Hey there! Do you still remember me? I am back. Oh, wow! Already 100 followers and 50 favorites, that is unbelievable. I am so glad if you have liked the story. Thank you all for voting and very big thanks to all of you who shared your thoughts with me about Uther. You gave me lots of great ideas with your reviews. It was quite difficult to decide what will he do, and this is what I came up with him. Uther is one "tough cookie" alright.

Just for warnings; this chapter takes a little turn to dark side. I am sorry, I won't let the characters go too easy on this one. (Or, Uther won't, anyway). Hope you enjoy!

Uther sat at the table staring at a letter in front of him that he had been crumpled and straighten many times in this past week. The paper was torn in half on an angry whim by the first time he had read it. He stroked wrinkles of the paper scroll with his palms and let out a long weary sigh.

"This has gone far enough," he whispered to himself and walked to a mirror on the corner of his room. That gray man in the mirror was only a shadow of his former self as he had started to resemble a foolish peasant. He rubbed his three week old beard and knew that is was time to get rid of it. It had been that long now when Arthur and Morgana left Dordona and left their father on his own, wallowing in self-pity and sorrow, cursing Balinor and all those who practiced their foul magic.

Uther had fell into depression and didn't want to see anyone. He was haunted by his old wrong deeds and the lost of his children. He felt that everything was lost, but a week ago he received that cursed letter from Camelot. He turned once more gazing at that torn paper on his table. One piece of paper, what was so important about it that it had shook him up from despair?

Uther joined the two halves together again and wiped his finger gently over a name that was written into it. And that name was: "Morgana…" he sighed softly. That letter was his daughter's wedding invitation.

"You'd love to twist the knife in the wound, wouldn't you Balinor?" he spoke and his voice turned more resentful. He was certain that Morgana was forced to marry that wretched warlock prince of Camelot. She couldn't do something like that on her own will. This must have been only some sort to sick game that Balinor was playing with him, Uther thought wrathfully.

He placed his sword and dagger on the table and searched his festive clothes from his wardrobe, preparing himself on a journey with only one thought in his mind; to save his daughter and son whom had been brainwashed by Camelot's false ruler.

Sir Olef marched determinately into Uther's house. He had been worried of his old friend because Uther had not been himself since Arthur and Morgana moved to Camelot. He thought that Uther took the loss of his children harder than the lost of his former kingdom. When sir Olef came in he thought that he would find Uther sitting down by the window, gazing out in his own thoughts and feeling self-pity. That's was not the case this time.

Sir Olef stared speechless at his friend who looked like his old self again, clean-shaven and in full dress.

"Uther? Are you alright, my lord? You… you look better," old knight said, pleased to see his friend this way.

Uther was focused on his preparations, backing his saddlebacks and eating at the same time.

"Sir Olef, do you know what day it is tomorrow?" he asked, not even looking at his friend.

"Hmm, Saturday?"

"Tomorrow it would be my daughter's wedding day," Uther said and glared at sir Olef dissatisfied. "They are going to marry Morgana to that filthy-blooded prince of Camelot… to a bloody sorcerer! He is not even a real royal, for god's sake!"

Sir Olef recognized that heated-natured talk. It was Uther alright, but he was worried. "What are you going to do?"

The former king put his sword on his belt and grabbed his saddlebacks on his shoulder. "I am going to get my daughter back. It is something I should have done in the first place," he said with a confident voice and walked passed this friend.

Sir Olef hurried by his side, watching Uther troubled. "You are going to Camelot? Alone?"

Uther smiled for the first time in three weeks as he walked to the stables. "My exile is over and I have an invitation to the palace. I'll bring my children back home..." he said and turned at his friend with a strange grin. "Or die trying."

Next morning brought a beautiful bright autumnal day. Camelot was prepared for the weddings of the warlock prince and his fiancée. People had decorated the whole city to celebrate that special occasion, even there were some discord of bride's family origin. Uther had given Pendragons a bad name, and hearing it made still some people to shy away from it.

There was a slight bustle going on in Morgana's chambers as the other ladies were getting her ready for the big day. Guinevere and Mirela were braiding her hair, Lily gave her the last minute hand and nail treatment, Alice was there for emotional support, two seamstresses were finishing the golden embroideries of her white wedding dress and attaching a long white trail on it. Morgana just sat there surrounded by others, feeling herself like a princess already, sipping some sweet wine to relieve her anxiety. She felt uneasy because she had seen another bad dream last night that made still cold shivers go down her spine.

Mirela gazed at her future sister-in-law who sat silently, deep in her thoughts and touching her amethyst necklace gently every now and then. "You are not nervous, are you, Morgana?" she asked smiling and poured some more wine to her silver goblet.

Morgana sighed and tried to smile slightly but concern reflected from her eyes.

"Please, no more wine, I am dizzy already!" she said and put her cup away, hands shaking. She just wished that she could be alone for a while. Even more she wished to be with the man she was about to marry. "I should see Merlin," she said and got up from her chair. Her behavior had seemed very absent to others this morning. It was normal to be a little nervous but she seemed to be actually quite troubled.

Guinevere took a gentle hold of her hands, trying to calm her down. "Please, my lady. Don't you know it's bad luck to see your groom before the wedding?"

"I have a right to see him!" Morgana stated a bit stammering.

"You will see him in two hours. It is perfectly alright to have cold feet, my dear. It will pass," Alice told smiling compassionately. Gaius had asked her to take good care of Morgana since she was almost like his own child.

Morgana shook her head displeased. "You do not understand. We should call off this wedding," she sighed, thinking her worries out loud.

All the other ladies gazed at her taken aback, letting out a confused "Huh?". She was about to marry the warlock prince within a few hours, and her hesitation couldn't come at any worse timing than this. She got a torrent of questions from others and it made her even more anguished, feeling like she was surrounded by a herd of confused cackling hens.

Mirela smiled kindly to other ladies and asked them to give some time to her and Morgana alone. After others had left she sat next to Morgana in front of the dressing table. "Are you serious? Has something happened, Morgana?"

Morgana gave a small sob. "I have a really, really bad feeling about this day. We should not do this."

"What's wrong? Don't you want to marry Merlin? I know he could be a bit irritating sometimes but I am sure..."

"I do, of course, I do," Morgana reassured with urgency. Her green eyes were filling with tears as she gazed her fellow sister in magic through the mirror. "I saw a dream. Uther. My father came to our wedding. He seemed so happy for me and he even walked me down the aisle and gave me away to Merlin. Everything was so perfect but then..." she swallowed her tears and wiped her eyes. "We were in the throne room, everyone were there. Suddenly he had a dagger and he stabbed Merlin in his heart. He killed Merlin in front of my eyes and I couldn't do anything to stop him."

Morgana was trembling with fear, and Mirela took her hands on her owns. "Maybe it was just a dream?" princess suggested and got a questionable gaze back from Morgana.

"You know that it wasn't just a dream! Not in my case."

"Alright," Mirela sighed worried and took a moment to think. "Merlin took you to see that druid seer a week ago. Do you remember what he told you about your dreams? And about the future?"

Morgana thought back of that meeting with the old wise man of the druids. He was completely blind but he could see more that any other. "He said that there are many possible futures and seers can see some of them. Some events of future are more important and they are destined to happen, and others can be altered," she spoke quietly.

"So, not all vision necessarily come to pass?"

"We have to make sure this one won't!"

"I agree. I'll tell guards to keep their eyes open. If Uther should come to the palace then he will be guarded, he won't get anywhere near Merlin," princess assured.

"We shouldn't have sent him the invitation. I said it was a bad idea," Morgana sobbed still worried.

"My father thought it was at least a proper thing to do; to let Uther know about your marriage. Don't worry. I promise that I won't let anything bad happen to you or to my brother. I will make sure that all necessary measures will be taken to ensure your safety," Mirela said kindly. "I will order a whole pack of knights around my brother to keep him safe."

Morgana felt a little better after that knowledge. "Alright. Thank you. But I still feel that I should see him now," she spoke, wiping her eyes.

Princess revealed a dissatisfied grin and it didn't wear off as she told: "No you don't, believe me. I heard that his bachelor party were a quite... -ah, how should I say? Succeeded. I'll bet he is hugging the bucket right now."

Morgana rolled her eyes, letting out an amused yet annoyed gasp. "Oh no! Don't tell me it is Arthur's doings?"

"Alice made him some potion, and he should be fine in an hour," Mirela sighed. "But don't tell him that I told you. He would kill me," Mirela laughed and her laughter caught on Morgana too.

Morgana gazed at the door. Other ladies were probably waiting behind it. "Could we keep them there just a little longer? This buzzing is making me insane."

Mirela gave her a wine goblet and took one for herself. "I'll drink to that!" she whispered with a grin and raised a toast. They both took a sip of the wine and then Mirela remembered something. "I almost forgot," she said and went next to a side table, picking up a small chest with her. "I wanted to give you a gift, and now when we will become family it is a perfect time for this."

"Oh, you really shouldn't have to. You have already done so much for me," Morgana said, watching Mirela as she took a beautiful silver bracelet from the chest. She gave it to Morgana who admired the odd carvings on the impressive jewel.

"That actually does belong to you, Morgana," Mirela told gazing at the bracelet. "It was your mother's... Years ago Morgause gave it to me when we were close, like sisters. She told that it had belonged to your mother. Now, I want you to have it."

Morgana held the bracelet gently like it had been the most precious thing she had ever seen. "My mother's?"

Mirela nodded. "Morgause told that she was the most kind woman she had ever known. The way she used to picture her reminds me of you."

Morgana was speechless and touched as she placed that bracelet around her wrist. "Thank you. You don't know how much this means to me," she whispered and gave a hug to her fellow sister in magic.

Two hours later Merlin was waiting his bride in front of everyone in the throne room. The great hall was filled with guest, knights, his family and friends. He gazed at the closed doors nervously. Any moment now Morgana should walk in and they would finally have each other. Why he felt so nervous? He knew that this was the only right thing to do and he really wanted to marry her.

Merlin's gaze met with Gwaine's as the rascal knight gave him the jesting wink. Merlin had difficulties to keep his face straight because he had spent last night listening his friends' somewhat raunchy and humorous guidance how to survive the wedding night with honor, and on the side satisfy his new missus.

It had been fun last night as a bachelor. With every given new hint that he had received from his knights, Arthur had glared at him murderously and declaring that: "If you should do that with my sister I will kill you!"

Only thing that was killing him now was the waiting. But at the same time he knew that good things were worth waiting for. And that what Morgana was.

He didn't have a clear picture how he had get back to his own chambers last night, but he couldn't thank enough for Alice who had saved him from a terrible hangover with her lifesaving potions. By telling the look of the knights' faces he didn't even want to know all details about the ending of the last night. Lancelot looked at him supportively, Gwaine and Percival seemed to have still fun remembering last night's events, Elyan and Leon tried to keep up politely expressions. And Mordred, poor Mordred had been probably too young to take part in such parties but he had stood by his lord's side bravely whole evening.

"Last chance to escape," Arthur said smiling, gazing at Morgana as he offered his arm to escort his sister along the hallway towards the throne room. "If we would flee now we would be beyond the borders by nightfall," he jested.

His sister in a divine white dress glared at the blond knight by her side. "Arthur, for the last time; I will marry him," Morgana assured supposedly annoyed. But then she smiled with a way that seemed to brighten the whole corridor. Her wedding dress was embroidered with gold and had a long white trail that swept the floor behind her.

Her talk with Mirela had reassured her that everything was been taken care of in case Uther should come to the wedding. She was going to enjoy her day as a princess, because that's what she was going to be after today. "You are not fooling anyone. I know that there is nothing in this world that would get you away from Mirela."

A joyful smile crept on Arthur's face when he thought about his own princess. "You and Merlin stole our wedding day," he reminded with a minor annoyance, but he was happy for Morgana.

"Yes, well... I won't say that I am sorry for it," Morgana smirked at him triumphantly. She would soon receive princess's title and crown, and would be able to bossing her brother. "Oh, come on. You'll have to wait only another month, and then it is your turn."

After it was brought to king Balinor's attention that his daughter wasn't in an unfavorable state for the late king Cenred he postponed Mirela's and Arthur weddings to the near future. Their wedding day was set to princess's nineteenth birthday.

Arthur sighed biting his lip. "Forty-six days to go," he whispered, knowing that it would be really hard to wait that long. He had been seeing very realistic dreams about the princess for a few weeks and they didn't make the waiting any easier.

Arthur and Morgana were almost at the doors of the throne room. Two royal guards stood by the doors and greeted them as they came closer. There were no one else on the hallway.

Morgana gazed at her brother who she had asked to walk her down the aisle. She felt calm and blissful, almost serene, knowing that they all were happy now and nothing couldn't break it. She felt relieved that her father wasn't here. Maybe the dream she had seen was nothing more than a bad dream after all.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked, noticing that she got lost in her thoughts.

"Yes, I am... And, I am glad that you get along with Merlin better now. Speaking about him; how was the bachelor party? Is there something that I should know?"

Arthur narrowed his eyes. "Ah-hm... I have pledged a solemn oath to never talk about last night to anyone."

"Arthur?" Morgana grunted, demanding an answer.

Arthur couldn't hide his amusement. "For a mighty, all-powerful warlock he really can't hold his liquor. We had to dragged him back to his chambers... But at least we know that he truly loves you. He kept telling it until he passed out," he smirked as they walk side by side at the doors.

Morgana shook her head again and prayed that her dear fiancé wouldn't have a terrible hangover on their wedding day. The guards were about to open the doors.

"You look beautiful, Morgana." An old familiar voice made both of them turn and find Uther walking towards them with two palace guards by his side.

"Father?" Morgana sighed worried as he walked closer to them. She felt her heart skipping a beat seeing him there. After her horrid dream she didn't want him to be there, she didn't want to be anywhere near him.

Arthur was surprised to meet his father who they had left back in Dordona three weeks ago. He was sort of hoping that maybe Uther had changed his mind about Camelot. Nevertheless they weren't finished yet. There was still much to confront if they were going to settle everything from the past. He had have a lot time to think about what Uther had done in the past, and the forgiveness would be extremely hard thing to do.

"Arthur…" Uther sighed silently, taking a moment to admitting the fact that his son was a Camelot's knight now.

"I am proud to wear this uniform," Arthur assured to his father. He could see some disapproval and doubt in Uther's gaze as he stood in front of him wearing the dark blue cape and the three dragons crest.

Morgana gazed at the main doors of the throne room. Everyone was waiting there and she was afraid because of the dream she had seen. The guards stood by the closed doors, waiting her sign to open them.

Only thought that was in Morgana's mind was: "Why are you here?"

Uther stepped closer to his children. "I came to stop you making the biggest mistake of your life. You cannot marry a bloody sorcerer. I came to take you back home," Uther said determinately, and before either of them had a chance to disagree with him he continued to Arthur: "And, you. You should have been your sister's keeper. How could you let them do this to her?"

Morgana straightened her posture. "I make my own decisions. I marry whoever I want. You have no right to order me anymore." Her voice sounded strong at first, but then it was closer to a whisper when she said: "If you can't be happy for me then please, just leave."

Arthur had also something to tell and he already knew that father wouldn't like it. "Morgana is right. We'll stay here. Camelot is our home now. And, princess Mirela and I... We are engaged to be married."

"Have both of you lost your bloody minds? You will not wed some wretched witch!"

Morgana couldn't hold her tongue. "Then you must think that I am a witch too!"

Arthur had difficulties to control his aggravation. "She is one of the kindest and noblest women I have ever met. These are good people here, honorable and fair. Morgana couldn't find a better man than Merlin..." he said and was confused by himself that he just said that out loud. He got a truly surprised gaze back from his sister like Morgana had been asking is that really what he thought about Merlin.

Uther frowned dismayed, but had a small moment to think. "If you should marry a princess then you will gain the right to the throne... Please, tell me that you are doing this for displacing Balinor from his throne?"

The royal guards gazed at each other suspiciously, and Arthur noticed that. The loss of the people's trust stung Arthur bitterly after he had done his best to prove to be trustworthy. "No. We don't have to justify our actions to you. But we will marry for love."

Uther stared at them silently with mixed feelings of shock and wrath. He took a deep breath.

"How could you be so blind? Both of you are under their spell, but it will end here. I know that I haven't be the best possible father but it is my duty to stop you making this error. When you left... When I lost you it was like a blade to my heart," he told, only wanting to save his children from his mortal foe.

Morgana shivered by that metaphor. Had her father came all this way here to kill the man she loved? "I want you to leave! Now!" she said and took a step back.

"Not without you two!"

On the other side of the closed doors Merlin thought he heard Morgana's voice over the silent gabble of the guests. He started to worried what was keeping her and the sounds of arguing made him more nervous. He was almost ready to go seeing what was going on out there.

Merlin gazed at his young manservant who stood close to his family. He could have sent Mordred to check the situation, but then his gaze met with his sister who sat in the first row with their parents.

"You wouldn't mind to take a peek what is keeping Morgana, would you?" he asked from Mirela telepathically, raising brows and flashing "a begging puppy" -look.

"Alright," she whispered back and took a look around her. It would be easier to sneak out from the throne room with the help of little magic, she thought, even she knew that her father had disagreed on using teleportation spells just when she had got the hang of the whole thing. Balinor had kept telling that it was too close to the darker magic and he disapproved the use of it.

Mirela gazed at Balinor who was looking at the other way, and teleported herself onto the hallway, further away from the doors. As she got there she ran into a serious family dispute of the Pendragons. The hallway echoed with their loud disagreements.

The guards startled a bit by princess's unexpected appearance but calmed down as they recognized her.

"Is everything alright in here, Morgana?" she asked, walking towards her future sister-in-law, Arthur and an unfamiliar older man who looked very displeased.

They all turned to her, Morgana a little troubled, Arthur pleased to see her. And Uther utterly confused because that young woman who approached them looked like his late wife with her white hair. It was merely an illusion caused by the sun light that came down through the corridors' windows when she walked pass them.

"Ygraine?" a whisper passed Uther's lips before he realized that the young white-haired woman wasn't his once beloved wife.

Morgana felt ill at ease as princess stepped closer to them. "Um... Mirela, this is our fa..."

Her introduction was left unfinished as Uther suddenly pulled out his dagger and pointed it at Mirela, the tip of the blade nearly cut the skin of her throat and left her standing puzzled on her place.

"Enough with your magic tricks! Let me see one gleam in your eyes and you'll be dead," he spoke coldly.

Sounds of the guards' pulling swords out from their sheaths made Uther only hold his dagger tighter. Four palace guards gathered around them, demanding him to put down his dagger and let the princess go.

"Father, what do you think you are doing?" Arthur growled agitated but he was seriously worried how this could end at it's worse. He grabbed his own sword and pointed it towards his father. "Put your blade down! This is princess Mirela, Balinor's daughter."

Mirela didn't dare to even breath, gazing at the gray-haired man before her who held a dagger on her throat. "Father?" she whispered staring at Arthur for a second confused. Somehow the situation felt familiar to her; like father like son, or was it other way around?

"Uther Pendragon? You make this exceedingly hard to say that it is delighted to make your acquaintance," she sighed silently, a bit of mixed fear and irony in her voice. She remembered what Morgana told about her dream and that might be just the dagger Uther would had used to slay Merlin. She only knew one thing; she had to keep Uther and Merlin as far away from each other as possible.

Uther was pleased in some way that his name was still known and it still struck fear into hearts of those with magic. "So, you are Balinor's daughter? Take back what have you people done to my son!" he growled as he noticed Arthur blade pointing at him. How else would his own flesh and blood turn against him if it isn't something to do with magic?

"We have done nothing..."

Arthur had to keep his head cool, he couldn't let his father hurt Mirela but he didn't want to harm Uther either. "Let her go! She has done nothing wrong!"

Morgana stepped slowly next to her father. Her uneasy gaze visited Mirela's eyes, and the princess seemed surprisingly calm, her on the other hand wasn't. "Put the dagger down, please. You do not want to hurt her," she begged quietly.

Uther wasn't so sure about that. He saw the guards in the corner of his eye getting closer, and he realized that this might have not been the greatest idea of all times. He probably wasn't getting out of Camelot alive after this one, so he grabbed a hold of the princess and took her as his shield, the dagger on her throat.

"If you move she dies," he told to the guards, and then gazed at his children. "Now, you will go home... with or without me," he said softly like he had been bidding his goodbyes.

Arthur and Morgana stared at the princess and their father troubled. Nobody dared to move. How on earth did it came to this?

"What...?" Morgana screamed, her voice shattering with frustration and disbelief. "How could you do something so utterly stupid and thoughtless? Let her go!"

As she raised her hand towards Uther he noticed the familiar silver bracelet she was wearing. He had seen that one on Vivienne before Morgana was born. "No... Not you too, Morgana," he whispered resentful.

"What's going on?" Merlin's voice asked inside Mirela's head as the nervous warlock prince was getting tired of waiting. He decided to go and see what was happening, and Mirela felt that her brother was coming closer.

"My lord, put down your weapon and I will forget that this ever happened," Mirela assured, knowing that if Merlin would see this things could get ugly.

Arthur was about to grab a hold of Uther's arm and forced him to drop his dagger to save his love. Merlin was right behind the doors walking at their way. Morgana's gaze was locked onto Mirela and the dagger her father was holding on princess's throat. She knew what there had to be done as she whispered as spell: "Forbearne."

Morgana's green eyes changed color for a second to gold as her enchantment heated Uther's dagger handle scorching hot, making him to ease his grip and drop it. And on that moment Mirela took her chance and cast her own spell.

Throne room's doors opened and warlock prince stepped into the hallway just to see the dagger dropping down on the floor. Morgana, Arthur and four guards stared at each other confused and worried as they just witnessed Uther's and Mirela's disappearance in front of their eyes.

"What... are... you doing?" Merlin asked as they all turned at him looking like something terrible just happened.

Merlin stared at Morgana who looked more beautiful than ever in her white dress. She had been truly a worth of waiting, he thought, his breath taken away by her sight.

Morgana stared back at him speechless, fearing what had happened with Mirela. She swallowed gazing at Arthur.

One of the guards rushed next to Merlin. "My lord, Uther Pendragon just kidnapped your sister!"

"What?" Merlin frowned at first but then he thought that it was another hoax from his knight friends. He had have enough of those last night in the bachelor party. He almost laugh for that thought.

"Alright, is this one of Gwaine's jokes again? Where is she? We need to get this wedding started! Morgana, you look lovely, by the way."

"It's true! He threatened her life and then they both vanished!" another guard yelled as he was running down the corridor, heading to the warning bell.

"Our father doesn't have magic! It was Mirela. She must have used a teleportation spell to take them away from here," Morgana explained as she realized what actually did happen just now. She felt it was her fault because she told Mirela about her nightmare. "Oh my god... we need to find them, we need to find her right now!" she told stepping closer to Merlin, sick of worried for the sake of her future sister-in-law.

"Where could she have taken him? How far one can move with teleportation?" Arthur asked, recollecting that one time when Mirela took him on the roof of the tower with her magic.

Merlin had difficulties to believe them but he made a quick telepathically check, trying to find his sister's presence in the palace. He couldn't find her anywhere near. "What the hell?" he whispered puzzled, staring at the others. "How did this happen? Why would she...?"

The warning bells rang and made Merlin realize that they were telling the truth. Morgana took a hold of his hands. For the first time she was afraid to tell him about her nightmares. "She was trying to protect you, Merlin. I had another vision. I believe that she wanted to take our father as far away from you as possible... because he would had killed you."

And now she was there with him, alone. Merlin didn't need to say it out loud, his troubled expression spoke on his behalf.

"What's wrong, my lord?" Mordred asked as he hurried to Merlin from the throne room. He was soon followed by Percival, Lancelot, Gwaine, Leon and Elyan.

Gwaine gazed at the nervous looking bridal couple. "What's going on? Is someone getting cold feet here?" he smirked.

"Uther has my sister. She might be in danger. We are going to find her! Right now!" Merlin growled glaring at his knights. Then he turned back to Morgana and his anxiety eased a little as he touched her cheek gently. "I am afraid we have to delay our wedding a little bit," he whispered. And she nodded for acceptance, being so sorry that the whole affair had gone so badly wrong today.

"You are bloody kidding me, right?" Gwaine scowled at Arthur, raising his finger at him. "What's wrong with you family, mate? Seriously?" he sighed, shaking his head.

Remembering his first encounter with Uther made still Elyan got goose bumps. He was lucky to be alive at all. He stared at Morgana and Arthur worried. "Uther wouldn't hurt her, would he?" he asked silently.

Percival folded his arms across his chest. "I am pretty sure it would be just the other way around," he spoke being sure about it but then he raised an eyebrow and turned at Merlin. "Am I right, right?"

It took some time before Uther realized what had happened when he found himself dazzled somewhere in the middle of the Darkling woods with that young witch who had used a teleportation spell to carry them out from the palace. He stared at her furiously as she escaped from his grip, but got only a few feet away from him, tumbling down on the ground exhausted by the forces-consuming spell.

"What have you done, witch?" he growled annoyed, and noticed then the dagger's burn on his palm. Naturally he thought that is was hers doings as well.

Mirela glared at him troubled as she got back up, leaning against a tree trunk. "I stopped you getting killed!"

She took a quick breath and checked her surroundings. They were near the deep gorge where the creek began. She knew so much that it was a holy ground for druids, and that must have been the reason the magic had drawn her this far from the citadel when she cast her spell.

Uther stepped closer to her pulling out his sword. "I came to Camelot retrieving Arthur and Morgana back home. You shouldn't have meddled with my affairs."

"Do you seriously think that you would have survived out from Camelot alive after what you just did?" princess shouted taking a look at his threatening blade. "You have a chance to save your own life... We are in the Gorge Vale, beyond those trees runs a creek. Follow it a half mile and you'll find a boat. The flow will take you to west... "

Sword's blade stopped a few inches away from Mirela's face, and it got her startled. "I ruled and roamed this land when you were a mare twinkle in your father's eye!" Uther roared enraged, barely controlling himself with his sword. "I know what you are doing, cunning little witch. Did you really believe that I would give up this easy?"

Mirela had thought that helping Arthur's father to escape would have been a good idea, but now she started to regret it. She knew that her father had forgiven far too much to Uther but not even Balinor would have had mercy on him after threatening her life.

"I am trying to help you. But don't you think I did this for you. I did this for Arthur. You would have forced your children to watch your execution. Was that what you had wanted?"

"Balinor stole them from me. Don't you dare to talk about my son! You know nothing about my children."

She used the little left energies she got to knock the sword out of Uther's hand. "I know enough to love Arthur. Maybe it is you who doesn't know you own children. Did you know that Arthur have only wanted that you would be proud of him. And, all Morgana have ever wanted is that you could love and accept her the way she is, with her magic."

"Silence!"

"They will have good life in Camelot. I promise. Your daughter will become our queen one day... And Arthur will be crowned as a prince... Neither you want it or not, they do belong in Camelot..." Mirela spoke first strongly and calmed her voice to continue: "You truly love them very much, and you want what is best for them, don't you? And, I believe that they don't want to see you dying because of this ill-considered act... My Lord, please, save yourself while you can."

For a short moment Uther Pendragon actually considered her words. Camelot could give his children a better life, the kind he would have wanted to bestow for them. It sounded like the princess had been speaking from her heart. But then he thought that everything he had been fighting against would had been vain if he would trust her words. He couldn't listen anymore sorcerers' lies, especially someone's who was Balinor's own flesh and blood.

He picked up his dropped sword again. "Balinor has taken everything that was once mine; my kingdom, my life, now my children," he whispered, stepping closer to the young witch who claimed to own his son's heart. "I will take what is his, and free Arthur from your evil witchery."

He swung the sword at her but she managed to dodge it and made the blade got stuck deep into the tree trunk with a spell.

"Have you lost your mind?" she screamed, gazing at the sword in the tree right above her head. "If you should slay me here... I will haunt you for the rest of your miserable life!" she said raising her hand towards him, hoping to have just enough energy for another spell.

Hatred burned in Uther's eyes as he tried to pull his blade out of the oak tree "We will see about that!"

Without saying a word to the king or the guests Merlin and his knights rushed to get their horses and they were on their way finding his sister. Morgana didn't settle to stay waiting in the palace despite the opposition of others. She couldn't help but felt responsible of Mirela's attempt to keep Uther away from Merlin.

"I am coming with you. Don't you dare to stop me!" she announced determinately, and ripped off her wedding dress's train and threw it behind her. She hopped on Merlin's horse with her long dress, not really giving a damn if it should stay white on this ride.

The long white tail of her dress ended up on Gwaine's hands behind her. He passed it to Percival who tossed it to Leon, who gave it to Mordred's arms patting on the boy's shoulder like telling that is was his now.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" Mordred sighed holding the white train in front of him as everyone else was getting up on the saddles and leaving stables one by one.

"I don't know, but it suites nicely you, Mordred," Gwaine told smirking. "Maybe you'll become the next bride."

Mordred frowned annoyed and tossed the train to one stable boy and got on his horse.

As their group of eight reached out from the citadel's gates Merlin took the lead, his horse ran at a furious pace and Morgana did her best to stay behind him, holding him tight. Warlock prince sensed a trace of Mirela's essence that came somewhere from the Darkling woods, but it strangely started to fade away.

Suddenly Arthur felt like his heart had skipped a beat. He had to stop his horse because for a moment he actually felt like his chest had been in flames and it choked his breath. Then the feeling was gone and he knew that something terrible had happened.

"Arthur, are you alright?" Leon asked as he halted his steed next to his friend's.

Arthur took a deep breath, wiping his face with the back of his hand. "I don't know," he sighed, gazing at the others who kept riding ahead. The mighty fortress of Camelot still loomed behind them further away. "I felt... strange..."

"You don't think that Uther would harm her, do you?" Leon pondered worried.

Arthur swallowed the lump in his throat as he realized how much Uther really hated Balinor and people with magic. "For the god's sake I hope not. Let's go!"

When Arthur and Leon reached the others they had stopped in a crossroad in the middle of the woods. Merlin couldn't tell which way to go and he was in distress. He tried to call Mirela telepathically but had not answer.

"Gwaine, Percival, Arthur, Leon, you go left! Morgana, Lancelot, Elyan, Mordred, you come with me," warlock prince ordered them to separated.

As they were taking their separate ways something flashed in the corner of Arthur's eye. It took less than a second but he could swore that he saw a glimpse of Mirela deeper in the woods. He dismount and ran into the direction where he thought he saw her, calling her name.

"Did you find her?" Merlin shouted hopefully, getting down from his horse. He helped Morgana down from the saddle and hurried after Arthur.

Morgana gathered the hem of her dress and ran after Arthur and Merlin with the other knights.

"I thought that I saw her," Arthur assured, confused because he couldn't find any footmarks from the ground.

"Arthur, we don't have time for guessing," Merlin rasped annoyed. "Did you see her or not?"

"She was right here!"

"If your father have hurt her... If you have anything to do with this..." Merlin blustered to the blond knight, just and just containing his aggravation.

"You know I wouldn't ever hurt her!"

Percival stepped in the middle of them two. "Would you just calm down!"

As they ended up arguing had Arthur seen anything or not, Morgana walked ahead in the forest. She got the strangest feeling as she gazed around her and then she saw the princess further away in the dense forest.

"Here!" she shouted to others, but as they got there where she had seen her there was not traces of her anywhere. "I swore that I saw her. She stood right here!" she told puzzled.

Merlin stared at her not really sure what was going on. Then he felt strange too, or maybe he felt his sister's presence, he wasn't sure. "There is something ahead," he whispered and stayed quiet like he had been listening very carefully. "It's her. I can feel it."

Arthur felt relieved after that knowledge. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's keep moving!"

They roamed through the woods searching for Mirela. Warlock prince had a ominous feeling as they kept getting closer to the gorge. Soon they came to a width area that was lined with red ribbons and pieces of shredded cloths that was tied on trees.

"What's this?" Arthur asked as they approached the oddly lined territory.

"There is a steep gorge further away. It have been told that this is a sacred ground for druids and old religion. We have left it alone. No one is even allowed to go hunting in there," Merlin told, gazing at the ribbons tied on trees as a sign and a warning to wanderers.

As they were about to cross the border of the sacred land Mordred opened his mouth. "Wait!" he shouted feeling ill at ease. Everyone turned at him.

"Do you know something more about this, Mordred?" Merlin asked.

The young servant seemed troubled. "My lord, we should be very careful not to disturb the balance of this place. Can you not feel the magic all around you? This is a sacred place for my people, yes, but this is also much more. You are right; no one should hunt here. No blood should be shed in a place like this or the curse will come upon on us," he told seriously.

"What sort of curse?" Lancelot asked, and others was also interested to know where they were about to get themselves into.

Mordred walked past the line of ribbons quietly. "We will never walk out from here alive if the balance is broken," young man spoke. "Spirits becomes restless... and angry... very angry."

Uther had have a small sample of the curse that he casted on to himself unknowingly. He had been wandering around in circles unable to find his way out from the cursed druids' land. It was like the forest didn't let him leave, and he had been seeing dark figures which had vanished before he had got a better look at them.

He was again in the same place where he had started. He was certain of it because his own sword was still stuck in the tree trunk before him. He had tried and tried but he couldn't pull it free. He gazed a little further on behind the tree where the lifeless body of the Balinor's daughter lay on the ground. With her magic worn-out Mirela had not been a much of a challenge struggling against him. She had knocked him down once with an incantation and tried to run but he caught her and wrapped his arm around her neck, having her in a choke hold. He had thought that through her he would finally have his revenge.

A small guilt crept in his heart knowing that he had took her life but he reassured himself that he had done the right thing. She had been a witch, nothing more, and he would have cut her head off if he'd had have his blade. He still thought it was strangely amusing how those with magic didn't use their gift to fight back any harder. What was the point of having such abilities if they didn't use it to protect themselves?

"How could you?"

A faint hollow voice asked behind Uther and made him turn around. The princess stood in front of him, looking at him accusingly. She was all pale like colors had been stolen away from her and her gaze was cold and pained. Uther stared at her confused and took a quick look behind him. Her body was still there on the ground, so this creature before him must have been her ghost.

"How could you, when I was just trying to help you?"

Uther raised his hand towards her menacing. "Leave me alone, spirit!" he shouted annoyed and walked away.

She appeared in front of him again, stopping his way. "I did warn you. You will not get rid of me, Uther Pendragon. You cursed us both when you killed me on the holy ground of the Old Religion. I am bound to follow you till the day you'll die," she told with a voice that had no hate, no anger, only pain and sadness.

Uther walked through her in fury, not paying attention to her words. He heard a weak whisper as the wraith cleared away like mist. Then suddenly hundreds of people emerged around him, leaving only a small circle, not more than fifteen feet width, of free space around him.

"And, when you'll die all of them who you have killed are waiting for you," princess's ghost continued as she emerged again in front of him. She gazed around her at all of those other souls who's lives had met their end by Uther's hand or under his order.

Chocked Uther turned around again and again, staring at the huge number of spirits that had him surrounded. He recognized some faces, men who he had killed on battle fields, man and women who he had ordered to be executed, even some children. But then he stopped as he saw Ygraine among them all, and then Vivienne. All the others were meaningless but those two women he didn't want to see among them. All the ghosts stared back at him in silence as if they had been waiting for something.

Uther walked to his late wife and tried to touch her but she vanished, fade away like smoke by his touch. Then all of them disappeared one by one, leaving him standing alone in the woods with Mirela's spirit.

"Why are you doing this?" he growled, tears pooling on his eyes. "Stop this!"

"Why? You brought this to yourself. My mistake was to be too naive. I believed that helping you to escape would pay back the good deed what Gaius once did for my father... Oh, yes. It was your own court physician who helped my father escape from your dungeon over twenty years ago."

Former king turned his furious gazed at the spirit who sounded now more malicious. "You are lying! Gaius wouldn't have ever betrayed me! Begone, you damned ghost!" he sighed and walked towards the gorge.

Wraith followed him a few steps behind. "I am dead. Dead do not tell lies. I am stuck here with you until my death is revenged. But don't you worry. That will happen soon. My avenger will carry that sword of yours."

Without knowing what truly had happened on the holy ground Merlin followed the essence of his sister's soul. He, Morgana, Mordred and the knights had scattered around to scout out the terrain of the Gorge Vale. It was Percival who made the tragic discovery as he found Mirela's body that was left on the ground face down and eyes open. He was going to shout to others that he found her but no words came out from his mouth, only a long sad sigh. He squatted down next to her trying to find a pulse but her heart didn't beat anymore. Percival turned her body gently around and closed her eyelids, fighting against his own tears, not believing how anyone could do this to her. Telling by the marks on her neck she was choked to death. Percival thought, that if she had any luck she passed out fast and hopefully had no pain.

"Did you find something, Perci-v..." words broke down on Gwaine's lips as he came to see what Percival had found. "Is she d...?"

The rascal knight stared quietly at the princess as Percival took off his blue cloak and covered her body with it, only nodding at his fellow knight.

What are we going to tell Merlin? That was the question that both of the knights thought as they noticed warlock prince further away walking towards the gorge. She had been like a little sister to the rascal knight who had loved to tease her, knowing how much his frolicsome humor had irritated her.

Lancelot and Elyan came closer to the other two knights who seemed to be greatly distressed, and as they saw some white locks of hair peeking under Percival cloak on the ground they came to a standstill. Lancelot held his breath and gasped regretfully, turning at warlock prince's direction.

"Merlin!" he spoke loudly, trying to keep his voice from breaking. "She's... she is here!"

"No, she can't be. I sense that she is over there," Merlin told puzzled as he was following the entity of her spirit.

Arthur ran straight to the others, hoping till the end that she would be alright, but then his world shattered as he kneeled down next to her covered body. Leon hurried after him but made a stop as he noticed what was going on.

"I am sorry, Arthur," Percival whispered to blond knight as he got up and gave Arthur some space.

"No, this can't be..." Arthur sighed silently. He burst to tears when he removed the cloak away from Mirela's face. "Please, no..." he cried holding her in his arms, softly repeating her name, not willing to believe that she was gone.

Merlin walked to them feeling completely confused, and Lancelot stepped in front of him, putting his hand on Merlin's shoulder. "I am sorry, Merlin. We came too late," he said grieving.

Warlock prince shook his head, tears pooling in his blue eyes as he dropped down on his knees next to Arthur, staring at his lifeless sister. He kept thinking that she couldn't be dead, he felt her presence even now from a distance.

Elyan walked to Lancelot quietly. "Did you noticed the footprints on the ground?" he asked with a small voice. Lancelot nodded. All the knight had seen the footprints that proved that princess had not been here alone. The trace was leading to the gorge's direction. They needed to find Uther and bring him to justice. Lancelot gave a discreet sign to his fellow knights that they should go looking for the killer, and they left quietly.

Morgana let out an agonized gasp as she reached to the others and saw the dead body of her fellow sister in magic. If she would had known that it would ended like this she would have done everything to stop her father. She felt that this was completely her fault. She realized it now that she had have a foreseen dream of Mirela's death weeks ago but she had believed that the danger was over. Her only concern had been for Merlin.

Mordred stepped quietly next to Morgana. He did not say a word. He knew that the curse had been fallen on Uther if the former king had killed the princess. He had heard the gruesome stories of the time of Uther Pendragon's reign. Uther was said to be a cruel man but he knew nothing about it; he had have a fortune to be born in Camelot that was ruled by Balinor.

Arthur raised his begging gaze at Merlin. "You can save her...? Tell me you can save her!" His shivering voice sounded more demanding than begging.

Merlin couldn't find any sign of life left in Mirela. "This can't be happening", was the only thought in his head. After all they had done and gone through she couldn't have died alone like this. Heartbroken warlock sat on the ground and took his sister in his arms, crying bitterly because she was beyond his powers to be saved.

Arthur let Mirela go as his eyes caught up with the sword that was stuck in the oak tree at a distance. He got up and slowly walked to the sword, recognizing it as his father's blade. He took a hold of the handle and pulled the sword out from the tree in anger. It was like the tree let it free for him to have.

Mordred followed him and saw hatred growing inside of the blond knight. The young servant grabbed a firm hold from Arthur's arm. "Don't, my lord! A revenge won't do any good. You will only curse yourself if you should spill blood here," he told staring at those blue eyes that were burning with rage.

Arthur tore his arm free from servant boy's grip. "Then so be it!" he sighed and headed to the gorge. Leon rushed after Arthur with Elyan.

"Why the hell did she brought Uther here? What the hell was she thinking?" Merlin murmured between his tears.

Mordred didn't know which way to go. He strode back to Merlin and kneeled down at his side. "You can save her, my lord," he said with silent voice and got Merlin's weary gaze.

"If you haven't noticed she is dead!"

"But you are Emrys..."

"Please, stop that nonsense about Emrys already!" Merlin rasped out. He was tired of hearing his young servant telling him about marvelous prophecies of some mythical character of the druids which he was not.

Young servant stared back at the warlock prince. "My people have predicted that you, Emrys, have the power over life and death itself. And, it is true. This is sacred ground for Old Religion, your powers will be stronger here," he spoke, trusting strongly on his own beliefs.

Merlin swallowed his tears but new ones kept coming. "To save a life a life must be taken..." he whispered, recalling the balance between life and death when using such form of magic. Then he knew what he had to do.

His blue eyes turned at Morgana who stepped in front of him, his gaze telling that he was so sorry. The happiest day of their life had turned to be the most tragic before it had even begun. He was ready to chance his own life for the life of his sister, but how was he going to tell Morgana that there were not going to be weddings after all this.

"I am so sorry, Merlin," Morgana cried quietly, giving her hand to him as he got up close to her. "I should had stopped him..." she regretted, bowed down with grief. "I should had stopped my father."

Merlin pressed her in his embrace and hold tightly. "It's not your fault, my love. Please... Know this; I will always love you no matter what," he said softly and kissed her for goodbyes. He wished that the moment wouldn't ever end as he caressed her lips and face with his lips.

Warlock's eyes studied her, and they both were near crying. "I need you to be strong for me, Morgana. I understand that Arthur is angry, and might do something that he would regret later. I need you to stop him killing your father. Use your magic like we have practiced together but don't hurt anyone. Make sure no one gets hurt! Can you do that for me?"

Morgana was too stunned about Mirela's death that she didn't understand what Merlin was going to do. "Alright. I'll do it for you," she whispered, gazing into his amazingly blue eyes. "But what will you do?"

"I should stay here... with her."

Merlin let his fingers ran down on Morgana's cheeks, remembering all their time together. He wanted to preserve her beauty and sweet smile in his heart, hoping that maybe somewhere on the other side he would see her again. He pressed a kiss on her lips, tasting her gently for the very last time.

"Go!" he whispered and followed her with his gaze as Morgana ran after Arthur and other knights whom were hunting down Uther. He knew that if he should have faced Uther by himself he would have tore off the black heart of that damned man who murdered his sister.

Then he slowly turned back at his druid servant. "Mordred, you should go too," he sighed and kneeled down.

Mordred got worried. "Oh, you can't sacrifice yourself, my lord. Camelot needs you," he said, being suddenly alarmed. "I am willing to give up my life for you, Emrys."

Merlin didn't look at him when he spoke: "Just make sure that Uther will be taken back to Camelot alive." It was the hardest thing to say because he would have rather wanted to see Uther dead.

The gorge was deeper than Uther had remembered. He stood on the cliff, close on the edge of the steep wall. He had been walking for miles already but he seemed not to get anywhere. The place was truly haunted or then he was losing his mind. Where ever he went that cursed wraith followed him.

"I didn't take you for a self sacrificing type, Uther... but don't let me stop you. Go ahead! Jump!"

"Can't you be quiet already!" Uther sighed to the spirit and gazed down on the bottom of the gorge.

It was like his words had silenced her all of a sudden as the ghost stared past Uther into the woods behind him. Mirela's spirit noticed the scouting knights ahead but they couldn't see her, the wraith on Uther's side. "They have came for you," she spoke silently, as Uther heard their approaching and turned to face six of Camelot's best warriors. One of them was his own son.

"Uther Pendragon, we will arrest you of the murder of our princess," Lancelot said, putting his feelings aside as he walked closer. He tried to stay calm. It wasn't easy either to Gwaine and Percival because they would have only wanted for an excuse to run Uther through if he should resist the arresting. Still, everybody needed to keep their heads cool because of the possible curse.

"My lord, please come quietly. We'll take you back to Camelot," Leon spoke calmly to Uther as he followed Arthur who was frantic with anger and wrath. Leon was truly worried for his friend.

"Arthur?" Uther sighed as he recognized his own sword on his son's hand. What was it that the wraith said about her avenger?

Mirela's gaze was locked onto Arthur as he marched to his father, carrying two swords. He threw another one on the ground at his father's feet. "Pick it up! I don't want to kill an unarmed man," Arthur demanded, his voice sounded colder than anyone had ever heard. He was numbed with grief, but he couldn't let his father's action go without retribution this time.

"Arthur, don't!" Leon shouted and hurried closer to him.

Elyan, Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine ran as fast as they could, hoping to reach Arthur before he would take his vengeance on Uther and inherit his curse. On that moment an unexpected strong gust of wind knocked them off their feet, leaving them lying on the ground stunned, as the vengeful spirit kept the other knights at bay.

Uther's gaze rose slowly from the sword to his son. He couldn't help but noticed a cold, sated smile on wraith's face as she turned at him after she overpowered the knights. Once a kind and compassionate princess was turning to a venomous wraith by her cruel death. Being trapped with Uther was only making it worse; the former king's bitterness was infecting her too. She was becoming exactly that image of a malignant witch that Uther believed all of those magic practitioners to be.

"The day of reckoning has come, Uther!"

"I will not fight you, Arthur," Uther sighed weary.

"No? You only kill innocent women because your hatred towards magic knows no limits," Arthur growled in rage, stepping closer to Uther. "I know what you did to Morgana's mother. I know what you did to my mother... And, now Mirela! How could you?"

"You were only under her spell. I am sorry but I had to do it. It is over now. Take your sister and go back home!" Uther said.

Then he saw his daughter running at them through the dense forest. She looked beautiful and etheric in her enchanting long white dress. Uther couldn't help but stare her for a moment and ponder what was she doing here.

"It's not over yet. You destroy everything you touch," Arthur spoke, squeezing his sword's handle. "I am glad that I was born of magic, because at least I know that I am not your son," he shouted and strike his blade at Uther.

"Arthur, stop!" Morgana shouted terrified. She raised her hand towards her brother and casted a spell to stop him.

Her spell went right and it was supposed to drop the blade from his hand but wraith shielded Arthur from her magic. And for a counterattack Mirela's spirit conjured wild vines around Morgana creeping on her and binding her on their entangling grip.

Morgana screamed with fright as those tough creepers wrapped themselves around her and stopped her moving. She tried to free herself with force and with spells but entangled vines dragged her against a large tree trunk, tying her against it.

"Arthur!" Morgana screamed as she was forced to watch helplessly as Arthur attacked their father.

Unarmed Uther dodged the first strike, taking a step aside, gazing at Arthur worried. "If you want to kill me, then kill me but do it on your own will. Don't you see that the witch is using you? You are under her control!" he cried out pointing his finger at the wraith that was invisible to Arthur. He noticed Morgana's troublesome situation but couldn't do anything. "Morgana! Please, someone help her! Please!"

Arthur stared at Uther blinded by rage. "She believed in goodness of people. She thought that even you can't be that bad what others had told."

Uther tried to get Arthur attention to his sister in trouble, pointing his hand towards Morgana far behind him. "Don't be fool, Arthur! Look how your witch is showing her kindness to others. For god's sake, help Morgana!"

Tears spilled on Arthur's cheeks as he was blinded to everything else around him. "Don't you dare to call her a witch... She was going to be my wife. I loved her!"

Arthur's words were full of pain, and it hurt Mirela to watch him without been able to say anything, or not even been seen by him. His words open her soul and little by little made her realized what sort of horrible thing she was allowing to happen to the one she loved. She had doomed her avenger to be cursed the way Uther now was.

At the same time Percival, Lancelot and Gwaine crawled up and ran at Morgana who was stuck with the vines that had came alive. "Are you alright, my lady?" Gwaine asked, taking his sword and trying to cut the vines.

"Get me off from this!" Morgana shrieked as the vines still kept entangling around her. She were nearly covered with them, and could barely breath as they tightened their grip, moving up around her neck. "Hurry!"

Percival fought against the creepers with his bare hands, trying to ease them around Morgana.

"Hang on!" Lancelot said, and him and Gwaine started chopping off the vines with their blades. But the nasty animated vines began to wrapped themselves also around the knights.

"What the hell is going on here?" Percival cried out. "Where is Merlin? We could have a use for him right now."

"He stayed with Mirela. This must be the curse what Mordred told about. Please... Please, help Arthur!" Morgana begged. She could only stared at Arthur further away as he attacked again.

Uther didn't have time to pick up his sword and he couldn't have dodged this hit. Then something unexpected happened; his own blade raised up in the air in front of him, protecting him from Arthur's strike like it had been enchanted.

Leon and Elyan managed to dodge the wild vines as they got back on their feet and rushed to Arthur, restraining him in their firm grip. They barely controlled frenetic Arthur as he was fighting back just trying to get his hands on Uther.

Uther gazed at the sword that was been lift up in the air by princess's wraith. She had saved him from Arthur's furious attack and it left him puzzled because just a moment ago she wanted him dead. She turned at him looking sad.

"If you only could have known how much I loved Arthur you wouldn't have let it ended like this," she spoke quietly, and gazed then at Arthur, knowing that he didn't even heard her. "I am sorry, Arthur. I never wanted to hurt you."

The sword dropped back on the ground in front of Uther, and the vines around Morgana eased their grip so that Lancelot and Gwaine got her free. At that moment Uther realized his mistake. Could he had been all wrong about that young witch? And, Balinor for that matter? He had been blinded by hatred for so long that he refused to see the truth under his very eyes. He knew just how much it hurt to lose the one you love, and now he created the cycle of hate by taking his own son's beloved. He was left speechless by his own evil doings.

"Now you would resort to magic?" Arthur cried in rage to Uther, thinking that his father had something to do with the sword trick. He got free from Leon's grip, pushed Elyan aside and rushed at his father, but Morgana stopped him by creating a magical barrier between Arthur and Uther. A glimmering wall emerged protecting her father.

"Arthur, please stop!" Morgana cried and ran to his side, touching his arm gently. "Don't do it. He is not worth it," she whispered, not really believing that those words came out from her own mouth. It seemed to soothe her brother as Arthur gazed at her almost at his breaking point, tears falling down on his cheeks. Looking at him made her own eyes wet again and she put her hand on his hand, sharing his grief and pain.

Morgana turned her gaze at her father who stood behind the glimmer wall of magic. She hated his evil deeds, right now she hated him more than anything in the world. And yet she had saved his life, but not because of his sake but for Arthur's. And, because Merlin had asked her to not let anyone get hurt.

All the knights were now near the magical wall. Lancelot, who was eldest when measuring the years being a knight, nodded to Morgana, their new princess to come. "My lady, please, take down the barrier so we can apprehend him."

The knights had saved Morgana, and they seemed to show great respect towards Morgana and Arthur, and it made Uther ensure that he had been wrong all along.

"I'm not going to beg for you forgiveness because I know I don't deserve it," Uther murmured quietly, his words were addressed to the silent wraith by his side. As his rancor against his former enemies started fade away so did Mirela's venomous desire for revenge. It had been Uther's own hatred that had fuelled the wraith's vengeance. "I did you terribly wrong. I am sorry... I thought that... It doesn't matter now." He sighed woefully. "Arthur and Morgana means everything to me. I would have given up Camelot willingly to assure their safety."

"I would rather spent the whole eternity trapped in this place with you than let Arthur get hurt," the wraith whispered, repenting her malicious whim that could have destroyed Arthur, Morgana and all the knights.

Morgana stared at Uther who muttered something with a silent voice like he had been talking with someone. Then she felt that there indeed were something else with him behind the glimmering wall. She was going to take down the magical barrier when she saw a faint ghost next to her father. Her grip tightened on Arthur's hand as she realized that the wraith was Mirela.

There were a strange silent moment in the forest, not even the birds sang. Morgana gazed at the others around her. They didn't seem to see the princess's ghost, not even Arthur who tried to take a grip of himself. Crystal clear tears escapes from Morgana's eyes, her gaze focused on Mirela. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean this to happen to you," she said with a small voice.

"Father, why did you do this to her?" Morgana demanded an answer. "Why you hate magic so much?"

Uther visibly corrected his shoulders as he accepted his fate, staring at his children. "I admit all my wrong deeds. It was I who caused the death of my wife by asking help from Nimueh, because I desperately wanted to have a heir. I believed that magic itself is the force of all evil. I... I killed Vivienne because she used magic... saving Morgana." That painful memory tore his heart open again. "By the god, I loved them both so much... your mothers," he took a small tearful breath and gazed at the ghost. "The princess. Yes, I took her life, and I regret it bitterly. I have caused you too much pain but I only wanted to protect you. I know it now that I was wrong... a-all this time."

Uther's gaze bounced slowly between Arthur and Morgana. There was only one gift that he could give them now; keep them safe from the curse that had fell upon himself.

"You... both of you are too precious to me. Morgana, my dear daughter... I have always loved you the way you are. You are both special," he paused watching into Morgana's eyes. Then he turned to Arthur. "And, I have always been proud of you... my son. Today more than ever."

Merlin sat on his knees next to his sister, holding her hand on his and praying silently for the Triple goddess. Hoping that she would hear him and grand his wish. He had been crying so much that no more tears came from his eyes.

Merlin took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He believed that he had have a connection to the goddess and was ready to do what he must. He got back up on his feet and raised his hand up towards the sky. It was like the sky itself had been under his control as the dark thunder clouds were building up over the forest, creating a vortex of thunder and lightning's on the sky.

Mordred stood behind the warlock prince troubled. "Please, my lord, don't do this," he begged quietly. "Not like this!"

But Merlin was determined to save his sister. He summoned the powers of life and death to restore what was done wrong here.

Meanwhile on the edge of the gorge Uther stepped backwards on the cliff. As the dark clouds gathered on the sky above, Morgana and Arthur and the knights was getting worried of the sudden change of weather. Had the curse already fell upon them all?

But Uther had once seen such natural phenomenon, on the very day his son was born. And he knew what it meant. "To create a life a life must be taken..." he whispered with a small hope, his eyes turning to the wraith.

Morgana tried to take down the magical barrier but was confused because her spell didn't work even she was sure she had casted it right. "My magic won't work," she whispered and stared at Mirela's ghost who seemed as puzzled about the great vortex above them on the sky. Then she saw only one word formed on Mirela's lips: "Merlin."

As the first drops of rain fell down on them, Uther felt calm and relieved watching his dear children from the other side of the magical wall. He took off his golden signet ring, sweeping his finger over the dragon signet. "Correct my mistakes... Clear our family name!" he whispered dropping the ring on the ground. He took one last step back, spreading his arms and leaning back like he had been placing himself on the hands of the gods.

"No!" Morgana cried as Uther fell down from the cliff. At the same time a huge flash of lightning strike above the gorge and deafening sound of thunderclap rumbles over the rocky area. It blinded all of them for a short moment and left their ears ringing. After it started rain pouring down.

Arthur was hunched over Morgana, sheltering her from the fierce thunder strike. It came as a reflex to him. His ears were still ringing as he slowly regain knowledge of the situation around them. Pained tears fell down from his eyes as he gazed at his sister.

Morgana looked around her in the pouring rain that ruin her hairdo and wet her already torn and dirty dress. The magical barrier was gone. So was her father and Mirela's spirit. The curse was undone and peacefulness filled the forest. Morgana hugged Arthur for a long time, both crying and grieving for their loss together.

The knights hurried on the cliff, gazing down on the bottom of the gorge.

"What the hell just happened?" Lancelot asked puzzled and looked up to the sky. The dark clouds were already clearing away.

Leon turned at Arthur and Morgana as they were on each others' embrace, staring back at their friend. "He's gone... I am sorry," Leon whispered and gave Uther's ring to his old friend. Uther was truly gone. There were no body on the gorge, he had completely vanished.

Morgana was sad and angry and frustrated but also relieved that is was over. She was angry because Uther refused to place himself in front of the justice. She couldn't believe that her father have ended his own life. She thought that it was a coward's thing to do. But what had happened? Had it something to do with Merlin? And was he alright?

Rain slowly ended and forest brightened again as sun emerged behind gray clouds. Merlin wiped his wet hair with his palm. He wasn't sure was he dead or alive after that mighty thunder strike over the Gorge Vale. His gazed at Mirela who still lay on the ground in front of him.

"It didn't work," he whispered, squatting down on her side, glaring at Mordred. "I am not your Emrys!" he sighed disappointed.

Mordred was quiet, but he was glad that his lord had not killed himself.

Merlin was lifting Mirela in his arms to take her back to the horses when her body suddenly shuddered and she opened her eyes. Her unbelieving eyes turned slowly at her brother as if she wasn't sure where she was, as if she wasn't even in her own body.

Merlin gasped bewildered her name, his eyes wide with unbelievable joy. "You're back!" he exclaimed, laughing and crying at the same time. His gazed quickly at his druid servant like he had been thanking him. Young druid's beliefs had proven to be right.

"I'll go tell the others... Emrys," young servant said smiling widely and ran finding the rest of their group.

Mirela stared silently her brother looking completely astounded. Her whole body felt numb and cold but she was alive again. "Y-you..." she whispered stammering with a small hoarse voice. The words wouldn't want to come out from her mouth. But tears started to come from her eyes and there were no end with them. She cried bitterly.

"When next time I'll tell you to do something... don't listen to me," Merlin sighed holding her. Between her sobbing Merlin catch her saying that she was sorry for ruining his weddings.

"Uther?" He hissed that name that had become like a curse word to him.

It was easier to communicate by thoughts, so Mirela whispered to his mind: "He's gone. He broke the curse... Was it you who brought me back? What are you, my brother?"

Merlin smiled, wiping his eyes. "I am Emrys," he declared.

Arthur and Morgana walked slowly back from the gorge with others. They both felt numb and sad, not knowing what was going to happen to them now. Arthur was already ahead with his thoughts.

"King will kill us... I know I would..." he sighed worried. His only concern was his sister, and he tried to figure out how to get her out from Camelot alive. Again.

Everyone marched quietly forward. Then Gwaine came next to Arthur, head bowed down and unusually quiet for his style. "We all saw what you did here... What happened with princess; it wasn't your fault," he said silently and it sounded like he truly meant it. "We'll speak to Balinor on your behalf. You cannot be blamed of something your father did."

"I thought that you'll be glad to get rid of me? At least you would have a good reason," Arthur whispered, feeling broken inside.

"You're a knight. You are one of us now, mate. We are all brethrens and we'll look after our owns," rascal knight spoke silently and gave a brotherly pat on his fellow knight's shoulder.

Mordred ran towards them, jumping and zigzagging thought the woods. He counted just in case that every knight were there and then he stopped in front of Morgana and Arthur, panting a bit with a smile. "She's back! Merlin brought her back!"

Morgana's green eyes widened with amazement. "Mirela is alive?" she sighed, thinking that she might have misheard him. But young servant nodded markedly happy.

They hurried back in disbelief and as they reached Merlin, knights froze on their standing places, staring at the royal siblings who stood there, both alive and breathing, Mirela sobbing in her brother's arms.

Percival revealed a mighty grin. "I knew it! Merlin, you were behind that hellish thunder, weren't you?"

"Is she alright?" Lancelot asked abashed, and got a quiet nodding back from Merlin. Knights gathered on a half circle around the warlock and his sister, completely amazed of her return from death. Princess gave them only a small gaze and turned away, ashamed of her action against them while she was a ghost. She felt it was an unforgivable act against her owns.

The young Pendragons and the royal siblings stared at each other speechless. Their feelings were taking a huge rollercoaster ride from guilt to sadness to joy and back to guilt again because of everything that had happened.

Princess's timid gaze visited on Morgana and Arthur for a short moment. "I am so sorry... I only wanted... to help him," she whispered and turned back to her brother.

Morgana burst to tears and ran straight hugging her fellow sister in magic who couldn't stop crying either. Arthur followed his sister and nodded his thanks to Merlin. He thought he knew how warlock prince had brought her back, and he was grateful for it.

When he took Mirela in his arms he wasn't sure could their paths still go as one, could they still be together after all this. He wanted it more than anything but he felt himself somehow insufficient, not able to protect her the way he should have. He had let her down for the second time, and almost lost her completely. He couldn't face the possibility of that again.

Merlin closed Morgana in his loving embrace, thankful for it that he was still here with her. But a doubt of his own action's rightfulness came back to haunt him. He was beginning to think that his hate against Uther had made him take Uther's life for exchange of his sister's.

The court had never seen their king so enraged as he was when Merlin's group returned from their sudden trip. He send everyone else out from the throne room and demanded answers: Why had the weddings been canceled without saying a word to him? Where the hell had the wedding couple been all this time? And most of all, why royal guards had told that princess were kidnapped by Uther Pendragon? Where the hell was Uther Pendragon?

Balinor had been worried sick for his daughter. He didn't get the whole truth what had happened on the Gorge Vale. All of them who were on the holy druid's land took an oath never tell anyone what really happened there. It was for Arthur's and Morgana's protection, even Morgana felt that they should had told the truth to Balinor.

There were no weddings on that day. The celebrations turned out to be quiet and discreet when king allowed a small funerals to be arranged for Uther. That was after he was told that Uther accidentally fell into the gorge and died, and that they had buried his body on the Gorge Vale. Since there truly were no body to be buried, a pyre were build on the court yard and Arthur placed his father's sword on top of it before he lit in on fire. It was a small but worthy ceremony for the former king and a last chance for Arthur and Morgana to bid their goodbyes to their father. Gaius was there with them to give his support. It felt strange to the old physician that Uther would left before him.

Everybody were guilt tripping themselves about the things they had done or left undone on that day. And everybody had their own ways of coping with grief and loss and dealing with guilt. Arthur, Morgana, Merlin and Mirela were all ordered to stay in their own chambers on that evening after the funeral. It was a sort of a house arrest for their disobedience earlier on that day.

Later that evening Arthur sat in silence in his chamber, staring out through the window into the darkening evening. Rain drummed quietly to the window screen. He heard knocking from his door, and a servant brought him dinner and placed the tray on the table. Arthur sat on the edge of his bed, not paying attention to her. He just wanted to be left alone. He didn't feel like talking to anyone.

"Arthur?" A faint familiar voice called his name behind him, and he turned that much that he saw Mirela wearing a servant's clothes, standing next to the table. She had disguised herself and sneaked out from her own chambers just to see that he was alright.

A very small smile visited Arthur's lips but he said nothing, he couldn't, as he turned again watching the darkness outside.

Mirela walked slowly next to his bed. "I don't know what to say except that I am sorry," she whispered.

"So am I," Arthur sighed weary.

"If I wouldn't have used that stupid teleportation spell then your father might still be alive. I caused his death..."

Arthur closed his eyes, biting his lips. "Oh, I don't blame you," he sighed, taking a deep breath. No, he was only blaming himself for not been able to protect her from his father's cruel deed. How could she ever think that she caused Uther's death? "He was the one who killed you."

Mirela stepped closer to him. "But I am the one who is still alive... I have used magic in vain some many times. And, I have decided to give it up. I won't practice it anymore. I am afraid that if I do then I will be turning evil, " she sighed and was afraid to continued, but she told him everything what truly happened with Uther.

Arthur listened her silently, squeezing his father's ring on his palm, shedding tears, and not saying a word because it felt too painfully.

"If you don't want to marry me anymore then I understand," Mirela said, feeling sorry what she had done when she was a wraith looking for vengeance. She was close to burst into tears as she turned after having no response from him. She considered facing a gean canach, a nasty slug-like creature of magic that could strip sorcerer's powers for good. And she knew that one of them was held in the palace's vault.

Arthur took a hold of her hand as she was going to walk away. "You couldn't ever turn evil. It was you who once told me that magic doesn't make someone evil, it is the way you use it. Use it for good. Don't give up it because of me or because of anything. I don't want you to change... I love you the way you are," he spoke quietly, gazing into her eyes.

Now she was quiet standing in front of him. Arthur put his father's ring on the bedside table. He would had rather wanted to throw it away through the window. "I couldn't protect you even from my own father. What he did to you... It is just as bad if I had done it myself," he whispered, his breath shivering with grief. "I hate him."

Mirela stepped slowly closer to him and picked up the ring from the table. She stared at the dragon signed, remembering Uther's last words. "He meant what he said with every single word. He was proud of you. Everything he had done... he was only misguided. I felt his hatred but also his love to you. I felt it because I was there. He gave up his life so that... so that I could came back. I guess, somewhere deep down in his heart he was noble," she told holding on Arthur's hand and placed the ring on his left index finger. "You are not him, but you are his son. And, I love you for being who you are. It is your love that saves me from all the evils in the world."

Arthur's raised his gaze from the ring onto her eyes. "Would you stay with me a little longer?" he asked, and she took him in her arms. Arthur pressed his head against her chest, listening her heart beats, thankful that he could still hear them.

"Just hold me," he whispered as they curled up next to each other on bed, embracing one another.

In the next room Morgana was alone, and she hated to be alone moments like these. She had a need to speak with someone, pour her heart out to someone, because it was killing her to keep all the feelings inside. She lay on the four-poster bed, crying and listening to rain.

A strange thumping sound from outside woke her from her thoughts. She turned around on her bed as there was a small knocking behind the window. First she thought that it must have been something what rain and wind had tossed at the window screen but then she heard it again.

Morgana wiped her wet cheeks and grabbed a candlestick from the bedside table as she went to the window. She was on the second floor, how could there be someone behind her window, she thought troubled as she drew thick curtains aside. The silver candlestick, that she took for her protection, dropped down from her grip when she saw Merlin in the rain, behind the window, hanging on a rope made from torn sheets.

She opened the window puzzled and helped the soaking wet warlock in. If it would have been any other day she would had laugh at him for doing something so ridiculous and crazy.

"Merlin, are you trying to get yourself killed?" she sighed and closed the window, staring at him, her green eyes reddened with tears.

Merlin watched her ashamed, looking like a drowned rat, water dripping down from him. "I had to see you, Morgana," he said quietly. "If I would have realized that your chamber is right under mine I should have done this a way earlier," he continued and gave a small smile. Then he took a more serious face. "How are you holding up?"

Morgana stood in front of him in a white silken nightgown, wearing her heart-shaped amethyst necklace. She looked amazing, just exactly like in Merlin's dream weeks ago, but it seemed that she had been crying her eyes out.

"This have been an awful day. I wish it wouldn't ever happened," she whispered. "Mirela... my father..." Her voice was trembling because it hurt her to think what had came to pass.

"Yeah, things didn't quite go as planned today," he said and took a deep breath, bowing his head down. "I am... Once more I want to say that I am so sorry for your loss. Uther was a..."

Morgana raised her hand to stop him. "Please... please, don't talk about him. Don't say anything that you don't mean. He was a horrible man... My mother called him a monster, and I think that what he truly was," she spoke, tears escaping from her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. She felt that there must have been river channels on her cheeks because that much she had been weeping.

"I am sorry..." Merlin whispered. He was going for a hug but thought that he would wet her too if he should hold her now.

Morgana gathered herself again, wiping her cheeks. "How is Mirela? She haven't spoke anything after we came back home."

Warlock prince let out a small sigh. "I know, usually she talks all the time and I can't make her quiet," he said with a faint smile. "I think she needs some time to cope with what happened. I think we all do." He was quiet for a moment, staring at the beauty in front of him who should had been his wife by now. Things had totally went wrong today, he thought sadly.

He swallowed silently, standing on a water puddle that he had made on the floor.

"Lancelot and Gwaine told what you did on the gorge today. They were pretty impressed by your magic... I wish I would have been there with you... I should have been..." he continued quietly, and he sounded like his teeth were chattering with cold.

Morgana's gaze rose back on him. "Take off your clothes or you'll get pneumonia," she told and she fetched a blanket from her bed.

Merlin hesitated a bit but took off his wet shirt and hang it to dry on a back of a chair next to the fireplace. Morgana gaze lingered on his bare torso, admiring his well-shaped chest and arms and abdominal muscles for a moment too long.

His eyes caught up with hers as he covered himself with the blanket she gave to him. His gaze locked onto hers as he saw a golden gleam of magic in her eyes, and he thought that was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen; that golden glimpse in Morgana's emerald eyes.

But then he turned confused as he noticed that his pants dropped down to his ankles by her spell. "What...?" he stammered quietly and wrapped the blanket tighter around him, making sure his private parts were covered. "Aah... I don't think this is a proper idea," he whispered, his gaze raising back up from his dropped pants.

Morgana didn't do that for fun. She looked sad. "This was supposed to be our wedding night. We should have been together tonight," she sighed feeling sorry. She turned and gave him a time to shook off his pants and boots.

"I want you more than anything in this world... But after what happened today with Uther... I don't know if we can be together," Merlin said regretting.

Morgana turned back at him chocked up. "So, he won?" she cried out.

She shook her head and saw again her wedding dress that was hanged on the dressing screen. It was smutted and torn. Was that the same thing that had happened to their love? She couldn't help but think that had Uther destroyed her happiness with Merlin once and for all.

"What my father did to Mirela was unforgivable. But he is gone. Please, don't let him come between us. You promised me that you won't ever let me go. You promised!"

Merlin was silent for a moment and stepped closer to her. "I killed him," he told with guilt. "I killed your father. I exchanged his life for Mirela's life. That raging storm, that was me. Or, I caused it. I don't really know... but I know that I made it happen."

Green tear-filled eyes turned at him. Morgana took a moment to take in his words. Merlin was in front of her, as vulnerable as he could be, confessing to her his sin that had been troubling him.

"No, Merlin... You didn't kill him. He did. He dropped himself from the edge. He sacrificed himself..." Morgana spoke and on that moment she realized it too. "He said that: to create a life a life must be taken. He sacrificed himself?"

She realized that Uther had sacrificed himself to save her and Arthur, and to give a life back to the one he stole it away from. It made her shed tears because on that time Uther had been the loving and protecting father she had once known, on his very last moment. Morgana burst in tears and Merlin took her in his embrace. He hold her for long, seeing it now that Uther's blood wasn't on his hands.

"To save a life, a life must be taken. Uther knew that?" Merlin whispered puzzled. "I thought that I killed him... I wanted to."

"I know, but it wasn't your fault. If you'd had then we wouldn't ever get out from that place alive."

Merlin took a small breath. "Morgana... for the first time in my life I am afraid of my own powers. My magic goes beyond my comprehension. It seems that druids knows more about me that I do myself. I don't know what it means to be this Emrys what Mordred has been talking about," he spoke sounding serious and a bit worried. "Do you truly want to be with me... even when I don't seemed know who I am?"

Morgana raised her eyes at the warlock prince who were wearing only a blanket around him. "We will work it out together. You were the one who showed me who I truly am. I want to be with you. I love you," she said and caressed him gently, her fingers went through his wet hair.

"And, I love you," Merlin said touching her cheek.

She needed his kiss and he granted it to her, pressing his lips on hers, holding her tight. They were both in tears and they could taste faint salt from each other's skin.

"With you I feel like being home. Don't ever let me go," she whispered, her lips departed from his only for those words. She draped her arms around him like she had been afraid to let go of him.

"I won't let anything come between us again," Merlin responded, and wrapped her inside his blanket.

They moved slowly towards the bed. Morgana stumbled onto a bed's column but she didn't even noticed it. They were drawn towards each other with nearly primitive kind of attraction and they couldn't see anything else but each other. Giving into their cravings they surrendered to each other on that night.

Next morning, when Merlin opened his eyes his gaze met with the most lovely black locks. Morgana slept in his embrace and he took a moment to breath in her scent. The night they had shared together had been magical and he was happy that this time it had been real.

Her bare shoulder peeked under the blanket and Merlin couldn't resist it. He pressed a trail of kisses all the way from her shoulder to behind her ear. Morgana moaned sleepy and smiled at him with her half-opened eyes. "Good morning," she whispered and reached to kiss his lips. She had slept peacefully and this way she wanted to wake up every morning from now on.

They were spooning, Merlin's arm around her waist and Morgana's hand caressing his cheek over her shoulder. He squeezed her lovingly in his embrace with a smile that wasn't going to wear out that day, no matter what. Then he remembered yesterday; Gorge Vale and Uther and their cancelled weddings.

"Morgana," he sighed a bit worried. "I... I hope you don't think that I took advantage of your situation last night. We were both overwhelmed with all soft of emotions, and I..."

Morgana tossed over in the bed staring at her warlock. A small smile crept on her face even she knew what he meant. "I don't regret last night. It was beautiful... essential. It was like we had have a whole new kind of connection to each other," she said.

"Yes, but... I stole you honor," Merlin muttered, feeling sorry with too sweet touching way.

Morgana blushed. "It was mine to give to you, my gallant prince," she assured and kissed him again. "I guess you'll have to marry me now?" she jested smiling, and Merlin shook his head with a small grin. Then she turned more serious, caressing his bare chest gently. "I wouldn't have survived last night without you. I would have drowned with grief. You are the light that drives away my darkness. You are the love that overcomes my hatred. I need you to be complete."

Merlin kissed her lovingly, wishing his lips could make their home on hers. "I don't ever want to let you down," he whispered, and held her in his arms, just lying there together for a moment.

"It is morning already. I should go back to my chambers before someone catches us," he spoke then, sad, because he didn't want to leave from her side, not even for a second.

"How were you going to get back without your clothes?" she grinned.

"Are you threatening me, my lady?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"If I would threaten you, you would know it," she assured and silenced him with a breathtaking kiss that got him very much excited again.

They had made love last night for the first time. Later on that night they made love again. And now in the morning she still had an insatiable warlock between her sheets, and maybe just enough time for surrender to each other once more before he had to go.

Queen Hunith was worried for her daughter's yesterday's incident, even she thankfully didn't know all the detail about it. She decided to have a serious talk with Mirela early on that morning before the breakfast together. When Hunith quietly came into Mirela's chamber she faced something that left her standing puzzled in front of the door.

There were princess's dress and knight's pieces of clothing scattered all over the floor. Dark blue cloak and boots, chainmail and sword, Mirela's underwear. And there were two people under the blanket in bed being intimate.

Queen huffed fiercely and deliberately dropped a sword's sheath from a chair, letting it to make a interrupting sound for the two of them. It worked, and a dark-haired knight peeked cautiously under the blanket, making Hunith even more annoyed.

"My gods! Lancelot?" Hunith yelped, letting out a resentful utterance as she recognized the knight.

Startled Lancelot rolled off from the bed with a whole big bundle of blanket in his arms, and then carefully rose his gaze at her. "Your Highness?" he stammered, bowing his head, which seemed a ridiculous act from a half-naked man, sitting behind a bed on the floor.

Hunith gasped as she waited to see her daughter also reveal herself. "Lancelot, I have always considered you to be our most nobles knight... Oh, how could you? How could you go this low?" she squealed, puffing in fury.

"My queen, if you could let me explain..."

"It is bad enough that you do something like this to Mirela!" Hunith didn't listen a word he tried to say. "You were just married! What would your wife say about this?"

Lancelot, abashed and embarrassed, couldn't look at his queen directly as he tried to hide his barely unrestrained amusement. "I'll ask her, my lady," he said and gazed at his wife who peeked under the blanket, behind the bed from his side. Her dark hair was one big lovely mess after their wild roll on the bed.

"Oh, your Highness... Please, forgive us," Gwen stammered embarrassed. Her voice trembled with shame as she was covering herself with the blanket.

Queen's temper seemed to subside a bit after seeing her. "Guinevere, thank gods! Where is Mirela?" she demanded an answer.

Guinevere swallowed. "I am sure that she is somewhere in the palace."

"You don't know? She broke her house arrest? Why...? Why are you two here?"

"My lady, she said that she needed some time alone to think... And, she borrowed my dress to sneak out, so I got stuck in here, and..." Guinevere explained and gazed at her husband. "And, then Lancelot came looking for me and..." She let out a small sigh."Well... it is still our honeymoon," she said, revealing an apologizing grin. "We are so sorry, my lady."

Hunith stared at those two honeymooners for a moment, trying to keep her face straight. She had caught them on a bad moment. "Very well then," she sighed and turned back at the door. "So, you are saying that Mirela haven't been in this room the whole night? But you two have?"

"I am afraid so, my queen" Lancelot revealed, still sitting on the floor.

"Then where is she?"

Guinevere and Lancelot gazed at each other. Gwen bit her lower lip nervously. She knew that princess had gone seeing Arthur last evening but she couldn't tell that to her queen. "Uhmm...? I think she went seeing her brother."

At the same time one floor below Merlin kissed Morgana once more before they parted. He opened window and climbed out taking a firm grip of the rope that still hang from his own chamber's window's side. Morgana shook her head, watching his foolhardy efforts to get back up.

"You are crazy. Why can't you just use the door? Or, teleport yourself?" she asked whispering, and gazed down at the court yard, hoping that no one would see him. Especially now when he had only a towel around his waist because his clothes had not dried yet.

Merlin gazed down at her as he was already climbing up along the wall. "Father forbade me using magic in two weeks. I try to keep my word for that."

"He also ordered you to say in your room last night!" Morgana reminded amused.

"I'll be fine. What could possibly go wrong?"

He was reaching closer to his own window when his towel dropped off and flew away, unveiling a full naked warlock. He hurried up and was forced to brake his words to his father as he opened his window with a help of spell, and dropped himself inside his room. As he sat there next to the window all naked he couldn't help but laugh at himself, the royal streaker, and hope that no one saw him.

Just then there was a knocking from his door and Merlin rushed into his bed in panic, covering himself under a blanket. For his misfortune he didn't noticed that there were already someone there.

"What? I am up!" a startled sleepy voice murmured as Mordred raised his head up from a pillow. "My lord?" he stammered as he saw Merlin in the bed with him, looking as confused as he was.

"What the hell are you doing in my bed?" Merlin yelped, staring at his servant horrid.

Right then Hunith walked in. When she thought that finding Guinevere and Lancelot from Mirela's room was odd, she didn't found this any better. Her gaze froze almost in a shock as she saw her son and his fifteen years old manservant in bed, together.

"M-m-Merlin? What... is this?" she whispered.

"Mother?" Merlin cried out, knowing that this might have seen strange. He didn't quite know what was going on here. His gaze bounced between Hunith and Mordred, seriously wishing that he should had stayed with Morgana. At least it would had been a lot easier to explain.

"This is not what is seems!" he said, still panting after his wall climbing.

"Oh, Merlin," Hunith sighed very disappointed. She didn't know if to stay or to leave. She stared at them two in disapproval and let out a aloud sighed. Then she left with hurry and slammed the door shut.

Mordred rolled off from the bed feeling himself the biggest idiot in Camelot. He had stayed there for the night just in case Merlin would had need help to getting back up into his room. "I'm so sorry, m-my lord... I... I..."

"What were you doing here?" Merlin cried out, still sitting in his bed under the blanket.

"I... I was just... luring the bed bugs," Mordred came up with a little lie.

"Bed bugs?"

"So they won't bite your royal backside... Are you really naked down there, my lord?"

"Get out!"

Had he ever seen so delightful sight as it was when Arthur opened his eyes and found Mirela by his side, cuddled up under his arm. Her head rested on his arm and he didn't dare move a muscle because he didn't want to wake her up. He had watched her for some time when she woke. Shy green eyes met with admiring blue ones as they gazed at each other quietly, smiling contentedly. Neither of them wanted to break that sensitive moment.

"Hey," Arthur finally said with a slight smile.

Mirela responded softly with the same word. "Is this a dream or real?" she asked then unsure, studying his face in bright morning light.

Arthur didn't move, he only took a quick look around. "I don't know... Some of my dreams have started pretty much like this," he told, but got startled after his own words which seemed to put a questioning smile on her face.

She bit her lip, feeling her cheeks turning red. "Mine too," she admit.

Arthur sighed relived. His gaze wandered on her face, bright green eyes and gentle lips. "Forty-five," he whispered.

Mirela's eyebrows raised as she stared at him confused. "What?"

"Forty-five days left to our wedding."

"You still want to marry me?"

"More than ever... with all my heart," he reassured, leaning closer to her. "If you still want me?"

"How is this for an answer?" she said and took his face between her palms and reached out for a kiss, the first one since yesterday morning. They lingered on that moment for long with feeling that they belonged together after all.

"Thanks for staying with me last night," Arthur said then, grateful that he didn't have to stay alone on that most sorrowful night of his life. They had spent the night talking and crying, going through yesterday's painful events, and finally falling into merciful sleep on each others' arms. It gave some distance to the grief, and now they knew that they would get over it together.

Mirela was happy too that she had stayed. Her gaze rested on him but then suddenly her eyes flashed wide open. "I was here all night? Oh no, Gwen!" she sighed troubled as she remembered Guinevere who she had left on her chambers after practically stealing her clothes.

She jumped out of bed and Arthur watched her puzzled crawling out of bed too. "Did I say something wrong?"

"I have to get back to my room. Oh, I am going to be in a big trouble..." she sighed worried and threw a shawl over her head covering her face with it. She was almost at the door when she stopped and just stood the for a few seconds. Then she turned back at him, staring at him like she had realized something very valuable.

Arthur walked closer to her. "What is it?"

She stepped near him and let her shawl drop on the floor. "I think Gwen could manage just a little longer. After all she has my whole wardrobe as her own," she said and kissed him again. It didn't matter anymore if she should get caught with Arthur. She had died and returned from the dead yesterday, and comparing to that being caught with him would be her smallest problem.

After having enough surprises for one morning Hunith walked apace to the dining room where Balinor sat at the table enjoying his breakfast. He glanced at his wife puzzled as she stepped next to the side table and poured herself a full goblet of wine and drained it down with a one big gulp.

"Is something wrong, my dear?" he asked confused because she had never done something like that before.

Hunith gazed at her husband in a state of anxiety and threw her goblet into a corner. "That boy will marry a GIRL! Today!" she ordered voice trembling.

"What are you going on about?" Balinor asked even more puzzled.

Hunith walked next to him, her eyes burning with anger. "I don't care if she is a Pendragon, a troll or a sidhe, Merlin will marry a girl! You are the king! Make it happen!"

The king got up, wondering what had made his wife so mad. "What had the boy done now?" he growled pursing up his brows.

She stared at him quietly for a moment, not even be able to say it out loud. "Today, Balinor! I want grandchildren!"

Yet on the very same day there was double weddings held in Camelot's court to everyone's surprise, even for the two wedding couples. Merlin and Morgana finally got each other. So did Arthur and Mirela. Within time they found a way to overcome the grief and guilt that Uther had left behind. And their love to each other was leading the way. When the time came, Balinor's and Uther's children ruled Camelot together in peace, but that is another story.

This wasn't exactly the way I wanted to end this. I feel that this is one of those never ending stories. New ideas keeps coming, and I would love to write them down. So, instead of completely saying goodbye to this one, I might add chapter(s) sometimes in the future. I really hate to keep you waiting but it would probably takes months again to get something ready. Especially when I have a couple new story ideas also cooking up and so little time.

Along the way I started to feel sorry for Uther even originally I was going to send him to a cave. Do you think it was right what happened to him?

Please, please review. I would love to hear what you thought about it.