on living forever and prophecies and magic later.

"It's unimportant," he said. "We need to go to the Lake of Avalon and get Merlin back. We've spent too much time here already, who knows what the idiot could be doing."

Gaius and Gwen nodded. The king headed for the door, Guinevere a second behind him. He turned back to the physician. "We will get him back, Gaius," Arthur promised again. "We'll get him back home, get him better. Everything will be fine. After all, we have a prophecy to live up to." With that, he grasped Guinevere's hand and walked out of Gaius' chambers. Filled with determination to find his friend, he didn't turn back to look at the old man as he went.

If he did, he would have seen a small smile gracing the physicians face.

"So … Is anyone else going to tell me while we're riding off after Merlin in the middle of the night? Or why you two look like somebody died? Or am I just going to have to make it up?" Gwaine asked.

Arthur shot Gwaine an annoyed look. He, Gwen and the Knights of the Round Table had just set off from Camelot and were riding to the Lake of Avalon. "It's complicated," he said.

"Try me," Gwaine challenged.

"There have been some startling revelations tonight," Guinevere said, sparing Arthur from answering. "However, it is not our place to say what they are. They are not our secrets to tell. Just know that Merlin needs our help. He is severely run down and needs to return to Camelot."

Gwaine nodded, pleased with the answer. The knight was very protective of Merlin. Arthur figured there was very little he wouldn't do for the manservant-come-warlock. Arthur glanced at the rest of his knights and realised they all wore the same determined expression. They all cared for Merlin and wanted him back safely.

"I see we're headed towards the Lake of Avalon," Leon said. "I take it this has something to do with Merlin's – uh – lady friend?"

"Freya," Arthur said.

"Freya," Leon repeated.

The king nodded, "Yes, we think Merlin has gone back to her. But he's ill and needs rest. He's still recovering. He shouldn't be out here."

"That may be," Elyan said, "But who are we to stop Merlin from going after the one he loves? She may be a sorceress in a lake, but that's no reason to drag him back to Camelot."

Gwen shot her brother a grateful smile, glad someone was thinking of Merlin's feelings towards the Guardian of Avalon, but Merlin still needed to be cared for. "We just need to get him better, Elyan. Once he is, he can spend as much time at the lake as he pleases."

Gwaine turned in his saddle to look at Percival, who up until then had not said a word. "You're very quiet over there, Percy," he said.

The large knight looked up; he looked thoughtful. Everyone turned to look at him as he replied, "I've just been … thinking."

"Well, don't try too hard," Gwaine teased. "We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

Percival shot Gwaine a mock glare, but then his expression turned serious. "It's just this whole Lady of the Lake business," he said.

"What about her?" Arthur asked.

"As you know," Percival began, "I didn't come from a kingdom where magic was outlawed. When I was a child, my mother would often trade with the druids, so I spent a lot of time in their company. The druids … they have legends about this Lady of the Lake."

Everyone listened to Percival revelation about his childhood in silence. They were surprised, as the quiet knight didn't often speak of his time before coming to Camelot, but they all sensed that what Percival was about to say was important. "No one really knows who the Lady of the Lake is. No one is sure. It is said the Lady has numerous identities. How do we know we can trust her? I know Merlin does, but she's a figure of legend, sire. And the druids have some incredible legends. Like the warlock whose power is unmatched and all of the druids swear fealty to him," he said.

Arthur mentally sighed. Honestly, how many legends does that dolt have about him? He thought, but all he said out loud was "Emrys."

Gwen looked over at him at the mention of Merlin's druidic name, and Gwaine, Percival and Leon all looked at the king in surprise. Elyan merely looked on in confusion; he had never heard the name before.

"What do you know of Emrys?" Gwaine and Percival chorused.

Arthur pulled his horse to a stop and the others followed suit. "Hang on," he said, frowning at Gwaine. "What do you know about Emrys. Percival I can gather – spending time with druids – but you?"

Gwaine shrugged. "I've been all over, including some druid camps. The druids are nice people, and their prophecies make for good fire-side stories."

Arthur turned to his second in command, "And you, Leon?"

"You know that the druid's healed me with the Cup of Life, Sire. It was while I was healing at their camp that I heard of the Coming of Emrys, but I put it down to merely legend."

"Who is Emrys?" Elyan asked.

"The most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth," Percival replied.

"Warlock?" Elyan still looked confused.

"Someone born with magic," Arthur answered.

"We don't have time for this," Gwen said, bringing them back to the task at hand. "We need to find Merlin. Emrys and the Lady of the Lake are not a problem. They will not bother us and they can be trusted. Now, let's go." Without another word, she set off, leaving her husband and the knights to rush to catch up to her.

Aside from falling face first into the dirt, Merlin thought he handled his first attempt at teleporting pretty well.

He didn't really have a plan when he decided to teleport himself to the Lake of Avalon. He knew it was a risky thing to do. He had no experience with teleporting. Whenever he wanted to go somewhere, he walked, or rode, or took a ride with a reluctant 'I am not a horse' Kilgharrah.

But he needed to be back at the lake. He needed to see her again. He wasn't even sure if he would be able to see Freya again, but he had to try. Merlin had lost so many that were important to him pursuing his destiny: Will, Freya, Morgana, his father. Surely … Surely fate could allow him this one more encounter with the Lady of the Lake?

He approached the lake's edge, and stood in the shallows. Light wasn't a problem, as the full moons lit the area aglow. "Freya!" He called. "Freya, please answer me."

There was nothing. Just the constant sound of water lapping on the shore. Merlin frowned in determination. "Emrys demands an audience with the Lady of the Lake!" He shouted. "I should be allowed that much, after everything! You could at least give me that! For all that I've done, after all that I've lost, you could at least let me see her!"

He didn't even know who he was shouting to, but it made him feel better. However, there was still no response.

Merlin sighed and looked down. I just wanted to see her one more time, he thought. That was all.

"Hello, Merlin," her distinctive voice said.

The warlock's head snapped up and he broke out in a wide grin at the sight in front of him.

"Hello, Freya," he replied.

As they approached the Lake of Avalon, Arthur grew apprehensive.

Not that he'd admit that, of course, but he didn't know what to expect when they reached their destination. Would Merlin come home willingly? Would they be interrupting a moment between him and Freya? Would Merlin be using magic and they just stumbled upon it?

The king knew that he needed to get his friend back to Camelot, but Elyan's words from earlier were echoing in his mind. Who were they to take Merlin away from the one he loved?

He needs to rest, he told himself.

He needs Freya, another part of his mind said. He kindly told that part of his brain to shut up. Merlin needed to rest. That was what was important.

If you were in his position, and Guinevere was the Lady of the Lake, would you want to come back? Are you sure you're just not desperate to get him back so you can question him about his magic? Are you doing this for him, or for yourself?

Arthur shook himself out of his thoughts. All they were managing to do was making him feel worse.

"Are you alright, Arthur?" Guinevere asked, riding beside him.

He made a non-committal grunt in response.

She looked at him, knowingly. "We'll get him back," she said.

Arthur shook his head, "That's not what worries me. It's like what your brother said. Do we have a right to just drag Merlin back to Camelot?"

His wife reached over to gently squeeze his hand in comfort. "No, we have no right to do that. But Merlin will need us when Freya goes back to Avalon. It will be our duty to comfort him after she is gone. We are not dragging him away. We are just going to be there for him when he needs us."

Arthur gave Guinevere a grateful smile, his worries now put aside. Yes. They weren't going to take Merlin away from Freya, just to simply be there after she leaves. The king thought back to Merlin's sobs by the Lake of Avalon. Yes, his friend would need them, and they would be there.

"I cannot stay here forever, Merlin," Freya murmured.

The warlock sighed, "I wish you could. I wish we could have stayed together." They were sitting in the shallows of the lake. Freya couldn't leave the water, so they merely sat in each other's embrace. Merlin didn't mind. He just used his magic to keep himself warm, and he could use magic to dry himself off. Freya, for her part, didn't seem fazed by the temperature of the water at all. "We were going to go away together and find a place by some mountains."

Freya smiled, "A few fields."

Merlin held her closer to him, "Wild flowers."

"A couple of cows."

"And a lake," he said, looking out at the lake before them.

"And a lake," Freya repeated, resting her head on his shoulder.

There was a short, comfortable silence between them before Merlin broke it, "Well, at least we got the lake part right."

Freya sighed, "At least there's that."

Merlin said nothing, he just turned to her and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. Here in the lake, he could trick himself into thinking Freya was still alive. She was warm and solid in his arms. Her chest rose and fell like she was breathing and she had such light in her eyes.

He had all this magic, but he still couldn't save her. What was the point of his magic if he couldn't save the woman he loved? Yes, Arthur was his destiny and he was the king's protector, but where in his destiny did it say he had to be alone?

He pulled out of the kiss and rested his forehead against hers. "No," he murmured.

Freya took a step back and looked at him quizzically, "Sorry?"

Merlin took her hands in his. "I refuse to believe that I have all this magic and yet we will forever be parted. I am bringing you back!"

Freya looked aghast, "Merlin, no! You can't! That is dangerous magic."

But Merlin refused to listen. Instead, he threw he head back and roared to the sky, "O drakon, e mala soi ftengometh tesd'hup anankes! Erkheo!"

"Merlin, no!" Freya protested. "I am bound to the Lake of Avalon. I will live on forever here. Immortal, like you-" Freya gasped and cut herself off. Clearly not meaning to reveal what she had.

That made Merlin pause. Immortal. "So it's true," he murmured. "I had wondered. I had suspected."

Freya nodded, "You and I will live throughout the ages, my love. You amongst the world of men, and me here in Avalon."

"Do you think I want that?" Merlin asked, "To live on while those I love grow old and die around me? To be forever parted from you?"

"Not forever, Merlin," Freya said, "Everyone dies sometime, even the great Emrys."

"I just have to wait years, decades, centuries, until what? Until the Old Religion decides I've done enough and can just pass away in my sleep?"

"Merlin-"

"-Is this what you wanted, Freya? Honestly? You are free from your curse, yes, but you are just as cursed now. You are bound to this lake. You can never leave it. Is that truly what you wanted out of life?"

Freya looked on the verge of tears, "No," she said, her voice wobbling. "I wanted a life free from my curse, with you. With a house by some mountains and fields, with wild flowers, and cows and a lake."

He held her to him, and only let go when Kilgharrah landed on the shore. "You called for me, young warlock?"

Merlin left Freya in the water and went to approach the Great Dragon. "I want to bring Freya back to life," he said, cutting right to the chase. "I want to end the enchantment that binds her to the Lake of Avalon and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

The Dragon looked displeased, worried even, "That is powerful magic, Merlin. Too powerful, I think, even for you. I cannot support this. It cannot be done, young warlock. You may hold power over Life and Death, but Avalon needs a guardian, and this is out of your reach."

"Freya has not always been Avalon's guardian!" Merlin argued, "There must have been someone before her."

Kilgharrah nodded, "The guardianship has indeed changed from time to time. I believe the previous guardian was Nimueh, the High Priestess of the Old Religion, sent here to be the guardian as penance for her crimes against Emrys and the Once and Future King. She did her job, until your magic bound Freya's spirit as the Lady's."

Merlin looked shocked at that revelation, "So it was my magic that made Freya the Lady of the Lake?"

Wordlessly, the dragon nodded.

"Then my magic can change her back," he declared.

"Merlin, no!" Freya protested again from her position in the lake. "That is dangerous magic. To create life a life must be given, and Avalon must have a guardian! There must always be a Lady of the Lake, and I do not want you to risk yourself for me!"

Merlin turned to her, determination on his features. "I am Emrys. I can do this. I can do this. I am not taking someone's life, but giving you mine."

"MERLIN, NO!" Both Freya and the Great Dragon chorused.

"You are far too important, young warlock!" Kilgharrah shouted. "The fate of Albion rests on your shoulders."

"And I will not let you do that for me!" Freya declared passionately.

Merlin shook his head at them, "Will you two let me explain? I am Emrys. I am immortal. I am simply going to give you, Freya, some of that life. My life is endless, apparently, and I can give you some of that infinity."

To Merlin's surprise, neither Freya nor Kilgharrah had anything to say to that. He could tell they were both trying to find the flaws in the plan – not that it was much of a plan, he was making it up on the spot – to find ways to convince him otherwise, but he refused to let them. "As for the guardian," he said, continuing on so neither of them could voice their protests, "you say that Nimueh was sent to be the Lady to pay penance for her crimes? Well, I have another candidate who can fill that role."

"Who?" Freya asked.

"Morgause."

Even Kilgharrah looked surprised at that suggestion, "Well, I cannot say the witch doesn't deserve it," he grumbled. That wasn't an all-out no, Merlin thought. Does this mean he will let me do it? Not that I need his permission.

"I don't know about this, Merlin," Freya sounded unsure.

"Please," Merlin entreated. "At least let me try."

Freya exchanged a glance with the Great Dragon. They both looked uneasy, but reluctantly said "Very well."

"For both of your sakes, I hope this works," Kilgharrah said, "I will lend you my strength while you cast the spell, young warlock. You will need it."

"Thank you, old friend," Merlin said gratefully.

Merlin joined Freya back in the water. "Give me your hands," he said, "I will also need to draw on your power as the Lady of the Lake to select Morgause as your successor."

Freya nodded. "Please be careful," she whispered.

He gave her a grin, as if nothing was wrong and he wasn't about to attempt an overly-complicated spell to bring her back to life.

"Trust me," he said, leaning in to give her a kiss. "Everything will be fine."

The ground shook as Kilgharrah took some steps towards them, ready to blow his breath of power over the pair. "Good luck to you, Merlin," the old dragon rumbled.

Freya shut her eyes and Merlin did the same, readying his magic. He took a deep breath and began the spell, feeling the boost Khilgarrah gave him with his magical breath.

He opened his eyes while he chanted. They were burning a never-ending gold, and the whole around them began to shine like the sun. Golden light surrounded them. The air around them was crackling with power as Emrys bent the magic to his will.

Power began to flow between him and Freya. He shut his eyes in concentration once more.

For Freya, he would do this. For Freya, he would not fail.

They had nearly reached the Lake of Avalon when the path ahead of them began to glow with a golden light.

It was much like the light that had accompanied Freya when she first came out of the lake. Merlin, Arthur thought. What is that clotpole doing?!

"Come on!" He called, kicking his horse into a gallop.

Gwen and the knights followed closely after him. The king just hoped that by the time they got there it wouldn't be too late. God only knows what that idiot is up to.

Arriving at the lake Arthur was met with the strangest sight he had ever seen, and he doubted he would ever forget for as long as he lived. Merlin was standing in the water in front of Freya, her hands clasped in his. Both of them had their eyes shut and their heads bowed. Merlin was shouting in the language of the Old Religion, bathed in golden light that seemed to encompass both him and Freya. And then there was the dragon. The Great Dragon was standing next to them looking decidedly healthy and not dead.

Arthur could hear the gasps of his knights behind him as Merlin blatantly used magic, and powerful magic, if the tension in the air was anything to go by. His manservant's voice was laced with it: Power and authority that didn't belong with the normal goofy Merlin that Arthur knew. The king became aware that the man standing in the water was indeed the prophesised Emrys.

Arthur didn't know what to make of any of it. He didn't know what Merlin and Freya were doing. But his brain connected the words Merlin and dragon and then he was off charging to protect his friend. It comforted him to hear the shouts of his knights as they charged after him. Bravest knights in the five kingdoms, indeed.

The golden dragon turned to face them, growled and shouted – honest to god, shouted – at them. "DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER, KNIGHTS OF CAMELOT!"

Hearing the dragon speak stopped Arthur in his tracks. His sword fell limp at his side as he and the knights stared at the beast in shock. Arthur was distantly aware of Guinevere timidly coming to join them, and Merlin's continued chanting in the language of the Old Religion. But all he could do was stare at the dragon he had supposedly killed in undisguised shock because it had just spoke.

"To disturb Merlin now would be a grave mistake," the dragon went on. "He is bending magic to his will and bringing his beloved back to life. It is complicated magic, even for Emrys, and to stop him mid-incantation would be disastrous."

"Emrys," the knights all murmured in awe, remembering their conversation about the 'most powerful warlock to ever walk the earth'. The fact that it was Merlin had stumped them all.

"Do not approach him," the dragon cautioned. "For if any harm befalls my Dragonlord, I will hold you all responsible." He turned and looked pointedly at Arthur, "Once and Future King, or not."

Dragondlord. Did he just say Dragonlord?! "Merlin is a Dargonlord?!" Arthur asked, finding his voice at last.

"Merlin, son of Hunith and Balinor is indeed the last Dragonlord, Arthur Pendragon," the beast replied. "He spared my life on the battlefield where you and your knights tried to kill me. He banished me from Camelot, showed me mercy, and since then I have helped him towards his destiny gladly."

Son of Balinor. Arthur thought back to Merlin's emotional response at the death of the gruff Dragonlord.

No man is worth your tears.

Arthur felt guilt flood through him. Oh god, what a horrible thing to say. I am sorry, Merlin.

The king sheathed his sword, knowing the dragon would be no threat to them if he was an ally of Merlin's. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his Round Table knights do the same.

"Excuse me," Guinevere said, stepping forward and mustering her courage to address the dragon. Arthur could help but smiled proudly at his wife.

"Ah yes, Guinevere Pendragon," the dragon greeted, "The Once and Future Queen of Albion."

Gwen blushed under such a title, but continued on nevertheless. "Do you have a name, Great Dragon?"

"My name is Kilgharrah, Your Majesty," he said with a bow of his large head.

Arthur hadn't stopped to think if the beast had a name, but it was so typically kind of Guinevere to ask.

"BI SE WILLA FRAM EMRYS BEON DON!" Merlin shouted, snapping their attention back to the pair in the water. The golden light that surrounded the two flared one last time, before fading away completely. The lake was then only lit by moonlight, and Arthur had to wait a few seconds for his eyes to adjust to the change.

There was the sound of splashes as both Merlin and Freya fell backwards into the water, both unconscious. In an instant Arthur was racing into the shallows, Gwaine a second behind him. Arthur pulled Merlin out of the water and Gwaine went to grab Freya.

Arthur carried his manservant to the shore, and carefully laid him on the ground, aware that Gwaine had done the same to Freya. They laid the pair side by side and nervously checked that they were breathing. It wasn't until the king was assured that both were okay and merely unconscious that he grasped the important of Freya being on the shore of the Lake of Avalon. He gasped, and bent down to inspect her further. It was only then that Arthur noticed the rise and fall of her chest

"What?" Gwen asked anxiously, as she too came over to inspect the pair, the other knights following her. "Is she alright?"

Arthur was looking down at Freya with an expression of awe on his face. "She's more than alright," the king replied, "She's warm, she's breathing, she's – she's out of the water. Merlin did it. She's alive!"

Just another Author's Note:

The "BI SE WILLA FRAM EMRYS BEON DON!" is literally me translating word by word, "BY THE WILL OF EMRYS BE DONE!"

How hard is it to find Old English translators? I could not find one that did whole sentences for the life of me.

Please review! :D