Due to earnest requests (Detective Kid1412 and SpangelyPony) here is a sequel/ second chapter. The balance of power has been righted and surprises!

It was... weird. Yes, weird was really the only word he could use to describe the weeks after the announcement had been sent across the lands and suddenly there were sorcerers and Druids coming into the walls of Camelot freely. He'd never felt that much magic in one place before, it had almost been overwhelming the way his own magic flared at their presence, in reaction. There was an elation, an utter joy of walking around Camelot with his head held high. No more stuttering, no more tripping over his own legs, (no more climbing through windows and up palace walls and sneaking around in the dark!) he was free to walk around like anyone else. Of course, there were the skeptics but it only took one or two ends to a bar fight by levitating them off premises, repairing a few broken toys, calming a few children, and curing a few people for people to really get a handle on the fact that he wasn't evil.

Better late than never...

With each new day, he was taking strides easier and the people of Camelot were relaxing into the fact that sorcerers were coming to be apart of the magic task force and Druids were moving in to vacant houses in the city. It was a steady progression, but pretty soon everyone settled into the ease of things. He'd learned that Arthur was ordering him to help with some basic magic demonstrations, as an ambassador of sorts. Gwaine told him he'd been named court sorcerer and apparently Arthur was in trouble for not telling him. Merlin didn't really care, much preferring his simple clothes than the ones he was sure would require him to wear as part of the court. He was, for once, glad for Arthur's pride.

His first assignment had been to accompany the knights to an outlying village and see about their crop problems. It turned out to be just a matter of rain and a latent frost. It took all of a day of spell casting and magic siphoning to get the crops back on schedule and head to the rest of the realm. Gwaine grinned as one of the women gave them a huge bag of apples. He hadn't stopped munching on apples until they stopped for the night. Merlin sat back with a sigh of content.

"You aren't tired?" Gwaine asked as Percival rotated the apple stuffed bird over the fire. "You've been doing the whole glowing eyes thing all day... and riding..."

Merlin shook his head beaming, "Not tired at all..."

Percival tilted his head, "How... powerful are you exactly."

Merlin grinned as an answer and the two of them shivered and silently thanked the fact that they'd never been on Merlin's bad side... They felt terrible for Arthur though. Gwaine shrugged the pity off, it really was Princess's fault anyway. The rest of the trip went through much of the same and they came back to Camelot laden with gifts of fruits and vegetables that let Merlin and Gaius eat for weeks.

On the second excursion, it wasn't really an order so much as a messenger from a small village saying that they were being attacked by a dragon... Merlin had already been out of the city by the time the message came. Gwaine thought it odd, the strange look of urgency and joy in his eyes while he was packing and explaining that he would be back in a few days time. No one had stopped him long enough to ask anything else and Gwaine figured that it was important enough for him to get moving immediately, so he didn't bother.

"Where the hell is Merlin?!" Arthur yelled.

"He left," Gwaine said munching on his apple, still having half a bag from the last excursion. "Three days ago."

Arthur gawked and Merlin returned later that night with his eyes shining with happiness and excitedly bounding into Gwaine's room (luckily missing Percival by about an hour) to tell him what had happened. There was another dragon! It wasn't Aithusa or Kilgarrah! He'd said his name was Balrin and he'd known his father.

"That's what took you so long to get back?"

"Well... I had to heal people too... and then we talked... and talked... Dad could play the lyre really well apparently... and I have cousins!"

"Why was he attacking the village?"

"He wasn't, he just woke up and flew over it... they freaked out..."

Gwaine only laughed at his excitement and let the young man continue on his story as they ate. When he was done, Gwaine told him he had his own bit of news to share.

"I'm Arthur's cousin... of sorts."

Merlin frowned and then his eyes widened, "What did you say?"

"Shared great, great, great grandfather. Banished from Camelot for magic consorting or something... Asked Geoffrey in the book room..."

Merlin snickered, "Well... it seems like you're not alone now are you?"

Gwaine grimaced, "Don't remind me that I share blood with Princess. It makes me think I should cut my hair."

Merlin pouted, "Please don't... Percival would go crazy."

Gwaine laughed and laughed harder when Percival came in to join them in story time and gawk at the fact that Gwaine was a noble... and possibly an heir to the throne of Camelot.

"Uhm..." Percival started, Gwaine grinned and leaned over to kiss him, making the man flush and Merlin hoot in teasing.

"You're adorable when you're confused... better now?"

Percival nodded hesitantly and then more surely as Gwaine planted himself in Percival's lap. Apparently, nothing had changed so there was no reason to freak out. Merlin excused himself for their "alone time" and shook his head at Gwaine offer of inclusion.

"But it would be great Merlin!"

"I'll pass," Merlin said walking out and quickly as Percival's voice started up and the rustle of clothing and Gwaine surprised yelp.

He made it back to Gaius's chambers and slid into bed before the next day. It seemed that the amount of magical things that were happening wasn't slowing at all. He was up running around as he always did, but it was something different. He wasn't running around because of Arthur, or Gaius. He was running around doing magic and that made all the different in the world. The more he did, the more people realized that Merlin wasn't nearly as much of an idiot as they'd thought. There was some discomfort with the change but even if everything that he'd done to hide wasn't true, that smile was and Merlin's earnest nature was. It was another slow progression towards acceptance, peace and respect. Everyone seemed to have a new take on Merlin, a more respectful approach. A sense of equality...

Everyone except Arthur that is.

It had been the day that sorcerers had begun arriving for the trials. Merlin had gone around spreading the word and stopped of fin Ealdor to bring his mother to Camelot before heading back. The entire distance between Ealdor and Camelot was filled with relating stories from the time of his meeting Balinor to the rest of it (he left out the more dangerous bits however). When they arrived, her on saddle and him walking beside it, she'd been amazed at the nods of greeting and a few bows of respect that Merlin had kindly returned and shyly acknowledge.

"Seems like there are a lot of things that have happened..."

He beamed up at her and told her that today would be one of the best days of his life. When Hunit was settled in and on her way to resting, Merlin was back up and rushing around the castle. He was doing his best to keep the excitement yet but was practically bounding up on his toes to see if his cousins had arrived, if he would recognize them... If they would come at all... He was rushing down the front steps of the palace and greeting familiar sorcerers and not so familiar ones. There were a few people of the Catha that mentioned Alator and bowed-

"Don't bow, please!" Merlin said. "It's a little awkward."

Even if people of Camelot did it, it was because of his "court sorcerer"/ connection to King rather than a Druid prophecy and reverence of magic. He wasn't really sure what it said about him shying away from it, but he didn't bother to think about it.

"As you wish, Emrys..."

He flushed and shook his head asking them to call him Merlin instead. Though Arthur knew about Emrys, he didn't know the extent of it and he was sure that he would never let him know either. If he could help it, he'd really like to stay out of ARthur's sight while he searched for his cousins or the rest of today would-

"Merlin," Arthur greeted with a slap on the arm, grinning at him. Since the trial and the slew of things to do and Arthur's orders, Merlin had avoided being near him, but he was the King and eventually it wouldn't last. He gave himself credit for avoiding the other's presence this long. "I see that you're still alive. I haven't seen you around..."

"Well, yes... someone changed a law rather than have me hung or burned at the stake, and I've been busy."

Arthur squeezed a little harder than Merlin would have liked and grinned, "You're not busy now are you?"

"Well... not expressly-"

"Wonderful, I have a task for you...say goodbye to your friends, you'll see them soon enough."

Merlin didn't like the sound of it, and didn't like it even more when he found himself outside on the training pitch surrounded by the knights and a group of sorcerers. He didn't like it at all, glancing at Mordred who looked as nervous as he was.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Mordred asked.

"Not a clue, but I can guess..."

Arthur tugged on his gloves and drew his sword with announcement that Merlin and Mordred would be their opponents. The goal was to last one minute. Between the two of them, they decided that Merlin was to be an easier target... probably because he lacked armor and any marker of any sort of power. Merlin glared at Arthur who stood stone face and announced the time to start. He swore he would get the prat for this...

Merlin? Mordred asked not really sure how he was going to handle this. Merlin crossed his arms and glared.

I'll make him wish he never did this...

"You do realize that I'm not a battling warlock don't you?" Merlin asked watching the sorcerer come closer to him. Mordred just shrugged and headed off to the side, no need in getting into it if Merlin was going to handle it.

"Nonsense Merlin, what's the good of magic if you can't use it to defend yourself? Besides you've done it before!"

The sorcerer was moving to cast a spell and with a flash of his eyes, that were still trained on Arthur, his lips sealed shut, the blades of grass curled around his ankles, up his knees, and holding him still until he could no longer move. Arthur gawked at Merlin's response before walking over to the sorcerer who looked more than panicked at the turn of events.

"I'm sorry that he's such a dollophead," Merlin said releasing him and helping him to stand.

The man's eyes flickered around his face and he stepped back, "Are... are you... the one they... the one... Morgana..."

Merlin winced at the obvious terror as the name was spoken as retreated back to the ranks as Arthur marched down.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Arthur asked.

"You can't trial sorcerers the way you trial knights," he explained. "Clotpole."

Arthur swung only to follow the swing of his arm, over and upside down, floating and staring upside down into Merlin's glowing gold eyes.

"You remember when I said I could take you apart... with less than a blow?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed, "Put... me.. down."

"No," he replied. "I think it's about time I made good on that promise."

Merlin gestured up and Arthur floated up, up, up above the castle. Arthur screamed and thrashed around but he was stuck in midair soon and Merlin had no need to fight it anymore.

"MERLIN!"

Guinevere came out onto the training yard then and giggled slightly as her husband's armor unbuckled and floated down to sit beside her. His tunic turned pink, there were bows in his hair and he looked as though he'd been dusted with rouge.

"Merlin," Gwen started. "What... what are you doing?"

"Showing him how to make a good trial for magic-users..."

"This is payback isn't it?"

"Now, why would I ever do that?... He's only the most prattish noblemen in the known world."

"MERLIN!" Arthur screamed at each new addition. Three other guards, that had been particularly spiteful to him, and the rest of the crew from he and ARthur's first encounters joined them up there with their own additions.

Merlin turned towards the crowd of sorcerers with a smile, they were gawking at him. Wasn't that treason? An abuse of magic...?

"Here's your test," Merlin gestured to the seven men hanging. "Get them down and returned to normal. Each of you gets six minutes to do it after that they will reset and the next one will try again. The idea is to think fast."

"MER-" Arthur covered his mouth at the high pitched wining that came out. He flushed and Guinevere burst out laughing. He sounded absolutely ridiculous.

The knights were quiet except for Gwaine (of course) who swaggered over, mid-laugh, to request a proper dress for the princess and his crown. Merlin obliged and sat back to man the timer, increasing it in size to hold six minutes. The first four attempts made the symptoms worse, Arthur's hair grew about as long as Gwen's, twisted up in a diadem and turned black. Gwaine thought that sorcerer should get extra credit. The next gave Arthur his breeches back, but lost all other semblance of clothing, causing him to flush with shame.

"See sire, I told you needed to be in shape!" Merlin said, munching on an apples with Gwaine and Mordred. Knight practice had been halted for the duration of the sorcerer's trials.

In the end, only one of the guards was freed and only a few minor changes were made. Merlin grinned across the group and announced that they'd passed with enough points in his book to pass. When Arthur's feet touched the ground, he collapsed in a spell of dizziness free from all of Merlin's incantations and attempted to shake his head free of it. He glared across the pitch at Merlin who was speaking with the sorcerers that had been trying to get them down, congratulating them and giving them pointers, soothing their worries about it all before drawing a sword and having them do the same to give them a magic-user friendly version of sword practice.

Gwaine came over to kneel by his side.

"You deserved it, you know?" Gwaine said. "Be glad he doesn't really hold grudges or he may have let them actually undo it... or you know rub it in your face..."

Arthur gawked, he though that was the point of the exercise and wobbled onto his feet, stumbling to a bench and trying to get rid of he sickening feeling of being to high off the ground. He didn't move after that, watching Merlin on the pitch with the Knights and sorcerers listening to him. He'd never noticed it before, but...

No, Arthur cut that thought of and didn't meet Guinevere's eyes when she came to sit with him.

"You deserved it-"

"I know," Arthur grumbled, hating how soft and non-judgmental her voice was as she took his hand and squeezed.

"This really isn't as bad as you've -"

"I know..."

"He could have left you-"

"I know..."

"He's quite amazing," Gwen said watching Merlin side step Leon's thrust and knock his sword from his hand before turning to the sorcerers and relating to them tips at feeling their magic as he called it. "It's amazing that we never noticed before."

Arthur scoffed, "He's got magic. It's cheating."

Gwen rolled her eyes and looked at her husband who had a faint smile. Blue eye glanced and he sighed.

"Don't look at me like that."

She didn't say anything and waited for him to sigh again, "Fine! Fine!... He is... not-completely useless."

"Will you ever work up the words to just say thank you or you know you're great...How about you're the best friend I've ever had..."

"He's the only... friend..." Arthur started shaking his head. "He's a brother..."

Gwen nodded.

"A little snarky, sarcastic brother who happens to save me sometimes-"

"Practically all the time...and any time you've saved him it was probably your fault he was there..."

He turned to her, exasperated, "I thought you were my wife not his!"

"I am," Gwen said with doe eyes. "I am your wife, but you two are practically melded at the hip, double folded, and sealed... It's like having two husbands but I only sleep with one. We should talk to him about that..."

Arthur flushed at Gwen's words, he hadn't be aware that his wife was so...

"Guinevere..."

"Don't be such a prude Arthur," Gwen chided with a sly grin. "If you can suggest things about other women, I think I can suggest things with Merlin..."

He flushed again. Since when had Gwen turned into a minx? Had everyone in Camelot been hiding something from him, or was it just a matter of this new era of change in Camelot. He didn't really want to know, and was glad for the distraction until a large part of the clearing was cleared out with Merlin standing mid-center. Words that he didn't understand, throaty, deep and echoing through the skies. Arthur frowned as Merlin moved back and the sounds of a wings against the air came and a great shadow was cast over Camelot. Arthur scrambled for his sword, pushing Guinevere behind him before the trio of dragons landed and a small group of people were forcing their way through the crowd

"What..."

"I was wondering when you would summon us, young warlock." Kilgarrah started, looking down at Merlin's grinning face. "Even at a distance I could see your magic flaring in use..."

"Magic has been brought back to Camelot," Merlin said. "I'm free."

"So it would seem..."

Balrin looked across the way at Kilgarrah and Aithusa in confusion before turning back to Merlin, "It seems that... I am not alone."

"It seems like all dragons have this I'm alone complex." Merlin said with a grin. "This is Kilgarrah and Aithus-"

He was tackled out of left field by a small band of older men and one woman about his age. Before he hit the ground, they'd swept him up into a tight hug and Merlin froze at the contact. They weren't threatening, just relieved, excited and... familial. The man that was hugging him the tightest smelled of the forest and was of a build similar to his father, maybe a little broader.

"You've got your father's voice!" A throaty yell proclaimed.

He looked down at them with a quickly spreading grin, "You... knew my father."

"I'm your father's brother, your uncle Kalin to be precise." He set Merlin down with a grin. "This is my other brother, Gael, my daughter, Eilias, and son, Cyrus..."

He beamed at the young lady with dark hair twisted back into a bun. She smiled brightly at him, wearing a warriors clothing, a sword at her belt and looking every much related to him as possible. They shared cheeks. The young man was definitely older than him and Arthur but not too much older, maybe a few years and not quite 30. He was broader though, more muscular and his hair was a mass of wild waves that rivaled Gwaine's locks.

"I have cousin-"

"MERLIN!" Arthur yelled, storming over to him. "What the bloody hell is- that's a bloody- there's two of them! Of all the-"

"You must calm yourself, young King... Do not stress about such bygone matters."

"Bygone matters?! That dragon is talking to me?! Explain this Merlin! I killed that dragon! That dragon attacked Camelot!"

Merlin shook his head, "You just won't ever let your ego go will you?"

Arthur growled, "What. Is. Going. On?"

"I just summoned Kilgarrah, Aithusa, and Balrin. I figured that since magic has returned to freedom, they deserve to bask in the freedom as well.. Yes, Kilgarrah and Balrin do speak. We're working on Aithusa and yes I can summon dragons. I am a Dragon Lord, Balinor was my father and more importantly, I'm not the last Dragon lord!"

Arthur gaped and tossed his sword aside, "Is there anything else, you've neglected to tell me?!"

"Mmm..." Merlin though about it. "A nice silky scarlet looks good on you."

Arthur's jaw dropped as Kilgarrah began to laugh. Gael and Eilias joined him and Cyrus only smirked. Kalin grinned at him and told him that he was as snarky as Balinor was when he was that age. Merlin's eyes lit up and almost immediately, Arthur's presence was forgotten as they went on to make plans to talk more in-depth, to catch up, to meet Merlin's mother and continued on with training.

Arthur was called away almost immediately and was forced to leave the training yard. While he'd been expecting a shift in their relationship (on the basis that Merlin was no longer his servant) he didn't expect this much of a change. Arthur didn't see Merlin for the rest of the day, but upon walking through the courtyard later, could hear the man's laughter joined by more voices. He'd never heard that laugh before...

Not to say that Merlin didn't laugh (he did a lot and most of the time at Arthur's expense) but it wasn't that light, that free, that happy sound that he heard walking past the courtyard where three dragons sat around the group, two of them chiming in, the third staying quiet. A good deal of it sounded like nothing special. In fact, it didn't sound like anything at all but words that he couldn't understand, but he registered it as conversation.

As the days past, he saw less and less of Merlin. Of course anything magical that needed to be taken care of was handled by Merlin, and there were always reports in Merlin's neat script. He almost envied the man for his penmanship. There was no way that Merlin had been properly taught to write, yet somehow the other's penmanship was much better than his own. The Knights and the Magic Task Force trained separately for the most part. There was only a minor amount of overlap and sometimes they trained together, but Merlin was never there for that. He was always off doing something as the court sorcerer, helping someone, performing magic somewhere else... In those same tattered clothes Arthur always knew him in.

It came to a point where he literally hadn't seen Merlin in over a week. There were markers to show that he was still alive, but not even a shadow of the other. He'd seen a good deal of the dragons though, looming on the training guard, resting in the midday sun, or, in the white dragon's case, playing with children or flying alongside the black dragon through the sky and over Camelot. It was Kilgarrah that practically stayed put. But no sign of Merlin.

He saw Merlin's family members most of the time, flitting around in their armor (which Arthur did not recognize as one of Camelot). When asked about it they only grinned and told him that it was Merlin's doing.

"He's been at the old forge with the new owner and Gwen fiddling with new spells," Cyrus said with a grin. "Nice isn't it?"

Eilias did a quick spin and curtest in her battle dress, "Your Highness."

"Princess!" Gwaine greeted wearing armor that he was very sure hadn't been issued by the royal blacksmith. "Merlin's making armor! Says you should try it out."

"And where exactly is Merlin?" Arthur asked and it was Eilias who rose an eyebrow at the tone.

Her eyes narrowed and a slow smile started, "You miss dear Merlin don't you?"

He gawked at her, "I do not miss Merlin."

"Sure you do," Gwaine said. "Gwen's told us all about your moping. It would help you just you know officially named him court sorcerer. He might actually be required to report at council meetings with the rest of us."

"Yeah, you might actually get to continue your bromance... if we and Vera don't take up all his time."

"Vera...?" Arthur asked.

Gwaine grinned, "You should see them together. I wouldn't be surprised if they were hitched-"

"Hitched?!" Arthur asked gawking at him.

Merlin was courting a woman and he hadn't know about it? How is this possible? How is that Merlin had knowledge of practically every romantic exploit of Arthur's yet Merlin gets to court without him knowing? He asked this to Gwen when she appeared in their chambers later that night.

"Well that's because Merlin isn't emotional stunted," Gwen replied and he stuttered. "He's quite romantic you know? And charming when he isn't in a state of constant terror."

"I am not emotionally stunted! And I'm romantic! Merlin wouldn't know how to be romantic if it hit him on the head! And how in Albion does Merlin manage to court some girl and me not know about it? I thought we were -"

He stopped himself... Friends?

Gwen gave him a knowing look and he huffed, sinking onto the bed. She climbed across it to wrap her arms around him and kiss his cheek.

"It may help if you go an talk to him... officially tell him that he's court sorcerer instead of giving him all the work to do without the status... you know? Generally, stop being emotionally stunted..."

Arthur huffed and climbed into bed, pulling the blankets over his head with a firm "Good night." Gwen only laughed at his childish actions and curled up to sleep on the other side of the mattress. It didn't take longer than a few moments before he was reaching out for her and pulling her in close. He really was a child sometimes.

"Tomorrow," he murmured softly. "Tomorrow."

"He's moved into my old house you know?"

Arthur huffed, no wonder he really didn't see him often. That was in the lower town after all and he rarely had time to do anything but train the knights and go to meetings. Tomorrow was the day of the annual summer's feast and a latent celebration of everything that had happened that year. Tomorrow was also a rare day in that Gwen would take his position at a lot of the meeting, debriefings and meetings with the public while he snuck out of the palace and into the lower town. The Queen was responsible for organizing everything, all Arthur had to do was show up. It was also the last chance for him to officially give Merlin his title(s) before his presentation to the lords of the land. People glanced but didn't notice him, dressed in a simple guard's uniform. He neared the old place, clutching the scroll, carrying the robes, and all the seals of Merlin's new station and stopped at the door.

He knocked but there was no reply and as he stepped in, he realized that the house was empty. He looked around and headed out towards the workshop connected and heard something that didn't sound like Merlin.

"I do think you're trying to be funny," a woman's voice started.

"It's just a trick," Merlin replied. "Please..."

He snorted, figures that Merlin couldn't court a woman properly. Never use that voice.

"Oh, alright, what is it then?"

Arthur peaked around the corner as Merlin grinned and hoped up beside Vera. Arthur choked.

How on Earth had Merlin managed that?... And since when was his hair that long?

It was a messy bed of waves, wild and half covering his ears. He sword that Merlin may have gotten taller, but he wasn't sure. That barely still blue shirt billowed around him, rolled up, and there was a certain strength to him now... Had Merlin gained some muscle? Put on some weight? He hardly recognized him.

Vera was a thing of myth. Guinevere was lovely, even Morgana was beautiful, but there was something ethereal about Vera, he could admit that. She was just strangely beautiful with the Druid tryskelion on her neck. Her hair was a mass of brown waves and loose curls tumbling from the pinned mass on her head to frame her face and brush against her cheeks. He caught its general length in the tendril that hung to just above her shoulder blades. She was dressed in a similar fashion to Eilias with less leather. Her dress came down across her legs in tendrils show casing long smooth legs that seemed to go on forever to shoes that Arthur was sure were Merlin's... or at least so similar that it was startling. She wore an armored corset and a weapons belt along with a holster on her thigh with a sharpened serpentine dagger. Her eyes were the color of a deep pool of honey.

We are definitely going to have a talk about that... Arthur huffed.

Merlin grinned and glanced at her, holding up his hands. She giggled at the silly grin on his face and nudged him.

"Go on then!"

Merlin grinned and his eyes flashed gold. And the a stream of gold and iron leapt from the fire place, spinning into fine threads and hooks weaved. Arthur watched half amazed as did Vera as flourishes of fine silk and cream colored fabrics rushed through the air in some mad dance. Vera watched in amazement, Merlin watched Vera's face as it was finished and hung just above the ground, fluttering beside a pair of shoes too perfect and too beautiful for her to ever imagine...

But she had imagined this dress. She had... It had been something of fantasy when she was a little girl and running from Uther's knights. After her mother was killed and she was left to scavenge alone... her father some useless noble that would not acknowledge her as a daughter of rape and a druid girl. It had been so long since she had that dream of one day being accepted by her father, of wearing something so fine. Of a life different than the one she had.

"Merlin... I..."

"Come with me to the feast," He said softly. "You don't even have to worry about a dress anymore."

"How... it's... it's... it's beautiful."

Merlin grinned at her shocked face before she looked at him and saw the way he was looking at her.

"I can't wear that..." VEra said, picking at her battle tattered clothing. "I couldn't... go with you."

"Why not?" Merlin asked softly. "I'm asking you to. You've been invited. You are wanted..."

"It's fit for a Queen... not an bastard Druid girl."

"You're fit for a King, I'm only asking because I know I don't have a shot."

A moment passed and Arthur gawked. Vera laughed at him. He caught her hand and interlaced their fingers.

"A dress is only as beautiful as the person who wears it... Please?"

Vera rolled her eyes, "You're only saying that because you want to see me in it knowing that you made it."

"I want to see you in it, because you want to wear it."

Vera huffed and flushed.

"Don't try and lie to me."

"Okay, yes I want to wear it, but I'm not gonna."

Merlin rolled his eyes, "Right then. You're not going to wear it? But it's in your size... I guess I could give it to your sister, Hilden."

Vera glared at him and Merlin looked positively innocent. Hilden had been the sister that was accepted into the royal family. She was young enough to be molded, young enough to possibly be the child of the man's real wife and without the druid marks. She resembled their father with his light hair and dark eyes... Vera had been cast aside for court politics. She was there in the city.

"You know as a gift of welcome-"

"I would murder you," Vera said. "Instantly and without hesitation."

"So you're coming then..."

"I wasn't planning on it."

Merlin pouted, "But there's me... and you, and food... roasted meets, fruit...wine...ale if you want it, though you'll have to get to it before Gwaine."

Arthur couldn't believe this, he was bribing her with food? He'd really have to speak to Gwen about her definition of "charming" and "romantic".

"And dancing..."

Vera crossed her arms, tempted but not completely.

"And a chance to utterly look better than Hilden in a public setting~..."

Vera threw up her hands and hopped down, "I've got training to do with Mordred."

"It'll still be here when you get back!" Merlin called after her as she exited from the other side, taking her sword from the rack. "I'm still not taking no for an answer!"

"Keep dreaming!" Vera said before blowing him a kiss and rushing down the way towards the upper town.

Arthur entered in with Merlin grinning foolishly and waving his hand to fold the dress and shoes and place them somewhere they wouldn't be near flames and soot.

"Seems that a lot of things have changed since the last time I saw you," Arthur said stepping in.

Merlin grinned at him while waving the fire out and taking a seat at the small table where another set of armor lay.

"I was wondering when you'd find me," Merlin said, tinkering with the fastening of the chest plate and continuing his carving into the metal. Arthur set the parcel he carried down and looked over the man. "Good thing too, I'm almost done."

Merlin had definitely gotten bigger or filled out or something. He wasn't as scrawny as he used to be.

"I... I haven't seen you in a while."

Merlin shrugged, "Been busy."

"Right... with family, and magic... and Vera."

Merlin chuckled at that, "You sound a bit jealous Arthur, you're not the only one who gets to have the girl of their dreams."

Arthur flushed and cleared his throat, "Why didn't you tell me that you were courting? I could have given you some hints."

Merlin snorted, "Not where Vera is concerned. And if I wanted a quick lay with someone it wouldn't be her... I like my courting to be a few months, not an entire lifetime before I can actually court her."

Arthur huffed, "Merlin!"

"What?" Merlin asked, shaking his chisel at him and blowing into the newly made marks. "You know I'm right."

"Beside that..." Arthur said shoving the parcel across the table. "And on another note, I expect you to wear this tonight."

"Why Arthur," Merlin started shaking his head and looking at him earnestly. "You're a married man, you can't give gifts like the one I'm giving to Vera. What would the court say?"

Arthur flushed and swung at him, Merlin redirected his hand and went back to working on it.

"What is it then?"

"Your robes as court sorcerer..."

Merlin blinked, "I'm not a sorcerer."

Arthur rolled his eyes, "Fine. Warlock."

"Well that's a big word... sure you know what it means?"

Arthur sneered, "A big eared idiot born with magic."

Merlin shook his head, "I think you should go an look it up."

"Shut up or I won't tell you the rest!"

Merlin smirked, continuing on with his tinkering as Arthur gathered his wits, "I'm... I'm announcing you as Archmage tonight."

That stopped him and made him look up, "What?"

"You heard me, I'm not saying it again. Now, try and get something decent to wear tonight, fix up your clothes and pretend like you're of status."

Arthur got up then but Merlin stopped him, "Arthur... your armor."

He whirled around and looked at the finished work. The symbols were hypnotic almost, but beautiful as Merlin approached him.

"You didn't think I'd make everyone else armor and not give you armor as well did you?"

Arthur said nothing, not wanting to admit that it felt like the other was slipping/running away from him.

"Off with the cloak then so you can try it on!"

Arthur slipped off his cloak, glad he was wearing his own chainmail as Merlin stepped back from him and sent it ovre ARthur's head to settle against his chest and continue on with his incantation. The armor shrunk and buckled precisely as it needed to be and Merlin grinned, walkinga round to survey his work.

"Excellent, it'll even grow when you grow in your various directions..."

"Oi! I am not fat!"

"Not anymore no, seems like my tips to your servant are taking hold. It's like I was never gone."

Arthur glared at him as the armor began to unbuckle and slip from over his head.

"Merlin," he started.

"Yeah?"

"You are gone..."

Merlin nodded, "Never polishing a floor for you ever again, you're right."

"Merlin, I'm trying to be serious."

"Yes, you miss me. I understand and that's okay. We're still friends, you're still a clotpole and I am still Merlin."

Arthur gawked, but couldn't say anything at that grin of his. He could only smile back and growl, "Be glad I'm not having you shine my bots! Archmage or not!"

"Kilgarrah could eat you whole."

Arthur snickered, not really knowing why a death threat was funny, "I could have your head for that."

"You could, but it wouldn't make you any smarter."

That time, Arthur managed to lob a cup at his head which Merlin dodged with a grin. Arthur left then with a strange sense of lightness. As emotionally stunted as that moment was, he was definitely sure that they were still friends. His armor arrived with lunch and by the time the sun was setting everyone was clamoring into the great hall. Lords and Ladies came to great them, one by one, most of whom he didn't really remember by name, but it wasn't important as he looked out for Merlin and his date. Gwen grinned at the intricate work of Arthur's new armor.

"It's beautiful," Gwen said. "Much sexier than the last one."

"Glad you think so..."

He saw Merlin enter in full fashion, slipping into the feast without being noticed at all. The robes fit him well, a deep Pendragon red and gold. As Arthur commanded, he wore all the marks of his new station with the lovely Vera on his arm, smiling politely, nervously as she was lead through the crowd.

"That's a beautiful dress," Gwen complimented. "I'm glad that you've come."

Vera curtsied as if she'd been a part of a noble household her entire life. Her hair was pinned away from her face and tumbling in waves down her back. She was positively glowing and Merlin didn't seem to feel the need to take his eyes off her.

"Well... it's Merlin's fault. He bribed me with food."

Gwen laughed and Merlin grinned, leaning over to tell Vera that her moment of revenge was coming as Hilden came over with some handsome young lord.

"Hello," She greeted. Vera smiled politely at the man on her sister's arm as he looked over her and sneered at Merlin who grinned. "It's nice to meet you, I am Lady Hilden."

"I know who you are, dear sister." Vera smiled politely. "You should introduce him."

"This is to be my husband, Lord David of Mercia." Hilden said with the voice that said top that.

Vera nodded, "It's nice to meet you as well. I would appreciate it if you would stop oggling me though."

David gawked and Merlin grinned as Arthur stood and called for quiet throughout the hall. He took a breath.

"Welcome friends, tonight we celebrate the changes in Camelot as well as honor those changes," Arthur began. "As you all know, magic has returned to Camelot. It has a been a steady few months of incorporation. Our Knights are now aided by the addition of sorcerers of all kinds to help guard our borders as it ushers into a new age. These changes have been utterly astounding, but they will be completed tonight and Camelot's Golden Age will begin... Merlin, if you would step forward."

Vera blinked and looked at Merlin who smiled at her, kissed her cheek and stepped forward. Hilden, David, and Lord Henry, Vera and Hilden's father, looked on in surprise as Merlin stepped forward before the King.

"Kneel," Arthur said softly, Merlin obeyed. "For your service to Camelot, your dedication to the protective use of magic, and your wisdom... my dear friend..."

Their eyes locked for a moment and Merlin only grinned at the circle of gold Arthur hand in his hands. Gwen smiled and nodded at him and Vera stared, but not nearly as hard as Hilden, David, or Henry.

"I bestow upon you all the powers vested in me as King of Camelot, my unyielding trust, and name you Archmage of Camelot."

Arthur settled the crown over the unruly bed of curls. Hunith covered her mouth of the sound that Vera could not make.

"Rise," Arthur said softly. "Archmage Merlin of Camelot."

Merlin wrinkled his nose at the title, but stood and turned to the people who cheered and in some ways knew was coming. Hunith looked utterly shocked and Vera flushed at the smile he gave her as he crossed the room to return to her side. Henry watched him, Hilden gawked and Vera only stared wide-eyed at him.

"So... how's that?" Merlin asked gently, taking her hand. "Revenge enough?"

Vera sputtered, "I knew you knew the king but... but... I thought..."

Merlin pulled her close and silenced her with a kiss, earning the Knights and Arthur's teasing cheer. Vera flushed, but went pliant in his arms.

"I can't promise you everything, but I can promise you me... and a place to belong..."

Vera smiled at him, "I think... that's more than enough."

"So is that a yes?"

Vera smiled, "It's a hell yes."

Merlin tossed his head back and laughed as Gwaine slapped him on the arm with congratulations and a cheer that Merlin was gonna get married. Hilden gawked and Henry sputtered.

"Oh, let me not be rude..." Vera started, turning Merlin to face her father. "This is Lord Henry of Mercia...LAdy Hilden's father."

"I... I..."

"I've heard a lot about you," Merlin said softly, shaking his hand. "I'm glad we could finally meet."

She wasn't sure if it was just surprise or utter embarrassment that made Henry's face look like that. It didn't really matter as she smiled politely, took Merlin's arm and bid them goodbye heading towards the food and wine. When they were on the dance floor and he was spinning her around, she made sure to scold him for not telling him everything.

"What else haven't you told me?"

"You sound like Arthur... maybe I should have a joint meeting in which I explain everything to everyone..."

He did and both of them were so floored by the end of it that Merlin got away with calling Arthur fat and slipping a wedding band on Vera's finger.

At last, I can be sneaky in the open.