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"I believed I was doing what was right." The druid defended himself, watching Arthur warily. He didn't expect the King to understand - what would a Pendragon know of such things as fate and destiny? Morgana had laughed such things off, and it seemed that Arthur was doing the same. Would the blonde never learn from the mistakes of his elders? "You don't understand, Arthur. You have no understanding of what it is to be handed a destiny, and told that you must see it through, no matter what."

Mordred sighed, shaking his head. "Cara's death... it made me wonder, made me think. I loved her, Arthur. Can you not understand that? After all you have been through with the Queen, after all you have shared - can you, of all people, not underestand true love?"

The druid's lips curled into an almost-amused smile as he watched the King struggle through the reality of what was happening. "I was dead." Mordred paused a little, before his eyes fell upon the King once again. "Prophecies are strange things, aren't they?" He asked quietly. "Destinies, fates, strings pulled by the Higher Powers that we have no control over..." He sighed softly, shaking his head. "I did not want to kill you, Arthur. There were... things at work. Things that neither of us will ever perhaps understand. But both of us were dead, and now, both of us are alive once more." He managed a weak smile. "Perhaps, by the grace of the Gods, a new destiny for each of us will arise."

Taking a slow breath, Mordred stood up, and then dropped into a kneel next to the King. "You have no reason to ever trust me, my King, but I pray that one day, you may perhaps forgive me, for I never wished for Morgana's plan to come to pass. I hoped only to swade the tide of her anger against something other than Camelot, and instead I was her instigator. I pray you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

As the King helped him to rise to his feet, speaking of necessity, Mordred's lips curled into a soft smile, something that was still somewhat foreign to him. Lightness of heart he had not expected, but here, in Camelot, he was beginning to feel as though he could belong. Arthur's words only prooved the point. He bowed his head in brief respect and acknowledgement, before raising his eyes to meet the King's. "Your words are more than I deserve, sire," he spoke softly. "But I thank you for them, nonetheless. I have done nothing to deserve your friendship, and yet you have knighted me and now further honour me by calling me friend. It is more than I deserve, sire."

Whether he would ever be comfortable calling Arthur by his first name, Mordred was unsure; the King was still royalty, and of course he held the druid's deepest respect. It almost seemed wrong to discard that by discarding the man's title. But perhaps to discard the King's words was wronger yet. A slight smile flittered across Mordred's lips once again, and he inclined his head to the King. "As you wish, Arthur," he said quietly, still smiling a little. He paused as he listened to the man's advice, and was barely able to stop himself from wondering just how far from his father's thoughts the King's own mind lay - for these were not the rules of Uther Pendragon.... perhaps Arthur was, as the druids had predicted, truly changing Camelot for the better.

"In the minds of some, a regnade druid would be considered a nobody, my Lord," He said softly, not quite arguing with Arthur, but simply making a point. He paused briefly. "Forgive me if I speak out of turn...."

There were times when Mordred could hardly believe his change in fate. The dreams had all but disappeared, and at last, he finally felt as though he might belong somewhere. It seemed that Merlin still had reservations, but the druid prayed feverently that those reservations would one day change. He truly wanted to be friends with the warlock - and not just because Merlin was another magic user. No, he wanted to get to know the remarkable young man to whom Arthur owed so much, whether the King knew it or not.

Glancing at the King who walked to the side of him, Mordred felt a familiar twisting in his gut. Guilt... neverending guilt. His place was by Arthur's side, of that the young man was certain, and yet... and yet he was hiding from the King. It was times like this when the druid missed the company of those he had once known; the other druids would have talked with him, calmed his fears... but then, they would have encouraged the dreams, intoned masses regarding his supposed fate, and encouraged any thought of betrayal.

Mordred was snapped out of his thoughts by the King's casual questioning, and paused a moment, before speaking, his voice low and respectful. "Very little, my Lord," he confessed quietly. "I travelled through them once as a young boy..." escaping from Camelot... he thought but did not say, "but I confess I have very little memory of them, I am afraid."

The druid sighed quietly, quietly agreeing with Merlin. Great though Merlin's powers might be, Mordred would do anything in his power to stop anyone else from suffering the same fate as their dear King had. After all, wasn't that the service of a Knight of Camelot? Even though the table was broken, the Knighthood ended, he would stand by those rules, those morals, until his deathbed.

He glanced up as Merlin mentioned Morgana, a genuine look of confusion flickering across his features. "What of her?" he asked, shaking his head a little. "Merlin, I have pledged my allegience to you, to Arthur, to Camelot - over and over and over again. I do not know what else you would have me do. I cannot speak for Morgana, for I know nothing of her plans - I cast her aside the minute I sawy how darkened her desires were."

"What will it take?" Asked the druid, his eyes upon Merlin even as the other attempted to find a way out of the reality he had condemned them to so long ago. Mordred could understand Merlin perhaps denying what had happened... denying his own part in it, but surely, this went beyond and below all sense of reason. This was not just denying the past; this was disowning the truth, and declairing the world a lie. What was it Gaius had called it, all that time ago? Disillusioned hope.

Mordred's heart went to his throat as Merlin reached the window, and he wondered, truly, if the other were so desperate to escape. "Merlin... death is not the way." He said, his voice a soft caress of its usual self. "Please, Merlin. There is no need for Camelot to suffer another loss this sad eve." Biting back what was left of his pride, the druid bent one knee forward, before kneeling before the warlock, his eyes upon Merlin, open and honest. "Emrys" he spoke softly. "I swear, in the name of Camelot, in the name of Arthur, in the name of everything we have fought for... I am no trickster. All I have ever wished for was to be your friend, and Arthur's. You seem to think I have somehow conjoured this world, but I pray you believe that I cannot; I would not have the power, and I would never wish for such a reality."

"Please Merlin. Let me prove to you the truth of what I say."

I agree; in that in this series, there is a lot of inconsistancies with the writers; they seem to be forgetting things, omitting things, changing the characters to fit their purposes, which really bugs me (and I'm sure, others too!). They seem to be dragging out the reveal; if it will ever happen at all now; and I definately think it is more them than the character that is keeping his secret from being revealed from Arthur. I think very much this series it is about Arthur being protected rather than magic being revealed; Merlin's gaze is a lot more focused, so to speak, and he is being rather selective at times - however, there have been infuriating moments in this series where he's used magic right in front of Arthur and the Knights (or just Arthur), where the King should have realised something was up, but has turned a blind eye.

I think there is a big part of Merlin that fears revealing his magic because of how much it will change. He would go from being a somewhat useless (in Arthur's eyes) but loyal servant to the most powerful sorcerer in Camelot. This would put a tremendous strain on his and Arthur's relationship, I believe, no matter how much Arthur might be ready to accept magic into his Kingdom - even though part of me still very much believes that Arthur knows about Merlin's powers.

I also think Gaius has had much to do with Merlin being so secretive with his magic; Gaius, and whatever brought Merlin to Camelot in the first place. To go to a place that is known for detesting magic, for the first thing you witness there to be someone being murdrered for having magic must have been terrifying for Merlin; and in the years he's been Arthurs manservant, he's had to learn to be very careful who he trusts. Perhaps its just taking him some time to fully trust Arthur; though I agree that the King is more than ready, perhaps, to hear the truth without sending his friend to the executioner's block. I have to admit, Merlin's voicing that fear of being executed did shock me a little, considering how far I thought he and Arthur had come, but in some ways I can see where he is coming from. I agree that because of Merlin's conceal of his magic would have influenced Arthur's view on magic in general - after all, how can you believe something to be good if all you have seen or all you have evidence of is it being evil? - but at the same time I think Merlin has been cautioned into being... cautious and careful.

I think Mordred is a HUGE factor for Merlin; especially considering how close the writers have chosen to make Mordred and Arthur - it makes things that much more worrying for Merlin. I too was under the assumption that Arthur knew and accepted Mordred's being a druid, and was rather irked that apparenlty he has either forgotton or was unaware - then again, the matter has never been addressed directly by Arthur to Mordred or anyone else... he could just be keeping quiet about it.

I have to confess, Elyan's death irked me because it felt very much as though it was done for the sake of getting rid of Elyan and sewing the seeds for Guinevère's turn against Arthur and Camelot (Even though it was induced by Morgana's magic). I think the one thing we need ot remember is that though Merlin is obviously very powerful, he's still only barely a man, and inexperienced - he learns what he needs to as he needs to; there's every chance that he might not have known how to deal with whatever the Tower held, and that sending him in there may have ended in Merlin's death. I agree, though, that his reveal is taking far, far to long!

I've mixed feelings on what Merlin revealing his magic to Arthur could do. It could most definately change Arthur's view on magic for the better; but at the same time, he could very much feel betrayed by Merlin's lying to him for so long, and as we've seen in the past, Arthur doesn't like to be made a fool of. I see their situation very much like a game of chess; if a piece moves in slightly the wrong direction, it could br knocked off the board altogether!

I pray that the spoilers are wrong in regards to Mordred turning against Arthur - it seems a poor way for him to turn so completely against the King. I desperately hope we get the reveal, otherwise the series will seem a little cheap and pointless to me, I have to admit. We've been waiting so long! I agree, I'm half worried the series will end in Arthur's death, especially with all the hints towards it; but if it does, then it makes me wonder what the "High note" the series is supposed to end on is!

Merlin - I totally agree! In the roleplaying world we have much more time to write things out and explore things... the writers are on time constraints and money constraints! However, I think the writers are definately messing us around this series!!