Merlin Alternate Ending

Chapter 14: Arthur

"No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave."

~Calvin Coolidge

Arthur's POV

I turn around to face the strange man, stretching my left arm protectively in front of Gwen and drawing Excalibur instinctively with my right. The man is middle-ages with long black hair streaked with gray in a few places. His face is worn and wrinkled like old leather, but there is kindness buried deep in his dark eyes. He wears a long brown robe that brushes the stone floor of the courtyard.

The man chuckles and raises his hands slowly, palms facing me, in a peaceful gesture. "My dear King, you need not fear me; I mean you no harm." He says gently his voice reminds me of stones tumbling down the Sid rid a craggy mountain. "Sheathe your sword, Arthur. If I wanted to hurt you even a blade as powerful as yours could not stop me." He says the words so mildly that they don't even sound like a threat, just a fact of life: the sky is blue, it is cold in the winter, I am more powerful than you could ever imagine.

Something about him seems familiar. A memory stirs, just out of my reach. I study his face as I slowly slide Excalibur back into its sheathe. "We've met before, haven't we?" I finally ask.

The man smiles. "Yes, we have. I wasn't sure you'd remember me. You knew me briefly as the last Dragonlord, but my name is Balinor."

"You...you're Merljn's father." I stammer. "But...you died." Gwen shifts uneasily at my side. I drop the arm that is still crossed protectively in front of her an use it to clasp her hand.

Balinor nods. "Yes, I did. And I am still dead, though I am not, in fact, a spirit." He takes a step forward and his dark eyes shift from me to Kilgharrah. "But I have a task, one last service to Camelot and Albion before I can return to where I came from."

Kilgharrah speaks up for the first time since the Dragonlord appeared. "And what is that, Balinor?"

The man smiles. "My task, old friend, is to grant you your reward." He reaches out to stroke the dragon's head. "You have served my son with as much loyalty and sacrifice as he has served our young king and, by extension, Albion. Merlin has received his reward."

"Freya." I whisper. "That was you? You brought her back?"

"Well, Merlin did most of the work." He replies, tilting his head in acknowledgement. "I just...nudged him in the right direction." Balinor turns back to Kilgharrah. "Now it is time to repay you, my friend."

"There is nothing that I want." The dragon protests. "I have done my duty, nothing more."

Balinor shakes his head. "You have done more for the future of Albion than anyone could be expected to do. Merlin and Arthur could not have accomplished their great works without your aid. So we have decided that you shall be granted immortality for as long as you want it, as long as you are serving Albion. I am entrusting you with my son's life and happiness, as well as the lives and happiness of all those who seek shelter in Camelot. I know you will serve them well, old friend."

Balinor drops his hand from Kilgharrah's head, his task complete, and just like that he is gone; no lights, no wind, just empty space where he stood only a moment before. I begin to wonder if I simply imagined the man, then blinked him away like an unwanted tear. But Gwen's and Kilgharrah's expressions tell me that I did not.

I suppose magic is more subtle than I always thought. It is just as Kilgharrah said; the point of magic is not the magic itself, but what you do with it.

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A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short and sorry for being so slow to update (like always). I've had a lot going on lately. I start college soon and I'm moving in on Saturday and I just started packing today and I hate packing and oh my gods I'm so stressed. But you don't want to hear about that. Never mind. Ignore me freaking out in the corner. I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner. We're getting close to the end, guys!! I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading!!