Alaia Skyhawk: Well I've been looking forward to this one almost as much I was looking forward to doing The Poisoned Chalice. Why? Because a rather important character from Whom History Won't Remember is finally making an appearance in this one.

By the way, this guy actually fills a small plothole. Why did the griffin fly off after pounding Arthur and the knights, only to come back again as soon as Merlin and Lancelot arrived? My explanation, there was someone else there that it had a go at. The whole incident is covered in the Whom History Won't Remember episode that goes with episode before this.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Music: The Dragon's Breath (Folk Music)

"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A

~(-)~

Chapter 28: The Nature of Magic ~Part 1~

Merlin trudged through the undergrowth, avoiding the occasional patch of stinging nettles while at the same time keeping an eye out for the herbs he'd been asked to get. At least this time he hadn't been sent out for comfrey root, Gaius had been all too amused with that incident. Not warning his disinterested ward about the side-effects of touching the plant's leaves without wearing gloves.

He winced at the memory, and the itch he'd had to put up with for the rest of the day. But it was motivation to pay attention in future to Gaius' crash course in herb-lore. He may not be interested in using the herbs and making medicine, but he would certainly learn what herb could be used for what, and how to harvest the ones that liked to play tricks on you.

Finding a patch of sage, Merlin knelt down beside it and began to harvest the top six inches of the stems. First time he'd harvested it, half of what he'd brought back had ended up in the kitchens. Gaius preferred to use the newer, more tender leaves for his preparations... It got better results.

A large bundle of sage harvested, he started along the top of a slope through the trees. With any luck he'd find the remainder of what he needed closer to the city walls. His luck just wasn't with him though, when he stuck a foot into the entrance of a rabbit burrow, stumbled, and with a yelp of surprise ended up tumbling head over heels down the slope praying in his mind that he wouldn't hit a tree.

His prayer was answered, somewhat, when after about forty yards he dropped over the edge of an old root-cave and landed in a shower of leaves on flat ground in front of it. He then scrambled to his feet, turning to look up at the trail he'd left down the slope above, before realising he wasn't alone anymore.

He flinched in surprise, staring at the man learning against the base of a tree a few feet away, the man's horse nonchalantly ignoring them both as it chewed away on the leaves it was plucking from a bush. The man seemed just as surprise to see him, staring for several seconds before slowly and carefully getting to his feet.

"You all right, boy?"

Merlin hesitated for a moment, before hastily checking he still had hold of his bag of herbs. It looked a bit squashed, but at least everything he'd been gathering was going to be crushed and set to infuse in preparations anyway.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry for disturbing... you." He tilted his head, only now taking note of the man's robes. "Are you a druid?"

The man nodded, seeming to think for a moment before folding his arms across his chest.

"I am. My name is Nellan, and you... I recognise you. You did a very admirable thing last night."

There was a moment of silence, Merlin blinking for several seconds before nervously looking away at the surrounding trees. This man had seen him? He evaded, pretending ignorance.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about. I was inside the city all of last night."

Nellan chuckled, amusement in his eyes as he brushed a stray strand of his rather unkempt brown hair out of them.

"Really? And so it wasn't you that killed the griffin?"

Merlin went pale.

"Y-you really saw that?"

The druid nodded, raising a hand.

"Fear not, it is not the way of my people to turn over the innocent, and we are no friends of Uther even if we are not enemies. All who carry the responsibility of magic are considered welcome by us, as are all those who are in need. I'm afraid I did not get to see you in action, but when I crested the hill and saw the griffin dead, it was immediately clear to me that it was you who slew it and not the man on the horse. I would guess he knows your secret?"

Merlin still looked very nervous. Why was he talking to this guy? Why did he feel all of a sudden he should stay and listen to him?

"Lancelot. Yeah, he does... You were really there?"

Nellan nodded, picking up a spear that lay on the ground beside where he stood. He focused his gaze on it, whispering.

"Befylle... Anweald aeledfyr gafeluc." Fire began to wreath the spear from end-to-end, although it clearly didn't burn him. He showed it to Merlin, explaining. "I was there to slay it, but I'm afraid to say that a spear is a weapon I have never had need to use before. My aim with it was lacking, and my first attempt against the creature... missed."

Merlin was staring at it.

"That flash of fire I saw. That was you?"

The man nodded, quenching the spear's fire with a thought.

"Indeed, although it seems I was not needed. Tell me, what spell did you use? I find myself curious to find out."

He offered the spear to the young warlock, Merlin hesitantly accepting it. He eyed Nellan warily, but the man simply smiled in return. There was a calmness to his manner that was... reassuring.

Merlin took a deep breath, before holding up the spear and focusing on it.

"Bregdan anweald gafeluc."

The spear lit up with a blue aura of power, steady and strong indicating a firm mastery of the spell. Nellan looked a little surprised.

"Impressive, that is not an easy spell. It's certainly more difficult to cast than the one I was using. How long did you study it to get it to this stage? You have it almost perfect."

Merlin cancelled the spell, biting at his lip for a moment before pointedly looking elsewhere.

"Um... Just over an hour."

There was a choking noise, the druid man spluttering for several seconds in shock.

"An hour? But that's..." He straightened, stunned. "If you can master spells like that in an hour, you have talent and power enough to easily become a High Priest of the Old Religion."

"I'm strong enough to be a High Priest?" Merlin was regarding him, very interested. "But where would I even learn to be that? Who could teach me?"

Without even thinking about it, Nellan replied.

"Well I could, I've already trained one candidate until they had to leave and decided to seek further training elsewhere."

"You could teach me magic?"

The druid man seemed to freeze, before suddenly becoming evasive.

"Well, I could, but it would mean you leaving Camelot." He turned, limping towards his horse. "I really should go."

Merlin noticed the limp, frowning.

"Wait, you're hurt?"

Nellan stopped, glancing back at him.

"I had a run in with the griffin just over a week ago, when I encountered a band of Cenrid's men escorting a covered cage. They attacked me, I defended myself... and unintentionally released it. Since I was at fault for it being free to ravage the towns and villages of Camelot, I went after it."

He reached for the pommel of his saddle, to pull himself up, grimacing at the movement. But before he could mount, he felt a hand on his arm and looked to see Merlin shaking his head.

"You're in pain, I can see that clear as day. If you're hurting that much then you shouldn't be riding. You could make your injuries worse." He frowned. "Take it as coming from the ward of Camelot's Court Physician. I've seen him telling knights off often enough for the same reason, to know that it's important you rest." He pointed firmly to where the druid had been sitting when he'd first fallen into the man's camp. "Now sit. I've got one more thing to get for Gaius, and then we can head into the city. I'll get him to take a look at your injuries."

Nellan let go of the saddle, frowning.

"You're forgetting, my robes mark me as a druid. If I enter the city, it would be tantamount to suicide."

Merlin pointed to a ragged hole in the front of said robes.

"So take them off. I can see you've got a regular shirt on under there." He pointed again to the tree. "Sit! Before I think up a spell to make you sit. I'll be back in a short while, and you'd better be here when I get back."

He strode away, leaving Nellan staring after him in shock. But as soon as the warlock was out of earshot, the shock wore off and was replaced by a horrible sinking feeling.

The druid began to pace, trying not to wince in pain at his movements even as he began to berate himself.

"Nellan you idiot! You utter fool! Are you losing your mind? He's Emrys, he has to stay in Camelot, and you go and mention training that will take him away from the city?"

He put his hands to his hair, continuing to curse until an unnatural breeze brushed by him carrying a voice.

'Brother, a word please...'

He went still, that sinking feeling getting worse. His sister, the leader of the Oristalla Clan. If she wanted a word, then it was because Gallye had seen what he'd just done... and told her.

He took a deep breath, going to the bag tied to the horse's saddle and pulling out a small silver mirror kept in a pouch. He breathed on the surface, murmuring an incantation.

"Se ansien forestandende ure getwisa, pu acyoest me." The mist from his breath cleared, revealing the face and shoulders of a woman in druid robes, a woman bearing a strong resemblance to him. He hesitated before speaking. "What is it, Ellyn?"

He waited for the reprimand, before she tilted her head ever so slightly and smiled.

"Did you enjoy your first meeting with Emrys? Gallye certainly seems quite amused right now, having informed me he could see you berating yourself about it."

Nellan frowned a little. This wasn't to reprimand him?

"He's amused? But why..." That was when it occured to him, his tone becoming slightly angry. "You knew this was going to happen? How long?"

Ellyn chuckled.

"But I told you when you last left our camp, and bid me farewell until you return... Until then, brother, trust that all will be well." She lowered her head a little in apology. "It is not for us to know what lies ahead on our own paths, and so nothing could be revealed to you about yours. Gallye says this is meant to be, that there is a lesson from this that Merlin must learn, and also one for you. Trust him, trust in Merlin's judgement, and trust in yourself to do this right." She glanced to her left, as though hearing something, before looking to him again. "He's on his way back towards you. Gallye informs me that you should sit... before he makes good on his threat. Apparently, whatever it was, it was not an idle one. Until you return, brother, trust that all will be well."

Her image vanished from the mirror, Nellan staring at it for a long moment before quickly putting it away. So this was one of those destined events? He'd be relieved, if he weren't so irritated by finding out she'd known this crossing of paths was soon to occur.

He let out a sigh and went to sit against the tree, now starting to smile. But this was a chance to get to know Merlin first hand, as a fellow sorcerer, and he wasn't going to let it pass him by.

He remained in that good frame of mind once Merlin returned, adhering to the young man's idea of removing his druid robes to pose as a regular citizen. He left it with his mount, after assuring Merlin that the horse would remain at his camp due to a spell placed on it, following the warlock into the city and then the castle with only a minor sense of apprehension. Here he was, right in the heart of Uther's domain, right under the nose of a king who would have him executed without a second thought.

That apprehension did not mean he was not also amused as how simple it was to get this close, but any enjoyment from this was forgotten in a moment of coldness once they reached the chambers of the Court Physician.

Gaius turned at their entrance, frowning when he saw the slightly scruffy man beside his ward.

"Merlin? Who on earth have you brought back this time?"

Nellan regarded him, silent. Gaius the betrayer... The man who had stood back and watched as his kin from the magical community... burned.

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: (Grins) Heh heh heh, you can probably guess there's going to be a talk between those two. Well you'll just have to wait to find out how it goes XD

On a side note, the mirror Nellan has is one of a pair, and is how he communicates with his sister since he does most of the leg work for her. The incantation he used means "The face before your twin, you show/reveal to me."