In the council room, I stood next to Merlin as Arthur gave Uther the cloak with our crest on it.

"It was Cenred who did this, you're certain of it?" Uther asked him.

"Yes, My Lord. His messenger has only this minute departed Camelot. Cenred said that the patrol trespassed on his land and an example had to be made," Arthur told him.

"How many dead?" Uther asked him.

"All of them, Sire. Every last man." I took a deep breath at the news.

"The knights?"

"All lost. Edric, Oldof, Osric, and Sir Leon."

Just over a week later, I was smiling at Sir Leon in relief. He was the only one from the patrol to come home.

"We thought you were dead for sure," Arthur told him shaking his had with a smile.

"I was dead, or as good as until the druids found me," Sir Leon told us.

"Druids?" Uther asked him confused.

"Yes, My Lord. I owe them my life," Sir Leon told us.

"How did they heal you?" Uther asked and I shared a confused look with Merlin. "You were as good as dead, you said."

"I don't know."

"Did they use magic?" he asked him.

"Well, I..." Sir Leon seemed reluctant to tell us something.

"Yes or no, it's a simple enough question," Uther told him.

"I only know that I drank from some kind of cup, Sire."

"Cup?"

"It was extraordinary, My Lord. I have known nothing like it. From the moment it touched my lips, I could feel my life return to me," Sir Leon explained to us. The hall was silent as Uther took in everything Sir Leon said.

Later that night, after I'd dismissed Amanda, Arthur came back to our room and I looked at him confused.

"Why are you coming back so late?"

"Father summoned me," he told me and I waited for the rest of the story, but he just started to prepare for bed.

"Are you going to tell me about why the King summoned you?" I finally asked.

"I can tell no one why," he told me. "But I can tell you that I'll be gone for some time."

"You're going after the cup, aren't you?" I asked him quietly.

"You know I can't tell you," he told me while nodding. I sighed and shook my head at him.

"When do we leave?"

Merlin, Arthur, and I were packing for our journey that same night.

"You will be ready by sunrise, won't you Merlin?" Arthur asked my brother. Arthur had summoned Merlin, who was still dressed, to pack his clothes while he packed other essentials. I packed my own clothes simply because I didn't want to have my brother going through my clothes.

"If I don't know where we're going, how do I know what to pack? Will it be hot? Will it be cold? Will it be wet? Will it be dry?" Merlin asked rapidly making me laugh.

"Don't be such a girl, Merlin. We're not going on holiday," Arthur sighed.

"Holiday? What's a holiday?" Merlin asked quietly while grabbed a red Camelot cape.

"Nothing any of us will ever experience," I told him.

"Not that," Arthur said suddenly and we both looked up at him. "Nothing bearing the crest of Camelot. We're going undercover."

"This is ridiculous. Are you going to tell me where we're going or not?" Merlin finally asked him.

"Well, I can tell you it will be dangerous," Arthur said.

"Great," Merlin sighed.

"And I can tell you we will be traveling through bandit-infested lands."

"Aren't we always?" I asked with a smile.

"Terrific. Then where?" Merlin asked.

"I can't tell you that," Arthur told him. "I'd worked where we'd be going simply because I knew Uther would want the cup Sir Leon had spoken of.

"You don't know where we're going," Merlin said with a smile, thinking he'd figured it out.

"No, Merlin. I know where we're going. It's just, I can't tell you, that's all," Arthur clarified.

"Right, 'cause if you do, you'll have to kill me, I suppose," Merlin joked.

"Immediately and without hesitation." The smile on Merlin's face fell for a moment.

"Great." Arthur smiled at him and I nearly laughed at the pair. "It'll be a surprise. I love surprises. Who doesn't love a good surprise?"

I was riding between the boys when Merlin spoke up.

"We're going to Cenred's kingdom, aren't we?" he asked us.

"What makes you say that?" Arthur asked him from behind me.

"Er, we're in the Forest of Essetir and we're not stopping," he pointed out and I smiled at him.

"You can think what you like, Merlin," Arthur said.

"Oh, come on. You might as well tell me," Merlin tried again.

"Where's the fun in that?" I asked him and he turned to give my grinning face a look.

"Plus I'd have to kill you, I told you that," Arthur told him.

"Go ahead," Merlin told him. "I mean, I'm probably going to die anyway. Look at what happened to the patrol that came here! Dead, the lot of them!"

"Sir Leon survived."

"Right, so that gives me, what? A one in forty chance of making it?" Merlin asked sarcastically.

"Rather less, actually. There are only three of us."

"So I'm not probably going to die, I'm definitely going to die," he said and I laughed at him.

"Always the pessimist, Merlin. Who knows, maybe, just this once, we'll have no trouble," Arthur told him.

"What with our luck?" I asked him before something hit my neck.

I woke up to see stones above me and I looked around at the unfamiliar objects in the room.

"What happened?" I asked no one in particular.

"Tranquilizer." I looked to see a woman staring at me from the corner of the room. "Can you stand?" I nodded again and did so before she moved towards me. I backed away from her. "What are you doing?"

"Master Jarl wants to see you."

"Who's Jarl?" I asked her.

"He's the master of this castle," she told me while getting a dress ready for me to wear.

"I'm not wearing that," I told her.

"But you must," She told me, her eyes fearful.

"Yeah, it's not happening," I told her. "Who is Jarl?"

"I've told you," she told me. "He's the master of the castle."

"What does he do? How did he get this castle?" I asked her and she looked around slowly.

"He's a slave trader," she whispered. Suddenly, the door slammed open and I jumped when a man entered the room.

"So, you're awake." He looked me up and down and I took a deep breath while standing tall.

"Let me guess, you're Jarl."

"So you've heard of me?" he asked with a smirk on his face.

"Not in the slightest." he moved towards me before grabbing my arm and pulling me with him. "Where are you taking me?" I asked him.

"You're going to help me greet my champion and his challengers." He dragged me to a chamber where a group of men was standing.

"Right, you filthy vermin." They looked up at us and I smiled at Arthur, Merlin, and, surprisingly, Gwaine. "Which one of you's ready to face my champion in the arena?" None of the men moved. "No volunteers? Not even with this lovely prize?" No one came forward. "Well, I shall have to choose one of you toe rags myself, then. Let me see. How about you?" He pointed down at Merlin.

"Me?" Merlin asked him.

"Death or glory, boy," Jarl told him. "You should be honored."

"Then honorably pick someone else," I told him and he shook me harshly.

"Quiet you."

"Who is this so-called champion?" Arthur called him to him. "Can he crush nothing but weaklings like this?"

"You think you could offer a better contest?" Jarl asked him.

"I guarantee it."

"Arthur, no," Merlin almost begged.

"Very well. But if you lose, I'll feed your little friend to the crows piece by stinking piece. Are you ready, my champion?"

"I am." I stared at Gwaine with wide eyes as Merlin and Arthur turned to him.

Cheering men pushed Gwaine and Arthur into the center of the crowd as Merlin and I were being held by Jarl's men.

"Gentlemen, the rules are simple. One man lives and one man dies. If you cannot or will not finish off your opponent, I'll kill you both," Jarl told him before tossing two swords at their feet. "Let battle commence!" The pair looked at each other as the men cheered again. They picked up their swords and turned to stare at the crowd surrounding them. Gwaine attacked Arthur who jumped back to dodge him. Arthur was pushed back into the fight and he attacked Gwaine who dodged him. The pair fought before pushing each other into the crowd. They were pushed back into the fight before knocking each other's swords away from each other. Gwaine tackled Arthur and they fell onto the ground. I gave a look to Merlin

"Finish him!" Jarl ordered one of them.

"Forbaern aeltaewlice." Fire spread along the ropes above and the crowd scattered giving us the chance to escape.

We ran into the woods for as long as we could before we had to stop and rest.

"Well, that's somewhere I'll not be in a hurry to see again," Gwaine said.

"Best stay out of trouble, then," Arthur told him.

"I could say the same to you."

"You could do, but I wouldn't have any idea what you're talking about," Arthur insisted.

"Oh, come on," Gwaine sighed. "You must have done something to end up in a hole like that."

"Actually, we're on a quest," Arthur told him.

"We're looking for the Cup of Life," Merlin finished saying and Arthur immediately smacked the back of Merlin's head.

"Ow. What?!"

"You really don't understand what the word secret means, do you?" I asked giving him a small smile.

"It's...Gwaine."

"Gentlemen. Gentlemen. It seems whatever it is that you're after, you could use a little help," Gwaine told us with a smile.

"An extra pair of hands couldn't hurt," I told Arthur who sighed before nodding.

"So according to Merlin here, if you tell me where this Cup is, you have to kill me," Gwaine reiterated as we walked through the woods.

"That's correct," Arthur told him.

"You may as well tell me, then. I mean, let's be honest, you couldn't kill me even if you wanted to," Gwaine said and I rolled my eyes.

"And here we go," I whispered to Merlin.

"Yeah? Try me."

"I already did. Back in the arena. I had you banged to rights, did I not?" Gwaine asked him.

"That was just a game," Arthur told him.

"Oh, a game, right. I won that game, did I not?" Gwaine asked and I shook my head.

"No, you didn't. One more minute..."

"One more minute and you both would've been dead," Merlin told them and my eyes widened at him. "Neither of you won. Your plan was a half-baked disaster, and if it was not for that fire we would all be pushing up daisies." Merlin pushed past them and they shared a look before looking at me. I shrugged my shoulders at them before following my brother.

We followed Arthur to the outside of a cave.

"Well, don't tell me. We're actually here," Merlin said sarcastically.

"Easy, Merlin. Wouldn't want to rile the Prince," Gwaine told him and I gave him a look before following Arthur into the cave.

"It has to be here somewhere." Arthur sheathed his sword and we started looking. Suddenly, Arthur pulled a small druid boy out of hiding. "Where is it? Hmm? Where's the Cup? Tell me."

"Let him go, Arthur," Merling told him.

"Arthur, he's just a boy," I said placing a hand on his shoulder. He shook my hand off.

"Where is it?" Arthur asked shaking him as druids started surrounding us.

"Arthur." Gwaine drew his sword.

"Stay out of this, Merlin," Arthur warned.

"Arthur, look up," I told him. He did as I said and he pulled his sword on the boy. "Arthur!"

"One step closer..." Arthur warned.

"There is no need for violence, Arthur Pendragon. The boy has done you no harm. Release him," one of the druids said.

"Not without what I came for," Arthur told him.

"You seek the Cup of Life, do you not?" the druid asked.

"I do."

"It is yours." The druid pulled out the Cup of Life and offered it to us. "Please, now, the boy." Arthur let the boy go and grabbed the Cup, but the druid didn't let go.

"You mettle with a power you do not understand, Arthur Pendragon. By taking the Cup of Life you risk more than you know."

"I'll take my chances, thanks. Let's go," Arthur ordered taking the Cup. The rest of us turned to follow him.

"Emrys. Althea." Merlin and I turned to look at the druid. "The Cup is in your care now. Guard it well. The future of this land depends on it." I nodded at him before

"Hard work this quest business," Gwaine said as we traveled through the woods back to Camelot.

"Trust me, it's a great deed we did here today," Arthur assured him.

"Are you sure the Cup wasn't safer with the druids?" Merlin asked him.

"They can't be trusted, Merlin. No one can," Arthur told him. "The only safe place for the Cup is the vaults of Camelot."

"Where people feel like all we have to do is threaten a child to get what we want," I said and Arthur turned to me.

"We needed to get this Cup at all costs."

"At the cost of a child?"

"Give us a minute." Merlin and Gwaine walked away from us and Arthur turned back to me. "I wouldn't have hurt him."

"You held a sword to him, Arthur. That's bad enough."

"Lizzy..."

"No," I stopped him. "What if that was Nicholas under someone else's blade?"

"I swear to you, nothing will happen to our children." He pulled me to him in a hug.

"I'm still angry with you," I told him quietly.

"I know. We'll talk when we get home," he told me. We pulled apart and he looked down at me. "I promise."

"We'll talk," I agreed before we went to join the others.

"We're approaching the border of Cenred's lands," Arthur told us. "Beyond the forest lies Camelot."

"And food and water and a nice hot bath," Gwaine said with a sigh of relief.

"Quiet," Arthur ordered while stopping us from walking. "Listen." We were all silent.

"I don't hear anything," Merlin commented.

"Exactly," Arthur said.

"Never satisfied, you city types. It's too noisy, it's too quiet..." Suddenly, men jumped out of hiding surrounding us.

"Run!" We scattered scattering Cenred's men as we did so. One attacked me and I used my magic to push him back. He hit a tree before crumpling to the ground. Dead.

"Merlin?!" I ran towards Gwaine's voice to see Arthur on the ground with the other two leaning over him.

We were still in the same place watching over Arthur and inspecting his wounds.

"Right. That doesn't look too great," Gwaine told him.

"Arrow must've been poisoned," Merlin told us. "He's got a fever, we need to keep him warm."

"I don't get it. Why all this bother over a cup?" Gwaine asked as Merlin put his jacket over Arthur.

"Because in the wrong hands it can become a terrible weapon," Merlin told him.

"Not so great Cenred's got it, then," Gwaine guessed.

"It will only get worse from here," I told him. "Especially when Morgouse gets her hands on that Cup."

I stayed next to Arthur, wiping his brow of sweat with a piece of cloth I'd torn from my shirt.

"We need more firewood," Merlin suddenly said.

"You're right about that," Gwaine agreed.

"Do you want to go and get some?" Merlin asked him.

"Not really. Thanks for asking," Gwaine told him with a smile.

"There's wolves out there, bears, boars..."

"Exactly."

"I'm not a warrior," Merlin reminded him. "I can't defend myself like you."

"Never too late to learn," Gwaine told him. "Merlin, don't you know when someone's joking with you?" Merlin let out a puff of laughter at his friend.

"If I die collecting firewood, keep it to yourself. I got my reputation to consider," Gwaine told us picking up his sword and leaving us alone. Merlin knelt next to a shivering Arthur and I looked up at him worriedly.

"Geh'ælan." Nothing happened and I held back tears. "Geh'ælan."

"Why is nothing happening?" I asked him.

"I don't know. Come on. Arthur, come on," Merlin begged before looking at me.

"Althea." I looked up at him confused. "Your name means to heal."

"Merlin, I've only been using my magic for a few months," I reminded him. "I don't know if I have that kind of power."

"You have to try." I closed my eyes and concentrated on my magic, but felt nothing. "This isn't working." A tear fell on Arthur's cheek and I wiped my face before wiping his brow again.

"Where's the Cup?" We jerked awake and I smiled at Arthur who was sitting up. "Where's the Cup?"

"Cenred's men, they took it," Merlin told him.

"Then what are we still doing here?!" Arthur yelled at us.

"You were unconscious," Merlin pointed out.

"Always an excuse, Merlin." Arthur tried to get up but yelled in pain. The two boys got up to help him. "We have to get back to Camelot before it's too late."

"Morgana, Uther, and Gaius won't allow Camelot to fall," I told him.

We walked over a hill only to stop when we saw a burning village.

"What the hell happened?" Gwaine asked.

"I don't know. We need to hurry. We're still a day's march from Camelot," Arthur told us.

[33:30, Gwaine, Arthur, and Merlin find fallen knights of Camelot]

We came across a group of fallen knights and Arthur knelt down next to one.

"Camelot patrol," Arthur told us.

"There's not a single enemy body," Merlin mentioned and I looked over the ground. He was right.

"He's right. This wasn't a fight, this was a slaughter," Arthur told us.

"Who could've done such a thing?" Gwaine asked.

"An army of immortals," I told him.

"Come on." As we crested the hill overlooking Camelot, my mouth fell open at the smoke coming from the castle. We moved as quickly as we could only to find the walk to the castle strewn with the bodies of Camelot's army. "They never stood a chance."

We made our way through the lower town. Bodies were strewn through the street. Arthur struggled to open Gwen's front door and I shared a look with Merlin.

"Here, let me." Gwaine kicked the door in and we went inside. We looked around before someone jumped up with a battle cry. Arthur and Gwaine took defensive stances before we realized who it was.

"Elyan!"

"I'm sorry," he apologized to us once he saw who we were.

"Where is everyone?" Arthur asked him.

"I- I thought that..."

"Elyan, please, what happened?" Arthur asked again.

"They came out of nowhere, a mighty army," Elyan told us. "Weapons were useless against them. Th-they were men, Sire, but not men. Nothing could kill them. Nothing."

"Elyan, what happened?" I asked him. "Where is everyone else? Where is Gwen?"

"She was in the citadel when they attacked," he told us.

"Then there's still hope," Arthur said with hope in his voice.

"Sire, the citadel's been taken." I took a deep breath before we all left Gwen's house and moved towards the citadel. "Let's go."

"How much longer can he keep going like this?" Elyan asked quietly.

"I don't know," Merlin admitted.

Once we were in the citadel, we paused in a corridor, where Arthur was struggling to stand.

"Where now?" Gwaine asked.

"Now, er... Now we, er..." Arthur struggled.

"Arthur, you can't go on," Merlin tried.

"We must. We must find the others..." Merlin helped Arthur to stand.

"You can't go on without treatment," Merlin tried telling him again.

"Elyan," I said turning to him.

"Yeah?" he asked me.

"Do you know your way to the dungeons?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Go with Gwaine. See if you can find them." I ordered.

"I'm going with them," Arthur said.

"No, you're not," Merlin denied.

"That's an order.

"And so is this," I said making him look at me. "You, Merlin, and I are going to Gaius' chambers to try and treat your leg." Merlin put Arthur's arm around his shoulders and dragged him down the corridor.

"You're disobeying orders, Merlin," Arthur complained once we'd gotten to Gaius' chambers. "I'll have you in the stocks for this."

"Fine. Now, stay put and try not to move that leg," Merlin ordered. Merlin began to look for a potion but heard a rattling in the cupboard. He picked up Arthur's sword and went to check it out. Merlin yanked open the door. "Gaius!" I sighed in relief.

"Merlin!" the pair hugged.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked him.

"All the better for seeing you," Gaius said before Arthur groaned.

"As much as I love seeing you Gaius, some help. Please?" I asked him.

"Arthur." Gaius came to Arthur. "This may hurt a bit, Sire." Gaius inspected the wound and Arthur groaned in pain. "The wound's infected. I'll have to redress the leg to reduce the inflammation."

"No, no, no, no. We haven't got time. Just give me something to keep going," Arthur ordered.

"Yes, Sire."

"You need to allow Gaius to dress the wound," I told him.

"Not with our family out there." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. "We will find them."

"I know we will." Gaius came back to us and handed Arthur a potion.

"The effect will be instant, Sire, but I cannot guarantee how long it'll last," Gaius explained.

"Thank you, Gaius." Gwaine and Elyan entered Gaius' chambers

"The King, Sire, Princess, he's alive," Elyan told us.

"My children?" I asked him.

"We couldn't find them." I sighed in fear and frustration. "I'm sorry."

"Where is my father?" Arthur asked getting to his feet.

"They're taking him to the throne room as we speak," Gwaine told us.

"This may be my last chance," Arthur said looking at me.

"Arthur, there's too many of them. You'll never make it," Merlin said.

"Then we find out information first," I told him.

"I won't leave my father to die here alone," Arthur told us. "Gwaine, Elyan, take Gaius and make your way to the woods beyond the castle. I hope we meet again." The three of them left. "Merlin, you and Lizzy should go with them."

"Nah, I've seen the woods already."

"Once you've seen one tree you've seen them all." Arthur grabbed our shoulders with a smile before the two of us snuck through the corridors, but Arthur stumbled on our way out of hiding.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked him.

"Keep moving."

The three of us crawled to the edge of the balcony above the Throne Room. Immortal soldier forced Uther to his knees next to Morgana in front of Morgause. In Morgause arms was one of the twins and the other was in Cenred's. I started to get up when Merlin and Arthur forced me back down.

"We'll get them back," Arthur whispered in my ear.

"Well, Uther, how the mighty have fallen," Morgause told him. This time Arthur made a furious move and we had to grab him.

"The guards are immortal, they'll cut you to ribbons! What use are you dead?" Merlin whispered.

"I don't think you'll be needing this anymore." Morgause removed Uther's crown.

"This is unlawful. You cannot do this. You have no right to the throne!" Uther shouted at him.

"No, I do not," Morgause told him before looking at Morgana. "But she does. She is your daughter, is she not?" Uther stared up at her as she smirked down at him. "Don't look so surprised. We've known for some time haven't we, sister?"

"I am not your sister!" Morgana shouted at her. "I will not sit on that throne while my father, brother, and true sister are still alive."

"This is your birthright. Not Arthur's."

"I refuse it. I renounce my birthright to the throne of Camelot."

"That's that then." Cenred sat on the throne while Morgause took my child from his arms. Geoffrey moved forward with Uther's crown.

"By the power vested in me, I crown thee Cenred, King of Camelot." Cenred smirked while Geoffrey placed the crown on his head. The Immortal soldiers pushed Uther and Morgana into a bow as we watched in horror.