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I was sat on my throne addressing my knights when they were dragged in by the guards.
"Sire, this boy was caught using magic in the lower town." One of the guards said, throwing the struggling child roughly to the floor. The boy looked to be about eight summers old, but fairly small for his age. His hair was quite dark and long but his eyes a light sky-blue, that was somewhat familiar, as he peered up at me through long eyelashes.
I looked up from the child to the woman who was brought in behind him. There was something familiar about her too, though I expect I would have seen them before if they were from the lower town.
My attention was soon drawn away from her face to her swollen stomach, bringing me to the realisation that the guards were handling her more carefully as she was heavily pregnant.
"Please," she sobbed, "don't hurt us. He was only trying to help."
I paused for a moment. "What was the boy using magic for?" I asked the guard who had initially spoken.
"He turned all the fruit on a stall rotten, sire."
I stood up and approached the woman, before continuing, I turned to look for Merlin. Where was my pesky servant when I needed him.
As I looked round, I noticed Lancelot. While the other guards were stood to attention, appearing more curious, some perhaps angry, but none concerned or scared, Lancelot, on the other hand had a tension in his shoulders and concern in his eyes, something I only noticed due to the many patrols we had spent together. I shrugged it off though, he was probably concerned for the woman's condition, as was I.
"Someone fetch her a chair." I ordered, before turning back to her. "And how was that meant to help?" I asked, softening my attitude slightly, she was clearly terrified and getting angry would not help matters.
"He didn't mean to," she had stopped sobbing and was perched on a chair someone had brought, wiping her eyes with a small scrap of red cloth, "He wanted to help make it stay fresh for longer. He has not quite got control of his talents yet."
I thought for a moment, surely I couldn’t sentence a child to death, especially if he was trying to help. "Take them to the dungeons," I told the guard, "but make sure they are fairly comfortable while I decide my judgement."
As they were dragged out, I dismissed my knights and sank down onto my throne, my head in my hands. I was faced with a dilemma.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Lancelot hesitate, as if to say something but he changed his mind, leaving the throne room as a panicked Merlin appeared. Late, as usual. They had a hurried conversation before Merlin entered the throne room as the guards closed the door behind him.
He cautiously approached me. "What are you going to do?" He asked.
"I don't know Merlin."
"Sire, I really think-" he began but I cut him off.
"I didn't ask Merlin. And I know you're scared because magic is evil and all but he is only a child. And he was trying to do good. It doesn't matter what you think, and it doesn't matter what I think. I have to do what's best for Camelot." I turned and stormed out of the hall, leaving Merlin stood there, wide eyed in shock and horror.
~~~
Later that night, I stood at my window overlooking the courtyard.
"Hey." I felt my shoulder get squeezed and I turned to see my wife Guinevere stood beside me.
"Hey," I replied with a small smile. As I looked down at her bulging stomach, I was reminded of the woman in the dungeons and my smile fell.
"You seem troubled." She told me.
I nodded and explained what had happened earlier. "I just don't know what to do. Surely magic can't be all bad?"
"Why don't you talk to her?" Gwen suggested, "And Gaius? Get him to examine her- check she is okay."
I nodded. "What do you think?" I asked her.
"Someone once told me that magic is like a sword. It is up to the user whether it is used for good or bad." She smiled at me, her eyes kind. "I trust you Arthur, I know you'll do what is right." With that, she got up and headed off to find her maid.
~~~
I decided first to make my way down to visit the woman and child. It was late, but not so late that I would expect them to be asleep.
As I approached the cells, I heard voices.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to." That was the young boy, I presumed. He sounded rather upset and I could here sniffling.
"I know..." another male voice, one I would recognise anywhere: Merlin. "I will get you out."
"I trust you to." The woman this time. "But it is too risky."
"I would risk it for you." It appeared that Merlin knew them. He was a magic sympathiser, all this time. All this time that I thought he was terrified, he was lying. Though, I decided as I reflected on my conversation with Guinevere earlier, I suppose I was beginning to become that way too. Maybe magic wasn't that bad, not like my father always said. I mean, sure it had caused a lot of hurt, but I had noticed a few times when it had saved us on hunts and things, not to mention the Dolma and other sorcerers that had helped us in the past.
I was so caught up in my thoughts I almost didn't notice the footsteps approaching. Just in time, I ducked into a dark alcove, and saw Merlin march past. I watched him go and my worries deepened. What should I do?
~~~
Not long after, I found myself outside Gaius' chambers. There were slightly raised voices inside but I could not tell what they were saying.
Out of courtesy, I knocked. The voices went quiet.
"Come in." Gaius shouted.
I pushed the door open to find him stood with Merlin who looked exasperated. Ignoring my manservant, I turned to Gaius.
"I need you to be honest with me."
"Of course sire."
"What is your opinion on magic?" Both men looked taken aback. "And don't lie to me Gaius I know you used to practice it before the purge."
Gaius contemplated his answer for a moment. "I think it depends on the user. I know most of the times you have seen it used it has been for ill but... well I could have probably saved more people had I been able to use magic to treat them."
"That's the thing. I'm not sure I have only seen it used for evil."
Merlin and Gaius exchanged a look. "What do you mean sire?" The elder said.
"Well the druids use it for good and, well, someone with magic must have helped to defeat the magical creatures." Both men stood and watched me. "Anyway, can you come and examine this girl in the cells? I want to make sure she is okay."
"Of course sire. Come on Merlin, help me carry my bags."
~~~
I lead the way down to the dungeons and unlocked the cell door for the two to enter.
I noticed Merlin shake his head slightly at they woman. The boy was asleep and had not woken at the disturbance. The movement was so subtle I wouldn't have noticed had I not been watching.
"Do you mind giving us some privacy Sire?" Gaius asked.
"Of course, sorry." I turned my back, listening carefully, though they did not talk loud enough for me to here from where I was stood.
A few moments later Gaius came up behind me. "She is perfectly fine." He told me. I turned round to see Gaius in the doorway. Merlin was still knelt on the floor, whispering something in the girls ear to which she smiled. "In fact," he continued, "she is likely to have the child in the next couple of weeks."
"Like Guinevere?"
"Precisely sire."
I nodded, looking over to where the girl and Merlin were talking. "Did you get a name?" I was definitely not going to be able to execute her now.
"She's called Freya, sire."
~~~
The next morning, I went down to the cells to ask the woman some questions.
"Why did you come to Camelot?" And easy one to start. "When you knew you could both be executed for your magic."
"I came to see my husband."
"What is his name? Does he have magic too?"
"Yes, well, sort of.”
“What do you mean? How can someone sort of use magic?”
“You did not ask if he used magic, sire, you asked if he had magic.”
“There’s a difference?” I was beginning to realise how much my knowledge was lacking when it came to magical affairs.
“Absolutely. My husband, he is the most powerful warlock of all time and some say magic itself. I’m not sure even he realises how much power he can harness. I cannot give you his name but I can tell you that he is known by many as Emrys."
"Emrys? The druids say he is destined to protect me."
"Yes. You are the Once and Future King- which is why I beg of you not to do this. Not for me, but for my husband and children."
I considered this and nodded. I will make my decision by the end of the day and I left the dungeons to contemplate.
~~~
I sat in my chambers later. I had made my decision and had scheduled a council meeting for an hours time. I hoped I had made the right decision.
Suddenly, they door burst open. Merlin stormed in, closely followed by Lancelot.
"I can't let you kill them!"
"What? Calm down Merlin!"
"No, it's just..." he trailed off, a look of defeat in his eyes. I looked at him and then turned to Lancelot who was stood there, clearly unsure what to do.
Merlin sank to the floor, his head in his hands.
"Look Merlin, you clearly know these people but I need to ensure that Camelot..."
"He's only eight." He said this so quietly I barely heard him.
"Merlin." He looked up at me through tearful eyes. "What I was trying to say is that I'm changing the law."
"What?"
"I've been thinking about it for a while, I'm going to make magic legal." Merlin flew at me, wrapping me in a hug that I was too shocked to push off.
I looked over my shoulder to where Lancelot stood grinning, leaning against the door frame. "I told you Merls."
He pulled away, looking at me. "Thank you."
"Seen as you know them, do you know who her husband is?"
"Huh? Why?"
"I'm going to need a court sorcerer- who better than the famous 'Emrys.' He's apparently been 'by my side' for years now anyway." Merlin looked at me eyes wide.
Lancelot just chuckled. "Tell him." Merlin looked over at him. "Go on or I will."
Merlin couldn't get a word out. He sat there making faces like a fish.
"It's Merlin." Lancelot said, clearly fed up of waiting.
"What do you mean?"
"Emrys, that's what the druids call Merlin."
"Lancelot!" Merlin had found his voice again. "You said you wouldn't say anything!"
"Things have changed Merls, he needs to know how brave you are." He turned back to me. "He's the one you should have knighted, not me."
~~~
An hour later, one Lancelot had given me a brief recount of what Merlin had done for me since we had met all those years ago, with the occasional correction from Merlin himself, we made our way down to the throne room.
"I still can't believe you're married." I told him
"That's what you have taken from this?"
We entered to find the knights already waiting. Lancelot made his way over to join the ranks and, Merlin moved to stand behind me, I gestured to him to come close and pulled him down. "If you don't stop grinning like and idiot, people will know something's up."
"They already do," he pointed out, "Gwen's here." I hate it when he's right. While it wasn't unusual for Gwen to be present for the council and such, she often wasn't at the moment.
The door opened and the guards brought in the 'prisoners', at which Merlin stepped back into the shadows.
Gaius looked at me with one eyebrow raised and I winked at him as I stood up to deliver my verdict. "Today, not only have we come to witness a judgement, we have come together to see a change to the law. For a long time I have considered this and have recently made the decision that magic is no longer a threat to Camelot and, by banning it, we are culturing this hatred and fear and creating a threat ourselves. Consequently, I have decided that magic, other than that used to commit crimes, will no longer be illegal under Camelot law." Murmurs went round the hall but as I looked at the faces of my friends, I knew I had made the right decision.
"This means," I continued, "that our prisoners are free to go." The guards holding them undid their restraints and the chains fell to the floor.
"Finally, I would like to present to you our new court sorcerer." This caused the whole hall to fall into silent anticipation; "Merlin-"
I paused and turned to him. "You don't have a last name do you? We're going to have to give you one."
"I mean, technically I am of the house of Ambrosius, or I would be if your father hadn't stripped my father of his titles for being a dragonlord." That, I knew from the research I had done since my conversation in the dungeons with Freya, was a very powerful house and that of the dragonlord... oh.
"You are full of surprises today,” is all I could get out before I turned back towards the crowd. "Merlin Ambrosius!"
The crowd roared, and none more than the knights of the round table. Who, I suspected may have known all along.
~~~
A few moments later, I dismissed the room. This meant Merlin was swarmed by the knights.
"Congrats mate!" Gwaine said pulling him into a hug.
As they all hugged and congratulated Merlin, Gwen making her way over to join in, I noticed the guards preparing to escort Freya and her son from the castle. I made my way over.
"There's no need for that, thank you men. Please return to your posts."
They nodded. "Yes sire."
I bowed to Freya and kissed her hand. "I do believe we got off on the wrong foot m' lady. Allow me to apologise."
"I mean, you did try to kill me."
"I was never going to execute you, you know."
"No maybe not but this isn't they first time we've met, My Lord, though I don't suspect you'd recognise me."
"No, I'm afraid not."
"I was the Bastet you thought you killed years ago." I must have looked alarmed at this. "Don't worry, my husband cured me, he broke my curse." She looked wistfully over at Merlin who turned and shot her a smile, which she returned.
He fought his way through the crowd, lifting his son up to balance on his hip, squeezing his wife's hand and kissing her affectionately on the cheek. "I'd like you all to meet my wife, Freya, and my son, Finian."
This caused another uproar as the knights headed over to greet them.
I looked to find Gwen stood next to me. "I don't think I've ever seen him so happy." She commented.
"No, me neither." And I knew, as I watched them, Merlin creating butterflies with for them all to see, with his family by his side, that I had made the right choice.