Aglain was able to revive Morgana with a healing incantation, but she was extremely weak. He stood in the hall outside Morgana's chambers, giving report.

"Morgana is a very powerful sorceress. It shouldn't come as a surprise that her body would try to dispel the enchantment. This isn't as powerful an enchantment as the original, it's distilled, but it has weakened her considerably. Her body is fighting it like an infection."

"What will happen?" Kara asked solemnly. "Will she recover?"

"I don't know," Aglain said, kindly. "All I know is she needs to rest, and not use any magic, or else her life could be in danger. Any exertion could take away her consciousness again, and I don't think we could awaken her. I must leave now before nightfall, but I am afraid this is all I can do for her."

"Thank you, I will inform the King," Kara said, walking him out.

Gwen sat beside Morgana in her bed, gently brushing her hair as Arthur fed her some broth.

"Arthur, you are the king, you needn't fuss over me. Surely, we have servants for such chores," Morgana gave him a weak smile.

"Just because I'm king, doesn't mean I can't care for my sister. I need to know you're going to be okay," Arthur said, the worry adding years to his handsome face. "If something happened to you, I could not bear it."

Gwaine rushed in, breathless. "Sire, it's Merlin, they've returned. He's been seriously injured. Fight with Morgause."

Morgana looked up in confusion. "Morgause?"

"He confronted her. She's nearly killed him, he's in bad shape," Gwaine said grimly.

"What of Morgause?" Morgana asked. "Does she live?"

"As far as we know, My Lady. She escaped," Gwaine responded, clearly confused by Morgana's lack of concern for Merlin.

"Go on, Arthur, you need to help your friend," Morgana said.

"Is that all he is? My friend?" Arthur asked, hurt in his eyes.

Morgana looked confused, like she was forgetting something. She twisted the gold ring around on her finger.

"Go on, Arthur, I'll look after Morgana," Gwen whispered, taking the bowl from his hands.

Arthur nodded, and followed Gwaine.

. . .

"He should be healing faster than this," Gaius muttered, as Alice applied healing salves to Merlin's wound, soundlessly chanting an incantation. Merlin was incredibly pale, having lost a great deal of blood. His heartbeat had been so faint when he arrived, Gaius's own heart nearly stopped at the thought they'd already lost him.

"What did she do to him?" Arthur asked Lancelot and Mordred, who were flipping through Gaius's textbooks on magical creatures.

"She flung some enormous slug at him, it looked like it was feeding off of him before I killed it. Then she stabbed him and disappeared. She was quite injured herself, but I imagine she survived if she was strong enough to cast her spell to escape," Lancelot said.

Arthur grabbed one of the books and began turning the pages, looking for an illustration of "enormous slug."

"He's stable for now," Gaius said kindly to Hunith, who had hold of her son's hand.

She looked up at him, her face pale with worry. "My poor boy. Balinor told me what happened with Morgana. I should have known he would do something desperate."

"Sit with him and watch him, Hunith. I need to figure out what Morgause did to him before I can figure out how to heal him," he said, patting her back comfortingly.

"Look, here it is, a Gean Canach," Lancelot said, pointing to the page.

"You're sure?" Mordred asked. "Gaius, I thought those damned things were extinct?"

"Apparently not. If that's the case, his magic is gone. That explains why he isn't healing as quickly as he should be," Gaius said.

Arthur paled. "His magic is gone? The most powerful sorcerer to ever live has no magic and is seriously injured, and my sister is seriously ill and unable to do magic. How are we supposed to heal either of them?"

They all exchanged a look of utter despondency.

. . .

Morgana was sleeping soundly in the bed, with Aithusa curled up next to her, and Gwen on the other side who had also dozed off, despite it being early evening.

"Papa! Papa, where are you?" the little dark-haired girl called.

"You'll just have to find me!" his voice called in the distance.

Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she used her magic to pull apart the shrubbery rows across the maze. "I found you!" she laughed with delight.

"Vivienne, that's cheating," Merlin scowled, crossing his arms.

She giggled and leapt into his embrace.

"Mama says it's 'creative problem-solving,'" she said obstinately.

"You are very much your mama's daughter, you clever girl," he said, laughing and hugging her tightly.

Morgana awoke with a start.

Merlin? Why would she dream of Merlin's child? And the girl, she looked so familiar.

She was feeling much stronger. Careful not to disturb Gwen or the sleeping dragon, she pulled on her robe and a pair of slippers.

She decided she would pay Arthur a visit, who was spending the night watching over Merlin. Perhaps she could help, now that she was feeling a little stronger. Perhaps that was why she had the dream.

"What are you doing out of bed? Are you all right?" Arthur said, fussing over her.

"I am much better, I promise. It must have just been something I ate, I'm sure it was nothing," Morgana said. "How is Merlin?"

"He's not good," he said, frowning. "I was just about to wake up Gaius, he's starting to struggle with his breathing. His lips are blue."

"Here, let me have a look," she said, sitting on a stool next to him.

"Okay, but no magic, remember?" Arthur said.

She put her hands on him and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "His magic is gone. Why is his magic…? Oh no."

Her eyes widened. He'd stopped breathing. She felt for a heartbeat, and found none.

"Get Gaius, quickly!" she shouted. Arthur ran to wake the man, while she took a deep breath.

She shot a surge of magic into his chest, hoping to restart his heart. "Breathe, dammit!" she said. She pinched his nose, and opened his mouth, feeling no breath and his chest was not rising. She chanted an incantation and blew air into his mouth. Nothing.

"No. Merlin, please," she said, beginning to panic. She grabbed his hand to check again for a pulse, and that's when she saw it, the ring that matches hers. Memories of them flooded her head. Feeling dizzy again, she fired another blast of magic into his chest, giving him every bit of magic she could summon. He gasped for air and opened his eyes.

She collapsed on the floor in a heap.

"Morgana!" Arthur shouted, rushing towards her, as Gaius tended to Merlin. Alice bent down to help Arthur with Morgana.

Merlin sat up, in a great deal of pain still from the wound on his side. "What's the matter with her?" he gasped.

"Did she use her magic?" Arthur demanded.

"I believe so, yes," Merlin said. "I think… I think I was dead for a moment there."

"Morgana might be the same," Arthur said, panicked, gathering her in his arms. "She wasn't supposed to use her magic. She's fighting off the enchantment, and it's killing her."

"But how…?" Merlin asked, groaning in pain as he stood up.

"It's as though her body is rejecting it," Alice explained, helping Arthur put her on the cot where Merlin had been laying. Merlin tried to help and was shooed away by Gaius.

"Merlin, you're going to make things worse by reinjuring yourself," Gaius scolded.

"I've already made things worse. If she hadn't healed me…" he whispered.

"You'd be dead," Arthur said, distressed. "Now, magic or not, we need to find a way to save my sister!"

Merlin nodded. "We need to take her to the Crystal Cave, in the Valley of the Fallen Kings. The Cave can restore my powers, but I believe there's someone there who can heal her."

"Gaius, inform the Court where we've gone," Arthur said, carrying Morgana in his arms to the stables.

"Sire, it's already dark!" Gaius said. "The way is full of bandits."

"I will waste no time to heal her," Arthur said, Merlin following behind him. "Merlin, where do you think you're going? You're in no shape to travel."

"If it were Gwen, would you stay behind? I love her, Arthur. I won't be parted from her," he said, pulling on a clean shirt with a great deal of difficulty.

Arthur nodded. "Fine. We need Kara to come with us, in case we need a healer."

"I will awaken her, Sire," Alice said. "Sir Mordred as well."

Lancelot, Mordred and Kara accompanied them, riding as quickly as they could with a still-injured Merlin and an unconscious Morgana in the arms of the king.

. . .

Mordred and Kara set up camp while Lancelot helped support Merlin into the Crystal Cave, Arthur still carrying the unconscious Morgana. They built a camp fire and huddled together for warmth.

"I'd never seen Merlin so crazed as when he went up against Morgause," Mordred told her. "Losing her broke something in him. If this doesn't work, if she dies…"

"It has to work. For all of us. Morgana means too much to us all," Kara said, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"She saved my life, along with Merlin and Arthur. Nursed me to health in her own bed when I was a child. And then she saved you, which is nothing short of destiny. I never thought I'd see you again, Kara. It was as though a piece of my heart was missing from my chest," he said, holding her close. "I think I can understand Merlin's madness. If I were to lose you again…"

Kara looked up at him and smiled softly. "You won't." She leaned up to kiss him.

"I am yours," Mordred said. "I have always been yours."

"And I am yours," she smiled, kissing him again.

. . .

"Where do we go in here, Merlin?" Arthur asked, trying his best not to jostle the unconscious Morgana. "Are we looking for something in particular?"

Lancelot had a strong grip on Merlin, keeping him upright. Merlin still winced with pain, even with the support. Neither the long ride nor the trek through a damp cave was doing him any favors. Morgana's magic had resuscitated him, but not fully healed him.

Merlin picked a spot on the ground. "I suspect here is as good as any place," he said, grunting as Lancelot helped him sit. "Here, bring Morgana to me."

Arthur placed the sleeping Morgana in his arms, trying not to hurt Merlin further in the process.

"Leave us. Go join Mordred and Kara in the camp. Morgana wasn't clear on what must have restored my magic in this place in her vision, but I had a previous encounter here years ago, when you were healed by what I believe was an apparition," he said to Arthur.

Arthur kissed his sister gently on her forehead and whispered reassuring words to her, as Lancelot set down the bedroll and supplies for Merlin.

Once they'd left the cave, Merlin could no longer keep it together. He clung to Morgana tightly, tears stinging his eyes.

"This is my fault. I thought I could handle losing your love so long as you were safe. But I confronted Morgause and my anger and jealousy made me vulnerable. And you, you're so selfless. You don't even love me anymore, and you saved me despite being so ill. Despite a warning that using your magic could possibly kill you. Please, someone, hear me. Heal her!" Merlin commanded, trying to feel the magic in this sacred place.

"Emrys," Taliesin said, as he appeared before him. "I've been expecting you."

"Please, can you heal her?" Merlin begged.

"She's already healing. This place, it will rejuvenate her. The conflict in her must be resolved, however; the competing magic is tearing her apart."

"Competing magic?" Merlin looked confused.

"What did you expect would happen when you said your vows and blessed your rings, and then tried to enchant your promise away? You wed her before the enchantment took hold," the man said, pointing to the gold band on Merlin's finger.

"That's why she's ill?" Merlin asked, stunned. "But we didn't really get married, we…"

"You think a marriage is a piece of paper issued by the crown? You bound yourselves together for eternity," he said. "There's magic in that promise."

"What happens to her now? Will she recover?" Merlin asked, stroking her hair tenderly.

"What did you see when you were last here? When you looked into the crystal?" Taliesin pivoted. "What did the future hold?"

Merlin shook his head. "It didn't make sense, it was just these tiny fragments of the future."

"Tell me," he said.

"Flashes of Morgana and Arthur mostly. Things that have since occurred, like Morgana being crowned Princess," he said, remembering that day fondly. She looked so beautiful, although he knew she had still been so conflicted about Uther, and about her place in Camelot.

"And things that have not occurred?"

"Scenes of war. Things that didn't make sense, like a child I've never met."

"A child?"

"A little girl, calling for her father."

"I see," Taliesin said. "You aren't a seer like your witch. Using the crystals doesn't give you context of what you see. Look again, and focus. You may find the truth."

"The truth of what?" Merlin looked up to find the apparition had disappeared.

With great care, and not an insignificant amount of pain, Merlin shifted Morgana onto the bedroll and then stood up to go look into a crystal. Would this even work without his magic, he wondered?

"Papa! Papa, where are you?" the little dark-haired girl called.

"You'll just have to find me!" he heard his own voice called in the distance.

Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she used her magic to pull apart the shrubbery rows across the maze. "I found you!" she laughed with delight.

Merlin gasped as he realized. The child was his. But how could that be possible? Could he really love again after Morgana? Because he didn't dare hope the child's mother could be…

He sat back down on the ground and looked at the ring on his hand. He'd made a promise. No, if the child isn't Morgana's, then the child couldn't be his. Perhaps she's a Druid foundling. Maybe that's what the vision is trying to tell him, there is a child out there who needs his help. But he couldn't help but think the child seemed so familiar, with her dark curls and blue eyes. His eyes.

He realized he'd never asked the apparition how he would get his magic back, but as he eyed the sleeping Morgana he realized he didn't care. All that mattered is that she should be healed.

Exhausted and in pain, he laid beside Morgana on the ground to sleep.

. . .

"Morgana," a voice said. "It's time to wake up, you've been asleep much too long."

Morgana opened her eyes and gasped. "Mother? Is it really you?"

Vivienne smiled brightly, a shimmering blue hue around her form. She looked exactly the same as she last remembered her, flowing blond locks and kind eyes. "I am here, my precious daughter."

"Oh Mother! I've missed you so much! How is this possible?" Morgana said, standing up to embrace her.

"This is the birthplace of magic, and you were born of magic," Vivienne answered, her hands stroking Morgana's face before she stepped away.

Morgana looked around. "Is this the Crystal Cave? Why are we here?"

"You were dying. Your love brought you here to heal."

"My love?" she asked. She was suddenly so confused.

"Your sister has taken a dark path, and her magic has consumed you. You made a sacrifice to save a friend, to save an alliance, to save your brother. But you didn't know that what you had already promised was stronger than any dark magic. You are stronger," she said.

"I don't remember, Mother. Everything is so blurry," she said, her head engulfed in a fog of confusion.

"You cannot heal until you remember. You must remember," Vivienne said. "Who brought you here? Tell me."

Morgana looks down at the sleeping figure on the ground. "Merlin."

"Who is he to you?" Vivienne prompted.

"He's…" Morgana strained to remember. "He was Arthur's manservant, his friend, my friend. He has magic. He helped me with my magic. He's now a noble, a member of the court, the Court Sorcerer. He was injured, no, he was dying. His magic was gone. I was with him as he died, and I," she looked at her hands in shock. "I brought him back. It nearly killed me."

"Why would you do that?" Vivienne asked.

"Because I love him," Morgana whispered, unsure. "There's something else I'm forgetting, I'm sure of it. What could it be?"

"Here, my child, take my hand," Vivienne said, reaching for her.

A vision appeared in front of her.

Merlin slipped the gold ring onto her finger. "Fàsaidh ar gaol."

Morgana took the other ring from him and brought it to her lips. "Merlin, it was your love that saved me from the darkness."

"I promise you now, this moment, if it's all we have, I am yours, and you are mine."

She slipped the ring onto his finger. "Fàsaidh ar gràdh."

Morgana gasped, looking down at her hand. "We said our vows. We are bound! How could I have forgotten?"

"The enchantment made you forget, but the magic of your vows kept your heart from accepting it. The result has made you very ill. Saving Merlin's life nearly killed you. Merlin brought you here to be healed, for you both to heal. You're strong enough to resist your sister's dark magic."

"Mother, please… Morgause… am I strong enough to save her?" Morgana asked, tears streaming down her face.

"Oh, my sweet girl, she's not yours to save," Vivienne said, holding her in her arms. "If it's one thing I would have taught my daughters had I lived, it was that others cannot save you from your own choices, you can only choose for yourself."

"But Merlin has saved me…"

"No, my dear child, you saved yourself. You saw what your future would become and you changed it. You changed yourself. You found forgiveness in your heart, and you found love. For your father, for your brother, and for the man who would have ended your life. Instead, now he's given you a life," Vivienne said, smiling. "This is your doing, and your choice, Morgana. All you needed was to remember. Love is impossible to forget."

Vivienne pulled away, beginning to fade. "Rest now, my child. We will be together again."

Morgana laid back down on the sleep mat beside Merlin, and shifted herself into his arms.

. . .

Merlin awoke to hair tickling his nose. A head full of dark locks to be exact. He hadn't gone to sleep holding her. Had she moved in the night? "Morgana?" he whispered.

"Mrrmph," she said, snuggling into him closer. He expected the weight of her against his chest to hurt, but found he had no pain. The sorcerer must have healed him; he was no longer injured at all.

"Morgana," he said again, louder, giving her a little shake.

She opened one eye and looked at him with annoyance. "I'm trying to sleep, Merlin. It's been a rather taxing week."

He let out the breath he was holding and laughed. "You're awake! Are you feeling okay, Your Highness?"

"What's with the formality? Is that some sort of new bedroom talk you're wanting to try?" she murmured into his chest.

"Wait. What?" Merlin asked. "Morgana? Do you…?"

"You really aren't going to let me sleep, are you?" she sighed. "Fine. But be quick about it, I want to sleep more before the sun comes up." She unlaced his trousers, and grabbed hold of his cock.

"Morgana," he groaned, growing hard in her hand. Was the enchantment really broken?

"Are you just going to lay there, Merlin, or are you going to properly make love to your wife you have so rudely awakened in the middle of the night?" she asked, testily.

He laughed, and kissed her hard. "You remember."

She grinned as she kissed him again, shifting on top of him. "Did you really have so little faith in me? Don't be such a dollop-head. Of course, I remember."

. . .

Morgana and Merlin walked out of the cave holding hands, just as Lancelot and Mordred had finished packing up the camp. The sun was just beginning to peak through the dense trees surrounding the cave.

"Morgana!" Arthur exclaimed, running to hug her tightly. "You're okay?" he asked.

"I'm perfect. The enchantment is broken," she said, her face pressed into his shoulder.

"So, that means you two…?" Arthur asked, knowing the answer when he saw the grin on Merlin's face.

"Survived the counter-spell and Morgause's dark magic," Morgana said, pulling away. "Merlin's magic is restored, and he's been fully healed."

"I'm so relieved. Morgana, what you were willing to sacrifice to save Camelot, to save me, I can never repay that debt," Arthur said, looking pained.

"I did my duty, Arthur," she said. "I would do anything for you, and for our kingdom. And I will be at your side as we fight the coming war."

"Speaking of which, let's go home. We've got a war to prepare for," Arthur said.

"Not yet, we need to make one stop on the way," she said, taking Merlin's hand.

"Where?" Merlin asked, confused.

"To the Lake of Avalon," she smiled, squeezing his hand. "To see a lady about a sword."

. . .

Merlin and Morgana held hands at the shore, staring into the water, Arthur a few steps behind them.

A figure rose from the water.

"Our Lady of the Lake, we are blessed," Morgana said, with a deep curtsey.

"Greetings, Morgana Pendragon, daughter of magic, descendant of the Fey. I have what you seek," Freya said, surprisingly not wet despite emerging from the water.

"You are also what we seek," Morgana said, feeling Merlin tremble beside her.

"You have my blessing, you know this already," Freya smiled.

Morgana returned her smile. "I know. It isn't me who needs it." She squeezed Merlin's hand, then having curtsied again, turned to her brother, taking his arm as they walked away.

"Who is that?" Arthur whispered, looking back in wonder.

"She was once the woman Merlin loved, and lost, before me," Morgana said softly. "She was a cursed soul he found and helped to free, and now she is a spirit who embodies the Lake of Avalon. It is for her love of Merlin that she will help us now."

Merlin boarded the small boat and directed it forward to where Freya stood, half-submerged in the water.

She smiled at him. "Merlin, I've missed you."

He found he couldn't speak, overcome with emotion at seeing her again.

"I swore I would repay you, and now is the moment. You and your bride have earned this gift through your sacrifice. This sword has the power to save Albion. The scabbard has the power to protect your king."

"Thank you," he said, as she handed him the sword, in a leather scabbard. He strapped it to his waist.

"No. It's given me the chance to see you again," she smiled. "I am glad for you, the happiness you have found. Protect it. It is precious. What she will give you is precious."

Freya took his face in her hands and kissed him chastely. Although she looked solid, she was but an echo, and he could only barely feel her presence on his skin, like a warm breeze. "Until we meet again on these shores," she whispered, disappearing into the lake in a mist.

Merlin returned to the shore to catch up with the rest of the group, and found Morgana waiting for him.

"Thank you for understanding," Merlin said quietly to Morgana. "I hope it doesn't hurt you."

She kissed him gently. "It doesn't. Your love for her is part of you. And I love all of you."

He embraced her, holding her tight. He knew what it was to lose the woman he loves, to lose her to death, and he had very nearly experienced it again. This time, he suspects, he wouldn't survive the pain. Protect it. It is precious.

Putting himself back together, he kissed her again and pulled away. They walked back to the others.

"This is meant for you, Sire," Merlin said, removing the scabbard from his waist.

"A sword? Is that why we came all this way? From a lady in a lake?" Arthur asked, confused. He unsheathed the sword. "It's a fine sword, certainly."

"It's more than that, it was forged in dragon fire," Merlin explained.

"There's magic coming from the scabbard as well," Morgana said. "It's enchanted?"

"Freya said it would protect Arthur," Merlin said.

Arthur looked at it nervously. Morgana put a reassuring hand on his arm. "If Our Lady of the Lake says it will protect you, then we are blessed indeed."

Arthur nodded, and secured the scabbard at his hip. "If you trust her, then I do."

They mounted their horses to return to Camelot.