Sorry for not getting this posted sooner; I thought I'd finish it last week...then Nimueh showed up to dispense more cryptic advice and warnings, and this ended up being SoD's first chapter with more than 4000 words.

Arthur turned his eyes from Morgana to Merlin and Mordred, who both wore equally grave expressions, to Gwen, who looked as baffled as he felt. "I see... Can someone please tell me who or what these Disir are?"

"The Disir are three women who have been trained from birth to interpret the word of the Triple Goddess," Merlin explained. "Together, they're the Old Religion's final arbiters of justice."

"I thought that was the High Priestess' job?"

Morgana shook her head. "The priestesses provide spiritual guidance to the people, while the Disir deal with matters of law."

"Still, if they're a court of the Old Religion, what right do they have to pass judgment on Arthur?" Gwen demanded indignantly. "He doesn't follow the Goddess!"

"Just because people have begun turning their backs on the old ways, it doesn't mean the ancient magics have faded from the world," Mordred snapped. "It's said the Disir have power over the fates of those they judge, and no one is above their authority, not even a king."

Morgana nodded in agreement, while Gwen still appeared doubtful.

"Merlin, you don't believe any of this, do you?" Arthur asked, looking to his best friend for support. "Haven't you always said a man's fate is in his own hands?"

Merlin didn't give him the reassurance he sought; in fact, he looked far too worried for Arthur's liking. "You know I don't believe fate is some inexorable mystical force," he said slowly, "but as for the Disir having the power to change it... Well, if I cursed you into oblivion right now, you could say I changed your fate, couldn't you?"

Arthur's eyes widened. "Are you saying these women could put a curse on me if I don't answer their summons?"

"They have their own brand of magic, which I've been told is very strong, even deadly. I wouldn't ignore them if I were you."

Morgana breathed a quiet sigh of relief, grateful that for once Merlin had decided to set aside his defiant streak and be reasonable.

Arthur also sighed, though his was one of resignation rather than relief. "I guess I'd better go to them and find out what they want, then. I don't suppose any of you know where to find them?"

Naturally, all three sorcerers did. Since they were so close to home, Arthur decided to let his army go on and make the trip with just the four of them for backup, which allowed them to travel by magic. An hour later, they were in the foothills of the White Mountains, standing outside the cave which contained the Disir's sacred pool. Merlin, Morgana, and Mordred immediately divested themselves of all their weapons, advising Arthur and Gwen to do the same.

"Try not to touch anything inside the cave," Merlin added. "Be especially careful not to break anything."

"All right, all right, I get the point," Arthur grumbled. "Do I have to curtsey as well?"

"And show more respect," Morgana admonished him. "Coming off as arrogant won't help your case."

Arthur gave her a slightly exasperated look but adopted a more serious mien. Fully disarmed, the five made their way into the cave, taking care not to disturb anything. Evidently they were expected; the Disir were grouped around their sacred pool, facing the cave's entrance as if waiting for them. All three wore black robes with hoods that cast all but the lower part of their faces into shadow, an effect Arthur found unsettling - he wished he could look into the eyes of these women who supposedly held his fate in their hands.

"Greetings, Disir. I assume you know who I am?"

The one who stood at the head of their formation nodded. "You are known to us, Arthur Pendragon."

"You have always been known," the one who stood slightly behind and to her right added.

"Since before your birth," the third, youngest one concluded.

Their way of speaking was nearly as disconcerting as their hidden faces, but Arthur refused to be intimidated. "I've come to learn the meaning of this," he announced, holding up the rune mark.

"It is both your judgment and your fate."

"You have been judged by our court-"

"-And found wanting."

"How could he have been found wanting?" Gwen challenged, glaring at the Disir. "He is a good king, a strong and compassionate leader."

"So much is true," the eldest Disir conceded. "Yet he has denied our faith-"

"-Persecuted its followers-"

"-Even unto slaughter!"

Arthur bowed his head in shame. "I know of what you speak, and I'm sorry. I was wrong not to question my father's views sooner-"

"It takes a wise man to admit his mistakes-"

"-But acknowledging your past wrongdoing is not enough."

"You must do more to redress the damage you and your father have wrought."

"What must I do?" Arthur asked with some trepidation; the Disir did not seem like the types to assign an easy penance.

"Bow to the Goddess."

"Learn Her ways."

Before the third Disir could add her two shillings' worth, Merlin broke in. "Hold on. Arthur is prepared to lift the ban on magic in Camelot once the people are ready to accept it, but what you're asking him to do would require him to convert to the Old Religion himself."

As one, the Disir's heads swiveled, their hidden eyes locking onto him. "The Old Religion, Emrys?"

"There was a time when there was but one religion, when all were united under the Triple Goddess-"

"-Until heretics such as Uther Pendragon turned their backs on the true faith."

"The Goddess will not stand for such insults any longer!"

This time, it was Morgana who spoke up. "You understand why some prefer the new ways, don't you? Our religion is centered around the practice of magic, which all too often leads to those without the gift being treated as inferior."

"Magic is the fabric of this world, girl," the head Disir said sternly.

"Of course the Goddess favors those with the strength of will and clarity of mind to harness its powers."

"As the future High Priestess, you ought to know that."

Morgana shook her head. "I know the three of you were chosen at birth and raised by your predecessors, apart from the outside world, but I was raised among those without magic; I've seen firsthand that they are no better or worse than us, and they don't deserve to be persecuted any more than we do."

"That's the world Merlin and I intend to build - one where everyone is treated equally, regardless of what special talents they were or were not born with. I will allow magic back into Camelot as soon as it's politically viable, and I would never ask my friends here, or any other sorcerer, to give up their beliefs, but I will not embrace the Old Religion myself," Arthur said firmly.

"And he shouldn't have to," Merlin added. "Even in Dagon, my father and I have never required all our subjects to follow our religion, and we never will."

The Disir who usually spoke first seemed to have been rendered speechless by that pronouncement, but her sisters quickly stepped in. "You would deny the natural superiority of our people? Subvert the will of the Goddess?" the second Disir demanded.

"Who are you to defy destiny in this way?" the third one practically shrieked at him.

Merlin drew himself up to his full height, his eyes flashing dangerously. "I am Emrys, and I make my own destiny."

At that, the head Disir found her voice again. "Not while you persist in disavowing your true self! Until you fully embrace the great power the Goddess has granted you, you are merely a mortal like any other, and you will obey us!"

"No. You may have spent your lives interpreting the word of the Goddess, but you're only human too, and right now I think your interpretation of Her word is influenced by your pride. You want to see a resurgence of the old ways so you will be revered as you once were, do you not?"

Beside herself with rage, the Disir snatched up a wooden staff with a wickedly sharp point and hurled it at Merlin.

Up to that point, Mordred had been standing quietly off to the side, watching the proceedings unfold with a steadily mounting sense of foreboding. At first, he had hoped the Disir might be able to make Arthur see the error of his ways, even though he should have known better. He wasn't sure why Gwen was there - she wasn't one of them, nor was she included in the rune mark's summons - but he knew bringing her along had been a mistake as soon as she opened her mouth and questioned the Disir's right to judge Arthur - her, a mere peasant girl without a drop of magical blood in her veins! As if her insolence wasn't bad enough, then Merlin and Morgana, who should have been taught to respect the old ways, had gotten in on it as well, leaving Mordred appalled and outraged as they laid out their plans for a new world order.

When the Disir's leader attacked Merlin, however, he sprang into action; Merlin might be totally misguided - which Mordred attributed to Morgana, who might be a sorceress yet by her own admission had not been raised as one should be, filling his head with nonsense - but Mordred wasn't going to let him die simply for the crime of listening to the wrong people. He threw himself in front of Merlin without a second's hesitation...and the staff struck him in the chest, piercing his chainmail and sending him crumpling to the ground in a senseless heap.

Merlin's eyes darted down to Mordred's unconscious form, then hardened as he looked back at the Disir just in time to see the third one throwing another spear-like staff at him. With a flick of his wrist, the wooden missile reversed course in midair, forcing the Disir to duck and scatter in order to avoid being skewered by their own weapon. "How dare you?! Your judgment was against Arthur, not Mordred or myself, yet you attack us? You've overstepped your bounds, Disir!"

His fingertips glowed as he prepared to cast some sort of retaliatory spell, but Morgana seized him by the wrist, forcing his hand down. "No, Merlin! This is not the time for a fight - we need to get out of here and see to Mordred's wound!" As Merlin reluctantly let his arm drop back to his side, she shot a burning glare over her shoulder at the three Disir, who had regrouped and were watching them warily. "He is right, though - you have no right to attack those the Goddess has not judged guilty. Perhaps you should rethink whether it is truly Her path you follow, or if you have abandoned Her will for your own selfish desires."

Merlin and Arthur each put one of Mordred's arms around their shoulders and lifted him up, but before they could carry him out of the cave, one of the Disir called out, "Hold, Arthur Pendragon! If you would change your fate-"

"-If you would save all you hold dear-"

"-Reconsider your decision. Bow to the Goddess."

"You have three days to make your choice."

"This is your final warning. Fail to heed it, and all will be lost."

Arthur's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"They're obviously trying to frighten you," Gwen said impatiently. "Come on, Arthur, let's not listen to any more of this rubbish." Tugging on the arm not wrapped around Mordred, she marched him away.

Once they were outside the cave, they laid Mordred down, and Merlin melted away part of his mail shirt in order to get a better look at where the Disir's staff had pierced him, discovering that the sharp point had broken off and was still embedded in Mordred's upper torso. Summoning his knife from their pile of discarded weapons, Merlin used it to cut out the wooden barb, then cast the healing spell he normally used on flesh wounds...and nothing happened. He repeated the incantation, more forcefully this time, but still his spell failed to do so much as slow the bleeding.

"Why isn't it working?" Arthur asked anxiously.

"I don't know! Here, Morgana, you try - you have more of a natural aptitude for healing magic than I do."

She shot him a dubious look - aptitude or not, she was nowhere near as powerful as him, so she doubted she would be able to succeed where he had failed - but tried anyway, only for her attempt to prove equally ineffective. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. He needs a real physician; we should take him to Gaius."

###

Gaius was badly startled when the five of them appeared out of thin air in his infirmary, but his professionalism quickly took over; he directed them to put Mordred on the patient's cot, barked out a series of questions, then spent several minutes examining Mordred's wound and taking his vitals, his expression growing bleaker by the second.

At last, the suspense became too much to bear. "Well?" Merlin demanded.

Gaius sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, my lord, I fear this wound is beyond my skills."

"But you're the best healer in the kingdom!" Arthur protested. "There must be something you can do!"

The old man shook his head. "This is no ordinary injury, sire; there is magic involved, and it is like nothing I've ever seen, which doesn't surprise me since you said it was the Disir who cursed him. According to what I have read about the Disir, only they have the power to counteract their own sorcery."

The four friends exchanged dismayed looks, but it was Merlin who voiced what they were all thinking. "Well, that's going to be a problem."

"Maybe not," Arthur said slowly, with the air of a man grasping at straws to keep himself from plunging off a cliff. "Just before we left, they offered me one last chance - they said I could still change fate if I agreed to their demands within three days."

"And you believe they were offering to spare Mordred's life in return?" Morgana queried, arching her eyebrows in a way that seemed to indicate some skepticism.

"Well, what else could they have meant?"

"I don't know, but you must be careful in dealing with people like the Disir. They didn't explicitly say Mordred would live if you became a follower of the Old Religion, did they? They talked about changing your fate, saving all you hold dear... Mordred isn't all you hold dear, is he?"

"Well, no, but he is the only person I care about whose life is in danger, and he's my kin; my fate is bound to his. This is the only explanation that makes sense," Arthur insisted.

"All right," Gwen interjected before Morgana could continue the argument, "let's assume you're right, and the Disir were offering to let Mordred live in exchange for your submission. Is that a trade you're willing to make?"

Arthur froze, his hopeful expression fading; caught up in his relief at finding a way to help Mordred, he hadn't stopped to consider what it would cost him. "Do I have a choice?" he asked, sounding much more subdued than he had a moment ago. "If I refuse, I'm condemning my nephew to death."

"And if you give in to the Disir's demands, you could be condemning all of Camelot. You said yourself that the people are not ready to accept magic," Gwen reminded him.

At that, Arthur's crestfallen demeanor gave way to outright worry. "That's true; if I announce tomorrow that I'm lifting all restrictions on the practice of sorcery in Camelot, I fear it would tear the kingdom apart."

Gwen nodded. "Now imagine how your people would react if you also converted to the Old Religion; Morgana was right when she said there are many who don't want to return to the days when those with magic lorded over them unchecked. We've discussed this many times over the last five years, all four of us, and we agreed that the only way to achieve peace and harmony in Albion is if we rule equitably, in balance - Merlin and Morgana are the magic, so you and I must be the voice for the ordinary folk...which we cannot do if you allow the Disir to have authority over you."

"It won't end with them, either," Morgana added. "If it becomes known that you're susceptible to blackmail, every unscrupulous person who wants something from you will attempt it. You'll be hanging a target on the backs of everyone you care about, and losing the faith of your subjects at the same time. How are Camelot's people supposed to trust a king who can be compelled to act against their best interests any time someone he loves is at risk?"

"You're right, both of you; I know it, and yet..." Arthur cast an anguished look at Mordred. "How can I knowingly sacrifice the life of an innocent boy?"

Gaius had remained at Mordred's bedside the entire time, listening to the future leaders of Albion debate the fate of the world, but now he decided it was time to speak up. "If I may, sire, I would like to offer you some advice."

"Of course, Gaius. I've always valued your counsel."

"Your father had many faults, but he always understood that his duty to Camelot had to come before all else, including his own wishes. That is why he refused to acknowledge Morgause, even though turning his back on his daughter grieved him more than you ever knew."

"So you think I should do what my father would have done." Beginning to feel as if he was being backed into a corner, Arthur turned to the only person who had yet to offer an opinion, who was still staring at Mordred, apparently lost in thought. Arthur just hoped that brilliant mind of his was working on a better solution than the one Gwen, Morgana, and Gaius had proposed. "What do you think, Merlin?"

"Gwen and Morgana are right - giving in to the Disir is out of the question, but they gave you three days to decide, so we can use that time to find another way of saving him."

"Did you not hear what I said before, my lord?" Gaius asked. "Only the Disir-"

"I heard you, but if we could just understand how their magic works, I'm sure Morgana and I could reverse it. We'll ask Nimueh - maybe she knows more about the Disir than we do."

"Excellent plan, Merlin," Arthur said with obvious relief. "You know, this is the second good idea you've had this month - if you keep it up, I may have to reconsider calling you an idiot."

###

Merlin and Morgana traveled by magic to the Lake of Avalon, then crossed the water in a small boat with no oars or sail, which was the only way of getting to the Isle of the Blessed. As always, the boat seemed to know exactly where they needed to go; this time it took them farther inland than usual, into the preternaturally clear pool directly in front of the entrance to the main temple, where Nimueh stood waiting for them.

"So, you and your friends have run afoul of the Disir," she stated as they climbed out of the boat. "And to think, Merlin, you were the one warning the young Pendragon to avoid provoking them. Now I imagine you've come to seek my help in healing that reckless boy who threw himself in the path of a curse meant for you."

"You're as omniscient as ever, my lady. So, can you help us? This boy isn't just a friend, he's also Morgana and Arthur's nephew."

Nimueh's countenance darkened. "That would make him the son of Morgause. Are you certain saving him is wise?"

"Why is everyone so eager to judge Mordred for his mother's crimes?" Merlin asked impatiently. "He's done nothing to warrant such treatment; in fact, as you just said, he saved me. I would not see him lose his life for it."

"If his life means so much to you, there is one way you can ensure his survival. Shall I fetch the Cup of Life?"

Morgana froze, her eyes wide with apprehension, and only relaxed when Merlin grimaced and shook his head. "No. As much as I want Mordred to live, I won't sacrifice another life for his. I had hoped you might know some other way of curing him."

"I can show you all the writings concerning the Disir we have here in the temple, but I cannot say if they will help you. The Old Religion has many separate branches, as you know; enforcing the laws of the mortal realm is the Disir's domain, and the Goddess has granted them certain powers to do so that even those of my order do not possess, or fully understand."

"I appreciate it all the same."

Nimueh summoned a young novice to take Merlin to the temple archives and gather the texts he needed, then pulled Morgana aside for a private conversation.

"You're looking much better than the last time I saw you."

"I can still keep up appearances," the High Priestess said dryly, "but we have more important things to discuss. Tell me, Morgana, did Merlin truly turn the Disir's weapon back on them?"

"Yes."

Nimueh drew in a sharp breath. "I thought my Sight was deceiving me... He should not have been able to do that. No magic or mortal weapon can halt the instrument of the Disir's judgment; that is why they are said to control fate. It seems his powers are growing, and I do not believe it is coincidence that it's happening now - I warned you before that dark times are on the horizon, and it is clear that Merlin will play a vital part in the great trial of Albion. I think soon he will have no choice but to become all that he is meant to be. Frankly, I don't understand why he has resisted this long."

"He doesn't want even more power than he already has, or immortality - he's afraid it would change him, that he might lose himself...that he might not be the man I love anymore." Morgana's voice broke at the end as she struggled to hold back the tears forming behind her eyes.

"I see." Nimueh's face momentarily softened into a rare look of genuine sympathy before slipping back into the serene mask of the High Priestess. "Still, the Goddess must have had a reason for creating Emrys, and you may need his powers if you are to truly unite Albion and defeat the dark forces that conspire against you."

"What dark forces?" Morgana asked, her heartbeat quickening. "Do you mean the Disir?"

"Perhaps, although I doubt they are the only ones who will oppose you; there are many who wish to cling to the old ways. Tell me, Morgana, why was it only Merlin who spoke of wanting to save the boy, Mordred, when he is not Merlin's kin but yours?"

Morgana blinked at her, taken aback by the apparent non sequitur. "I don't know - Merlin simply took to him more than I - but why do you ask? Wait... Are you implying that Mordred is part of the forces opposing us? Has the Crystal of Neahtid shown you something about him?"

Nimueh shook her head, a slight frown tugging at the corners of her mouth. "No - I never saw him until today, when I watched how the Disir judged King Arthur, and I did not know who he was, nor did I know Morgause had a son until Merlin told me just now. It's as if he's been hidden from my Sight all these years."

"He's never appeared in my visions either. Maybe he's under some sort of protective enchantment, but why?"

"If Morgause saw fit to provide him with such protection, you can be sure she had some nefarious purpose in mind." Nimueh glanced down the corridor, as if to check that Merlin was safely out of earshot, and lowered her voice. "Perhaps it would be for the best if Merlin's current endeavor does not succeed."

"Are you suggesting I should sabotage his efforts to save Mordred? I won't do that," Morgana said vehemently. "I may find the boy's mannerisms a bit off-putting, but I don't want him dead. Besides, Merlin has grown attached to him; he'll be devastated if Mordred dies."

"Yet somehow, I doubt you would feel the same," Nimueh replied with one of those maddeningly knowing looks she carried off so well.

Morgana merely huffed at her and stalked off to join Merlin in the library...yet she couldn't deny that her mentor wasn't entirely wrong.

###

In the end, Nimueh and Morgana didn't need to sabotage Merlin; the temple held no useful information on how the Disir cursed their victims or how such a curse might be lifted without their assistance.

"I'm sorry, Merlin," Morgana said as the sun set on their third day of fruitless research. "Our time is up; the Disir expect Arthur's answer at daybreak. You do still want him to refuse, don't you?" She held her breath as she waited for his answer, wondering if Merlin's resolve would waver now that the moment of truth had arrived.

"No, I don't want him to...but I know he must. For Albion, this is the right thing to do."

Morgana reached across the little table where they had spent the last three days poring over ancient texts and obscure writings and took both his hands in hers, hoping her touch might give him some small measure of comfort. "Not many men would be able to make such a sacrifice...but then that's the difference between a man and a king. Come - we need to prepare Arthur and Gwen."

Merlin shook his head. "You go. I'm going to stay here and keep looking. There might still be something here that can save him - I just haven't looked in the right place yet..."

"Merlin-"

"I'm not giving up on him, Morgana! Until the Disir carry out their sentence, I'm not giving up."

Morgana sighed and squeezed his hands once more before gently untangling their intertwined fingers. "I suppose if you did, you wouldn't be who you are. I truly am sorry, my love."

###

When she returned to Camelot, one look at her face – coupled with the lack of improvement in Mordred's condition – was all Arthur and Gwen needed to let them know she and Merlin had been unsuccessful. "I'm sorry, Arthur," she said sadly, once again unsure if she was apologizing for her failure or her complicated feelings about the situation. "We tried our best."

Arthur pulled her into a crushing embrace. "I know you did, but we always knew it was a long shot. Merlin still hasn't given up, I suppose?" When Morgana shook her head, he sighed and said, "I feel for him; he really seemed to care for Mordred. Do you want to say goodbye to him?"

After a second's hesitation, Morgana nodded - it seemed like the least she could do. Arthur and Gwen left the infirmary, where they had been keeping vigil on what seemed like it would be the last night of Mordred's life, and she tiptoed over to the cot where he lay, pale and soaked in cold sweat. Despite the coolness between them, she felt a pang of sadness at seeing him like that.

Perching on the edge of his sickbed, she took hold of his hand and reached out to him via thought-speak, hoping she might get through to him that way even if he was beyond hearing spoken words. Mordred? I don't know if you can hear me, but if you can, I want you to know how sorry we all are that it's come to this, and that Merlin and I did everything we could to save you. And...I'm sorry if I let my feelings toward Morgause affect the way I felt about you. Maybe I judged you unfairly because you reminded me so much of her... Still, I never wanted anything like this to happen. Safe journey to Avalon, Mordred; I pray that the Goddess will watch over you. A tear trickled down her cheek and fell onto Mordred's face as she bent down to kiss his forehead, a gesture that was both a personal farewell and a routine blessing from the future High Priestess to one of her own.

He stirred ever so slightly at her touch, his eyelids opening infinitesimally. Morgana gasped and drew back sharply - Mordred's eyes, which were supposed to be brown like those of his parents, had turned a deep blue.

Aaaaand cue the suspenseful music!

I toyed with the idea of having the Disir episode turn out differently here, but ultimately I decided Arthur still has to say no, because they went too far asking him to convert, plus there are some very good reasons for him not to cave that I wish the show had brought up instead of just having Merlin give him the worst advice in the entire history of the series. And it didn't even accomplish what he wanted...!