Hey I am once again sorry that it has been so long since my last up-date. You won't believe it but the same problem happened again to my computer. So I have had to get it fixed again. Fingers crossed that this is it fixed, at least for a good few months. So anyway, thank you for reading and being patient with me. That is if there is anyone still reading. As there was no reviews or feedback of any kind on the last chapter I will just get on with it.

The clouds hung low over the dark night sky, hiding all stars for sight. The sun had long since set, but after many hours of restless tossing and turning Morgana was able to find some faint sleep. Her hands held tightly onto her blanket as images began to play in-front of her closed eyes. Her heart sank for a second as she on some conscious level realised what was coming next. A dream, a vision of the future.

Darkness remained what she primarily saw in-front of her. Though it was now a darkness tainted with red, blood red. In the back ground somewhere behind what she was seeing she could hear the faint sound of a crow, who was almost begging to be heard. Though her vision never feel down, stuck on the red tainted sky, she knew what was there. A bitterness crept over her, but was almost quickly replaced by guilt and sadness. A deep sadness that would level a permanent mark. A sadness that she knew was unavoidable. Something was moving towards her. The crow was now silent. A hand was about to come down on her shoulder, but before it did she pulled herself from her dream.

Her breath was hard to catch at first, but the feel of the rough blanket cleansed in her hands calmed her oddly. The feel of anything real no matter how harsh was a sign that all around her was real. Her eyes blinked a few times and she was able to see a little clearer in the dark hovel. Aithusa who slept on a rug next to Morgana's bed, had been woken by the witches waking. Lifting her tired head she rested it on the edge of the bed. Glancing down at the dragon for a little more reassurance of the reality of where she was, a smile crept across her face. Aithusa had tried to reach her to comfort her, but was too tired to keep her head lifted. Reaching out instead she stroked her head.

Knowing that sleep would not find her again and not wanting it too, she slid out of bed. The cold night air hit her blowing away any trace she had left of sleep. With Aithusa following at her heels she walked towards the fire pit in the centre of the hovel. Lifting her right hand out in-front of her the pit burst into life with a low fire. For a second after her head spun a little, then an image flashed in her mind.

It was different than the images of in the dream that she had just woken from, but it had the same blood red tint to it. Letting her know that in some way this image was linked to her dream. It was an image of a silhouette of a figure, most likely a man with his back to her. She didn't see it for long so she could not see who he was. Once it passed she gave her head a small shack to remove the image from her head. There was nothing she could do about it now, not till she knew more information.

She then moved to sit down in the chair that she was sure was going to fall to pieces in the not too distant future. She did not need a vision to know that, she just had to look at the chair to see that. On the back of the chair was an old, musty smelling shawl that she pulled around herself. It had become a small comfort to her in the time that she had lived here. She did not remember much of the time she spent in the hovel the first time she did so. She had still been weak form the poisoning to take much in. when she could there was more important things to talk about besides the specifics of where her Sister had taken her. This shawl was one thing that she remembered well. Morgause had rapped it around her the first time she was strong enough to leave the bed. It had remained around her shoulders almost constantly till she was strong enough for them to leave, heading for the Isle of the blessed. She had left it behind, but on cold nights, or moments when she needed some feeling of security she regretted not taking it with her. It had been a small thing, but it was being here with someone that she knew truly cared for her, someone that she could completely trust that created the feeling of security, linked now with an old shawl.

Aithusa curled up next to the fire pit, just in-front of Morgana's feet. Despite her shawl and the fire a chill still ran down her spin. While she had never been completely safe, free form a doom that hung over her head, not for many years. Maybe she had never been truly safe. She had never truly had anything that she felt she had to protect. She had to protect Aithusa. Whatever her dream was warning her about, she knew that Nimueh had a part in it. She had used Aithusa against her before, she would do it again. It made her skin crawl, but there was only one way that she knew off to keep the dragon truly safe.

Once she had come to the realisation of what she had to do she had to take her eyes off of the dragon. She could not look at her knowing what was to come. With a sigh she closed her eyes and leaned back further into the chair. While she knew that she would not find any sleep this night, she was still tired and needed to get some rest. After a few minutes she felt a gentle pressure on her thigh. Lifting her nearest hand she stroked Aithusa, who had moved from her place by the fire pit to offer a little comfort. Feeling a little calmer Morgana was able to get some rest before the sun rose.

The faint sun light pooled into some small spot in the hovel, coming in through the small window next to the door. Feeling the faint heat coming from somewhere other than the fire Morgana opened her eyes. Patting Aithusa's head she woke the dragon. Once her head was removed from her leg, the witch stood up. It was surprising how used to sitting in that chair just thinking she was getting. Once up she moved over to the small table in the far corner where she stored what little food she had, she picked up what remained of the last loaf of bread she had been able to get. Turing round she lightly through the bread to the ground in-front of Aithusa. She was going to need her energy for what was to come.

About an hour after beginning her day Morgana pulled her black jacket on and moved towards the door. Once open she took a step outside then stopped and waited for Aithusa to join her. A part of her almost wanted the dragon to refuse to follow her. As she expected though, Aithusa followed her. As she walked through the forest she willed herself to move faster, to get this over with, but the rough terrain did not allow for a fast pace. Aithusa was also having trouble making her way up the slight hill, but she too pushed herself onwards. Not wanting to fall behind Morgana.

After almost an hour they reached the top of the small hill. Kneeling down Morgana placed her hands on either side of Aithusa's face and forced her to meet her eyes.

"Thank you…..I'm so sorry." The threat of tears were close, but she fought them back. "I have to do this. I have to keep you safe. I can't keep you in danger just because I don't want to be alone."

Aithusa watched Morgana seemingly taking in every word that was said to her, understanding it. Before she could change her mind, Morgana stood up and turned her sight to the sky. In the loudest most commanding voice that she could bring forward at the time she called out to someone that she could not see, had not seen in a very long time. The winds quickly began to change a sign that she had been heard. Again a part of her wished the she had not been heard. Aithusa while she too quickly understood what was coming, moved to hide behind Morgana.

"Why have you called me witch."

Kilgharrah landed a good few feet in-front of them and lowered his head a little to better meet Morgana's eyes. This and his tone surprised her. She had expected him to regard her with more distain than he was.

"It is not for me that I have called you here."

Aithusa now moved to Morgana's side, as she began to remember her first and only faint memory of the much larger dragon, realising that he meant them no harm. Morgana looked away from Kilgharrah and down to Aithusa. Not wanting to see what she knew would finally be the look of distain that he was most likely giving her. She could not meet it, not on this matter. She deserved it. She had failed to protect the dragon.

"You did all that you could." The large creature said in a more gentle tone than Morgana had ever heard he speak with before.

Morgana was so shocked by his words and his gentle tone that she could not think of anything to say in reply. All she could do was turn to look at him again, confusion clear in her eyes.

"I meant what I said, her name is a fitting one, but she was always your light." The tears that had been on the verge of falling grow stronger, but she was still able to hold them back. "That is why she had to stay with you. I feared that your time in darkness would finally break you-"

"Why do you care." She had wanted to raise her voice, but it came out a little broken.

"I started to believe that I had been too ridged in my beliefs….I saw hope for you."

"What are you saying." The witched asked.

"That you are still dangerous, but that you are not beyond hope."

Feeling her determination come back to her, she could not help but bite back. "Your belief in me is so comforting."

"You called me here for a reason and there is much for you to do."

"I Don't need to be reminded of who I aim to kill."

"I fear it is not that simple. For the golden age of Camelot to flourish I believe you are needed. You and Merlin."

"He left Aithusa…..He never once tried to find her. He abandoned her. In the matter of killing Nimueh he has my full support and aid, but no more."

"He could not search for her, because I broke the link between them. No matter how hard he searched for her he would not be able to find her."

Anger now welled up inside the witch. "What."

"I broke their link-"

"Why, why would you do that. You abandoned her too, she needed you, someone-"

"She had you." He simple stated, like that explained everything.

"And that got her locked in a pit for two years…what good did having me do her." Morgana bitterly spat.

"It was for your benefit."

"It is not in my benefit to see an innocent creature suffer because of me. It is not in my benefit to have something to protect when I know anything close to be is either killed or taken form me."

While he did deep down have some sympathy for the damaged witch standing in-front of him Kilgharrah didn't want to go over things that had already been talked of. Her inability to let go of her pain was going to continue to eat way at her till there would be truly no hope left for her.

"You opened the veil between words, you have changed things."

"Not enough." She muttered under her breath.

"It is a different world, but it is still under threat." He paused, waiting for her to make some smart remark. When she did not make any, he went on. "You are powerful. The only one that can understand the power that Nimueh will be using. Camelot, Merlin will need your help. That is why I could not let you break in the pit."

"So you let the last of your kind suffer as well." She sneered.

"Merlin was the one that called her into being, but it was you that she imprinted on. You were the very first thing that she saw when she opened her eyes." Again he paused giving Morgana the opportunity to make any remark that she wanted, but again she did not take it. "I also saw something in your eyes that day that I had never seen before…hope."

"Well, I haven't exactly been give much opportunity or reason to feel that emotion in a very long time." She bite back.

It seemed though he could read her well, he did not know what was going to cause her bite back. "I believed that she would give you hope in the darkness, keep you from surrendering to it completely. I regret what happened to Aithusa, but it had to be done. She would have found you regardless. That was her choice."

They were both silent as a strong gust of wind blow over them. She hated to admit it, but she understood his thinking. Understood his believe that the ends justified the means. What she hated to admit more, was that she was grateful for what he had done. She was so grateful that she had not been alone in the darkness. It would have broken her, she knew that. She still had her doubt that it had not actually broken her and she was simply running on the need for revenge at this point. Repulsion at herself for feeling like this came over her so strongly that she felt that she was going to vomit.

"Take her away…..keep her safe."

"Morgana-"

"I will not let her suffer one second more because of me." She affirmed with more certainty than she had before.

"You do know that tearing her form you will cause her to suffer-"

"But she will be alive."

"Is simply just being alive any kind of life."

She couldn't help herself as a small laugh escaped her mouth. "If I ever experience any kind of real life, I'll let you know."

"You will need-"

"I know what I need to do. I cannot do that if I am worrying about her. Take her away to wherever it is you hide and keep her out of this….and I promise I will aid Merlin however I can."

"You do not trust him."

"I don't trust you, I don't trust anyone. Yet I am trusting you with Aithusa…..it makes no sense I know, but it means that I will keep my promise."

"I do not doubt that you are a women of your word.

"Good….then leave." She all but yelled. "And don't come back."

Kilgharrah looked at her now with sympathy in his eyes and respect. He gave a slight nod of his head. He spoke then to Aithusa without saying a word. The young dragon looked from the older dragon to Morgana who did not dare look down at her. Clenching her hands tightly she began to walk away. She hoped that Kilgharrah was strong enough to force Aithusa to go with him. The wind picked up behind her, it was so strong that it almost knocked her forward. Stopping for a second so she could better stay standing she let it hit her. Once it was gone her heart stopped for a second when what she had done fully hit her. Pushing it aside she forced herself to move forward.

All that she thought about all that she let herself focus on was getting back to the hovel. Once she finally got there she moved back to the chair. This time she did not light a fire or rap the shawl around herself. Instead she just closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. There would be much to do in the days and weeks to come, but for now all she wanted was just to be sit in the silence that surrounded her. About an hour later she drifted off into a faint sleep.

She could feel the breath on her neck, it was faint and moving round to face her. Slowly she slide her right hand slide down to her hip. Once she felt the hilt of her dagger between her fingers she slide it forward. When she felt whoever it was standing in-front of her, she quickly lifted the dagger up and out. Opening her eyes she moved the dagger till it was placed right under their neck. A mix of a laugh and a sigh escaped her lips as she looked up in to a pair of wide blue eyes.

Merlin took a step back away from her as she pulled herself up to stand in-front of him and return her dagger to her belt. "I doubt Nimueh has been able to mount her attack so soon. So to what do I own the pleasure."

"Gilli has asked I meet him."

Her head shock a little as she tried to make sense of his. "What does that have to do with me." Merlin viably looked relived at this.

"You didn't see him…..those two years." He hesitantly asked.

Morgana was now starting to understand what he was thinking. The one that Gilli had been working with, the reason that he had been in Camelot in the first place had to be Nimueh. If she had not just done what she had then she would have understood sooner what he was thinking. Gilli may be working with Nimueh, but he had not been involved in what happened to her and Aithusa, at least not directly. It seemed to be enough for him to consider possibly trusting him again, Morgana was not so sure.

She nodded her head to answer his question. "Is that enough for you to trust him."

"Just because you didn't see him-"

"I didn't see anything."

Choosing not to linker to long on what she had just said Merlin went on. "It doesn't mean that he didn't know what was happening, that he was a part in it…but he could be able to tell us something that we need to know."

"When did it become we."

He smirked a little. "You do want to kill Nimueh don't you."

Now smirking a little, but managing to stop it from fully spreading across her face, Morgana gestured with her hand for Merlin to come a little closer. Taking a small step closer to her, he was taken by surprise when she quickly lend in to whisper into his ear.

"Don't ask stupid questions."

As she pulled back she turned away from him and began to walk towards the door. Merlin was about to follow her, when he noticed that something was missing.

"Where is Aithusa."

There was no hint of accusation in his tone. He was simply interested and maybe almost a little worried.

"She is safe."

Her back was facing him and she was once again moving towards the door. "Where-"

"She is safe, let it go….."

"You sent her away." He moved to stand behind her as he spoke. "To keep her safe."

She turned to face him. A blank expression on her face. "Yes."

There was nothing that he could sat to that. Anything that he did would just be pointless. So he stepped closer till he was right in-front of her and enveloped her tiny frame into a hug, to say that he understood why she had done what she did. That he knew what Aithusa meant to her, that he thought her brave for doing what she did. Putting Aithusa's safety first. Being brave had never been her problem after. He also without words thanked her for helping him now. Even if he didn't fully understand why she was doing it, he was grateful. Not having the energy and needing this reassurance more than she wanted to admit, Morgana very lightly returned the hug.

Thank you for reading I hope that you like it. I came up with the stuff about Kilgharrah stopping Merlin for sensing Aithusa because I felt like I needed a reason for why he never tried to look for her. I don't know if it is possible, but I didn't like the way it was in the show. I need a reason, I hope it makes sense. I know it was another chapter of mostly talking but as I have said before things are starting to move towards the end of this part of the story. Though it feels like I am beating a dead horse. I will ask as always for any feedback that you may have.