So I recently had some inspiration for this story, I don't know where I'll be going with it but if literally anyone who used to read it back in ancient times (a.k.a 2012) I hope this is a nice surprise and I hope I'll be able to keep up with it! It might be kinda rough but hopefully you enjoy it.

Merlin woke the next day, his arm still throbbing from the gash. He got up and headed into the next room where Gaius was already up preparing his herbs for the day's rounds.

"Ahh Merlin, good you're awake. I was just about to come in and check on you. How is your arm?" he asked moving towards the shelves looking up and down the rows of potions and herbs until he found the ones he has been looking for.

"Here, drink this it will help with the pain and apply this to the wound it will help it heal faster and will reduce the chances of infection." Handing over two small vials to the young warlock. Merlin took them and moved towards the bench to tend to his wound. Opening them he gagged "god Gaius, do any of your potions not smell like rotting fish?!" he exclaimed pushing them away from him and covering his nose.

"oh don't over exaggerate Merlin" Gaius scolded sitting down next to his ward and started removing the bandages covering the wound. "Here, hand me the yellow one and drink the clear one now or you might just lose that arm of your which will make doing all your chores for me and Arthur much more difficult and take twice—" before he could finish his sentence merlin had grabbed the vial and downed it, spluttering.

"So, have you decided what you're going to tell Gwen?"

"I hadn't really decided, but I thought it would probably be best to start with the basics which she probably got from the book but will probably need clarifying. I thought I might get Lancelot to help me, maybe his presence and the fact that he's kept my secret this entire time will help show her how important it is to keep this from Arthur, at least for the time being."

Rewrapping clean bandages around Merlin's arm, Gaius stood and moved to pick up the bowls with their breakfast in it, "well you better eat up. Just be glad Arthur is in meetings today. The rebels of Cenrids kingdom have become a nuisance so you'll have plenty of time to talk with Gwen."

"Thanks Gaius, I'll see you later."

Before Merlin made his way out of the castle and into the lower town he had left a note in Lancelot's room asking him to meet him at Gwen's house later if he got a chance. It didn't take long to reach Gwen's house, when he arrived he knocked on the door looking around. The door opened and when Gwen saw who it was she smiled beckoning Merlin inside, ushering him into a chair and placing a pitcher of water and a plate of small cakes in front of him.

"I figured that this might be hard for you, seeing that so few know your secret so I wanted to show my appreciation. That and I figured that this might take a while so." Smiling at his friend he realized that Gwen knowing his secret and telling her about what he has gone through over the past few years wasn't going to be as horrible as he thought it was going to be.

"Well where do you want me to start, I know you must have questions."

"Well I got the basics about the difference between sorcerers and warlock, I learned about the druid, different magical creatures like dragons, griffins-like the one Lancelot defeated when he first arrived in Camelot…." Her words dwindled as she noticed the sheepish look that crossed Merlin's face at the mention of the Griffin. "But, that was you wasn't it?"

"Not entirely, Lancelot did slay the griffin, I just enchanted his lance so that it would penetrate its hide." He explained.

"Okay, so tell me everything. All your stories, everything that has happened since you arrived here."

So Merlin told her. He told her about Nimueh, Cornelius Sigan, how he was the one to force the troll to reveal herself before Uther married her. He revealed his part in releasing the Great Dragon, about how his father was the Dragon Lord that they went to find and how he was killed. The visions he saw in the Crystal Cave and the changeling that possessed Princess Elena and Grunhilda and how he dealt with them. After several hours of regaling her with his tales he finally came to the old man who took blame for "enchanting" her and Arthur, the one who managed to escape.

"That was you?!" Gwen gasped, looking at him with wide eyes. "Yes." Came his simple reply. "I couldn't let Uther kill you for something that you didn't do, especially when there was no magic involved what so ever. So I came up with the act of Dragoon in order to throw suspicion off you two."

At that Gwen moved around the table and threw her arms around Merlin's neck, "thank you. You have saved Camelot and all our lives so many times and we were clueless."

Gwen moved back to her side of the table ready to ask some more questions when there was a knock at the door. Gwen rose to answer it and Lancelot moved into the room.

"So, what tale are we on now?" he asked smirking at his friend. "I just told her about the time I transformed into an old man to stop Uther from killer her for "enchanting" his royal pratiness" Merlin laughed moving over on the bench to allow his friend a spot at the table.

"Ahh, I remember hearing about that in my travels. I should have figured it was you doing something brave and stupid."

"I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you have magic Merlin. You've kept it hidden so well, it's a wonder no one's caught you so far."

"Oh trust me there have been many who were close." He replied taking a sip of the water in front of him.

"Know you know why he's kept it secret for so long. There have been many who have tried to kill him. Many know him by a different name, a name that is feared and revered across the realms. If his secret was known to them, he and all those around him would be in danger. Especially Arthur, with everything he has dealt with regarding magic recently, it wouldn't be safe for me or those who know of my powers. You, Lancelot, and Gaius, Uther would have you all put to death alongside me if he were to ever find out that you knew who I was and didn't report me."

Gwen looked between the two men in front of her weighing her options. "I know Arthurs dealt with a lot lately, but I still don't think he would kill you or any of us. However, you are right about Uther. If so much as has a suspicion that there's magic in Camelot he jumps at the chance to snuff it out. I'll keep you secret, so long as you don't keep anything from me from now on, alright. I want to help you Merlin, you're my friend and from what I've heard have saved my life on several occasion now."

"Thank you Gwen." Merlin let out a sigh of relief that he hadn't realized he was holding until that point. With all of it behind him, his secret out and Gwen was on his side it felt good having someone else that he trusted in the know.