A/N: Sorry! So sorry! Writer's block sucks! But I have an idea for the next chapter and it will be out soon!

Chapter 10

After a few months of peace, Arthur was fighting two opponents while blindfolded. After winning the fight, he removed the blindfold and grabbed a sword,

"Let's change weapons." he turned to Merlin, "What'd you think?"

Merlin smirked playfully, "I've seen better."

"Course." Arthur rolled his eyes, "Well, you are the expert at fighting with your eyes closed." He was saying it sarcastically, "I'm not going to use the blindfold, I'm just going to fight like Merlin here. 'I'm Merlin, don't hurt me.' Ready?"

Merlin grabbed a bow staff, "You want to fight?" To the surprise of anyone who hadn't been to training sessions in the last few months, the knights all cowered behind Arthur. Merlin had gotten a reputation for kicking the ass of all the knights, and they were scared because who knows what would happen if Uther found out a servant could beat all of his best knights into the ground with a damn stick.

"No no," Leon assured, "Put the staff down." Merlin put it down, "Anyway, what were you saying, Arthur, about me being helpless?" Arthur shrugged,

"What if there is only a sword?" Merlin grabbed a sword and twirled it,

"You wanna find out?"

"NO!" Arthur sighed towards his panicked knights,

"Okay, we need to get ready for the feast tonight." Merlin groaned,

"Time for disaster."

OoOoO

Merlin was right on the money. Arthur hated it when Merlin was right. Uther had had some sort of breakdown, so Arthur placed his father on the bed.

"Careful. Is he going to be alright?" Morgana asked.

"He should sleep 'til morning." Gaius said quietly.

Morgana wasn't convinced and transformed once she got to her room, where she saw Cat Noir.

"So M'Lady, did I win the bet?" Ladybug sighed and handed him three gold pieces,

"Unfortunately, you did." She rolled her eyes, "New servant, or some sorcerer getting past the guards?"

"Yes." He replied, "Just handled an assassin last night. So I'll get looking."

"Don't." She noticed his extra pale complexion, "You look exhausted. I'll take the lead on this one. Promise me you'll get some sleep, kitten." he nodded, kissing her hand,

"Only because my lady asked so sweetly." He got up, "Good night, Ladybug." Then he was gone.

Ladybug jumped back into her bedroom, just in time to hear Gwen's voice.

"My Lady. I saw the light, wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I'm fine." Morgana assured, "Cat Noir just came to see if I was alright. Seemed a little strange to be undressing or turn off the light." She shrugged, "I promise Gwen, I'm okay." Gwen smiled,

"Need help?"

"I think I can handle myself tonight. Goodnight Gwen." Gwen grinned and left.

OoOoO

Uther had a breakdown during a council meeting, and now Merlin was doing research. He knew he told Ladybug she could take charge, but he had Gaius—

Actually no, Ladybug just came in. He had to hide his blush at how gorgeous his lady looked that day.

"There must be some explanation." Ladybug said, sitting down beside Merlin, "Good afternoon, Merlin. Did you sleep well?"

"Quite well, thank you." He gave her his signature grin, "It's nice to see you." He could have sworn he saw her blush, but then decided it was only in his fantasies. Someone as perfect as Ladybug being in love with a servant? It was laughable.

"During the great purge," Gaius explained, "Uther drowned many he suspected of sorcery. And some, God help them, were children, killed for the magic they were born with. Maybe his conscience is playing tricks with him. Whatever it is, we can no longer hide this. A king's hold on his people's a very fragile thing. If they start to lose faith in him, I fear for Camelot."

Ladybug and Merlin looked between each other in worry.

OoOoO

As Ladybug, Morgana had offered to take the medicine to Uther. So she placed the bottle on Uther's bureau and pulled up her guardian's blankets. Then she heard something dripping from under the bed and saw the come some mud goo on the floor. She heard footsteps and, curious, she slipped under the bed, bumping into what looked like a mandrake root.

Someone pulled off the root without looking and left. Morgana transformed and followed the person through the lower town and into the woods, where they met with Morgause—Papillon according to her and Cat Noir's suspicions.

"Cenred's army ride for Camelot on my command." Morgause said, "How goes the battle for Uther's mind?"

"When Cenred marches on Camelot, he will find a kingdom without a leader." The servant assured.

"Finally we are ready."

Ladybug's eyes widened, and she used her yoyo to get back to the city to report her findings to Arthur.

When she did, the servant was imprisoned, but remained silent.

Then, as Morgana, she went to check on Arthur, who was sitting by Uther's bedside.

"I need him to get better." Arthur said quietly, "I'm glad you're here."

"I'll make sure he's looked after," Morgana assured, "don't worry."

OoOoO

"You did well in there." Merlin said after the war meeting, "I mean it. I was impressed. We're talking siege engines, and battering rams, and catapults. You made a tough decision...you're risking hundreds of…"

"I'd really prefer it if you just kept quiet in these situations." Arthur snapped.

"I am just trying to help."

"Well, you're not."

Merlin sighed, looking to Plagg, "I know you don't mean that; you're just worried. But you don't need to be. Look what we've got. You and…me." Arthur turned,

"Merlin, what exactly are you going to do?"

Merlin placed a hand on Arthur's shoulder, "I'm going to be at your side, like I always am, protecting you."

"God help me." Arthur did smile though, "Watch my father get better right as you show off skills better than my knights."

"That's what I'm going for. Maybe he'll knight me and you can clean your own damn boots." Arthur rolled his eyes at his servant's comment.

He helped Arthur on with his armor, pulling a little too tightly on the vambrace strap.

"Sorry." Arthur frowned,

"It's not like you to get nervous, is it, Merlin?"

"I'm not nervous. Because I trust in your destiny. It is your fate to be the greatest king Camelot has ever known. Your victory today will be remembered...by every age...'til the end of time. Just trust in yourself."

Arthur stared at him in shock, "There are times, Merlin, when you display a sort of... I don't know what it is. I don't want to say... it's not wisdom. But, yes. That's what it is." Merlin smiled, which snapped Arthur back to his normal self, "Don't look so pleased. The rest of the time you're a complete idiot."

Morgana watched the soldiers file out of the castle and sighed, before looking to Tikki.

"Time to transform?" Tikki nodded, and Morgana brushed back her hair to reveal her earrings, "Tikki, spots on!"

Merlin entered the infirmary, looking for Morgana. Yes, he loved Ladybug with all of his heart, but Morgana also had a special place, and he refused to let her get hurt.

"Gaius. Where's Morgana?!" Gaius turned,

"I don't know. Gwen's looking for her."

Merlin nodded, "Okay. When you find her, you mustn't let her out of your sight. I need to get back to Arthur. I'll look too!" He ran and saw the battle going on—and his lady was already fighting, so he refused to keep her waiting—and hid just out of right,

"Plagg, Claws Out!"

Ladybug turned, "Cat!" He got out his baton and got in a fighting stance,

"Time to fight. Ladies first?" Ladybug smirked,

"Always the gentleman." Then she frowned as her partner froze, and she too felt the magical shockwave and knew something bad had happened.

They both slowly turned and saw an army of skeletons behind Arthur. Arthur fought one and stabbed it. The skeleton shrugged and keeps fighting.

Cat Noir fought a skeleton and lopped its arm off. A knight took on the skeleton while Ladybug used her yoyo to chuck the arm on the ground into the sky.

"Arthur!" Ladybug ordered, "Keep them busy, Cat and I are gonna go look for the problem and tell Gaius to seal off the infirmary." Arthur nodded and the two heroes ran into the castle.

"Gaius!" Gaius left a walking and talking Uther to talk with the two heroes, "You need to seal off the hospital. The castle is under attack from within!"

"What are you talking about?" Gaius asked, and Ladybug shrugged,

"Papillon I would guess, she summoned an army of the dead. They're everywhere." She grabbed Cat Noir's hand and started running

"Where are you going?!"

"To try to stop her!"

They ran down to the burial vaults to start, and saw Morgause standing there, and she turned to face them,

"You should leave now while you still can."

"Morgause, please." Ladybug pleaded, "I beg you. Women and children are dying. The city will fall."

Morgause smirked, "Good." Cat Noir paled,

"No, you don't mean that."

"I have magic, children." She snapped, "Uther hates me and everyone like me. Why should I feel any differently about him? Just because you two are pardoned doesn't mean the rest of us are."

"Using magic like this will only harden his heart!" Ladybug snapped, trying to get through to her sister—Merlin had told her the truth and she was grateful for him—"I do understand, believe me. But I harness my gifts for good. That's what magic should be for. That's why you were born with these powers."

"You don't know what it's like to be an outsider. To be ashamed of how you were born, to have to hide who you are. Do you think I deserve to be executed because of who I am?" Cat Noir nodded,

"I do understand how you feel. From the day I was born, I could use magic I couldn't control. I was considered a monster. However, it doesn't have to be like this. We can find another way."

"There is no other way." Morgause said, "Nooroo, dark wings rise!" She transformed into Papillon, pulling out a sword from her cane, "Now give me your Miraculous!"

And so the three fought as hard as they could. Papillon knew how to hold her own, but Ladybug and Cat Noir knew how to work together, so while one distracted her, the other went for the Rowan staff and snapped it.

Papillon turned and screamed as the staff was broken, then stabbed Ladybug's arm, pinning her to the ground.

"What are you going to do?" Ladybug asked, "Kill me?" But then Cat Noir lunged at Papillon, pinning her to the ground,

"Hands off my lady!" But then Papillon vanished in a puff of smoke. He frowned, before running to Ladybug, "My lady!" He saw the stab on her arm, "I'll get you to Gaius!"

"It's okay, kitty." She assured, "It's just a scratch." She winced at the pain, and her partner was having none of it. He picked her up, bridal style,

"I swear, I am going to Cataclysm that bitch when we meet again. Nobody hurts my Bugaboo and gets away with it." Ladybug smiled, not arguing as he carried her.

OoOoO

The next day, they were in the throne room. Morgana had her arm bandaged, and made sure to wear a loose dress to hide it. Gwen was one thing, but Cat Noir still visited her, and he was no idiot.

Uther gleefully gave a speech, "In my time, we've won many battles, but none so important as this. Every man, every woman and child has performed their heroic best, and I thank you, and I salute you all. Even before the battle, we knew there was a traitor in our midst, one who was almost the undoing of us. However, we have to thank the two heroes who outwitted them, and who turned the battle: Ladybug and Cat Noir. For it was they who bravely entered the vault, found the magical vessel, and destroyed it. We must be vigilant! We must stand firm against the dark forces of magic, and ensure that they never penetrate our walls again."

Merlin and Morgana smiled to their kwamis, knowing this was one step closer to victory. Then the two looked to each other from across the throne room, for different reasons, but still with at the very least strong friendship for the other in their eyes.