Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-90.214.235.214-20121224000314/@comment-5910167-20121230141200

The Queen ordered the magic ban lifted by royal decree and against the wishes of the majority of the Round Table. Many of the Knights had witnessed the power and the harm of magic first hand and wished to uphold the laws handed down by Arthur and Uther, through the Royal bloodline, which Gwen did not possess. However, she was Queen and, for now at least, she would have her way.

The knights who had brought Merlin out of the wilderness were the ones most loyal to the Queen but in a minority at the Table. It was clear that the others would never accept the formal knighthood nor the presence of Arthur's humble former servant, Merlin.

Out of respect for Arthur and the Court of Camelot, Merlin asked the Queen to rescind the knighthood she had bestowed upon him in his absence. As he walked into the Royal Chambers in the evening sunlight, he didn't look much older - just some flecks of grey hair but he privately carried a heavy sadness.

"Gwen, I was Arthur's servant. The idea of me as a knight would ... he wouldn't have stopped laughing"

"Merlin, you saved Camelot - I saw it, I was there! Arthur would have wanted you rewarded. I am sure he even did before he ... passed away."

"He .. thanked me" (sobs) "But I lied to him about my magic, until he was dying!" (more sobs)

"For the best of reasons - you had to Merlin for Arthur and for you."

"And I failed him! The one thing I was meant to do was save him."

"Merlin no! No! You did everything in your powers, more than an army could have. More than they did."

"It wasn't enough. I could have saved Arthur."

"Merlin, listen to me. You can't carry this with you! You are a hero. You defended Camelot and, above all else, that is what Arthur wanted. Arthur was prepared to die for Camelot and ... he did." (Gwen drops her head, the emotion finally overcoming her)

"I didn't want him to!"

"No. We can't always have what we want!"

"He was my friend!"

"I know, and you were his, but Merlin, answer me this, could you have saved Camelot and Arthur both? Honestly?"

"No. I couldn't. I tried!"

"You carried out Arthur's wishes and saved Camelot, unknown to him that it was you. You lost your friend doing what he couldn't do himself. What greater sacrifice is there?"

"None! But I wish I had saved Arthur - instead of Camelot."

"He wouldn't have wanted you to"

"No, not at all. If telling him about my magic didn't get me killed then saving him certainly would have!"

(They laugh still in tears)

"It hurts, Gwen. It really hurts!"

"I know, Merlin. We have to find ways to cope. And making you a knight is one of mine. It means you can sit at the Round Table at my side and give me advice I can trust, Please think about it, at least."

"I will. Thank you. I mean for everything."

"Thank _you_ Merlin and _I_ mean for _everything_."

(They clasp hands before Merlin leaves for his chambers).

Merlin was duly appointed Magician to the Court of Camelot and, in an agreed compromise, he was allowed to sit at the Round Table but only in the capacity of the Queen's advisor and not speak openly. His knighthood was never formally bestowed upon him. This would have been a step too far for the majority of the knights.

Now he had famously returned and was at the heart of the Court of Camelot, Merlin was respected and appreciated by the ordinary folk of Camelot. With his new status, he allowed his humour and growing eccentricity to show. Despite his inner sadness, this was one of the happiest and most rewarding times of Merlin's life.

However, the river doesn't always flow, the fruit doesn't always ripen, and things generally don't always turn out as expected. In the Court of Camelot, matters were already afoot that would see the Queen's right to rule challenged and Merlin, her closest ally, formally accused of treason - against Arthur.