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Chapter Text

Arthurs belly grumbled. A dire reminder of how grim the state of affairs had gotten. He paced around the room, his steps weighed down by the heaviness of the decisions he had to make. He stopped by his window, gazing out upon Camelot’s mighty spires and towers. He saw the people huddled up behind their windows, instead of out in the courtyard. The food shortage had taken its toll on the castle and its citizens. The courtyard that once was teeming with life was now dull and unexciting. Only once in a while, a rat would dart across the courtyard. Those damn rats!

“But what can I do,” Arthur said defeated, falling down on his king-sized bed. The kingdom was starving, and he was helpless to stop it. If Merlin was right, all he would have to do was atone for what he did to the unicorn.

“But what does he know about it, he’s only a man servant after all,” Arthur said, distressed. Once again, he started pacing in his large room. His thoughts had been returning to Merlin alot lately, but he couldn’t figure out why. It's not like he could do anything about it, that idiot!

Oh, if only someone would come.. Someone very small with exceptional cooking abilities. Someone who could provide food for the whole kingdom. Someone…

“Someone like me.” Arthur couldn’t believe it, but that's what it said. Black on white, on a piece of parchment on his bedside table. Terrified, he looked to the pen, still dripping with ink. And the one who was holding it…

“Merlin! There's a rat in my chambers!” Arthur said, while reaching for his sword. A rat could not have written that message. That is, unless..

“What sorcery is this?!” Arthur yelled commandingly, pointing his sword at the rodent. Come to think of it, it was a foul creature; its eyes beating and white, its fur an unnatural blue. It hissed at him in a gesture, which Arthur would have understood as a shush motion, had he not still a shred of common sense left.

Seeing no other way out, the prince of Camelot swung his mighty blade against the foul creature. His strike cut through the table and inkhouse, like a knife through butter but it was all in vain. Before Arthur could locate the rancid rodent, he felt the crazed critter move up his chest. He tried to grab it, but it evaded his hand every time, running up to the top of his head. But before his fist could reach his own scalp, he heard a knock on the door.

“Hey there, what has the royal ass done to his table,” even now Merlin's presence filled Arhur with hitherto unknown feelings. He wanted to tell him. Wanted him to pull the rat out of his hair. But try as he might, the prince could not move an inch. He could only stand there in silence, almost as if possessed. 

“Your highness, what is going on?” Merlin asked, confused. Arthur felt the creature, hiding behind his neck, pull on his hair, like he was a puppet on strings. To his terror, he saw his hand rise, and felt his lip contort, as he uttered the words, “Don’t worry, just a happy little accident.” He watched Merlin nod slowly, reacting to the words that weren’t his own. He tried, tried with all his might, to cry for help. Without a word, Arthur's eyes screamed at his servant. “Save me, Merlin! Save me!” The two looked at each other, and for a moment, Arthur was at peace. Then, Merlin gave a shrug and turned around, and the chilling fear crept back into Arthur’s bones. He stood still, unable to move for a moment. Then, his lips moved, and he understood that these were the rats’ words.

“Don’t threaten my prince,” the words sounded strange and malformed, not coming from him. Arthur's head was racing, trying to remember everything Uther had ever taught him about magic and what to do against it. “I won’t do you any harm”, his voice explained, “I simply want to help you.” Arthur could feel the animal, now sitting on his head, releasing its grip. He felt his mouth loosening, and he did not hesitate to speak.

“Release me at once,” Arthur screamed, his prior confidence now completely shattered.

“Hush hush now, your majesty,” the rat said, regaining control over his body. “We wouldn’t want anyone to find out about our secret '', it continued, almost mockingly. 

“Who are you,” Arthur gasped, still terrified that this tiny little person had taken his free will from him.

“I am no one, your highness,” replied the rat, in a tone that was meant to be nice, but sounded mocking to Arthur. “Simply call me Remi.” 

“Well Remi”, Arthur whispered with a quiet fury, “What is this curse that you’ve cast on me?”

“No magic, no no.. It’s just a little trick from Paris.”

“Paris, I have never heard of that kingdom.”

“It's a pretty place,” the rat trembled a bit in Arthur’s hair, almost as if it was remembering something. “But not a great place for a cook like me.”

“A cook?” Arthur had been confused before, but he was now utterly bewildered.

“Yes, I am but a humble chef. Why, that is the reason I have come here.”

“You want to cook,” despite the situation, Arthur couldn’t help but give a sceptical smile.

“Yes, that is all I ask you. All I want is to be in the kitchen.

“If you really want me to trust that that is all you want,” Arthur commanded the strength returning to his voice, “Then release me, right now!

Much to his surprise, the little person loosened its grip, crawling down into his windowpane, looking up at him with an innocent smile.

“Now tell me,” Arthur continued, “Why would I listen to you?”

Remi pointed out of the window. Arthur followed the rat's paw, and was at first confused at what the rat wanted him to see. It was just an empty courtyard. But then he realized, and saw the things he had kept himself from noticing. The body of his people starved to death, hidden away in the shadows. The food wagons, once filled to the brim, are now still and empty. And in the middle of it all, standing by the pump, stood one little man. One stupid little Merlin, hoping beyond hope, that the water would be alright this time. His kingdom was falling apart. 

His kingdom was falling apart, but somehow this rat - this Remi - held the solution in his little paw. For a moment, the two looked tensely at each other in silent understanding.

“What will happen when they find out?” Arthur asked calmly. “The kitchen will be in uproar and my father will kill you without a second thought.” 

At that moment, the rat did something that scared Arthur more than anything else that night. It simply lifted one finger to its lips, making the sound of a hush, with a broad smile. Arthur realized, in that moment, that this tiny rodent was more dangerous than any knight he had ever jousted, any monster he had ever slain, any task his father had ever given him. For a moment he hesitated, his hand held forth trembling. 

Then he looked out the window, and once again, he saw Merlin, more underfed than ever. 

“Alright,” said the future king of Camelot stoically, and shook Remi’s tiny paw. 

The deal was struck, and Arthur regretted it immediately.

Chapter Text

“Guinevere, hurry up, his majesty will be here any minute,” my dad yelled, stressed, like he always was when we had a special guest.

“Calm down dad, it’s just Arthur.” I responded, as I began to prepare the smith for his arrival.

It had been a strange morning. Upon short notice, a messenger told us that the prince would come by to run a “secret errand.” You never knew what’s going on with Arthur. It always seemed like his head was somewhere else. I thought back to the time where we went away on horseback, for a romantic evening, just the two of us. We visited Camelot’s most beautiful spaces. It should have been the most wonderful of evenings, but even though I was with Arthur, all I could think about was Morgana. In the blue of the sky I only saw her flowing dress, in the black seas only her curly hair.

“I'm such a fool,” I thought to myself. “How could she ever love someone like me, a lowborn girl.” I could only be happy that Arthur didn’t see my tears. He had also seemed very distant that day. Who knows, maybe he was also thinking of someone else.

“Gwen.” Speaking of the devil, there he was. He looked like he had seen the devil as well. Maybe it was just me, but seeing Arthur, standing in our doorway, he seemed more unwell than ever. He swayed tiredly, and I saw rims around his eyes. He looked exhausted.

“Hey Arthur.” I replied, pulling out a chair for my tired friend. He collapsed into it, as he feigned a smile grabbing one of the many snacks my dad had made ready for him.

“How are you and the old man,” he asked, regaining some of his usual royal charm.

“We are scraping by,” I said, pouring a cup of tea for the both of us,“The food shortages have been hard on dad, I wish he would rely on me more. He really needs to save his strength.”

“Oh, the shortages”, Arthur responded sternly, “that is just why I came here.”

“Really?” I asked with a lifted brow.

“Well no, I mean we're working on it of course, which I wanted to tell you, but the reason for my visit is something else entirely.”

Even though he often called Merlin stupid, Arthur himself could be really thick. Altogether he was a terrible, terrible liar.

“Alright..” I hesitated, “why did you come here then?”

“Ah yes, I came, you see, because I wanted you to make something for me,” Arthur threw his words at me at a breakneck speed.

“Make something?”

“Yes, like a kind of helmet. I mean, not like a helmet that is weird, but something protective you could wear on your head. Not protect me, of course not, I'm not going out to battle. No, not something to protect someone, like -say- a small person on your head.” When he was finished, Arthur looked quite proud of his little wordsoup, looking at me like he expected me to get it immediately. 

“And why Arthur, would you want a helmet that could hide a small person.” Arthur's face filled with dread for a moment, as if I had suddenly gone off the script in his play. His hand started shaking so much that for a moment I thought he would drop his tea.Then his face lightened up, in a sudden expression of realization, as he continued.

“It’s Merlin, you see,” he sent me a devious smile, as if letting me in on a secret.

“You wanna hide Merlin in your little helmet?” I ask as I look at him critically. The dread had found its way back onto Arthur's face. Then he stuttered.

“N- no.. No, that would be very very silly,” I could physically see him frantically searching for the next word in his story, “But Merlin thinks that it will solve the whole unicorn issue.”

“I'm sorry, Arthur, but the unicorn isn’t gonna fit in the helmet either.” I was very glad that father was resting in the back, since he got very stressed by the things that confused him.

“No no, you see, Merlin thinks the unicorn I killed is the reason for the current famine,” Arthur was now filled with excitement, as if he had found his opponents weakness’ in a jousting match, and was about to deal the final blow, “and he thinks that if i carry around a luck trinket on my head - like I don’t know, a rabbits paw or something - that it would all go away.”

“Does Merlin really believe that stuff? Sounds like magic to me, and you know what Uther thinks of that.”

“What! No,” Arthurs said with a very performative laugh, “it’s just a superstition, but it will make him happy if I do it.”

“Isn’t he your manservant, not the other way around?” I asked, more puzzled than ever.

“Gwen, what would you know about the relation between a king and his manservant?” said Arthur, his voice sharper than before. But what I heard more, was the fact that he was right. I could wonder why he wanted this stupid helmet all I wanted, but in the end he had the final say. He was the prince of Camelot, and I was a lowborn smithing girl, and in that moment I hated him for reminding me of that. 

“Alright, alright, I’m going to see what I can do,” Arthur must have heard the hurt in my voice, because he immediately softened up.

“Look Gwen, it's just a little fun between friends, he’s gonna love it,” his smile was infectious, impossible to stay mad at, and I felt it reach my lips as well. If only I could have loved him instead of her.

“Alright your majesty,” I grinned at him, “So you want a small metal hat, that is protective like a helmet, but not cumbersome like one, that looks fashionable, and can hold a small object like a lucky clover.”

“Yeah, something like that,” Arthur smiled back genuinely this time.

There was a moment of peace between us. Then we turned as we heard the sound of the city watch at my door.

“Your majesty,” a guard gasped, “you must come at once.”

Arthur gave me a sorry look as if saying, “I wish I could stay,” before rushing to the door. Then he stopped rushing out, turning back towards me.

“Hey Gwen, I know you are not the type of person to rat someone out,” he said winking at me, “but don’t tell Merlin I was here.”

“Tell him what?” I smiled back, “you were never here.” Then he left the room and the smile left my face. There I was again, alone with my dad.

—-

I went out to the pump that evening, even though I knew it had gone bad. I just needed some time away from our tiny house, and my dads constant worries. As I stood there I looked up to the royal towers, where - right about now - , Arthur and Morgana would be dining. Standing there, looking up at the bright lights of their decorated dining hall, a rift as wide as the one between the king's ward, and a black smiths daughter, began to open in my heart.

“Gwen, don’t drink the water, it’s all gone bad.” I dropped my bucked in shock. There she stood, as beautiful as ever, her hair as dark and beautiful as the night sky.

“Morgana, what are you doing here?” I stuttered like an idiot. Good job, Gwen.

“Oh I'm sorry, I thought you had heard me. I really just needed some time away from Uther. He has been awful all day.” She slid down, sitting on the courtyard floor, and I hesitantly sat beside her. Getting a bit closer, I did see the stress on her face that Uther must have put her through. Having him as my dad was the only thing I didn´t envy the Pendragon siblings.

“What did he do?” I asked, in a voice I hoped sounded more concerned than nervous.

“He just,” Morgan erupted “he never believes me, and he never listens, no matter what I do.” At that moment she sprung up, picked up my water bucket, and threw it at the wall. 

“And why would he, when he has Arthur, his perfect kid!” She was simmering with rage, but strangely that did not scare me. Because in that moment, we were not royalty and lowborn, just two friends who need each other.

“Shh Morgana,” I said calmly, putting a hand on her shoulder. “If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you.” 

“Thank you Gwen,” she said, calmly this time, and in a moment of earthshaking tower, she put her hand on mine, “but I really just need some time alone.”

“Well maybe, we could spend some time alone…together?” the words were out of my mouth before I had any chance to stop them. Morgana let go of my hand, turning around to look at me.

“What do you have in mind?” she asked.

“Well I thought, since you had no one else to talk to in the castle, maybe we could, you know, go for a walk in the forest and, just maybe of course, just have a nice talk?” For the love of Camelot, I sound like Arthur. In the end it was me who was stupid. I closed my eyes, for what was only a moment, but what seemed like an eternity. I fear if I could kill, I would be cold in my grave.

“Gwen, that sounds lovely. I think that’s just what I need,” I opened my eyes and saw the friendliest smile in the whole kingdom. “What do you say, tomorrow at midday?”

“Yes yes, midday is great!” I responded, hopeful that she didn’t take notice of my stutter. 

Then she pulled me in for a hug, and all of a sudden the rift was closed. Then she pulled back, and I was once again reminded, that we were only friends.

“See you tomorrow then.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Chapter Text

The rat sprinted at the edge of the torchlight, making it hard for Arthur to keep up with him. The twists and turns of Camelots’ cave were hard to navigate, but Remi seemed to know them like the back of his paw. He had told him that he had been there before, but Arthur couldn’t say the same. His father has always deemed the area under the castle too dangerous for him and Morgana. But Remi had convinced him that it would be worth the risk.

They had communicated a lot, Remi and he. Even though Arthur could not speak the rat's language, they had talked alot about their plans to save Camelot. Written messages, small signs, or even the tones of his little squeaks, had filled Arthur’s last few days.

Aside from their first meeting, Remi has been very kind. If the circumstances weren’t completely insane and if Remi was a real person, Arthur thought they could’ve made a great duo. But whenever these thoughts entered his mind, a voice of fear always whispered in his mind; “All he needs to do is touch your hair, and you're done.”

Whenever he voiced any of his concerns, Remi would simply show his sinister smile, which he knew was supposed to be comforting, before he layed out another part in his insane plan. It was that plan that had let him into Gwen’s father’s store, making a royal ass of himself, and what had let him into these cursed caves.

“Remi, this is the last time I will ask you this, but where are you taking me?”

That smile. That damn smile. Always looking like he had a plan. Well, Arthur hoped this one would work. Not only were the caves dark, they also smelled like burned flesh. Where did that stench come from, and why was it accompanied by mud and wet animal stench? It had only gotten more and more invasive, as they had gotten deeper into the darkness. Arthur had to catch himself as the ground began to become more and more unstable. It felt almost as if… as if it was moving under his feet.

“Remi, you’re not the only rat down here, are you?”

It was then that the animal raised his puny paws, and Arthur's world became a whirlwind of motion. The ground that he now realized was made of fur and teeth, darted away from him, and he lost his footing, falling to the floor. With a crack, his torch fell to the floor, and the light went out. Lying on the floor, Arthur did everything he could to guard himself from the darkness and the squealing his world has become. He laid there for a moment, thinking this was the end.

When nothing happened, he reached for his tinderbox. Though he couldn’t stop his hand from shaking, he managed to light a small fire. What he saw confirmed his suspicion. His life had ended and he was in hell.

Before him stood a horde of rodents, the size of which no human kingdom could ever dream to replicate. None of them were blue like Remi, but they were all just as foul. Beside his rodent acquaintance, Arthur noticed two rats, both looking bigger and stronger than Remi. His bodyguards, his family, had been waiting here all along. The future king had been tested a lot through the last few days, but this was the straw that broke the horses back.

“Remi, what are you doing!” Arthur screamed, “Did you bring all these?”

Arthur thought that after all that had happened, nothing could surprise him anymore. But he was proven dead wrong, as Remi did a simple flick of the wrist and the rats began to move. One by one they began to line up, until they formed a series of words together in a chain. Holding up his small flame, Arthur read in horror; “Just trust the process, your majesty.”

“Trust the process?”

Arthurs fear was quickly repressed by his fury. He was tired, so tired of being kept in the dark. 

“ Well then just tell me, how will this help you, help me save Camelot?”

Remi, seemingly a bit annoyed by his rashness, once again commanded his rat army into position. Citering across the floor, the formed a few sentences in quick succession

“These rats are my family, they will provide me with food and help me cook.”

“But to do this, we need a way into the kitchen, this is where you come in.”

“Once we get there, we can save the kingdom from starvation.”

“Provide the food you say,” Arthurs fury had not been settled by these answers. “By that, I take that you will steal from my farmers, you thieving rat!?” Seemingly being a bit hurt by this accusation, Remi quickly made the other rats form a rebuttal.

“Fear not my prince, Paris will not miss this food.”

Arthur could not believe that he had thought that the rat would have everything under control. “So this was your grand plan? Saving one kingdom, just so another one can starve? Whatever made you think I would agree to this Remi?!”

For the first time, the rat seemed a bit annoyed, a fact which sent a chill down the prince's spine. The message that now appeared didn’t help either.

“I have no time to discuss politics with a simple human like you, Arthur.”

“If you want to save this kingdom, you must be quick.” 

“The beast will be back soon.”

“The beast?” Arthurs’ hands instinctively went down to his sword handle. He felt a strange calm, this was the kind of problem he knew how to handle. “Just tell me where it is, so we can get it over with?” As he was talking, Arthur heard a strange sound, rising in intensity. It was like the blowing of several bellows, somewhere far away in that case. The rats seemed to notice, and began to scatter about. Remi seemed angered by this, commanding them back into position.

“Remi, for the last time, just tell me what you are so afraid of, and I will slay it, once and for all!”

For the last time the rats returned to their formation, and formed eight small words

“not this one, my prince”

“dragon”

“run”

“Now!”

With this last message, the ground began to move around Arthur once again, as the rats began running in all directions. The sounds of bellows had only drawn closer. The sound of bellows.. or the blowing of wings. Arthur spun around, just in time to see a creature, moving towards him like a golden lightning. He felt the blowing of air created by its massive wingspan, and heard the deafening echo of its roar against the cave walls. But worst of all, he felt the heat from its mouth, and the fire that would soon rain down on him.

With the trained eye of one of Camelot's knights, he looked around the cave for a place to hide. Just in time he found a rock, jumped behind it, and made himself as small as possible. A split second later, he felt the unbearable heat of the dragon's fire, and the stench of the rats that were burned to a crisp. 

In the light of the flames Arthur saw, to his confusion, Remi running towards the dragon. Then he saw the reason, squealing and clawing, trying to get away. One of Remi’s rat friends had been caught under a rock, and would be caught in the dragon's next firebreath. It was trying to be heard over the flapping of the dragons wings, as the dragon turned around for a second round.

Remi turned around and Arthur spoke to him. “We made a deal, remember? You can't save camelot if you’re toasted.”

Remi looked back for a moment, but then carried on, since he did not care a single bit. Maybe the little chef was not so ruthless after all. Arthur looked out the way he had come, and for a moment he thought about leaving the rat behind. If he was just burned to a crisp, it would put an end to this farce. But then, once again, Arthurs thoughts returned to Merlin, and all the people who counted on him. Then again, if he died here, trying to save the terrible, powerful rat, he would never get to see the young boy again. Was this really what he should be thinking about at this moment?

“When this is over,” Arthur thought to himself, as he dove in to save Remi and his little relative, “I'm gonna visit Merlin. The boy needs to make me a dragon proof jacket.” 

Which a quick roll, Arthur scooped up the two rats, and ran to the other end of the cave. As the dragon came soaring towards them, he jumped down in a crevasse between two rocks. The fire roared over them, but he had little time to celebrate, as a clumsy landing sent a jolt of pain through his right foot. He lost his balance, and fell to the ground, losing his grip on the rats. As he lay on his back, he reached for his sword and shield, but the dragon came back into his sight. Towering above him, shimmering golden it opened it’s toothy maw to say;

“Arthur Pendragon, you strayed from your destiny by trusting that blue haired demon. I caution you, do not trust it any further.” It’s booming voice filled Arthur with confusion.

“You could talk this whole time. Tell me then, who is this Remi really?”

“Who he is matters not, for he is not the one to guide you to your destiny. That task has already been given to someone else, someone you hold very dear,” the dragon's voice thundered, it’s eyes filled with a golden glow.

“For the love of camelot, won’t you just tell me what you mean!? What is this destiny of mine, you keep going on about,” these kinds of people infuriated Arthur, always talking in riddles, never getting to the point. He pointed his sword at the golden creature, as if he could command it to do as it was told.

“You are a Pendragon, in your blood is that of kings, not of a puppet on a devil's strings.” As the dragon talked, the rats crawled onto the prince's head. Arthur could feel the gentle tuck of Remis paws on his hair. Is was as if he was saying; “Thank you, but I will take it from here.”

Stalling for time Arthur began gloating at the golden beast.

“Oh yes dragon, I have the blood of kings,” he said, a smile forming on his lips. “And kings don’t need advice from old cave dwelling fools. Honestly, can’t you say what you mean just once.”

Even though it had no human features, Arthur felt the dragons rage. It opened its mouth for a breath attack, as it warned: “Well, then Camelot is doomed.” Then as fire erupted from its mouth, the strangest thing happened. As Remi pulled on his hair, Arthur felt his broken leg lift from the ground, as good as new. Before the fire could hit them, the prince performed a backflip out of the crevasse, landing like a cat on his feet. He then watched in awe, as his own body ran up to rocks, doing a perfect somersault omto the dragon's head. Like a knight in a chariot, Remi steered them over the dragon's body, all the way to the end of its tail. A platform came into Arthurs field of view, illuminating a hole in the roof of the cave. The dragon tried to shake them off, but Remi simply sent Arthur soaring in a long jump towards safety. While still in the air, the rat turned its new vehicle, to face the dragon.

In that moment, it was as if the two were linked, and Arthur understood the rat's plan completely. In one gliding moting, Arthur lifted his sword over his head, and sent it flying towards the dragon. As they landed on the platform, the three of them saw the blade hit the eye of the beast in a clean strike. 

As Remi made him run further into safety, Arthur turned his head, looking back at the dragon. Blinded it thrashed towards them, collapsing the corridor behind them. He was filled with dread as he realized that they could not outrun the crazed lizard. Then it came to a sudden halt, and Arthur glimpsed the links of the chain, stopping it in its tracks.

“Beware the bird Arthur!” The dragon yelled, its voice becoming fainter and fainter as he ran. “Beware the bird.”

—

“What were you thinking Remi? You could have gotten us killed!” Arthur yelled quietly, as his chambers were not soundproof. He sat, in the comfort of his room, with his one leg resting on a chair.

“Can you just tell me your plans from now on?”

“I simply wanted you to meet my family, my prince,” Remi wrote hastily, just as upset.

“I knew nothing about this dragon.”

“Don’t play coy with me, you know everything that’s going on in this castle,” he tried to get over to the rat, only to be reminded of his injury by a jolt of pain in his leg. “Except for how to make a tunnel into our kitchen, because it can’t be done.”

Until this moment, Remi had never seemed angry with him. Now, ink splattered everywhere as he wrote; “Oh, oh yes it can. If only his majesty were not so dense, and kept asking stupid questions.”

The rat and the prince had a staring contest, until Remi broke it off.

“Don’t ever question me, Arthur. Don’t ever doubt my plan, unless you wanna see your precious little servant starve to death.”

“Fine. Fine, fine, fine! But if you ever pull a move like this again, I will pull out the mice traps.” Arthur didn’t really know what he meant by that. Remi seemed sufficiently hurt by it though, as he stood there, looking out the window with his back turned towards him. Arthur felt as if a bit of his power had been regained, the power he had lost when Remi took away his free will that night. Then that feeling turned to regret, as Arthur looked down and saw a small piece of cheese, held up towards him. Holding the cheese was Remi's little brother, seeming scared by the harsh tone of Arthurs words. He couldn’t help it and gave the little guy a smile, as he picked up the atonement gift. Getting up from his chair, he humped towards the window.

“Hey,” he said, and Remi turned his head towards him. “What you made my body, made me do down there.. That was incredible. You saved all three of us,” Remi’s familiar smile returned. This was the only time that that smile didn’t look scary to Arthur.

“Thank you,” he said, and Remi gave him a look that said more than any “thank you too” ever could have.

Before Arthur could be embarrassed that he did not know what to say next, Remi and his brother waved goodbye. They then ran on all fours, disappearing into the crack in the wall they had come from. 

So the prince stood, alone with his thoughts. He started humping around the room, as he had too many thoughts in his head to stand still. “Who was that dragon? Did his father know about it? Was what it said about Merlin true? Was that why he had been thinking about him lately?”

Arthur came to a sudden stop.

“Could Merlin really be his destiny..”

Chapter Text

Climbing all of the stairs of the royal chambers to Gaius’ studies was a lot to ask of anyone, but with a broken leg, it was torture. Arthur was sweating all over, when he knocked on the door.

“Merlin, have you fallen asleep at the desk? Your prince is dying out here!” Arthur yelled impatiently. He stood there resting his weight on a newly acquired crutch. As he stood there, he wondered if Merlin would come to see him.

“What has the prince gotten himself into this time?” Merlin asked, looking at his injured leg.

“Just a bit of sword practice, you know, the usual,” Arthur thought lying would come easier to him by now, but no, he was as terrible at it as ever.

“No, this isn’t the usual. You never lose a fight. What has gotten into you?” The concern in Merlin’s voice sent a sting of regret through Arthur’s chest. He hated lying, but even more so to the people he cared about.

“I could ask the same of you,” Arthur replied, “Your prince has hurt his leg, and yet you have not found me a seat. You really should be ashamed, Merlin.”

“Alright then,” Merlin shrugged, quickly skirting back into the room. When he entered Arthur saw that Merlin had several books lying open on the tables. Merlin poured them both a cup of tea from the teapot that was standing, near the book that he had been pouring over most recently.

“What are all these books for,” Arthur asked, wanting to lead in with an innocent question, before getting to the point.

“Reading,” Merlin answered, as if Arthur didn’t know what books were for, “I’ve been studying unicorns.”

“Oh dear Merlin, no need to worry about that anymore. I have all of that under control. No, we have a new problem. One far more dangerous,” Arthur tried his best to turn the topic away from Remi, as he knew he would not be able to keep up the facade.

“More important than the fate of Camelot? Arthur I don’t care what you say, I don’t think you're alright,” Merlin looked genuinely concerned. He had no idea what was coming.

“Dragon,” Arthur whispered dramatically. “That is what I'm talking about.”

“A dragon in Camelot. No Arthur, that can’t be right. You need to get some rest,” Arthur didn’t like when his servant tried to order him around.

“I’m only gonna say it again once, Merlin. There is a dragon under the castle, someone chained it, and it knows who I am somehow,” Arthur was beginning to doubt it was the right choice to talk to Merlin before anyone else. The boy always asked a lot of questions.

“Okay, then I have two questions for you,” Merlin said quietly and seriously.

“Go on,” Arthur replied, forgetting that he was supposed to be the one controlling the conversation. 

“First, why did you not go to Uther? It’s his castle, surely he must know something.”

“I thought about it,” said Arthur, a bit of the wind taken out of his sails. “But he has been so harsh lately, especially when it comes to talking about magic.”

“Well you could ask Morgana for help,” Merlin said softly, this time with concern in his voice. “You are his children after all, he must listen to you.”

“I thought about it, but she isn’t here today. Her and Gwen are going to the forest today.”

“Really…” Merlin lifted an eyebrow. “Just the two of them in the forest… alone?”

“Yes,” Arthur was a bit confused by what he had said, “what’s so weird about that?”

“Oh nothing,” Merlin answered with a sly smile. “Nothing at all. But surely you can talk to Uther by yourself about something this important?”

“Not about this.” Arthur did not like talking to others about his family, it always made him feel naked and clumsy. But he couldn’t show Merlin that it wasn’t fitting for a prince. “Uther would only be mad that I had wandered down into the caves on my own.” 

“That would be my second question as well, why did you go down there?” Arthur had a hard time figuring out what Merlin was really thinking, since his face was a weird mix of curiosity and concern. Nevertheless, he had predicted that he would ask him about this, and he had concocted a sneaky response.

“Well Merlin,” he said quietly, leaning in with a devious smile, “it’s all connected. You see, the solution to our problem hides in caves. He’s from a far away kingdom called Paris, and he’s gonna provide the food that we need.” 

“And what might the name of this mystery man be?” This was the first time Merlin had really seemed intrigued by anything he had said. He didn’t know whether this was a good thing.

“He has kept his name secret for now. Let’s just call him ‘our little chef’ for now.” Arthur was so proud of his lie, that he forgot his hatred for lying for a moment.

“That’s quite a mouthful, your highness,” Merlin said, in a tone of voice that implied that he didn’t believe a word of it. “Maybe I should try and pay ‘the little chef’ a visit in the caves. You can never be too safe.”

“You can in this instance,” he said, in a defeated tone of voice. The prince was utterly defeated that Merlin had made a joke out of his clever story. “I caused the tunnel to collapse when I escaped.”

“You what!” Merlin yelled, the noise only amplified by his teacup shattering on the ground. He suddenly stood up, looking down at Arthur.

“What do you care?” The young prince stood up slowly asserting his dominance over the smaller boy. Had his manservant forgotten his place? “It’s a lot more safe this way. Now we can’t get to the dragon, and the dragon can’t get to us.” 

“Right, right,” Merlin had started pacing around the room, one hand on his forehead. “We can’t get to the dragon, the dragon can’t get to us. Great, just great. How am I supposed to talk to the dragon - I mean the little chef- now?” 

He didn't quite understand why his friend cared so much about Remi all of a sudden, but Arthur saw this as his chance to get Merlin onboard with his plan. “Yes, that would be hard. And that is why I plan to make a tunnel, so that we can get down there.”

“A tunnel,” Merlin stood for a moment deep in thought. “Well.. I guess that would work. But that would take a long time and it would be really hard to do it in secrecy. I doubt Uther would appreciate us digging holes in his castle.”

“Well the little chef is not very large,” Arthur felt this remark was very clever, “and he has a lot of helpers. All he needs is a man on the inside.” Arthur was thrilled that he had gotten Merlin to be on his side.

“Arthur, are you sure this little chef is not just in your head?” And just like that the thrill was gone. “It’s alright to admit that you were wrong. I’ve been reading a lot about it, and if we’re lucky there’s still time to turn this whole unicorn disaster around.” That smile, that smug I-know-better kind of smile. Sometimes he didn’t know who was worse, the boy or the rat. But he had to get Merlin on his side. He couldn’t, no he wouldn’t, do this without him.

“Look Merlin you, you might think this is crazy, but so is your plan about that unicorn.”

“No no, I’m with you on this one.” Arthur could not believe his ears, was his servant just gonna go along with it? Was he tricking him, did he have plans of his own? But that couldn’t be, the boy was simply too stupid.

“And this is not another one of your little jokes?” he asked, his voice tinted by a bit of doubt.

“No,” he smiled, “and what would it matter anyway, I’m the manservant after all.”

“Well then,” the prince weighed each word carefully in his mouth, as if any one of them could break this spell that Merlin seemed to be under, “making a tunnel it is then.”

“What tunnel, what are you boys talking about?” Gaius' voice echoed from the back of the chambers. The two looked at each other in silent agreement, and that look said more than any ‘we'll talk later’, ever could. Then Merlin turned to his mentor, as Arthur walked out the door. Before he could hear whatever tall tale Merlin would spin for Gaius, the door closed behind him.

The prince couldn’t believe his luck. His plan had worked, everything would fall into place.

Chapter Text

“Do you want some too?” Morgana asked me while holding the tea can.

“Just, just a little bit,” I said, looking away flustered. My eyes went over the scenery. Despite it all, I couldn’t help being a little proud of myself. I had found a near perfect spot. We were sitting on the blanket I had brought, on the top of a cliff, with a clear view of a silent blue sea. I reached for a slice of our pie, which I had made during the night. I had told Morgana that the kitchen staff made it for us, because the last thing she needed was another thing to worry about. The toll that the lack of sleep had taken on her was very clear, even through her well practiced regal posture. Seeing her like that had put a pit in my stomach, and it only got larger by how clear it was, that she tried to hide it to be nice to me. The words ‘Morgana, maybe we should just ride back, so you can get some rest’ sat like a cork in my throat, that I couldn’t get out. But before I could break through to her, Morgana asked:

“Arthur has been a bit strange lately hasn't he?” This question brought up the memories of my incredible meeting with the prince I had yesterday. This memory caused all of my thoughts of retreating to drift out into the distance.

“Yes, I'm glad I'm not the only one. Do you really think that he and Merlin are pulling a prank on us, or has the lack of food made his brain shrink?”

I felt the knot in my stomach loosen up, as Morgana showed a small smile, “Well, it can’t get much smaller right?” My laugh was a bit nervous, coming from the release of the tension that had been over the whole meeting. The whole day I had tried to make a joke like this, trying to take the attention away from the fact that we would have to talk about Uther. But just as it felt like the sun began to shine through the clouds, Morgana's expression darkened.

“I'm just so worried about him, he has so much to take care of in these trying times,” she said, looking wistfully out at the sea.

“Well, so do you.” I said, a bit annoyed at this point about how Morgana always kept putting Arthur before herself. Could she not see what it was doing to her?

“Yes I know, we have to talk about last night,” Morgana's tone hit me like a kick to the chest, and I felt like it had sent me off the cliff. We had not even gotten to the point, and I had already messed it up. A voice in my head whispered, ‘well what else did you expect?’ and I had to drown it out, I had to say something, anything.

“No Morgana, it doesn’t have to be like that, we can talk about whatever you want.” I looked at her, too afraid to speak, as she stared down at her tea, from which she had not taken a single sip.

“No, Gwen,” she answered, letting out a heavy sigh, “I can’t keep this secret anymore, it’s been gnawing at me since last night.” I lean in a bit, my head airy with the fear that I won’t be able to help with what she was about to tell me. I could only sit and watch, while Morgana straightened her back to a royal posture, as she looked directly at me.

“But promise me, Gwenowyr, that what is said here, stays here.” The burning touch of her blue, ice cold eyes staring directly into mine, sent shivers across my skin. My head felt like an anvil, while I give a slight nod.

“Uther thinks I’m a witch.” The words came from Morgana's mouth, like an arrow from an archer's bow string. The moment she was done speaking, she looked at the sea, as if she was afraid the fish in the ocean had heard her confession. But the only one here was me, and I was nothing but confused.

“But you have never done a spell in your life, right?” I knew that Urthur had his grudges with magic, and the people who practiced it, but this was absurd. If Morgana was said to be magical, it was not because she was a warlock.

“I’ve been having dreams. Dreams about things that happened, dreams about things that might happen,” Morganna's voice was shaking, not with sadness but with a fury as cold as her eyes and the ocean below.

“But that doesn't make sense,” a bit of her feelings had found their way to me too, “he can’t blame you for what you dream about, you don’t decide what you dream.”

“That’s what I told him. '' Morgana broke her cup in her hands, yet she stared into thin air, thinking about the other night. Her voice dripped with venom, like the tea that was dripping from her dress. “I told him that I was having dreams, and that they were scaring me. He told me that it was nothing, to just forget about it. But the dreams kept coming, and Uther only kept getting angrier, saying I had to stop it, or he would have to lock me up in the caves. Said that if I couldn’t keep it down, I would put the future of Camelot in danger with my witchcraft. The future he has planned for him and Arthur, without me in it.”

Tears slowly started falling down her cheeks, as she began to shake. All my doubts melted away as I rushed to comfort her. She had always been there for me, and listened to my problems. Now I had to be there for her. I put my arms around her, and pulled her into my embrace. I held on tight as she began sobbing. We sat like that for a while, as I felt Morgana's breathing becoming more regular. She laid down in my lap, as I started brushing her hair. We both looked out to the clouds and sea, and for a moment, all was well.

“I hope he dies,” Morganna's words hit me, like a hammer on an anvil.

“Morgana, he's your father, how can you say that?” She turned her head away from me, as if ashamed of what she had just said.

“I know, I know, I didn’t mean it like that,” she took a deep shaky breath. “ I just want this to be over Gwen, and I don’t know how else it’d be over.” We were both silent for a while. I was not gonna pretend like I knew how, despite how much I wanted to help her. So I tried to lighten her mood instead.

“Well if it’s any help, I think it takes more than a few nightmares to make someone a witch.” Morgana turned back to me. “I think Uther is a fool,” I continued. “If he thinks he can just lock you up without me having a say in it.” She smiled at me, as her hand found mine. 

—

“What are your dreams about?” I immediately worried that I had overstepped, “if you don’t mind, of course.” 

Morgana shook her head. “No, no Gwen. That’s why we came here in the first place.” I smiled and nodded, as she began to think back to her nightly visions.

“Some things are always the same,” she said carefully, as if in deep thought. As she began to speak, the wind started to pick up the loose leaves around us. Though it had been quiet before, I felt the breeze increase in strength ever so slightly, as Morgana carried on speaking. “But some of the visions only appear once, in brief moments, it’s complicated.” As I took in her words, it was like I saw a vision, if only faintly…

“There's always a slender gaunt figure, dressed in black with a ghostly smile. When he talks, I always feel like he’s trying to warn me, but I can never hear what he’s saying. I try to get closer but it's as if there's someone who is pulling my hair, and I never get to him before it’s too late.

“There's always something that I'm drowning in. I try to grab onto something, some of the bits floating in the mix, but I always drown. I try to hold my breath, but I'm never able to do so. I always have some of it in my mouth, and the taste is always nice, right before I choke on it like a poison.

“Then there's always a golden flash of light, it seems to be some sort of creature. I hear it roar and I feel a burning heat all around me. Then I hear the cittering of a big group of small creatures, and the voice of a man. He sounds… scary. Whatever he says, it sounds like some sort of magic. Then it all goes black. Then..”

“Then what,” I asked, taken out of the trancelike state Morgana had put both of us in. I was both worried to push her, but eager to hear about these dreams, thinking of where it all came from.

“Then… LOOK OUT!” With a sudden push from Morgana, I tumbled down the hill, and saw nothing but grass and dirt. But what I heard immediately made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. It was a gutteral sneer, as that of a large beast. My roll came to a stop, and my worst fears were confirmed.

“Gwen, run. Get the horses and get to safety!”

I looked up and saw Morgana, backing away, getting closer and closer to the cliff. In front of her was a snarling beast, slowly moving towards her, as a predator playing with its prey before devouring it. The monster was as big as a horse, with a pale thin tail, and thin unkempt fur, full of mud and dirt. It sniffed at Morgana, as if its eyes could not tell it where she was. Yet somehow it had snuck up on us. Its paws were moving in complete silence, further and further towards her. The writing was on the wall, as the ravenous beast had led her to the edge, with a deadly fall behind her. There was no running away from this, the rat-like creature would catch us, and fray off our skin. 

I looked into Morgana's eyes, blue like the sea that was soon to enrapture her. Those eyes that had previously made my knees feel weak like jelly, now made my resolve as strong as steel.

“Morgana get down!” I yelled, as I ran towards the girl and the beast. Before I could see her reaction, the beast turned towards me, and I saw its eyeless face and drooling mouth. With all my weight behind it, I pushed the giant rat as hard as I could. It felt the furr prickle and sting me, as we both rolled the last bit towards the cliff's edge. Then I felt the ground under me disappear, and the wind blowing in my hair. Along with the creature, I began the free fall that would lead me to my death. I felt a strange calm, knowing that this was it. That in my last moment, I had done something that was completely the right thing to do. I saw Morgana looking out over the cliff, knowing that - at least for now - she would be safe. Then the joy turned to regret, as I heard her scream of shock, reaching out her hand towards me.

“Gwen!” Her voice had such power behind it that it reached me through the deafening wind. I then felt my fall slowing down, until - if only for a moment - I was lying still in the air. Then the wind grabbed me once again, blowing my hair into my eyes. Though I couldn’t see anything, I could feel myself ascending, faster and faster. When the wind suddenly let go of me, I saw Morgana, her arms reaching out as if controlling the storm. She opened her arms when I began to fall, and when she caught me, we fell to the ground, both of us rolling safely down the hill.

I was not crying, but the wind and shock had filled my eyes with tears. Morgana held me close and I did the same, as to remind each other that we were both really there.

“So I guess Uther was right,” she said quietly and calmly, like she was figuring it out as she spoke, “it really was magic.”

“Yes, you’re magical,” I responded, quiet as well but with a little smile on my lips, “you saved my life.”

—

“So this is gonna be our little secret, right?”

Morganna sighed, “That’s the only solution I can see at least.”

I had followed her up to the castle, and tried to draw out the time until we would have to say goodbye. I wish this didn’t have to stay a secret, only so I could tell Uthur what I had done to save his daughter. Then maybe, just maybe, we could be together.

“Gwen, I’m sorry,” Morgana’s eyes turned away from mine, “you spent such a long time preparing the date, and I did nothing but talk about myself and my problems the whole time.” She made a slightly frustrated turn back towards me, one hand in her hair. “I mean, we’ve been together all day, and I have not asked about how it’s going with you and your father even once!”

“Morgana,” I said, putting my hand on her, interlocking our fingers, “We can always just find another day. Your feelings are your feelings, you can’t control them any more than you can control a giant rat creature sneaking up on us,”

I felt her hand in mine as it stopped shaking. She replied, a smile on her lips this time, “Well, it looks like I can control the wind, so who knows.”

I took a quick glance, making sure no one had noticed, but it seemed that the guards of Camelot were as incompetent as ever. I leaned in and whispered, “Should we maybe get on that?”

She similarly looked around before whispering, “You mean testing out the magic?” I nodded silently, and she smiled at me, wider than she had done all day. But her smile faded quickly, as she looked at something behind us. I turned my head slightly, and saw the guards at the gate whispering. I became painfully aware that we were still holding hands. I thought what Morgana must have realized immediately. That when we were together in public, we could never be seen together as anything other than the king's ward and her servant. Before those thoughts could get me down, I was pulled in for a final hug goodbye.

“Thank you for saving me.”

“No, thank you for saving me!”

She pulled away and waved goodbye, “see you tomorrow.”

Going home to my sick dad did not weigh me down as much as usual. All i have to do was think back to Morgana saying ‘preparing the date’ and my steps became a little skip instead.

Chapter Text

“You have had some insane ideas Remi, but this is the worst one yet,” Arthur snarled through his gritted teeth. The only answer he got, was a tuck in his hair, that he had learned meant; “Just trust the process my prince, trust the process.” The little rodent was hidden in the vessel Gwen and her father had made for this very purpose. It had been made in the form of a crown, with a ball of red fabric on top. Though Uther had been disapproving of this new fashion choice, Arthur assured him that this was not a sign of his disrespect. He didn’t like the heavy feeling of responsibility it had put on his head. But what he liked even less in this moment, was the person hiding inside that crown. Remi had talked about nothing but cooking for the last few days. In his mind it was critical that he formed a great relationship with the staff of the kitchen, to make it not seem suspicious that he spent some much time down there working on the tunnel. At least that was the reason that Remi had stated. In reality, it felt for Arthur more like Remi just wanted an excuse to be in the kitchen. He had tried to convince the rodent that it would seem quite strange. Not only did the prince rarely set foot in the kitchen, he was also a terrible chef. To these objections, Remi had simply answered, “no matter my prince, anyone can cook.”

It was in such a situation, in which Remi, through Arthur, was making a delicious dish, that he heard Merlin whisper in his ear.

“Your highness, I think she is onto us again.” The woman that his manservant was referring to was Audrey, head chef of the kitchen. Despite everything, Arthur had grown to become quite friendly with the kitchen staff of Camelot. This was with the exception of Audrey, who had immediately been suspicious that both him and Merlin had been up to something. To her credit she had not been wrong. While Arthur had been continuously at work, distracting the cooks from their little mission, Merlin had been carving out a tunnel to reach the caves. How such a scrawny boy could have carved so deep in such a short time was beyond Arthur, but Merlin had evaded all his questions.

“Well,” Arthur responded, “I will show her another recipe I have made for the royal dinner table, you just go on in the meantime.”

“Another recipe,” Merlin lifted an eyebrow, “you really are cracking those out like there is no tomorrow.” This was the reason Arthur had not pried into Merlin's tunnel digging tactics. He was sure that if he tried, he would unravel his life, faster than Remi could make an omelet. Instead he opted for his new favorite strategy, being vague and aloof. 

“It's like I always say Merlin, anyone can cook,” he said with a broad performative smile. It seemed that this did nothing but make Merlin confused and offended.

“No, you never say that. And it’s not even true, you had never even set foot in a kitchen a week ago.” 

“Well clearly, it is true and…” Arthurs tone turned indignant as he realized Merlin's jab at his culinary ability, “and I have cooked chicken several times, and it wasn’t even half bad.” Merlin sent back a sly smile, and another lifted eyebrow.

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” 

“Oh you will see it,” the prince proclaimed, a little bit more loud than what was perhaps wise of him, “once we are out of here, mark my word.”

“You might be out of here quicker than you think your highness,” Arthur turned 180 degrees in a quick motion, and looked down on Audrey the chef’s stern expression.  

“But lady Audrey I was just getting started on my newest recipe,” Arthur turned on his royal charm in an instant, that worked on all other members of the kitchen staff, “in fact, I think you will love it just as much as my lord father.”

“Well, first order of business, you can start by getting your man servant out of my kitchen,” Audrey said, pointing at the door, “the boy does nothing but stand in the way of the kitchen workers.”

“But Audrey…” Arthur said, turning his head to look back where the boy had just been, “he is already gone.” He had not even been forced to lie this time. Merlin had simply escaped without them noticing.

“Gone where, if a humble servant might ask,” Audrey looked disapprovingly at him, her arms crossed over her chest, “your squire always seems to come here with you, and then disappear all the sudden.”

“Oh, but he is not my squire,” Arthur deflected, returning to his cooking to drive the attention to something else, “he’s a simple manservant, he’s never to be a knight, no, that would be ridiculous.” He tried to stir up what was in his pot. Without Remi's help, he had no idea what else to do. He would not be stirring for long, as Audrey grabbed the spoon out of his hand. 

“Since you are the prince, I cannot order you to do anything, but mark my words your majesty,” she lifted the spoon as if it was a powerful weapon, “you and that boy are up to something, and by Camelot I’m going to figure out what that something is.” At that moment Arthur wanted nothing more than to stay out of their case, before realizing that would only lead to more suspicion. No, if he wanted to throw the chefmaster off her trail, he had to make her think she had been right all along.

“Alright, lady chefmaster,” he lifted his hands, as if he had nothing to hide, “I cannot keep you in the dark for any longer,” her suspicion did not seem to be satisfied by this confession, “Merlin and I have been working on a little something something.” 

“A little something something of what?” Though she was still very clearly annoyed with him, Arthur could tell that he had peaked her interest. 

“Let’s just say, that the cooks of Paris have some special techniques.”

“Enough!” Audrey was not pleased. “I will not have you waste anymore of my time with tall tales of far away kingdoms. Get out of my kitchen, now!”

Arthur looked around the room, and saw everyone looking at him and the chef: He was never good at reading people, but he was sure that this was his chance. Audrey was not going to lose face in front of her whole kitchen staff.

“Now now, madam Audrey,” he said with a sly smile, trying to guide her eyes towards the other people in the kitchen, “would you deny a young man a chance to prove himself. Is it not true that anyone can cook?” 

“I suppose, but it doesn't mean...”, his little trick seemed to have worked, as she looked in the room and saw the half a dozen people who wanted to see the prince make an ass of himself, “that doesn't mean anyone should, but I will give you a chance.“

Arthur's smile turned to a frown with Audreys next words, “but you will do it not as a prince, but as a chef. Take that crown off.” Small pedals of sweat started to form on the young man's temple. How could she know? But she couldn’t. But why else would she..? As he stood there, frozen with fear, he felt Remis gentle tucks, making his mouth move. “Of course, madam. Please excuse me, as my manservant and I will change to more fitting attire for a chef.” Arthur turned around, and as he walked to the servants’ room, where Merlin was doing his work, he heard a few giggles. He didn’t understand why, there was nothing unusual about a man and his servants getting changed together.

“Merlin, stop what you're doing at once, and get me out of this mess.” He tried to keep his voice down, but Merlin still jumped at the sound. He was down in the hole that he’d made, hidden quite cleverly under a set of tiles. He crawled up to join Arthur amongst the salad and sausages, and looked at him.

“What do you mean, your situation or your clothes?”

“Both!” he gasped, as he threw an apron in Merlin's direction, “chefs wear hats, don’t they?”

“Well, yes some do, but Arthur, what is happening?” For the first time in a long time the boy seemed genuinely frustrated.

“The kitchen chef is onto us,” he said, searching the dimly lit room for anything that could help him have Remi on his head without raising suspicion.

“So you confessed, and now we have to cook for her?” Merlin asked.

“No, I told her another lie, and now we have to cook for her,” Arthur replied sourley. He had to be in the room alone with Remi, if he wanted to find a way out of this mess.

“Go out there Merlin, get the stuff ready while I get changed.” None of the clothes were fit for a man with Arthurs’ stature, it’s truly a burden to be made of muscle.

“But I haven’t put on anything-” Arthur gave him a pat and a push in the direction of the door.

“You already dress like a servant, just put on the apron and no one will notice,” he said, all but picking him up and throwing him out. Merlin, still trying to understand the situation, finally went out the door, and left him alone with the little chef. Arthur took off the crown, and let Remi run free.

“You see Remi, all this trouble just because you wanted to cook,” he said, enraged, as Remi had no answer but his usual smile. With a simple gesture he poured out a bit of flour on the shelf. He stepped in the white mass, forming the words

“No trouble my prince, no trouble at all, this is the best thing that could have happened.” It took all his willpower not to reach out and squish the little thing right now.

“What do you mean no trouble, the kitchen lady is onto us.”

“But don’t you see my prince,” Remi continued in his trail, “you made my wish come true. I get to cook, and the whole kitchen gets to see it.”

“But you won’t cook if she catches us,” it required all the prince's willpower not to yell, “that’s the whole problem!”

Remi tapped his foot, crossing his paws to show he had frustrated him. “Arthur, do you really think that after all this time, a human as simple as this will discover my secret. Do you think I’m weak?” Arthur turned his back to Remi shaking his head.

’“No no, of course not, but I don’t like it,” when he turned back to Remi, a new message awaited him. 

“You made my wish come true, so I will make things happen between you and the Merlin boy,” Arthur could no longer contain himself, and hit the shelf right next to the flour.

“There is nothing between me and the merlin boy!” They both turned as they heard a knock on the door.

“Who are you talking to in there?” He hastily put on the apron, as Remi silently crawled in his chef's hat.

“No one, miss chef master,” he tried to keep up the charming facade, but the anger would not leave his voice, “I simply like to make a bit of noise to get myself excited.” He opened up the door and saw everyone, including Merlin, staring at him in clear disbelief.

“Let's get started shall we,” he said, rolling up his sleeves, moving to the table that Merlin had set up for him. Remi immediately took over, but it was not like usual. The whole kitchen watched as he fumbled ingredients and spilled salt. He felt this anger reflecting in Remis tucks, because he was more harsh than usual, overdoing all the movements. They just weren’t linking up, moving like different people, instead of acting like one being.

He knew he had to tell Remi something but how could it be. As happens so often,  his thoughts and eyes wandered to Merlin and an idea manifested.

“I’m sorry,” his servant looked confused, thinking the words were to him.

“You are the best help I have, and I keep getting mad at you and taking you for granted,” he felt the grip on his hair loosen, Remi seemed to understand what was going on.

“When the truth is, that without you, I simply wouldn’t be here,” in that moment, it seemed like both the boy and the rat were listening, and Arthur realized that this was a chance to talk to them both.

“And if i'm going to make it, I’m gonna need you help a whole lot more,” no one in the kitchen seemed to understand what was going on. No one except Remi, as Arthur felt the gentle tuck, like he had felt down in the caves of camelot. The motion that meant, “I will take it from here.”

“So what are you waiting for Merlin, you made a whole setup for me, and you did not even bring me a grain of salt, what are you doing?” The room burst out in laughter, as the punchline hit what they thought was a joke all along. Merlin smiled at him as he got going, and Arthur and Remi got to cooking.

Just like down in the cave, they were moving as one, cooking at a breakneck speed. Arthur sent Audrey an honest smile, as she looked baffled at him juggling multiple pots and pans.

“How are you doing this!” Arthur sent her a smug expression.

“It’s like I said ma’am..”

“Anyone can cook!” she interrupted, as Merlin brought him the last things he needed for his and Remi's new creation. He held two plates for the pair of cooks to serve on, one for himself and one for the chief chef. Arthur took the last taste from the huge pot, and then grabbed a spoon and poured it out. Their dish had ended up a mix of stewed vegetables, held together with sauce, and arranged magnificently by his servant.

The whole kitchen was looking on with held breath, as the two sat down to have a taste. Slowly they both lifted their forks. Arthur had tasted Remi’s food before. This was the best thing they had made together yet. Working together like one must have been what did it, because Audrey seemed to agree. For the first time in his life, he saw the stern woman's eternal frown turn into a slight smile.

“You know what your majesty,” she looked up at him, “I don’t care if this recipe is from Paris or not, you can come here anytime, as long as you share it with us.”

As the kitchen erupted into applause, a wave of release rushed over Arthur. He rushed over to the smiling Merlin, picked him up and spun him around. Before the attention of the kitchen staff would return to them, and away from trying to get a taste of the food, Arthur saw his chance for them to make an escape. He took Merlins hand, and dragged him out of the kitchen and into the hallways of the castle.

“How did you do it?” Merlin seemed equally shocked, puzzled and excited.

“Well,” at this point Arthur felt confident playing into his persona as a master chef, “maybe this will teach a simple servant to not doubt his masters’ culinary abilities.” Merlin looked back at him laughing.

“Alright, I will be looking forward to that chicken then,” they both laughed, as they started running away from the kitchen, and into the courtyard.

They spent the whole afternoon talking like they had never done before, about the plan, about saving Camelot, but more importantly about each other. Arthur felt invincible. Merlin and Remi both trusted him, their plan to bring food from Paris and save the kingdom was going to work, and maybe, just maybe, his father would start to look at him a little bit differently. In the end they just sat quietly, side by side, and he felt at peace like never before. Something about just being with Merlin made it all seem a little less crazy. When you were hiding so much, it felt good to be with someone who had nothing to hide.

“I have to go get ready,” Merlin said as he stood up.

“I think I will be the judge of that,” Arthur said startled, “ready for what?”

“Chicken dinner, have you already forgotten?”

“Well of course not,” he responded, wanting to save face, “just thought that you had forgotten.”’

“I would never,” he said with a sly smile, walking steadily towards his chambers.

“Liar!” Arthur said, laughing at him. He sat there alone for a bit, making sure that no one was there but the guards, who never saw anything anyway. Then he pulled of his hat, and let Remi crawl down into his hand.

“You’re gonna help me with the chicken, right?”

The little rat smiled at him, and for the first time, it brought Arthur nothing but joy. He even thought that in the afternoon light, the rancid rat looked kind of cute. Then he jumped down, and like he tended to do, ran off to who knows where.

The prince sat alone, and enjoyed the first stressless moment he had had in peace. All was well, and nothing could go wrong.

Chapter Text

“Okay Morgana, let’s try this one last time,” I said, mustering as much excitement as my tired voice would allow me.

She nodded, equally as exhausted, reaching out towards the stone rock in the middle of the room. I closed my eyes listening to the winds in the cave. For a second, it was as if my hair lifted from a small breeze. I opened my eyes, only to see Morgana, disappointed as ever stretching her fingers out towards the unmoving rock.

“Maybe we should try something else,” I tried my best to sound comforting, if nothing else than to mask my own frustration. 

“For the last time Gwen, I'm trying as hard as I can,” Morgana pulled her hair, a thing she had done so many times her black locks were all over the floor of the cave.

“Well,” I tried, encouraging, “you did control the wind once, so we know it can be done.”

Morganna got up, and started walking around the poorly lit cave. I thought this would be a good place to test out her newfound powers, since no one ever visited the caves of Camelot. Strangely, the usual tunnel seemed to have collapsed, but Morgana had found us another entrance, one shown to her in her dreams. But that was where my bright ideas had ended, and my mind felt as dim as the light of our torch. I was searching my mind for new ideas, but I had to conclude that I knew as much about magic as I did about love. 

“That is not the problem Gwen, I know I can do it! It's not the if, it's the how!” She plopped down on a stone beside me, putting her head on my shoulder.

“If we keep going like this, Uther will have nothing to be afraid of,” I really wanted to prove her wrong, but I was also at the end of my robe. Being in a cave for hours doesn't help your ability to think clearly.

“Okay,” I tried, my voice still skeptical, “let’s go through all the things we know…”

“Go on,” Morgana answered, clearly wanting to get it over with.

“Your power seems to manifest itself whenever you have a strong emotional reaction,” I said slowly, as I realized where my thought was going, “so if you want to master your magic, you need to master your emotions, not bottling them up like Uther wants you to.” Morgana turned to look at me with a furrowed brow, but I could not stop smiling. This was it, it had to be. I, Gwen, had found the right answer.

“That does seem to add up,” she mumbled thoughtfully, “but how would you get such a reaction out of me?” I stood up, hand on my cheek, face in a grimace.

“I have to admit, I didn’t think that far,” I got up, one finger pointed at the king's ward, who looked back at me a bit confused, “tell me, what do you feel when Uther tells you to keep your nightmares a secret?”

 “Frustration,” Morgana replied, looking away, “confused, but mostly sad.”

“Sadness,” I clapped my hands together, as if being sad was my preferred emotional stage, “what if I said something to make you feel miserable?”

Morgana got up as well, backing away from me a bit with her arms crossed, “that’s nice Gwen, but I can’t count on you always being there to agitate me into doing spells,” she then did a little sniff, the reminded me that she was royalty, “besides, I doubt that you could say anything that would be make me tear up.”

A bit annoyed at her attitude, but excited that my idea might work, I thought up a response, “well, then it won’t hurt you when I tell you that I think you’re pathetic.” She gave me a tired smile, obviously not won over by my plan.

“You never put yourself first, because you know that no one else would,” the fun had worn off, and I now felt nothing but regret, as Morgana's smile faded. But I could not back down, this was our only lead to unlocking her potential.

“Oh yes,” I carried on with a trembling voice, “everyone’s number two, but no one’s favorite.” Though she tried to hide it, I could see I was getting to Morgana. My heart skyrocketed to my throat, as I felt a slight motion at the bottom of my dress. It was working.

“Now you’re just making things up Gwen, and it’s not even working,” Morgana said, barely audible through her gritted teeth.

“Oh yes it is,” I said in a tone so mockingly, it made my heart fall all the way down to my feet again. “Uther loves Arthur, and Arthur loves Merlin, but who will love you?”

“Arthur doesn’t love Merlin,” she spouted out, “not in the way that you are implying at least.”

“Oh Morgana, how sad,” I made a smacking sound with my lips, “you’re not just pathetic, but blind as a bat as well.” Morgana stood at the other side of the room, staring at me, trembling with fury. All my bravado disappeared, as I saw a small stream of tears forming on her chin, in the light of our slowly dying torch. 

“Go on then,” she cried, “tell me one more thing about my sad, pathetic life!” 

“Well you said it yourself,” my voice trembled, my act was entirely gone, and the only thing that kept me going was the swirling of the winds against the caves, “your life is sad and pathetic. If Uther locked you up, no one would even care.”

In a fraction of a second, before the stone would have hit my head, I dropped to the floor. I hear the cracking of the rock against the cave wall, and then the falling of rubble to the ground. I looked up, and saw Morgana with her hands covering her mouth. I stood up to rush towards her, but she put her hands up in front of her

“No Gwen, don’t get closer,” though the light of the torch was fading, I only needed to listen to hear her sobbing, “Uther was right, I can’t be around you, I can’t be around anyone. I really am a monster.” I tried to get closer one step at a time. With each step, my heart was torn further apart.

“No Morgana you can’t say that. This is all my fault, I shouldn’t have been so mean,” now it was my turn to cry, “I didn’t mean a word of what I said.”

She let me walk the last steps toward her, and take her into my arms. We both stood there for a moment, the only sound being Morgana sobbing. We then slowly got to the floor, hugging each other tightly.

“I could have killed you,” she said with a trembling whisper.

“I just didn’t think it through,” I said, wrapping my cape around her shaking shoulders, “but with time, you will learn to control your magic.” I turned her face towards mine, looking deep into her beautiful, piercing blue eyes. “Hiding away your feelings only causes pain, to you and the ones you love.”

“But no one loves me, not really, you said it yourself,” Morgana looked back into my eyes, “everyone likes me, but I’m no one's favorite.” In that moment I wanted nothing more than to have her powers, so I could take back all I had said. Instead all I could do was listen to my own advice, and be honest with my own feelings.

“That’s was another lie,” I whispered, “you’re my favorite, Morgana.” We laid like that for a moment, hugging on the cold and dark stone floor. Then we got up, ready to leave the cave and the accident behind us.

“I guess it’s back to square one when it comes to me and my magic then,” she said, her voice now back to being regal and steady.

“Well there is…no, no forget it.” It was too much, another one of my stupid ideas. Yet a little voice in my head asked ‘Then why did you say it Gwen?’

“Forget about what?” She turned back towards me. It was now or never. I turned to face her.

“Well, your magic could trigger from any strong emotion right, what if…” I was such a coward. I could not even get this little thing right.

“What if what,” she asked gently, trying to find my eyes that were aimed firmly at the ground.

“What if we kissed?” As soon as the words had left my mouth, the last bit of our torch burnt to a crisp, and left the room in a pitch black darkness. I stood there for a moment, with nothing but my thoughts racing in my head, pointing out all my mistakes. Then I felt something else, as her lips found mine. In that instance it felt as if I was flying, suspended in time. As my hands found her shoulders in the dark, I realized the feeling was not only in my head, as both our feet lifted from the cold floor. All my bad thoughts fled, like rats from a lantern light, as I realized that both my ideas had worked. All I wanted now was for this moment to last forever. But what was that sound, like tiny feet. I opened one eye, then the other, as my joy turned to horror. On the ground below us, I saw three pairs of glowing eyes, staring up at us. I pulled away from the kiss to gasp, as I saw a message illuminated by a newly ignited match. Written in the rubble, it said;

“Such a shame it would be, if Uther found out.’

The gasp must have put Morgana off, because she opened her eyes, and we fell to the ground. As we laid on the ground, the creatures began the run away, with a collection of squeaks. But she was quicker than them, stretching out her hand with an echoy yell. It was then as if shadows formed around her hand, darker than the darkness itself. The claw-like fingers reach out, grabbing a tail, pulling it towards us. The chitter of the small paws against the stone beneath came closer, as the tiny light revealed who wrote it.

“A rat. A rat wrote this.” I looked at Morgana, who seemed equally confused and shocked. Then my shock turned to horror, as I felt something pull on my hair. As if possessed, my hand let go of Morgana, all of its own accord. 

“Morgana, what is happening,” I screamed, as I grabbed her wrist with a strength that wasn't my own. She yelled out in pain, and the shadows returned to the dark around us, letting the rat escape. I felt a release as well, as whatever held my hair, let go of me and the wrist. Before the light of the match went out, I got a glimpse of the creature that sent a chill down my spine, more ice cold than the caves stone floor. What I saw was a tiny monster, in the form of a rat with blue fur. 

It looked back at us, its eyes more clever than any beast’s eyes. Then it escaped into the shadows, along with its two companions. In the darkness, all I could see in my minds’ eye was the expression of the creature. That smile, that damn smile.

Chapter Text

Arthur knocked on the door with one hand holding the plate in the other. The evening was cold, but the chicken was warm, and so was his cheeks he realized to his embarrassment, as he opened up the door. Merlin met him with a smile as he saw him standing with the meal that he and Remi had prepared.

Working with Remi had become like second nature to him, and making the chicken had been a breeze. And the whole time Merlin had been on his mind. Arthur could no longer deny that there had to be something special about the boy. That dragon had talked alot about destiny, and this had to it. 

The only thing that was currently getting between him and his destiny was the little Rat. Remi had insisted that he could see how their food would be received, but Arthur knew what was really going on. The little rodent had begun to fancy himself a matchmaker, wanting “help him with his boytrouble.” Utterly ridiculous he had fought. 

Still, though he would never admit it to his blue haired companion, he could have used a bit of help in this moment. He and Merlin sat there at the eating table, as his mind raised to come up with something to talk about. This could not be right, the prince of camelot did not have trouble being in love, and even if he had, this was not a date, so it would not be a problem.

“How are you finding the chicken?” he asked.

“You were not kidding, this is really good” he finished his bite and looked him in the eyes, “Arthur, we can’t keep beating around the bush anymore, you're hiding something.”

He didn’t know it was Merlin’s eyes or his words, but he felt petals of sweat begin the run down his face. He had been lying for weeks, without a single mistake, but this looked like it would turn out to be his downfall. It was not that he could not lie to Merlin anymore, it was more that he did not want to. All he wanted was someone to confide in, who could share all the secrets. Merlin didn’t deserve to be lied to, he had been loyal to him for so long.

“Yes there…” as he began talking, ready to speak his mind, he felt a few quick movements from within his crown helmet. Horrified, he felt how his previously nervous expression turned into a hideous grimase, that Remi must have fought was quite “romantic.” Even worse, he felt the all too familiar feeling of unknown words coming out of his own mouth.

“Yes there is something I have been hiding Merlin. Something about you and me…” the worst part was not that Remi had forced his hand. The worst part was that it seemed to be working, as the young boy began to move a little closer. 

“Yeah so I was thinking, what you said down in the kitchen…did you really mean all that”

“Of course I did, I would never lie to you…” of all the times Remi had taken control this was the worst. This person that Remi made him seem like, arrogant, full of himself, this was not what he was like at all. How could Merlin fall for this, he knew him better than anyone.

“But you just said” he answered, a bit skeptic “that you had kept something hidden from me” 

“Well yes, I have, but not anymore. Merlin I will no longer let the bounds that our kingdom had been put on us, keep us apart any longer. From hither forth, we will be equals, there will be no princes and no servants.” Arthur did all he could to resist, but Remi was not letting go. What part of his sick twisted mind thought this was what he had wanted. 

But he did not seem to be the only one caught in Remi’s grasp, as Merlin moved even closer towards them. He did - in fact seem to be quite on board with the whole thing

“What are you talking about, your highness” he laughed, shyly averting his gaze. He tried all he could to wrestle back the control of his body, but all attempts were futile. No this was not a battle were he could use his physical strength. 

“Merlin…” Remi made him say, as he made him do an embarrassing flip with his hear, and an even more embarrassing “romantic look”. “I love you”

“Aww Arthur that’s very sweet” he had to think of something, any thing, make this stop.

“I love you too” His Father, Morgana, Gwen, Gaius, Lancelot, none of them were here to help him. And what would they even have known

“No Merlin, I don’t think you quite understand.” He had never done magic, but it couldn’t be that hard. He just had to focus. Focus, focus focus, made Remi go away.

“I love you”, focus focus, ignoring the fact that Remi was making him lean in for a kiss. He had to think something what he fought of to give him strength. But at that moment all he could think about was Merlin.

“Aww” just that moment, Arthur felt it as if a wind had pushed the crown of his head, and Remi with it. Merlin, who opened his eyes, and pulled back from his forward leaning, falling of his chair

“What was that!”

“Merlin, I'm sorry. It’s not you…it’s me. This is my problem. I have to go now,” unable to bear the sight of Merlins reaction, he spun around and stormed out the room. He picked up his crown on the way, and to his surprise found it empty. He slammed the door behind, turning his head behind him, but the blue devil was nowhere to be found. He knew that he could not yell his name, so he rushed towards his room with thundering steps. If he was anywhere to be found, it would be in the princes’ chambers. He ran up the stairs, swifter than ever before, putting his boot to the door, and lending all his force to the kick.

“You monster! What were you thinking,” he drew his sword as soon as he saw him, sitting in the window like always. 

“You spoiled brat, why most you act like a child, how i grow tired of your little moods”, Arthur dropped his sword flabbergasted, mouth vide agabe. Not only could the rat talk all this time, but his voice had been greater and deeper than even that of the dragon.

“I grant you all you wish for, and this is how you thank me by throwing a fit. Some king you will grow to be, Arthur Pendragon”

Tried as he might, he could not close his mouth, the revelation was simply too great. All that came out of his mouth was an idiotic “yes…but…uhh…not like this”

“Not like this,” the echo of remis voice boomed against the walls “Not like this, I said up the perfect romantic dinner for you, and just at the moment of triumph, you decide to pull out of it. A spoiled brat, and a hopeless romantic. All together a pathetic child in a man's body.”

The blood was rushing to Arthurs head, turning it from pale white to bright red “When I say, not like this, I simply mean that you can’t make two people kiss without their will. If you made me dance around like this, Merlin would only come to love your version of me and not the real Arthur!”

The shadows seemed to grow longer, the candles begin the flicker around the blue rat. His smile returned, this time with all the kindness gone, leaving only sadistic cruelty.

“Oh you think yourself a puppet just now boy” he grinned, an ice cold and vile cackle “when you have been dancing on your fathers strings your entire life”

“That’s not true,” he said loudly, hoping to distract him from the fact that he was reaching for his sword. 

“Oh yes,” Remi gloated “A slave to a man and a system, who both seek to pull you await from the people you love the most”

He felt the handle of the sword, and felt it cool, both on his fingers and his state of mind.

“No matter how much you would let me meddle, boy, the fact is that a king and a servant, can never be together.”

“When im king I will make the rules,” he felt his whole body tense, ready to strike his enemy.

“Even if you were king of the whole world, the ways of your father would still blind you to your servants' secret ways.” Their eye ment with electric tension. “Arthur, I know what he is.”

In a split second Arthur raised his blade to smite the beast. 

“Merlin is a warlock.” His sword stopped a hair length before it would have cut off Remi's head. Completely uncaring, he keept on speaking. “So is your sister, your farther will sentence them both to die when he finds out.” He helt blade shaking to his neck, but he simply pushed it away with his small paw. Slowly but surely, a long line of things clicked into place. 

“Uther would never hurt Morgana, and I can protect Merlin. No one has to get hurt” the rat gave him a look that told them what they both knew. This could not be further from the truth. 

“How many mages will he have to murder in cold blood, boy, before you realize what he really is,” in this moment, his threatening facade seemed to drop “how many of your and my kind, will see an early grave, because one man abused the power given to him by an antiquated system of government.”

Arthur let his sword down. As always had to admit begrudgingly that the rat was right. 

“So what do you intend,” he said, putting the sword in it’s sheath but keeping his guard.

“Slay Uther”

“You are mad” Arthur shook his head, “Mad mad mad, Remi, i always knew you were not be trusted.”

“Far from it boy. Slay your father, and your Merlin and sister can stay safe, along with all the other magical creatures and people and camelot. Slay your father, and peasant and prince will be able to live as equals, slay your father…” he held a dramatic pause, “and you and your lover will finally be able to be together.”

“Arthur, what is happening?” They both spun their heads.

There he was standing, stupid little boy standing in the doorframe. Merlin had seen Remi, and worse, he had heard every word.

Chapter Text

Her dream begins like it always does, but this time things go a bit differently. She sees the gaunt, ghastly figure, emerging from the darkness, and hears it reaching out to her. When she tries to get closer, she once again feels a pull in her hair, one that she now recognizes. But this time, instead of letting it control her, she thinks of the one who loves her the most. She evokes the powers that for so long have remained just below the surface, and is set free.  With her newfound freedom, she tumbles toward the figure in the distance, never looking back. 

What comes into her view, is a tall pale man, clad in black robes with a thin pair of glasses. She looks up at his eyes, both framed in deep black rims. When he talks, his voice is much more inviting than she expected

“Morgana, child, you have finally found your way to me”

“Who are you,” she wonders, and he answers, as if she had spoken it aloud. 

“I have come from Paris, to worn you, young warlock,” his warm smile expression turns into a grimace of fright, and she watches as her whole figure becomes more distant and ghostlike.

“I cannot tell you who I am, for this spell is not my own. My time with you is short my child, but I must warn you. You are in grave danger.” 

“It’s that rat isn’t it,” her voice echoes out into the darkness that has started to envelope her as well. 

The figure simply gives her a solemn nod, and delivers his final message “Yes my child, but I cannot tell you more than this. Once your magic has fully manifested, the druid's grove will open itself to you. There, the rat will not be able to harm us.

She feels them both being pulled away from each other, drowned in the darkness of the dream. In her last moments with the strange person, she thought of one last question

“When will I know that my magic has manifested” 

If an answer was spoken, it was swallowed by the nightmare, as Morgana awoke from the land of dreams.

Chapter Text

When I woke up, Morgana was out of bed fully dressed. She was standing by the window, undoubtedly thinking about the night before. After all that, I didn’t want to bother her by asking what her dreams had shown her. Instead I got up, and put my arm around her. 

“We have to escape,” she said, without looking away from the window. I looked as well down at all the guards. Did any of them know? Did Uther know? How would a rat even be able to tell him

“Morgana” I began trying to make sense of yesterday's events “I know we both saw what we saw. But it can’t really have happened, not like that.” 

“I’m not gonna take the chance” she turned her blue eyes towards mine “Gwen, I won’t lose you.” 

“Me?” I had been so worried for her all this time, I never thought about my own safety. “don’t worry about me, Uther could care less about me. It’s you he’s gonna come for if he finds out.”

Morgana didn’t open her mouth, but I had known her long enough to hear the “when he finds out” in my mind. Instead she answered. “He will Gwen, once he finds out you have kept my magic a secret from him.” Despite the danger we seemed to be in, she seemed both calm and determined. Two emotions I couldn’t not find within myself.

“Morgana, it is a rat. Even if it was to tell on us, how do you know that anyone would believe what it had to say” I waved my arms flustered. “Hell’ he couldn’t even say it, even if he wanted to”

“I don’t know how I just…” she looked away from me turning a bit distant “I just know it.” I took her hand 

“It’s the dreams isn’t it,” she nodded silently, looking out the window once again, as if the answer to our perils was hiding somewhere out there. Even though I didn't know a thing about prophecy, I knew when Morgana had made up her mind. We stood there for a moment, taking a last look at the home we would soon leave behind. 

“What if the rat comes after us” I realized, saying my thoughts out loud. “What if he takes control of me again?” Morgana turned to me smiling, if she had waited for me to ask that very question. “Then we'll be ready,” she answered pulling out a scissor from her sleeve

—

There was something very calming about cutting her hair right before we had to leave it all behind. A last bit of normalcy before it would all come tumbling down. Still I could feel how my hands were shaking, but it didn’t matter. All the hair was coming off. 

 “We’re will we go” my voice calmed down by doing the menial task. 

“To the druids,” she answered with a strange calm much like mine. He told me that as well. But that is all I remember. I put my hand on her shoulder, as the last of her black locks fell to the floor. 

“We’re gonna make it” she put her hand in mine 

“I told you” she said. “I’m not going to lose you.” She turned around, as beautiful as ever, and smiled at me. “But enough talk Gwen”, she picked out the scissor “now it’s my turn.

—

My head slowly became colder, as the curls left my head. It stinged a bit, losing my hair. It was one of the few things I liked about the way I looked. But then I looked behind me and remembered there was one who would love me, no matter what I looked like

“For the last time Gwen” Morgana laughed “you have to sit still. I mean really, I never cut someone's hair before, and this is how you treat me,” I smiled at her and then turned my head. My thoughts began to wonder, thinking of all that we were leaving behind.

“I wanna say goodbye before we leave,” I said. “To Merlin, and Arthur at least.” For the first time it hit me that we might never see them again.

“I’m sorry, it’s too risky” I could not see Morgana's face, but I could tell she was even more torn than I. “If the rat has already sent its message, Arthur will be the first one to know, and Merlin will be there with him.” I felt that she was not in a mood to be argued with, but we had to leave some sort of sign, if only a small one.

“Arthur promised he would come to visit me, and my father when he picked up his crown. We can leave a note for him in the smithey” Morgana's cutting stopped, for a brief moment. 

“His crown?” she said. This time I had no clue what was going on in her head. 

“Yes the crown that we made for him, don’t you remember, I must have told you. He was acting all weird, went down to the smithey and asked for a headpiece that would fit…” I stopped dead in my tracks. The truth hit me like a back of rocks. 

“To fit…a small person” we looked at each other for a moment, putting all the pieces together. Him and Merlin had been awfully aloof for some times doing some kind of secret work in the kitchen.

“But that can’t be it Morgana, Arthur would never” my head raced through the time few times we had talked in the last few weeks, but the same works kept sounding in my mind, over and over

“ Hey Gwen, I know you are not the type of person the rat someone out ” 

“Surely that must be a coincidence,” I said, forgetting that Morgana had indeed not heard my thoughts. “Arthur is stupid but not that stupid. Surely he would never align himself with a rat demon.” 

Morgana had already begun packing up when she answered “He has been acting very strange lately Gwen.” He put on a cloak with a deep hood, covering her new haircut. “At least we have to find out what's going on,” she threw a coat towards me, likewise with a deep hoop. “If the rat has got him in his paws we have to save him.”

No matter how much I wanted it not to be, it was the explanation we had for why Arthur and Merlin had been evading everyone for so long. Only much after she had given it to me, did I realize there was something heavy and cold underneath the cloak. I took it out, and unsheathed the sword that Morganna had given me. I felt the hairs on my body begin to rise. This was not going to end well. Then a realization struck me.

“But, if I have your sword, then how are you going to defend yourself?” Morgana put up the hood of her cloak, and the king's wards disappeared. The person standing before me could be anyone. Then she smiled at me dramatically, And I knew my Morganna again.

“Don¨t worry about me Gwen,” she said as the shadows around her slowly began to move on her accord “I can take care of myself.” Then she took my hand

“Come, let's go find the boys,” 

Together, our hair gone, and our identities conclead, we marched hand in hand to the prince's chamber

—

“Really how long did you think you could keep this a secret from me” Merlin shouted in a rare moment of anger, pointing at the caged rodent. That had been the first thing they had done last night, putting Remi in a cage. Arthur had a hard time believing what he had been told, but once his eyes had started glowing, he had realized the truth. Merlin really did know magic. In a few moments, the young boy had done what he had not been able to do in weeks, getting a hold on the rat, and locking it safe in a box. 

Now the box was standing between them. They had promised each other to talk it all over at a time when they were not both so tired. After a night with barely any sleep in Arthurs king sized bed, that time had come.

“I mean really” Merlin continued mercilessly “a little chef how long did you think I was going to believe that one”

“Well” he answered helplessly “that much is true, it was Remi who cooked all the meals”

“Don’t even get me started on that one” he pointed a finger at the prince, making him walk a few steps back. “Just many lies has his highness been telling” 

“Lies, you are one talk about lies, little servant” Arthur could not keep back his emotions any longer “I trusted you, I fought for you, I saved your life, and all this time” he had to force out last words “all this time, you were one of them.”

“You” Merlin pointed at him and then himself. “You, saved me. Do you know how much I have to use every day, just keep your royal ass out of trouble.”

“i don’t need saving from the likes of you” he would not let it on, but talking to Merlin like this took all the wind out of his sails. These were his fathers words, words that he found harder and harder to believe. 

“We both know you don’t think about me that way” Merlin said, vocalizing what had been in Arthurs thoughts. “That's the worst part of all of this” he turned his back on Arthur. 

“The worst part of what” he tried to get closer, but he only stepped further away from him

“The worst part,” he noticed the the boys little voice was shaking. “The worst part is not that you didn’t trust me with all your secret, even though i’m the closest person to you in this whole castle.” Merlin turned his head towards him, tears streaming down his cheeks, “the worst part is that you couldn’t even tell me about your feelings for me.” her turned to face him again, pointing a shaking finger towards the wooden box on the floor. “You had to get your little friend to do it for you.” 

The prince stood paralyzed. All his experience with acting smug and quick witted from the last few weeks, seemed gone from his mind. Left was only the wizard's words, spinning in circles, going back and forth. He wanted nothing more than to make it stop, to make it all done. It was hard to believe that a chicken diner with Merlin had seemed like such a good idea less than a day ago. 

“Look Merlin, I'm so sorry. I will call on the king, and make this all go away.”

His intend of calming the mood had the exact opposite effect “oh yes, your magic hating father” Merlin spat out the last three words, arms crossed. “Honestly, Arthur Pendragon, can you do anything without someone else doing it for you.”

A creeping suspicion seeped into the prince's mind “you’re not on Remi's side are you.” He looked directly at Arthur, with eyes that he now knew could start glowing any second. “Is that the name you have given the blue beast.”

“Well no that is his real name, he told me” only then did Arthur realize that puting it like that did not help the situation. This was only confirmed by Merlin's slow nod.

“Alright I see how it is. What else did he tell you?” He could feel his head turn read 

“Well he told me how to save Camelot. And if you haven’t noticed Merlin, the people are still starving, and there's no solution.” He looked defeated down at his servant who for the first time seemed understanding.

“I had to do something, before Uther would make an awful decision to try and save camelot Arthur could feel his voice shaking.“Trust me Merlin, this is the last thing I wanted, but I tried everything else.

—

“Everything really,” Morgana said Mockingly, letting go of the shadow magic that had been hiding us doing the boys' conversation. While they stood still in shock, I quickly reached out for the box that hid the rat called Remi. 

“What has he told you” I tried to be as threatening as possible, pointing my sword at the two.

“Told me” Merlin put out his hand, “what is going on!?”

“The rat”, Morgana continued. She took a step to stand by my side. “It said that it was going to tell on Uther, what has he told you.”

“For the last time, no one told me, apparently none of you tells me anything.” Merlin looked out at the three other people in the room, shaking his head in frustration. 

We looked at each other realizing that we might have blown our cover a tad too soon. Not wanting to lose face in front of Morgana, I tried to keep the guys on the back foot. 

“Well we heard what you two were talking about, there is no getting around it.” I turned my head to the prince “we figured you out Arthur, you have been hiding that rat this whole time.” I had tried my hardest to seem threatening, but all my words prompted was for Athur and Merlin to send each other a nervous look.

“Did you really hear…all of it” Arthur looked at me, seeming very embarrassed. I wanted to try and stay threatening, but these were my friends. A shadow of doubt crept into my mind. Had we been acting too rash. Arthur and Merlin were both so sweet and silly, I doubt they could hurt a fly even if they wanted to.

“Yes we heard it all” Morgana said, clearly not sharing in my newly regained sense of safety “even about your disaster date, none of that is of my concern.” Her frozen blue eyes turned to Arthur as well. “Arthur, that rat has got to be stopped. Let’s let it out of the box, so we can kill it.” 

Even I was bit thrown off by Morgana's eagerness for murder, but there was no way around it. Even so Arthur protested

“But without his help how will we save the kingdom?”

“How many times do I have to tell you Arthur,” Merlin frustration had reached a critical point “the famine is all the result of the unicorn you killed, once you atone it will all be over”

“Is that it” I exclaimed, but Arthur did not seem to think so

“No Merlin you don't, Remi is not the only rat in the castle,” we all turned to look, as he started to ramble “even if we take care of Remi, we still need to find a way to deal with his army and the cave.”

To think that ever was ever a time when I thought Arthur was a person who had it all together. Before me what not a strong prince, but a deranged man at the end of his rope. “What are you talking about?” I said, once again getting a hold of my sword.

“Look I know this sounds insane, but Remi showed me his whole rat family”  I looked over at Merlin and Morgana. Arthurs plea to not think him insane clearly had not worked on them either. The gears seemed to be turning in Merlin's head though. 

“Is that why he wanted you to build the tunnel? To make a way for him and his ratpack to get into the castle.”

“You build a tunnel,” me and Morgana exclaimed in unison. Strangely Arthur seemed to be wondering as well “Yeah, come think of it Merlin, why were you so eager to help me built the tunnel”

Merlin handled his turn in  the hotseat a lot better “Look Arthur is not the only one who has been down there. I have asked it for help before, and it has worked every time. It will know what we should do to get out of that mess.

“Merlin I really don’t think that's a good idea,” Arthurs face had turned from red to white “me and the dragon have a bit of a troubled history”

“Troubled history?” of all of Merlins suspicions, this had clearly not been one of them.

“Honestly Merlin” Morgana gloated “how come you keep being shocked, it seems my brothers has done nothing but lie for weeks and weeks”

“Guys,” I knew I had to try and stop the conversation, before it turned into an argument “this really doesn’t have to be complicated. We just take care of Remi, and then run down to the dragon to get its advice.” I looked around the room, my eyes glazing over Morgana's quiet fury, Merlin's unkempt frustration, and Arthur's absolute loss off his control of the situation. Yet is was him who took the initiative

“If it must be so…” the prince said, staring out into space. I wanted to do the whole thing over again. Arthur had been a fool, yes, but he had also been backed into a corner. He did not deserve it, and I felt the guilt of how we had stormed into his room. I tried to mend the situation, holding on to our friendship.

“I now understand Arthur. You were in a hard situation and saw no other way out.” I gestured out to Merlin on Morgana, both of which had calmed down “but now there is another way out. We’re here now for you.” 

Arthur stood and nodded slowly. To my surprise and delight and saw Merlin snatch the chance, and take his hand. Seemingly comforted by this, the young prince slowly began to speak.

“Thank you Guinevere. It a good plan really” he hesitated “ its just that…we finally caught him. And now I’m scared to let the rat out of the bag.”

“Really Arthur” Morgana said in a skeptical tone “what’s a rat gonna do against the four of us?” A look of terror came over Arthur for a brief second. 

“At this point Morgana, I don’t know what he’s capable off,” I stepped a little closer to him pulling Morgana with me. Merlin joined in as well, and we all pulled in for a hug. Then I pulled back, looking Arthur in the eyes.

“Whatever it is Arthur we deal with it together.” 

—

As Morgana was chanting her magic, Gwen standing beside her drew her sword. Arthur did the same. Likewise pointing it at the box in the middle, he pondered the fact that he had not even asked about his sister's latent magical abilities. Everything was going so fast. Nevertheless he felt ready, when Merlin took his position next to him. With a person in each corner around the box, his eyes began to glow, as he began to cast a spell of his own.  With a few words, he reached out his hand, and the box made a gentle click. Each of the sides of the box came down, as the quartet prepared to strike.

“Do not be foolish, children, how can you not fathom that killing me will not help the situation”

Arthur stopped right before slicing Remi with his sword, he looked around as his three friends, likewise waiting for the rats next words. Remi turned to look directly at him, true to character being unfaced by the danger he was in.

“Does the future king not understand? The world that your father has built has no room for princes and servants, or warlocks and night living together. But the world you will build a better world” he gestured out towards two couples “one where you can all be together.”

“I will only say this once more Remi, I will not kill my father” he turned his head for support, but felt his courage wayne, as there was none to find. He looked as his sister, but could not recognize her at that moment. Instead of being disgusted by Remis' request, her expression much more resembled one of intrigue.

“What’s the catch rat” she asked, lowering her guard a slight bit.

“Trust we young witch,” Remi said, all venom gone from his voice “I know what it’s like to have a farther, who fears the person you really are. I would never lure you into a trap like this. I simple want to make it happen in camelot, what I always dreamed of back in Paris.” In a moment of honesty, his tone solemn. 

“A better world, where no one is not shamed for who they are, but can instead share their given talent with the world.” Morgana slowly pulled back her stretched out hand.

“Don’t waver now friends, we to kill him” Remi looked back of him with contempt.

“Ah yes kill me now, foolish boy. Then who will save you kingdom. Who will help save the magic people who will die for Uthers hand.”

“Magic people?” Merlin interrupted lowering his hand like Morgana “what are you talking about you.”

“Oh the king has not told you” he turned to Merlin. “well it’s only a matter of time. He blames all the famine and miss fortune that has befallen the kingdom on magic. He plans to search for every last magician, and wipe them out until things return to the status quo which he loves so much.”

Arthur lifted his sword again, not wanting to let the rat get in any more time to talk “I will not stand for such obvious lies Remi,” he yelled.

“Is it really so obvious” Morgana words to Arthur completely by surprise. She was kneeling down, her aggressive posture completely gone. “You know what father is like Arthur, this sounds just like one of his plans.”

“Don’t go near him,” Merlin yelled, putting himself between Morgana and the small blue person. “He’ll just take control of you.”

Morgana sent him a sly smile, pulling down her hood to reveal her newly bald head. “Relax, he can’t do anything to me.” Arthur tried to catch the rats reaction. Although he couldn’t see his face, he seemed as taken back as he was. Still he knew that he had to focus.

“Morgana, you are falling into his trap! By all rights he should be dead by now” Morgana seemed to only be halfway listening, being deep in her own thoughts. “But what if it is true” she mumbled to herself.

“I think you should go and talk to him,” Gwen interjected, kneeling down by her side. She looked up at him. “You too Arthur, if he’s speaking the truth, you are the only ones who can talk him out of it.”

“No Arthur is right” Merlin said frustrated. “He's keeping you off the plan, we have to talk kilgharrah, before we do anything rash.” 

“Okay okay” Gwen stood up with both her hands out. “Compromise we split up. Arthur and Morgana talk to their father, Merlin and I go down to see the dragon.” She looked around the room for objections, but only one rose to the occasion.

“And how do I factor into this, bright young lady,” Remi said slowly moving away from the confines of the box. Before Arthur could say anything, he heard a fast chant and a quick squeal. Merlin picked up the box that he had closed with magic. 

“You don’t” she said smugly, putting on a shoulder back with the gox inside it. Gwen and Morgana began to get ready as well, while Arthur just stood there in silence. 

“Dad would not do something like that” he said out in thin air. Even so, Morgana answered him.

“It may be time to consider that there are sides our dear father you haven’t seen yet.” he locked after he, as Gwen and Merlin got ready to leave for the tunnel. The two gave each other a quick kiss, before whispering something he couldn’t hear. He looked over at Merlin, wishing nothing more than to do the same. But try as he might, he could not get himself to do it. I only thought he could be different. Merlin walked a few steps toward him. 

“We'll meet up again soon”

“Really”

The young boy smiled at him “I promise. No more lies.”

For a moment it felt as if all of yesterday's events melted away. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, Morgana turning him towards her.

“You ready to go” He nodded, opening the door to his room. His eyes followed Merlin as long as they could, as he descended the staircase with Guineweer. He then turned to face Morgana as they both walked towards the kings hall to face their father

Chapter Text

Morgana last words before we parted had left my thoughts in a stir

“When this is all over, we can be together” what did she mean by that. Even if they were to save Camelot from both Remi and Uthers plans, at best everything would go back to normal. And in our normal world, a princess and a servant could never be together. Did she intend to change that? How, only the king could make such changes, and he would never. 

“I hope he dies,” She never would. Right?

“Merlin, have we made a mistake,” he had been silent all the time we had been walking down to the kitchen, maybe he was thinking the same as I did.

“Oh several” he answered absentmindedly“ but it’s gonna be alright. He then went on to voice another answer, but this time not aimed at me. Rather he simply said

“Great, come here as fast as you can, we need you.” My wondering what was going on ended, when I saw his eyes light up in that distinct golden glow.

“Who are you talking to?” i asked, as we began our descent down the final set of stairs to the castles basement.

“Lancelot,” Merlin answered, with a calm and strength in his voice that I have never heard before “he will be here as fast as he can.”

“Wait, does he know about ,you know,” the little man smiled at me, with a confidence that had either just been found, or always been hidden.

“Yes” he answered matter of factly “he has always known.” I found it so strange talking to this new Merlin. It was like he was a new person, like another young boy had been hiding in the closet, only to take his place when I was not looking. Even though I found this new Merlin intimidating, I had to break the silence between us, with a question that was burning on my lips.

“So Merlin, about you and Arthur…”

“What about it” His answer was swift like the arrow from a bowstring, and just as sharp. The worry of the pain my words might have caused, was quickly overtaken by my need to know what was going on.

“What is the story there?” I tried to sound as caring as possible, but it was clear that I was digging at something that maybe should stay buried

“There is no story,” he snapped back at me “Arthur doesn't want there to be.”

“Does he not like you?”

“No, he does.”

“Do you not like him?

“No I do” Merlin stopped walking, standing in place shaking “that is the whole problem. Arthur will never tell you about how he feels, his father has taught him that.” His words made me think back to all the times Morgana had been afraid of telling me how she felt, afraid that I would also think that she was a monster.

“Yeah, Uther tends to do that,” I mumbled to myself, but Merlin did not seem to notice. Instead he kept on walking a stiff walk, with his arms along his side, not caring if I heard what he had to say.

“It’s that he will never do or say anything, if no one tells me to do it first. He will never say that he likes anything or anyone, and I'm so sick of running around trying to please him, never getting so much as a thank you!”

“Merlin!” I yelled after him, grabbing a hold of his shoulder. “If he can’t even tell you how he feels about you, he does not deserve to be your boyfriend. There’s always someone else.” He avoided my gaze mumbling his answer into his scarf

“But I don’t want someone else,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. I took a hold of his chin, turning his head towards mine.

“If you really feel that way, you should tell him all you have said to me once we're done here”

“Easy for you to say” he lashed out “you already found your true love.” His word immediately sent my thoughts back to the last thing I had heard Morgana say

“Once this is all over, we can be together…”

“Oh no Merlin” I began with a creeping dread “it’s not all easy with me and Morgana. I think might have made a mistake letting her and Arthur take care of Uther.” Merlin seemed confused by this.

“Why, prince pushover would never convince him on his own.”

I hardened my voice, made it sharp like my sword when I said “because Morgana wants to see Uther dead.” 

I saw in real time how Merlin processed this information. I expected his words to be something like “but he’s her father”, as he put his hand to his chin. Instead the answer was much more cold and blunt.

“That would certainly make things a lot easier for her and me..”

My worries doubled as I realized what he was saying “Merlin, you don’t agree with Remi do you?”

“No” he said, but I could see a vision behind his eyes, a vision of a world where he would not have to hide his magic. “But Uther is a terrible King, there is no getting around that.” 

I wanted nothing more than to talk him out of it, but it was so easy to put myself in his shoes. How must it have felt, to see magic people be hunted down, while he had to keep himself hidden. Still I had to say something.

“You can just go around killing the king, if you don’t like him. If the world worked like this we would have a new king every other week.” 

We stopped before the door to the kitchen.

“If Remi is right, we might have too,” his world was so cold, yet I found it hard to argue. All that was left was to make sure Merlin was still to be trusted.

“Do you want him dead Merlin?” There was a terrifying moment of silence, followed by a resounding 

“No,” Merlin looked directly at me “I just want a world where the magic people of Camelot can live in peace.” 

“I hope it works out,” I said putting a hand on his shoulder “with you and Arthur as well.”

“Thank you,” Merlin said, and all the sudden, the young boy I knew was back, we went in for a quick hug. Then we nodded to each other, showing that we were both ready. We opened the door and slipped into the kitchen. We did our best to not stand out, next to busy chefs, and boiling pots. Merlin stirred me to the back of the room. I looked around, in the most discreet way I could, but it was probably as obvious as a pack of rats in a pantry. When we got the the back room, Merlin handed me the back with Remi in it, as he kneeled down to the floor. 

“When we get down there just follow me. The dragon look dangerous, but it won’t hurt us.”

I nodded and smiled, as I watched Merlin searching for a secret tile to push it to the side. But what he revealed was not what I expected. 

“Merlin, the tunnel is…”

“Sealed!” I followed the voice and saw the kitchen chef Audrey, backed up by what must have been the whole cooking staff “just you will be sealed in the dungeon that is!”

I looked back at Merlin for any kind of answer, but he had already begun chanting. I had to distract them from that fact. The situation was already bad enough as it was, if they found out about his secret it would all be over. 

“Miss Audrey, this is not what it seems” not what it seems. Good job Gwen that will throw her off

“Oh, but it is a child, exactly what it seems. The two of you are making a tunnel for thieves to get into camelot during a time of Famine. I knew the prince and his servant were up to something.” 

Audrey spoke too loud for me to hear what Merlin was saying, but I could swear that Morgana's name was in there somewhere. I turned around to see that not only had he opened the tunnel back up, he was also jumping straight down into it. I tried to follow him, but I could feel half a dozen chefs holding me back. My cry muffelded by their hands over my mouth, all could do was watch, as Audrey screamed 

“Cease him, Cease the boy”

Chapter Text

Arthur did not know who was walking beside him, but it was not his sister. It was not that she looked different, no it was something much deeper. There was a certain darkness about her, one that sent chills down his spine. She did not seem the least bit scared, that Remi might be right, and that their father might have plans to murder an entire group of people. No, what scared Arthur the most is that it seemed almost as if she had been expecting it. 

Come to think of it, it seemed like Morgana had started to expect a lot of things. Every time they would have passed a guard, who could have asked them troubling questions, she had known. Every time Arthur had started to say something, she had finished his sentences for him, as if she had seen it coming. All this had torn a rift between them. Where there once was familiarity between siblings, there was now a hesitance like that between two strangers. A hecistance that grew so large that Arthur had to stop in the hallway before the door to the king's throne room.

“Morgana…”

she turned towards him, letting go of the sinister smile she had been holding on to since they left his chambers “what, are you scared of seeing your own father?”

Arthur had given up all pretense of trying to pretend has was the brave and perfect prince of Camelot. It had not gotten him anywhere. All he go do was to try and be honest with his sister.

“No it’s just…What if Remi was right, and this is our last chance to talk to him like our father.”

Her brows furrowed, her lips straightening into a thin line “I’m glad you still hold love for him like that brother, but that chance has long passed for me.” When Morgana talked, he felt a cold breeze slightly ruffle up his hair. In attempt to calm her down he said

“We both know it’s not true Morgana, he loves his children.” The response he got was more cold and forceful that the wind Morgana had conjured.

“That’s what he will tell you, but actions speak louder than words” Arthurs knot of anxiety turned to chilling guilt as he saw a small stream of tears fall down his sisters eyes. 

“You are his legacy, Prince Arthur. I am his problem.” The doubts about his father being a good man, had quickly begun to outnumber the memories of him being a good king. Still he tenders to his little flame of hope

“Morgana, I know Uther hates magic, but if he knew about you, he might start to look at things differently” she slowly began to step closer to him, before he had even stopped talking. Again giving him the feeling that she already knew.

“Oh he already knows about me,” she said. “And he did not like what he saw. If I had not been his ward, I would simply have been killed. Instead he threatened to lock me up, until I learned to control myself.”

Grasping for anything to say in his fathers defense, Arthur responded “well but you have now, so there won't be a problem.” When the words had left his mouth, Arthur thought he had made a mistake. Fought that he would trigger a fit of anger from his sister. She simply turned away from him

“Yes, I have, but no thanks to him,” she turned back to him, and much to his surprise, she was smiling. A few tear still streamed from her eyes, but these were not tears of frustration and anger. 

“You got Gwen to thank for that,” she said. Then, without a word, she started walking towards the door. 

“Morgana” Arthur said in a quiet but pleading tone, holding out his hands towards her. She turned to him, and for the first time that day seemed unsure of what he was going to say.

“Let me speak to him alone. If all of this really is true, I have to try and make him come to his senses.” She stood for a moment, seeming to ponder the possibility in her head. Then she gave a slow nod

“Half an hour,” she said, slowly but in a tone that left no room for objections. “In half an hour I meet you in there” the darkness around returned, subtle but unmissable “and this time, there will be no lies.” 

This version of his sister had scared Arhutr before. But now the only feeling he had left for her was pity. The real Morgana had been repressed, locked away with the threat that if she ever told the world, she would be put in a cell forever. He was starting to look down on the man that he had looked up to his entire life. What he saw was a man, so afraid of what he didn’t understand, that he would rather do anything than face it. He looked back at Morgana and swore that he would never let that fear overtake him. Feeling the tears well up in his own eyes, she pulled her in for a hug. As they stood there, holding each other close. A question that had been on Arthurs mind the whole day finally found his lips.

“Do you hate me as well?” She pulled out to look him in the eye. In that moment her eyes did not seem like the cold see, and more like a beautiful winter sky.

“Of course not,” she said softly, smiling back at him. “You are not Uther, and thank Camelot for that.”  He wanted to be relieved by the hand of hesitation that still held him from entering his fathers throne room.

“Do you really want to kill him if all Remi said turns out to be true?” She pulled out of the hug, in a decisive but not forceful way.”

“If what Remi said he had to stop him.” Arthur could feel himself nodding absentmindedly, almost as if he was a puppet, and someone was pulling his strings. He turned away from Morgana and began his steady march, towards the throne room.

—-

“Why has my son come to see me, at such an early hour,” Uther sent the prince one of his rare smiles, all the way across the empty throne room.

“Does a son have a reason to meet with his father,” he tried to smile, more like putting on a mask than anything else. Luckily Uther did not seem to notice. 

“And even if he did, would he even know you well enough to see that you were not telling the truth.” Even though Morgana had stayed in, she had apparently not left his mind.

Uther spread out his arms, and walked over to give him a hug. It was a hug of the stern and purely formal kind, the one that carries no warmth or love with it. 

“You have been very aloof lately, but I think it time for a talk, just you and me. There are many things we need to discuss, come with us,” he waved with his hand in the direction of the balcony.

This gesture of performative kindness immediately made Arthur suspicious. He only talked to his kids like this when he wanted them to do something for him. A realization that made him regret all the times he had just followed his orders. 

They stepped onto the Balcony, perusing it like they had done so many times before. As they were looking out at the kingdom that his father had ruled for years, the kingdom that would one day be his. The child was grey and heavy, like the responsibilities that were weighing on the future king in that moment. Remi had said that he could be a better thing than his father. But looking out at the world, and the hundreds of people below him, he had never been more unsure of anything in his entire life. 

“When you become king one day, my boy” his father said, as if his thoughts had been in the same place “and as a king you have to make tough decisions.” That part he could not help but agree with. As the king you have the chance to change anything. But if he was a king, what would he change?

His father did not wait for an answer, and simply continued his monologue. 

“This sudden famine has left me with one of these tough choices. How can I provide for my people? What is the root of this evil” Uthers brows furrowed in a way they had done so often, that it had left him with permanent wrinkles. “And as it has been so often in recent times, I think the answer is magic.”

“Father please don’t do this.” That rat had been right. He had been trying, had dreaded it, denied it, tried to forget, but the rat was always right.  

“If i’m not mistaken my son, I have yet to explain my plan to you?” he looked at him concerned, but he did not falter. A strange conviction filled the young man, one filled by a life of pent up and unexamined emotions towards the man who was at once his master and his guardian. 

“You don’t have to dad. All your plans are the same. When something is wrong, you blame magic and innocent suffer”

The sky was still clear, but there was a thunderstorm brewing inside the king. “Do not threaten my son, no innocent will be harmed, but every witch, warlock and sorcerer will be punished. We will not stop until we find out who is behind this.”

“That we are going to have to be without me, Uther Pendragon,” he said, taking a step away from the man that was beginning to tower over him. 

“Are you disobeying your king,” he thundered 

“I'm simply asking” Arthur began calm like a cloudless sky “that he might rethink his thoughts about magic, and the people who practice it.” without thinking about it, he had begun to take small but long steps away from the old man. Likewise, had begun coming closer with a long and inevitable stride.

“Magic is nothing but trickery and deceit Arthur, have I not taught you better” Arthur could feel the cold of the stonewall against his back. The end of the line. 

“Not all witches and warlocks like that. Merlin…” like an ill omen, she stood there. Sudden and silently, outside of Uther's field of vision. Like Remi had done, in a time that now felt like ages ago, she put a single finger to her lip in a telling gesture. 

“Merlin is a Warlock,” His father had cornered him, against the castle tower, looking down on him with glowing eyes.

“No, of course not, the boy is far too simple” a lie that was easy to tell, seeing how he had believed it himself less than a day ago. “But has taught me about the times of old. About the old religion and what it was capable of.” 

His fathers hand turned to balled fist “great in many regards my son, but lying is not one of them.”

“That makes one thing I did not pick up from you” something inside Arthur, returned to the forefront of his thoughts. Something kept simmering always just below the surface.

“I never lied to you,” Uther lied, backing away a tiny bit, letting the two men stand as equal. 

“Well dad” it was Arthur's turn tower, looking down at the man he once looked up to.

“Then tell me, what happened to my mother.” Uther took a step back, his eyes searching for somewhere to escape to. But his escape would soon come to an end, as his retreat back ended with a fall to the pavement. He looked up to see what he had bumped up against.

“Come on Uther,” Morgana said, in a tone more chilling and cold than the rain that had begun to fall. “Don’t you think he deserves to know.”

Did she know. Was this part of her new powers?

“Morgana, my dear,” the old man tried in vein to get back on his feet, but the floor was quickly turning wet and slippery. “What a wonderful thing to have the whole family in once place.”

“Wonderful indeed” Morgana said in a tone that implied that there was nothing that she could think of that would be less wonderful. 

“Let him be Morgana,” Arthur said, standing between his father and sister “we are never going to convince him like this.”

“We are never going to do that either way” she said “I don’t think he deserves the mercy that he has denied all of us.” 

“What are you talking about, child?” Uther had finally found his footing. Slowly, that he undoubtedly thought they wouldn’t see, he had started backing away. Arthur heard a sudden thunderclap, then a blinding flash. He regained his vision, only to realize it was his turn to be on the floor. He looked over to the door, only to be met with the rift that had formed in the stone. His eyes went over to Uther, holding out his sword towards Morgana. His sister stood like she had before the flash, still and strong like a stone pillar. 

“That lighting,” Arthur gasped "it was you!"

She looked back at him with a joyless smile “it’s like our dear father said Arhtur. It’s a wonderful thing having the whole family in one place.” She turned his face towards the king “it would be a shame to ruin it.”

“Son!” His dad gasped, failing his sword in front of him with panic fuel swings “the magic has overtaken your sister, she is not thinking clearly.”

“No dad” Morgana's voice filled with resentment of someone forced to live in fear. “For the first time in my life, I see it all clearly.”

His father looked so small standing there with his back against the wall. The catharsis that Morgana felt in this moment was for Arthur entirely absent. All he could feel in this moment was pity. He looked back at Morgana. He noticed that her posture was wavering a little bit, the magic had taken it’s toll on her. Whatever she had done, it was clear that she could not do it again. No, it was up to Arthur to decide the outcome of this encounter.

“Strike her” Uther practically screamed, moving towards Morgana slowly and carefully “strike her Arthur, and all will be forgiven.”

“All will be forgiven,” she answered, but it was clear to Arthur that it was really him he was talking to him. “Do you hear what that sounds like? Do you really think we can just let him go.” 

“But I can’t just take his life Morgana. That’s not the kind of king I want to become.” Arthur felt two pairs of disappointed eyes look at him. Bot filled with contempt that he had not chosen a side. Morgana was about to say something, but stopped in her tracks, holding a hand to her ears. She said something, but it was hidden by the first of many thunderclaps. 

“We have to go, Arthur. Merlin and Gwen need our help.”

“How do you know,” Arthur yelled back, not noticing that Uther was coming ever closer while none of them were looking. Morgana put both her hands to her head, as if to block off the sound of the storm.

“He told me. I don’t know how, but he did,” she fell to her knees, her eyes turning white. Seeing her begin to lose consciousness, Arthur dropped his sword and lunged forward, grabbing hold of her before she could fall off the balcony.  

“Morgana, snap out of it,” but wherever she was, it was not at the top of the castle. Her eyes were wide open, shimmering with a faint light. Then another light blinded him, as another lighting struck, somewhere far away from there. Before he regained his vision, he felt a cold sting to his neck. 

He looked up, and saw the king, his sword pointed at them.

Chapter Text

For the first time in her life, a vision floods her outside of her sleep. She feels herself falling to the floor and into the world of dreams. She begins to see pictures of the present, like mosaics in church. 

A young man rides toward camelot, heading the message he has received 

A young boy wanders the castle caves, searching for answers in the form of a golden beast

And finally, a young woman, the one she loves, sitting captive awaiting judgment.

She tries to reach out to her, but she is pulled back towards the future, a version of it that will come to pass, will their plans not succeed. A future where warlocks are executed and witches are burned, and everyone who stands in their way. She sees herself on the pyre, looking out at Guinevere, trying in vain to get to her. She looks out at a crowd of people, afraid of what they don’t understand. 

With the power of her will, she changes her vision. She sees a future where she and her friends succeeded, sitting in at a round table, deciding the future of camelot. But this future is veiled with smoke, and filled with pain, blood and sparks of magic. When the dust settles, she sees the thing she fears the most. Her beloved lying stiff on the ground.

Dead.

As she opens her eyes, she wonders if she really opened them at all. Then she realizes she is underground, in a room of pitch black darkness. 

Chapter Text

“Morgana, is that you,” my voice sounded so timid and frail, bouncing around in the walls of the cell.

“Gwen, yes i’m right here,” I heard the cold clamp of her feet as she fell to the group. I grasped out into the darkness, and by a stroke of luck, my hands found hers, stopping the fall. I pulled her into my embrace, and felt he trembling from the cold

“Are you alright?” she clutched unto me, holding tight as if she could not stand on her own. 

“Yes, but Merlin…”

“Is down in the caves yes I know,”

“How do you, “ then I realized, not wanting to spend anymore time. 

“What else have you seen,” I could feel her trembling rise in intensity.

“Something that I cannot let happen…” even though I could not see her eyes i could feel them turn away from mine. “Gwen…I saw you die”

I felt my limbs go numb to touch Morgana and the stone on the floor. I felt its if the ground disappeared under me, and my head was whirling. A prickling sensation spread through my whole body. I could feel anxiety creeping from the back of my mind. 

“I told you” Morgana said, snapping me out of it “it won’t let it happen!” 

“But don't your prophecies always come true” I said, my voice as numb as my body felt.

“This one won’t, I will make sure off that,” she held me so tight that it hurt, as if she would lose me if she let go. For a moment I believed that together, maybe we could shape our own destiny. Thinking of destiny made me think off…

“Arthur? Is he trapped as well?” Something about Morgana's mood changed, but I could not see what with no light.

“I don¨t know. I passed out when I had my vision, and when I woke up I was here. I don’t know where he could be.”

—-

Arthur's honor was as broken as his spirit. Chained up in a simple jail cell, he had never felt less like a king. Awaiting his fathers final judgment, he took a humbling bite of his stale piece of bread. His fathers words kept ringing to his inner ears. 

“I will not stop, until all the mages are dead.” 

Remi had been right. He had been right about all of it. When he was put in a situation where he was forced to choose between two paths, he hesitated. He had not acted, and it had all slipped out of his hands. In a bit of non royal frustration, he kicked his plate to the end of the room, and he fell down to the floor. For the first time in years, he began to cry. Sitting there sobbing he heard a familiar voice from the corner of the room. 

“Fathers are though, aren't they,” Remi said, his small yellow eyes emerging from the darkness. 

“Go away, Remi!” Arthur said, throwing his knife and fork in his direction. Remi dodged the both, sending nothing back a smile full of pity. Unbothered by his actions he continued.

“I remember when I had to convince my father. It went about as well as it did for the both of you.” Arthur wanted nothing more, than the choke the life out of the little demon.

“Since you have sown up, everything has gone wrong,” he yelled, tears streaming down his chin, standing up to conor the little blue person. But all the reaction he got back was that smile. That damn smile. 

“But what if we could make it all right, once and for all,” Remi said, pointing his hands out towards him. “Don’t you want to know what happened to your mother?”

Arthur dartet back, hitting the wall. He wanted to say something, wanted to tell him that he was lying. But at this point he had given up trying to argue with the rat, remi was always right. Instead he simply nodded, waiting with baited breath for an answer.

“Uther killed her” the three small words dropped like an anvil. Arthur felt he had to say something or else the silence would suffocate him. 

“Why would he kill his own wife,” he felt his breath begin to run away from him. He tried to catch it again, a futile attempt to calm his nerves.

“For you,” Remi said, his voice for once filled with empathy “or rather that what he would tell you, if he ever had the nerves to confess what he had done. In reality he did it all for himself.” Remi looked directly at him, his eyes large and filled with sorrow. If the tear was fake, Arthur could not see it.  

“Uther was so desperate for an heir, that he was willing to do anything to get one. Even using magic to sacrifice the one that he loved the most…”

“Magic!” Arthur exclaimed “but Uther hates magic.”

“And why do you think that is,” Remi responded, the signature hardness returning to his voice. “He could not handle his guilt, so he blaimed everyone else for what he himself had done!” 

“But that does not make any sense,” Arthur began to pace around the room, thinking. It really did seem nonsensical. Then again, if it wasn't true, then why had he never told him what had actually happened to his mother?

“Remi How…” He began stopping himself before he began. There was no sensing in asking how he knew. The little rodent knew every little secret this castle had to hold. Instead he changed his question.

“How do you propose we get out of here?” He looked down at the rat, who seemed to have awaited that very question.

“I'll take care of that” he said putting his hand together, a bit too excited for Arthurs taste “I can help you get out of here, I can help you stop Uther and his knights, and can do it all.” He then gave him a sly look. “But I can’t do it alone.” 

Arthur understood, without a word he held out his hand, and let Remi crawl up unto his head. He felt that gentle tuck on his hair that had been absent for some time now. Calmed by the security, he asked a simple request.

“I don’t want anyone to die” he hesitated, then added on “Anyone but one at least.” 

“Who do you have in mind?” Remi asked, already knowing the answer.

“My father,” Arthur said, his voice turning stern and cold. “That will have to answer for the crimes he has committed against this kingdom.” Then his voice cracked saying  “And for what he did to my mother.” 

‘

Chapter Text

We had huddled up closely together, to try and fall asleep in the cold. While Morgana had succeeded, I had failed. Lying awake with my eyes closed, I hear a strange sound. I opened my eyes only to find...

“Morgana, the rats are back” I screamed, shaking her awake. At the cliff there had only been one, and it had been terrifying. Now there were ten,at least, lit up by torchlight, their ugly unseening faces pointing towards us. Their sneere forming an echoing cacophony in our cell. I held Morganas ears. I tried to guard her as they began breaking the bars

“Silence!” the voice seemed unlike any I had heard. It commanded the authority of a king, but had the tenderness of a gentle soul. Then I realized that it belonged to someone that I had known for a very long time.

“Arthur?” I asked, looking up at him. He smiled at me, a gentle smile, but one burden by something I didn’t know. What had happened in that cell of his. Then I looked up to top of his head and found the answer

“No!” I said, getting up to my feet “you can't be serious! How did you even get out of the box?” 

“Trust me Gwen” Arthur said with solemn acceptance. “This is the only way to stop Uther”

“From what exactly” I tried to get Arthur to react, but he stood there like a stone “what can be worse than trusting that” i pointed to Remi, who did nothing but smile back at me.

“Oh no sweetheart, it’s much worse” Morgana had gotten to her feet, and begun collecting herself. To my shock she walked over to stand by Arthurs side. A shock that turned to horror when she started to talk 

“Uther is going to wipe out all the mages in the kingdom, and anyone he sees as a suspect.”

“He has done it before, and he will do it again” Arthur continued, the two siblings standing united against their parent. 

“I have seen it happen Gwen” Morgan said looking directly at “if we don’t stop him, i’m going to be burned at the stake along with everyone else.”

All my apprehensions were melting away. Uther had to be stopped, no doubt about it. Their only problem was sitting on Arthur's head. As he began to throw pieces of armor my way, I began to suspect that this was all something the rat had set up. I whispered to Morgana, voicing my worries

“At his point” she whispered “I think we have to play along with their game.” Then her whisper went even lover. “Once Uther is out of the picture, we can take care of the rat.”

—-

Arthur put on the saddle on Morgana and Gwens giant rats, as they ascended their steed

“Uther is gathering the knights in the courtyard” he shouted “we will have to meet him there and stop him before he gets any further. He cannot cross the bridge.”

“What do we do with the knights, we can’t just kill them” Gwen said in a concerned voice

“Leave them alife, “ he said to comfort her “and leave Uther to me” 

Remi gave him encouraging tuck, to let him know that he was going great. He then took control as he commandeered the rats, marching in a line. Like one unit they began burrowing, out of the basement towards the courtyard. Before Arthur could  worry about being hit by rocks and dirt, Morgana solved the problem. She created a barrier of shadows protecting the three humans. Inside the bubble was all silent, until a voice pierced though. A familiar one, from the person he once considered his father.

“We ride” Uther commanded “and we don’t stop “until every mage, warlock or witch has been found, until camelot has been saved, and the famine has been ended” The roar of the knights was quickly eclipsed by the eruption of the earth under the courtyard. One by one, the rats crawled out of the ground, like moths to a flame they began to swarm the knights and their horses. Morgana dropped the barrier to reveal a horrified Uther. Without a second thought, Arthur and Remi raised his sword, together again, two bodies with one soul.

“Uther Pendragon” He shouted, shredding the fearful silence that had befallen the castle. “You are a liar and a hypocrite. You condemn those who use magic, yet you use it for your own selfish gains.” The horrified muffle that had started between the guards was stopped by Uther holding his hand up in a commanding gesture.

“Silence.” He locked eyes with Arthur “You, Arthur Pendragon are my son and my servant, and you will do as my servant.” He spoke the words of a king, but his voice was trembling like that of a small child. “You will do as I command.”

“From this day forward” Arthur said, loosening his gauntlet “I no longer consider myself your son.” He threw it in front of the king, the universal sign of a challenge of combat. Streams of tears began to stream down his face “not after what you did to my mother.”

The silence was so total, that it could have been broken by a needle drop. All the knights were looking at their king, awaiting his orders. 

“Pick it up” Arthur said, his voice filled with destain for his fathers lack of courage. “Just you and me one on one. No one else has to die.” Uther looked down at the gauntlet. Then back at his guards. 

“Cease them,” He yelled, as he stirred his horse towards the drawbridge. With hesitation the guards drew their weapons, beginning to ride towards them.

“Don’t let him get away” Gwen shouted, her and Morgana moving to stop the other guards from getting in the way.

Arthur and Remi linked up. Through the rain and thunder, they stirred their rat towards the gate. When two nights rode towards them, Remi simply pulled him towards the sky, and he took to the air. He kicked with both his feet in a perfect split, hitting both the knights in the head, knocking them off their mounts. Ending the maneuver with a frontal flip, he landed on one of the horses, a much faster animal.
With the help of Remi he galloped towards Uther, where four knights had already pulled out their crossbows. They cleaved three of the both with both grace and ease, but the fourth one struck its mark, for it was neither aimed at the boy nor the rat. The horse let out a scream, but that did not face them, and they simply did a double flip of the saddle. While over the heads of the knights, the two swung their blade, hitting each of them over the head. When he landed on his feed, Arthur had knocked them all out without hurting them. He started to run, but even with Remis Help, he was much slower than the king's horse. 
Like they had done in the cave, he threw his sword towards it, but it was too late. even with all his strength, the blade did not find its target, sliding across the ground. 

“You will rue this day” Uther yelled after him. But as his head was turned, he did not see what was right in front of him. The sound of hoves sounded like a serenade over the bridge, as rider approached in the distance. He had no banner, and lo Sigil, only a long lance, pointed towards Uther. The old man turned his, just in time to see the weapon, that would violently knock him off his mount. The knight turned, and Arthur saw his face, framed by beautiful ebony locks. 

“Lancelot!” Arthur screamed, filled with joy, he ran towards him. He dismounted and the two shared a long and love filled hug.

“How did you…” 

“Merlin told me everything,” he said in his usual strong and reassuring tone. “Where is he?”

“I will fill you in later” he responded, pushing away the fact that he had no idea where Merlin was Either. “But first we have other matters to attend to.” He gestured towards the old man laying on the ground, his crown as shattered as his fitting spirit. The two started to walk towards him, joined by Morgana and Guienverre, 

“Halt,” Uther said, lifting his arm. 

Arthur looked behind him and saw a dozen arches standing on the parapet. All of them had an arrow on their strings, pointed directly towards him. 

“If you move just an inch” Uther said, his voice filled with desperation “I will have you all shot full of arrows.” 

“Look at yourself” Arthur's voice was dripping with disgust, completely absent of the fear that had overtaken the king. “Will this really be the legacy of Uther Pendragon?”
“You were supposed to be that legacy,” Uther said, and for the first time in his life, Arthur saw a single tear, washing away the dirt from his face.

“But It has all gone up in flames,” he looked at him, and for the first time in a long time, Arthur had the sense that he really did love him. Then he looked back to the archers, and realized how little that mattered. He looked towards Morgana, Gwen and Lancelot for some sort of answer.  But Morgana was all but spent, and there was nothing the others could do to stop a barrage like the one Uther was about to unleash. Accepting that this would be his fate, Arthur sent a thought to Merlin.

“Im sorry he said,” out loud because he found it made it feel more real

“I'm sorry I never said thank you.”

“Im sorry I never told you how I really feel”

“Sorry I was to afraid to tell you, that I love you Merlin.” 

He waited with closed eyes and baited breath. Waited for the sound of arrows let loose, and screams of pain. But the only thing heard was a familiar flap. The flap of large…

“Wings” Arthur whispered. Then he heard a roar as loud as the thunder, and saw a fire as loud as the lightning. A pillar of flame descended from the sky, separating him from the archers. He looked up and saw the golden dragon, and on top of it, a stupid little man.

“Merlin” he yelled, and saw the boy wave back at him, as he and the dragon descended to apprehend the archers from hurting anyone. Sweating from the flames at his back he turned toward his father, utterly defenseless on the floor. His friend was standing behind the fire. What was to happen would be between the king, the prince and the rat. 

“Do it!” Remi yelled to be heard over the roaring flames. “Strike him down, and shape Camelot to be the kingdom you want it to be. Take hold of your destiny and become the king.”

He walked towards the man who was once his father, holding his face between his hands. He looked into his eyes, swelling up with tears of fear and sorrow crying out with silence.

“Please, my son. please don’t” 

“Not a king like this,” Arthur said.  
 
Then he felt two tucks in hair. His hand moved, against his will, grabbing hold of his fathers head. With a quick motion and a loud crack, Remi turned his neck.

The king fell to the ground

Uther Pendragon was dead 

Chapter Text

It had been three days since the death of his father, yet the crown still felt as cold as his corpse had when he held it in his arms.  He had held it all, but it had all slipped away. Camelot was now a scorched ruin, a kingdom that had neither king nor food. The only people holding it together was a small council. Merlin, Remi, Gwen, Morgana, Lancelot, Gaius and of course himself.

“ It was the right thing to do,” Remi reassured him, as they were walking to the first small council meeting. “You had already made the decision, I just pushed you the last way there.” 

And while he knew Remi was right in his mind, it did not at all feel right in his heart. It was filled with nothing but doubt and sorrow. His dad would never talk again, never counsel and comfort him. Now all the comfort he got was from a rat. He looked to the side to see him, sitting on one of the many knights that had become his “vessel”. Guards who had volunteers to function as a human body and matter like these. 

He had tried to seek Merlin consul, but all their talk had been strained at best. Their interactions were still weighted down by that night, that night of destiny and chicken.

“What do you think we should discuss?” Arthur asked Remi, trying to get his mind back on the chase.

“Just putting the basics in place,” Remi said with a smile “putting the kingdom back in place, and making it so you and Merlin could be together.” 

He had to hold on to that. All he had done, he had done for the good of the people, so that mages would not have to live apart from the rest of the kingdom. Things would be better under the reign of the council. It would have to be. 

He pushed open the door to the throne. It too was but a shadow of its former glory, the roof burned away by the fires of Kilgarah. Arthur looked up at the grey winter sky and its large oppressive clouds. Ever since his father had died, the weather had been like that, cold and unpleasant.

All the others were sitting there, awaiting his and Remis' arrival. The rat had fancied that a new banner would be made to hang over his and Arthur's seat. The king hated it, it was a hideous thing, sporting the pendragon colors but depicting a rat instead. It was all in such terrible taste. But Arthur had to bear the shame, as he sat down in his chair, all eyes on him. One pair weighed especially heavy, that of the dragon. Merlin had insisted on keeping the creature by his side at all times. He had not said a word since he had escaped the cave, but his looks had been like a silent reminder.

“Remember what I said, young Pendragon,” he felt it say “remember what I said.

With all those eyes on him, he felt a sudden connection to his late father. He would never forgive him for what was done, but now he was empathic to the burden it was to be king. How could you make a choice, when no matter what you did, someone would be upset. 

“What a shame that the only person who would know is now dead and gone,” he pondered. He looked to Gaius, then Morgan, then Merlin. Could magic wake the dead. Or even if they could, would his friends want it. He had no idea what they all wanted, but looking out at their quiet faces, he could tell they all wanted it badley.

Wanting to break up the silence, Arthur opened the ball “So we are all here to discuss matters of great import..”

“Oh yes” Remi said, immediately interrupting him. That rat always thought he knew best. “I have made an extensive plan, and Arthur's coronation is the first point on that list.”

“Coronation” Morgana yelled. Arthur braced for impact. The council had been together for less than five minutes, and it was already shaping up to be a disaster.

“Honestly Remi, I thought you were better than this,” Gwen looked at her with support. At that point Arthur knew that wherever Morgana went, she would follow. “I thought we were going to leave Camelot a better place than found it.”

“Oh trust me” Remi answered indigently, “it will. Once Arthur becomes king, Mage and non mage will live together side by side.”

“Well that's the problem,” Gwen joined in. “When Arthur becomes king. I thought we all agreed that kings and queens were a thing of the past?”

“Well,” Gaius interjected. This many people talking at once made Arthur dizzy. “Sometimes the ends justify the means. And there must be a certain order to things. The monarchy can not just be dismantled from one day to the other.”

Much to his surprise Lancelot completely ignored the old man's words, and went straight for Remi.  “You’re a liar, you. You said you wanted to dismantle the hierarchy, but all you really wanted was to see yourself on top!”

“Friends” Merlin interjected, always in his conor. A little sting of guild pierced Arthur's heart. No matter how bad he treated the young boy, he would always be by his side.

“Arthurs destiny is to lead the kingdom,” the warlock continued, “as long as we follow the prophecy, it will all be right.”

“Prophecies can be misleading Merlin,” Morgana said, standing up from her chair, pointing at Remi “Besides, we both know who is really going to be leading the kingdom!”

Arthur was desperate to find a solution, so he moved towards Remi to whisper in his ear. 

“Can you not take control of her quickly, and make it all calm down,” he regretted requesting it, as soon as he had said it. Regardless it would not be an issue, as the rat responded. 

“I have already thought that over. Her hair is simply to short”

Remi moved his vessel, with such force that Arthur felt him step up from his chair. 

“The young witch much calm herself, if she wishes to keep a seat in this council.”

“I think we are all in favor of you leaving Remi,” Gwen chimed in, standing up to take Morgana's hand. “You are not one to be trusted.”

Slowly Lancelot got up,followed quickly by Gaius. In a few moments, Merlin and him were the only one who was sitting down.

“Everyone sit back down,” Merlin yelled “You are all forgetting a crucial fact. Remi is the only one who can help us out of this mess.”

“But Merlin, your plan with the unicorn will still save us” Gaius said in a fatherly tone.” 

“This is now far bigger than the famine Gaius.” Merlin shouted, standing up waving his hands “Camelot is a pile of rubble, the people still hate magic, and that’s just the start of the grocery list.”

“Look these things are gonna be hard to solve, but we will solve it together” Gwen said, making a gesture towards everyone at the round table. 

“Agreed. Everyone except him!” Morgana said, stepping out into the middle of the room, finger pointing right at Remi. Everyone stepped to the side, except Merlin who leaped in front of the prince. As Morgana formed all the shadows in the room, into a deadly point, she lunged the spear towards Remi. In a slip second, Merlin lifted the table, blocking the shadowspear before it could hit anyone. The round table was cleaved in two, as Morgan was rushing towards them. Arthur drew his sword, as Merlin began another can't

“Get out of my way Merlin” Morgana screamed, as summoned a furious wind. As it blew through the window, crushing the glass, it sent Merlin flying across the room. In his fall he released he spell, animating the splinters of the table, forming together a chain. But before he could lock her up, their battle was interrupted by a rats scream.

“Stop” Remi shouted. Arthurs gaze followed the voice. A fear as sharp as the crossbow bolt pointed in Guinevere entered his mind.” You send one more spell my way, and she dies!” Remi had shown his true colors, and they all stood there powerless. Like they were all puppet dancing along his strings.

Regardless Morgana started another chant, making Arthur wonder why she didn’t care for her lover's life.

“I’m warning you,” Remi screamed, for the first time in his life, Arthur heard panic in his voice. Regardless, Morgana kept chanting.

“Last chance” Remi Yelled, but Morgana didn’t stop.

“Say your last words, rat!” Morgana screamed. 

The next event that took place went by in a second, but it felt like several minutes. Arthur saw the arrow, as if time was moving slowly, flying towards its target. Likewise Morgana's spell flew towards Remi, crackling with the power of a deadly curse. There was a final thing flying through the air however, and that was Morgana. Before the bolt could hit its target, she put herself between it and her girlfriend. As it struck her shoulder, Arthur gaze swung back towards Remi, The curse had found its target, and Remi catapulted off the head of the vessel.

Then time went back to normal and Morgana fell to the ground.

Chapter Text

“The druids grove, the druids grove. By Camelot, how do you find the druid's grove!” I tried to mangle the horse, but having to hold Morgana up right at the same time made it difficult. With the help of Lancelot, we quickly escaped the castle. If I ever was to marry a man it would have been him. For hours now, I had been feeling her feverish warmth against my chest. The unnerving stench that came from her dirty bandage, kept finding its way to my nostrils. I tried to blow it away, to not try and hear what she was saying in her delirious sleep. So I did as I so often did, when I tried to keep myself from panicking. 

“Please please, it could be anywhere,'' I sent a silent prayer to the gods of the old religion for what must have been the millionth time. But why would they listen to me, I knew no magic, I couldn’t even find that stupid grove.

I came to a crossing in the path. I tried to think, looking for anything that would tell me where the druids would be hiding. And yet, all I could think about was Morgana's face, in the moments before she lost consciousness. 

“I told you, Gwen, you are not going to die. The prophecy won't come true. I won’t lose you.”

Stupid, stupid Morgana. Always putting others before yourself. And look where it got you. But more than anyone else, I was the stupid one. Stupid, because I had thought that I was more than just a little servant girl, trying to play a hero. We sat there, idle on the horses back, trying and trying to figure out what in all of Camelot one had to do to find a druids grove. The tension that had taken a hold of my body, pulling me ever onward, began to lose its grips, as I slowly came to a realtionsation. I had done all I could, and it wasn’t enough. The greens and golden yellows of the forest began to blur, as my eyes became awash with tears. As my entire body began to shake, I pulled Morgana into my arms, holding her close with all my strength. I smelled the iron the blood and the crossbow bolt, and I began to whisper, knowing this would be my last chance. 

“Morgana...I don’t know if you can hear me…but if you can…” I said, catching my breath in between the sobs

“Then i’m sorry…You did so much for me…and I couldn't return a single thing.”

“You saved me…but I couldn’t save you.”

For a long time we sat there, alone with the sounds of the critters of the forest. For a moment it felt like they were all telling me that it was all going to be okay. If they were so happy, after all, why shouldn’t I be. But that was of course only in my head. Then I heard a voice, a real one this time, as calming and soothing as the song of the birds.

“But you have saved her dear child,” I opened my eyes. What i saw was a tall man, thin in stature, clad in black robes from a foregin land. Hes eyes were hidden behind glasses, but inside them was friendly glow. A glow that extended, to his smile, beaming up towards us. Nevertheless, I steered the horse away in miss trust.

“Who are you,” I asked accusatively.

“I'm sorry child. I’m Anton Ego. Me and the lady Morgana have already spoken but I realise that this is our first meeting.”

“Are you one of the druids,” I felt a wrinkle form on the bridge of my nose. I had never given much thought to how one of them would look like, but I certainly had not imagined this.

“No sadly. But they have taken good care of me, like they will take good care of the lady as soon as we find our way to the grove.” 

“But, but Morgana told me that to get in there, we had to..” he stopped me with a gentle hand on mine. It was long and clawlike, but also warm and steady.

“Oh child, she has more than realized her full potential. And so have you,”his look was evergentle, but I could feel mine turning flustered.

“But mister Ego, I can’t do magic, and I can’t find the grove.” He kept one of his hands on mine, while the other found the reins of the horse. He guided us into the as he kept speaking in his soothing voice.

“But child, I'm afraid you're mistaken. Though it manifests in different ways, we all have magic inside us.” To my awe, I saw a path open, not to the right or the left, but a secret one in the middle. As we entered a land of lush green leaves, and scarlet soft tents. 

“Your magic is not like Morganas, a dark thunderstorm,” he seemed so unfazed by the scenery and all the people around us. None of the druids even looked our way. Maybe they could see the future as well. 

“Your magic Guinevere is more like a guiding light. A pillar that people can lean on. Without that Morgana would never have found me.”

“Did she find you or did I?” Magic kept on confusing me. 

“As with so many things in life, it was a mix of things, like a well cocked dish.” he put the horse to a stop, as we had arrived at our destination. With the help of Ego, I gently lifted Morgana off the horse, and onto a bed of flowers. Besides us being people, I assumed them both to be druids. They were simple in clothing, androgynous in appearance, with a calm and meditative aura about them. Slowey they began to chant, as they produced the urbs and flowers that would heal Morgana's wound. Though I knew I had to be polite, I couldn't keep my words behind my tongue any longer.

“If you don’t mind,” i asked, turning to Anton Ego “I would like to ask a few questions”

“Of course, he said” his ever cheerful demeanor turning serious, like a single cloud on a summer's day.

“What really is Paris,” I figured that was as good a place to start as any. I started to make myself comfortable as I could sense a tall tale coming my way.

“Paris” Ego began “is a place, one in the realm the me and Remi came from. It was once one of the most prosperous and beautiful of all the cities there. But because of Remi, that place has been run into the ground.” 

He closed his eyes as if remembering something terrible. “Remi has illusions of grandeur, thoughts of a better world. But all he really wants is the power and attention that he felt his father never gave him. He talks about dismantling the system, when all he wishes is to be on top of that same system.”

“Yes” I said in a heavy tone, “that much we found out. But tell me Ego, what are these realms you speak of”

Ego opened his eyes again looking wistfully at the lights in the sky. “There are as many realms as there are stars in the sky dear child. Reyas realm, the realm of Camelot, the realm of Earth, these are just a few of the endless worlds that exist beyond the veil.” He looked down from the stars and his feet, his tone filling up with the same. “But one cannot journey beyond the veil alone. One would need to use someone, from their own world, for the spell to work.”

I felt the weight that was on the mand shoulders, and I put a hand on one of them in an attempt to lighten it. “I assume you were the one Remi used?” 

He nodded in silence, “he lied, he lied like he always does. He saw that his plan in Paris had reached the end of its rope, and so he took to the old texts. He said he was going to use magic to make it all good again, and I was dumb enough to believe him.”

“Desperation makes a fool out of all of us” I said looking down at Morgana. We both noted along, as we saw the wonder of the magic doing its work.

“But I will make it good again,” Ego said, pulling out a set of old and dusty books. “The spell works both ways. I will take him back to Paris and make sure he stays where he belongs.”

“But mister Ego,” I asked confused, “can we simply not just take care of Remi, you know the normal way.

He looked at me with a grave stare, “dear girl, I think you would have better luck counting all the stars in the night sky.”

“Is he really that powerful,” I said, not believing what I heard. But Ego simply nodded

“Not powerful per say. He has a more subtle kind of power. That of a rat that never lets him die” we sat there in silence for a moment, watching as the druids completed their spell. “Besides if he dies, I will never get back to paris” Both druids looked towards us, talking in a slow, humming tone.

“The last ingredient that is needed must be provided by the girl,” me and Ego both looked at each other. “A true love's kiss," they replied.

At first it all seemed so simple, but then doubt came in with its tricky fingers. What if I didn't really love Morgana? Or what if I did and it wasn't the love they were looking for.

“What if it won’t work” I said, trying to calm myself with heavy breaths.

“But dear child it has too,” Anton Ego said flustered, putting a hand on mine. “I'm going to need all the magical help I can to send Remi back beyond the veil.”

6 eyes were planted directly at me. Like so many times before, I became my old self. Stupid Gwen who couldn’t do anything right. But then I remembered who I really was. Guinevere the pillar. The one who would guide my peers through the darkness. With newfound confidence I began to talk. Not to the Druids, not to Ego, but took Morgana

“Morgana,” I could already feel the tears wheeling up. I heeded my own advice and let them flow. When they hit the healing flowers on her wound, they lit up in all the colors of the rainbow.

“You..are my favorite. My favorite person in camelot…I know you sometimes doubt it, but I would never lie to you.”

“I love you Morgana…and no amount of kings, rats or dragons will change that.”  I held both her hands leaning down towards her. “Because I know, in my heart, that our time will come, and the future that we want will come to pass. A time of love and magic.

“And then, when all of this is over, we will be together.

 "I promise."

I learned a gentle kiss. 

I could not stop my tears from flowing. 

Then all the flowers turned to blue

…

Chapter Text

Arthur had had enough. He had decided that it was time to get off his royal ass, and do something about the whole thing. He had looked out at his starving kingdom, his ruin castle for too long. I had all come to this, all because of his inaction. With heavy decisive steps he descended the stairs down to Gaius’ chambers. The clack of his boots as loud as his thoughts, the plans she was making. If Camelot had to stay Remi had to. He would need all the help he could get.

He walked the new empty hall, gray, depressed and filled with sot. For all the Remis talk of change, the whole place had felt like a purgatory since the battle. But he had also promised to change that fact. Arthur's coronation was tomorrow, and he could not muster up even an iota of excitement. ‘

He walked past the blind rat beasts that had replaced the once so friendly guards. This whole place had started giving him goosebumps that he could not shake off. He passed them, entered the door, and coughed from the flying black particles that filled the air. 

As he walked on, a final guardian blocked his way. Kilgarah, the golden dragon, gave him his usual look, before clearing the way for the young king.

“I will remember what you told me,” he said, doing a respectful bow for the mighty beast. For the first time he saw its face turn to a smile, one might even call it cute. He nodded back with his own smile, as he opened the door.

His task had been easier than he would have thought. In Gaius' room, was not only him and Merlin, but Lancelot as well. They all looked like they had been disturbed in a deep meeting, but now he had their undivided attention. With that he lifted his hands over his head.

“I’m sorry.”

“That was about time,”Lancelot said, scoffing at him as he turned back to whatever he was looking at before. 

“ Sorry for what?” Merlin asked, getting on his feet walking slowly towards him. 

“You know what” Arthur said, meeting the young warlock in the middle of the room

“I’m sorry for not speaking up at the meeting, i'm sorry for letting remi take charge, i'm sorry for not taking charge against me farther…” he paused with a deep breath.

“But most of all I'm sorry for not taking charge on our date.” Merlin looked at him, weirdly like he was both confused and relieved.

“Arthur what is this about?” He said, his eyes filled with hope.

“Merlin, I love you. I love, and I hate that I never told you before. I never told you before. I never told you, when you defended me from Morgana, I never told it to your face when you saved me in the battle..”

Arthur wanted to go, but he felt a pressing on his lips. He wrapped his around Merlin pulling him into the kiss. When he opened his eyes, he saw Lancelot smiling, but it was a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m happy for you guys, but all that might have to wait.” He and Merlin both pulled out of the hug, but kept an arm around each other. He looked confused at Gauis, who contuied the point.

“Remi has invited you to dinner, " he said,pulling forth a piece of parchment.

To his majesty, the King

Your humble servant invites you to a one on one dinner, the evening before the big day. It will be a lovely time, between two lovely friends. We're gonna have your favorite, destiny and chicken.

Sincerely

Your little chef.

 It was clearly a paper snatched before he could receive it. Before he could ask about why they would do such a thing, Merlin interjected.

“It’s a trap!” He yelled “Don’t go there, you’ll die.”

“Oh, it is a trap, no doubt about it. '' Arthur smilled calmly, looking at him. “the dragon told me that much. But I won’t run from it. I have done too much running lately.”

“But why,” Lanceclot said equally as worried “why go directly into it, trust me Arthur we can handle this.” Arthur looked around at them, to their suprise with a beeming smile. 

“But don’t you see guys,” he clutched his hand into a fist “this is our chance to finally get back at him. Since he has been struck by Morgana curse, he has been weakned.” 

“But my king,” Gaius said “Remi will surely poision you, or something much worse.” 

“Oh no,” Arhutr reasured the old Alchemist. “There will be poison. But we will be bringing our own poision as well.” 

“Will you really stoop to such lows,” Lancelot was not pleased, “has the king lost his honor.” 

“I have spent to much time, caring about my honor Lancelot. I have to spent it instead, helping my people,” he send a look over to Merlin. The boy was beeming like a latern. “those are what I care about.”

“Well but your majesty” Gauis seemed flabbergasted at the speed it of which things were going “if you are doing to him, what he is doing to you, won’t he just see right through it.” Arthurs gears started to turn, that thought had crossed his mind.

“No he won’t, '' Arthur said, as he startedto pace like he always did when he was forming a plan. “Though Gaius potion is keeping him alive, Remi as not as his full strength. Morgana's curse is making him slow in both mind and body.” he started to write things down. A list he and the rat had made, on a day that now seemed like a lifetime ago. 

“And if Remi is making my favorite, it would only make sense for us to do the same, repaying the favor.” Arthur pulled out a second parchment, looking for ink and sealing wax. But before he could get to writing the old man asked.

“But what would that be,” Gauis asked, a bit frustared that it seemed like everyone else was getting it. Lancelot and Merlin had already begun moving, collecting pots, pans, and alchemical jars. Without the word, the king simply kept on stippling. Before Gaius became overwhelmed with confusion and frustration, he handed him the papers, two small pieces. one a list, one a letter. He began to smile as he saw the light of understanding being ignited in the old man's eyes.

“Yes. This could work.”  

—

Dear Remi

I will gladly attend your dinner, I will even bring some cooking of my own. A token to remind us of our best times in the kitchen. Looking forward to see you

His Majesty

King Arthur

“Jeez,” Remi said, putting the letter down, “I did not know you could write.” Remi had come comptley unhinged, since the curse had hit him. He had lost all pretence of niceness, and had somehow become even more foul. 

As Arthur sat at the end of table, he looked to remi, sititng at the other. He pulled his hood even further down his head, trying to escape the cold. When two sat there all alone, it was hard to not get uncomfortable with the attention of the the two glowing orbs, that had replaced Remis eyes. The ragged claws, that were tearing the paper to shreds as he ate the rest with his jagged front teath. Despite it all, he had to keep the mask up. One last lie.

“Well it’s true,” Arthur said pointing his hand toward him. I have pepared at special little dish, just for you.

“Well Wonderboy”, Remi said “why don’t we sent them in.” He put his little clappers together and produced a loud clap. The servants marched into the cold throne room. They had quite the work cut out for them, making ready for the waiters and the food. With the roof gone, the snow now had a direct pathway to fall down on the table. As it was mixing with the soot, the waiters made their presence known with their footsteps, and a whirling of black and white particles. They placed the two dishes on the table, both steaming hot.. Arthur lifted his, to reveal excatly what expected. Destiny and chiken

“Aww, how nice off you,” Remi said, looking over what Athur and his friends had made. “It’s like the dinner we made, to impress the cheff chief.” 

“You got that right,” he said with a cheaky smile, taking a hold of his knife and fork. “Did we ever come up with a name for it?”

“Rataouie,” Remi said “it’s a simple dish, that’s why I made it. Fitting for the pesantry down in that kitchen.” 

“Rataouie,” a genuine laugh escaped the king before he could cover his mouth. “Remi, pal, you’re better than that. That’s the worst pun i’ve heard.”

Remi stared back at him with anger, his face so hot it could melt the snow “what did I tell you about crossing me, BOY!” 

He simply shook his head. And so they sat in silence, the man and the rat. While Remi devoured the dish, Arthur merely poked at it, knowing what was inside it. Only when the ravenous orbs shed their light in his direction, did he take a full bite, trying to keep off the illusion. When Remi was done eating, and started spilling his wine all over himself, Arthur deemed that time was up. He could not keep up the facade any longer. Although it pained him, what he was about to do, that he ever trusted such a creature, he had to leave that behind him. Leaving his honor in the grave he started talking.

“I have to be honest Remi, this is not your finest work.” All the wine escaped the rats mouth, making space for a furious yell

“WHAT! Has the boy forgotten his place.” He got up, darting toward him across the longtable, but at a slower pace. And it was not just because of the curse, something had clearly happened.

“I think, and this is just my opionon, that you have done a lot better in the the past.” Remi was now all the way over to his side of the table, and Arthur had to muster all his might to not start gaging. The stench was like that of a rotting corpse. 

“Soon you’ll be dead boy, and I won’t have to hear your little opinions anymore!” Arhtur feigned a distraught gasp, holding his hand up in front of his mouth.

“But Remi, you would never poision me,” he said, pulling away in shock.

“Oh yes I would,” Remi started, laughing maniacally “You will be dead, but your body will remain. It will become my vessel, I will be king of Camelot, and Paris will be mine.” A wave of geuine compasion washed over the king.

“This is about your farther isn’t it Remi?” He said, feeling so sorry for the loveless creature. Despite everything, there was a time that this beast had been his friend, a boy like him dealing with the same problems.

“No. Never assume such foolish emotions, of me boy. My Farther is dead!” 

“Oh but’s that the problem Remi,” he said shaking his head “farthers many leave, but the trauma and teaching stay all the same. And it might make us feel foolish, but we have to move on”

“What do I care what you have to say!” Remi screamed, frothing at the mouth “you’ll be dead soon anyway.” 

“I might” Arthur admittet “but if I do I will do so without any regret.” He took of his crown putting it on the table. “I’m not the man my father wanted Remi. I don’t think you are either. But I think i’m all the better for it.” He looked down on the rat, as he started to waver. 

“Because as you said, now me and Merlin can be together.  So can Gwen and Morgana. And the magic will flourish through the kingdom.”

“But you will be dead!” Remi said, fighting to catch his breath. “Don’t you feel the posion through your body.” Arthur could not hold back his smile.

“Well Remi, no” he said, starting to feel the burden the rat has put on his shoulders, all these weeks, slowly being to lightnen. “I might have taken an antidote. But speaking of poison, you don’t look to good yourself.”

Remis' eyes were practically glowing as they frantically moved across his body, realizing what was going on.

“No!” He yelled “You wouldn’t! And even if you wouldn’t you couldn’t!” 

“Youre right,” Arthur said, starting to get up. “I can’t make a posion, I can’t wax a letter. I can’t even cook a simple dish fit for peasant. But my friends can do all that for me.” 

“You have no friends!” Remis screamed “Not really, that is why I chose you.” 

“Well Remi,” Arthur said, searching for an item in his belt. “things have changed. It’s like you said isn’t it. Anyone can cook.”

“I don’t say that!” Remi screamed, gathering his last powers, getting ready for a jump. 

“Well I guess then, anyone can cook,” Arthur said, getting ready for what was to come,”but maybe…just not you.”

“I’ll kill you,” he screamed, jumping onto the top of his hair. He tore off his hood, only to find.

“No hair,” Remi gasped in his last breath. Then he fell back down to the table. Arthur scratched his bald head, as he picked up the little blue person.

Remi was gone. 

And Arthur had no regrets.

Chapter Text

The king walked into the snowy emptiness of the courtyard. Gone were all the blind rats. Left only four figures, one large, three small. One of them came running towards him, the crunch of his boots in the snow the only sound.

“Did you do it,” Merlin said.

Arthur pulled out the small back that was keeping the rodent. “Sure did.”

The castle echoed with cheers and the roars of the dragon's fire in the air. The four men embraced each other, laughing and crying in relief, that it was all over.

“You did it” Merlin said, showering him with kisses “you did it, all on your own.”

“No” Arthur growned “You guys did it all.”

“No,” Lancelot chimed in, ruffling the hoot on his bald head “All we did was follow your plan.”

“Your Majesty?” Gaius said, in a tone that brought them all back down to earth. “Is he really dead in there?”

“Not quite” Arthur said, his tone turned serious as he crawled out from the hug, “the deed still has to be done.”

He pulled out the body, putting it on the ground for all to see. There Layed Remi, moving but without a doubt still breathing. He looked around at all of them, as they all looked back at him.

“It has to be you who do it,” Killagarh rumbled, “it is only right.” Arthur nodded, pulling out his sword ready to smite the rat, once and for all. But before he could hit his target, a familiar voice pierced the silence.

“Stop!” Morgana yelled. They all looked to the drawbridge, and saw three riders on two horses, all coming towards them. Arthur could not believe his eyes, as he saw his sister, her girlfriend and a mysterious third all ran towards them.

“Gwen” Arthur said, picking her up in an embrace and spinning them around. He felt as he silently began crying, and he felt his own tears flow. They both looked over at Morgana, caught in another embrace.

“Thank you” he said, a sentiment that came from the bottom of his heart “thank you for bringing her back”

—-
“So if Remi dies you can’t go back.” Arthur said. The three of them had explained it many times, and he still felt like he was the only one who didn’t get it.

“Yes” Ego replied. “I will take care of Remi, I’m the reason he’s back. But I will need him one final time.”

All the people of Camelot looked around each other, magic and otherwise, all in agreement about what had to be done. Without a word Merlin and Morgan began collecting the components of the ritual, with the help of Gwen and Arhthur. In a few hours, they had formed a magic circle around Ego and the dying rat. Before the warlock and the witch began chanting, Merlin looked to Arthur.

“What if he comes back?” he asked with a tinge of dread in his voice “what if another creature comes from beyond the veil?”

“Maybe it will,” Arthur put an arm around him. “but if it does we will be ready for it. The two mages nodded, starting their chant. Ego smiled at them, waving a final goodbye.

“Thank you," he said, “all of you young people had suffered an old man's mistake. Thank you for making things right.”

As the chanting ended, a veil was conjured out of thin air. A faint sound came from the other side of it, like a siren's song. It looked thin in nature, but was impossible to see throug.

Ego disappeared through the curtain.

The rat was gone.

And in that moment, all was quiet.

—

The two couples stood like they had so often done, on the top of the balcony. Three of them now bald, and one of them still bowl cut, they all felt the cold winter breeze. Together they stood in silence, looking out at the kingdom that was now theirs to shape.

“So what now your majesty,” Merlin said, looking up at him with a smile that could not be further from Remis usual. Arthur did a performative thinking face.

“There will be no more majesties I don¨t think,” he said as he picked up the crown on his head. In a move that made the three others drop their jaws, he threw it off the side of the tower. They all listened, as they heard the sound of it tumbling against the rock, as insignificant any other piece of metal.

“But if there are no kings and no queens,” Morgana was the first one to come to her senses “then what will there be.”

“I don’t know,” the once but not future king said wistfully, looking into the kingdom that no longer belonged to him. “But I imagine it will be nothing like our dear father would have wanted.”

“I think so too,” Gwen said, the first one to get it. “From now on no one will have to hide their magic,” she looked at Morgana. “And servants and wards won’t be kept apart.” They stood there for a moment, imagining a world where kings and class were no match for magic and love.

“I’m just,” Arthur said. “Afraid that Uther really has gotten to me, you know. What if his ideals are too deep inside.” His mood was immediately lifted again, when Merlin took his hand.

“Then we will be there, silly,” he said and smiled. And in that moment that was enough. Him, Merlin, Gwen and Morgana. All of themself together, was enough. Brought together by the smallest of chefs, they looked out at the dragon. Who knew where it was flying to.

All they knew was that the Camelot it would return to, would never be the same.