Slightly Changes.
What if Gwen, feeling herself irresistibly drawn by Lancelot had decided to leave Camelot, leave Arthur before cheating on him ? How does the King would have react ? Would have he let the love of his life go away from him ? Would the Morgana's evil plan operates in this case ? The true love that share Arthur and Guinevere, could it survive to a true break up ? Would have it been the good answer ? In this version, set during 4x09, after Arthur's proposing, Lancelot come back and the enchanted gift this late gave to Gwen. This one decided to leave all that matter for her, including the man she loves more than anything, because of feelings she thought dead forever ...
Hello ! Chapter 11 in here ! It's quite a complicate chapter and a lot happen so ... I hope you'll like it because I had a lot of fun writing it ! :) As usually I wanted to thanks people who read me, put me in their favourite and follow me :) In this chapter, thanks to Kohimoana,larasmith,Cowboy's Lover Dimitri No 1 and RavenBaller-23 for their AMAZING review :) Thanks to RavenBaller-23 too, for putting me in favourites story and following me, it means the world THANKS TO ALL OF YOU :)
XI.
After that Elyan had told to the King of what he remembered, Merlin saw Arthur pale in one stroke...
"I'll watch in my Chamber, Merlin go to Gwen's house, I join you there in a minute, look for any clue. Percival, Gwaine in the gardens. Leon, Elyan the rest of the Castle. I want her find."
Merlin was walking quickly toward Gwen's house, he came in and found the house in a total mess. He sighed and walked forward, starting looking for any clue about the place she could be right now. He found nothing but a bright object caught his attention, somewhere in the ground, a bracelet. He took it and immediatly, released it, as if he had been burn. Merlin then removed his scarf and shrouded the bracelet before put it in his pocket. He was about to go, when he noticed a shadow at the bottom of the house, slowly, he walked forward, and a scream escaped him,
"Gwen !"
Gwen was there, in her bride clothes, the tears rolling down her face, the hands tied, gagged. He walked closer and she didn't stopped shaking her head, as to tell him to go away. He got closer and withdrawn the gag,
"Don't worry, I will get you out of here."
"Save yourself Merlin, it's a trap. Go warn Arthur, I beg you. It's him that she wants..."
He stared at her a few seconds, then said,
"I'm not going without you Gwen."
"How touching."
Merlin frowned and turned around,
"Morgaine..."
"Impressive I must admit. You are the only one who recognized me and yet, we haven't be introduced... Emrys."
He froze. How did she knew that ?
"I'm not afraid of you." he breathed and she laughed,
"Oh I know that."
Merlin looked at Gwen for less than a second, checking she was okay and during this little time, Morgaine's eyes became gold and Merlin was sent against a wall, unconscious. Gwen screamed and Morgaine walked closer for return her gag,
"Calm down Sweetheart, your Prince will be coming soon. As for you ..." she headed toward Merlin and pulled out a pair of handcuff, the same as the ones she used for Morgana. "We didn't want you to escape, isn't it ?"
"Guinevere ?"
The young woman threw a terrified look toward the door and closed her eyes a few seconds, the sobs taking her. Oh no. Arthur.
"Merlin ?" said again the King,
Arthur walked forward to the bottom of the house, believing hearing some cries, begging for Guinevere not to be hurt, nor Merlin. He walked forward again until the scene in front of him stop him right in tracks.
"Oh Guinevere..." he breathed, he then noticed Merlin's figure against a wall and his eyes were showing the worry he felt toward the two people the most important in his life. He tried to come closer but couldn't. He raised a hand and understood there was like a invisible wall between them.
"NO !" he screamed, "GUINEVERE !" he took his sword and in vain, tried to cross the wall, again and again, seeing his fiancée sobbed behind, and the man he considered as his own brother, still motionless.
"Do not tire yourself, Arthur Pendragon."
He saw Guinevere's eyes open with terror and turned around slowly, the surprise took him two seconds seeing the young woman, before he said,
"I guess you're Morgaine, or Sophia, how am I suppose to call you ?"
She laughed and said again,
"You think yourself clever, don't you ? The fact is, I'm holding the two person you value above everything else." she crossed the wall, as if it was nothing, and got closer to Gwen, stroking her cheek and the young woman tried to avoid her hand, "This lovely bride, you deeply loved and ..." she headed toward Merlin, "your friend, who you are foolishly committed."
"What have you done to him ?" asked Arthur, worried about not having saw him move yet,
"Nothing. He's alive you have my word."
"Why do I have to trust you ?"
"Because you don't have the choice, young Pendragon."
"What do you want ?"
"You."
He frowned, didn't understanding and she explained,
"The deal is quite easy to understand. Your life, against their.
Arthur didn't thought a second more,
"If I came with you, you let them go ? Without hurting them ?"
"I give you my word."
"Why do I have to believe you ?"
"There again, you don't have much of a choice."
He looked down a few seconds,and then looked up, meeting Guinevere's stare, who was shaking her head desesperately,
"Deal." he answered, "But I want two minutes with her."
"You're lucky," laughed Morgaine, "I'm such in a good mood I'm ready to give you two minutes Pendragon, but no one more and they stay tied, understood ?"
He nodded and Morgaine made disapear the wall. Right away, he threw himself on Guinevere and removed the gag, laying his hands on her cheeks and she leaned on it, trying to make the touch last,
"Why did you do that..." she whispered,
"I love you." he breathed and she saw the tears in his eyes.
"No, Arthur, don't say that as if you were saying goodbye to me, I beg you... you're gonna be okay, you always are. And then, we will married and ..." her voice broke,
"You are a wonderful bride," he then said, "And I can die a happy man, knowing you were as lovely for me. Even if I would have loved you to be my wife, even for a few minutes..." he got closer and kissed her tenderly before whispering against her lips, "Be happy Guinevere. Just ... do not forget me. I beg you. Try to remind yourself of me, the man who loved you more than his own life. Talk about me to your children..."
"Arthur stop it, I beg you... stop it !"
"Tell me you love me Guinevere,"
"I love you..." she breathed and then, kissed him again, but this time, Morgaine's scathing voice could be heard,
"Time's up Pendragon. You're mine."
Arthur hardly got up, looking only at Gwen.
"Nothing will never tear us apart Guinevere. Not even death."
Morgaine laid a hand on his shoulder and made an evil smile to Gwen, before her eyes flashed gold and the two of them disapear. Tears were clear on the lovers faces and Gwen screamed,
"NO !"
When Arthur opened his eyes, he was in the dungeon. He tried to rub his eyes but noticed his hands were tied He sighed and reminded himself where he was and why. He was just hoping that Guinevere and Merlin were fine... He tried to rely on the bars of his cell when he saw a shadow a few meters from him.
"Who's there ?"
"You don't recognize me, dear brother ?"
He felt freeze, knowing this voice between a thousand,
"Morgana..."
When the knights came in, they discovered quite an unexpected scene. Gwen was gagged, tied, on her bed, sobbing in forgetting to take her breath... And Merlin, lying on the ground, tied too, apparently unconscious. Gwaine was the first come, and he threw himself on Gwen,
"What happened here Esmeralda ? We were stuck outside, without any way of coming in ..."
"Arthur... Arthur... NO !" she screamed and he jumped,
"Gwen ? What's going on ?"
But the young woman didn't answered, muttering again and again the King's name. Gwaine, worried, turned toward Percival,
"Sent for Gaius."
He then hurried toward Merlin's side and searched a poul which he found, weak.
"Hold on, buddy."
He then looked everywhere around him. No trace of Arthur.
"Morgana ? But... What are you doing here ?"
"Taking some holidays, doesn't seem like ? "
"Oh, I was thinking the place was perfect for you."
"What do you want Arthur, we're not all as previsible as you can be !"
"For what I see, you were here before me."
"Perhaps, but you're here too."
"After."
"What's the difference ?"
"It changes everything."
He was surprised of how easy it was, falling back in their old habits, almost as if nothing happened, almost. Morgana seemed to think the same thing because she stopped talking too. They heard the door being open and Morgana froze.
"So, are you enjoying the reunion ? You should, because the other will be the last face you'll see on this earth."
"Why don't you just kill us ? " asked then Arthur,
Morgaine laughed and he froze,
"Way too easy. I didn't took so much time to find you, just to kill you. No Pendragon, you must suffer, as she had suffered."
"Who's her ?"
Morgaine's eyes went cold and she said,
"Morgause. I'm her sister. You damned her at awful pain. You will pay for it."
And on this words, she left.
"Gaius ?"
The old man turned around toward the Knights and sighed,
"Gwen is sleeping. Let her get some rest, her nerves have been put to strain but she should get better with time... Merlin is better too, he is sleeping right now but he got conscious for a few seconds, which is already good, with the strenght of the blow he took."
"Had they told you what happened ?"
Gaius sighed,
"Gwen's words weren't clear Gwaine, she kept on calling Arthur, again and again, and then that Morgaine came, and that he had sacrified his life, and his name, again, and then she fell asleep."
They all looked down,
"We'll know much tomorrow, let the patients the time of getting better."
"Gaius," asked then Leon, "Do you think Arthur is alive ?"
"I'm afraid that I can't answer to you Leon, we will have to wait until Gwen woke up for knowing."
"There is no way of getting out of here." Morgana said sharply, seeing him look at the bars.
"Can you be a little more positive please ?"
She laughed a dark laugh and he stopped, settling himself the more comfortable he could.
"I hate you, you know." she breathed."
"You hated our Father. And I'm sorry for what he did to you."
"Uther was never my father !" she screamed,
"But we are brother and sister,"
"Funny how you remember that in our death moment."
"I already thought this way." he said gently, "you're the one who forgot it Morgana. You have let herself driven by Morgause and consumed by hatred and biterness..."
"Shut up."
"You're the one who betrayed all of your friends trying to kill them one by one ! "
"My friends ?"
"Yes Morgana, your friends ! For God's sake, we would have done everything for you ! Gwen, me, Merlin !"
Another dark laugh escaped Morgana's lips at the name of the one she hated the most.
"I was scared Arthur, my powers were manifesting themselves and I was so alone."
"Well, perhaps if you had come to talk to me as you used to when we were little, instead of seeking comfort in Morgause's arms."
"She was my sister !"
"She was a heartless demon in a woman's body. You were yourself, kind and compassionate, before you met her Morgana."
"It's also your fault."
He didn't answer right away and a smirk came on Morgana's lips before she heard him whisper
"I know. I could have saved you Morgana. I'm sorry ..."
Suddenly, her eyes widened and she felt tears blurring her vision. What had he said ?
Gwen opened her eyes with difficulty and reminded herself of the previous day events. And a new crisis of tears took her. She tied her arms around her legs and cried, cried, and cried again until his voice rang in her head, "Nothing will never tear us apart Guinevere." The young woman then got up, she had to find Merlin. She stumbled on a body, asleep by her side, and she tried to get around Elyan but he woke up and caught her by the waist,
"Where are you going Gwen ?"
"Let me go ! I have to see Merlin."
"No. You must rest, Gaius words. Not mine."
"Elyan Leodegrance, if you don't let go of me immediatly, I swear to you this is the last thing you would have ever done !"
Elyan swallowed at that.
Gwen ran in Merlin's room, ignoring Gaius. When she came in, she saw him on his bed, pale as dead."
"Guinevere ..." he breathed.
He got up and she threw herself in his arms, before a small whimper was heard,
"I'm sorry," she said right away, pulling away from him, "How do you feel ?"
"As someone who's been crushed in a wall by some stupid witch who kidnapped my best friend !"he muttered and she saw just how much he was upset,
"Merlin" she breathed, stroking his forearm, "We will find him."
"We ?"
"You and I."
He stared at her a few second before an idea came in his mind. He took Gwen's hand and she didn't understood,
"Merlin ?"
"Put some clothes on Gwen. We have to go somewhere."
Gwen frowned and he took both of her hands in his before asking gently,
"Do you trust me Gwen ?"
"You know I do."
He sighed and closed his eyes.
"Then, it's time for you to know something about me. Put some clothes and meet me in the stables as soon as you can."
"Where are we going ?" she screamed as he left,
"Meet an old friend of mine." was his only answer.
"I hate you."
"You already said that Morgana." sighed the young man, moistened his dry lips, he was dying of thirst. Was it Morgaine plan ? Killing them little by little ? "I will start to think you're going crazy."
"Why don't you shout at me ? Why don't you insult me ? Why had you apologize for ?"
He closed his eyes,
"Because I know that all that Morgana, it's not you."
"You don't know that."
"I know you."
"No you're not."
"I know you're not this heartless person."
"I killed Uther."
A silence settled before Arthur said,
"I know that."
"What ?"
"I know you sent this sorcerer to kill my father."
A laugh took her and he looked at her, puzzled,
"Emrys ? No, dear brother, he was really trying to save your father, the same way he saved you during all those years..."
Arthur frowned and shook his head, too exhausted for trying to understand what was telling Morgana, and then, she said quickly,
"I made Lancelot come back from the dead, and enchanted Guinevere for her to kiss him the night before your wedding."
Arthur felt his heart stopped than. He became pale and clamped his fists before turned toward Morgana, who was watching him.
"I beg your pardon ?"
Gwen was walking toward the stables when she caught glimpse of Merlin, who seemed trouble.
"Merlin ?" he turned toward her and held her the rein of the horse, "Everything's okay ? You scare me."
"Gwen..." he sighed, he was not sure he was doing the good choice but Gwen was his friend and he had not the time to do other way. Maybe, she would understand that magic wasn't evil, it was what men was doing of her. And with a little luck, she would make Arthur understand that ...
"Here, are you hating me now ?" asked then Morgana,
Arthur didn't answered right away, he forced himself inhaling, exhaling, tightening and loosening his fists.
"I would have your head off if I could..."
A smirk lighted up her face but again, she lost it immediatly.
"But it would be too easy for you Morgana. So..." he opened his eyes, "I forgive you."
"You can't do this..." she whispered with a broken voice and this time, it become Arthur's turn to smirk.
"Try me."
"I drove away the two of you."
"And all that you have succeeded to do, was getting us closer than before. I already knew I couldn't live without Guinevere, now, I sure of it. In fact, I think I should thank you."
"Shut up I beg you."
"Why, dear sister ? Are we afraid of truth ?"
"Shut up !" she screamed and her eyes became gold before a few sparks came to her wrist.
Their eyes widened and for a few seconds, none of them were speaking.
"What was that ?"
"I ... I don't know... This handcuffs are supposed ... They are supposed to deprive me of my magic !"
"It was a spark. I saw it."
She looked up at him and for one second,he saw the scared little girl he knew, the one who just needed someone to grasp her hand and tell her everything was going to be fine. She was her little sister, against all odds, the magic had poisoned her heart, but she was still there, somewhere.
"Everything's gonna be okay Morgana." he whispered gently and saw a tear roll down her cheek.
They arrived in a glade, outside the town, and for an unknown reason, Gwen felt uncomfortable. Merlin dismounted off his horse and turned toward her,
"Promise me you would not tell a soul about that. And that you wont change you mind about me.
"Merlin ?"
"Promise me."
She saw the fear in his eyes and dismounted off her horse too, before take his hand,
"I swear it to you. You're my best friend, no matter what happened, no matter what you have done."
"No matter what I am ?" he asked in a little voice and her breath quickened,
"What do you mean ?"
He sadly smiled and then got away slightly before raised his head and scream some words in a foreign and strange language. Gwen froze, she would have wanted to shout him to stop, she would have wanted run away, but she couldn't move... Suddenly, a huge shadow covered them and when she looked up, she missed passing out from terror...
"I don't need you. I don't need anybody."
"You're nothing but that scared little girl that came in Camelot the first time I saw you Morgana ..."
"Shut up. I am a High priestess of the Old Religion."
"Perhaps. But I know you'll always be that lost little girl ..."
"SHUT UP !" she screamed and all of a sudden, an other spark, brighter, made them jumped. Morgana saw the proud smile on Arthur's face and breathed, couldn't stopping a smile, "You did it on purpose !"
"Easy. I make you angry, you get mad, and then, spark."
Their eyes crossed a few seconds and she cleared her throat,
"This doesn't change anything."
"It's for you to decide Morgana, the ball is in your hands now. I offer you a second chance. Take it, and you wont be alone ever again, you have my word."
She closed her eyes, harder, trying to prevent the weak person she was before she met Morgause, to come up at the surface. She was strong, strong. And she didn't need anyone, least of all not Arthur. She hated him, she hated him. Why wasn't she so sure anymore ?
"Mer...Merlin..." stammered Gwen, hanging on his arm, seeing the Dragon in front of them, "What ... what..."
"I'm sorry Gwen." he looked down and said in one shot, "I'm a sorcerer. The Druids called me Emrys, my destiny is to look after Arthur, no matter what, to help him accomplish his own destiny, be the greatest King Camelot had ever know. I'm also the last Dragonlord alive, he wont hurt you."
"But..." she slowly receded from him, "All those years ?"
"I was born with it Gwen. And I tried to protect Arthur, you and all the people I care about, in the best way I could."
She closed her eyes a few seconds, remembering suddenly all those times Arthur was healed from some incurables wounds like by ... magic.Tears was rolling down her face and before he had time to understand, Merlin heard her laugh and threw herself in his arms,
"Oh Merlin." she breathed, squeezing him, "Merlin, how could we one day, thank you enough ? How ?"
Tears of joy was rolling down his cheeks too now,
"You mean, you don't hate me ?"
"How could I ? Since a while, I know somebody protect us but never... Oh my God, my dear, dear friend."
They pulled away and laughed at the same time, before the Dragon arises in front of them.
"You have summoned me, young warlock. And you brought friends with you ..."
"I'm Guinevere but ..."
"I know who you are." he cut her off, then bowed slightly, "The Once and Future Queen."
She smiled sweetly and the Dragon turned around to Merlin,
"My old Friend," said the sorcerer, "I need your help."
Then, he explained to him their situation and Kilgarrah listened and when he finished, he seemed to think, before he finally say,
"I can't tell you where it is young warlock, for the name itself is cursed. But I can tell you that your King is alive, for now."
"You have to take us there !"
Gwen closed her eyes a few seconds, Arthur was alive. Arthur was alive.
"I can't."
"I order it to you."
Gwen saw the Dragon's spine slightly bowed then, before he said again,
"I'm your entire servant..."
Merlin walked forward and only then did Gwen realized.
"Merlin, Merlin you can't mean on the Dragon, can you ?"
"His name is Kilgharrah Gwen, and yes, it's exactly what I meant."
He lend her a hand, "Are you ready to do anything to bring Arthur back ?" she took his hand then, whispering,
"Anything..."
In their cell in the dungeon, the King and the Witch were doing their best for getting out of there, when the door opened. Morgaine came in then, and stared at them, a smirk on her lips.
"My dear friends. I hope you enjoy your trip in our walls ?"
"What do you want from us Morgaine ?" asked the King in a voice dry by the thirst.
"Oh, I miss all of my duties." she took a pitcher of water and didn't miss the look on her prisonners' faces. "Maybe you're thirsty ?" Then, with an evil laugh, she put it outside the cell, in a way such they can't catch it but they have the illusion they can. She laughed again and Morgana closed her eyes, she hated her so much. Suddenly, she felt some fresh air on her wrist and opened her eyes again. Oh My God. She just freed herself ! She did it ! She looked at Arthur, trying to get his attention, but his eyes were only on Morgaine. Then, she froze. Why would she tell him ? She hated him too, right ? Morgaine walked forward and took a little dagger,
"Now, I'm going have some fun with you." she turned around slightly to Morgana, " Sorry Dear, Royal host first." Morgana saw her walked toward Arthur and this one didn't move for an inch but she saw how his jaw were tight and then, she closed her eyes, trying to regain her mind...
"I offer you a second chance."
She had to regain her mind.
"Take it, and you wont be alone ever again,"
Morgana closed her eyes harder, a strange warm feeling spreading into her for the first times in years...
"You have my word."
And then, her decision was taken, in a quarter of second, she got up and took the pitcher before explod it on Morgaine's head, who fell, unconscious under the strenght of the blow.
"Get away from my brother, you bitch." only muttered Morgana.
SO ? I can't wait to see what you thought of it ! Yes, MORGANA REDEMPTION ! I'm sorry, but I absolutely LOVE her, and I couldn't let her be the vilain always, she is not evil, she just have make so many wrong choice ... But now, Arthur is here. And MAGIC REVEAL to Guinevere, what did you think ? I really imagine Gwen to react this way ... What do you think will happen now ?
I hope you had a GREAT time,
Keep Safe :)