OMG longest chapter yet. A lot of unexpected things happened in this chapter, but I'm pleased with them. I like it when my characters do things I didn't intend. :) It means the story is shaping itself.

Soooo... the world didn't end. That's fun. I woke up in the 21st and texted my friend, "Damnit, still alive." lol.

And, the last episode of Merlin is out tomorrow! Oh god it's ending. :( We shall persevere!

Review Responses

GeorgiaEmrys1D: I'm glad you did, too! Thank you very much. I tend to think I'm not descriptive enough. Dialogue is my strength, but descriptions are my weakness.

Mcgee's Secret: Oh I had the same thoughts when I came up with this. I knew there would have to be lots of build-up, but i so looked forward to putting Merlin is Excalibur. Plenty of opportunity for bromance and humor!

Linnea.E: Yay! Thank you!

WE-ARE-SHER-LOCKED: I'm finicky about my fight scenes. I love planning them and I mess with them until I am satisfied. They generally take a while.

blackcallalily: Wish granted! Um... at least... relatively soon, I think.

Omnisession: Tee-hee! Another spur of the moment part.

CaptainOzone: *blush* I love hearing from you. You write my favorite Merlin fanfics to date and it's really exciting to hear that you like mine! I envy your descriptiveness. Using Arthur's voice wasn't actually something that I had planned from the beginning. When I first came up with the story, I just knew that Merlin would be using magic to help and protect during fights that Arthur got into. When the idea of having to borrow Arthur's voice came to me, I ran with it. I'm really glad I did! I'm having so much fun!

M. of the Mountains: Yeah, I'm a stickler for grammar. I actually plan on going back through this story once it is finished and making sure that spelling and grammar are properly used. Even though this is basically one big rough draft, I can't STAND bad grammar. lol

AmberW: Oh, everything that Arthur has learned about magic is nothing compared to what is about to happen. :)

Heart of Diamond: Update complete!

1983Sarah: I always doubt my ability to craft realistic and enjoyable banter. But honestly, I've been happy with the way the banter has happened in this. Generally it comes when I don't expect it. Lol. It pops into my head and I write it. Sometimes I think I don't have as much control over my brain as I like to think.

Diamond Gryphon: I've always felt that Merlin understands completely the emotion and feeling of magic, but his inexperience prevents most technical knowledge. In this chapter you see him flail a little as his lack of true technical understanding gets the better of him. :)

haezofdaust: You know, I never thought about that, and I'm not sure Arthur has either. With all that has happened, he probably has locked that little question away in the back of his mind- file as 'things I really don't understand about Merlin.' Maybe one day he will ask, but I kind of doubt it. For instance, when Merlin passed out in the first episode of the first season, Arthur just kind of rolled his eyes. Maybe he just assumed that Merlin is a booze-hound and is hungover. I dunno. Lol And yes, I love Frio too. XD

flyaway213: It is a nice bum. XD And I don't think his bum hurts as much as his leg right now.

I hope your ready for some serious magic and bromance! Here we go!

Having just returned to his chambers from his rounds, Gaius wasn't expecting the door to swing open as soon as he had placed his medicine bag on the table and he jumped a little. He smiled and inclined his head toward his queen as she swept into the room and shut the door behind her.

"My lady," he said.

Gwen nodded back with a smile. "Gaius." She glanced around at the deserted chambers for a moment then sighed and looked back to the physician. "How's Merlin?"

Gaius motioned to the door to Merlin's room which lay open. Gwen moved to look in, spotting Frio nestled on what she could only assume was his chest, her head curled around to rest on her back. "He sleeps peacefully it seems." He pursed his lips and sympathy entered his eyes. "I don't imagine his condition will change before the king returns."

Guinevere nodded and looked to her feet, fidgeting with her hands. "I know. I just can't help asking."

Gaius nodded and began removing empty bottles and unused herbs from his bag. He was setting the small bottles aside to be cleaned when he noticed the queen still awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. "What's wrong, my lady?" he asked after a few tense moments.

Gwen's head snapped up and she smiled sheepishly at Gaius. "Oh. My apologies Gaius. I actually came to see Dayla."

Gaius motioned to Merlin's room again. "She's sleeping." Gwen walked over to the doorway and peered inside. Frio's head shot up, hearing her approach, and tilted to one side. A bed roll had been laid out to the left of Merlin's bed, but it was empty. A chair was pulled up next to where Merlin slept, and Dayla sat on its very edge, her small arms barely reaching up to where they were folded on the bed. Her head was laid on her arms and she seemed to be sleeping soundly. Frio stood on Merlin's chest, stretched each of her legs out, shook herself, and settled back down. Gwen smiled at the scene and returned to the main room.

"She was up with me last night helping to change Merlin's bed sheets. She may be a while," said Gaius.

Gwen smiled and nodded. "Alright. Do you mind if I sit and wait a bit?" she asked, eying the bench pulled up to the table.

"Of course." Gaius nodded and Guinevere sat, heaving a heavy sigh. After a moment, Gaius began to work at his potions table and said, "How did the council meeting go?"

Guinevere gave a wry chuckle. "Sort of the reason I want to be somewhere quiet right now." Gaius looked at her, his eyes requesting that she elaborate. "After what happened, getting the council to agree to prepare the city for a siege wasn't difficult at all. But with the actions of Morven and Edlyn, they want to pin all of the focus on the druids. They seem convinced that their actions represent the feelings of all tribes."

Gaius didn't look surprised. "Many of the council members are still in place from Uther's rule. Their attitude towards magic might not change for a long time, if at all."

"Having Leon there was a great help. They trust him more than they trust me," said Gwen with a sad smile.

"I imagine so. Leon is not only a captain, but he has fought in many many battles alongside Arthur. He has proven himself to them. You only need the opportunity to do the same," said Gaius, combining the liquids in two small glass jars.

"I don't know how, though. It's all I can do to keep them from declaring all-out war on the druid people," groaned Gwen, placing her face in her hands and her elbows on her knees. "I'm not sure I can do this, Gaius," she admitted.

Gaius was suddenly in front of her, sitting on a stood just a few feet away. He grabbed her hands and she sat up, looking him in the eye. "Guinevere, you are the servant-girl remarkable enough to win over the heart of a Prince surrounded with royalty and riches. If anyone can do it, you can."

Gwen smiled at him. "Thank you, Gaius."

Soft fluttering drew their attention back. Frio hopped down the steps and spread her wings and legs in a stretch. Behind her trailed Dayla, rubbing a fist into tired eyes. She caught sight of the fine silk of Guinevere's dress and trailed the embroidery up to her face, her large brown eyes widening. She dropped down to one knee in a bow. "Your Highness!" she cried.

Guinevere got her first true look at the small girl. She couldn't have been as tall as Gwen's hip. She had long brown hair which reached to her waist and was woven into a braid, but the hair around her face was mussed and wild. She wore a brown sleeveless tunic of rough cloth, showing off the druid symbol that swirled on her right shoulder. Her small legs were bare, but her feet were entirely encased in white bandages.

Guinevere smiled and held a hand out. "Oh, Dayla, there's no need for that." The small girl looked at the extended hand meekly, as though afraid to meet her eyes. Gwen merely looked at her with a gentle smile and Dayla slowly made her way to her feet. "I actually came to speak with you." She patted the bench next to her. "Come, sit."

Dayla hesitated, clearly intimidated by the finery of Guinevere's appearance. Gwen suddenly felt guilty having come here still dressed for a council meeting. She sighed and looked to Gaius. The physician leaned his head to see the girl. "Dayla, come," he said gently. Dayla perked up and at a pat on his legs, she hurried over to be lifted into the old man's lap. She was now facing the queen, but the presence of the physician visibly relaxed her.

Gwen reached out her hand, silently requesting Dayla's. After a moment, and a nod from Gaius, her small fingers rested on Gwen's palm. The queen ran her thumb across the little girl's knuckles. "You have nothing to fear from me, Dayla." A thought occurred to her and she reached up to pluck the thin tiara from her head. "Would you like to hold this?" she asked.

The druid girl's eyes lit up at the sight of the beautiful head-piece and looked up to Gwen, finally meeting her eyes. She stared at her as though she were reading a scroll and then after deeming whatever she discovered there satisfactory, she gave a shy smile and nodded. Gwen held out the tiara and Dayla took it, holding the item like it was made of fired clay that could shatter at any moment. She turned it around slowly, eying each of the gems with wonder. Guinevere smiled and gently took the tiara from her hands and lifted it to rest on the girl's head. Dayla smiled brightly again, pressing her arms into her legs in delight. Gwen struggled with the tiara for a moment, as the little druid's head was smaller than her own. But she finally found that by pressing the back point into the top of Dayla's braid, the 'v' shape at the front sat delicately in the center of the girl's forehead.

She hoped that her uncomfortable topic of conversation would be eased by Dayla's delight at the crown. She sighed and sat back. "We have men circling the city, keeping an eye out for anyone from Morgana's company. What do you know of what is to happen?"

Dayla nodded and pulled the blue gem from her pocket. "This will project a wall around the edges of the city."

Gwen stared at the sparkling rock. Strange that something that fit in the palm of a child's hand would possibly be their only means of holding the enemy at bay. "Does it need to be placed anywhere in specific?"

Dayla nodded. "The tallest tower in the citadel."

"So the eastern tower," offered Gaius.

"And once the wall is up, no one may enter?" asked Gwen.

Dayla shoved the gem back into her pocket. "The wall won't become solid until I supply it with my magic."

Again, their defense against the strength of Morgana lay with something so small. "Do you have to be in the tower to make it work? We would need to station a group of knights to protect the door."

Dayla shook her head. "No. I can use the spell from anywhere within the wall."

A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Will it hurt?" she asked quietly.

Dayla didn't seem bothered by the question. "Not at first."

Gwen felt a knot tighten in her throat at the shrug that accompanied her words. "At first?" she managed.

Dayla's eyes held no fear or uncertainty. "My mama said that as the gem draws more of my power, it will start to make me tired, and then it will hurt." She sat up straighter, her eyes filled with a memory of love. "She always used to say, 'strengthen your heart, Dayla, and your troubles will be eased.'" She placed a hand over her heart. "I think she meant it will hurt here." Again, there was no fear or concern in her voice or eyes. She was resolute and accepting, and it disturbed Gwen to her core.

The queen struggled to hold off the tears that stung her eyes. She forced a smile, but the girl seemed to easily see through it. She leaned forward in Gaius' lap. "What's wrong, your highness?" she asked.

Gwen looked up at her, the warmth of the girl's question allowing a proper smile to break through. She shook her head, and spotted Frio a few feet behind Gaius' chair, pecking at a discarded bottle. "Dayla, why don't you go play outside with Frio?"

Dayla's eyes lit up. "Really? Can I?" she asked, a broad grin on her face. Gwen nodded and the little girl hopped from Gaius' lap, pulled the tiara from her head to hand it back to its owner and hurried to the doorway. She waved at the aforementioned bird and Frio obediently followed her out.

As soon as the door to Gaius' chambers was shut, Gwen's posture deflated. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she gripped her arms across her stomach. When she looked at Gaius, he was surprised at the fire in her eyes. "Gaius!" she cried, her tone dripping with a misplaced accusation.

"Guinevere-!"

Gaius was cut off as the queen raised her voice a small bit. "She's a child! A child, Gaius!" The old man's face was impassive, but his eyes were filled with sympathy. "How can we expect this from her?" she demanded, obviously not expecting an answer. "Arthur told me how Merlin screamed when that gem was put on him." Her tone was forcefully even, her voice battling the tension in her throat. "Dayla should be out catching frogs and learning to sew and picking flowers, not preparing herself for that kind of pain."

Gaius leaned forward on his knees. "It is unfortunate, but children chosen for a purpose according to the Old Religion are often deprived of childhood. They have very heavy responsibilities and they often have the mind of an adult far before their body catches up. It is likely that Dayla's entire life has been consumed by training for this very moment."

Gwen fell silent, staring at the door where the girl had just left. She hugged herself tighter and the tears began once again. "Will the gem kill her?"

Gaius considered the question for a long moment. "It is not very likely. The magic that runs in Dayla is not like Merlin's. It does not sustain her. However," his voice softened, "if her magic and energy do run out, I fear she will fall into a sleep much like Merlin's. She will never wake again."

Gwen's face and eyes became suddenly resolute and her posture straightened. Her hands fell into her lap after scrubbing the tears from her face. "I will not let that happen." Gaius was taken aback by the declaration. Gwen's gaze did not falter. "Immediately after her family was murdered... she ran here on foot... wounded, and with a druid curse on her. She came to give the golden piece to Arthur and to endure the pain that will come with saving the city that has persecuted her." Her hands balled into fists. "That would break most knights." She looked out the window at the smoke stacks of the city. "When this is all over, she will want for nothing." Gaius' eyes widened at the insinuation. "I will do what I can to preserve the innocence that makes her so strong."

Gaius smiled. "That is quite a reward, my lady."

Gwen shook her head. "It is not a reward, Gaius." She looked back to the physician. "I am righting a wrong. Whatever purpose she will serve for this city, it does not change the fact that she was robbed of her childhood. I intend to give her some of that back; whatever I can."

~ooOoo~

By the time Gwaine woke up, the sun had nearly set. He was lying on a bedroll instead of the hard ground, and a fire crackled and popped to his right. He felt heavy and drowsy, and he could feel sweat dripping down his face and back. Icy hot pain shot through his leg when he tried to move it and so he resolved to keep it as still as he could. He craned his neck until his chin rested on his chest to look at the injured leg. His breeches had been torn a bit above the injury, creating a large hole with which to access the wound. His leg had been bound with several layers of crisp white bandages and the smell indicated the use of herbs as well.

Percival rested against a tree nearby, his head dipped and dozing. Arthur was across the camp, staring into a bowl of what Gwaine could only guess was food, but it could have been a dead mouse considering the look on his face. Excalibur was standing in the earth some feet in front of the king. Gwaine smirked and looked to Percival, scanning the bruises and cuts that littered the man's visible skin from his encounter with the golem.

"You look as bad as I feel," he chuckled.

The large man jumped at Gwaine's sudden speech and hurried to his side, smiling. Within seconds, Arthur appeared as well, looking over his face. "How do you feel, Gwaine?"

The roguish knight smiled. "Well, I have a hole in my leg; so, marvelous," he chuckled. He rolled his head to the side to look at the sword stuck in the ground. "Merlin, have you got anything for the pain?"

"Yeah. I had Percival mix a tonic earlier. Turns out he's pretty good at it."

The large man smiled and stood, wandering to where their belongings had been piled. Arthur laughed. "Far better than his cooking."

Gwaine raised an eyebrow at the king. "Did it not suit your delicate tastes, Princess?" he jibed.

"No no, he's right,"laughed Percival, walking back with a small bottle of yellowish liquid and a water skin. "Last night's dinner was apparently a fluke."

Arthur shuddered. "Let's just say tonight's stew, among other problems, was the consistency of mud." Percival blushed mildly, but he laughed along with Merlin at Arthur's lament. "I had to go catch us a rabbit."

Percival handed the small bottle off to Gwaine and the knight downed it in one swig. He instantly convulsed, almost managing to sit up in the process. He sputtered and coughed a little bit, his face screwed into one of disgust. "Oh! That is foul!"

"They generally are," laughed the sword. "Herbs aren't really known for their taste."

Gwaine smacked his lips a few times and drank greedily from the water skin that Percival handed him. He lay flat again and heaved a sigh. The elixir worked within a few minutes, his thing beginning to go numb. He glanced up at Percival again. "So how far have we gotten?" he asked.

The knight looked down at him and raised an eyebrow. "Gotten?"

"Since the fight. How much closer are we?"

Arthur looked to the sword and then to the prone man. "We haven't gone anywhere. You needed tending to."

Gwaine drew his eyebrows down. "What? Arthur, we don't have half a day to lose!" he exclaimed.

Arthur looked back to the sword with a look of justification on his face. "I know that, Gwaine. But you're in no fit state to travel."

Gwaine stared at him with his mouth slightly agape, as though he couldn't quite believe what he was being told. "Then you should have put me on a horse and sent me back to Camelot while you continued," he growled, looking to Percival for support.

"Gwaine, as you pointed out earlier, you have a hole in your leg! We are a day and a half out of the city. You would have bled to death before you even spotted Camelot's towers."

Percival nodded. "And even if you survived the blood loss, there are mercenaries everywhere looking for us."

Arthur looked to Excalibur and then to Gwaine. He was having difficulty choosing a side. He couldn't very well send Gwaine back to Camelot with such a high chance of capture or death, but they had very little time to lose before Morgana launched her attack. In the end he had given in to Merlin's reasoning and they had set up camp near the site of the battle. Gwaine was one of his best knights and a friend. He wouldn't abandon him.

The dark-haired knight struggled for words for a moment, trying to come up with some other solution. Finally his eyes grew resolute and he looked to Excalibur. "Alright then, Merlin. Fix me."

There was a long silence. "Do what?"

Gwaine took a long moment to work himself into a sitting position, Percival stepping in to help after a failed attempt. "Fix me," he repeated. "After eight years of protecting Arthur, you've got to know some healing magic."

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the suggestion. He didn't know why the sentence annoyed him. Perhaps it was the insinuation that Arthur couldn't take care of himself. After thinking about it a moment, the annoyance turned to frustration. How many times had he walked away from a battle mistakenly thinking that his own skill had saved his life? Frustration now turned to guilt. How much credit for his many accomplishments truly belonged to Merlin?

"Yes, I know some healing spells, but…" Now it was Merlin's turn to struggle for words. "You saw what happened to those trees. You want that to happen to your leg?"

"What's the alternative?" asked Gwaine, waving one of his arms. "What were you planning on doing with me?"

Arthur ran a hand through his golden locks before sighing and leaning his head back in frustration. "We hadn't decided on one. We were hoping inspiration would strike us as we set up camp."

"Didn't quite work out that way," muttered Percival.

Arthur rubbed a knot in his neck and glanced up at Gwaine, studying his resolute face. After a long moment, the roguish knight placed his hand back behind him as support. "Camelot is about to be attacked by who knows how many mercenaries, bandits, and probably Saxons... not to mention Morgana herself," he said with an uncharacteristic seriousness in his tone. "Either fix me or leave me, Arthur. We can't waste time here."

Arthur's thoughts were very much along the same lines, but he hesitated. The image of the crumbling trees flashed through his mind. One look into Gwaine's eyes told him the knight had deemed the risk a reasonable one. He ran a hand down his face and got to his feet, sighing as he took Excalibur into his hand. He could feel Merlin beginning to panic.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Do it, Merlin," ordered the king.

He felt Merlin begin to rebel at the command, but the rebellion was followed quickly by something akin to obedience. Something about his sudden switch unnerved Arthur a little. Merlin was physically helpless in the state he was in. He had put himself entirely in the hands of his king, even going so far as to forsake his own decisions and opinions for those of Arthur. "I don't know if this is a good idea."

"Come on," urged Arthur. "Give it a go."Arthur suddenly found himself slightly offended at the emotions that Merlin was emitting. "Calling me a cabbage-head, are you?" he grumbled.

"Do you have any idea how much harder healing magic is from normal magic?" demanded Merlin. Arthur shrugged at him. "You're dealing with a living creature. If the flow of magic is off in the slightest, it will overwhelm the body and Gwaine could wind up without a leg at all."

"We'll have to manage it, Merlin," said Arthur.

"Glad to see you have so much faith in my abilities," muttered Merlin, his tone full of doubt and a little sarcasm.

"I don't," said Arthur flatly. "But Gwaine is stubborn." Over on his bedroll, the knight grinned at the blade.

They all heard Merlin sigh. "Fine. Not that I really know what I'm doing here, but we'll need to practice on something else before we start shoving magic into Gwaine's leg." He seemed loathe to utter the next words."I'm going to need your help, Arthur."

Arthur shot a confused look down at the blade and then lifted it to look into Merlin's eyes behind the steel. "How am I supposed to help?"

"If I am going to control my magic precisely enough for healing magic, I'm going to need you to help me." The eyes in the sword shifted over to the side. "Percival, I need you to go get five or six fist-sized stones from the river."

Arthur watched the large knight hurry off to his task then narrowed his eyes at his servant again. "Are you asking for my help so you can blame me if you blow Gwaine's leg off?" he asked.

The injured knight shifted uncomfortably at the suggestion.

"No. I'm going to try and use you like a staff."

A strange look came over Arthur's face. "Like a what?" he demanded somewhat indignantly. "Since when do you have a staff?"

"Since the first year I became your servant." Arthur sighed. Would there ever come a day when he discovered all that Merlin had managed to get away with over the years? "According to what I've read and what I've done, the crystal in a magic staff acts as a medium; a tool which focuses their raw abilities. I imagine that using you to focus my magic will allow me to control it enough to use healing magic."

"You imagine?" asked Arthur.

The king felt his servant roll his eyes. "Oh, yes. I read about it in a book just the other day," he drawled sarcastically. Arthur glared at the gem. "As far as I know, never before has a warlock been trapped in a sword and called upon to use such precise magic. I'm having to make this up as I go along."

Arthur stared at the sword for a long moment and then looked back at Gwaine. "You sure you want him to do this?" he asked.

Gwaine shifted uncomfortably again, but didn't protest.

Percival soon returned with several large rocks balanced in his muscled arms. "Just put them in a pile somewhere, Percival," said Merlin. The knight wandered to the middle of the camp and dropped the rocks before wandering back to his seat beside Gwaine to watch. Arthur was urged to sit in front of the rocks and so he did, placing Excalibur on the ground at his side.

"This is a bad idea," groaned Arthur.

"There aren't too many options at this point," said Merlin.

Arthur heaved a sigh. It wasn't quite the idea of being used as a channel to funnel magic that had him worried; it was the image of Gwaine's leg snapping like a twig. "Alright, what do I do?"

Merlin was silent for a long time. Arthur could feel his mind running as he stared at the rocks. Hopefully, the current shared nature of their feelings and minds would help Arthur do what he needed to. Merlin began muttering to himself.

"A staff is a little different, obviously," the said more to himself than anyone. The knights and their king decided to remain quiet while Merlin puzzled things out."You're at least slightly more intelligent than a piece of wood," he chuckled, feeling Arthur's annoyance rise, "which is what makes this possible. You just need… to control the magic as it goes through you."

Arthur finally cut in to Merlin's thought train. "And how am I meant to do that?"

Merlin thought for another long moment, and now Arthur could feel him contemplating how to explain. Finally, he seemed to give up and sighed. "Let's just start with this… I'm going to release some of my magic. Focus on your hand and you should feel it."

Arthur pursed his lips, reluctantly nodded, and held his hand in front of his face. After a moment, a sensation ran down his arm and into his fingertips like a million small spiders shooting down his flesh. His eyes widened at the feeling. Prior to this, his only experience with Merlin's magic was enormous, overwhelming, and loud. This was gentle and quiet. But at the same time, he got the impression he was at the eye of a storm. Just beyond this trickle of magic was a powerful dam he was afraid would burst and swallow him. He turned his hand over in front of him and rubbed his fingertips together; looking at it as though someone else's hand had been stuck on the end of his arm. He hoped Merlin couldn't tell how much the feeling invigorated him; he didn't want any more self-satisfaction oozing from the blade. It was the same exhilaration he felt the first time he had encountered Merlin's magic. He felt energized and embraced by all that surrounded him.

A slight pressure appeared in his palm and, like the golden thread that lead them through the kingdom, he could almost see a small ball of energy coiling itself into existence. He stared at the empty space on his hand like it had just sprouted extra fingers. He didn't even care that the two knights present could see the dumbfounded look on his face.

"Can you feel it, Arthur?" asked Merlin, slightly concerned at Arthur's silence.

Arthur shook himself free of the daze and nodded, clearing his throat. "Yes… I can feel it." He swallowed and looked down at Merlin's eyes. "What do I do now?"

"Uhh…" sighed Merlin, glancing between Arthur, the invisible ball of magic, and the pile of stones. "Imagine it getting smaller, I suppose."

Arthur stared back at him, as though he expected the suggestion to be a joke. When Merlin remained silent, Arthur sighed. He looked down at his palm, trying his best to visualize the small mass he knew lay there. He tried first to simply picture the ball deflating, as though poking a hole in a water skin. He felt no change. He then tried to focus on the sensation on his palm, trying to imagine the point of contact shrinking in size. Again, nothing happened.

"Try imagining, Arthur," goaded Merlin, thoroughly breaking Arthur's concentration.

"I was trying," he growled.

"Oh."

Arthur lay his chin in his tingling hand. "This is going to be like trying to teach me to say the dragonlord spell; it's not going to work."

"You got a better idea of how to deal with Gwaine's wound?" Arthur was quiet and Merlin's mind raced again. After a long moment, Arthur felt a swell of magic, but it was different than when in battle. This swell was more like a gentle wave than a kick in the stomach. "Put your hand on the ground beside you, Arthur." The king eyed the sword. "Just do it," sighed the servant.

Arthur obeyed, laying his hand flat against the grass beside him. His breath hitched in his throat.

The world around him exploded into existence, as though he had never before seen it. His fingers grew roots of energy, spiraling outward and touching every bit of life around them. Each blade of grass was vibrant and alive. Each tree was mighty and tall. Each animal was bursting with energy. There was a strong thudding in his chest and he yanked his hand to his chest, panting as though he had been sprinting.

"Sire, are you alright?" asked Percival, noting the king's suddenly hunched posture.

Arthur nodded, but he couldn't seem to find his voice. He opened his mouth, but his voice was trapped somewhere in his throat. What his eyes saw was so limited. How had he lived this long without seeing the world as it truly was? He looked to his tingling hand again.

"Arthur?"

Arthur looked to the sword lying limply in his left hand, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and shock. Again, his voice refused to leave his throat, but Merlin easily deciphered what he wanted to ask.

"That was magic, Arthur, in its truest form. It can be overwhelming, I know."

Arthur nodded again and looked to his hand. He actively tried to wrench the emotion from his face, but he failed miserably. He looked to the spot on the grass where his hand had just lay. It was no different than when they set up camp here, and yet Arthur now knew that there was so much more. If Merlin continued talking, he didn't hear him. Cautiously, Arthur put his hand against the ground again.

His mind burst once again with the sensation. It was as though he were everywhere at once. He could see far beyond where his eyes could reach. Their horses stood sleeping near the calm river. He spotted a doe and her fawn nibbling at a sapling whilst a handsome buck stood tall as a lookout. There were rabbits tearing through the woods toward their burrows and foxes chasing down small rodents. Birds flew from tree to tree singing and squawking. A group of bees danced among a small patch of flowers. The thudding began in his chest again and it took him a long moment to puzzle out what it was.

"It is the heartbeat of the earth," said Merlin, some amount of awe in his tone.

Arthur smiled weakly and it was all he could do to keep tears from falling down his cheeks. He was utterly overwhelmed by the extraordinary sensation. He quickly distracted himself by turning his attention to his left hand (he could hardly be seen crying in front of his knights!). It tingled like his right hand had done. There was a pleasant warmth that spread across his chest. It flowed from the earth into his hand, across his shoulders, and finally into the fingers that gripped tightly Excalibur's hilt. He dared not remove his hand from the ground. In that moment, he bathed in the beauty that was surrounding him; the beauty that he had always been blind to see. Was this how Merlin saw the world? And yet, like a drop of wine, fallen into a goblet of pure water, stained it slightly red, sadness and fear tinted the earth. Little beads of mourning skittered across everything. There was not a bit of the magic around him that remained untouched. The beads stung his eyes and wound a lump into his throat. The magic of the world seemed to be crying.

"All mourning the absence of its master..." he whispered quietly enough that even though the knights leaned closer to him, they didn't catch his words.

He felt the tingle in his body begin to spread. It crawled across his stomach and down his legs until it reached his toes. He could feel his eyes burning and he was barely aware of the surprise that brought Percival to his feet. When his body could take no more, he removed his hand and sat back, once again breathing heavily. He looked to Percival, a question in his eyes.

The large knight shifted awkwardly for a moment before reclaiming his seat. "Your eyes, sire... they glowed brighter than our fire."

Arthur looked down at the fire, and then glanced around the camp. The world was small and solid again. He took a long moment to gather himself together and then took a deep breath. He looked down at the sword and couldn't help but glare at the grin that Merlin sent him. There was no self-satisfaction in the servant, however. It was a smile of pure joy. Arthur had now seen the world the way that Merlin had always wanted him to; vibrant, beautiful, wondrous, alive. The joy was infectious and Arthur fought the smile that tried to force its way onto his lips. He had more important things to do than giggle like a little girl with his best mate.

"Try again, Arthur," said Merlin, ignoring the swell of companionship that Arthur tried to restrain.

Still struggling to find his voice, Arthur simply nodded and sat up again, holding out his hand and staring at the palm. He felt the energy gather there again, swirling and tumbling like a tiny whirlwind. He focused his mind as much as he could, but the energy did not change. He stared at the invisible ball, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't picture the magic that had just overwhelmed him in such a small form. He couldn't wrap his mind around the idea that such raw power and energy could be harnessed in such a way, despite the evidence to the contrary in his hand. After another fruitless moment, he heaved a heavy sigh and dropped his arm back into his lap.

"Well, that seemed like a waste of time," growled Arthur finally, having to clear his throat to jar his voice back into action.

"Arthur," began Merlin, awe and glee mixing in his tone. On the other side of the fire, the knights sat up straighter at the servant's voice. "What did you just do?"

Arthur brought his hand back up and examined it as though to find out if anything had changed. Finding nothing he said, "Nothing. Why?"

Merlin thought for a moment, and Arthur could feel the servant's realization come over him. "You sighed," Merlin pointed out.

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Yeah... I suppose I did. What does that matter?"

"When you breathed out, I was able to better control the flow of magic."

Arthur's expression didn't change. "Wait... I have to sigh for you to control your magic?" he demanded, shuddering as he envisioned himself breathing out like a swooning girl.

"I don't think so. Just breathe evenly and slowly."

"What sense does that make?" asked Arthur with a smirk. "All I have to do is breathe a certain way?"

"I have no idea, but if it works, I won't question it," laughed Merlin.

"So... now what?" asked Gwaine from his bedroll.

"Well, now we try a spell. That's why I had Percival bring the rocks."

"My leg's a lot softer than those rocks, Merlin," called Gwaine, his voice tightened by anxiety.

"I'm not using a healing spell on the rocks. I just need to get used to using Arthur as a medium."

"I'm not a piece of wood, Merlin," grumbled Arthur, grabbing one of the rocks and setting it down in front of him.

"Cabbage will work just fine as a medium, I'm sure."

Arthur smacked the blade against one of the rocks and felt quite content at the yelp of pain Merlin gave. "What do I do?" he asked.

"Place your hand on the rock and breathe steadily."

Arthur did as he was told and laid his palm flush against the cool stone. Magic welled in his stomach and seemed to accompany the air that was sucked into his lungs. The spiders skittered across his flesh again and he could feel the magic jump and fidget beneath his skin, longing to be released. He closed his eyes and willed it back into the flow he could feel running to his fingertips. As the energy reached a steady trickle, he felt Merlin take hold of his voice.

"Cléofan.(1)"

The king knew what would happen just before it did. His hand shot to his chest as the rock beneath his palm burst with a loud popping sound, sending small shards of rock in all directions. A few pieces grazed his fingers and he shook his hand out.

"Ow! Merlin!"

"Sorry! I'm still getting used to this!"

Gwaine leaned over to see the remains of the rock. He eyed the small shards near his bedroll, took a deep steadying breath, and exchanged a concerned look with Percival.

Arthur examined his hand, poking at the small welts that appeared on the heel. "Great," he grumbled.

"That's why I had Percival grab a few," said Merlin.

Arthur rolled his eyes and grabbed another rock. Three more stones exploded, wearing Gwaine's nerves thinner and thinner each time. The knights took to bracing themselves for the loud popping noise (followed by several choice swears by the king) they knew was coming each time Arthur uttered the foreign tongue. On the fifth stone that Arthur grabbed, however, the 'POP' was replaced with a 'CRACK'.

The king cautiously opened one eye and looked down at his hand. No new welts were forming. The stone was still cool against his skin. He slowly removed his hand, looking down at the stone, which now lay in two large pieces. A jagged fissure had carved itself all the way through the rock. Arthur gave a weak smile and he could feel Merlin burst with glee.

"Finally! That's it!" he cried.

Arthur's confidence in Merlin's ability to not do that to Gwaine's leg wasn't bolstered, though. "I assume that was meant to happen?"

"Just so," said Merlin.

"And you're not going to do that to my leg?" asked Gwaine. Not even he noticed how tightly his hand had been wound into the fabric of his bed roll as he watched the poor stones being butchered one by one.

"Different kind of spell," assured Merlin.

Arthur moved the two pieces of stone off to the side and grabbed the last unbroken rock. "Hardly comforting since all we've seen you do is break things," he grumbled.

"I'd like to see you do better," laughed Merlin.

"Would like to see that, actually." Arthur chuckled at the thought. He could feel Merlin give an eye-roll. "The fact is, Merlin, that you've always been an idiot. I just know now that you're a magical idiot. If it were possible, I'd take you up on that."

There was something comforting about Arthur's statement. Perhaps things were not quite as changed as he feared. Merlin found himself hoping more than anything else that once he was returned to his body he could continue his normal duties, quietly advising Arthur until the day came when all of magic was free. The comfort and hope was quickly dismissed (lest Arthur discover what he was thinking) and his usual cheek returned.

"Keep telling yourself that. Just grab the rock, will you?"

Arthur picked up the rock and held it in his hand for a moment before placing it back onto the ground and covering it with his palm. He inhaled slowly and could feel the magic swell in his chest. He could feel his eyes burn and Merlin grabbed his voice.

"Cléofan."

CRACK!

Arthur moved his hand and this rock, too, was now in two pieces. He smiled along with Merlin and sighed suddenly feeling drained and tired. "Alright. Are we ready for this?" the king asked, looking both to Merlin's eyes within the blade and back toward Gwaine, who still looked rather apprehensive about the whole matter. Arthur chuckled at the fear in the knights eyes. "What about all that 'fix me or leave me' chat, Gwaine?"

The injured knight laughed weakly. "Right. Well let's get on with it," he said with no small amount of anxiety in his tone. He could feel Percival come behind him and support his back. Feeling a little like a girl, Gwaine established a powerful hold on one of the bear's forearms, bracing himself for the bone shattering he was almost certain he was about to experience.

Arthur stood and walked toward Gwaine, his own fear getting stronger with each step he took toward the injured knight. Merlin seemed to immediately pick up on it.

"Relax," he ordered. "Your breathing is what makes this possible. You won't do Gwaine much good if you're panting like this."

"I am not panting," replied an indignant king. He knelt next to the injured leg and eyed the spot of blood that had slowly begun to seep through the white bandages. He glanced to Gwaine and then looked back at the limb. "What do I do?"

"Unwrap his leg. The wound needs to be exposed."

Gwaine glanced up to Percival who offered a weak smile. Arthur placed Excalibur once again on the ground and began to untie the knot at the top, moving his hands as gingerly as he could. Even moving thus, Gwaine still hissed and gritted his teeth. He lifted Gwaine's leg to bend the knee and slowly unwrapped the cloth until he exposed Gwaine's thigh and the several small orange flower petals (2) that had been pressed against the wound. He lifted each one carefully until the small hole hit the air and Gwaine hissed again. The injury looked mostly clean, though the skin around the puncture was an angry shade of red. Covering almost the width of Gwaine's thigh around the wound, his skin was covered with blue, purple, and black bruising. Blood pooled and began to drip down into his trousers.

"Alright, now what?"

"Sorry, Gwaine. This is going to hurt," muttered Merlin.

Gwaine nodded and his fingers dug a little deeper into Percival's arm. "Just do it," he ordered.

Merlin hesitated but Arthur could feel his determination solidify. "Alright, Arthur. Lay one hand over the wound and grab Excalibur's hilt with the other." Arthur obeyed and Gwaine growled at the sting that the warmth of the king's hand brought. "Breathe steadily, Arthur. You too, Gwaine."

Arthur brought his mind into focus. Magic began its journey down his arm and into his fingertips, waiting to be loosed into the small hole beneath his palm. His breath slowed and his eyes closed. As he exhaled, Merlin grabbed his voice.

"Wel cene hole.(3)"

Gwaine yelped, but Arthur barely heard it. As it had when he touched the ground, his vision darted downwards, infiltrating the knight's thigh. He passed muscle and tissue until he reached the powerful bone. Like a goblet being filled with water, the magic filled the injury. After several minutes, he could feel the magic being slowly pushed back into the air and into his hand. The muscle and tissue spun themselves whole until he could feel the gap in Gwaine's flesh seal itself closed.

Arthur's eyes opened and he lifted his hand away. Where once had sat a red pool of blood, there was now nothing but a small white circle surrounded by the deep purple of the bruise. Gwaine's death grip on Percival's arm released and he sat up fully, looking down at his still-bloodied leg with a broad smile.

"Could have used something like that a while ago, mate," laughed Gwaine. "Nicely done."

Arthur wobbled slightly as he attempted to stand. "Wooh..." Without saying anything to his knights or the sword, he used Excalibur as a crutch to gain his feet and then left it embedded in the ground to head back to his bed roll and trip over a root onto it. "We didn't blow Gwaine's leg off," he slurred into the cushion beneath him. "Well done."

Merlin laughed. "After the amount of magic he just helped me with, I'm surprised he was awake this long."

"That was certainly impressive," said Percival, standing.

"I'm just glad it worked. I've never used that spell before."

Gwaine's wide eyes fixed on the gem. "And you thought it would be a good idea to test it out on me, did you?" There wasn't much anger in his voice, though it was filled with the realization of the true risk of what he had just allowed Merlin to do.

"Relax. That spell is actually specifically for puncture wounds. I've seen it used before on Arthur."

Percival retrieved his bed roll where it had been laid on the other side of the fire and brought it round to spread it between the king and Gwaine. "It's amazing how long sorcery has been at the heart of Camelot." There was a certain amount of wonder in his voice that Merlin hadn't expected to hear from any of the knights.

"You haven't seemed too upset by all of this, Percival. Do you not share Camelot's fear and hatred of magic?"

Percival shrugged. "It's not that I don't fear it. It is difficult to grow up in this day and age without that kind of prejudice." He settled onto his belly, propping his upper torso on his elbows. "But since my family was killed, I've understood one purpose for myself, and that is to fight. It is one of the only things I'm good for." He chuckled and Gwaine mimed raising a goblet to him with a smile. "When Cenred attacked my village, I saw farmers and tailors pick up brooms and pitchforks to fight off men with swords and crossbows. They used anything they could get their hands on to defend the ones they loved." He looked down at his hands. "I suppose... my fear and prejudice was overcome by my understanding that people use whatever they have at their disposal to fight for what they deem as precious."

Percival rarely spoke of his family. In fact, the large man was known for his silence. He looked to Gwaine, and then to the gem. His cheeks flared a soft red that was barely seen in the light of the fire under their scrutiny. "What about you, Gwaine?" he suddenly asked, desperate to redirect the attention of his companions.

Gwaine seemed surprised at the question and looked between the blade and the other knight before shrugging. "I've seen Merlin walk into the Perilous Lands to face wyverns and bandits without armor or weapon simply to save his master." He laughed. "If Merlin could even be considered to be evil, then I'm a tavern wench."

His emotions his own while Arthur slept, Merlin allowed happiness to bathe his magic. Unnoticed by the two knights, plants sprouted new leaves, additional rings appeared in several trees' trunks, and flowers around them burst into bloom.

1: "Split."

2: Not sure if it matters, lol but the herb that I decided he used was Calendula; an orange flower used to speed healing.

3: "Do good to the perforation." From the episode The Crystal Cave

Hope you enjoyed! I promise more fights next chapter!