Summary: 5x11 AU. Kara survives and the consequences of this change destiny. Morgana's looking for a new weapon against Arthur and with a witch hunter at her side, how will Mordred and Kara's love survive this? With the help of Merlin, the others and Arthur's changing attitude towards magic Morgana seemingly can't succeed. However with a new face emerging, are they friend or foe? Co- Written with Purple-Scarlet-Black Rose, read her story Meant To Be.
Pairings: ArthurXGwen, MerlinXFreya, MordredXKara, and Gwaine and Eira.
We do not own Merlin if we did Mordred wouldn't have betrayed Arthur and Arthur wouldn't have killed Kara sighs.
The Ties That Bind Chapter 1
Mordred pulled Kara behind him protectively as they hid behind a tapestry, who could he ask for help?
Merlin, he could help them. Mordred knew that when Merlin had seen him with Kara in the lower castle had caused something to change between them.
"You should leave me Mordred, please" Kara pleaded the knight to see sense.
"No" he said harshly, he wouldn't allow Kara to die at the hands of Arthur Pendragon. He loved her too much to allow that to happen.
Mordred glanced quickly around the hallway and took Kara's right hand in his as they both raced to Merlin's room.
He knocked on the door, his knuckles getting scratched by the wood.
"Emrys, Merlin please" Mordred cried, hoping that the man would help him save Kara's life even if it meant him getting himself killed.
Merlin opened the door to see Mordred and Kara standing at the door, Mordred had a determined yet desperate look in his piercing blue eyes.
"Get inside" he told them quickly and Kara hurried in before Mordred entered the room.
"I know that you do not like me Merlin, but I am begging you do not tell Arthur where Kara is" Mordred pleaded the warlock to understand.
Merlin looked at the way Mordred placed himself beside Kara in a loving but protective manner and thoughts of Freya entered his mind.
He had to get Gwen.
"Okay, stay here." Merlin said to Mordred and Kara as he left the room to talk to Gwen.
As he walked the corridors of the castle his thoughts wondered to Freya and the situation he now found himself in, 'I know, I know that if I was in Mordred's position I would do the same thing. I did the same thing. Freya what do I do? I want to help him but I can't ignore the fact that he is destined to kill Arthur.'
The thoughts seemed to repeat themselves over and over in his mind until he found himself in front of the doors to Gwen's chambers.
He knocked and waited, "Come in." Gwen said from inside her chambers. Merlin entered and Gwen could see that Merlin was troubled by something.
"What's the matter Merlin?" Gwen asked as she approached him as he hadn't moved from the door. Her hand on his arm roused him from his thoughts. He sighed and debated with himself on whether or not to tell the whole truth.
"Merlin?" Gwen questioned again getting worried. Taking a deep breath Merlin began, "Gwen what I'm about to tell you, please promise me you won't tell Arthur." This made Gwen worry all the more.
"Merlin. Tell me what's going on?" Gwen said in her most commanding tone. "Are you aware of the druid girl that Arthur has sentenced to death?" Merlin asked.
Gwen was confused, "Of course I do Merlin. But what does she have to do with anything?" Merlin stepped away from the door and replied, "Mordred wants to help her. He loves her. And he's asked me to help him break her out and get her away from Camelot." He couldn't look at Gwen as he said this.
Gwen couldn't believe what she was hearing. "How? How can you be so sure of this Merlin?" Gwen asked not sure why Merlin was bringing this to her of all people.
"Gwen. Please. You didn't see the desperation in his eyes as he pleaded for my help. I didn't know what else to do." Merlin begged hoping she would understand. Gwen closed her eyes and tried to take in what Merlin was saying.
She took a deep breath and sighed before saying, "Merlin the only way I can help is if I speak to Mordred myself." Merlin felt lighter as Gwen said this and simply replied, "He's in Gaius's chambers."
With this the two of them left for Gaius' chambers but not before Merlin sent a telepathic message to Mordred, 'Mordred. Gwen is coming to you. Hide Kara in my room and tell her to be quiet.' Before he could say any more they neared Gaius' chambers.
Inside Gaius' chambers Mordred had heard Merlin and had pulled Kara into Merlin's room. "The Queen is coming here. It's too risky for her to see you Kara. Please stay here until she has gone. I can't lose you." Mordred said desperately to Kara.
She touched his cheek and rested their foreheads together. "I'll stay here Mordred. Don't worry about that. But we must get out of Camelot soon before Arthur discovers I am no longer in my cell." Kara said. "Go." She kissed him and Mordred waited, pacing in the room for Gwen and Merlin to arrive.
The door opened and Gwen and Merlin stepped through. Merlin and Mordred spared a glance at one another but continued pacing. Gwen could see how distressed Mordred was and couldn't stop herself from wanting to help and ease his anguish.
"Merlin tells me that you want to free the druid girl." Mordred stopped and looked at Gwen. She had said that as a statement not a question which means that she at least believed Merlin but was disapproving of the idea.
"Yes I do." Mordred answered. Gwen could see the frantic look in Mordred's eyes and felt for him. Merlin stood to the side letting the two of them talk. Gwen motioned to a couple of seats nearby, "Why don't we sit and talk about this Mordred." Mordred knew he couldn't argue with the Queen.
The two sat down and Merlin stood behind Gwen. She smiled sadly at Mordred. "Why does this girl matter to you so much Mordred?" Gwen asked however, Mordred avoided eye contact.
"I...She...um...She's a druid, like me. I know her, she means no harm. Please, if Arthur finds her, he'll kill her." Mordred begged, not being able to bring himself to look at Gwen.
Gwen was shocked. This was the first time that Gwen had heard Mordred speak out against Arthur. "Arthur wouldn't do that Mordred." Gwen tried reaching for Mordred's hand but he pulled it away. Saddened by this she put her own hand back in her lap.
"She has magic, Your Highness." Mordred said looking down. Gwen too looked down and sighed.
Merlin noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. At the door Kara stood barely visible clearly listening to the conversation.
"Please Your Highness, she doesn't mean Arthur any harm. I just want to get her out of Camelot and to safety. Please." Mordred begged again.
Gwen was torn. What was she to do? How could she help when Arthur had already sentenced her to death? 'But at the same time how can I allow Arthur to kill an innocent woman? How can I go against Arthur? Yet how can I leave Mordred in this state? I know how it is to lose the one you love so how can I condemn someone to the same fate?' Gwen's internal debate continued and an awkward silence filled the room.
Finally after what seemed like hours, Gwen stood up and stepped in front of Mordred, "I will help you Mordred but I must tell Arthur."
Mordred looked up with hope in his eyes. "I thank you, Your Majesty but please tell him when we are away from Camelot. I beg you." Mordred pleaded.
Gwen nodded and Mordred stood up. Over the next hour or so the three talked about how to get Kara out of Camelot.
The next morning at dawn Gwen met Merlin and Mordred in the lower town. Mordred was anxious and Gwen stepped up next to him.
"I'd like to meet Kara" Gwen said kindly to Mordred and he nodded and went to get Kara. A few minutes later Mordred appeared with a beautiful young raven haired woman with dark blue eyes. "You're Majesty." Kara said politely and curtsied to Gwen.
Kara stood behind Mordred, clearly nervous around her. Gwen was disheartened by the fact that Kara was so scared of her. Before she could say anything Merlin spoke up.
"We don't have long before the guards wake up and discover Kara's missing. We should get moving." They all nodded and started moving.
As they entered the forest Gwen and Merlin noticed that Kara was walking with a limp and leaning on Mordred for support.
"Are you alright Kara?" Gwen questioned. All attention was now on Kara. "I'm fine." She said curtly before limping ahead to prove a point.
Gwen sighed to herself and watched as Mordred went to Kara, while Merlin smiled sadly at her.
As the sun began to peak over the trees the group stopped and Gwen gave them a package. "In here is some food for the journey. I must be going back now before Arthur realises that we're all gone." Gwen said as she stepped back and prepared to leave.
"Thank you your Majesty. For everything." Mordred said and smiled at Gwen. Kara kept her head down and stayed behind Mordred.
Merlin nodded at Gwen as she turned and made her way back towards Camelot.
As Gwen departed Merlin, Mordred and Kara continued to walk through the forest. Suddenly they all stopped. A wave of magic had ripped across the landscape and not only had all three felt it but a sense of unease shrouded the three.
They looked at each other before once again continuing.
As Gwen got to her chambers she noticed that Arthur wasn't in their chambers. Then Gwen heard the warning bell sound. 'It seems Kara's absence has been noticed.' Gwen thought as she made her way to the throne room.
Once there she saw Arthur talking with Leon and Gwaine. "She appears to have had help. Whoever it was used herbs to knock the guards out and aided in her escape." Leon explained.
Arthur looked contemplative. "Thank you Leon." He answered. He noticed Gwen walk in and a weight lifted from his shoulders. "Thank God you're alright Guinevere." Arthur said as he approached her.
Gwen looked around at the three men. "Is everything alright?" She asked already knowing what the problem was.
"Kara has escaped." Leon said. Before Gwen could say anything Arthur stepped forward. "Get the guards. Search the castle and then take the guards and search the surrounding forest. She's injured she can't have gotten far."
With this Arthur left with Leon and proceeded to unsuccessfully search for Kara.
Morgana Pendragon stood staring into a crystal bowl filled with water, her army of Saxons was ready all she needed now was to find the Black Cauldron and unleash her army of the dead upon Camelot and make Arthur Pendragon fall to his knees at her mercy.
Merlin however would die slowly and painfully, since Morgana had discovered that with the help of another ally that Emrys was in fact Merlin.
Gazing into the bowl, Morgana began to chant the spell that would help her find the Black Cauldron.
Adeo mihi proficiscor vos solvo
alive undead vos vadum exsisto imbibo
cruor quod erant fang
imbibo mihi mote is exsisto
Solaris undien Knights Of Camelot
Dothrarki silienes tios
Black cauldron
Morgana watched as the water showed her The Shadow Forest where the cauldron was. She smiled triumphantly.
Camelot would finally be hers.
However Morgana had another spell to do.
"Lachlan, you may enter now" she called out and a tall formidable man who looked to be in his early fifties with raven black hair and menacing, cold blue eyes bowed to her.
"Lady Morgana, how may I be of service to you?" he asked politely.
"You are a witch hunter, are you not?" Morgana enquired to him and Lachlan nodded.
"I am my lady" he answered his voice cold and menacing.
"I have a task for you, I want you to find and kill Merlin, Mordred and Kara. I believe they are the ones you have been searching for?" she offered.
Lachlan was a witch hunter. A feared one amongst the Druids, he had persecuted thousands of people with magic and showed no mercy.
"I will find them my lady" he assured her.
Morgana smiled coldly, Mordred and Merlin would regret the day they had ever betrayed her.