The Two Faces of Camelot
Rain fell heavily from the sky, drenching the ground, the mountain, the trees, bushes and the small group. Arthur was in the lead, standing by the cavern entrance, beside him, Leon was peering into its darkness. Behind them, Gwaine, Elyan, Percival and Merlin all waited, quietly. Arthur slowly turned back to them.
"Remember once we go in, we stop for nothing, Morgana cannot get hold of the crystal, so if you get a chance just grab it" he said.
"What about the Wilderin?" asked Gwaine. Arthur shook his head.
"If it comes down to it we'll have to fight, but I'm hoping they'll be far away from us to smell us" Arthur said.
"Now there's a happy thought" Merlin piped up, even as his hand clenched around the hilt of a sword. Arthur looked at him, his gaze saying a not so subtle shut up. Merlin thankfully took the hint.
"Come on" Arthur said instead, before leading the men inside.
The small natural corridor snaked through the mountain for about half a mile before it opened into a larger room, with several openings branching off of it. Arthur and the group looked around, then at each other.
"Now where?" asked Elyan, voicing the question on all their minds. There was a soft breeze from behind them, the men all turning as Morgana stepped forwards, her form becoming solid as she appeared.
"Well look at this, if I had known my plan would muster such resistance as to lead the King Himself here I might have done this a lot earlier" she said mockingly.
"Give it up Morgana, you can't beat all six of us" Arthur said. Morgana laughed.
"Actually I'm sure I'm more than capable of taking all seven of you, or is Merlin just for show?" she asked.
"I'm more than a match for you Morgana" Merlin said stepping forwards.
"really? Brave words indeed. Tell me how did you like my little gift I gave you?" she asked.
"The Farmorah is dead, you don't control me anymore" Merlin countered.
"The what?" asked Arthur. Morgana laughed.
"Just a little pet I put in Merlin, it's a shame really he was as incompetent an assassin as he is a manservant" she replied. "But no matter" she said, then clapped her hands, men beginning to pour from one of the openings. "Good bye Arthur" she added, then turning moved away, the knights, and Merlin turning to the new threat.
"If she had the guards posted down there, that must be where the Crystal is" Arthur whispered.
"We've got this covered" said Leon as the battle began, the knights facing off against Morgana's band of renegades. Arthur took one out quickly, running towards the opening, realising a moment later that Merlin was with him.
"I don't need a baby sitter Merlin" Arthur said.
"I'm not, but if any of them come up the tunnel after us then you'll need all the help you can get" Merlin countered.
"When did you become so brave?" Arthur quipped.
"I had courage oats for breakfast" Merlin said with a grin. A moment later they rounded the corner into another large room, this one with a lake in it, and in the middle of the lake, a glowing green gem. Arthur turned to Merlin.
"You stay here, I'll get it" he said, clambering forwards, he was about halfway when Morgana appeared out of the darkness. Slowly she smiled as she lifted up her hands, Merlin seeing her called out, Morgana snarling at him as he rushed forwards…
Meanwhile…..
Rain fell heavily from the sky, drenching the ground, the mountain, the trees, bushes and the small group. Arthur was in the lead, standing by the cavern entrance, beside him, Leon was peering into its darkness. Behind them, Gwaine, Elyan, Percival and Morgana all waited, quietly. Arthur slowly turned back to them.
"Remember once we go in, we stop for nothing, Merlin cannot get hold of the crystal, so if you get a chance just grab it" he said.
"What about the Wilderin?" asked Gwaine. Arthur shook his head.
"If it comes down to it we'll have to fight, but I'm hoping they'll be far away from us to smell us" Arthur said.
"Now there's a happy thought" Morgana piped up, even as her hand clenched around the hilt of a sword. Arthur looked at her, his gaze saying a not so subtle shut up. Morgana thankfully took the hint.
"Come on" Arthur said instead, before leading the others inside.
The small natural corridor snaked through the mountain for about half a mile before it opened into a larger room, with several openings branching off of it. Arthur and the group looked around, then at each other.
"Now where?" asked Elyan, voicing the question on all their minds. There was a soft breeze from behind them, the men all turning as Merlin stepped forwards, his form becoming solid as he appeared.
"Well look at this, if I had known my plan would muster such resistance as to lead the King Himself here I might have done this a lot earlier" he said mockingly.
"Give it up Merlin, you can't beat all six of us" Arthur said. Merlin laughed.
"Actually I'm sure I'm more than capable of taking all seven of you, or is Morgana just for show?" he asked.
"I'm more than a match for you Merlin" Morgana said stepping forwards.
"Really? Brave words indeed, and from a woman. Tell me how did you like my little gift I gave you?" he asked.
"The Farmorah is dead, you don't control me anymore" Morgana countered.
"The what?" asked Arthur. Merlin laughed.
"Just a little pet I put in Morgana, it's a shame really she was as incompetent an assassin as she is a Queen" she replied. "But no matter" he said, then clapped her hands, men beginning to pour from one of the openings. "Good bye Arthur" he added, then turning moved away, the knights, and Morgana turning to the new threat.
"If he had the guards posted down there, that must be where the Crystal is" Arthur whispered.
"We've got this covered" said Leon as the battle began, the knights facing off against Merlin's band of renegades. Arthur took one out quickly, running towards the opening, realising a moment later that Morgana was with him.
"I don't need a baby sitter Morgana" Arthur said.
"I'm not, but if any of them come up the tunnel after us then you'll need all the help you can get" Morgana countered.
"When did you become so brave?" Arthur quipped.
"I married you, believe me that took a hell of a lot of guts" she replied, the two of them rounding a corner into a large room, there was a lake in the centre of it, and there, in the middle of it, a glowing green gem.
"You get it, I'll wait here" she said. Arthur nodded at her. Before he clambered forwards, when out of the darkness Merlin appeared, smiling as he raised his glowing hands. Morgana saw this and called out, Merlin snarling as he turned to her, Morgana rushing forwards…
And in that instant it happened. Arthur, both of them grabbed the crystal, behind them their best friend, and their wife were thrown back by a magical blast that filled the entire chamber, the crystal resonated and shattered blowing Arthur away back to the bank where they landed next to their unconscious colleagues, while for the briefest instant the evil Merlin and Morgana saw each other before the world dissolved around them.
Up in the cavern their respective parties heard the magical explosion, and around them the room began to shudder, they looked at each other, as the renegades under Morgana's control panicked. Rushing as the dust began to fall from the roof. They fled towards the entrance, leaving the knights amidst several corpses, before they bolted down the tunnel as soon as they rounded the corner they could see the unearthly glow the shattered crystal was casting about the room. Quickly they moved to their fallen comrades, lifting them up, hurrying out of the collapsing room. They ran for all they were worth, back into the previous room, then out the tunnel that led to the exit, behind them there was mighty heave as the roof of it collapsed.
"well… that was a bit more dramatic then just a sword fight" Gwen said. The knights slowly turned to look at him.
He was lost, a maelstrom of energy whirling around him. The light blinding yet somehow soothing to him at same time.
"Hello!" Arthur called out, realising that he couldn't feel the ground beneath him. Then he squinted there was someone there, familiar. His eyes widened, as he found himself looking at himself. The bright light, the non-ground beneath his feet, those were bad enough, but this. No, this was bad.
The other Arthur found himself lost, the energy whirling around him, faster and faster, but there was also light, blinding, yet not threatening.
"Hello?"
Had he said that? No he would have known if he'd called out. But still, there was something there now, or rather someone. He gasped as he locked eyes with his mirror image.
"Great" he muttered. "What's Merlin done this time?" he growled to himself, and then he was gone, the other Arthur, faded into nothing, before he himself gasped again, the light fading as he opened his eyes. He was in his room in Camelot.
"Well, good to see your awake" said a familiar voice. He looked up to see Gaius watching him with kind eyes. Beside him he felt someone take his hand.
"How do you feel?"
Arthur turned and snatched his hand away from Gwen, who looked shocked at the actions.
"How dare you!" he snapped.
"Sire?" asked Gaius. He looked back at Gaius.
"Where's Morgana? Is she safe?" he demanded, before the old man could reply the door opened and Merlin walked in, grinning.
"You're awake at last I see" Merlin said Happily. Arthur growled, and then before anyone could react jumped from his bed and gripped Merlin around the throat.
"What the hell did you do to Morgana!" he screamed. Fighting off Gaius and Gwen as they tried to pull him back.
Arthur awoke, looking around, seeing his room in Camelot. Slowly he took a deep breath.
"Well, good to see you awake" said a familiar voice. He looked up to see Gaius watching him with Kind eyes. beside him he felt someone take his hand.
"How do you feel?" asked Morgana.
Arthur turned and snatched his hand away from her, scrambling from the bed.
"What the hell have you done?" he demanded, grabbing his sword. Morgana looking at him, then to Gaius.
"Arthur?" she asked, confused.
"Guards!" he called, the doors opened and the two guards on duty marched in.
"Sire?"
"Take that… witch to the dungeon" he snarled. The guards looked at him, then at Gaius.
"Sire. Are you sure you're quite alright?" Gaius asked.
"I am perfectly fine, now will someone tell me how she has managed to get past every guard and into my own chambers without anyone sounding the alarm!" he demanded.
"Because she's your wife sire" said Gaius
"I could never be married to that woman" Arthur growled. Morgana's face fell, and she turned running from the room. Gaius looking at her, then back at Arthur.
"I think, we need to talk"
"Sire! What's got into you!" demanded Gaius as he and Gwen, with the help of two guards, final managed to pry Arthur off of Merlin, who was doubled over, taking deep breaths.
"What's got into me? You let the most deadly enemy Camelot has ever had roam around the castle and you ask that!" he demanded.
"Sire? Are you sure your quite alright?" asked Gaius.
"I'm perfectly fine, but I'll be even better once that's disposed of!" Arthur said. Merlin looked shocked, looking between Gwen and Gaius for support. "How the hell did he even get into the castle!" Arthur demanded.
"Because sire, he's your manservant" said Gaius.
"And your best friend" Gwen added.
"I could never be friends with that thing" Arthur growled. Merlin looked at him sadly.
"If I might be excused" he whispered, then turned and walked out. Gaius looked at him, then back at Arthur.
"I think we need to talk"
