Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-90.214.235.214-20121224000314/@comment-5910167-20121226111824

Merlin briefly returned to Camelot, for he knew Gaius would be waiting for him and he knew Gwen would need his account of Arthur's final days and place and means of burial.

By the time of the new Queen's coronation, he was already heading back to his mother who he felt he had neglected on Arthur's account.

Gwen had tried to persuade him to stay and promised she would end the ban on magic in Camelot as soon as she could. She offered him the post of "Magician" to the Court of Camelot but understood his need to return home for some time.

Merlin was unsure whether he would return to Camelot. Had he failed in his destiny or somehow completed it and had nothing left to give?

Gwen arranged that he was seen off with a ceremony never before accorded to a servant of Camelot. She also saw to it that news of Merlin's assistance in battle had saved Camelot. Much to his embarrassment, he left Camalot a public hero - quite a contrast to his arrival. This was of course a two pronged strategy of Gwen's - to encourage Merlin back, and to soften public opinion to the relaxation of the Magic ban.

Merlin returned to Ealdor to find his mother very ill and so instead of the comfort he had hoped for it was from one trauma to another. He couldn't save his mother, either.

After her death he lived in the wild by himself. Away from people, using his magic discretely to survive. It took a long time for Merlin to heal from the twin deaths of Arthur and his mother. He occasionally sent word to the now incredibly old Gaius - he was using magic to sustain his life the best he could.

Then one morning, a group of Knights of Camelot arrived near Merlin's cave. He didn't know any of them. The uniforms had changed and he was initially very suspicious. The knights he had known were either killed in the Great Battle or had since grown old and retired.

It was a Royal Command from the Queen for Merlin to return to camelot. Merlin was reluctant but still felt the duty to Arthur, and hence Gwen, as he always had. When he agreed he was worried about his scruffy appearance, especially his clothes. He was presented with the 1st uniform of a knight of Camelot. "They are yours - look!" They had the golden lace embroidery "Sir Merlin". Merlin was visibly moved, but then horrified, "What would Arthur have thought of this! I was his servant!". "And Camelot's saviour and magical hero!" "Magic, you now applaud my magic!". "Camelot applauds you". "I will return for Gwen and for Gaius. I don't think I would have been called if there were not a reason".

As he feared, the reason why Gwen had summoned Merlin was because Gaius was finally dying. At believed to be around 120 years old, he had cheated death for a very long time. Merlin, who had gone into the wilderness to escape the aftermaths of the deaths of Arthur and his mother was now brought out of it to face the death of his last good friend. Was all his immortal life just going to be about the death of those he loved?

Gaius had other plans of course. He wanted Merlin to use his powers to keep him alive and had persuaded the Queen to force Merlin 'out of retirement'. This was not Gaius at his best. He had become desperate and spent most of every living day trying to stay alive.

It was a shock for Merlin to Gaius like that. It didn't make his passing any easier. Merlin stayed in Gaius' quarters in the Castle in mourning and sorting out his unbelievable collection of belongings.

Gwen again made an impassioned pleas for Merlin to stay. This time, without any other other home or place to go, he accepted. Being in Camelot made him feel closer to Arthur and gave him a sense of purpose. Arthur may be dead but he can still serve him!

.....