"Get them!" screamed Thrówend as Merlin, Galahad and Karanth raced out of the hall. Merlin ducked under a stray javelin and sprinted for the double doors that marked the way out. That definitely could have gone better, thought the warlock. Only a few minutes before, the banquet had been entirely peaceful. And now… well…

He tumbled through the doorway just as the huge doors fell into place behind him. Now they were on the stone bridge that connected the castle to the craggy cliffs of the White Mountains; for the Lord of Snakes had built his castle on a spur of rock next to the cliffs. It was the perfect place for a fortress.

Merlin made the mistake of looking over the edge and started to feel sick. Normally, he was fine with heights, but there was a difference between riding on the back of a dragon, having the time of his life, and knowing that Kilgharrah would catch him if he fell; and running at full speed across a narrow bridge where a fall meant certain death.

"Quickly!" yelled Thrówend. "The portcullis!" The portcullis, a large gate of iron at the far end of the bridge, started to slowly lower. Merlin paled. If they didn't make it, he wasn't sure he could use his magic to escape; for iron was the only substance that could nullify his magic.

He ran faster.

Galahad got there first, and rolled under the sharp spikes of the portcullis with an elaborate and possibly unnecessary series of manoeuvres. Next Karanth slid under the heavy iron mechanism, cheering at her luck.

Merlin sprinted for the gate; he was almost there, he was going to make it―

Clang.

He stared in disbelief, because there he was, he was trapped, he was on the wrong side of the bars. Merlin clutched at the iron gate in a futile effort to get through. Galahad and Karanth were yelling his name, calling for him. Merlin, what the hell do you think you're doing? Use your magic! Hurry! He barely heard them over the beat of his own heart, which seemed strangely loud all of a sudden.

"You," hissed Thrówend. He said nothing more, but Merlin could tell from his voice that he was angry beyond reason. He wanted blood. The warlock slowly turned to face him, so many emotions clouding his thoughts that he didn't even know what he was feeling. Scared? Oh, yes. Angry? Not really. Mystified? Without a shadow of a doubt. But oddly, the most overwhelming emotion there was… pity.

"Ic bebéodan þú æt béon sé snaca!" Thrówend said the spell before Merlin could register that he had done more than point his hand towards the sorcerer. He felt the burst of magic strike him, felt a deeper intention woven into the lord's spell. He sensed Thrówend's will trying to overcome his own.

What was happening?

The ground came up to meet him as he fell; he couldn't move. His limbs weren't responding. The world was growing dimmer, perhaps bigger, he couldn't tell. Before he knew what was happening, Merlin was on the other side of the portcullis. How had he managed that?

Karanth looked scared, Galahad murderous. Thrówend laughed from far away. Merlin tried to speak but the sound of his voice was alien to his ears; all he could manage was a faint hissing noise.

He didn't remember what happened after.

oOo

Karanth was absolutely miserable. This was by far the worst that had happened, she thought as she ran after Galahad. She looked down at the snake she carried with her; he looked back with intelligent blue eyes. His scales were a deep black with a gold stripe down the back, and somehow the effect managed to make him recognisable to her.

They finally stopped in a clearing within the alpine forest, probably because even Galahad knew they could not run forever.

"What do we do?" Karanth asked, voice shaky.

"We find a way to change him back," he replied. Determined though he was to achieve this, Karanth doubted he knew how; but before she could voice her opinion, a voice broke into their conversation.

I believe I can help you there.

"It's you," Karanth breathed, recognising the voice's owner.

Yes, the Fateseeker said. It is I. Galahad drew his sword and stood in front of Karanth and Merlin protectively, but the apparition seemed to disregard this.

"You can help him? You can… change him back?" Karanth asked in a wobbly voice.

Yes. But you must give me something in return.

"What… what is it?"

I am about to do you a service. When the time comes, I will expect the same of you.

"So… just do you a favour when you ask for it?"

That is all.

"Alright," Karanth said doubtfully. "I suppose."

"Karanth! We've no idea what he'll ask!" Galahad was panicking.

"I don't care. This is for Merlin." She held out the snake, and the Fateseeker whispered something intelligible. There was a flash of darkness, and Merlin lay gasping on the ground. The Fateseeker had vanished, but he had left behind him a token of the deal: Merlin's staff.

"What happened?" Merlin asked, looking around confusedly.

"He turned you into a snake," Galahad said bluntly.

"W-what?"

"We changed you back, though. And got your staff back," Karanth added.

"But… how?"

"A creepy-looking fellow with no eyes turned up out of the blue," Galahad explained, "and said he'd turn you back in exchange for a favour."

"The Fateseeker?" Merlin exclaimed. The name seemed to echo with a surreal vibe.

"Did you know him?"

"You shouldn't have trusted him, he's a murderer!"

Galahad opened his mouth to reply, but closed it again as his face turned skyward. Merlin and Karanth did the same, their eyes wide with shock.

Night had fallen… in the middle of the day.

oOo

Morgana woke to a piercing pain in her head; it was like there was someone else looking at her thoughts. She got up and washed, wondering what the cause of the headache could be. It only got worse with every passing minute. She went down to fetch her breakfast, but collapsed halfway, head spinning.

She was falling, falling so fast and so far, she feared she would never land. But land she did, and she looked up through a haze of pain at a girl's face, wrinkled with concern. She was quite sure she'd never seen the girl before, though.

Morgana woke to see the same girl speaking to her.

"Woah," the girl said, "how long have you been awake?"

"I don't know," Morgana replied, voice hoarse. "A few minutes. Who… who are you?"

"Oh, my name is Karanth. What about you?"

"I'm Merlin," replied Morgana.

She sat up so fast that she got light-headed. She knew, with absolute certainty, that she had just experienced one of Merlin's memories. How, or why, she had no idea, but one thing was clear.

She could use this against him.

It occurred to her that if she could see his memories, perhaps Merlin could see hers… no, that was impossible. The bond between them was clearly magical, and Merlin didn't have magic. He was one of the few people, Morgana scoffed, that could never, under any circumstances, even be suspected of having magic. And after all, he was Arthur's servant. Nobody of that position could ever have magic.

So why did she feel uneasy?