Authors note: Well this one came to me in Psychology, I hope you enjoy! Updates should hopefully be frequent.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, BBC does. As long as they keep making it they can keep that right.
Chapter One
Morgana sighed in frustration running her long pale fingers through her dark locks. She closed her eyes briefly and forced herself to relax.
Another plan foiled, another attempt on Camelot failed.
Morgana was sick of it, sick of failing when things should be so simple. All she had to do was distract them for long enough that she could take back her throne. So why wouldn't it work?
She had one answer; she had been far too soft on them. She had been weak and easy relying on the weaker forms of magic. But no more would she, now she would show them just how powerful and just how clever she was. Morgana pulled one of the oldest books from her collection of the shelf and dropped it onto the table with a loud thud, dispelling the dust in a thin cloud. Morgana impatiently wafted her hand quickly clearing the dust. Morgana smirked to herself as she opened the book. This book would have the answer; this book would give her revenge.
After all the book contained the darkest forms of magic known to man, so dark it was said to damage the one who cast it which was why Morgana had been so wary but no more. This was it, this was the time.
Morgana flicked it open and about a third of the way through she found her spell, Morgana cackled in glee. This would do nicely- very nicely indeed.
Merlin ripped open the curtains with barely contained glee, another new day. Arthur groaned and threw his arm over his face.
"Rise and shine sire, it's time to get up." Arthur moaned in response throwing a pillow on top of his head to drown out Merlin's cheerful but irritating voice. This failed.
"Leave me alone, return at a reasonable hour." Arthur grumbled into his pillow, Merlin quirked his eyebrow at the King before tugging the covers down.
"You are so lazy, get up. You have things to do this morning, kingly things." Merlin said pompously in an effort to annoy Arthur, it worked.
"I am not lazy, I am tired. Leave me in peace."
"No" Merlin replied with a smile.
"Merlin!" Arthur yelled sitting upright in bed finally, he looked livid and Merlin made to scuttle out of the room before he threw anything at him. Unfortunately it didn't work and a cup collided with his ear. Merlin yelped and threw himself out of the room leaving the now very much awake King to breakfast in peace.
Merlin whistled as he half walked and half skipped down the corridors, his mind going through a mental list of what he needed to do. Merlin headed off towards the armoury to pick up Arthur's armour, he would be training with the knights this morning.
"Woah Merlin, watch where you are going!" Gwaine cried as Merlin nearly ran him over. Merlin stopped.
"Sorry Gwaine, I was a bit preoccupied." Merlin rubbed the back of his head. Gwaine simply observed him for a while making Merlin feel uncomfortable.
"Our dear King isn't working you to hard, is he?" Gwaine looked almost worried behind his cocky smile. Merlin shrugged off his worry with a crooked grin.
"No, just got a lot to do before our royal pratness gets dressed."
Gwaine gave a bark of laughter and then clapped Merlin heavily on the back "I'm surprised he knows how to dress himself."
"Well he's not very good at it." Merlin joked "he only learnt a few weeks back."
"Doesn't surprise me" Gwaine began to walk off before turning back to Merlin "See you later Merlin." Merlin gave a little wave and a chuckle and Gwaine disappeared back to his chambers. Merlin shook his head and carried on with his chores.
Half an hour later and Merlin had carried the ridiculously heavy armour up the never ending stairs (he'd had more than a little sweat on) and also picked up clean bed linen and clothes from the washer room. When he entered the Kings room he found Arthur dressed and finishing the rest of his breakfast.
"Ah, you are finally back." Arthur looked up at Merlin as he spoke "Do you enjoy being incompetent Merlin?" Merlin rolled his eyes and didn't respond.
"You need to be dressed for training in half an hour." Merlin warned Arthur.
"Well I could hardly get dressed without my armour, could I Merlin." Arthur drawled standing up and meandering over to Merlin.
Merlin restrained from rolling his eyes, he feared if he did again they may get stuck.
Merlin took his time dressing the King making sure his armour was perfect and Arthur would have no reason to complain. He found it very soothing; it was familiar when so much in Camelot had changed.
Arthur was getting impatient, his feet shuffling from side to side in his anxiousness. Arthur hated standing still for long periods of time- it was why he hated paper work. Arthur had too much energy to simply stay put for longer than a few minutes, he longed to be in the action to be doing something. Standing still was simply boring.
"All done" Merlin said with a satisfied smile as he smoothed out the shoulders and rechecked the buckle. Arthur shrugged him off and was striding instantly towards the door.
"Finally" he muttered. His pace to the training field was fast so fast that Merlin was jogging to keep up with Arthur's long stride. They reached the training field within minutes.
Elyan, Percival, Gwaine and Leon were waiting at the training field, laughing their heads off at something Gwaine had just said. From the look on Gwaine's face it hadn't supposed to be funny. The knights to Merlin were like his family- an extended and dysfunctional one at that.
Gwaine was the funny one normally unintentionally so. Gwaine was loud and a joker, everyone's annoying brother but they loved him anyway. Gwaine could be sensitive and serious when needed; he just preferred not to be. Percival was everyone's older brother, strong and silent but everyone's protector. He was intelligent and kind. Elyan was brave and quiet, he was obviously had not been used to such a male orientated bantering environment before becoming a Knight and he was the one who was most sensitive to the banter. Elyan was the humblest knight, it came from being raised in poverty and everything that followed after, he also had Gwen to keep his feet on the ground. Leon had been a knight the longest, he had trained Arthur and was the oldest of them all, although not by a lot. Leon had always been kind and supportive but he acted like the unwitting parent to them all and was the one who tried (and often failed) to keep them out of trouble.
Merlin cared for each of these knights; they were his friends even if they didn't understand him or truly know him. Merlin wished that one day they could see.
It didn't take long before Arthur was issuing orders and the friends were hitting each other with blunt swords. Merlin shook his head at the absurdity of it. Gwaine was fighting furiously with Elyan, knocking the latter man to the ground. Gwaine then took the time to gloat which was all it took for Elyan to sweep his legs out from under him with a smirk.
Arthur was 'fighting' Percival, a battle that matched Arthur's superior skills with Percival's advantage of strength and pure bulk. The battle was quite evenly matched with Arthur having to lunge in to attack before darting away so Percival couldn't fell him. When it appeared that Arthur would win Leon stepped in to help Percival, he attacked behind. Arthur upped his game giving a spurt of energy that kept both of them away from his swinging blade.
Merlin stood of to the side watching with amusement, Arthur couldn't stand to lose and the others were just as bad. They all knew if they lost the amount of teasing they would receive from the others.
The air suddenly stirred, a ripple of power flowing through Camelot. Merlin staggered to the side clutching his head. His head felt like it was about to explode. He gave a cry of pain. It was a wave of power, dark magic. Merlin lurched once again and fell to the floor unmoving.
"Merlin!" Arthur cried racing over followed by the knights.
Morgana cackled as she cast her spell, she had felt the beauty of it as it left her. Pure magic, pure power. Morgana smiled, finally the end of her enemies.
Their darkest desire would come true and then, then Camelot would fall willingly to her.
The manic gleam didn't leave her eyes.
Authors note: Phew, that was fun to write. It's just a filler chapter really, the action will be happening from here on out but I had to first of all set the scene. Hope you enjoyed.
The Adventure continues next week…