~ Joknotor Corner ~

Hi guys! Sorry this Chapter took so long, but I think that it is worth the wait! To be honest, I only wanted to give you the best, so I scrapped a lot of ideas, as well as re-writing some! As always, I hope you enjoy it! PS: PLEASE REVIEW! I only got 4 or 5 for Chapter Eight, and trust me, that is demoralizing as HELL. So, please review for me! It helps, I promise!

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin, or any of its assets.

Altered Destiny

Chapter Nine: The Tale of Merlin and Lady Morgana

"Not quite, Mordred. Here, try it like this: Incengito!" Merlin roared, and a massive ball of fire shot out from his hand and vaporized the target dummy it hit. Mordred stood there, his jaw practically kissing the cold morning dirt it was dropping so far. This had become a routine of sorts for the Warlock and Druid. As he was not a member of the Magic-Wielder Brigade, but instead Elyan's squire, Mordred's magical training had been put on hold. After the battle with Ilsor II, Mordred had made it his priority to not only hone his skills with a blade, but also to increase his aptitude for magic. Merlin was quite happy to help the druid boy, the wise words of the Great Dragon etched into his memory: "Merlin, that boy's destiny has been, and always will be, entwined with yours. While he may have been thrown off the path of war mongering for now, you simply must stay vigilant. Without the proper guidance, his role in Camelot's future may still be a destructive one." Merlin watched as the druid boy tried to perform the same spell, except he only managed to set the dummy's head on fire. "Alright then, Mordred, let's call it a day" Merlin said, rubbing his hands together, not a particular fan of the cold mornings of Camelot "I need to get back to my chambers and change before Morgana wakes up." Mordred started to clean up the mess, asking casually "Oh? What's the occasion, Emrys?" Merlin smiled grimly, and said "It's the anniversary of Gorlois' death. She wanted me to go with her to visit his grave." The young Druid grimaced slightly, replying "Perhaps you should take her some breakfast. She tends to eat when she's upset: It comforts her." Merlin looked quizzically at him "Mordred, just how exactly do you know these things?" Mordred smiled and said "She may be your girlfriend Merlin, but she's been a sister to me for a long time now."

"Smug little shit" Merlin muttered, as he walked towards Morgana's room, in the clothes he once wore when he was in service to the king. He'd never really grown out of the habit of putting on the garments, as they were comfortable. He was holding a plate of delicious food consisting of freshly baked bread, cooked chicken, ripe grapes and a variety of other fruits in one hand, and a pitcher of mulled wine in the other. He knew Mordred was right, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it. Honestly, he and Morgana had been together for how long now? A year, give or take? Even so, he was still learning so much about her, it made slightly uneasy. And of course there was the problem that, of late, Merlin had been going on so many new adventures, getting himself caught and nearly killed in some cases, that the two of them had had almost no time together. Arthur had eased off them, after a good scolding from Gwen, but it seemed that trouble and adventure followed the mighty Emrys wherever he went. Thankfully, the annual Seaman's Tide Festival was coming up, and a very thought-out peace agreement had been drawn up and signed by the Monarchs of the Five Kingdoms. Even Cenred agreed to it willingly, as he was not ready to start anything with Camelot now that Ilsor had been killed. The only problem that might have arisen would have been Helios and his legion of bandits, thieves, cutthroats and sorcerers, but ever since Jiriko's attack had been repelled, the Warlord had elected to strengthen his borders, and consolidate his forces. Even so, he would not have dared to attack Camelot during the festival time, as there would be some very special, and well-protected, guests attending the week of feasts and activities. These guests included King Rodor and his daughter, Mithian, of Nemeth; King Olaf and his daughter, Vivian; and even ambassadors from Mercia, though King Bayard himself was too sick to attend. The whole thing seemed like a colossal waste of time to Merlin, however, who wanted to focus on taking down Helios and Jiriko.

Merlin turned a corner, and ran into Elyan and Gwen, who, by the looks of it, were going out to spend some time together in the woods before the start of the day's activities. "Sorry I snatched Mordred away from you earlier" Merlin said to Elyan. "Not to worry, Gwaine loaned me Galahad. Poor kid, I told him I'd be fine on my own, but he said he was under very specific orders from Gwaine." Merlin rolled his eyes "I'll just bet he was" he muttered. Gwen smiled, saying "Well, at least he gets the job done." The three of them laughed, and parted ways. Merlin knocked on Morgana's door, and when he got no reply, walked in. She was sound asleep in bed, and Merlin smiled, gently waking her. "Come on, love" he said "It's time to get up." Morgana groaned slightly, and gradually opened her eyes. "Why do I have to get up so early?" she moaned. "We have to greet the guests when they arrive, in three hours, Morgana."

"Okay, but why do we have to do it?"

"Well, because Arthur asked us to."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I suppose it doesn't, but it's the best I've got."

"You may be a brilliant sorcerer, but you really suck at being social, Merlin."

"Well, I guess you don't want your breakfast, then."

"You brought me breakfast?"

"I did."

"Well why didn't you just say so?"

"What can I say? I suck at being social."

"Sorry, I'm not much of a morning person."

"Oh believe me, I know."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Why do you think I stopped sharing a room with you?"

"Fair enough, my love."

"You know, I've been thinking."

"Oh dear, you have?"

"Very funny, Morgana" Merlin said smiling "Anyway, since we've drawn up a peace treaty, I figure I won't be sent on any crazy tasks for our illustrious King, so I was thinking we could spend some quality time together, after we greet the guests. That is, if you're up for it-mmph!" Merlin was cut off by Morgana, who practically pounced on him, kissing him before he could finish. "I take it that was a 'yes' then?" Merlin asked, grinning at her, pinned on his back to the bed. "What do you think?" Morgana practically purred back, a devilish grin on her face. However, as always, timing was against them, as Arthur decided to walk in, immediately covering his eyes, and yelling "OH, DEAR GOD, WHY?!" Merlin tried to get up, but Morgana continued to pin him down, still straddling him. "DO YOU MIND?!" Arthur yelled, obviously uncomfortable. "Not really: you barged in here, clot-pole" Morgana said, her voice dripping with venom. "Hey, that's my word" Merlin said, grinning, liking the view from where he was lying. "Never mind, just…be ready to greet the guests when they arrive!" Arthur retorted indignantly, stepping out of the room. "How long do we have before we have to be downstairs greeting the guests?" Morgana asked, a seductive look on her face. Merlin grinned madly, and replied "More than enough time to get up to a little mischief, my lady."

Arthur was glaring daggers at Merlin, but the warlock was too cheerful to care. Morgana was wearing a smug smile, occasionally glancing at Arthur and waving. The King would have been trying to kill the pair, if it were not for Gwen, who held his and with an unyielding grip. Morgana had her arm locked with Merlin's, resting her head on his shoulder. They stood in silence for a while, until Gwaine showed up, late as usual, falling over flat on his face. Everyone except Arthur laughed, and Gwaine muttered an apology to the King, whispering something to Lancelot about killing Galahad. As an official member of the King's Court, and also his second on the War Council, Merlin was standing next to the King, as they waited for the arrival of the guests. He was wearing his ceremonial clothes, embroidered with intricate symbols of the Old Religion, and he also wore a pendant, which was actually a Dragon Pearl, and represented his status as Dragon Lord.

At last, the honored guests arrived, the first being King Rodor and Princess Mithian, whom Arthur and Merlin knew well, as the ties between Nemeth and Camelot had taken root under Arthur's reign. Galahad, trying to avoid Gwaine, came forward, after the royals and Merlin had greeted each other. He bowed deeply before King Rodor, saying "My Lord, it is an honor. I am Galahad, squire to the noble Sir Gwaine. If I may, I should like to take your luggage to your rooms." Merlin took note of the looks that were passed between Mithian and Galahad, as she followed him to where they would be staying. Rodor elected to stay and greet the rest of the visitors with Arthur and Merlin. Not long after, Olaf and Vivian arrived. Olaf, an old friend of Uther's, greeted Arthur with a fatherly sort of handshake, greeting him and relaying his sympathies. At first, he cast Merlin a mysterious look, as if not quite sure about how to treat this Sorcerer. However, King Olaf knew better than to challenge a King's choice of rule in that King's own domain, so he shook hands with Merlin respectfully and Arthur let out a small sigh of relief (he was concerned as to how Olaf might react to Merlin). Rodor also shook Olaf's hand, but it was more of a mutual greeting, as opposed to a friendly one. This time, Mordred took Vivian to her room, and Olaf took a spot next to Rodor, as they waited for Bayard's emissaries. It didn't take long for them to arrive, and the chosen ambassador, a Sir Titus, Bayard's most loyal and trusted Knight, bowed before the three Kings, saying "You Majesties, it is an honor and a privilege to stand before you, in place of my liege, King Bayard. I regret to inform you that his illness prevents him from travel, but he sends his fondest regards, and hopes that the festivities go as planned."

"This is nice" Merlin said, as he and Morgana rode horseback through the rolling plains just beyond the forest "Just you and me, and our picnic basket." In an attempt to prevent Arthur from killing the sorcerer, Gwen had suggested that the pair go out on a picnic together, at least until later that night. "Good old Gwen, always the one with good ideas" Morgana said, smiling. They continued for a while until the found a spot in the shade, where Merlin set up the picnic for them. He had brought a light snack of smoked salmon, fine cheese and some wine, which he prepared for her in a masterful style, the result of his time as Arthur's servant. "For you, my lady" he said, offering her a plate and cup. She took it graciously, saying "Why thank you, Master Merlin." They ate in silence, glad of each other's company more than anything else. "So, when do you think Arthur and Gwen will finally get married?" Morgana said, breaking the silence. "Hmm, I don't really know. Arthur's never been very good at being…forward…with Gwen." Morgana laughed a little, and Merlin took her hand, saying "Well, look at it this way: If you think they're fawning over each other now, just think of bad it'll be once they actually do get married." Morgana cringed slightly, muttering "That's a good point." They both laughed, and Merlin got up, stretching. "Are we done here already?" Morgana asked, pouting slightly. "Well, I guess we'd best not seem rude. We wouldn't want to seem rude to our guests, after all." Morgana sighed, and got up herself, slight disappointment on her face. "Well, I suppose we could go for another ride before the start of the jousting tournament" Merlin said, trying to cheer her up. She lit up like a child, and nodded, taking off towards her horse. Merlin sighed happily, and used his magic to pack up the picnic. They took the long way through the forest, and Morgana dared him in a race. She won, of course, and Merlin helped her off her horse as soon as he caught up. They made their way to the tournament grounds, greeting visitors and Camelot natives, meeting up with Gaius halfway there. "I hear you two caused quite the ruckus this morning" Gaius said, lifting one of his killer brows "Is that why the King's mood seems to turn sour whenever either of you is mentioned?" Merlin smiled awkwardly, but Morgana just rolled her eyes, saying "Well, maybe next time he'll knock before he enters my chambers." Gaius laughed slightly, and Merlin looked at the sky not wanting to discuss the matter any further.

They arrived just in time for the tournament, as Sir Titus and Sir Elyan prepared to joust. Morgana was not only a fan of riding horseback, but also of the sport if jousting, so she was on the edge of her seat, which was next to Gwen. Merlin sank into his seat, trying to avoid Arthur's gaze. However, he seemed as eager as Morgana to watch the tournament. King Olaf and King Rodor sat to his left, and Gwen on his right. Gaius took a seat next to Merlin, muttering, "Be ready to leap down and dislodge a stray piece of wood from a man's chest." Merlin smiled, knowing he was talking about Gwaine. Once it appeared everyone who was coming had arrived, Arthur stood, and yelled "LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!" The crowd roared with excitement as Elyan and Titus took their positions, and began. The tournament was filled with an aura of genuine joy and entertainment, as the competition began to really heat up. It was close, but Sir Titus won out against Elyan, who took his as a Knight should, with honor and dignity. In the next round, Gwaine won out after the second hit, throwing his opponent down to the ground, splintered wood just barely missing his chest plate. Leon and Percival were next, and Percival's superior strength won him the match. Lancelot, however, was the true star. He not only defeated his opponent, he did it without getting hit, the result of his jousting style, which sacrificed strength for reach. It was a spectacular display of skill, and the next round was sure to excite the audience even more. In an unexpected, yet still amazing, upset, Gwaine lost to Titus, flying off his horse. Lancelot won against another Knight, as did Percival. Sir Owen, a Knight from Nemeth, also won his match. Next, Titus and Percival faced each other. Using speed to his advantage, Titus threw Percival off balance, and then sent him crashing to the ground. Morgana was cheering loudly, and Merlin found himself enjoying it as well. Arthur, Olaf and Rodor were all cheering for their own Knights, but they showed respect to the victors none the less. Lancelot faced more difficulty with Sir Owen, but eventually managed to triumph. At last, it was time for the final match. Lancelot and Titus lined up, and Arthur, Gwen, Morgana, Merlin, Gaius, even Rodor and Mithian, as well as some others from Camelot roared Lancelot's name, while the rest of the crowd were screaming Titus' name. It was a long match, as neither combatant was willing to give way. However, Lancelot once again proved why he was Arthur's most trusted Knight. In the final joust, he maneuvered his strike in a higher arch, leaving his side exposed, which distracted Titus, allowing Lancelot to deliver a crippling blow to his torso. The uproar that followed made Merlin cover his ears, and he turned to smile at Gaius, who was doing the same. He looked at Morgana, who was cheering as loud as anyone else. Lancelot came and bowed before the Kings, then Gwen and Morgana, and finally, he bowed deeply before Merlin. Merlin nodded, not wanting to be treated like a noble, and looked around. He noticed right away that Mithian had slipped away, and Galahad was nowhere to be found either. He smiled to himself, and returned his attention back to Morgana, who relaxed back into the chair, holding Merlin's hand, while Arthur gave a speech to congratulate Lancelot, and to commend all those who competed. Merlin and Morgana took their leave after he had finished, and went off to the market, where Morgana spent hours looking at exquisite and unique items.

Galahad and Mithian had snuck away during the tournament, and were now walking together in the corner of the woods, hand in hand, Mithian resting her head on his shoulder. "I've missed you, Galahad" Mithian said softly, as they continued their little walk. "You have no idea how hard it was to leave you behind" Galahad said, kissing her forehead. "I wish you could've stayed" Mithian said sadly. "So do I Mithian, but it's my duty to protect Emrys"

"I know, but it seems like a big joke, especially since he has no idea who you really are."

"Maybe, but it is for the greater good. Besides, it won't be too long now. With Ilsor gone, the head of the serpent has been severed. The only real problem left is Jiriko."

"Will you return to me when you have done your task?"

"You know I will. I would never abandon you, Mithian. I love you."

"GALAHAD AND MITHIAN DID WHAT!?" Morgana roared, once they were safely away from the crowds. "Shh! Not so loud!" Merlin replied, glancing around. "Sorry. It's just…wow. I didn't know Galahad had it in him."

"Neither did I, but it struck me while we were shopping that he did come to Camelot from Nemeth…"

"But he wasn't even a noble there! His father had been friends with Percival, remember? Gwaine took him under his wing because he was a decent swordsman, but only because Percival asked him to."

"Be that as it may, Morgana, he has been the talk of the female servants for quite a while now."

"And how the hell would you know this?"

"Mordred told me."

"Oh, okay then."

"Come on, we have to be at the feast on time."

"Fine, but this conversation is not over."

The feast was a magnificent success, and everyone was dressed to the nines. Mithian was only a little late, taking a seat next to Merlin, who gave her a knowing look, making her blush slightly. Galahad had managed to sneak in with the rest of the servants and squires, and gulped when he saw the look on Gwaine's face. Once he was satisfied with the turn out, Arthur raised his goblet, and proposed a toast: "To Foreign Allies and dear friends" he said, pointing his goblet at the other Kings, and then directly at Merlin. The Kings all nodded to each other, and then, in unison, raised their glasses to the Warlock. He stood, partially because he felt obligated to, but mostly because Gaius elbowed him in the gut (that old man could really hit!). Clearing his throat, Merlin said "Well, I propose a toast to the man who thought up the treaty, King Arthur!" Everyone in the hall, no matter where they were from, cheered "LONG LIVE THE KING!"

They had just tucked into their meals when none other than little Fenris, whom Merlin considered a little brother, rushed into the hall, Mordred trailing in behind him, freezing when Fenris leaped on Merlin. "I…uh…I couldn't…he managed to…" Mordred trailed off, but Merlin just waved a hand, and picked up the small boy, sitting him on his lap. Morgana smiled at the boy, and Galahad, snickering at Mordred, took the child a plate of food. The feast resumed, as Merlin introduced Fenris to Sir Titus, who had taken a seat across from the sorcerer. "Well, it as honor to make you acquaintance, young Fenris" Titus said, performing a mock bow in his seat. Fenris smiled excitedly, and Merlin leaned in to tell Morgana "Well, at least now Mordred will be able to mingle with the others; you know how anti-social he can be." Morgana grinned, and replied "A trait I'm positive he picked up from you, Merlin." The warlock feigned injury, and whispered to Fenris "You know, there's another competition tomorrow." Fenris looked at him with big, brown eyes, and said, in a low tone "Ooh, can I come?" Merlin nodded, and Fenris dug into his pork, bouncing up and down happily. After every last morsel of food had been eaten, the cook brought dessert in, and everyone got their fair share of delectable pies, cakes and other mouth-watering treats.

After he had had his own slice, Fenris started to nod off, and Merlin took him back to his room, which was actually Merlin's old room, and one he shared with Mordred. Merlin smiled, and put him in bed, jumping slightly when he heard "So, this is Ilsor's child, eh?" He whirled round, and saw Tristan standing there, a mug in his hand. "Yes, except this one isn't a murderous psychopath" Merlin replied, as he led them back into the main room, trying to keep his voice down. "Hmm, to think: So like his father, yet not like him at all." Merlin looked quizzically at him, and said "That was pretty serious, Tristan. Are you feeling alright?" Tristan seemed to come out of a daze, and smiled, saying "Probably just this Camelot wine."

From that point on, the feast began to unwind, and many of the guests tromped off to bed. In the end, only Arthur, Merlin, Mithian, Mordred, Galahad, Titus, Percival and Gwaine remained, and it wasn't long before Mithian retired as well, and Galahad offered to show her to her room. Merlin smiled to himself, and returned his attention back to Gwaine, who was telling the story of how he and Merlin had once rescued Arthur from the clutches of a very violent Wyvern, sparking Arthur to recall the time when Gwaine had to be rescued by he and Merlin, when he got captured by a woman whose daughter had been kidnapped by Helios' men, but only because she believed Arthur cared little for the outlying villages. Merlin sighed, and reminded them both that it was he who had done most of the work in both situations. This caused uproar of laughter from the others, and Arthur said it was probably time for bed. They all went their separate ways, and Merlin, who had taken to sleeping in Gwen's old house in town, headed out of the castle and into the Lower Town district.

He woke up the next morning relatively early, considering the feast he had had the night before. He sighed, and got dressed, heading back to the Castle, where he found a rather serious-looking Galahad walking up and down the halls. "Is everything alright, Galahad?" Merlin asked, and Galahad nearly dropped like a pile of bricks, his heart was racing so fast. "Uh…" he said, leaping to his feet "N…Nothing, Master Merlin!" he finished, dashing away. Merlin just smirked, and continued towards the physician's chambers, where he found an already dressed Fenris waiting at the table, humming softly as Gaius slept. Merlin waved him over, and gave him a piggy-back ride to the arena, where the appropriate commendations had been made for the Melee that day. Fenris loved watching the contests, and had been watching the Jousting competition from the sides with Mordred the day before. Today, however, he was in for a special treat. Merlin was going to let the small boy sit with him and Morgana, because today was a nice day, and it would be an awful shame to let him miss out on the good weather. Soon enough, the crowd started to pour in, everyone trying to find a good seat. Fenris bobbed up and down in his seat, a wide smile plastered on his face. Before they knew it, the melee had started, and, of course, Arthur won it, bowing before Gwen in a very formal fashion. After that, Merlin took Fenris on a trip to the plains just beyond the forest, to give Gaius a bit of a rest. Once they'd found a nice clearing, Merlin showed the boy a few tricks using magic, while Fenris attempted to do the same.

Back at the castle, Morgana was spending time with Mithian and Gwen, as they browsed the market, chatting excitedly about the festivities. "So what's going on with you and Galahad?" Morgana asked, as they walked through the gardens Merlin had grown using his magic for the festival. Mithian froze, and tried to sound calm, but failing miserably, saying shakily "I-I'm sorry, but I, uh, I'm not quite sure what you mean." Gwen suppressed a laugh, patting her on the back, and saying "Don't worry, your secret is safe with us; after all, we're experts in secret love." Mithian sighed, and said "In Nemeth, Galahad was the adopted son of a master swordsman named Darius. Darius served my father on occasion, if we were in a real spot. I met Galahad when we were fifteen, and continued to meet with him, in private, for years. It was only recently, maybe a year ago, that he left Nemeth." Morgana said sympathetically, "I see. Why did he leave?" Mithian looked down, saying "Well, Darius was apparently killed by Ilsor, and Galahad decided to set out to gain revenge, or, at least, that's what he told me." Gwen frowned a little, and commented "But for someone like him to go after a sorcerer like Ilsor would be suicide. I thought he was a sharp guy, not a blindly angry one." Mithian looked at her, confused "What do you mean?" Morgana interjected "What do you mean?" Mithian stopped and turned to face them both, and said "Galahad's skill with a blade surpassed that of Nemeth's greatest Knights, and he defeated ten of Helios' top assassins, saving my life, when he was only 16." Morgana and Gwen looked at each other, and then back at Mithian, saying together "We need to tell Merlin."

"Watch yourself, Fenris" Merlin said smiling to himself, as the boy ran across the open field, jumping off of rocks here and there. Aithusa had joined them, and was running along next to Fenris, using her wings to stop him from falling. There was another feast due for that night, and Merlin had promised Fenris that if he was a good boy, and stayed with Mordred in the Physician's chambers, then he would teach him how to ride Aithusa. This was plenty incentive for the child, and so they set off for the castle. Mordred and Galahad had been given a day off each, and they had chosen to practice their archery skills, and when Merlin, Fenris and Aithusa came towards them, Mordred said "Well now, am I going to have the honor of dining with you tonight, Master Fenris?" Fenris nodded eagerly, and Merlin departed, trying to focus on not showing up late.

"Merlin" Morgana said, as she slipped her arm through his, as he was making his way to the Great Hall "We need to talk about something." Merlin glanced down at her, smiling at first, but frowning slightly at the look on her face, asking "What did you want to talk about?" Morgana glanced around, but stopped short when she saw Gwaine, Percival, Leon and Elyan coming down the hall. "I'll tell you later, Merlin" she said, putting on a smile. Merlin looked at her for another section, but he soon found himself hitting the ground, and he heard a familiar voice scream "MERLIN!" and which sent the Knights into fits of laughter. Arthur got up, giving Gwaine a cold stare, saying "Honestly, can't you watch where you're going?" Merlin snickered slightly, and even Arthur cracked a small smile. In all the confusion, Gwen had snuck over to Morgana, whispering "Did you tell Merlin about Galahad?" Morgana shook her head, replying "Did you tell Arthur?" Gwen shook her head as well, and Morgana sighed.

The feast went well, although it was a tad bit less extravagant than the night before. Sir Titus proposed a toast to Arthur, the winner of the archery contest, and then proceeded to share a rather interesting story about the time he fought a pack of wolves in the northern mountains. Merlin listened with great interest, and Morgana excused herself, as she needed to clear her head. Gwen followed her out, managing to hold her composure.

"Morgana, are you sure we should wait?" Gwen said, hoping to comfort her friend. "Yes, we need to wait. If we ask now, we'd be putting the peace Merlin was hoping for on hold." Gwen sighed, when they noticed a mysterious figure standing in the shadows. "No need to be alarmed, Lady Morgana" a voice said, which they assumed came from the hooded man "I am not here as an enemy. Yes, I am not your enemy either, Guinevere." Gwen and Morgana started to pace casually backwards, but were stopped when they saw Galahad standing in their path. He stood silent, looking at them with an unreadable expression. "What do you want with us?" Morgana asked cautiously. "I simply need you to forget what you've heard about Galahad" he replied, and Gwen shot back "What makes you think that we'll listen to you?" The man made a small sound which sounded like laughter, but before Gwen or Morgana could react, he pulled a white amulet out from his cloak, and said "Now pay attention, I'll say it only once."

"Lady Morgana, Lady Guinevere, what are you two doing out here?" Galahad's voice seemed to wake them both, and they looked at him, oblivious to what had just transpired. "Um, I came out for some air" Morgana said, taking Gwen's arm and rushing back to the Hall "Sorry about that Galahad!" Galahad looked after them, sighing, and began to walk back to where he had left Mordred and Fenris. Mithian had snuck out, and, in all the confusion, got caught in the amulet's paralyzing light. "You shall remember nothing of Galahad and Mithian's relationship, or about his past." The words crushed the squire when he spotted Mithian, using his own amulet to wake her, and inform her he'd find the other ladies. Galahad thought of his relationship, now lost forever, and felt anger in him he hadn't felt in years. He quickly suppressed the feeling, however, when he arrived at the physician's chambers. Taking a deep breath, he walked in.

The rest of the week went by surprisingly quick, and, before anyone knew it, the Festival ended. Merlin, Arthur, Morgana and Gwen waved goodbye to the guests, and, after it was all done with, Merlin and Morgana went back to her chambers, where they spent the night together, laughing, talking and just generally being in love.

"Lord Darius, what do we do when Merlin learns of our presence?" Galahad asked, as they stood in the forest, Tristan keeping watch nearby. "He will not learn of us until it is time" Darius replied "Emrys cannot know that we are here."

"Arthur, what's wrong?" Merlin asked, as he returned back to his home in the lower town, to find a troubled King sitting at the table. "It's Helios, Merlin. He's been using his time well; based on what I gathered from Olaf and Rodor, that little bandit army of his now rivals ours in size, and I don't need to tell you who he has leading it."

"Jiriko"

"And not just him: Morgause, Ilsor II, Lingured and Ortoasa as well"

"Damn it all"

"My thoughts exactly"

"What do we do?"

"Well, I suppose the only thing we can do is consolidate out forces, increase patrol sizes, but minimize how many patrols we do send out"

"Helios is out for blood, Arthur"

"Which is why I have to, once again, turn to you for help"

"What's wrong?"

"Gwen asked me if we could talk after the feast, but when I asked her about it, she acted like she'd never even said it"

"Morgana did the same thing"

"I get the feeling that there is something else at play here"

"Perhaps, but I think we'd best convene with Kilgharrah and Gaius before we discuss this any further"

"Agreed, lead the way, Merlin"

Darius stood on top of the tree stump, looking at the night sky, when he heard the rustling of tree branches nearby. "What do you want, Helios?" Helios stood quietly, until Darius lowered his head, at which point he said "Everything's in place. The sorcerers believe that I have no intention of betraying them." Darius nodded, and replied "Galahad's becoming a liability to me, but I may still be able to use him, at least until it's time to kill Arthur and Merlin." Helios moved closer, smirking, and saying "Once this is all said and done, we'll be able to rule the entire world, let alone Albion." Darius smiled, and replied "Yes, it will finally be our turn to be Kings, my brother"

THE END…?

Oh boy! Did you like it? I hope so, because it is SUPPOSED to be confusing! Here's a little helper:

Darius is Helios' brother, and Galahad's adopted father, as well as Tristan's adopted father. He is basically a crazy evil, crazy SMART villain. Not to worry, the next couple chapters will have a lot less independent characters in them. =3