Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.

Chapter 36 – The Witch's Quickening

Mordred and Kara watched as Morgana unleashed an Eancanah on a druid within her army. The man wept when the creature finally released him and Morgana commanded that he light the torches he'd only just put out, only this time he couldn't. His weeping grew louder and Morgana motioned for two of her soldiers to take him away.

"He was a loyal soldier." Said Mordred. "In robbing him of his magic you have lost yourself a powerful ally."

"Perhaps." She didn't seem to care in the least. "But now we know the war can be won. For Arthur is nothing without Emrys, and Emrys is nothing without magic."

"And how are we to get the Eancanah into Camelot?" Was his next question.

"I will send one of my finest men whose stealth is bested by none. He will get inside the citadel."

"And has he been to the citadel before? Does he know where Emrys is likely to be?"

"He will place the Eancanah in Emrys' chambers. He'll have to sleep sometime."

"Yes, but since Arthur's child was born, he often sleeps near the infant. Leaving the Eancanah in his chambers runs the risk of Gaius discovering it before Emrys returns." It was a point she had not considered, not having known Emrys kept such a close watch on the brat.

"Then he will simply have to find Emrys and place it near him. The Eancanah will be drawn to the most powerful magic around, which will of course be Emrys." Mordred scoffed.

"No matter how stealthy he may be, your man will not get near the royal chambers. I stood watch there enough to know how heavily guarded any route to the royal chambers are. And with me gone it will be even more so, for they will be expecting an attack."

"So what do you suggest?" Morgana was growing impatient.

"We bring Emrys to us." Kara spoke up for the first time. "I will go with your man, get him into the citadel far faster than he could and without the need for much stealth. Once inside I will summon Emrys."

"Do you really believe he will come? Alone?" Morgana was sceptical at best. "More like he will send the guards and the plan will be ruined." Kara and Mordred both shook their heads.

"Emrys' one great weakness is his belief in people." Said Mordred. "He truly believed that Kara regrets trying to kill Arthur, otherwise he never would have let Arthur keep her alive."

"We'll use his weakness against him. I will simply claim that Mordred secreted me out of Camelot without a word and that I returned as soon as I could, knowing Mordred is wrong. Even if he is weary of me, he will believe it enough to come speak with me alone, thinking he can handle anything I might try. His magic is far greater than mine after all." Morgana smirked, liking the sound of this.

"But of course he will have no idea that the Eancanah lies in wait. He will come thinking his magic powerful enough to defeat you if need be, only to find that he will no longer have any magic whatsoever."

oo00oo00oo

Since Mordred's disappearance, it was clear to those within Camelot that an attack was imminent. Plans were made, training grew more intensive and people prepared for the worst. There was one plan that only the Privy Council were aware of, and even then not all knew every detail. Arthur and Merlin were two who did, and The King breathed a sigh of relief when Merlin nodded to him pointedly one morning as a meeting of the Round table began, indicated their plan was working.

"A force of Saxons, Sire." Said Leon, giving his report. "They crossed the northern border last night and attacked the garrison at Stawell."

"They march under Morgana's command?"

"There can be no doubt about it, Sire." One of the knights that had been at Stawell and rode for Camelot when the garrison fell said. "It was not just men we faced, but sorcery."

"We shouldn't be surprised, she's been massing an army for weeks and far too quiet for months before that for her not to be hatching some grand plot. Now, with Stawell taken, she has a base at our northern border. Which can mean only one thing."

"She means to take Camelot." Guinevere concluded.

"Then she's already made her first mistake." Percival promised.

"We have sufficient time to prepare our defenses, Sire." Leon pointed out. "We make our stand there. However great their army, the walls of Camelot will hold, the citadel will not fall."

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. But we've already deserted Stawell. I will not forsake the people of this land while we take refuge here." No one had honestly expected a different answer.

"We can protect them here, Sire. In Camelot itself." Gwaine felt compelled to say.

"Some but not all. Countless men, women and children will be left behind, people I vowed to protect." Arthur would not budge.

"We cannot save everyone, Arthur. No matter how much we may wish it." His wife said softly.

"There is a way. One way alone. We ensure that she never makes it this far."

"We…ride out to meet them?" Tristan wanted to make sure he'd heard correctly.

"Man to man." Arthur confirmed.

"But Sire, Morgana commands an army of thousands." Isolde spoke out, sharing a look with her husband. This was news even to members of the Privy Council. Arthur had shared many of his plans, but clearly not all of them.

"Nevertheless, it is our duty as protectors of this land. We cannot stand by and let our citizens be slaughtered. Those are not the values that Camelot was built on. Whatever the outcome of this battle, my sister cannot, and will not, desecrate those values. The war has begun."

oo00oo00oo

Later that day, Morgana found Mordred and beckoned him to follow her. Kara had returned a few hours ago saying that the man Morgana had sent with her was dead, his head cracked on a wall when Emrys threw him backwards when the Eancanah was first released; however, although she'd lost a man, the creature had done its job, she'd stayed long enough to ensure that.

"What is it, my lady?" Mordred asked as she led him deeper in the forest.

"You'll see." She said with a smile. They reached a clearing some minutes later and Morgana whistled a short tune. Within moments something that sounded like a bird flapping its wings was heard, though it would have to be quite a large bird to make the noise it did. Of course, it wasn't a bird, and Mordred watched in awe as a pure white dragon landed before them. Aithusa had grown in the many months since she returned to Morgana's side. She could no longer fit inside her friend's chambers, or really anywhere inside a building, except a room as large as a great hall. She was not as large as Kilgharrah, but was at least three times as tall as a horse, and nearly seven times as long from head to tail.

"Aithusa!" Morgana's smile turned genuine and Mordred could see that this was perhaps the one being she actually cared for. "I have a favour to ask of you." She unsheathed the sword at her side – not an uncommon sight for her to carry one, given her prowess – and held it aloft. "Will you grant us the honour of burnishing this sword in your flame?" The dragon, who had previously stood tall and had clearly been happy to see Morgana, now bowed its head.

"Can't…" She said, making Mordred jump, having not known that dragons could speak.

"Why not?" His suspicions that Morgana genuinely cared for Aithusa was confirmed. Usually when one did not immediately jump to do her bidding or denied her in any way she grew angry. Now, however, she merely appeared confused, and perhaps a bit hurt.

"Ordered…not to…" Though her speech had improved as well, she still found it hard speak fluidly and her words often came out in tiny bursts. Realization dawned on Morgana's face.

"Emrys ordered you not to help me?" Aithusa nodded. "Are you helping him?" She sounded so betrayed, but Aithusa was quick to shake her head.

"No…you my friend. But cannot…go…against the…Dragonlord." Mordred watched in awe as Morgana stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Aithusa's neck, murmuring that she believed her and that everything would be all right. This was a glimpse, only a glimpse mind, of the Morgana he'd known as a boy; not many got to see her like this nowadays. When both were comforted, Morgana thanked Aithusa regardless and led Mordred away, giving him the sword even if it would not be an immortal blade. Unknown to Morgana, the white dragon had just said her goodbyes. She knew what was to come, knew that her friend would not live much longer. The Dragonlord had warned her of as much, summoning her last night for the first time in over a year simply to give her that warning and comfort her where he could. She'd always known that Morgana would not likely survive her crusade and had long ago accepted that, though it was still hard knowing that her end would come so soon. Taking one last look at her first, and for a long time only, friend, Aithusa took flight.

oo00oo00oo

"To reach Camelot, Morgana will have no choice but to cross the White Mountains. Now, the only pass that gives passage to an army of that size is here." Arthur said as the Privy Council met to go over the finer details of the plan.

"I know it well." Said Percival. "The path is bounded by cliffs on either side."

"That's where we'll meet them. Now we may be outnumbered, but if we don't let them outflank us, then we can hold the pass."

"How long?" Gwaine asked. It was a fair question. "Morgana has no care for the lives of her men."

"She can't supply for an army that size indefinitely, not isolated by the mountains. If we can hold out long enough, she'll be forced to retreat." They hoped. "Percival, at what point is the pass at its narrowest?"

"Here, Sire." The brawny knight pointed to a spot on one of the maps that had been brought up from the vaults .

"What do they call this place?" Percival hesitated.

"Camlann, Sire." It was not just Merlin who felt dread at hearing that name. They all knew of the prophecy, Merlin having told them, and none would forget the name of the place their King was supposed to die.

"Then it is at Camlann that we make our stand." It was not a surprise that he said as much. Arthur would not give up the best chance they had, even knowing as he did that he was likely not to come back from this battle. Silence reigned after his decision, but it didn't last long.

"Arthur, you can't go to Camlann." Guinevere begged, trying not to cry. Arthur stepped forward and took his wife into his arms, cupping her face and staring at her with that look she knew to mean he had to go, he would be going, though he was sorry it caused her pain.

"You know I must." He murmured and though the tears fell and she clung to him as if her, or rather his, life depended on it, she nodded. That night Guinevere and Arthur retreated to their chambers to be alone before Arthur departed the following day. Their son lay between them, fast asleep, and thankfully oblivious to the goings on around him.

"I want to go with you." Guinevere said not for the first time that night though she'd been careful not to let Thomas hear. He was old enough now to understand when people were leaving and they did not want to upset him with such talk.

"You know you can't. Camelot needs you here, as our son needs you. If the worst should happen-"

"Don't say that!"

"But it must be said." He insisted, holding his wife and son a little bit tighter. "Guinevere, if the worst should happen you will be Queen Regent until Thomas is of age."

"How am I supposed to rule without you?" She asked, far too calmly for his liking though he knew she'd cried her eyes out when he had gone to fetch Thomas, clearly not wanting him to see, though he had known anyways. "I am not of royal blood, Arthur. The people-"

"Love you and will still love you as regent." Though a part of her wanted to fight him on that she couldn't.

"Promise you will do all you can to come back to me. To both of us." That was a promise he could easily make.

"Of course. I don't want to leave either of you.

"We know. And the fact that you go even though…even though you know there is a good chance you will die, makes us love you all the more."

"As I love the two of you. With all my heart."

oo00oo00oo

Camelot's army set off at dawn the next morning. It was a five day march to Camlann and they were all gratified to see no destruction along the way, to meet no people fleeing their villages as their homes had been burnt to the ground. It meant they were not too late, that Morgana had not yet made it through the White Mountains.

"This is it." Arthur said a couple hours before nightfall on the fifth day. "Camlann. This is where the fate of Camelot will be decided." It certainly wasn't much to look at, being a barren, rocky place. They made camp right in the middle of Camlann itself, the cliffs greeting them on each side with only one entrance. While it would mean that they couldn't escape easily, it also meant that Morgana's forces would have no choice but to come through the one entrance and they would be waiting.

After setting up camp, Merlin helped Arthur remove his armour, wanting his friend to rest at least a bit before the battle to come. Having gotten Arthur to bed, the warlock said he was going to go find a quiet place to meditate and it was there that he still sat a few hours later when an image suddenly came to him. He saw Mordred leading two battalions through a narrow path that ended at Camalann, the sun beginning to rise behind them. However, the path did not end where they expected it to, but went through the cliffs, hidden from them by a ridge, which would give their enemies an opening to attack them from behind. Breaking out of his mediation, Merlin cursed to see that it was currently only slightly darker than it had been in the vision, and knowing dawn approached, there was no time to waste.

"Arthur!"

A/N - The last time Aithusa and Morgana will be together *sniff*. Aithusa is more or less healed by now, but even though it's been over a year, trauma like she endured doesn't just go away completely. She'll probably never fully grow into her magic and her speech will remain stunted, her size smaller than other dragons. That same trauma really did form a strong bond between her and Morgana and at this point Aithusa is the only one for whom Morgana has any love, or even true feelings for, and in turn Aithusa relied on Morgana to get her through for so long. But, it eventually had to come to an end, and even if Merlin could have ordered Aithusa to betray Morgana long ago, I don't think it's something he'd ever do. Not for Morgana's sake, obviously, but for Aithusa, who really does love her friend even if she knows that she can't do anything to save her. And not just because Merlin did order her not to help Morgana, but because she knows that, as much as she loves Morgana, what she's doing is wrong and it can't go on forever.

On another note, this story will be completely posted by Friday!

Review please!