A/N: Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin, the 2008 TV series belongs to BBC.

I posted a one-shot in the middle of September and later on I had a flu (and absolutely no conditions to keep my eyes open) and then writer's block for this chapter, so here it is, a little bit late, so, sorry for that.

Thanks for all the favorites, follows and reviewers. And just as a quick reminder, reviews are always appreciated, = D

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Chapter 36

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There is a multitude of universes, every choice, every possibility coexists in parallel lines, Morgana. Who I am now may not be who you'll be in the future.

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The words rung in her head, as part of a dream that faded from her memory.

Sunrays were already illuminating the room when Morgana opened her eyes. Still a little bit drowsy, she noticed that she had slept against someone's warm chest, and that the same person enveloped her in a protective embrace. She raised her eyebrows, lifting her head from the man's torso to see his face, wondering if it was Arthur, although that was weird and she didn't have the slightest inkling of why he'd do that, but before her mind could make more assumptions, she saw him.

Morgana froze in shock. Inadvertently her first thought was "he's alive" and she sighed in relief, her treacherous heart skipped a bit before her mind returned into full alert mode. Then she frantically checked herself for any missing parts, disentangling from him and sitting on the small amount of free space on the mattress, as her eyes wandered across the room and she noticed that Gwen and Arthur were lying on the other side of the bed, hugging and sleeping peacefully.

Ok, so she had to take them out of her room and later on kill Merlin, otherwise she could harm Gwen's baby with the extent of her fury. Another thing was to find out whose brilliant idea was to allow Merlin full access to her bed with the bonus of free groping at any given time. Was the "it's destiny" disease affected Arthur and Gwen too so they were proactively trying to ensure the existence of their foretold offspring or was it only because Gwen wanted her child to have cousins to play with?

After she'd killed Merlin, Morgana decided she'd have a talk with Guinevere about choices and propriety.

Before she could take any actions to awake her friend and her brother, Merlin slightly opened his eyes, watching her through his lashes, and said in a husky voice: "Good morning."

Morgana gaped, her mind refused to work precisely at that moment, and her jaw rose and fell, unsuccessfully trying to form a word, any word, that would retrieve her from this awkward situation. She felt ridiculous, like a babbling teenager, unable to have any coherent thought (something that never happened to her during her teen years) at the sight of the person that caused so many conflicting emotions on her.

Well, if words deserted her, her muscles certainly didn't and she slapped him on the face. "Owww!" He immediately cried out, covering his injured cheek with his hand and leaning against the headboard.

That woke Arthur and Gwen up, and the other queen immediately chastised her friend:

"Morgana!"

Still a little bit groggy, Arthur gave his sister a thumb up in an angle hidden from Gwen's perspective.

"What is he doing here?!" Morgana inquired, her nostrils flaring in fury.

"You asked for me!" Merlin retorted, also irritated for being hit, what a delightful way to start a morning, he sarcastically thought.

"What?! I wouldn't do that! I must have been delusional –"

"In his defense, you were. I asked Merlin to come here, and 'cuddle' you, Morgana. You were calling his name and your magic was running wild, we didn't have another choice." Arthur interrupted.

Morgana blushed, after that it was quite obvious how she truly felt about Merlin, even a dork like him would notice it by now.

She felt ashamed on how easily it was for her to reveal her so hardly buried secret. Would he claim that her feelings meant that they should fulfill all theirs prophesized destinies? Would he expose her feelings for him as a prize for everyone to see how he had "tamed" her? Since when she'd only expect the very worse of him?

She took a deep breath, clinging to the shreds of her dignity she said:

"I want you to leave, Mer–, Emrys."

He did something she didn't expect, he looked resigned and hurt instead of coming up with a clever reply. He merely shrugged his shoulders, got on his feet and left the room.

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Headquarters of the Order of the White Dragon

Morning

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"I've summoned you all here to discuss the latest attack against Camelot and the magical community." Morgana told her audience, that consisted on Alice and Ruadan in flesh and Morgause, Iseldir, Alathor, Aelhaearn and Ari on crystals.

"The wards didn't work, we weren't warned about the invaders at all and every form of magical communication failed. The village of Denetun was entirely used as sacrifice to release the Dorocha, while Camelot and the Isle of the Blessed were target, that we know of." She added. The Queen was wearing a purple gown and her crown.

"Our camps were unharmed." Iseldir replied.

"As were ours." Ari added.

"Helva was attacked. I received word from my apprentice." Alathor stated.

"The Disir sensed danger and left the sacred place." Aelhaearn replied.

"It seems that every place that had a fixed location was targeted." Morgause spoke.

"But most of them were within Camelot, this shouldn't have happened! Our wards were supposed to alert us!" Morgana exclaimed.

"Yet they didn't. Perhaps it was their enchantment … What exactly were they enchanted for?" Alice inquired.

"To alert the Order of anyone with ill intentions towards Camelot and its people." The queen answered.

"Maybe … Maybe the assailants didn't see themselves as having ill intentions towards Camelot. Perhaps that's why it didn't work." Morgause told them.

"What about the Crystal of Neahtid? Did it show anything?" Alathor inquired.

"No, it was only fogged and darkened." Morgana replied.

"Hmm, it might be tainted. Someone has to go to the Crystal Cave to cleanse it." Aelhaearn spoke.

"I offer myself to take this quest." Ruadan said.

"It doesn't work like that. Only someone destined to find it can have access to the Crystal Cave. Generally it takes a long time to find the destined ones, but it's said that anyone with enough power to activate one of its Crystals can find it. I suppose you are one of them, Queen Morgana." Alathor stated.

"I know of another that can accomplish the task. I'll send him." She retorted and proceeded:

"As for now, we must rethink our defenses and ensure the safety of magic wielders. Our enemies goal is to destroy all magic or subjugate it."

"How are we supposed to stop it?" Iseldir asked.

"I have an idea." Morgana retorted.

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Camelot's City Outskirts

Noon

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"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Arthur asked his sister.

"Don't worry, this is safe." She replied and shortly after that added: "Probably."

"Wait, so you don't know if there won't be any unwanted consequences, Morgana?" He asked, crossing his arms, his chainmail clinging.

"I'm not sure if I can undo it, I'll only know when it's time."

"When it's time? What does it mean?" He inquired with furrowed brows.

"It's hard to explain, let's just do this and get over with it." She replied.

"Fine." He pointed his hand to Odin's corpse and added: "Do your thing."

Morgana crouched near the deceased king's body. When Camelot's knights and soldiers began collecting and piling their assailants' bodies someone recognized the king among them, as well as other commanders and soldiers of Caedmon from their last encounter. Also, there were more mouth-stitched sorcerers among their ranks. She wasn't sure if they had done that on themselves or if someone had done it, and she didn't know what was worse – to hate oneself to the point of denying an essential part of who they are or being hated and mutilated like that – or what was the case.

The Seer Queen chanted:

"Áríse! Andwyrde mín ciégan!"

The deceased king opened his eyes and snarled:

"Pendragons! I'll kill you!"

"Not exactly, milord. You've failed and I've summoned you to answer my questions." Morgana told him.

"Only over my dead body!"

"We're already at it." Arthur pointed out.

"You're obliged to answer, those are the rules." His sister explained to Odin.

"No, I'm not!"

"It doesn't matter what you think or want, you'll see it soon." Morgana retorted and instructed her brother:

"Put the ring on, Arthur."

He did as he was told and inquired Odin:

"Who were your allies?"

"If you can think I … I … I hate you …. Arghhh … Those that desire magic's end!"

"That's not new, ask him for names." The seer remarked.

"Tell me names." The blond king demanded.

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I … I … Prometheus."

"Who is this Prometheus?" Arthur asked.

"Greek Mythology, you ass!" Odin responded and Arthur got enraged, he was about to protest when Morgana stopped him with her hand, they exchanged glances, he nodded and then asked:

"You mean the titan?"

"Gahhhh … I HATE … YES!"

"Why?"

"He is against magic! He'd help me annihilate you and your witch sister!"

"It was he who turned your men into zombies? By what means?"

"I HATE YOU!" Odin spat on Arthur and Morgana's magic shielded her brother, while the magic on the ring forced him to answer:

"It was a concoction we took, along with the drums' rhythm … I didn't understand how it worked … we didn't feel anything and even the ghosts saw us as dead."

"That's despicable! They trusted you, you were their king!" Arthur blurted.

"I had to WIN! YOU HAD TO DIE! Argh!"

"That's enough. Just ask him how they got past our wards and scouts, how they appeared right at our doorsteps." Morgana instructed.

"How did your army reached Camelot's outskirts?"

"It was … I won't … a rift … we went through it … and we got here."

The questioning session continued until brother and sister obtained the answers Odin could provide. He knew more about details on this particular attack, not others, but at least they were finally gaining inklings on their main adversary.

When Morgana ended the spell, Odin's soul returned to the underworld and Arthur pocketed the mysterious ring that provided such crucial answers.

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Camelot's Lower Town

Afternoon

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"You recognize them, Lord Ulric. Your shock is written all over your face." Morgana stated to Odin's brother.

The man's eyes were becoming red with all the unshed tears he was holding in. He cleared his throat, probably trying to get rid of a lump that was more caused by his emotions than by a physical reaction.

"Do you know what happened here? Your–"

"Don't think you can manipulate me, witch! They died because of one of your magic tricks! You never fight fairly!" He interrupted her, screaming.

Arthur grabbed his sword's hilt, getting ready to unshed it, and retorted, yelling loudly:

"Odin was the one that didn't fight fairly! He turned your soldiers into zombies while his magical allies sent a horde of ghosts against us!"

"He wouldn't –"

"He let them be turned into monsters! Your men! Can't you understand that Odin is blinded by his vengeance?! Arthur continued.

"You caused it all! If only you hadn't killed my nephew–"

"He challenged me! Not the –"

"Arthur, stop." Morgana lifted a hand to her brother, releasing her forearm from the hem of her purple dress' sleeve. She raised her chin and spoke to the older man:

"Lord Ulric, your brother was a pawn in this, merely providing his troops. They didn't fought with honor, but more importantly he had no qualms to give full control of your men to his allies. His allies even thought he'd be more useful as a ghoul and turned him into one. He's dead now."

"No!" Ulric whispered and then he gritted his teeth, creased his nose, and yelled: "You killed my brother! You'll all pay for this, even if it's the last thing I do on this earth!"

"He left us no choice!" Arthur exclaimed back and Morgana raised a hand to stop him.

"Caedmon was left with no King, without troops, ripe for the taking. It's more than easy for us to simply take it by force and execute you, Ulric."

"Then what are you waiting for?"

"Many lives were lost already. Can't you see that your allies never risked their own people on this? We're only been turned against one another, these constant wars between us will only weaken Albion and after that it'll be easy to subjugate and control us." Arthur spoke and added, pointing at a soldier:

"They didn't even use their banners, your brother and his men would only become mere pawns!"

"By reaching an agreement here, by accepting magic, Caedmon can be defended and improve. By signing a peace treaty you'll be able to return and guide your people in this moment of loss." Morgana spoke.

"And what makes you think I'll agree with this?"

"You didn't agree with your brother's alliance, Ulric. We know. You didn't trust them." Morgana stated.

"And now you've experienced their tactics – use their allies as cannon fodder – you must be aware, there's no future in remaining allies with them. Caedmon lost its value to those sorts. As it is now, even Alined could venture into invading it." The blonde king said.

"And what would you gain by reestablishing me to its throne?"

"Your knowledge on the enemy, stability and most important of it all, a land closer to be united." Morgana answered.

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Camelot's tavern

Night

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Leon and Gwaine were drinking to their hearts content, for their fallen comrades, for their victory, for their beautiful queens and prat of a king, and in Elyan, Percival and Lancelot's instead, as they were still outside of Camelot in their designated missions.

In the middle of the buzz, Merlin entered the tavern, unnoticed by most of the drunk costumers, and walked towards the knights.

"Gwaine." Merlin called, unsure.

The man in question was singing a tune along with the other men and didn't hear the warlock. Leon noticed his presence and turned to speak with him:

"Merlin! What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the castle?"

"Look what we've got here!" A bulky and bald drunken man said and continued: "Boot-licker Merlin! The same one that wanted to kill our beloved queen and fainted at the first sight of blood!"

The man lifted Merlin by his jacket's collarbones

"Hey, hey! Stop." Gwaine intervened, placing his hand on the man's shoulder and added, gaining the attention of the whole tavern:

"Guys, this is a matter of honor for us, knights of Camelot, but even more for me!"

"You see, Merlin used to be my friend. When I first stepped on Camelot he was there to help me. I thought he had a good heart, but he wanted to murder our precious queen, which is a crime against all humanity!"

The crowd answered with many "yay"s and the owner kissed the tip of his finger and touched a portray of their magical monarch that hung on the wall.

"And for this, only by tasting my fists he can be forgiven!" Gwaine cried out, lifting his mug and spinning, almost losing balance, while people yelled "Yay" and then chanted:

"Fight, fight, fight, fight!"

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A/N:

Spell translation:

Áríse! Andwyrde mín ciégan! – Arise! Answer my call!

Lord who? Who was him anyway? Did any of you remember he existed? I looked for his name in like 4 chapters to find, well, it's been almost a year I wrote that chapter! As for the other characters that you don't remember who they are, see chapter 18 for answers.

Next chapter there'll finally be a Mergana moment, more like THE morgana moment, and if everything works out I'll try to post by the end of this month.

Also, there are a lot of favorites and follows in this story, but so little reviews … Guys, reviews are love. How can I write a love story without it? The less reviews I get, the more anguish this story shall have, muahahahahahahaha (yep, I'm totally trying to extort reviews out of you).

In another note, I published in FFnet and AO3 a one-shot that is called DOLL-op head, it's humor/angst. It's not bad guys, give it a try, if it gets 10 reviews on FFnet I'll write a continuation of it (yep, I'm shamelessly bargaining for reviews).