In the forest of Ascetir they met a handful of Arthur's men who had escaped Morgana's takeover, much fewer than Arthur had hoped for. Merlin searched in vain for Gaius and Bri amongst them. Night time found them tense and silent, preparing for the early morning hours when they would put their plan into action.

After much argument, Arthur had resigned himself to the fact that Gwen would not agree to stay behind. She'd donned breeches and had borrowed a long knife from one of the knights. A deep scowl had taken permanent residence on Arthur's face and even Gwaine avoided him.

Feeling like he could no longer postpone the inevitable, Merlin approached him where he sat glowering at the fire.

"Arthur," he began, "there's something I need to tell you."

"You mean there's more?" Arthur retorted gruffly.

"When we enter the castle tomorrow, it might be best that I go in disguise."

"You can always disguise yourself as my manservant!"

Merlin didn't know if he should laugh or cringe.

"I never wanted to deceive you." Arthur turned his face away, but Merlin pressed on. There were things he wanted to tell him, now, before tomorrow's battle. Who knew if they'd get the chance again? "I always wanted you to know me as I really am." His voice broke and he fought back tears. "But I couldn't. You would have had my head."

A huff escaped Arthur and Merlin knew his friend was still listening.

"I don't know what I would have done," Arthur finally said, and Merlin heard the echo of the same words he'd spoken to him on their journey to Avalon. He squeezed his eyes shut as if in pain.

"I should have told you years ago," Merlin whispered. "I made a mistake to keep it from you."

"I might have had your head," Arthur said flippantly. "Mind you, I might still have it now."

Merlin gave him a wry smile.

"There's something else. Remember Dragoon the Great, the old sorcerer that tried to heal your father?"

Arthur's brows drew together.

"The one that killed him, you mean?"

"The one that tried to save his life," Merlin emphasized.

"What of him?"

"That was me."

Arthur jumped to his feet.

"I swear to you, Arthur, I tried to save his life!"

They stared at each other across the fire. Finally Arthur sat back down.

"Gaius implied as much," he conceded. His head snapped up. "Oh, gods, that basket case, Dragoon the Great! That was you?" He frowned in concentration. "You saved Gwen's life, when my father accused her of bewitching me! It made absolutely no sense at the time." He stared at Merlin across the fire. "And my father almost had you burned." He shook his head and let out a dry laugh. "How many of these revelations am I going to have, Merlin?"

Merlin grimaced. "Uh, ... a few."

"Did Gaius know about you?"

Merlin lowered his gaze, but his answer was clear. Arthur swore softly and ran a hand through his hair. "It was just me, then, that you kept in the dark." He nodded his head bitterly. "How could you not tell me?"

"You think it was easy for me?" Merlin snapped. "To save your royal arse and never get any credit for it? To clean your armour, muck your stables and scrub your boots while you called me an idiot? To live under fear of death if discovered? In fear of losing your friendship?"

The startled expression on Arthur's face should have given him some satisfaction, but he felt none.

"You're my friend, Arthur. You were destined to rule over Camelot and bring about a golden age. I was destined to serve you. I wouldn't change any of that. But I am sorry for not telling you sooner."

Arthur stared at him across the fire. "I can see how it might have been difficult," he said wryly.

They sat in silence around the fire. When Sir Leon came and offered Arthur the use of a tent for the night, Arthur's grumbled reply was "No, I'm fine here." And he lay back against a fallen tree trunk and eventually fell asleep.

Across from him, Merlin smiled and settled in for the night.

...

Before the dawn broke, the small company made its way stealthily towards Camelot. Sarrum's sentries encountered on the way were silenced quickly. They advanced to one of the siege passages under the eastern wall. It was locked and guarded. Gwaine dispatched one of the soldiers and Arthur another. Furtively, Merlin whispered the spell that released the lock. One by one they stepped into the passage.

"Can you seal it behind us?" Arthur asked once every man had gone through and only he and Merlin remained just inside the gated door.

In response, Merlin spoke another incantation, his eyes glowing bright and the gate locked.

"I'm having trouble getting used to that," Arthur confessed reluctantly. "I thought you had no natural talents."

"Except being naturally clumsy?" Merlin threw him a hopeful glance and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"It's time," Merlin said and muttered the incantation that transformed him into the aged Emrys.

Arthur stared at him, his mouth hanging open.

"Good gods, it is you, Merlin!" He exclaimed. "I should have known! I thought youlooked familiar!"

"You're as observant as a blind goat, Arthur," Merlin the elder said with more audacity than Merlin the younger would have had at that moment.

Arthur blinked twice, slowly. "You just wait," he mumbled.

"Remember, from now on, I am Emrys."

"I'll remember."

They broke into a run to catch up with the others.

"Can't you move any faster?" Arthur snapped at Merlin as he hobbled along and eventually fell behind.

"I'm not as young as I use to be," Merlin shot back, stopping to catch his breath.

"How old are you exactly?"

"About ninety. But quite sprightly for my age, wouldn't you say?"

Arthur scoffed.

They snaked their way through the corridors and down to the holding cells in the dungeons. Not expecting any counter attack, the cells were poorly defended, and the guards were easily dispatched.

"Sire!" Gaius called out from one of the cells. Merlin set to work, be-spelling each lock open. Gaius gave him a quiet stare, raising an eyebrow. Bri walked out of a second cell to stand beside Gaius and regarded Merlin with curiosity. To Merlin's relief they both looked tired and wrinkled, but unharmed.

Percival emerged holding up a badly injured Mordred. Elyan was behind them. He and Gwen embraced.

"It's good to see you alive," he told her. "We thought ..."

Noticing the old sorcerer, the knights took a weary step back, looking for weapons.

"He's a friend," Arthur spoke, and his voice was full of conviction. Merlin looked up at him and their eyes met briefly. "He's going to help us fight Morgana. How is Mordred?"

"Not good, Sire. Morgana had him tortured."

Gaius was already examining his wounds.

"He should not be moved," he advised. "I'll tend to him here, but I will need medicine from my stores."

"I'll fetch them for you," Bri offered. "I know what you need."

"You can't," Merlin told her with authority, shaking his head. "It's too dangerous. Gaius' quarters would be well guarded."

"And who exactly are you, friend?" she asked him and her eyes narrowed. "You look familiar. Have we met before?"

Merlin scowled at her, and she, unimpressed, barely raised an eyebrow.

"I am called Emrys," he replied crossly.

"Never heard of you!"

"Never heard of the great sorcerer, Emrys?" he scoffed. "You don't know very much, do you?"

She drew back, her expression half puzzled and half amused at his audacity.

"You two. Stop that!" Arthur snapped. "Percival, you go with Bri to Gaius' chambers for medicines, and when you are done, come find us," Arthur ordered. He turned to the others. "We must go. We can't lose any more time. Gaius, where can Sarrum and Morgana be found?"

"The throne room, Sire."