Arthur and his group arrived back at Camelot a week later but it was a solemn group as they still had no Merlin with them. As they arrived back they were met by the Queen, who by now was very pregnant, Hunith, Leon, Freya and Gaius all of whom were looking for Merlin. Arthur got of his horse and asked them to come to his chambers; the courtyard wasn't the place to tell his story.

Once there he told them what had happened and that they hadn't seen Merlin since.

"Morgana says we have lost Merlin as he is now Emrys, whether we see him again she cannot tell me." Arthur told them.

Gaius and Hunith looked resigned, they had both known Merlin had a destiny and nothing could change that. Leon looked shocked and moved toward Morgana to comfort her. Guinevere continued to hold Freya's hand and turned to the young girl, but before she could say anything Freya pulled her hand away and ran from the room in tears, she couldn't lose Merlin it was too much to bare.

Freya kept running until she was out of the citadel and at the place where Merlin asked her to hand fast with him. She threw herself on the ground sobbing. It was Gwaine that found her and picked her up in his arms and held her as she cried herself into exhaustion. Gwaine thought of Merlin as a younger brother and Freya had soon become like a sister to him. He was heartbroken for her, as well as deeply worried for his friends. Once she stopped crying he carried her back to Camelot and left her with Morgana.

Everyday Gwaine would find Freya in the same spot, where she had made a small shrine of flowers, and carry her back to Camelot. The days turned into weeks and then months with still no sign of Merlin. Lancelot came back and was shocked to find his friend still not back. The five Kingdoms were now at peace and prospering through peace and increased trade. Yet the first knights, and their rulers, had a deep feeling of gloom over them that they couldn't lift. Arthur had sent out riders to see if anyone had heard of where Merlin was. Not even the druids could help them. It was if he had disappeared from the face of the earth.

Eventually Guinevere gave birth to a Prince and Princess who they named Amr and Ygraine, and their birth was celebrated throughout the land. It gave everyone something positive to concentrate on. Yet still there was no sign of Merlin, it was if he had vanished. Arthur missed is friend deeply and had nearly named his son after the warlock, but he was too heartbroken to do so. To hear the name mentioned daily would be too much for him. The King ordered that Merlin's rooms be kept clean, but otherwise untouched in case one day he should return.

Freya was heartbroken she believed that Merlin was dead, otherwise he would have returned for her. Each day she went to the shrine she had grown for him, it was the nearest thing to a grave she had. At least there she felt close to him. The winter had been and gone, and even on the coldest days she would visit her shrine, Gwaine or one of the knights always going with her when the weather was bad. Then as spring came round she went and found spring flowers blooming, the first Primroses were out. As always she sat and talked to Merlin

"Oh Merlin you would love Amr and Ygraine they are so good. The King and Queen are so proud of them. But we all miss you so." She suddenly felt arms going round her shoulders "Gwaine I'm not going back yet. Go away please and leave me alone." She said without turning round.

"It's not Gwaine my love, do you really want me to go away?" a voice she hardly recognised spoke.

Freya turned and looked up then promptly fainted. A bit later she woke up to find herself led in the arms of Merlin, he looked different than before, somehow stronger and more assured of himself. As if he knew he was invincible. He also looked older, but not really, it was strange and something she couldn't explain. But it was his eyes that were the most obvious change they were still the same cerulean blue but with large flecks of gold.

"Is it really you, where have you been?" Freya asked unwilling to trust her eyes.

"Yes it is me, or rather the new me, I am still the Merlin you know, but my magic has grown and I have become Emrys, he is now the largest part of me. I have been far away learning my powers, they nearly overwhelmed me and I wasn't safe to be here. I am sorry I couldn't contact you. I nearly sent Aithusa but I needed her by my side. I have thought of you every day my love, my Freya." Merlin bent and kissed his love. "It was you that stopped me being totally lost to my new self."

Freya melted into his arms the despair of the past months disappearing as if it never happened. Merlin's magic poured into her as he deepened the kiss and she knew they would never be parted again.

"I thought you might have moved on, I came here before going to Camelot as this was our place. Losing your love was what frightened me the most. But when I saw the shrine and heard you speaking to me my heart sang." Merlin told her.

"Oh Merlin everyone has been so sad without you, even the twins birth didn't lift the sadness, the King was going to name his Prince after you but said he couldn't hear your name everyday not knowing what had happened to you. They will all be so happy. Come let's go and tell them all." Freya wanted to share the happiness she felt.

"Not yet my darling, let's have some time together first. I have dreamed of this day for so long. Just hold me and let me kiss you and feast my eyes on your face." Merlin looked at Freya.

"For awhile, but Merlin you have changed, not that I mind but you are older, stronger somehow." Freya said to him "Even more wonderful."

"It is Emrys, the amount of magic I now have at my fingertips has changed me, I have to be more mature, stronger or it would destroy me. That is why I had to stay away so long. So I could learn to live with it, and not let it take over my soul, my very self."

They sat together for a time before Merlin agreed to make their way back to the castle. As they got closer Merlin looked at Freya "I am going to disappear from your sight Freya, but I will still be by your side, I want you to get everyone together in one room so I can explain to them all together. My Mother, Gaius, the King and Queen, Morgana and the knights. Can you do that for me?"

"I can try. I can't wait to see their faces!" Freya exclaimed "I am so exited"

"I will calm you my love, or they will know something is afoot. I hope they don't faint like you did." Merlin grinned at Freya.

With that Merlin did indeed disappear from her view but she knew he was still there. A feeling of great calm descended over her and she went up to see Morgana, the High Priestess had become her friend since Merlin had disappeared, and she knew that Morgana would help her.

Going into Morgana's room she found the Priestess sitting at her desk looking through some papers. "That brother of mine, I asked him if he needed help and he gives me paperwork to do." Morgana complained to her friend. "You weren't down there so long today, how are you Freya?" Morgana hated that Freya spent her days by the shrine.

"I have come to a discussion Morgana and I want to tell everyone. Can you help me get them together? I don't want to keep repeating myself" Freya hated not telling Morgana the truth, but she would do as Merlin asked.

Morgana looked at her friend; she seemed more at peace as if she had settled something in her heart. She hoped it meant she could start moving on with her life. Everyone had been getting increasingly worried about the young girl.

"Off course who do you want to see?"

Freya told her and Morgana sent out messages for everyone to come to her rooms. As High Priestess she often called meetings so no one was surprised. Although they did wonder what was happening when the entire group of friends were gathered. It was seldom they were all needed.

Morgana stood in front of them, and then taking Freya's hand brought her to the front of the group. "Freya asked me to get you together as she wanted to tell you something." Morgana looked down at Freya, who was a good four inches shorter than she was. Freya swallowed several times and looked at everyone.

"Thank you for coming, you have all been so kind to me these past months, but I need to tell you that you will no longer need to watch over me. I was at the shrine today when something happened." She paused.

The others all looked at her wondering what was coming next. Arthur spoke first "I'm glad you are moving on Freya we have all be worried about you, you are like a sister to us all. I know you love Merlin we all do but he wouldn't want you to spend your life grieving. He will never be forgotten."

It was the first time anyone had suggested that Merlin wouldn't be back, but they had all thought it at sometime. They were surprised when Freya smiled and looked sideways. Then gradually a shape started to form in front of their eyes, until Merlin was stood there.

"I'm glad you still remember me. It would have been difficult had you forgotten me." Merlin said to them all.

No one fainted, but it was fair to say that several nearly did. Hunith rushed forwards and hugged her son and the Warlock was soon surrounded on all sides. "Please let us sit down and I will tell you what has happened." Merlin's voice commanded an authority that he had never managed in the past and they did as he asked even the King. Merlin looked at his friends

"I am sorry it has taken me so long to return to you. When I was in the pit and my soul was being removed by Sarrum I began to feel my magic reacting, Emrys was being set free. I always knew I had more magic, but had never before been able to access it all. As you know I am magic, made from magic and the earth. My body cannot exist without my magic. So after I was captured in the stone of wuifseapas gastgeniolan, my body went into the ground. But the stone wasn't big enough to hold me, and I found part of my soul floating, but as a dragonlord it found Aithusa. She kept it safe for me. Then when Sarrum tried to use the stone the rest of my soul escaped and found me. Once rejoined my body followed from the ground. It needed a home, Emrys had been set free. I acted to stop Sarrum, but even then my new powers were tearing me apart. So I left before I caused damage to anyone. Aithusa flew me far away where I could be in isolation, to learn to control the vast amounts of magic at my disposal."

Merlin looked round the room. Like Freya the others could sense the change in their friend.

"It has taken me until now to take control. Had it not been for my love for Freya and you all, Merlin would have been lost forever. But enough of him remains for me to be myself, all be it a changed self. I have returned to be with my love and you all."

Arthur looked at Merlin "I can see the changes Merlin, will you still stay with us and be with us as you once were?"

"I will stay with you, but although I will always be by your side and help as I can I am no longer yours to command. You are still my King, The Once and Future King and I am still your Warlock. But I cannot be yours to command. My power is such that I could destroy all of Albion with one thought, without even moving from this room. I will help, as I see the need, but if I am asked to do anything I feel unwise I will not do it." Merlin explained. "I am now Emrys and cannot go back to what I was. Only a small part of Merlin remains, the part that holds love for you all."

The room remained silent as they took in what Merlin had told them. It was Morgana that spoke next:

"Lord Emrys, I can feel your power, and it is as you say great, greater than I thought possible. But do we call you Emrys or Merlin? Are you friend or Lord?"

Merlin looked at her, sadness in his eyes. "To you all I am Merlin, a friend, but to the rest I will be Emrys. Which will make me both feared, and worshiped and that is something I never asked for, or wanted." Merlin looked at them all, never had be looked so sad or worn down with responsibility "I look to you all to keep Merlin alive for he is my balance."

Gwaine spoke for the first time. "I hope that means you're going to hand fast with Freya, she has been waiting long enough for you."

Merlin smiled, the smile they all remembered, the smile that lit up the room. "I am if she will still have me."

"I will, I love you Merlin." Freya told him.

"And I you" he kissed her in front of his friends. "Now I want to see the new Prince and Princess." He demanded.

Within a week he and Freya had had their hand fasting ceremony, as it happened there were two that day as Morgana and Leon finally joined in marriage. Merlin returning had given them just the push they needed.

As the years passed Arthur never asked Merlin/Emrys to do any magic on his behalf, but used the High Priestess. If ever Merlin's magic was used it was when he felt to need to help. But just his presence at Camelot had the effect of keeping the peace. There wasn't anyone in the five Kingdoms who hadn't heard of the power of the Warlock. It didn't mean that Merlin wasn't involved in the kingdom, he was, but as an equal with the King.

When Emrys did use his magic it left everyone in total awe of his powers. Yet to his friends he was Merlin their younger brother. He was still teased and looked after even if it did cause him to roll hid eyes. He needed their friendship too keep him grounded, having such powers was a curse in many ways. He needed to keep his temper at all times, even for a kind and gentle person such as his self that wasn't always easy. Quite how he remained so pure of heart was a mystery to anyone who didn't know him well. Who else could have such power yet keep it under such a tight control. Yet if ever he did get angry there was no one, not even the King who would stand against him, at such times his power was a visible thing that made everyone tremble. That is except for a small mild woman who hardly came up to his shoulder, for her he would do anything. Some said he would stop the world turning if she asked him, luckily she never did.

The End.