Arthur had never run so fast in his life, he practically flew to the physician's chamber, dragon bone whistle in hand. He didn't know how he knew what to do, he just did. He silently thanked the God when he entered the room to find it empty of all but Gwen. His father was off attending to business and Gaius must have slipped out to get herbs or something. Arthur took up his place at Merlin's side. He was barely breathing.

"I'll sit with him," Arthur offered gently holding her shoulders, "Go rest"

"If he wakes...?" She started

"I'll tell you" Arthur promised, she smiled, god he loved her smile, as she left the room.

As soon as the door was closed the elder prince raised the whistle to his lips and gently blew, instead of the earth shaking roar like before this time, no sound came. Instead the strange translucent fog seeped out of it, winding around like a snake, flowing into Merlin's mouth and into the wound on his head. Merlin breathed deeply before settling back down into the pillows. Arthur breathed a sigh of relief.

At some point in the night while waiting for Merlin to wake he felt himself slipping into exhaustion, all the adrenaline had long worn off. At an early hour of the morning he allowed Gaius to lead him back to his own room. He knew Merlin was safe now, so he didn't fight it. Settling into his bed he made a promise not to sleep too long.

...

Uther made his way slowly to the physicians chambers. Gaius had told him Merlin would most likely die during the night. He would of stayed with him but he couldn't he refused to watch his son die before his eyes. So he had left, now he was going to say his farewells. Perhaps if he was lucky, Merlin may of held on a little longer and he could try to rouse him, just to say goodbye properly.

The king opened the door to see Merlin siting up, perfect awake and perfectly healthy, halfway through eating an apple that he must of grabbed from the bowl sitting behind him.

"Hello Father" He grinned like he would any other day, "Have you see Gaius? I woke up a while ago and I haven't seen him"

Uther blinked, he had to be imagining this. When he had last set eyes on the boy he had been at deaths door, he had begged Gaius to save him. Gaius. He must of used magic to heal Melrin. Uther secretly praised the man and quickly sat down on the side of the cot that Merlin was sitting in and hugged him, much to the young mans surprise.

"Was I out long?" He blinked in surprise, Uther still had one arm around him when Gaius entered, looking at Merlin in complete shock.

"It's truly a miracle" Uther supplied, Gaius nodded.

"Yes, perhaps you should go and tell Arthur the good news?" He supplied, Uther took the hint and got up, leaving Merlin to rest. Gaius followed him out, he grasped the old mans hands in appreciation.

"Thankyou Gaius! I knew you wouldn't fail me" He thanked

"I assure you sire, I did nothing" The man replied, Uther nodded.

"Of course, I won't ask questions" The king agreed, best not get to embroiled in the evils of magic.

...

Merlin got out of bed and thought about what had taken place. He was sure when he had been unconscious he had heard Uther, ordering Gaius to heal him with magic. Uther hated magic, yet he was willing to use it in order to save his life. It was a huge revelation. Perhaps Uther was not the perfect king, nor a perfect father, but his heart was in the right place, in his own twisted way.

The younger prince walked down the hall, towards Arthur's rooms to tell him about what he heard when a blur of red material and blonde hair came rushing round the corner so fast it crashed into him, sending him sprawling to the floor.

"Merlin!" Arthur yelped, picking himself off the floor and helping the younger to his feet before hugging him.

"I'm getting a lot of hugs today" Merlin mused, grinning.

"It worked, I was sure it would" Arthur beamed

"What?" Merlin asked, surely Gaius had healed him, not Arthur. His eyes widened as Arthur told him what Kilghrah had done, he was especially impressed that Arthur had managed to heal him himself. He was about to thank him when a yell interrupted the reunion.

"Sire! A servant has been killed" A guard yelled as he came skidding round the corner. Both princes were off in a flash, thanks could wait. The two found the body of the young man lying in the hall towards their rooms, he was lying in a puddle of blood red wine, obviously meant for the king. Arthur gently lifted the mans wrist to feel for a non existent pulse. Merlin froze, watching the red fluid drip from the mans fingers, just like in the crystals.

"Merlin, are you alright?" Asked Arthur, Merlin trembled

"That was no accident, I saw it in the crystal..." He muttered, "I was wrong, it's tonight Arthur, she's here now!"

The two were flying down the corridor towards Uther's rooms in a flash. Leaving the bewildered guards in their wake. As they turned into the hall they heard Uther yell, both paled, they could be too late. They burst into the room to see Morgana, face to face with Uther, who had his hand on a gash in his arm but was otherwise fine.

"Oh hello brother dear" She grinned

"There are two of us you know" Merlin scoffed

"Oh no, no there isn't" She smiled, "Go on Uther why don't you tell them, tell them why I'm here now. Morgause told me everything"

"Tell us what?" Arthur asked slowly, drawing his sword and pointing it at her. Uther stayed silent.

"Fine, I'll tell him" She smiled, "Uther is my father, that makes me, your sister, well half sister"

Arthur gaped. Merlin's mind raced, there were a few similarities between Morgause and Morgana, subtly facial things, bone features, height, body build. So if Uther was the father it meant the mother was...

"Vivienne" Merlin surmised, much to the universal shock of the room.

Uther nodded.

"So now you know, can I get on with killing him?" Morgana growled chucking the knife which Uther dodged. Both princes lunged for Morgana, Merlin missed and slid along the floor but Arthur managed to knock her down, resulting in a hard kick to the head. Arthur staggered to his feet, dazed.

"You're still defending him after he kept this from us?" She questioned, Arthur nodded she screamed, sending him flying back. Merlin took this chance to throw the first thing he could get his hands on, a goblet, at Morgana's head. He smiled when he saw a small cut on her forehead.

"you should know better than to turn your back on me Morgana" He grinned, dodging a bolt of strange gold fire as it burst forth from her hand. This distraction had given Uther and Arthur time to draw their swords, pointing them into Morgana's back, Merlin didn't have his sword on him, so he grabbed a spare from Uther's cupboard. They had her surrounded, instead of panicking, she smiled.

"Until next time then?"

Before they could stop her she dematerialised, completely vanished before their eyes.