The most powerful sorcerer ever to walk the earth trudged unnoticed into the citadel. He had united five kingdoms. He had killed Morgana.

He had failed Arthur.

How many dozens of times had he saved him? How many times had he offered his life in exchange? To fail one time in a hundred was no shame.

Except, of course, when a man's life had been at stake. Except when looking back you can see where it all went wrong. How he could have saved him.

How could he face Gaius? How could he face Gwen?

At least he woundn't have to break the news in person. He had done that through a messenger, too much of a coward to do it himself.

"Merlin!"

He turned too slowly. Gwen was already there, pulling him into a hug that was quite befitting the dignity of a queen. He couldn't bring himself to pull away though. Especially when she was crying like this.

"I was so afraid you wouldn't come back," she whispered. "And I couldn't bear to lose anyone else, I just couldn't." She straightened, wiping the tears from her eyes.

He wasn't entirely free yet. The hard metal of chain mail knocked into him from behind.

"I told you he'd come, my lady," Leon said. "Percival, go tell Gaius."

Hot guilt at such a warm welcome welled up quickly. "Gwen, I'm so sorry - "

"You did your best. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"You don't understand! I have magi!" After keeping the words in for so long, it was both a relief and a horror to say it.

Her reaction wasn't what he expected. "I know. Gaius told me. He just hinted at first, but when we got your note . . . " A small tremulous smile managed to form. It was nothing like her old grin, but it was a start. "When I thought about it, I wasn't even surprised. The lamia'd already made me wonder." Her smile trembled a bit at the memory, but it held. "Come with me. There're some things we need to talk about."

He stared at her. "Magic's outlawed," he said, not quite sure why he was reminding her of the fact.

"That's one of the things we need to talk about. I've had two weeks to think about this, and Gaius has told me about all the things you've done - yes, all, so don't go thinking you can scare me off with a dragon or something - and I've decided we're going to have to change that. The knights are all behind me, but I need your help." She started walking towards the palace.

Merlin followed, caught between a nightmare and a dream. "And the other?"

She paused inside the doorway and took a deep breath. "I wasn't going to tell anyone until he came home. He should have been the first to know."

He didn't have to ask who she meant to know it was Arthur. "Know what?"

Tears glimmered in her eyes, but her smile seemed a bit more genuine now. "I'm pregnant."