Ch 14: To Catch a Ghost

A/N: If you like chapter soundtracks, this is the song I was listening to while writing scenes with the ghost: Bones by Ms Mr

Arthur and Merlin were sitting in Uther's rooms. Uther was still unconscious and oblivious to the two friends talking quietly in the corner.

"Why did the ghost come back? I thought you did the spell?"

Merlin bit his lip, thinking about this as he formed an answer, "There must be a range on the spell. When I went to the lower town to visit Sally's house, I must have been far enough away from the castle for her to slip through. She disappeared as soon as I came back."

Arthur nodded, satisfied with this answer, not that he knew any better. When it came to magic, Merlin was the expert and Arthur was happy to let Merlin tell him the details.

"Merlin, after this ghost is gone, we have to make Guinevere remember. It's not right that Uther will remember before her. She has a right to know – especially because she's not going to be on the receiving end of any kindness from my father when he wakes up."

"I haven't even seen Gwen," Merlin remarked.

"That's because you've been holed up in my study since the day you arrived and Morgana has been dragging Guinevere shopping every day to get out of the castle."

"Morgana always did like her clothes… until she turned evil and cared more about getting a crown."

"Well she's not evil now. We need a plan for how to best confront Morgana, letting her get her memories back, but keeping her from evil." The two were silent for a few moments. "Hold on," Arthur said, suddenly horrified, "Do you think Morgana is my sister now too?"

As Merlin opened his mouth to answer, a groan from the bed distracted them. Arthur jumped up and rushed to his father's side. Merlin stayed back just in case.

"Arthur," Uther said as he opened his eyes, rubbing his forehead to help relieve the pounding of his brain.

"Father," Arthur stated solemnly.

Uther looked up at his son, and his eyebrows creased in confusion. "I have these memories, the strangest things –" He stopped abruptly at Arthur's expression. "You know." It wasn't a question, but rather a statement of fact.

"Yes."

"I'm not sure I understand. How did this happen? Why did we come back?"

Arthur paused for a moment. He almost looked over at Merlin to help explain, but he didn't want to call attention to Merlin quite yet. "I'm not 100% certain, but I think it was always meant to be this way." At Uther's gesture to continue, Arthur explained more, "You know the legends of Camelot – the original Camelot from our first lives. It was always foretold that I would return. The Once and Future King. I mean, you even named me after myself. Figure that one out."

Arthur paused, but Uther didn't say anything more, staring at Arthur in disbelief. "Everyone who was ever important to me has been reborn as well."

Uther leaned back heavily into his pillows. "Everyone? But what triggered the memories?" Arthur didn't say anything, letting his father process the information. "I woke up after the ghost attacked and I saw you… I saw you and that servant boy. Merlin." Uther spat out the name distastefully and sat straight up at this knowledge. "In the legends Merlin is always a sorcerer. And I remember… he had magic. I was a ghost – you brought me back, Arthur – and Merlin used magic. You let a sorcerer into Camelot?" The rage on Uther's face was a sight to behold. Arthur had been hoping that Uther would not remember or connect the dots, but he should have realized his father's shrewdness. Merlin, hidden in the shadows in the corner, was glad he had not been spotted. "And you brought him here again! Did you know he had magic?"

Arthur had to be honest; deceit never served him well and went against his moral fiber. "Yes. But not until later, long after I became King."

"And you went and found him in these past few weeks, bringing him here with full knowledge that you would be harboring a sorcerer? I am ashamed to call you my son. You have a day to get Merlin out of Camelot's borders before I go after him."

"No. Merlin will stay here. He belongs at my side. I will not yield on this," Arthur stated firmly.

Uther rose from the bed, staring at his son in disbelief, raising his voice in anger, "You dare challenge me?"

Arthur held his ground, matching Uther's volume, "Merlin is the most loyal subject I could ever have. He has saved my life countless times and defended Camelot more than any of the knights combined. I owe him much more than you know."

Uther's rage had reached a breaking point. "You will obey me!"

"I will not stand by and let you hunt Merlin down like you have every other magic user in two lifetimes. Merlin was born with magic! To him, magic is as much a part of his life, his DNA, as a person's skin or eye color. To persecute him is racism."

Uther roared at Arthur's defiance and he backhanded Arthur. Arthur's head snapped to the side, but he turned his head back to his father, jaw clenched, refusing to show any pain. "You have no right," Arthur said coldly. "I respect you father, but I will not stand by these decisions any longer."

Uther gaped in shock, his mind instantly recalling the last time one of his children had defied him and he had hit back. He sat heavily down on the bed staring at his hand as if it was not a part of his body. Modern day Uther knew on some level that his son had a valid point and that hitting Arthur would only drive him away, but the medieval Uther had awakened. He had not been known for constraint in those days. "Arthur – I… Forgive me. I should not have struck you."

Arthur said more loudly, "Come here Merlin." Uther looked up stunned as Merlin walked forward to stand behind Arthur. Arthur did not turn to look at Merlin, but continued to stare at his father, "You will not touch Merlin. And don't spout off to me the evils of magic, for I know better. Magic is no more than a tool. Yes, it may be weapon too – but weapons are used to defend as well as attack. You know this better than anyone. Magic itself does not corrupt. Power and greed corrupt. I don't expect you to give magic a free pass now - I know you too well, father. But know that I will not be like you and I have seen your faults in two lifetimes." Arthur gestured for Merlin to leave the room before leaning in close to his father. He knew that this comment would hurt, but the truth had to be declared freely. "Genocide is not a good word."

Arthur turned around, leaving his father sitting on his bed, calling as he left, "I'm hiring Merlin as my personal assistant. Dinner is on the table if you get hungry and Gaius left a headache remedy on your night stand."

Uther watched the door swing shut in astonishment realizing that he had gone head to head with the legendary King Arthur and lost to his own son.

A sorry looking group of knights sat around the room leaning on whatever they could – each other and furniture – giving yawns every few minutes.

"Princess," Gwaine groaned, "Do we have to do this now? Can't Merlin just do the spell again and we'll hunt the ghost tonight?"

"No," Arthur said, "We have to do this now while everyone is asleep, so people will believe that the exorcism was successful and no one will suspect magic." Gwaine gave another big yawn, but grudgingly agreed to Arthur's strategy. "Everyone will drink their potion now." They all took off the cap of the small vials and downed the liquid. Merlin and Arthur knew to prepare themselves for the taste, but the four knights had various reactions of gagging and grimacing.

"Ugh! Sire, you might have warned us about the taste," Leon complained.

Arthur grinned, "Merlin did that to me last time. It was my turn to get someone else." Standing up and becoming serious again, Arthur said, "We will split up into pairs: Leon and Gwaine, Lancelot and Percival, Merlin with me. If any of you see Sally, do not attempt to confront her. You cannot fight her with weapons or fists. Come find Merlin and me immediately. Only Merlin is able to get rid of her."

The knights nodded in understanding and the pairs set out to their designated areas. Arthur and Merlin would do the common areas where they thought the ghost would be more likely to show up – the courtyard, Great Hall, receiving room, dining room, lounge areas, court room, cafeteria, and the conference rooms. Leon and Gwaine would search the east wing of the castle where the guest rooms, kitchen, storehouse, stables, and armory were all located. Lancelot and Percival had the west wing which included the private residences of the nobles, council members, and knights who chose to live in the castle. Arthur turned to Merlin and his face said 'Get on with it,' though he didn't say anything.

Merlin cast the spell to reverse the effects of the spell before. "Berbay othoday arisan Sally Bins." No sooner than the last word had rolled off Merlin's tongue when the torches turned a ghostly green.

Arthur looked around and didn't see the ghost. "Not here. Let's go then."

Merlin followed Arthur out of the room and they headed first to the courtyard. Not finding any ghosts they continued moving through the castle common areas. About fifteen minutes into the search, all of the torches lining the hallways, sputtered and went out, pitching the castle into total darkness.

Lancelot and Percival were walking through the halls in the west wing when the torches went black. Percival looked around nervously, but didn't see anything. "You wouldn't happen to have an electric torch? They're much more reliable than these old wooden ones." Lancelot asked.

Percival sniggered at the joke. "I've got matches." Percival fumbled for the matchbox in his pocket, he opened the box and pulled out a match, striking it on the side. Both knights blinked at the sudden light before Percival lit the two torches they held.

"Ah, light," Lancelot said happily. "I don't particularly care for the dark." Lancelot suppressed a shiver.

"I suppose you wouldn't," Percival said thoughtfully.

They started walking down the hall when they saw the door at the end slam shut. Looking at each other briefly, to make sure they were on the same page, the two set off running to the door. They barreled through the doorway to find themselves in an empty room. As they turned around to head back out of the room, they saw the figure in the doorway of Sally – her pearly white ghost dressed in equally color bleached jeans and a shirt. She smiled wickedly at them before raising a hand toward them. Shoving her ghostly hand forward, the knights were thrown off their feet and slammed into the walls. Percival stayed conscious long enough to see Sally knock a candle on the furniture before she stepped out of the room. Then darkness claimed him.

Gwaine and Leon were casually walking through the dark east wing, each carrying torches and relighting the wall torches and lanterns as they passed. The east wing was currently empty. No one was up in the kitchens or stable yet, though in an hour they would be bustling with activity. There were no visiting ambassadors or envoys, so all the guest rooms were empty. It was a bit creepy to walk through the empty wing with long dark hallways stretching in front of you.

From far down the hallway, they heard a door slam. Then another. And another. The slamming doors were progressively getting closer to them. To feel more secure, though Leon knew it was useless against a ghost, Leon drew his sword. Suddenly all the doors in the whole wing, in front of them and behind them, were opening and slamming shut at the same time. Gwaine spotted a shimmery figure standing still down the dark hallway. "There!" Gwaine pointed at the figure. "What do we do now that we found her?" Gwaine whispered.

"We should go get Merlin," Leon said, not taking his eyes off the ghost.

"But if we go get Merlin, we don't know where she is," Gwaine reasoned.

"One of us could stay," Leon said.

"Good suggestion. I'll go get Merlin," Gwaine volunteered and promptly ran down the lit hallway towards the central wing. Leon heard Gwaine's footsteps disappear around the corner. The ghost hadn't moved any closer, but she started to laugh. A slow, chilling laugh that crawled up his spine. Leon didn't need any more encouragement as he turned tail and chased after Gwaine. He didn't plan on dying to a ghost tonight anyway.

Merlin didn't bat an eye when the lights went out, relighting the torches in the immediate vicinity in less than a second with only a thought and a golden glow.

"You know your eyes light up when you do that? Sure they turn gold, but your eyes, Merlin, actually light up like torches," Arthur said conversationally.

"Just called me superman," Merlin dead-panned.

Arthur punched Merlin lightly on the arm. "Very funny."

Merlin rubbed his arm, "Why do you still think punching is a sign of affection? Fifteen hundred years and you are still a caveman!"

"Merlin. Shut up."

"Yes, sire," Merlin said sarcastically. Merlin was only quiet for a few minutes before he asked more seriously, "Do I need to be worried about Uther?"

"No. I've made position clear. You will stay and Uther will not bother you. I would advise to keep magic displays inconspicuous unless around former round table members." Merlin nodded and the two continued through the hallways. "You know, I think that's a good term to distinguish those of us that remember and know about you from everyone else – the round table."

"Arthur, I would like to point out that you never made me a member of the round table."

"Of course you were a part round table; you were there at the beginning and faced Morgana with us. I simply never assigned you a chair."

"Prat!"

"I wasn't the idiot who didn't realize that he could sit down if he wanted! Seriously, Merlin. I suppose I never officially offered you a spot at the table, but Merlin, you have to realize that you were the round table. You reminded me every day about the people I fought and worked for and you made me realize the significance of a round table, where everyone is equal in voice and opinion. You never needed a seat because you always told me your opinions anyway. Though, for what is worth, I am sorry, old friend, for the offense. I regret it now."

The pair fell into a comfortable silence, each considering what the other had said. They walked into the 'Receiving Room,' or, as Merlin thought, more appropriately the Throne Room. There wasn't a throne in the room. Modernization had removed that antiquity and the decorators had attempted to make the room more comfortable. Cushioned bench seats and armchairs with small tables lined the walls of the room. At the far end, where the throne would be, were two armchairs angled towards each other with the backs in front of a fireplace.

"This room looks very…. Victorian," Merlin said.

"You would know that better than me," Arthur said.

Merlin looked around the room, assessing it with a critical eye. "It's the curtains. Furniture is standard. The curtains and the wallpaper do it."

"You are still such a girl, Merlin! I don't know anybody who notices the curtains or wallpaper!"

Merlin huffed, "An appreciation for finery does not make me a 'girl,' Arthur. I do believe sex is based on anatomy. Iconic eras are always noted by the designs. For example, the 1980s - you can always pick out a retro design by the bright colors and the furniture."

Arthur rolled his eyes, "I rather like the curtains though, now that you point them out to me. Good colors." The curtains in question were a floor to ceiling deep red, large swooping valences, with gold fringe, tassels, and embellishments.

Gwaine happened to run into the room at that moment. "We're on a ghost hunt and you two are talking about curtains?!"

Arthur sputtered for a moment. "Merlin brought it up first."

"Real mature Arthur," Merlin said, before addressing Gwaine, "I was telling Arthur that the curtains make this room very Victorian to me."

Gwaine looked around for a moment, "Right…"

Arthur looked at Gwaine confused for a moment before demanding, "Where is Leon? Why aren't you in the east wing?"

Gwaine cleared his throat, "Well, we found the ghost, and so I came to find you while Leon stayed to keep an eye on her."

"No I didn't!" Leon gasped as he ran through the door.

Arthur threw his hands up in disbelief. "Really Leon? I expected something like this from Gwaine, but you never leave your post!"

Leon shifted uncomfortably, "I am deeply sorry, sire. Forgive me for my actions. It came down to a fight or flight moment and knowing that I had no way to fight, I chose to run."

Arthur grudgingly nodded, "It appears that we might have simply stayed as group instead of splitting up. I hope that Lancelot and Percival are alright. Let's keep moving. I'm sure Sally will come find us."

After a few more rooms, Arthur began to doubt the validity of his statement. The ghost was nowhere to be found. They came to the set of double doors that led to the court room and Arthur led the group inside. As the last person, Gwaine, crossed the threshold, the doors slammed shut behind him. Gwaine quickly turned and tried the door. "Locked."

Arthur nodded, not taking his eyes off the room in front of him. A wind picked up in a closed room. Sally emerged from the far corner and walked to the judge's stand. "Arthur Pendragon," she said in a chilling voice.

"Sally, you are harming innocents. You have no revenge to claim on Camelot. You were guilty of high treason."

Sally took a step towards them with each of her next words. "Wrong. I was persecuted for my magic. Hunted. Hated. Revenge is only beginning. Starting with you, Arthur Pendragon."

Merlin moved in front of Arthur, "I will not allow you to do this."

"And who are you to stop me?" Sally stalked closer unafraid, like a cat getting prepared to pounce.

Merlin smirked cockily, "My name is Merlin, but the druids know me as Emrys."

The reaction on Sally was almost comical. The pearly shimmer vanished to be a pure faint white. Her sneer faded and her eyes widened in shock. "Emrys," she said faintly, reverently.

Merlin nodded, "I will give you a chance to return to the other side. Leave Camelot for good and go to your eternal rest."

"How can you, the most powerful sorcerer, side with them?"

"First of all, I'm a warlock, and I will always side with Arthur. Arthur is not the type of man you think him to be. He is and forever will be my King. Once and Future."

"So the prophecy holds true…" Sally shook herself out of her train of through and tossed her head defiantly, "No matter who you are. You cannot touch me. Revenge is mine."

"If you refuse, I will lock your soul away for eternity – never experiencing true peace and rest," Merlin threatened. "Eternity is a very long time. Trust me on that."

Sally smirked, shoved both ghostly hands forward, and yelled "Forbaerne!"

Merlin instantly created a shield with less than a moment's thought and the fire flowed around it. "Sally, please. Take my offer. Let your soul rest." Merlin's words had a hint of begging to them as he really did not want to have to condemn the witch's soul to forever in a bottle instead of the other side of the veil.

"Traitor!" Sally cried, lifting three of them into the air and tossing them into the walls. Merlin had been ready and resisted the spell as he opened the water bottle with the potion.

"Ic þín sáwol beluce, Sally Bins!" Merlin's eyes glittered gold and the potion in the bottle started boiling, turning a rich blue color from the herbal brown it had been before.

Sally screamed in despair and terror as she felt the pull of the potion. It grabbed her whole ghostly form and she lost shape, demorphing as the potion pulled her, blurring her form at the edges. She tried to create as much havoc as possible before she left, the wind snapped at their clothes and pictures fell off the walls. Merlin capped the bottle tightly after her form disappeared, sealing it with a spell, and a surreal silence covered the courtroom. He checked on the three men, making sure that no one needed healing. He tossed the bottle to Arthur, who caught it instinctively. "That will need to go some place safe where no one will ever open it or break it. She'll be released if that happens. We need to go find Lancelot and Percival. I don't know what she did to them."

Instantly realizing the absence of the other pair and their potential imminent danger, the four raced out of the courtroom and to the west wing. Leon spotted an open door off one of the side hallways and they sprinted to the room to find a large blaze blocking the door. Through the fire, Merlin could see Lancelot and Percival passed out against the walls. The fire hadn't reached them yet. The stone walls had slowed the flames.

Arthur quickly set down the bottle and prepared himself to jump through the fire, but his shirt was grabbed by Gwaine, pulling him back. Angrily he turned to Gwaine who gestured at Merlin. Merlin held out a hand and the flames vanished. He rushed into the room, Arthur, Leon and Gwaine behind him. Merlin reached Lancelot first, who had been closest to the flames. His legs and arms had various first, second, and third degree burns and a large bump was evident on his head. A call from Leon and Gwaine assured him that Percival was fine. Merlin quickly began healing spells over Lancelot, the skin returning from an angry red blister to smooth and healthy. The bump went down on Lancelot's head and Lancelot woke up slowly.

"How do you feel?" Merlin asked seriously.

"Like I've been run over by a bulldozer," Lancelot answered honestly.

"You're energy will return with food and rest. Did I miss any injuries?" Lancelot shook his head no and Merlin checked on Percival, who only had a slight cut on his head.

The next half hour was spent straightening the courtroom before anyone noticed it was out of place. The burned room was explained by a fallen candle and the household staff organized for a cleaning crew to clear the room of debris and salvage the furniture that remained in-tact.

Arthur placed the witch bottle in the large steel vault in the basement, locking the thick door tightly – a door to which only Arthur and Uther held a key. The six friends shared breakfast up in Arthur's rooms and joked about the terrifying events that morning. Merlin breathed a deep sigh of relief. Hopefully he would have a few more days to settle down before a new problem arose.

Across the castle from the cheery group of men, Morgana awoke, pale and terrified, attempting to cope with the knowledge that had been heaped onto her without going insane. She attempted to light the candle beside her with her newly discovered magic, but the room stayed resolutely dark. Morgana's heart pounded in fright as she realized that she didn't have magic. Either it hadn't developed yet or she wasn't going to get it back. Feeling helpless, she curled up on her bed in despair. One thought dominated – Arthur and Merlin could never know.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review! Now that the excitement has died, we'll have a brief lull to introduce Merlin to 21st century Camelot, before the adventures and new villains arrive.

I'd really like to hear everyone's thoughts about Uther. I fear that I am not staying true to his character... :/

Translations of spells:

Berbay othoday arisan Sally Bins.

(taken from 1x2) I command you to rise up, Sally Bins.

Forbaerne.

(from a lot of episodes) Burn up.

Ic þín sáwol beluce, Sally Bins!

(partly from 2x1) I shut in your soul, Sally Bins.