Finally, Uther summoned Gaius. I came along. Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen were present in the council chambers, too. Uther asked Gaius if there was any way to stop the Dragon. Gaius replied that only a Dragonlord could help now.
Uther gasped. "You know very well that is not an option!" he exclaimed. Gaius replied that there was a rumour that one was still left. His name was Balinor, and he was last seen in the border town of Enged, between Camelot and Cenred's kingdom. Uther took a deep breath. Then, he reluctantly agreed to send out some men to find this Dragonlord.
However, we were at war with Cenred, so it was going to be too dangerous. Arthur was going to ride out alone, so that meant I was going, too. I was packing for our trip when Gaius approached me. He explained that the Dragonlords were men who could talk to dragons and tame them. But Uther believed the art of the Dragonlord was too close to magic, so he rounded them up and slaughtered them. Apparently, though, Gaius had helped one of them escape.
He paused and looked at me. He asked me if I had ever heard the name Balinor before. I shook my head and said I had not. "Your mother never mentioned him?" he persisted."
"My mother?" I questioned.
"She took him in."
"She stood up against Uther?"
"Yes," he stated.
"She was brave," I commented.
"Yes," Gaius agreed. "When Uther discovered where Balinor was, he sent knights to Ealdor to hunt him down. He was forced to flee."
I then asked why my mother had not told me any of this. Gaius sighed and said he promised my mother he would never speak of these things. "Of what things?" I begged. Gaius sighed again.
"I've always treated you as my son, but that is not what you are. The man you are going to look for is your father."
"My father?" I quizzed. Gaius nodded.
"He was a Dragonlord? Why did no one ever tell me?!"
"I wanted to," Gaius confessed. "Your mother feared it would be too dangerous."
"I had a right to know!" I exclaimed.
"She wanted to protect you," he defended.
"No. I had a right to know," I almost shouted. I then turned and walked to the door. "Merlin," Gaius called.
I turned to face him. "Please come back in one piece," he said. I smiled slightly and nodded. "And you must not let Arthur know who this man is. Uther would view the son of a Dragonlord with the deepest suspicion." I nodded and promised I would be careful. Then, I hurried out to saddle the horses.
We rode out in search of Balinor. Arthur tried to bribe people to give him information about my father, but either no one knew him, or no one would give him up. I hoped it was not because he was dead after all.
Finally, we found someone who knew where he was. So, we traveled to a cave at the foot of Feorre Mountain. I had never heard of this mountain, so I knew it would be interesting.
On our way, Arthur's wound he had gotten from fighting the Dragon got worse. We made it to the aforementioned cave in just enough time. I tried to lie and say that Arthur was merely a knight, but my father recognized him and the younger Pendragon. I sighed and admitted his name was Arthur.
After Balinor healed him, we talked by the fire. I learned a little about his life. I also learned that the Great Dragon had a name. It was Kilgharrah. He then explained to me a bit about what it meant to be a Dragonlord.
I begged my father to help. He replied that it was all Uther's fault, and that Kilgharrah was merely seeking vengeance. He was unwilling to help, as Uther had done him much wrong.
He then explained how he had escaped to Ealdor and met a good woman. But Uther still pursued him. He was angry the Uther would not let him just escape. I asked if he wanted everyone in Camelot to die, and he asked why he should care. I added that what if one of the residents was his son? He said he didn't have a son. I was about to reply, when Arthur woke up. I sighed. Maybe later I would tell Balinor.
Arthur seemed to be doing just fine now. He wound had healed, and he said he felt great. I told him he should thank Balinor, and he did. He then tried to persuade Balinor to come back to Camelot with us, but Balinor still refused. Arthur was rather shocked.
After a quite lengthy conversation, Arthur strode toward me confidently. He said Balinor would help. I voiced my doubt, but Arthur insisted he was right. I just rolled my eyes.
Balinor bid us farewell. Arthur was still shocked. I couldn't take it anymore. I shouted at him about how Gaius talked of the nobility of Dragonlords, and how, clearly, he was wrong. That seemed to spark his interest, for he acknowledged that Gaius was a good man. I agreed and told him that I had hoped he was a bit more like Gaius, but that I guessed there was no point.
Arthur then called me to go. I sighed and followed. I was silent for the rest of the trip. Arthur commented on my silence, so I began to insult him.
Then, he suddenly ordered me to be quite. I commented on how just a minute ago he had wanted me to talk, and now he wanted me to stop talking.
It turned out that Balinor had decided to come after all. He said that some people in Camelot had been kind to him, and he owed it to them to protect them. Arthur offered him a reward, but he refused it.
I finally got a few minutes alone with my father, as we were gathering firewood. We talked of the Old Religion, and then Ealdor. He was shocked that I had grown up there. He was even more shocked when I told him that Hunith was my mother, and I was his son. He told me, just as Gaius had, that Arthur must not know. I nodded.
As Arthur slept we talked some more about why he left, and about what it meant to be a Dragonlord. He explained that it was passed down from father to son, and the son did not receive the power until the father had passed away.
In the morning, I woke to find a small dragon carved from wood sitting by my bed. I smiled and took it. Then, Arthur shook me. He whispered that there were bandits nearby. I quickly got up.
We fought the bandits for some time. My father even aided, using the extra sword I had brought along. He ended up getting stabbed through with one of the bandits' swords. Arthur was fighting another bandit. I cast a spell throwing the bandit that had just stabbed my father far away. He smiled and commented on the fact that I had magic like him. I begged him to stay with me, but after telling me to be strong, and that he was proud of me, he died in my arms.
I cried out, as tears fell down my cheeks. Then, I wiped my eyes and stood up to face Arthur who was now approaching. I told him that Balinor was dead. He sighed and replied that we would take him back to Camelot and I could give him a proper burial. He must have seen how sad I was. I just nodded and tried to smile.
When we returned to Camelot, Arthur informed his father that the last Dragonlord was dead. Uther sighed and allowed Arthur to out and fight it with knight power alone. Gaius and I retreated to our chambers.
I sat on my bed and cried over the dragon figurine my father made me. Gaius came in and sat beside me. He asked what happened. "I couldn't save him," I sighed.
"Merlin," Gaius comforted.
"He said the Dragonlord's gift is passed from father to son," I said, as almost a question.
"That is true," Gaius replied.
"When I faced the Great Dragon, my magic was useless," I protested.
"Your father wasn't dead. It's only then you can inherit his powers," he explained.
I nodded and took a deep breath. "Do you think I'm strong enough to stand up to him?" I questioned.
"Only time will tell," Gaius answered.
A few minutes later, Arthur summoned me to his chambers. I helped him put on his armour. He turned to face me. He said something about the Dragonlord in the woods, and something he told his knights. Then, he added, "No man is worth your tears." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "You're certainly not," I laughed, walking away.
I then picked up a spare sword and followed him to the door. He looked at me curiously and asked what I was doing. "I'm coming with you," I announced.
"Merlin, the chances are, I'm going to die," he protested.
"Yeah, and you probably would if I wasn't there."
Arthur scoffed, and then smiled. "Right," he answered sarcastically.
"Do you know how many times I've saved your royal backside?" I quizzed.
"Well, at least you got your sense of humour back," he smiled. He took a step forward, and I followed. He then asked me if I was really going to fight this dragon with him. "I'm not going to sit here and watch. I know it's hard for you to understand how I feel, but…well, I care a hell of a lot about that armour, I'm not going to let you mess it up," I replied. Arthur smiled, and then we both laughed. He gave me a friendly punch, and then we headed out together.
The knights tried multiple attacks, all unsuccessful. Finally, Arthur decided to draw the Dragon' fire away from the village, so he lured the Dragon to the woods. I followed, trying to stay out of the way.
The Dragon knocked most of the knights unconscious, and charcoaled some. Arthur lay unconscious on the ground. The Dragon was about to roast him, too, when I stepped in. I remembered what my father had said about addressing the Dragon as kin. I opened my mouth, and words came out of my mouth in a strange tongue. I guessed it was the Dragon tongue. It sounded very similar to the language I used for casting spells. I also remembered, that the Dragon had a name. His name was Kilgharrah.
Kilgharrah stopped what he was doing, and almost sat down. I picked up a spear, ready to launch it. He then asked for mercy. After some thought, I gave it to him. What right had I to kill such a creature? As Dragonlord, I was supposed to be his protector, not murderer.
I told him that he must go; he must leave Camelot, but that if he returned, I would kill him. I also told him that because I had shown him mercy, he must show it to others. He bowed his head and told me that he would never forget my clemency.
Then, as soon as Kilgharrah was out of sight, Arthur woke up. I told the prince that he had given the Dragon a mortal blow. Arthur laughed and fell back onto the grass. He looked so relieved. I laughed with him. Even though I knew Kilgharrah and I would meet again, it felt good to be rid of the threat.
I helped Arthur to his feet, and then we walked side by side back to the castle. Gwen and Gaius rushed out to meet us. Gwen and Arthur embraced. "I thought I'd lost you," I heard Gwen say to Arthur. I smiled and sighed. I wished they could really be together; they were so perfect for each other.
Gaius smiled at me and embraced me. I returned his hug. "My boy," he smiled. He pulled away, as Gwen and Arthur made their way back to the castle. "I felt him there with me, Gaius," I smiled.
"He'll always be with you," my guardian encouraged.
"I hope so," I replied.
He smiled. "Merlin, I know I can never compare with your father, but for what it's worth, you've still got me," he said.
"Well, I suppose I'll just have to make do," I responded. Then, we both laughed.
As we neared the castle, Morgana came out to greet us. She threw her arms about me, and I wrapped her in a snug embrace. "I was so worried about you, Merlin," she whispered. I glanced over her shoulder to see Gaius continuing on inside. She pulled back after a while, but I still held her hands in mine. I smiled. "I'm not going anywhere," I promised. "Though, I do have a lot to tell you." I reached up and gently stroked her cheek. She smiled and nodded. "Meet me in council chambers tonight," she whispered. "No one goes there in the middle of the night." I nodded and smiled. Then, we let go and walked into the castle side by side.
I walked as quickly as I could while still being quiet. The only people awake were the guards. Even so, it was tricky to avoid being seen.
Finally, I made it to the council chambers. I checked to make sure no one was around, and then I opened the door with magic. Morgana was already sitting in a chair at the long table. I walked over and sat in one beside hers. She smiled at me and turned toward me.
I took a deep breath and told her all about how I had freed the Great Dragon, whose name was Kilgharrah, and how it was my fault that he was able to hurt so many people. She took my hand and smiled. "You didn't know he would react in such a way," she comforted. I smiled and continued.
I explained to her about Dragonlords, and what they did, and how Arthur and I went to look for the Last Dragonlord, who happened to be my father. I told her that I was now the Last Dragonlord, and it was my job to protect Kilgharrah. "So, you didn't kill him?" she questioned. I shook my head. "I essentially banished him from Camelot on pain of death," I responded. She smiled and squeezed my hand. "I'm so proud of you," she said. I smiled back, thanking her.
Then, she swallowed and abruptly let go of my hand. She sighed, then stood up. She turned and walked a few feet away. I knew something was wrong. I drew near to her and asked her what was wrong.
She lifted her chin, and took a deep breath. I knew something was deeply troubling her, for this was what she did to calm herself after a particularly disturbing nightmare. "Morgana, please, you know you can trust me," I said tenderly.
I reached out and, grabbing her shoulders, gently turned her toward me. I noticed there were tears in her eyes. "Morgana," I whispered, drawing her into a firm embrace. She snuggled against me. I smiled.
Then, she tilted her head back to look at me. "I now know what Arthur goes through when he looks at Gwen," she sniffed.
"What do you mean?" I questioned, my heart racing in anticipation.
She pulled back a little, but I still held her arms. "Merlin, these past few days have made me realize something. Especially when you went off to fight the Dragon. I thought I'd never see you again…" She trailed off, her voice giving out. I smiled and pulled her close again. I finally knew then what these feelings that had been forming inside me meant, but could I risk revealing them?
She took a deep breath and extracted herself from my arms. She looked up at me and opened her mouth to speak. "Merlin…" but before she could finish, I hooked a finger under her chin and brought her lips to meet mine.
She drew in her breath and stiffened, but she relaxed after only a few seconds. I felt pressure equaling my own. I smiled into the kiss and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her close. Her arms slid around my waist.
After several minutes we pulled away. We both smiled. I briefly touched my lips to hers again, in a chaste kiss. Then, she smiled and laid her head on my chest. "I love you," I whispered.
"I love you, too," she replied.
When the clock bells chimed three o'clock, we knew we should return to our chambers. We reluctantly pulled away and grabbed hands. We decided that as long as we avoided the guards, we could hold hands all the way to her chambers. We embraced at her door, and then bid each other goodnight.
I opened the door to the chambers I shared with Gaius. I hoped that he would not wake up. I had no desire to explain where I had been, and I did not feel like making up an excuse at the moment. Plus, Gaius never fell for my lies, anyway.
Thankfully, he was snoring like a pig. I tiptoed to my room and closed the door. I took off my boots, and fell into bed. I did not wake until I heard Gaius' voice the next morning calling me for breakfast.
He asked how I had slept. I said I had slept quite well, which was the truth. I had had a wonderful dream where Uther gave Morgana and Arthur his blessing to marry whomever they wished. Then, after I finished my breakfast, I hurried to the kitchen to get Arthur his.
I opened the curtains and wished the sleeping prat a good morning. He commented on my good mood, and I simply replied that I had had a good night's sleep and was ready to greet the day, as he should be, too. He groaned and turned over. "Am I going to have to drag you out of bed, sire?" I teased.
I had done that very thing before, and he had complained the whole time. "That won't be necessary," he replied, sitting up. I nodded and began to set out his clothes. He got up, grabbed his trousers, and went behind the changing screen.
He returned and held his hands out for me to help put his shirt on. I sighed and rolled my eyes. And he calls me useless!
When he was dressed, he sat down and the table and began eating. He dismissed me to go do the rest of my chores. I gave an almost mocking bow and exited the room.
I spotted Gwen in the corridor, and she smiled at me. I returned her smile, and inquired after Morgana. "Has she had any nightmares lately?" I asked. Gwen shook her head.
"No, she says she did dream last night, but it was a pleasant one," she replied. I smiled, wondering if it was a similar dream to mine.
Later that day, Arthur was summoned to the council chambers. Naturally, I followed and stood behind his chair. Gwen was also there, standing behind her mistress.
A young boy knelt before us. He had dark hair and piercing blue eyes. I suppressed a gasp, as I recognized him almost immediately. Mordred. What is he doing here? He was dressed in rags, and the Druid symbol on his arm was covered by his long sleeves.
With tears in his eyes, he explained that his name Mordred, and his village was attacked by bandits. He fled with his sister, but she was killed along the way. Only he escaped. "Was your village in Camelot?" Uther asked.
Mordred shook his head. "It was in Cenred's kingdom, near the border of Camelot," he said. Uther nodded.
"I'm sorry, we cannot avenge your family without risking a war with Cenred. However, you may stay here as long as you wish. My knights will help you find a place in a village in Camelot when you are ready to move on," he replied. Mordred smiled and thanked him.
I smiled, too. Uther could be kind…sometimes. Uther then ordered that I show Mordred to a room and make sure he had everything he needed. I nodded and escorted him to one of the guest chambers.
When we were alone, I whispered, "What are you doing here? You know it is unsafe. The only reason you are not in prison right now is because Uther had no idea that you are the Druid boy that escaped some weeks ago."
"Relax, Emrys. I know what I'm doing," he replied in my head.
I gasped. I nodded curtly. "Let me know if you need anything else," I added, turning to leave. "Emrys," he called. I turned around, eyeing him narrowly. "Don't get in my way." I gasped. Then, I turned on my heels and left.
I sat down on the bench with a sigh. Gaius inquired as to what was wrong. "Something doesn't feel right," I said. "That boy is Mordred. The Druid boy that Kilgharrah warned me about." Gaius simply nodded. "When I asked him why he was here, he just said, 'I know what I'm doing, and don't get in my way.' You don't think he intends to poison Arthur, do you?"
"I don't know. But we cannot jump to conclusions. He story may be legitimate," Gaius pointed out.
"Maybe," I acknowledged. "But there's something about the way he spoke to me. He told me not to get in his way. He's planning something, Gaius, I just know it!"
"Promise me you won't make things worse by announcing your suspicions to Uther," Gaius begged. I nodded and promised. I certainly had no desire to spend the day in the stocks…or worse…for accusing a seemingly innocent young boy.
Fortunately, Morgana knew the truth about Mordred. I decided to go see her.
I knocked on her door, and Gwen answered. She smiled at me. "I'm glad you're here," she said. "Morgana has been acting strangely. I asked if she wanted to go see Mordred because I knew how attached to him she had grown, but she refuses to even leave her room for fear of meeting him in the hall." I nodded and said I'd talk to her.
Gwen stepped aside to let me in. "Morgana?" I called. The king's ward came toward me, smiling. She embraced me and said she was glad to see me. I smiled. "Thank you, Gwen. That will be all for now. I'll call you if I need you again," she announced, turning to her maidservant. Gwen bowed and smiled. "Yes, my lady," she added. Then, she left, closing the door behind her.
I sat beside Morgana on her bed. I threaded our hands together and asked what was going on. "I'm afraid to see Mordred," she confessed.
"Why?" I quizzed. "I'm sure he would be glad to see you. And he would never hurt you, I'm sure."
"But you said that he wants to kill Arthur, and the last time I spoke to Mordred, I ended up being the vessel for a spell that sent to whole castle to sleep," she sniffed.
I put my arm around her and drew her close. "You didn't know that he was going to lead you to Morgause who would use you like that," I comforted. She smiled weakly.
After a few minutes of silence, I added, "You should go see Mordred, if you want to. But you must be careful. Kilgharrah warned me that you could be very dangerous if you let yourself be blinded by your fondness for Mordred." She nodded.
"Will you go with me to see him?" she asked. I nodded.
"Of course," I responded, smiling.
"Thank you. I would feel better if you are there, and I'll be less likely to get into any trouble," she continued.
I knocked on the door of Mordred's chambers. "Come in," his little voice replied. I opened the door. "There's someone who wishes to see you," I announced.
Morgana came in. Her face brightened when she saw the boy. He smiled and ran to hug her. She knelt down and returned his embrace. They held each other for a long time.
Then, they pulled away and sat down at the table. I closed the door, but remained by it. I wanted them to be able to talk comfortably, without feeling like I was intruding. Also, I wanted to be able to hear if Arthur summoned me—not that he was ever quiet in doing so.
They talked for a while. Finally, though, Morgana said that she had to go. Mordred thanked her for coming to see him. She just smiled and said she was happy he was here.
She approached me and I opened the door. We walked out together. "Mordred asked me for something strange," she whispered in the corridor. I looked at her questioningly and waited for her to continue. "He asked me for Uther's tears," she stated.
I furrowed my brow. "What could he want with Uther's tears?" I asked, thinking back to the incident with the troll where Uther had to cry tears of true remorse. But what would Mordred want with Uther's tears? Why would he need Uther to cry? "Are you going to help him?" I asked, trying to keep my voice even.
"I don't know. I don't know how to get Uther to cry," she replied.
"I could poison Arthur again," I suggested.
"Do you think he would be willing to do that?"
"Probably not. Camelot is in no danger. Still, I could always put it in his drink without him knowing."
"But wouldn't you get accused because you're his servant and you brought him poisoned food?"
"True," I admitted. "So, maybe poisoning Arthur is not the best option. But how are you going to get Uther's tears?" She shook her head.
"I don't know," she said.
A few days later, I overheard Mordred talking with Morgana in her chambers. He asked her if she had gotten the tears of Uther yet, and she replied that she didn't know how to make Uther cry. "If someone close to him betrays him, I'm sure he would cry," Mordred proposed.
I heard Morgana gasp. "No!" she exclaimed. "No, I will not betray Uther, Mordred. Not even for you. He may be a ruthless when it comes to dealing with our kind, but I will not betray my father. Go!"
I quickly backed away and ran down the hall. I knew something was going on, but I could not ask Morgana, for then she would know I had been eavesdropping.
That night, I woke to the bells ringing. I jumped out of bed and threw on my clothes. I followed Gaius out into the corridor. Arthur met us and led us to Morgana's chambers. "Someone with magic broke in, again," he explained. I gasped and tried to keep from running ahead.
Uther was already there, questioning Gwen. Anything and everything glass was shattered, covering the entire floor. Morgana sat sobbing on her bed. I hurried over to her and knelt before her. "What happened?" I whispered.
"I had the most terrible nightmare," she whispered back. She drew in a shaky breath. "It was about Mordred and Uther."
"Was the king in trouble?" I gasped, not being able to keep my voice in a whisper.
At this, Uther strode toward us and demanded to know what we were talking about. I quickly stood up. "Morgana says she had a terrible dream about you, sire," I said. Morgana nodded. Uther sat beside her and hugged her. "It was just a dream," he said. She nodded and looked up at me. We both knew it was not just a dream. "We will have Gaius give you another sleeping draught, and you can go back to sleep."
"Sire, if I may," Gaius piped up.
"Yes, what is it?" Uther returned.
"Under the circumstances, I don't think I don't think it is safe for Morgana to remain here. She has sustained a few cuts from the flying glass, and I think it would be better if someone could keep an eye on her during the night," Gaius explained. Uther nodded and agreed that Morgana should spend the night in the physician's chambers. Morgana smiled and thanked Gaius for his kindness.
Uther then stood up and escorted her out with Gaius. Arthur, Gwen, and I remained behind. "Who could have done this?" Arthur questioned. "And why?" Gwen shook her head.
I knew that it was most likely Morgana's magic reacting to her nightmare, but I couldn't very well tell that to Arthur. So, I decided to give him another name, hoping to stop the prophecies. "What about Mordred? He is the Druid boy that we helped escape that time," I suggested.
Arthur furrowed his brow. "But I thought he liked Morgana. Why would he want to attack her when she helped him?" he quizzed.
"I don't know. He's just the only person with magic that I could think of that would have access to Morgana's chambers," I lied. Arthur nodded.
"I think we should all go to bed and think about this in the morning," Gwen posed.
"What about the mess?" Arthur questioned. "The servants are going to love cleaning this up tomorrow."
"I can clean it up," I offered.
"Merlin…" Arthur began.
"It's fine, really. I don't mind. I'm actually quite good at cleaning." Arthur laughed.
"Do as you like, Merlin, but I'm going to bed. Gwen, are you staying in the castle tonight?"
"I think I will stay in the servant's quarters, my lord," she replied, bowing her head.
"Good. Because I don't think it is safe for you to walk home at his time of night," he smiled.
The two of them walked out together. I smiled and sighed. Gwen and I were in the same boat. We were in love with someone who requited our love, but we could never be together.
As soon as I was alone, I closed the door and locked it. Then, I uttered a spell to make all the glass collect in a pile in the middle of the room. Next, I began to straighten everything else by hand.
When the room looked back to normal, except the pile of glass, I smiled. Despite Arthur's criticism, I really was good at cleaning. I spoke a spell that made the glass vanish, and nodded with satisfaction. Then, I returned to my room.
I opened the door to the main chambers as quietly as possible, and tiptoes past Gaius' bed. "Merlin?" The voice was high-pitched and scared.
"Morgana," I said gently.
I turned and walked quietly to the sick bed. I took Morgana's hand. "You're safe here," I said.
"I know," she replied. "But I'm afraid to go to sleep. What if I have the dream again, and I start breaking things here?"
I knelt beside her. I could just see her face in the moonlight. Tears stained her cheeks. I reached up to wipe them away. "Tell me what happened in your dream?" I begged.
She took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. "We were all in the throne room. Arthur was being crowned king. Uther was looking on, pleased, but suddenly, Mordred came in and cast a spell on Arthur. He fell to the ground. I don't know if he was dead, but Uther began to cry. Mordred said that I had forced him to do this because I did not help him when he asked.
"Then, he said, 'Choose your sides wisely, Morgana. Not all that is prophesied is true. Sometimes those destined to be great fall, and others rise in their place.' Then, he vanished, and I woke up."
She drew in another shaky breath. Still holding her hand, I kissed her lightly on the lips. "We'll have to figure out a way to get Uther to cry without that happening," I assured. She smiled and nodded. I squeezed her hand, and then got to my feet.
I turned toward my room, but she called me back. "Merlin, could…could I…sleep with you…in your room I mean?" she questioned. I drew in my breath. Then, I smiled and nodded.
I held out my hand to her. She took it and got to her feet. I led her to my room. "You can sleep in my bed, and I'll put a blanket on the floor," I said. She nodded.
"Thank you, Merlin," she smiled. I smiled and nodded back.
The light of dawn shone in the window, and I awoke to find myself in my bed, with Morgana's body pressed against mine. I smiled and kissed her hair. Then, as I rolled over and looked at the clothes scattered about my room, I realized sleeping in the same bed was not all we had done last night.
I carefully got out of bed and got dressed. I then went out to wash my face. Gaius greeted me with a cheerful smile. He inquired after Morgana, noting that she was not where she had been last night. I replied that she was asleep in my bed.
Gaius raised his eyebrows. "She was awake when I came in after talking with Arthur," I defended, "and she said she had had the nightmare again, and wanted to sleep in my room. I let her have my bed, and I laid on a blanket on the floor." Gaius nodded.
"You must be careful, Merlin. She is Uther's ward," he warned.
"I know," I replied. He then set a bowl of porridge on the table. I sat down and began to eat.
Mordred was growing impatient to get Uther's tears. Morgana told him that she was working on it, and she would have them soon. She came to me begging me to help. I told her I would help as much as I could, but that we must not let anyone know what we were doing. I still didn't trust Mordred, and I didn't want to make Morgana feel bad for helping him betray Uther again.
When the whole castle had gone to sleep, I silently made my way to Uther's chambers. I was not surprised to find that his door had guards at it. I hid in the shadows, and whispered a temporary sleeping spell. They promptly leaned against the wall and began to snore. I tiptoed up to the door and whispered a spell to unlock it.
Then, I walked up to Uther's bedside. I whispered a spell. I had cast it correctly, dreams of Ygraine and a young Arthur would soon fill his head.
I guessed I had succeeded because, soon, the desired result occurred. Tears streamed down Uther's cheeks. I took the handkerchief out of my pocket and carefully mopped up some of his tears. Then, I hurried out the door and locked it behind me.
I waited a few moments in the shadows just to make sure the guards woke up. As much as I disliked Uther, I didn't want Mordred coming in and killing him, or something like that. The guards may not stop him, but at least they'd be a deterrent.
When the guards finally began to show signs of waking up, I raced back to my room. I carefully closed the doors behind me, and flopped onto my bed.
As soon as I could, the next morning, I found Morgana. I handed her the handkerchief, and whispered that it had Uther's tears on it. She asked me how I managed, and I told her about my dream spell. She smiled at me. "Thank you, Merlin," she said. I just smiled and nodded.
Early the next morning, Morgana burst into the physician's chambers. I heard her asking for me. I quickly got up and put on a shirt. Then, I opened my door and came down the steps.
She looked up and saw me. "Merlin!" she exclaimed, running toward me. She placed her hands on my chest, and my hands automatically grasped her shoulders. "What's wrong?" I asked calmingly. "I had a dream about an army like the Knights of Medhir, only they did not have full bodies," she said.
"What do you mean?" I questioned.
"They were just…" she shuddered. "They were just bones."
I pulled her into an embrace. "It'll be okay," I comforted. "Did you see anything else?"
"I saw a sword. A sword that could kill them. And Arthur was wielding it," she said. I nodded. Excalibur! I knew I would have to find it. The question was, could I get to it? Could I go into that lake?
Maybe Kilgharrah could help. Then, again, maybe not. He'd probably tell me not to do it, and I'd end up doing it anyway and getting into a lot of trouble, and he'd have no sympathy for me because he had warned me not to do it. No, it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?
I gently pushed Morgana away. "It will be okay, I promise. I won't let anything happen to the prince, or the king," I assured. She smiled and nodded.
"Thank you, Merlin," she said. Then, she took a deep breath and walked toward the door.
Gaius called to her. She turned and he gave her another sleeping draught. She smiled and took it. Then, she walked out.
When she was gone, Gaius turned to me. "Do you have any idea why she would want to see you?" he asked, raising his eyebrow as he often did when he wanted to know the absolute truth. I shook my head innocently. "No idea," I lied. He raised his eyebrow further, if that was possible. "Merlin, what happened that night she stayed here?" he asked.
"Nothing," I assured, shaking my head.
He continued to look at me for a while. Then, when I was silent, and obviously not going to give up any more information, he sighed and turned toward the table. "You might as well eat before you go to the prince," he said. I nodded and thanked him for the bowl of porridge he set before me.
All was quiet for a few days. Then, Uther began to go mad. At least, that's what everyone thought. I knew there was something else going on. My suspicions were confirmed when a guard was stabbed and then poisoned. Gaius told Arthur that he feared there was a traitor inside Camelot. Arthur was a loss for who it could be, but I knew who it was.
Gwen found me in the corridor, and asked if I had any idea why Morgana would be so depressed and not being able to sleep, even though she had not had any nightmares. I shook my head, but said I would talk to her. "It's so strange," she commented. "You seem to be the only one who can comfort her. Most times, I can, but you always can." I just smiled and shrugged. "You're the same way with Arthur," I whispered with a smile. "I can often bring a smile to his face with my clumsiness, or just being an idiot, but your mere presence always improves his mood." She smiled and blushed. "I'll talk to her," I then promised. She nodded and thanked me.
It turned out that Morgana had put it together, too, and now she was feeling guilty for helping Mordred once again. I held her close. "I am just as much to blame as you," I reminded. "I was the one who made Uther cry so you could give the tears to Mordred. I am just as guilty as wanting to see the good in him. But we must be careful. We cannot be fooled by his seeming innocence. I fear there is more to Uther's madness than meets the eye." Morgana agreed to help me figure out what was going on.
The next day, I went to check on Uther. I noticed some black liquid on the floor and knelt down to inspect it more closely. I had never seen such liquid before. I traced the liquid to underneath Uther's bed.
Just then, I heard someone coming. I crawled under the bed and my head hit something sticky. I startled and laid flat on my stomach. A hand then reached under the bed to grab the plant. I peeked out from under the bed and suppressed a gasp. Mordred! I knew it! Still, what proof do I have? The word of a servant? Only Gaius, and possibly Arthur, Gwen, and Morgana would believe me.
I then noticed that the plant he was holding, and had taken from underneath the bed was a mandrake root. I didn't know much about them, but I knew they had strong magical properties. I decided to follow Mordred to see where he was going.
I followed him to the woods and hid behind a boulder as he hugged Morgause. "Sorry you had to wait. There was much to discuss," Morgause smiled.
"But your visit was successful?" Mordred asked.
"Cenred's army ride for Camelot on my command," she replied. Mordred smirked and said, "There is nothing you cannot do, dear mother."
"It is you that gives me strength, son. How goes the battle for Uther's mind?"
"When Cenred marches on Camelot, he will find a kingdom without a leader." Morgause laughed.
"Finally, we are ready," she said.
"Not quite," Mordred countered. "Merlin suspects me."
"Has he told Arthur?"
"Not yet, but he will. He tells that spoiled prat everything!"
I furrowed my brow. Mordred had no right to call Arthur a prat. I mean, Arthur was a prat, but only his best friend got the privilege of actually calling him one. And I did not tell Arthur everything. If I did, I would not be hiding behind a rock at that moment. I'd have been burned at the stake a long time ago.
Morgause laughed. "Well, then we must stop him," she said.
"That will not be difficult," he smirked.
"Why?" she questioned.
"Because he's already here," Mordred replied, turning and looked directly at me.
I gasped and came out of hiding. What else could I do? "Did you really think I was that stupid, Merlin?" he smirked, emphasizing my name. He never called me "Merlin". He always referred to me as "Emrys," so I wondered why he was not doing so this time.
I stared at him for a moment, and then ran in the opposite direction. A man that had been guarding Morgause started chasing me. He outran me and pinned me to the ground. His fist met my head, and everything went black.
I woke to find myself in the forest, wrapped in chains. Mordred was nowhere in sight, but Morgause stood above me. She smiled. "You intrigue me, Merlin. Why does a lowly servant continue to risk everything for Arthur and for Camelot?" she questioned. I did not answer. "You know the answer, but you're not telling me. Why? Come on. Time and again you put your life on the line. There must be a reason," she insisted.
"I believe in a fair and just land," I replied. It was the truth, just not the whole truth. There was no way I was going to tell her the whole truth!
She laughed. "And you think Arthur will give you that?" she inquired.
"I know it," I answered.
"And then what? You think you'll be recognized, Merlin? Is that it? All this so, one day, you can be a serving boy to the King? No. There's something more. Something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
Yes, there was something else. I never did any of it because I wanted recognition. I did it because it was my duty, and Arthur was my friend. "I told you," I replied.
"Well, you can take your secret to your grave. Weorc untoworpenlic."
The chains around me glowed and tightened. I cried out in pain. "You chose to poison one of my own. You may regret that."
"Morgana is not yours!" I retorted.
She just laughed. "And you think she is yours? Foolish servant! She will never be like you. You can never understand her powers. You may think she is loyal to Arthur, but Mordred and I will show her what she can be when she does not have to hide her powers."
"She will never betray Arthur!" I quipped.
Morgause laughed again. "And what would a servant know of a sorceress' mind?" I did not reply. "Very well. I'll shall leave you to your reward for being so loyal." And with that, she disappeared.
I sighed. "Abricaþ benda," I said. The chains glowed, but did not break. I said the spell once more. Again, glowing, but no breaking. I tried again, this time shouting. Still, only glowing.
I decided to try a different spell. "Isen fæstnunga onlucan me!" I shouted. Nothing other than more glowing. I cursed. Surely some spell could break these chains! I took a deep breath. The chains seemed to be growing tighter and draining my energy.
Just then, I heard a scurrying sound. I looked around for its source. "Min strengest miht hate þe tospringan!" I screamed, in a last attempt to break the chains. They only glowed like the times before.
I looked up to see Serkets approaching. I gasped. The only reason I recognized them was because I had seen pictures in Gaius' magical creatures book. I knew their tails had poisonous stingers on them.
I shouted a few spells that made them cower away, but they soon came back. Suddenly, I felt a great pain in my side. I knew one of them had gotten me with their tails. I shouted one more spell, and they back away. However, I knew I could not keep doing this, not with my wound, and the chains draining my energy.
I decided to call Kilgharrah. I lifted my head, and, looking up at the sky, called out in a loud voice for the Great Dragon. As soon as I finished, I collapsed.
A/N: This chapter has some original content, but it is also is a rewrite of the episodes. That is how things are going to be for a while. But, I promise that things will start to change soon. Morgana is getting stronger and will continue to gain confidence. She is also getting better at refusing Mordred's charm, and Merlin is beginning to involve her more in helping with things, so she gets practice with magi stuff. I'm wondering if they should tell Gaius that they have been working together, and Merlin has kind of been teaching her about magic...or if he should find out accidentally...or if he should remain oblivious? Let me know what you think.