Phew. Okay, I think I've got this chapter about as good as I'm going to get it. Thanks so much for all of your lovely support- at this point it's 16 favs, 42 alerts and 55 reviews. Have I ever mentioned how much I love you guys sometimes?

Okay- enough soppy stuff. Onto the story!

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. Still. *sigh*

Chapter 12

It was a sleepless night for many people in Camelot. Word had spread fast about the Prince's manservant, as well as Uther's decision to have him executed the next day. Nobles and commoners alike spent the night thinking back on their memories of the hapless young boy, trying to keep their imaginations from turning to an image of him screaming in agony as the flames tore wildly at his flesh.

One such person was Gwen. She sat in Gaius' chambers, staring blindly at her own clasped hands. The young maid had barely spoken a word since she had heard the news- just remained in a state of shock. Not for the first time, she had found herself missing her mistress. Morgana would have known what to do. But Morgana wasn't here, and Arthur was confined to his chambers. There had even been several guards posted outside his door. Which meant that it was up to her to try and think of a way to help Merlin.

Feeling a gentle touch on her shoulder, she looked up to see Gaius offering her a cup, her own grief over the situation mirrored on his face.

"Thank you." She accepted the cup gladly, turning to face the old man as he sat himself down opposite her. She gave a quick glance around the room. The survivor- Amyas, was it?- from the attacked village had woken briefly earlier, but he had quickly fallen back into a state of unconsciousness. And there was no-one else in the room. Which meant that she was free to ask what she wanted.

"Did you know, Gaius? That Merlin was a sorcerer?"

He looked at her for a second, and then gave a brief nod. "I did."

"You knew what he was going to do?"

"I did." Guilt was practically streaming from the old man's eyes. "If we had only had more time, I'm sure we would have been able to come up with a safer method for him to stop them, but…"

As the old Physician's voice petered out, Gwen tried to focus her thoughts. She had to be strong. Merlin had saved her life in the past- evidently more than she had known- there had to be some way for them to get him out of this situation. But the frustration and desperation just kept growing.

"I don't understand it Gaius. From what people have been saying, he has to be quite powerful. Is there no way he can… I don't know… make everyone forget? There has to be something, surely."

Gaius just shook his head sadly.

"Things, once seen, can not be unseen my dear girl. If they could, then Merlin would have had a lot of an easier job over the past couple of years. He went out there today knowing what would happen. Nevertheless, knowing him, there was nothing anyone could have said which would have been able to stop him."

She had to smile a bit at that. It was just so…Merlin. To go out there without the slightest hesitation and do all that he could to protect everyone, even knowing what the outcome would be. She'd seen him do it so many times in the past that she had just sort of believed that he could find his way out of any tricky situation that came his way. It seemed she had been mistaken.

"There has to be something we can do Gaius- I can't just sit by and watch him die. It just wouldn't be right."

Gaius patted her gently on the shoulder. Rising to his feet, he picked up a small vial and headed towards the door.

"And do something I shall my girl- I plan on visiting Uther right now to see if I can talk him round."

"Gaius- you can't tell him that you knew about Merlin. Everyone thinks that, apart from Arthur, he was acting alone- if Uther found out that you knew, you'd be killed too!"

The old man paused where he was, then gave a slight shake of the head.

"I won't tell him. Merlin made sure I was at the hospital just so that people wouldn't suspect that I was involved. Besides, I have a feeling that if I did tell Uther, then Merlin would come after me himself. He always was the reckless type."

Gwen couldn't quite hold back the short, sad laugh which escaped her lips. It wasn't until after Gaius had left that her determination slipped, and she finally gave in to the now overwhelming feelings of helplessness. Grief took hold, and she felt the tears which had been threatening to fall all day finally escape. Gaius was trying to help in the only way he could. And yet it seemed that there was nothing that she could do.

Uther stood in his chambers, staring through a window to the newly built Pyre in the square below. He couldn't shake the image of Arthur and his manservant from his mind. He had known for a long time that there was a strange bond between the two- a friendship far beyond the normal realms between master and servant. He had seen it from early on- such as during that one tournament, where a Knight had been using a magic shield. Arthur had believed his servant's word almost unquestioningly. And then again, during the incident where Bayard was believed to have poisoned Arthur's goblet. The boy drank it without complaint, as could only be expected of one of his station. But the real surprise had been how Arthur had reacted. It was one of the first times in the Prince's life that he went against his father's orders. He had risked his own life to save that of a servant- something Uther had been unable to comprehend at the time. It had scared him. This friendship the two were developing was something that may well risk the future of Camelot itself. And so he had done what he deemed necessary. He had decided to let the boy die. Crushed that accursed flower that was the only cure.

But the flower had been smuggled to Gaius regardless. The boy survived, and the bond between the two grew more. And Uther had grown more afraid- for while the boy had thus far simply done as expected of him, Arthur had gone far beyond the line of duty to protect him in return.

But then came that incident with the wraith, when Tristain Dubois came to seek his revenge. The boy had, without any of them knowing, been to have a new sword forged for his master, one which he hoped would serve him better in his fight against the wraith. It was only now that Uther realised that the boy must have magically enchanted the sword- Gaius had told him that it should be impossible to kill the dead- but at the time, all he saw was that the boy also acknowledged, and treasured, the bond he had forged with his master. And Uther had felt relieved.

And what was it Arthur had said? About that incident with the Questing Beast? 'He was willing to trade his life for mine.' The boy had gone somewhere, and upon his return the Prince had been cured. He hadn't been certain about the story Gaius told him about an ancient remedy of sorts, but he had been so thrilled to know that his son had lived that Uther had chosen not to question it. Far better to simply put it down to a miracle.

More recently, there had been that incident with Morgause. Arthur had returned from the 'challenge' infuriated, and had been an inch away from killing his father. But once again that boy had intervened- the voice of reason to Arthur when the Prince would not listen to what the King had tried to say. At the time, Uther had been grateful towards the young servant, even going so far (as laughable as it now seemed) as calling him a trusted ally in the fight against magic. But now? Now he was only confused. The boy was a sorcerer. He had had the chance to see the man who would have him executed die, and yet he had prevented it. Why? It didn't make sense.

And today too. Why had he done it? Why had the boy risked the life he had built here, revealed the secret he had fought so hard to hide? Why had he saved them? He was obviously a powerful sorcerer- he may well have been capable of building so much respect from magic users that he could have ruled them. And yet he had turned against his own kind, prevented them from enacting their revenge. Was what Arthur said true? Had the boy really spent the last two years protecting Camelot from the shadows, doing all he could to ensure the kingdom had a future? Was it really possible that magic could be used to protect?

His musings were interrupted by a faint knock on the door.

"Enter."

It was Gaius, carrying a small vial.

"I have your medicine sire."

Uther took the vial, swallowing the contents in one go. Part of him expected Gaius to just leave, but he was not surprised when the Physician stayed where he was, that same old look on his face that said he had something he wanted to talk to the King about. Understandable really- the sorcerer was his ward after all.

"My lord, I wish to speak with you." The old man paused, obviously uncomfortable. He seemed to be struggling with finding the right words, so Uther decided to prompt him.

"Did you know, Gaius? About the boy? What he was?"

There was a small pause. "No, sire. I did not." His expression suggested otherwise, but Uther decided not to push further. He had stood by when Gaius was almost killed before- he was not willing to do so again. "But I do have some information which you may find interesting. It may even change your mind."

"My mind is made up Gaius. I stand by my decision." He could not show that his resolve was failing. He would not appear weak. "But you may speak nonetheless."

A nod. It was obviously what Gaius had expected him to say.

"My lord, since I found out about Merlin, I have been doing some research."

"And what have you found?"

"The druids, sire. Am I correct in thinking that you are aware that they sometimes speak of prophesies?"

"You are. What of it?"

"Well, my lord. Amongst these prophesies, there lies one about a person known as 'The Once and Future King'- the King foretold to have the power to unite the land of Albion, creating a time of peace and prosperity before then unseen." He paused. "I believe this king to be Arthur."

"And why is that?" As much as the idea of Arthur being such a great King pleased him, Uther could not see how this 'prophesy' related to the current situation. There had to be something more to it.

"Because, sire, the prophesy also tells of one named 'Emrys'- a person born as a creature of magic, destined from birth to become the strongest, most powerful warlock of all time. It is this 'Emrys' who holds the responsibility of protecting the Once and Future King until he takes the throne. The two are described as being 'two sides of the same coin'- incapable of hating each other, their bond would be almost instantaneous, and completely unbreakable."

"And you believe Merlin is Emrys?"

"I do sire."

Uther paused for a while, his gaze once again turning to the Pyre below. But when he spoke again, he made sure his voice was firm. He would give Gaius no false hope.

"Be that as it may Gaius, the boy has broken the laws of Camelot. The old religion holds no sway in my kingdom- the prophesies of the druids mean nothing. I will not spare the boy simply because of your suspicions."

"Sire, if you would just consider-"

"If that is all you have to say, Gaius, then you may leave."

For a moment, it looked like Gaius would disobey him. But go he did. His eyes grew hard, his jaw tightened, and his bow was stiff, but he left.

And Uther was left once again with his uneasy thoughts.

For while he would never have been able to show it whilst Gaius was in the room, there were some undeniable truths in the old Physician's words. The bond he spoke of reminded him strongly of the one he had seen between Arthur and his servant. Gaius was rarely wrong about such things- could it really be possible that they were the pair spoken of in the prophesy? If so, then the boy was even more powerful than he had imagined. The most powerful warlock of all time. Was it actually possible?

But even so he couldn't allow it. Before the purge, when magic had been practised freely, there had been only chaos. By wiping out those who practised magic, peace had come to the kingdom. If he let the boy live- if Arthur, when he became king, chose to return magic to the kingdom- then it was entirely possible that the darkness of the past would return with it. There was no guarantee that Arthur and Merlin were the pair from the prophesy. And if they weren't, and he still took that risk, then it would only lead to despair.

No. Uther couldn't let that happen. He still wasn't sure why the boy had done what he had, but to spare his life would mean that the people may turn back to magic whenever they felt threatened. His great kingdom could end up mired in chaos once more.

It was not a risk he was willing to take.

The boy had to die.

You see- it's not that Uther's bad. He thinks of the kingdom. It's just that he's a stubborn, misguided, ignorant blockhead whenever it comes to anything to do with magic. Tch. Will he never learn?