Spread Your Wings - Let Them Burn

Chapter 1

Three years had passed since the magic ban had been lifted from Camelot, and five since Arthur had become King.

Merlin had left Camelot soon after the lifting, convinced that his work had been done and that Arthur would be able to build Albion himself now that he believed in magic.

Merlin had tried to justify his actions (to himself, and to others) many times, and all of those times it boiled down to the fact that Arthur was worthy, and Merlin was not.

Arthur, the golden Once and Future King, was noble, kind hearted, and just.

In comparison, Merlin was completely the opposite. Secretive, a liar, and doomed to always walk the grey area between justice and injustice.

He had spent years keeping the king safe, working in the shadows, never seeking recognition.

How could he? He had betrayed so many of his kind, killed so many, and had a hand in the death of twice that number.

That was why, nearly three years ago, he had left Camelot in the cover of night, leaving nothing but a vague letter to Arthur and a teary goodbye to Gaius. There was a feast going in the citadel, to celebrate the lifting of the ban, and the whole of the population was gathered there, making it pretty easy for Merlin to slip out unnoticed.

No, that wasn't quite correct.

Gwen had been busy serving that day, but Lady Morgana had escaped for fresh air. By pure chance, she saw Merlin slipping away that night. It didn't take her long to confront him, and Merlin, seeing her so confused and righteously angry, broke down and confessed everything. Why he couldn't stay, everything.

Morgana already knew about his magic, but didn't know all that he had done for Camelot.

She herself had confessed her magic just a few weeks earlier, and so was understanding, but couldn't understand why he had to leave.

He needs you, she had said. Especially now, when he has made such a big decision.

It was nothing Merlin hadn't told himself before, but his mind was made up. He turned to leave, without replying, lest he was convinced to stay.

A second later, to his surprise, a pair of arms encircled him. Morgana was like her brother in that aspect, emotionally constipated and shying away from physical touch as often as she could.

So it was as surprising as Arthur had been the one to hug him. Merlin had quickly got rid of that thought.

"Where will you go?" Morgana asked, her hands still around and giving him a fierce hug. To Merlin's utter surprise, she sounded upset.

"The druids," He whispered back. Then, making a split second decision, confessed one of his biggest secrets to her. Gaius already knew, but wasn't the same. He wanted someone else to know, someone like him. Someone like Morgana.

"Listen," He had said, pulling back and wiping his nose on his sleeve (He was leaving Camelot, his home of a decade, he was allowed to cry, dammit), and took a deep breath in. "There is something I have to tell you, but you must promise not to tell anyone else. Not even Gwen."

Morgana had frowned at that, but nodded in the affirmative.

Merlin steadied himself, and blurted it out. "I'm Emrys."

Morgana, to her credit, hadn't looked all that shocked. Sure, her eyebrows did shoot up at that, but a second later, she was like her old self. Merlin admired that about her. She could easily adjust her worldview to incorporate any new information she had got.