So, I don't generally like when an author makes their main character the sole point of the original story. I don't want Kaia's importance to replace Merlin's, but to go alongside him. That being said, I am altering the plot of this episode a bit to make Kaia save the day. In the original, Morgana makes the decision to not kill Uther on her own, but I wanted to have something that showed how Kaia was important to Morgana remaining good and to explain their relationship as the story progresses. I apologize if that's a little too Mary Sue for some of you, but when I was writing I found it necessary.
Disclaimer: I own nothing of Merlin BBC or the original script.
Kaia's unease continued as Merlin began to avoid her and Gaius for the rest of the day, as well as the following one. He did his duty to Arthur, taking on the extra chores that the prince threw at him with zeal. At meals, he was distant and dazed. Gaius confessed to Kaia that Merlin had been asking very strange questions about Uther's possible death.
"What could he mean by it?" Kaia asked when he approached her upon return from delivering potions.
"I don't know, dear child," Gaius frowned. "But I am concerned."
Kaia frowned. Morgana had been acting strangely as well. She had Kaia and Gwen perform their usual duties, but did not ask for personal company or any kind of assistance. When Kaia asked what was wrong, she did not respond. The physician apprentice was fearful of what it could mean and what Morgana and Merlin were both hiding from her.
When Merlin came in the night following Tom's death with shaking hands, Kaia put her foot down and demanded she be told what was happening.
"She's going to kill Uther."
The words were spoken in a tight, almost dead voice.
"What?!" Kaia yelled in a whisper, as not to wake Gwen.
"Morgana. She won't actually do the act, she's just going to get Torrin to do it by taking Uther somewhere," Merlin rushed out, head hung in sadness and what seemed like shame.
"Why did you not tell me sooner?" Kaia asked him, beginning to pace—a family trait of agitation. "You found this out yesterday, didn't you?"
"I was trying to fix it myself, Kaia."
"Like you always do!" she sighed in exasperation. "This part isn't your job, Merlin. I must fix this myself, not you. You can't do everything for me."
"I'm sorry," he told her earnestly. "I don't know what you'll be able to do, though. They leave tomorrow morning, and you can't expose yourself. Morgana will have Uther killed and we can't stop it."
"No," Kaia said softly. "This will plant seeds of hatred in heart, of thirst for vengeance. She can't!"
"Well, she's planning to," Merlin closed his eyes and sighed. "I've spoken to the great dragon, sister. He says Uther should die."
"Not at the hands of Morgana!"
"But—
"No!" Kaia snapped. "It will not be this way. I will speak to her, there must be something I can do. I...I will go speak with her."
Of course, Morgana would not listen to reason.
"I've already earned Uther's forgiveness," Morgana said softly, not making eye contact. "We're going to ride out and see my father's grave. I will have revenge for my father, and for Gwen."
"This isn't the way!"
"Why not usher in a new era? Where our people can be free of Uther and free to practice magic?"
"Because it is wrong, Morgana," Kaia stressed. She gripped her hands. "Please, think about this. This will feed the darkness in your heart."
"I do this out of love, Kaia."
"This is an act of hate!"
"Leave me!" Morgana commanded, magicking the door open. It was a great risk, but her magic had flared with her temper. "I will sleep alone tonight."
"Please, Morgana."
"What did I say?"
Hurt and anger pricked Kaia's heart, but she brushed it away. "Your stubbornness and this passing hatred of Uther will get you nowhere, my lady. Please remember that as you leave tomorrow." and she swept from the room. If Morgana would not listen to her, then she would find a solution herself.
Upon her return to Gaius and Merlin, Kaia took deep breaths and calmed herself.
"Well?" Merlin eventually said. "I'm assuming it didn't go well?"
She shot him a look, and his shoulders slumped. "There has to be something we can do. Morgana can't give in to this, who knows what path it will begin her on. The dragon says that if she turns evil, I must kill her, and I don't believe I could do that."
"It's my job to steer her correctly, to be the voice in the back of her head," Kaia wrung her hands. "I cannot fail in this. Morgana needs me to be successful, even if she doesn't know it."
"The voice in the back of her head..." Gaius murmured. He turned abruptly and looked towards his book shelves, eventually finding his desired one. "Here it is. I think I've got an idea."
Merlin and Kaia listened intently.
"This spell would connect your minds," Gaius explained, flipping through pages with impressive speed. He stopped at the desired one and fumbled for his reading glasses while he and Kaia both examined the page. "You must already have a magical bond to the person, as you do with Morgana. If you can make the spell work, then you can be the actual voice in the back of her head."
"She won't listen to reason before it happens," Kaia nodded in understanding. "So why not help while it happens?"
"I don't understand," Merlin frowned.
She smiled at him. "When do you always change your mind? Hours before something happens, or moments before when you're about to watch the scene play out and you realize what's going to happen?"
"You're going to stop her before she can let it happen," Merlin nodded. "Change her mind."
"Yes!" Kaia grinned. "While I work on Morgana's heart, you need to make sure Uther doesn't die, if only that means distracting the assassins long enough for Morgana to change her mind. Then the both of you can stop Torrin."
"Perfect. When you finally get into Morgana's mind, you need to have already mastered the spell. You can't practice on her, or she'll be able to practice shutting you out. You should use me."
"Are you sure? Last time we tried to practice this, our heads ached for three days following."
"It will be worth it. Arthur isn't ready to be king and Morgana's soul is at stake. Give me your worst, sister."
)-(
Kaia groaned, rubbing her eyes in exhaustion. Gwen slept in the room above her, and Gaius waited up there with her. Merlin sat in a chair, waiting patiently for their minds to connect as he had been all night.
"I can't do this," she groaned again, collapsing into the chair.
"Yes, you can," Merlin assured her. He stood up and paced, shaking his hands as if he could magically make a conclusion fly out of them.
Kaia ran her fingers through her hair. "Truly, I don't think I can. My magic is not strong enough, not as strong as yours."
"It is different," Merlin said. "Not weaker. You just need to focus all your magic on this specific spell until you learn more balance. I'm sure Gwen will be able to sleep without your magic."
"I suppose," Kaia whispered, closing her eyes. Her head throbbed and she felt almost nauseated, but she focused on retracting her spell from Gwen. The moment she did, her arms tingled just the slightest bit.
"Color has returned to your cheeks," Merlin frowned. "Kaia, how much magic have you been using the past few days?"
"Quite a bit," she confessed. "Gwen hasn't been able to be comforted, and Morgana has been stressed. They needed it, especially after Tom was killed."
"You're exhausting yourself," Merlin told her with a shake of his head. Coming to her and gripping her hands, Merlin locked eyes. "You have to use it in small doses, slowly increasing it in small increments. You cannot just overwhelm yourself in a couple of days. You haven't slept, you're emptying all of your comfort into other people...just focus on this one thing for now. No spreading yourself thin, alright?"
"Alright," Kaia conceded, squeezing his hands. She kept him in place and closed her eyes, imagining that her bond with Merlin was tangible, reaching out to feel his presence as she'd done all of their lives. It took a long moment, but she felt him shoving her out.
"Push through, Kaia," he said. "We don't have much time—the sun is coming up."
Kaia pictured doors breaking open, and her presence pushing through to Merlin's. When they actually did, she could hear his thoughts.
Can you hear me? she thought to him.
Yes! his joy was clear. You can do this, I know it! Now try it from across the room.
When Merlin heard hoof prints out in the courtyard, they stopped their practicing and wordlessly nodded to each other.
I'm going to follow them, Merlin spoke in his mind as he ran up to get his staff. I've got to go now if I want to keep up on foot.
Hurry!
Merlin followed them out. Gwen soon woke up and told Kaia she was going to do her duties. The maidservant felt that she would lose her mind if she spent one more day in the room, so she needed to do work. Kaia let her leave with a kiss to the cheek and a wish for a good day.
This allowed Kaia to lock herself in her room, Gaius perfectly alright with dismissing her duties once more. She put the spell book back in its place and settled onto Merlin's bed, crossing her legs and closing her eyes in a meditative state. After concentrating on locating Morgana with magical sight, Kaia tried to enter her mind. She found it surprisingly easy, and was suddenly there, witnessing what Morgana was.
She gave a small gasp and watched.
"Do you think we could have some privacy?" Morgana asked.
"Fine," Uther obliged. He turned to his guards. "Wait here. We are in no danger."
They walked to the grave, Morgana's heart rate increasing the closer she got. She felt tears prick her eyes at the sight of the stone with marked her family name.
"Father," she choked out when she saw his grave. She barely noticed Uther set his sword in the grass next to them. She did notice, however, when her guardian placed his hand on her head.
"Your father," Uther said slowly. "Was the greatest man I've ever known."
Morgana, look at this! Kaia yelled. Think about what you're doings
Kaia? How—get out of my head!
Kaia gave a small yell of frustration in the room, clenching her fists.
"When Gorlois died, I lost the truest friend..."
Listen to how he felt about Gorlois!
No! Go, Kaia!
Think of your father! Would he want this? Listen to how Uther loves you, how he loved your father.
Morgana ignored Kaia and answered Uther's statement of her rebellion bitterly. "When I do you clap me in irons."
Look! Listen! He shows regret, my friend.
Morgana's heart rate increased at Uther's next words, confusion fluttering into her mind. Over his shoulder, she glanced Torrin coming closer steadily.
"Were you saying you were wrong to have Tom killed?" Morgana asked Uther.
One word.
"Yes."
The confliction rising in Morgana swelled like a wave as Kaia whispered into her mind, making her pay close attention to Uther. Kaia used her magic to spark a bit of emotion in Morgana, who suddenly had tears in her eyes.
"You are the daughter I never had...without out you I could not hope to be a good king..."
Torrin was closer now.
"My lord!"
"Please forgive me..."
Torrin rose to strike.
"No!"
Uther turned before—
MORGANA! Kaia used all the magic she could manage. HE WILL DIE, YOU MUST STOP THIS.
What had she been thinking? Of course Kaia was right! Where would this lead her? What would the regret do to her?
Morgana, look!
She made a decision, in those moments. Morgana launched up from the grass and unsheathed her dagger—the dagger she'd gotten from Uther on her fifteenth birthday—and drove it into Torrin's back, piercing his heart. She looked on in horror at what she'd done, hands trembling and chest squeezing with fear. She stifled a sob and dropped the dagger as Uther pushed the dead man from his body, panting from the effort of fighting him off.
And then he stood and embraced her. Beyond Uther's shoulder, she glimpsed Merlin peaking over the hill, relief and pride over his face. Whether the pride was felt for herself or for his sister, Morgana did not know.
Kaia sighed heavily, pulling from Morgana's mind. Shakily, she walked downstairs to find Gaius working. He looked up at her when she came down, the question on his face. Kaia nodded slowly.
Gaius beamed and came forward to hug her. She accepted the fatherly embrace, a small laugh falling from her lips.
"I didn't fail, Gaius!" she said with joy. "She listened to me."
"You did well, my dear girl," he told her fondly. "You best go to your room and rest while you wait for her return, yes?"
"You're right," she smiled widely. "I'll be back for my apprentice duties after lunch."
"Take your time," Gaius told her. "You've done quite a lot the past few days, you need rest."
Kaia kissed his cheeks as usual before departing, her smile not once leaving her face.
)-(
Kaia awoke what felt like hours later. Her chamber window was open, Merlin sat at her vanity, and Morgana on her bed. The two looked at each other rather intensely, however, so Kaia closed her eyes as not to intrude.
What are they doing in my room?
"I'm sorry, Merlin," Morgana whispered. "For putting you in such a situation."
"It's alright, Morgana," he told her. "In the end, you made the right decision."
"As did you."
"Yes, well," he chuckled. "Arthur isn't quite ready to be king. His heart is still hard towards magic and he's got a lot to learn."
"I wish I had your patience," Morgana told him. "And your heart. You're a good man, Merlin."
Kaia could practically feel her brother's blush. "You're a good woman too, my lady. We just have some things to work out."
"What a lovely way of putting it," she sighed. The conversation lulled here, so Kaia shifted. She turned over and opened her eyes, finding Morgana facing her now with anticipation. "Kaia."
Merlin came to her bedside. "We were worried you'd exhausted yourself too much."
"Nonsense," she said drowsily, pushing herself up. Morgana took her hands, and she smiled at her friend. "Don't apologize, Morgana. It worked out, and you did the right thing. There's no use going on about it now."
Morgana hugged her tightly. "Then let me say thank you. I know it's your job, but thank you. I...I love you, Kaia. You're like a sister to me."
"I love you too, Morgana," Kaia said. She looked past Morgana and saw her brother's worried face and shook her head as she pulled away from Morgana. "I'm fine, Merlin. You need rest to, you know."
Merlin snorted. "Have you met Arthur?"
Speaking of the devil...
"MERLIN!"
"Sire, please!" Gwen's voice rang down the corridor. "If only you'll listen, Kaia needs rest after taking care of me so much, she and Merlin have barely slept a wink—
The door burst open. Kaia jumped at the intensity of it, fully awake now. She saw Prince Arthur standing in her door way, looking handsome as ever in his dark breeches and blue shirt that made his eyes seem even more piercing. He directed those eyes at Merlin, pointing his finger.
"Just because we aren't speaking does not mean you can neglect your work," Arthur said. "I need you at training, where have you been? And this morning, my armor is still disgusting and my clothes for the week dirty. I walked down to the kitchens myself for lunch—nearly gave old Henna a heart attack at me being there! The cook scolded me for being there. The cook, Merlin. How am I one day supposed to rule the kingdom if I can't even get my servant to do what I ask?! Do you know how embarrassing it was to stand in front of Father and have him ask me why I looked so rugged and dirty?"
Merlin looked down. "Arthur, I'm sorry—
Arthur turned away for a moment, making Merlin stop talking. Morgana's face was laced with guilt. No doubt she thought Merlin neglecting his duties was her fault, as they'd been working to stop her the past few days. Kaia didn't want either of them to be blamed, her mind whirling to find a solution.
"I am aware that you are upset with me," Arthur hissed. "But that's no reason to make me look a fool in front of my father."
"Sire, if you will," Kaia said softly. She slid from the bed and stood slowly, wrapping her robe more tightly around her. "This is my fault."
Arthur turned and looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Your fault?"
"Yes, sire," Kaia answered. "I asked Merlin to take over my duties while I cared for Gwen, and he's never been able to say no to me. If anyone is to be punished, it's me for pulling Merlin away."
Arthur eyed her for a long moment, crossing his arms. "Merlin talks about your kind heart and need to care for others. According to him, if anyone in the world should be punished, it's not you."
Kaia curtsied lightly.
"You look pale," Arthur said in a soft voice that surprised her. "Clearly, you've overworked yourself tending to Guinevere. I wouldn't want to stress you even more."
"I will return to my duties at once, sire," Merlin added.
"Stay with your sister," Arthur dropped his arms. "I expect you in my chambers to help me prepare for the banquet in Morgana's honor tonight."
"Yes, sire, thank you."
Arthur left with a nod to the girls.
"That was...bizarre," Gwen frowned, finally able to fully step into the room. "I've never seen him do that before."
"Nor I," Morgana smiled. She glanced between the two siblings in the room. "You two are going to wear Arthur down and reveal a person beneath the prince. Of that, I am sure."