It wasn't long before Merlin and then Gwen were brought to the throne room. They were both surprised to see each other, but they kept silent. They waited patiently, wondering what Uther was going to say. Uther cleared his throat a few times, thinking of the right words but they just refused to come. At last he held up the letter. "Do you know what this is?"

Merlin knew what it was as soon as he looked at it, and small peek at Gwen's face showed that she did too. "A letter from Arthur?" Uther had not expected Merlin to guess the answer without having it revealed to him. "How did you know?"

"Because, sire," answered Merlin bowing in respect, "he wrote a letter to me as well." Uther was taken aback, but then he realized he should have known that Arthur would have written to Merlin too, especially after reading what Arthur had said about Merlin in his letter to his father.

Gwen bit her lip but remained silent. Merlin guessed that the truth and knew why she didn't admit that Arthur had written to her as well, so he said nothing about it. But he had no need to, for Uther guessed it at once. "He wrote to you too, did he not?" he asked turning toward Gwen. He studied her face and could see the signs of anguish that Arthur's death had caused her.

Gwen was too surprise at the correctness of Uther's guess to deny it. To have done so, would have been to tell a lie, one that Uther would know was such. "Yes, sire." she said rather timidly, suddenly afraid of what he might do to her.

Uther nodded. "In his letter," Uther said addressing both of the young people in his hearing, "Arthur talks of you, Merlin. From what he says, I gather that you have been a good friend to him. I am thankful for that. You have been there when I wasn't."

Merlin blinked in surprise. This was more than he had every imagined Uther saying. "Well," he stammered, "I was happy to do so, sire." Uther gave him a small smile in acknowledgement. Then he continued.

"He always mentions you, Gwen. He... he tells me of his love for you." Gwen barely even dared to breath. If Uther disapproved of his, who knew what punishment she might receive. "Did you love him?" asked Uther turning on her. His looks dared her to lie to him.

Even if she had wished to, Gwen could not have lied about this. "I did, I do, and will always, sire." Uther relaxed at her words. There was something about his girl, and already he was starting to see her as Arthur had wished him to. Parts of his letter came back to him.

"I am sorry." he said abruptly. Merlin and Gwen just stared at him. "I am sorry," he continued, "about what happened to your father." Gwen was frozen with shock. Never even in her wildest dreams, had she ever imagined Uther apologizing to her. That and added to the fact that he didn't seem angry about her love for Arthur, she was just so over come with emotion that she fell to her knees and began to weep.

Suddenly she felt herself being lifted to her feet, and a pair of strong arms wrapped around her in a comforting embrace. "There...there." whispered Uther gently. Gwen was so touched that even though she continued to cry, she returned the gesture.

Merlin realized that his mouth was wide open and promptly closed it. Both Uther and Gwen seemed to have forgotten him, so he decided it would be best if he left. He made to leave the room, but Uther was him and gestured for him to come. Gwen smiled through her tears at him as he approached. Both the king and Gwen reached out to him, and the three of them shared a long and touching embrace.

Shortly after the death of Arthur Pendragon, the whole of Camelot was astonished to learn that his father, King Uther, had taken a servant girl, Gwen, and adopted her as his new ward and made her his heir. The people shook their heads and thought it was a rash act, made out of grief and that he would soon regret it, but they were wrong. Uther came to love his new ward as he had loved his first and his son.

At first Gwen had protested being made Uther's heir, but he had insisted. He reasoned that if Arthur had lived, and they had married, she would have become queen. He wanted at least that part to come true, so she had given in.

Lady Guinevere, as she became known, was soon loved by all the people and though only few knew why she had been elevated in Uther's favor, they were glad she was, and they soon forgot all about the "rash act".

It was also noted with much surprise, that Uther allowed magic to once more flourish in Camelot. Magic used with evil intent, however, was still punishable by death. After this new law was passed, Merlin confessed to Uther about his magical abilities and he was promoted. He became Uther's new adviser and the king frequently consulted on the issue of magic.

The kingdom of Camelot soon began to thrive like never before, but Prince Arthur was never forgotten, not in the minds of his people nor of those who had loved him best.

On a battlefield on the outskirts of Camelot, two cloaked figures moved among the bodies of the dead. It did not take them long to find what they were seeking.