The Dark Tower

Arthur ran into the physician's chambers, having gotten word that Marayna's party had arrived back from their latest trip and having been told there had been an incident. Gwen and Elyan had wanted to visit their father's grave. Normally those who were accused of or proven to have sorcery and executed were not permitted to have a marked grave but an exception had been made for Tom, an exception that Arthur had seen to personally and with subtlety so that Uther would never know. But the point was, Tom had a grave and his children had wanted to visit it. Knowing how Morgana loved t visit her father's grave, Arthur gave Lancelot full freedom to accompany his wife and brother-in-law to the place. What had surprised him had been Marayna wanting to go as well. He knew it was a combination of the guilt she and Merlin still felt about how Tom had died, how they hadn't been able to save him, and a desire to get out of the castle.

Being queen meant she was left to see to the kingdom when he wasn't there. And he could admit he wasn't there quite a bit when he was seeing to sorcerer sightings and out hunting and other things. Marayna had simply gone right up to him, told him she was going with Gwen, and almost threatened him if he tried to stop her. She really just wished to get out of the castle and go on a ride with a friend, and so he'd agreed. It wasn't just Elyan and Lancelot going, it was Percival and Gwaine and Leon as well so if she needed to use her magic she could do so freely. And…to be quite honest, he was looking forward to the quality time he could have with his children. The Disir's judgment was still fresh in his mind and it made every single moment with his children precious. He adored spending as much time with them as he could.

But right now he had to make it to Gaius's chambers as he'd been told that the party had returned with one member missing. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran, throwing the doors open to see that Gaius was tending to some superficial wounds, Morgana healing the more severe, but all the knights and Gwen were still there, with Merlin beside her, his arm around her shoulders.

All the knights and Gwen.

"Where's Mara?" he demanded.

He'd been warned that Morgause had attacked, and he could see that they had, but that the knights appeared to be alright, Gwen seemed shaken, but otherwise fine.

The knights exchanged a troubled look and his eyes narrowed, "Where is she!?"

"I told her to get away," Leon spoke, "She fled…"

Arthur frowned at that, that didn't sound like his wife, Marayna would have stayed and fought, that was the whole reason for allowing those particular knights to go with her, so she could use her magic, "What?"

"I'm sorry sire, it appears she was seized by Morgause."

Arthur stood there, breathing heavily, his hands starting to clench into fists at what he was being told. Morgause had taken his wife, his queen, the mother of his children, "We ride at dawn."

"Arthur…" Merlin began.

But Arthur wasn't finished, "We ride at dawn and we find her, and if Morgause has harmed so much as one hair on her head, I swear to god, magic or no, I will…"

"Arthur sit down before you have a stroke," Gwen called, rolling her eyes.

Arthur froze at that, all the knights plus himself looking over at her for it. That didn't sound like Gwen, that sounded more like…

"Do you really think I left the castle so ill-prepared?" Gwen asked, before she stood and reached for a small belt around her dress. Unfastening it they could see there was something sewn into it, a string with a crystal on the end of it…and, just like that, 'Gwen' disappeared and Marayna was standing in her place.

"…Mara?" Arthur stared at her.

"This was the only way GWEN would le me go with her," Marayna said softly, showing them the disguising crystal that was sewn into her dress belt, "She didn't want to risk anything happening to me so she made me promise that we'd switch images on the ride there and the ride back," she swallowed hard and looked at Lancelot and Elyan who both seemed startled and horrified, "I'm sorry," she told them, "Gwen made me swear not to tell even you."

"So…it's GWEN that Morgause has?" Elyan blinked.

"And she thinks Gwen is you," Lancelot breathed, feeling his heart stop.

Marayna nodded, "As long as Gwen keeps her belt on, Morgause will have no reason to think it's not me," she looked between the two men, "This changes nothing though," she confirmed, before looking at Arthur, "We still ride at dawn."

Arthur nodded, "We do."

~8~

Marayna had insisted on going with them to rescue Gwen, feeling responsible that the girl was taken in the first place. If she'd been quicker with her magic, if she'd reacted quicker, then Gwen would still be there with them. When Morgause and the snakes that she'd used to spook their horses attacked, she had fought back, she'd used magic to stop the snakes, she'd kept the knights safe while she could, kept them from getting struck with poison, but Gwen had run off, because no matter how much she might be trying to play the role of 'being Marayna' she didn't have magic, she couldn't stay and help, and she'd fled as Elyan had told her.

And she'd been too far away for her to protect.

If she'd insisted that she go as herself and not let Gwen sew those crystals into the belts, then SHE would have been taken instead of Gwen. She knew that it was the girl's way of not just protecting her queen but her friend as well, but still…whatever it was that Morgause thought she was doing to the queen she would have better been able to handle instead of Gwen. She would have had magic to fight back, perhaps even face Morgause down once and for all and finish the threat against Camelot. It wasn't fair to force the girl to endure a punishment or a torture devised for someone else merely because, at the time, you possessed the unfortunate appearance of said person.

Morgana had, of course, insisted that she come too, for her healing as they didn't know what state they might find Gwen in. Merlin had volunteered, as sad as he was about leaving his wife and sister to go alone, to stay in the castle this time, to watch over things. He was, technically fourth in line to the throne. William was first, then Rosaline, Morgana and then Merlin. The people knew him, they trusted him, and even Arthur could admit that he trusted the kingdom with Merlin. For how 'terrible' he was as a servant, he was still a man who loved Camelot and its people and they knew he'd do all he could to keep the kingdom running and running well and safely while they were away. And it would give him time to play with William and Rosaline, he adored his niece and nephew.

They'd travelled most of the day, till they reached a small clearing where Percival insisted they stop of the night. Lancelot and Elyan, understandably wished to push on, into the night, knowing that every moment they were spending not moving was another where Gwen was Morgause's prisoner and another moment where the woman might discover she wasn't the queen she'd hoped she'd captured. They'd arrived at the scene where it had all happened, followed the horse Gwen had been riding off to find said horse was tied to a tree and waiting for someone to release it. It appeared she'd been pulled off her saddle but they'd found more tracks after that, one set of horse tracks and one of a person, it appeared Morgause was essentially dragging Gwen behind her.

Unfortunately they weren't fast enough to keep after the tracks and all too soon night had descended on them and, unless they wanted to try searching in the darkness, they had to make camp. Lancelot had asked them to just keep going, to keep heading east, the direction the tracks had gone in…but they couldn't risk losing the trail or wasting time when the sun came up to try and retrace the tracks. Marayna had offered to use magic to light the way, but there was nothing as good as pure daylight to use.

Arthur stood there at the campfire, looking at his men. Gwaine, Percival, and Leon were quietly discussing something as the fire roared, Marayna was sitting by Lancelot trying to comfort the man for the kidnapping of his wife, while Morgana sat near Elyan. He was thankful that Lancelot and Elyan didn't blame Marayna for what was happening to Gwen. They knew she would NEVER ask Gwen to do what she'd done, and that it was likely all Gwen to convince Marayna to agree to this. Gwen was twice as protective and fretful about all of them since Lancelot had stepped through the tear in the worlds and they thought him dead. Getting Lancelot back had taught her never to take anyone for granted, which she realized she'd been doing all those months he'd been gone, she'd distanced herself from them all when she should have been treasuring the moments with them. Now though, she was even more keen to do what she could to protect them all even if it was by normal means and not magic.

Arthur watched as Elyan stood and made his way over to the horses, Morgana giving him a sad look and a shake of the head. He nodded and made his way over to Elyan, "Elyan…"

"If I stayed with her…" Elyan began.

"You had no way of knowing that it was her," Arthur put a hand on Elyan's arm, "Had the girls not disguised themselves, Gwen WOULD have been safe."

"But then the Queen would be in danger," Elyan murmured, looking at Arthur, "There is no winning in a situation like this."

Arthur nodded, he knew he could say that, for him his wife safe was a win, but that would be a horrible thing to say as Gwen was as dear as a sister to him. Asking Elyan to choose between his sister and his queen, or Lancelot to choose between his wife and his queen would be a terrible choice he'd NEVER ask them to make. As terrible as it was to say…he would want them to choose Gwen instead. Because he knew Marayna, she would never forgive herself if Gwen was hurt because they were protecting her. She would never forgive HIM if he'd forced them to pick her over Gwen. And Marayna could defend herself, especially with magic. They'd been expecting bandits to attack, something like that, not Morgause. The Bloodguard and the Catha patrolled the woods, but he supposed there was only so much they could do to keep Morgause away. They were all working so hard to keep the magical threats away from Camelot, sensing a chance in the laws was coming, it was understandable they'd miss something.

"We cannot blame ourselves," Arthur squeezed his shoulder, "Gwen made her choice to protect her Queen."

"She raised me," Elyan whispered, "You wouldn't understand."

Arthur smiled at that, "I actually would," he glanced back at Morgana, who had moved over to Lancelot to speak to him as well, "Morgana took care of me as we were growing up, being older than I at the time, and me without a mother. I understand Elyan, and we WILL get her back."

Elyan looked at him and gave a small nod, Arthur moving his arm around Elyan to lead him back to the group.

~8~

Marayna and Arthur were sitting near the fire, keeping watch, while the knights slept around it, Morgana asleep as well…or she was, until she let out a small scream and jumped awake, startling the others awake as she panted.

"Morgana," Marayna was at her side in an instant, "What is it?"

Morgana took a breath and closed her eyes, shaking her head, "Morgause knows Gwen isn't the queen," she murmured.

"How do you know?" Lancelot frowned.

"I saw it…I saw where she is," Morgana looked at them, "She's being held in the Dark Tower. Morgause was talking to her, was calling her Guinevere, she KNOWS."

"But Gwen was still alive?" Elyan looked at her desperately, "She lives?"

Morgana nodded, "For not but…" she shook her head, "I couldn't see what was wrong, she was crying."

Marayna frowned, "Morgana, you haven't had a dream vision in a while…"

"I know," she agreed, "But it feels like one. It's either a true vision or one Morgause was trying to send to me. I tried scrying for Gwen before but she's blocked by the token," she looked at them, "The only time I can see you is in the dream-visions."

"So it's either a vision or a trap," Lancelot mused.

"Seems like it," Elyan remarked, before glancing at the others, "Does this change anything?"

"Not at all," Arthur determined, looking at his men, "But be warned, the journey has become much more dangerous."

"She's my wife," Lancelot spoke up, "I would brave any danger for her."

"And she's my sister," Elyan agreed, "Nothing will stop me finding Gwen again."

"She's my friend," Percival nodded.

"I've known her all my life," Leon said softly, "She's as dear to me as she is to you Arthur."

Arthur nodded at that when Gwaine spoke up, "She's a maiden in a tower. I was born for this moment."

"She's my best friend Arthur," Morgana told him, "I have to be there to help her like she did me."

"She's Rosaline's godmother," Marayna smiled, thinking on that, William's godparents were Merlin and Morgana, but Rosaline, that had to be Lancelot and Gwen, "I'll not see her harmed. I owe her."

Arthur looked around at them, "Then we ride at dawn for the tower."

~8~

The small group stood on top of a cliff, overlooking a thick forest that was surrounding a dark tower stationed in the middle of it. It truly lived up to its name as the 'Dark Tower' it looked ominous and shadowy and full of evil even from a distance. The forest itself looked thick and dark as well.

"The Dark Tower," Arthur took a breath.

"How do we get to it?" Lancelot wondered.

"Through the impenetrable forest."

"Doesn't lend much hope with a name like that," Marayna remarked, glancing at the men, "Still," she smiled, "Never stopped us before."

Arthur smiled back and spurred his horse on, the others following him down the sides of the cliff and to the edge of the forest. They all looked at each other, the men pulling their swords to try and hack their way through the branches and thorns, Marayna and Morgana using their magic to try and clear the way but unable to make much of a difference as the swords were making as the forest seemed to have a magic of its own to it that was hard to combat, an ancient and deep and dark magic.

It was starting to wear on all of them, their journey through the forest. Gwaine had ripped his cloak on the thorns, Percival had hacked away so much that he could break his sword in half, and they'd lost the path they'd been trying to make. All they had to go on was Arthur's directions of going north, following the ivy that was growing on the trees, the dull leaves indicating the direction. They had been so hopeful that they'd reach the tower by nightfall but nightfall was quickly coming and they appeared no closer to the tower. Morgana and Marayna had tried transporting themselves into the tower, but there was a powerful magic on it, keeping them out, keeping them from transporting themselves anywhere within the forest as well.

When they'd stumbled across a red scrap of fabric and realized it was the hole in Gwaine's cloak, that they'd walked in a circle, they'd realized they had to make camp or they were going to go mad from the effort of spending the whole day trying to get to the tower and realize they were somehow even farther away. So they'd reluctantly made camp for the night.

Marayna though, wasn't able to sleep, much like the night before, her thoughts on Gwen, she truly felt SO guilty about everything. Gwen was trapped with Morgause, doing who knew what to her, and it was all her fault. She should have insisted that they go as they were, she could have handled herself against Morgause. She really had no idea why she'd agreed to it in the first place. The knights all knew that she was a witch, that she had magic, if they were attacked she could use her magic. No, she did, Gwen was thinking more along the lines of if someone was trying to kidnap the queen again. Much like when Urry had seized her, Gwen was thinking along the lines of a physical kidnapping or harmed her. One firm whack to the back of her head and she'd be unconscious, someone could tie her up or drag her off or drug her and she'd be powerless to stop them.

She sighed, rolling over to look at the stars…when she heard something in the distance, like a rustling of the leaves. She blinked and frowned, sitting up to look over, seeing something appeared to be making its way through the grass and leaves, something invisible. She eyed the branches a moment, before she pushed herself up to follow it. If it had meant her harm, it would have attacked her by now. But still, she was on her guard as she followed it into the woods, till a small woman with a wide forehead and wild hair hopped out from the bushes and sat on a log, a tiny woman, about the size of the Goblin.

"Welcome to my realm, Reesa," the woman greeted.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Marayna eyed her.

"Why, I'm Queen Mab. I am the spirit of this place. And all the places that bring despair to men's hearts. Few have ever seen me Reesa, you should count yourself fortunate."

"You're not much of a forest spirit if everything here is wildering," Marayna remarked.

"The forest is one step of the journey."

"Can you tell me how to escape the forest? I need to get to the tower."

"Oh little one…you should not have to ask. Left is right and right is left. And the way behind is the way ahead. It is simple."

Marayna paused at that, "You know…one of my good friends is a Dragon, he's even more cryptic than that at times. I've plenty of experience deciphering riddles, I think I know what to do," she nodded, "Thank you," she added, before turning to go.

"Beware the challenges that lie ahead of you Reesa," Mab called, "IF you reach the Dark Tower."

"What do you mean IF?" Marayna turned around.

Mab smirked, "The tower is not a real place. It is the heart's rest. The mind's deepest fear. The stillness in a humming bird's eye…"

"Enough with the riddle me this talk."

Mab's eyes narrowed at the command, "I shall speak in rhyme then. Heed my words which you concern, for one of you will not return."

"Which one?" Marayna frowned, her mind going to Arthur, it was always Arthur wasn't it? But then again…Morgause had cause to target Morgana as well, being a sister who 'betrayed her' as well as herself, being the High Priestess and the one who held the title of it from her. She likely thought that to kill her would mean taking the position of High Priestess but what Morgause failed to realize was that Rosaline already possessed a faint quality of a High Priestess to her, Benedict sensed it the moment he held the baby girl. One day, Rosaline just might be the next High Priestess.

Mab just gave her a rather evil-looking smirk before she cackled madly and disappeared before Marayna's eyes.

Marayna just sighed and shook her head, leave it to the ancient creatures to be cryptic and dramatic.

~8~

Arthur had NOT been happy to find, the next morning, that she had wandered off and spoken to a magical creature all alone. But it couldn't be helped, for how quick the knights were to react, they were quite heavy sleepers when it came to someone being quiet around them. If she'd been a thief sneaking through their camp, they probably wouldn't have woken. Still, the fact that she now knew which way to go and what directions to head in, it made up for any tension that Arthur felt as they soon found themselves at a plain that led to the Dark Tower.

Honestly, Mab thought she was being so clever with her riddles? Left was right and right was left and so on? It just meant that the closer they tried to get, the farther away the ended up being. They had to go in the opposite directions than they desired to get to the tower. The further away they wanted to be, the closer they'd get. All too soon they were out of the forest and at the plains where they could actually see the tower now. They' pushed on, wanting to get there before dark, and kept going despite blisters and near falls into ditches that were filled with corpses, closer and closer to where the ground was littered with dead bodies until they finally reached the entrance.

Arthur looked at the small group, pulling his sword and giving them a nod before he led the way in, up some stairs. He, Leon, and Lancelot took the lead, Morgana and Marayna between them and Elyan, Percival, and Gwaine.

"This isn't right," Morgana spoke quietly, "This is too easy. Morgause would know we're here…she should be attacking us."

"Unless she wants us to reach somewhere," Arthur agreed.

"Well wherever that is, it might be where Gwen is," Elyan quickly made his way past Arthur, ready to take the lead and get his sister back. He pushed past the king and up to the top of the stairs, rushing off as they tried to follow him, "Arthur!" Elyan suddenly shouted, causing them all to rush down the hall at the top of the step and into another room, seeing him standing there in the middle of it, "Stop!" he cried.

But it was too late, Arthur took a step forward, the stone beneath his foot sinking down, triggering a trap that fired an arrow at Percival's leg, making him cry out in pain and sink to the ground. Morgana rushed to his side, hurrying to get the arrow out of him and heal him a other arrows began to fly around the room, Marayna using her magic to protect them this time.

"Nobody move," Arthur ordered, "Stay exactly where you are."

"What triggered it?" Leon looked around.

"The floor," Marayna nodded at it, seeing the stone was set down into the floor more than the others.

"The stones must react to pressure," Arthur agreed.

"Here," Elyan pulled his sword out, "I will use this," he tossed it to the ground, on a stone before him, triggering the trap that sent an arrow flying before he jumped onto the stone after the arrow had let loose, picking up his sword.

"Everyone, follow me," Arthur called as he and the knights did the same, not willing to risk them running out across the hall and leaving it to his wife to stop all the arrows that might fly at them. He tossed his sword down, all of them slowly making their way across the room after Elyan when he reached the door at the end of the room.

"I'll push on," Elyan yelled as he made it to the door.

"No, Elyan!" Arthur shouted.

"Elyan wait!" Marayna cried, but Elyan shook his head.

"Gwen is my sister," he looked at Arthur meaningfully, knowing he'd understand, even though Lancelot was Gwen's husband…HE was Gwen's brother, it had been his job his entire life to protect her and he'd failed, "I have to do this," he told them, rushing through the door even as they shouted after him.

"Elyan!" Marayna called.

"Hurry," Arthur turned to the others, all of them rushing to get across the room, hoping they wouldn't be too late.

~8~

They had been too late, in the end, a fact which devastated them all. They'd run into the room Elyan had disappeared to only to find the man in Gwen's arms, Gwen looking like herself, unmoving, unbreathing. Morgana had run to his side, trying to heal him but he was already dead. Lancelot had gathered Gwen in his arms when Marayna was forced to tell her that she couldn't bring him back to life without killing someone else. It had broken all their hearts to hear Gwen say that she'd pay the price, to take her life if it meant getting her brother back. Arthur and Leon had found a sword stuck in the shutters of a window and, from what they could gather of what Gwen as murmuring as she sobbed, Morgause had enchanted the sword to attack any who tried to free Gwen. Elyan had managed to trick it, sending it out the window and getting it stuck on the way back, but he'd been wounded before that, fatally.

He'd died in Gwen's arms.

They'd managed to take Gwen back to Camelot, to give Elyan a hero's funeral, sending his body out on a boat, sending a flaming arrow to it as Gwen stood there, in shock, Lancelot's arms around her as she grieved.

That had bothered Marayna and Morgana, that they'd gotten Gwen out. Morgause had held her captive, Morgause had BEEN there…yet they'd not seen her. She'd just LET Gwen leave and hadn't tried to stop them. And the room, the room that Gwen had been held in? There was something dark about it, something deep and evil. But there was nothing in the room that they could see yet Marayna's gaze kept drifting to the ceiling, as had Morgana's, as though they could tell something had been there but the room was clear. It worried them that something much deeper was going on.

It had been too easy for them to get Gwen out of there and they feared it had nothing to do with the fact that Gwen wasn't Marayna. But there was little they could do to find out, Gwen was still in shock, still grieving the loss of her brother, they would just…have to wait and see what happened.

~8~

Later that night, Gwen laid in her bed, staring at the wall across from her, unable to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could hear was the screaming that had haunted the Tower echoing in her mind. All she saw was Elyan being struck down by the enchanted sword. All she could feel was her brother's life leaving her as he laid in her arms, breathing his last breath, looking up at her, so happy she was alright and her telling him how proud she was and their father would be of him. She blinked after a moment and frowned as she swore she'd heard a voice calling to her. She looked over at Lancelot, sleeping beside her, his arms around her, and carefully pulled herself out of his hold. She grabbed a small cloak and tied it around her, heading out of their quarters, making her way out of the castle and into the woods, following the voice…

Only to stop in a clearing and gasp at what she saw standing before her, the last person she ever thought to see…

"Elyan?"

A/N: Surprise :) This'll actually be a 2-parter ;) I feel like, since it's Morgause and not Morgana and Gwen doesn't have that connection to her and with Lancelot being back and having all her friends for support it'll take a little more to crack Gwen this time around ;) We'll have to wait and see if she breaks and what Morgause did to her in the Tower }:)

I feel like being a mother and the queen Marayna would take more precautions when she's away from the castle and I couldn't see Gwen not doing something to protect her friend :)

Sorry about the delay, family came over for the holiday and I didn't get a chance to edit yesterday :( I've been awake since about 6:30am getting this and DW edited to post ;)

Some notes on reviews...

I can say Marayna will learn about the Disir eventually, but I can't say when, what's going on with Gwen might distract her for the moment ;) But she will SO confront the Disir yup ;)