THE ROYAL CHAMBERS
The old physician crossed the chambers to see the king sat behind his desk, his chair turned away from it, so he could glare out of the window.
Arthur had never felt so hurt and confused.
Merlin… of all people…
He had nothing to say.
He had nothing that he could say.
"My Lord." Gaius said as he walked slowly to stand at the kings side, looking down at him.
Arthur continued to stare out of the window without a word.
His face was ashen and distant.
Gaius straightened.
"I see that you have taken Merlin to the dungeons…"
"He is a sorcerer."
The firm infliction behind Arthur's words was not why Gaius straightened, nor was it from shock, as the king had thought would be.
In the silence that followed the statement Gaius merely stared at the king, causing Arthur to turn his head to look into the eyes so old, which had seen and been promised so much once upon a time.
Gaius had watched the world Arthur knew grow old, and his father's kingdom age…
Gaius had lived long enough to see the seeds of Arthur's reign be sewn, and grow into the future which swelled in his beloved queen's belly.
Arthur saw all of this, and he saw that Gaius had also nearly always known something that Arthur had not.
He stared at the old physician for a moment, gauging his expression.
His heart dropped in his chest.
"You knew…"
Arthur sighed bitterly and let his head fall back against his chair, staring up at the ceiling.
Gaius was firm and stepped closer.
"Sire he is your friend…"
"I want him gone."
"There is no reason to fear him…" Gaius implored.
"I want him away from me, and nowhere near Guinevere…" Arthur continued with his jaw locked.
"Arthur…"
"Leave me." Arthur stated.
The old physician sighed shortly and straightened, turning to walk towards the door.
He was half way there when the door opened and Gwen stepped in, slowly, one hand on her sensitive side.
"Gwen you need rest…" Gaius said quietly, walking to wrap his arm around her shoulders and gently lead her to sit in one of the chairs.
She lowered herself to sit down on the chaise under the window.
She glanced at Arthur as the physician stared down at her.
"How are you feeling my lady?" He murmured.
"How is Arthur?" She whispered, glancing at where Arthur was still sat with his back to them, staring out of the window, jaw locked and eyes distant.
"It is hard to say my lady." He said quietly.
Gwen sighed and rubbed her forehead briefly.
"He is still Merlin." Gaius told her.
"I know." She whispered, "But I don't think that Arthur does…"
"You need to talk to him." Gaius touched her shoulder before turning to the door and leaving.
Gwen sighed and stood, walking slowly to her husband and wrapping her arm around his shoulders.
He looked up at her and sighed heavily, "Are you alright?"
She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder.
He rested one hand on her belly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She whispered.
He shut his eyes and rested his head against hers.
He said nothing.
His silence spoke volumes.
THE DUNGEONS
Merlin was lying on his back on the mattress, staring up at the rotten ceiling.
Tears burned in his eyes.
Footsteps sounded behind him outside the cell but he did not look.
"Merlin."
The voice made Merlin's jaw locked.
"Are you pleased…?" He hissed bitterly, "I told Arthur, and he locked me up…. I told him who I really was and he ordered me arrested… does that please you?"
Mordred stared at the young warlock who was still staring at the ceiling.
The young knight walked closer to the bars, his eyes wide and shocked.
"Why would it?" He asked, "Merlin whatever ill I have done to you in the past I apologise… whatever it is that I have done which makes you hate me so much…"
"I do not hate you." Merlin muttered.
"Then why do you not trust me? What is it that I have done?" Mordred demanded.
"You have done nothing yet."
"What does that mean?"
Merlin's lip curled back away from his teeth.
You are destined to play a part in Arthur's death.
But he could not say that.
"Nothing…"
Mordred crouched down by the bars, staring at the young warlock who still laid on his back staring at the ceiling of the cell.
"Merlin I want the same things as you… we are not the same I know… but believe me when I say that I know you have the king's best interest at heart… and that I do too. I know that I have done things which you do not like… I carried a torch of hatred for Uther and would have seen him struck down but Arthur is not his father, you of all people know that, and I feel no such thing for him…"
Merlin stiffened where he was lying, "Arthur knows that you were a druid, and he knows that you do not practice magic… you are knight of his round table… he has never locked you up as he has me… never look at you with such bitter hurt and rage… you never had to live your life as a shadow of who you really are…"
Mordred stared at him, "We are not the same Merlin. Our importance to Arthur is different you know that."
"I do now." Merlin muttered.
How could it all have gone so wrong?
Mordred stared at him, desperate to understand, the likeable boy that he was.
"I turned my back on the life I had as a child as a druid because I was scared of persecution… I became a Saxon and then a frightened slave of Morgana… now I am a knight of Camelot and loyal to Arthur… and still I want to see and believe in the land of Albion that you and Arthur will build."
"Albion is just a dream Mordred."
Merlin's muttered reply made Mordred narrow his eyes slightly.
"What?" He breathed.
Merlin swallowed and shook his head slightly at the ceiling.
His hands were folded on his empty chest.
"I told Arthur who I really am and he cannot look at me… and if he cannot look at me then he does not trust me… if he does not trust me I cannot fulfil my destiny… and if I cannot fulfil my destiny…then Albion cannot exist."
Mordred said nothing.
Merlin swallowed, more tears in his eyes.
"Everything I feared that would happen if I told Arthur the truth has… everything is destroyed." The young warlock whispered, "so please just go."
Mordred stared at him and swallowed, pushing himself to stand up after a moment.
"Very well. I am gone."
Merlin did not turn as the knight walked away.
He did not turn even when Mordred past another person in the corridor.
"Merlin…"
But the voice that came as the young woman wrapped her hands around the bars and stared at him sadly, made him scramble to sit up.
Tanya stared at him and his eyes were wide.
She swallowed her own tears and smiled sadly.
"Hello Emrys."