Ok, so the new chapter is up. Sorry it took so long. Thanks to everyone who added my story to their favorites or follows. Reviews are much appreciated. Enjoy!
Merlin
As Merlin rounded the boulder carrying Morgana he automatically recognized the landscape. He froze, watching the confrontation between Arthur and Mordred with a deadly certainty that he was too late and too far away.
As Mordred lunged forward Merlin acted without thought. Words he didn't know ripped from his mouth in a horrified yell; their soul purpose to save Arthur. "Plygu amser a gofod er mwyn i gludo!" A sharp pain pierced his gut as Merlin blinked at Mordred, astonishment clear on the druid's face. "Emrys!"
Arthur lay sprawled on the ground unharmed and Morgana was nestled safely between the rocks not far away. Merlin pushed through the pain and with a flash of his eyes Elixcabur flew to his hand. Merlin plunged the sword into Mordred's stomach and yanked upwards, blood coating the blade.
Mordred's face formed a broken smile as he swayed, eyes fluttering before he fell to the ground and went still.
Merlin stood shock still, before pulling Morded's sword from himself with a pained gasp. He stared at the blade, coated in his own blood, before swaying and crumbling to the ground.
Merlin gasped in pain as a strong arm lifted him into a position where his head was propped up and blinked, trying to clear the spots dancing in and out of his vision. He looked up into the face of his king and laughed through the pain. "You should see you face!"
"What…?" Arthurs face was indeed a sight to behold. His expression such a war of emotions, it was twisted into and amusing state.
"You look like you swallowed a toad!" Merlin laughed before dissolving into a fit of coughing. "You're really annoying, you know that?"
Arthur looked bewildered "You just took a sword for me."
Merlin rolled his eyes "Yes, thank you for stating the obvious."
"Why?!"
This sobered Merlin somewhat, "You're going to be a great king the world will ever know… even if I'm not there to see it."
Arthur moved to pick up Merlin, "You're not going to die if I can help it. I have to get you back to camp."
"No!" Merlin grimaced in pain, "You have to take Mor-" he thought better of divulging her identity for the time being and continued "-the baby." He pointed in Morgan's direction and Arthur's eyes got even wider in astonishment as the sight of the child on the battle field. However, he must have decided the time for questions would come later because he quickly fashioned a sort of sling from a discarded cape and put her on his back before hoisting the old man into his arms.
Merlin groaned at the movement but chuckled, "Clever idea."
"Why did you do it? Why did you save us; why did you save me when you have magic?"
"I'm someone you might call your friend, guardian angel if you may." Merlin coughed again and his voice was weak, "Arthur?" The king looked down at the man in his arms. "Will you promise me something?"
"What?"
"If I die…don't look." The king looked startled at this strange request.
"Why not?"
Merlin blinked drowsily "I don't want you to recognize me…" Merlin shuddered as the world blurred "…not as old as I look." With that comment Merlin drifted into unconsciousness.
Arthur
Arthur looked down at the strange man in his arms as the man lost consciousness. He didn't understand the old man's odd statements and made a note to ask about it later. He needed answers and lots of them.
Besides recognizing him as the sorcerer who had both killed his father and saved Guinevere when she was accused of sorcery, there was also the small hint of recognition he had experience both times before. The reason continued to elude him.
There was also the puzzle of the man's loyalties. The sorcerer had killed Arthur's father but today he had both saved the battle and taken a sword for Arthur.
Arthur felt the child stir against his back and resolved to ask his questions later. First, he needed to get the pair help.
As he entered Camelot's encampment he realized he wasn't going to be able to get near the infirmary, king or not. Instead, he made his way to his own tent. He set the unconscious man and sleeping child down on the bed and rushed to find Gaius. As he left he could have sworn that the child was even bigger than it had been when he's first picked the pair up on the field.
Merlin
Merlin woke with a start. Confusion overcame him as he took note of the soft surface beneath him and fabric ceiling. He tried to sit up and gasped as the agony overtook him, causing the world to swim dangerously and forced Merlin to close his eyes. When the spinning in his head settled Merlin cautiously opened his eyes… and yelped.
A pair of green eyes stared intently into his own, a mere finger length from his face.
After a moment he recognized them. It was Morgana. Merlin sat up carefully, clutching his wound as the little girl backed up. She looked about four, her black hair already to the waist and tumbling in curly waves; her growth must have been accelerated by the spell. Merlin jumped when she suddenly spoke, "Why are your ears so big?"
Merlin blinked "Um…"
Morgana grinned "We have the same hair color, you know." She grabbed a lock of her own hair and held it up to his head.
Merlin was sunned before realizing what she's said. He reached up and touched his head, shocked and dismayed to find that his hair was once again short, and if Morgana said was true it had also returned to its normal raven coloring. The aging spell had worn off while Merlin lay unconscious.
Merlin was spurred into action.
With a flash of his eyes Merlin summoned parchment and writing supplies from Arthur's desk. He started scribbling down a message. He heard Morgana giggle, looked up, and nearly dropped the note. Apparently, Merlin didn't have complete control over his magic and it was reacting to his, even subconscious, worries.
The red Camelot cape fell to the ground, now fashioned into a red dress which Morgana slipped on and twirled. Merlin suddenly remembered the problem of Morgana's rapid growth. From what he could tell, they had only been here for a short time and she had gone from being a baby, to a four year old. "Arafu twf yr un sy'n cael ei lenwi unwaith casineb", he quickly muttered a spell to slow her growth to a normal pace.
Then Merlin spoke to her "Morgana." The little girl stopped her twirling and skipped over to the bed where Merlin sat, still wounded.
She curtsied sloppily and smiled "Yes?"
Merlin held out the paper with a shaking hand "I need you to give this to Arthur, okay?"
Morgana hummed, clutching the paper in her chubby fist. "m'kay"
A wave of pain washed over Merlin and he grimaced. "I have to go now. Be good okay."
"Yep," She smiled and Merlin hoped he'd be able to help her in the years to come. Merlin repeated the spell from before "Plygu amser a gofod er mwyn i gludo" and left the tent before the king came back.
Arthur
Arthur rushed back into his tent, Guinevere and Gaius trailing behind. The most severely wounded had been cared for and the rest could either tend their own wounds or be cared for by their comrades.
He stopped in his tracks when he entered the tent and Guinevere had to swerve to avoid collision. The bed was empty, neither baby nor man lay upon it, the only clue to their existence was the blood that spread across the white sheets from the man's wound.
Arthur gaped, the sorcerer's wound was terrible, and there was no way he could have gotten up, let alone carrying a child with him. "Where are they?!"
Guinevere looked at the blood on the bad and worry creased her brow, "That's too much blood."
"I don't under-" Arthur was cut off by a crash that sounded from closer to his desk. He drew his sword and pushed Guinevere behind him. "Show yourself!"
Arthur heard the queen gasp as a pair of bright green eyes peaked out from behind the curtain. The raven-haired child sucked in an audibly deep breath before strutting out from her hiding place. She pointed small finder at him and Arthur felt a twinge of familiarity. "Who are you?" She demanded, though her eyes betrayed the fear she was feeling.
Arthur sheathed his sword and the little girl visibly relaxed though she kept her scowl. Guinevere hastened around him and bent down to be eye level with the little girl, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. "My name is Gwen."
The little girl smiled, automatically taking a liking to Guinevere. "Do you know where Ar'tur is?
Arthur blinked as Guinevere looked startled "Why? Are you looking for him?" The little girl nodded eagerly.
"I'm s'posed to give this to him." She held out a crumpled piece of paper clutched in her fist proudly, "The nice man said so."
Arthur spoke up at this "The nice man?"
The little girl looked at him suspiciously and warily asked Guinevere "Who's he?"
Guinevere smiled amused and calmly at the little girl's wariness "That's Arthur."
The wariness disappeared and the little girl grinned. She ran over to Arthur and held out the paper gleefully. "Here!" Arthur smiled slightly and started to open the letter as the girl ran back towars Guinevere. "Gwen! Gwen! Do you like my dress?!"
She twirled, giggling and Gwen smiled "What's your name?"
The little girl smiled widely and did a little curtsey "Morgana."
Arthur and Guinevere froze, the color draining from their faces as they stared at the little girl in horror. It couldn't be.
The little girl, Morgana, Arthur corrected, seemed to pick up on the change in atmosphere. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" She sounded so worried, so eager to set things right that Arthur had a hard time not believing her. This was Morgana he reminded himself. He looked down at the letter in his hands; maybe it would tell him what the hell the old man was thinking bringing Morgana with him.
Dear Arthur,
I am not sure if I will survive to return to Camelot but I would take the sword again if I had the choice. You are my king and I will protect you with my final breath. If I am to die I would prefer it this way; remembered as two separate people as a friend and as an ally. You may or may not yet know the identity of the little girl who gave you this note. She probably already told you. You must know, that the Morgana we have fought for so many years is, in fact, dead. I used a very powerful to rewind the clock on her life, she is , in essence, a four year old Morgana, untouched by hate. I could not bring myself to end a life that had held so much promise. Though I do not condone her actions, Morgana was driven to hatred by hatred. I the child you see now were to receive the love and compassion that the former lacked, she will not turn to darkness. If I were able I would have taken her to the Druids but I think maybe its better she stays with you. You are her family. Please do not be too hasty in your decision. I know you will be the greatest king the world has ever known even if I do not live to see it.
Be true to your heart,
Your Friend and Ally,
Dragoon
Merlin
Merlin stumbled when he appeared in the forest; he was in the woods about five miles outside of Camelot, a spot where he and Arthur had once camped while hunting. He swore never to use that spell again, it was too taxing and dangerous.
He sagged heavily on a nearby tree to catch his breath before removing his Dragoon robes. They were covered in his blood and torn so he knew he wouldn't be able to use them again.
He looked down ad lifted his own shirt to looked at the wound, gasping as the soggy material caught against the jagged edges of the wound. It had not yet been bandaged and he felt dizzy from the loss of blood. He knew his own healing magic was far from perfect but he racked his memory for a spell anyway.
"Gwella fy clwyf achosi croen a'n coriff I drwsioei hun." He looked in on dismay and dismal acceptance as the crimson blood continued to flow from his wound. With a sigh he let his grip on reality slip and succumbed to the dark void that awaited him.
Arthur
Arthur stared at the words on the page, their meaning turning circles in his head. While clearing up some, this note had brought up ever more questions.
He turned as the tent flap opened once more and Gaius entered. The old physician looked around confused before his eyes landed on the little girl with Guinevere, eyes widening in shock. "Morgana!?"
Morgana clutched Guinevere's pant leg, looking warily at Gaius. Guinevere spoke up "It's true then Gaius, she is Morgana?"
Gaius was speechless; he coughed, seemingly trying to regain his voice "Y-yes my lady. She looks exactly as Morgana did when she first came to Camelot."
Arthur held out the letter wordlessly and gaius took it, Guinevere moved to read over his shoulder. Arthur watched the emotions flitting across the old man's features before finally settling into fear and grief.
He felt a slight tug on his trousers and looked down. He looked into the little girl's face and recognized the familiar features of his lost sister. He didn't know what to feel as she looked up at him with a combination of confusion and worry. "What's wrong? Is the nice man ok?"
Arthur crouched down to eyelevel with her. "Morgana…"
"Is it my name?" She cut in, "You can call me Emmy if you want."
Arthur didn't know whether to cry or laugh. That was the nickname he had called her by when they were younger until she had outgrown it and he had used it as a way of teasing his surrogate sister. All he could see in her face was her selfless concern for him.
"Morgana?" She looked at him quizzically "… what do you remember?"
She scrunched up her face in concentration at the question. "My name is Morgana… I'm four years old…Camelot…" Her flown deepened before her head snapped up and she grinned at him, "I'm going to Camelot!"
Arthur frowned "Why are you going to Camelot?'
Morgana shook her head, trying to remember "My nanny said I was going to Camelot…" tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him, remembering "because… because… my Daddy died." Her lip trembled "That means he's never coming back."
Suddenly Morgana broke down into tears, sobbing her heart out, "My Daddy's gone!" Arthur looked on helplessly, at a loss as to what to do, when he looked over to see Guinevere knelt beside him.
The queen took the little girl into her arms and stroked her hair. "Shh, Shh," she soothed, her own tears threatening to spill. Eventually Morgana's wracking sobs eased and Guinevere moved her to a pile of blankets in the tent. Morgana was fast asleep, her features smoothed of grief and anxiety, more relaxed than she had appeared in many years since the nightmares had first begun.
Guinevere turned back to where Arthur was still standing, immobilized by shock, and hugged him. That's when Arthur's self control shattered and he let out a wretched sob. "Why!?" Why what? Arthur didn't know. The questions rampaged through his mind. Why did she turn on us? Why did do many have to die? Why did he kill my father? Why did he save us?
"Sire…" The couple turned towards the old physician holding Dragoon's note. "There are some things regarding Dragoon that have been withheld from you."
"Gaius?"
"The poultice placed underneath your pillow when Gwen was accused of sorcery was the work of Morgana in an effort to prevent her from becoming queen."
"But how could she have known?" Guinevere asked "I didn't even think it possible back then!"
Gaius sighed with regret "Morgana is a seer. The nightmares she suffered from were a result of her magic escaping while she slept." Both monarchs glanced over at the sleeping form on the blankets but the girl continued to rest peacefully. "She foresaw your coronation and had long since decided that the thrown of the queen was her own."
Arthur looked completely baffled "But… the old sorcerer-"
Gaius held up a hand "Protected you both. He made sure that you caught him planting an identical poultice, thus saving Gwen's life and your heart."
Arthur's eyes widened "I almost had him executed!" Then he frowned, "Why would he save Guinevere only to turnaround and murder my father under the pretences of healing him?"
Gaius' face filled with sorrow. "He truly was trying to save you're father. He was so hopeful when it seemed you may actually open up to magic but Morgana learned that you planned to use magic to heal the king, she intervened. She had your uncle place a pendant around Uther's neck that reversed and intensified the healing effects."
Guinevere's eyes filled with tears "She killed her own father?!"
Gaius nodded sorrowfully.
Arthur's brow furrowed in confusion. Why did the man not stay and seek medical help? "Gaius?"
"Yes?"
"Before he passed out the man made a strange request. He asked me not to look when he died because I might recognize him and that he was 'younger than he looked'. What did he mean by that?"
Gaius visibly stiffened "I believe that Dragoon is, in essence, not an eighty year old man. He uses an ageing spell to hide his true identity."
"He's older!?" Arthur gasped. At this Gaius raised a disapproving eyebrow.
"He's younger?" Guinevere asked, causing her husband to feel thoroughly stupid, "So much younger that we would not connect him to his eighty year old self?"
"Yes, my dear. With the current laws in place and reward out for him specifically, you must understand why he would take such precautions."
"Are you telling me that this man who has done so much for Camelot is somewhere out there, dying alone with a wound meant for me!?" Arthur was fuming. He knew he should be dead and he owed his life to a man he had persecuted for over a year. Arthur's sense of chivalry warred with the laws that his father had enforced till the day he died.
Merlin
Merlin jerked awake, gasping for breath as the air was suddenly returned to his lungs. He sat up slowly wincing in pain at the still tender wound. "It did not heal completely."
Merlin turned towards the familiar voice in surprise "Kilgara?
"Yes young warlock it is I and I do not have much time."
Merlin looked down at his own wound where the blood had finally clotted and back to the dragon's graying scales with growing horror and comprehension. "What have you done?!"
"The balance of the world must remain intact." The great dragon would continue to speak in riddles even on his death bed.
Merlin groaned "For once, please just answer the question."
Kilgara chuckled but it ended in a smoky wheeze, "You have changed destiny Emrys. When you took Mordred's sword, you took Arthur's death as you own and now I have taken yours. I was already dying but the life of a dragon is much more powerful than that of a human, and I would have lived for at least another hundred years."
"But why!? I would have gladly given my life for Arthur."
"Young warlock, we have already discussed this in the incident with Nimueh. As long as Arthur remains on this earth you must continue to play your part in his life." The great dragon smiled "You have saved the witch Morgana and given a second chance but be wary, the time of dragons will soon come to an end if you do not choose wisely."
Merlin furrowed his brow "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I cannot tell you all young warlock; there are things that you must discover in your own time." He coughed again and his scales dimmed further. "You have done well Merlin; it has been an honor to have shared the world with you…" With those words the ancient dragon closed his eyes and let out a final breath.
Tears streamed down his face as Merlin bowed his head over the still body of the dragon. "Thank you old friend."
Merlin froze at the sound of approaching hoof beets and familiar voices. He took off through the forest, stumbling in pain.
