So, like most of my fellow Merlin fans, I was less than pleased with the shows ending. So, I have decided to change destiny. The below quote does a fantastic job of summarising what lies ahead. If, unlike me, you haven't seen every episode so many times you can recite whole passages from memory, you may need to brush up on your season five facts, because I will not type every single scene up that I have not edited, because not everything will change.

Disclaimer: IDOM

One wrong turn down the right street or one seemingly unimportant conversation, and everything was changed. It wasn't right that each lifetime was defined, ruined, ended, and made by such seemingly innocuous details. A major life-threatening event should come with a flashing warning sign that either said ABANDON ALL HOPE or SAFETY AHEAD. It was the cruelest joke of all that no one could see the most vicious curves until they were over the edge, falling into the abyss below- Sherrilyn Kenyon, invincible

READ THIS, EXTREMELY CRUCIAL INFO AHEAD: everything up to this point in Arthur's Bane DID HAPPEN.

"Sire, there's something you need to see." Elyan reported, slightly breathlessly, before leading Arthur and his men further through the gorge. On foot, now, the men came to a desolate village built into the cliff face, it was clear the people had been massacred by someone. Bodies lay, strew across the grass, but none of them able bodied men.

Arthurs men began to search for survivors, the only sound their footsteps and some shutters or doors banging forlornly in the wind. A sound reached Merlin's ears, so faint he thought he may have imagined it. His eyes darted around, but he saw nothing out of place.

There it was again! Still faint, but stronger. Emrys. It was coming from inside a cave. Merlin started towards it, when a Elyan's voice rang out.

"Here! They're still alive!"

Merlin whipped around, forgetting the voice in the cave. Someone was hurt, and he could help. He rushed away to where Elyan had called from. The knight was crouched beside a young woman. Her auburn hair was dirty, her clothes bloodied, and breath came in labored pants. Her green eyes were glazed with pain, and it was clear she was in danger of passing out.

Merlin fell to his knees beside her, "Elyan I need you to keep her conscious. Someone get my bag." He instructed. The knights didn't hesitate. Normally, they would have, but now he wasn't Merlin, King Arthur's servant, he was Merlin, Gaius's ward/apprentice, and he had a patient.

Emrys! The voice was weak, but insistent. He ignored it. If he didn't tend to this girl, and now, she could die.

"Hey, hey." Elyan tried to get her attention. Her moss colored eyes struggled to focus. A weak smile tugged at her lips.

"Thank goodness," She managed, "I thought I was going to die out here." She coughed weakly. Merlin looked up from where he was trying to staunch the blood flow from a wound in her side. The look in his eyes was clear. She still might.

"Uh, what's, what's your name?" Elyan asked hesitantly.

"Amari."

Normally Merlin would scold her for trying to talk in such a state, but it was better than passing out. If she did that, she would never wake up.

Three stressful minutes later, Merlin had succeeded in binding her side, clearing her of a concussion, and dressing a nasty cut on her forehead. Amari was just hovering on the edge of unconsciousness, the only thing keeping her awake was Elyan's insistence. Her eyes fluttered once more, but this time Merlin nodded to Elyan. She could sleep now.

He finally stood and addressed the knights, "Make her comfortable, and keep her warm." Wearily, he approached Arthur, wiping the blood from his hands.

"Will she be alright?" The King asked. Merlin sighed.

"I hope so."

"What are her chances?"

Merlin thought for a moment. "I'd say sixty forty in favor." Arthur looked relieved.

"She'll be the only survivor, then?" Merlin asked, praying the answer was no. Arthur nodded sadly, and Merlin sighed again. He suddenly remembered the voice from the cave.

Arthur noticed a pensive frown on Merlin's face. "What?"

"Nothing."

Arthur snorted, following his distracted servant to one of the many caves in the cliff face. It was wet and dark inside, he could hear water dripping. They walked for a moment, until coming to a chamber in the tunnel. A man lay beside a pool of water, pale and dead-looking.

Merlin frowned and checked his pulse. Once more, he sighed. Arthur knew he hated this, all the death and destruction. He was too kind and gentle to be unaffected by it. Even Arthur wasn't unaffected by it, and he was trained for these situations.

Something on the man's wrist caught Arthur's eye. "Merlin, look at this." He crouched, and his manservant moved over to him.

"It looks like a druid symbol, but…" Merlin trailed off, frowning.

"What?"

"This yellow," Merlin pointed out, "I've never seen it before." At this, Arthur frowned as well. "Gaius has books on these things." Merlin explained.

Arthur nodded. After all the magical threats Camelot had faced, even he had picked up some things. If Merlin helped Gaius hunt through his dusty old tomes, it only made sense he had as well. Contrary to popular belief, and what Arthur always said, Merlin was smarter than he let on. Not that Arthur would ever admit it.

"Come on, there's nothing we can do for him now. As soon as we give these people a proper burial we're moving out" He clapped Merlin on the shoulder and stood. The pair exited the cave, not wishing to linger in a place where such a feeling of wrong hung heavy in the air.

That day seers across Albion rejoiced. The hearts of magic users world wide leaped with joy for some unknown reason. And Morgana Pendragon was wrenched from a dream, screaming with rage.

Morgana quickly forgot that dream, and could not, for the life of her, understand why she felt both overjoyed and furious all day.

As the sun set that night, the knights, Arthur, and Merlin sat around the fire, eating and talking. The horses stood, watered down and fed, tied to trees around the camp. Amari awoke in the middle of one of the knights, Sir Wilson, was regaling the story of a daring adventure.

Merlin was by her side in an instant, medical bag in hand. A hush fell over the camp.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Merlin asked. The petite girl glared at him sleepily.

"Sore, tired, and hungry." She replied.

Merlin handed her a tonic, "that should help with the pain, but don't drink it yet, It will make you drowsy and we need to ask some questions, if you're up for it?"

She accepted the tonic and nodded. Merlin beckoned Arthur over. The blond crouched beside Amari, gently pushing her back when she tried to sit up, clearly recognizing him as Camelot's king.

"There's no need for that." He insisted. She relaxed, not wanting to fight through the pain. "Now, can you tell us what happened to your village."

She laughed slightly. "That was not my village, sire, I come from Camelot. I was travelling to see my aunt, and stopped to stay the night. But I can tell you what happened. A band of men from the North attacked," Her lips curled in disgust, "Saxons," she spat. "They rounded up all the able bodied men, and killed everyone else." She sighed. "I'm lucky to be alive, sire. If not for you and Merlin, I would not be."

Arthur looked confused. "How do you know Merlin?"

Amari laughed. "Nearly everyone in Camelot knows Merlin. He's very fondly regarded in and outside of the castle."

Arthur raised an eyebrow at Merlin, who shrugged. "I go to the lower town with Gaius all the time, and I used to go visit Gwen." He explained.

"Your Majesty-"

"Arthur, please." Amari looked surprised, then a smile spread across her pretty face.

"Arthur," she corrected, "if you don't mind, I'm very tired, and in rather a lot of pain right now."

"Of course, get some rest." He replied, before returning to his seat at the fire. Merlin turned his attention back to her.

"You should eat first." He handed her a bowl of food.

"Thank you." She took it and began to eat. Merlin returned to his spot beside Arthur, and Amari finished her meal, took the tonic, and fell asleep.

So, no conversation with the dragon. They go to Annis she agrees to let Amari stay until she recovers enough to move on, and Merlin juggles.

Later that night, after the egg juggling debacle, Merlin and Arthur are laughing and bantering as usual. "Honestly Merlin, where did you learn to juggle like that? I didn't even know you could catch."

"Yes, well, there's a lot about me that you don't know." Merlin retorted cheerfully.

"Like what?"

Merlin thought for a moment. "I can juggle."

Arthur laughed incredulously, and proceeded to throw a boot at him. It hit Merlin squarely in the chest.

"Ow!"

"See, explain that."

"What, why you're a prat? I'm afraid I don't have an answer." And the two returned to squabbling like siblings. Because, beneath it all, that's what they are. Brothers.

Back at Camelot, with Gwen, Sefa, Sefa's father, the message, and the crow, happens. Nothing changes.

That night, Merlin, Arthur, and the knights sit at camp, laughing and joking and there is no touching, if slightly depressing, chat about 'a warrior learning to enjoy each day as it comes, because it might be their last' etc, etc.

The next day the knights are surrounded, and Merlin and Arthur get separated from the group.

"Ugh," Arthur stirred, blurry gaze slowly focusing on Merlin. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" Merlin asked worriedly. Arthur looked around.

"Where are the others? Leon? Elyan?"

"We were ambushed, the group was scattered. You were hurt, I had to get you away." Merlin replied regretfully. "C'mon." He hauled Arthur to his feet.

Gwain and Percival see the light of the Diamir.

"Can we have a break?" Merlin asked, exhausted.

"As long as it's quick, I want to reach Ismir before dark." Merlin sighed in exasperation. Arthur is crazy. He decided. If he was a normal servant, two men would do nothing against that fortress. Because of his magic, they had a little more of a chance but not much. Merlin shook his head and continued after Arthur. Arthur wouldn't budge, but he had to try.

"The two of us against Morgana? The only thing we'll do is get ourselves killed."

"You know, if you're scared…" Arthur teased.

"You know, if Morgana doesn't kill you, I will."

"Threatening a king is treason, Merlin."

"What about threatening and ass?"

"I heard that."

The knights return home and explain. They conclude there is a traitor. The discussion about the seer never happens. Gwain finds the Diamir. Arthur and Merlin overhear Morgana searching for them. They get trapped in the net with the rabbits. Sefa in arrested and charged with treason. Arthur and Merlin are still stuck. The Diamir heals Gwain. Arthur and Merlin are cut down.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you?"

Arthur lunged for his sword.

"Not so fast!" The man picks up Arthur's sword. "The King of Camelot. You will fetch a handsome price." He leveled the sword at Arthur. "Alive, or dead." He crouched. "Any last requests."

"Let my servant go. He doesn't deserve to die like this."

The man chuckled and nodded. Merlin was hauled to his feet. He searched desperately for a way to save Arthur without revealing himself.

"Wait!" An unfamiliar voice calls. Merlin spun around. A young man, around twenty of so, walked forward. He looked familiar…

"Shouldn't we leave it to the Lady Morgana to decide their fate?" The boy (for that's what he was, really) continued. The man nodded and laughed cruelly.

The boy approached Arthur. "You don't remember me, do you? You saved my life once, many years ago."

Realization dawned on Merlin. Mordred.