AN: So it's been so very long, but I'm back! :) For those interested in the reasons: I got a job and it sucked away my time and creativity like a leech. This chapter is not beta'ed...
Short summary of previous chapter: Hréonhes came to taunt Arthur and the others with Merlin's death. And Merlin stole the show in the end. Obviously.
Chapter 24: In The Dawn
Arthur shielded his eyes further with his good arm and ducked under the table. With each following heartbeat the light's brightness grew. It became hundred times more intense than the orb he had witnessed earlier at the siege. It was also much bigger almost immediately encompassing the whole chamber. It streamed into every nook and cranny and out of every window.
It was also more than light. Arthur could feel it, smell it and hear it. It was warm, refreshing and soft. It didn't exactly speak with words but Arthur understood. It made him feel safe and happily content. But above all that, it was pure power. The light suddenly rushed past him with such a speed that only his firm grip on the table told him he wasn't moving as well.
And then it was gone. Arthur carefully lowered his arm and peeked across the room. It took a few seconds for his eyes to get used to the sudden darkness in contrast with the previous brightness, but it was really impossible to miss.
The spot where Hréonhes had been standing was completely void.
There was a light rumble that started in the depths of the Citadel. A vase with flowers wobbled dangerously as its colourful petals fluttered to the floor. Suddenly the noise gained momentum and in a single burst of power dust clouded up the huge chamber. Morgana coughed violently grasping the table in a futile effort to remain upright.
As sudden as the noise and tremors started it stopped just as fast. The witch looked around unsure if this was the start or the end of something. A minute passed by. Then another and slowly the dust settled down covering every surface in the hall making it look like the inside of a tomb.
Morgana slowly let go of the table and moved some upturned chairs out of her way with a wave of her hand.
The damage was irreparable. Part of the roof had collapsed and sunlight streamed into her side of the chamber where it was reflected by some of the silverware lighting up the hall even more. But that wasn't what caught her attention. The floor slowly sloped down as did the ceiling making the hall on one side much smaller as if it was tilted on its side and plunged back into the very depths of the Citadel. Morgana carefully followed the narrowing passageway.
An ethereal glow lit up her surroundings as she went deeper into the heart of Dalbeth. After a minute or so it became harder and harder even with the walls for support to keep her footing. In the end she had to slide down the last few feet and landed in a familiar crypt.
Across the room the white marble altar, the one Hréonhes had used to put a curse on Caerleon, was broken in half. The two blocks of stone were now lying in the very centre of a deep round basin filled with white sand. The stone was broken beyond repair probably even with the help of magic but Morgana felt no desire to do so. The air around her felt old but clean as if something was finally allowed to heal.
Arthur quickly glanced around noting that his knights, Guinevere and Gaius were fine. They were still standing close to the walls of the room and behind the columns which they had used to shield their eyes. Arthur heaved himself up, his eyes now fixed on the person standing on the other side of the Table. The one person he never thought he would see again.
Merlin was smiling a bit dazed as if he wasn't quite there. He had lowered his arms and was busy flexing his fingers studying them intently as if they were the most fascinating things in the world completely oblivious to the stares he was receiving.
"Merlin?" Arthur asked not really knowing which question he wanted to ask first. So he settled for something all encompassing and hoped his friend would understand his intention.
The warlock followed the sound and looked up his eyes shining with familiar amusement. Then he replied with a simple and annoying, "Arthur."
"What do you mean by 'Arthur'? Will you start explaining already!" The king briskly walked around the Table towards his waiting friend gesticulating widely, "You can't come in here, save us all and then just say 'Arthur'!"
His arm started to protest but Arthur didn't feel the discomfort because just as he almost reached Merlin to give his friend a hug or punch his arm, that was still undecided, the man collapsed suddenly. It looked like strings being cut from a puppet.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled in panic crossing the last few feet in a flash. He caught him right on time but their combined weight pulled them down and both king and servant ended up sprawled on the floor. Arthur narrowly prevented Merlin from cracking his head open on the stones.
Meanwhile the others in the room had sprung into action as well. Not that Arthur noticed, his attention was solely on his friend who was lying half on top of him.
"I thought you'd died." Arthur whispered softly. He was certainly not cradling Merlin in any way, nor was he patting down the man's arms and chest just to make sure he was really alive. That was absurd.
For a brief second Merlin looked up from his position on the floor and smiled that idiotic grin of his. "I'm fine," He yawned, "I'm just tired... exhausted really... think I'll close my eyes for a bit. Okay?"
And before Arthur could protest, before Gaius had kneeled down next to his ward and before Gwen had a chance to send Leon for help Merlin was fast asleep.
So he's gone, Morgana thought as she examined the stone from up close. For some reason she didn't feel frustrated by yet another failed plan. It was quite obvious what had happened. Hréonhes underestimated Emrys and ended up paying the price.
If she was honest with herself, Morgana preferred it this way. Emrys at least never had actively searched her out. And the man had morals, obnoxious morals like keeping Arthur alive, but they were morals nonetheless. Hréonhes on the other hand had been a viper waiting to strike.
So the next time she met Emrys she might even thank him. She smirked, just before killing him of course. Just because the old man had refrained from killing her point blank didn't mean Morgana was obliged to return the favour. She had her own set of morals.
Morgana stood back up and walked away from the crypt. It contained nothing that could help her any longer.
Gaius was still hovering above Merlin's sleeping form muttering the whole time. Arthur hadn't moved since he intercepted his friend halfway, content with watching the physician check if Merlin was indeed fine.
"He seems perfectly all right, Sire." Gaius said after another full minute of tense examination. The others in the room let out a collective sigh of relief. A smile appeared on Arthur's face as he watched the steady rise and fall of Merlin's chest. He couldn't help it. Merlin wasn't dead, just exhausted.
"Well, I should have betted on this happening." Gwaine said cheerfully. He looked like a new man with old habits, Arthur observed as the knight bent down and picked up an apple.
"Gwaine, what are you doing?" Galahad asked a tad annoyed yet he too was grinning like an idiot.
"Salvaging breakfast." The knight grinned and took a bite, "Want one?"
"Throw me one as well." Elyan said holding up his arms after Galahad but Leon deftly intercepted the flying projectile. "Diplomacy has rusted you, Sir Elyan." The older knight said mischievously, "Perhaps some training is in order."
It wasn't just Arthur's imagination. The whole atmosphere felt lighter, gentler and more playful. Of course it was Merlin's doing but since the idiot apparently needed his beauty sleep, explanations had to wait.
"Better get him to my chambers." Gaius said as he got up, "I need to keep an eye on him just to be sure. Percival, if you could assist?"
Arthur wanted to protest when Percival stepped forward to pick Merlin up, but when Guinevere placed her small hand on his arm he let the knight do as he was told.
"You better follow as well, Sire. You've jostled your shoulder when I told you explicitly not to strain it further."
"That was hardly my fault, Gaius." Arthur protested. It was not as if he asked the ancient Dragonlord to smash him against the wall.
"And yet it happened." The physician pointed at the entrance, "If you will." With a reluctant sigh the king stepped outside. His hand found his way into Guinevere's and she squeezed back reassuringly.
"I'm not dreaming this, am I?" Arthur asked her. He needed to be sure. Her radiating smile told him everything.
The evening was nearing when Morgana settled herself down in one of the comfortable chairs. A large crackling fire was already lit and above it on a skewer a hare was roasting. It didn't compare to Hréonhes' fine dining, but living more than a year in the forest made Morgana an expert in hunting smaller prey. Suddenly she heard the flapping of wings.
"Aithusa!" Morgana exclaimed happily when the dragon swept down the broken ceiling landing right in front of her.
Her white dragon nudged her stroking hands happily relishing in the attention. He's gone, Morgana.
I know. It's for the best.
So what will we do know?
Morgana smiled, "Look at all the beautiful trinkets he left behind, look at all the books, Aithusa." She had busied herself earlier with gathering some of the things worth taking. The pile was only the tip of the iceberg though.
So you're already planning something?
"You know me well, Aithusa." Morgana caressed the dragon's head some more and then uncovered a plate of raw meat. While Aithusa was a deadly hunter, he liked it when Morgana took care of him. The dragon started ripping the meat apart while Morgana eased back in her chair, "It will take some time to move everything. We won't be staying here." She informed Aithusa. While it was within her abilities to fix the damage to the Citadel, she was quite averse to the idea. It was a ruin again and if she had her way it would stay one until all traces vanished as well lost in time and memory.
The king was at the Wall overseeing the repairs. The short siege didn't cause a lot of obvious damage but the overall structure was weakened. If left unattended during winter, their efforts at making Camelot more defendable would've been fruitless.
Arthur should feel exhausted, but strangely enough he didn't feel the effect of the couple of nearly sleepless nights. His energy was contagious as the remaining rubble got removed quickly and after a few hours hard work the masons were ready to start the repairs.
"Sire!"
Arthur turned towards the sudden yell. Two knights were riding fast towards the Gate and hastily descended as their horses almost collapsed from exhaustion at the king's feet. Before Arthur had a chance to berate his men with their deplorable lack of care for their horses' wellbeing one of the knights spoke up, "Bayard's army crossed the border."
Arthur mentally slapped himself. Right, he had completely forgotten about that situation. No doubt the escaped spy had something to do with this sudden action. Lucky, the perks of being a king was that there were always people nearby waiting to be ordered around.
"Get me Sir Leon and Sir Elyan. Galahad, you're with me." Arthur instructed motioning the young knight to follow him and swiftly strode towards Caerleon's tents on the fields before Camelot.
"What are we going to do?" Galahad asked as he hurried beside his king. Arthur smirked feeling confident, "Giving Bayard a surprise."
It was a night and a day of hard riding when the two armies finally met. Arthur had been hoping this would happen here. When he gave the signal for his knights to stop, they all spread out along the narrow ridge line. He quickly discarded his sling and fumbled it in his saddlebag. It wouldn't do to look weak now. Below them, after a thirty feet sudden drop and just a bit further than the best marksmen in Camelot could shoot, was Bayard.
Bayard's army at least, Arthur squinted his eyes but he hadn't spotted the other monarch yet. Still, the vast army in front of him was several times larger than his own so Bayard's absence didn't make that much of a difference. Actually Arthur would have preferred the older man to be in charge. Rumour has it some of his most trusted knights were excellent strategists and if they were in command...
Arthur wished Merlin was at his side, but the warlock had still been sleeping when they hurriedly left Camelot. But even without Merlin's presence, Arthur felt lucky. Lucky indeed, if the army had managed to cross this plain they would have been much harder to defeat. He and his knights got here right on time to outflank the invaders.
And were in the ideal position to out bluff them. Arhur grinned at Leon who had been sitting on the horse next to him. The knight echoed that smile and raised his hand as agreed upon.
They were too far away to see their opponents faces, but Arthur did see the unrest in the ranks the moment Caerleon's colours joined Camelot's. The royal banner a few feet away told those at the other side exactly who was standing there with him.
Arthur could imagine perfectly what a sight they made.
The whole ridge was packed with knights on horseback, Camelot and Caerleon side by side. Their flags blazing in the winds, the sun glistening on their mail. He exchanged a look with Lothian who nodded. Arthur withdrew his sword, a gesture everyone followed, and held it up high showing one united front.
This was it. This was the moment.
He could see several of Bayard's knight riding up and down the ranks. He could hear the commotion down there, the barked orders, the grumbling foot soldiers. He could feel the tension hanging in the air.
As well-oiled machinery the opposing army suddenly took a step back and Arthur let out a deep breath. He glanced over his shoulder towards the second – and only additional – battle line. Galahad was standing up in his stirrups watching the enemy retreat with glee.
It was indeed fortunate they had met here. Otherwise it would have been obvious who had had the greater number. And it hadn't been his weary knights, nor those of Caerleon who still looked pale and only half alive if not for the fire in their eyes.
It would take at least a day for the army to completely leave Camelot's lands behind, but this war was fought and won for now. The will to fight had left Bayar's knights and soldiers the moment they saw the united allies and it wouldn't return, until Spring that is.
Merlin groaned as he huddled deeper under his blanket in an effort to remain asleep. Immediately he heard voices all around him asking him a dozen different questions. Merlin only had one and grumbled loudly, "What's with the light?"
"Oh, you think this is bright?"
"Quit rhyming, Gwaine."
Merlin sneezed and pushed down his blanket. Gwaine, Galahad and Gaius were all standing around his bed. And it looked as if Galahad had just punched the other knight since Gwaine was rubbing his upper arm with a look of astonished betrayal plastered on his face. Galahad ignored the stare and asked, "How are you feeling?"
The warlock shrugged unsurely and sneezed again. Gaius was suddenly a lot closer and without warning lifted one of Merlin's eyelids, the man was rather agile for his age, nodding reassured about something.
"Gaius!" Merlin exclaimed a few astonished seconds later as he scrambled out of reach and patted his closed eye, "What was that for?"
"You were complaining about the light."
"Just close the latches, don't do that." Merlin waved his hand towards the window and then pointed back to his eye. His energy suddenly left him and Merlin sagged back against his comfortable pillow. He sneezed again, then yawned, "What…happened?"
"Don't you remember?" Gaius asked worriedly while Gwaine and Galahad shared an anxious look.
"I remember standing somewhere high, looking down on the city, then nothing…" Merlin admitted and then he trailed off rubbing his head.
"You died." Gaius stated flatly.
"Oh."
"And then you came back." Gwaine added somewhat unnecessary.
"Oh! Right, now I remember." Merlin said happily and excited and then deflated when he saw his companions' faces, "Um, sorry?"
Okay, so he completely deserved that cuff to the head, Merlin thought when Gaius subsequently squeezed him half to death.
Arthur gently moved his shoulder in wide circles exercising the stiff muscles. Gaius had given up on lecturing him to take it easy and begrudgingly admitted that it was healing fine despite 'foolishly galloping all across the country' muttering about wayward wards and magical side-effects. Arthur recalled that moment with a fond smile.
He was just about to rummage around his desk in a more or less vain attempt to put some order back in his paperwork when someone knocked on his opened door.
"Come in, Lothian." The king said pleasantly surprised with the identity of his early visitor.
Arthur sighed softly and stood up walking around his desk when the boy remained standing in the entrance. He looked unsure, a great contrast with how the young king acted these last couple of days. Their common stance against Bayard's army had been a sight to behold, but mostly it had been a necessity. Arthur had no idea however of how the new King of Caerleon truly felt about an alliance with Camelot. Was it just for appearance's sake or could it be the start of a true alliance?
"You're not busy?"
"I'm always busy as you will soon find out yourself. That doesn't mean I don't have time for you." Arthur commented, "Are you well, Lothian?" He asked a bit concerned now when the young sovereign still hesitated.
"I am, thank you." Lothian replied politely, "The second group is ready to return home. They're leaving in a few hours." He went on. After the curse was lifted the people of Caerleon were literally stranded in Camelot. Help was given, the wounded were attended to and the dead buried.
It was only later, after news of the vanquishing of Hréonhes, that the true work began. King Lothian along with his remaining knights and nobles started to organise their journey home. The thousands of people were all placed in different groups. The first group consisted of scouts, knights and volunteers. When word got back that Caerleon was still habitable the second group, families without casualties, would follow.
It would probably be weeks before everyone was sufficiently healed to commence the journey home and some might decide to stay in Camelot for a longer period. Provisions were being made and it seemed that for the inhabitants of Caerleon the previous distrust was fading away. Arthur was still doubtful of its king though.
"I decided to honour the alliance between Camelot and Caerleon." The young king said solemnly all of a sudden crushing that doubt, "I trust my aunt's judgement and she trusted you. I hope in time I'll be able to do that too because I want that." Lothian held out his hand which Arthur immediately accepted feeling as if yet another burden was lifted from his shoulders.
"Also it would be rather hard to convince any of my people to wage war on the lands where Queen Guinevere rules." The young king added with a smile. While Gaius was the main lifesaver in the hospital, the fact that a queen would care enough for a mere stranger to patch up bloody wounds baffled so many men. That she did this without tiring, with patience and kindness and still manage to look beautiful at the end of a long day baffled them even more.
Arthur returned the smile and rubbed the back of his head, "Yeah, I can imagine. Someday I fear I might wake up and find out nobody is willing to follow my orders anymore without Guinevere's consent." He joked.
"Not that Merlin follows them now." Arthur added immediately regretting that when he saw Lothian narrowing his eyes in anger. It was a fleeting moment, but Arthur couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
He knew that the fact that Merlin was indirectly responsible for Annis' death – and lived while she hadn't – was something that would take time for the young king to forgive. Elyan had spoken with Lothian about this and while the knight had assured Arthur that on a rational level the boy understood what had happened, the heart was another matter entirely.
"I'm leaving with the second group. It was my aunt's wish to be buried next to my uncle. I have to be there to make the arrangements."
Arthur held out his hand this time, "Take care, Lothian." He said while clasping his other hand around the smaller hand as well, "Don't be ashamed to rely on others, but be sure that whatever decisions you make it is one you can live with."
The young king nodded and stepped back towards the door. He paused again in the entrance, "If you can, Caerleon would be honoured to have you as our guest. The lands surrounding the castle are worth exploring in the Spring."
"I would like that very much."
Suddenly a panting Galahad skidded to a halt just outside the door, startling both monarchs as he almost banged into them. The knight looked flustered when he saw exactly who he interrupted and waved an apology.
"Sorry," He said sheepishly taking a deep lungful of air and then broke into a wide smile, "Merlin's awake."
"And you can bring whoever you want when you come." Lothian added with slight hesitation bringing Arthur back to earth. The king had completely forgotten his present company the moment Galahad told the news. He shook his head in an effort to contain some of his joy. He wanted nothing more than to follow Galahad immediately and see his friend. But Lothian's uneasiness made it clear that his obligations as the King of Camelot came first. It would be unwise, even insulting not to say farewell to Lothian and his court in public. There were no doubt still some watching eyes inside the castle.
Since Merlin had woken up a couple of hours ago there had been a steady string of visitors to his bedside. Some like Gwaine stayed for hours before remembering he was a knight, a highly ranked one at that and had duties to fulfil. Others just dropped in for a couple of minutes like Leon earlier or Lauren now. She had agreed to keep him company while the knights accompanied Arthur and Gwen as they said goodbye to King Lothian and the young monarch's entourage. It sort of stung that Merlin couldn't be there at the Wall to witness their departure himself. He would have liked to talk to the young king before the boy left for Caerleon. If he was honest with himself thought, Merlin was not sure what he would say exactly so for everyone's sake it was probably best that Gaius had confined him in bed unless he might unleash some sort of diplomatic disaster.
"Someone less acquainted with you might have been offended by now." Lauren said amused startling the warlock with her voice, "You've been zoning out on me again, Merlin."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." Merlin apologised and yawned. He was vaguely aware that Lauren was regaling him with another story but the words sort of blurred together at times. He yawned again. Lauren took that as a signal and silently rose from her chair.
"Never mind," She muttered shaking her head with fondness. At the door she paused and grinned looking back over her shoulder, "Oh, and Merlin? Nice birthmark."
Merlin was completely mortified, "What do you mean? What birthmark?" But with a last enigmatic smile she left the chambers. Merlin moved to get up, but Gaius appeared more quickly at his bedside than a goblin after gold and pushed him back down.
"Stay."
"But, but you heard what she said-" The warlock tried in vain however upon seeing the physician's famous stern gaze he quickly shut up.
"I can tie you down."
"Gaius." Merlin protested feebly now as he let himself be pushed back in bed. He still felt drained even after some solid days of sleep. He felt like himself though and that was the most important thing at the moment. He felt better actually, much better, almost bubbly. Gaius seemed satisfied with his triumph and went back to the main room leaving Merlin for the first time alone with his thoughts.
The downside of his many visitors was that he hadn't had time to fully process what had happened. Oh, he knew what the plan had been. That he still knew and he knew he succeeded.
It was everything that happened after Hréonhes stabbed him that was muddled and fuzzy at best. Gwaine had talked a bit about what happened, mostly about how he destroyed the other Dragonlord in the end. However the knight and the others like Gwen were really tight-lipped about what happened in between those occasions. Merlin didn't dare to ask and neither were any of his visitors or Gaius inclined to ask questions about what happened 'in between'.
The warlock turned to his side and closed his eyes for a bit. The drawback of having his secret out in the open is that soon those closest to him would want answers. Answers he knew he had to give because they deserved them. But that didn't mean the upcoming talks would be easy for him.
Merlin must have dozed off for a while because the next thing he knew somebody knocked softly on the opened door. He lifted his head to acknowledge his newest visitor. Arthur was leaning against the doorpost. He looked well. No apparent injuries or weariness at first sight, Merlin thought as he finished his scan. He was well aware that Arthur was giving him the same treatment.
"I just passed Lauren in the courtyard. I told her I was on my way here and she burst into laughter." Arthur said amused and crossed his arms, "Do I want to know what happened?"
"No and neither did I." Merlin let his head bounce back onto the pillow. "That girl is taking revenge to a whole new level. Actually, you all are. Gaius is confining me to this bed, threatening to test every soporific substance he has on me as if I haven't been sleeping enough. Leon offered to train me to dodge. Dodge, honestly? And to make it worse the other knights were practically standing in line to help. Percival is very scary when he grins and cracks his knuckles, did you know that?" Merlin took a deep breath as he ended his rant and eyed the king with growing suspicion, "So what are you planning?"
"I'm still working on the details, but thanks for the suggestions, Merlin. I'll ask Lauren for help." Arthur smirked evilly, "And schedule some extra training."
"Whatever, it wasn't exactly my fault." Merlin muttered quietly so Arthur couldn't hear, since it was exactly his fault. Right, he had had this brilliant plan.
"Here, catch." Arthur suddenly threw something at him and Merlin was too late to raise his hands effectively. Whatever Arthur had thrown, it flew passed his outstretched fingers and connected with his chest, "Ouch."
"Don't be such a girl, Merlin." Arthur mocked.
"You threw a rock at me!" Merlin argued and then he finally realised what Arthur had thrown. It was the windumaer.
"Oh..." Merlin rolled the stone in his hand and looked up at Arthur, "I'm guessing this is where we talk?"
The king nodded and pulled a chair closer to Merlin's bedside before sitting down so he was at eyelevel with his friend, "We do."
Arthur leaned a bit forwards so his forearms were resting on his knees. Now that they arrived at the more serious part of the conversation, he wasn't exactly sure how to begin. He decided to begin with what started this whole thing: Kilgharrah's arrival on that beautiful picnic morning.
"Merlin, why didn't you tell us what that dragon told you?" Arthur asked and Merlin could hear both annoyance and worry laced within that question.
"I didn't want to worry you." Merlin mumbled as he looked at his lap. And that was true. He hadn't wanted someone to know just in case Kilgharrah was wrong but also more importantly just in case Kilgharrah was right. In hindsight he should have handled it better.
"But I knew something was up, I just didn't know what it was." Arthur admitted with a sigh, "I thought you were angry with me and I thought I was angry with you."
"Looking back now, I guess I was an ass." Merlin confessed with a small smile and then added, "But so were you."
Arthur shook his head and chuckled, "What a fine pair we make."
"Indeed, do you think the others talked about us behind our backs?" Merlin asked curiously.
"They did." Arthur snorted, "They all thought they were being so secretive, but even I notice it when Guinevere sneaks off before dawn and the rest of the Round Table members share meaningful glances with each other the rest of the day."
"Ugh, I didn't notice."
"Figures, but enough of trying to diverge the subject. Why didn't you tell me of your plan of confronting Hréonhes?" Arthur asked next, "We could have helped, you know, created a diversion so he didn't caught you off guard."
"Because it was a fools hope, Arthur, nothing more. I can't believe it actually worked." Merlin sighed deeply, "It was pure luck in the end."
"So you decided that feeling despair was preferable above hope? You really are a complete and utter idiot." Arthur almost shouted and then rubbed his face with both hands. He swallowed hard trying to quell the emotion that was welling up in him again.
"Merlin, I thought you died." Arthur whispered intently and then gazed straight at his friend, "I was mourning you."
Merlin didn't know what to say for a moment but then decided to go for the truth, "I did. I mean, I truly was dead for a while."
"I don't understand..." Arthur frowned, "I thought that was a trick. Then how did you come back? You were dead. I washed your blood of my hands. How's that even possible?" In a single moment everything that Arthur thought that had transpired that night changed. He knew his voice had taken a panicky undertone but he had honestly thought Merlin's death had been something of an illusion and an elaborate trick.
"I honestly don't know how, just that it could happen." Merlin admitted with a wry smile, "In this whole wide world impossible things are bound to occur especially when magic's involved. Magic isn't logical, it's about pushing boundaries. And what I am, isn't logical either. It's supposed to be impossible."
"I don't understand." Arthur still looked confused.
"And I can't explain it properly." Merlin said frustrated and ran his hand through his hair making it stick up, "It's much like describing a feeling."
"Still try."
Merlin took a deep breath and began, "Using magic is all about intention. And while the exact wording of the Oath mattered, the intention behind it mattered more."
"The Oath?"
"Oh, sorry," Merlin apologised as he had completely forgotten that he also had left that part out of the decoy plan. He pulled back his sleeve and pointed at the burn mark that encircled his wrist, still red but thinner than before. Merlin was doubtful that it would ever fade.
"I sort of trapped him in his worst fear: the place where he was locked up all this time. I didn't really know what it looked like, but the magic that I called upon used Hréonhes. He made his own worst fear come alive all around us. With this I persuaded him to retreat his army also making him promise to leave Camelot alone in the future."
"That backfired." Arthur commented dryly, but Merlin smirked, "No, it didn't."
"Just bear with me for a second." He said quickly before Arthur could speak up again, "Hréonhes almost breached the Oath when he killed me, since we never left Camelot in the first place and he promised not to harm anyone living there."
"Then how did he..." Arthur left the rest of the question unsaid.
"Because I wasn't honest at the time of making the Oath. Magic is about intent and he still had a lot of magical backing even if he did use a normal dagger to do it. So his wrongdoings didn't outweigh mine."
"Okay..." Arthur said unsurely. This conversation was making his head spin. His knowledge of magic had always been very narrow: what is it and how do I kill it? Listening to Merlin enthusiastically recalling things as Oaths, magical theories, intent and so on, it boggled Arthur's mind. He asked himself if he actually needed to know all the intricacies about how Merlin defeated Hréonhes. Arthur mentally shook his head and tried to focus once more on what Merlin was saying.
"But when he harmed you, he ripped the Oath to shreds. My focus had been you and your safety, so count that together with everything he'd done so far, Magic herself had no choice but to sent me back."
"You talk about Magic as if it is a person with feelings and thoughts." Arthur couldn't help but comment.
"I was trying to make it more understandable." Merlin explained and then sagged his shoulders despondently, "This isn't helping, is it?" He asked.
"Still confused, doesn't matter." Arthur shrugged, but he still had to know something, "But tell me, if he hadn't come back for me, you would have stayed dead?"
"Yes." Merlin admitted quickly immediately regretting that when Arthur paled. He went on quickly, "But I was counting on his character, plus he truly thought the Oath didn't apply anymore with me being dead and all." It had been a gamble and as he had said in his farewell message if Hréonhes had stayed away Camelot would have been save.
So far Arthur was only following half of the things Merlin was saying mainly there had been an important Oath which Hréonhes was forced to take because of his worst fear. He then broke it unintentionally which caused Merlin to come back when Hréonhes came back to kill them all. Something didn't add up though... The king frowned and a nagging suspicion was slowly making itself known.
"Why didn't you blast that Dragonlord off the tower? Why this elaborate ruse?" Arthur finally asked the pivotal thing he didn't understand.
"Because I needed Hréonhes to betray Magic by breaking the Oath. He had Magic's blessing so he was much too powerful for me to defeat without great risk. Didn't I explain that to everyone before? I remember that bit." Merlin mused out loud.
Arthur nodded along and then suddenly it clicked, "Wait, so you did do it on purpose? You wanted him to kill you?" He asked horrified.
"Those dozen daggers lying within reach were not a coincidence if that's what you're asking."
This last bit of knowledge Merlin had divulged was almost too much to bear. Arthur grimaced, what had the man been thinking? He wasn't unfamiliar with the conviction that sacrificing your own life for the safety of others was sometimes unavoidable, but this was Merlin.
Arthur all of a sudden recalled something Gaius had said: past references. This clearly wasn't the first time something like this had happened. He sighed. He really should have demanded Merlin to tell him everything his friend had done over the years instead of brushing the whole magic issue aside because it didn't fit into his own comfortable little world, Arthur thought somewhat cynical.
Seemingly he had been quiet for too long because Merlin was fidgeting on his bed, waiting for some reaction, any reaction.
"We should really address this self-sacrificing compulsion you have going on." Arthur promised and then joked, "It might be the end of you."
"Trying to be funny?" Merlin quipped relieved.
"It worked, didn't it? You're smiling." Arthur said, "Besides I don't really know how to cope with this just yet." He confessed but he was certain about one thing, "Just listen closely to what I'm about to say. Merlin, I don't care what the alternative is. Your death is never an acceptable option. Is that clear?"
"You don't have to worry about that anymore."
"Good." Arthur said reassured, "I don't think I've met anyone like you."
"Well, I am the last Dragonlord and the only existing warlock." Merlin said a bit dryly.
"That's not what I meant, idiot. I mean someone as loyal and selfless as you." Arthur explained and he sounded so awed for a second that Merlin felt uncomfortable.
"Arthur-" The warlock started in an attempt to downplay himself. He was still just Merlin, not some mythical being the Druids spoke off.
"No, don't interrupt me. I've been rehearsing this in my head over and over again and now that I unexpectedly have the chance to say it nothing is going to stop me. Not even you, besides you always say I should be nicer to you." Arthur shushed his friend effectively with these heartfelt words, "I should be angry with you. Hell, I was angry with you but we all make mistakes. And my biggest one was not seeing who you really were. You're my best friend and everything else just filled in the blanks. So no more secrets? I don't care what it is, I want to know what's bothering you. I get that according to some ancient legend Emrys is supposed to help the Once and Future King. But from now on that works both ways, all right?"
Arthur paused and waited for Merlin to show some reaction other than looking quite dumbfounded. He looked ridiculous actually, but despite what others may say Arthur had a clear sense of tact and this was definitely not the moment to joke.
"Thank you." Merlin said earnestly after a few more moments and then added, "Do you know what his weakness was? Of Hréonhes, I mean?"
Arthur shook his head not really sure where this abrupt change in their conversation was leading towards. The warlock pulled up his legs and put his arms around his knees. The king was shocked with how small Merlin looked sitting on top of his bed. It was as if this sudden melancholy shrank him down several inches.
"Loneliness." Merlin answered promptly, "He didn't want to be alone and I figured it out because..." He trailed off for a second and watched how the blanket was pooled around his feet, "That's how I feel sometimes."
"Oh, Merlin..." Arthur felt a stab of pity which was quickly replaced by true wonder. He couldn't imagine living with a secret that large for your whole life. And to do that without becoming cold and embittered with the world? It wasn't something he could change. Arthur couldn't change the past, but he would never forgive himself if Merlin ever felt that kind of loneliness again. But he could do something...
"What are you planning?" Merlin broke his concentration sounding slightly worried, "You're really creeping me out with that smile. Arthur?" He asked when he got no immediate reaction.
"Wait here, I'll be back." Arthur said enthusiastically and almost skipped out of the small room. Merlin sighed annoyed. It wasn't as if Gaius would let him leave any time soon and the blasted prat hadn't even answered his question. He had stood up and just walked away still smiling. Knowing he couldn't very well do anything else but wait, Merlin flopped back onto his pillow and yawned.
Arthur's plan hadn't been torturous chores, writing speeches or even cleaning every pair of boots in the castle. It simply hadn't been friendly revenge at all. Within the short span of half an hour all the members of the Round Table were gathered inside the physician's quarters.
While Gaius thought Merlin still looked a bit peckish he allowed the warlock to move to the larger room. For the occasion Elyan and Percival had carefully shifted the workbenches to one side under strict supervision of the physician. Food and beverages were brought and passed around while everyone found a comfortable spot in the circle.
"So Merlin, we're all here and well, the thing is..." Arthur started very solemnly but quickly trailed off rubbing the back of his head.
"We would love to hear your story." Gwen finished giving the warlock an encouraging smile.
"You might not like what you hear." Merlin warned remembering very vividly how Arthur reacted when he found out about Dragoon. It seemed that Arthur remembered that bit as well.
"As I said earlier, we all make mistakes." The king admitted, "But that's not what we're asking. You don't have to tell us the whole story. I'm not interrogating you or demanding the truthful account of everything that happened in the past. I'm guessing that one evening wouldn't even cover your first year here. But I want to hear what you want to tell us. This is your night, Merlin."
Merlin looked around the circle and only curious faces stared back waiting patiently for him to begin. He paused when he faced Arthur, "Whatever I want to tell?"
"Or vent about." Arthur elaborated with a grin as he put his legs up a low bench and leaned back in his patted chair. Gwen was almost sitting on his lap and resting her head against his shoulder.
A few minutes later Arthur whispered amused in Gwen's ear, "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?", when Merlin started telling his story about how he first came to Camelot and met 'a pompous prat who soon turned out to be a royal one'. She quickly shushed him by squeezing his thigh.
And with the help of Gaius and Galahad Merlin told his story. Parts of it that is as the mere hours till dawn were insufficient to tell it all. Merlin found that his friends were the very best of audiences. They giggled like girls and cried manly. They laughed, were silent for long minutes and gasped at the right moments. In short all the cracks in the Round Table were restored and this gathering forged an even stronger bond. Gwaine was sure it was thanks to the ale he had brought and put forth a motion to make it a permanent addition at the Table. But all those present knew it was because of a burden shared. Arthur may be king but now, as he watched every emotion cross Merlin's face, he realized there was another sharing his destiny. And Merlin, as he felt their concern and compassion, realized he didn't need to do everything alone and in the shadows.
He could walk freely towards Albion, they all could now.
Happy ending number one :)
I know the explanation is a bit fuzzy. It's sort of the point. That's why I'm posting the epilogue as soon as possible. Storm's Ahead is finished, the enemy vanquished, but not everything is settled quite yet nor has everything been answered...