And another story from me.
This was going to be 15 chapters long but due to difficulty writing I am cutting it down to 10.
We will have to see how it goes.
As you can see I had the idea for this and Searching at about the same time.
This goes off during series 2 episode 12
"You must kill her."
Merlin looked up at the dragon with disbelief
He shakes his head before replying
"No!"
"The spell is woven with magic of such power that even you are not immune. You must act now before it's too late. If you do not, then Camelot will fall and Arthur will die, and the future you were destined to share will die with you." Kilgharrah explained.
"But it cannot be the only way."
The dragon looked down at him with sad eyes.
"I am sorry young warlock but it is."
Merlin stared at the dragon for a few moment before tuning to leave.
"I did warn you Merlin."
Merlin knew that dragon wouldn't have left him without a told you so.
It cannot be the only way. Merlin thought as he took the stair two at a time.
He had to check Gaius' books to make sure.
Merlin was grateful for his magic as he flipped through 6 books at the same time.
This was the third set that he had been through and Merlin was starting to lose hope quickly.
That's when one of the books stopped flicking through as the others were still searching.
Merlin picked up the book as the others slammed shut.
Sleeping spells
For sleeping spells to be more effective, a living vessel needs to be used. If the person used has magic, then the effects of the spell will be quicker and spread over more people.
The only way to stop this is to destroy the vessel.
Merlin groaned but carried on reading. There needed to be more.
This spell is powerful but, unlike curses, doesn't bind itself to the person's soul. This allows the spell to be able to be transferred from one vessel to another.
Merlin could have shouted.
His smile was never going to come off his face.
He had found another way. He didn't have to kill Morgana.
Merlin quickly skimmed over the rest of the page to find the spell.
He muttered it under his breath a few times before replacing all the book.
As he put the last of the books back, Merlin noticed Gaius' lines of poisons.
His finger wrapped around the hemlock.
He knew what he should do but now as he had this other way, he wasn't going to allow Morgana to be dragged down a path she wasn't meant to go down.
Morgana wasn't going to be united with Mordred in evil.
Merlin was going to make sure that was one destiny that wasn't going to become a reality.
Morgana waited nervously for Arthur and Merlin to return.
She could just cut Uther's throat now but Morgana had little idea of what Morgause had planned.
She would feel more confident if they hadn't returned so soon.
Arthur would obviously try and protect his father.
She knew that they would never accept her but Merlin knew her secret and had kept it. Even now as she is the only one awake.
Seeing him had made her loss confidence in what Morgause was doing.
Maybe in time Arthur would accept magic.
Morgana shook her head.
He was taught that magic was evil since the cot. He wasn't going to change his mind easily.
Merlin only accepted her because his friend had magic.
But Morgana couldn't help it. She trusted Merlin.
Yet there was still something about him. His boyish looks and charm had all the serving girls falling over their words. Morgana thought Gwen a fool for falling for him.
However Morgana had now found herself falling.
She hoped that Morgause wouldn't do anything to harm them.
It was Uther they wanted.
Morgana was brought from her thought by Merlin entering the chamber
"I was worried about you."
Morgana shook her head. Where did that come from?
"They're here! They're in the castle!" He said, sounding panicked.
"Where's Arthur?" She said, thinking the worst.
"Gone to find somewhere safe to move to." Merlin said looking up at her
"Thank you for not saying anything to him." She said, trying to sound sincere.
"It's all right." He said
"You're a good friend."
Morgana watched Merlin put a forced smile on his face.
She was just about to ask him about it when Arthur busted into the room.
"We have to move my father before Morgause gets here."
Merlin looked over at Morgana after he let the barrier fall back down over the door.
Arthur didn't stand a chance against the immortal knights.
Merlin knew that he needs to work quickly.
He could feel the effects of the spell and it seemed to be stronger the closer he was to Morgana.
"He's not going to survive out there."
Merlin shook himself awake.
"I know."
"We've got to do something."
"I know." Merlin repeated.
Merlin moved Uther off the cloth and gave it to Morgana.
"Here. You tear this up. I'll make some rope.
Merlin knew he shouldn't stall it. The longer he takes, the greater the likelihood Arthur was going to die.
But Merlin needed a few minutes to gather his thoughts and to think about what he was going to say to Morgana.
He took a gulp from the water skin he had brought.
"Here, have some water." He said, offering it to Morgana.
She looked up from what she was doing.
"I'm not thirsty."
"Please, have some before I finish it."
Morgana looked at the skin before taking it.
"Thank you."
Merlin sighed as she drunk.
"Maybe I should have filled it with wine. May have made this easier."
Morgana looked at him.
"Merlin, what is this about?" She said, confused at his words. "Make what easier?"
He looked down at the floor before returning his eyes to her.
"Before I tell you, I … wanted you … I wanted you to know." Merlin sighed. "I have wanted you to know for a while."
"What did you want me to know?" Morgana said, becoming even more confused and worried about what he was going to say.
Merlin knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his.
"The reason you are awake while everyone else is asleep isn't because of your magic. It's because you are the vessel holding the spell."
"You said it was my magic."
"I know I did. That was because at that point I didn't realise how it would affect me."
Morgana took a while to understand what he had said.
Merlin moved his hand to either side of her face.
"Astyrung ðæt galdor fram þys blódorc æt mec.*"
"I know I did. That was because at that point I didn't realise how it would affect me."
Morgana stared at him
What did he mean by how it would affect him? What did he want her to know?
Morgana was about to question him when everything was answered.
"Astyrung ðæt galdor fram þys blódorc æt mec.*"
She gasped as his eyes turned from blue to gold briefly.
Morgana was glad that Merlin was holding her as a wave of tiredness came over her.
"You have magic." She mumbled out.
"I wanted to tell you. I wanted you to know. I thought you had worked it out when we fought the Anfac."
Morgana shook herself.
"Will, your friend, he covered for you."
Merlin nodded. "I was prepared to tell you all then."
"What have you done?" Morgana asked, trying to keep a straight line of thought.
"I moved the spell to me. I am now the vessel carrying the spell."
"How do we stop it?"
Merlin licked his lips and pulled the bottle out of his pocket.
"We need to destroy the vessel."
Before Morgana could protest, Merlin uncorked the bottle and emptied the content into his mouth.
He looked at her.
"I couldn't … wouldn't … want … to … kill … you." He said, the poison taking its affect quickly.
Merlin continued to choke for air and Morgana took him into her arms.
She unpeeled his fingers from the bottle and held it up to look at it.
"ARTHUR!"
*Move the spell from this vessel to me.