Twins of Magic

Summary: When Morgana was knocked unconscious, she learnt two things from Uther. First, Uther is her biological father and second, Merlin, the boy who poisoned her, is her twin brother, separated at birth. What will happen now? AU of series 3 on wards.

Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin. Merlin is property of BBC!

Chapter two: The Castle of Fyrien Part 1

Darkness fell amongst Camelot and her residents were sleeping, well mostly everyone. Gwen, Lady Morgana's maid, yawned quietly behind her hand as she put out the last of the candles in Morgana's room. Gwen slipped quietly out of the room and walked down the long and winding roads towards her house. Gwen's head snapped as she heard a dog bark and frowned before she slipped inside her house wanting nothing more than dinner and to slip in her bed. However, Gwen felt like someone was watching her. She turned around and saw a brute of a man with an evil look about him.

"What do you want?" Gwen demanded as the man continued to approach her.

Out of desperation, Gwen instinctively grabbed a poker from the fire place and held a defence position. Gwen didn't see another man from behind her grabbing her and quickly covering her screams with a cloth that made her feel dizzy and passed out. As the men carried Gwen away from Camelot in the dead of the night, Morgana watched on, smirking as everything was going to plan.

"Rise and Shine!" Merlin cried happily as he pushed the Prince of Camelot's curtains back, allowing the sun's beams into the room.

A groan replied as its owner turned their head to glare at the manservant. "Can't you think of anything new to say?" Arthur said, grumpily.

Merlin paused what he was doing and looked at Arthur confused. "What?"

Arthur sighed as he rolled over. "Every morning it is the same thing."

Merlin couldn't help but grin as ideas came into his head. "Oh, I'm sorry. How about shake a leg? Up and at 'em? Let's have you lazy daisy...?" he suggested, making Arthur continue to glare at him. "No, you don't like any of them, do you?" he asked and Arthur shook his head slowly. "Okay, er...I'm just gonna go before, before you decide to do something which..." Merlin ducked as a goblet was thrown at his direction and grinned at the prince before he continued to exit the room as last night's laundry hit him in the face.

When Arthur was ready, he entered the hall with his father while Merlin gathered breakfast for the king, Arthur and Morgana. He felt awkward giving Morgana food and drink, considering that he was the one that poisoned her in the first place… um, this will be interesting.

As Arthur and Uther began to eat their breakfast, their talk about what was happening in the lower town, Morgana entered the room and sat down on Uther's right side, wringing her hands nervously. As the Prince and King ate their breakfast, Merlin walked over to Morgana to pour her wine but Morgana placed her hand elegantly on top of her goblet.

"No, thank you," she said as politely as she could, remembering that even though he'd poisoned her, Merlin is still her brother.

As Uther and Arthur continued to chat about Camelot, taxes etc and throughout the whole conversation, Morgana continued to frown at her plate, eating very little. Eventually Uther noticed something was wrong and frowned at his ward/secret daughter.

"Anything the matter?" Uther asked.

Morgana frowned as she glanced at him. "It's Gwen. She didn't turn up for work this morning," she explained, looking worried.

Merlin glanced at Arthur and could tell that even though he wore a mask, Merlin could tell that Arthur was growing more concerned about Gwen.

"That's not like her," Arthur commented.

Morgana shook her head, agreeing. "I know, it's strange," she said before turning to Uther. "I hope nothing's wrong," she added.

Uther smiled in a comfortingly way and placed his hand on top of hers. "You needn't worry, Morgana. After all, if your maid can no longer be relied upon, we can easily replace her."

Arthur wanted to shout at his father in Gwen's defence, but instead he turned to Morgana. "I'm sure she'll turn up soon enough."

Morgana nodded, smiling slightly. "I'm sure," she said before turning her attention back to her breakfast.

As she ate, Merlin observed Morgana and even though she became a really good actress, there were moments where she looked at Arthur and smiled in a malice way. Merlin's heart sank lower. Morgana defiantly had something to do with this.

When breakfast was finished, Arthur and Merlin stopped in an abandon corridor and Arthur asked him to check at Gwen's house to see if she was there. Merlin was going to do that anyway and as he went to Gwen's house; he felt a sense of foreboding. Merlin opened the door and frowned. Gwen's cloak was left on her bed, a poker from her fire place was placed on the table but what made Merlin's hair stand up was a small white cloth on the floor. Gwen wouldn't leave cloths on the floor like that. Merlin picked it up and took one sniff. Merlin grimaced as he became slightly dizzy. If this was forced over Gwen's face, she wouldn't have stood a chance.

The young warlock stuffed the cloth in his jacket pocket and walked grimly back to the castle and went straight to Arthur's chambers when he took it out and held it to his prince.

Arthur frowned. "What's that?" he asked.

"I uh, I found it at Gwen's," Merlin replied.

Arthur continued to frown, although his expression turned confused. "It's a scrap of cloth…."

Merlin nodded as he picked at the cloth. "I know."

"She's a seamstress. How could that possibly be important?" Arthur demanded.

Merlin sighed as he continued to hold the cloth towards Arthur. "Just smell it," he said grimly.

Arthur hesitantly took the cloth and inhaled deeply. All of a sudden, he felt dizzy and his eyes rolled back as he passed out. He didn't notice that Merlin used his magic to make sure that a chair was right behind him as he collapsed into the chair.

When Arthur came too, he groaned. "What is that?" he said, slurring slightly.

Merlin frowned as he picked up the cloth. "It's a compound of hogswart and phylarian…"

"What?" Arthur asked holding his head in his hands.

"I'm just guessing," Merlin added.

"Ugh…You could knock a man out with that," Arthur muttered.

Merlin nodded. "Yes… or a woman," he added making Arthur snap his head towards the warlock as he pieced the puzzle together.

Arthur argued with his father to send out a search party for Gwen but was unsuccessful and Merlin couldn't do anything but wait. The next day Morgana woke up to a shadow covering her face. Morgan squinted as she looked at her maid.

"Gwen?" Morgana breathed. "Where have you been?"

Gwen bit her lip as she glanced at her mistress. "I'm sorry, My Lady, I was unwell," she lied nervously.

Morgana frowned. "Are you better now?" she asked.

Gwen nodded as she gathered the laundry in a basket. "Much better, thank you."

"Well, don't tire yourself out. Whatever you need to do, I'm sure it can wait," Morgana said, trying to assure her maid. When Gwen nodded and left, Morgana smirked. So, everything went according to Morgause's plan after all.

Meanwhile, Gwen tried to hurry to the laundry, trying desperately to think about how to rescue her brother, when she bumped into someone. When she looked up, she found that it was Merlin.

"Gwen! I've been searching the whole town for you. Arthur's been worried sick," Merlin said relieved as he helped his friend gathered the scattered laundry.

Gwen, not looking tried to smile, however it turned into a grimace. "That's very sweet of him. I just had a cold, that's all," she lied quickly.

Merlin frowned. "I went to your house Gwen, you weren't there," he said slowly. Gwen stuttered, trying desperately to think of a lie when Merlin glanced at her bruised and red writs. Merlin gently grabbed her wrists and looked into Gwen's chocolate brown eyes. "Who did that to you?" he asked.

Gwen swallowed. "No one, it was an accident."

"Gwen," Merlin insisted and Gwen took one look into his eyes and broke down crying.

After dropping Morgana's dresses to the laundry room, Merlin accompanied Gwen back to her house and Gwen explained what happened as Merlin was brewing some tea to help calm down his friend. He sat down next to Gwen and passed her a cup.

"What I don't understand is how they knew," Gwen wondered to herself.

Merlin frowned. "About Arthur's feelings for you?" he questioned. Gwen gave him a look and Merlin sighed. "It's common knowledge Arthur would lay down his life for any of his subjects. Cenred could've taken anyone," he added, trying to think of a logical explanation and tried his hardest not to tell Gwen that he suspected Morgana. That knowledge would break her heart.

Gwen snorted. "Do you really believe that?" she asked sceptically.

Merlin placed his hand on her arm comfortably. "All I know is you're back home safe with your friends. You don't have to face this alone."

Gwen shook her head. "Yes I do, Merlin. This is my problem. I can't involve Arthur. I won't!"

"Arthur is already involved!" Merlin said with conviction.

"Not if I don't tell him about it," Gwen insisted stubbornly.

Merlin pursed his lips. "Gwen. If Arthur was in trouble, wouldn't you want him to come to you?"

Gwen looked into Merlin's eyes and sighed. "You know I would," she said finally, caving in.

Merlin and Gwen went to see Arthur in his chambers who took one look at Gwen before gathering her in his arms as she sobbed into his neck. When Gwen calmed down enough to explain what happened, Arthur gently led her to a chair and paced as he listened to the woman he loved.

"The Castle of Fyrien, I'm sure of it," Arthur said, nodding with confidence.

Merlin frowned. "Never even heard of it."

Arthur began to pace around his chambers. "Fyrien was a merchant," he began. "He built a castle on the Seas of Meredor as an outpost for trade routes to the east, but when war broke out with Caerleon, the trade dried up. The castle was abandoned."

"And so it's ruined now?" Merlin asked confused as Gwen was.

"Well, no. It was built to withstand anything. For Cenred, it's the perfect hideout," Arthur explained.

Merlin frown turned into a thoughtful look. "Doesn't sound like an easy place to get into."

Arthur shook his head and pursed his lips. "It isn't. It will be well defended."

Gwen couldn't remain silent anymore and shook her head in frustration and worry for her brother. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't've brought this to you," she said softly.

Arthur looked at her seriously. "You did the right thing. Your brother will come to no harm, I promise."

Gwen frowned. "How can you be so sure?" she questioned.

Arthur looked at Merlin with a smug smile on his face. "Because we're going to rescue him," he replied.

Merlin raised his eyebrow. "What do you mean 'we'?"

"The three of us."

Gwen bit her lip. "Cenred wants you dead. That's why he's doing this," she insisted.

Arthur nodded. "I know. Cenred's wanted Camelot's throne for as long as I can remember."

Merlin sighed as he leaned on a chair. "Then we'll be walking into a trap," he muttered, annoyed.

Arthur continued to give a smug smile and shrugged. ""Not necessarily."

None of them notice a certain witch listening to every word in the empty corridor. Morgana smirked as she walked away from their plans that were beginning to form. Perfect, a meeting with Morgause is in order.

A/N: What do you guys think so far? I was thinking about turning Merlin dark but then I have an idea to keep him in the light to rescue his twin. Can you guys let me know what you think in a review? It would help me so much! I hope everyone is staying safe during this difficult time! Hopefully we come out of this stronger than ever!

Love you all xoxo