Merlin's blue eyes were fixed intently on Morgana's pale hands. Morgana hesitantly opened her hands. She let out a small sob at the small strawberry in her palm. Her jade eyes began to water as she clenched her fist.
She raised her shaking fist. Ready to chuck the blasted fruit away when Merlin's hand caught hers. She glanced up at him with shocked eyes. he didnt meet her gaze rather stared at her hand holding the berry.
His pale fingers pried hers open and plucked the strawberry. His blue eyes were wide and watering as he rolled the berry between his fingers. He shivered violently before holding the berry in his fist gently.
"You thought you're little magic trick would stop me?" he asked her, his voice echoed menacingly in the quiet hall. She let out another sob before straightening up and pulling herself together.
"Yes." She told him more fiercely than she felt. His eyes glanced up at her through his lashes with alarming softness before he grabbed her upper arm tightly with his left hand.
"Well you were wrong. And now you should be punished." He hissed. Merlin's eyes flashed gold and she suddenly found herself falling and landing in a heap against a stone floor, the sound of Arthur yelling her name ringing in her ears. She placed her head in her hands and let her tears fall as she awaited the punishment set by the man who wasn't Merlin. Not her Merlin, not any more.
She jumped when a hand pressed against her shoulder. She shuffled back away from the touch. Her watery eyes stared at Merlin as he knelt before her.
"God, Morgana. I'm so sorry. Are you hurt? I'm sorry!" Merlin apologised, his face etched with worry as he pulled his hand back. Morgana dried her eyes and stared at Merlin before a massive grin spread across her lips and she launched herself at him. She tackled him to the ground wrapping him in a tight hug. Merlin huffed before pulling her tightly against him with a laugh.
She squeezed him tightly before pulling back and looking into his eyes. He didn't have time to say anything before her lips were firmly against his. Her tongue dived into his mouth with a passion that had been missing for too long in his opinion. He rolled her over and to control of the kiss, his hands roaming the side of her body.
He pulled away breathlessly and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm so sorry."
"I'm just glad your back." She breathed against his lips before pressing another kiss to them. He groaned and pulled back. He grabbed her hands and pulled her to stand.
"I need to sort this out." He said softly. She nodded. They were in trouble now. Arthur knew she had magic, Merlin was apparently running the kingdom with his magic, and Morgause was still out there.
"How? What are you going to do?" Merlin turned away and began pacing, his hands running through his hair.
"I don't know. I don't know. I don't know!" He said in increased agitation. She pulled his hands from his dark hair and cupped his face. She waited for him to breathe before she spoke.
"You'll figure it out. I know you will." Merlin shook his head sadly and pulled away. He sat heavily upon the bed. Morgana finally turned around and took in the opulent guest room, she guessed somewhere in the east wing of the castle. They were far from the throne room. She guessed Merlin had brought them here for that reason.
"Gwen!" Merlin yelled standing before his eyes flashed gold and he disappeared from her eyes. She blinked and shook her head as she took a mental note to have him teach her that. She sat in the spot he had vacated and thought. They needed to stop Morgause, save Arthur, Gaius, and Uther, and make it so that Merlin was innocent. She flopped back on the soft bed and closed her eyes as she thought.
Morgana woke up to the sound of voices coming down the hall. As she gained alertness she shot up and ran to hide behind the changing screen then silently cursed herself for the choosing the obvious hiding spot. She held her breath as the door opened.
"-just in here. I thought it was best."
"I still can't believe you were telling the truth when we first met!"
"Why does no one ever believe me?" Merlin asked fondly. Morgana peaked her head around and saw him closing the door as he spoke to Gwen standing in the middle of the room.
"Because of reasons like this." The maid responded sadly, she turned to take in the room and spotted Morgana. "Morgana! You're okay!" She cried out before running up to hug her mistress. Morgana responded gratefully and saw Merlin's face fall over her maids shoulder.
"Merlin?" She questioned as she pulled out of Gwen's embrace.
"Did you really think I would hurt her?" He asked quietly, his eyes filling with water as he stared at Gwen. She opened her mouth to reply before she closed it. Merlin took a deep breath and shook his head, clearing the thoughts away.
"Never mind that. We need to fix this." He stated firmly, all sense of despair gone from his voice.
"We?" Gwen asked latching on to the change of subject.
"Well, probably me. But you two come up with a plan. You're both smart and extremely clever when you want to be." He said directing the last part toward Morgana who just raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Morgause still cares for you, so my taking you away for punishment might push her over the edge. Arthur and Gaius and liabilities, I will need them out of the way to battle Morgause. I can't bare any of them getting hurt. You two should probably go down to the dungeons and free Uther and the Knights, but only at my signal. Any earlier and I will be in big trouble."
Morgana and Gwen glanced at each other in surprise as Merlin rattled off orders like Arthur would his knights. His demeanour was no longer that of a servant but of a powerful being who commanded respect and loyalty with his words. They listened and sat around the table as he elaborated his ideas, occasionally tweaking a few areas when Morgana or Gwen piped up with a query.
"That good?" He asked as he leant back in the wooden chair exhausted from their planning.
"I think so." Morgana said looking to Gwen for reassurance. She nodded firmly with a small smile. "Definitely." The women turned to Merlin who scrubbed his face before rising quickly and straightening his clothes. Their mouths dropped open as he smirked darkly toward them.
"Merlin?" Gwen asked feeling fear at the look her friend was sending her.
"I need to act the part for her to believe me while I get Arthur and Gaius out of there." Merlin said as the smirk dropped and he sent them an apologetic smile. At their sighs of relief and nods of understanding he turned back to his darker self and strode from the room without looking back.
"I'm worried, Gwen. Morgause or Uther could hurt him, or both! I can't stand this." Morgana blurted out as she kept her eyes on the door waiting, desperately for Merlin to come back.
"I know. So am I, Morgana. But we have to trust him only he can fix this. You got him back though." She said gently, her hand squeezing Morgana's shoulder. Her lady sighed before turning to her long time friend.
"What would I do without you?" She asked before holing her hands tightly. 'And now we wait." She sighed and turned her eyes back to the wooden doors as they waited for Merlin's signal with bated breaths.
AN: Merlin's back and with a plan! What is he going to do? What will Uther do? So many questions!
So I re-wrote this chapter before posting it because I didn't like what I had. It seemed like everything was too rushed but now you have this! The next update may take longer than previously as real life is getting in the way, dammit! I have finals coming up and need to work hard on those, but you will get your chapters! I won't leave you waiting, for too long. S
The story is nearing it's end as well. :( But I have many more stories in progress! ;)
Review, tell me what you think.