The Future of Camelot

Bringing Back the World

"It's impossible," he said. "You can't ever be cured of your evil."

Anger flooded through Morgana. Through gritted teeth, she said "I'm not evil. I never was." He clearly didn't believe her. "Please!" she begged. "Gaius, you've known me for years!"

"I also watched magic corrupt you, and tear away your soul." He was being so unreasonable! She pulled herself together.

"Just wait until Merlin and Gwen come back," she said with forced calmness.

Meanwhile,

"I'm here to pick up Gawain Orkney," Merlin told the secretary at the desk. He lowered his head a little so she couldn't see his eyes when they flashed gold. This magic was to put his name on modern Gwaine's Emergency Contact list.

"Name," she said, sounding incredibly bored.

"Merlin Logres," he said. She checked the computer, and found his name there. She also found that the bail for Gawain was already paid. She muttered a short message into her desk phone, and a few minutes later, Gwaine was escorted into the lobby.

"Gawain, old boy!" exclaimed Merlin. "Have you ever been so happy to see your old friend Merlin?" He prayed that Gwaine was clever enough to play along. After a moment of doubt, he was.

"Hallo Merlin," he said. "Deja vu, eh? Me in handcuffs, you with the bail." Merlin couldn't help but smile at this very Gwaine response. He had never seen Merlin before, and yet was going along with anything to get him out of jail.

"Is he good to go?" Merlin asked the woman. She handed him a stack of papers, which he signed according to his current identity, and looked back at him dismissively. The escorts unlocked Gwaine's handcuffs, and the two old friends walked out together.

"Not that I mind, but why did you bail me out?" he asked. "We haven't met, have we?" Merlin grinned to himself. The cab was still parked near the front of the building, and he gestured for Gwaine to get in. He hesitated.

"Please," Merlin said. "I promise you're not in any danger. You'll understand soon." 

The reckless, carefree Gwaine made another appearance when he said, "I'll take your word for it," and slid into the backseat. He eyed Morgana admiringly. "Hello, Beauty," he said.

She said nothing. Merlin didn't blame her. She gazed at Gwaine with horror. Merlin could see tears forming in her eyes. Gwaine looked at Merlin uncertainly, and Merlin quickly went around the the other side of the cab. He opened Morgana's side, and she stumbled out. Merlin guided her around to the side with the curb and embraced her.

"I'm okay," she said after a moment, pushing away from him. She sat in the passenger seat next to Gaius, who had been sitting in stern silence the whole time. Merlin climbed in, prompting Gwaine to slide over.

"What is going on?" he asked, bewildered.

"Gwaine, listen," Merlin started. He clasped a hand on Gwaine's shoulder as if to soften the blow of information, but with that hand he transferred a spell of momentary strength.

Gwaine's head fell down into his hands.

"Gwaine?" asked Merlin. "Are you alright? I know it's a lot - "

"Morgana," said Gwaine in barely more than a whisper. Merlin heard her gasp once, then fall silent.

"I know Gwaine, I'm sorry. She's changed. She's sorry," Merlin said. He couldn't imagine how Gwaine felt, but Morgana somehow survived being around he who killed her.

Gwaine raised his head slowly to meet Morgana's eyes. Both pairs were so full of sorrow and regret. Morgana realized that she would have to be the one to make the first move to reconciliation, if that was even possible. She understood the need for peace with Arthur's knights if she could ever hope for a place among friends again.

"Gwaine, I am so sorry," she said. There were not words to describe her remorse. She had admired Gwaine for his strength and courage, even when faced with incredible odds. When she killed him, she knew that the world would never again see one so noble and brave as Sir Gwaine.

He shook his head at her. "We were never friends, Morgana. You have no need to be sorry." His words were biting. 

"Of course I do!" she snapped. "I regret it. I thought that now - nevermind." She thought that now they were both alive, she could make it up. Obviously, he didn't. He slammed the back of his seat with his open hand, and Merlin regretted giving him a strength spell.

"And keeping me prisoner?" he growled. "Twice! Starving my friends until they were too weak to stand, making me fight just for a heel of bread?"

"It isn't as if you hated it," she sneered. "You always responded to my torture admirably, with humor and resilience."

"I was quite admirable, wasn't I," Gwaine grinned. "Do you know why you lost, Morgana?" She twitched her head slightly, which he took as enough of an answer. "Because you didn't have the loyalty that the Knights of the Round Table had. We endured because that is what we were made for. That's why you lost."

"I didn't have loyalty?" Morgana hissed dangerously. "I was more loyal than you could ever dream. Did your darling Percival tell everyone else why you died as soon as you did?" She looked at Gwaine treacherously. His eyes widened until they were sadder than either Merlin or Gaius had ever seen. Lovable, facetious Gwaine was breaking in shame.

"Would you like me to tell them?" Morgana looked at Merlin and Gaius, who were both staring at the interaction. She took long-forgotten pleasure in seeing Gwaine's unhappiness. "He told me where Arthur was headed," she said to the others in the cab. "Took him a while to finally break, but it was his fault. You came after me to stop me from finding Arthur," she taunted. "But without you, I couldn't have found him so fast!"

"Morgana," Merlin warned. She whirled on him. She said nothing, but her glare was almost enough to make him stop. Not quite enough. "Stop," he said firmly. "That time is gone! I know we can't forget, but can we forgive? Or at least accept?"

Gwaine hesitated, then thumped Merlin on the shoulder. "I'm with you," he said. Morgana could have sworn that he flashed a superior look in her direction. For a moment she considered doing magic, but Emrys would catch anything she did. Anyway, the urge to kill wasn't as strong in this world. She raised her head haughtily.

"Forgiveness is a long shot, but acceptance is the easiest part." Inside, her soul was screaming to be nice, but her pride didn't listen. Stupid pride, she thought bitterly.

Meanwhile,

Gwen parted from Merlin and climbed the stairs to the floor for birth and death record keeping. She handed her ID over to the man and signed a paper.

"I am here to see if my parents ever had any other children," she explained. "I wasn't raised by my mother, and my father died when I was pretty young. I'm doing genealogical research, and, well, I wondered. If I have siblings," she explained. Why was she so flustered? The man nodded. He directed her to the correct aisle and section, then left her too it.

Thomas Duforge, the label said. Gwen opened the dusty folder. Spouse: Ann Duforge, nee Harris. Recorded children: Elyan Duforge, born 1988. Gwen Duforge, born 1992. This was it! Elyan. He was real in this world. She flipped to the next file. Her own. She leafed past it. 

Elyan Duforge, the file said. The latest address listed was in Scotland. Just like Elyan, Gwen thought. He always loved traveling.

Gwen replaced both files and thanked the man. Leaving the building, she could already see that there was tension in the cab. Gaius and Gwaine must already have regained their memories.

So soon, Gwen thought. Soon we will have Camelot back.