Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or the BBC. I do however own my knights Sir Richard and Sir Liam, who will be back!

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Previously.

"Yes but I know who he is?" Goran smiled sweetly at her.

"WHO?" She shrieked.

"Do you know King Arthurs manservant?"

Morgana's furious yell was heard throughout around the whole city that day, leaving many people afraid to go outside.


The assassin had waited for a few days before trying to enter the citadel again when they finally loosened the surety. Another added bonus was that the king left a day or so before leaving the target behind. The assassin was angry at failing the first time; he would have managed to eliminate the target if it hadn't been for that bloody king and his knights. But now that they were out of the way it should be easier for him to kill the sorcerer. The assassin that liked to call himself The Shadow for his ability to blend into the darkness had sent of a messenger bird with a message for that king that had sent him here in the first place.

All he had to do now was track the target and anticipate where he will be all alone and vulnerable to being attacked. The Shadow thought that he should wait for the night till he should enter but it should be easier to go now and hide out till it was time. Not that it mattered as he would finish the job that he was set. Gathering his clock he set off for the citadel making his way through the morning crowd blending in where it was possible. His luck was with him as one of the nobles was holding court in the kings absents or so one of the gossiping housewives said as he passed her by in the market. Slipping passed the guards with everyone else as they all made their way to the throne room to make their plea for whatever was their problem. The best thing about working in a city like Camelot was that everyone was so predictable and the nobles always have a schedule that they stuck to which made his job even easier.

The more crowded the city was the more likely that he wouldn't be found or the crime blame on someone else entirely. There were many people that would hire just him to use his skills; places like Rome were a favourite of his. As he moved with the crowed he spied potential exit points though out the courtyard and hallways. Spotting an empty hallway he slipped away from the group and blended into the darkness of the shadows. No one from the crowd or guards spotted him leave making his way back to the king's chambers hoping that the manservant would be there. But as he entered the rooms it was empty of everyone, so next plan involved finding where this George lived so he could attack him at his home instead.

Getting back down to the throne room was slightly tricker then getting to the king's chamber which he thought was kind of strange but who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth. At last he was back in the throne room with the town's people blending in, thinking that he was going to have to wait to find that servant he was pleasantly surprised to find him standing off to the side next to the throne with the queen sitting on it. The Shadow saw another man standing right next to her and thought that the man looked like he was trying to influence the result but the queen was having none of it. So maybe he was wrong about not staying in the chamber and waiting for the servant to come back so he could kill him.

As the court concluded The Shadow had a plan ready for that night, of cause this was blown to hell when he realized that the servant was following the greasy hair lord out the room instead of the Queen. Swearing in his head he followed the towns folk back out in the hallway, he was beginning to wish that he had never taken this job in the first place as this was the first time things were going wrong. Sighing he overheard one of the maids walking in the opposite direction say that George was annoying Lord Agravaine and that the Lord wished that the King would return and then he would be free from the servant.

Maybe his luck wasn't down after all, smiling at his turning luck he slunk back into the shadows and let the rest of the people pass him as he watched unnoticed. All he had to do now was find out where either this Lord Agravaine or George lived and then he would wait, striking when the servant lest expected it. His luck was definitely going up as he turned the corner and there was the target walking behind the Lord, deciding to follow them, he removed one of his hidden daggers from his cloak and slowly increased his speed till he was only a few meters behind him. The Lord decided to turn around at that point; the Shadow barely had time to fall back into the darkness before the Lords eyes were roaming around checking the hallway as if he felt like he was being watched.

The assassin watched as the Lord frowned and shock his head, then he turned back to talk to the servant. The target nodded at something and headed off in the opposite direction from him leaving to Lord standing in the hallway blocking the Shadow from following the target. Maybe he should just dispose of this man to just to get him out the way. What he was not expecting was for the Lord to talk to thin air. It took him a second or two to realize that the Lord was talking to him.

"I know that you are there, I wish to speak to you before you continue just follow me this way and I shall find a room for us to speak in." The Lord said and walked off.

Unsure whether or not he should follow the Lord, it could be a trap. Since he was a gambling man the assassin through caution to the wind and followed the Lord down the hallway still sticking to the shadows just in case. Once the Lord had picked out an appropriate room he followed the man in closing the door with a small click. Waiting in silence till the Lord decide to speak up on what he wanted, the assassin was calculating all the exit points on habit, but he did think that he would need them because if worse came he could easy overpower the Lord and kill him, thus ending one of his problems.

"Your employer would like for you not to finish the job as he has other plans for the boy. He wanted you to go back and get some other instructions." The lord said.

"And he sent you?" Shadow asked suspicious.

"No I have been here the whole time but the orders come from someone right next to him, by a magic mirror my Lady gave me. I can show you if you like."

"Since when did he decide this?" The Shadow glowered.

"After he received your letter and after he met with my lady, they both came up with the plan and if you wish to know what it is then you must go back to Olesia and talk to the King yourself."

"So you work for the king?" Shadow asked trying to make sense of it.

"No I'm working with the King, with my Lady." The Lord answered.

"Who is this 'Lady'?" Shadow asked curiously

"You will find out when you get there." The lord smiled and swept out the room with his cape fluttering behind him like the wings of a bat.

The assassin frowned thinking who could possibly be able to manipulate the king without the king realizing unless it was a mutual agreement which sounded more likely in his book. The clue had to be the Lady part, so she was a female who had magic and might be an enemy of Camelot as she had a spy in the city rather then enter the city herself. Shaking his head he made up his mind to make a quick trip to see the King to make sure that this was the right order he wished for. Getting out the city was surprisingly easy, as it was starting to get dark which ment that there were more shadows around. Picking up his pace he wanted to get there and back as quickly as possible.


One day before.

After her shouting and screaming at everyone in sight except for Goran, Morgana retired to her room to think over what it all means. She cannot believe that the annoying manservant was the one that would be her doom. Why did it have to be him, it was impossible, after everything she had been through it would be Merlin of all people that would be her downfall? Well screw fate she would strike first, and survive like she always did. If only her sister was with her still she would know the perfect spell to cause Merlin suffering beyond anything that he could imagine.

Merlin had a lot of explaining to do as he should have helped her take over Camelot instead of siding with Arthur. The question was does Arthur know about Merlin's magic cause if he does then he is a big hypocrite trying to kill her for having magic when the person who is usually beside him has it too. Maybe she should pay her brother a visit to find out what he actually knows about his manservant. It would be worth being captured if Arthur didn't know, because if she told him it would break his heart.

After she thought about it for a few hours she realized that King Goran didn't actually say that it was Merlin all he said was his description, so instead of going and seeking out the king again she headed for her dresser which held her mirror. She had given Agravaine an identical mirror to contact her if there was an emergency the he needed to tell her without sending a crow messenger. Reaching out with her magic she sent of a signal to him that she wished to talk, it didn't take long until his face could be seen in the mirror.

Making sure that her face was neutral as she didn't want to give anything away she asked.

"I heard that there is an assassin in Camelot trying to kill my brother's manservant?"

"Yes my lady it is true." He said.

"Is it also true that he's been called Emery's by the assassin?" She asked her voice rising in anger.

"Yes my lady." He replied.

"THEN WHY DIDN'T TELL ME THAT YOU HAD FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS MERLIN. I WANTED TO KNOW." Morgana bellowed in anger.

"I was investigating a bit more before I was going to contact you with the results my lady." Agravaine said cringing at the rage in her voice.

"I DON'T KEEP YOU AROUND TO THINK I TELL YOU WHAT TO DO. So just tell me that the assassin has killed Merlin already?" She asked grinding her teeth together to stop her shouting again.

"Merlin? He's not in Camelot right now, in fact neither is Arthur. George is the king's manservant at the moment but considering the boy is very creepy Arthur dumped him on me while he goes off on a dragon hunt." Agravaine explained.

"George? Who the hell is George and what does he have to do with this?"

"He's the temporary manservant while Merlin is on holidays. The assassin had attacked George right before Arthur left the castle, Arthur was able to fend the assassin off and when Arthur asked George what that was all about the boy said that he was attacked because the assassin confused him with another person called emery's." he answered.

"So is it Merlin or this George that is Emery's?" Morgana asked.

"I'm not too sure my lady." Agravaine admitted.

"Right then we need a plan." Morgana told him and for the next couple of hours they came up with a plan to find out who the real Emery's is.


AN: Hello again, first some good news, I'AM GOING TO SEE IRON MAN 3 RIGHT NOW! YAAAAAAAAAY. It's one of the only movies that come out in the cinema's here before most countries in the world. Lucky New Zealand and England who could watch it days ago. Now the bad news is that I will not be able to update any of my stories for the next two weeks as I shall be going on a camping holiday as it tents and no computers. But that does not mean that I will not be writing chapters down on paper so I can update when I get back. Sorry once again, I just didn't want anyone to think that I'm abandoning them. I will be updating my other fic tomorrow but then I shall see you guys in a couple of weeks. Bye for now.

Mushushy.