Alaia Skyhawk: I'll be tweaking things a little bit in this one. The length of time between Mordred's last mental calls to Merlin, and him arriving outside the city walls at the end of the tunnel, was way too short to be realistic, but that doesn't mean the decision to go help will be any easier for him.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Music: N/A

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

~(-)~

Chapter 45: The Beginning of the End~Part 3~

"All this time you've been hiding the boy in my own palace... How could you betray me like this?"

"I would not see him executed."

"I have treated you like a daughter. Is this how you repay me?"

"I did what I thought was right."

Arthur remained where he was, head bowed, unmoving, almost as though not wanting to draw attention to himself during this confrontation. Last night, after investigating the armoury and then discovering the key for the door in there was missing from his belt, he'd headed out into the city expecting anyone but who he had found.

Morgana, trying to smuggle the druid boy out of Camelot. Morgana, pleading to him to spare the child... Had he been alone, quite honestly he probably would have let her go, but in the presence of so many guards, so many witnesses, he'd had no choice but to have her seized along with the youth. That boy was now in the dungeons, and Morgana had spent the night in her chambers under armed guard.

And now she'd been brought to the council chambers and before the king, who advanced the length of the room towards her with an expression of anger.

"Do you think it right to conspire with my enemies against me?"

Morgana showed no fear, though, something Arthur had to admire when she spoke without hesitation.

"How can that child be your enemy? He's just a boy!"

"He's a druid."

"Is that such a crime?"

Uther was right in front of her how, glaring at her.

"His kind would see me dead, this kingdom returned to anarchy, and you would help them."

She took a step towards him, her tone becoming a plea.

"Then punish me... but spare the boy. I beg you."

Uther regarded her for a moment longer, before turning to leave via the rear entrance of the room, his words meant for his son.

"Make arrangements for the boy to be executed in the morning."

"No!" Morgana rushed after him, desperate. "Please! He's done nothing!"

Uther turned, his voice taking on the deathly quiet tone that bode ill for anyone who crossed him.

"Let this be a lesson to you."

She was still pleading.

"You don't have to do this."

The king ignored her, glancing to his son.

"Do you hear me? I want him executed at dawn."

Arthur nodded solemnly, but refused to look directly at him as he spoke after the barest moment of hesitation.

"Yes, Father."

Uther resumed walking away, Morgana looking between the father and son before hurrying after the former.

"What have these people done to you? Why are you so full of hate?"

When she tried to grab his arm, Uther turned on her and grabbed her by the throat, backing her into the rear chair at the head of the council table.

"Enough! I will not hear another word. Do not speak to me until you are ready to apologise for what you've done."

She shook there, shaking in fear, as the king stormed out. Arthur spared her a single touch to the shoulder as he passed, following his father. He agreed with Morgana, executing the boy was wrong. Children were innocent, were what they were raised to be. If those with magic grew up with the knowledge that even their children would be killed, was it any wonder so many would see the kingdom fall? Execute the true criminals, yes, but if the children were spared and placed in caring homes that would raise them to follow the law, then surely that would be better.

He caught up to his father in the hallway, falling into step beside him.

"Perhaps imprisonment would be more suitable for the boy... I meanm, he's so young."

Uther glanced at him, scowling slightly at the fact even his son seemed to be going against him on this.

"You would allow him to grow more powerful, more dangerous... Until he strikes against us."

Arthur frowned, not agreeing with this at all.

"But we don't know he's going to strike against us. He's yet to do anything."

"It is enough that his people conspire to overthrow me. It is harsh, but necessary. I take no pleasure in killing the boy."

This was a losing battle, he knew it, but he didn't want to give up either.

"Then spare him for Morgana's sake. She's clearly grown attached to the boy, and if you execute him I fear she will never forgive you."

The moment he said it he'd have his realised his mistake, even if his father had not practically exploded in temper when he stopped and faced him.

"I do not seek her forgiveness! She has betrayed me!"

Arthur stared at him, disapproving of the obvious hypocrisy he could see in this.

"Yet you're sparing her."

The king glared at him, that same tone of voice he'd directed at Morgana, now warning his son.

"She has the promise I made her father to thank for that. The boy enjoys no such privilege... He will be executed, at dawn, is that clear?"

He stormed away, Arthur watching him go in silence, before with a heavy heart he went to do as he was bidden... He went to call for the execution podium to be prepared.

~(-)~

The room knew only silence, a span filled with an aura of guilt and the anguish that went with it. Merlin stood there in that silence, Morgana standing stricken nearby in this room that yesterday had been safe haven for the boy.

"I promised him I wouldn't let anything bad happen to him."

Merlin stayed where he was, leaning on the edge of the main table, one hand absently rocking the chair beside him.

"You can't blame yourself. You tried your best."

"It's not enough."

He looked at her, seeing how she was tormenting herself. He'd been in a position to help her before, but now everything was different.

"He's in jail now, there's nothing more we can do."

She shook her head, walking over to him.

"I will not let him die." She was now regarding him, eyes pleading, and he realised right away what she would ask even before she uttered it. "Can I count on your help?" The moment she said it he knew a moment of conflict, the words of the dragon warring with his own conscience. In the end, he nodded, and she gave him a brief smile of gratitude. "Thank you."

She left the room, to where he wasn't sure. But he did know that it wouldn't be long before he ended up involved again.

~(-)~

Why was it all these things seemed to be happening now? Ever since that attempt on his life where Merlin had saved him, things kept happening that made him question everything. Things that challenged his view of the world, and tested his will.

Arthur headed for his chambers, wanting nothing more than to seclude himself away from this suddenly confusing world. Things had been so simple before, but now... Now he'd begun to realise just how heavy handed his father could be.

Too heavy handed.

The moment magic was mentioned, suspected, the king seemed to lose all reason. It was a serious flaw, and one that had been displayed numerous times of late. He'd seen it spawn anger and hate, seen it spawn revenge from those with magic, and while the king might argue that it was those with magic who were evil, it did not change the fact that many of the things that had occured were the ultimate result of his own hatred. Morgana had a point when she'd asked that, because he too now wondered why his father was so full of hate. Perhaps that druid man had been right to pity him.

Arthur sighed, pushing aside what he knew were quite possibly treasonous thoughts, but he wouldn't deny to himself that he'd considered them. It was like Merlin had said, it wasn't a crime to have an opinion, but having one so risky required that it best be set aside so as not to affect judgement. He couldn't let his personal feelings cloud his ability to make clear decisions, no matter how hard it was, but that resolve found itself immediately tested when he entered his chambers to find Morgana seated at his table.

He frowned a little, pretending irritation. Maybe she would take the hint and leave him to his thoughts, his tone laced with sarcasm when he spoke.

"Make yourself at home."

He closed the door behind him, aware that doing so didn't fit with that logic. Part of him wanted her out of here, but the other part wanted to know why she she had come... Even if he already knew.

She confirmed it when she spoke.

"You can't let your father execute the boy."

Arthur removed his coat, dumping it by the door.

"You're lucky he's not executing you." He headed towards her. "Are you telling me, that he really was behind the screen when I came to search your chambers?"

She nodded mutely, the prince more annoyed at himself than her. But she was reading into his agitated motions far more than he would like, and was spot on with her observations.

"I know you think your father is wrong to execute him."

Having finished unbuckling his sword, Arthur dropped it on the table.

"What I believe, doesn't matter. My father's made up his mind, and won't be talked out of it. I should know... I tried."

Hearing that, she rose to her feet.

"Then the time for talking is over."

Arthur sighed.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's not going to happen."

"We have to get the boy back to his people!"

"No. Forget it."

"I can't believe you'd let an innocent child die!"

Arthur turned to her, solemn.

"It's too late. He's been caught. I have no choice."

Morgana stared at him, disappointed.

"And this is how you'll rule when you are king... Using the law to make excuses when it's too hard to do the right thing." Arthur once again met her eyes with his, now listening to her words. "You're not like your father."

Arthur shook his head.

"I will not betray him."

"If I know you at all, you won't stand by and let this happen... Please. If you won't do this for the boy, then do it for me."

There was a long moment of silence between them, Arthur torn between obeying his father's will and following his own. He admitted to himself, he disliked the harshness he father often showed. Disliked his lack of mercy. Maybe, just this once, he would rebel... Just this once.

He sighed, making his decision, and immediately feeling like a burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

"All right."

Morgana's expression filled with hope and joy at his answer.

"Thank you! Arthur, I..."

He interrupted her, sitting down in the chair Morgana had been seating in when he arrived.

"But I make no guarantees. There's another way out of the castle, directly out of the city, but I'll require help. The burial vaults lead outside the walls, I can take the boy that way, but I'll need someone to pull the grate off the exit or we'll be..."

The door of the room opened, Merlin walking in and pausing when he saw the two had clearly been talking.

"Did I interrupt something?"

Arthur frowned a little.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with. Make yourself useful and go muck out my horses."

"Wait." Morgana stopped him, looking at the servant. "I trust Merlin."

Seeing she was serious, Arthur waved Merlin in and waited for the man to close the door again. Once it was, he flatly informed him of what was going on.

"We're going to break the druid boy out of the dungeons."

Merlin gaped for a moment, before walking towards them shaking his head.

"You can't do that."

Morgana stared at him.

"Why not? Uther's going to execute him at dawn!"

The servant winced, having realised that for a moment he'd let the dragon's words do the talking.

"I mean, it's too dangerous. You've already been caught once, and if the king catches you a second time, he'll never forgive you."

"I'm not worried for myself."

Beside her, Arthur had turned thoughtful.

"Merlin's right. When my father finds out the boy has escaped, he will suspect you being involved."

Merlin nodded, agreeing with him.

"It's suicide."

Arthur spoke again now.

"You must go to my father, apologise. Dine with him. He cannot hold you responsible if you are with him when the boy escapes."

She turned to him.

"But what about you? You need me if the plan is to work. You can't do this on your own."

"Merlin will take your place."

The servant stared.

"Me?"

Arthur nodded.

"I'll be taking the boy out through the burial vaults. There's a tunnel that leads beyond the city walls. Get my horse from the stables, and meet me there. There's a grate that covers the entrance, so you'll need to bring a grappling hook and rope to pull it off... If you don't do this, then we'll surely be caught."

In the face of Arthur's request, Merlin nodded, but that did not change the uneasiness he now felt. He left the room, heading without thinking for the bowels of the castle, finding his way to the dragon's prison to seek answers to the question the creature had not answered before.

He stood there on the ledge, torch in hand, and spoke.

"I need to know why you told me not to protect the boy."

The dragon regarded him, not moving from where he'd been curled up half-asleep.

"You seek my council, and yet you ignore it."

"Just tell me why."

The dragon lifted his head, moving to resettle himself slightly, and answered.

"If the boy lives, you cannot fulfil your destiny."

Merlin stared at him, confused.

"What's he got to do with my destiny? You said it's my destiny to protect Arthur."

"Then you have the answer you seek."

The words sunk in, Merlin shaking his head for a moment, conflicted.

"You're tell me, that little boy is going to kill Arthur?"

"It seems that is up to you."

Under the regard of those golden eyes, Merlin fell silent before once again shaking his head. This couldn't be right.

"No, you can't know that for certain."

The dragon remained resolute in his words.

"You have it in your power to prevent a great evil."

"There must be another way! The future isn't set in stone!"

"You must let the boy die."

The two of them stared at one another in silence, until Merlin could bear it no more and left more confused and uncertain than he had before. What was he supposed to do? Follow his conscience or the words of the dragon. What to believe? His heart, or the tangled web of his own supposed 'destiny'.

Talking to Gaius, cryptically of course, didn't help him either. He decided to do nothing, his fear for Arthur's welfare greater than his will to save the boy, but even as he lay in his bed in the darkening of night he was haunted. Arthur would be sneaking to the dungeons soon, breaking the boy out and heading to the burial vaults. He would head through the tunnel, and wait at the grate... Wait for his servant to fulfil the promise to meet him there with the horse.

Merlin flinched, his thoughts intruded on by the sudden sounding of the alarm bells. Was it that late already? Had Arthur really already gotten the boy out of the cells? He clamped his hands over his ears, trying to shut the sound out, but there was one noise he would never be able to escape from.

'Emrys? Emrys, where are you?' Merlin didn't move, biting his lip and screwing his eyes shut. 'Emrys, help us. Don't ignore me... Why are doing this? I thought we were friends.'

So the boy could tell he was still in the castle, and that knowledge tormented him even more. Merlin sat up, hands still to his ears. Yes, he feared for Arthur's safety, but at the same time the druid boy was still just a child... Was it right to let him die, just because of a 'maybe'? Was the fact that he might kill Arthur one day, a valid excuse for letting him be killed?

To say kill him rather than risk that maybe... sounded an awful lot like Uther.

He lurched to his feet and hurried out, ignoring Gaius when the man watched in surprise. He headed straight for the stables, already reaching out with his mind to the boy.

'I'm on my way.'

It took him barely ten minutes before he was riding out of one of the small side gates into the castle grounds, having sent the guards there to sleep in his haste. He could wake them up on the way back, and worry later if they would notice. He may have chosen to save the boy, but he would not forget the dragon's warning. If one day the boy did come back and try to harm Arthur, then he would face that consequence and do everything in his power to protect the prince. But for now the boy was still just a child, and he would give him the chance that all children deserved. To forge a path of their own and defy what others say their fate will be. He would not stoop down to Uther's level.

By the time he'd ridden to the tunnel exit, nearly twenty minutes had passed since the bells began to ring, and the delay was evident in the manner that Arthur 'greeted' him from the other side of the grate.

"Merlin! Where the hell have you been?"

The servant began to secure the grappling hook to the metal bars, grimacing a little as he made his excuse.

"I had trouble getting out of the castle." He saw the druid boy frown, speaking to him as he trailed the rope from the hook and to the horse's saddle. 'Sorry... I was confused, and afraid of what the consequences of this might be. But I'm here now, and that's all that matters.'

The boy watched him, allowing himself to be pulled back from the grate a little by Arthur as Merlin prepared to use the horse to pull the barrier free.

'But you're Emrys, you're not supposed to be afraid.'

Merlin kicked the horse into a run, the rope snapping tight and the grate ripping free of the tunnel exit with a crash of metal and stone.

'I don't know what your people say about me, or about what I'm suppose to do, but I'm still a person.' He dropped out of the saddle, as Arthur charged over with the boy and hoisted him up to take his place. 'And no person is perfect.'

The boy seemed to accept that, Arthur stepping up into the saddle behind him. The prince then looked to Merlin, oblivious to the conversation that had just gone on.

"If my father asks where I am, I've gone on a hunting trip. You'd better make yourself scarce, or they'll execute you in his place."

He turned the horse to ride off into the woods, the boy looking back to Merlin one last time.

'Goodbye, Emrys. I know that someday we will meet again.'

Merlin watched him go, heart still burdened with worry, but his conscience free of guilt. He then turned to head back to the castle, murmuring under his breath.

"And I hope that when that day comes, you won't make me regret this decision."

It would be late tomorrow before Arthur would return from giving the boy back to his people, and Merlin learn something that in all the boy's time in Camelot, none of them had learnt. The name the prince got him to utter just before they parted ways, a name that his protector would make sure to never forget.

Mordred...

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: Well, I hope you liked my tweak of the end section. Early on, Mordred clearly has no grudge with Merlin, and I wanted my re-write of this episode to reflect the fact that Mordred would have had some idea of what Merlin should be like having heard all the prophecies. And of course, Merlin doesn't exactly fit those. For me, this first encounter between them makes more sense to me this way. Mordred a little disappointed that Emrys is so clearly flawed and inexperienced, and Merlin refusing to let fear of their supposed destinies make him go against his morals.