Title: The Magic Games

Pairing: Arthur/Morgana (+Merlin)

Summary: It's the fifty-second annual Magic Games, and when her sister's name is read out, Morgana volunteers to become one of Cornwall's tributes. She'll become part of a competition to fight to the death alongside Arthur, Camelot's greatest pride.

Disclaimer: This fic is based on S. Collins book "The Hunger Games". I'm borrowing some of the basic plot to build this story with our beloved Merlin characters. This is only made for fun, no profit is made out of this. Nor I wish to offend anyone by my portraying of the book. I'm taking the liberties to modify the original story according to my needs and because I don't intend on copying Collins book, but rather making a spin with it and Merlin's characters. That being said, I hope you enjoy the ride!

A/N: For the sake of this story Morgause is Morgana's younger sister rather than her eldest. Also, English is not my mother tongue (I speak Castellano, which I bet you've never heard of xD). So, if you see any spelling/grammatical errors I apologize in advance.

I

There are trees surrounding me, they are closing in on me. I run as fast as I can but it's not fast enough, for soon the trees turn into grassy walls, and those walls grow mountain high. Suddenly, I see a blur of golden mane. I hear laughter echoing and I begin to suffocate. I take my hand to my chest as I gasp for air but it's already too late… the cannon goes off.

I awake with an earth splitting scream. My nightshift is soaked and I'm having trouble breathing. I wait until my heartbeat slows down to normal and then I allow myself to fall on my back again. "It was a dream" I try to convince myself.

Yet it felt real.

It doesn't take much longer for Morgause to make her way up to my bed and lay down beside me. I should have known there was no way in heaven she could have slept through my screaming.

I run my fingers through her blonde curls in an attempt to soothe her. It's usually she who has the nightmares and I who crawls to her bedside to calm her down. I wonder what changed this time.

Apparently Morgause wonders too.

"Did you have a bad dream, 'Gana?" She whispers tentatively. I know she's more scared than I am and I curse inwardly for having allowed myself to scream like a little child.

"Yes, but it was just a dream. There's nothing to be worried about, Morgause"

She seems to relax at my words and I feel her nod her head once, right before falling asleep again. I bring my little sister closer to my body and lull her into a deeper slumber, knowing she's safe in my arms.

The sun is about to rise when I make my way out of the hovel we live in. it's nearly the beginning of the summer but there's a slight chill in the air yet. It takes about half an hour before I realize I forgot to bring my father's old coat with me, but by then I'm too annoyed to even think about going back on my tracks. I'd rather freeze.

When I reach the meadow, Merlin's already there. And he's grinning like a fool.

"Merlin, why are you smiling like a…" I trail off when I see him holding a particularly big rabbit in his right hand. The poor animal is dead and it's hanging head down on Merlin's hand.

I can feel myself grinning like an idiot too and smack Merlin playfully in the arm. He pretends it hurt and we both burst into laughter at that, releasing the past few days' tension.

"How did you manage to catch it?" I ask when our laughter subsides "I thought we were going to starve to death"

"Ah! Morgana. Always so forthright" Merlin shakes his head in mockery and I smile at how well he knows me.

It is almost expected of him to know me this well. After all, we've been hunting partners since we both lost our fathers at the uprising, but it still surprises me. Merlin is very observant for a boy. He had me all figured out after a few weeks. Although, I still keep a few secrets from him. Like the fact that I have my name entered twenty-four times for this year's games.

I keep telling myself that he doesn't need to know that, though maybe he does.

Merlin snaps me out of my reverie and pats the empty side on the rock he's sitting on. When he moved? I have no idea.

I instantly comply and sit down beside him. It's the birth of a new day and we never miss a sunrise. It's become almost like a tradition for us, to watch the first vestiges of light bathing the ground with an almost ethereal light. It reminds us that every day is precious and that every day could be our last. Especially when the Magic Games are almost upon us.

"How's Morgause holding up?" He asks, breaking the comfortable silence that hung between us.

I turn to look at him. His big blue eyes betray the calmness in his voice.

"Still having nightmares" I reply, though my answer is too short and he doesn't need to open his mouth for me to know he wants me to elaborate further. I sigh and try to force some more words out "It's always the same one. Her name gets picked out. She dies at the hands of a blonde, faceless guy" I can feel Merlin staring at me as I fall back into silence.

Morgause's name has been entered only once. The chances of her getting selected are almost next to cero. At least compared to my twenty-four… But my little sister has the Sight and, unfortunately, her visions tend to happen almost every single time. She has been dreaming of going to the Magic Games since she turned ten and was old enough to develop the Sight. Ever since, I made it my first priority to prevent her from casting any spells. I'm glad to admit I managed to do so successfully until recently, when Morgause had a little accident. It was her first time doing magic and my official twenty-fourth as well.

That was how she got her name entered and I regret it every single day. It was an accident but I can't stop blaming myself for it. I should have been there for her. If I had, she wouldn't have had to use magic and she would be safe right now.

Merlin knows what I'm thinking and he places a hand on my shoulder to let me know he's there for me. He knows as well as I do that there's nothing else we can do, except wait.

When the sun reaches its peak on the sky we head back home, both carrying half the rabbit Merlin caught and a few mushrooms in our bare hands. We part in silence; we don't need to say anything else. We'll see each other again tomorrow, at the reaping.

II

I'm instantly awakened by Morgause's screams. She's crying and shaking in her sleep, clearly prisoner of one of her terrifying nightmares again. I place a hand on her shoulder and she jolts awake. When her puffy green eyes see me, she jumps to my arms.

"Shh… It's ok now. It was just a dream" I try to calm her "You're safe, Morgause. I will never let anything happen to you"

Morgause raises her teary eyes to look at me. Her green orbs are burning with intensity as she searches for the truth in mine. She seems to find what she's looking for and she relaxes into my embrace.

I hold her tightly against me and I swear to myself that I will protect her until my dying breath.

III

Vivienne, our mother, has dressed us with our prettiest dresses. She picked the lilac for Morgause, because it suits her better and she arranged her rebel curls into two long plaits. I can't help but notice just how tiny my baby sister looks on that outfit and an image of Morgause fighting off one of the hunters assaults my mind. I shrug it off as fast as it popped up and return my gaze at my own reflection in the mirror.

My mother is finishing tying up the red ribbon she's using to hold my own tresses in place. My raven locks are even more rebel than my sister's, that's why I always let my hair loose. I can think of a hundred better things to do with my time than plaiting my hair. My non-girly manners have always upset Vivienne. She's gotten used to it by now though.

"There" She says once she's done with my hair, holding me by the shoulders and looking at me through the mirror "You look positively radiant"

I've always wondered why we all dress up for the reaping. We are all gathering there in silence, like helpless lambs, waiting for somebody else to be picked out.

Life has got to be ironic.

However ironic the situation can be, it still happens and there's nothing I can do to stop it. I sign my name on the list and watch my sister stand in line, like the rest of the girls her age.

I do the same.

"Morgana" Someone calls my name softly and I turn around.

Merlin's standing there, a big goofy smile adorning his lips. I smile back in return, though mine is a sad smile.

He seems about to say something but he's interrupted by another. A woman.

She's standing in the stage that's been especially prepared for the occasion.

"Welcome, welcome!" She says joyfully and I just want to punch her in the face "We're all gathered here to select one courageous young man and woman, to represent Cornwall in the fifty-second annual Magic Games"

I feel tempted to yell something at her.

"Well, let's get straight to it! Ladies first…" The woman gets one hand inside a big crystal bowl, full with our names in it. She fishes for a while, until she finally comes up with a paper in her hand. She unfolds it and reads the name out loud "Morgause Le Fay!"

After that, everything happens too fast. Morgause' name is read out and I freeze in place. My heart's racing. It can't be. Her name's only been in there once. This is not happening, this is not real.

But it is and, suddenly, my little sister is escorted by four knights as they walk down to the stage.

It can't be. Not her, not Morgause. My sister's nightmare replays in the back of my mind once and again and so does my promise to her. The vow I made to always protect her.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as a tribute!"

They all stare at me, unbelieving of their eyes. I can feel Merlin's presence near me, he's furious at me but I don't care. My sister is the only thing in this world that stopped me from losing my mind when Gorlois died. I'm the only thing she has and I love her like I would a daughter. I can't allow her to face her nightmares like this. Not like this.

"Well, well. It seems we have a volunteer"

"NO!" Morgause screams when realization hits her.

I run to her side and cup her cheeks in my hands, in an attempt to comfort her. She's crying and pleading for me not to go, but it's already too late. I've forfeited my destiny.

I promise her it's going to be ok, that she's safe now. I tell her not to worry for me, that I'll be ok.

That last bit I'm not sure I can keep.

Morgause kicks and screams when the four knights that were escorting her are now escorting me up to the stage. Her anguished cries pierce the silence and I'm not sure I can take it for much longer.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Merlin taking Morgause up into his arms and carrying her far off, to where I cannot see them any longer.

I thank him silently for that small gesture and I straighten up a little, trying to pretend I am not falling apart right there on the spot.

The woman turns to me and leans down to be at my eye level "What's your name, dear?" She asks me in that fake sweet voice of hers.

"Morgana" I answer weakly "Morgana Le Fay"

"Well, Morgana. You are an official Magic Games tribute as of now" She says this last as if it was some sort of privilege. I can feel my insides crawling.

The woman begins to clap, encouraging the audience to do so as well. However, they all take their three middle fingers to their lips, kiss the fingertips and raise them up to the sky as a silent respectful salute.

I can feel my eyes begin to water when I see the people I grew up with showing me the ultimate sign of respect.

The woman laughs nervously, breaking the heavy aura of the place, and returns to the bowl's side.

"The boys' turn now" She smiles as she fishes for yet another paper. She comes out with one, unfolds it and reads the name loud and clear for everyone to hear "Lancelot Reed!"

A dark haired boy makes his way through the crowd and up the stage. He stands next to the woman in silence. I notice he's trembling.

We shake hands, as is expected of us.

The woman gives a little jump next to us, breaking the contact of our joined hands, and she grins in pure joy "Happy Magic Games and May the odds be ever in your favor!"

I look for Merlin's face in the crowd. He's right there, staring straight into my eyes. I can read his expression. He's thinking the same thing as I am. "Maybe this is not goodbye, maybe there's some kind of hope".

But no.

He knows I don't stand a chance. I can see it in the shadow obscuring his blue eyes as the knights lead me out of sight.

And into the unknown.

A/N: So what do you think? You've probably noticed some differences in the characters and in the plot itself. Here, Peeta's paper is played by Lancelot (whom I had to come up with a surname for xD sorry about that random choice) and he won't really have much importance in the development of this story, except being Morgana's male counterpart. Also, these are the "Magic Games" not Hunger Games. The games have a different background story and therefore, things in the arena will be different. We won't really be talking about tributes (though they still are) but here they'll be more usually referred to as hunters and magicians (or preys, as you prefer haha). The story of the uprising will probably be explained in the next chapter. Arthur will probably appear in the next chapter as well. Lastly, I don't have much time to write since life's been hectic for me this year but I promise to do my very best if you like it and give me some reviews. So, press that tiny button and give me some loove =)