Yay! As promised (for once), here I am- mid-week, and with this chapter all typed up and ready to go! Huge thanks to all those who took the time to review the last chapter. I really do appreciate each and every one. If I were a regular, affection-liking being, I may offer you a hug. But I'm not, so I'm afraid you'll just have to settle for a virtual kitten/puppy each instead. Take your pick. And regular reviewers get two, plus a Unicorn ride.

Now, I don't typically answer anonymous/un-signed-in reviewers, because my ramblings tend to take up space. But, as a certain famous song (almost) says:'There comes a time, when we heed a certain call, and the veg. must answer a review.' (Bonus points if you sang that to yourself) This time, the honour falls to 'Marc,' but please feel free to skip the next paragraphs if you so desire- I'll caps lock it when it's over. With that said, here goes:

RAMBLE START!

I know that, in that episode, Gaius only briefly refers to the times before the purge. But I, for one, believe Merlin to be curious enough to have asked for more details at a later point. The reference I put in last chapter is of that conversation, not one in any actual episode. Some of the things talked about in my stories will mention lives which continued outside of what we were shown, and it's part of the beauty of fanfiction that I am allowed to draw my own conclusions about what went on in those times.

That said, I believe there to be plenty of evidence to support my pre-purge Camelot theory. Outside of the magic circle, Uther is known as a good King (even Hunith said so), who brought peace to the land- not one who turned round one day and randomly went on a murderous rampage. The old religion is constantly shown to be far from rainbows and sparkles- the High Priestesses made use of evils such as the Dark Tower and the Fomorrah. The High Priests/Catha were renowned not for any good deeds, but for their skills when it comes to torture. Dark creatures such as the Dochraid support Morgana in her bid to bring back 'the old ways,' while Merlin's destiny was linked only to magic's return. I believe there is a clear difference. Even some of those we see as good were likely not always so. Gilli's father sounds admirable, but no doubt he- like his son- learnt his lesson the hard way. Yes there were exceptions, like Alice and Gaius, but I do honestly believe that pre-purge Camelot was what we would term as basically 'the dark ages.' And Merlin as had a whole six months to think about that- his understanding of Uther's views was in no way an easy one for him, believe me.

As for Uther himself, I don't want you to think that I condone all that he has done. He can be rash, he has a temper which often prevents him from thinking as clearly as he should, and he has made plenty of mistakes. But these are all flaws of being human- even Merlin caused numerous unneeded deaths in his time. And I think that, despite his many flaws, a lot of what we see in the show paints Uther as honestly doing the best he can to protect his Kingdom and his son. Ygraine's death may have been the final trigger of the purge, but I doubt a single one of his advisers or subjects would have truly stood by the decision if there hadn't been plenty of things which had happened before then. And to do what he did, as effectively as he did, he would have needed plenty of support. And, not only that, but he even had other Kingdoms follow his lead in their efforts for peace. Why would they have done that if they hadn't believed his efforts to be not only successful, but justified?

I've tried to keep this as short as possible (believe me, I could write entire essays on Uther, Merlin and all of the viewpoints regarding events such as the purge), and there are many more things I could discuss, but I think I've rambled enough, so I shall end with one final point. Many fans can understand (though maybe not forgive) what Morgana has done, because they have seen the journey which led her to that point. Likewise, I am not trying to get people to necessarily forgive Uther, but to understand that he, too, has reasons for what he does. There's an entire lifetime of back-story there, which many people are quite willing to forget when they label him as nothing more than a tyrant. But the fact remains that, in his attempts to eliminate magic, he succeeded in bringing an era of relative peace to the land. It may not have been Arthur's Golden Age, but I think that result gives him reason to believe that he did the right thing. However terrible it was.

RAMBLE OVER!

Sorry that was so long. You see why I tend not to do the anonymous review reply thing? The replies would take up more space than the actual chapters!

So, without further ado, I bring to you... THE FINAL CHAPTER! Yes, that's right- you read me correctly. This here be the final real chapter, and I hope to type the epilogue fast enough to post it on my birthday this Sunday. What better way to celebrate, right?

(For anyone who is even remotely curious, the series title will be posted at the end of this chapter. I hope you like it.)

Disclaimer (at last): I don't own Merlin. Still no time machine, folks.

Chapter 37

The council (rather predictably) erupted into chaos. The air was quickly filled with any number of arguments. Some, such as Lord Walter, seemed to believe that Merlin only wanted six months so as to have the time to be able to pull off the same feat as Morgana and Morgause had. Others were yelling about how the whole idea was just a farce- a method to win their trust so that it would be that much easier for the Warlock to stab them in the back when the time came. A collection of the quieter men, such as Lord Terrowin, appeared to be honestly considering Merlin's suggestion, but their timid voices were easily outweighed by the more vocal members. And one or two, as in Sir Leon's case, seemed to be wholly in favour of the idea. Even Arthur's voice had joined the general ruckus (though at a somewhat more usual level), as he demanded of the Warlock exactly how he thought he was going to get away with bargaining his own life so willingly, and insisted that the younger man must truly have gone insane if he thought the Prince was ever going to agree to such a ridiculous plan.

Amongst it all, though, only two men remained unmoving. Merlin kept his eyes fixed on the King, his expression taking on an almost challenging quality, as though he were daring the older man to be brave enough to accept his offer.

Uther merely stared back, completely dumbstruck. Where was the boy's tactical advantage in making such a deal? Surely he had realised by now that the likelihood of the ban being repealed was less than one in a million. So how could he possibly be willing to lay down his life for such ridiculous odds? Was it truly all a mere trick- was he planning to escape death once again, in the same manner he had last time? But no- that had been because he had been unable to control his magic- something which no longer seemed to be an issue, considering the absence of that golden mist. None of this made any sense! And, as was often the case when he found himself confronted with something he couldn't explain, Uther's feeling of bemusement was quickly being replaced by anger. How dare this boy stand in his court and speak so blatantly against what had been the work of almost his entire adult life? How dare this mere sorcerer try to undermine all of the sacrifices he had made to reach this point? His friends. His family. Even his very heart had had to be pushed to the background in order to achieve all that he had, and now this fool of an ex-manservant was challenging all of that. And, to top it all off, he couldn't even think properly because of all this blasted NOISE!

"Enough!" He finally yelled. "I want everyone barring the sorcerer and his guards out of here NOW!"

Obviously recognising the danger signs- it was well known, even to the King himself, that he could be somewhat volatile during the times at which he allowed his temper to take over- the council members beat a hasty retreat towards the safety of the adjoining rooms, no doubt ready to discuss things amongst themselves there until he chose to summon them back.

"That includes you, Arthur. Out."

"Father-!"

"Now!"

The Prince looked more than ready to fight back for all he was worth, and was just opening his mouth to do so when, almost as if by some invisible signal, his head jerked around to focus on Merlin. The younger man gave him a reassuring nod.

"Go, Arthur," he muttered, quietly enough that the King had to strain to hear. "I'll be fine here. Besides-" he offered the other man a significant look- "if anything happens, you'll be the first to know. Just trust me on this."

Arthur dithered for only a moment longer before, with a brief nod of his own, he turned and strode out of the room.

Biting down the pang of jealousy which had reared its head upon seeing yet more proof that his son's bond with this peasant boy was stronger than theirs had been in years, Uther glared at the young man he had now been left almost entirely alone with.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Merlin merely looked steadily back at him. "It is as you heard, sire. Six months. If the magic-users of Camelot can manage to persuade you in that time that they are no threat, then the ban on magic will be revoked. If not, then the ban remains and I, as Emrys, will bear the weight of the punishment. Myself and Arthur are said to be destined to return magic to the land. If I die, that will not happen. And you will emerge as the victor, as has been your aim all these years."

"And what of Arthur?" Uther demanded. "What of his role in this so-called destiny? You seem so certain that he would be willing to wait and release you again in the future. You cannot pretend, then, that you do not believe he would attempt to bring back magic whether or not you die. Or is all of this merely some plot to set yourself up as a martyr in his eyes?!"

And that, Uther knew, was one of his main fears in all this. He would not live forever- Arthur would some day become King. And yet, despite his best efforts, the Prince had decided to remain oblivious to the true horrors magic could wreak. If Arthur, in his naivety, freed magic, and chaos once more engulfed the Kingdom the both of them loved so dearly, then Uther doubted the failure would ever allow either of them to rest in peace.

Merlin remained silent for long enough that it almost seemed that he was going to give up. But, after a while, he seemed to find his answer.

"Then how about this?" The young man questioned. "Arthur could swear upon a blood oath that, should this trial fail, he will never again do anything which would knowingly lead to the support of the practice of magic. That way the ban would remain even throughout the entirety of Arthur's reign. You would have nothing to worry about."

For the second time in the span of just a few minutes, Uther found himself at a complete loss for words. This entire situation was utterly ridiculous! Was this man mad, that he would so willingly risk the entire future of his own kind? Did he not fear the King or his inevitable judgement at all?

But no... that couldn't be it. He had seen how deeply the man feared him earlier that self-same day, before the sorcerer had managed to push it back. And traces of it were visible even now- well hidden, yes, but easy enough to spot for those who knew what to look for. This so-called Warlock, powerful as he may be, truly seemed to regard Uther with some element of terror. But if that was the case- if, as it seemed, he knew full well that such a deal would almost inevitably result in his death, then his entire suggestion made even less sense!

"Why are you doing this?" He eventually asked, surprising even himself with the curious edge to his voice. But he could never have expected such a magnitude of pain and... weariness as shone through the younger man's eyes in response. The Warlock's posture didn't change, but he suddenly seemed to age several decades regardless.

"Because I'm tired," came the eventual response. "I have been using magic since I was a mere infant in my mother's arms. And, all my life, I have had to hide the largest part of who I am from almost everyone I hold dear. And for what? Would you force every man who can see to spend the rest of their lives blindfolded? Or every man with a keen sense of smell to spend eternity with their noses plugged? I never understood why I had to force myself not to do something which comes as naturally to me as breathing. Especially during the times when I wanted nothing more than to help those in my village who were suffering.

"Do you have any idea how much it hurt?" He pleaded, a sheen of tears covering his eyes as he continued to stare almost through the King. "When the woman I loved was killed, I could not even let anyone see that I was suffering. When I finally discovered who my father was, and he died in my arms after only two days of knowing him, for weeks I could not share my pain even with my closest friend. I have borne the weight of this entire Kingdom on my shoulders numerous times over the past years, and have had to sit in the background all along, bearing the scars alone. I came so close to giving up, and I have suffered so much, but I have always lived whilst trying to believe and trust in a future where things could be better, and where I wouldn't have to live the rest of my life as a lie.

"And that's just me! Hundreds- maybe even thousands- of fellow magic-users have had to live through similar hardships- many, like me, too afraid to even speak to others like themselves in fear that their gifts would be discovered and they would have to face the executioner's block- or even the pyre!

"If all these attacks on Camelot have taught me one thing, it is that people are tired of living with the shadow of death hanging over themselves and their families. If you corner a boar, then it will charge. If you persecute a people for long enough- especially when many of them cannot help their gifts- then they are bound to retaliate in any way they can.

"This trial isn't just for your sake," Merlin insisted, wiping away the tears which his words had caused to fall, almost unnoticed by either Warlock or King until that moment. "It's for us. If magic truly corrupts, as you insist it does, then six months of free use is long enough for all of your citizens- both magical and non-magical alike- to come to the same conclusion. And if that turns out to be the case, then I will gladly give up my life rather than succumb to a future which holds nothing but darkness.

"But if the reverse happens-" he beamed, "-if we can show you the good in magic, then we will finally be able to live in the light like so many of us have dreamed for so long! We will finally- through our own efforts- be able to feel pride in the way we were born! No-one else will have to die! That's why I'm doing this."

Silence fell, barring the Warlock's heavy, emotional breathing. Uther's mind seemed to have stopped functioning almost entirely, unable to focus on anything else other than the raw emotion which had seeped out of every word of Merlin's speech. He had never seen anyone- not even Merlin himself- discuss the issue of magic so passionately before, outside of his own anti-magic speeches at the very beginning of the purge, when his own hurt was still fresh. If he were honest, it left him feeling quite uncertain as to how he should react. Such depth of emotion was not something which could possibly be faked- was it? Or was it actually possible that the whole thing was just an extremely well-executed act? Because, as long as there was even a glimmer of doubt, there was no way he could even begin to consider the Warlock's proposal.

"And how," he managed to force out, "am I to believe that what you say if true- that magic can do anything other than corrupt? As you so helpfully pointed out earlier, myself and most others within Camelot have only ever seen the evils of magic. Where is your proof that such forces can ever be anything other than self-serving and selfish?"

"This is my proof."

Before Uther could even think of reacting, Merlin had stepped forward and placed a hand briefly of the King's cheek. Their eyes remained lock on each-others' the entire time, and Uther saw not even a single glimmer of the golden hues which he knew flared through the younger man's irises whenever magic was used. Regardless of that fact, however, for that single moment of contact it was as though the comforting presence within him grew a life of its own. It flared up, engulfing him in a peace and serenity the likes of which he had not experienced since the last time he had felt Ygraine's warm, loving embrace. Overwhelmed by the sudden memories of her dazzling smile, he looked down, and was barely even surprised to find that his hand was trembling.

"Sorry," Merlin mumbled, backing away a few steps and sounding somewhat awed himself. "I needed direct skin contact to be certain that the spell would react. I didn't realise it would be that... intense."

Absent-mindedly wiping at the solitary tear he hadn't even realised he had shed, Uther found himself to be staring at Merlin once more.

"That was you then?" He questioned, still too overcome with emotion for his voice to come out as anything other than a half whisper. "That presence? It was you all along?"

His voice faded away, the answer already obvious enough, but Merlin nodded regardless, his hand reaching into his pocket and tightening around whatever was in there.

"Arthur doesn't know, though," the Warlock stated. "And I won't tell him, no matter what choice you make. I'll even remove it if you want, although I can't say I would recommend doing so.

"And there's more as well," he continued after a slight pause, pulling a bundle of cloth from his pocket and unwrapping it to reveal two small, perfectly formed spheres- the sight of which set the King's heart pounding in something akin to instinctive terror. "When I removed the physical effects of Morgana's spells from you, this is what they formed. If anyone touches either of these spheres directly, the full force of what you went through will immediately be inflicted upon them. If you agree to the trial," Merlin breathed, "then I plan on entrusting these to you. That way, if I ever did prove you right by going against Camelot, then you will have a weapon to use against me. And I'm sure there is no need for me to tell you exactly how effective it would be. Especially in such a concentrated form."

The younger man's eyes met his once more, a strange intensity blazing in their depths. "I'm not trying to tell you that magic is not dangerous- that would be ridiculous, considering the amount of anguish I have seen come about through its use. I only want for people to see that the fault lies not with the magic itself, but with the users' own fallibility. Yes, there are those whom even I might term as evil sorcerers. But I have also seen similar- or even worse- atrocities committed by those without magic. I want you to consider why it is thought of as just for a man who heals an entire village to be treated identically- or sometimes even worse- than a murderer, simply because of the tool he uses. Or for a mother to be sentenced to death when her only crime is in seeking out a cure for her ailing child. I am not trying to excuse the acts of those before the purge, or of those who turn to use of the darker magics, but I can promise you that both your son and I are one hundred percent dedicated to seeing that such things never happen again. Either that," he breathed, reaching his conclusion, "or die trying.

"What do you say?"

In what was fast becoming a familiar reaction where Merlin was concerned, Uther was once again blown away. The boy was literally placing the fate of his entire kind in the King's hand, and was even willing to offer up the perfect way to bring the most powerful sorcerer of them all to his knees.

And, on top of that, there was the protective spell. He himself was more than aware of just how pure that protection was, and of how much his mind was likely to suffer were it to be taken away. It was why, against all of his usual instincts, he had not leapt at the chance to have it removed, but had instead given in to the knot of fear which arose every time he even considered facing such obliterating pain without it's support. And if he accepted the protection as pure, then that meant that, unless it was actually possible to remove all traces of one's true intent and nature from a spell, he had to consider the possibility that Merlin's magic truly was as natural as he and Arthur had been claiming.

Then, finally, there was the matter of Arthur's oath. If he agreed to the deal, and Arthur swore to such an agreement, he would be securing the potential means for the war against magic to be firmly continued for generations after his death. If the Prince bore witness himself to the pitfalls of magic, then he would fight against it willingly once more, and things could finally return to the way they had been before this entire mess had exploded in their faces. And, in truth, what was six months in comparison with the many years which would follow?

But, even then, there was one more factor niggling at his mind. Six months previously, he had pondered over whether Merlin could in fact be an utter anomaly where magic was concerned. He had even trusted automatically that the Warlock wouldn't take advantage of this time alone to enchant his mind. The question was, was he willing to take a chance that that might not be entirely true? That there may, indeed, be other sorcerers out there with a similar mindset? Was he willing to once again risk it all for the future of his Kingdom?

Making his decision, Uther reached out a steady hand for the spheres, fixing the dark-haired sorcerer with a threatening glare.

"Six months."

The ecstatic grin he received in return was almost blinding.

"Six months."

And now, the moment we've all (or at least I've) being waiting for: the title of this series is... *drumroll*

'Redemption'!