A/N: Hey there! Welcome to the fifth story, Embers, of my Merlin Series the Draconian Prophecies :) I would recommend new readers first read the prior four stories (Sparks, Flames, Burning, and Blazing), to understand the relationship my OC, Marayna, has with Merlin and Arthur and also Merlin's relationship with Morgana as she will have a VERY different role in this story ;) This story will follow the episodes but will also have an original chapter between most of them (except 2-parters) :)

This story should be about 23 chapters long and updated daily. This is also be an Arthur/OC (Merlin/Morgana, Gwen/Lancelot) story ;)

Quick description of the OC, Marayna is a tall, slightly gangly woman, with a bit of curly black hair. Her eyes are blue, like Merlin's, with the same cheekbones, smile and other features, as he's her brother ;) She seems to think her mouth is a bit small and her eyes are a tiny bit unlevel with each other. For a reference, to help in visualization, I picture the OC to look something like Natalie Dormer :)

I hope you enjoy :)

~8~ is a scene break.

"italics" are spells.

'italics' is telepathic talk between magic users.

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin...Mordred would have been around more than he was :)

~8~

Arthur's Bane (Part 1)

"I swear to god, Arthur Pendragon, if you EVER touch me again I will KILL YOU!"

Arthur winced as Marayna screamed that at him...along with quite a few other obscenities he wasn't liable to repeat for fear of William picking it up...or the entirety of the kingdom knowing what sort of mouth their queen had. Though he doubted anyone would hold her accountable for half the things she was saying in the midst of another labor.

Marayna was with child, again, and in the middle of giving birth too...he couldn't feel his hand.

No, truly, he was starting to think it was broken at some point.

But his pain was nothing compared to Marayna's.

She gave one more scream and suddenly a baby's wails filled the room. Arthur took a peek at the child and a wide grin split across his face. He turned, pressing a kiss to Marayna's head, whispering in her ear, before he stood, actually hugging Merlin and allowed the man to kneel beside his sister, Gwen wiping her forehead off with a cool cloth. He rushed out of the room as the baby was cleaned by Gaius and Morgana, two Druid healers keeping an eye on Marayna in case she nearly bled out again, but she seemed stronger this time.

He hurried into the hall, "William!" he called, turning to scoop up the boy as he toddled over to him from where Lancelot was occupying him, "Guess what, big brother?"

"Sissy!?" the boy looked at his father, his eyes wide with hope.

Arthur had never known another small boy so eager to have a little sister as William, most thought girls were 'icky' and wanted little brothers but not his son. He was sure it had something to do with being around him and Morgana, Merlin and Marayna, and Gwen and Elyan for the last three years that had made the boy more desirous for a sister to watch over as he saw it with all of them, whatever it was, he was proud because he knew William would truly be an amazing older brother no matter what the baby was.

"Yes," he nodded, looking at the other knights that was with him, Elyan and Leon, both men having stayed behind while Gwaine and Percival were on a journey to Ismere, having been gone for…some weeks now. It was worrying how long they'd been off and he knew they'd have to send a search party for them, Gwaine had sworn on the tavern that he would be back in time for the latest birth, not wanting to miss it…for HIM to not be there after so many weeks…something was wrong. But he couldn't bring himself to send out a party till this had happened, till he knew the fate of his wife and, now, daughter, "Camelot has a new princess."

"What's her name?" Lancelot clapped Arthur on the back, knowing Marayna had wanted a little girl.

The royal couple had been holding off on having more children though. With the labor and what it had nearly done to Marayna, Arthur had wanted to wait long enough for her to truly regain her strength and heal internally (even with magic) before they tried for another child. They weren't actually trying though, they hadn't been. They'd been trying to hold off, to be honest, to allow Gwen or Morgana a chance for a child and, while both women were trying, it was taking a bit longer and Marayna had ended up with child once more. And now she had her little girl.

Gwen was…especially happy now, in much better spirits. Because her husband was back, he was alive and he was real, he was truly back. Merlin, Marayna, Morgana, Gaius, and quite a few of the Druids, Catha, and Bloodguard had done as many spells and enchantments and tests as they could on him…and he was truly back. The power of Life and Death had brought him back using the deaths of the Southrons. A story had been made for the people, that the tear they thought had killed him had just transported him to the other end of the world and he'd spent a year trying to get back to Gwen. The people were overjoyed to have him back, but none more than Gwen.

"Rosaline," Arthur said, "In honor of Sir Lucan," he added.

They'd received word that the honorable knight had passed on only one month prior. And Arthur's mind had gone right to everything Marayna had told him of the man, his friendship with Uther, the loss of his daughter. It had really gotten to him, hearing about the man and, now that he was a father, it hit him all the harder to imagine what the man had gone through with his daughter, how he'd still held onto his good heart despite his tragic loss. He'd asked Marayna, if it were a girl, if they could name her Rosaline and when he told her why, she'd been more than happy to. They couldn't give the man back his daughter but they could honor her memory. And Marayna felt it was a symbolic and meaningful name as well. While their son was a bridge between two worlds, a Dragonlord by birth (though they hadn't brought him to see Kilgharrah yet or test that out), their daughter, her name, she would be symbolic in how Arthur was trying to heal the past crimes against those with magic, naming his daughter after another little girl who had had it, an innocent girl, a GOOD girl.

"That's a beautiful name Sire," Leon offered.

"She's a beautiful girl," Arthur nodded, tears in his eyes, "Like her mother," he looked at his son, "Want to see her?"

William nodded eagerly, his black, curly locks bobbing with his head. It was amusing, to Arthur, how much William looked like Marayna, her hair, her cheekbones and smile, but his eyes and build. He wasn't as gangly as Marayna and Merlin were, but sturdier, stronger. He truly looked like a little prince, and though he favored wearing red like his father, proud that he was the King's son and he couldn't be more proud of his son. He tried, so hard, to be a different king and father than his own had been. He sat up with his son when he'd been a baby, fed him, bathed him, clothed him, all himself. Marayna had been SO proud of him as well and had truly appreciated his agreement to her request not to take on a wet nurse for the boy. It was…truly just amazing how much closer he felt to his son having cared for him himself. To be the one to hold him and feed him, to be that responsible for him…he could never remember his own father, or even quite a few other noblewomen, doing the same for their own children, but that was what he loved about his wife. They hadn't had a personal servant in…ages, years really, they preferred to take care of themselves, clothe each other and keep their own chambers clean and their own fire going. It had carried over to their child, THEY wanted to be the one caring for them. He had Marayna to thank for that, she showed him the joy and pride that came with doing things on his own.

He'd actually come to do a lot on his own now, everything he could really that didn't require help of others to really get done. Putting on his armor did require help to get the straps and everything done and secure, but other than that, he really tried to do what he could. Except cooking, he was rubbish at cooking, unless it was on a hunt. He did go to the kitchens for that.

Arthur turned and stepped back into the room, seeing Marayna was sitting up on the cot, holding their daughter in her arms, the baby much quieter than William had been. He'd been surprised just how quickly Marayna had adapted to being a mother given she hadn't ever considered being one till she'd found out she was with child. She'd confided that she was completely and utterly terrified and she was trying to make it up as she went. But Hunith had come to stay in Camelot soon after William had been born, to help teach her daughter what to do, before she'd headed back to Ealdor. As much as she loved her children, her life was in Ealdor, it was the place that she had met and spent time with Balinor, it was her home, Camelot was the place and the reason her love was gone and so she wasn't fond of staying there too long. Not to mention, there was Mordred to think on. Hunith visited each year, on William's birthday, much like Tristan and Isolde did, surprisingly, and last year she had said that Mordred had left, had wanted to go out and see the world, see what other magic was out there. He was a…strong and strapping young man now, according to her. They hadn't seen him in years though, not since Merlin and Morgana's wedding as he'd needed to stay back and tend the fields while their mother visited them.

Marayna had done quite well, though she'd had Morgana and Gwen to help, as they'd promised. And it was good practice for the two women for when they had children of their own one day. And now she had her girl as he had his boy. He carried William over to the little girl, sitting beside Marayna and turning William in his arms to look at his sleeping sister. He could see tufts of blonde hair on her head and just knew instantly that he'd have his work cut out for him fending the various princes and lords (and servants) away from his daughter as she grew older. If she was half as beautiful as her mother he'd end up going to war within moments of her meeting foreign princes.

"William," Marayna smiled at her son, shifting Rosaline in her arms to take her son's hand, "Say hello to your sister, Rosaline."

"Ros…Rosin…Ros…" William struggled to speak. He was quite the talkative child, but he did struggle with words that were three syllables or more, "Roslin!" he cheered.

Arthur chuckled, "He's going to end up just calling her Lyn isn't he?" he guessed, thinking of how Merlin had ended up calling her Aya because he couldn't pronounce 'Marayna' correctly as a child.

"Probably," she laughed, "Must be a curse in my family that the boys can't pronounce their sister's names," she shot a playful look at Merlin as he rolled his eyes.

"Makes their bond all the more special," Merlin defended.

Arthur reached out to touch his daughter's cheek, the girl blinking her eyes open and he let out a breath, she had Marayna's eyes. They both had blue eyes, but Marayna's were a different shade than him, "Ok…" he nodded, "It's settled then."

"What?" Marayna looked at him, her hair braided on the side, hanging over her shoulder.

"That shade of blue," he nodded at their daughter before touching his wife's cheek, "It's forbidden to be worn by the noblewomen of Camelot."

Marayna laughed and shook her head, leaning over to rest her head on Arthur's shoulder as they looked at William reach out and take Rosaline's hand, his other hand with his thumb stuck in his mouth as the little girl yawned and fell asleep.

~8~

Arthur and Marayna entered the Hall of Ceremonies where a large round table had been placed. The time where she and Merlin had been on the run and taken in by the Druids had stuck with Arthur very much, thinking about the equality of all those around him, the circle of life, balance, it had reminded him of an old round table in a ruin not far from Camelot. He'd wanted to adapt that ideal, take the table idea and add it to Camelot. Knowing Marayna and Merlin had made him realize that the lives of those around him were not less important than his life, nor was his more important than any other. Nor should opinions and thoughts and ideas. He wanted open dialogue, he wanted everyone to feel like they were a part of events and had equal say, nobles and servants and knights alike. So he'd had a large round table commissioned and created a new council of his own.

He had spoken to the members of his father's council within months after William had been born, thanked them for their duty to his father but emphasized that his wife was right in her speech to the people after their coronation, he was not his father and he wanted to do things differently, he couldn't accomplish that with the men who would tell him what they'd tell his father to do. They didn't understand him and it had taken him far too long to work up the nerve to dismiss them. He did keep one or two of them, namely just Gaius and Geoffrey to sit in his council, more to appease the others that the wisdom that had helped Uther would still be heard at some point. But they were also men he knew understood who HE was and what HE wanted to do with his kingdom. The new council was composed of those men, the knights that knew of Merlin and Marayna and Morgana's magic, Gwen, and himself, along with Merlin, Marayna, and Morgana of course. Geoffrey had been told of their magic, which had shocked him, but upon learning that Arthur had known for years now and that he had accepted it…he knew what the two were like, he trusted them, so he kept his silence as well.

There were two new additions to the way the castle was run, besides a small handful of Druids and Catha being incorporated into the villages and the serving staff in disguise, Benedict had been taken in as the official guard for William and now Rosaline. He was currently in the small nursery/playroom that had been set up in their chambers, in the room that had once been reserved for the servants to stay in, allowing them to be closer to their children till they were old enough to require a room of their own. Benedict had taken to William instantly and Marayna was thankful the man was taking his task of guarding the prince as seriously as he was…it meant he spent less time trying to guard HER and follow her and glare at people who passed her or smiled at her. He was very overprotective and she'd rather that be on her children than her. Another addition was a girl, Sefa, who had been assigned as Morgana's new maid. The woman had gone her life with a maidservant and, even though she was sure she could handle not having one, with Gwen now a minor Lady with the official return of Lancelot, she was more a companion to her and Marayna than a servant. Arthur had requested one be assigned to Morgana and that had been Sefa. She was a good enough girl, did her duties, but Morgana had noticed a bit of distance, as though she held firm to the belief that servants should be seen and not heard, tend to their masters and mistresses and not get in the way or try to rise above their station and be friends despite knowing that Gwen and Morgana had been friends for ages despite Gwen being her servant. Sefa was standing off to the side, one of the few servants allowed into the council meetings.

"Noble Knights of Camelot, countrymen, friends," Arthur began as he stood at his seat at the table, Marayna sitting beside him, Merlin and Morgana beside her, Lancelot and Gwen beside him, a week after Rosaline had been born, "I welcome you to this meeting of the Round Table. For three long years, we have been blessed with peace and prosperity. But now, it seems a shadow has been cast across our lands. Sir Gwaine set off for Ismere some six weeks ago. With him went three score of our finest men. There has been no word from them since. At my request, Sir Elyan led a search party to the wastelands of the north. He found no trace of Gwaine or his men. It is as if they have vanished from the face of the Earth."

Elyan stood, setting down a map, having returned only last night from his quest, having left the morning after Rosaline had been born, "We know Gwaine and his men crossed the pass, here, at Isulfor," he pointed, "But beyond that, there was no trace. The trail went cold."

"There were rumors that the fortress of Ismere had been occupied again," Morgana looked at him, "Is there any truth in that?"

Elyan nodded, "I heard many such rumors, my Lady, all of them had one name in common... Morgause."

"Then we have no time to lose," Arthur straightened.

"What if the rumors are true, Sire?" Gaius frowned, "You may be walking into a trap."

"The Knights of Camelot do not abandon their own," Lancelot recited with determination.

Gwen reached out to take his hand, "Morgause will know that though, she'll be waiting."

"Well then," Merlin smirked, "We'll just have to make sure she won't be waiting for some…extra surprises," he looked at Arthur pointedly, making the man smile at what he was offering to do.

"I should like to accompany you as well," Morgana added, "Morgause may be…" she shook her head, unable to find a strong enough word for complete psychotic and out of her mind, "But I spent a year with her, when her mind and thoughts were unguarded. I may yet be able to guess how she will act and think."

Arthur nodded, knowing it was code for her visions. She had been working for years now on her fire scrying and had finally mastered it. If she saw anything in the flames, she would need to be close enough to warn him. He was starting to think he should request Sefa not stay for these meetings, or speak to them about telling the girl of their magic as he didn't want this code and secrecy between them especially when all there but Sefa knew of their magic.

"What if you take a different route to throw her," Marayna suggested, "Annis would be able to assist, perhaps allow you to pass through her lands."

"It would certainly take Morgause by surprise," Gaius agreed.

"Would Annis grant safe passage to so many armed men?" he looked at Leon, knowing the man was more in the know of the status of the relations with Annis. He had assigned each of his most trusted knights to focus on one of the other kingdoms that Camelot had truces with, they would be the ones that specialized in relations with that particular kingdom, Annis's was Leon's.

"I believe she would, Sire," Leon nodded.

"Dispatch a rider immediately," he ordered, "We'll follow at dawn. Remember, if we're to succeed, no one must know of our intentions."

"Do you really think Gwaine and Percival could still be alive?" Gwen looked at Arthur as the council started to disband.

"We have to find out either way," Marayna agreed, "William would be devastated if anything happened to his uncles."

"Especially Gwaine," Merlin joked, making Arthur groan inwardly.

The king was quite sure that Gwaine was going to corrupt his son and what little manners they were trying to instill on the three year old.

~8~

Finding a village full of corpses was NOT something Arthur, Merlin, or Morgana had expected to see on their way towards Annis's lands. They had set out with a small squadron of knights that morning as decided, Marayna forced to stay in the castle as she was Queen and the children required their mother still, especially Rosaline. Benedict, Lancelot, and Gwen were remaining with her, along with Gaius, which left the three of them, Elyan and Leon to go after the missing me. Arthur had wanted at least one knight to remain behind with his wife and, after what happened with the tear in the worlds, Lancelot was more inclined to remain with his own wife and protect the castle for which Arthur was grateful.

They wandered through the village, the entire area looking as though a massacre had occurred, trying to find any survivors when Merlin slowed, 'Emrys…' he could hear in his mind, 'Emrys…'

He looked at Morgana and nodded to the side, the woman catching Arthur's gaze and giving him a look. He nodded back, signaling for them to go and he would join them in moments, but he needed to see to the knights first. Of all the ones that had accompanied them, only Elyan and Leon knew of their magic.

They followed the call until Merlin stopped dead, spotting an older man lying on the ground, gasping for breath and rushed over to him, "What happened to you?" he knelt by the man, "Who did this to your village?"

"Hold still," Morgana reached out to try and heal him, "I can help…"

"No…" the man wheezed, grabbing Morgana's hand to stop her, "No…my time has come. I have been haunted by this moment for many years... since long before you or your sister set foot on this Earth, Emrys," Merlin stiffened, realizing that this man had to be a Druid, and not just that, a Seer as well, "I have waited for its arrival with the sorrow in my heart. For even as Camelot flowers, so the seeds of her destruction are being sown. The prophets speak of Arthur's bane. You would do well to fear it, for it stalks him like a ghost in the night. Unless you act quickly, Emrys, neither you, nor Reesa, will be able to alter the never-ending circle of his...fate," he let out a pained breath and the hand that had been holding Morgana's fell back to a small puddle of water beside him.

Merlin and Morgana looked over, seeing a vision in the water, both of them. Mordred, a man they could only assume was Mordred as he looked like the boy from the last time they'd seen him, just older, was rushing through a field towards an injured Arthur as the man knelt on the ground, wounded…before Mordred ran him through with his sword…

Morgana gasped in horror at seeing that, but then…the image shimmered in the water. Mordred was running through the field, just like before, heading right for an injured Arthur…but instead of running him through, he lifted his blade to block a fatal blow coming at him from behind, fighting to defend the fallen king.

The image faded and the two looked at each other, not sure what it meant, "It's like with me," Morgana breathed, guessing, "My fate could have gone light or dark," she recalled, "I chose light."

Merlin started to nod, "Mordred will have to make a choice…" he realized, and one…one would lead to Arthur's death.

"He wouldn't do that," Morgana shook her head, "He owes Arthur his life, he wouldn't kill him."

Merlin nodded at that, "I know," he whispered, Mordred…he was like family to them, he'd been raised by their mother, he had held William in his arms, he'd been there for their wedding…Mordred, they just couldn't fathom him doing something like that.

Not Mordred.

"Is he alive?" Arthur's voice called from behind them, making his way over to see them crouched beside the man's body. He let out a breath, seeing the man was dead, "As soon as we've given these people a proper burial, we're moving out, we'll need everyone's help…" he trailed off seeing tears in Morgana's eyes, Merlin holding her closer as he helped her up, "What is it?" he looked at them, "What's wrong?"

Merlin swallowed and looked at Morgana who nodded, they had to tell him.

~8~

"A seer?" Arthur frowned that night as they sat by a fire, the knights asleep around them, the words that Merlin and Morgana had told him just now plaguing him, "You're certain?"

Morgana nodded, "I've spent time with the different seers of the clans," she reminded him, "This one had a black spiral within a thin, yellow coil. It's a mark of the Vates, the Druidic seers.

"And he claimed that my Bane, or something was near and that I'd fall in battle?"

"Well, he more showed us that second one," Merlin corrected, unable to bring himself to say that it was Mordred who had ended his life in one vision of it. Until they knew if the vision was even true, which vision might be true…they couldn't do it, they just couldn't say it. Mordred was someone important to all of them and to think of him like that…they didn't want to tarnish their thoughts or feelings on the boy when the second vision could be the one that happened in the end.

Whatever it was, they would do everything they could to make sure that the second vision was the one that happened.

"There was a battle," Merlin elaborated, "You were fighting and then wounded and…and then you fell."

"The Vates are one of the most powerful Seers," Morgana added, "They train their entire lives in this craft…"

"Morgana would have probably been one if she'd discovered her power earlier," Merlin remarked.

Arthur nodded at that, hearing the hidden words in it, if Uther hadn't banned magic and made it a death sentence to even inquire about it, Morgana's life would have been better.

"There's a very good chance that this battle will happen Arthur," Morgana warned.

"You think I should heed his warning?" Arthur looked at them.

"We think you can't afford not to," Merlin remarked, "You're not just the king Arthur, you're my sister's husband, you're a FATHER now. You have to be inordinately more careful in battle from now on."

Arthur looked down, he had planned to, actually, to be more careful, to try not to go to war, to keep the peace he'd been trying to make the last three years. It was remarkable how much more determined he was to fight with a pen instead of a sword when he had a son to think on. He could understand his father's desires now, to take his place when he'd go into combat. All those times he'd been angry that the man had taken his 'honor' and had made him seem a 'coward' he realized…he'd do the same, to save his son, he would gladly risk his own life and take his place. But he was trying harder than ever, to create a time of peace. He wanted to pass on an era of peace and prosperity to his children, not the fear and war and paranoia of his father.

He was nearly there, he was nearly at the point where he could safely change the laws regarding magic. It had taken great effort, patience, and quite a bit of cunning on the part of his wife, sister, and brother-in-law, to get them to this point. He needed peace, he needed peace to surround his people, he needed them to feel calm and secure and protected for them to be open to him changing the laws about an evil most of them had been raised to believe existed in magic. For three years he had worked tirelessly. There had been NO battles against Camelot, no wars, no attacks of any kind from any enemy. The Bloodguard and Catha and Druids protected the realm from three sides, surrounding Camelot in three areas, the fourth was left to the forest the three magic-users in his family had created. With the peace and security Camelot now felt…with the fact that NO magical threat had been felt against them, it was exactly the environment that he needed. For the last three years, there had been no executions either, no decrees of the law being broken.

At least not in public.

All of that, every threat that made it through was dealt with quickly and subtly and in secrecy. All magic-users that were taken to the dungeons or captured by the guards, those that were innocent were released quietly, more like they 'escaped' but he made no outward effort to go after them as not many knew they were there to begin with. Those who were guilty were executed in public still…but the crimes they were executed for were specifically free of magical references. If they tried to kill him or Marayna, they were executed for that, if they happened to use magic to try it…ALL he said was that they made an attempt on the Queen's life, with no mention of the magic. Magic was merely their tool to see it done, like a dagger would be. It was much like with Alice, how Marayna had looked past the magic used and seen the crime that was committed. He made a point of ONLY looking at the crime and not the tool behind it.

So, as far as the people knew, there had been no magical threat. And, when the time came to alter the laws, hopefully soon as the joy of having a princess would soften their spirits more, if any argued against it, he could bring up all those executed and reveal they DID have magic, but that wasn't their crime.

But he was trying, he was being careful, he was striving for peace. He didn't want a battle such as the one Merlin and Morgana had described, he wanted to avoid that. It was almost like hearing that his plans and efforts would fail…but also that, for all his efforts in being careful…he might fall in battle as well.

He nodded to himself, he was not going to let himself be frightened of this, if it happened, he would face it, he would merely use the knowledge to enlighten his efforts.

"No matter what the future may hold," he began, "No matter what adversity we face, we stand for what is right. Come what may for me in the future, but for the present...I swear I'm going to rescue my men. They're more than friends, more than brothers. No matter what lies ahead of me... I won't abandon them, as I know they would not abandon me. As I know YOU would not abandon me," he gave Merlin a pointed look, recalling all the times Merlin had gone after him.

Merlin smiled at that, "Then I swear I will protect you or die at your side."

"That would be rather pointless."

Merlin frowned, "Why?"

Arthur chuckled, "If you die protecting me...your wife and my wife will both kill me afterwards."

Morgana leaned over, kissing Merlin's cheek as she linked her arm through his, "He's right," she whispered in his ear, "You are not allowed to die," she warned him, "I am not yet done loving you."

Merlin nodded, leaning over to rest his forehead to hers, "Nor I you."

~8~

Marayna stood in her rooms, swaying with Rosaline in her arms, looking out the window as Gwen and Lancelot sat on the floor, playing with William. She was looking out the window absently, Benedict sleeping in the nursery, poor man had been worn out by William that day. The boy was very energetic and clumsy, like Merlin and she had been and tended to wear out those around him. Rosaline, she was hoping would be a bit easier and calmer…though she doubted it. The girl kicked her harder during her pregnancy than her brother had.

She took a breath at that, looking out the window, she always did that, when Arthur went somewhere without her, even if he took an entire army with him, which he rarely had in the last three years, but she just…watched for him to return. Oh she had plenty to do during the day, run an entire kingdom on her own essentially…but at night, when it was her time to herself and her children, she would look out there for him, just incase he came back.

She smiled, looking down at Rosaline as she shifted and made a noise in her sleep, reaching out to touch her daughter's small hand, she slept a lot, she'd noticed. Slept just like Merlin did, deep and hardly woke till she wanted to.

She looked up, back out the window, her smile slowly fading when she saw someone making their way across the courtyard, looking around as though worried of being seen.

"Gwen," she called, keeping her eye on the figure, recognizing it as it turned back to check over her shoulder, "Sefa…" she began, "She lives IN the castle yes?"

Gwen nodded, "One of the few yes."

Lancelot frowned, "What's wrong?" he asked, passing William off to Gwen and standing, joining her at the window to see Sefa rushing off, "I'll find out," he murmured to Marayna before he turned and rushed out of the room.

Marayna ran a hand through her hair, a pit forming in her stomach.

~8~

Arthur was quiet, thoughtful, as he and his men packed up their camp. They'd gone through Annis's lands just the other day, had had a meal with the Queen and learned quite a good deal about what was happening. The Saxons had been raiding her villages, the one they'd passed, Asgorath, was one of the unfortunate ones that had been hit. The men were apparently being captured and taken to Ismere where it appeared Morgause was tearing the small citadel apart looking for something. It was a rather good and bad thing, good in that it meant his men were likely still alive, but bad as he could only imagine what Morgause was searching for that would require so much effort.

It couldn't be anything good.

He paused, hearing a horse neigh nearby and pulled his sword, the other knights doing the same, Merlin and Morgana stepping closer to each other, all of them on alert. He looked over at the magic-users, giving them a small nod. They'd gotten remarkably skilled at not using their magic in an obvious way, but a very subtle way, which would be very useful now as there were handfuls of knights who had no idea about their magic still.

"Arthur!" Morgana gasped, pointing at a mist before them…where a rather large army of Saxons was heading for them.

"We're surrounded," Merlin looked around.

"We can't stay here," Leon agreed, backing up to them.

Arthur looked over, spotting Morgause on a horse, riding with the men, "Run!" he ordered his men, knowing that there would likely be a showdown of magical proportions and he couldn't risk Merlin and Morgana put in the middle of that and forced to expose their magic. If he could disband his men quickly enough, THEN they could attack.

The men ran, scattering, but the Saxons had already reached them, forcing a battle to begin. Merlin pulled out his staff from the horse he'd been taking, Morgana grabbing a sword, the two of them rushing out to help, using their magic to make their blocks and strikes sharper and stronger, taking out more men than they should have been able to, but none of the men noticed in the middle of the battle. They looked over, hearing Leon cry out in pain to see an older man had struck him in the leg, injuring him. Arthur was already making his way over to the man, taking out soldiers as he went, a few Morgana and Merlin helping with. But when he reached Leon, when he faced the man that had hurt the knight, the man managed to land a blow against the king, striking him in the head and knocking him to the ground. Elyan rushed up, defending the king as Merlin and Morgana rushed over, catching sight of Leon.

"Go!" Leon ordered and they nodded, dragging Arthur away from the battle, to the cover of the trees.

Morgana looked over as she heard two Saxons riding closer, trying to find them, and hissed, "Astige ðu wyrm," making a snake slither out from the bushes to scare the horses back, giving them time to magically lift Arthur and rush away with him.

~8~

Marayna stood before her throne in the Main Hall as Leon and Elyan reported to the attack, having returned beaten and bloody, but alive, "We were ambushed," Leon swallowed, "Morgause and a band of Saxons attacked us as we crossed the border into Ismere."

Marayna nodded, taking a breath, "I take it Merlin and Morgana were able to get Arthur away?"

"Yes," Elyan agreed, "They escaped. But…we don't know where they've gone."

"How could Morgause have known?" Gwen breathed, stepping over to Marayna and taking her hand, offering her strength, all too aware of what it felt like to fear for your husband.

"How could she have known that Arthur was approaching from that direction?" Gaius agreed.

Lancelot cleared his throat and stepped forward, "I fear someone has betrayed us," he looked at Marayna solemnly.

She closed her eyes, guessing exactly who it was, "Bring her to me," she ordered Lancelot as he nodded and headed out.

~8~

Lancelot strode into the Main Hall to see court had been called, as was required of a situation such as this, Sefa led in by the arm, and stopped before the Queen as he moved to take his place beside Gwen, as Marayna stood before her. As much as Marayna and Arthur had tried to keep crimes private…this wasn't magic, this wasn't an attempt on their life…this was treason.

"On your knees," one of the guards called, stepping closer, one on each side of her.

Sefa looked between them before slowly getting on her knees, "What have I done?"

"You were standing in on the council meeting Arthur gave the night before he set out for Ismere with his men," Marayna began.

"Yes…" she said slowly, "I was tending to the Princess Morgana."

Marayna nodded, "And later, the night after he left…you were walking through the courtyard. Where were you going?"

"Nowhere."

"Sefa you have been a servant in this castle for three years now," Marayna eyed her, "And I have known Lancelot…oh god I feel old now," she smiled, looking at Lancelot, "About 10 years now. I trust him, as I like to think I trust you as well. But when HE tells me that you left the city through the south gate…I believe him. So please. No lies. Did you leave the city?"

"Yes, my Lady," Sefa bowed her head.

"To see who?" but Sefa was quiet, "Sefa…"

"You wouldn't understand," she murmured.

'Try me.'

Sefa gasped and looked up at her, seeing the queen smirking, her voice echoing inside her mind!

"Tell me who you went to meet," Marayna repeated, looking Sefa in the eye, but the woman seemed stunned.

'Trust me,' Marayna's voice echoed in her head again.

Sefa took a deep breath, breathing out, "My father. I saw my father."

"Let me guess, you told him about Arthur's plans then?"

Sefa swallowed, staring at her with wide eyes.

'I need the truth.'

"He only wants what's rightfully his," Sefa shook her head out of her shock, "Were he a physician or a warrior, his skills would be revered. But sorcery! He deserves respect like any man."

'I agree,' Marayna nodded slowly, seeming to the others as though she were realizing the plot against her husband, though Sefa frowned, seeing it as a different sort of nod.

"But respect should be earned," Marayna continued, "I don't respect anyone unless they earn it from me."

"You respect the king!" Sefa pointed out.

"And I punched him two days into knowing him," Marayna remarked, making Gwen smile and Lancelot cover up a cough, "He had to work to earn my respect just as anyone else. And what you have done…" she shook her head, "Our men were ambushed, many were killed, others were taken captive and the king was injured…"

'You should not have reacted so rashly,' Marayna's voice said in her head at the same time, 'Have you seen anyone executed in this kingdom for having magic in your time as servant?'

Sefa winced at that, looking down, the court thinking her repentant for her crimes, but she was truly just realizing that no…no one had been killed for their magic in three years now, "I didn't mean to..."

'Sefa look at me.'

"I am sorry," Marayna spoke when Sefa looked up, "But you have committed treason against Camelot."

'Keep calm.'

"And for that reason alone, having no tie to your father's abilities, I must find you guilty of that treason."

'Don't fight and don't struggle.'

"You shall be executed."

'Don't fear, this is just for show.'

Sefa gasped and looked up at her with wide eyes, hearing that. Not only was the Queen of Camelot speaking in her mind, just like a magic-user could, like SHE could with her father when they were near enough, but…she was telling her that she wasn't truly going to be executed, that it was all for show, that it wasn't real.

"Do you understand?"

Sefa nodded slowly.

Marayna looked at the guards, "Take her to the dungeons."

'I shall see you soon and all shall be well,' Marayna looked at her, Sefa blinking rapidly, panting, not liking being carried off by the guards and her execution ordered but too shocked at what she had just heard.

Marayna sighed and ran a hand through her hair, turning to stride out of the room, it always took a lot of effort and concentration to be able to speak out loud at the same time she was speaking to a magic-user in their mind.

~8~

Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana strode through the forests, heading for Ismere, all of them with determined looks on their faces. Morgana had healed Arthur's head wound as the king rested a safe distance away. But the moment he woke, they all knew that their mission hadn't changed, they were going to head to Ismere and they were going to rescue their men. Morgana didn't doubt that Morgause had likely left Elyan or Leon or at least one knight to report back to Camelot the state that she'd left them in, that Arthur had been wounded, that the men were captured, if just to try and make the Queen fearful.

Morgause was still underestimating Marayna's fortitude it seemed. And that was to their benefit.

Now though, they had to reach Ismere before dark and they knew they would. They would have transported themselves there, but as they didn't know if Morgause might have magical wards around to alert her to their appearance, they felt it best to go on foot. Arthur wasn't even remotely worried as they walked on, he trusted Merlin and Morgana and their skills as he knew they trusted his judgment. Even Merlin, who was typically against things like this, dangerous missions with little odds of success, was quiet and strong in his strides. He knew why, there was no reason to try and dissuade him. They were too far from Camelot to head back and return with more men without being caught again, they were safe and undetected for now, and he knew about the vision the Druidic Seer had given them. He was aware of this danger that was approaching him, his Bane of his, and they knew he wasn't ignoring the warning, but not letting it deter him or force his hand.

However, no matter how determined they might be…traps had a way of forcing one's hand and stalling one's progress.

And they had stumbled right into one.

They'd taken one step and ended up in a rope trap that pulled them up into the air in a net, trapping them. Or so they were sure their captors had hoped. But Morgana looked up, her eyes flashing, and the ropes right at the top snapped, sending them toppling back down to the ground, rolling onto their sides in pain from the fall, small though it was, they'd all landed awkwardly because of how they'd been scooped up.

Arthur turned, trying to grab his sword as it fell beside him…only for a boot to step on it, "Not so fast," an older man stated, wearing furs and black clothing, a Saxon. Before Arthur could even react, before Merlin or Morgana could get up, a handful of other men stepped out from around the trees and surrounded them. Arthur held his hand up as he slowly stood to face the man, signaling for Merlin and Morgana to hold back…this might be what they needed to reach Ismere. If these Saxons were working for Morgause as well…there was a chance they'd be taken right to her and the other men, "The King of Camelot," the man greeted, looking at the sword he'd picked up, examining it, "You will fetch a handsome price. Alive or dead," and aimed the sword at Arthur's chest, "Any last requests?"

Arthur was silent, knowing that any request wouldn't be heeded. He'd want Morgana and Merlin released, but if they worked for Morgause, they'd want Morgana, and even if they didn't work for the woman, they'd still want the Princess and Prince of Camelot, the brother and sister-in-law to the Queen still in the castle. There was no request he could make that would see any of them free.

"Very well then," the man smirked, lifting the sword, ready to strike when…

"Stop!" a voice called from the side, a young boy, nearly a man, stepped forward with bright blue eyes and the blackest of hair. Morgana let out a small breath when his gaze flickered to her, recognizing him instantly. He forced his gaze back to the man with Arthur's sword, "Shouldn't we leave it to the Lady Morgause to decide their fate?" the man smirked and nodded, sheathing Arthur's sword but motioning for his men to follow him, to lower their weapons, and ready to head out.

The boy looked back at Arthur, "Remember me?" he smiled.

Arthur shook his head, smiling, "Mordred," he reached out to take the boy's arm, clasping it in greeting.

Mordred nodded, knowing he couldn't give them a better greeting than that with the Saxons watching, appearing too familiar with them would get them killed, "Hello Arthur."

To be continued…

A/N: Lol, did you like the little surprise start? Little Rosaline :) Awww :) WIlliam's a big brother now :) And Arthur has a little baby girl to be even more over protective over ;) Since William is 3 now, I felt like we needed Arthur with a real baby to fret over :)

Some notes on reviews...(from the end of Blazing)...

A few more smiles and tears to come, but I won't say if the tears are happy or sad }:)

Yup, Lancelot is really back :)