Chapter 23: Our Merlin

After Merlin said his farewells to Flora and Libæna, promising to visit them at least once during the summer, he met Stephen and they walked out together. Stephen was a good traveling companion as they walked along the road to Camelot. They talked about about small things and walked fast. Merlin learned that Stephen had also grown up near some woods so he was comfortable travelling through the trees. When they stopped for the first night, Merlin decided now was a good time to start revealing his secrets.

"Stephen." Merlin broke the comfortable silence as they sat next to the fire they had lit.

"Hmm?" Stephen continued staring into the fire.

"One other thing about his job." Now his friend looked over at him. "You need to be able to keep secrets. Big secrets, small secrets, details about people's lives. Secrets that are dangerous as well if they fall on the wrong ears. Can you do that?" he asked seriously. Stephen met his gaze and nodded.

"I already keep the secrets of some of my friends close to my heart. I believe I can do the same for my employers."

"Here is your first secret then," Merlin grinned and leaned close to whisper in his ear. "I'm currently maintaining an aging spell." He pulled back to see Stephen's astonished face as he let the spell fade away and cracked his shoulders. Stephen continued to stare at Merlin for a while before he broke into a grin.

"Now I don't have to feel bad that Anna was always telling me how you were so much more mature and how I should act like you. Of course you are more mature! You're years beyond me." Merlin joined in his laughter.

"So, you'll keep it a secret?"

"Of course, Drugen." He punched Merlin lightly on the arm. "You're my buddy."

"It doesn't make you think too differently of me?"

"Well, it will take a bit of getting used to, but you are still you."

"Glad to hear it. You will be finding out a lot of surprising things in the next four days." Stephen raised his eyebrows in an unspoken question, but Merlin refused to answer. "Get some sleep. I'll answer more of your questions tomorrow while we walk." After extracting a promise on this, Stephen rolled over on his bedroll and let Merlin take first watch.

Conversation was entertaining the next day. Stephen connected some clues very fast. As soon as he woke up he stared at Merlin and blurted out, "you were the man who appeared in the Great Hall during the battle!"

"Yup. Oatmeal?" Merlin held out the bowl and Stephen accepted.

"Did you fight in the battle then?"

"Yes. And careful, it's still a bit hot," he warned just a second too late. Stephen opened his mouth wide, panting to get some cool morning air to cool off the spoonful already on his tongue. When we was finally able to swallow, he shot back another question. "So what awesome spells did you use? What was it like outside?"

"If you don't mind, I'll answer those questions later on. There's still some things you don't know about me that will make the answers to that question make more sense than it would now. I'll try to answer your questions as best I can though.

The questions continued all that day. Sometimes just about Merlin's childhood, his reasons for pretending to be younger, and plying him for more tips about fighting with a sword. Merlin in turn asked Stephen questions about his childhood, his four years at Hogwarts, and his ambitions. They still had plenty more to discus but once again they needed to rest after a long day of walking.

Just after they began walking the second morning, Merlin's sharp ears picked up the sound of horses. He stopped and magically looked ahead. What he saw coming their way made him smile. Stephen looked curious.

"Looks like you will be finding out more secrets very soon," he told Stephen mysteriously. After all of their talking the previous days, he only shrugged and looked excited. When the horses came within his hearing, he asked Merlin if they should leave the main road.

"They could be bandits."

"Pah," he scoffed. "Bandits hardly ever attack on horseback and they very rarely attack anyone on the main road. You have nothing to fear from these riders." Said riders came into view now from around a bend in the road. Merlin let out a whistle that was echoed back and the horses slowed to avoid trampling them. "Leon! Percival! It's good to see you again!" Merlin called out as they pulled the horses to a stop.

"Merlin, my friend," Percival dismounted and crushed his hand in his own. "It's good to see you again."

"You didn't stop by to see us last time you were in Camelot," Leon added as he shook Merlin's hand with a far more respectable grip. "We were disappointed."

"I know but I had to get back to school and it is a long ride."

"Shorter than most quests Arthur dragged you on though." Merlin laughed.

"That is true. But not nearly as fun when I don't have my friends with me. Speaking of which." Merlin stepped back and gestured to Stephen. "This is Stephen. Stephen, allow me to introduce you to Sir Leon and Sir Percival, Camelot's finest knights."

Stephen appeared a bit wonderstruck but he managed to nod respectively to both of the knights before turning back to face Merlin.

"You're Merlin?" he asked. "As in The Merlin? Of Camelot?" Percival grinned as Merlin got a little red.

"Yes. That would be one of the big secrets. Now, I do believe these horses are for us, right? Mount up Stephen."

Having revealed that he had never ridden before, Percival lifted him up onto his horse and the three of them gave him some brief pointers. As he concentrated on staying on his ride, the knights filled Merlin in on the latest happenings at home. Then conversation turned to Hogwarts and they laughed at the excuse Merlin had been loaded with.

"At least it's better than Arthur believing I spend all my time in the tavern. At least I can't be blamed for invisibility."

"That was made up?" Stephen had finally become comfortable enough to join in the conversation.

"Yea, Salazar was trying to prank me, but as Rowena told him, you just can't prank the prank master." He grinned.

"Careful there, Merlin," Percival warned. "If you continue like that you head might just get even bigger than Arthur's." Merlin gasped dramatically and made a show of checking his head size.

"So where were you really then?" Stephen asked amid the laughter.

"You should be able to figure that out. Go thru what you know and don't be afraid to talk out loud."

"Alright. First you told me well showed me, your real age. Then I figured out that you were the man who appeared in the Great Hall. Which is the same man who was standing with the four heads of houses at the end of the battle."

"Very good. Do you remember what they said at the end?"

"Some of them were forgiven, others were going to do hard work, and the one lady was going to be brought to Camelot. Professor Gryffindor and Professor Slytherin had left that night but were back the next morning. I'm guessing Camelot is further away than that." They all nodded. "So that means the fifth person, you, would've taken her to Camelot, which makes sense because you are Merlin. I still can't get over that." Merlin rolled his eyes. "So the invisibility covered for the fact that you went back to Camelot!" he finished excitedly.

"And in that time you were back, he didn't feel obliged to even stop by and see his friends," Leon accused.

"I'm sorry! I was exhausted," Merlin tried to defend himself. "You try fighting against fifty sorcerers when you only number five. And don't tell me I should've just blasted them to bits. They are my kin and most of them were just misguided. Celestia had spun lies about the school to get them to join."

"You always were too soft-hearted. Glad to see that hasn't changed." A comfortable silence fell as they enjoyed the Spring weather. "Stephen?" Leon asked. "Is that a sword wrapped in your pack?"

"Just a short sword, sir."

"Do you train with it?"

"Yes, sir. We had a duelling club at school. I wanted to be a knight before I found out that I had magic, sir."

"We might be able to have that still happen. Tell me, are you any good?"

"Better than most of the other boys at Hogwarts, sir," he replied. "But you should ask Drugen, er Merlin. He has been coaching me." The knights raised their eyebrows.

"Don't give me that look. Just because I'm no good doesn't mean I haven't picked up a few things from having to sit through almost ten years of watching Arthur train with all the knights." The knights present smiled and Merlin realised they were teasing him again. "Anyways... Stephen is better than he is telling you. He has improved a lot and listen to instructions well. With some training you many have another fine knight in your service Leon. Although, his other training will still come first."

"Of course, my lord," Leon mocked him. Merlin groaned.

"Not you too. I get enough of it from the druids. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." He glared at the other knight. "I noticed you recognized the name. What did you tell him?"

"I told him the druidic prophecy and he remembered that Emrys was the one Morgana kept searching for. Was Arthur really...?"

"Yes. I've known it since the day I met him. It took some time to see that, but I believe it." They nodded and Percival smiled. He had heard of the Once and Future King many times when he had lived with the druids in his childhood; he could imagine no better man to be given that title. They rode over the hill and Stephen gasped in amazement at the castle before him.

"Even more beautiful that Hogwarts, right?" Merlin said softly. They rode through the gates and up into the square where Gwen was waiting on the steps in a simple purple dress. When they approached, she ran down the steps to meet them.

"Merlin! It's so good to see you again." Merlin leapt off his horse and embraced her fondly.

"Gwen, it's hardly been more than a month since I saw you last."

"And you spent most of that time sleeping," she reprimanded with her hands on her hips. "These two wouldn't get off my case after you left for not seeing them and Ambrose was nearly in tears." Merlin hung his head. "Now would you like to introduce me to your friend?" Stephen had managed to dismount and remain standing on his sore legs.

"Right. Gwen, this is Stephen, a recent graduate of Hogwarts. Stephen, this is Guinevere Pendragon, Queen of Camelot."

Stephen dropped into a deep bow upon realising this was the queen.

"Your majesty."

"Please stand Stephen." She turned back to Merlin. "Has he accepted your proposition?"

"Well, I haven't actually told him the position yet. I told him some details on the road and he seemed excited but I thought I might give him a day to adjust to Camelot first."

"And he just followed you anyway?" Merlin shrugged. "He didn't even know you were taking him to Camelot did he?" Merlin and Stephen both shook their heads. "It's a good thing you are a good person. Goodness know why he trusted you that much."

"People say I have a trustworthy face." he said cheekily. Gwen only shook her head.

"Stephen, Armin here will show you to your quarters. You can leave your belongs there. Do you have fresh clothes to change into after your travels?"

"If not, Gwen here has already figured out your measurements and we can get you a new set." Gwen blushed.

"I have other clothes, your highness," Stephen responded meekly.

"Excellent," Merlin said. "Why don't you go change into fresh clothes for a tour of the castle and then you can join me for supper. Okay?" Stephen nodded and followed Armin into the castle.

"Since you are taking supper with him, can I request your company for breakfast?" Gwen asked as Merlin grabbed his pack and staff off the horse.

"It would be my pleasure, your majesty," he said with a low bow before running off.

"Merlin! How many times?" Gwen yelled after him but she knew he wouldn't hear. She turned back to the two knights who had been silently smiling this whole time. "I miss him constantly but when he comes back I swear he tries to make me as annoyed as possible. I still don't know how Arthur put up with him constantly. Do you think he will ever stop?"

"No, my lady," Leon replied. "Not so long as he is our Merlin."