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Gwen and Arthur were to be married the next day. Camelot was moving on from the attack, growing stronger as one. Ever since Arthur had pulled the sword from the stone, his confidence as a king had grown. Ryll could see it, and she felt pride. This was the king Camelot deserved, and this was the reign that Arthur was born for. That night Ryll asked to speak with Arthur and Gwen and she told them everything about Morgana's plotting and the role she had unwittingly shared in it. Arthur and Gwen sat quietly listening, never interrupting as Ryll spoke.

"She wanted to force you two apart to weaken the kingdom," Ryll explained. "So she raised Lancelot from the dead. It wasn't really him though – it was a wraith, a shadow of the former Lancelot, and he was bidden to do Morgana's will. Even if Lancelot once loved you, Gwen, he would never drive you two apart. His actions were dictated by Morgana. And Gwen, you did not betray Arthur in your actions. Remember the bracelet Lancelot gave to you? A token of good luck, he called it." Gwen nodded. "It was enchanted to make you fall in love with Lancelot. Whatever Arthur saw between the two of you was simply the enchantment. That's why you couldn't explain your actions. I wish I could have been able to tell you about this sooner, but under Morgana's enchantment, like Lancelot, I had no free will."

"That is…" Arthur tried to speak, but couldn't. He looked over at Gwen. "I should never have believed that you would betray me. I should have guessed Morgana's treachery."

"You didn't know," Gwen said, taking his hand and holding it tightly. "We didn't know."

"How did you break free of her enchantment?" Arthur asked, turning back to Ryll.

"Byron," Ryll said. Arthur's gaze hardened at the name of the druid, but Ryll forged on. "He was working for Morgana for awhile but when he saw the way she tried to get freedom for people with magic, he turned against her. He saved me, and he helped win Camelot back. He respects you, Arthur. He sees that you are a different man than your father."

"He still tried to wage war on Camelot."

"And you've never made a mistake caused by anger?" Ryll asked softly. Arthur gave a sigh.

"I'll take that into consideration," he said. "I'm just glad that you're back. I didn't realize Morgana had grown so powerful. I'm not sure why she couldn't use her magic when we confronted her though…"

"Perhaps someone else with magic is looking out for you," Ryll suggested.

Arthur looked slightly alarmed at the thought. "Could Byron stop her magic?"

Ryll shook her head. "I don't think he's that powerful. Anyway, he was off fighting somewhere else when it happened."

"Then it will remain a mystery."

"I am so sorry for everything I did while I was under her control," Ryll said. "I should be punished the same as Byron if he is to be punished."

"But he joined of his own will. You were forced. I don't blame you, Ryll. I'm sure you fought it."

"Not hard enough it would seem." She had been punishing herself over this since she had been released from the enchantment. She should have been stronger. Just like when she had faced Morgana in the forest. "Arthur…there's something else…" Ryll hesitated.

"You know you can tell me anything," Arthur told her, his blue eyes honest. "You've been a true and loyal knight as well as a friend. You've proven your loyalty over and over."

"I followed Morgana into the forest after the battle. I found her…I had the chance to end this…to kill her. But I didn't. I couldn't. I still saw that girl I met so many years ago. I still saw the Morgana we both once called a sister."

"It's alright, Ryll," Arthur told her. "I understand."

"But it's the knight's code to protect their kingdom, their king, and their people. I failed. Morgana could come back. More people could die, and it would be my fault."

"It's not your fault," Arthur said, reaching forward to grasp one of her hands. "I don't hold you responsible for ending Morgana's life. I would never expect that of you."

"She was injured when I left her. I have no idea if she even made it."

"I'll send out knights to see. Can you remember where exactly she was?" Arthur asked.

"Yes." Ryll rose.

"You get some rest. You've had a long day – a long few months it seems. I'll see to it that she is found or…at least we'll know one way or another if she lives."

"Alright." Ryll paused at the door.

"Was there something else?" Arthur asked.

There was. There was something that was weighing very heavily on Ryll's mind, but right now, the day before Arthur and Gwen's wedding, was not the time to burden him with this. "Nothing," she said before she slipped and told Arthur she had magic. "I'll see you tomorrow." She gave them both a smile before slipping from the room. Merlin was waiting right outside, and Ryll jumped, her heart leaping into her throat. She wasn't ready to speak with him yet, but she knew she couldn't keep avoiding him.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey." It was the first time they had spoken since before the battle, and Ryll could sense his hesitation. "I was just telling Arthur and Gwen that Morgana enchanted Lancelot as well as the bracelet Gwen wore. I just wanted them both to know that Gwen was innocent in all of this. It was all Morgana."

"Good. They deserve to know the truth."

"Now they know Lancelot did not die in dishonor."

"How are you?" Merlin asked, falling into step with Ryll as she walked away from Arthur's room.

"I'm…dealing, I guess. So much has happened the last few months, and it's been like coming out of a fog."

"Do you remember the time you spent under Morgana's enchantment?" he asked. "Besides…" He broke off, but she knew exactly what he was talking about.

"Vaguely. I remember certain things…that moment, clearer than others, but some of it is just hazy. Probably for the better."

"I should have noticed, should have realized," Merlin said not for the first time.

"Don't blame yourself. It only makes me feel worse."

"I'll let you get some rest," Merlin said when they reached the corridor where her room lay. "We'll talk later. After the wedding."

Ryll nodded. "Goodnight, Merlin," she said before leaving him. When she entered her room she found Byron sitting on her bed. He stood when she entered.

"I didn't know where to go," he said. "I should get back to my people, but I didn't want to leave until you'd made your decision."

"I'll make it the day after tomorrow. Let Arthur be happy for a day before I turn both our worlds upside down."

"I'll stay. I'm not leaving you alone in this," he said.

"Thank you." She felt a sudden rush of gratitude toward the druid boy. She crossed the room and folded her arms around him. "For everything."

"I let you down before, Ryll, but I won't again," Byron promised, holding her close. "I believe in this new world Arthur wants to create. But he's going to need people like you to guide him."

"I just hope he lets me. I'm scared to tell him the truth," Ryll admitted, pulling away and sitting on her bed. Byron sat down next to her.

"I think you're right though," Byron said. "About telling him, I mean. I was against it at first because I was afraid of what he would do to you, but he wouldn't hurt you."

"But he might not want me in the city anymore. I know he won't want me as a knight." She looked down at her hands.

"You don't know that."

"I do." She looked up at him. "He trusts me, but I'm about to break that trust by admitting that I've been lying about who I am all these years."

"To protect yourself."

"Yes. And I hope we can rebuild that trust again, but I think it needs to crumble a little before that can happen."

"You're giving up your dreams, your life, just to help him."

"Yes." She realized that was true. If Arthur asked her to leave Camelot then she'd be leaving behind everything.

"I wish I could be that selfless."

His words surprised her. "You think I'm selfless?" she asked.

"You would give up everything for the people you care about. I nearly led my people to their deaths."

"You're passionate, Byron. That's not a bad thing. Anyway, I grew up with nothing. I owe my friends everything, so in return I want to give them everything."

"You don't have to be afraid. I know in time Arthur will accept who you really are."

"I really hope so," Ryll said. "Camelot is my home, and I would give my life to defend her and Arthur. But I can't do that if he doesn't want me here."

…

"Are you nervous?" Ryll asked Gwen as she helped her dress the day of her wedding.

"I keep worrying that something is going to get in the way," Gwen admitted. "Or that Arthur will suddenly change his mind."

"That's not going to happen. Especially when he sees you in that dress," Ryll assured her. The white dress was gorgeous with lace and delicate beads along the bodice. The train was extravagant, and Ryll was glad she wasn't the one who would have to drag it down the aisle. "You deserve this, Gwen. You're the only person I could picture by Arthur's side not only as his wife but as his queen."

"You're too kind, Ryll." Gwen took her hands, smiling. "We owe you so much. It was such a weight off of me when I knew I'd been enchanted."

"But Arthur forgave you before I told him that," Ryll reminded her. "Never forget that. He loves you enough to look beyond the past."

"What about you and Merlin?" Gwen asked.

Ryll's heart skipped a beat. "What about us?"

"I just thought I noticed some tension there between the two of you the last two days."

"It's nothing, just…well, when Morgana enchanted me, I pushed Merlin away until I told him I was done with him entirely. I broke his heart."

"Oh, Ryll, he knows that was Morgana, not you. He'll forgive you." Gwen squeezed her hands, and Ryll felt her eyes grow teary.

"He has forgiven me," she said. "But it's not that simple."

"He loves you," Gwen told her. "If you give him the chance."

"I'm just afraid he's going to get hurt again. My life is messy. He deserves better."

"That's not true. You deserve each other. I can't think of anyone more worthy of his love than you."

"That's kind of you to say. I'm just at a point in my life where I need to figure some things out, and I don't want to drag him into that."

"I understand that. After I left Camelot I was lost for the longest time. So hopeless, and I didn't see how I could ever be happy again. But after a time it lent me some clarity. I realized that no matter what I still loved Arthur even though circumstances conspired against us being together. In the end it worked out." She smiled. "There is no shame in needing time to figure things out, but you deserve happiness, Ryll, you truly do."

"Thank you." Ryll wiped the corner of her eye, smiling at Gwen. "Truly, thank you."

"Now, we'd better finish getting ready or Arthur will be waiting."

"Of course." Ryll still needed to change, so she left Gwen in the capable hands of the lady's maids. Her own dress was a pale blue that matched her eyes. It was something of her own, not something passed down from Morgana. It felt good to wear it, renewing even, as if she was leaving the past behind her. Morgana's gowns she had moved back to her old room, hiding them away. There was still too much pain there when she thought of Morgana.

She wove her hair into a long braid and turned to finish packing. She had her belongings packed into Owl's saddlebags, ready to go. She planned on telling Arthur that she had magic tomorrow when the excitement over the wedding had settled down. She had decided that she would not make Arthur decide whether or not she could stay in Camelot. She would bow out while he learned to accept the truth about who she was. She hoped he would accept it. She feared he wouldn't, feared the look in his eyes when he realized just what she was. In time perhaps he would forgive her, and they could be friends again, but she knew that something would change irrevocably. She wouldn't make him decide though. She would go to live with the druids now that Camelot did not need her immediate help. She would watch over her beloved city from a distance. She set the bags aside as a knock came at her door, pushing them under her bed and out of sight. When she answered the door she found Merlin outside. She was glad she'd hidden her bags away from sight. She hadn't told him her plans. She knew he would try to stop her if she did. This was her choice to make, and it was part of the reason she hadn't talked to him yet. How could she tell him she was leaving Camelot, that she didn't think them being together was a good idea right now? If he tried to stop her leaving then she might stay.

"I thought I could escort you to the wedding," Merlin said. He was looking dapper dressed in a deep red doublet with his blue scarf tucked in. He didn't offer her his arm, just waited for her to come with him. They walked silently together, a foot of space in between them. It seemed wider as if Ryll could reach out her fingertips and only touch thin air.

"Thank you," she said after a moment. He looked over at her. "For escorting me."

"Of course." Ryll almost laughed at the civility of their conversation. It was so formal and stilted when only a few months ago they'd been so in love. It wasn't that she had stopped loving him – the exact opposite in fact. She'd just realized that she loved him too much to drag him into her decision.

"I don't know how to fix this," Merlin said suddenly. He stopped walking, moving in front of her so that she had to stop too.

"It's not that something is broken," Ryll started.

"Then what?" His blue eyes were giving away his emotions, and Ryll felt herself weakening under his gaze.

"It's not you, Merlin. I just need some time."

"Of course. I'll give you all the time and space you need. I just want you to know that I love you. I always will no matter what happens."

"I needed to hear that, thank you." She wanted to reach forward and take his hand, but she kept her arms at her sides. "Some things are never going to be the same again. Some things are going to change and it might not seem like it's for the better, but whatever happens, I want you to know that I care about you so much. More than my own life. Whatever happens in the next few days or the future, I want you to remember that."

"You're scaring me, Ryll."

"You don't need to be scared."

"I know that tone, that look. You're about to do something rash, aren't you?" he asked. He reached out for her, but seemed to think better and drew his hand back.

"On the contrary. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately," Ryll said. "Just trust me, Merlin. Can you do that?"

"Of course. I always trust you."

His faith in her was overwhelming, and she felt herself get teary eyed for the second time that day. "We'd better get down there or we'll miss the wedding entirely," she said with a smile. Merlin nodded, turning to let her past. She quickly wiped her eyes when his back was turned and then followed him down to the wedding.

Most everyone was already gathered, and Arthur was standing at the front of the room looking nervous. Ryll threw him a smile which he returned. "He looks so handsome," Ryll said with pride.

"Thank you," Merlin said. "I dressed him myself."

"Well at least you won't have to help him undress tonight," Ryll said with a sly smile. Merlin blushed beet red.

"Quiet you two," Gwaine whispered loudly as the doors to the hall opened. Gwaine hadn't breathed a word of Ryll's magic to anyone. He still smiled at her and teased her as always, and Ryll was infinitely glad for it. She would always have a friend in him even when he knew the truth.

Gwen entered the room, and the people went silent. Despite all her worry Ryll couldn't help but grin. She watched Gwen walk up the aisle, her own smile making her radiant. Happiness spilled off of her like sunshine, and when Ryll glanced up at Arthur she saw a similar light in his eyes. Ryll had a sudden image of Merlin standing there while she walked up the aisle, her own happiness radiating off of her. She shut her eyes against the thought. She had not been blest with a normal life. Her future was hazy and unsure. She wasn't even sure she'd have a future if her destiny played out. She pushed aside the sudden surge of sorrow that rushed through her and focused on Arthur and Gwen. This was their day, and it was well deserved.

After they had said their vows, Ryll joined in the cheering, clapping her hands together and beaming at the newlywed couple. For a wedding present, Ryll had left a bracelet for Gwen with a message that assured her that no one, not even Morgana could never enchant her ever again. She had enchanted it herself to ensure that. As long as Gwen wore it, she would never fall prey to Morgana. Gwen would figure out soon enough that it was Ryll who had enchanted it, but she hoped she would trust that Ryll would only use her magic for good and to protect those she cared about.

She spent a long time sitting in her window that night looking out over Camelot. She had once been without a home, wandering aimlessly in the wild only looking out for only herself. Now she had a home and people she cared about. A part of her felt as if she was going to give that up tomorrow when she told Arthur the truth about who she really was, but a bigger part knew she was opening up to the people she owed the truth. She wanted Camelot to need the real her and not just the person she pretended to be. She had magic. It was a part of who she was. She just hoped that one day it could be a part of Camelot too.