As I have no comments to answer, I won't keep you long. Enjoy the chapter.

Just one day

"Who's the witch?' Merlin couldn't help his curiosity.

"You'll meet her soon, Merlin. She's fussy and big-headed, anyway." Merlin tried hard not to burst into laughter. However, more pressing matters were crossing his mind.

He hoped Kira wouldn't turn her back on him now his self-centred cousin had promised to make her queen. "You don't believe him, do you? I mean, what he promised you. He doesn't seem trustworthy. He could trick you the way he does with that woman. Does she love him?" the warlock went on. He was careful to communicate telepathically, though. He was pretty aware there were too many eyes and ears around and keeping Kira's true loyalty a secret was vital.

He proved to be as good an actor as Kira was. He even managed to fake fear despite the fact that Kira had such a calming effect on him. Yet, it wasn't that difficult to look worried as his friends were at the mercy of his cousin.

"Are you sure he wouldn't harm them?" Merlin continued.

"Yes. He won't. He won't lose time with them now. He knows they couldn't provide him with the information he needs. Is there someone else who knows about your powers? Someone they could reach."

"Not someone who would betray me gladly."

"Are you sure none saw you with the dragon?"

"Uther would have executed me if they did. No, there's none."

"He sent people in the neighboring villages to gather information about Balinor and the dragon."

"My father hid in a village. My mother helped him. Do you think they may find her?" His voice betrayed the worry he felt inside.

"Does someone from your village know he was your father?"

"No. I don't know what they've found about him or me. The people thought I was strange, but they didn't accuse me in front of Arthur. Uther never suspected anything, either."

"Eugene had never been sharp. Let's hope he hasn't got extra-brains over the night."

Meanwhile, Morgana was preparing to go out. Prince Eugene's morning gift, a silver necklace with a diamond dragon charm and a lovely bouquet of roses had made her day. She was ready to go out.

She had a long fight with herself after she'd seen how bad the people live in the country and mostly after she'd heard Sarah's dream. Though, it was little she could do.

She cared for Sarah, so she decided not to speak a word about what she'd heard, especially to Eugene, for fear he would kill her and her friend for plotting against him.

Though, she didn't want to go against him, either. She enjoyed her new life and the very thought of being sent back to Sarrum made her blood cold.

That thought had haunted her sleep for the rest of the week. She would do everything to dream Merlin again and even that annoying dragon. Well, she didn't want to dream about Merlin, but it was a better alternative than Sarrum.

What she could do, though, was to keep visiting the poor kids and bring them food. Sarah helped her joyfully. The serving girl got even more attached to her after their morning secret journeys in the village.

She still hadn't got used to wearing colourful garments or having her hair combed and arranged. Neither had she got used to having the food ready for her and her room cleaned up. Her new life seemed so perfect. If only she could have a say in marrying Eugene. He was noble and well-mannered with her. No man had ever treated her so good. Arthur certainly hadn't. Merlin...well, he was only a servant and he'd changed so much. Or maybe she'd never known him…..

Yet she didn't love the Prince and she was sure she would never do. She cursed herself for being so stupid to think about feelings. She was safe and powerful. Far away from Sarrum. Far away from Emrys….

She would be a brainless idiot to give up everything just because he wasn't loved by his people. But above all, she couldn't betray him because she understood him. She hadn't been loved in Camelot either. After hearing the rumours about Eugene's father stealing the throne from his brother, Morgana felt even more attached to the prince. She finally understood why he had to be so cruel. Were the people telling the truth or not, it wasn't her problem. What she knew was he was more or less like her. And that thought made her feel guilty for going against his will and helping the children of the people who kept opposing him. However, the guilt didn't stop her sneaking early in the dawn and visiting the kids over and over again.

She put on a nice, spring dress. The weather was still cold, especially in the mountains, but the space around the castle had been enchanted so the air would feel like spring. The fabric was light, much lighter than that of her former dresses and the combination of colours was just perfect: light blue at the top, going on with green, yellow, red and ending with a dark purple train.

She was climbing down the dark marble steps that led to the last level just when Kira and Merlin were about to go out and she noticed them from above.

Eugene had taken precautions when they brought the Camelot's king and knights so the queen wouldn't suspect his true intentions, but an ordinary servant wasn't considered of much interest for Prince Eugene's grandmother. So, the Prince did not care much were Kira to be seen with him. On the other hand, Kira would have been happy to meet the queen, although she doubted the queen would bother to do more than cast a fugitive glance towards them.

Much as both Kira and Merlin wanted to meet the queen, none of them could risk breaking the cover.

Watching from the distance, it looked like Merlin was Kira's prisoner and Morgana couldn't believe her luck. Her day was about to get much better. So much better. If only she'd chosen a fancier dress. The one she wore had been meant for a walk not to impress. But he was just a servant. He wasn't hard to impress, after all.

She took some moments to arrange her dress and hair and then she climbed down the stairs just in front of the two sorcerers as if to provide an answer to Merlin's first question.

Merlin stopped as his glance fell on the person he'd least expected to see there.

Despite all the hatred and rivalry between them, Merlin still found her appearance breathtaking. It had been so long since he'd seen her wearing fine garments - and Drakar's ones were way more beautiful than her Camelot old ones - or giving attention to her appearance. Her perfect ringlets and her soft make-up gave a natural appearance that suited her so much. For the first time in years, he could notice some sort of peace on her face. Peace, but not happiness, Merlin noticed.

She hardened her eyes as her glance met Merlin's, but still it was something different about her.

"My Lady," Kira greeted her, "May I assist you in any way?" Although Kira acted politely, it was clear she wasn't very fond of Morgana. The warlock threw a glance towards Kira to check if his suspicions were right. They'd already found a way to communicate without words. Kira nodded. He didn't need much to connect the dots. Morgana was in danger and he wondered if it was his problem or not.

Merlin didn't know if he should feel sorry for Morgana or if he should be glad she got what she deserved. A part of him told the warlock she deserved to be happy despite everything she'd done. His cousin would never make her happy, though. Now that he knew what Eugene was planning he was more than certain Morgana would need help.

"Have you missed me, Merlin?" Morgana honied her tone, but it sounded so fake and arrogant.

Despite the confidence the High Priestess tried to display, she felt a tiny bird struggling to spread her wings inside the cage of her heart. The bits of the heart got so loud that she was afraid Merlin could hear them. How could he be a prisoner and be so strong and confident and she, a future princess and queen, feel like she was the prisoner and not Merlin?

"What has he done?" She addressed Kira partly out of curiosity, partly because she wanted to escape his glance.

"I've just proven to be more than your dear husband could chew." Merlin answered.

The word husband sounded so hollow now that she heard it from someone else. Merlin didn't seem to notice the effect on her and he continued,

"Congratulations on your future wedding. I wish you got the love you so much yearn for, but I doubt he's what you're looking for."

Morgana hated that he was right. She wanted him not to be right, but...Why had he to say it? Her day was supposed to be great. So she hid her sorrow behind some poisonous remarks.

"You should worry for yourself, Merlin." Deep down she wished she could go back to the time when they had been friends, but there was no such spell. "Pretty soon, I'll be queen." She wanted it to sound like an accomplishment, but it came out so hollow. Her life was far from the one she'd dreamed as a little girl.

She wondered what he was doing to her so she always felt like he could read her like an open book. Why, even when she'd thought she had the world, he made her feel like she got nothing? He was right. She wouldn't be happy.

Merlin wished he could take her away, run from everything and everyone, but the dragons were waiting for him to be saved. He had the slightest idea what he was supposed to do. He could save his friends and go back to Camelot. Return to his old life. Forget about Kira and Drakar. Leave the dragons in the cave. Allow Eugene to take Morgana's magic and throw her away like an old rag. Yet none of them felt right. Neither felt it right to take over the throne. Yet if he didn't his cousin would keep hurting people.

"Be careful, Morgana. Eugene is not what he seems." He tried to warn her, but Kira stopped him. After all, she had a cover to protect.

"My apologies, My Lady," Kira interrupted them, "but the Prince had ordered to get rid of this annoying servant. And he prefered it to be quick and without much fuss."

"Are you going to kill him?" Merlin had the impression there was some worry in her voice. Yet if there had ever been any sympathy towards him, it was quickly chased away.

"Do you want to save him? I doubt the Prince will change his mind. You better stay away from his business. The servant knows things he isn't supposed to and unless you know a way to prevent him from spilling the beans, there is no hope for him. Pity, though. He seems cute."

Then Kira telepathically addressed Merlin. She only said a few words, but they showed how well she understood him.

"You'll need the Dragons to save them. Including this stupid arrogant princess." Merlin struggled not to burst into laughter upon hearing the way Kira called Morgana, but she was right. Powerful as he was, he couldn't do it alone. And most importantly, he wouldn't be able to keep his cover.

"My Lady," Merlin started and he bowed in front of Morgana, mocking her. The binds didn't allow him much liberty and his wounds hurt badly, but he couldn't lose the opportunity. "My honest apologies for not being able to give you more of my time, but another Lady is waiting for me. And she doesn't like to wait. See you….soon."

The High Priestess didn't enjoy his joke. Why had he been so relaxed in front of his death?

"Great. Do me a favour and make it painful. Very painful." She replayed, struggling to breathe normally as an uncomfortable emptiness took control over her chest.

"It would be. Very painful." Kira promised.

Despite his arrogant attitude, Merlin felt his entire world was falling. He hated when he was pressed by time. He had half a day to decide how he wanted to spend his entire life. If only it were only his life. His decision, whatever it might be, would influence thousands of lives, as well. Meanwhile, he had to set free some dragons, find people who would fight for him, sneak into the castle, set free his friends and other prisoners, save the stupid witch, defeat his cousin and convince the Elders' Council he was capable to become king. Great.

"Move," Kira commanded for fear Eugene might suspect something. She wondered how Merlin would treat her when he would be king. She hoped he would understand. He seemed quick-witty and sharp. Though, not when that stupid princess was concerned. He seemed to forget the things at hand.

Morgana watched them disappear fromher view. She saw how Merlin struggled to walk because of the wounds and she wished things hadn't gone so wrong. They'd been friends…. Her eyes were wet and she gave her best not to let her tears fall. He wasn't her friend anymore. He was nothing for her. His death would be the best thing ever. Suddenly, she didn't feel like going out anymore.

"My Lord," one of Prince Eugene's men addressed the prince. Even if he'd found an explanation for the way young Pendragon managed to kill the Great Dragon, he couldn't dismiss the fear it was a lie. He'd never heard about such a thing as a magic substance to weaken a dragon. Yes, his father had managed to put the dragons under a sleeping spell and chain them in a cave. After all, he'd spent most of his life among dragons. His father had been a Dragon Lord and then his elder brother. There were lots of books about dragons and spells handed down from generation to generation. Yet killing a dragon. The spell to weaken it could only be mastered by a Dragon Lord. No one but a Dragon Lord had ever managed to kill such a creature. Dragon's magic was too strong. They would heal instantly.

On the other hand, it was clear his prisoner couldn't provide him with the info he so much desired. Whatever had happened, if the Pendragon hadn't been the one to kill the Dragon, it must have happened while the prince and his knights had passed out. And if there was such a substance, why would Balinor have thought it necessary to give it to them if he had decided to go to Camelot himself? He couldn't have known he would die. And why would he speak with the servant while the Prince was kept in the dark?

"My Lord", the man called out again. The Prince finally acknowledged his presence. "We've found where Balinor went after he'd escaped from Camelot's dungeons." He spoke as he got the Prince's attention. "There's a woman who hid him. We brought her to you. She had a child….borned a few months after Balinor fled again. We spoke with a man. He said the boy was a freak. A demon. He spoke about strange things that kept happening around the boy. The boy isn't in the village, though. We couldn't find him, My Lord."

"Find him!" The Prince demanded. "I want him. Dead or alive."

"We'll do our best, My Lord," the man answered. "What about the woman? And that village man? He is waiting to speak with you."

"Of course. Bring him to me."