CHAPTER ELEVEN
Author's Note: The hunt is on, guess who the target is?
She was not who she pretended to be, that much was clear.
Her mind had been turned and twisted by Morgause and Merlin's betrayal.
What could he say to her to make her realize that he still cared?
Nothing. He told himself harshly.
There was nothing he could say to her, she had been changed too much and there was nothing that could bring her back.
Arthur was looking for him again and he went to find him on the training grounds.
He turned and looked at his servant as he walked towards him.
"There you are, I thought I would have to go down to the tavern to find you."
Merlin did not smile or comment on that.
Morgana's evil smirk kept flashing into his brain and he tried to forget about it.
"Merlin?"
"Yes, My Lord." Merlin said formally.
Arthur stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you feeling well?"
He nodded hands clasped behind his back and forced a small smile.
"I'm fine, what would you like me to do?"
Arthur studied his sword before tossing it to Merlin.
"This needs cleaning and sharpening and after that we are going hunting."
Merlin hated hunting but it gave him time away from the castle and away from her. For once that day, he smiled and went to clean Arthur's sword.
"Oh and Merlin?" Arthur called.
He stopped and looked back at the prince.
"Ready Morgana's horse, I invited her."
The smile left the young warlock's face and he just nodded. Couldn't he just have one day without her?
He sharpened the blade quickly. Maybe if he was fast enough, they could go out, hunt and come back just as quickly.
Merlin did not want to be out there any longer than he needed to.
She was already in the saddle next to Arthur when Merlin came out with the crossbows. One for Arthur and one for her.
Merlin pulled himself into the saddle of his horse and rode out behind them. Morgana raced Arthur to the forest, just like she used to with Merlin. She won of course.
They tied their horses up by a sturdy and tree and quietly went into the forest. Merlin was sent to go ahead and check while Arthur and Morgana stayed behind until he came back and told them that he had found something.
He sighed and went on ahead, checking for any signs that something was near.
He heard a twig snap and turned. Nothing.
Arthur moved over to the right to circle whatever Merlin might find and Morgana stayed to the left, just behind Merlin.
He went behind a tree and a crossbow bolt struck the tree, just inches from his head. He spun to find Morgana grinning at him with the crossbow lowered.
"Sorry, my finger must have slipped." She said, her grin widening.
Arthur glanced at her and smiled.
He was happy to have her back and she still wanted all of them to suffer.
Merlin shot her a hard look that did not seem to bother her in the least.
He moved forward again, reminding himself to watch his back in case one of her 'accidental strikes' hit home.
He had not gone far when a noise made him pause and he turned.
There, a male deer with small antlers was grazing and with a sigh he went and gestured to Arthur.
Arthur and Morgana moved as one and Merlin soon found Morgana sidled up next to him, her eyes watching the deer.
She glanced at him.
"You had best stay back, in case I mistake you for the deer." She warned.
Merlin clenched his teeth as he stared straight at her.
"And you wouldn't want that would you?" He drawled.
She only smirked and followed Arthur as he raised his crossbow.
Just as he was about to fire, Morgana leant in and ran her lips across Merlin's cheek which made him move back and step on a twig, snapping it and alerting the deer.
It ran off and Arthur turned to glare at Merlin.
"What did you do?"
Merlin looked at Morgana who stood next to Arthur.
"Don't worry Arthur, there will be others." She said.
Merlin frowned. Why had she done that?
"In fact, I have another idea." She began and Merlin's look turned wary.
She glanced at the young warlock and then back to Arthur.
"Losing the deer was Merlin's fault no question, but what if, just to make things interesting, we hunt Merlin?" She suggested.
Merlin's blue eyes widened at her and he could feel the excitement radiating off of her.
Arthur, much to his dismay, seemed to like this idea.
"Sounds interesting, what are the terms?"
"We cannot kill him of course, but whoever manages to catch up with him and hold him wins." She said.
Arthur frowned in confusion.
"What does the winner get?"
She glanced at Merlin again, that same cold grin on her face.
"If you win, you get Gwen for a day, as your servant of course and if I win... I get Merlin."
Arthur would not object to that and he extended his hand to Morgana.
"Agreed."
She smiled and then told Arthur to go the right part of the forest while she went to the left, Merlin would get a head start.
As she passed him, he frowned at her.
"Why are you doing this?" He whispered.
The smirk never left her face.
"I think it could be fun and Merlin?"
His frown deepened as he looked into her eyes.
"I never lose."
That made him shake with fear and he took a step back from her as she brushed past him.
She nodded to Arthur and he grinned playfully at Merlin.
"Run then!"
Merlin turned quickly and ran.
He wasn't sure what Morgana had in mind but she could easily kill him and call it an accident. He kept running, taking as many twist and turns as he could.
A bolt flew past his head and he turned to see Morgana running behind him. He made a sharp right and ran into a shallow river, making loud splashes as he went. She could hear him and she gave chase. He turned left as she moved in with the crossbow aimed.
Arthur wasn't far behind her but she had the upper hand as she said she would.
Merlin ran into a thicket of trees and found her jogging down the bank as he glanced over his shoulder.
Arthur called to her.
"Would you slow down?!"
She grinned despite being breathless.
"Not a chance, Arthur! He's mine!"
Merlin felt those words bury deep within him and he wished that he could just make himself disappear.
He jumped down into a small valley and ran straight into a dead end. He stopped and turned around.
Morgana was there, that evil smirk on her face and it was then he realized that she had made him come here. This was exactly where she wanted him. He was trapped. She aimed her crossbow at his heart.
"I lost Arthur a while back, it's just you and me now and there is nothing you can do about it."
"Is everything alright here?"
The voice made her freeze and her eyes widened.
She slowly turned to stare at the stranger, forcing a smile.
"Yes, everything's' fine... just a bit of friendly banter, right, Merlin?"
He nodded slowly.
"Right... friendly banter." He agreed with a smile as fake as her own.
The stranger stepped forward. He had short, wavy black hair and light hazel eyes with a light dusting of a beard. He carried a sword and he looked confident.
"I am Lancelot, I was just passing through and saw you-" He gestured to Morgana-"Aiming your crossbow at him."
Morgana chuckled.
"We were playing a game, that's all." She said simply.
He nodded but something in her eyes told him different.
Arthur jumped down behind them and sighed, not noticing the stranger.
"Looks like you win, Morgana."
He looked up and saw Lancelot for the first time.
"Oh... hello, may I ask who you are?"
Morgana spoke for him.
"His name is Lancelot, he seemed to think that Merlin was in some kind of danger from me." She said with a slight laugh.
Arthur mirrored her laugh and came forward to shake his hand.
"Thank you for your concern, Lancelot."
He nodded and then noticed the Pendragon symbol on Arthur's cloak.
"You are Arthur Pendragon, crown prince of Camelot."
Arthur smiled and nodded while Morgana rolled her eyes.
"I am yes, my father is Uther Pendragon and this is the Lady Morgana." He said gesturing grandly to her.
She smiled and bowed her head a little like she always did to people that were introduced to her.
Arthur seemed to take a shine to Lancelot and after asking him what he was doing out here, Arthur invited him back to the palace.
It turned out that Lancelot's big dream was to become a knight and Merlin wanted to thank him for saving his life but Arthur was taking up too much of his time so Merlin didn't have a chance to fulfil Lancelot's wish.
The next day, Merlin went to Arthur's chambers to ask about his chores for the day and he almost cried when Arthur sent him to Morgana's chambers.
"I know for certain that she needs to be woken up, she's not like me."
Merlin raised his eyebrows.
"No of course she isn't. Can I ask one thing though?"
Arthur nodded.
"What will Gwen be doing while I am taking care of Morgana?"
Arthur smiled at just the mention of her name.
"She will be taking some much earned rest." He answered.
Merlin nodded.
He agreed that Gwen needed her rest, she had been working non stop since Morgana brought her back to Camelot.
"And what about you? How will you cope?" Merlin asked.
"Merlin, how do you think I managed without you before?"
He shrugged.
"I'd hate to think."
Arthur ignored that and just sent him on his way.
Merlin hated this. He hated this situation and he hated her.
He straightened and raised his hand to knock. She didn't answer so he knocked again and this time she called out to him.
"Come."
He walked in and stood in the doorway.
She sat up in bed and stared at him.
"Close the door."
He was hesitant and she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Merlin, you have been in my chambers before..."
He nodded, colour flooding his cheeks and quietly shut the door.
She threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side, climbing out of bed and walking over to him.
"I just wanted to apologize for yesterday, it wasn't fair and I should not have cornered you."
He only nodded, making sure to avoid her gaze.
"Do you forgive me?" She pushed.
His insides clenched. She sounded so sincere and innocent. He wished that she was not the evil creature he had followed the other night.
Again he nodded.
She smiled and went to her closet.
"First, you must help me dress."
He faltered and she laughed darkly.
"I meant pick out my clothes, I'll dress myself."
He let out a breath and nodded. Just being around her was bad enough.
He went to stand near her by the closet and looked at the dresses.
There was the blue one she always used to wear, the dark purple one that he thought made her look slightly gothic and the halter neck rad one with the gold leaf detail that left her shoulders bare.
That was the first time he had felt anything for her when she entered the room and Gaius told him to avert his gaze.
He pushed the memory aside and pulled out the blue one for her, holding it up.
She smiled at him but her lips were tight.
"It's strange that you pick a dress I used to wear a lot before you poisoned me... still think I can be saved, Merlin?"
He stared at her seriously.
"Anyone can be saved, Morgana, even you."
Her smile slipped and she snatched the dress out of his hands.
He was surprised that she was wearing it when he came back with her breakfast.
She was at the table and he put the plate down in front of her.
She picked up a fork and then stopped.
"Oh wait a minute, I cannot eat this."
Merlin frowned and glanced at the plate.
"Why?"
"Because it might be poisoned!" She shouted as she swatted it off the table in a fit of rage.
The plate hit the floor with a loud clang and the food went everywhere.
Merlin stared at her in shock as she stalked towards him.
"Did you really think that it would be so easy for you? After what you did? You thought that I would just carry out my plan and hope that you would stay out of my way? I want you to suffer, Merlin, just like the rest of this pathetic kingdom and when I take my place on the throne of Camelot, you will see just how much I have changed."
It was a threat and he wanted to get away from her.
He was not a violent person and he didn't feel like he wanted to hit her, he could have cast something on her but she was just as powerful now.
Her eyes that once held so much kindness and compassion were now as cold as ice and he was pretty sure that the goodness in her heart had been left to blacken and fade away, leaving nothing but hate and vengeance.
Merlin made his decision and turned, walking out of her chambers even as she called out to him. He just couldn't be around her any longer.