Morgana was still shaking from her encounter with Merlin. She kept seeing his face as he said he didn't hate her. Why not, Merlin? Why not? She could not understand it. After everything she had done, and everything she had tried to do, he should hate her, he should!
"Hello, Emrys." Morgana froze. Emrys? That was not a name she had ever heard before, but where had it come from? There was no one around and she gaped as she realized that she had heard it in her mind. Whoever it was was not talking to her, but to someone else. Yet she knew that voice. Where had she heard it before?
"Mordred?" That was Merlin, Morgana would know him anywhere. Mordred? It couldn't be! She thought of the small boy she had hid in chambers what seemed ages ago. He was in Camelot?
"Correct. I told you once that I would never forgive and that I would never forget, and I have kept my word. You will pay, Emrys."Morgana suddenly felt really chilly, but it had nothing to do with the weather. Only a small part of her registered the fact that Mordred was calling Merlin "Emrys", but she was more concerned with what that last sentence. You will pay. Morgana didn't know what Merlin had done, but she was certain of one thing. He was in danger.
"Don't do this, Mordred." Merlin sound desperate, almost pleading. "If it's me you want, then it''s me you can have, but not here, not now." "You are not the only one I have a score to settle with, Emrys. The Pendragons must pay as well."
"No!" She heard Merlin scream the word, but it was too late. From both Mordred's and Merlin's minds she could hear the screams of the towns people.
"No!" She turned and ran back towards the city, praying that she wasn't too late. She had to stop Mordred. She no longer cared if Arthur and Gwen saw her, she had to stop him! She couldn't bear the thought of losing Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin. She would do whatever it took to save them.
The people screamed and ran as Mordred held aloft a giant ball of fire. Merlin saw it and saw to his horror that it was aimed, not at him, but at Arthur and Gwen. Time seemed to slow down, as Merlin pushed past Lancelot and the other knights. Arthur had only just time to realize what was happening when he felt Merlin knock him and Gwen to ground and a mere second later the fire ball flew past, barely missing the top of Merlin's head.
Merlin had expected the ball to crash into the wall and set the castle a flame, but instead it just turned around and started coming towards them again. He groaned. Then a wet blanket was flung over the ball and Merlin looked up to see Gwaine, Lancelot, Leon, Elyan, and Percival tried to hold the ball back with the blanket. Even though the blanket was soaked, it took only a few second for the ball to burn its way through.
But those few seconds were all Merlin needed to get Arthur and Gwen to their feet and through the door leading into the hall. The ball ignored the knights, instead it turned to chase after Merlin. Even though they had no idea how they were going to stop it, the knights were right behind it.
Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin rushed out into the courtyard where they found Mordred waiting. The fireball which was only seconds behind them suddenly avoided them at the last second and flew over to Mordred who caught it as easily as if had been a ball of wood and only fourth the size. The knights soon followed.
No one spoke, instead Arthur and the knights all drew their swords. Mordred only smiled. "Who are you?" Arthur asked finally.
"Don't you recognize me? Surely you couldn't forget the young boy you helped sneak out of Camelot three years ago?" Arthur's eyes widened in sudden recognition.
"Mordred." The boy nodded.
"But why?" demanded Arthur. "Why are you doing this?"
Mordred sneered at him. "Why? You are the son of Uther Pendragon and you have the audacity to ask me why!" Mordred drew his arm back and got ready to fling the fire ball at them once again, but then suddenly it fizzled and died. Mordred glared at Merlin.
"It wasn't me." Merlin said simply, wishing that it had been. Arthur looked at him in puzzlement.
"What wasn't you?" he asked.
"Yes," said Mordred, "go on tell him...Emrys."
Sir Leon gasped. "Emrys?" Arthur turned to him. "When the Druids found me...I...over heard them talking. They mentioned something about a prophecy...about someone called Emrys. The Druids believed he would be the greatest sorcerer the world has ever known that that he would help bring magic back into the land."
Arthur looked at Merlin and then back at Mordred. "And you think Merlin is this Emrys?" Arthur looked as if he were about to burst out laughing. The idea was ridiculous. Just then he noticed that Mordred, Merlin, and indeed Lancelot did not look so amused. "Merlin?" he asked, a sudden fear that he couldn't explain began to take hold of him.
Merlin couldn't look him in the face. He sensed that it was time for the truth to be revealed, but he was worried about how Arthur was going to react. "Merlin!" Arthur spoke sharply and Merlin finally looked up at him. "Merlin, tell me once and for all...tell me you don't have magic."
Merlin just blinked and that blink just gave it all away. Arthur backed away from him. "You do." he whispered. "You...you traitor!"
"I...I didn't want..."
"Get away from me!"
"He saved your life." All eyes were now on Lancelot and the others all gasped as they understood that Lancelot had known. "It was not I that killed that griffin, sire. That was Merlin. He also saved us when we escaping from the wildren. It was he that emptied the Cup of the Life it contained, destroying Morgana's immortal army. If he did not have magic, Camelot would have fallen long ago."
"Indeed it would have." Mordred sneered, regaining everyone's attention. "He is a traitor, but not you, Arthur Pendragon. He's a traitor to his one kind."
"No, that is you, Mordred." said Merlin. "You are a traitor to the beliefs of the Druids. The Druids believe in peace and harmony, not vengeance. They believe that magic is to be used for good, not evil."
"No!" shouted Mordred, full of rage. "You will die! All of you!" He snapped his fingers and another fireball formed, but just as quickly as the last one it vanished.
"Stop it, Mordred." Everyone froze and then turned slowly to see another person watching them.
"Morgana." Arthur whispered her name. He wasn't sure what he felt at the sight of her. Gwen felt that she was about to burst into tears.
Mordred smiled at her, but then the smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of puzzlement. "What do you mean stop? You're the one brought Camelot to its knees!"
"Yes," said Morgana sadly, "and I was wrong." Even though she was addressing Mordred she looked at Arthur and Gwen as she spoke. "I was so very wrong. Words cannot describe how sorry I am. Magic is to be used for good and I was a fool. It took Merlin to make me see that." Here she turned and smiled at him. He smiled back.
"No!" said Mordred. "They deserve to die!"
"No, Mordred." said Morgana gently. "If anyone here deserves to die, it is me and me alone. Let them go." Mordred just glared at her.
"I don't believe you. You of all people!" With that he turned and ran. Morgana sighed and turned to leave, but Arthur grabbed her arm. "Morgana." His voice had the same tone that Merlin had had earlier. She looked at him and tears formed in both their eyes. She burst into sobs, and Arthur caught her in a hug.
"I'm sorry! So sorry!" Gwen stepped forward and joined them in the hug. "It's alright, Morgana." she said gently. "We all forgive you."
Arthur nodded. "Indeed we do." He looked over Morgana's shoulder at Merlin. "I'm sorry, Merlin. Lancelot is right you have saved us so many times. Will you forgive me?" Merlin smiled.
"Of course, sire."
"Arthur." The king smiled at his friend and then turned his attention back to Morgana. "Welcome, home."
