I do not own Merlin. Which is probably a good thing because the things I would do with...

AN: NewSlove, noreallyidontcare, JAIMOL, Whirlwind421, BabyGlover, Mistress Helle, Jane Mays and Bob: Thank you so much for your reviews of chapter 2! I hope you will like this chapter as well... :)

Any Other World

Chapter 3

Arthur hated the days when nothing happened. All there was to look forward to, was training, but today, even that wasn't the case. His father had requested his presence early in the morning and the entire day had been filled with boring paperwork and councils. Arthur still couldn't believe that one day, he would be in charge of it all. Being a King seemed very boring at this moment.

He turned left and reached his chambers, finding the doors silghtly ajar. It wasn't like Lancelot to leave open his doors. But the servant had a lot on his mind lately, Arthur thought, considering that he was to wed Guinevere in a few days time.

Arthur slowly pushed open the door and entered his chambers, his gaze immediately falling upon the lifeless body laying on his floor. Arthur rushed forward, falling to his knees and pulling Lancelot in his arms. The Prince gasped for breath when seeing the big, red stain on his servant's shirt. Lancelot's eyes were closed, the skin around it bluish and purple. His face was gray and cold. Arthur desperately searched for any sign of life, but he needed to face the truth: Lancelot was dead.

Arthur didn't care about the tears running down his cheeks. He had just lost his servant...his friend. Lancelot had been in his life for almost three years now, ever since the young man had come to Camelot to become a Knight. In stead, he had found love with Guinevere and a decent job as the Prince's manservant. And now he lay in Arthur's arms, still and gone. Arthur tried to think of a reason why Lancelot would be dead, but only one thought came to his mind: this was his fault! Lancelot had been killed in his chambers so what other reason was there that whoever killed him, was really looking for the Prince?

Arthur sucked in a deep breath. "Guards!" he called out. His voice echoed through the walls and for a short moment, Arthur hoped that Lancelot would open his eyes in response to the noise, but nothing happened. "Guards!" Arthur called out again. Two men came running in, their eyes instantly finding their Prince with his manservant laying in his arms.

"Sound the alarm bells," Arthur ordered them, "seal of the castle! There is an intruder." The guards nodded and ran out of the chambers. Arthur turned back to look at Lancelot, knowing that he needed to let him go. It was hard, however, difficult to lay him back on the cold, stone floor.

Arthur closed his eyes for a moment, recollecting himself, steadying his breathing. "I'm so sorry," he whispered. After he placed Lancelot's head carefully on the floor, he stood up and swallowed heavily. He would find the man responsible and he would kill him. There was no doubt, Arthur swore to himself, that he would kill him.

-o-o-

Gwen sobbed violently, a handkerchief clenched between her small fingers, one that she had without doubt received from Morgana. Her eyes were red and thick and her cheeks were wet with tears. Morgana had her arms around her maiden, her words soft and filled with sorrow. Arthur could only watch them from a distant, unable to enter the actual chamber. He had no idea what he could possibly tell Gwen. She had just lost her fiancee after all.

"My Lord," Leon's voice suddenly sounded. He came to stand next to Arthur, his gaze sad as well. Eveyone had been shocked with Lancelot's death. The servant was a much loved figure in the castle after all. "We have searched throughout the castle," he said, "there is no sign of an intruder."

"We'll find him," Arthur said softly.

Leon only bowed his head and then walked away again, leaving Arthur alone. The Prince sucked in a deep breath and he had finally gathered all his courage to enter the chamber. He pushed open the doors and watched how both Guinevere's and Morgana's gazes fell upon him. Guinevere immediately motioned to stand up in respect, but Arthur held up his hand.

"It's alright," he told her, "I am so sorry, Guinevere."

"Call me Gwen," she sobbed through her tears. It was what she always told the Prince who refused to call her by that name. "And it's not your fault, My Lord," she continued, "you're not to blame."

Arthur pressed his lips together. He couldn't stand her words as they felt like a knife through his heart. Of course he was to blame and Gwen should too. "Lancelot was a good man," he found himself saying, "and whoever killed him, he will be brought to justice."

Gwen nodded slowly, more tears escaping the corners of her eyes and Morgana quickly tightened her grip on her maiden once more. "Shh," Morgana whispered to her, "it's alright."

Arthur couldn't stand it anymore. He wanted to assure Gwen that everything would be alright, but he couldn't push back the thought that he was responsible for all this. He wanted to say something, but his throat had become so very dry and so Arthur walked out of the chamber, desperately needing fresh air.

-o-o-

Merlin had taken it all in. The panic, the grief and anger. Everyone around him seemed to feel something. Merlin himself, however, could only marvel at the emotions displayed on the various faces surrounding him. He couldn't help but wonder why he felt nothing at all. He had just killed a man, he had caused pain and destruction, but he only felt...an strange emptyness. Like it somehow hadn't mattered what he had done.

His thoughts were driven towards Gwen. He had read Lancelot's mind before he had killed him and he had seen the kindness of this particular woman. He had felt it through the servant, but now Merlin couldn't even remember how that kindness had felt to him. It was like all emotions had been removed from him, from his soul.

Merlin continued to walk towards Gwen's house, knowing exactly where to find it as he had read that as well in Lancelot's mind. He found it after a short walk through the streets of Camelot and what he saw was a small, but lovely home. Making sure that no one saw him, Merlin felt his eyes glow golden and the lock sprung open. A smile covered his face, feeling a sense of power flood him.

Entering the little house, Merlin took it all in. The small table in the centre of the room, a vase filled with flowers standing on top of it. In the corner stood a bed that was just large enough for two people and on the other side of the room stood a small cabinet on which stood a bowl filled with water. For Merlin, this was the first time that he had actually seen a normal house since the Isle of the Blessed wasn't exactly a normal enviroment to grow up in.

Behind him, the door suddenlt opened again and an old man entered with white hair and a kind face. There was a slight panic in Merlin's chest. He had not expected anyone to disturbe him now, but he quickly regained control of the situation. "I was looking for Gwen," Merlin said and he nearly chuckled when realizing that he had actually spoken the truth. "I came to see how she is," he told the man, "what has happened to Lancelot..." He sighed deeply.

"I don't believe I have met you before," Gaius said, caution still in his voice. "I am Gaius."

Merlin smiled faintly. "And I am Merlin."

Gaius' eyebrows shot up and Merlin couldn't help but frown. Obviously something had come to Gaius' mind. "Is something wrong?" Merlin couldn't help but ask. If Gaius somehow knew he was lying, then Merlin would have no other choice but to kill this man as well. After all, his mission, his quest, came first and no one was to disturb him.

"Nothing is wrong," Gaius smiled apologetic, "I've just known a boy once," he explained, "his name was Merlin as well."

"What a coincidence," Merlin said. He cared little for Gaius' words now. He simply wanted to leave this house now and he wanted to leave behind this Gaius-person that unerved him somehow. "I shouldn't bother you anymore," Merlin said, "I'm sure you have much to do." He turned around, wanting to leave the little house when Gaius called his name.

"Merlin?" Gaius waited for Merlin to turn around and then he pushed a vase filled with flower off the table. Merlin's instincts kicked in and his eyes flashed golden, freezing the vase mid air. "It is you," Gaius exhaled, "my God!"

Merlin let go of his magic and the vase fell to the floor, scattering into pieces. "You tricked me," he spat angrily. He wanted to kill Gaius where he stood, but his words hung in his head. it is you. Merlin pushed down his anger and gazed into Gaius' eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Gaius folded his hands before him, swallowing heavily. Merlin could see the hesitation in his eyes. "The boy I once knew," Gaius explained, "whose name was Merlin as well, he had magic like you."

"That means absoluetely nothing," Merlin said.

"Merlin is a very odd name," Gaius said, almost sounding pleased that he had Merlin's attention, "and not many have magic like you have. You didn't cast any spell to stop that vase. Therefore it must be you." Gaius smiled now. "You are Merlin, son of Hunith."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Merlin quickly said. He had never heard of a woman named Hunith. "I grew up on the Isle-" He quickly bit his tongue. He should really walk away now, but what Gaius told him, it was compelling and he wanted to know more. What if he truly was this Merlin? What if his mother truly was Hunith? Nimueh had told him he had no one left, that his family was gone. Had she lied?

"Hunith's son was taken," Gaius said, his smile having disappeared, "when he was not even a year old. But here you are standing before me now, and it is a miracle."

"You're mistaken," Merlin decided not to listen to this nonsense, "my family is dead. I have no one." Not wanting to hear another word, Merlin turned around and ran out of the house. His breathing was shallow and uncontroled. He didn't know why he was so worked up. Obviously, Gaius was lying. Nimueh had raised him, cared for him. She would never lie to him.

And yet, Merlin had doubts. He had questions and there was only one way to get answers. He turned into a small ally and made sure no one could see him. Saying a few words in the Ancient Language, he felt himself being pulled away from this place. The magic would take him back the Isle of the Blessed. He had to ask Nimueh and he would find out the truth, one way or an other.

-o-o-

The night had settled, but Morgana couldn't sleep. She could only think of Gwen. Her maiden had been so broken and Morgana could understand as Lancelot had been Gwen's love of her life. They had become inseparable almost three years ago and now she was alone once again. It had all changed so suddenly and Morgana couldn't understand why someone would kill Lancelot! He was a kind man and he certainly didn't deserve to die like that.

'Morgana...'

Morgana jolted upwards in her bed, her eyes wide. She had definitely heard something. Or perhaps she was simply so tired and had she had started to imagine things?

'Morgana...'

She was certain now that someone had called out her name, only it had sounded distant. Morgana stepped out of bed, the cold floor beneath her sending chills down her back. She quickly put on a cloak and stepped into the hallway where torches still burned.

'Morgana...'

The King's ward, knowing that she had probably lost her mind, followed the voice and after what could have been an hour of wandering through the halls, she ended up near the dungeons with a torch in her hand. There weren't any guards since the King had placed them at the exits of the castle. He too had been unerved by the events.

Morgana carefully descended the stairs and searched her way through a small hallway that led unto a large cave. She knew exactly where she was and she was fully aware that she wasn't alone anymore. The dungeon where the Dragon was held captive. The mere thought send shivers down her back. "Hello?" she called out.

The Dragon came flying down, its flapping wings large and intimidating. He landed onto a large piece of rock before Morgana who couldn't help but take a step back. This was the first time she actually saw the Dragon and he was definitely bigger than she had imagined.

"Morgana," the Dragon spoke sternly, "finally, you have answered my call."

AN: Another chapter has ended. I hope it has been enjoyable! I still can't believe I killed of Lancelot though...