This chapter exists because I thought it was really mean to portray Queen Ygraine as a tool for evil so voila!

Gaius' POV

Life in Camelot is a mess. The King is completely static and inactive, the military is a mess after losing the first and second knight of Camelot, with Arthur gone the council are squabbling over who should take charge as regent and many rich lords have been sniffing around trying to take power. Not to mention Sir Mordred and Guinevere.

When he first came to Camelot I hoped he would be as kind as his parents but after observing him as I have I can see there's darkness to him and his marriage to Guinevere was far too fast for my liking. Gwen seems happy but the union still seems somewhat unholy to me. But without Merlin as my confidante and general dogsbody I'm not sure what to do. She was the one who would find solutions and then not-very-carefully use her magic to prevent any magical threat and without her I feel at sea. Not that Mordred has shown any sign of being magical and I pray he has taken after his father and can only wield a sword.

I have nobody left. Gwen has become more distant since her marriage which is to be expected and everybody else is away from Camelot with no hope of returning alive anytime soon. I wish I was not as old as I am, that I could still be useful, could still wield magic but alas here I am the old physician trapped in the walls of Camelot unable to help the ones closest to me.

Contemplating this I find myself wandering to the crypt below Camelot and my feet lead me to Ygraine's grave. I haven't been here for almost ten years but the tomb gleams in its white marble splendour as the day it was first crafted. Uthur chose the unusual stone because he felt it would glow like her pure white skin.

Something about that memory brings me to tears and I collapse onto my ancient knees with the weight of the last twenty years bearing down heavily on my shoulders. I never permitted myself to cry then and forced myself to remain stoic as endless lines of friends were burnt. I tried to help a few but I barely made a scratch at the masses of innocents who passed through the dungeons.

At the foot of Ygraine's I remember the brighter days when she was alive and the kingdom was the gem of the five kingdoms. Uthur and Ygraine ruling over the people with justice and mercy, Ambrosia with her flock of apprentices sweeping around the castle causing mischief, Myrddin leading the knights of Camelot valiantly and attempting to woo Ambrosia, Balinor flying into the court yard on a dragon just because he could and assisting Ambrosia in her mischief making, Percival trying desperately to balance being a knight, a lord and a husband to a High Priestess, Elowen herself would always play with the children from the lower town, Nimueh well nobody ever knew what she was going to do.

Then there was Alice... I loved her, still do. She was a Lord's daughter but had the gift of healing- both in magic and herb lore. She was unrivalled and often assisted me in my rounds. A beautiful kind smile on her face and a twinkling laugh ready on her lips. I've lost them all. I'm an old, useless man haunted by the memories of youth and happier times.

"Don't even think that." a soft voice calls out to me and my brain instantly makes a grab for that long forgotten voice. Still full of the grace and kindness it held twenty years ago.

"Ygraine?" The name is hoarse and unfamiliar to my tongue.

A blurry figure of Ygraine appears and though she is smiling I see tears collected in her blue eyes. "Yes Gaius. It's me. The Triple Goddess has allowed me to come back to you now."

"The Triple Goddess? Why would she care about me?" I can hear the self pity in my own voice.

"Hush, my friend. Quiet your doubts for they are wrong. The Triple Goddess has not forsaken you no matter what you believe." I go to interrupt her but she talks across me. "She has always been at your side Gaius giving you strength to get through the carnage left by my death."

"None of that was your fault Ygraine. You knew nothing of what was to pass."

"I know Gaius but that does not stop me from despairing that it ever needed to happen. That my husband could not see beyond the tragedy of my death to see the miracle of his son. But this is not the reason I've been sent Gaius. The strength that was given to you during the Purge comes with a price and now is the moment to pay."

"I will gladly pay my life. My life is over, my destiny to protect Merlin fulfilled."

"Old friend it is not your life she asks of you and your destiny is by no means fulfilled." Her voice is calm and soothing and I think about what a wonderful mother she would have been to Arthur if fate had not been so cruel.

"It isn't?"

"No old friend." She brings a sealed vial of water into her hand and indicates for me to take it. "When the time is right you must give this to Merlin. The fate of Albion depends upon it. The water within will provide the answer to her question."

"What question?" I ask accepting her gift.

"You shall know when the time is right." She jerks her head suddenly and saddens. "I am being called back. I must leave you, Gaius but before I do may I ask you one favour?"

"Of course old friend." A soft smile returned to her lips and she looked at me with care and gratitude. I owe it to her memory to do whatever my Queen asks of me.

"Tell Arthur I love him and that never regret giving up my life for his." With that the blurry figure faded and I was left alone at my dear friend's grave with her parting words hanging in the air and the small vial clutched in my hand.

Gwaine's POV

So when a hungry looking Merlin, a disgruntled Freya and a guilty looking Arthur returned to camp I'll admit that I was curious but it seems that none of them are going to say what's up or anything at all. Although for Merlin that may be because she seems to be inhaling her food at an alarming pace. Freya and Arthur remain stonily silent and won't look at eachother.

Finally Merlin stops eating for half a second to speak to the two of them. "Would you two cheer up already!"

"What?" Arthur clears his voice and desperately tries to look normal, resulting in him simply looking even shiftier.

"You two have been decidedly down beat since you returned. What happened Freya catch you and Merlin doing something you shouldn't in the forest?" I waggle my eyebrows suggestively trying to lighten the mood. Even though Lancelot gave a weak chuckle the other three looked stonier even Merlin. "What she didn't, did she?"

"M...Freya found Arthur and I and misinterpreted the situation. She thought we had had sex." What hell kind of situation would make her think that? And frankly I'd be relieved if Arthur and Merlin did the deed and got rid of the sexual tension that practically radiates between them.

"Yes well now that we've not had sex can everybody shut up about it!" Arthur's slightly pink.

"Why would that be such a bad thing?" Everybody looked at me and I was slightly terrified by the look on Freya's face. "What? It would clear the air around here and what the hell you'd make a fine couple despite the constant squabbling."

Arthur stares at the floor as if he wants it to give him the answer to some sort of problem. His face was taut and resigned. "It would not be proper for us to marry. Merlin was a servant and is a sorceress and no matter what you think Gwaine I would never take Merlin's virtue and leave her. One day she will meet a man who can give her everything that I cannot and it would be wrong of me to give her false hope."

Merlin doesn't seem surprised by this and just mirrors the banished prince with a look of resignation and I can't help but want to hit something. This is bullshit! It doesn't matter who Merlin and Arthur they have every right to have sex and get married if that's what they want to do! She obviously just wants Arthur, anybody who has seen them together can see the attraction and care, what she should wait around until she might feel like this again someday?! And Camelot would be lucky to have Merlin as her Queen she's beautiful, funny, kind and also has saved all their asses loads of times judging by the stories she told me and Lancelot. But the stupid fact she's not a blue blood means that she can't be happy! Well just another reason on my rapidly growing list as to how much nobility is stupid!

Yeah I know Gaius is a bit OOC but he can't always be the wise old man. They have doubts too!