The Future of Camelot

The Quest for Truth

Ever since Ygraine's talk with Morgana, things had changed around the palace. The newcomers were welcomed by everyone now that they saw how much their queen accepted them. Gwaine was soon well known throughout the castle.

Merlin and Morgana earned seats in the council and worked tirelessly to try to locate the sorcerers on the list. Aredian was confirmed to be traveling far away, so his name was struck. Cylferth was dead, and Ruadan had calmed in his hatred of Camelot now that his magic was allowed. They were both taken off the list as well.

"Any news on Edwin Muirden?" Merlin asked the council. To nobody's surprise, Leon answered. He had quickly proven himself to be loyal to Ygraine as much as he ever was to Uther, only surpassed by his friendship with Arthur.

"Our scouts have reported a possible sighting of him in one of the outlying villages," he reported.

"Possible?" Ygraine asked.

"There was a man with his face marred by burns, the witnesses say. He had a box of enchanted beetles that he used to eat away sickness."

"That's him," Merlin confirmed. "But I'm surprised he followed the same path in this life." When the others looked at him for clarification, he said, "In our Camelot, Uther killed his parents because they practiced magic. He jumped into the flames to try and save them."

"What is it that surprises you?" Ygraine asked. She saw quickly how much her new children loved and trusted Merlin. He did have a lovable way about him. She found herself trusting him more than she did many of her own councilors.

"I'm just surprised that different circumstances yielded the same conclusion. The Purge happened later here, remember, years after Edwin had been burned in our world. Why did he follow a parallel path?"

The council thought about this. Finally, Morgana answered.

"Perhaps there is an element of everyday destiny about it. There are significant differences, but some things remain fairly consistent. Not entirely, of course. Remember, the man we knew had beetles that killed, not healed." She didn't say the other differences of the world out loud, but the Ygraine that had nearly executed Uther was very different from the woman Gaius told her and Arthur about when they asked. He had described a wonderful, kind, loving woman. This Ygraine certainly could be those things, but she could also be ruthless and coldhearted.

"Of course I remember the killing beetles," Merlin said irritably. At first Morgana thought she had offended him, but at his expression she realized it wasn't that. What was he thinking?

0O0O0O0

Merlin hated Edwin Muirden, and not just because he had lied and given false hope. He hated him because he had almost killed Morgana. Merlin had been so scared when Gaius told him that it was nothing like he had seen before. He had desperately wanted to use magic, but Gaius told him not to, because of what happened when he used magic to cure Gwen's father during Nimueh's curse.

During the past few days, Merlin and Morgana had worked side by side towards a common good. It had reminded him of those days long ago; him bursting into Morgana's chambers with an injured Mordred; her stubbornly insisting on coming with him to Ealdor to fight the raiders; her tearfully telling him of her magic; him showing her the druids. After that, everything had gone sour. Seeing Morgana in Camelot again being her old self made him regret his silence more than ever. He could have saved her.

0O0O0O0

Arthur found great amusement watching Merlin and Morgana not notice how the other felt about them. He knew both of them well enough to know that they probably hadn't admitted their feelings to themselves yet. It was hopeless, really.