Important Authors note: ... THERE IS A CHAPTER UNDERNEATH

So a lot of you in reviews have been wondering why I can think that Merlin and Tanya's love could do so much damage to Camelot and to Arthur and Gwen.

Really the explanation is quite simple – when I started writing this Fan Fiction Tanya and Merlin were never supposed to fall in love, it just kind of happened, and actually reflects their story perfectly. And while I love them together I thought about what Merlin having a lover/intended would mean for Arthur and for Camelot. It says in the show that love is the greatest force of all and I am inclined to agree with that statement. I thought about it a lot, and I think that it is perfectly rational to go through the thought process I did.

If merlin and Tanya were 'together' then Merlin may be inclined to choose her over Arthur and his loyalties would seem divided to everyone except him (for we saw that he was willing to give up his life in Camelot to be with Freya…) – so if Merlin 'abandoned' his destiny for love, then Arthur would surely revert back to being like his father, being arrogant and proud and lost in a way… because it was Merlin who changed him into the man we love from the prat at the start of the show – and this would obviously have a big impact as him as a king and as a husband to Gwen, and Arwen may suffer.

Also – the future that Eveline is showing Tanya is what COULD BE if she does not give up Merlin – the future does not care if Gwen is already pregnant, the change in her love for Arthur and the crumbling of Camelot could change the fact that she is now carrying a healthy baby. The future is entirely different and can, and will, change if Merlin and Tanya do not break apart.

If this is still really confusing – LCH1 put it bluntly "Merlin's destiny is to protect Arthur and unite Albion. So I'm guessing if Tanya and Merlin fall in love he will stop pursuing his destiny"

Everyone clear now? If you still don't get it or don't like it then message me – but this is the clear decision I have made, and I think Tanya is much better suited to someone else… although she can still love merlin…

PLEASE DO NOT STOP REVIEWING BECAUSE YOU MAY NOT LIKE THIS!

Also – DO NOT PANIC! There is plenty of Merlin and Tanya scenes to come after this episode, including a blossoming love triangle which gets hinted at later on!

Rant over – on with the chapter!

Please continue to read and review!

THE FOREST OF ESITIA

The sun was beating down on them as they walked their horses through the undergrowth.

Merlin had dismounted, and was half dragging his horse along with him by the reigns as he marched through the low branches.

Arthur lifted his head to peer up at the soon to be midday sun that glared down on them.

"We ran this way…" Merlin was muttering, "Then that way…"

"Merlin you have no idea where we are heading!" Arthur called to him.

"There are no tracks my lord…" Sir Leon said, where he sat on his horse with the other knights, walking along the barely visible path, beside the king and queen.

Gwen sighed and shifted in the saddle she sat in.

Arthur saw the movement and looked back to the manservant.

"Merlin we have lost all the tracks of where you were running…" He called, "the sun is getting high…"

"Then we need to find her don't we!" Merlin shouted back, eyes scanning the broken undergrowth around him, "And we definitely ran this way, I am sure!"

"Certainty isn't something I associate with you Merlin." Arthur shouted at him.

"Well then get off your bottom and come and help!" Merlin snapped.

Gwen sighed and rolled her eyes, shifting in her saddle.

Arthur glanced at his knights and sighed, "Take the queen back to the citadel, guard her with your life. Merlin and I will continue looking…"

"What?" Gwen gasped as Arthur swung down from his saddle, "No…."

"It is not up for discussion." Arthur stated and walked to the side of her horse, stretching up to kiss her cheek.

She bent down slightly to accommodate him.

"Bring her home." Gwen whispered.

He nodded, kissed her jaw and stroked her other, standing back flat on the floor.

Gwen nodded and straightened in her saddle, turning it with one last look at a frantic merlin, before riding down the path towards Camelot.

The knights followed her.

Arthur watched them go and tied the reigns of his horse around a low branch, before walking to join Merlin.

The king shifted, fiddling with his gloves as he walked to Merlin's side.

"Merlin can I talk to you about something…"

"We ran this way and then down, across here…" Merlin stood upright and gestured to the woods around them.

Arthur sighed in frustration, "Merlin…"

"If we just follow these tracks…"

"Merlin."

"But then she could be anywhere…"

"Merlin I am trying to tell you something!" Arthur tried not to snap.

"She could have tripped…" Merlin wasn't hearing him, "taken or kidnapped…"

"Stop over reacting and listen to me!" Arthur pressed.

"I am not overreacting." Merlin stated.

"Then listen."

"Why?"

"Because it is important."

"It is about Tanya and her safety."

"No…"

"Then it is not important!"

"It is!" Arthur cried.

"This is just typical of you," Merlin muttered, "Tanya is in danger and you just want to talk about yourself…"

"It is not just about me," Arthur defended, "It is about me and Guinevere…"

"And it is still more important?" Merlin demanded cuttingly.

"Yes!"

"How so?"

"Because I am going to be a father!" Arthur shouted.

His words boomed through the forest and made Merlin freeze, where he was leant over peering at a broken twig.

Arthur was stood behind him, chest heaving with gasps from shouting so loud.

Merlin blinked and straightened up, his head snapping around to stare at the king.

His eyes were wide but he was silent.

Arthur was still slightly breathless from shouting.

"Well…" He gasped, "This is the part where you are supposed to say congratula…"

"Congratulations." Merlin breathed and dropped his horse's reigns, wrapping his arms around his friend and clapping him in a hug.

Arthur patted him on the back as the two embraced.

It only took a moment before Arthur coughed and pulled away, shifting slightly.

Merlin's eyes were wide and full of tears as he clapped his friend on the arm.

"Gwen is pregnant?"

"Yes she is." Arthur beamed, his eyes emotional as well.

Merlin nodded, "I am so pleased for you…"

Arthurs face fell slightly, "Only if we find Tanya safe and well."

Merlin sighed and looked around.

"Where could she be?"

"Anywhere." Arthur clapped him on the back, re-took his reigns and strode forwards, "But we mustn't jump to conclusions, she is probably fine."

Merlin nodded and sighed heavily.

"I hope so."

THE FOREST OF ESITIA

The Seven of them were riding in a line, the knights crimson cloaks flapping slightly in the wind.

The queen was in the centre, beside young Mordred.

Her blue cloak was folded in her saddle pack, for although Arthur had not really wanted her out in the sun, she could only imagine how he would have fretted had a cool wind picked up.

He had known about their child since only the previous evening, but already he was treating her as though she was made of glass.

"We all had to do it on our first time escorting the queen…" Gwaine said, his eyes twinkling.

Gwen rolled her eyes as Mordred looked embarrassed and confused.

"Do not listen to them Mordred, they are teasing you." She shot her brother a look, "And are grown men and should know better…"

"It is part of the initiation test." Gwaine continued with a grin, "Turn around in the saddle three times and wear your breaches on inside out…"

The knights all chuckled and Gwen laughed at Mordred's expression as it paled in dread.

She reached to gently touch his arm, "Don't worry, they are only joking."

Suddenly Sir Leon lifted his arm to signal silence.

All of them slowed their horses to a stop.

Gwen straightened in her saddle.

"No noise." Leon commanded quietly, as the knights moved their horses around the queens.

A small amount of dread settled low in her belly, and she moved her hand slightly to rest on the base of it, in a tiny protective gesture.

A rustling of twigs around them made the knights, as well as Gwen, peer around.

Suddenly a small arrow shot from one of the trees and flew an inch in front of Mordred's face.

"Ambush!" Leon roared as all of their horses spooked.

"Argghhh!"

A war cry tore around them and bandits of every shape and size charged at them.

All their heads snapped up as close to fifty men appeared from the bushes atop the bank looking down on them, weapons raised, and began to race towards them.

"Protect the queen!" Elyan shouted.

"Argh!" Percival and Gwaine let out their own shouts and set their horses into a gallop, felling some ten men as they dived towards the knights.

As he swung down to strike another bandit who had tried to stab him Gwaine felt his body be yanked backwards.

He managed half a turn, but was still wrenched from his saddle.

Gwen turned her horse and started to ride away with Merlin, but a crossbow bolt fired from Gerard atop the hill, hidden in some bushes, landed in the earth before her horse.

It reared and neighed loudly in shock, spilling her from her saddle.

She sunk to a low crouch but was immediately grabbed from behind.

A hand was clamped over her mouth and a dagger held to her neck.

"Stop!" Leon shouted when he saw what was happening.

He turned around to snap at the Camelot knights, "Stop…"

"Drop your weapons." The man who held Gwen spat.

Leon and the knights exchanged looked, before straightening up and throwing their swords to the floor.

The bandits were on them then, holding swords to them and forcing them onto their knees, binding their hands behind their backs.

All of them glared hard at the man who held Gwen.
"Who are you?" Elyan demanded.

The man's eyes flashed.

"I am Osiris, sorcerer and commander of the elements." His eyes turned amber and he shot his hands up towards the sky, "trescuray!"

His cried spell let a deep rumble rise form the ground.

Hard droplets of rain started to fall.

Leon and the others shifted.

Osiris held Gwen tight back against his chest and laughed at them all.

"I believe the game ends when the queen falls, isn't that right?"

THE FOREST OF ESITIA

Arthur trudged further under the undergrowth; slicing low branched out of his way with his sword.

He sighed heavily as the sun beat down on them.

He was starting to cook inside his armour.

"Merlin…" He sighed firmly, "We have lost the trail… you have no idea where we are…"

There was silence.

"Merlin!"

He spun to see the young warlock stood with his back to him, concentrating.

Merlin was scanning the wood around his with his mind's eye.

"Come on Tanya…" he muttered, "Where are you?"

"Merlin!"

Arthur's voice cut through his mind eye and Merlin snapped his eyes open, staring straight ahead.

Arthur sighed in frustration, "Merlin you have no idea where we are heading…"

The Manservant blinked, his back still too Arthur.

Arthur sighed shortly, "Merlin what are you doing?"

"I am like a swan."

The young warlock spun to face his master.

Arthur narrowed his eyes, "You are like a what?"

"I am like a swan." Merlin repeated, "It seems like I am not doing a lot… but, there is a lot of work going on underneath."

"Interesting…" Arthur stared at him and inclined his head, "I see you more as a head louse…"

Merlin narrowed his eyes, "Right…"

"You know," Arthur shrugged, "small, irritating…"

Merlin nodded.

Arthur turned to walk away, "Come on, we have lost the trail… we need to head back to the path and look again…"

Merlin sighed heavily and stepped after the king, when something glinted in the corner of his eye.

He narrowed his eyes, "Wait!"

Arthur heard him and stopped, turning to watch as the manservant trudged through the leaves, which were growing thicker by every second, to crouch down.

Merlin narrowed his eyes and pushed his hand through the dirt, gasping when it touched something smooth and metal at the base of a tree.

He lifted it and stared at the clasp that he held in his hand.
"What is it?" Arthur demanded, appearing at his side.

Merlin showed it to him.

Arthur narrowed his eyes.

"It is the clasp off of a cloak..."

"It is Tanya's," Merlin stated, "I would know it anywhere."

Arthur snapped his eyes around.

Merlin couldn't help himself, he started to march forwards.

"Tanya!"

Rain started to fall.

Arthur groaned.

"Well that is just great…"

"At least there will be a rainbow."

"Merlin."

"Sorry…"

"Shh…" Arthur snapped his hand up and narrowed his eyes, peering at something in the distant.

Merlin watched him carefully, "What is it?"

Arthur's face turned stony.

"Trouble."

CAMELOT COURTYARD – THE CAMELOT OF DESTINY

Everything around Tanya just seemed grey, as though the glittering love and life bestowed on the citadel by the king and queen, in their adoration for one another, had faded.

"The kingdom is dying." Eveline stated as they walked through the courtyard.

Tanya stared around and narrowed her eyes.

"Where is everyone?"

It was so quiet.

"Camelot has started to crumble." Eveline said, "Arthur's failing relationship with his seemingly barren queen has weakened his power, the failure to provide a male heir even more so… he spends even more time away from the citadel than he has ever done in you time, leaving queen Guinevere alone to cope with miscarriages when they come."

Tanya swallowed and looked around.

She could not escape the thought that it all would come to pass if she did not give up Merlin and the love she would soon bear him.

She shifted.

Eveline glanced at her, seeing her thoughts clear in her eyes.

"Many of the knights have left," The Parlevine girl continued, "the most terrible being the departure of sir Mordred, who resides with the witch Morgana in the white mountains, plotting the downfall of the king."

"Sir Mordred?" Tanya gasped, "Why? In my time he is so kind… and always respectful to me even though I am just a servant…"

Eveline's eyes were even and hard.

Tanya stared at her, "Do you think that he knows my secret?"

"I do not know the workings of the druid boys mind any more than you do." Eveline stated.

Tanya scoffed, "Don't talk rubbish of course you know…"

"In your time Mordred walked away from Morgana to be loyal to Arthur, for he saw that her heart was devoid of the compassion that used to fill it, that he no longer knew her…" Eveline spoke over Tanya and walked forwards.

The serving girl jogged to catch her up.

Eveline spoke facing forwards, "And while I your time he did not want to be her puppet, by this time, in this future, he has left Camelot away from a weak king and one he feels betrayed him."

Tanya narrowed her eyes, "Arthur? Why?"

"Because when Mordred asked the king for the hand in marriage of a woman, the king said he must ask her for himself, Mordred did so, and she refused, taking up love with a man who was more her equal, a man who never trusted Mordred." Eveline stated.

The Parlevine girls eyes flashed to Tanya and made the maid stiffen.

There was something in Eveline's eyes, a meaning, which she did not understand.

"So Mordred just left?" Tanya asked, "Over a girl? It does not seem right…"

"He left over love." Eveline stated, "And love does strange things to people, especially those who don't trust."

"Merlin!"

The voice made Tanya narrow her eyes and spin.

She gasped when she saw herself, slightly older, but glowing, run towards Merlin, who was wearing bright blue robes.

Merlin caught her as she threw her arms around his neck and spun them in a circle, giggling happily, foreheads pressed together.

He slowly set her back on the floor and kissed her soundly, his hands roaming over her body in a way that made the Tanya beside Eveline flush.

Yet the Tanya kissing merlin only laughed.

Eveline turned to Tanya at her side, "You and Merlin have accepted your love and care not who sees."

Tanya could not tear her eyes away, "I look…. Wealthy…"

"Merlin has been made a lord, court sorcerer and advisors to the king…" Eveline stated, "You use your money to help others, living In a cottage in the woods protected by enchantments…"

Tanya turned her head slowly to look at Eveline.

"I am not a maid?"

"Not anymore." Eveline said gravely, "You left your post when you chose Merlin, leaving the queen to be surrounded by ladies maids she knows talk and gossip behind her back… you left her alone so you could be with Merlin."

Tanya gasped and straightened.

Eveline stared at her hard.

"You and Merlin turn your back on those who most need you for the sake of each other." Eveline breathed in a low voice, "And it causes Camelot to start to crumble…"

"Because we fall in love?" Tanya whispered.

Eveline inclined her head sternly, "Because you accept that love."

Tanya stared at her as the Parlevine girl stepped closer.

"This future, this grey and dying world will be what Camelot becomes if you openly love Merlin, and allow him to love you back…" Eveline breathed.

"If you do not give him up at once… this world and the futures of those you most care about, will never change from this dark and lonely place…"

At her words the world around Tanya erupted into white light, and she felt cool air fill her lungs.

The Camelot of the destiny her love for Merlin would create disappeared.