A/N It didn't take me very long to write this chapter so I figured I might as well publish it. :D I'm not sorry for the cliff hanger last time, it seemed fitting. Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Merlin took a deep breath after changing into Dragoon. It was risky to be in his older body, he wouldn't be able to move as fast but this way Morgana knew who Emrys was. He heard a gasp behind him and knew that Arthur recognized him, or maybe one of the knights figured out he had 'attacked' them in the forest. Merlin didn't have the chance to say anything more as Morgana began her attack.
He brushed aside the fire ball with a wave and a word. "Do all High Priestesses learn the fire ball spell? Nimueh liked to use it as well." Merlin chattered away, easily falling into his Dragoon persona.
"Lyft sy þe in bǽlwylm ac forhienan se wiðere!" The whirl wind he conjured distracted Morgana long enough for him to send off a fire spell of his own. He grinned as it caught her skirt and started burning, with a flash of her eyes the flames died down.
"Emrys, you have been evading me for so long. I can see why now it is hardly easy for you to get around now isn't it?" Morgana began moving to the left, trying to come nearer. Merlin moved along the circle so that they kept at the farthest point without leaving the circle.
"I've not always been old, Morgana." Merlin thought that he could hear Gwaine's cough as he tried not to laugh. He was forced to duck as Morgana sent another spell at him. Then the conversation was put on hold as the spells began to fly faster.
Morgana's attack was ruthless, her spells designed to cause the most pain on contact. Some of the spells would cut him as they went by, regardless of the shields he erected. His own spells were more elemental and mostly instinctual. He didn't know where the words came from but suddenly he knew how to form ice from the choking mist she conjured. He created the same wind and flame that defeated the Afnac and was more than pleased when it seemed to work against her.
Suddenly Morgana seemed to remember that Emyrs was there to protect the king and hastily Merlin threw up a shield to block a spell from hitting Arthur. As the dark spell hammered Merlin's shield in front of Arthur and the knights, Morgana turned back to attack him and he dived to avoid the fiery spell she shot at him, momentarily forgetting that he wasn't in his usual younger body. As he slammed into the ground the breath was knocked from his lungs. Morgana prowled forward, Merlin suddenly realized that she had a dagger in her hand.
"It seems you are at my mercy Emrys, but you will not get that, not after all the pain you have caused me. You turned your back on your kin, you supported Arthur! He has done nothing but persecute those of us with magic. You say that you have stopped me at every turn, where were you when I was learning that I had magic and could die at any moment by living in Uther's house? I have asked you to join me and you refused, the druids say you are my destiny and my doom, but you will never be my doom, because it is my destiny to kill you." She brought the dagger towards him and dimly Merlin could hear the shouts of the knights. He brought a feeble arm up, cursing his dramatic decision to fight as the old man.
He saw a flicker of motion behind her, Gwaine and Leon were trying to hold back Arthur who had drawn his sword and was striving to come and attack. Merlin couldn't let Arthur kill Morgana, it would haunt him for the rest of his life, and Morgana would undoubtedly kill Arthur if he got close enough to slay her. Merlin would never allow his king to die, it would mean the end of all he had strived so hard to protect and work for.
Morgana was still coming closer to Merlin. He realized that if he died then Morgana would kill Arthur. His magic reacted to the threat, he had spent who knew how many years protecting the prat to stop now. It was much the same as when he fought Nimueh all those years ago, or when he battled Morgause in the throne room after the immortal army attacked. Clouds gathered in the sky in an instant and a clap of thunder echoed all around them. Morgana wasn't to be distracted and kept coming towards him, her eyes glinting with the pleasure his death would bring for the start of her reign as queen.
"þíefþ!" The word came unbidden to Merlin's mind and as he spoke he knew how fitting it was. The word was the shortened version of the lightening incantation he had learned after slaying Nimueh, but this word would use the same power that had been in use in his first fight for his life against a high priestess. The lightening reacted at his word and he closed his eyes just before it collided not willing to watch as Morgana died.
Arthur was momentarily blinded as the lightning reached its target, he looked away and blinked rapidly trying to regain his sight. Emrys, Dragoon, lay on the ground but Morgana was gone, there was no trace of his half-sister left. Gwaine rushed past Arthur going to help the, now, old man up to his feet. Arthur was frozen, the thought of offering sanctuary and help to the sorcerer that had killed his father, even though it was unknowingly, hurt him. He felt so torn, his father had always told him that magic was evil and not to be trusted and then he had been saved by Merlin. His friend that had magic and offered his life to save and protect Arthur. Merlin had helped Arthur to change his mind after the death of his father at the hands of Dragoon. Now he was learning that Emrys, the savior of the battle, the man who is more powerful than even a high priestess of the old religion, was Dragoon.
Ha, he scoffed, No wonder he reminded me of Dragoon when I met him. They are the same person.
Gwaine was supporting the man as they walked towards him, Dragoon seemed shaky but was only slightly hurt by the numerous spells that Morgana had sent his way. Gwaine began to say something but Arthur cut him off.
"The great Emrys or should I say Dragoon? You killed my father. Did you just come back to continue what you started?" Arthur stopped for a breath, all the revelations since the start of the day that had piled on him. Morgana was dead, and the castle was saved by the traitor who killed his father.
"I have no wish to kill you Arthur! Your father had an enchanted amulet around his neck that twisted my healing magic; it was never my intention to hurt you." Dragoon looked upset that Arthur had suggested that. "If I had wanted you dead I would have left you to die by Morgana's hand! Forget this attack, I could have let you die when I first met you." Dragoon towered over Arthur, the man's fragility seemingly forgotten. "I have done nothing but offer my life to you, Sire. I am willing to come out of hiding to help you. So yes, I call myself Dragoon and wear the disguise of an old man when you need my help, but I am always willing to protect you."
Suddenly he seemed to sag against Gwaine. Gwaine glared at him and Arthur sighed, feeling Leon's hand on his shoulder, warning him to watch what he was doing. It wouldn't be wise to anger the sorcerer who had saved them, no matter what he had done in the past.
"Take him to Gaius and get him looked after, you as well Gwaine." Arthur turned his back on them and turned to start cleaning up in the aftermath of the battle. It always amazed him at how quickly his peaceful, idyllic world could be turned around. In less than three hours the wall surrounding the lower city was destroyed and his injured knights were lying with those left behind from Morgana's retreat. And your sister is dead by an assassin's hand, He shoved the thoughts to the back of his mind, not willing to face the question of what to do with his savior. "Leon, Elyan, we need to begin the clean-up here. Send word to get the druids that are willing to help heal. Percival you and I will be going to Morgana's army, they will have the choice to surrender or leave."
Arthur decided that until the mess had been cleaned up in the lower town and leaderless army taken care of, he would ignore the problem of the sorcerer that was simultaneously traitor and savior.
Gwaine helped his friend away from the battle site. "So, how many names do you have?"
"Only three." He gave a wheezy chuckle. "I'm surprised Arthur didn't arrest me right there."
"Do you honestly think he would try? Especially after you blasted the witch to bits?" Gwaine helped Emrys to walk towards the castle and accepted the help of several druids that ran when they saw them.
"Funny how they only show up afterwards." Gwaine murmured quietly.
"Oh, I told them to stay back. I knew I could handle Morgana and they were needed elsewhere." Gwaine gaped at his friend, who suddenly looked so old and weary.
"Well, you didn't need it. You did just fine in the battle, even in this old body." He grinned at Emrys and got a brief smile in return.
"I'll need a potion once we get back to Gaius's, it will change me from Dragoon back to Emrys." He went quiet and they walked in comfortable silence back to the physician's chambers.
"Gaius, I did it! She's gone for good!" Gwaine could hear how happy Emrys was as they entered the familiar rooms. Normally they would have gone to meet the healer at the infirmary, but with all the druids available to help, Gaius was able to make potions to aid the injured, while in his own home.
Gwaine let the druid that was with him guide him towards a patient bed and start cleaning his own cut. He watched as Emrys was given nearly the same treatment on a similar bed across the room, the druid girl tutting over the many cuts that covered his skin.
"Lilibeth, hand me that blue potion there." Emrys pointed to a small bottle that Gwaine recognized from the day before. After she handed it over he grinned at Gwaine, "Off with Dragoon and back to Emrys!" He downed the potion in one swallow.
Gwaine watched the reverse transformation of the one he had seen not even an hour before. Hair shortened and darkened, wrinkles vanished, and the beard was gone, until Merlin sat there.
"Merlin!" Gwaine nearly shouted and he knew that his eyes were comically wide—his breath nearly stopped in his throat at the thought of what would happen if Arthur walked in now.
"Gwaine, don't call me that. I told you my name is Emrys." Merlin sent him a dark look, one that Gwaine had missed so much; but didn't want to see now, here in Camelot.
"No, you went past your Emrys age. You look like yourself." If it hadn't been so serious Gwaine would have laughed at the shocked look that crossed Merlin's face, before it paled to far lighter shade than was healthy.
Within in seconds he was up and rushing towards the silver plate that Gaius used as a mirror, after one to many incidents with his clumsy ward and the glass mirrors that were typically used.
Merlin looked at his reflection horrified, "I'm me."
Gaius looked over at his panicking ward. "Surely you know the spell that aged you?"
"One of the others performed it, I didn't dare mess with it. Especially after I got stuck as Dragoon the first time." Merlin looked ready to run and Gwaine decided to step in before things got worse.
"Calm down mate, you're safe. It's not like Arthur is coming here any time soon. We can figure out a spell or some way to disguise you before then." Gwaine offered a grin, albeit a very weak one.
The door opened with a bang and Gwaine let out a word that would have his mother cleaning his mouth for a week if she ever heard. For coming through the door was Arthur followed by a guard.
"This guard is to watch Dragoon…" Arthur trailed off when he realized that the man in question was not in the room. His jaw dropped when he saw Merlin standing in the center of the room covered with the marks of his latest battle.
"Merlin?!"
A/N This is why I am not sorry for the last cliffhanger, I knew this one would be much worse. :) Now I know you all hate me for this but it is way too much fun. Well thanks for reading! I'll try to get the next update finished soon.