Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Previously:
"Of course I know," the king said walking towards the men and dragons, trying not to show even the smallest indication the situation was foreign to him. Arthur noticed his friend paled, and...was that fear? "Why else would I change the law? After being told magic is evil for my whole life I needed a solid proof it wasn't, which my Magic Advisor supplied."
After the meeting in the forest and the revelations, the king and his advisor sat in Merlin's chambers where they spent many hours of the night talking. The warlock relayed the most important things he had done over years.
He told about his first day in Camelot. ("You saw a man being executed for magic, then I treated you horribly and you still saved me, a son of a magic hating king?!") Merlin continued with the story about plague, how he saved Gwen's father ("She worked it out, you know?") and how it made Nimueh notice the warlock. The advisor went on with his tale about the defence of Ealdor ("It was you, not Will, wasn't it?") and the Questioning Beast.
After that Merlin became silent for a moment.
"It doesn't make you a monster, you know it, right?" Arthur waited for the confirmation which never came. "Merlin" the king's voice was firm.
"How can you say that?! You heard what I did and you don't even know the half of it!" Merlin abruptly got up and started pacing.
"Merlin. Merlin!" second time Arthur put more stress on the word making the warlock stop. The monarch got up, put a hand on the advisor's arm and forced him to look up. "You are not a monster. Don't you ever dare to think that!" There was no response, but the king didn't relent. "You were upset about Gaius' death and it was totally justified for you to feel angry."
"But not to kill!" the warlock exclaimed. "I have killed her with barely a thought! It was so easy! In a moment I mastered the power over Life and Death, a feat most take years if not decades to complete!" To say it shocked Arthur was an understatement and until now he hadn't realised how truly powerful his friend was. However the king didn't let the emotions show on his face.
"It still doesn't make you a monster." The Pendragon insisted.
"I released the Great Dragon!" it seemed as if Merlin were doing everything in his power to make Arthur believe the advisor was evil.
That was one of the conclusions the king didn't want to ponder when he was listening to the conversation in the forest. However now, Arthur knew more facts. "I bet he blackmailed you."
"What?" there was confusion in Merlin's voice. At least he calmed down a little and allowed to be lead to a chair. The king moved his chair closer and also sat down.
"From what I gathered you went to him for advice, but you didn't part on the best of terms. Probably there was some crisis and he agreed to help under the condition you free him." Arthur explained.
The warlock was speechless for a moment, but soon he found his voice again. "How... how do you know it?"
The king only shrugged. "I just put things together. Since I found out about you I realised many things and started to notice even more. So what was it?" he asked.
"The Cornelius Sigan." Merlin uttered looking at the floor. "I promised but I didn't do it then. I did it after the Knights of Medhir, when Kilgharrah made me swear on my mother's life I would free him in exchange for his help." The advisor became silent with the guilt, but Arthur knew there was something else Merlin wasn't telling and the monarch was almost sure it concerned Morgana. However, he decided to change the subject.
"It was the truth, what my mother's ghost said, wasn't it?" The king asked and even though the warlock remained silent, the answer was obvious. "Why did you tell me it was all a lie? It hardened my stance against magic!" Arthur really needed to know it.
Merlin raised head and looked into his friend's eyes. "It would have destroyed you to kill your own father. The guilt would have tainted your reign and you would have never became the king you are destined to be." So that was it? All that was about the destiny? But the warlock wasn't finished yet. "And besides that you were my friend and I just couldn't let you do it." It was all Arthur needed as a confirmation where Merlin's loyalty lied or what kind of a man he was.
The king put a hand on the warlock's arm. "You are one of a kind. I have never met someone so selfless, who thinks about everyone else before thinking about himself and who is also exceptionally brave and loyal." Arthur squeezed a little his friend's arm to get his full attention. "I'm proud to call you my friend." The king quickly corrected himself. "I'm proud to call you my brother."
There were tears in Merlin's eyes and Arthur turned away to allow the advisor some dignity.
When the warlock got himself under control, he whispered. "There is something else." Merlin looked into his king's eyes. "It concerns Morgana."
There was apprehension in the advisor's eyes and Arthur knew it wasn't going to be an easy talk, but he just nodded, willing to hear Merlin out.
"I knew almost from the beginning Morgana had magic." He waited for the monarch reaction. When there was none the warlock continued. "She is a seer and her nightmares were in reality visions. The fire in her chambers was also of her doing. It was then she realised she had magic. And I didn't help her." Merlin lowered his head in shame. "Kilgharrah warned me not to help her, he warned me about Morgana's dark destiny. Gaius told me to stay silent too, because lest something happened she could survive as she was a king's ward, but I had no such protection." The advisor looked up. "But I couldn't leave her like that, so I told her where the Druids were."
Arthur gasped. "They never kidnapped her, did they?" Merlin only shook his head. It was the king's time to feel guilty, but it didn't last long as the warlock continued his story.
"That's also where Mordred comes into story." Mordred? What did he has to do with everything? Merlin looked Arthur straight in the eyes. "When he first came to Camelot, Kilgharrah told me the boy is destined to kill you." The king was gobsmacked. What?! "Mordred and Morgana are also destined to unite in evil, which had already begun, as they both helped Alvarr steal the Crystal of Neathid. The boy was also with the Druid camp you attacked and he killed four people."
It seemed as though Arthur wanted to say something, but Merlin's next sentenced, or rather it's beaten tone stopped him. "Then Morgause revived the Knights of Medhir and made Morgana the vessel of the sleeping spell. In order to save Camelot I had to destroy the vessel. I... I poisoned her." The warlock's face was full of anguish, guilt and pain.
Arthur had some hard time thinking over what he had learnt. It was dangerously easy to start blaming Merlin for what had happened with Morgana. He might have played a role in her descent towards darkness, but the woman was always strong willed and made her own choices. However there was something Arthur had to point out and after a moment the king stated. "You are either the biggest idiot or the biggest hypocrite known to the world."
It was obvious Merlin didn't expect that. "What?!" he exclaimed.
Arthur looked at his friend before answering. "It seems you are only an idiot after all." Seeing Merlin's expression, the king continued. "You said my father convicted children just because of the possibility they may have magic and with no other reason. But didn't you do the same? Didn't you label Morgana and Mordred evil, just because some dragon told you so, when there was no other indication it would be so?"
It was hard to say what emotion was the most evident on the warlock's face. Anguish, regret and guilt were clearly seen but one could also notice longing and perhaps even hope.
"I'm an idiot!" Merlin exclaimed.
"I'm glad we agree on something," Arthur said, which the warlock didn't even notice.
"I have done so much wrong by them!" the advisor was pacing and from time to time combing his hand through the hair. "I should have told her everything! I shouldn't have listened to Gaius or that damn lizard and just tell her who I was! I could have saved her." The last sentence was uttered really quietly and Merlin sat down hiding head in his hands. "It's all my fault."
"Now, wait a second." Arthur interrupted. "Morgana always was strong willed and you wouldn't be able to make her do something she didn't want to. She made her own choices so don't you dare blame yourself!" It seemed the warlock didn't totally agree but let go at least of part of the guilt. "And you don't know what happened to Mordred. I presume that when he killed the Druid was only protecting himself. For all we know, he may be the reason for my death, but it may be unintentionally. As well you could stumble and push me accidently on a sword!"
Merlin shuddered but seemed to think all of this over. Finally he asked. "How is it that you thought about all of this in a moment and I have never even considered such a possibility?"
Arthur shrugged. "The Great Dragon was an authority for you and I think he still may be. You never really had to question it, whereas in the last few months my world was turned upside down and I had to change many of my previous beliefs, so it became kind of a habit to look at everything from different points of view." The king looked around and realised how late it was. "I got to go. It was enough thrills for one day. I'm sure you have much more to tell me, but not now. Tomorrow will be challenging too."
"Why?" asked confused Merlin.
"Because tomorrow you will tell the whole of the Round Table about your magic."
"What?!" exclaimed the warlock.
"Exactly what you heard, so better go get some sleep." Having said it the king left the dumbfounded advisor alone.
Sorry for the wait, but studies are more important after all. I just hope it was worth waiting.
If you have any idea what surname Leon could have - let me know.