THE ROYAL CHAMBER

Merlin steeled himself and knocked on the door.

"Come."

The voice was not Gwen's, yet it sounded as though it knew that it was him.

That meant that Arthur was speaking to him, or at least acknowledging him…

Merlin could not help be surprised.

He shifted and entered, balancing the tray carefully in his hands.

He knew that he could carry it without his hands, or any part of his body…

He could make it float through the air…

But he did not want to push Arthur too far.

He entered the room to see the king sat at one end of the long table, his wife at his right side on around the corner from him, the way she always sat.

"Your dinner, your majesties…"

Merlin bowed slightly, stumbled, and set the tray in the centre of the table.

The silence was thick for a moment as Merlin served them.

Arthur watched him carefully, looking for any difference…

When he found none, he became unbelievably frustrated.

"Why are you doing this?" He demanded as Merlin set the plate of food down in front of him.

Gwen stared at her husband.

Merlin swallowed and stared at the king.

Arthur looked at him in frustration, yet not anger, as Merlin had expected.

"Why are you still behaving like a servant?" Arthur nudged the edge of his plate to demonstrate his point.

His reference to servants made Gwen lift one eyebrow out of habit, but she said nothing.

She knew he was not saying that servants were beneath Merlin; merely that he was really so much more than just that.

Merlin thought for a moment.

Both Gwen and Arthur watched as he looked down, smiling slightly at something no one else could see or hear, before looking back up at them.

"It is my destiny."

His simple answer made Arthur stare at him harder.

Merlin shifted, "It had been my destiny since the day we met…"

Both the king and queen narrowed their eyes, although for different reasons.

She did it out of wonder, while the king did it out of the realisation that the sorcerer before him was Merlin… for only Merlin could say something so cryptic and strange without blinking…

Suddenly a small smile touched Arthurs face upon remembering the day they met.

"I tried to take your head off with a mace when we met…" Arthur said.

He laughed once without much humour, yet it flashed across his eyes before it disappeared.

Gwen and Merlin both felt the hope of something build within them, yet they both knew better than to speak of it.

Merlin looked down with a breathed laugh and a smile, before up at the king.

"And I stopped you… using magic…"

Arthurs eyes widened, "you cheated…"

Merlin found himself laughing, a small laugh, although there was no humour in Arthur's eyes.

There was no hatred either.

Gwen bit back a teary smile.

Merlin almost shrugged, "you were going to kill me…"

"I should have done."

Arthur's mutter made both his wife and Merlin's faces fall.

He stared down at his plate, jaw locked.

Merlin fell silent and straightened.

"I am glad you did not… sire."

Silence filled the room for a few heart beats.

Merlin leant stared at the king who did not look at him.

"I do this…" He nudged the plate as Arthur had done with his hand, "because of who you are…"

His voice was soft, low, and so sure…

Gwen stared at him.

Arthur did not.

"Without you Camelot is nothing." Merlin stated.

Gwen wanted to nod but did not,

Arthur sighed and glanced at his wife and her swollen belly before back down.

"There was a time when that was true but not now…"

"No." His wife said firmly and reached for his hand.

He glanced at her before Merlin let out a small smile.

He shook his head ever so slightly.

"There will never be another like you Arthur."

His words made the king swallow.

His voice remained rough.

"Truthfully Merlin… why did you never tell me?"

Merlin thought for a moment, and the pause was long enough for the king to look up at him expectantly.

Merlin sighed.

"Because I was afraid you really would have taken my head off…"

Arthur did not want to smile but it touched his lips, for he knew his anger had been so great that he could have done… and it would have been within his power…

But it would not have been in his heart, and certainly not in his Guinevere's…

"I am still the same person Arthur." Merlin said quietly.

Arthur swallowed, "I trusted you…"

"And I am sorry." Merlin finished almost silently.

Gwen felt tears touch her eyes and she watched as Arthur drew in a breath and nodded his head at merlin, his smile grave and sad, but it was there.

Something within the two of them mended.

"I am sorry too Merlin." Arthur murmured.

Merlin swallowed, "I never wanted to put you in this position Arthur…"

Arthur almost laughed at him, it was silent, but it was there in his eyes.

"That's what worried you?"

Merlin shrugged.

Arthur sighed and shook his head, biting his lips together before he stood.

"Then there is much to be done…"

Merlin stared at him, "Arthur?"

The king looked at him, "Merlin?"

The young warlock almost peered at him, "I ask only that you entrust this knowledge to a few people, the knights, each other… I am the Emrys Morgana fears… it would be safer for us all, if who I am remains secret… not my magic, but Emrys."

Arthur nodded, "But of course."

Merlin smiled brightly.

"Guinevere…" Arthur walked to his wife and held his hand out, helping her rise to her feet and turned to face Merlin.

Arthur glanced down at her.

"It is the start of a new age."

She smiled and he kissed her temple.

His eyes them flittered to Merlin again.

"From this day forward, with you as my advisor, we shall lift the ban on magic." Arthur told him firmly.

Merlin stared at him in shock.

"Really?" he whispered.

Arthur nodded and strode towards him, clapping him on the shoulder.
"Merlin I have behaved appallingly and I apologise… it was my shock…."

"I understand." Merlin said, "Truly I do… you didn't kill me… that is something…"

Arthur chuckled at how strange it all felt, before he nodded once and shook his friend shoulder as he spoke.

"Then now you have told us all of this…. Will you answer the question we asked you yesterday?" He looked to his wife before back to his friend.

"Will you be our child's godfather?"

Merlin's heart leapt and he beamed.

"Yes." He chuckled.

"Of course I will."

The steps to Albion were paved with what followed, the sunshine, and Merlin, Arthur and Gwen's smiles.

**END OF EPISODE**
COMING UP NEXT: DYNASTY