Ok! So here we go. I received too many P.M's asking me when this was going to be up and, frankly, some even offering me either their sister's or daughters in exchange for me putting it up. Am I a little disturbed? Absolutely, yes I am, but I'm also very touched and even found myself missing writing it. I have been planning it since way before I finished the last, but there was still a lot to do if for it to feel like it could measure up to the reasons for treason.
Basically in this first chapter, it's just about seeing where everyone is after four years, and setting up all the problems that will happen in the story. Well, some of them. In the next chapter is when things start exploding shall we say? Not literally. I mean Gwaine doesn't trip on his cape, stumble down into a ditch and detonate like 50 tons of dynamite…although wouldn't that be something? Like a rainbow of blood, guts and beardiness. I will also be introducing some newish characters throughout the story, and having watched series 5 will bring some in as well.
I would like to make a request if you are kind enough to review this chapter. I would like to ask what you would like to see in the upcoming chapters, and also I would like to know how you feel about the Merlin finale purely out of interest. For the love of God do not feel obligated, if you don't want to then please don't. After all if you're good enough to leave a review then you shouldn't have to do anything. In the next chapter I will answer your reviews as per usual, and I sincerely hope you enjoy this one. Oh also, if you're confused by anything then I probably want you to be, but ask anyway and I shall explain if I can.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of its characters, but I do own James, Imi and Anna – so back off! You hear me! Actually I would be honoured if any of you wanted to use them. Come to think of it would you? We could make them like the characters created by the fans of Merlin. Wouldn't that be awesome? Ok so to sum up, if any of you want to use them then please do.
Chapter 1 – The Tale of Fate
There is a story she knows of. A story of great power yet vulnerability, a story for which most allow the waves of denial to wash away their fear because, quite simply, the legend is merely too great for them to comprehend. They are the blameless billions that spend their days going to work, stressing over relationships and mindless reality television shows. They are the billions who seek to find some reason or meaning just to clamber out from the sheets every time the sun rises.
She is not one of those people.
She spends her time gazing up at the sky at night, pondering the magnificence of stars that lay coveted in the vast dark blanket in the heavens. She looks not in wonderment. No. She has no need to. For she has been told what masks itself behind the darkest stars, what wonders that shall remain hidden to mankind for all eternity should she decide to keep it hidden from them. It was her right. Her birth right, so she had been told.
A tiny, contented smile grew on her small face as anticipation filled every inch of her petite body. Her fingers impatiently fiddled with her bed sheets, her long blonde locks fell in heaps over her shoulders, small toes wriggling with delight under her covers. She was waiting for her father. He always came to her after her mother had put her to bed, regaling her with the tales of her noble ancestry and all that came with it. It was what they jokingly referred to as their little secret. It was for their family, their family alone to hear, and although they always said it with a smile she always felt the necessity to adhere to her fathers' words.
Her flaring green eyes travelled across her darkened room in search for a distraction to make the time pass, they eventually falling on one of her posters that hung from her bedroom wall. Like the rest of them it featured a pirate ship underneath a vast blanket of stars with a comet dancing through them. Her small smile stretched yet wider at the sight. Pirates held a particular interest for her, especially at this moment. It was her birthday today. Her Tenth birthday to be exact, and her father had promised her that he would continue the story he had so brazenly left unfinished the previous night. Or perhaps more importantly he had promised that it would be one to remember.
Her gaze drifted over to her bedroom window next to view the real stars that remained trapped in the night sky. She heard a car pull up the driveway of her house and briefly wondered who that could be at this time, but again her eyes drifted to the stars. The lights from other houses along her street seemed to dim them somewhat, and that pesky neighbours' cat hissing fought bravely to withdraw her focus, but luckily her thoughts remained on only one thing. Her fathers' story. A story of Angels and Demons, of Gods and Messiahs, of the magic and marvel that surrounded her family even to this day.
The story of the Pirates of Fate.
The sound of her bedroom door suddenly creaking open immediately sucked in her attention, a shiver of excitement pounding through her as the light from the hall filtered into her darkened room. It took all of her willpower not to hide her head under the sheets from the pure exhilaration of it all and allowed her grin to spread vastly across her face. It was time at last.
Her fathers' head poked round from the other side of the door, his ice-blue eyes trying to adjust to the darkness of the room. "Morgan? Are you still awake?"
She balled up her sheets in her clenched fist and bounced on the bed. "What do you think, Daddy?"
"Right," He chuckled, now entering the room fully and closing the door behind him. "I should've known better. Didn't your mother put you to bed over an hour ago?"
She feverishly nodded as he lowered himself onto her bed, lifting his arm so she could snuggle up against his side. "Yep, which means it took you an hour to get here and finish your story."
"Alright alright, I get it, no need to tell me off," he whined whilst shifting his weight, trying to get comfortable for what would be a long stay. She smiled against her fathers' side at the remark but waited patiently for him to continue. "You're getting worse than your mother. I'm ashamed of you."
She shrugged, secretly liking the supposed mock-slur. "Last night you told me I have to go to sleep just after you finish telling me Merlin and Morgana would have to wait five years before they could go see the sorcerer prince and get Imogen back, and now you make me wait an hour. I should be allowed to tell you off, even if you are my Daddy."
"Moan moan moan – you know I have a job right? A pretty important one too," he said with a grin, relishing in the delight her smile brought him.
She groaned and playfully hit him in the stomach. "Get on with it Daddy."
"Fine," he sighed. "Well as you know James Regus came up with a plan to save them all from Malum, involving using the platform of time. The problem was that Imogen had to sacrifice herself in order for this plan to work and they would all forget everything that had happened to them since she had turned up. Luckily though they found a way to use it and still remember everything that had happened to them, but as with most plans it went wrong. Princess Anna died on the battlefield, a pregnant Imogen was transported to an eternal dimensional prison called the void, and James lied by saying he didn't remember them. Merlin himself would have died had it not been for the platform, but because of that things had changed. James had to go and make Merlin immortal."
"And then they had to wait five years before they could see James again, even though they thought he wouldn't know who they were, to get Imogen back - I know," Morgan moaned. "Now please can you tell me what happened next?"
He smirked down at her, rubbing her arm. "You are SO lucky I love you so much," he said whilst planting a soft kiss on her forehead. "Ok, so the story continues four years later. Things had been what the fates would deem worthy up until now. Merlin and Morgana had been living peacefully in Camelot, Arthur had been slowly uniting Albion, Gwen was Queen and young Isabella was now four…but that was all about to change. "
The hunt is called again…
Her chest heaves and splinters. Gasping, wheezing, parched for breath. Her legs are burning, her thighs are screaming as they propel her across the woodland soil. Her aching arms flail at her sides as she vaults herself further and further. She knows she can't stop now. Heavy grunts escape her sore throat, her gaze flicking over her shoulder – eyes alive with terror. Deep in her gut she knows there is no evading her inevitable fate. No possible way she can escape the howling night, but she runs anyway.
It's all she knows.
She hurdles over a fallen tree and zig zags around those which endure, barely able to see five inches in front of her, and pounces over the small logs and rocks. They're close now. She can feel it. Their scorching laboured breaths practically pouring over her groaning legs, trying to suck her into their familiar and deadly embrace. But she merely pushes herself harder, knowing there's no hope of escape but unwilling to submit to the beasts that hunt her. She knows what happens when you do, and her skin trembles at the memory of that which still plagues the dark corridors of her nightmares. No. She has to keep going. She has to keep fighting.
Because the Hellhounds howl draws near.
They are hell on four legs. Invisible, fierce and lethal hounds from hell known to literally rip a person to shreds without having the decency to kill them first. She had seen it before, so many times. Well they would not reach her, she would not become their next meal. She would survive, she would claw out their eyes before they got the chance to do it to her as they had so many of her friends. No she would fight, for herself, for her friends, for her family.
But most of all for him. Always for him.
Night is everywhere, the darkness enveloping her in a cocoon of isolated panic. She's on her own now. There's no one left in this world that can help her. Her mind insists on repeating this fact with cruel persistence. The beam of the three moons lit her distressed features, unable to shake the fear pulsing through her as she usually could. The unseen hounds were drawing closer and closer. They love the burn of the chase. They never tire on the hunt. Not here. Not in the void. They were only getting started. Hungry, fervent, slobbering over their favourite dish.
Imogen Pendragon would be theirs soon.
Morgana bolted upright in her crisp bed with a shrill that could have made the great Dragon wet his scales, her entire body quaking with an intense series of tremors. Merlin jerked awake next to her to a shadow infested room, lit only by dawning rays of the sun, bursting with shrills until his mind raced to catch up. He bolted up and enveloped his wife in his arms, desperate to soothe her.
"Morgana!" He cried when her breathing began to border on hyperventilating. "Morgana wake up! It's a dream! Morgana!"
Her eyes snapped open to reveal her terrified icy-blues, the ones that were identical to Imi's, still gasping for air. Her gaze swept over the room with lightning speed, frantic to acclimatise to reality once more. "Mer…Merlin? I…"
"I know," He murmured to save her the trouble. With a calming breath of his own he allowed her to rest her tear-stained face in the crook of his neck, tenderly rubbing her back in an attempt to pacify her. He frowned when he could feel the muscles under her skin quivering, vibrating up his own arms. "A dream I take it?"
She brought her head back and fixed her solemn stare on his, causing him to use his thumb to brush away her drying tears. "I don't think so," she whispered, her voice so small for such a powerful woman. This was the side of Morgana Pendragon that only he was allowed to see, the side she saved just for him. "I think it was something more," she added, her haunted gaze travelling up to meet his concerned one.
Merlin's face straightened as he caught on to what she was getting at. "A prophecy?"
"I hope not," She murmured back, before reading the unspoken question that exploded all over his expression. "Don't worry, it wasn't about Arthur," she eased his alarm, watching the majority of his anxiety melt right off of him. It made her feel guilty considering she was about to bring it all back again. "But it was about Imi."
As she had predicted his shoulders went stiff and taut at the mention of their daughter, his eyes focusing on nothing but her. "Imi?" He barely dared to repeat it. The name had become somewhat of a taboo around Camelot since the girl had been trapped in the void, since she had been ripped from their lives. He lightly shook his head, thinking over all the possibilities, and gently squeezed her shoulders. "What did you see?"
At this she broke the unblinking gaze she shared with him, taking a shuddering breath to try and calm her still erratic nerves. Part of her wanted to forget what she had seen and never speak of it again, but she knew she couldn't do that. Not with Merlin. Not when it came to Imi. "I saw…I saw her running. She was running from something that I couldn't see, but she was so afraid, Merlin. It was like I could see into her head, see her thoughts and feel her feelings as if they were my own," she paused as she remembered something else, something that broke her heart. "She thought of us. As she was running she thought of us. We were one of the reasons she kept running, why she didn't just give up."
"She would never give up," He replied with a distinct note in his voice, one that told her how foolish he felt having allowed himself to think of all this again. He rose slowly from the bed when he knew she was calm and moved to the window. "It's been four years. Four years of waiting, hoping…"
Morgana's tense body language relaxed at his words. It was true. It had been a long four years since they had all jumped into the platform of time and saved the world from Malum. It had been peaceful enough, no sorcerers had hatched so much as an egg never mind a plot to bring down Camelot. Even Uther had been peaceable enough. The fierce former king had never truly accepted the unions of his son and Guinevere, nor his daughter marrying his son's manservant, but had in time learnt to almost ignore it. Even when she had given birth to his first grandchild, the baby Isabella, the former king had barely seemed to play any part in it. Although as time went on he found it more and more difficult to stay away from the growing girl, eventually even going so far as to dote on her as he had with Morgana. Of course they never told him that his beloved grandchild would one day be a powerful sorceress, nor that his son-in-law Merlin was probably the most powerful of them all. That there was only one other in the world who could claim to be equal with him, James Regus, and the least said about him around Uther the better.
Gwen, now Queen, had discovered she was with child and was now 6 months pregnant. Arthur, Merlin and indeed the whole kingdom had celebrated the glorious news. The results of which reminded her of the eve of her wedding, with half naked men sprawled all over the floor and amusing if a little disturbed tales being told. Nevertheless it had reminded her of the good old days. Humour had been something she noticed lacking with the sorcerer prince absent, but that night had brought it back in folds.
Another blessing was the dragons egg that had been discovered by Merlin, Arthur, and the appointed Kings entourage. This included Sir Lancelot, Sir Gwaine, Gwen's brother Sir Elyan, Sir Percival and Sir Leon. Merlin, being the last Dragonlord, had summoned it to hatch to reveal a white dragon who he named Aithusa. Pretty soon a bond had formed between the white dragon and young Isabella, Merlin even feeling comfortable letting the two play alone…even if Morgana wasn't entirely there yet.
Morgana sighed from her position on the bed, feeling Merlin's every pain. "I know it's difficult, and believe me I wish there was something we could do, but you remember what the fates said. Five years and we can release her safely without any consequences…" She trailed off slowly, idly playing with the chain James Regus had given her all that time ago just after he had saved Merlin. After he had made her husband immortal as a last resort.
Almost every day she had had to fight the urge to use it, to call him to them despite the fact that she knew he wouldn't remember them. But she hadn't. Not yet. As Merlin had said it had been a long four years, but at this very moment it was harder than ever before not to get him to come inappropriately storming into their room in a blaze of magnificence. Especially with this new dream she had never needed him more. He would know what to do. He would know how to save her.
Merlin eyed the movement, watching as his wife played with the eye pendant he knew belonged to James Regus. His lips straightened, debating over whether he should say what was on his mind or not. It was a touchy subject at best.
"That's another thing I don't understand," Merlin's voice brought her out of her inner musings, having decided to speak his mind at last. "How is James even going to release her? Or why would he even do it? He doesn't even remember us or Imi. He doesn't care what we do or how we do it these days."
Morgana's eyes betrayed how raw the pain of it all still was. "I…have wondered that as well."
"Do you ever question …" The immortal warlock began with extreme trepidation, once again second guessing himself. He had to word this correctly or it would be his head. "Do you ever consider the possibility that he lied to us? That he just told us what we wanted to hear so we would jump into the platform? That maybe he doesn't really know how to get Imi back?"
The black haired beauty's icy look chilled him to his very marrow, something she reserved for when she was beyond enraged. He hadn't been careful enough. "He would not do that."
Merlin hung his head. This is what he had been afraid of. "Morgana, we know he lies when he feels he has to. Don't you think saving the world might have been one of those times-?"
"He would not do that to ME!" She shrieked at him, her chin protruding in her fury. However her fury wasn't what shut him up. It was the hurt that shone in her eyes at the mere suggestion of his theory that silenced him.
He silently cursed himself for his stubbornness to be heard. It was common knowledge amongst himself, Arthur and Gwen not to ever mention Imogen or James in front of her. Because they knew that despite her even attitude toward everything that had happened, Morgana Pendragon had taken it the hardest. Out of all of them she had been the closest to James, the one who had taken it upon herself to carry Imi's burden of hero worship she had had for the immortal until she returned. And as for Imi herself, well… he had caught his wife countless times when she thought no one was watching, sobbing to herself and holding her stomach to try and muffle her cries. He shook his head as if telling himself off. No one mentioned Imi to her mother.
Absolutely no one.
"I need you to understand that, Merlin," Morgana asked of him, the sheer despair in her tone screaming of her need. "James Regus can and will save my little girl. He would not lie about that, not right to my face, not to me," she took a deep breath, ice-blue eyes burning into his own. "Not to me."
He broke eye contact with her, ashamed of himself. Not for having the theory but for voicing it to a mother who had done nothing but wait for her daughter to be returned to her. "You're right, he wouldn't do that. I'm sorry."
"I should hope so," She replied with a single sharp nod before physically deflating, offering him a sad yet warm little smile. It wasn't like she didn't understand why he had voiced his concerns. Imi was his daughter too, but she refused to share them. She knew, just knew, that James would bring her home. Knew it. But hearing Merlin's as always logically sound and filled with inhuman perception concerns voiced out loud had the possibility of persuading her from her certainty, and that was not an option as far as she was concerned. She needed it more than she would ever admit.
Merlin however was not put at ease. Morgana had become very adept at identifying the differences between dreams and prophecies, and it was this that worried him more than anything else. She didn't think it was a dream. Sure of it in fact. It truly scared him, because if she was in trouble and stuck in the void, then she was all alone with no-one to help her. What if she died there? What if waiting another year would be her doom? His girl would suffer and die alone with no one around to show her how much she was loved. She had mentioned before she jumped into the platform of time that she was pregnant as well. What had happened with that? He couldn't imagine the suffering she would have gone through if something had gone wrong with that.
With the emergence of this prophetic nightmare all of his built up fears had been brought up to the surface at once. It was almost too much to take, and it was with this almost numbing fear that a thought occurred to him. An idea that had been manifesting in his mind ever since Imogen was taken from them. What if they didn't have to wait for James to get her back?
What if he could do it?
What if he could do it today?
"In your dream," The immortal Warlock began, fishing for details before he made any decision. "Imi was definitely in the void?"
Her gaze snapped up to look at him, sensing something in his tone. "Definitely. There were three moons and she even thought it."
He nodded, eyes downcast, ignoring the blindingly obvious question of how Morgana could suddenly see what Imi was thinking. "And how sure are you of how close she was to death? How much danger was she in?"
"She was so sure she was going to die, Merlin," She answered him, eyes glistening over and having to bite her bottom lip in order to withhold her tears. She watched as his face remained completely unchanged. It simply remained in that straight, closed expression anyone else would mistake as not caring. Not her. "And she was so scared, but she kept running nonetheless. She was thinking of someone in particular. Someone she referred to as him."
Merlin nodded, now knowing what he needed to do with full certainty. He looked up at her, slowly, meeting her suspicious gaze with his own cautious one. "What if…?" He began, knowing full well that her complete attention was on him. He took a deep breath and tried again. "I know that it's stupid. I know that there will be severe consequences, possibly life threatening consequences, but what if she dies before we can save her? What if this was the Fates plan all along? We both know how much they wanted her gone."
Her eyes narrowed at him, firmly placing her arms behind her to prop herself up on the bed. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying…" He began, taking a few careful steps toward her again. "What would you say if I could find a way to break her out…today?"
Morgana drew her head back, her gaze scandalised at his words. He was right, it was stupid. Worse, it was insane. They had already done enough to anger the fates. They were the Gods who controlled life and death, who controlled destiny, wealth and fortune. To top that all off, they had already waited four years. It made no sense to endanger lives for just another year.
"I'd ask what are we still doing here?" She whispered back, earning herself the stunned expression from the man in front of her. Happy, but stunned.
He shook his head, trying to think reasonably. "What about the consequences?"
"Damn them," She answered with a distinctly husky note in her voice, the corner of her mouth twitching into some kind of mild smirk. The two shared in a moment of complete silence, eyes locked, before it happened. He smiled back. He leant in, intent on claiming her lips, only she wasn't prepared to wait for him to get there. She seized a firm hold of his grey night shirt and hauled him to her, bringing his lips crashing down on hers.
He pushed her back and she was more than willing to allow him. It amazed her that every kiss still felt as electric as the first one they shared, way back when they had been trying to escape from the Venemagus kingdom. The way they sent that prickly feeling down through her whole body, the way it continued to pulse around her like he was somehow infecting her blood with his lips. It was only when she began trying to tug off his nightshirt that they heard the knock at the door.
"Merlin!" Sounded an all too familiar, all too rude voice.
Merlin let his head droop onto her shoulder, both of them sighing at the same time. "Arthur," they muttered in simultaneous disappointment.
"Merlin!" He called again, clearly just outside the chamber door. "Merlin, are you manhandling my sister? Does she know where your hands have been?"
The young Warlock rolled his head around on his neck, as always frustrated with his king. "Yes! Go away!"
Morgana shook her head. "How does he always know? Are you sure he doesn't have magic?"
"Everyone I've met with magic had a brain to go with it," Merlin sighed.
"She better not be pregnant again!" Arthur's voice echoed into the room. "I'm still dealing with the last bundle to come from that horror tale."
Morgana scowled, hard. "What are you talking about, Arthur? Go away!"
"Mummy?" Came a tiny, tired little voice from the other side of the door. Immediately Morgana's frustrated eyes bolted open, before shoving Merlin off of her and darting across to the door.
Merlin sighed. One day, after he was done risking his own life to save his fair haired king's, he was going to kill him himself. Slowly, painfully, and with a bounce in his merry step. Perhaps he'd even whistle a jaunty tune as he did it. "One day," he muttered darkly to himself, rolling off of the bed just as Morgana flung open the door.
Indeed, there stood a bored looking Arthur, holding a scruffy haired four year old Isabella in his arms. Instantly Morgana's face melted into one of gooey smiles and her eyes flooded with love. "Look who's awake," she chirped in what Gwaine had dubbed the sickly sweet tone, the one all mothers spoke in to their babies.
"Oh no, not just awake," Arthur prattled on, his eyes having turned a tad insane. "But jumping on my bed and waking me up…before dawn," he over-pronounced the last two words, trying to display his utter loathing at the scenario he had found himself in this time.
"Maybe she thought your head was too big for the bed and felt the need to warn you," Merlin lazily threw the insult, stretching his waking limbs as he made his way over to them.
"Don't play with me, Merlin," Arthur warned, extending a dangerous finger to point at his advisor. The young warlock blinked. "I am in no mood for your unimaginative slurs today, so remove your dress and make-up for one moment and discipline the child."
Merlin scrunched up his face. "Dress and make-up? Have you been eating your own cooking again?"
"And the child has a name," Morgana threw in, taking Bella from her brother and resting her on her hip. "And I'm sure she would appreciate it if the Uncle she adores so much could be bothered to use it. Now, what do you say Bella?"
Little Bella turned huge wet eyes up at her uncle, causing Arthur to actually groan. He was already beaten and he knew it. "I'm sowwy, Uncle Arthur," she apologised in her most sincere voice, earning the badly withheld smile on Merlin's face at Arthur's utterly blank expression.
"Very well…Bella," He added stiffly, eyeing Morgana warily as he said her name. "We will speak of it no more. However do it again and…well I'll most likely forgive you then as well – wipe that stupid smile of your face, Merlin."
The black haired beauty narrowed her eyes and lightly shook her head at him. "You'll make a wonderful father," she spat, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"I must remember to congratulate Gwen later on her pregnancy," Merlin hummed in agreement, before turning suddenly serious eyes onto his wife. "We should go."
"Go?" Arthur raised an eyebrow.
Morgana's lips parted somewhat, realising he was referring about their efforts to release Imi earlier than planned. "Yes, we should," she replied in equal measures of enthusiasm.
"Should we?" Arthur continued, confused.
"Gwen can take care of Bella," Merlin thought out loud.
Arthur sighed. "Is someone going to tell me what's going on?"
"We can get dressed and be gone within a few moments," Morgana agreed, beginning to feel exhilaration buzzing through her.
"Bella, can you tell me what's going?" The king tried, sounding desperate.
The little girl smiled up at her favourite Uncle. "Your nose is big."
Arthur nodded. "Don't really know what I was expecting there anyway."
"Sire!" Cried an urgent call from down the corridor Arthur still stood in. All four turned to view the source of the voice to see Sir Gwaine sprinting up toward them, red cape billowing behind him due to his speed and an uncharacteristically concerned expression etched into his features. "Arthur, trouble."
Arthur, who had been waiting with a smile for Gwaine's inevitable pick up line on a still not fully dressed Morgana, instantly tensed. "What's happened?"
"I think you best come to the throne room," The knight answered with a certain note in his voice. "There's a sorcerer waiting for you, claiming he needs your immediate help."
Arthur shared a stern but brief look with Merlin before nodding. Merlin understood immediately. Though Camelot was now a place of peace for those with magic, it was still looked upon with fear by those who wielded it as if it was still a sorcerer's graveyard. "Does this sorcerer say what he needs so urgently that he would come to Camelot?"
"Well that's the thing," Gwaine began, now looking at all of them. "He says he needs help to find Anna Regus, the sorcerer princess."
It felt like someone had momentarily sucked out all the oxygen from the corridor as they all stared, gormlessly, at a still lightly panting Gwaine. Anna Regus. To everyone present but Morgana, James Regus's cherished little sister, but to the black haired beauty she was not only his daughter but also her little half-sister…and that's when it hit her. James must be here. In Camelot. Now. Who else would so urgently need to find her that they would come to a kingdom which previously murdered the girls' kind? Who else would be bold enough? Who else would show up just when they were needed most?
A small smile twitched onto her face. "We will be down as soon as possible. Instruct everyone to wait for our arrival."
Gwaine nodded immediately and lightly jogged back the way he came, leaving a dazed Arthur and Merlin in his wake. Morgana rounded on them, beaming an abrupt amount of confidence. "It's him, it's James. He's come back," she beamed at them, watching as the two men shared a brief glance of doubt.
"Morgana, I don't think that-" Merlin began before being hushed by his wife's finger on his lips.
"I don't want to hear it this time, Merlin," she warned, unprepared for him to shatter her impressions yet again as he had already tried this morning. "What does James Regus do best? He shows up when we need him most. It is no coincidence that he shows up moments after we decide to release Imi from the void early."
"Wait, what!?" Arthur cried, throwing the two glares of utter bemusement. "Have you both gone completely insane!? What about what the fates said!? What about what James himself said!?"
Merlin shook his head. "No, Arthur, you don't understand-"
"No, I don't," Arthur harshly interrupted, sending them both his most disappointed look. "You know, maybe it is James in my throne room, and if it is I hope he's here to put you both in your place. Now both of you get dressed and get down to the throne room before I throw you BOTH in the dungeons for a fortnight!"
Merlin's face suddenly straightened. "They couldn't hold us and you know it."
"I am not even close to joking, Merlin," Arthur warned, shoving a finger in his face. "Get dressed…and meet me in the throne room…or I will be forced to act, and that is a threat. Do you understand?"
Morgana could only gaze on with her lips delicately seperated, more than a little staggered, as the two men continued to glare at each other. She knew better than most that the two weren't always pleasant toward each other, as did the entire kingdom for that matter, but she couldn't recall a time when Arthur had been quite so vicious with her husband. Even going so far as to use real threats was unheard of.
"Who's James Regus?" Isabella asked in her small, still tired voice.
Three heads all whipped around to stare at the little girl in astonishment. Where were they supposed to begin answering that? The girl was an exact copy of Imogen Pendragon, the girl who was destined to fall in love with the famed immortal. So how did they explain to a four year old girl that as soon as she set eyes upon him she would be instantly drawn to him? The answer was of course simple.
They wouldn't.
"When you're older, Bella," Morgana soothed, now trying to smooth the girls wild hair with her fingers. The four-year-old merely shrugged, already uninterested.
Arthur turned back to Merlin and pointed at him once more. "I want to see you in that throne room, understood?"
Merlin's face was completely straight, his expression closed. "Yes, Sire."
Arthur merely continued to glare at his advisor from under his eyebrows, clearly sceptical about his willingness to obey. With eventual unease the king gave a reluctant nod. "Make sure he doesn't run off, Morgana," He commanded his sister, who merely sent him a thin smile.
"But of course, dear brother," She assured. "Would I ever disobey my king?"
Arthur's eyes shot up to meet hers, now even more uneasy than he had been before, but he also knew he could keep his recent guest waiting no longer. If his little cousin was in danger then he needed to help her as soon as possible. So it was with a heavy sigh that he finally turned away from his sister and best friend and hurried away to prepare, leaving the two behind with little Bella to watch him go.
As soon as the king had rounded the corner Morgana grabbed the door, slammed it shut, and placed her back against it to stare her husband down. "You'll have to leave now if Arthur isn't going to notice you go," she rapidly fired out, placing Bella on the floor who proceeded to begin battling with her frizzy jet-black hair.
"I'm not even sure that will be quick enough," Merlin replied with equal speed, hastily pulling off his grey night shirt and savagely heaving on his normal clothes. "Wait, what about you? Why did you say you instead of we?"
She shook her head, her face contorting somewhat. "I'm not coming yet. I need to find out if it is James downstairs and what's happened to Anna before I go anywhere. If it is him then I'll get him to come with me to meet you, just make sure you leave a trail."
Merlin finished dressing and stared at her for a while, eyes understanding but excited all at the same time. "I'll bring her home Morgana, I promise."
"You better," She replied with a sharp nod, her own ice-blue eyes dancing with a need that had grown with each day she had been away from Imi. "You bring Imi and I'll bring James."
He lowered his brow at her. "How? He doesn't remember us."
"Oh, Emrys," Morgana breathed with a suspicious smirk. "Do you really doubt a priestess of the old religion?"
Merlin couldn't help himself, really he couldn't, but a small smile tugged at his lips. "This is it, isn't it? We're finally all going to be together again."
"Yes we will," Morgana beamed right back at him, her skin tingling with anticipation. "And with Imi and James at our sides we will take the consequences and blast them into dust. We will be unstoppable once more. We'll be a family once more."
He shook his head, finding it hard to believe this was so suddenly happening. "I love you," he whispered to the black haired wonder, who melted at his words. It always amazed her how she could continually feel it whenever he said it. Always.
She strode up to him, each step feeling like an eternity, and cupped his face in her hands. "And I love you," she exhaled, before planting her lips on his for the briefest but most magical of moments. She pulled back and fixed herself her eyes on him, levelling the man most people would fear with an intense stare. "Bring our girl home."
He smiled as her hot breath poured over his lips, his hands wrapped snugly around her hips. "Or don't come home at all?"
"You're so smart," she teased right back. "But you are Emrys, and there is nothing that can escape you. Now go, before Arthur grows a brain and realises we never listen to him."
He nodded at her. "I'll see you soon," he breathed back and, just like that, jogged toward the door.
"Daddy!" Bella shrieked, making her father whip around to face her in a mild panic.
"What? What is it?" He asked, for some reason looking around the room or some kind of evil monster about to attack his child. She had sounded so scared.
Little Isabella threw her arms up at him and grew a magnificent pout. "Goodbye kiss?" She squeaked out, earning a laugh from her mother. Clearly the child didn't understand the urgency of the situation.
Merlin rolled his eyes, but knew he was powerless to refuse her. "Right," he huffed, running over to his little girl, sweeping her up and kissing her forehead. "Good?"
She beamed up at him, snuggling into his neck. "The best! I love you, Daddy."
In spite of himself he couldn't help the small yet warm smile that grew on his face, and before he could stop himself buried it in her hair. As always some of her frizzy black hair caught on his scarf, but again as always he didn't care. As his mother had always said, you knew it was real love when you even adored the things that annoy you about the other person.
"I hate that man," Imi seethed with a shake of her head at James's actions, eyes alive with fury, before she met her mothers' worried stare. "But God do I love him."
"You hate and love him?" Merlin had to ask, now feeling so baffled he was sure that if the wind changed it would be rather deadly to his looks.
"Yeah," Imi answered with a pout, as if just realising it herself. "And I think for the same reason. Is that strange?"
Morgana smiled warmly at her girl. "No Imi, it really isn't. Trust me."
That had happened before they had all jumped into the platform, after James had once again sacrificed himself to buy them time amongst other things. The memory made him hug Bella even tighter to him. Now more than ever he felt a surge to get Imogen back as soon as possible and to be reunited with the other immortal. He couldn't bear it any longer. He just couldn't.
He gave his daughter one last squeeze, her mother one last smile, and bounded from the room. Morgana full out grinned. This was actually happening. This was happening now. Soon she would have her other little girl by her side again and James Regus would both delight and baffle her with his insane antics. She could hardly wait. She couldn't wait.
With fevered enthusiasm she whirled around to face her baby Bella, her grin still threatening to break her beautiful face in two. "Come Bella, let's go lie to your Uncle Arthur."
Merlin ran, sprinting through the forest and cutting through the golden rays of the early morning sun that streamed through the tree tops. He didn't even know where he was running to. He didn't know if he needed to be in a certain place at a certain time or anything about it, but he had spent every day thinking about how he would go about finding out if he was given the chance. A number of theories had come and gone, but one always stood out, and that's where he was going to now. He just needed to be far enough away from Camelot that so he wouldn't be seen.
"Oooh Dragon! Emale! So fengometta! Tesd 'hup' anankes!" He roared, summoning his old friend as he charged through the trees at full speed. He made sure to break as many twigs and leave as many footprints as possible, knowing Morgana would want to follow as soon as she could.
He kept running. He was used to it by now. He and Arthur had found themselves in a number of situations where they had had to either keep running or die. They had made him strong without even realising he was building muscle, and frankly he was grateful for that, because he would need all of his stamina today.
As if on cue the sound of ancient, powerful wings driving through the air caught his waiting ears. He stopped dead in his tracks to gaze up at the early morning sky, watching as Kilgharrah gracefully glided down and landed with a booming thud directly in front of him.
With a bow of his mighty reptilian head, the great Dragon fixed his piercing magical yellow eyes onto the last Dragonlord. "You summoned me, young warlock?" he boomed across the landscape.
"Yes," Merlin began, forming the right words in his head and leaving a very pregnant pause. Kilgharrah narrowed his piercing gaze. "I…need your help."
Kilgharrah recoiled his head. "I see, like old times. And might I ask what trouble have you gotten yourself tangled up in this time, Merlin?"
"I…" Merlin swallowed. He knew his old friend was going to be furious with him, even more so than Arthur had been this morning, but he had to do it. For her. "I need you to tell me how to break Imogen out of the void, and how I can do it today."
Rather than angry, as he had expected, Kilgharrah actually seemed to pity him. "Merlin, I understand better than you may realise what being a father means, but this is not-"
"Morgana had a vision of Imi dying in the void!" The young warlock interrupted, tactfully leaving out the bit where she only appeared to be about to die. "I am going to save her from that but you have to help me."
Kilgharrah gazed blankly down at him. "That cannot be," he finally responded, sounding as sure of himself as he always did. "The Witch must have lied. Imogen Pendragon has a destiny of her own. To give birth to a child saviour with James Regus that will bring peace to this world, and to give her life protecting him. Her story will be the platform on which all mothers will know and follow, she cannot meet her end before she has a chance to fulfil that destiny."
Merlin simply stared, astonished, at the great dragon. This was the first time he had heard of this, but it was not why he was so surprised. "Why didn't you tell me?" He breathed out, desperate to know why he had been kept in the dark for so long.
"Because, young warlock, I fear you had had enough of destiny," Kigharrah croaked out in that ever ancient, ever majestic voice. "I did not wish to burden you with yet further knowledge, especially when you consider it is not even your destiny-"
"Not MY destiny!?" Merlin raged, becoming so angry he could feel the hairs on his arms begin to stand on end. "Imi is MY daughter! You do not keep that from me!"
Kilgharrah released a silent sigh. "Perhaps you are right, but nevertheless we cannot release her before her time. Her destiny is too important for the fates to sacrifice her so carelessly," The great dragon finished, but lowered his scaly brow when it appeared Merlin was not hearing a word. "Do I bore you, young warlock?"
"She was pregnant…" Merlin trailed off, mumbling to himself just loud enough for Kilgharrah to hear.
A look of creeping realisation swept over reptilian features. "I beg your pardon?"
"Imi, she told us she was pregnant right before she was sent to the void," The young warlock continued, before looking up with wide, glistening eyes at the dragon. "She said it was James's."
Kilgharrah seemed to freeze in thought, leaving the forest around them to their own natural noises of birds and shuffling grass. "This…changes matters greatly."
"Then you'll help me?" He began, both surprised and hopeful at the unexpected scenario. However it also scared him more than he was willing to admit to himself. If Kilgharrah was suddenly willing to break the rules laid down by the fates, then perhaps Imi was in even more trouble than he realised.
"Indeed I will, young warlock," The great dragon offered, earning himself Merlin's shaky smile. "But first…might that be young Isabella's hair on your scarf?"
Distracted by these latest turn of events, he vaguely even registered the question as he picked off the loose hair. "Yes, they always come off in the morning. What does it matter?"
"Because young Isabella is the bridge between the two worlds," Kilgharrah informed. "James Regus may be an insufferable prince but the boy is a true genius. Isabella and Imogen are the same person according to their blood, their bodies and even their hair. With this one strand, we will be able to open the gateway to the void and retrieve the sorceress and her child."
Merlin stared down at the single hair, reprimanding himself over and over again in his head for being about to discard of the single most important strand of hair he had ever come across. It was of course true. Imogen and Isabella, at least biologically, were the same person thanks to James's brilliant brain. However there was something bothering him about that, something that confused him.
"But if Imi and Bella are the same person in body…then what about Imi's destiny? The one you say is so important?" He asked in a careful tone, as curious as he had ever been in his lifetime. "Which one of them is destined to be with James? Imi once we break her out? Or Bella when she grows up?"
The ancient beast recoiled somewhat, the whispers of a smile dancing into fruition across his rarely intrigued face. "Ah, now that, my young friend, is a fine question. One that I am afraid I cannot answer, because I simply do not know. But what I do know is this, I fear that both of them will be drawn to him in the same way, and with same amount of determination."
Merlin shook his head. "No but, but Bella is only four."
"It hardly matters," Kilgharrah replied, once again certain of his convictions. "The connection may not be romantic whilst she is a child, but it will be fierce nonetheless. Believe me, Merlin, it would be best if the two never met."
Morgana stormed down the hallway, her hand snugly wrapped around Isabella's, on their way to see James Regus. The small girl had to jog slightly to keep up with her mothers' firm strides, but she didn't mind. She actually enjoyed it. This way she could basically hop to her Uncle Arthur's throne room, knowing her mother wouldn't let her fall. She would even hold her arm up so she could swing in the air, almost like she was flying.
She loved flying.
The two finally reached the vast double doors that lead to the throne room and wasted no time in waiting for the guards to open them. Instead her Mummy shoved open the doors herself, released her little hand so she could go skipping into the room, run up and hug her favourite Uncle Arthur. Morgana on the other hand feverishly scanned the room, dying, needing, anxious to see the insane, charming, brilliant grin of James Regus aimed right at her. She scanned every corner of the highly decorated throne room, eyes alive with her need.
And then she saw him.
Her grin to say the least was magnificent, her eyes flooding with tears of joy at the base. There he was. Wearing his trademark black robe with the hood pulled up. A laugh escaped her dry throat. She just knew he'd turn up right when they needed him most. He always did. She walked over to him at first, to turn him around and face her, but she soon found herself running. He would make everything better again. He would save Imi and help bring them all back together. She could feel it.
"James!" She squealed, firmly gripping her shoulder and forcibly swinging him round to face her.
…But it wasn't him.
A pair of ice-blue eyes stared back out at her instead of the shinning emerald she had been so desperate to see. But to her surprise her heart didn't sink as far as she had thought, because though they weren't the eyes of James Regus they were still familiar. Very familiar. Part of her wanted to take a step back, but the majority was what lead to her hand coming up to cup the man's cheek.
"Mordred?" She breathed out, her eyes narrowed as she studied the boy's features.
A small smile tugged at his lips despite the sorrow in his eyes. "Hello Morgana," his voice was deep, way deeper than she had expected. He was still young, still no doubt in his teenage years, but he was older and far closer to being a man than a boy anymore.
"Mordred and I have been waiting for you and Merlin to arrive before we go into any details," Arthur's dulcet but unsurprised tones stole her attention away from her old friend, and placed it on Arthur's almost bored expression. "Speaking of which, where is Merlin?"
Instantly Morgana's mask fell into place. "He's just running some errands. I'm sure he'll be here shortly."
"Running some errands…" Arthur trailed off, turning his head to the side and nodding to himself. "For Gaius perhaps?"
"I believe so, yes," Morgana replied shortly, not even blinking as she regarded her sovereign and brother.
"Well, isn't that strange," Arthur humoured her. "Because I happen to have asked Gaius, whilst he was attending to Guinevere right after I saw you this morning, if Merlin was busy with him today or not in anticipation of that very excuse. I believe his exact words were, oh what were they again? Oh yes, he said NO."
"Then he must have asked him after that exchange," Morgana continued, cool as a cucumber.
"No…no, I don't think so," Arthur said with a purse of his lips. "Since Gaius has been with me since then, and is in fact still here. Aren't you Gaius?"
Much to Morgana's chagrin, a guilty looking Gaius stepped out from behind the knights following Arthur, his hands tied together and his head hanging. "I'm sorry, my lady."
The black haired beauty sighed, releasing a breath through her nose. "It's alright Gaius. It's not your fault."
"So then," Arthur continued. "I ask again, where is Merlin?"
Morgana glared death at her brother. "Very well, you've caught me," she admitted with extreme difficulty. "He's down at the tavern."
"The Tavern?" Arthur damn near yelled.
"Yes, my lord," Morgana faked guilt with immense skill. "I'm very sorry. I told him not to but, well, you know Merlin."
Arthur shook his head. "Morgana, how many times have I told you not to call me my lord."
"Many, sire," Morgana said with a bow.
"And how many times have you been lying when I've had to tell you that?" Arthur cut in, causing Morgana's eyes to shoot up to meet his once more. "Gwaine, is Merlin down in the tavern?"
"I checked as you asked, my Lord," Gwaine answered. "But as you know the tavern is often crowded and-"
"Gwaine!" The king barked.
The warrior sighed, sent an apologetic glance Morgana's way, and turned back to Arthur. "He was not, sire."
Morgana ground her teeth. "Gwaine, you are in so much trouble."
"I thought as much, my lady," Gwaine exhaled.
"He's run away to free Imogen hasn't he," It was more of a statement than a question that exited the fair hair haired kings mouth.
A mask of pure offence settled over her face. "Absolutely not!"
"Bella, did your father run away?"
The little girl nodded. "Yep."
"Bella!" Morgana moaned.
"Lying is wrong, Mummy," Isabella fought right back, knowing her mother could never stay mad at her for long.
"Yes it is, I agree," Arthur agreed with a nod.
"Thank you," The little girl grinned at her uncle. "Daddy told me."
Morgana rolled her eyes. "Well then your father's an idiot."
"I also agree with that," Arthur granted.
"I wanna see aunt Gwen," Bella stated rather suddenly and skipped over to her frowning mother. "Love you, Mummy."
Morgana tried to stay angry at her, really she did, but she simply couldn't. "I love you more," she eventually conceded, bending down and kissing the little girl on the top of the head.
Gwaine scoffed. "Sure, she gets out of trouble just like that," he moaned like a three year old, watching the little girl skip from the room to find her beloved Aunt Gwen.
"This is what happens in Camelot?" Mordred had to ask, having had to watch the entire exchange in silence. "How have you achieved so much?"
They all stared at him for a moment, until Gwaine finally shrugged. "We have two dragons."
"Listen, Arthur," Morgana began, the mask falling as she rounded back on her brother. "You don't know the entire-"
"Merlin is going to get himself killed," Arthur raged under his breath, storming up to his sister in a fury. It was strange, but she had never seen the resemblance between Arthur and James more than in that moment. It reminded her why they were there in the first place, and made Arthur's as always badly hidden concern for Merlin all the more unbearable and touching at the same time. "And all for something he shouldn't be doing."
Morgana rolled her eyes. "He's immortal, Arthur, in case you've forgotten."
"We will discuss this later," he seethed at her, before turning around and facing a still waiting Mordred. "For now we shall discuss why you are here, Mordred, and why you claim to need help finding Anna Regus."
Morgana snapped her gaze over to the young man, all her attention suddenly focused on him. "Anna Regus?"
"Yes, My Lady," Mordred answered with the appropriate amount of respect. "Myself and Morgause were charged by the prince to watch over her whilst he was away."
"Away?" Arthur intervened. "Away where? And for how long?"
"No one seems to know, Sire," The druid eagerly responded. "He left just over six months ago. We haven't heard word of him since."
Morgana frowned hard and had to shake her head, utterly confused by this news. "So, James Regus just left his little sister without any explanation, the one he loves so much, with you and Morgause?"
"Yes, My Lady," Mordred replied with a slight nod. "With the instructions that if she were harmed, lost or even stolen to come and find you and King Arthur for help."
At this everyone in the room scowled, now all as confused as each other. "I don't understand," Arthur had to intervene. "Why would he tell you to come and find us at all?"
"And he would never leave Anna," Morgana added. She wouldn't let that point go. "Never. Especially not with the likes of my sister who is no doubt still loyal to Borin Regus."
Mordred's eyebrow twitched a little at her words. "Morgause is as loyal to our prince as Emrys is to Arthur, ever since she discovered how much he has done for you."
"For me?" Morgana scrutinised him. "What are you talking about, Mordred?"
A small laugh escaped him the moment she had uttered those words, clearly thinking she was joking. "What am I talking about? Surely you must know what I am talking about?" When all they did was gawk cluelessly at him as if he had gone insane his smile dropped, realisation creeping into his ice-blue eyes. "He never told you…"
"Never told us what?" Arthur demanded, sounding as annoyed as all of them were feeling.
"That he watches over you all and this kingdom whenever he can," Mordred answered with a degree of disbelief in his tone, actually causing an unprepared Morgana to recoil in her surprise with a soundless gasp. "That he has continued too for four years, almost every day. He stays in the sky out of sight, looking down at you all and assisting you whenever he can. Did you not grow suspicious when no sorcerer dared attack Camelot out of vengeance or hatred even once for the past four years?"
Arthur stepped forward to stand next to his sister. "I always thought it was because Camelot no longer executes or practices prejudice when it comes to those who use sorcery."
"No, Sire," Mordred had to reply. "It is because they know of the consequences should they choose to attack you. We all know that if we make an enemy of Camelot, then we make an enemy of him as well. He has made it perfectly clear, believe me."
Morgana was about as close to tears as she had been in four years, whereas Arthur on the other hand still found it highly confusing. "None of this makes any sense," He began, now circling the teenage druid. "James Regus doesn't know us, he told us as much himself. Why would he spend so much time protecting us when he doesn't know us?"
Mordred frowned, hard. "He told you that?" At their nods he scoffed to himself. "Well then, I'm sorry to tell you, but he lied-"
Morgana's warm hand slapping him across the face came as a shock to everyone present, even Morgana herself. Her lips parted as she watched him place a soft hand on his cheek and turn back to her, since the force of the blow had forced him to turn his head to the side. Arthur hung his head with a small pout of his lips, knowing all too well how his sister detested the theory that James Regus ever lied to her despite the growing evidence.
But as always she mastered her expressions, and soon she was glaring daggers at the boy. "How dare you," she breathed, lips quivering in her rage. It was when he opened his mouth to reply that she continued. "Where's Anna? She will stay here until he comes and collects her himself."
To say Mordred was a little stunned would be understatement, but he finally let his hand drop so he could speak. "That's why I'm here. As I said before James left instructions to come here and ask for your help if anything happened, and I'm afraid something has happened," he said quietly, still naturally reeling. "The Saxons have…taken her."
"Taken her!?" Morgana screeched. "Why? And where too?"
"It's their plan to use Anna as bait, to lure our prince into a trap and leave him to rot in the dungeons of Turf," He informed them.
"The dungeons of Turf?" Gaius finally spoke up, a distinct gleam in his eyes that made Morgana's heart race even faster than before.
"Speak your mind, Gaius," Arthur instructed, his arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
"Well, Sire, I sincerely hope that I am mistaken," The elderly physician began to explain. "But the dungeons of turf are perhaps the most dangerous dungeons of all."
Morgana was sure she was going to explode. How much was she supposed to take in one morning? Even if a bear came charging through the doors of the throne room she doubted she could get more scared. "How so?" She finally asked.
"It's a labyrinth, My Lady, and a magical one at that," Gaius explained. "Back in the time of old it was rumoured to have been a prison for those who displeased the priestesses of the old religion. It is said that it is impossible to escape, that the magic embedded within the labyrinth attacks you if you even attempt it. Powerful, ancient and terrible dark magic. Those who spend even a day there have been known to go insane."
Arthur took a deep, calming breath. "But wouldn't the prisoner starve or die of thirst after a few days?"
"The magic forces them to keep living," Gaius supplied with some reluctance. "As I said, the magic is both powerful and terrible."
Morgana whirled on Arthur, her eyes desperate, and he responded as he had always done. "Is there a way to retrieve someone without them getting lost in it as well?"
She had never loved her brother more than at that very moment.
"Not that I'm aware of, Sire," Gaius answered, shrugging. "Only the priestesses of the old religion knew how, and even then it was hundreds of years ago."
Mordred nodded. "Morgause is there now, trying to find a way."
"And I will assist her," Morgana added before she had given herself time to think. She was supposed to meet Merlin and help him release Imi from the void, but she couldn't leave now. Anna was her sister, whether people knew it or not, and apparently James didn't even know about it. Right now, she and Morgause were Anna's best chance at survival. How could James leave her like that? She was furious with him!
"Morgana," Arthur began, his tone reeking of caution. "I think it's time to use that necklace around your neck, the one James gave you that can call to him."
Her gaze travelled down until they met with James Regus's chain, her fingers coming up to grasp the beautiful eye pendant. More than anything else she wanted to call him. She had done all day. But now wasn't the time, not if this was a trap designed for him. "No. This was a trap meant just for him. If he finds out then you know what he'll do, he'll run right into that dungeon blinded by his concern for Anna and end up down there forever. Our best chance is me and Morgause. We are all that is left of the priestesses, we will find a way."
"I fear he will do more than that," Mordred spoke in a quiet voice, earning their attention. "The whole magical world knows not to touch Anna Regus. Most are even afraid to think about her, just in case the prince can hear their thoughts from afar. The Saxons are a brutal race of warriors, but they don't deserve what he will do to them."
That little statement left them feeling cold. He was right. The Saxons were harsh in their strategies, but if James knew that they had taken his little girl…well, not even Malum could stop him. What chance did they have?
"You're right," Arthur finally relinquished. "I know you can take care of yourself these days Morgana, but I want you to take Gwaine with you. It will be good if you have someone you can trust," With the last word his eyes snapped over to stare down Mordred, who averted his gaze at the not-so-subtle slur. "Gwaine? Are you up for it?"
In full-force the knights cheeky grin made a grand appearance. "You know me, Sire. I'm always up for it."
"Of course you are," The black haired beauty humoured with a tiny smirk.
"Good, then we're agreed," Arthur finalised. "Make sure you bring Anna home, and then we can worry about finding James. In the meantime I'll go and find Merlin before he gets himself killed. I think I deserve to kill him myself after everything he's put me through."
"You'll go? As in just you?" Morgana questioned, sending him a blazing glare. "Arthur-"
"I am just as capable as that idiot you call an ear shaped idiot," Arthur teased.
"I've literally never said that," She chastised. "Besides Camelot needs you here, otherwise the people will look to Uther for guidance."
"In my absence Camelot will consult Guinevere for matters of state, not my father," He replied, a slight smile on his face. "There's no need to worry about Camelot or me."
"But I do," she responded with lightning speed. "Whether you admit it or not we all know you will put yourself in harms' way if it means protecting Merlin, even if he is immortal. It's who you are."
Arthur smiled at his sister, laying a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Then we have something in common," he planted a kiss to her forehead before pulling back to stare at her once more. "Now go, bring Anna home and then we'll bring James home too. I'll go and get the clot pole."
"That's his word," she smirked back at him.
"That's why it suits him so well," he joked. "Now come on, let's go get the family."
Merlin held Bella's strand of hair in between his index finger and thumb, his ocean blue eyes transfixed on it. Who would have thought such a small, seemingly insignificant thing could be so important – but it was. To him, it was everything. On one hand it was part of his little girl, Bella, and on the other it was what would bring Imi back to him. This one small strand of hair owned his soul, something he was not blind to.
The flash of a sudden bolt of lightning and the foreboding growl of thunder shuddering through the earth underneath his feet caused him to jolt away from his trance. His eyes now shot up to the sky, his forehead wrinkling in his concern. The sun was still shinning, though it was now higher in the sky, being closer to noon than the morning.
So then where had the thunder come from?
"We must hurry, Merlin," Kilgharrah's mighty declaration boomed out, earning the young Warlocks attention. "I have a suspicion that something is very wrong in the world."
Merlin bounced his eyebrows. "Why do I have the same feeling?" he muttered back.
Morgana gazed up at the heavens at the crash of thunder rumbling through the earth, halting her horse in its travels. On either side of her both Gwaine and Mordred came to a steady stop and mimicked her movements, both men turning concerned gazes toward the clouds.
The black haired beauty scowled at the calm blue and gentle glow of the sky. "Where did that come from?" She asked no one in particular, still looking for a storm cloud hovering anywhere in the sky. It had to have come from somewhere.
Gwaine shook his head. "I have no idea," he replied in a gentle, yet cautious tone. "But why do I feel like changing my armour?"
"Oh for…Gwaine, don't make me lose a breakfast I didn't even have," Morgana chided, her face scrunching up in a display of revulsion.
Mordred on the other hand didn't look repulsed. On the contrary, he looked up at the sky with a mixture of suspicion and outright fear, a cold liquid sensation flowing down through his body. "We need to hurry, now," he ordered with some urgency. "Before he discovers everything that's happened."
Morgana snapped her head round to look at him. "I beg your pardon?"
"Yeah, calm down," Gwaine added. "It's just a little thunder. No need to go hiding under your sheets."
"That wasn't thunder, Sir Gwaine," He spat back, eyes now shinning. "Have you never once heard of the wrath of Thor?"
Morgana felt all her breath leave her, almost as if it had been sucked out by some kind of hollow vacuum. "What did you just say?" She gasped, her skin trembling so hard she could feel every twitch.
"Because the moment draws near, and all shall know who you truly adore, for fate would have given you the chance Morgana…to banish your love for the one and only Thor."
Clotho, the sister of fate, she had called James Thor. If memory served she had actually named him Almighty Thor, and had impossibly predicted some form a torrid love affair. After the initial disgust she had brushed it off, assuming the Goddess had taken a dislike to her and simply lied to try and crush her spirit. But she was right. Well, at least about the title of Thor…so what did that mean about everything else she had said?
"Morgana!" Mordred's voice jerked her violently out of her own head and brought her crashing back down to the real world. "We have to get there before he does! Because believe me, once he finds out what the Saxons have done to his sister, there will be nothing on heaven or Earth that will stop him! Now come on!"
And with that the young druid reared his horse and charged away, Gwaine hot on his heels. Morgana forced herself to follow, feeling slightly numb. Mordred was right. They had to rescue Anna before James discovered the entire truth, because wherever he was, she knew from first-hand experience what would happen.
A vengeance like no other.
Gwen looked out of her window as the thunder rumbled through the very floor she stood on, her hand coming down to run over her bulging stomach with a gentle stroke. She was soon joined by Gaius and little Bella, the girl pushing her small hands and face right up against the glass.
"Strange," Gwen murmured, a slight frown on her face. "The weather is as bright as I've ever seen it."
"Indeed, my Lady," Gaius hummed.
The Queen of Camelot turned curious eyes onto the physician. "A theory, Gaius?"
"I'm afraid not," Gaius answered honestly. "I haven't seen anything like that in all my years."
Young Isabella pulled her lightly frightened face back from the cold glass. "Grandpa Gaius?" She enquired softly, using the nickname for the elderly physician that she had used since she had been able to speak.
"Yes, my girl?"
"The thunder feels angry," she moaned, grabbing a hold of her Aunt Gwen's waiting hand in an attempt to seek some comfort. "So angry. It scares me."
Gaius frowned down at the girl at her choice of words. Granted, at the age of four her vocabulary was somewhat limited, but that only made it more curious. Of course it was not uncommon for children to fear thunder and lightning, in fact her mother used to be terrified of it as a child herself, and he had heard the phrase many times from her. Only like all children, Morgana had said the storm or thunder had sounded angry. Bella had said it had felt angry. For some reason it made the hairs on back of his neck stand on end.
"I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Gwen soothed the girl in that as always motherly tone.
Gaius however turned back to the window to the view the great outdoors, unnerved to say the least. "For heavens' sake, Merlin," he muttered. "Be careful."
"I do not believe the witch is coming, Merlin," Kilgharrah finally announced, as always earning himself a glare for his choice of titles for Morgana. "We cannot wait any longer. Perform the spell now or not at all."
Merlin sighed, concerned that the black haired beauty had not followed them as she had said she would. He had fully expected to see her come streaking across the sky, being carried by James Regus. He had even been looking forward to it. But for whatever reason she was being held back by something, and that scared him more than anything. After all, what could possibly keep her away from finally releasing Imi? But Kilgharrah was right. Something was wrong in the world, he could feel it, and they really couldn't afford to waste any more time.
"Merlin!" Sounded a male cry from behind him.
He spun wildly around in hope, anticipation pounding through him, and felt it wither and die when he saw Arthur's furious expression marching toward him. "Arthur?"
"Oh, so you do remember me?" The fair haired king yelled back, finally reaching them and casting a worried glance at the mighty Kilgharrah. "Hello there…dragon," he mumbled awkwardly.
Kilgharrah bowed his head somewhat. "King Arthur, as always a true honour," The great Dragon welcomed.
"Right…" Arthur trailed off, still even after all these years uncomfortable around the ancient beast. He turned back to a lightly amused Merlin and decided to ruin his day. He did that. A lot. Some say he enjoyed it. "So this is what Morgana tried to convince me was you running errands for Gaius? When will you two learn that those excuses don't work anymore?"
Merlin shrugged. "Did she at least try the tavern?"
"She did," Arthur replied quickly with a smug pout. "I was more inclined to believe that one, but I proved too smart for that as well. I had Gwaine ensure you weren't in the tavern before my sister even attempted it. You can't fool me, Merlin."
Merlin nodded to himself. "Gwen suggested it, didn't she?"
"Yes she did," he fired back, not even remotely ashamed for trying to take credit for his wife's deeds. But then, as always, the humour seemed to fall away as Arthur took in their current situation. "What are you doing Merlin? Why are we here?"
The young Warlock hung his head. It was hard to lie to Arthur when he wasn't yelling like a prat. "Morgana had a vision this morning. She saw Imi in serious danger. It looked like she was going to die, and it occurred to me that maybe that's why the fates told us she had to be left in there for five years. Maybe they knew that's how long it would take her to die in the void, and I can't let that happen, Arthur, I just can't."
Arthur allowed his eyes to close in frustration, his hands coming up to rest on his hips as he pondered his advisors words. "There are other, far more crucial reasons for her release, Arthur Pendragon," Kilgharrah attempted to persuade the king further, earning his attention.
"Such as?" Arthur enquired.
"Destiny," was his only response. "I cannot go into detail at this time, but it is important that Imogen Pendragon and another be released from their prison. I'm afraid we must do this."
The king frowned up at the Dragon. "Release another? Who are you talking about?"
"Arthur," Merlin caught his attention once more. "I know we don't like the word, but I beg of you, as my friend, you have to let me do this."
Arthur shook his head. "Merlin-"
"Please, Arthur," The young warlock tried again, shrugging his shoulders and allowing his eyes to flood with moisture. He couldn't hold it back any more. "Please," he whispered one last time.
Arthur released a heavy, annoyed sigh and tensed his jaw – having to turn away and shake his head. The consequences would be severe. He knew it, and he knew Merlin knew it. Besides it wasn't as if he didn't want to see his niece again either, but he had a kingdom and its citizens to protect as well, not just his friends' feelings. "Fine," he reluctantly conceded, much to the surprise of Merlin. Just when the young warlock looked about ready to embrace him he held up his hands. "Let's just do this, alright? Touch me and I may just change my mind."
A small laugh escaped Merlin's smiling lips. "Deal. Kilgharrah?" He prompted the great dragon, holding up the hair caught on his collar and throwing it up into the air.
Kilgharrah sucked in a voracious amount of air, his neck recoiling like a snake, before he threw his head forward and unleashed a magnificent stream of flames from his epicly proportioned jaw. The flames connected with the hair and consumed it, engulfing the tiny strand in a sea of fire and heat. The blast continued on through the wind, until it seemed to hit some form of invisible wall. Merlin and Arthur watched on in amazement as everything seemed to move in slow motion, the very fabric of the air around them stretching until it finally ripped in two.
"Sweet Mercy," Arthur nearly screamed, eyes fixed on the tearing air to reveal another world hiding just in between. A fierce pulse of wind exploded from the whole created, one that nearly knocked the duo of their feet, and then continued to try. They might have been concerned had they not been so utterly hypnotized by the tearing air. It was sort of like watching a bed sheet tear, the mattress beneath it beginning to emerge from between the cracks, only it was the air they breathed instead of some crummy bed sheet, and the mattress beneath was another world inhabited by the fiercest monsters known (or unknown) to man.
Finally, eventually, the tear grew so big that it stretched into the form of some giant gateway. It scaled about fifty feet high, and its width managed about half of that…but there was no Imi in sight. In fact there was no one in sight. Merlin scowled, hard, and rounded on the Dragon.
"Where is she!?" He had to yell above the fierce gale pounding at his back, the raw power of it still almost enough to completely sweep him off his feet.
"I am not James Regus, Merlin!" Kilgharrah called back, even he having to squint his yellow reptilian gaze. "Not every being on this earth can perform the impossible! You and Arthur must journey into the void if you wish to retrieve her!"
Merlin's eyes managed to stretch wide open despite the fierce gale. What did he mean journey into the void? Had the dragon finally lost his mind after all these years? He whirled around to face the gateway when the sound of war cries managed to reach his ears, only to see around a dozen men charging toward the open gateway from within the void. He had to admit he was scared. The men were not numerous, but each of them were absolutely massive. Easily twice the size of Arthur.
He turned to view his king, seeing his own apprehension mirrored in the other mans' eyes. However Arthur, seeing the stubbornness in his friends gaze hiding underneath the fear, let out a low growl. "Fine," he spat out, throwing off his cape and angrily withdrawing Excalibur. "But in case this is the last time I ever get to say it, I hate you Merlin. I really do."
"I understand," The young warlock nodded. "Thank you anyway."
Arthur gave a shake of his head. "I'm not doing it for you."
Merlin nodded yet again, understanding what he meant. The two men turned away from each other and toward the gateway, facing the oncoming stampede of monstrous warriors. "For Imi," Merlin muttered to himself.
Arthur took a deep, steadying breath. "For Imi," he agreed.
And that, it seemed, was that. The duo pounced of the ground, running toward the danger, both ready to lay down their lives in order to get either their daughter or niece returned to them. And they would succeed. They had to.
For Imogen.
SO there we are? In the next chapter: Merlin and Arthur find much more in the void than either bargained for; Morgana sacrifices something important to save Anna and all hell breaks loose in Camelot. Please review telling me what you thought as I'm slightly anxious that I'm not gonna get as many reviews as I did before lol I'm shallow, I know this.