Gwaine was gone. He left faster than he came, which was pretty fast. And Merlin was disappointed. She missed him and his charming smile. But she knew she would never love him. Not the way she loved Arthur.

She was cleaning Arthur's armor when Uther had walked in.

"Merlin! Good you are here." He said as she stood.

"How may I help you My Lord?" She asked with a smile.

"I need to ask you a couple of questions." Uther sat down at the table and Merlin felt her heart drop. Not the words you want to hear when your literally the most powerful sorcerer in all of Camelot.

Or the most powerful sorcerer ever.

She sat down at his gesture. "What do you want to know?"

"What do you know about Emrys?"

"Emrys. The sorceress?" Uther nodded. "Well, I don't know much. But all I know is that she is one of the most powerful sorceresses alive."

Uther scratches his chin. "I don't understand why she has never attacked. Or tried to at least."

"Well, she's supposed to be an advocate for peace. I've never heard of her wanting to attack Camelot." Merlin watched Uther think. He sat there for a minute or two debating on what to do.

"I think I want to find this Emrys." Merlin's eyes widened. "I'll be sending for some friends of mine. Who will hopefully be of great help."

He stood and walked towards the door deep in thought. "Sire?"

He turned towards the witch once more. "Who will you be sending for?"

"A dear friend. Aredian a witchfinder who helped me greatly during the Great Purge." Uther watched as Merlin slightly paled and squirmed in her seat.

He knew she disagreed with his stance on magic, but it never occurred to him she was afraid of people like Aredian. Or people like him.

He pushed the thought away. "Thank you Merlin. This information is very helpful. I may ask you more questions in the future." She nodded and watch Uther leave the room.

——

Lancelot was walking toward his chambers when Merlin walked past him mumbling to herself.

"Merlin?" She stopped and turned to face him but her face was blocked by her hair. "Are you alright?"

"No." She said pushing her hair behind her ear, giving Lancelot a good look at her face. Her eyes were teary. "I'm scared Lance."

Lance stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. He could feel her shake with every breath. He placed a kiss on the top of her head. She only held him tighter.

"What happened?" He asked.

"In your chambers." She pulled him to his chambers and sat down at his table. Lance sat across from her and waited for her to speak.

"It's Uther." She started looking at her hands. "Now that he knows about Emrys he wants to find her. And now he's calling one of the best witch finders he knows."

He ran his hand through his hair as he took in the information. "What's he gonna do when he finds you?"

"I-" Her voice cracked and a tear finally ran down her face. "I don't know."

She started crying. Lance put a hand on her arm, trying to comfort him.

"Merlin. Look at me." He turned her face. "You. Will be fine. You think Uther can do anything to you. He'll have to come through me. And it won't be pretty."

She smiled through her tears as she pulled him into another hug. "Thanks Lance."

——

Morgana walked around the garden with Gwen at her side.

"My Lady." Gwen looked at Morgana. "May I ask you some serious and possibly dangerous questions?"

"Gwen you are one of  closest friend, if not my closest. You may ask me whatever you want." Morgana said turing to the dark skinned maid.

Gwen looked around and made sure none of the guards were listening. "Have you noticed that things happen around certain people?"

Morgana tilted her head. "I'm not sure I have."

"It's..." Gwen looked around once more. "Merlin." She whispered softly.

Morgana's eyes widened. "What about Merlin?"

"I think we should find somewhere more private." Gwen said and pulled her inside.

When they reached Morgana's chambers Gwen sat down in one of Morgana's chairs and Morgana across from her.

"I think... Merlin has magic." Morgana's jaw dropped. "I know it sounds crazy but ever since Merlin has come to Camelot she seems to be in the middle of it all. She seems to be at the solution to every threat that has entered Camelot."

Morgana just kept watching. "And it would make sense. When Arthur was attacked by that old woman just after Merlin arrived, Merlin seemed to jump up to save Arthur incredibly fast, then there is my father! My father just miraculously gets better, Merlin seemingly already knowing that he's better. Then when Uther got sick, Gaius had no idea how to cure you when you were sick, but maybe Merlin used her magic to save him. And how about that little boy and his father that got executed. Remember how they glowed before their deaths?! And how she made that bunny appear in her hands at the carnival a couple of weeks ago. It all adds up!"

"What do you think we should do?" Morgana asked, to see if she would turn Merlin in.

"I think we need to keep quiet about it. If anyone ever found out they'd kill her. And even if she does study magic, Merlin is one of the nicest people I know." Gwen said quickly.

"Unless you think that should happen." She said giving Morgana a look.

"Oh no. I think you're right. Merlin is our friend and we can't let Uther hurt her." Both girls nodded.

"I should be getting home. It's becoming late." Gwen said looking our the window.

Morgana nodded and watched as Gwen left.

What was Morgana going to do?

——

"Why must we find this Emrys? If she truly is an advocate for peace maybe we should let her be free." Arthur argued watching his father pace.

"I am sure that she is no advocate. She is just waiting for the perfect time to strike." Uther snarled lookin at the little information he had on the sorceress.

"But if we do find her and kill her, then what? Ewan said she was a queen of sorts. Killing her could mean war. A war against a weapon we don't know how to fight." Arthur said and men around the council table nodded.

Both Pendragons sighed and sat down. Merlin walked over to Arthur and started to pour his drink.

"The dragon." She whispered to him softly.

Arthur looked at her confused for a moment before his eyes lit up.

"The dragon!" He called he stood up and hugged her. "You're a genius."

Arthur quickly let go and turned to the rest of the table, most of the noblemen looking at the two in disgust, other than Uther who had an amused smirk.

"Well, what about the dragon Merlin?" Uther called and Merlin, who had been walking back to her spot with the other servants froze.

She slowly turned around and smiled at the twelve men looking at her.

"Well," She started and another servant took the pitcher from her before she dropped it. "The dragon is over a thousand years old, he is bound to know something about Emrys, and maybe even her followers."

The noblemen gave each other looks, she had a point. "And you think that he would tell us what we need to know?"

"I think he'd tell me." Merlin said strongly. "He trusts me. He knows me. I can get him to tell us something."

"You can't go alone." Arthur said. "I'll go with her."

Uther looked between the two young adults. "Alright. But, do be careful. You never know what tricks he may try."

——

"Merlin. To what do I owe the pleasure?" The dragon asked as he flew down from his hiding spot.

Merlin smiled. "I've brought a friend."

She pulled Arthur out from behind the door. "Arthur Pendragon. An honor."

"Yeah." Arthur said unsure.

"I need to know what you can tell us about Emrys." She said giving him a look.

"Well, She is the most powerful magic user to ever live. Many druids look to her a a queen, some even a god." He said and smiled at the look on Merlin's face.

"Why hasn't she attacked Camelot?" Arthur asked.

Kilgarah smiled and looked to Merlin. "For she loved Camelot, and it's people. And would never want to harm it."

"Does she live here?" Arthur asked.

"She has stayed close to you Pendragon. She has been protecting not only you but all of Camelot."

Arthur was almost in disbelief. "Why would a powerful sorceress want to protect Camelot?"

"Because, she knows what you will do once you are king. She knows you will be the best king in all of Albion." Kilgarah nodded and smiled.

"That is all I will tell you. Good day to the both of you. I hope you found the answers you came for." With that he flew off."

——

"She has been protecting Camelot?" Uther asked shocked.

The two nodded. "That is what the dragon said."

"I don't trust the dragon." Uther said with a dark look in his eyes.

"But what he said has matched what the others have. Emrys is peaceful and would not want to see Camelot fall. Killing her would be dangerous father." Arthur tried to explain.

"I would still like to find her. Maybe not kill her. More, negotiate." Uther said. "You are all dismissed. I need to think."

Everyone left the room. Uther watched as Arthur and Merlin left. Walking side by side, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

He looked at the information on the table once more.

Emrys.

The dragon made it sound like she'd die for Camelot. He also made it sound like she lived in Camelot, maybe not it's main city but one of the outlying villages possibly.

He tried to think of a woman he knew who would die for Camelot. She had to be smart. Protecting Camelot without being caught takes brains.

Modest. Uther never even heard the name until a couple of weeks ago.

A leader. She was a queen, some even saw her as a god. So she must be a leader.

Uther walked towards a window and watched as Arthur walked towards his own chambers, Merlin still by his side.

They looked good together, Uther decided. She was shorter than him, but not by much. Though her hair was much darker than Arthur's, she was much paler, balancing the color difference.

He thought back to what Morgana had said weeks ago.

She would make an excellent queen.

She was smart, kind, respectful to the common people, and modest to a degree that made her seem kinder, but not to He degree where she was a push over.

She also truly cared for Camelot. She loved this city and would die for it. Almost has a number of times.

She would be a natural leader.

Uther shook his head. He had more pressing matters than his sons love life.

He looked to the table again.

Then something clicked.

————

That's not good. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.