Set sometime after Lancelot Du Luc in season 4.

Arthur and Gwen knew that they should not follow Merlin in to the woods at night; they knew they should not be invading his privacy this way but the King and Queen of Camelot could not help themselves. They both cared for him even if Arthur would deny it at all costs and they just wished to know that he was okay.

Currently, Merlin was standing in a clearing. In fact if Arthur wasn't mistaken this was the clearing where he expertly slayed the dragon all those years ago and even then Arthur considered Merlin as a good friend.

Of course the both of them had reserved guesses for what he was out here for. Merlin had been leaving the castle a lot more often than usual and even the knights were beginning to notice it, Arthur was meaning to ask him about it but his duties as king had gotten in the way. Gwen thought he was meeting a woman but Arthur did not think that was it, the King couldn't picture Merlin in any romantic setting.

One thing was for sure though, Merlin had a secret.

Suddenly, Merlin began to chant raising his hands to the sky. Arthur couldn't believe it, he had been betrayed again and this, this hurt the most. It hurt more than any betrayal he had experience before and there had definitely been a few. He unsheathed his sword but Gwen stopped him and gave him a firm glare and pointed towards Merlin.

Arthur turned to see balls of light surrounding his manservant, he watched as Merlin poked one and shockingly it turned in to a glowing butterfly. The King of Camelot found himself to be smiling as he watched his manservant poke at the balls of light and laugh at how they turned in to shining butterflies. He looked over to Gwen who was positively beaming.

So magic can't be all bad then.

Unexpectedly, a sudden burst of fire came out of nowhere and engulfed the entirety of the clearing. Arthur forced his hand over Gwen's mouth to stifle her scream as he looked on horrified as he realised his friend, who he now knew had magic and that he found himself accepting it, has just been incinerated. Arthur stifled his coughs as he brought Gwen further in to the bushes where they couldn't be seen.

Then, just as quickly as it came the smoke cleared and the fire petered out to reveal Merlin completely fine and intact and he felt Gwen release a breath in time with his own. However, the clearing was destroyed and from above the butterflies that once shone with light now were black consumed with darkness. His attentions then turned to the figure on the other side of the clearing, Morgana.

"Why must you destroy what I create?" Merlin asked so innocently Arthurs comments about him being a girl suddenly felt justified.

"Because that is what I am Merlin. I destroy, I hate and I am darkness." She said it as if she had no choice but Arthur always believed that people made their own choices.

"You don't have to" Merlin stated looking directly at Morgana, Arthur felt himself gripping Excalibur tighter and tighter "You can create, you can love and you can step back in to the light" Arthur glanced at Gwen who seemed to hold an emotion of hope for Morgana's answer. "Please Morgana step back in to the light with me"

"Destiny is not so easily defied Merlin." Despair was a weak word to use in comparison to what Merlin looked like right now "Your naivety will get you killed one day" It didn't sound like a threat which only confused both the royals "I hate that I love you for it." That was not what Arthur was expecting and by the look on Gwen's face she was not expecting that either.

"Your path of darkness will get you killed one day Morgana" Merlin looked up, tears staining his cheeks and Arthur wanted to, even though he would deny it from that point onwards, comfort him in some way. "Please don't make me do it, you know I will." There was no hesitation in his voice.

"I know, your loyalty to Arthur is something I have never witnessed nor felt before" Arthur thought that to not be so true although if Merlin did have magic it meant that all those falling branches and clumsy bandits weren't just luck after all.

"You know why I do it. Please join me, defy destiny with me" Arthur did not seem convinced that Morgana would agree to this and one look at Gwen confirmed his right to be apprehensive.

"Why should I? I have an army, resources and skilled sorcerers at my disposal to kill Arthur and everyone else in Camelot" Arthur watched as Merlin closed his eyes before shaking his head and walking towards her. Arthur stared wide eyed as he watched the grass grow back as Merlin walked past it, what was once ash became soil, what was dead became alive and what was dark became light.

Merlin took both sides of her face in his hands and looked deeply in to her eyes. Arthur thought whilst looking at Morgana that she looked so lost, like a child who could not find her family. Maybe that was what she was, she needed her family again.

"Because I love you Morgana I have loved you ever since the moment you walked in to the banquet hall wearing that beautifully sinful red dress." Arthur remembered that he himself was also blown away by Morgana but that was of course before he found out they were siblings. "I loved you even as I watched you steal the crystal of Neahtid" Arthur had no idea her betrayal started so early "I loved you as I fought you sword to sword underneath Camelot in the crypts, I loved you as you took the throne of Camelot and I loved you even after what you did to Lancelot" He watched as Gwen struggled to hold back a sob and he pulled her close whilst he carried on watching the two intently.

"We have done this before Merlin. We have declared love to each other too many times, what are we supposed to do about it? We both want magic to be made legal once more but I will not wait as long as you Merlin" Arthur decided it was time he stepped in.

"Maybe you won't have to" The two jumped at his sudden interruption.

"Arthur how long have you been there?" Gwen followed out behind him brushing the tears away from her cheeks "Gwen to?" Merlin asked and she timidly nodded her head.

"I have been here long enough to see my best friend do magic and watch how he and my sister an enemy of Camelot declare their undying love for each other." He had never seen Morgana look that scared since the Knights of Medhir. Where it all started.

"And?" She asked nervously.

"As of tomorrow the ban on magic will be lifted and Morgana, if she wishes, may become princess of Camelot but on the grounds that she does not kill me or Guinevere or any other of Camelot's citizens." Their moths gaped so much it was almost laughable.

"You're serious?" He turned to Merlin with a lightened expression and walked over to the him nodding and giving him a hug.

"You need not hide yourself now my friend" Arthur whispered in to his ear. He pulled away and turned to Morgana who wore a torn expression on her face. He placed both hands on both of her shoulders causing her to look up at him "Morgana, do you love Merlin?" She nodded without hesitation. "Then you will do anything to make him happy as he would do the same for you. Come home"

He smiled as she slowly nodded and began to sob in to his chest and he simply held her, his sister like nothing had happened because no matter how many deaths, manipulations and deceiving there was she was still his sister and the only blood family he had left in the five kingdoms.

"And so the prophecy is fulfilled." Arthur turned around to see the dragon he had slain a few years ago landing and talking. "King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, it is time to build the golden age of Camelot and Emrys and Morgana Le Fey it is time for you to help them forge that path using the gifts given to you, this is the true prophecy." Arthur then watched in complete amazement as Merlin stepped forward and the dragon bowed to him "I am sorry, if I had known sooner I would not have steered you from her"

"It is okay Kilgharrah, everything is fine now." Merlin turned to face his King, his Queen and the woman he loved "Yes everything is more than fine now."