Sunlight streamed into the great hall. All evidence of Sarrum and Morgana's brief rule had been removed from the castle. Repairs were completed to the masonry and all the items that had been damaged.
Around the round table stood at attention Arthur's knights, Arthur with Guinevere beside him and the aged Emrys in fresh robes of red embroidered with gold. Gaius stood inside the room, a bit further back.
"We are gathered here to induct the sorcerer Emrys into the circle of the Round Table," Arthur's voice rang out sure and true. "Today marks the day that magic is made once again lawful in the kingdom of Camelot. Emrys," he said turning towards Merlin, "Camelot owes you a great debt of gratitude. I owe you a great debt of gratitude. From this day forward your efforts towards a free Camelot will need not be worked in secret. You are welcome to this table!"
The knights cheered. Those of them that knew the truth of Emrys' identity, Leon, Mordred and Gwaine, smiled wider and cheered louder.
Merlin held his face impassive, but his hands were clenched together in a death grip. He'd been dreaming and expecting this day, yet now that it was here, it seemed impossible and miraculous, and his heart was beating a mile a minute.
"I thank you, Arthur Pendragon," he replied in his crackling old voice. "I am humbled and pleased to be granted this honour, and to be able to use my gifts freely and openly in your service, and in the service of Camelot."
The knights cheered again. Mordred was recovering from his ordeal at Morgana's hands, and looked bright and happy. His gaze rested on Arthur and it was full of affection and pride, and Merlin heard the Disir's voices "Your doom will not be lifted. But we will hold you to your promises."
Arthur had fulfilled those promises. Somehow, sometime soon, Mordred would betray them. Morgana was alive, plotting away. They would suffer again at her hands. One day soon, Arthur's doom would once again be upon him.
But that day was not today.
Merlin drew in a deep breath and sat down for the first time at Camelot's round table.
"A threat is rising in the north," Arthur said after they had all taken their seats. "Bands of Saxons are moving south, burning villages beyond Annis' land. They have not yet ventured across her borders, but she is growing weary. She has advised me that she is preparing for the worst, and may send word and call on our aid. And we will be ready. Camelot will answer her call."
Arthur spread out a few maps on the table and pointed out the last known locations of the Saxons' armies.
"Morgana may seek an allegiance with the Saxons, Sire," Merlin spoke.
Arthur looked grim. He nodded.
"We must prepare for the worst." He glanced at the knights. "We do not know their numbers, and I do not want to underestimate them. Annis has sent patrols to find out. In the meantime, I've analyzed some fields of battle that would give us the advantage when we intercept them."
"How about Camlann, Sire?" Sir Leon suggested.
Merlin felt a stab of foreboding at the sound of that name. He opened his mouth to protest, but Arthur beat him to it.
"Camlann is well suited for defense of an attack that has already reached closer to Camelot. But I would not choose it now, not if we are to do our duty by Annis. We will protect her lands. I was thinking here," he pointed to another spot on the map. "What do you think, Emrys?"
Merlin expelled the breath he'd been holding and nodded his approval with relief. "There is another ally I would call upon, Sire" Merlin said. "He is known as Alator of the Catha, a warrior and priest of the old religion. He would be a powerful ally."
"You trust this Alator?" Arthur asked him skeptically.
"With my life."
"Very well," Arthur nodded. "Write to him." Merlin inclined his head. The letter was written and waited in his pocket already. Reaching Alator before Morgana gave him the chance to right another wrong.
As the council ended, Mordred waited until all had left and approached Arthur. Merlin made his way out, hoping that conversation would go well. He knew what it would be about. The time for revelations was at hand.
He walked along the hallway, reaching into his robes' pockets for the tincture that would turn him back into his younger self. As his hand closed around it, he spotted Bri coming towards him at the end of the hall. He let the potion drop back into the pocket.
"Emrys," she greeted him.
"Young woman," Merlin replied, and watched her lips curl up into a smile. He felt bold around her as Emrys, the opposite of awkward and clumsy as when he was simply Merlin. "Have you accepted Gaius' offer of apprenticeship?"
"I have, oh, Emrys the great!"
"You are very cheeky with your elders."
She shook her head skeptically. "I doubt very much that you are," she said softly so that they would not be overhead.
"What?"
"My elder."
She smiled, and Merlin's eyes fell again to her lips.
"Perhaps Gaius will be able to teach you something. Let's hope you're not a waste of his time."
Her smile blossomed into a full grin.
"You do cranky really well, you know. It rather suits you."
He raised his hand towards her cheek.
"You have a little smudge here," he lied, brushing his knuckles along her warm skin.
"Do I really?"
When had she moved to stand so close, Merlin wondered? Or perhaps he was the one who'd moved closer to her. He took a step back. This would look too odd if anyone chanced to see them. He cleared his throat.
"Well, then! Very good!" he barked out, clasping his hands behind his back. "I suppose I will see you around."
"You suppose well, Emrys. One would think you're a seer."
"Well, I am a great sorcerer," he shot over his shoulder as they parted ways. He heard her laughter ring out behind him and grinned to himself.
...
"Mordred's a druid," Arthur said that evening as Merlin was putting away Arthur's armour. When Merlin said nothing, Arthur threw him a sideways glance. "He was the young druid boy who... Merlin, you knew this!"
"I did," Merlin admitted. "But he had to tell you himself."
"So many people close to me, living in hiding!" Arthur sat heavily on the side of his bed, staring at the wall. "It's nothing short of a miracle that after all that's happened to him because of," here Arthur paused, "because of my family, Mordred is here, and loyal to me and Camelot." He turned to look at Merlin. "Even you Merlin. There were so many times you could have turned against me. I've really been blind, haven't I?"
"You don't really want me to answer that, do you?"
Arthur scoffed, shaking his head.
Merlin smiled. "Well, we all figured you're not a complete prat."
Arthur threw a pillow at him, and Merlin dodged it.
"You're going to have to get that yourself," Merlin told him. "I'm a bit busy at the moment."
"What, can't you make it float back or something?" Arthur challenged him.
Merlin stared at him, a smile growing on his lips. Suddenly, the pillow came flying back, aimed for Arthur's head, and Arthur, unprepared for the attack, took it squarely in the face with a muffled groan. Merlin burst into a satisfied cackle.
When they'd settled down a bit, Arthur told him the rest of his conversation with Mordred.
"Mordred's asked for leave to visit his people before we ride north to Annis' aid. He has no family left, but I understand there's a girl."
"Ah, yes! There's always a girl," Merlin said with a smile. He was uneasy about Mordred, but he could not see how his betrayal would play out. All he knew was that he had averted an evil he knew and opened a door for one unknown, unpredictable.
"Always? You think so?" Arthur pried, innocently.
"Always!" Merlin said, falling for the bait.
"So, there's a girl, Merlin?"
"What? No! It's not like that!"
"No? Well Guinevere seems inclined to think otherwise. She overhead a strange conversation between Bri and Emrys this afternoon. Oh, for crying out loud, Merlin, are you blushing?"
...
Merlin woke up gasping for air. His shirt was wet and clammy and he felt chilled to the bone. The moon was still high in the sky and Gaius's snores came deep and even from the other room.
Images from his dream lingered in his mind.
A bloody battlefield, the sky red in the dawn like the sky at Camlann. In the middle of the field, there stood Camelot's round table, and the knights, Arthur and Merlin stood around it. Across from Arthur, three hooded figures holding staffs with sharpened tips, their faces barely discernible under their black cowls. The Disir.
Bodies littered the ground around the round table. Up above them Merlin heard the beating of wings and a sharp laugh that he recognized as Morgana's.
"You've kept your promise, Arthur Pendragon," the Disir spoke. The sky darkened. "Your doom is upon you. The Goddess does not relent."
"No!" Merlin tried to shout, but his mouth would not open. His body was frozen, unable to move.
He watched in horror as Mordred leapt up onto the table and stepped across it towards Arthur. Arthur and all his knights were frozen in place like statues. Some of them were smiling, unaware of what was happening. As Mordred reached Arthur, he bent and pulled Excalibur out of its sheath at Arthur's side. With the hilt clasped in both hands, in the circle of the knights of the round table, he plunged Excalibur into Arthur's chest.
Shaking, Merlin squeezed his eyes shut trying to block the images. He threw the blanket off and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He walked to his clothes chest at the foot of the bed and, hands shaking, pulled out a fresh shirt and pants.
After he'd changed out of his sweat soaked clothes, Merlin snuck out of Gaius' rooms, desperate to get out into the open and get some air. He walked along the dark passages and hallways of the castle like a ghost. In the hallway overlooking the courtyard, Merlin opened one of the large windows and with his hands braced on the sill, he leaned out, closed his eyes, and inhaled the fresh night air. His heart was still hammering like a wild thing in his chest.
He remembered Kilgharrah's advice that he must do all he can to ensure Mordred's death. He'd followed that advice and made a huge mistake with the Disir the first time around. He shook his head. Looking back on how Mordred had betrayed them, it had not warranted Merlin's suspicion of him. He could not continue that way, suspicious, on edge, waiting for a chance to kill Mordred. It was not right. He was not a murderer. And Mordred didn't deserve it.
He didn't know how he would stop this new unfolding of Arthur's doom, but in his own mind he began to suspect that the key lay with Arthur and not with Mordred.
His thoughts were interrupted by the clatter of hooves upon the pavement. The noise was piercing in the quietness of the night. He opened his eyes and saw a rider enter the courtyard at full speed. The rider dismounted hastily, almost falling off the horse.
"I seek the King!" the man shouted. Lights became visible in the windows as people woke. Sentries rushed towards him. "Queen Annis calls for aid!" the man shouted again. "The Saxons have crossed our borders."