Merlin looked away. His headache was again growing more and more and he shut his eyes. He couldn't think straight. He felt himself cold and numb. He realized that he couldn't feel his fingers at all. He tried to rose, but the legs betrayed him.

"We have to move on." He said, listening how Arthur rose and walked toward him.

"Then get up." Arthur's voice was cold and hard.

"I think that I can't." Merlin still tried. Arthur's grasp was fierce and painful when he helped Merlin to stand again.

"Merlin, look at me. LOOK AT ME!" Arthur demanded and Merlin raised his gaze to his king and friend. Merlin was rarely seen Arthur so angry.

"Gold. That colour… it is definitely gold. Isn't it?"

"Yes." Merlin sighed and started to cough. He almost bent over but Arthur's o grasp tightened.

"Magic, Merlin?" His voice now whole of disgust.

"Yes." He could feel how Arthur trembled with fury.

"A sorcerer?"

"Warlock." Merlin said, not caring how Arthur's look grew grimmer. "What's the difference?"

Merlin couldn't answer. His cough got worse and worse.

"You are burning up." Arthur said; his voice like ice.

"Can't feel my fingers." Merlin said quietly.

"How are those dryads?"

"I think…" Merlin tried to look around the woods. "Still there. Still waiting."

"What they want?"

Merlin shrugged his shoulder. The movements hurt. "They hunt. We are in their territory. These are old woods. No one ever come here."

"You said that you have met them before?" Arthur demanded to know and Merlin nodded.

"Some dryads, when I was a child."

"How?"

"They were hunting and I got middle of it." It wasn't pleasant memory. Dryads were fierce and merciless creatures.

"And you survived. How?"

Merlin tried to remember. How indeed, it was such a long time ago. "My… magic. I think."

"You think? You don't know?" Arthur was suspicious but Merlin couldn't remember exactly how he had got away.

"Truth to say, I don't know much of my magic, until recently."

"What do you mean?" Arthur frowned and vaguely Merlin realised that Arthur's grasp was loosened a bit.

"I was born with magic. I learned not field it around, how to control it but… there have never been anyone who had could tell me what kind of magic I'm possessing. There had never been anyone like me. My magic is unique. Until I came Camelot, I never learned about magic. I just use it. And its make me like them." Like monster, Merlin though. He wasn't though like that for years now. But now, here, he felt it again, that odd familiar feeling that he belonged more with these creatures of forest than to city of people.

"Them? Do you mean…"

"Dryads. Magical beings. Part of the earth itself. Or on my case, part of air I think." Merlin started to laugh and then again cough.

"Have you lied all these years?" Arthur's voice was supremely soft when he asked. Merlin smirked.

"Lied? What do you think? Under Camelot's laws, what else I have could do? Me, who have no choice because I can't get rid of my magic? Because it's part of me? What do you think my king? You really are clot pole."

Arthur led him go and Merlin swayed, trying not to collapse.

"Then why?"

"Why what?" Merlin snapped.

"Why you came in Camelot?" Arthur was eager to know.

"Is this a place and time ask these questions?" Merlin sighed.

"ANSWER ME!"

Merlin stared him. "Because my destiny."

"Your destiny?"

Merlin started to laugh again and again it ended with cough, but now it not stopped. He coughed and coughed and finally when he stopped he was lying on the ground, vaguely realizing that Arthur was hovering over him.

"You can leave me here." Merlin muttered tiredly. He didn't care. Pain in his chest increased every time when he breathed in. "I'm dead anyway."

Arthur closed his eyes. Seeing Merlin like this, knowing what he was, it hurt in many ways. "What's your destiny? Dying here?"

Merlin actually smiled. Through all that pain, Merlin smiled, his eyes staring up the woods.

"My destiny was protect you, to guide you, to help you to unite the Albion under your rule. You… and Gwen. To bring golden age of man and magic. You are good man Arthur. I'm proud that you are my friend. I'm glad… that I met you. Saved you… so many times. I'm… sorry about Morgana. I tried… but she never wanted to see truth. She… was hurt… and she… star- to hate. She made her… choice. She… tur—d h-r back to… us. Not… eve-y one w—t you dead…" Merlin's voice faded, his eyes closed.

"Nononono. You are not leaving me here alone." Arthur turned Merlin face towards him. "Merlin, listen. Focus, please."

But it was no use. Merlin was unconscious. Arthur though for a moment then hoisted Merlin up and on his shoulder. How light the man was.

"And I'm helped you out too many times to leave you here now." He muttered and started to walk again through the moonlight and darkness of the woods.