Okay, here's part three, it get's a little weird from here onwards, but the identity of the nine people is revealed in this chapter!
And I don't own Merlin (which is sad!)
Finally, two weeks after Merlin returned, the identity of the figures was revealed. All nine of them walked into the council chambers, where Gwen was sat. Merlin, who was stood next to her, noticed the people and nudged Gwen.
"Gwen, you might want to look up!" Gwen raised her head and gasped. One of the figures stepped forward and Merlin had a feeling it was the one he had knocked over a few weeks ago. Gwen rose from her throne and looked at the hooded person before her.
"As your Queen, I am asking you to reveal your identity." The figure nodded then pulled back their hood, causing Gwen to scream. Stood in front of her was Arthur. Merlin just looked at him, slightly startled. No wonder he had felt a tinge of recognition when they'd met before.
"Arthur?" Gwen asked uncertainly. He smiled.
"Yes, it is me. I've had hesitations about when I'd come and visit." Gwen narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Okay, then tell me something that only you and I would know." Arthur's brows creased as they normally had done when he was thinking.
"Alright. I posed as William during a jousting competition, stayed at your old home and that was when we developed feelings for each other. Oh, and you gave me that piece of white cloth, for luck." Gwen grinned. She and Arthur had agreed many years ago to use this information if they needed to test each other. It was clearly Arthur. There was one other issue though.
"Who are they?" Gwen asked, bowing her head towards the other eight people.
"Ah. I should probably explain before they show themselves." Arthur said rather hurriedly. Gwen looked at Arthur, a frown on her face.
"What's going on, Arthur?" She asked, putting on the voice that she had used when Arthur used to come back from the Tavern, not very sober.
"I'll have to explain, a lot. Well, actually, I suppose you would be okay seeing someone." Arthur went over to one of the people in the brown cloak.
"Oi! You can show yourself." Arthur said, using the tone he only used on his knights (and Merlin). The person took their hood off and grinned.
"Gwaine?!" Gwen exclaimed, surprised. Percival had told her how Gwaine had died, leaving Gwen just as numb as when Arthur had died.
"What? If he can come back why can't I?" The four of them chuckled until Gwen noticed Leon and Percival stood by the door.
"What's going on?" Leon asked. Pervical was just standing there staring at Arthur and Gwaine. Gwen went over to her friends.
"It's really them. I tested Arthur and he proved himself, anyone with Arthur I trust."
"What if he had Morgana with him?" Arthur's eyes widened and Merlin assumed it was because of the mention of his crazy half-sister.
"I'd still trust him." Arthur smiled.
"Well that's good to know, it will make my explanations easier." Arthur regretted his words as soon as he had said them. Gwen stared at him.
"What do you mean?" She asked her voice sharp.
"Nothing, well, I was just referring to the fact of, um, what would you say if I mentioned Elyan and Lancelot?" Gwen eyed the figures and tried to decipher which ones were her brother and former boyfriend of sorts. Two more people in brown cloaks took their hoods off, as if answering her thoughts. Gwen went over to her brother and hugged him tightly.
"I've missed you." Gwen whispered. Elyan hugged her back, whilst Lancelot just looked on, uncertain of what to do.
"What's with the different coloured cloaks?" Merlin asked, speaking for the first time. Arthur looked at his old servant and grinned.
"Hello, Merlin! I didn't notice you there. The cloaks are because of eye colour, not my idea, but for example, my cloak was blue because I have blue eyes." Merlin looked at the remaining unidentified figures. One was in brown, two in blue and two in green. The only person Merlin could think of who would be in green was Morgana, but there was no way that Arthur would unite with Morgana after everything that happened. And who was the person with brown eyes who had magic? Merlin had no idea and looked back at Arthur, who seemed to be improvising himself.
"Tell you what, it will be easiest if I say that I have lived amongst these people since the beginning of the year and they mean no harm." Arthur gestured to his companions, who all removed their hoods, revealing some of Merlin's worst nightmares. Morgana, Morgause and Uther all in the same room. Three people who hated him, but all for different reasons. The other two Merlin felt differently towards. Ygraine, Arthur's mother, who Merlin had never actually met, and his Father, Balinor. It felt surreal for Merlin to see his Father again.
"So let me get this clear, all of these people have just returned?" Leon asked.
"Look, Leon, I do not know why any of us are back, but we are. Can you not just accept it?"
"Not easily." Arthur sighed; he had assumed that his knights would accept him back easily. Clearly not.
"Give it a few days, well, weeks, and you'll know it is me. Okay?" Arthur asked and Leon nodded, and then pointed to the other newcomers.
"What about them?" In particular, Leon meant Morgana and Uther. Before Arthur could answer, Gwen spoke:
"Well, all I can say is that since I have been Queen, they should know that magic is no longer outlawed but-"
"WHAT?" Uther interrupted, causing Gwen to smile. Her speech had been a test, a test that Uther had passed. As for the others, she remembered reading that a shade of someone who had magic would not perform magic themselves. That meant she just needed some way of getting Morgana and Morgause to perform magic, for good, obviously. Uther was looking at Arthur angrily.
"You see, this is what happens when you marry a servant." Arthur took several steps forward towards his Father.
"Do not say any bad words about Guinevere. She may not have been of noble blood, but she is extremely wise. I have faith in the decisions that she has made in my absence. Besides, you interrupted her, Father. Maybe you should have let her finish before having a go at her." Uther looked shocked. Around fifteen years ago Arthur would have never spoken to his Father like that.
"Anyway, magic is allowed but also regulated. If someone practices magic for harmful purposes then they will face the consequences. This has only had to be used twice." Gwen concluded. Uther had been King, but she was in charge now.