Here's chapter 10!

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Chapter 10

The weeks following were difficult for Merlin. Although people had finally gotten a hold of the fact that he was a sorcerer, some simply refused to trust him. Many of the servants would leave a wide space between them as he walked passed, watching him out of the corner of their eyes, unwilling to have their backs facing him. The knights of Camelot also did not trust him, but, unlike the servants, did not hide that fact. They were frequently eyeing him down, and he swore he was being followed sometimes. However, this did not bother him as much as he thought it would at first for one simple reason: Arthur. The knowledge that Arthur knew about him, but didn't cut off his head was a huge relief, to say the least. He felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders finally, and it made him feel free. Not to mention, no one thought he was an idiot anymore; they were too busy being scared of him.

Everything came at a price.

"Hello, Gaius." Merlin said happily, as he entered the physician's chambers.

Gaius nodded, concentrating on some potion. Merlin quickly went over to the food laid out at the table and began to eat, starving. Soon, Gaius joined him.

"How have you been?" Gaius asked, worried.

"I've never been better." Merlin answered, truthfully.

"Don't lie to me, Merlin. I know what people have been saying about you, and I'm pretty sure you know as well-"

"Listen, Gaius, I wasn't lying when I told you I was fine. I couldn't care less what everyone else thinks. Do you really think I was expecting everyone to be just fine with my magic? I'm just happy I'm still in Camelot, or, more importantly, still alive."

Gaius looked at Merlin, concerned. "I don't know how long that will last."

"Then I'd better make the best out of it." He finished his dinner quickly, before getting up.

"Where are you going?" Gaius asked, confused.

"Arthur needs me. He needs my help with a few decisions he has to make; he wants to know if I can help with any magic, and what my take is on it. He's desperate to keep Camelot safe, and Morgana and Mordred out." Merlin explained, as he hurried toward the door, "I'll see you later!"

He hurried out of Gaius's chambers, not wanting to be late for Arthur. He felt bad for Gaius. Gaius knew as well as Merlin that this wasn't going to last. They both knew the danger Merlin was in, and they were both waiting for the moment when someone betrayed them and told Uther. Merlin knew that Gaius wished he'd do more for his own safety, but he wouldn't. Camelot was his home, and he would never leave. Not intentionally at least.

He entered the council room and hurried to Arthur.

"Sire." He said. Arthur nodded.

"Right, we're all here." Merlin looked around. Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan, Percival, and Leon were in the room with them. "I've gathered you all because I trust you. I also know that you, unlike many of the other knights, will listen to what Merlin has to say, which is very important information, I'm sure." The knights nodded, and Arthur went on, "We have heightened security, but I'm not sure it that is enough. Merlin, do you know of any spells that could potentially keep intruders away?"

"That could protect the whole city? No, I don't, but I'll look into it."

"That would be great. There's got to be something in that book of yours…"

"Or maybe Killgharrah will know something." Merlin muttered half to himself.

"Right, the dragon, that I didn't kill…" Arthur said, suddenly embarrassed. Merlin realized he had touched a sore subject and tried his best not to laugh. "Right, then. More important then. Do we wait for them to come to us, or do we go to them?"

"I say we go find them," Said Gwaine, "I hate just sitting around and waiting, it drives me crazy."

"I disagree." Countered Lancelot, "I think it's best to just be ready when they come. The last thing we want is to be missing knights if they do attack." Gwaine glared at him, and Lancelot shrugged.

"Leon?"

"I say we go. It's best to get rid of them before they are able to go through with their plans."

"Percival?"

"I agree with Gwaine and Leon."

"Elyan?"

"I agree with Lancelot. We don't want to leave Camelot unprotected. If we went searching for them, Merlin would come along I'm sure, who else has any chance of beating them? And if Merlin was with us, Camelot would be practically be defenseless against magic."

"Merlin?"

"Sorry, Gwaine, but I think Elyan and Lancelot are right. Going out to find them would be like a wild goose chase, trying to find a needle in a haystack. It's best if we just wait for them, because they will come, I'll promise you that. We just have to be ready when they do."

Arthur nodded, taking in what everyone had said.

"Well, your royal pratness, I guess it's up to you." Merlin said.

"Shut up, Merlin."

"If you say so."

Arthur took a while, obviously thinking over every side of it before finally speaking,

"Merlin, Lancelot, and Elyan are right. We can't leave Camelot defenseless. Merlin, look into the defensive spells, and the rest of you, get some sleep. Training's in the morning." And with his words, he swept out of the room, looking somewhat troubled.

"Damn." Gwaine muttered, "He's always got to take Merlin's side. What's the point in us being here anyway? I need a drink."

MERLIN

Morgana spread mud on her face, and into her hair. She then put on the dress she had ripped to make it look like she had worn it through much suffering. She then had Mordred attach the chains to her wrists and ankles. Finally she was ready. He stood tall in front of Mordred, ready to play her part.

"Are you sure you can do this?" He asked her, unsure.

"I spend the whole past year convincing my father that I loved him. You might find that I can be very convincing when I want to be. She laughed. Mordred nodded,

"Okay." He began muttering some words Morgana still did not recognize. She was still not that skilled in magic, but with Mordred as her master she soon would be. As he said the words she felt the spell take hold as she slowly disappeared from her body…

MERLIN

Uther woke up with a start, sitting up quickly, looking around the room, paranoid. His heart was beating quickly, but he had no idea why. Something must be wrong. And the something must have to do with sorcery.

Sorcery. Sorcery stole his beloved daughter away from him. It had corrupted her, made her belive things that were not true. It was all the fault of magic. Magic, which had taken his wife away from him, which had almost taken his son from him multiple times, which had now taken his daughter. He shivered just thinkng about it.

He suddenly felt it again. Something that had woken him up just minutes ago. He swung his legs from his bed, shaking. He had not left this bed for weeks, despair had overcome him, leaving him unable to move, and unable to think about anything other than Morgana.

Morgana.

He fell backwards onto his pillows once more, the pain flooding through him once more. His own daughter...she betrayed him.

Sorcery.

"Uther!" He sat up suddenly. He had heard his name, like a whisper in his mind. And he knew the voice. But it couldn't be. It was because he had just been thinking about her. It wasn't possible...

"Uther!" He looked around wildly. And then he saw her, standing in the corner of his room, there, but also not. He lept out of his bed and grabbed for the knife at his bedside, remembering that it had been removed, for his safety. He rounded on Morgana.

"What are you doing here?" He demanded, fear and anger evident in his voice.

Morgana recoiled, "Please, father, do not hurt me, I come asking for your help." She said, pleading. Uther paused, confused,

"You betrayed me!" He yelled, "Why would I help you?" But his voice was unsure. He noticed her ankles and wrists were bound in shackles, her face looked bruised, her hair wild, and her clothes soiled.

"I did not want to betray you father! I was used. When he found out that I am your daughter, he began to plot. He took control of me, used me to get to you. He was in league with Morgause, not me. Please, I would never, try to hurt you. When his attack failed he kidnapped me, making it look like it was all my doing. It was then that I came back to my right mind. But by that point I was chained up, being held prisoner in a small cave on the other side of the forest. I didn't know what to do. I knew that the person who is really trying to create your downfall is still within the walls of Camelot, blending in, trying to bring about its fall. This place he is keeping me in is full of magic. Although I don't have it myself, I was able to use it to bring me here, but only partially. I did not want to, as I understand the implications of magic, but I had to warn you. I know he is planning something, something even bigger than before, and I know that he is very capable of succeeding. He is very powerful, a sorcerer living in Camelot, and set on killing you and Arthur, and destroying Camelot." At this Morgana fell to her knees, tears falling from her eyes. Uther walked slowly up to her and went down to his knees as well. He grasped at her hands, but his hands went right through them.

"It was not you?" He asked softly, happiness flooding him.

"No, father, it was not me. And it pains me to think that all of Camelot thinks of me as a traitor." She began crying more fiercly, shaking in dispair.

"I do not, child. Do not worry, your name will be cleared, I promise. And I will send out men to find you. You will return home." Uther assured his daughter, wanting to embrase her more than anything.

"Oh father, thank you! I knew you would believe me. I knew you would never believe that I could be so aweful!" Uther nodded, tears starting to fall down his eyes as well.

"I will bring you home, Morgana, I swear it. But first you must tell me the name of the traitor, the sorcerer within Camelot's walls." He urged her.

Morgana looked around, fearfully, "If he finds out I told you, he will kill me, father!"

"Do not worry Morgana, that will not happen. He will be dead long before he gets to you, I will make sure of that." Uther assured her, forcefully, anger increasing for this stranger.

Morgana smiled widely, "It's the serving boy, Arthur's servant." Morgana said, in a hushed voice, "Merlin."

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