NIGHT OF DOOM

Later, Arthur will only remember snippets of the night and will always impute it to the fever raging under his brow at the time.

Because he does not want to admit their world fell apart that night, right in front of his eyes, and he could not do anything to prevent it.

Starting with Morgana.

The story she gives them is inconsistent, it's the least to be said. Gwaine demonstrates an unprecedented patience and manages to piece together what happened while their small group hurries towards Gaius' chambers.

Apparently the King's illness worsened after they were gone, until he collapsed during a council and was bedridden from that moment onwards. Then everything happened very fast: Cenred's army launched their surprise attack at twilight, two days ago, and before Camelot's soldiers could understand how, they were caught in between two fronts by mercenaries coming from nowhere.

The citadel fell the next day at dawn.

- "A traitor ... can't be anything else... someone must have opened the secret passage in the crypt", grinds Arthur, leaning heavily on Merlin as they go up the stairs.

Morgana lets go of a small strangled cry behind him.

- "And Father?"

Uther has disappeared since the beginning of the attack, but in the state he was in, it can only be because someone is hiding him. Probably a knight because, according to the princess, the advisors were executed this morning.

- "Cenred's furious", stammers Morgana, wringing her hands. "He seeks the king everywhere. He says he can't be proclaimed the winner of Camelot before he's seen him chained!"

The prince pauses, rubs his weary eyes, hoping to stay focused. The steps are seesawing and he has to constantly hold back the nausea coming with the waves of pain that overwhelm him. He pushes aside Merlin and Gwaine, and leans his hand against the wall to stand.

- "How is it that you are free?" he asks harshly. "Certainly Cenred's goal was to capture the members of the royal family ..."

Morgana's pearl gray eyes fill up with tears again and she bites her pretty lips.

- "I ... I d-don't know", she mumbles. "I w-was ... t-they didn't found m-me ... I hid ..."

Distress contorts her porcelain face. Her dress is crinkled, long curls of black satin cascade in disorder on her shoulders and she's shuddering violently.

Arthur softens.

- "It's all right, Morgana, I'm here ... you don't have to be afraid anymore..."

He strokes her cheek and the young woman clings to her brother's arm.

- "You need to help me find the king", she begs in a sob. "I'm so scared of Cenred ..."

She is so beautiful, so terrified, so frail ... Gwaine, who feels strangely drunk even though he didn't have a drop of alcohol for days, grabs Arthur's arm and slings it over his shoulder.

- "Come on, just one floor to go, Your Highness. The old man will scrape you up and then you can go save the world on your white horse."

- "Arthur's horse is brown", Merlin corrects mulishly.

The servant sneaks ahead to check the way is clear and waves at them. When they step into the physician's chambers, Gwaine drops Arthur on a bench and turns round on his heels to reach out to Morgana who ignores him. With bulging eyes, she stares at the wooden panels covering one wall of the dark room.

- "There's something", she whispers, grabbing the sleeve of Merlin who stands up in front of the prince.

Arthur is half lying on the table covered with vials of potions and the remains of a meal.

Gwaine draws his sword and approaches stealthily - except the floor is sprinkled with pieces of glass and cracks under his boots.

- "Who's there? Show yourself!"

One of the wooden panels trembles, then is lifted up and a wrinkled face appears in the glow of the moon.

- "Gwaine? What are you doing here? How ..."

His voice is slightly quavering and his white hair is a bit messy, but he is safe and sound, and Merlin's face lights up as he runs to the old man's arms.

- "GAIUS!"

The physician hugs him tight and kisses his black hair in both relief and fear.

- "My boy ... you're alive... but why did you come back? It's too dangerous!"

Merlin points to the prince.

- "Arthur is injured. He has a fever."

- "Cenred's soldiers in the Darkling Woods", supplies Gwaine, sheathing his sword. "He never stopped trotting up since then. How did you escape the slaughter, Gaius?"

The old man does not step towards the prince, even if he glances at him worriedly. He turns back to the hideout, stops Merlin who was going back to his master.

- "Help me, my boy, will you ... here."

They dive in the alcove, and when they straighten, Morgana squeals, short of breath.

- "Father!"

Arthur awakes at her cry and hope rekindles in his eyes, even if he does not have the strength to get up from the bench.

- "I never thought this old hiding place from the Great Purge would one day save the king himself", the physician sighs with a hint of black humor.

Gwaine helps the young servant who staggers under the weight of Uther. The monarch is deadly pale. Thick, purplish veins streak his dry skin and his eyes are tightly closed. His body is cold, limp, and his breathing barely noticeable.

- "He's very ill", Gaius explains as they put their cargo on the cot in the middle of the room. "I was able to hide him here with the help of Sir Leon and Guinevere, but I'm afraid these two have been taken since then..."

He fumbles in the boxes on the shelves, looking for what he needs in order to treat Arthur. Morgana lights a candle, but Gwaine extinguishes it at once: someone could see the glow through the window overlooking the courtyard.

- "Can you heal him?" Arthur gasps, stifling his moans while the old man unwraps the bandage on his thigh and probes at the injury.

- "Not until I know what poisoned him", Gaius replies darkly, his old fingers working precisely to disinfect the wound. "We were trapped. This attack was planned for months and someone inside the castle worked on weakening the king's health long before the army marched onto Camelot."

- "Impossible", pants the prince, whose nails are digging into Merlin's arm.

The servant grits his teeth, but does not move.

- "The wound is infected, Sire", the physician finally says.

- "I know," growls Arthur, who's on the verge of fainting, the wings of his nose pinched by pain. "Just give me something to keep going."

Gwaine opens his mouth to protest, then closes it without a word. His fist clenched on the hilt of his sword while Gaius gives the patient a small blue vial.

Morgana comes to her brother, her silver eyes staring intensely at their father.

- "What will you do, Arthur?" she asks.

The prince greedily swallows the water Merlin gives him before answering slowly.

The fever shakes his shoulders and sweat glues his hair on his forehead as if he'd flipped a bucket full of water over his head.

- " We need to get the king out of Camelot", he says hoarsely. "We have allies and this is the time to call upon their friendship. If we could reach the border of Nemeth, for example, we'd be safe and King Rodor is no man to ignore the distress of his neighbor."

- "But Cenred's men are too many!" the princess frets. "We'll never be able to leave the castle without being caught!"

- "I think I can guide us", Gaius says slowly. "I know every single cranny in the castle."

- "What if someone recognizes the king? Cenred will send his dogs on us."

- "Why don't we disguise him?" Merlin offers.

Morgan looks at him as if he had just grown two heads, but Arthur, who feels already much better, dimples up.

- "That might just work."

The lanky boy proudly straightens.

- "We could dress him as a woman!" he suggests excitedly.

Arthur pulls a face.

- "That, on the other hand... "

Gwaine giggles.

- "Maybe we should all dress up as women! This is the plan of the century, Merlin."

- "Gwaine, shut up", cuts in the prince who stands up and tests the strength of his injured leg.

Fine, Gaius' draught has completely numbed the pain.

He looks gravely at his small team whose irises shine in the blue darkness of the room.

- "Here's how we will proceed: Merlin and Morgana, you'll go first. Merlin, you know the castle like the back of your hand, I want you to get us through the most inconspicuous places you know."

He unbuckles the dagger hanging from his belt and hands it to his sister.

- "Morgana, you're a good fencer, I count on you to take down any danger coming our way."

Gwaine's eyes widen: Arthur counts on this fragile flower to open the way? Surely the lovely but whimpering princess is not the best choice for this…

He has no time to protest, however, because the prince continues to distribute his instructions.

- "Gaius, you follow them. Take with you as many things as you can stuff in your medicine box, I don't know when we'll again be able to give my father the care he requires."

- "And your leg too", Merlin interrupts quickly, with a raised eyebrow worthy of his grandfather's.

- "I take it you and I will carry the king?" Gwaine says. "What an honor."

- "You will", correct Arthur. "I'll watch our backs. Oh, and you will do so with the utmost respect due to a king."

Gwaine's eyebrows bounce grudgingly, but it is with care that he puts the monarch over his shoulder like a sack of golden potatoes.

- "Wow. He's heavy!"

Arthur's eyes blaze and the bearded young man shuts up before getting into more trouble.

The night is warm in the dimly lit hallway. In the courtyard, the soldiers are lying, wrapped in their cloaks, and sleep as if the cobblestones were the best mattress in the world. The embers glow in the braziers scattered between the rows.

Everything is quiet.

A little too quiet, actually.

Despite the fever smog obscuring part of his brain, Arthur keeps trying to understand as they progress in the corridors. Gaius' miracle potion may well allow him to stand without pain, but it does not help to think clearly.

Why has Cenred stopped looking for the king? Does he believe him already out of the castle walls?

Where are Sir Leon and Guinevere?

What happened to the servants, the peasants, the people who survived? Where have they gone? What has been done with the captives?

Why is it nobody's trying to find Morgana?

How did she escape the fury of the soldiers?

And how come they could so easily sneak into the citadel? Why is there nobody guarding the way to the drawbridge?

Arthur doubts they made it because of mere luck.

And besides, if luck it was, well, they just ran out of it.

They are almost at the end of the hallway, at the top of the stairs leading down to the service quarters when the stone arches usually teeming with servants suddenly lit up. A group is coming in their direction and hearing the heavy steps that approach, they are not fugitives.

Arthur sees from afar Morgana and Merlin rushing into a room. He leads Gaius in the nearest chamber and barricades the door after Gwaine followed him with his royal cargo.

The bearded young man lays the king on an unmade bed, in what appears to be a servant's room.

- "What do we do now?" he asks in a low voice.

- "We wait", hisses Arthur, his ear pressed against the door.

Walking, walking, walking ... slowing down. Stopping. Muffled voices. Leaving ... no, staying.

He winces.

- "Your Majesty?" says quietly Gaius, leaning over Uther.

The prince immediately abandons his monitoring of the door and rushes to the bed.

- "Father?"

- "Arth'r ..." the King slurrs. "We … were…betrayed ..."

The prince kneels at his side, deliberately ignoring the pinching pain in his leg.

- "I know. Morgana told me ... we'll get out, gather an army and ..."

Uther's hand weakly calls for silence. His eyes are glassy.

- "Morgause ..."

Arthur frowns and his jaw hardens.

- "What do you mean?"

The king coughs and chokes. Gaius wipes his mouth with a cloth, while the young man grabs the hands of his father and squeezes them.

- "Father. What do you mean? Why are you talking about Morgause? What does she have to do with Cenred? I don't understand!"

He raised his voice to a shrill, despite himself. Gwaine frantically waves him to be quiet from the door against which he's leaning to hear what is going on in the hallway.

The king's face contorts with grief.

- "I didn't want… to believe ... but she's the one who ..." he murmurs before sinking back into unconsciousness.

Arthur looks up to Gaius, distraught.

- "What does it mean? You know something, don't you? Speak!" he orders.

The old man shakes his head.

- "Alas, Sire, I don't know ... this is the first time the king regains consciousness since Sir Leon and Guinevere brought him to me. The citadel was about to fall and I was in the infirmary at the time ..."

- "Now where are these two?" scolds the prince, getting a second glare from Gwaine whose lips silently articulate "shut-up-your-high-ness."

Gaius takes the king's pulse, then puts the limp hand back on the bed with a sigh.

- "I don't know", he repeats wearily. "I really - really - hope they have not been captured. Sir Leon knew something about the traitor, I'm sure. He's not one to leave the battle… if he was running up and about in the castle in secret while the war raged on, it must be that he had a purpose."

Arthur gets up painfully and sits on the edge of the bed. He chews his leather glove, desperately thinking.

- "We need to find them."

His eyes roam the room quickly. He gets up, goes to the window the time to have a look on the outside, then comes back to the bed.

- "Gaius, you'll stay here with my father. Don't open to anyone. Gwaine and I will down to the armory. There's a secret passage behind the larger shield, leading to the lower town. We used to play there when Leon and I were kids. If he found refuge somewhere, it will be there. And he might have been able to gather a few men who can help us."

Gwaine approaches stealthily.

- "What about Merlin?"

Arthur swallows.

- "He's with Morgana, they'll protect each other. They're in a room down the hallway and I don't think the soldiers have seen them. As long as they keep quiet, they will be safe. We'll pick them up after we've check the armory."

Gaius arches one of his bushy eyebrows.

- "And how will you get to the armory? Cenred's soldiers are at the door, so to speak."

Arthur hobbles to the window.

- "That way. We're only on the first floor, and there's a pile of hay just below in the small courtyard."

- "And to come back?"

- "We'll give you a sign from the stables. Cut the blanket up. Make some rope. We'll lower the king down and help you get out."

Gwaine chuckles quietly.

- "That's the kind of plans I like."

Gaius grimaces, however.

- "Sire, this potion I gave you ... The effect is instant, but I cannot guarantee how long it'll last. As for imposing such exertions on your injured leg, I do not dare to imagine what would be the consequences ..."

- "We are at war, Gaius", Arthur replies simply.

The moon hides behind the clouds and the night freshens.

There are only a few hours before dawn.

oOoOoOo

They slam the door behind them and lean against it, panting, their fingers intertwined in their fright.

Their hearts beat wildly. Morgana's heady perfume mingles with Merlin's scent of sweat and they feel faint in the stifling darkness of the room.

- "They haven't seen us ..." finally whispers the young woman, removing her delicate hand from the calloused palm of the servant.

- "And Arthur?" worries immediately the boy, ready to go back to the hallway.

- "They had to hide away", ensures Morgane whose voice strengthened a bit. "Listen, there's no sound. If the soldiers had found them, we'd hear swords."

Merlin nods and looks around.

They are in the room reserved to the Steward of the castle. There is a bed behind the thick curtain, books on the shelves, chests containing the fine silver, embroidered towels and a huge stacks register on the desk, beside an inkwell and an elegant quill.

The servant goes to the window, scans the courtyard bathed in spectral clarity, and suddenly startles.

- "Oh!"

Morgan runs at once in a rustling of her emerald velvet dress.

- "What is it?"

Merlin points to the woman who is strolling through the courtyard, surrounded by half a dozen guards in black and red uniforms awakening the sleepers with kicks.

- "It's the blonde lady", he whispers. "She's mean."

Morgana stamps her little boot impatiently.

- "She's not mean, Merlin. Why do you say that?"

The servant turns to her, incredulous.

- "Have you seen her eyes, my lady? They're cold like those of a snake! And she's talking to Cenred's soldiers! They are our enemies."

Morgana's face musses and for a moment, anger and fear compete on her perfect features.

- "Cenred is cruel", she finally says. "But Morgause would never hurt anyone. She didn't want all these deaths, I'm sure. It's Gaius's fault! If he had not hidden the king, everything would have been over much earlier!"

Merlin takes a step back and his blue eyes behold the young woman with confusion.

- "Gaius saved the king", he whispers. "Your father."

A flash of anger flashes in the pearl gray eyes.

- "Don't use that word! I do not consider him as my father anymore! He lied to me and he drove my mother to her death!"

Her lips purse and she seems to realize whom she's talking to. She shivers, her pale cheeks relent and she reaches for the boy.

- "I'm sorry, Merlin", she coaxes. "I shouldn't have yelled. I'm tired and the night is endless."

The gawky boy tilts his head to one side and wrinkles his nose.

- "Morgause is good and the king is no longer your father?" he repeats slowly. "It's ... weird."

- "It's not weird", immediately protests Morgana with a wheedling smile. "No way! Look, Merlin. Stay here, will you? I'll go see if I can find Arthur."

Her velvet sleeve brushes the servant's neck when she strokes his cheek.

- "Stay put. You're safe, here."

Merlin shakes his head fiercely.

- "You can't go out! The soldiers will catch you!"

- "Morgause won't let them hurt me", promises Morgana. "Listen to me carefully. Everything will be fine. I'll get Arthur and Gaius. Soon we will be happy, you'll see. You won't have to worry about the king firing you, I'll ask Morgause so Arthur can keep you, okay? We won't be alone and never ever again have to fear the character of this horrible man."

Merlin pushes away the fingers playing with his black hair and steps back.

- "The king wants to fire me?" he breathes.

Morgan gives him a smile of pity.

- "Oh, poor Merlin ... you didn't know? Arthur must have forgotten to tell you ... but it doesn't matter, now. Morgause will save us all."

She shivers in spite of herself, because she keeps saying this phrase as a talisman since the day before, but somehow she believes in it less and less.

She needs to return to her half-sister, to hear the sweet silky voice which ensured Cenred would never hurt them, that people would soon forget the nightmare and Camelot would be prosperous and that they will never be separated.

Morgause is right.

For Uther to realize he should never have let Ygraine die, he must suffer.

But Arthur will understand, won't he?

Morgana is terrified since she saw how Cenred spoke to his troops in the throne room, while she remained hidden behind the curtain to play her role.

Everything seemed so normal, so logical, so far.

The distilled poison in the cup she offered every evening to Uther, the king paying for the suffering he inflicted to so many people with his screaming in terror during his nightmares, unlocking the crypt to let in the soldiers in order "to avoid a bloodbath" as said Morgause, the lies spouted to Arthur to get his help in finding their father because Sir Leon, this fool, has spirited the king away during the battle ...

Morgause is right.

Morgause is right and she will not let Cenred hurt Arthur or Guinevere.

She puts her fingers on the door that protects them from the brutes and takes in a deep breath.

So why is Guinevere no where to be found? Before the siege, Morgana told her, though, she had nothing to fear ...

Has Cenred killed her?

Has Guinevere betrayed her?

Morgause told her to be wary of all, that people would not right away understand the kingdom will be in much better hands, that they will stupidly try to protect their king because they don't know how dark is Uther's heart ...

Merlin's hand touches hers and she jumps, lifts her tearful eyes to him.

He shakes his head and she is almost stunned by the depth of the cobalt orbs. As if Merlin knew, as if he sensed her dilemma, her doubts, as if he was already crying on the decision she will take.

- "Don't trust the blonde lady", he whispers. "She's bad."

Morgana stares furiously through the glistening drops clinging to her long lashes.

- "She's my sister", she hisses. "She understands me. And her mother died like mine because of our father. Morgause knows how I feel and she's the only one!"

Oh, these unfathomable eyes gazing at her, so sincere, so pure ... telling her she's wrong.

- "And Arthur?" simply asks Merlin. "He loves you, too."

Morgana's throat tightens.

She is so afraid that Arthur would not understand.

Morgause said the prince would have no choice but to see and accept ... that she would make him understand ...

She sniffs and wipes her face with the back of her hand, angrily. Then she picks up the fold of her dress and haughtily dismisses the boy.

- "You're only an idiot and a serving boy, Merlin", she says, raising her chin, her lips pursed. "That's why you don't know better. Let me out now."

She turns the latch and opens the door, but he grabs her wrist and holds her back.

- "Let me go", utters the princess sharply.

- "No", says Merlin.

His eyes are filling up with tears and she does not know if it's because of the words she has just said or because he can not make her change her mind.

Morgana sighs.

I'm sorry, Merlin. You leave me no choice.

She raises her hand and swiftly strikes the neck of the lanky boy.

He collapses silently and she goes out without looking back.

Morgause is just down the stairs, asking about this commotion she saw from the throne room on the other side of the courtyard. She is quite pleased to learn Arthur and the King are in the building, trapped in one of the rooms.

- "You did well Morgana", she says with an affectionate smile.

Morgane smiles back after looking at the soldiers around her with a frightened glance.

- "Nothing will happen to Arthur, isn't it?" she asks in a small voice. "You promised Uther would be the only one to die."

She shivers unconsciously, because a part of herself, buried deep, is repulsive to the idea of parricide. She was fine poisoning the king because she knew she would only kill his mind, but she is not yet ready to see the stiff, cold body of her father lying on the cobblestones of the court as the hundreds of dead soldiers evacuated from the castle today.

Morgause smiles again.

- "Arthur will have the right to go where he wants", she says sweetly.

Morgana nods.

- "There's a small problem", she adds timidly. "Arthur's manservant, Merlin. He doesn't like you, sister. If he talks to Arthur, he will convince him you're someone not to trust..."

Morgause slides her fingers in her long golden hair.

- "And where is that servant now?" she asks with an almost distracted tone.

- "In the Steward's chambers", replies the princess. "I knocked him off, just like you taught me. What will you do with him? Arthur's strangely fond of him. If something happened to him ... my brother would be very upset."

Morgause caresses the dark curls of the young woman.

- "Well, then we need to ensure this young man changes his mind", she says softly.

The two women go up the stairs side by side, one dressed in her mail coat on which trickles down her blonde hair, the other lithe in her emerald velvet dress.

When they enter the room, Morgause frowns.

- "Where is he?" she asks, a little annoyed.

Morgana looks everywhere, surprised.

- "I must not have hit him hard enough", she whimpers. "Oh, I hope I didn't go to A' ..."

The words choke in her throat as Merlin bangs a huge book bound in steel fasteners on the head of her sister who collapses without a sound.

- "What did you do?" Morgana cries in horror, throwing her dagger aside to kneel near the unconscious blonde woman.

- "She's bad and you should stop believing her", the boy babbles hurriedly. "Lady Morgana, she'll hurt you! She's here only to cause Camelot's loss. Come with me, please. We have to run away very far with Arthur and the king and to save the people from Cenred and ... "

Morgan looks up and her silver irises sparkle with fury.

- "You should not have done that!"

- "I'm sorry", Merlin gabbles, crouching beside her. "I'm really sorry, I don't wish you to be sad, but ... please ..."

He reaches for the delicate wrist of the young woman, clearly wanting to lead her out of the room, but she pushes him away, her face contorted with hatred.

- "Leave me alone", she lashes at him through grinded teeth.

- "Lady Morgana ..."

- "LEAVE ME!"

He loses his balance and falls on his buttock, his wounded and sad blue eyes still staring at her, and Morgana seethes with rage at this obstinacy.

She casts a glance around, looking for something to throw at him to make him leave, finds nothing. Her dagger is too far away, near the door.

- "Get out", she hisses.

Merlin hesitates and in that short second, Morgause opens her eyelids.

- "What happened?" she mutters, bringing her hand to her head.

Morgana helps her to get up, supports her to the desk and helps her sit in the chair. The servant has backed to the door, but he did not get out, mesmerized by the blonde woman.

- "Merlin hit you with a book", says Morgana irritably.

- "Oh. Has he, now?" Morgause chuckles with a slight grimace when she touches the tender spot at the back of her head. "And this big pole that looks at me with eel eyes, is also Merlin?"

- "Yes", says the young brunette. "He doesn't have much brains and unfortunately it seems not possible to change his mind when he's got it set on something!"

She quickly picks up the inkwell and throws it at the lanky boy.

- "Go away, Merlin!" she screams.

He does not have time to step away and the box opens when it hits him: ink splatters on the red tunic of the manservant, splashing his neck and sleeves and soaking the rough fabric with a viscous black shadow.

- "Don't get upset, Morgana", Morgause protests cocking her head in amusement. "Merlin? Come here. Come on, don't be afraid."

The gangly boy clenches his fists and does not move an inch.

- "I'm not afraid", he retorts, lifting his jaw defiantly.

His left eyebrow shudders, though, and the tip of his ears turns pink in the dark. Morgana lights a candle and places it on the desk next to her sister.

The dim light casts a ghoulish shadow on Morgause's aristocratic face.

- "Come on, Merlin ..." she repeats softly.

Kindly.

Innocently.

The servant makes just one step forward.

- "You need to leave", he says in a slightly hoarse voice. "You and Cenred too. And all the soldiers."

Morgause giggles.

- "Oh. And why?"

Merlin's cheeks look hollow in the candlelight. He makes one more step. His sweaty fingers are fiddling with his wet tunic and the smell of ink makes him feel a little giddy.

- "This is the Arthur's kingdom, here. Camelot is his home. You don't have the right to take it. You killed children and lots of people. You must leave. Please."

Morgause blinks, her icy smile curling up her scarlet lips, showing her white teeth.

- "I understand", she says in an unctuous tone. "Morgana, you understand too, don't you?"

The brunette shakes her head.

- "No", she grumbles.

Morgause chuckles, a sound so crystalline and so cold the night suddenly seems to lose all heat.

She gets up in a rattling of steel and pushes back her long golden hair. Her hand casually resting on the hilt of her sword, she slowly comes close to Merlin.

- "I don't know if you're very brave or incredibly stupid, young man", she whispers. "But you're wrong if you think you can stop me from achieving my plans."

For a moment, Merlin does not breathe, convinced she will kill him on the spot. But then she smiles.

- "Let's go, Morgana", she says quietly, leaving the room.

The princess follows her after casting a look of defiance to the servant who remained rooted to the spot.

Merlin feels his chest, head, legs, a little stunned to be alive, then he turns around, remembering the need to warn Arthur about Morgana being under the spell of the dangerous blonde lady.

Arthur must be ...

- "... In one of these rooms. Find him and you will also find the king. If he resists, you can use your swords."

- "Morgause, no!" exclaims Morgane in the hallway.

- "Enough, my dear sister", replies the blonde lady in a voice that could almost pass for caring if it was not accompanied by a flare of anger in the pale eyes of the woman. "I thought it was clear. If that idiot of a manservant is this stubborn, Arthur will be too, of course. It is time to stop believing the prince will understand our intentions."

- "But you said ..."

- "I said we would leave him a choice, and we will, Morgana. All he has to do is surrender without a fight, for now."

Merlin looks at the door, in daze. His eyes fall on the dagger that the moon hems with a glint of blue.

Arthur.

Arthur is in danger.

He bends down, picks up the dagger and takes it out of the sheath.

To protect Arthur, he would do anything.

His slender fingers wrap around the hilt with resolution and he slips into the hallway.

Morgause is busy giving orders to the soldiers, Morgana is a few steps away from her, her eyebrows arched as she intensely ponders if her sister was right or not.

Merlin sneaks up behind her with the dagger.

He is going to grab her, to make Morgause believe he'll kill her if Cenred's army does not leave the castle immediately and everyone will be saved. The king will be so happy that he won't fire him and Morgana will not even be hurt. And no doubt, as soon as she is no longer under the negative influence of the blonde lady, she will be back to the nice princess everyone loves.

Morgause feels the threat even before seeing the movement in the corner of her eye.

A smile twists up the corner of her mouth.

Perfect, just what she needed to finish convince Morgana. She was right to let this idiot alive ... she thought she'd use him to put pressure on Arthur, but ultimately, with this stroke of luck, the plan will certainly jump to the part where there is no more prince between her and the throne.

Her eyes widen with ingenuous horror and she yells:

- "Morgana! Watch out!"

The young princess jumps, turns and her horrified look meets Merlin's raised arm.

The moon glides over the knife blade with a grisly gleam.

Oh, Merlin. WHY?

The cobalt orbs avoid, guilty, the gray pearls.

The next second, the flail of one of the soldiers hits Merlin's chest at full force and sends him crashing in the stairs that go to the kitchen. The lean body of the manservant tumbles down the steps like a puppet and collapses on the tiles, motionless.

There are only a few hours before dawn.

TBC