As she opened the tavern door, Fira was hit with a wave of odor. The too-familiar smell of sweaty men and alcohol made her choke and her eyes water. Once again, Fira wondered how the knights put up with the stench of the tavern.

She looked around but couldn't see anyone she knew. As she turned to leave, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder.

"'Ello there, beauty," a very drunk, but still rather large man grinned.

"Sorry, but I must be going," Fira protested, pushing the man's hand off her shoulder.

"Aw come on, ye haven't even introduced yerself!"

"Neither have you, idiot," she pointed out, irritated.

All of a sudden she felt the slap of a hand across her face as she stumbled backwards. She felt her cheek and it stung at the touch.

"You wanna say that again," the man sneered.

Fira narrowed her eyes. She knew she couldn't use her magic now, not with half the tavern staring at her. But she didn't want to let this man get away with anything.

"Oh! The little beauty is getting angry," the man laughed, grabbing her hair and pulling her head backwards and drawing a knife on her.

Fira was about ready to throw caution to the wind when she heard a sword drawn and a shout.

"Let go of her, now."

Thank the gods. It was Leon. The drunkard laughed but did no such thing.

"Let go, now. By order of the Second Knight of Camelot."

The man seemed to realize who was talking because he immediately let her go, and pushing her forward, muttered apologies. Leon pushed her behind him without a word and then gestured with his hand for someone to come forward.

Percival pushed past the two of them and grabbed the drunk man by the arms.

"You'll be spending the night in the cells. Maybe you can sober up in there," Leon told him angrily, "Put him in there, Percival."

"It'd be my pleasure."       

As the door closed behind them, the tavern remained silent for a few seconds before returning to the usual hum of activity. Leon turned around and faced Fira, the tall knight looking concerned.

"We're over there in the corner," Leon nodded, and the two of them made their way over to a table that was barely lit by a candle and stood out of the way behind a stack of crates.

Gwaine and Elyan were sitting there, looks of concern on their faces. Leon pulled a chair from the nearest table and set it for Fira to take a seat in.

"Fira!" Gwaine gasped, "What the hell happened to your face?"

Fira's hand went immediately to her cheek, though she regretted it instantly.

"Just a drunkard," she shrugged self-consciously.

"So that's what the commotion was about," Elyan nodded, "We sent Leon and Percival to check it out."

"Fortunately for me you did," Fira chuckled, "I really didn't want to have to... Shall I say... Take matters into my own hands?"

They all agreed with that. It was certainly preferable for Fira's magic to remain a secret.

"Now, why were you in here in the first place? You know how the tavern can get messy very quickly," Leon frowned.

Fira nodded, "I was looking for the four of you. Gaius doesn't want Sir Morholt to leave for at least one more day so we don't leave until then."

"Good to know," Gwaine agreed.

The door opened and Percival stepped in. But all of a sudden some more very drunk men who were friends with the guy thrown in prison, decided to attack the knight.

That's when an all-out tavern brawl broke out. Gwaine, hearing Percival's shout of anger at being punched in the face, leapt up and slugged the guy's head. Leon and Elyan, realizing that now almost half the tavern wanted Gwaine and Percival dead, ran to their aid, fighting off the small drunk mob.

Fira stayed in the corner, crouched behind their table. She used her magic to send a pot flying into the back of a particularly buff man's head. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious. All of a sudden the rug beneath another man's feet just so happened to slip out from under him, preventing him from punching Leon.

Finally, when a quarter of the tavern's patrons lay unconscious on the floor, Leon drew his sword again.

"Everyone stop!"

Gwaine, bleeding from the forehead and bruised on his arm, drew his own sword and stood beside Leon. Percival, a cut on his leg and a red spot on his cheek, did the same. Elyan, mostly uninjured, drew his sword but made his way over to where Fira stood now.

"You alright," he whispered.

She nodded.

Leon spoke again, "You three," he gestured to three of the men who were still standing, "pick up your friends here and follow us to the dungeons. You can join your other friend down there tonight for assaulting a knight."

Leon and Gwaine pushed the men out the doors. They were supporting their unconscious friends between them with Percival's help. Elyan grabbed Fira gently by the arm and pulled her out after them to keep her from any retaliatory strikes. One could never be to careful.

Elyan and Fira waited outside the dungeon entrance as the other three locked up the brawlers. They were out soon enough, and Fira insisted they come to her chambers to be seen by Gaius.

"Really, do we have to," Gwaine protested like a child. Fira gave him a stare that made him shut his mouth.

When they reached the physician chambers, Fira opened the door and let them in. Gaius wasn't there so Fira gathered the materials herself.

"Percival, you first," she insisted, "Sit down. This is an aloe vera creme that should help with your cheek and cut."

She smoothed the cold creme onto his red burn and then his cut on his leg. Fira then wrapped the leg wound in a bandage before using a towel to wipe her hands.

"Gwaine," she gestured for him to take Percival's place.

She did the same with his own wounds as she'd done with Percival. Before long she had put ointment on Gwaine's forehead and arm, Leon's hand, and Elyan's knuckles.

Fira was just finishing up when Gaius entered, followed closely by Arthur and Merlin. They were talking about something but stopped immediately upon seeing the knights and Fira.

"What the hell happened?!" the King demanded.

Leon frowned, "Tavern brawl."

"Oh good grief. Who started it," Arthur stared at Gwaine.

"Hey," he objected, "Don't look at me!"

"Technically, Fira started it," Percival smirked.

Fira looked at the knight in shock, before protesting to the king that it had been an accident and that it wasn't her fault.

"A man tried assaulted Fira, I stepped in and got him thrown in the cells for the knight while he sobers up. Percival took him there," Leon explained, "On his way back in, the man's friends decided to attack Percival and so we all got involved."

Gaius walked forward and took Fira's head in his hands. He looked over her sore and felt around it. It was bleeding slightly from where the man's ring had scraped her skin but mostly it was bright red from the slap.

The physician took a salve of comfrey and aloe vera, smoothed it in his hand, and applied it to her wound.

"Naturally you forgot about your own injury," Gaius scolded her.

Fira gave him a small smile and he sighed, cleaning off his hands.

"Well, I'm heading to bed. Don't get yourselves in any more scrapes before dawn, please," Arthur mocked as he turned and left.

Elyan and Leon quickly said goodnight and left but Percival and Gwaine remained.

Percival had been thinking over the past several months. He couldn't forget about how Fira had talked about Emrys and he'd finally reached a conclusion. He intended to broach the subject tonight.

"So. You're Emrys, Merlin."

Gaius dropped the glass phial he was holding. Merlin froze mid motion as he hung up his coat. Gwaine just stared at Percival. Fira nearly choked on the roll she was eating.

"Not one for subtlety, are you Perce," Gwaine muttered.

"But you are, aren't you. It all makes sense now! Don't worry, I won't tell anyone, not even Arthur-"

"-especially not Arthur," Merlin snapped, his voice quivering in stress.

"Woah, calm down," Percival frowned, "You're still Merlin to me. I wasn't raised to hate magic, in fact my town traded with the druids many times."

"How'd you figure it out," Merlin finally asked.

Percival shrugged, "I just pieced together what I already knew of Emrys from the Druids and what I'd heard you, Gaius and Fira mention over the past several months. Combine that with all our lucky adventures and it was right there the whole time."

"Well, you're right. The only people who know are Gwaine, Fira, Gaius, and Galahad. I'd like it to stay that way."

"Galahad knows? Why?" Percival asked.

Gwaine smirked, "The kid's descended from the druids. He can sense people with magic."

"Good lord," Perce breathed, "Anyone else want to confess to magic?"

Gwaine threw up his hands and insisted he was clean. Gaius shook his head and chuckled.

"I used to dabble in sorcery, but I've not done so consistently in many, many years."

"Well then, just though I'd let you know that I knew your secret Merlin. Don't worry, it's safe with me," Percival said goodnight to the group and left for his chambers.

The four talked for another half hour or so before Gwaine left for bed. With that, Fira decided she'd like a rest as well and Merlin and Gaius agreed. They would have a long day of preparation tomorrow.