"Come sister, rest a while...You haven't slept in over two days." Morgause says sympathetically and removes her armored glove to caress Morgana's paler than normal cheek with the back of her hand. She tucks a rogue lock back in place and sighs as her sister pays her no mind.

"I am sorry that this tires you so," the blonde witch sighs; the sight of the horrid bags under Morgana's eyes worrying her.

"There are more important things." Morgana states starkly and intensifies her glare at Arthur in his unnatural position; completely ignoring her sister's soothing touches. She then turns her head to Merlin who continues to watch her from his position on the floor.

"Worry not for Arthur Pendragon will soon perish! Your puppet will not move without command. If there you wish him to be, there he will stay."

"What of the knights?" Morgana implores briskly, her gaze finally landing on Morgause.

"His men are in shambles and are no threat to be mentioned. It's really quite pathetic...I expected more from Camelot's best!" The witch turns her head in Arthur's direction shooting him a cunning grin of triumph. "Alas," Morgause sighs returning her attention to her sister. "I will send men to check on them if it pleases you. Please rest Morgana."

"Perhaps you are right..." Morgana murmurs and gives her sister a loving smile.

"When am I not?" Morgause smiles back and pecks the brunette witch' cheek lovingly before standing up off of the cold stone and extending her hand of which Morgana accepts gratefully. Morgana turns around towards Merlin who stares up at her still, not blinking, only there in body.

"I don't know what you are hiding in there," Morgana hisses and slowly walks closer to him until he has to crane his neck upwards to meet her stone-cold gaze.

"But don't think that I won't find out…" The brunette witch taunts as she bends down to one-handedly grab his face forcefully by his cheeks. "I always do."

Merlin only blinks in response.

Morgana huffs a laugh and releases the warlock's cheeks which are now red from the force of her grip. The witch walks towards her awaiting sister who wraps a loving arm around her waist, pulling her away from the chaotic room.

Neither of the two witches notice the water that flows freely beneath Arthur, nor the blue shield once more cloaking him with protection.

"We can't keep meeting this way..." Freya murmurs sadly as she wipes the blood away from the unconscious king that lies on her knees with a translucent handkerchief.

Avalon's waters bubble soothingly beneath them and birds chirp happily without a care in the world. Freya bites her lower lip in an attempt not to break down in hysteric sobs.

Enough tears have been shed and yet, not enough.

"You know...I'm scared Arthur," Freya admits and a few salty tears fall onto the man's pallid face which she quickly wipes away with the hankie and sniffs loudly, forcing the tears to stay at bay.

"...Without Merlin there is no hope." Freya lifts her head up towards the heavens and her voice quivers as she adds:

"None for me as well..." A few tears manage to find their way out of the corners of her eyes and trail down her cheeks and down her neck; she rubs her eyes roughly with her sleeve, not caring to be ladylike. She presses her face into the crook of her arm for a few seconds before dropping her arm and sniffing loudly. She gives Arthur's slumbering face a watery smile and dips the handkerchief in the water, returning to wipe away the blood that is caked within Arthur's golden locks.

"It's really no wonder Merlin was always so busy," Freya whispers to the unconscious blonde all but knowing he can't hear her. "...You get injured quite a lot."

Freya smiles down at Arthur's pallid face as the water once again heals the Once and Future King; the handkerchief serving its purpose. She places the bloody cloth into the water which melts with it and fades away, blood and all. Freya slowly leans down and plants two kisses on each of Arthur's cheeks, her curly brunette hair brushing his face making his eyebrows furrow and eyes flicker beneath his lids.

"...Awaken, Arthur. You have much to do my king," The beautiful woman says gently and she caresses the weary man's right cheek with her thumb; rubbing the dried blood off she had missed.

The brunette sighs heavily and lifts her left hand over the bubbling water; her right hand placed protectively over Arthur's bruised chest. She closes her eyes tightly before slowly opening them to reveal bluish-gold; the color of waves before a storm.

"Quaero auxilium amicus antiquus," Freya murmurs fondly, a slight smile gracing her lips as water pulsates upwards to meet her hand.

"Ego opus opem, amicum…" The water engulfs her hand in acceptance as Freya's smile widens.

"Scitis quid quaero…" Freya's eyebrows rise and she gives the bubbling waters a knowing look. The waters tilt upwards at Freya's magical stare for what seems like minutes before Freya's eyebrows rise even higher and the waters reluctantly retreat below.

The waters soon return to their original relaxed state and Freya laughs slightly, shaking her head and mumbles, "stubborn," under her breath. Freya's smile widens as she looks upon Arthur's pallid face and she says:

"Not quite as stubborn as you, my lord." Arthur's eyebrows furrow further in response making Freya giggle slightly.

The water once again starts to pulsate upwards and Freya whips her head away from Arthur, raising her left once more to invite it forward. The water soon surrounds her hand in a dome-like fashion for a few seconds before backing away leaving Freya to gawk at the beautiful object she now held in her hand.

A gorgeous smile takes over her face as sunlight beams beautifully off the silver sheath of the elaborate sapphire and diamond encrusted dagger. The brunette gives the awaiting waters an even brighter smile.

"Thank you, my old friend! You do not know what this means to all of us."

"No…We do, my lady…" A voice whispers softly but is laced with a deep and ancient power that rumbles with strength and terror.

"Be warned for if in the wrong hands the world as we know it will come crashing down…It was hidden for a reason…The gods have hidden it from the eyes of men since the beginning of time…"

Freya's smile falters slightly as she looks at the dagger that seems to glow eerily with a power that sends jolts of energy through her slim fingers.

"The time of the prophecy will soon come true…Our deed is done…" With that being said the waters plummet back down, leaving Freya to her thoughts. The brunette holds the dagger up, allowing the sunlight to beam across it once more.

This is hope; their only hope. Merlin's hope... Avalon's only hope.

Freya sighs and closes her eyes tightly before she opens Arthur's limp hand to place the glowing dagger in it.

"Take this and strike true," she whispers and feels Arthur's fingers grip the dagger possessively.

"It contains my waters and an ancient power that even I do not fully understand…Do not miss for if you do Merlin's fate will be sealed. It can only be used once. I have done all I can...It is up to you now. I will continue to watch over you in this quest but alas my powers have been drained in this pursuit...I must rest." Freya closes her eyes and places a hand across her slim torso.

"...Your men are strong, Arthur." The brunette compliments. "Rejoice for they are your strength." Freya gently touches Excalibur and begins to draw three ringed circles on the silver.

"...Merlin, your sword and shield."

"Oi! Gwaine! Slow down!" Leon hisses and his face soon scrunches up in pain.

"No, we keep going," Lancelot intervenes though he is panting more severely than any of them. He doesn't even bother attempting to hold his sword, his body won't allow it. Instead he is leaning heavily on the damp wall using it to walk, or limp as it were.

The knights all turn to look at him and see the determined look on his face that convinces them that he is right; they will keep going for as long as it takes.

Gwaine keeps his pace but gives Lancelot a bright smile of which the knight tries to replicate but fails horribly due to pain. Leon noticed this and without warning wraps a supporting arm around Lancelot's torso, helping him go faster and to stop putting too much pressure on his wound.

"Thank you," Lancelot grunts and gives the older knight a slight smile which is returned with a nod.

"Oi! Who goes there?!" Yells a scruff voice a few meters ahead of Gwaine.

"About bloody time…! You buggers totally suck for sticking us down here for so long! Do you realize how much it stinks down here?! I have to piss for God's sake!" Gwaine calls out earning panicked curses from the other men who don't bother being quiet about it, what's the point now anyway?

"What the hell Gwaine?!" Elyan scolds but only receives a mischievous from the scruffy man before him.

Loud brutish voices are heard coming their way and all the knights go into a defensive position.

"Gwaine, if we don't die now I'm going to kill you!" Leon hisses through clenched teeth and grips onto the hilt of his sword tighter as the voices get louder. Lancelot huffs a slight laugh and manages to pull his blade out of its hilt; he leans heavily onto the wall waiting until the very last second to jump into formation. Gwaine laughs loudly and bumps his shoulder into Leon's, his grip tightening on his own sword; his brown eyes glistening with excitement and a need to kill something.

"I'm bored as hell and now I have just ordered entertainment!"

GUYS, I'M ALLIVEE. Sort of… I have a lot of work to do this week and next week. I felt horrible about not putting the next chapter up so I worked on it on the phone between breaks… I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

I don't have time to proof read…I probably need to get my work beta'd lol.

Dear, QueenofsneaksII,

When I did the whole "Merlin complying with Morgana's wishes" thing I should have elaborated more…He was cast under a spell hence him "seeing"/"feeling" the knights and Arthur abuse him…Kind of like Gwen's enchantment (spin off?). Also I L-O-V-E angst so I milked the bromance and tears a bit. ;]

For the whole Cup of Life thing I understand that but I made it my own to accomplish what I wanted with the story. The chant Morgana says in Ch. 8 is basically her doing the spell…I guess I should have explained a bit more.

I know it's not accurate, I did it on purpose. I also didn't kill Morgause or Lancelot. I needed them present for my story to work.

The way I used the cup of life is a mixture between a wraith and the cup of life; I needed Merlin to be controlled and still be able to be his BA self. With Lancelot Morgana controlled him completely and there was no chance of Lancelot ever coming back. I gave Merlin a chance; if he were a wraith I would have just killed him already and the story would have ended already.

You never know though…It's looking pretty dreary for Merlin ATM…. :]

Best wishes always,

Lthien~