A/N: So here we go, guys: the last chapter! Hope you all enjoy it! Firstly though, I must say thank you to Vuurvlieg, MerlinStar, Mediatrix (you'll be pleased to know I've posted the 1st chapter of the sequel! And episode three was fantastic - loved every moment of it!), ruby890, Phoenix1998, jayley, rmatri540, FunusNex (good guess!), and Darkmiror (wow, thanks for the long review! Really enjoyed it! Hope this chapter lives up to your expectations. As for S5, I know what you mean but I really like that they are trying to show exactly how far Merlin is willing to go to protect Arthur now...I'm always willing to chat about Merlin, so if you want, PM me!)

Episode 3 was one of the most awesome things I've seen in a long while! If they keep the quality this high for the whole season, I hope they get a sixth!

Disclaimer: I own nothing, the BBC on the other hand, owns the lot.

Maps were spread across the table, some had been marked, others placed to the side out of the way, but one was more dog-eared and used than the others. It was a map of Odin's fortress and the surrounding landscape, special because it was highly detailed. Drawn in Arthur's grandfather's time by Lorgan the Traitor, who had left Bernicia to sell her secrets for gold, it gave the layout of the castle, the defensive strong points and where the weaknesses lay. Although Arthur knew of one weakness that Odin would not have time to repair completely before the army of Camelot came to his door: the hole Emrys had blasted out the side of the dungeons.

The plan was a simple one but Arthur was sure it would be successful. He would leave a hundred men to garrison Camelot and take the rest of the army south, it was unlikely that Odin would choose to meet him on the open battlefield when his castle was so hard to reach. He had only to raise the drawbridge and it would be impossible for Arthur's men to breach the defenses. But their isolation was both their strength and their weakness, although they had vast food storage and a direct supply of water from the river that surrounded them, a prolonged siege would be impossible for them to survive, even if a siege of such length was usually almost as hard on the attackers as it was on the defenders because supplies were hard to maintain across a distance. But the plan was simple. He would burn every village, every town and every field in Odin's kingdom, without food or homes the refugees would seek safety in the capital, or even in some of the other, smaller fortresses that dotted Odin's country, either way, the extra mouths would deplete the food stores dramatically. Camelot's army however, would be supplied by a series of convoys directly from Camelot itself.

His conscience bothered him slightly at such extreme measures but he quashed such thoughts. He did not want to make innocents suffer, he took no pleasure in it, but the ends justified the means. Odin would not be allowed to continue to threaten his kingdom and the only way to achieve victory quickly with minimal losses to his army was to obliterate any chance of the defenders surviving a siege.

Sighing, Arthur pushed the map of Bernicia to the side. Before he could begin to organise the whole campaign, there was something he had to do, a promise he had to keep. He had already chosen which of his knights would accompany him and planned exactly what he was going to say to Hunith but still he had not left to keep his promise to his servant. Mostly because he was hoping Emrys would wake up before he left, there were some issues he wanted to discuss with the crazy sorcerer, but he was partly putting the visit off. He didn't want to have to tell another person, least of all Merlin's mother, how he had failed to protect his friend.

The door of his chambers swung open violently and Gwaine strode in. The knight's chainmail was gone, his hair was unkempt and he reeked of sweat and ale. It was unsurprising - the man hadn't been seen outside the Rising Sun since Arthur had told him of Merlin's death; what was surprising though, was he appeared to be completely sober.

"What is wrong with you?" Gwaine demanded, looming over Arthur's desk.

The king leaned back to put some distance between him and the tavern that was Gwaine. "Wrong with me?" he asked incredulously.

"You tell us that Odin may have sent patrols into Camelot, that the peace talks were nothing but a ploy to kill you and now I hear that you're off out for another jolly!" the knight banged his fist against the table, "Merlin died to get you home and now you're just going to spit on his memory by going and getting yourself killed?"

"If you had bothered to actually step out the tavern, Gwaine, you would know I'm going to Ealdor to see Merlin's mother." Gwaine opened his mouth to respond, paused and shut it again. "Is there anything else you wanted?" Arthur asked, looking pointedly at the door.

"I want to come with you."

"No." replied Arthur, standing up and going to the window.

"Why not?"

"Because you look and smell like you've spent the last three days in a tavern."

"I have."

"Yes, I know. I gave Merlin my word I would tell his mother what happened personally and I'm not going to insult the poor woman by showing up dragging you in tow."

"I'll have a bath," Gwaine promised. "Please, Arthur, I need to do this. He was my closest friend and I didn't even notice he was injured. I owe him everything I have now and I failed him when it counted most."

That guilt was something Arthur could easily relate to. It was always just at the back of his mind, the thought he should have done something, tried harder, noticed that Merlin was wounded. But he hadn't and that was something he would have to live with for the rest of his life, keeping his word would do nothing to alleviate it, but if it would help Gwaine come to terms with his friend's death then he had no right to stop him.

"Take a bath," Arthur said, waving at the door, "Stay out the taverns."

"Thank you!"

"And Gwaine," the knight paused at the door, "I'm only taking Knights of Camelot with me."

Bowing his head slightly, Gwaine replied: "Yes, Sire."

He was replaced in the doorway by a young, nervous-looking guard. "My lord?" the boy asked tentatively.

"Yes? What is it?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Sire, but Gaius asks you go to his chambers as soon as you are able. He says it's urgent."

Arthur opened the door to Gaius' rooms and stepped inside. The old man was pacing impatiently back and forth but when he saw the king, he stopped and hurried over.

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Sire."

"Is everything all right?"

"Yes, Sire. You should know that Emrys awoke a few hours ago."

"Where is he?" Arthur asked, looking around as if he expected Emrys to appear at any moment.

"I'm afraid he left not long after he awoke, Sire."

"What? Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you stop him, Gaius?"

"I hardly think, Sire, that I am capable of stopping Emrys even if I wanted to," Gaius raised a offended eyebrow, "Besides, I was not aware he was under arrest."

Suitably chastened, Arthur drew a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair. "You're right, of course, Gaius. He's free to come and go as he wishes."

Somehow Gaius' eyebrow rose even higher. "Is he really?" Not waiting for a response he continued, "Before he left, he said he had one more gift for you, to prove his loyalty."

Before Arthur could ask what exactly this 'gift' was, the door to Merlin's room opened and Arthur watched dumbfounded as his servant jogged down the steps. Arthur stood rooted to the spot unable to believe his eyes. It was more than he could process. Merlin was dead and nothing could bring him back and yet there he was. Alive and looking a little unsure of himself. But it couldn't be...

"Arthur?" Merlin said tentatively.

The sound of his name shook him out of his inertia and he took a step forwards. "Merlin?"

"Hey Arthur," responded his servant, grinning.

The young king started laughing, unable hide his joy at seeing his friend alive. All the times he had wished he could have done something different, that he could have prevented the young man being injured, or somehow reached Camelot in time to save him, the guilt had nearly suffocated him and his only relief was to focus his attention on revenge against the man who had caused his death. But here he stood, grinning like an fool, as if he had never been away, never been the cause of such pain and loss. It was impossible. It was the happiest moment of Arthur's life.

"You...I...You idiot!" he exclaimed affectionately and before he'd even registered his legs moving, he was across the room and pulling the younger man into a crushing hug.

"It's great to see you too, Arthur," Merlin chuckled, "But could you try not suffocating me?"

Arthur pushed his friend away slightly, looked him in the eye and started laughing again before pulling him back for another quick hug. After a moment, he released Merlin and turned to Gaius. "How is this possible?"

Gaius shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "I do not fully understand myself, Sire. To return the dead to the living is not an easy thing to achieve."

Arthur looked between Gaius and Merlin, found himself grinning inanely and not caring. "You know, this once, I really don't care." He punched Merlin in the arm happily, "How do you feel?"

"Fine," Merlin grumbled, rubbing his arm, "Why is it always punching with you?"

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur said happily, not meaning it and slung his arm across his friend's shoulders. "Come on. There are a lot of people who are going to be very happy to see you! And after that, you have a lot of chores to catch up on: my armour needs cleaning, my boots need polishing and well, let's just say Gwen will kill me if our chambers don't get tidied soon."

Merlin allowed himself to be led out the room, with a backwards glance at Gaius. "So I come back from the dead and all I get is to polish your amour?"

"You're my servant, Merlin, it's what you do," Arthur explained patiently, "What do you expect? A feast?"

"And you're an arrogant, insensitive, supercilious turnip-brain," replied Merlin, "But I live in eternal hope you'll change."

"Merlin?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

Slowly opening her eyes, Morgana became aware of a dull ache in her stomach, soft pillows below her head, warmth at her feet and a pair of piercing blue eyes. Familiar blue eyes.

"Mordred," she sighed.

The young boy patted her hand, comfortingly. "It's good to see you again, Morgana. Do not worry, I have healed your injury and you will feel better soon. What happened to you?"

The memory burned in Morgana's mind. She had defeated Emrys, both he and Arthur had been at her mercy but somehow, Emrys had thwarted her even when he was at her mercy.

"Emrys," she said venomously, "He plagues my every waking moment. All my plans crumble to dust before him."

Laughing quietly, Mordred gently pushed Morgana back down on the bed. "You fail Morgana because you do not know who you face."

"But you do?" she asked eagerly, "You know who he is?"

Mordred's smile turned cruel. "Oh yes. I know exactly who Emrys is."

THE END

A/N: There we have it! The first chapter of the sequel, Revealed Truths, is up now, if you fancy heading over there and carrying on the story! Please review!