The moon shone over Camelot. Guards leaned against the wall and settled in for the night time watch as the occupants prepared for sleep. Arthur lay in bed, listening to Gwen's breathing, waiting as it fell into an even pattern. He smiled a little to himself, thinking about how angry she was going to be when she found out he'd kept this from her. And in ordinary circumstances, he never would. She had proven herself too many times to doubt she could handle herself in a fight. But with the fairly constant morning sickness and the stress of trying to find her footing in the castle and with Uther, he could not shake the need to protect her from this.

No one knew yet how dangerous the situation was just yet. Keep Gwen out of it, and maybe keep her from becoming a target.

Once he was sure she had fallen asleep, Arthur slipped out of bed, dressed quietly, and picked his sword up from where he left it on the table. Softly, he crept over to the door and, opening it a crack, slipped through and shut it behind him again. He looped the sword sheath through his belt and hurried off towards the north hallway.

Lancelot, Merlin, and he, had gathered after dinner and made their plans for the evening. Arthur would stand guard near the royal chambers and Lancelot near the druids, as each would have an easier time explaining their presence in those locations should they be discovered. Merlin move throughout the castle, keeping an eye and ear out for anything and anyone that should not be there.

Arthur ducked behind a pillar to avoid a patrol and then moved towards a hallway he had picked out earlier. It was close to most of the royal rooms but there was a convenient alcove which should keep him out of sight from the guards.

He got comfortable and waited. Hours dragged by slowly. Occasionally he would hear the steady, even footsteps of the patrolling guards accompanied by the muted clanks of their armor. Once, Merlin came by to check on him and pass on a report that so far, all was quiet throughout the rest of the castle.

The hours ticked by. He thought of Guinevere and hoped she was sleeping peacefully. The night air started to get to him; his fingers growing slightly stiff from the cold. Listening for the sound of any coming guards, Arthur rose to his feet and stretched, trying to shake off both the chilliness and his tiredness. He was going to be miserable at the talks tomorrow, he knew.

He rubbed his neck and then shook his head, fighting back a yawn. He was just sitting back down again when he heard it: footsteps.

They were moving quickly but quietly as if the person was trying to be stealthy. It was definitely not the sounds of a guard.

Arthur stepped out of the alcove and listened. Determining the direction the sounds were coming from, he hurried after them. When he reached the end of the hallway he listened again. He still heard them; they were nearer now, down the end of the next hall. He followed. The hallway he was now in went down until it hit a wall and then turned left, where it ended at Morgana's room. The only exit.

Morgana. Quickly he sped up.

Arthur could still hear the footsteps, they had turned the corner. He quickly reached the turn and took it, expecting to see someone. But the hallway was empty. For a brief moment he hesitated, doubting his own hearing, and then he saw something slipping out into the hallway from Morgana's room. It looked like…mist or smoke.

He ran forward and pulled open the door.

It was almost smoke. But not quite. It had the consistency of it but was white and silvery and had a small inner glimmer. The room was full of it. Arthur could barely make out Morgana. She was collapsed on the floor at the side of her bed as if she had tried to escape.

"Morgana!" He yelled, but she remained motionless.

He rushed into the room and made his way towards her. The smoky substance was surprisingly difficult to walk through. It was heavy and thick. It felt as if he were trying to walk through water, slowing his limbs and dragging at his clothes. He reached her side, but he could already feel that something was wrong. His head was heavy, his vision blurry, his breathing was labored and short. He grabbed Morgana's arms and started to pull her towards the door but he only made it about a foot before he fell to his knees.

He could barely breathe now. His heart was hammering in his chest and he couldn't force his lungs to take a full breath. On his knees, one hand still holding Morgana's arm, he tried to crawl towards the door, dragging her along, but it was so far away. His vision began to tunnel.

Whatever was in the air seemed to be getting thicker. His knees gave way, and he fell to the floor. He wasn't sure if he was breathing at all any more, his short gasps seemed to be unable to take in any air. He pulled Morgana forward another inch by inch, trying to make in the direction of the door, or at least where he thought it was. He couldn't see it anymore. And then he stilled, unable to force his limbs to move another inch. He tried to make out Morgana's face, as he felt himself lose consciousness. He fumbled for her pulse-

He was just on the verge of total darkness when he heard, as if from a long way off, someone shouting words. He couldn't understand them, they sounded foreign and his head felt too heavy to figure them out or even to wonder who had spoken them. He looked for Morgana again. Could he see her a little clearer now? Was the darkness of his vision receding just a little?

He took a gasping choke of air.

Suddenly there were hands around Morgana and she was being dragged away. Half a minute later, and Arthur felt arms around him as he was dragged across the floor. And then he was out in the hallway and he was sucking in air in large gulps. Merlin was kneeling beside him and Morgana was stirring nearby.

"What…happened…?" Arthur asked, between gulps.

"Magic," said Merlin grimly, "That spell would have killed you both if I hadn't heard footsteps heading this way."

"Footsteps?" Arthur frowned.

Both Arthur and Merlin looked up. People were running towards them, and from the sound of them, they were guards.

"Oh no," said Merlin, rising to his feet. "Uther can't know about this. Not that it was magic…" He hurried into the bedroom, the white smoke was gone now. He looked around urgently, and then grabbed for Morgana's candle stick. With a few magic words flared up and then he threw it on top of the bed. It hit the pillow and the cloth began to burn. "Althestlack!" He whispered and the flames shot up into huge billows. By the time the guards had reached the room, the entire bed was a light, smoke pouring out.

Merlin waited until the guards had fully taken in the situation, before raising his hand, and muttering a few more words to put out the fire.

The leader of the guards frowned towards Morgana and Arthur. Both were sitting up now, still gulping in lungfuls of air and looking the worst for wear. "What's happened?" he asked.

"The Lady Morgana's candle started a fire," said Merlin. "Arthur pulled her out in time but they both inhaled a lot of smoke."

The guard looked down at Morgana and Arthur doubtfully, over at the tattered remains of the bed, and then back at the pair again. Morgana was shaking and coughing violently. A wisp of white smoke escaped from her. The guard then looked down at the sword at Arthur's waist.

Then looking back up at Merlin, his eyes narrowed: "The King will be informed in the morning."