AN: I didn't intend for the chapter to play out this way but I think it works.

More than a week after Morgana had discovered that Gwen was in fact Arthur's widow and the princess, the sorceress had plotted and planned several ways of getting revenge. However it seemed that as long as Emrys was around, Gwen and the brat were safe. Yet she was still no closer to discovering just who Emrys was. Morgana was certain that Emrys was the one who was foiling all of her plans and in her dreams still she only dreamt of two sights. Emrys killing her and Emrys crowning Gwen as queen. If she was to succeed and become queen, before Uther and Gwen had to die, first she needed to see Emrys lying dead at her feet.

However this was a task that was easier said than done. There had to be someone, anyone who knew who Emrys was and where he could be found. If Emrys was able to heal Gwen that meant there was someone in Camelot who knew who he was. But who? Who could know the identity and location of the most powerful sorcerer in the world? Who would be able to have the knowledge to assist him in creating a magical cure? Who was it that had all this knowledge and magic right under the noses of everyone in Camelot?

Then it hit her.

Morgana knew exactly who would be able to tell her all she needed to know about Emrys and she knew exactly how to get that information and who from.

Gaius.

The old fool knew far more than he let on and for that, Morgana was certain that not only did he know who Emrys was but where he could be found. And if he wasn't willing to talk, then Morgana had her methods of making him speak. All she had to do was plan the plan and then her enemies would be dead and Camelot would be hers.

Gwen had noticed a radical change in people's actions and reactions around her ever since she had revealed herself to be Arthur's widow and their princess. After agreeing to peace, Bayard had left and it seemed, had informed the other royal families about Gwen's true status which in turn had led to numerous letters of renewed support and condolences and within Camelot itself, Gwen had noticed how the people of Camelot were treating her differently. If she walked through the castle or in the town (now always accompanied by Merlin or one of the knights) the townspeople who she had grown up with now always bowed or curtsied to her, referring to her as 'Princess'.

What was more unusual and definitely more amusing was how the nobility were all but falling over backwards in attempts to gain her affection, attention and approval for anything. The ladies who Gwen knew had whispered about her being a whore and the possibility of her baby being a bastard were now those who trailed after her everywhere like a pack of finely dressed lost puppies who fawned over everything from her choice of dress to her bump and even attempted to act like each was her best friend. The men who had looked down their noses at her and also muttered about the political impact of having a 'common-whore queen and bastard prince' were now hanging on her every word in regards to political matters as well as the economics of the town. Many of the men had also taken upon themselves to offer some 'advice' to Gwen as well as offering to act as a guardian for her for wherever she went. It wasn't hilariously funny but it was undeniably amusing to compare how the nobles acted before her revelation and afterwards.

Thankfully ever since they had learnt about Gwen and Arthur's marriage back when Gwen had confessed that she was pregnant, Merlin, Gaius and the knights were still treating her in the same way as ever. One evening Gwen had been practically besieged by a group of ladies clamouring for her attention and undoubtedly her favour and a chance to try and become her best friend and therefore the baby's godmother when Merlin appeared around the corner having been with Uther and upon seeing the look on Gwen's face, quickly intervened.

"There you are Gwen, Elyan's been looking for you everywhere. Come on," Merlin said as he took Gwen's hand and led her away from the ladies. As soon as they rounded the corner, Gwen lent against the wall and breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Thanks Merlin, I owe you one." Gwen said and shook her head with a frown. "If I heard one more comment about how 'radiant' I looked then I would have done something I wouldn't have regretted."

"Radiant?" Merlin asked.

"Apparently I am 'glowing' and am 'radiant' and 'clearly having the true child of the Prince'." Gwen scoffed as they continued wandering about the castle. "I mean, do they really think I'm stupid? Like I don't know what they thought of me little more than a week ago? Why can't people just be honest?"

"Says the woman who hid the fact she was married from everyone for four months." Merlin quipped and Gwen offered him a smile.

"Fair point." Gwen concluded. In retrospect she could have revealed what she and Arthur had done before he died but everyone was in mourning and having to adapt to the new heir then she learnt she was pregnant and it all sort of snowballed. Gwen smiled and leant against the wall, her arms folded as she looked at Merlin. "So what about you?"

"What about me?" Merlin asked.

"What secrets are you hiding?" Gwen asked. She always assumed, someone like Merlin had to have some secrets. Everyone did.

Merlin looked at Gwen and shrugged his shoulders. "Me? I don't have any."

Liar. A niggling voice in the back of his head spat. There was nothing Merlin longed for more than the chance to reveal himself. The chance for him to stand up before his friends and indeed everyone in Camelot and reveal that he had magic. Not only had he magic but he was the most powerful sorcerer in existence and a Dragon Lord to boot. The chance to be himself and not worry about the executioner's block or the pyre or the noose. Ever since Arthur died, Merlin had been waiting on the chance to reveal himself only Gwen's pregnancy and the various revelations and drama that had caused meant Merlin simply had more and more excuses not to say who he really was.

The burning question for Merlin was not just how he would reveal himself but when. When was the right time? When Uther died? When the baby was born? When he had no other option but to reveal himself? When was he going to be able to stop lying to himself and everyone around him and be the person Destiny intended him to be? When was he finally going to be free?

"What are you-?"

Merlin was jolted back to reality as Gwen suddenly grabbed his hand and pressed it to her swollen abdomen. As his hand connected with the firm bump, he felt a gentle thump against his hand. Merlin looked at the bump to Gwen with wide eyes. Even though he had felt the baby kick before, it still felt so strange having the unborn life kicking and moving against his hand.

"That's so strange," Merlin commented and jerked his hand back as his statement was met with a stronger, more powerful kick. "You're Arthur's child all right."

"Indeed you are," Gwen replied as she gently stroked her stomach before returning her gaze to Merlin. "Merlin, I have something I need to ask you."

"What?" Merlin asked as they reached Gwen's chambers. Gwen took her time to cross the room to sit down at the table and waited for Merlin to join her before she took his hands tightly in her own.

"Obviously this baby is going to grow up without a father. I know that Elyan and you and the knights are all going to be perfect uncles for him or her. I've been thinking about it a lot and I don't want you to be the baby's uncle." Gwen admitted to Merlin who's eyes widened.

"What do you mean? Why not?" Merlin asked confused as he pulled his hands away and Gwen took them again and squeezed them tighter before setting them onto her stomach.

"Let me finish. I don't want you to be the baby's uncle. I want you to be their godfather." Gwen said and Merlin's mouth fell open. He hadn't been expecting to hear that.

"Godfather? Me?" Merlin asked and Gwen nodded.

"I just thought, you were Arthur's best friend and you're also mine. I know that if he was here, Arthur would want you to be our child's godfather too. You don't have to but I just thought that after all you've done for us over the years, it was a way of repaying you."

"I-I don't know what to say." Merlin admitted and Gwen smiled. "What?"

"Nothing, I just could almost hear Arthur in my head saying something sarcastic about that. You not knowing what to say." Gwen replied and paused. "You don't have to be godfather."

"No, no I want to. I'd be honoured but why me? Surely Elyan would be a better choice of godfather?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not saying I didn't consider him too but the more I thought about it, the better the idea seemed. You always have been our best friend and this stayed between us but secretly, I trust you just that bit more than the others. I can't explain it but I just know that no matter what, I can always rely on you to do what's right and protect the baby. Also, if something should happen to me then I know that the best man I know will be the best godfather to mine and Arthur's baby." Gwen explained, she had thought about it. Many women, including Queen Ygraine died in childbirth or of childbirth fever and Gwen knew that if such a thing were to happen to her, then the baby would receive the best possible care and guidance from Merlin, Gaius and the knights.

"Nothing will happen to you." Merlin reassured.

"We can't know that. We need to be prepared anyway. So will you do it?" Gwen asked.

Merlin grinned at Gwen and hugged her. "I'd be honoured."

Gwen smiled and Merlin let go of her and left the room. The moment he was outside the door, the smile fell from Merlin's face as he thought about what Gwen had said. 'I trust you just that little bit more than the others'. Merlin wasn't sure how to respond to that but he knew that trust had to be based on honesty and openness and he was betraying all of their trust by hiding himself. Somehow it was the perfect trigger. If he was going to be the baby's godfather then he needed to know that Gwen and the knights would trust every part of him.

It was time for him to tell the truth.

Merlin turned and hurried in the direction of Gaius' quarters. He needed to inform Gaius of what he had planned before he did it as well as pack a bag in case he needed to make a clean getaway. Nerves and excitement began to boil and churn inside him and Merlin pushed open the door to Gaius' chambers and stopped.

The room was completely trashed. Bottles and ingredients lay scattered around the table. Books were lying on the floor, some with their pages torn out and the entire room was ransacked. Gaius himself was nowhere to be seen. Merlin stepped cautiously into the room, taking in all the details and assessing the damage as he did so.

"Gaius?" Merlin called but there was no response. "Gaius!"

There was no response and Merlin felt a sense of foreboding as he ran out of the room and sprinted to find the knights and guards. What felt like a lifetime later, Leon, Gwaine and Elyan appeared along with some of the guards and Merlin showed them the ransacked room and looked at them.

"Has anyone seen Gaius at all today?" Leon asked, taking control of the situation.

"Not since this morning, I was with the king and then with Gwen." Merlin replied and as he assessed the damage done to the room, his mind jumped to the only logical conclusion. Morgana. Morgana was the only person he could think of that had a vendetta against Gaius and Merlin realised something with a horrifying jolt. Agravaine had asked Gaius if he knew of a sorcerer named Emrys. Morgana was looking for Emrys. Gaius knew he was Emrys and even as he thought that. Merlin knew Gaius was never betray him and inform Morgana that Merlin was Emrys and that meant only one thing…

"Merlin!"

Merlin jumped and looked at Leon who clearly had just asked him a question however Gwaine intervened by clapping a hand onto Merlin's shoulder supportively.

"Come on mate, he's clearly in shock." Gwaine said and Leon nodded.

"Sorry Merlin, I just asked whether you had any idea of who could have done this." Leon said and Merlin looked at them blankly before slowly nodding his head.

"Who?" Elyan asked as Agravaine appeared in the doorway and Merlin caught his eye. For a moment the traitor and warlock regarded each other and Merlin could see the taunting look in Agravaine's eyes which confirmed what he suspected and what Agravaine knew he suspected. Merlin broke the eye contact and stood up.

"We need to tell Gwen." Merlin said and pushed past them. Leon, Gwaine and Elyan followed him through the castle, confused about his actions and worried about Gaius. The four men burst into Gwen's chambers where the princess was sitting on the window-ledge and staring out into the courtyard. Gwen went to get off the ledge before realising who it was but as she spotted their faces, she didn't relax. Something had happened.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Gwen asked.

"It's Gaius, he's missing." Leon replied and Gwen's hand flew to her mouth as she looked at the knights.

"What? When did this happen? How did it happen?" Gwen asked and the knights looked at Merlin who looked at them, his face a mixture of fear and concern for Gaius as well as what looked to be anger in his eyes.

"Agravaine. He and Morgana clearly think that Gaius has some sort of information that could benefit them and have taken him. It wouldn't have been that hard, force Gaius to leave the castle against his own will then have him taken away somewhere." Merlin explained.

"But where? We don't know where Morgana's hiding and she could be anywhere." Gwaine reasoned, he didn't want to be the bearer of bad news but they had to be realistic. Morgana could have Gaius anywhere and they wouldn't have the first clue of where to look.

"We'll need to comb the woods. There would have to be some sort of hideaway where Morgana has Gaius, somewhere remote and hidden." Elyan stated and looked at them apologetically.

"That doesn't really narrow it down does it?" Merlin asked and Gwen, who had been silent through their discussions drew herself up to her full height and looked at the men.

"Now they've gone too far." Gwen said and looked at them. "The only person who will be able to tell us where Gaius and Morgana are is Agravaine. This is my fault, I've been foolish. I should have done this when I had the chance then this would have been avoided."

"Done what?" Elyan asked. Gwen looked at the men, her face was stern but there was fire in her eyes as she looked at the men who were hanging on her every word.

"Merlin, escort me to the throne room. Elyan, find Percival and Lancelot, they'll want to see this." Gwen said as she turned to Leon and Gwaine. "Leon, Gwaine, I want you to find Agravaine and arrest him."

"It would be a pleasure and an honour." Gwaine said as he, Leon and Elyan left the room and Gwen took Merlin's hand before pulling him into a tight hug.

"It'll be all right." Gwen reassured as they made their way to the throne room.

Gaius was bound to the large stone, aside from the robes digging into his wrists and ankles, which refused to yield to any sort of movement, the only other thing he could feel was the aching and bleeding spot on his head from where he had been knocked unconscious and subdued. The cave he was in was lit by a series of candles on the floor and he stared at the two people in the room. The first was Morgana whose face was contorted in rage due to his unwillingness to talk. The other was a bald, middle-aged man who was in a long blue robe and clutching a staff in his hands. Alator was quietly impressed with the old man's refusal to speak. However he was a skilled torturer and extractor of truths and he had his methods to extract the truth from the old man.

Morgana looked at Gaius spitefully. "I know that you know who Emrys is and you will tell me."

"I would rather die." Gaius replied and Morgana looked at him coldly.

"If you refuse to tell me who Emrys is then that will be your fate." Morgana threatened.

"I am an old man and a physician. I have not and never will fear death. Even dying at your hands." Gaius explained calmly and Morgana smirked coldly at him.

"Then you have nothing to fear except for the agonies of torture." Morgana claimed before turning back to Alator.

"Do whatever you have to, as painfully as you can until the old fool speaks. Once he reveals who Emrys is; finish him off." Morgana ordered and swept out of the room.

Gaius stared Alator out as the man approached him but as he refused to reveal who Emrys was and Alator began to attempt to torture it out of him, only one thought echoed through Gaius' mind.

Keep Merlin's secret safe.