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 onwards.

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

Chapter two: The Castle of Fyrien Part 2

King Uther was sitting in the council chambers, concentrating on the papers he had to sign. If there was one thing that he hated being King, it was the paper work. Really, Arthur should be glad that he wasn't forced to do this. He was so busy that he didn't even notice Arthur and Merlin walking in, both of their faces composed and serious.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Father," he announced his presence as the guards closed the doors.

Uther sighed, his attention still on signing paper. "Hmm. What is it?" he asked.

Arthur laughed a bit, putting on a slightly ashamed expression. "It's... its slightly awkward."

Uther raised an eyebrow but didn't take his eyes off the paper. "Oh…."

"I was drawn into a wager and I lost," Arthur said.

The king sighed, feeling irritated. "Arthur you know how I disapprove of gambling," he chided, blowing on the parchment.

Arthur nodded. "I know and I'm sorry."

"How much do you owe?"

Arthur bit his lip. "Two silk dresses."

Only then did, Uther looked up, this time in confusion. "Excuse me?" he asked slowly

Arthur winced a bit. "Well, at least enough silk to have them made, anyway."

Uther raised his eyebrow as he looked at his eldest son. "What kind of wager was this, exactly?"

Arthur bit his lip and looked slightly sheepish. "It was Morgana's idea…."

Uther started to chuckle and shook his head fondly. "I should have guessed. Really, Arthur, you should know better than to bet against Morgana," he chided lightly, leaning back against his chair.

Arthur nodded his head, sheepishly. "I know. The thing is the cloth cannot be obtained in Camelot. So, I'm going to have to leave the city for a couple days."

Uther, still chuckling, nodded. "I'd get going then. Morgana will have your guts otherwise."

"Thank you, father," Arthur said and he and Merlin walked out with identical grins plastered on their faces. Well, at least the king bought their lie. It would give them some time to rescue Gwen's brother.

….

Merlin had his bag packed and was currently explaining what was happening to Gaius.

Gaius frowned as he looked at the warlock. "Morgana? Are you certain?"

Merlin nodded, thoroughly convinced. "Yes. She's been feeding Cenred information. How else would he know about Arthur's feelings for Gwen?" he asked., rolling his eyes slightly.

"Then there's no denying it," Gaius replied grimily.

Merlin shook his head, agreeing. "No and I know if I tell Arthur, there would be no stopping him," he muttered. "We're going to rescue Gwen's brother."

Gaius sighed as he folded his arms under the folds of his cloak. "Under Cenred's nose? You and Arthur? Morgana knows nothing of this I take it?"

Merlin scoffed. "No. As if I'd tell her," he said as he left Gaius's chambers, slinging his bag over his shoulders.

Ten minutes later Merlin was preparing horses for Arthur and him while Gwen was preparing her own. Then a voice that Merlin didn't want to hear reached his ears.

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

Merlin's head snapped as he turned around and saw Morgana in her beige tunic, brown pants and boots with chainmail on. The king's ward had a determined expression on her face that Merlin didn't like.

Merlin looked around confused. "I don't think so," he said, looking at her warily.

Morgana's expression now turned perplex, however there was a malice look in her eyes. "But I'm coming with you. Didn't Arthur say?" she asked innocently as she looked at Gwen with a fake kind smile plastered to her face.

Merlin slowly shook his head while fighting the urge not to strangle Arthur for getting them into these messes. "No, he didn't…" he trailed off when he saw the said prince walking down the stairs, dressed in his chainmail.

"Don't just stand there, Merlin. We need another horse!" Arthur shouted.

Merlins scowled as he walked up to Arthur. "Why didn't you tell me she was coming?" he whispered.

Arthur paused and raised his eyebrow. "Why should I? What difference does it make to you?"

Merlin sighed. "I think it's a bad idea," he whispered, glancing at Morgana who was helping Gwen tie some bags to the saddle.

"Who's going to watch my back if we get into trouble?" Arthur asked as he continued to adjust his gauntlets.

Merlin pursed his lips tightly. "I am…"

Arthur snorted and rolled his eyes. "Come on, she's a darn sight better with a sword than you'll ever be, and you know it. Besides, she insisted," he explained as he walked away, missing Merlin mutter "I bet she did."

….

It was the tensest ride Merlin had ever experienced. Give him a hunting day over this anytime. He even let Arthur joke and teasing at his expense, for Gwen's sake. What was even weirder was that Morgana was giving him the strangest looks whenever she was sure that Merlin wasn't looking, almost like she was debating on telling him something important. It was like the old Morgana but she still had some malice within her glares. Maybe he just didn't understand women at all.

Eventually they stopped in a clearing that was covered enough that bandits couldn't see them. Morgana went off to collect firewood while Gwen and Merlin were setting up camp. Gwen was obviously distracted by the thoughts of the peril her brother was in and the peril that Arthur was walking in, that she didn't notice Arthur's lingering gaze on her.

Arthur then cleared his throat. "Go get some more firewood, would you Merlin?"

Merlin paused what he was doing and turned to the prince with a confused frown. "I thought Morgana was doing that?"

Arthur rolled his eyes, honestly was his manservant that stupid? "Well, go and see if she's alright."

Merlin raised his eyebrow, still not getting what Arthur was saying. "Why wouldn't she be?" he asked, Morgana can clearly take care of herself. And besides, she loathes him.

Arthur shrugged. "I don't know, maybe there are wolves in these woods," he suggested, looking around with a pointed look.

Merlin shook his head slowly. "No... I don't think so."

Arthur sighed in frustration. "Merlin" he said, stretching his name before mouthing the word 'you' and nodded in a direction away from the campsite.

Merlin's eyes widened in realisation."Oh, yeah. Yeah, of course. The wolves," he muttered as he walked in Morgana's direction.

He found Morgana collecting different sized branches, frowning. Her head snapped as she saw her twin and frowned.

"What do you want Merlin?" she snapped quietly.

Merlin shrugged as he collected some wood. "Arthur sent me. He wanted to make sure that you were okay."

Morgana snorted and rolled her eyes. "How very thoughtful of him," she said, annoyed.

Merlin frowned and stared at his one-time best friend. "Well, he cares for you. You know, Gwen too. They're your friends, Morgana. They've always been loyal to you."

Morgana stopped gathering wood and stood up, staring with a blank expression. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I don't understand how anyone would want to hurt their friends," Merlin said, hurt lying in his voice.

Morgana scowled, hurt and bitterness filling her heart. "No, you'd just poison them," she snapped.

Merlin pursed his lips. "I had no choice. It was you or Camelot!" he said, getting frustrated.

"So, even though I was your friend, you'd sacrificed me for Arthur. Good to know. You'd do well, Merlin, to stay out of things that do not concern you," Morgana said, walking up to Merlin with a determined expression.

Merlin stared back with the same expression. "Oh, but they do concern me, cause they're my friends too. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect them!"

Morgana smirked with something hidden in her eyes. As if she was expecting that answer. "I would expect nothing less," she replied walking off with branches in her arms.

Silence fell over camp as Arthur, Gwen, Merlin and Morgana ate their dinner just as the sun was about to set. The fire was still burning which kept them warm.

Arthur then cleared his throat."Cenred's chosen his hideout well. Now, the Castle of Fyrien backs onto the sea, we will be vastly outnumbered, and his lookouts will spot us well before we've reached the gates. So, we can't go that way."

Morgana raised her eyebrow. "But there's no other way, surely?" she asked oh so innocently that made Merlin's stomach rolled over.

Arthur smirked, completely unaware of Morgana's true intentions. "Yes, there is actually. When Caerleon was defeated by my father at the Battle of Danaria, he retreated to the Castle of Fyrien and it seemed a victory would be denied us, but my father knew of a secret labyrinth beneath the castle," he explained.

"A labyrinth?" Morgana repeated, a smile gracing her lips as she thought of the things Morgause could do with this information.

Arthur nodded in confirmation. "Fyrien was greedy. So, to avoid Camelot's levies, he dug tunnels from the castle to the sea. That way he could smuggle goods into the kingdom without anyone knowing."

Merlin pursed his lips in thought. "And you ambushed Caerleon using these old tunnels…"

Arthur nodded. "He never saw us coming. And neither will Cenred," he said, not seeing Morgana's small smirk as she finished off her dinner.

As night fell, Morgana checked that everyone was asleep before sliding out of her blanket and walked about a few meters away from the campsite where she saw Morgause.

"So they're heading for the castle as planned?" Morgause questioned as she greeted her sister.

Morgana nodded. "Yes, but Arthur means to catch you unawares," she replied.

Morgause raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"He knows of some secret tunnels beneath the castle," Morgana said.

Morgause bit the inside of her lip. "There must be a secret entrance. Did he say where?"

Morgana shook her head. "I'm sorry. That's all I know."

Morgause sighed. "Then your work is not done yet, Sister. When you find the entrance, you must lead us to it."

Morgana raised her eyebrow. "How can I do that?" she asked, tiny bit sarcastically.

Morgause took out a silver ring which had amber stone carved into it and whispered a spell. After she was done, she handed it to Morgana who. "When you are certain that you are alone, cast it upon the ground. Its magic will guide us," she explained and Morgana nodded and walked silently back to camp.

As Morgana slid back into her bed roll, she didn't notice that Merlin was awake and was frowning. Wherever Morgana went, he was certain that she met with Morgause. He would try to question her when they woke in the morning.

As the sun rose and they finished breakfast, Merlin and Morgana were preparing the horses while Arthur and Gwen were packing up camp. Merlin took a quick glance at Morgana who was fiddling with a strap on her saddle, seemingly distracted.

"Couldn't sleep?" Merlin asked.

Morgana continued looked at the ground. "Nightmares…." She said, trailing off.

Merlin snorted, not believing that one bit. "So why did you leave camp?"

Morgana turned her head sharply at her twin and pursed her lips. "If you got a problem, Merlin, then complain to Arthur about it. Otherwise, keep your mouth shut," she growled as she stormed off, missing Melrin's hurt expression.

It was around midmorning when and they were all riding their horses through the forest. The only sounds apart from their horses were insects chirping and birds singing and... hissing? Merlin looked down and saw an innocent grass snake near Morgana's horse and smirked slightly as an idea came to him. Merlin then whispered a spell which made the snake spooked Morgana's horse and threw her off its back. Morgana yelled in surprise as she landed with a thud.

"Are you alright" Merlin asked rushing to her side as Arthur and Gwen joined him

Morgana groaned in pain. "I think I sprained my ankle," she replied.

"Can you walk" Arthur demanded

Merlin shook his head. "She shouldn't. She needs to rest," he protested, using his hand to press Morgana back down which made Morgana glare at him.

Arthur sighed irritated "We don't have time!"

"We can't go on without her," Gwen added.

Morgana sighed "No, no, it's alright. I can go on..."

Arthur looked at Morgana seriously. "You were lucky. It could've been serious. Come on, Merlin, don't just stand there. You alright?" he asked Morgana as they hurried to get up.

Morgana nodded and put a fake smile on. "Yeah," she said, trying assuring him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Merlin pursing his lips tightly. Was he responsible for this? Why would he try to kill her… again? It didn't matter, because when she is Queen, she will make Merlin a prince and force him to see reason that it would be beneficial to stand by her rather than Arthur. That's a promise.

A/N: Here is another update! I can't wait to get to the next one! Everyone is asking me about Merlin's magic, especially with him being a drangonlord and I will explain everything in The Coming of Arthur episodes, particularly when Morgana is Queen. Patience is a virtue my friends! Also a lot of you want Merlin to stay in the light, so he will... for a while anyway ;)

Let me know what you guys think of this chapter!