Disclaimer: Don't own it.
Summary: Set after series 3 – With Merlin leaving Camelot regularly the past few months, Arthur sets out to discover his secret. However, Morgana is closing in, but is Camelot all she is after this time?
AN: Thank you DarkAngel2112 and xEmrys for beta'ing; you guys are awesome! Thank you, everyone who left me a review, made this a favourite or alerted this. I won't keep you any longer...it's time to find out what has happened to Frey and if Merlin will be able to save him.
Evidence
Chapter 4 – The Rescue
Inside his heart, Merlin felt a heat rise. He had never sensed anything like it before, but he welcomed it. It was his magic twisting and twirling, building and gathering strength. He lifted his left hand and pointed it towards the disappearing witch and Druid as his eyes flashed their usual golden colour. Unlike Morgause, he didn't have to utter words for his magic to take shape.
With his other hand, he grabbed Arthur's arm and embraced him with magic. Both master and servant were surrounded by a thick cloud which transported them away from the Council Chambers. Merlin followed Morgause and Mordred, sensing their magic and tracking it. They hadn't gone far, however, and Merlin could see his surroundings take shape again.
He and Arthur stood in the Court Yard before the castle. There were no living soldiers or knights fighting here as the battle had moved inside the castle. Scattered across the grey stones, bodies lay ominously still. The sky above them had darkened and an eerily silence cut through the air.
Only footsteps echoed off the stone walls around them.
"Morgana," Merlin's voice sounded dangerous. He caught a faint glimpse of Arthur looking at him as if he'd gone insane and perhaps that was the case. No one, no one, touches Freya's son. He focused back towards the three moving figures and watched how they slowly turned around.
Morgana held a small bundle in her arms. Her green eyes widened and a faint grin filled her face when her gaze fell upon Merlin. The young warlock wasn't sure whether she felt satisfaction or fear.
"Morgana," he hissed the name, and even though they stood a distance away, he knew they could hear him, "give him back to me."
The youngest sister shook her head, her black curls bouncing up and down around her face. "You've lost, Merlin." Satisfaction dripped from her every word. "You've lost everything. Your son is ours."
Arthur, who still held his sword firmly, lifted the weapon towards his half sister. His eyes travelled from Morgana to Morgause and eventually to Mordred. "Fight us, you cowards," he shouted, "fight us!"
Mordred stepped forward, but Morgause's hand grabbed his shoulder and prevented him from walking any further. "I will fight you one day, Arthur Pendragon-" the boy spoke with wisdom he shouldn't possess, "-but our battle is not meant to be today. We will meet again."
Merlin watched how Arthur frowned deeply, but he didn't pay him or Mordred any more attention. "I will destroy you all for what you have done," he swore. "I will destroy you for taking my son, Morgana."
His once friend chuckled darkly. "You can't fight me - us," she said, "we are with three and you are alone." Her eyes snapped to the Prince, a taunting edge to her voice.
"Merlin has me," Arthur argued, "I don't have any magic, but I'll fight either way."
Morgause cocked her head to her left whilst carefully looking at her opponents. "If a fight is what you want, Arthur, then by all means." She spread her arms as if appearing unarmed, but her fingers were moving almost unobtrusively. She was preparing a spell already, but Merlin did not feel threatened at all.
"You've met Mordred," he simply said, paying Morgause's building magic no attention. He would deflect it easily when it came blasting towards him. "Have you heard the name he uses for me?" He watched Morgause's eyes dart towards the boy and settle back onto him. It was Merlin who now grinned. "I am Emrys and you are standing in my way."
His hands clapped together before his chest and a force sprung loose from the tips of his fingers. It bolted forwards and hit Morgause square in the chest. The blond witch fell back, her back slamming against the ground. This was the second time Merlin had used his strongest magic on her. There was not a chance in the world that she survived that blow.
"Morgause," Morgana shrieked. She knelt down beside the limp body of her sister and tears rolled down her cheeks. She clenched her arms tighter around the bundle she carried and looked up to meet Merlin's calculated eyes. "You'll pay for this," she warned. "I will kill you with my bare hands."
Merlin walked forward, ignoring Morgana's threats. "Leave," he sneered at Mordred.
The boy's eyes narrowed, but he quickly understood that he could not win a battle against Emrys. With a few words of the Ancient Language, a whirlwind embraced him and transported him to wherever - Merlin honestly couldn't care less.
This was between him and Morgana now and he was ready to finish this. "Morgana," he said, his voice harsh and cold, "give him to me and I might spare you."
Morgana looked up from the pale face of her sister, with wild, green eyes. "Never," she cried, "the child is mine. I don't care who you are, Merlin, or what you can do," a high, unnatural laugh erupted from her lips, "you can't hurt me, not without hurting him." She gazed down to the boy in her arms.
Slowly, Merlin nodded, "You are right," he admitted, "but I don't plan on hurting you yet," he raised his arm and spoke the difficult words of the Ancient Language with ease, "Fferra Morgana."
Morgana lifted her hand to defend herself, trying to repel Merlin's magic but she was not strong enough. Her breath hitched in her chest and her eyes grew wide with fear when she realized she was unable to move. However, Merlin didn't approach her. His eyes were glued to hers. For the first time, Merlin thought, my gaze must appear cold.
He didn't look at Arthur when speaking to him, "Take Frey and get him out of here."
"What are you going to do, Merlin?" Arthur's gaze moved from the frozen Morgana to the threateningly still Merlin.
"Finish this once and for all."
Arthur seemed reluctant to follow Merlin's order at first, but he eventually walked towards his half-sister. He passed the unmoving Morgause and noticed her empty eyes that were staring up at the sky. A chill ran down his back when he remembered how easily Merlin had killed her. It was unlike anything Arthur had seen before and he wondered if Merlin even realized what he had done.
He glanced back over his shoulder to see Merlin looking at his son. Much was at stake and Arthur knew he needed to get the small boy out of here. Leaving Merlin alone with Morgana wasn't what he wanted, but he had no other choice. He knew Morgana's strength and she wouldn't just be defeated. Arthur was aware that she was capable of hurting a child in order to get what she wants.
When he reached Morgana, he hesitated. Only when he was certain she couldn't move did he extend his arms and took the small bundle from her grasp. To Arthur's amazement, Frey was sleeping. He reminded him of Merlin in that way. His servant was able to sleep through everything as well, even when they were on hunting-trips.
"Is this it, Arthur," Morgana whispered so that only he could hear her, "are you going to leave me to Merlin's wrath?"
Arthur tensed at her words and his arms wrapped tightly around the boy. "You shouldn't have taken his son," he said, looking directly into her cruel, green eyes. Now that he stood so close to her, he could see Uther in her. They both had the same stubbornness and determination in their eyes.
"I would never have hurt him," she said, her words soft. "Arthur, you know me. Do you believe me capable of hurting a baby? I thought you knew me better than that."
"I thought so as well." He turned around on his heels and began walking away from her.
Morgana had not given up, however, and her words made Arthur stop dead in his tracks. "It is all because of you, Arthur Pendragon, you and your tyrannical father. I was lost and alone and you left me!"
Arthur gazed straight ahead and saw Merlin looking back at him. He said nothing, he didn't even flinch at the words, but Arthur felt his heart beat heavily in his chest. Was this another one of her lies? Had he truly abandoned her when she needed him most? He pressed together his lips and forced himself to continue to walk.
"Have you any idea what I've been going through?" Morgana ranted on, her words cutting through the air like a sharp dagger. "Morgause seemed like the only one who understood. I was betrayed by everyone, Arthur, even by your precious Merlin."
Merlin cringed at those words and Arthur's eyes widened. He had seen enough in Merlin's eyes to know that Morgana was speaking the truth. So who was it that had lied to him then? Morgana? Merlin? Both of them? Was there anyone he could trust?
"Don't listen to her," Merlin said harshly. "Arthur, she is filling your head with lies. I tried to help her, more than once, but she never listened to me. She made her own choices and this is entirely her own doing."
Arthur looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms. He stood between Morgana and Merlin and he felt torn. Morgana had been his friend since he was eight years old. They had gone through so much together. Didn't she deserve compassion or a chance to explain herself? On the other hand, Merlin had been his most loyal friend since the beginning. Arthur knew he could trust him, but even a man as powerful as Merlin could make mistakes. No?
"Did you help her?" Arthur heard himself ask, "Tell me the truth, Merlin; did you help her?"
Merlin never hesitated when answering, "Yes."
Morgana snorted loudly behind him. "You sent me away; you brought me to the Druids. You never helped me yourself, Merlin. Don't twist the truth."
"I did everything within my power to help you," Merlin shouted directly at his at the woman that had once been his friend. "The Dragon told me of your powers. He told it was best if you were left ignorant about your magic. I couldn't see you suffering, Morgana, and so I helped you get to the Druids," he strode forward, anger in his eyes. "You chose to help Mordred steal that Crystal. You chose to aid Morgause while she plotted to destroy Camelot and it was your choice to take my son away from me."
Arthur stepped before Merlin, forcing him to come to a halt. "Is that the truth," he asked, "the complete truth?"
Merlin nodded, "Yes, it is. She wants the throne, Arthur, and you and your father are standing in her way. She won't stop until you're dead."
The words nearly broke Arthur's heart in a thousand pieces. "What are you going to do to her?" he asked.
Very gently, Merlin leaned forward and kissed his son's small head. "Take him to Gaius, make sure he's alright. I'll deal with Morgana."
Arthur wanted to know exactly what was going to happen next, but Merlin wasn't going to tell him. He tried to smile at his servant, but he failed horribly. Without saying another word, he walked away, his eyes fixed on his godson who was sleeping in his arms and he forced himself to ignore Morgana's desperate voice.
"Arthur," the witch yelled, "Arthur, don't do this to me. Don't leave me! Arthur!"
But the Prince continued to walk until he reached the Throne Room where he found his remaining knights. Servants and maids were attending to their wounds and amongst them stood Uther. Arthur's thoughts instantly flickered back to his half-sister. They truly did look alike and he wondered why he had never noticed before.
A small, dark-skinned woman hurried towards him, but Arthur barely noticed. Instead, the Prince's eyes fell towards Gaius who seemed to have a nasty cut on his head, no doubt one Morgana had given when she had taken Frey from him. At least he was alive.
"You're alright." A hand gently caressed the Prince's cheek. "You're both alright."
Arthur moved his eyes to see Gwen standing before him and he managed to smile faintly. He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly. "He's safe," he assured her. Knowing that Gwen was alive and well, he felt an ease settle in. "Here," he said, handing the boy to Gwen, "look after him."
Gwen took the baby, but focused back on the man she loved, "What are you going to do?"
"Merlin needs me," was Arthur's simple answer before running out of the room. He didn't even hear the questions behind him and he certainly didn't have time to answer them. He only had one purpose now, which was finding Merlin and making sure that he was okay.
AN: Don't be shy, let me know what you think!