"You're lying," Arthur said swallowing thickly, his voice breaking on the last syllable. Merlin. Emrys. Merlin. Magic. Merlin. Dead. Tears pricked in the corner of his eyes, threatening to shame him, but he could not pinpoint their source. Betrayal. Anger. Grief. All vied for his attention equally loudly, like pack of wolves they tore and worried at his thoughts until he could not grasp a complete strand. Morgana's words had cut him deeper than the sword at his throat ever could and they both knew it.

"The truth hurts doesn't it?" She mocked, "You're a fool, Arthur Pendragon. You always were. Blind to those around you!" We're they even still talking about Merlin?

"Where is he?" Arthur demanded, cold hot anger surfacing through the fog. What ever Merlin was or wasn't he still could not comprehend, the words were labels that held no meaning. Magic. Emrys. Merlin. Only Merlin made sense.

"You think you can save him?" Morgana's laugh jolted Arthur back. Her brother had always been so stubborn, once it had been endearing, now... "You're too late." She spat, "He died alone, in agony, begging and pleading - He even called your name." She twisted her verbal dagger in the wound and was rewarded by seeing a slight tremor run through the King.

"Merlin was innocent," Arthur managed to growl past the lump in his throat. Merlin was his friend. Merlin was dead.

"Innocent?" She barked a laugh, even now Arthur refused to believe his bumbling servant could be anything more than he claimed. "By your laws he should have been burned for his magic!" Or had Arthur forgotten his own laws, the laws that had driven her to this.

Arthur faltered for a moment. There it was again, that word... Magic. Merlin had magic. Merlin had lied to him. Arthur blinked back more tears. It should have been obvious, all those unbelievable escapes and funny feelings... That one thing about his servant he had never quite been able to put his finger on, he had it now, the whole story. Magic. Merlin had lied to him, to all of them. Yet at the same time Merlin had been more loyal than any of his Knights, staying by his side no matter what, even though he must of though Arthur would see him dead the minute his powers were revealed. Arthur clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth together until it hurt. He was a fool. He had been blind. "There is no evil in magic," Arthur replied, his voice shaking as he raised his chin to meet her eyes, "Only in the hearts of men." How appropriate those words seemed now, almost like the Dolma had known this day would come...

Morgana's eyes widened and jaw clenched as he spoke. How dare he! Was he toying with her? Mocking her? "The only evil in this land is you Arthur Pendragon!" She snarled, raising her hand, palm outwards. That was enough, she was tired of his games now, it was time end this. "You'll be with your precious Emrys again soon."

Arthur did not close his eyes but steeled himself for the blow he knew was coming. This was it. The end of everything they had worked for. Camelot had fallen. Elyan, Percival, Gwaine, Leon... Merlin... He would see them all again soon... Gwen... His heart squeezed as he thought of her; he recalled their parting, the fear she had tried to hide, his assurances, that last kiss. Morgana would not spare his Queen, or if she did it would not be out of kindness, she too would be joining them in the underworld before long. They would all be together again. Soon.

"Wait." A voice interrupted the scene.

Morgana glanced over her shoulder her face turning from scowl to smirk as she recognised the approaching figure. The smirk turned into an even more twisted smile. "Ah, Mordred," She greeted the Druid boy.


AN: I know. Thanks for reading. Please do review!