Only a couple of weeks later the peace of Camelot was shaken when Morgana had her first real prophetic dream, She ran to the Kings chamber one morning in panic to find Merlin, Arthur had already left for training "Merlin there is an army coming here, I saw Arthur fall, you must stop him!"
Merlin went white and sat Morgana down "Tell me everything and slowly, your dreams are what could happen they will not always occur, with warning we can change things"
They sat and went through everything then Arthur received reports of a large army heading their way. Less than a three days march away coming from the border with Essetir, Camelot's nearest neighbour and Cenred's old kingdom now ruled by his widow Morgause. The patrol reporting it said they were accompanied by sorcerers and were many thousand in number, destroying everything in their wake. Arthur asked Gwaine if he would take Cadfael and fly to confirm the reports. The Blood Guard agreed even though he was Merlin's personal guard. After all if Camelot was attacked then Merlin would be in danger as would his babies.
When Merlin and Morgana spoke to Arthur he thanked them but explained he would take care but the army had to be stopped and he wouldn't remain in safety while his man went into battle. Morganas dream notwithstanding.
It took Gwaine less than a day to fly out and come back. He had been careful to make sure he hadn't been seen. Flying in the clouds as much as he could. Reporting to King Arthur he confirmed the reports. "Do you want me to send Cadfael to Powys for back up?" Gwaine asked the King.
"Not yet, we need to fight our own battles and we should be able to cope. I'll call a council immediately. We have three days to prepare." Arthur told him.
Once the council was sitting, including as all the first knights Arthur explained the situation. "We will meet them away from the citadel, there is a good site a day's march from here that will allow us the advantage. At the same time allowing us to fall back safely if we need to, that will give us chance to protect the citadel."
"What about the sorcerers?" One of the Lords asked
"We have several of our own now, a benefit of the lifting of the ban." Arthur explained
"And me!" Merlin added from Arthur's side. "I can help protect our men by taking out their sorcerers"
Arthur looked at his omega "No Merlin you will stay here, you have the Princes and Princess to care for, there is no need for you to be in danger"
Merlin glared at the King "I am the best you have and it would be nonsense not to use me, I could shorten the battle. To send you and our people into danger when I could help is selfish and wrong. Our children will be well looked after here while I am away"
Arthur turned on Merlin his full alpha mode in evidence "You will do as I say, it not up to you as my omega to question my decisions"
Merlin being the omega he was wanted to submit but he knew he couldn't "I will be by your side as the prophesy says, protecting you with my magic, we must fight together. Remember the warning of Morgana's dreams"
Arthur's nostrils flared in anger at such defiance by his omega "Leave this chamber, go to our children" he demanded
"I am your consort!" Merlin cried out "What is the point if you won't listen to me!" with that he left knowing if he didn't Arthur would carry him from the room. Gwaine followed him and once outside the council room he tried to talk reason to the omega.
"Merlin he wants to protect you, that's what alphas do, shouting at him in front of the council won't help your cause"
"He won't listen! Well if he thinks he can stop me he is wrong, and don't you try either! If necessary I will stop both of you and go alone!" The omega was in full flow and Gwaine knew from experience he was now in trouble, his job of protecting Merlin had just got harder.
"Merlin listen to yourself, what about your babies" Gwaine reasoned
"My babies will be dead if Morgause gets here" Merlin "And I cannot live if Arthur dies, I will stop him if he tries to go without me!"
Merlin stomped of making the blood guard run after him. Once Merlin was out of the council chamber the planning began in earnest. Arthur was a brilliant strategist and by the time the meeting had finished they had a good solid workable plan. Also Arthur had calmed down. While Leon went off to prepare the army to march Arthur went off to find his Omega. As he entered their chambers he found Merlin and George packing for both of them, while Will was trying to get his master to see sense "Look Sire you can't go, you have your little ones to look after"
Arthur took in the scene in front of him. If Will as calling Merlin 'Sire' then Arthur knew he had a problem. "For once I agree with you Will. Merlin STOP! You are not going."
Arthur walked and wrapped his arms around his omega "I know you want to help but I won't risk you my love, Camelot has some of the best fighters in the five kingdoms, we will beat Morgause's mercenaries, for that's what most of them are" He turned Merlin around "Please live listen to me, I know you mean well, but the sorcerers we are taken have been chosen by you, have faith in them" He stared into his consorts eyes "I won't risk you, without you I would be nothing, look after our children while I'm gone and I will be back before you know it"
"You are a cabbage headed prat! I am going! And I won't let you talk me out of it. Tyr is bringing Aithusa round the front and I am going with you. With Gwaine and Cadfael you will have two dragons and Cadfael is used to battle. Percival and Lancelot can stay with the babies"
Arthur took Merlin by the shoulders and looked into his eyes "Merlin as your alpha I order you to stay, now please"
All of Merlin's omega instincts were telling him to obey Arthur, it was what he was an omega. Arthur rarely ordered him to obey him, why did he have to now. Merlin threw himself on the bed and cried with frustration.
It broke Arthur's heart to see his omega so distressed "Please darling it's for your own good"
"I am the most powerful warlock ever to have lived. What's the point if I have to obey you! You need me to fight beside you" Merlin pleaded one more time.
"No Merlin I need you here, I don't want to be parted from you believe me" he rubbed his hands up and down Merlin's arms to comfort him "But we can win, I know we can"
"I hate you!" Merlin jumped up yelling "You are an idiot" then he heard the babies crying and ran into the nursery.
Arthur looked at Will and George "Look after him and make sure he eats" with that Arthur walked out to join his army.
Merlin argued with the Blood Guard to let him go and take the dragons with him but Gwaine refused, he totally agreed with Arthur. Merlin tried every trick in the book to persuade them even trying to get Percy and Lancelot on side. They would not let him endanger himself.
He went to bed that night in a strop and spent most of the night planning how to get round it. He was determined to go, he knew that Arthur planned to mark late and hopefully get the valley in the early hours, allowing a few hours of rest before the battle. If he could leave in the morning he could get there by late morning if he used Aithusa. He would feed the babies before he left in the morning. He was up early and ate before going to see the babies and feed one of them. This time it was Ygraine's turn to have Merlin's limited milk supply. He sat with the wet nurses and Morgana.
Merlin already called Aithusa in his mind and made his plans, he had asked Will to bring him a cold platter before he left and put it in a bag to take with him. Poor Will had been happy that Gwaine would keep an eye on Merlin and knew his master was trying to help by leading him and George out for the day.
As soon as Merlin had settled the babies after their feed he walked through to Morgana "Morgana you have to help me!" he pleaded after making sure the Princess was alone. "I have to follow Arthur, to save him from what you saw in your dreams. I need your help"
"What can I do, they have left" Morgana looked distraught.
"I can change things I know I can, I can soon catch up on Aithusa, with my magic they can win! Please I can't let Arthur and the others die!" he smiled at his friend "I just need you to look after my little ones and stop Gwaine and the other following me too soon."
"But Merlin how will you get away, your guard will never let you go" Morgana protested
Merlin smirked "They can't stop me. I will put them to sleep, all I want you to do is make sure they aren't found and let lose" Merlin looked at Morgana with such a desperate look "You know my magic is strong enough, we have been working on it long enough"
That was true, Merlin had been helping Morgana develop her skills and control while at the same time helping Merlin to build his strength. Only the two of them knew what progress they had been making. "You can stay here and if the worse happens you can stop Morgause getting Camelot. Please Morgana" Merlin put everything he had into the plea.
"I should go with you" Morgana demanded
"No I trust you with our children like no other, you can make sure Robyn keeps safe and doesn't get out of control. He has been using his magic for all sorts of silly things lately"
Morgana conceded "All right but promise me you will take no risks"
"I promise. Now this is what we will do…."
Once Will and George had done the bare minimum Merlin sent them off to see if Gaius needed help collecting the herbs for the injuries that were sure to arrive, then he told them to help with the other preparations around the castle, saying his room could wait for a day. Then Merlin called in Gwaine as soon as he stepped forward he cast a spell Gwaine fell on the bed. Quickly tying him up and gaging him Merlin floated him across the room and into blanket box. Then Merlin called Morgana into the room. Morgana then went to the door and spoke to Percival "Are Percival, can you help Gwaine? He is moving a chest that Merlin wants taken to the nursery"
Percival smiled he knew what Merlin was like if he was ever thwarted in anything, he'd make everyone one else suffer. Clearly this was one of those occasions "OK the quicker I do it the quicker I can get back out here"
As he walked into the room he to fell immediately asleep. He was also tied up and floated to the bay window and the curtains pulled so he couldn't be seen from the room. "Two down one to go" Merlin quipped "You call Gwen up and I will go to their rooms and put him to sleep, just make sure she stays with you, then I will just speak to Aithusa"
Morgana smiled "What if she says no"
"She can't, she has to obey me unless Dad is about!" At least I can control the hatchlings until the babies grow up!"
"What about Cadfael and Pryderi? Will they do anything?" Morgana said
"Pryderi is only worried about the hatchlings, I intend to take Cadfael with me, I think he will come Dad told him he was to, and without a dragonlord here I'm the next best thing. A fully grown dragon with Aithusa should make those mercenary's run. Thank you Sister" Merlin hugged Morgana
"Take care Merlin, I will never forgive myself if anything happens to you" Morgana looked at her brother in law
"You haven't seen anything happening to me have you?" Merlin said to her "I will be fine"
Morgana handed Merlin a dagger "Hide this on your person just in case" she pleaded. "Please let me come with you?"
"Morgana the babies need you" Merlin had tears in his eyes "Kiss them for me when they wake and tell them I will be back soon. Keep the wet nurses away from my room, tell them I have a headache or something. Oh and lock this door from the inside"
With that Merlin grabbed his cape and kissing Morgana on the cheek slipped out of the room. Once outside he set a spell that made it look like Percival was at his post and then walked down the corridor.
Merlin knocked on Lancelot's door as soon as he heard Gwen arrive with Morgana. Walking in Merlin smiled at Lancelot then his eyes flashed gold and the knight fell. Lancelot was soon tied and gaged and hid the other side of the bed.
Using magic to make sure he wasn't seen, slipping down the stone steps to the caves he found Aithusa and Cadfael waiting near the exit. Pryderi looked at the Warlock "Your father will be displeased with you young warlock"
"No he will be proud, look after the hatchlings" Merlin turned to Aithusa "As soon as we're outside I will get on your back"
Cadfael also looked at Merlin "Where is your blood guard, I thought Gwaine would be with you"
"He had other things to do, now come on" Merlin hoped he sounded more confident than he was. He couldn't afford to leave Cadfael behind Gwaine would follow him if he did. Pryderi wouldn't leave the hatchings alone, he was sure of that. So by ten Merlin was on his way to the battle, far later than he would have wished but it wouldn't take him long to get there.
By eleven thirty Merlin could see the battle raging, Arthur and his men had been fighting for over an hour by then and there was signs of bitter fighting. Merlin could see the work of the sorcerers and was pleased he had managed to train them enough. Seeing Arthur's men were being outflanked he sent Cadfael of to the left to deal with the soldiers creeping in from that side. The aerial view meant he could see then where Arthur couldn't. Then he saw something that made his blood run cold, there riding towards Arthur was Morgause, she had arrived at a position she could threaten the Camelot Kings safety. Merlin ordered Aithusa to swoop low and drop him between the pair, telling her to then help Cadfael.
Morgause had just shouted to Arthur "Death to you Pendragon then your omega and all his power will be mine as well as your Kingdom
Merlin jumped down about four yards in front of Morgause "Stop, you will not harm Arthur" Merlin shouted as he faced the blonde.
Arthur couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Merlin arrive "Get back you fool" he shouted as he ran forward.
Morgause threw a fireball at Arthur which Merlin blocked then he put a shield up to protect his Alpha and to prevent him coming closer. "I told you to leave him alone" Merlin shouted as he returned a fireball.
Morgause immediately blocked it and sent two fireballs in quick succession towards Merlin who sent then back towards Merlin. This continued for several more passes than Morgause sent a hail of arrows that were led on the battle field at Merlin from all angles and at the same time another fireball came towards him. Maintaining the shield as well as fighting Morgause was tiring Merlin, he blocked the arrows but the fireball hit him in the chest as he fell to his knees but called down a bolt of lightning which caught Morgause, when the bright flash went there was no sign of Merlin's opponent.
Arthur let out a scream as the fireball hit Merlin and as the shield fell he ran towards his omega, not caring about anything else. Leon followed and struck at the fighters try to attack his King. At that Moment both dragons attacked the Main body of the enemy and the broken and ran, with the dragons and no sign of the leader the fight went out of them.