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As Arthur steps into the stone circle, he isn't sure what to expect, other than he will somehow see his father.
But that isn't how it goes, as it's a woman he has only seen once, in a painting.
"Mother?" He asks in a choked whisper.
"Hello, my son."
"How are you here?"
"I couldn't allow your father to come poison your mind even more."
"What?"
"Oh, my darling. He became a hateful man after I died, and even more so after his own passing. I have seen him, here in the spirit world, and I have let him know exactly what I think about how he's treated you, and our kingdom."
"I don't understand."
"You always were loyal. I'm proud of you for that, but you must open your eyes. He was not fair, or just. He treated magic users terribly, when he had used it himself."
"Father used magic?" Arthur almost wants to laugh at the incredulous idea, but he's not going to laugh at his mother.
"Yes. It is how you were conceived."
"What?!"
As Ygraine explains the nature of his birth, Arthur feels shocked, guilty, horrified at his father, and a myriad of other emotions.
"Have you seen magic used in a benevolent way?"
"Yes. Nimueh was my friend, she showed me a great many wonders with magic."
"Nimueh?"
"She was a high priestess. You met her, once. When you journeyed to find a cure for your manservant, after he'd been poisoned."
"That woman who wanted to kill me was your friend?"
"Yes, but because of your father, she wasn't who she once was."
"I remember, she's the one who poisoned Merlin in the first place!"
Ygraine smiles, laying a hand on his shoulder.
"You did a brave thing, disobeying your father like that."
"I had to."
"Yes, couldn't let such an act go without notice."
"How do you know of all these things?"
"I've been watching over you. You're becoming a good king. I'm very proud of you."
Arthur tears up, his mother having said that twice in a few minutes, which is more than Uther said in months.
"Thank you. I've been trying so hard, but it never feels like enough."
"You have good advisors, you don't always have to be alone, despite what your father said. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to yourself. Take heed of good advice, but also listen to your heart."
"You are much better at this than father was. You've been more helpful in a minute than he was most of my life."
"These are just things I've wanted to tell you for a long time. I knew I had to take the opportunity when you received the Horn. I had to fight your father to get here. It's not the first time, nor will it be the last."
Arthur laughs softly at the image of his small mother attacking his father.
"I'm glad someone has given him what he deserves."
"Oh, you're doing that as well! The way you rule, he would hate it. But that's good!"
"Yes. I knew he would. I'm glad you were here instead of him."
"Me too. Do we have a time limit? There's so much I'd like to tell you."
"Not that I know of. But I don't know how safe this place is, I don't want Merlin to have any trouble."
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Ygraine says with a knowing smile.
"Do you know something I don't?"
"That's not for me to share. There's plenty of other things to talk about."
Arthur looks at her in confusion, but allows her to change the subject.
They talk for a long time, about many topics, until Ygraine says it is time to part.
"Will I be able to see you again?"
"Of course. You may use the Horn as many times as you wish."
"Good. I will return soon!"
"I'm sure you will. Remember what I told you."
"I will."
They say goodbye, Arthur promising to return again soon before exiting the spirit world.
"Merlin?"
He gets no response, quickly being seized with dread.
There's nowhere he could've hidden, it's open plains for quite a distance.
"Merlin!" He calls a few more times as he begins searching, seeing no Merlin, nor either of their horses.
He's beginning to panic when he finally hears soft snores.
He lets out a relieved breath when he finally catches sight of Merlin, tucked up against a tree surrounded by shrubbery he's sure wasn't there on the way in.
The horses are there too, shuffling around him and picking at the grass.
Arthur wonders how he could've missed them as he smiles at the scene.
He bends down, planning to shake Merlin, but one of the horses bumps into him and knocks him over.
He sprawls across Merlin, who quickly wakes and brings his hands up to defend himself.
Arthur notices the sun shining in his eyes makes them look golden for a moment.
"Planning on hitting the King, Merlin?"
"What are you doing?!"
"Me? What are you doing, running off and hiding! I thought you'd been attacked!"
"Were you worried about me?"
"I was worried I'd have to walk all the way back to Camelot!"
"Right. That's why you're still in my lap. Which you haven't explained, by the way."
"The horse knocked me over! Also, are you aware how idiotic it is to fall asleep out here?" Arthur exclaims as he jerks away.
"There's nothing around for a long time. Nobody was going to come and attack us. Besides, they would've protected me, wouldn't you?" Merlin asks, petting the horses as they sniff at him.
"Right, leave everything to the horses. They'd be more competent than you, anyway." Arthur says, trying to throw off attention from his worry.
"All three of us are highly capable. You wish you were as good as us."
Arthur snorts, shoving at Merlin.
He shoves back, before changing the subject.
"How was your chat?"
"Incredible. I talked to my mother!"
"That's wonderful, Arthur! What did she say?"
Lots of things. She's been watching over me, all these years. She told me my father wasn't a good king, but I am."
"What have I told you?" Merlin mutters.
Arthur talks about his mother a little longer, before offering the Horn to Merlin.
"You can use it while we're here. See your father."
"Thank you." Merlin says, giving the wide smile that always makes Arthur feel funny.
"Just go." Arthur says, trying not to let it show how his heart is beating quicker and his stomach is flipping.
Merlin runs up to the stones, blowing the Horn to call upon the ghost of his father.
"My son." Balinor smiles as Merlin enters the spirit world.
"Father! I've missed you."
"I have been watching you. You haven't had it easy, have you?"
"That's one way to put it."
Merlin is happy to finally be able to tell someone everything, and Balinor is happy to listen, giving fatherly advice when he can.
"I still have the dragon you carved for me."
"I wish I could make you another, but there aren't many trees here."
Merlin smiles, quite pleased that this has turned out to be a good quest.
He asks for advice on the many hardships he's faced with, learns some new spells, gets asked about embarrassing topics, like why Arthur was calling his name in his sleep, and in return asks about his father's life.
He learns about Balinor's early life, his grandparents, his relationship with Hunith, and then what it was like living on the run.
"I hope I never have to do that. I can't imagine living completely alone."
"I dont think you will, too many people care about you to let that happen."
"But what if I were to get banished or something?"
"By who? Arthur? I had my doubts about him at first, but after keeping an eye on you these past years, I don't think he could."
Merlin allows himself to voice the doubts he's never told anyone else, getting encouragements in return.
They talk for a long time, until Balinor says it's time to go.
"I'll come back soon!"
"I look forward to it. Goodbye, son."
"Goodbye, father."
He leaves the world of spirits behind, entering the land of the living.
He looks around, but doesn't see Arthur.
While he walks back to the spot he grew the tree and shrubbery at, he thinks upon all he discussed.
But once he gets past the wards, to where he can see the foliage and the horses, he doesn't see Arthur.
"You better not be trying to scare me, you prat!" He calls.
"I'll turn you into a toad when I find you." He says under his breath as he looks around.
"Alright then. Bye!" Merlin says as he mounts his horse and pretends to leave.
"Merlin! Leaving the King is treason!" He hears, as expected.
"Well maybe the King shouldn't be such a clotpole!" He says as he turns, watching Arthur climb down from the tree.
"What on earth were you doing up there?!"
"I always wanted to climb a tree. My father never let me, but mother said I could." He explains as he mounts the other horse.
Merlin smiles fondly, quickly turning back so it can't be seen.
"Why did you say you'd turn me into a toad? How do you plan on doing that?"
Merlin stiffens, knowing the blood has already drained from his face.
He thinks back to what his father said, and makes a decision.
"With my magic, of course."
"Ha-ha. Really, does Gaius have a potion to make people froggy?"
"No, but I have a spell for it."
"Very funny."
Of all the ways he'd expected Arthur to react, complete disbelief hadn't really been one of them.
He doesn't know what else to do, so he grows an apple tree ahead of them, grabbing two of the fruits once they get close enough.
He looks over nervously, but can't tell anything from Arthur's shocked face.
"How long have you been able to do that?!"
"Magic, since I was born. The apple tree, a few days."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because it's outlawed, and you're the one supposed to enforce the laws. I didn't want you to have to choose."
"I can also change the laws!"
"Arthur, you can't change them just for me. I wanted you to know magic as a whole isn't evil, I'm not the only exception."
"My mother already told me."
"She what?"
Arthur explains all that Ygraine said about magic, then says he'd already begun thinking about magic in a different light.
"You having it just adds to the fact that it's time to think about the laws differently."
"You really want to?"
"Of course. If my people are being wrongfully prosecuted, amends need to be made immediately."
Merlin smiles widely, tossing an apple to Arthur.
"Best magic apple I've ever had."
"Really, all I did was create the seed, then speed up the growing process."
"That will be useful in the winter."
"I'm not sure if it'll work then, I've never tried."
"What have you tried?"
"Lots of things." Merlin says with a grin, before launching into some of his favorite spells.
Arthur smiles as he watches Merlin talk animatedly, gesturing and using magic.
Eventually, they stop to make camp, but they keep talking about everything.
"And then, she told him to prepare it himself!" Arthur finishes the story his mother told him, about forcing his father to the kitchens since the cook was sick.
"Wish I could've seen that! If his skills were anything like yours, everyone went hungry or sick until the cook returned!"
"You just aren't used to fine cuisine, you peasant."
"You wish you could cook as well as me!"
"You've probably been using magic all this time! Enchanting the food to make it taste good!"
"Have not! You can watch, I'll do no magic and it'll still be good!"
They laugh, feeling completely at ease, and in harmony with the other like never before, which neither would expect so quickly from learning about the magic, but neither feels like arguing and ruining the peaceful atmosphere.
Eventually, things may come out to cause tempers to flare, but for now, they just want to enjoy a calm evening, free to do as they wish.
"What was that?" Arthur asks when Merlin's eyes flash.
"I was just bringing over the herbs!"
And enchanting them?"
"Oh shut up. I just didn't want to move!"
"Lazy."
"You're one to talk!"
"I don't use magic to get things."
"No, you use me!"
"Exactly."
Merlin drops some water onto his head.
"First new law about magic! No drenching the King!"
"How about rotten fruit? I think that's only fair, with all the times I was put in the stocks."
"If you throw rotten fruit at me, you'll be there again! For a week!"
"Alright. It'll just go in your dinner."
"I'm leaving you here. Consider yourself banished."
"I'll sneak into Camelot and haunt you."
"You have to be dead to haunt, Merlin."
"No, if you're banished you can haunt too."
They continue bickering until Merlin moves from the fireplace, his stew done.
As they sit beside each other and eat, finally stopped talking, they think about the conversations with their parents again.
Merlin had explained about Balinor, as well as not killing the dragon.
Arthur had related most of what his mother had said, but both have kept a few things hidden, still.
After finishing the usual routine of cleaning up, making sure the horses are alright, and putting the bedrolls beside the fire, they climb in beside each other.
"Merlin?"
"Yeah?"
"My mother told me something else. Something I'm supposed to tell you." Arthur says as he stares at the fireplace, where Merlin is making different shapes in the flames.
"What?"
They look at each other for a moment, before both listening to their parents and leaning in.
Their lips meet for a few seconds, before pulling back nervously.
"Your mother told you to kiss me?"
"She told me to talk about feelings. But you know how I am with that."
"Do I. Funny thing is, my father said the same thing."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I think our parents are meddlesome."
"Very. But you're meddlesome too!"
"Me? No, I think you are."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"I know more than you."
"I've had the finest tutors in the five kingdoms!"
"What a shame you didn't listen to them."
"Shut up, Merlin."
"Why?"
Arthur shows him a decent reason to talk less, thinking he's found lovely new way to make him stop prattling, until Merlin mutters "Can't believe my father told me to kiss a dollophead." between kisses.
Arthur just rolls his eyes and pulls Merlin closer.