Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin

Reply to the Guest's review: Why do you think 'unrest' isn't the right word? Could log in and PM me, so we would be able to discuss it?

Chapter 3

It was almost dawn when two flabbergasted guards let the King of Camelot into his city.

After the meeting between Merlin and the druids, Arthur spent hours pondering the things said. He must have fallen asleep at some point, because in what seemed like a moment the sky changed from deep dark to light gray of dawn. He was sore from sleeping in the wrong position, and it didn't help his grim mood in the least. After getting up, Arthur shook out his clothes getting rid of leaves, sticks and as much excess dirt as possible. While in the city he tried to avoid attention, however, when he noticed a servant the king told him to inform Merlin that he won't be needed today.

When Arthur entered his chambers the queen was already awake, dressed and waiting for him.

"Arthur!" exclaimed Gwen when she saw him. "Where were you?" Queen got up and wanted to embrace her husband, but he passed her and went to the windowsill. Then she noticed his condition. "What happened to you?!"

Arthur didn't answer and just sat looking out the window. Someone knocked on the door, but he didn't turn around.

"Come in," said the queen.

A servant entered bearing a breakfast tray laden with food. "Good morning Your Majesties. I brought the king's breakfast," explained the servant, setting it down at the end of the table, and looking unsure of the current atmosphere.

"Thank you, but where is Merlin?" inquired Gwen.

"He was given a day off, My Lady."

"Thank you. You may go."

The servant put the tray on the table, bowed and left the chambers.

Gwen was getting really worried and decided to get to the bottom of things.

"Arthur, what's going on?"

He didn't show the slightest reaction to her question. She repeated it with the same result. Eventually, after yielding nothing from him, she came over to him and touched his shoulder. Arthur twitched and looked at her, as though broken from a train of thought.

"Guinevere?"

"Arthur, I don't know what it is but something is definitely bothering you and you're behaving strangely. Yesterday Merlin came to me asking that I talk to you since you wouldn't speak to him as you normally do," Gwen explained taking his hand in her own

However Arthur had yet to look her way. With no intention to take no for an answer, Gwen pressed on. "And today you gave him a day off. I don't say he doesn't deserve it. He does much more but it's so unlike you. You usually enjoy his company too much, even if you would have never admitted it."

Seeing she still wasn't going to get an answer so easily, the queen soon realised the source of the problem. "It's something with Merlin, isn't it? If you won't talk about it with him, then you should with someone else. I'm worried about you."

He sighed, looking so tired about something. "I'm worried too. I don't know what to think or believe anymore. My whole world got turned upside down."

Joining him on the windowsill, she loosened her hold on his hand but maintained it. "What happened?"

When Arthur looked into his wife's eyes, so full of love and worry he couldn't keep it any longer. They moved from the window and sat on the bed where Arthur embraced her, and told her everything that happened since the last patrol. At the beginning Gwen was shocked, but was becoming more and more thoughtful as the story went on. In the end he could even distinguish a small smile on her face.

"Oh, Arthur. No wonder you were so worked over. It must have been a shock. But it also explains a lot," Gwen remarked in a calm manner.

Arthur was baffled, for he didn't quite understand. "What do you mean?"

"Every time a catastrophe struck , Merlin knew about it more than anyone else and came up with the solution. He was also the one that told me how to break the spell that made you love Lady Vivian" She gasped, straightening up on the bed . "He must have been the one to cure my father!"

When the memory came back to him, Arthur wanted to smack his head. "He admitted before the whole council that he was a sorcerer! And I was the one to say he was only a fool in love with you! I was the real fool then. I was so stupid! He was a traitor for all that time!"

During his rant, Arthur has gotten up and was pacing the room. When the king finished speaking, Gwen came to him, and asked looking into his eyes.

"Do you really believe that?"

"What?"

"That Merlin is a traitor."

"He is! I saw him perform magic with my own eyes."

"That's not what I asked you about."

"HE LIED TO ME!" exclaimed Arthur, soon breathing hard.

"So, let me get this straight. You aren't angry that he has magic. You are angry that he didn't trust you with this knowledge."

Arthur didn't answer, for he realised that she was right. He'd shared all his doubts and deepest secrets with Merlin, trusted him completely. The king thought the trust had gone both ways. Apparently he was wrong, and itt hurt.

In the quiet of the room, Gwen continued her point. "If Merlin didn't have magic the thought of him being traitor wouldn't even cross your mind, Arthur. Moreover, from what you've told me he used magic to protect you and Camelot, despite the fact that any moment he could have been executed for it."

Rising from the bed, the queen halted his pacing with a gentle touch. "Tell me, do you really believe that he is a traitor working against you and Camelot?"

Silence was stretching out, and Gwen thought that Arthur wouldn't answer when she heard the faintest whisper.

"No"

And it was the truth. Even though Merlin had magic Arthur couldn't imagine the servant turning on him. Too many times he had risked his life to save that of the king. If Merlin wanted to destroy Camelot, he'd been given too many perfect opportunities to do it. But he didn't. He stood by and always supported Arthur, even if wasn't in agreement with all of king's decisions.

Arthur sighed, sat and hid head in hands. "What am I going to do? No one should be above the law. I can't make exceptions."

"What if the law is unjust?" she patiently suggested, watching his stressed expression.

"But that's the thing! I'm the king and I make the law. If I believe it to be wrong I'm duty bound to change it."

This was a very precariously balanced moment, and the queen was careful not to push too hard or risk Arthur deciding to stay with what he'd always known. "Then what do you believe?"

"I don't know" admitted Arthur. "I was brought up to believe all magic evil, but I can't picture Merlin like that. I was taught that magic corrupts those who practise it, but apparently Merlin had it for all those years," he confided, turning his attention to her. "If magic was so corruptive, then he couldn't possibly have avoided succumbing to it. I was so much hurt by magic and saw it cause so much evil. Take Morgana for example. You would have never thought she could turn out like that. Then she started practising magic. What if Merlin is the only exception?"

His point was quite valid and a good reason to be concerned, but Gwen knew that Arthur would rather deal with a problem than punish people who might commit a crime.

"What if he isn't? Can you take that chance and live with yourself? Can you, in accordance to law, execute Merlin? And since he isn't evil, perhaps there are also others like him?" inquired Gwen before giving him a patient expression and pointing something out. "After all, when you consider the population of the Camelot, you notice and hear more about bandits than ordinary villagers who peacefully live their lives. Perhaps we see only the evil magic, because the rest of magical users doesn't want to attract attention."

Arthur seemed thoughtful for a moment and then said. "You've taken all of this surprisingly well and with an open mind."

"I wasn't raised by Uther. The fear of magic was still strong but not as yours must have been. Besides, I trust Merlin."

In this moment Arthur realised that he did too. He had just found out that his best friend lied to him for years, yet he still trusted him. "But what can I do? I can't just out of the blue repeal the ban. It would have caused unrest and perhaps even rebellion."

Gwen smiled. Even considering such a move was a huge step for Arthur. He would have to contradict one of the most important laws of his father's reign.

Closing the gap between them, Gwen took his hands lightly within her own before looking up. "You might be surprised how receptive people could be to the idea. Gone would have been the fear of helping or even talking to strangers, lest they happen to be sorcerers. No one would suffer from being accused by a jealous neighbour," she explained, proceeding to continue when Arthur didn't interrupt. "I know from experience what it means to be falsely charged with sorcery and if not for Merlin, I wouldn't be standing here today." Arthur shuddered at the thought. He couldn't imagine his life without Guinevere. "However, you are right and you can't do this abruptly. Fortunately, I've got an idea."

So, what do you think Gwen has in mind?