A/N: Heh heh, another plot problem created by season 4. Well, here's my explanation: the knights just didn't see the box that held the key. And it didn't look magical. That's it. From now on, though, just pretend that anything that happens in season 4 will not happen in this fic. Because it's AU, and I'm having a hard time trying to make it fit.

Title: Assassins

Author: Kitty O

Rating: T

Part Two: Rebels

Chapter Ten: Mid-Journey

It turned out that Elyan was a natural with the Sidhe staff. He took to it immediately, holding it as if it had grown attached to his hand. Merlin had told all of the knights to aim for a rock a little distance away, and to try to knock it into the air, not to destroy it. Percival had nearly burned down the forest, and the rest had missed just as miserably, but with pathetic little blasts that barely sent up sparks.

Elyan, however, hit the rock and threw it up into the air as he was supposed to, only slightly scorching it.

"Lucky shot," said Lancelot in amazement.

Merlin was shocked too, so he pointed to a knot on a tree a little bit further away. "Hit that," he said.

Elyan did, dead center, and then smiled proudly. "Lancelot's right," he said. "It was just a lucky..."

"Can you hit a moving target?" asked Merlin curiously.

Elyan shrugged. "I can try. What moving target?"

"A bird?"

"If he hits it, we can eat it," said Gwaine. "That's better than a crossbow any day."

By this point, even Arthur was sitting up and watching the goings-on.

Merlin pointed at the sky, and Elyan looked up and raised the top of the staff, and the next thing they knew, the bird had exploded.

Elyan jumped. "Sorry," he said. "I don't think this thing has a cook-but-don't-blow-up choice."

Merlin studied the feathers wafting down from the sky. "It's probably a good thing," he said. "Elyan, that's not just a lucky shot."

Gwaine patted the dark man on the shoulder. "If we need a staff-wielder when we take back Camelot, I vote for you."

Arthur lay back down again.

The half-playtime and half-educational session continued, with everyone's interest piqued. Only Arthur didn't take part; he mentioned something about magic being illegal only once, but Gwaine shut him up with a rather acid comment about there having been a slight change in the monarchy recently.

Arthur turned away with a feeling that he was really going to regret having knighted Gwaine.

In the end, though, only Elyan and Merlin performed well at even one of the things the knights brought along on the trip. The rest agreed that they preferred to use swords to fight, and for the most part Elyan agreed with them. But he couldn't help feeling drawn to the staff, with its stone at the top and its worn down wood.

"Ah," he asked Merlin at the end, clutching the staff to himself, "would it be okay if I... kept it with me, for now? If you want it back, it's fine, but I thought I could just carry it for you..."

Merlin cut him off. "That's fine, Elyan." He smiled and handed Elyan the cloth he used to cover the jewel. "Thanks."

Elyan nodded.

"Maybe it's time for us all to get some sleep," Lancelot said when the artifacts had all been put away.

"Oh, that's a novel idea," remarked Arthur, who had been trying to do just that for the past hour.

"We should reach the Isle in the morning, right?" Gwaine asked Merlin, who nodded.

"Early," he said. "And then we'll head back to Gaius. With one little detour."

"Right, the sword."

"Right."

As everyone crawled into their respective blankets, someone called out a good night. The rest responded in kind, even Arthur, and then, just as everyone grew silent again, one voice said in a hoarse whisper:

"Sweet dreams."

Merlin chuckled along with the rest, and thought to himself in surprise, Was that Percival?

\-_-BREAK-_-/

When she walked in on her mistress with a head as bald as a baby's, Gwen most definitely did not laugh. She didn't even chuckle behind her hand, or snicker to herself the moment she was alone.

Definitely not. Even if she really wanted to.

Instead, she just squawked in suitable surprise and ran for Morgause.

"Milady!" she squealed, running into Morgause's room after knocking and being admitted. The blonde woman was standing by the table that used to be Arthur's in a too-big white shirt and trousers.

"What is it, Gwen?"

"It's Morgana, milady. She needs you."

Morgause was slightly annoyed. She didn't like being called for like a servant, but then, her sister was queen now. Once the newness wore off, Morgause was sure that this newfound slightly pompous attitude would go with it. "Why can't my sister come to me?"

"She's a bit... indisposed."

"If she became disposed, she could then come to me," remarked Morgause, who was not in the best of moods due to some small quarrel she'd had with the cook.

"Morgana is bald!"

Silence fell as Morgause's eyebrows went up her forehead. "She's what?"

Gwen shrugged, and a minute later the two women were rushing to the queen's chambers.

The door opened, and Morgana started guiltily, her hand flying up to cover the pale, empty place where her hair used to be. She was sitting up in her bed, tear tracks marked out down her face. Morgause gasped in horror. "Sister! Your hair!"

"I know!" Morgana yelped. "That goblin must have gotten loose again!"

She looked so unqueenly that Gwen almost laughed out loud and forfeited her life, but the thought of the goblin running amok stopped her. Gwen's hands went rather nervously to her lower stomach.

"How is this possible?" asked Morgause, going to her sister's side to comfort her.

"Arthur and Merlin," Morgana responded immediately, her face going dark.

"My lady," Gwen said slowly, "how could they have anything to do with this? They aren't in Camelot."

Morgana shook her head stubbornly. "I want them found, Morgause! Send out guards to search! I want to find them! They'll pay for this, for trying to make me look ridiculous!" Her voice had risen to a near screech, her face red. Being queen was doing nothing for her temper.

Gwen suddenly had to force herself to quench the anger that sprung up in her. She was going to make Arthur and Merlin pay because the goblin made her feel silly?

She's never looked more ridiculous in her life, Gwen realized, but shook the thought away. It would do no good to be angry.

It probably was Merlin's fault anyway.

"I will send the guards out at once, Sister," Morgause assured Morgana, straightening.

The fear that had crawled into Gwen's belly days ago seemed to swell.

"Gwen!"

"Your majesty?" Gwen asked, just now reminding herself that Morgana was now queen.

"Get me a hat!"

"Yes, Morgana."

Gwen left, the picture of a demure servant. But throughout the day as she worked, even after the guards rode out in search of the man she loved, Gwen would have a tiny little smile on her lips. When anyone asked why, she would just shake her head.

No one understood why she smiled. Even when she went to bed that night, it was with a small upward turn of the lips. And still no one understood.

Except, perhaps, Sir Leon. For during the course of the day, he'd had a very interesting chat with Morgana, and noted to himself that it was hard to look threatening with that kind of hat. He'd paid for laughing through the new bruise taking up much of his cheek, but even though his jaw was sore all day, he still wore a smile very similar to Gwen's until he closed his eyes that night.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

The trip to the Isle had been uneventful. They'd all piled into the boat, and Merlin had used his magic to propel them through the water.

Once there, they'd all climbed out and immediately gone towards the altar on the center of the Isle. Even Arthur looked a little impressed as he cast his eyes about the ruins, but he didn't touch anything.

"Where should we look?" asked Gwaine.

Merlin shrugged. "I've never been past here. This is where I struck Nimueh with lightning."

"Where was I again while all of this was happening?" asked Arthur, looking where Merlin had pointed. Was it his imagination, or was there a scorch mark? Assuming Merlin's telling the truth about being on our side, I'm glad he's on our side.

"Dying," Merlin told him. "You'd just been bitten by the Questing Beast. Nimueh knew how to heal you, but she tried to trick me."

"Not surprising," Arthur said, turning away. He had the feeling that he should thank Merlin, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

"There's a cave," Percival announced, pointing. "Or is it a tunnel?"

"Looks like a little of both," said Lancelot.

They checked it out, and found it almost empty, with the exception of a few herbs, spells written on paper, and a bowl sitting on a piece of stone.

"Scrying bowl," announced Merlin. "Now this could be useful!"

"Great," said Arthur, looking around the dark chambers. "Is that all? We should head back as soon as we can."

Merlin took his pack off his shoulders and opened it. "It's too small," he said. "I can hold the herbs and spells but not the bowl." With everyone's artifact and his own things, he was out of room.

"I'd offer, but I haven't anything to hold it in," said Gwaine, and Elyan nodded. He had a small pack, a blanket, and the staff, and no room for anything else.

Before Merlin could get impatient, Percival held out a hand. "I'll wrap it in my blanket and carry it," he offered. He and Lancelot had been sharing a pack when they appeared, and Lancelot was carrying it - almost empty - so Percival didn't have anything else to carry.

In a moment, they'd searched the rest of the dripping wet cave and gone back into the sunlight. For the sake of being thorough, they searched the rest of the small, overgrown, wild island, but saw nothing.

At Arthur's urging, the entire group finally gave up, and they all got back into the small boat and left the Isle behind.

Once they had gone, everyone took what felt like their first breath in hours.

"That place," Lancelot observed, "is drenched in magic."

And everyone was glad that he said it so that none of the other knights had to.

Once they were back on land, Merlin pointed out the way and they began their trek.

"You know where we're going?" Lancelot asked, walking beside Merlin at the front of their little parade.

"I could find my way to the lake in my sleep," Merlin told him, with a sad light in his eyes.

"How far is it?" asked Arthur.

"A few hours' walk, I'd guess," Merlin called back. "It's closer to the Castle of the Ancient Kings than it is to here, though."

"Then we should walk fast," Arthur decided, his worried eyes on the sky.

"Don't worry," Merlin said. "We'll get back on time. Unless something unexpected happens. But when do things like that ever happen to us?"

"Please," Arthur responded, his voice tight. "Don't even joke about that."

Merlin laughed, but Lancelot, who could see his face, found that there wasn't any mirth in his eyes. He was still thinking about the lake. What was wrong with this lake?"

"When we get there," Merlin told everyone, "I want to go to the lake alone. The rest of you can stay in the trees, but I want to go alone. I won't take too long."

"As long as it doesn't take too long," Arthur replied, "then you can go with however many people you want."

Merlin nodded, satisfied.

\-_-BREAK-_-/

"You're all wet."

"Thank you, Gwaine," Merlin said, brushing the water from his hair out of his eyes. "I am indeed wet."

"Why are you wet?" asked Elyan, staring at the sword in Merlin's hand.

Merlin hefted the sword as though to make a point. "I had to go swimming."

"That's a beautiful blade," Lancelot said. "Where is it from?"

Merlin smiled, squeezing the water out of his shirt with one hand. His clothes were clinging to him, and he looked like he was freezing. The only parts of him that wasn't wet were his jacket and neckerchief, which he'd obviously taken off, but both were rapidly becoming soaked through as well.

"That's a bit of a secret," Merlin said proudly.

He'd said the same thing about ten minutes ago when they'd asked why there was a sword in a lake and why they couldn't come. But Merlin had just dumped his pack by a tree, one of the many, and left them in the woods to ponder his secretiveness.

Now, he was back, and not sounding like he was going to spill anymore information.

Merlin wiped his face one more time and made a beeline for Arthur.

"Arthur," he said.

Arthur looked up, his eyebrows raised in a question.

Merlin held up both hands, the flat of the sword resting against them, presenting the sword to the once-prince.

"This sword is yours," Merlin said. "It was made for you, and only for you to wield. It's very powerful, but it's a power for good, not for evil. A good that can only be brought about if you have the sword."

"How... how could it be made for me? I've never seen it. I don't even know where it came from."

Merlin gave a bit of a nervous chuckle, successfully ruining what could have been a dramatic moment. The chuckle was helped along by the steady drip, drip of Merlin's clothes and the fact that he looked as though someone had just drowned him.

"It was made to help you destroy the Black Knight," he said. "But your father used it, and he wasn't supposed to. Since it was my fault, and I was supposed to give you the sword in the first place, I had to hide it... You know what, it's a long story. Just believe me, it's for you. You are supposed to use it."

Arthur shook his head. "It's magic. I can't use magic."

Lancelot's attention was drawn by something to the side. He turned and looked, and when he glanced at Elyan, he saw that the other knight had heard it too.

"It's just a sword, Arthur," said Merlin, slightly impatient. "It's yours. Your father used it..."

"Then he didn't know it was magic."

"No, but... the sword..."

"I won't use it."

"But-"

"I won't, sorcerer!" Arthur suddenly snapped, and any argument in Merlin's mind faded away as the smaller man flushed.

"Merlin! Arthur!" Lancelot called, and they both turned.

Arthur's sword was out in an instant. Immortal soldiers. Three of them, running towards the group, obviously attracted by the yelling, all wearing Morgana's emblem.

All the knights went for their swords, and Merlin held out the one in his hand. Elyan had a sword in one hand and the staff in the other.

"Run!" Arthur shouted, but before anyone could follow his order, they had been set upon. One of the guards growled audibly and went for the prince and warlock at once, swinging his sword. Arthur went to parry the blow, but Merlin's sword reached it first.

Pop!

There was a sparkle of gold, and the guard was gone. All that was left was several glittering strips of clothing.

"What...?" Arthur gasped.

Merlin wasn't really sure what had just happened either, but the sword in his hand seemed to tremble a bit in pleasure.

"Whoa," he breathed.

Another one of the men went for Gwaine, but the knight stumbled back, nearly losing his balance. The guard rushed past a tree, stepping on Merlin's pack as he did so, heading to kill the knight, but before he could reach Gwaine, Merlin had driven the magic sword into the guard's side.

Pop!

Merlin turned to the third one, but he was already taken.

Elyan had hit him with the staff's power and sent him flying, but the guard got up, not feeling any pain. So Elyan hit him again. When he stood up again, the knights prepared to rush him, but Elyan called out, "No! Stand back!"

He took a deep breath, set his jaw, pointed the staff, and a look of painful concentration came over his black face.

The jewel almost seemed to catch on fire, turning a livid red, and white lightning flew from the tip, connecting with the immortal guard's chest. Every tree around seemed to shake from the power, and the guard exploded into a small circle of shiny strips of cloth lying on the smoking grass.

Silence fell.

And then Gwaine whooped. "Morgana's men had better watch out! Elyan, I didn't know you could do that!"

Elyan smiled a little weakly, still staring at the burnt patch of forest floor. "Neither did I." And then he tore his eyes away to meet Merlin's gaze. "But I can't say I'm complaining."

A/N: There you go! Kind of a longer chapter, but it had more action. Yes, I decided to let the staff kill them too. I mean, if you've been blown up, you're either dead or you're just stuck as a bunch of shiny bits. And shiny bits can't hurt anyone, really, though I wouldn't want to be stuck that way, so I'm assuming he's dead.

I hope you enjoyed! Please review!

~Kitty O of Awesomeness, PBO