Yup. Depressing chapter below. But luckily I've written quite a few funny ones since the last update. I've also written a few more serious ones that have ended up far too long for this collection. I'll give shortened previews in a future chapter, then post up the full fics as separate one-shots afterwards, 'kay?

Thanks to the electric phantom, sarajm, Kushina98, FireChildSlytherin5, Catkid14, thebeautifulbicky, Bookwormiie, KaiserPhoenix92, Kitty O, tchutchu94, Storm Blackheart and EnchantedWorlds for reviewing, alerting and favouriting! Whoo-wee!

the electric phantom – I just thought Merlin should be an honorary Druid. The fact that Gwaine would assume Merlin got it on a drunken whim was just a bonus. I almost didn't put it up because I wasn't sure if it was funny enough. Thanks, it's nice to know my scribbles are worth the wait! =D

sarajm – Yeah, I loved the bittersweet-ness too. Merlin/Freya is so sad.

Kushina98 – I'm glad you're enjoying this! I'm trying to write your suggestion, but it's not flowing quite right. I'll keep trying though, I love writing about the friendship between Merlin and the Knights.

FireChildSlytherin5 – Thank you! I can hardly believe so many people are enjoying this!

Catkid14 – George needs a fan club. Everyone loves him.

Thebeautifulbicky – Yup, random. I'd just written a depressing one and wanted to cheer myself up, so my brain went 'Merlin is magically ablaze and doesn't care while Artie has kittens.' My brain's weird.

Bookwormiie – Here's the update! Hope you enjoy it.

Kitty O – That made me laugh so, so hard. George the Superstar!

EnchantedWorlds – Thank you! (Love your username!)

What I've learned from you guys by your responses: Merlin/Freya is the most popular one-episode romance I've ever seen, Elyan needs a woman and George is the best thing ever. EVER.

(I'm thinking of calling the full version of the George adventure: 'Merlin and George's Excellent Adventure!' Like it? Got any other ideas? Got any brass jokes you'd like to share?)

Wind. Water. Earth. Fire.

The elements that made up the world. The elements responsible for life.

But all Merlin could think about was the whirlwind Will took the blame for. The lake Freya had drifted on. The cave where Balinor had lived in exile. The pyre that one day may be lit at his feet.

Wind, Water, Earth and Fire. Joy and Life. Sorrow and Death.

The cycle continues. Not even Emrys could change that.

Merlin, tired and bloody, sword in hand, led the way. Behind him, Uther had his sword sheathed, his arms too busy with carrying the unconscious form of his son.

The bandits had ambushed them, decimating the escort of knights and wounding Arthur. Merlin gripped his blade harder as he heard the battle cries behind them. They were too slow, they couldn't get away. Merlin turned to the King.

"Sire, take Arthur and head for Camelot. I'll hold them off for as long as I can."

Uther wearily regarded the gangly servant who had just offered his life in the vain hope that the two Pendragons would escape. The King knew better. Loyal as the boy was, he was no swordsman. He would buy very little time, and the leg wound Uther had received in the previous battle would hinder any of his attempts to run, never mind while bearing the Prince.

The King offloaded Arthur on to the startled servant, drawing his blade. He halted any protests with a harsh glare, his eyes boring into Merlin as the royal entrusted him with that which was most important to him.

"I will make my stand here. Keep him safe."

Holding his gaze, Merlin bowed as low as he could while supporting the Prince. Knowing that the King would not survive the encounter, he paid him as much respect as he could before making for Camelot.

"Fight well, my Lord."

Sparing one last glance at his son as he was taken hopefully to safety, Uther readied himself for his last stand. Like the Kings of old, he would go out in a blaze of glory.

Arthur remembers the day the sky broke. He was there when it happened.

Morgana had been quiet. Troublingly quiet. No attempts on his life had happened for quite some time. Then they had gotten news.

A blur of action. Riding hard to his destination, heart in his throat. Couldn't be happening. Morgana wouldn't stoop to that…she couldn't.

Just a small village. A few fields, couple of cows. Nothing special.

It wasn't strategic, it was just plain spiteful. Morgana standing triumphant over her conquest. Over her massacre. Nothing remained of Ealdor – no one was spared.

Hunith. Broken in her son's arms, and Arthur realised that Morgana's target had been Merlin, but he couldn't fathom why. He was just a servant. What had he done to her that drove her to this slaughter? Merlin was just a servant, Arthur knew that.

Had known that. Up until Merlin's eyes had flashed gold and the heavens fractured.

Arthur remembered the day Merlin broke. Morgana had gone too far, and now the world was to pay the price.

Gwen sat in her new room, in her new dress, with her new crown and her new responsibilities weighing heavily on her mind.

Queen Guinevere. The Lady Gwen.

This was weird. She felt no different with a crown on her head. She still felt like herself. Like an impostor.

She was just Gwen. She had no business staying in these luxurious quarters, having her laundry done for her, maids running around after her.

It was awkward having her former colleagues wait on her, so she begged them to treat her as they had always done; no bowing or scraping. Some, she knew, resented her for her change in fortune. But she was thankful that the majority seemed happy for her, considering her romance with Arthur to be the perfect fairy-tale.

Gwen thought that if it really was a fairy-tale, her hands wouldn't be shaking so much. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realise Arthur was in the room until his hands covered hers, stilling the trembling.

"Don't worry. You'll be a great Queen, even if you don't feel like it right now."

Gwen's eyes widened. How had he known? She turned in his arms till she faced him, searching his face for the answer. He smiled sadly.

"I know how it feels. I feel like a pretender too, and I've spent my entire life being trained to rule."

The Queen buried her face in his chest, feeling secure in his arms.

"How do you stand all this responsibility?"

The King kissed her cheek.

"Trust in your instincts, they won't steer you wrong."

He gently lifted her chin so she looked him in the eye. He grinned.

"And when in doubt…delegate!"

Now that Sir Leon knew Merlin's big secret – knew that Merlin had a power so great that he himself would never comprehend it – he actually felt closer to him.

Like Merlin, Leon had been told that his destiny was to protect Arthur. And – again, like Merlin – he had hated Arthur. He had grown up alongside the younger man, always being told by adults that when he grew up, he would be a Knight. Which meant swearing fealty to this arrogant, pompous blowhard and laying down his life for him.

As a child, he had hated it. The suffocating expectation. The pressing duty. The inescapable destiny. But as he saw more and more of Arthur, his opinion changed. He saw the goodness…the compassion…the man he would gladly die for. And watching Merlin tell his story, he knew Merlin saw it too.

Merlin and Leon could be considered opposites. From roots to appearance to talents they could hardly be more different. But they had shared a destiny. And both had transcended that destiny, for more than duty kept them at Arthur's side now.

Uther glared at the list of names, trying to concentrate. A loud wailing sound was grating on his nerves and he was forced to stop working to go and see what it was. Further investigation revealed the sound was coming from a crib. The crib that held that child.

For the first time since his wife died, Uther actually looked at the mewling little thing that had taken Ygraine's life. Born of sorcery as it was, the King felt repelled by it. How could he have ever thought any good could come of magic?

He should get back to work, back to the list of sorcerers and executions. But as he turned to go, the howling ceased, and Uther was surprised to see beautiful blue eyes studying him.

His breath was taken away. He couldn't turn his gaze away from those eyes. His whole world realigned. His baby. His son. He hadn't even named him yet.

"Arthur."

Ygraine had liked the name. His son, Arthur Pendragon. Hesitantly, Uther picked him up, more gentle than he realised himself capable of. His boy fit so perfectly in his arms. Uther loved him so suddenly and so strongly he surprised himself. He had felt so empty these past few weeks. But now, holding his baby boy in his arms, tears began to fall.

Uther wept for all he had lost and all he had gained.

I love that last line. I just imagined Uther getting so caught up in the Purge that he doesn't really look at his son till later. And then that popped in my head.

I'm also really proud of that first one. I was really surprised when I realised that the deaths that had most affected Merlin could be related to the elements, with the threat of his own execution representing fire. It's a little chilling.

Also kinda scared by the 'Broken Sky' one. Merlin causing some kind of apocalypse. Terrifying.

Funny thing with the Arwen ones. I always guilt-trip myself into starting them – seeing as most of the things I write about are Merlin-based – but once I finish, I always really like them. Just like how in the actual show I thought the relationship would be rushed and clichéd, but I found myself really liking their romance.

So, funnies next? Or heart-warming next? Thanks for reading!