I do not own any of the Merlin Characters from the show; they are the property of the BBC and not I.

Chapter Ten – updated 27/12/11

The bitter night air had finally forced Morgana off the castle walls and back towards her own chambers, her hand drifting along the cold blocks that made up the corridors as she wandered quietly down them. Modred was already asleep, safe and warm in his own chambers which were on the opposite side of the castle, and there would be a roaring fire heating her own rooms when she got to them.

She knew that most of the servants didn't like her, they hadn't liked Cenred but he had been their master, and Morgana was simply the sister of the woman who had murdered him. They tolerated her presence within the castle, and she was expected to accept that or nothing at all, it made existence lonely to say the least.

For some reason Morgana found herself pausing outside Merlin's room, well the room she had placed him in while he recovered. The door was slightly ajar, the light from the burning torches casting a slice of orange across the darkened room beyond and falling over the sleeping boy's face. His fever had lessened, but the infection in some of the wounds meant he was still warmer than he should be, exhaustion hampering his recovery.

Pushing the door open a little further Morgana made her way into the room, letting the door shut slightly behind her and lighting a few of the candles with a soft whisper. As if sensing the magic which had just swirled around the room Merlin moaned slightly, tossing in his sleep and clenching the sheets in his hands.

Sinking into the low chair beside the bed Morgana watched the Warlock, confident that he wouldn't wake until morning due to the sleeping potion she'd slipped into his water earlier. He'd refused it when she'd offered the first time, but she had seen the bags under his eyes, and once again had busied herself with the lie that it was simply to keep him alive to bait Arthur later on. It worried her though, she didn't want Merlin to be sick, she was tired of him suffering. It hurt that he'd betrayed her, but the bitterness was starting to wear away a little, the irritating voice in the back of her mind reminding her how she had betrayed Camelot first.

"And I would have died if you kept the poison from Morgouse." She whispered softly, carding her hand through Merlin's hair as she remembering how her sister had spat about the impertinent manservant trying to barter with her. Merlin's hadn't meant to be cruel; it was just how fate had forced him to act. Shuddering Morgana tried to push the thought from her mind, annoyed at how Merlin had managed to worm his way back into her heart even though he wasn't even awake.

"Darkness needs light to be whole." A cold voice drawled from somewhere behind her. "Without one the other is incomplete, people have a strange way of interpreting fate sometimes though."

Leaping to her feet Morgana scoured the shadows for the mysterious speaker, her fear spiking as she failed to pick out anyone lurking in the darkness.

"Who's there?" she demanded, aware that she had grabbed hold of Merlin's hand for comfort. "Where are you?"

The disembodied voice cackled darkly, the sound bouncing of the walls and hiding the origin.

"Be glad you can't see me witch. You may not survive if you could."

Thomas knew he was toying with the dark haired beauty; he had no intention of letting her live. She had messed up his original plans almost completely, and he now had to re-think everything. It did almost seem a shame to end something quite so exquisite though, so the idea of playing a small game with her mind made things all the more interesting, and perhaps less wasteful.

"Do you know who I am?" Morgana choked, hoping she sounded more confident to the ears of the intruder than she did to herself. "Do you know what I am capable of?"

"Mere party tricks." Thomas scoffed, enjoying the terror that was resonating from Morgana, "Your powers are untrained and near to useless, you have no clue what you are doing. The boy on the other hand could cause a threat, but you were kind enough to leave his powers bound for me."

Morgana glanced down at the manacles around Merlin's wrists, there was no chain between them anymore, but they were still curled around his flesh.

"This is almost too easy." Thomas sighed, stepping forward slightly,

"Forbærne! Ácwele" Morgana yelled desperately.

Thomas stumbled back slightly, hissing as the flesh across his chest seared and charred slightly. If he's still been mortal the hit would have killed him, but all it did now was cause mild discomfort.

With a roar he crossed the room, wrapping his hands around the witch's neck and lifting her into the air.

The sound of her strangled gasps filled the air, her legs kicking at her attacker in a desperate attempt to dislodge his hold. Thomas let out a small chuckle as he felt Morgana's fight weaken, and saw her eyes starting to droop.

Morgana felt the attacker's hands rip away from her throat, his bulk suddenly flying away from her and slamming into the wall on the opposite side of the room before sliding into a heap on the floor.

"Morgana?"

Gulping down shuddering breaths Morgana saw Merlin just managing to pull himself up onto his elbows, his eyes fading from gold into their normal blue.

"That's not possible." She gasped, her voice rasping, "The manacles!"

Dragging himself from the bed Merlin staggered towards her, leaning heavily against the wall.

"I don't know how." He admitted, though he was feeling the effects of having his magic dampened. What should have been a simple spell had drained him more than normal, and in his current state that would probably turn out to be a very bad thing. "We need to go, I doubt he'll stay down for long."

Morgana nodded, scrabbling to her feet and wrapping her arm around Merlin to help him towards the door. There should be guards just down the corridor; if she could get to them they may stand a chance.

The heap by the wall shifted. Groaning Thomas tried to shake the dizziness from his mind, focusing on the two sorcerers. The boy had magic! And lots of it! Growling he pulled at the power building in his chest, never mind using the boy to bring down the Pendragon's as well, he wanted the Dragon Lord dead now!

"Morgana!" Merlin cried, noticing the change in the intruder. "Move!"

Morgana was flung sideways as a mass of black magic thundered towards them. Merlin's instinct kicked in, his magic humming in his veins and fighting against the bindings that were dampening his powers. The golden shield seemed to burst out of his, passing harmlessly through Morgana and crashing into the black magic and Thomas.

There was a scream and then silence.

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