Chapter Twenty-Five

Hello!

Here it is; the last real chapter! I'll save the ANs for the end, shall I?

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

"Pendragons." Aldwyn growled. "Stuck-up idiots…"

Arthur ignored him. "Okay, let's start from the beginning."

"Right now?" Cleva didn't like the way this was going. Elen needs help, and we're not going to get it by standing here and answering the questions of a irritated King of Camelot.

Arthur ignored her too. "So, Aldwyn, Gwaine, and the twins are royalty. And Gwaine's sister."

Oh dear, he found that out, did he?

"Why they hell didn't you tell us you were the sons of the King of Bernicia?" This inquiry was aimed at the twins.

Everard answered it with a glare and the words, "And what else? That our father allows magic-users in the kingdom? Or that we have a sorceress for a cousin? Would you have helped us then? Somehow I doubt it."

"It wouldn't have made that much of a difference! Sorceress cousin aside, it's not like you two have magic." Arthur sounded almost sulky.

So he knows about that, too. That's…unfortunate.

"And what if we did? You'd have just accused us of 'conspiring against Camelot' or something similar and either thrown us out or chopped off our heads!"

"Everard, that's enough." Aldwyn's voice was quiet but clear as he unexpectedly took the side of dimplomacy. After a brief pause, Everard took a shuddering breath and stepped back to stand with his twin slightly behind the older prince.

Arthur seemed to take that as a signal to continue. "And as for…Tell me, Gwaine, did 'Sir Gwaine' ever really exist, or were you just playing around?"

Cleva winced, but Gwaine didn't lose what was left of his composure. "I told you, Arthur. I hoped you were different. I was mistaken." Then he laughed. "Basically the last ten years of my life has been one giant mistake. Figures."

Oh, Gwaine…

Arthur looked like he wanted to murder Gwaine on the spot, but instead got himself under control and asked, "All right, someone please explain those…those things." He gestured towards the wyverns. "Sir Percival said something about wyverns, but as we were running for our lives at that point I might have missed something."

"These 'things' are my wyverns." Hayden snapped with unusual ire. "Ryle asked me to bring them. And they're the reason you're still alive. So if you have anything to say about them…" He was interrupted by Diamond beginning to nibble on his hair. "Ow! Drat, they're hungry."

Cleva sighed. Just what we need on top of everything else right now; hungry wyverns.

"Well, Arthur, you just broke one of the most important unspoken laws of the land." Gwaine commented sarcastically. "Don't insult Hayden's wyverns. It's right up there with 'don't wave swords at Hayden's wyverns'."

Before Arthur could come up with a response to that, a shout sounded from the castle gates. Turning, they beheld Sirs Leon and Percival emerging leading what looked like the the company's horses loaded with the company's packs. "Sire!" called Leon. "It seems that Lord Haig's men spent some time scavenging after the skirmish. Oh, those must be the wyverns you were talking about, Percival."

At least someone's keeping calm, Cleva thought wryly.

The horses clearly didn't like the wyverns, so Leon left Percival a short distance away with them and walked closer. "Is everyone all right?"

"Except for Gwaine's sorceress sister, yes." Elyan replied.

Leon sighed and said to the group at large, "Before Percival and I found the stables and our mounts, we came across Lord Haig."

"Where is he?" Aldwyn demanded instantly, gripping his sword.

"He's dead." Leon replied quickly. "So is that sorcerer Ryle. Looks like they killed each other."

Cleva was close enough to Hayden to hear his quick intake of breath. But his voice was steady as he said, "So you were right, Gwaine. Ryle did kill Haig."

So I guess it's all over. Sort of.

Unless the Pendragons and Barclayns decided to start a war.

For the next couple hours, everyone worked together under an unspoken truce.

It was quite clear that the Barclayns and their friends wanted to go home to Bernicia (according to Hayden, they were presently near the northern border of Gododdin), while Arthur and his knights wanted to go back to Camelot as soon as possible. That meant that most of them had to search through the jumbled mess the mercenaries had made of their belongings and figure out whose supplies belong to whom (and which horses since Arthur wanted the animals from Camelot back from the Barclayns; in the end it was decided that Hayden was going to walk back with his wyverns, while the twins took his horse and Gwaine took Ryle's). Arthur, the knights, Aldwyn, and the twins saw to that while Cleva helped Merlin with any injuries and Percival opted to help Hayden bury Ryle. It seemed that they'd been distant relatives or something, and for some reason, the wyvern-tamer had wanted to do it right away. No one suggested that they bother burying anyone else.

At present, Merlin was tending to Elen, with little result. Her injuries were just too numerous, and she was so weak…It's lucky she's as tough as her brother, or she'd be dead already.

He looked up as Gwaine crouched down beside him. "How is she?"

Merlin glanced around as a precaution before replying in a low tone, "My ability to heal using magic isn't exactly that great. I've done my best; I think she'll make it long enough so that you can get her to a better healer, like your mother."

Gwaine nodded and murmured, "Thank you, Merlin."

Merlin shrugged. "How're the wyverns?" Gwaine had been watching them while Hayden was otherwise occupied, since he seemed fairly comfortable with the task.

"They're hungry. Really, really hungry. Hayden said that he'll take them on a different route back home so they can hunt without interference."

A minute later, Percival walked past to join the knights. At Merlin and Gwaine's questioning gazes, he explained shortly, "He's up on the hill. Said he needed a moment."

Merlin hesitated a moment, then stood up. "I'm going to go see if he wants to talk."

Gwaine nodded. "I'll keep an eye on Elen and wyverns."

"Are you sure you can do both at once?"

"If I need help I'll ask Cleva."

"Okay." Merlin headed up the nearby hill.

He found Hayden standing by a newly-erected burial cairn, looking out over the surrounding forest. "Hey." the warlock said.

Hayden smiled slightly. "Hello, Merlin. I see that Gwaine is keeping my wyverns in line. For now."

Merlin laughed. They stood in companionable silence for a few minutes before Merlin ventured, "Who was he, exactly? To you, I mean. If you don't mind my asking."

Hayden shrugged. "I don't mind." He hesitated, then said quietly, "He was a distant cousin of mine…and a friend of sorts. He'd look after the wyverns if I needed to leave for a while."

"Did you have any closer relatives that could do that?"

Hayden shook his head. "Mother died when I was a child, Father passed away a few years ago. Any closer relatives…just don't like wyverns. Ryle doesn't…didn't, either. Or so he claimed. I suppose it was just another challenge for him; he liked to have something to do."

"I'm sorry." Merlin said after a few seconds.

Hayden shrugged again. "He…he never like sentimentality, Ryle. He would've wanted to be buried like this, somewhere that could be forgotten. Somewhere wild."

Merlin commented, "He always struck me as having a rather…rough personality."

"He was what life made him. His entire immediate family was slaughtered in some silly blood feud when he was ten or eleven. Something to do with the clans in the northern part of Bernicia…It's often a complete mess up there. He…I don't think Ryle ever recovered."

"I probably wouldn't have, either." Merlin remarked.

"Agreed. Still, he died a hero of sorts." Hayden didn't speak again for a while. When he did, he changed the subject. "You know, my grandfather claimed that he was descended from a daughter of a Dragonlord. I never knew whether to believe him or not."

Merlin laughed. "Either way, you certainly have a gift with wyverns."

"It's all about how you treat them. Tell me, have you met an actual dragon?"

"Yes, I met the Great Dragon. His name's Kilgharrah. He was imprisoned by Uther Pendragon, but I freed him." Merlin winced slightly; he still didn't like to recall the immediate results of that blunder. "I also hatched a baby dragon, once."

"Extraordinary." Hayden spoke in an awed tone. "To see a dragon hatch…It was rumored that all the dragons were destroyed…but who knows? It's a big world. Where are the dragons now?"

"I'm not sure. They can't stay too close to Camelot…But I suppose you raise your wyverns from birth?"

"It works the best if you do. I have the most adorable one right now…Topaz. He's only a year old and about the size of a large cat."

"Sounds like a handful." I can't believe this; I'm standing in broad daylight, talking to someone about young wyverns.

"He's actually far better behaved that the last one; Peridot had a habit of flying off and hiding in trees. She's a little better about that now that she's older."

"You make her sound like a disobedient puppy!"

"It's the truth! Actually, I find wyverns preferable to dogs; I mean, can dogs fly?"

Merlin found himself chuckling. "Some people would see the flying as a problem."

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice rang through the woods.

Merlin and Hayden exchanged glances. "It's probably time to get going." Hayden said quietly. "I suppose this is goodbye."

"For now." Merlin grinned. "If you're ever passing Camelot, feel free to drop in and visit. Just don't bring your pets and make sure Arthur doesn't see you." Hayden laughed.

They shook hands and parted ways; Merlin hurried to find Arthur, while Hayden remained at Ryle's graveside a few moments longer.

Merlin reached the others to find everyone already prepared for departure. The knights were already mounted on their horses, while the group leaving for Bernicia were clearly preparing to do the same. Merlin hurried to his animal.

"I see no need to linger here any longer." Arthur began to say, but was interrupted by Hayden's loud whistling from up the hillside. The wyverns, pacing around nearby, perked up and launched themselves from the ground, flying to their master. When they approached him, he directed them through more whistling to fly in circles above as he joined the others.

Arthur watched with distaste before continuing, "So this is where we part."

Aldwyn, seated on his horse and holding Elen in the saddle before him, asked softly, "Is this…incident going to cause further conflict?"

Translation: Is this going to start a war? Merlin thought to himself as he mounted his horse.

Following a moment of strained silence, Arthur said coldly, "I'm going to try to forget that it ever happened."

Merlin felt simaltaneous relief and horror at Arthur's words. There'll be no war, but he'll never sanction contact with any of these people again.

He had barely even begun to consider the ramifications before Aldwyn replied, "So be it. Goodbye and good riddance, Pendragon." He turned his horse and spurred it to a trot. The now-mounted Cleva, Everard, and Elwin followed him. Gwaine, however, hesitated.

Arthur wouldn't even look at him as he led his knights in the other direction. "Are you coming, Merlin?" he shouted over his shoulder.

Merlin didn't make any effort to start his horse moving as Hayden spoke to Gwaine. "I'll expect you to come by and give me a full account of your adventures when this is over; right now I'd better hurry and find the wyverns something unintelligent to hunt before they decide that I'm not worth having around."

"You'll be alright?"

"Of course; I've got the best bodyguards in the world!" Hayden gestured upwards before disappearing into the trees.

Gwaine and Merlin were left more or less alone. The former-knight made the first move; maneuvering his horse closer to Merlin's so they were face to face, he said in a vaguely teasing tone, "So, this is it."

Merlin nodded. "Yes."

"Goodbyes are always rough, aren't they?" Gwaine commented lightly. "Especially when they're forever."

"Merlin!" Arthur's voice drifted back to them.

Ignoring it, Merlin spoke quickly. "One day, things will change. Arthur will see that not all magic is evil, he'll see that it can be used for good…Someday he'll understand why you did the things you did."

Gwaine smiled slightly. "Perhaps. And on that day…or after it, I suppose…perhaps we'll meet again." He paused. "You've been a good friend, Merlin."

Merlin returned his smile. "Likewise."

They stared at each other in silence for a few long moments before gripping each other's hands one last time. "One day…" Gwaine murmured.

The Barclayn turned his horse and galloped off after his companions without looking back.

The warlock watched him for a moment longer before heading after the Knights of Camelot.

The ride to the city of Bernicia lasted until just past dark.

Gwaine alternated between panicking over Elen's condition (though it remained fairly stable) and silently mourning the loss of his friends.

Saying goodbye to Merlin had been heart-wrenching, certainly; but it was Arthur's cold, silent dismissal that stung the most at present. Gwaine had seen the other knights, Percival in particular, shooting him apologetic looks. But he knew perfectly well that they didn't see him the same as they used to. None of them did.

Does it matter? I'm almost an enemy now. Does it matter how they view me when I'll probably never see them again?

Yes, it did. They'd been his friends, his brothers. It mattered to him.

Arthur said he was going to try to forget the whole business. I doubt that's possible…for any of them.

Merlin wouldn't forget. He wouldn't even try to.

In his friend's eyes, Gwaine had seen the sadness of parting, but also the hope; the hope that the words he'd spoken were true, and that one day magic would return to Camelot. Gwaine wondered how many times Merlin had told himself that would happen. Many times, but he clings to it still.

And if Merlin felt that it was possible, it was probably more than just a fool's hope.

However, all thought of Camelot was driven out of Gwaine's head when he and the others crested a grassy hill and saw the city before them, rising out of the swelling hills in the gleaming moonlight.

Gwaine had spent his childhood mostly in two places; his father's castle further to the southeast, and in the city of Bernicia. Now, seeing the city again, even dimly, brought tears to his eyes.

Home.

The guards at the gates let them through as soon as they recognized Aldwyn and the twins. Once they got the go ahead, the company rushed through the darkened streets of the mostly quiet city in a flurry of thundering hooves. Almost before Gwaine realized it, they were at the gates of the castle.

"Where is the king?" Aldwyn shouted at the nearest guard as they all dismounted.

"I believe he is in the council chambers, my lord." the startled guard replied.

"What, this late? Here, you lot, take Lady Elen to the court physician's chambers, and if Lady Ela is still in the city, fetch her too." As four guards hastened to obey, Gwaine made to follow them but was stopped by Aldwyn's hand on his arm. "Cleva will go with her. You come with me and the twins."

Unsure why Aldwyn insisted on this but unwilling to argue it, Gwaine turned to the lady in question, who nodded. "Go with the princes; I'll make sure she's tended to."

The twins, though exhausted, actually led the way to the council chambers, obviously delighted to be home. The head guard hurried just behind them with Gwaine and Aldwyn. "The king had pressing court business with his advisors to attend to this evening, I believe, which is why he is there so late…"

Rushing down the painfully familiar halls, Gwaine found it hard to process anything including what the guard was saying. All he knew was that his pounding heart felt like it was trying to leap out of his throat. So close…

They burst into the council room without waiting to be announced or even knocking.

"Father!" Everard and Elwin shouted at the top of their lungs as they ran to the king, whose beard was longer and somewhat greyer than Gwaine remembered and who promptly knocked over a table and three chairs in order to get to his sons.

"You young fools!" he yelled at them even as he pulled them both into an extremely tight embrace. "Were you trying to kill me before my time?"

Aldwyn and Gwaine moved further into the room, which was in an uproar as King Harlan's advisors all stood and started talking at once. Many of them were staring confusedly at Gwaine, which made him extremely uncomfortable.

"And YOU!" bellowed Harlan, catching sight of his eldest son over the twins' heads. "Get over here, now!"

Aldwyn looked like he wanted to drop dead, but instead threw his shoulders back and strode bravely to meet his father, who simply yanked him into a fierce hug as well. "Disobey my orders again and I'll disown you!"

"That's what you always say." mumbled Aldwyn, who, despite age and dignity, didn't seem too upset about being hugged.

His father smacked him on the back of the head for his comment, but not very hard. "Someone fetch the queen! And Princess Braeden! And my daughters! And Aunt Gytha! NOW!" Several guards went scurrying off before he could tell them to hurry up. "Where the hell were you? All of you?"

"It's a long story." Aldwyn hastened to say. "Cousin Elen is…injured; Lady Cleva's with her…"

"You sent them to the physician? Did you ask them to find Ela?" Harlan demanded.

"Yes, Father, I am not stupid."

"Hmph, of course not, just disobedient." Harlan loosened his grip on his children and looked around the room. "Who is this?" he pointed at Gwaine rather rudely, but that was normal behavior for Harlan. Gwaine was more concerned with the way everyone in the room began to stare at him, rather than just half. He was at loss for what to say.

The twins looked just as bewildered as to what to do, but Aldwyn tried to help him out. "Um…this…er, Father, do you…recognize him?"

"Gwaine." It wasn't Harlan who spoke, but the entire room fell silent at that single word.

Gwaine's gaze moved to a table in the corner of the room, at which was seated the only person who hadn't stood at the arrival of the princes. He stood now, slowly, his features lighted by a torch in a wall bracket beside him.

He had changed, physically at least, more than Harlan had. His long hair and shorter beard had almost entirely faded to grey, his shoulders were slightly stooped and he simply looked overall much, much older. But it was him.

Gwaine found that he couldn't move from where he stood due to shock, though at the same time he didn't want to; as if this was a spell that could break if he dared to try.

"What?" Harlan croaked, momentarily shocked out of using his customary shouting voice.

The man from the corner stepped forward, ignoring the king's confusion. "Gwaine." he said again, more gently this time. Rather like he was trying to calm a skittish horse.

It worked, though. Gwaine regained control of his limbs and stumbled forward, discaring propriety, forgetting the spectators, and not caring about anything but the fact that his father was alive and right before him.

Goddard didn't say a word as he pulled his son into a tight embrace that lasted a very long time. And as Gwaine hugged him back, he allowed himself to cry.

Later, they would have to talk. He'd have to try to explain everything that had happened. He'd have to accept the consequences. He'd have to readjust to life here, find his own place. Later.

Right now, Gwaine was just fine with being nothing more than a lost child returning home.

"Merlin, are you going to eat your chicken or do I need to save it for tomorrow?"

Merlin looked up from his plate and gave Gaius a sheepish look. "I'm sorry, Gaius, I was just thinking."

"Ah. About Gwaine, I suppose."

Merlin nodded and looked back at his plate again.

The trip back to Camelot had gone without further incident (save for a run-in with a bear and one of the horses falling into a river). They'd returned to Camelot the previous afternoon. Everyone had been happy to see the king return mostly unscathed, but confused at Gwaine's disappearance. To Merlin's knowledge, only Queen Guinevere and Gaius had gotten the full story. Arthur had told the other knights that Gwaine turned out to be a Bernician and had decided to stay in that country rather than return to Camelot. Beyond that, Arthur said nothing. He refused to even acknowledge any mention of Gwaine afterwards.

Gwen had been startled to learn of Gwaine's heritage, but hadn't criticized Arthur's decision to forget about it. Though she'd told Merlin, "We really should've suspected something; he was so uncomfortable around Everard and Elwin and they were similar in appearance…". But she made no further mention of it.

Gaius, of course, hadn't been surprised about any of it, since Merlin hadn't exactly hidden the facts from him before he left Camelot. But now, over dinner, he had a revelation to make. "Merlin, you said that at some point Gwaine mentioned his mother's name in passing…"

"Yeah, he said it was Ela. I told you that, right? And how she fled the Purge…"

"You did." Gaius sighed and leaned on the tabletop. "Well, Merlin, I've been casting my mind back almost thirty years, and I distinctly remember a gifted young sorceress with healing skills who was living in the lower town. She studied with me sometimes…Her parents had died, and she was taking care of her younger siblings. All three had magic, and sometimes when she came to learn from me she brought them along. They were all very kind and sweet children…in the beginnings of the Purge, Uther's men got to them before she or I could. I saw her only once after they were killed, just before she fled for her life…I have never forgotten the fury in her eyes, nor will I be able to."

"Gwaine's mother…" Merlin murmured. "It's extraordinary…after everything his mother went through here…things he knew about…he served a Pendragon."

"He did what he thought was right." Gaius said, "Just like Arthur is doing what he thinks is right." When Merlin did not respond, the old physician said gently, "You may see him again, Merlin."

Merlin nodded, gazing at nothing. "I hope so." he said finally. "Someday."

When things are different.

So now there's just the epilogue and that's it.

I can't believe how much I loved writing this story (and knowing that you enjoyed reading it!). This has been the largest writing project I've ever done, and I'm so grateful for all the support I've gotten! Special thanks to everyone who reviewed; you guys are amazing!

I've found that several people do want a sequel, so I'm going to go ahead with it. I don't want to give too much away, but the sequel will probably be sort of like an AU Season 5 (since this story was set post-Season 4) though not exactly. I hope that sounds alright to you!

The epilogue should be up within a couple days.

Have a great day/night!