A/N Wow, I might finish this story by tonight! Thank you Leviathan of the Sea and Myth. for following and, I know that I always say this, but thank you WibblyWobblyGirl, BlueRoseRabbit and Crossing-the-Rubicon for your reviews. You always make me smile and I just want to let you know that you are appreciated!

(BTW Crossing-the-Rubicon, I kept the clergyman's accent because you said that you really like that scene, and that's one of the most memorable parts of that scene :) )


Night was falling when Gwaine and Percival dragged Merlin's body to the wall outside the castle. Percival's eyes widened at the amount of guards at the entrance. "Gwaine, that's more than thirty."

The rogue waved his hand dismissively. "That doesn't matter. We have him." He pointed to the limp pirate and smiled. "Now, help me put the pill in his mouth." Percival forced Merlin's mouth open as Gwaine shoved the pill the miracle man gave them in his mouth.

Percival furrowed his brow. "Are you sure it's time? Kilgharrah said to wait fifteen minutes." The rogue rolled his eyes.

"We don't have time, Perce. The wedding is in half an hour." The two sat by and waited for the pill to take effect. Percival pursed his lips.

"How long will it take to work?"

Suddenly, Merlin's eyes flew open and darted back and forth in panic. "I'll beat you both apart! I'll take you both together!"

Gwaine laughed at the man's outburst, and, recognizing the two men, Merlin began to calm down. "Why am I on this wall? Where's Arthur? And why can't I move?"

"I would love to explain, but we're running out of time, so I'll sum up everything. "You've been mostly dead all day. We had Kilgharrah, the miracle man, make a pill to bring you back. Arthur is marrying Morgana in little less than half an hour. So all we have to do is get in, break up the wedding, save the prince, stop the princess, and kill Morgause."

"That doesn't give us much time." Merlin pointed out. "What are our liabilities?"

"There is but one working castle gate, and it is guarded by sixty men. And only Sir Leon had the key." Percival explained.

"And our assets?"

"Your brains and magic, Perce's strength, my steel."

"That's it?" Merlin shook his head. "If I had a month to plan maybe I could come up with something. But this..."

"Hey, you just shook your head!" Gwaine cheered. "Doesn't that make you happy?"

"Your steel, his strength, my brains and the little bit of magic I can muster in this state against sixty men and you think a little head jiggle is supposed to make me happy?" the pirate snapped. "I mean if we only had a wheelbarrow, that would be something."

"Don't we still have that wheelbarrow the Druid was pushing?" Percival asked, and Gwaine nodded.

"Why didn't you list that among our assets in the first place?" Merlin growled, before biting his lip in thought. "If only we had a holocaust cloak…"

"You mean like this?" Percival pulled a large black cloak from his bag and Gwaine raised an eyebrow.

"Where did you get that?"

"Aithusa gave it to me; said it might come in handy."

Merlin smiled. "Okay, help me to stand." The two grabbed the pirate up and supported him on their shoulders. "I'll also be needing a sword."

"But you can't lift one." Percival argued.

"But that isn't exactly common knowledge is it?"

The trio smiled as they hobbled away, ready to put their plan in action.


Morgana walked into Arthur's chambers to see him staring sadly out his window.

"I see you heard the news about your father." She smirked, and the prince looked at her coldly.

"Poor man." She continued. "We knew he wouldn't last much longer. It's just a shame that he didn't live to see us marry."

Arthur sneered. "I will not marry tonight, Morgana, no matter what you believe. Merlin will come and he will stop you."

Morgana let out a dark laugh. "You really are a love-struck fool, aren't you?" she taunted, as she approached the prince with an icy look in her eye. "He isn't coming for you. Not tonight, not ever. You left him, and by now he is a thousand miles away, all thoughts of his traitorous love behind him."

Arthur felt guilt and anger rise up inside him as he pushed Morgana out of his way and exited the room, leaving the princess to smirk in satisfaction.


The guards stood quietly outside of the castle gates, under orders to be prepared for anything. Unfortunately for them, they were not prepared for the dark, cloaked figured the glided into the courtyard, bringing in an ominous fog. The guards began to shift uncomfortably as the figure moved into the center of the square. "Stand your ground!" Leon ordered as the figure raised his head.

"I am the Dread Pirate Cenred!" Percival announced. "There will be no survivors!" Merlin and Gwaine, who had been pushing the wheelbarrow the giant had been standing on, stopped and Merlin slumped against the rogue, the little bit of energy he'd mustered drained for summoning the fog.

"Now?" Gwaine whispered, but Merlin shook his head.

"My men are here! I am here! ... but soon you will not be here!"

"Okay, now!" Merlin ordered, and the rogue lit the giant's cloak on fire, causing him to light up like a demon.

"The Dread Pirate Cenred takes no survivors! All your worst nightmares have but to come true! I am here for your SOULS!" Percival boomed as the guards began to scatter, running for their lives. Gwaine and Merlin chuckled at the 'brave soldiers of Camelot' as they ran around, screaming at the top of their lungs.


"Mawwiage." Geoffrey the Monmouth began, as Arthur and Morgana stood at the altar, hands reluctantly entwined. "Mawwiage is what bwings us togethaw today. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangement, that dweam within a dweam..."

Leon's voice was suddenly heard yelling from outside. "Stand your ground!" Arthur bit back a smile at Morgana's annoyed frown.

"Then wove, twue wove, will follow you fowever..." Geoffrey continued as though nothing had interrupted them. Suddenly, the sounds of screams outside echoed into the chambers, and Arthur's smile grew wider.

"Please, just skip to the end!" Morgana ordered as the nervously glanced towards the door.

"Here comes my Merlin now." Arthur smirked, and Morgana stared daggers at him.

"Your precious Merlin is dead. I killed him with my own hands." The princess whispered, and Arthur grinned.

"Then why is there fear in your eyes, Morgana?"


With all of the guards gone, only Leon stood between the trio and the castle gates. "Please, give us the key." Merlin requested, giving the knight an innocent smile.

"No. I'd rather die than allow you to kill Arthur." Leon replied, squaring his chin. Merlin tilted his head in confusion.

"We are not here to kill him; we're here to save him!" He explained. "Morgana and Morgause are going to kill him to start a war!"

Leon shook his head. "Why should I believe a pirate?"

Merlin looked Leon in the eye. "Because I love Arthur more than life itself. I lost him once, and I would rather die a thousand times then lose him again. I can see that you're a good man; please help us."

Leon looked in Merlin's eyes suspiciously and saw that he was telling the truth. He took the key from his pocket and handed it to the men. Merlin smiled.

"Thank you."


"Do you, Pwince Awthur…"

"Just say man and wife!" Morgana screamed through her teeth, knowing that whoever was outside the gate were now in the castle.

"I pwonounce you man and wife."

Morgana grabbed Arthur's arm and dragged him towards the exit, Morgause close on their heels. Arthur was in a state of horror and disbelief.

"He didn't come…" was all he could whisper.

In the corridor outside, Morgana released Arthur and pointed to a nearby serving girl. "Gwen, escort him to his chambers and have some guards stand watch outside. I'll be there shortly." She demanded before she and Morgause hurried down the corridor to the commotion. The sisters split up to cover more ground, each taking a handful of guards with them.


In the end, it was Morgause who ended up finding the intruders. She smirked when she realized that they were nothing more than a rogue, a giant and a half-dead pirate who couldn't even stand on his own.

"Kill the dark one and the giant but leave the third for questioning." The blonde sorceress commanded, before the rogue stepped forward, a look of recognition on his face.

"You." he whispered, as he quickly slayed the charging guards. "Hello, my name is Gwaine. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

The sorceress shot a spell at him but, thanks to another miracle from Kilgharrah, the magic bounced off the rogue's sword. He grinned like a mad man as the blonde sorceress turned and ran. He chased after her, only to be stopped by a locked door. He cursed as he threw himself at the door, desperately trying to break it down.

"Perce! Perce, I need your help!" he shouted down the hall. Percival, who had remained where they left him holding up Merlin, looked at the floppy pirate, before yelling back "I can't just leave him alone! He can't stand!"

"Perce! She's getting away! Please!"

Percival rolled his eyes and leaned Merlin against a nearby wall. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

He rushed down the hall to see Gwaine continuously slamming himself against the door. He held out his hand to stop the rogue before kicking the door in with ease.

"Thank you, my friend." Gwaine called, running through the doorway.

When Percival made it back to the corridor, Merlin was no longer leaned against the wall, or anywhere in sight.


A/N I kind of changed the scene at the gate with Leon's character because Leon would rather die than let anyone harm the prince, so threatening him wouldn't work. Plus, who could resist Merlin talking about his true love? Also, I snuck Gwen into the story, because I was upset that there weren't any roles for her. (She'll have a scene in the next chapter, though). Please review :)