A/N: There is a sequel now in the works for this story! It can be found on my profile page.

A preview from "The Coming of Magic":

"Have you anything to say in your defense?" he asked.

Blue eyes rose and met the King's.

Uh-oh.

"I do," the man said. "Tospringe."

The manacles popped open and Nolan's freed hand cast to the side with a shouted word. It was only seconds before he was sending a dagger toward the King's unprotected chest with a flash of golden eyes and another shouted spell.

He was no match for the wiry servant.

Merlin's hands didn't even move, his eyes flashed and the dagger stopped in mid-flight three feet in front of Arthur. To his credit, the King hadn't even flinched or made to move. He had had complete confidence in Merlin's ability to protect him.

Nolan's eyes went wide and there were gasps from the Council members seated in the room around them. Merlin's breathing quickened behind him, but Arthur chose not to acknowledge it. He stood and reached for the dagger, which Merlin's magic relinquished when he made contact with it.

"So you sought to kill me?" he said quietly. "Why?"

The man, who was now at the sword points of four knights of Camelot, swallowed thickly. "You … killed my family. All of them. In a Druid camp. You thought we'd kidnapped the Lady Morgana. You … I hate you."

Arthur nodded. "And so you should," he said quietly. "I too would despise the man who killed my family. But if I have learned anything in these years as King, it's been that murder and killing gets one nowhere. By meeting sorcery with death, we invite more death by sorcery. By attempting more violence, you've made yourself no better a man than I was then, Nolan."

Merlin shifted behind him as the sorceror's eyes blazed in anger. "I'm nothing like you! I didn't murder anyone in cold blood!"

"No? That wasn't your intent just now? To murder an unarmed man?" the King asked, arching an eyebrow.

Nolan paused. "Then arm yourself," he said boldly.

Merlin was vehemently shaking his head behind him, Arthur could tell. "Why should I do that," the King said. "I can't fight your magic with my sword. You can attack from a great distance, while I must be in short range."

He shifted his gaze to the room at large. "I was going to sentence Nolan of Icarus to community service for his crime of enchantments. But for his crime of attempted murder, there can only be one sentence. Death. Guards, take him away. And we will hold no more court today."

...

A/N: Check it out, you know you want to... :)

Thanks for reading "The Dawn of A New Day."