MERLIN POV

Morgana is somewhere. I kept reminding myself as I went about my duties. Arthur was being briefed by Leon about the army heading straight for Camelot. Cenred's army was still on their way despite the lack of an enchantment on the king. Will Morgause relent once she knows the enchantment is broken? Surely not. That didn't stop her last time. Cenred's men however, were merely men. They would be easy enough to deal with if they were anything like the city guards. I smiled, a certain instance of magical dice playing in my head. I didn't distract the guards nearly as often now that a certain set of them no longer had a dragon to guard. Then again Cenred's men probably didn't pack dice for the siege of a castle. They were ready for a grueling battle. The idea of summoning Kilgarrah for battle had crossed my mind several times, but then I'd have the chastising of a dragon to deal with.

As Arthur kept throwing out possible solutions I watched and waited. None of them would be any good against Morgause herself. Camelot's army was in fighting shape to take on knights of a similar stature, not high priestesses. I would have to handle Morgause as always. And as always, I'd have to do it with one hand tied behind my back, praying to the gods that no one saw me do anything. Morgana is somewhere in the castle. I had feared confrontation with her before. After the events of the other night I thought I would have to avoid her or that I'd be arrested the moment I stepped foot back in Camelot. However it was far more unnerving to know that I had absolutely no idea where she was. Almost as if she was avoiding me. Watching me? lurking, somewhere deep in the shadows. Was it too ridiculous to think like that? I just foiled one of her plans, that should put me high on her radar. Maybe she was reconvening with Morgause at the moment. Would she be gone all day for that?

Arthur's meetings came and went, the siege preparations came and went, the sun had set already, yet no sign of Morgana. Gwen had not seen her for hours either.

"I'm sure she's preparing just like the rest of us." She'd said with a hint of a smile, still clinging to the idea that I fancied Morgana.

Gaius wasn't taking this seriously at all. Even though he knew all she had done he was not very concerned about her sudden disappearance. He brushed it off as shock from having her first attack on Camelot being unraveled so quickly. I begged him to keep an eye out for her.

"I understand your concern Merlin." He leaned in closer to me so as not to be overheard in the hall-turned-infirmary. "It's bad enough Morgause is here, and having a second sorceress could complicate things. But I feel you should be more focused on the twenty thousand men marching to tear down the walls."

He sent me on another errand to his quarters to grab extra bandaging cloth, vinegar, and salt. Morgana has to be somewhere doing something. All the way to the north tower my hands jittered just thinking about the witch. Morgause was powerful, and terrifying in her own right, but Morgana was another thing entirely. She had traveled leagues to stop bandits from hurting my village, she had demanded Uther send men to rescue Gwen and then Arthur save her when said demand was denied, and she had defied Uther not once, but twice to save Mordred. Morgana Always got what she wanted. What she worked for. She had been willing to topple mountains for us, and very well could have, before I betrayed her. Would she now be willing to raze them to the ground in pursuit of revenge.

Round and round these musings flew through my head, fighting to claim dominance yet altogether failing and just leaving me more confused. People passed in a blur, running to complete the numerous tasks they had been sent to do. My own task lay nearly forgotten, drowned out by the voices in my head taking every other position. My legs carried me on my way without needing much active thought on it. How could I spare any time to think of antiseptics when there were two mad, powerful, evil sorceresses still plotting our demise. Morgana is right in front of you. I halted without a moments notice as I saw Morgana's red velvet cape flow past my vision. She was headed towards the chapel on the other side of the courtyard. Forgive me Gaius. I prayed silently in my head as I abandoned the Physician's task to follow her instead.

As silently as she slipped into the building, I followed her. I wasn't going to be caught again for something so stupid. I wasn't going to allow myself think that the people running about the courtyard would cover my footsteps. Whatever she was doing, I needed to catch her unawares.


MORGANA POV

Hours I had waited. Hours I had heard nothing. The raven that had delivered my urgent message to Morgause had returned with a simple note saying
"Patience, sister. I will be there in due time."

The sun had just set when she finally arrived. The siege was to begin within the morrow, how could she be so careless as to squander any advantage by wasting both of our time? She dismounted her horse with no haste to her actions. Her lips still upturned in a triumphant smile. She knows nothing...

"Where've you been?" I did nothing to hide my anger. Not towards her, or the anger I felt for Merlin.

"What's wrong, sister?" Her eyebrows knitted themselves together and she was frowning as she finally started to believe there might be cause for concern.

Had she really dismissed my urgent notice that easily? Did she think I was just jittery from my first time attacking Camelot? It seems she's forgotten I was raised in the throws of Uther. This may have been my first time attacking Camelot itself, but it was hardly the first time I'd experienced war. I won't be able to convince her like this.

"I had a vision last night." I lied. "We must stop the siege or you will die. Arthur will stand above you as you take your last breath on the stone floor of the citadel."

"But your bracelet." She grabbed my arm to make sure it was where it always was. Seeing it her face softened again. "It was just a bad dream like any other. The bracelet does not ward off normal nightmares."

In the year we'd lived together I had never lied to her. Never hidden anything, or held anything back. This was a first for us. But I would not be swayed. Our attack would fail if we underestimated Merlin. I couldn't tell her though. Not until I had answers. Merlin, perfect.

"I thought so too. Until midday, when a scene played out exactly the same. Merlin beside Arthur in the courtyard."

"Merlin!?"

"He's alive, he's back in Camelot. He's thwarted us!" Every ounce of disbelief and malice I could muster I put into my tale. It was no longer all lies, yet still felt like half truths. "He destroyed the mandrake root."

"Do not worry, The root has already done it's work and Cenred's army are less than a day from Camelot." She paused, considering her next's words. "As for your dream, I promise to stay far from the citadel-" Good. "then there will be no chance this prophecy can come to pass." She pulled up a staff that looked to be growing a small tree at the top. "Take this below the city, to the catacombs. You will know what to do."

As I took it in my hands a shiver went through my spine. The scream of the mandrake was nothing compared to the eerie stillness of the staff. It felt as though it should be alive and moving, and yet also felt like death itself. It wasn't hard to guess at the nature of its magic, necromancy always left a bitter taste in one's very soul. I avoided it several times over the past year, afraid I would lose my soul to the other side. I didn't want to do this.

"Why don't we use the sleeping spell?" I said hastily. I wanted to throw the staff, I wanted it out of my hands. I refrained from doing so, avoiding looking at it directly. Instead I looked at Morgause's eyes. Eyes I stared into everyday for the last year and not so much seen a modicum of remorse. There it was though. Guilt.

"The moon is not in the correct position, and we'd need another vessel." Morgause said. "You can only be used as vessel once for that spell."

"Right." I replied, voice faltering. "Of course. I'm sorry I can do this."

I turned quickly and said goodbye, taking the cursed staff with me. Lying between us was a first for me, I realized. She had been content in lying to me for a year.

"This is my home." Morgause said, inviting me into Cenred's castle. "And if you like, it may be yours."

I smiled gratefully and walked around the room, taking it all in. Her part of the castle was like one massive room. Bookshelves lined the walls and there was a loft which led to her bed and workspace. I grazed over the many texts on the shelves and my breath hitched when one of them was labelled "Essentials of enchantments."

"Are these-"

"They are all magical encyclopedias." She answered without needing the full question. "I've been collecting them since we met, hoping one day I could bring you here. That I could give them to you."

I opened the first one and read the table of contents, quickly flipping through. A grin spread across my face like dragon fire.

"Uther, Merlin, their kind... They can't reach you here." She said, taking my shoulder and leaning in to kiss my cheek. "Here, your magic can thrive, free of the tiny thoughts of little men."

Chapter seven of the encyclopedia was all about vessels. I didn't end up reading that chapter until recently. it's words still fresh in my mind. "Living vessels, such as plants, animals, and humans, are commonly used to handle spells requiring insurmountable amounts of energy. This is not the only benefit however, as sentient vessels, such as another man, are likely to last longer due to the fact that most unwitting human vessels will attempt to keep themselves alive for as long as possible, fighting off any threats to the enchantment."
She used me. Camelot was not far, but the trip felt forever longer as I fixated on what I had just learned. Unwitting human vessels... I just needed to be home. I no longer even knew where that was. I should hate Camelot, hate what it did to me. But I don't. I want it. no... need it. Camelot is my home, the people who live there are the problem. Uther, Merlin, maybe even Arthur... They are what's wrong with it. I will take it back.

The staff was buzzing with energy, which coursed through my body. Should the plan succeed, Morgause would live in my house. She and Cenred would make it their own. I couldn't let that happen. I paused to admire the long magical stick. It's purpose for most would be very simple, it could turn the tide of war by casting a powerful enchantment over the dead. While moving it from hand to hand I came up with another use for it. One that was far subtler. Morgause had given me the keys to the castle, and I would use it to send her straight to hell.


AN: Sometimes I forget that I'm the only one who knows 100% where this is going and almost spoil incidentally in these ANs. I have the next 4ish chapters planned, but the next one won't be started until I've finished A simple realization Chp 6, and written another one shot I'm working on called "A Thousand Years Without You." (gee, I wonder what that'll be about)
I look forward to all your speculations.
~Myrien