So here it is! The final chapter! *sob*

Thank you to all of those who read all along with me from the beginning. I really appreciate your support and am so grateful for all your lovely reviews. I hope this chapter satisfies and explains anything that might still be fuzzy for you. If you still have questions after reading this, feel free to PM me and I'll try to clarify.

Enjoy the final chapter of Shell Shocked!

Chapter 18: The Dawn is in Sight

Merlin recovered quickly under Gaius's care. It turned out his ribs weren't broken, just badly bruised. Thanks to Grayton, the stab in his shoulder healed quickly and cleanly with nothing but a small white scar to show it had ever even happened. He was still extremely exhausted and suffered from hunger and dehydration, but after a day or two of sleep and a few healing potions Gaius concocted, the warlock was almost as good as new.

Leon, Percival, and Elyan were doing much better as well. None of them would be training for a while still, but thankfully Gaius had been able to continue tending to them while Camelot was controlled by Dareth's men. All three of them were expected to make a full, yet long, recovery.

In truth, Merlin was actually quite relieved when he was finally able to return to his regular duties. It meant things were going back to normal, and he wanted normality more than anything else right now.

Which was why Merlin was quite disturbed when Arthur simply stood and watched him as he worked on cleaning his room his first day back. The king didn't say a thing, he just stood there, staring at his servant with an intense look on his face.

"Got something on your mind, sire?" Merlin asked finally, not able to bear the strange silence filling the room. The king didn't respond. He swallowed and chewed the inside of his cheek, but no words came out of his mouth.

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Alright then, you don't have to tell me. That's fine," he said, as nonchalantly as he could. He finished making Arthur's bed and walked over to his desk, ready to clear off any old dishes still left there from breakfast. "Really, it's fine with me if you just stand there and stare, not strange at all. Doesn't disturb me in the slightest. Really."

Still nothing.

"Not even going to tell me to shut up then? Alright, I guess that's you giving me permission to keep talking. Maybe you actually missed my prattle those two weeks I was stuck in Lord Dareth's underground castle, and you're trying to make up for lost time. That would make some sense I suppose, although you don't seem to enjoy it very much when I am here so really, I have no idea-"

Arthur suddenly grabbed his arm and turned him around. Merlin dropped the plates he'd just picked up. "Aw, now Arthur, you made me drop-"

Merlin stopped. The king's expression brought everything to a standstill. His face was strangely empty, but his eyes were full of remorse. Merlin thought they even looked a little bit wet.

"Arthur?" Merlin said gently, concern for his friend bubbling up in his chest. The king's face twitched.

"Two weeks. Two weeks, Merlin," Arthur said quietly, his voice trembling. "How could I have not noticed you'd been kidnapped?"

Finally Merlin understood. Arthur was still beating himself up about not knowing Merlin had been captured. Knowing his friend, Merlin was certain he was blaming himself for the entire ordeal.

"It's not your fault," Merlin said firmly. "How could you have known?"

Arthur's grip on his arm tightened, but not uncomfortably so. "I should have known Grayton wasn't you. I should have figured it all out. Merlin, you almost died."

"And you almost became a prisoner for the rest of your life. Honestly, I'm not sure that's any better than dying," Merlin countered. Arthur shook his head.

"It's not the same-"

"But it doesn't matter. Neither happened, Arthur. I'm alive. I'm here. It's alright." Merlin wasn't sure if his words were getting through to the king. Arthur's face was growing slightly harder with each moment.

"But it does matter Merlin! It does! What if something like this happens again?" he cried.

"Then we'll know what to do," Merlin responded quickly. "Really, Arthur, don't beat yourself up over this. It's not your fault."

"But it sure feels like it is!" Arthur shot at him, his mask cracking a bit. "And I was going to leave you there, Merlin. I was going to walk away and let Dareth kill you. How could I have done that?"

He let go of Merlin's arm and sank down into the chair at his desk, his head in his hands. Merlin didn't wait to respond.

"I told you to leave me, Arthur. And if it happened all over again, I'd still say the same thing. Camelot is far more important than any one man within it."

"For once, stop being such a selfless idiot, would you?" Arthur snapped, looking up suddenly from his hands. His blue eyes stared into Merlin's with such intensity he almost took a step back. "In case you hadn't noticed, I am trying to apologize! Is it so wrong for me to want to express how upset I was to discover that my… best friend had been held captive for two weeks, without my even knowing? And that I almost had to leave you there…"

Despite the situation, Merlin felt touched. It was a rare thing for Arthur to blurt out his feelings like this. He also felt a little abashed. He should have been more careful in his approach. He should have realized how much this whole thing had hurt Arthur.

"I don't in any way hold you responsible, Arthur," he said carefully, stepping forward. "But if it would put your mind at ease, know that I forgive you. You have no reason to feel any guilt, my friend."

Arthur was silent for a long moment. He sighed heavily and looked away from his servant. Merlin saw him open and close his mouth a few times, as if he was attempting to say something, but nothing came out. Merlin reached out and put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"You'll be alright, Arthur," he said assuredly.

Slowly, almost imperceptibly Arthur nodded his head. He met Merlin's gaze again, and Merlin gave him a grin. A small smile grew on Arthur's face in return.

"Thank you Merlin," the king said quietly.

"Anytime, sire," Merlin responded. He moved back to the desk and leaned down to the floor to pick up the dishes he'd dropped. "Well, now I've got to go take these to the kitchen for cleaning, so I'd better-"

"Merlin, can I ask you something?" Arthur said, suddenly looking thoughtful.

"You need my permission to ask me a question now, Arthur?" Merlin shot back, his eyebrow quirked. But the king still didn't appear to be in a joking mood. His forehead was creased and his eyes were narrowed in confusion.

"It's about… about Grayton."

That was certainly not what Merlin had expected. "What about him?"

Arthur hesitated before responding. "He seemed like… like a good man," the king finally got out.

Merlin wasn't sure where this conversation was going. "Yes, he is a good man. He was controlled by Lord Dareth until you killed him. He never wanted to do all of those horrible things."

"You two… were friends?" Arthur asked cautiously. Alright, now Merlin really didn't know where this was going.

"I… suppose. I really didn't see him much, but he was always good to me."

"You said you trusted him."

"I do," Merlin said. "He never gave me any reason not to."

"He healed you," Arthur said, as if confirming it to himself. "He saved your life. And he let us leave when he could have kept us there. He saved Camelot."

Despite himself, for a moment Merlin couldn't help but feel a small twinge of envy towards Grayton. How many times had Merlin done all of those things, and more, and never gotten any credit? But he shouldn't complain, it was his own fault he never got any credit anyway, since Arthur and the others didn't know about his magic.

"Like I said, he's a good man," Merlin repeated, watching Arthur carefully. He didn't understand what the king was trying to get at.

"But he's a sorcerer," Arthur muttered, almost to himself. "He's a good man… and a sorcerer. How can that be?"

Butterflies shot through Merlin's stomach. He suddenly realized this was a moment in a million. For these next few seconds, Arthur's heart might be open a bit to the idea that not all magic is evil. He couldn't let this go.

"Perhaps… magic is not all it seems," Merlin said gently, trying not to show how anxious he was feeling. "Perhaps there are some that do magic that mean no harm."

Arthur didn't move a muscle. "Do you believe that , Merlin?" he asked quietly. The tone of his voice told Merlin Arthur wasn't asking as his king. He was asking as his friend.

"Yes," the warlock responded simply, his heart hammering in his chest. He was hanging on Arthur's every action now, hoping for a sign that he agreed with him.

The king remained frozen in his chair, lost in thought, for a long moment.

"Thank you Merlin. That will be all," he said. Merlin nodded and turned to leave the room. Arthur needed to be alone, to think things through on his own.

As he left Arthur's chambers and walked down the hall toward the kitchen, Merlin couldn't keep back the bright smile that burst onto his face. It would take time, but Arthur was coming around. Merlin couldn't shake the feeling that he wouldn't have to keep his secret for much longer.

Later that day Merlin found himself down in the armory polishing Arthur's armor. In truth, he really wasn't sure why the prat had him doing this chore, since he hadn't been wearing his armor much of late. Leon, Percival, and Elyan were still too weak to train, and Gwaine's wrist had become worse since he hadn't rested it like he should have. Arthur did a bit of training on his own, but there was only so much he could do alone and the other knights weren't skilled enough to keep up with him.

It really was pointless to keep polishing, Merlin decided. The armor was practically as good as new anyway. He doubted Arthur would even notice that it wasn't done.

Merlin stood up and was about to put the armor away when he suddenly became aware of someone standing behind him. It was strange, he hadn't heard anyone open the door, and the knights were not known for being stealthy.

"Hello, Emrys," came a soft voice. Merlin turned quickly, knocking some of Arthur's armor onto the floor with a loud crash. Grayton flinched at the noise and gave Merlin an apologetic look. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Grayton!" Merlin cried, very much surprised. "What are you doing here?"

The young sorcerer shuffled a bit, looking a little awkward. "I just… thought I owed you an explanation. And… I wanted to thank you."

Merlin frowned. "Thank me? Why?"

"You said you trusted me. In front of the king. That… that means the world to me, Emrys. I promise I won't betray that trust," he said hurriedly, as if he were afraid he wouldn't be able to get it all out. "Also, your king freed me. He killed Lord Dareth. I am no longer bound to a mad-man's will. I didn't know if I'd be able to thank your king in person, so I thought I could just go through you. So, anyway… thanks."

Merlin broke into a smile. It warmed his heart to see such goodness in a fellow sorcerer. Merlin knew not all who practiced magic were evil, he himself was an example of that, but when just about the only magic-users he encounters were out to take over Camelot or kill Arthur, it got lonely. It was wonderful to know there was another sorcerer out there who didn't want power or revenge.

"Actually Grayton, I think owe you a thank you as well," Merlin said, stepping up to the young man and putting a hand on his shoulder. Grayton's eyes grew wide.

"Why would you be thanking me? I… I kidnapped you!"

"No, you didn't," Merlin said firmly. "Lord Dareth did. Don't you dare mistake his actions for your own."

Grayton's face lit up a little. He nodded.

"And I need to thank you for what you've shown Arthur," Merlin continued. "You showed him that magic can be used for good, that magic itself is not the root of the evil. You helped light the way to a Camelot where magic can be used freely. And for that, I am indebted to you."

Grayton was simply glowing, but he shook his head. "No, you can't be indebted to me, Emrys. I am happy to do whatever I can to help the prophecy come true."

"My name is Merlin," Merlin said simply. "And I am indebted to any who help with the creation of Albion."

Grayton nodded, smiling even wider. Merlin motioned for him to sit down on one of the stools in the armory, taking a seat on another one beside him.

"So, Grayton, I am curious. How is it that you know of the prophecy in the first place? Before, you mentioned your mother…" Merlin asked, remembering the conversation they'd had back in Dareth's lair.

Grayton bit his lip. "Yes. My mother told me of them. She was a druid."

"How did she end up married to Lord Dareth?" Merlin asked, a bit confused. Dareth didn't seem the type to marry a druid.

Grayton grimaced. "My parents weren't married. They barely even knew each other. When my father was younger, he liked to travel all over Albion. He spent one night with my mother whilst passing through the forest. I am the result."

"My parents weren't married either," Merlin said assuredly. Then a new thought crossed his mind. "How did your father find out about you if your parents barely knew each other?"

Grayton's face hardened. "My mother showed me to him. She had no choice. It was in the middle of the Great Purge, and life as a druid was dangerous, even for those not in Camelot. We were starving. My mother became desperate. She hadn't ever meant to show me to my father, but she had no other choice. When I was three years old she took me to my father and begged him to help care for me, as I was his son. She asked for nothing more than some food and shelter, but my father refused. He didn't want to support me, his bastard son from a druid woman. He commanded his guards to force me and my mother out."

Grayton paused a moment. Merlin was watching him with concern, sympathy racking his soul.

"I…I don't remember what happened. I was too young, I suppose. But my mother later told me that I was so frightened by Dareth's men, and the way they were treating me and my mother, that I lashed out with magic and shoved them across the room. It was the first time I'd used magic, and my father saw it all. Almost instantly he changed his mind. He provided a small cottage for us to live in within the safety of his lands, and gave us food and water. We were happy there for a short time, but then we found out his charity was not free. He had researched the ancient magics in his youth, and knew about blood-binding. He told my mother to blood-bind me to him, or he would revoke his protection and leave us to the wolves. My mother didn't want to, and at first she refused. But after several weeks, she decided that she'd rather have me alive and bound to my father's will, than free and dead. So she agreed to my father's terms. When I was three years old, my mother blood-bound me to my father."

"Your mother did it?" Merlin said suddenly. Grayton nodded wearily.

"She felt she had no choice. She didn't know what Dareth had planned for me. She just knew she had to keep me alive," he explained.

"How did she know how to do it? I thought you said only High Priestesses of the Old Religion knew how to perform the ritual," Merlin asked, feeling a little uneasy.

Despite himself, Grayton smirked a bit. "My mother… how do I say it? She wasn't exactly the most straight-and-narrow sort of druid. Why else do you think she ended up in my father's tent for one night? In her youth she rebelled and left her family, exploring other venues of magic. She wasn't evil, just a bit rebellious and curious. When she became pregnant with me she relented and tried to return home, but she was too late. Most of her druid clan had been slaughtered, leaving her alone. So yes, she knew how to do the ritual. And my father knew that too."

"For the first few years after I became bound to him, my father mostly left us alone. He'd visit every now and then, primarily to command me around and make sure the bonds still were intact. And they were. Like I told you earlier, blood-binding increases its intensity with time. If the ritual were done on me right now, I would probably be able to break free of it before any harm could be done. But at three years old I couldn't do anything about it. By the time I was powerful enough to perhaps have thrown it off, the bond had become too strong. I was trapped."

"My father began to visit more regularly after I turned ten. He would take me out into the woods and tell me to do things, practice my magic. He'd command me to practice while he was gone too, so that I could become stronger and more powerful. Then, when I was fifteen, he took me from my mother. He said it was time for me to be of use. I didn't see her again until just now, when I became free. But I was too late. Since I didn't need her to raise me anymore, my father also had no need for her and threw her out. She died a few years back."

"I'm so sorry," Merlin said. Grayton nodded his thanks, his eyes focused on the ground.

"She told me once her greatest regret was showing me to my father," Grayton said quietly, his voice cracking with emotion. "She was the only person I knew besides my father growing up. She was the only one who loved me."

"You must be a lot like her," Merlin said. Grayton frowned up at him.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you are nothing like your father, so you must be like your mother. And if she was anything like you, she must have been a wonderful person." Grayton smiled.

"A wonderful, confused person. That certainly sounds like my mother," the young man said. He blinked hard and shook his head. "But anyway, that's how I ended up blood-bound to my father. And now, thanks you and King Arthur, I am free. For the first time since I can remember."

Merlin grinned at him. "Just out of curiosity, how exactly did you free Camelot?"

Grayton slowly returned the grin. "Dareth's men are used to me popping in and telling them to do things for my father. I simply showed up at the commander's door and told him my father wanted to release Camelot. He was very confused, but he believed me since he thought I was still bound to my father. I led them away from the city and back to Odin's court. Simple."

"I wonder if they've figured out Dareth is dead yet," Merlin added. Grayton shrugged.

"I don't know. I think they're still awaiting his orders. One of these days I might pop in on them and tell them to go do something crazy, just for fun. They have no idea my father's dead and I'm free." Grayton stood up and stretched, grinning down at Merlin.

"Well, I need to go. I'm sure King Arthur has chores for you to do, and I have some business of my own to attend to," he said as Merlin stood up beside him.

"Business? What kind of business?" Merlin asked. Grayton shrugged.

"I was thinking of doing some more research on potions. I am rather good at them, you know. Maybe one of these days I could become a healer, or something. I think I'd like that."

"I think you'd be an excellent healer, Grayton," Merlin responded. Grayton frowned.

"Actually, there is one more thing I'd like to do while I'm here. Just to make it official."

"Yes?" Merlin prompted. Grayton's face hardened again.

"I no longer want to go by the name Grayton. It is what my father called me, and it is a name connected to his ancestors. I no longer want to be connected in any way with that man."

Merlin cocked his head. "So what do you want to be called then?"

The young man's eyes lit up. "Eirian. A blessing. That is what my mother named me."

Merlin extended his hand. "Very well, Eirian. I am sure we will meet again."

Eirian took Merlin's hand and shook it. "I'm sure we will, Merlin. I look forward to the fulfillment of the prophecy."

Then the young sorcerer turned and left the armory, a spring in his step.

Merlin was still smiling when a few moments later Arthur came marching into the armory.

"You polishing my armor, Merlin? Or just sitting there with that idiotic grin on your face?" he asked mockingly, his arms crossed. Emrys glanced back at the Once and Future King.

"Something like that sire," he responded. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Well, help me get it on then. Just because my knights are out of commission doesn't mean I don't need to train myself," the king announced, pulling on his chainmail.

"Of course not. Then you'd be a useless dollop-head instead of just a regular one."

Merlin dodged the punch Arthur aimed at him, but he didn't miss the grateful smile on his friend's face. Things really were going back to normal. Or even better, Merlin thought. Perhaps Albion's dawning day wasn't as far in the future as it seemed.

THE END

And there we have it! Thanks again so much for reading and reviewing! :)

Just to let you all know, I might have it in me to write a sequel. No promises or ideas right now, so it will be a while, but I feel like there's still a lot of potential with my beloved OC. :) So keep an eye out, and maybe in a few months I'll have something up.

Thank you, and farewell for now!

-PagiethePanda