AN: Well, I've got a one-shot here for you guys. It's an AU of 5x03 where Arthur meets his mother instead of his father when he blows the horn, because I don't like Uther, despite loving BAMF Merlin standing up to him when he hurts Arthur in that episode. I'll give you all fair warning, I left this thing really open-ended, and I don't intend to continue it. I've still got my other story that I've yet to finish, and I don't want to get too sidetracked with taking this one further. I just needed to get this scene out of my head.

Anyways, here's hoping you guys like this. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

Arthur turned from Merlin's worried face and walked into the circle of standing stones. His heart beat frantically as he raised the horn to his lips. He hesitated for only a moment before taking a deep breath and blowing. Within one of the stone doorways appeared a light. It grew upwards, opening wide before him. He could feel it calling him forwards, tender and gentle. He took his doubts and caged them away in the back of his mind, stepping forward purposefully. It was too late to back out now, he had already opened the door. Now he just had to walk through it.

As he passed into the light a feeling of comfort, half warm, half cold enveloped him before vanishing. Through the new strange nothingness he emerged into he was able to make out a figure, but it was not the strong, tall one he had been expecting. His breath stuck in his throat when he recognized who was standing before him. He had seen her only once before; his mother.

"Arthur…my son," she said.

No, this was not right. This was just another illusion. It had to be. She sounded the same as she had back then, looked just as beautiful and pure. He was supposed to see his father. That was what he had come here for. It was what he expected to happen, not this. And yet, some part of him knew that this was what he had really wanted all along, deep down in his heart of hearts.

"…It's not true…this…it's just an illusion, it has to be," he chocked out, trying to hold back the tears threatening to overwhelm him.

"Oh Arthur," said his mother. "I am so sorry." She looked as if she wanted to rush forward and embrace him, but she stayed where she was, her eyes beginning to glisten with unshed tears too.

"…This isn't real…" he whispered.

Pain chased it's way across his mothers face at his words. "It is Arthur, it really is."

His heart was pounding in his chest. He tried to swallow around the lump in his throat, heart clenching painfully in his chest. "…was it real the last time too?"

"It was me, but I had been wrought to another's will. It was only that which allowed me to touch you."

That…that left him just a little confused, but there was a feeling of hopefulness too. "What do you mean?"

"The magic that brought me into your world was impure. I could see you, speak to you, touch you even, but I could not say anything if the sorceress who brough me there did not wish me to. My spirit was not wholly free to do as it wished as I am now."

"So then…what you said…it wasn't true? Those weren't truly your words?"

He had to know the answer, he had to understand. But he was terrified that he would not like the truth he was given.

"It was only a twisted version of the truth…" said his mother, trailing off as her tears finally broke free, flowing down her beautiful face. "…you were born of magic…but no one, not even Nimueh knew the true cost that would need to be paid."

No. It couldn't be true. It was not true. It couldn't be…

"I wanted to be a mother just as badly as your father wanted an heir. Both your father and I went to Nimueh. She told us that in order for a life to be given, one must be taken. Your father…he wasn't truly listening to her. He assumed that we could control what the magic did, who it took. We waited for someone to be sentenced to death for their crimes, and your father timed Nimueh's casting of the spell with their execution. He believed the price to have been paid, and refused to listen when Nimueh cautioned it may not be so."

His knees felt weak. He swayed where he stood, watching his mother in growing horror. It made sense. Dear gods, but it made sense. It was just like Uther to be so bull-headed and certain of himself for him not to see, to not heed the warnings he was given that his assumptions may not be true.

But it had to be lies. Merlin had told him – .

His thoughts were cut short as his mother darted forwards, now standing right in front of him, stopping just short of touching.

"Do not do this to yourself, my Arthur. Merlin only knew the truth because of Gaius' silence when he confronted him about it. He did not know what had truly happened, only that you really were born of magic, and that Morgause was using you to get to Uther," she said. "In a way, what he said to you that day was true. Morgause did lie, what I said was influenced by her, she did do that just to get you to hurt your father."

He wasn't sure what he was supposed to feel. Merlin had known the truth, but had lied to him. Even if what he said had in a way been true too. "…but he didn't know that, did he?"

She bit her lip as she studied him. "I don't think he did," she admitted. "But he said that to protect you,"

"He lied…"

He was hovering somewhere between anger and soul-crushing pain. Merlin was the last person left who had never betrayed him, who he could always trust.

His mother's pained voice broke through his mussing thoughts. "Because he knew your mind better than even you did at the time. Arthur, he said those things to protect you from yourself. He knew you would never have forgiven yourself if you had gone through with it. He hadn't wanted to see you destroyed in the same vein as your father."

He tried to come to grips with that. Once he started to consider it, it wasn't too hard. It was just another example of Merlin's insurmountable level of loyalty to him.

"Arthur," said his mother, a strange intensity creeping into her voice. "Do not doubt the loyalty given you by Merlin. As I have watched you, I have seen many of the things he has done for you, and it is so much more than you know. He puts your safety and happiness above even what is truly right if he has to. What happened with your father was not the only instance of that. No matter what, you must trust him. He would forsake everything he believes in to protect you. Look out for him, as he has for you, for his foil now resides in Camelot, and if you do not, he may lose himself."

She began inching backwards from him, looking reluctant to go, even while she continued. "Now you must go," she said once out of his reach.

The light from before began to gather around them again, and he felt panic and pain rise in his chest.

"What? No! You cannot leave me with more questions!"

He had said those words to her before, in another time, another place. It had made her explain then.

"If you stay, you will become trapped here. Take my blessing, and go, please. Do not look back, or I will be released into your world where I no longer belong. Just know that I couldn't be more proud of the man you have become, and the kingdom you have built with your friends. But now you must go."

He didn't want this to end now, but he couldn't deny the urgency that had crept into her tone. His mother's voice followed him as he walked away, resisting the urge to turn and look back. "I will always love you, my son," and then the light took him away from her.

He emerged back inside the circle of stones, paying no mind to the sudden return of the real world, only gazing with unseeing eyes at the grass beneath his feet. He ignored Merlin's immediate questions while he mounted up and turned his horse back towards Camelot. He could feel Merlin's eyes on him as they rode, but was grateful when he remained silent, even though he knew it wouldn't last.

'…no matter what you must trust him…he would forsake everything he believes in to protect you…look out for him…his foil now resides in Camelot…if you do not, he may lose himself…' The problem was, he couldn't find any arguments against those statements.