I don't like this chapter that much, but hopefully it's not to bad. Just one more chapter and this story is finished! Thank you soooooo much for all the reviews and support of this story! You all rock! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 19: A Long Story

Morgana's lifeless body fell to the floor, and Merlin slowly lowered his arm, his eyes fading back to blue. He stared at her sadly, before looking up to meet the eyes of her army leader, Salazar.

"The next step is up to you." He said, holding his head high despite the sorrow that weighed him down.

"We will go in peace, Emrys." Salazar said, glancing down at Morgana's body. He looked up and made eye contact with Merlin, adding in his mind, "I know the prophecies, but be warned: if magic isn't restored to Camelot by next year, I will be back. And I will finish what Morgana started.

"If you come back," Merlin replied, also in his mind. "Then you will join her."

The two glared at each other for a moment, before Salazar reluctantly nodded and turned to face the army that still stood in the corridor. He made a gesture with his hand and the army slowly filed away and out of Camelot.

Merlin stood watching them until he was sure they posed no threat. Once he was sure none were going to turn back and fight, his shoulders drooped and the aura of power he had been giving off dissapeared, turning instead to one of sorrow and fear. He turned slowly to look around the room.

The people were all staring at him in shock. Many of them had grown up believing that all magic was evil, and yet here was Merlin, someone they all knew and that most loved, who they didn't think had an evil bone in his body, using magic to kill Camelot's greatest enemy. He saw a few friendly faces who didn't look as if they cared, but most of the people looked betrayed and angry.

His eyes scanned the room until they landed on Gaius and Gwen who stood side by side near the front of the group of townspeople. Gaius simply nodded at him, pride in his eyes. Merlin looked hesitantly over until he was making eye contact with Gwen. He could see that she was still shocked, and there was hurt in her eyes. But as he looked at her, she gave a small smile and nodded at him, showing him that she still supported him.

He looked over at the knights next. They had wasted no time now that the battle had ended and were slowly advancing on him, swords drawn. He saw no friendly faces among them, just anger as they advanced to slowly surround another magic user.

Merlin scanned the knights until he spotted Gwaine, who stood behind the advancing knights, his arms still bound together, with a huge smile on his face. He shrugged his shoulders, silently asking to be released. Merlin gave a little smile and his eyes flashed gold, freeing Gwaine who instantly pushed his way through the knights and went over to stand beside Merlin, throwing his arm around his friend.

"That was brillant, Merlin!" he exclaimed, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. "I've never seen anything like that!"

Merlin gave his friend a small smile, grateful that at least one person was on his side. The knights had stopped as Gwaine had started talking, but now they approached once more. Gwaine let his arm drop from Merlin's shoulders and reached for his sword, only to find it wasn't there. A moment to late he remembered that he had dropped it when he had been captured. Frowning, he turned to face the knights, daring them with his eyes to take one more step. The knights hesitated and looked to their king for orders.

Arthur stood in front of Merlin, with Leon, Percival and Elyan-who was leaning heavily against Percival-behind him. Merlin looked to the three knights first. Percival met his eyes first and nodded, giving him a small smile of approval. Elyan looked into Merlin's eyes for a few moments, remembering how his father had died and Gwen had nearly joined him because of magic. But then he looked past Merlin and saw Morgana's still body lying on the floor. He looked back at Merlin and nodded, knowing Merlin was good, no matter if he had magic.

Merlin looked at Leon next and saw anger, confusion, and a bit of fear in his eyes. Leon had grown up hating magic and believing it was evil, but now seeing it in someone he had thought to be so innocent, so good, he wasn't sure what to do anymore. He locked eyes with Merlin for a moment, before looking beside him to his King.

Merlin followed him and nervously looked at Arthur. The young king was aware that all eyes in the room were on him, but he didn't look at any of them. Instead, he made eye contact with Merlin. Neither moved for a moment, each looking at each other. Arthur was barely holding in his anger and his hurt. Merlin broke eye contact first, but Arthur saw a hint of fear in his eyes before they broke contact.

"I believe I need a moment alone with my manservant." Arthur broke the silence.

He didn't wait for anyone to respond. Instead, Arthur strode forward and grasped Merlin's arm tightly, practically dragging him out of the room. Gwaine started to follow, but a quick shake of Merlin's head stopped him. Reluctantly, Gwaine stayed where he was and watched as Merlin allowed himself to be dragged out of the room.

Arthur dragged Merlin up two flights of stairs, letting his anger boil until he was furious. When he was about to burst, he pushed Merlin into a guestroom and slammed the door shut behind them.

"How could you betray me like that?" Arthur shouted,his voice echoing in the room.

"I swear, I never betrayed you." Merlin argued. "It was Morgana. She put an enchantment on me. I would never betray you!"

"You practice magic!" Arthur barked. "You don't consider that betraying me?"

"I had no choice!" Merlin shouted back, his calm appearance now completly fading away. "If I hadn't practiced to control my magic then I would never have been able to control it!"

"What is that suppose to mean?" Arthur asked, stepping forward, anger burning in his eyes. "What was all that about being the holder of life and death? How long have you been practicing magic? Who else knows?"

"I was born with magic!" Merlin shouted, grabbing at his head in frustration. "If I hadn't come to Camelot and practiced, then I wouldn't be able to control it and you would be dead hundreds of times over!"

Arthur frowned at that, but his anger was still up and he wasn't about to let Merlin off easy.

"Why Camelot of all places?" He asked, stepping forward to intimidate Merlin. "What do you mean I would be dead?"

"How do you think you've made it through all the magical beast attacks?" Merlin asked, refusing to be intimidated. "If I wasn't here you would have been dead the first beast attack. Haven't you ever wondered how you killed beasts that could only be killed with magic?"

Arthur shook his head, trying to hold onto his anger. He had wondered about that. He remembered the griffin and the dragon, two beasts that could only be killed by magic and yet he and Lancelot had managed to kill them with just spears. He took a step back and looked at Merlin, glaring at him through eyes that showed the hurt he felt.

"I'm sorry for lying to you, Arthur." Merlin started, seeing that Arthur's anger had started to fade. He was uncomfortably aware of the sword at Arthur's side, his hand instinctivly on the hilt. "I never wanted to, but what choice did I have? If you had known I had magic then you would have had to execute me or go against your father. I couldn't let that happen."

He took a deep breath, not sure how Arthur would respond to what he was going to say next. "And then when your father died and you became king I was so sure I could tell you, but everytime I got up the courage to tell you, you would go on about how magic is evil and that all magic users must be killed. I wanted to tell you, Arthur, honestly I did. I just couldn't."

Arthur didn't say anything. He turned around and walked over to the window and leaned up against it. He looked out across Camelot and watched without really seeing Morgana's broken army scattering across the countryside. The knights that had been captured where milling around the courtyard, joined by the townspeople who were slowly making their way out of the castle.

"Why?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"What?" Merlin asked, surprised by the sudden change in Arthur.

"Why have you risked your life to save mine so many times?" Arthur clarified, still not turning.

"Because you're my friend," Merlin replied instantly.

Arthur turned at that and looked at Merlin. Neither said anything, just looked at each other. Finally Arthur moved away from the window to stand in front of Merlin. Merlin swallowed nervously, expecting to feel a sword in his gut at any moment.

"What is this Emrys deal?" Arthur finally asked.

Merlin hesistated before sighing. The time for secrets was over, he knew, so it was time to tell Arthur everything.

"That's what the Druids called me." He explained. "For years it has been prophecised that Emrys would stand by the Once and Future King's side, protecting him and returning magic to the united land of Albion."

"And who is this Once and Future King?" Arthur asked, vagually remembering hearing that prophecy once when he was little.

"That would be you." Merlin replied, raising his eyes to look at Merlin.

Arthur raised his eyebrow, clearly unsure whether or not to believe him. Deciding to return to that point later, he asked another question.

"How many times have you saved my life?"

"That's a long story." Merlin replied, suddenly uncomfortable.

"We have time." Arthur replied and walked across the room to sit down in a chair.

He motioned to the the other one and Merlin reluctantly sat down across from Arthur. He knew he would have to tell Arthur the full story some time, but now that that time was here, he wasn't sure he was ready for it. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"I'm waiting." Arthur said, leaning back.

Merlin sighed and began his tale.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"I don't like this." Gwaine said for the fiftieth time.

He stood in the room the battle had taken place in. Leon, Percival, Elyon, Gwen and Gaius were the only ones in the room, save for the servants that came and go to clean the debris. Morgana's body had already been moved, and if it wasn't for the broken door, you wouldn't have known that a battle had taken place just an hour ago.

"It's been far to long." Gwaine continued, stopping in his pacing to stare out the empty doorway.

"It's only been an hour, Gwaine." Elyan sighed, wishing his head would stop aching.

"An hour and a half." Gwaine corrected, still staring at the doorway.

"Arthur just wanted to talk to him, Gwaine." Gwen tried. "Merlin will be fine."

"You don't know that." Gwaine replied, turning to look at them.

"Really, Gwaine, you must calm down." Gaius said, taking a step toward the worried knight.

"How can I calm down when Arthur might be killing Merlin as we speak?" Gwaine was pratically shouting.

"Arthur won't kill Merlin." Percival spoke up.

"How do you know?" Gwaine snapped, his worry causing his temper to be short.

"They're friends." Percival said simply.

"Well I'm going after them." Gwaine decided and turned on his heel. "He said he wanted a moment. An hour and a half is way longer then a moment."

"Leave them be, Gwaine." Leon ordered, trying not to let his own nervousness into his voice. "The King will come back when he's ready."

"Anybody else coming?" Gwaine called over his shoulder, completly ignoring Leon.

The small group glanced at each other before hurrying to follow Gwaine. Despite what they had said, they were all worried, even Leon. They caught up to Gwaine quickly and followed slightly behind him, opening every door as they passed trying to find Merlin and Arthur.

They had climbed two sets of stairs when a sudden shout of "You're what?" filled the air, coming from the first door on the right. Gwaine rushed over, throwing the door open. He hurried into the room, expecting to see Merlin dead on the floor. Instead, he saw Arthur and Merlin standing in front of chairs they had overturned when they jumped to their feet at Gwaine's inturruption.

"I told you he wouldn't kill him." Percival said as the rest of the group filed into the room.

"What is this about?" Arthur asked angerly. "I said I wanted a moment alone with Merlin."

"That was an hour and a half ago Princess." Gwaine replied, walking to Merlin's side. Quietly, he asked, "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, Gwaine." Merlin replied with a big grin.

Gaius couldn't stop the smile that came to his face as he realized that everything was going to be all right. Merlin and Arthur picked their chairs up and the group all stood in silence for a few minutes.

"So," Gwaine started awkwardly, "What were you two talking about?"

"Merlin here," Arthur said, glaring playfully at his friend. "Has just been telling me that not only is he the most powerful sorcerer to ever live but that he is also the last dragonlord."

Cries of "What?" and "You're kidding!" as well as a "Awesome!" from Gwaine filled the room. Gaius just grinned slightly, seeing how uncomfortable his ward was from all the attention.

"It's a long story." Merlin muttered, shuffling awkwardly.

"We've got time." Gwaine said, moving over to collapse on the bed.

Merlin sighed. It was going to be a long night.