Author's Note: I didn't realize it had been so long since I last posted! I got caught up in other writing projects and even finished editing/rewriting a book I've had going for awhile. And of course my summer hours at work consume most of my time. I have a few chapters written after this, but I think I might try to finish before posting so I can actually give you a consistent posting of chapters. I promise not to make you wait more than a few weeks if that long. So things are different from the show in certain ways from here on out. I wanted to challenge the characters with the "what-ifs" that come with a different character, namely Ryll, who obviously isn't in the show. I pushed events up a little and am making things a little more optimistic as far as Arthur's views are concerned. I've got the ending all planned out - I've actually had that planned for ages. I will post the first chapter of the sequel the day I finish this story so you won't have to wait. Thank you for the favorites and follows.

-103-

Merlin had last watch, and Ryll nearly stayed up with him, but she didn't want him questioning why she didn't want to go back to sleep. Instead she sat on the floor and watched Morgana sleep. The dragon still hadn't shut her eyes, and Ryll could see one eye trained on her.

"I wouldn't hurt her, you know," Ryll said to the dragon. "She once meant a great deal to me. But she's hurt a lot of people." The dragon blinked. Ryll had no idea if it understood her, but she felt needed to talk to her. "She's going to keep hurting people. I'm sorry that you were captured and tortured – I really am. I'm trying to make sure that doesn't happen again. The persecution of all that is magic needs to end. The king of Camelot – he's different. He was raised to believe that all magic was evil, but unlike his father he shows remorse and a willingness to change his views. I've been trying for so long to fix this, but I realized I can't do it alone. Maybe I can't do it at all. I don't really know what I'm doing…but I do know that these dreams I have aren't just nightmares. I have a part to play in all of this, we all do. I'm just not sure what part yet."

The dragon let out a low humming, and Ryll started. "You really care for her," she said, looking back at Morgana. "I believe there's still good in her. She is misguided, yes, but she's afraid too. That's why she strikes out. But she shows compassion to you. She cares for you. So not all the good in her was lost. Uther didn't take it all away from her." Her tone grew bitter. This strife went back to before she was born. It was Uther that had started this, but he couldn't end it. His ending would have been filled with the blood of anyone with magic. Ryll had started to see a new ending. There would be blood and there would be battle – she had seen this much – but she could also see hope, true hope, for the first time in a long time.

…

Merlin felt unsettled with Morgana so close even if she was still unconscious. It was like playing with fire. They didn't know how weak she was, and he hadn't yet attempted to put the cuff around her wrist. Aithusa was still very protective of her mistress, and she was much more wild than Kilgharrah. It seemed odd to him that the dragon had chosen Morgana, but then he supposed she was a powerful sorceress; it was only natural that a creature of magic such as a dragon would join her. He knew he could command the dragon, but he didn't know how much he could communicate with her. Would she leave Morgana when the time came? Perhaps Kilgharrah could convince her.

His head was still reeling from all that had happened in the last few days. He'd just been getting used to only seeing Ryll every few weeks when suddenly she was back in his life, and Arthur was allowing her to become a knight again. He smiled at this. Ryll had all but told Arthur what she was going to do when she'd come to speak with him. She'd asked him out of respect, but he had a feeling she might have gone off to save Morgana with or without his permission. Ryll was shaping the knights and Camelot into the future she wanted. What surprised Merlin the most was that Arthur was allowing this. The young king was changing everything that Uther had upheld. Maybe Ryll had been right all along. Merlin had never doubted that Arthur would bring about a new age in Camelot, but he hadn't expected it any time soon. He supposed Ryll confessing the truth about her magic had quickened it. Arthur had been forced to make a decision and, luckily for them, he'd made the right one. Despite this, Merlin couldn't shake the feeling that everything was going to fall apart at any moment. Maybe now, maybe in the future, but he couldn't believe that everything was going to be that easy.

The sound of horses far off in the distance had Merlin shaking off any sleepiness he'd felt before. He jumped to his feet and entered the house. Ryll woke up with a start as if sensing that something was wrong. Merlin glanced over at Morgana's still sleeping form and then back at Ryll. "Someone's coming," he said. "I can hear horses."

Ryll's eyes widened. "They're coming after us. We need to get going. But the dragon isn't going to move or let us anywhere near Morgana."

"Leave it to me." Merlin spoke some words to the dragon who bowed her head and let Merlin slowly approach Morgana. He reached for her wrist, cuff ready. Suddenly Morgana's eyes flashed open, glowing amber. Merlin found himself flying backwards. He hit the wall hard, his vision going blurry. The cuff flew from his hand and clattered to the floor. Byron woke up with a start, and Ryll grabbed Merlin, pulling him back to his feet. Suddenly the dragon was roaring, and the room grew very warm. Flames were licking the walls. Byron pushed them both back with a shout. Everything was confused, and Merlin was still dizzy. There was a flapping of wings, and he saw the dragon move through the door, but he couldn't see Morgana. Ryll did something with her powers that pushed the fire down until there was a passage to the door. She pulled him through, the heat scorching the air around them. They tripped out into the night. Merlin's sight cleared enough to see Morgana astride Aithusa.

"I won't let you take me back there!" she shouted. "I won't let my brother keep me prisoner."

"Morgana, we're trying to help you!" Ryll yelled.

"You can't help me," Morgana said. There were tears staining her cheeks, and Merlin saw fear in her eyes. "I won't forget that it was you who freed us from our prison, but it's time you realized we're enemies now, Ryll." Merlin heard Ryll choke back a sob. "I'm sorry," Morgana said so softly he wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly. Then her eyes flashed amber and they flew backwards. Aithusa let out a stream of fire that cut them off from the dragon and Morgana.

The lights in the distance were bobbing closer, and Aithusa tried to take off on her tired wings. She hadn't flown in a long time, Merlin realized as she struggled to get off of the ground. He couldn't command the dragon without giving himself away to Morgana which he knew was far too dangerous.

"We need to stop her," Byron said getting to his feet. "Ryll?" He pulled her to her feet.

"I don't know what to do," Ryll said in a small voice. "If we keep Morgana and the dragon those demons will catch up to us and then we'll all be in a lot of trouble."

"You're going to let her go?"

"We need to get out of here or we'll end up like her," Ryll insisted, looking upset. "I saw it. Just a moment ago in my dreams I saw us trapped down there where she had been. I saw them cut the dragon's head off in front of Morgana and then string her up with chains for the crows. We can't stay." Her eyes were filled with fear.

"Then we go," Merlin said. He saw Aithusa wobble in the air and then take flight, shooting straight up and away from them. They watched for a moment as the white dragon disappeared with Morgana on her back. Then they grabbed their horses whose eyes rolled with fear as the flames consuming the farmhouse and the field grew stronger.

"We can try to track her," Byron suggested as they pushed their horses into a gallop. They followed the way Aithusa had gone, but Merlin knew it was useless. Dragons were much faster than horses even on stiff wings. He should have known something would go wrong. Why hadn't he or Ryll foreseen Morgana's escape? Their visions were frustrating when they didn't always come at the right time. He felt like every mistake they made brought them closer to Arthur's fall. He knew the future was not written in absolutes, but over and over their freedom from Morgana's wrath fled further and further away. He looked over at Ryll and saw her distress written clearly across her face. She felt like she had failed. Failed Arthur, failed Morgana, failed herself. She hadn't – everything had been out of her control – but he knew she wouldn't see it that way.

"This was a horrible idea to begin with," Ryll said when they'd put some distance between themselves and the men. "Arthur will never forgive me for letting her escape."

"He will," Merlin insisted. "Not even he would want her rotting away in that pit."

"I know he would have been kinder," Ryll said.

Merlin wasn't so sure. Arthur would have been fair, he knew that, but Morgana had committed so many crimes against Camelot including murdering their father. The laws of Camelot still stood no matter who Morgana was and what Arthur thought. If he made an exception for her then it might show weakness to the people – they wouldn't want Morgana pardoned after all she'd done to them. Arthur would have no choice but to execute Morgana, and Merlin knew the king really didn't want to have to make that choice. Arthur had accepted Ryll's magic, but Ryll had never done anything to shake Arthur's trust. Morgana wasn't the same even if Ryll tried to see some good in her. Merlin didn't know how this was going to end, but he knew Morgana was going to have to pay for her crimes whether there was still good in her or not.

…

When they reached Camelot, Ryll immediately sought an audience with Arthur. They sat around the Round Table while she explained what had happened, omitting only that Merlin had helped them using magic.

"I'm so sorry, Arthur. I failed you. I can understand if you want me to leave the knights. Any one of you at this table could have done better." She bowed her head in shame.

Merlin watched Arthur, trying to gauge his reaction. He didn't look angry. Perhaps a little…relieved? Merlin realized Arthur had spent the last few days with the looming thought of having to sentence his own sister to death. Now he wouldn't have to make that sentence. Morgana on the loose was dangerous, but she was still weak and had no allies that they knew of save the white dragon.

"Ryll, you did the best you could," Arthur told her. Ryll looked up at him. "Of course I don't want you to leave the knights. What happened was regrettable, but Morgana is powerful, and you had a dragon to contend with."

"It was truly awful what they'd done to her," Byron spoke up from where he stood next to Merlin. Arthur turned his eyes to the druid. "No one should have to suffer that fate even Morgana."

"Perhaps not. For now we will be wary. She'll be weak and I doubt she'll strike Camelot any time soon. She needs time to gain her strength back and build new allies and think out new schemes. For now we must be glad for the peace we do have." He looked at Ryll. "Tomorrow I'd like to form an alliance with the druids. I want our people to be at peace. I will not change the laws concerning use of magic in Camelot, however. Morgana has used her magic against Camelot's people too often. It may only be used in the most dire of circumstances," he added looking from Ryll to Byron.

"Understood," Ryll said.

"It's a good start," Byron said to Arthur. "I'll gather my people if you would like them there."

"Of course. We'll hold the ceremony at noon tomorrow."

"I'll warn you that some druids might side with Morgana. I can't speak for all of my kind just the people in my own family," Byron said. "We understand that you are not Uther but many still remember the Great Purge."

"I understand. I'll take whatever friends I may but I would expect no less from those who are still angry after what my father did."

Byron bowed before leaving the room. Merlin watched him go, wondering at the mutual respect that had formed between the druid and the king. Arthur turned back to his knights. "Do you all agree in this course of action?"

"Aye," they echoed, nodding. Gwen gave Arthur an encouraging smile.

"It's time for change," Arthur said. "All this strife between Morgana and Camelot stemmed from my father's hatred for magic. I would never condone Morgana's actions nor her use of magic, but the girl I once knew had no hatred in her heart. She learned that through her fear and loneliness. Things could have turned out much differently."

"They still could," Merlin spoke up.

"To a new age then," Arthur said, standing. "We'll see what the future brings.

…

Ryll stood by the knights as the crowds gathered for the alliance ceremony. Arthur had gathered his people that morning and told them about the alliance. He assured them that though peace was the goal, trust of magic was something that would come slowly.

"We've all been hurt by magic in some way," he had told his people. "Morgana's betrayal struck close to the heart, and she has shown us the evil and destruction magic can wreak. But I've seen a gentler side of magic. The druids are peaceful people, and they shouldn't be persecuted for simply being born with magic. Like any of us, they cannot choose the way they're born. I want these years to be peaceful. I want this to be the golden age of Camelot and so I ask you to accept these druids as allies. I don't expect you to welcome magic into your lives. My father banned magic from Camelot for a reason. But I want to stop seeing magic as all evil. It is the actions of each individual that make him or her good or bad. There are shades of grey and uncertainty, but these are good people. As long as they never use their magic against this kingdom, I wish to have no strife with them."

His words were met with cheers and clapping though Ryll had noticed several uncertain faces. The knights had to quell a small protest that started outside one of the taverns, but by the time the druids arrived for the ceremony, everyone was quiet and curious.

Byron walked alongside the druid leader. He gave Ryll a quick smile before looking straight ahead at Arthur. An alliance had been drawn up on parchment and both Arthur and the druid leader signed. Arthur looked out at the druids and his own people.

"This is a day of peace," he said. "This is a day to move forward and to heal from past wounds. This kingdom has suffered greatly of late and magic has been a big part of that, but not all magic. Instead of blaming a people at large, I will judge people individually and by their actions. Maybe a day will come when we'll be ready to welcome magic back into our kingdom, but for now I swear to let the druid people live in peace and not fear persecution for who they are. They too will be judged by their actions like the rest of us."

When he ended his speech, the people clapped and the druids bowed their heads as a sign of respect. Arthur clasped hands with the druid leader and then Byron.

A feast was held afterwards to celebrate and then the druids quietly slipped from the kingdom and back to their camp. Ryll stood by the gate as Byron paused. He took her hands in his. "This is because of you," he told her.

"Not just me. Arthur is being so brave. He's challenging everything he was taught by his father. I know how hard it must be for him. It's still a stretch to having magic allowed within Camelot's walls, but it's not as long of a stretch as it was before."

"I'll miss you," he said, eyes sad.

"Then don't be a stranger," she said, smiling at him. He pulled her into a hug before pulling away and following his people into the night.

Ryll stood at the gate for a long while, drinking in the night air. When she finally went to bed she saw the future in her dreams, watched it spill out before her and she knew that though the peace would last for a time, it would turn to shades of darkness. She saw a boy and she saw a sword. She saw Arthur fall again, saw it play out like she was really there. It would be nearly a year before she saw this boy's face, but when she did she knew the end had finally begun.