A/N: Woo! On a roll!

Chapter 13- Loyalties?

As Merlin made his way through the shanty houses on his way to the castle of the Wandrian, keeping his eyes averted from the harrowed people with their rotten limbs, a million thoughts were tumbling around in his head.

He knew he was in trouble, it was only a matter of time before he was discovered. Rather ironically, Merlin had never been much good at keeping secrets.

Percival suspected him, Arthur was on the lookout, Gwaine only had to put two and two together, Lancelot was doubting him, Gaius thought he was in too deep...at this rate Elyan, Leon and Gwen were the only oblivious ones.

Things were starting to get far more tricky than he'd anticipated. He should have known; he was no spy.

Everything was crumbling around him, he was fighting to stay abreast of it all but it threatened to overwhelm him. What was going to happen?

He approached the castle and was about to enter, holding the dragon's tooth firmly in his pocket as he felt the magic begin to affect him, when some unseen force collided with him.

He spun around expected some sort of attack but instead heard some heavy breathing and a voice:

"Emrys! It's you!"

Merlin looked around again for the source of the voice, recognising it at the last minute. "Gehola? Where are you?"

"I'm here." he said, and he appeared out of nowhere, a shimmering mist slowly revealing his body.

Merlin nodded in approval. "Good to see you made use of that spell. And remember, call me Merlin."

"All right, Em-uh...Merlin." He said, still out of breath. "I have to tell you something."

Merlin glanced up at the castle. "Can it wait? I'm supposed to meet with-"

"That's what I have to talk to you about!" He wheezed, his eyes wide. "There's more going on than you know about! I was listening in, they were talking about Morgana, something about her being the only one able to open some sort of portal and you being the only one to stop her. They were talking about why the magic isn't affecting you, and they thought it was because you were a Dragonlord and had some sort of bone or something to help you. They know you're not being affected, and they're worried you're not on their side because they said if you knew what was really going on you'd never agree to it! Then Wrecan came in and said he was mad at you, that you'd been betraying them!"

Merlin froze, while Gehola still fought to catch his breath. Now both parties know...

The prophecy he had read, the one he had assumed was about Morgana came back to him and he strained to remember what it had said. She is of noble birth, and noble spirit, but corrupted by whispers of the darkness. Only Emrys can bring her back from the brink of the darkness.

Morgana. He remembered what Kilgarrah had said about Morgana. He had also mentioned a portal.

What else had the prophecy said? For Emrys shall know her in the light, and also in the dark, and their futures are joined, through love and hate, darkness and light. She is a force of nature, a tempest of magic, a powerful storm, which makes her attractive to many who would use her. The ones who dwell in the Forest of No Life, desire her. For she can help them, an unleasher of pure magic. She can save them, or destroy them.

An unleasher of pure magic. A portal. Merlin didn't like how this was going.

His pulse raced as he tried to comprehend this. Hafela wanted Morgana to do something, open this portal probably, but what was it? Why was it important?

He remembered also, something about Emrys being the only one who can save her. Was that true? Kilgarrah had dismissed it, but Merlin hadn't been sure. He couldn't abandon Morgana if there was a chance she could be saved...

But he pushed Morgana aside for the moment. Other matters were more urgent. They knew he was a Dragonlord. He had thought they already knew that, but now they know how he's stopping the Dark Magic getting to him. Will they try and stop him?

And more importantly, they knew he was betraying them. This was not his day.

"Merlin?" Gehola pulled him out of his reverie. "What are you going to do?"

Merlin stood still for many minutes thinking furiously. "I still have to go and meet them."

Gehola gasped. "But they'll kill you! They're not exactly forgiving! You don't live here, you don't know what they're like!"

"I'm capable of defending myself if they try to kill me." Merlin said, though not entirely confident in his own abilities.

Gehola looked at him as though he was mad, but Merlin's mind was made up.

He stepped past Gehola, to continue to the castle, when Gehola stopped him.

"What they said.." he trailed off, looking unsure. "About betraying us I mean. It's not true is it? You said you were going to help us."

Merlin looked at him evenly. "I am trying to help you. You just have to trust me."

Gehola nodded, but he still looked uncertain, and Merlin felt a twinge of guilt. He wasn't trying to help the Wandrian. But he was trying to help people, people like Gehola. But would he understand that? After all, he had no love for them did he?

He clapped Gehola on the shoulder, and strode off towards the castle again, drawing in his breath as he prepared for the onslaught of magic.

Arthur sighed as he sat at the table in his chambers going over countless roll of parchment which made little or no sense. His mind was wandering. The candle stump was flickering, the small light being the only source of illumination in the room, so that he could barely see to read, even if he had wished to.

The moon was obscured behind some clouds and the whole night seemed as though it was on edge, silence permeating every stone and person in the city. It was almost as though it was waiting for something to happen. Or was that just his paranoia?

He sighed again, and pushed the parchment away from himself; he was never going to get any of this done tonight. The Wandrian, the mysterious man, Emrys and Merlin all ran through his mind, almost taunting him with his frustration at not being able to understand a single one of them.

Merlin most of all was in his thoughts. He'd been to Gaius' earlier for a headache remedy, only to find Merlin was not there, and Gaius had not seen him since that morning. He'd felt a touch of dread at those words. Where could he have gone if not to bed? Suspicion had begun to cloud his thoughts. He'd tried to discretely ask Gaius what he knew, claiming to want to know how Merlin was coping with these 'illnesses', but the old man had been cagey and unhelpful. Was he protecting Merlin? Surely Gaius wouldn't protect him if he knew he had done something wrong?

What the hell was going on?

A soft knock on the door brought him to his senses, and he looked up hopefully, only to slump again when he saw Gwaine come through the door.

"Oh, it's you." He said grudgingly.

Gwaine pretended to look offended. "What? Expecting Gwen were you? Well you'll just have to make to do with me."

Arthur ignored this and feigned interest in his discarded scrolls.

"Or perhaps you hoped it was Merlin?"

Arthur looked up sharply to see Gwaine regarding him seriously. Too seriously, for Gwaine at least.

Arthur looked away. "There's something going on with him, I don't know what. I went to see him earlier, but he wasn't there. It makes me think there's something wrong. And then there's what Percival said..." He trailed off, wondering whether or not he should tell Gwaine. He decided yes, Merlin and Gwaine seemed to be pretty close.

"Percival seems to think Merlin's involved in this. That he's...helping Emrys, as crazy as that sounds. Normally I'd never believe it, but there's been so many things happening, it makes me wonder whether or not it's true. It'd explain how Emrys has managed to stay hidden in Court, and how he knows things only the senior Knights know. And why Merlin's been acting so odd."

To his surprise, Gwaine did not look shocked. "The same thought had occurred to me." He admitted sitting down at the table without invitation. "Why are you sitting in the dark like this? The whole situation's gloomy enough without you adding to it." He picked up the candle stump whose flame had almost completely died away, and lit the other candles on the table. The glow highlighted both their faces.

"What do you know Gwaine, for sure I mean," asked Arthur. "Not just speculation."

Gwaine considered. "I can't say, but I know he's troubled. He and Lancelot are always discussing it."

"Lancelot knows?" Arthur asked sharply. "Why hasn't he come to tell me?"

Gwaine looked away from him. "You know Merlin, so completely private and closed off. He'll have sworn Lancelot to secrecy." He paused for another moment. "But I don't think you should worry. If it was something serious, Lancelot would have come and told you. You can trust him in the meantime to watch out for him."

Arthur leaned back in his chair. He certainly hoped Lancelot would come to him if there was anything the matter, but Arthur was fully aware of his feelings for Gwen. He hoped that wouldn't prevent him from talking to him if needed.

But Lancelot was indeed close to Merlin, and Arthur decided to trust him. If there was anything to be concerned about, Lancelot would tell him. He wouldn't let Merlin suffer or do wrong. As long as Lancelot was by his side, Arthur shouldn't worry. Lancelot would alert him if it was anything serious; he would do the best thing for his friend, even if it meant betraying his trust.

Feeling slightly better he sat up again. "So where is Merlin then?"

Gwaine shrugged. "Lancelot went to look for him. He's probably still with him now."

Arthur nodded. It would have to do for now. But still, he didn't like the thought of Emrys still wandering around Court. Merlin would be safe with Lancelot. Unless...Lancelot was Emrys and that's why he hasn't come to tell him anything.

He pushed this thought away immediately. If he started suspecting everyone he'd have no one left on his side. He had to maintain the trust he had with his Knights. It was the only kind he could be sure of.

But...where was Merlin?

"You called for me Hafela?" Merlin stepped into the room in the only remaining tower in the castle, his heart racing.

Hafela turned from the window where he had been standing and stared at him incalculably, Gamol at his side. Wrecan charged up from the side fury blazing in his half-blackened eyes.

"Damn right we called for you traitor!"

A torrent of green energy flew towards Merlin, setting the air ablaze as it went.

"Hilderand!" Merlin yelled, erecting a force field not a moment too soon. The green light smashed into the invisible barrier sending a ripple of light across it. The force was strong enough to send Merlin back several feet, but the forcefield held. They weren't kidding before, Dark Magic is really strong , Merlin thought as he recovered.

"What is the meaning of this?" Merlin yelled before Wrecan could attack again; he wasn't sure he could withstand another barrage.

"I'll tell you! You betrayed us! You sneaky little freak you betrayed us!" Wrecan yelled, blood pouring from his mouth, sounding quite insane. "I saw you! You were using magic to protect that Camelot scum! I saw you during the ambush! You traitor!"

Damn, thought Merlin. I'd hoped Lancelot had been the only one to see. He almost laughed at the irony of Wrecan calling him a traitor, wasn't that the whole point?

Wrecan was seething and raised his hand for another attack but Gamol spoke in his wizened old voice, rather forcefully: "Calm yourself Wrecan. We wouldn't like another...oh dear, too late."

A large lump of flesh from Wrecan's outstretched forearm had suddenly turned black and fallen from his arm, landing on the flagstones with a sick slapping sound, leaving bone exposed, and black blood falling in clumps to the floor.

Merlin fought the urge to be sick.

Wrecan looked down at his arm briefly, seemingly unconcerned half of it was now gone, and looked back at at Merlin, calmer than before. The blackness in his eyes had now expanded to cover double the area it had previously.

"You will explain Emrys," Hafela spoke quietly, looking rather bored at the situation. "Why did you protect the Knights?"

Merlin answered immediately, hurriedly forming an excuse. "The Prince was among them, it was not the time for him to be killed."

"And who are you to decide that?" sneered Wrecan. "Why not kill the Prince? It would plunge the kingdom into deeper chaos."

"Exactly," said Merlin, casting around frantically for a way out, but managing to keep his voice calm. "The Wandrian are not yet strong enough to take on the kingdom, as weak as it is at present. The armies are still far stronger and outnumber us, even if we were using magic, they would overcome us. If the Prince lives, it gives the kingdom a chance to lose faith in him, fall to anarchy, and become easier for us to take."

Merlin knew it was a load of nonsense, but he hoped they would buy it.

Wrecan gave a laugh. "Is that the best you can come up with?"

"If the Prince is dead, the armies will fight twice as hard to avenge him. If he lives but they no longer trust him, they will be easier to defeat." Merlin said firmly.

Wrecan fell silent, glowering at him. Merlin glanced at Hafela and Gamol, who were deep in thought. Please...

Hafela shuffled forward, bringing his stench with him, Merlin breathed through his mouth, and tried to stand confidently, though he felt as though all his limbs were shaking.

"Your logic is interesting Emrys," he pondering searching his face. "Many of the things you have told us have been interesting, but they do not always work out to our favour. From what Wrecan tells me, we lost a sorcerer in that ambush, yet not a single citizen of Camelot has as of yet been harmed. Why?"

Merlin stared him down. "I've heard talk in the Court. They're frightened. They're more afraid of us because we haven't been killing people. They're running around like headless chickens trying to anticipate our next move. This is working to our advantage. The time will come when they will see the true extent of our power."

Wrecan came closer to him, and Merlin avoided looking at his arm.

"Why don't you use Dark Magic then, if you're on our side?"

Merlin glared at him.

"No offence, but I'd like to keep my body and sanity intact, if you don't mind. Besides, how am I supposed to spy if I turn up for work with black eyes? Arthur may be dense but I'm pretty sure even he'd notice that! I am on your side!"

Hafela looked even closer at him, as though trying to read his mind.

"Prove it."

Merlin's heart skipped a beat. What the hell was he supposed to do?

"I need to prove my loyalty to you because one sorcerer couldn't manage to defend himself against a piece of metal?" Merlin stated, trying to sound outraged.

"Yes," said Hafela simply.

Merlin's mind raced what was he supposed to do? Kill someone? He couldn't let it couldn't let it come to that. Then a thought struck him, and he remembered what Lancelot had said.

"There is one of your sorcerers locked inside the dungeons of Camelot, " he said quickly. "Give me a few hours and I will return him to you." Somehow, he added privately.

Wrecan scoffed. "Old Hyre? We're better off without him! He's crazy, a complete waste."

Only because of what this magic has done to you, thought Merlin. Hopefully it'll happen to you one day soon.

Merlin continued: "I'd be risking a great deal for this. The chance that Arthur'll discover me is very high, he is heavily guarded."

Hafela gave it a good deal of thought.

"Very well, Emrys, we expect him here by sunrise. If not...well, we shall see." He finished rather ominously. Merlin breathed a sigh of relief, but Wrecan looked outraged.

"You're not seriously believing all this crap he comes out with are you? He's a traitor!"

"We shall see," Hafela said again, and he turned back to the window; the conversation was over.

Merlin took this as his cue to leave, so he spun around and headed towards the doors, as he left he heard Gamol saying in a low voice.

"Perhaps he will not help us, but Morgana shall arrive shortly. Then our plans shall be set into motion."

Merlin shivered voluntarily, but he pretended not to hear. Morgana was coming? How on earth was he going to get around this? She'd never believe he'd betray Arthur.

Still, he had other things to worry about. Like how to break a top-security prisoner put of the Camelot dungeons...

Gwaine watched from the window as Lancelot walked back into the courtyard at Camelot.

He was alone.

Gwaine felt a surge of trepidation. Where was Merlin?

He'd been going over it again and again...Merlin and Emrys were both in the Royal Court, both had access to classified information, both knew things they shouldn't. Could they be the same person?

It was impossible. It had to be. Merlin, a sorcerer?

It couldn't be...Emrys was a known killer. There'd been a corpse with his name carved into it for crying out loud! Merlin would never do that. The guards who had seen him had been afraid, they had said he radiated evil and danger. That wasn't Merlin.

Merlin was suffering, if he really was Emrys, he'd be enjoying it all, wouldn't he?

But tonight, Merlin couldn't be found, when one of the Wandrian had been caught...it didn't look good.

It would explain why Emrys didn't use Dark Magic however, it'd look pretty suspicious if Merlin turned up one day with half his skin missing...

Gwaine shuddered at the thought

But he reminded himself, Lancelot was still loyal to him. And Lancelot would never collaborate with a sorcerer.

Then again, Merlin's father had been a Dragonlord, was that magic passed down from father to son? He remembered what Merlin had been saying about Emrys, almost defending him...

Gwaine had believed Merlin when he had said he was working as a spy for both sides, could the same still be applied? Was Merlin really Emrys and a sorcerer but still be working on Camelot's side?

But that would mean he had magic, powerful magic, and Gwaine knew most of the powerful sorcerers drawn to Camelot did not have good intentions...

And then there were those prophecies.

Gwaine gave up trying to understand it all. He turned and headed towards the dungeons. Her would interrogate that prisoner till he gave every piece of information he had.

He would find out.

A/N: Whew! 3 chaps all at once, I'm exhausted. Reviews pretty please, they make me better! :)

I admit, I've not been completely into this story lately, hence the slow updating, but I'm really starting to 'get myself back into the mood' now! Hopefully more updates soon! Definitely gonna be more action next chapter, even though I promised it a while back. I just get carried away!