"Though the truth may vary
this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore"

Morgana was scrying Merlin's meeting with Arthur. Merlin warned Morgana that Gwen approached Arthur on the topics of Morgana and Emrys specifically. Throughout the conversation she found that Arthur would grant amnesty to Morgana but never allow her in the castle walls again. Gwen also found that Arthur would lift the ban on magic if he could speak with the prophet warlock Emrys. Of course, the King admitted to his wife, those were just hopes of his that were not possible. Gwen gulped her food back and asked what if it were? Arthur promised a safe meeting if Emrys were to approach the King peacefully. Gwen said that came across a woman who knew who Emrys was and she would set up a meeting the next day the knights rode out to patrol the outlying villages.

The day in which Merlin revealed himself as Emrys to the king of Camelot was finally there and Morgana couldn't be by his side. She was asked to please stand outside and scry the conversation. The night before she hadn't had any nightmares about Merlin getting killed, not that she expected Arthur to do that to his loyal servant. In fact, Merlin claimed that occasionally the King would ask his servant for advice. He did find that his two best confidants were both from the lower city.

She whispered the spell to watch her lover walk to either his honor or his death. She was biting her nails endlessly. She was a witch. Merlin could not go alone she had insisted before but now she felt cold and accepting of the decision he made. It was not the one she would have made but she just knew that he would make a good decision.

"Arthur, my love?" Gwen questioned from behind the door. Merlin was surely at her side.

"Gwen, I am here. This entire side of the castle is closed off under my orders. I sent Agravaine away as well. Emrys, if he is present, is safe to enter." Arthur sounded patient, even relieved, that the opportunity had arisen for him to meet the great sorcerer to live.

"I must ask you for sure that you will be understanding before I bring him in, Arthur Pendragon. I don't want to be responsible for the death of a man who you promised not to kill or punish. I will not have a hand in this if you do not promise me this one thing." Gwen was the sweetest person she had ever met. She was a great Queen and would go down in history for sure. A decision she made influenced the one Merlin made that Morgana had not approved of but at least she was doing everything to keep Merlin safe. Morgana owed Gwen so much, so much indeed.

"Bring Emrys in, Gwen. I would not agree to this if I didn't believe I could keep my word." Morgana was biting her lip angrily. She couldn't bare the wait. Soon Merlin would be walking through the door at Arthur and admitting himself to be Emrys. She was trying to keep herself at bay by remembering the first night she kissed Merlin, the night that spent together as one, when Merlin promised himself to her with or without marriage. They were always meant to be, even if one would have to kill the other.

Gwen was walking through the door in a grandiose blue ensemble. Morgana always wore sleek and slim fit dresses but Gwen's were full and luxurious. She opened the door into full view while asking that Arthur close his eyes until instructed otherwise. He said he would agree but only because she was his wife. Their flirting was somewhat encouraging.

Soon Merlin was walking into the room cautiously. Gwen shut the door behind him and found herself trailing him all the way to the stairs in front of Arthur Pendragon. Merlin was trembling visibly, even in her small pool of water. Gwen grabbed Merlin's hand and squeezed before stepping aside as he took a final breath.

"Arthur…" Merlin started. Arthur already recognized his voice. He lurched forward waiting for the confirmation. "You may open your eyes, my lord."

She could see the same emotions she experienced upon realizing Merlin was the one and only Emrys. He opened his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. He was completely speechless. His crown fell from his head and rolled away from him quickly. Arthur found himself on his feet but unmoving from the highest spot in the room. He looked down on Merlin with wide eyes.

"You are Emrys? Merlin, you are Emrys!" His voice questioned the reality standing on front of him. Merlin watched his kind, his master, and his best friend as he glowered at the servant. All the years that they had been friends and Arthur was now finding that Merlin betrayed people of his kind, defending Camelot's stance in a land without magic. Arthur stared on emotionless.

"Yes, I am. I never knew that a time would present itself in which I could tell you." Arthur looked from Merlin over to Gwen who straightened her posture at his critical glare.

"How long have you known, Gwen? How long have you known this?" He was out of breath. It was still laying into him what was happening. Gwen didn't respond right away. Arthur got instantly upset and shouted at her while gesturing towards the ground she stood on to imply a commanded answer. "HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOW!"

She did not falter, however, and spoke steadily as if her husband hadn't just raised his voice at her. Gwen bowed her head, "A few days before I brought it up at dinner, sire."

"Arthur, please calm down for a moment. Surely you understand why I couldn't speak up about this sooner. Your father would have killed me. There were times when I thought you would kill me." This infuriated Arthur more than the fact that Merlin was a warlock, it appeared. He got so close to Merlin that their noses touched. Gwen stepped neared to them but Arthur shoved her away from him. Gwen didn't fall down but she grabbed her arm and nearly struck her King for his actions.

"You believed that I would kill you? You thought that I wouldn't have kept your secret? Are we not friends, Merlin? Have I not covered for you? Have I given you any reason to believe that I would have killed you? If anything I am more upset that you didn't trust me to keep you safe." Arthur grabbed Merlin by his arms and shook him slightly. "I have trusted you blindly for years and you couldn't repay me that one thing."

He released Merlin and turned to Gwen to whom he apologized. Morgana felt bad for Arthur on some level. For years Merlin had been coming up with brilliant ideas that seemed impossible or improbable that Arthur didn't believe but somehow convinced others to go along with it. Surely he was understanding now in Merlin's revealed state that perhaps he'd never been fantastic and capable but guarded by a warlock.

"Arthur, I have loved you like a brother for years. I thought our friendship would end if you knew that I was saving your life. I thought you would resent me if you knew I fixed your odds. I thought you'd kill me if you knew that I tried to save your father with an aging spell only to have it turn on me and cause his death. Nothing that I had ever done for the better would have meant a thing to a man who agreed to uphold magic bans in his kingdom created by his murderous father." Merlin was on the defensive now. Arthur felt betrayed but now Merlin did as well. He expected Arthur's worst or his best but not his most selfish. He was hurt because he felt as if Merlin wasn't a real friend. He wasn't happy that his friend felt comfortable to finally admit his role. He wasn't mad because all this time a sorcerer was by his side and he'd never known.

"I cannot help but wonder how many times you saved my life, how many times without you I would have died. But now is not the time to ask about what could have been. The only question about the past I want to ask is what made you want to tell me now, since clearly our strong friendship meant nothing before." Arthur's personality was showing again and he gaining a small level of comfort. Morgana sobbed with happiness. He didn't kill Merlin. That's all her mind was wrapped around, he didn't kill Merlin.

"That is a story best left for another day, Arthur." Morgana was glad that he didn't test his limits by stating that she was the driving factor behind the decision. He never let her once forget that he was making the decisions for her. "If you don't mind my asking, what will become of the magic ban?"