One important extra line
“Kristan” is an affectionate name Sasha gives to Prince/King Arthur. It means 'Noble heart'. If one stretches the sound Kris-taan, it means 'one who leads with the nobleness of his heart'. It's an honorific that took Arthur more than 2 years to ask about. This scene is set sometime after season 4 of Merlin. In this version of season 4, Lancelot was able to stay with his friends after being brought back from the dead and used as a pawn by Morganna. Sasha has lived among her friends in Camelot for more than a year. With Merlin and Arthur's support-permission-encouragement and in fact at their request, she went to the other side fo the veil and brought Lancelot back to life. She gave him ALL his memories back so he could be entirely his right self again. But there was one memory she could not restore. She had once told Gaius that “Lancelot could walk in this room right now and I would not be able to tell him Merlin has magic.” Which was more true than she realized at the time. She could not give him back that memory. The knowledge that Merlin has magic and by extension the reason Lancelot and Merlin are so close was completely missing from Lancelot's mind. Merlin later told Lancelot, face to face.
Here Merlin has been kidnapped (or he rushed off to save Alator from Morganna) and Sasha is...a shriveled mess. Arthur takes only Lancelot with him to rescue Merlin.
“What is it Lancelot?”
“It's about Merlin.” the knight said slowly.
“You're worried?”
“No. I mean yes I am but that's not what I mean.”
Arthur looked mildly intrigued. “Then what?”
“He's a good man. Arthur”
“I'm well aware. I know he was...is a close friend to you Lancelot. To all the knights. Without him I wouldn't have Gwaine, Percival, or you. None of you would have been my knights without him.” Arthur's face crinkled in thought. “It's funny how servant could have such an effect on Camelot.”
Lancelot sat up sharply. “I think we both know Merlin is no ordinary servant.”
Arthur leaned in, now very interested in the conversation. “Agreed. Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Do you think sorcery is evil.” Lancelot's jaw shut and tightened. Arthur could hardly blame him. Under any other set of circumstances that question out of his mouth would have been a challenge and a trap. “I don't believe everyone who practices magic is evil.”
“Nor do I.” Lancelot admitted.
“Then isn't it time we stopped treating them like they are? Sometimes I feel our judgment has been clouded by, hatred and fear.”
“I think you are right.” Lancelot encouraged.
“If I were to lift the law sorcery would reign once more in Camelot. That what you want?”
“I think that's what Merlin would want.”
“Is there something you're not telling me?”
“Arthur I know.” Lancelot said in a rush.
“You know what?”
“I know Merlin's secret.” Arthur looked at him, doubtfully. "I know Merlin has magic."
“How long have you known?”
“Apparently since he killed the griffin and saved my life.”
“Apparently?”
“After Sasha brought me back, she restored all my memories, I remembered how much you and Merlin mean to me. But I didn't remember what he was. Sasha, didn't or couldn't give me that. He told me himself, some weeks past.”
“Why did you never say anything?”
“For the same reason you haven't.”
“...Because he is a friend.”
“No... because he doesn't deserve to be persecuted for being himself.”
He looked Arthur squarely in the eyes. “And I saw that –I saw who he is– clearly enough.”
“What was he like? The real Merlin, what was he like?”
“Arthur you know Merlin better than anyone.”
“And yet I didn't know he has magic.”
“Does that matter? If I knew him at all I knew this: magic while a part of Merlin, was only one part of who he was.”
“I just wish he trusted me enough to tell me.”
“And if he had, how would you have reacted?”
“...Probably no better than when I saw him save my life.” Arthur admitted.
“I was wondering how you figured it out.”
“Yeah.”
“Where do you think he ran off to anyway?”
“Someone important to him is in trouble, he ran off to save him. It's what he does.”
“Come on Arthur, let's go find him.” Arthur stands up. “Since we're already waist deep in stories about our friends, I have an equally stupid question for you, Arthur.”
Arthur sat up and walked to his horse. “Yeah and what would that be?”
“Were Sasha and I close?”
“You knew her as Nikita. That's saying a lot right there. I didn't really see the two of you together much but it goes with out saying she considers you a friend.”
“I know that Arthur. What I mean is...were we as close as you and Merlin?”
“Do you mean, were the two of you together?”
“Did we have something special between us, do you know?”
“I don't think she ever let anyone get THAT close.”
“But I can tell you this. Before, she didn't expect to be able to live and stay in Camelot. Now she'd lived here for more than 2 years. Not too late to start something new.”
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