A/N: Thank you so much to Wil1969 for the awesome book cover. :)
"This way," Mordred said as he rode through the gates of Camelot, and spurred the horse on towards the ruined castle where Morgana currently resided. Merlin smiled, but passed no comment.
"Yes, of course I know where she lives. I've always known," Mordred added in a slightly defensive tone.
"It's fine. You don't have to explain it," Merlin replied. "It's what I expected anyway, and it saves us the trouble of searching."
The journey passed without incident, other than a dispute between them about who should approach Morgana first. Merlin favoured them going in together, but Mordred wanted to enter alone. In the end, Merlin agreed, with the proviso that he would join them at the first hint of danger. They made camp in the forest that night, and around the fire, they laid their plans for the following day. In the morning, they completed the short journey to their destination, and as agreed, Mordred left the horses with Merlin, and approached the castle on foot. He was apprehended at the drawbridge by Morgana's guards, and after a brief exchange of words, he allowed himself to be escorted in by two burly henchmen and thrust at her feet.
"My old friend," she said, staring down at him, her sarcasm and bitterness unmistakeable. It didn't surprise him because he felt he deserved it, but he held her gaze unflinchingly.
"Last time we met you tried to kill me," she continued. It was both a challenge and a cry of despair, which made him more determined than ever to try and repair the damage and to heal the shattered bond between them.
"I am truly sorry for my error, and I wish to make amends."
"How?"
"I am here for a purpose, Morgana. I did not break stride to find you. I bring you news and an offer which I hope you will welcome."
"The only news I would welcome is the news of Arthur's death and the fall of Camelot," she sneered. "Have you come to tell me that, Mordred? And what could you possibly offer me? Other than another knife in the back?"
He blanched, but still did not allow his gaze to drop. "Arthur is alive and well, and he wishes to be reconciled with you."
She laughed incredulously before it dawned on her that he was unmoved and had maintained a calm and serene expression. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Never more so," he replied. "You know he has restored magic to its rightful place, but for you, he is willing to go further...much further."
"Get out," she screamed. "How dare you come here with the stench of my enemy upon you? Do you think you can seduce me with your tricks and lies? Leave now, or I will kill you."
"I am not going anywhere," he smiled. "Arthur is not your enemy, and neither am I. I love you like a sister. I always have. You saved me in my hour of need, and I want to help you know. Please listen to what I have to say."
She hesitated for a moment, seemingly torn between his admission of affection and the memories of their friendship, and the shades of old hatreds and betrayals that were never far from the surface. He thought he had started to convince her, when she suddenly stiffened, and an expression of anger and disdain passed across her features.
"You can come out from your hiding place, Merlin," she snarled. "Or are you too much of a coward to face me? Did you really think I wouldn't know you were there?" She rounded on Mordred next. "And you, I see now how much your words were worth. You have brought Arthur's lackey, my mortal enemy, to this place."
Merlin stepped out of the shadows, not looking the least intimidated. He spoke softly, in a neutral tone. "We come in peace, and we only want to talk to you. Mordred came in first because he has the most to say."
"Oh, so now you come in peace, after you tried to kill me. You have both betrayed me. You think mere words will be enough? It won't be that easy." She raised a hand to strike, but Merlin was ready for her, and he flicked the spell away nonchalantly.
"No, we will have this out with words, Morgana. There has been enough violence between us." Her fury grew, but his next statement stopped her in her tracks.
"What you say is true; I did try to kill you, and it is my greatest regret. I am sorry, truly sorry, for what happened. I was young and inexperienced, and I had no time to think of a better plan. Forgive me."
"Never," she gasped. "What you did is unforgivable."
"That is your right to withhold your forgiveness," he replied in a tone of great sadness, "but at least acknowledge that Arthur played no part in it, and has done nothing to deserve your enmity."
"He is Uther's son, and he has followed in his footsteps. He is a threat to my kind. He must die." She repeated it as a mantra, seemingly unaware of the vast gulf between her statement and reality.
"Morgana, you know that is absurd," Mordred protested. "He has created a department of magic, and sorcerers are welcome in Camelot. The truth is, you never gave him a chance to prove himself, because Morgause didn't allow it."
"You leave my sister out of this," she raged. "She was worth a hundred of either of you."
Mordred paused, while he considered whether this was the right moment to disabuse Morgana of her sister's true nature. He decided it was. "Morgause enchanted you," he said bluntly.
She laughed scornfully. "You're lying. She had no need to enchant me. I had already seen everyone in Camelot for who they truly were."
"You're sure about that, are you?" Merlin asked.
"As sure as night follows day. My sister loved me. She would never have..."
"Oh yes, she loved you too well," Mordred replied.
"What do you mean by that?" she demanded, her hackles rising even further.
"I mean that her love was cruel and possessive. She couldn't bear to share you with anyone else, and she turned you into another version of herself. Her enemies became your enemies, and as she loved only herself, so you love only her. If you don't believe me, check for yourself. Search within your mind, and you will find it."
"Impossible. She wouldn't have..." but her voice had less confidence.
"He speaks the truth," Merlin assured her. "Try it for yourself."
She looked from one to the other, then finally shrugged and closed her eyes to begin the search for the enchantment. At first, as they watched, it seemed she was merely going through the motions, with no real expectation of finding anything. In any case, it was obvious she wanted to prove them wrong, and to establish beyond doubt that they were the traitors and that her sister had been constant. So when she found it after several minutes, they heard her sharp intake of breath. It was subtle, so subtle that she hadn't been aware of it, but it was there. A block of some kind. A wall, which rose up in her mind whenever she thought of Arthur or Camelot. A barrier between her and her former life, cutting her off from those she had loved. She shook her head in disbelief, gripped the arms of her chair to steady herself, and tried to climb that wall again. In vain. The more she tried, the harder it became, until she looked up to the top, and to scale the heights of it seemed impossible. She screamed in frustration, and tried to tear it down, to destroy it with her bare hands, but all to no avail.
Her eyes flew open, wide with shock. She stared at them without seeing, not uttering a further sound, while they waited for her response. The passing seconds dragged into minutes, until finally she realized she must speak first.
"Get it out."
"Willingly," Merlin responded.
"At once," Mordred replied.
Nevertheless, they approached her warily, still uncertain of her true intentions.
"Get on with it," she said, irritated by their hesitation. "
"Very well," Merlin agreed. "What exactly do you want us to do?"
"You know what," she said. "You saw what happened. Blow it up," she replied. "If we all focus on the wall at the same time, we will be strong enough to obliterate it. Do it now."
Merlin laid a hand on Morgana's forehead, and Mordred placed his hand on Merlin's. Immediately, the wall appeared within their vision. So cleverly designed, that if you didn't know it was there, you would pass by unawares, but once you knew, it stood before you, vast, unmovable and insurmountable. They focussed their wills on it in unison and prepared to unleash as much power as they could summon between them, when Mordred suddenly cried out.
"Stop! There's something wrong."
"What is it?" Morgana asked in alarm, while pulling her will back from the wall at the last moment.
Merlin probed further and then he gasped. "The enchantment is too powerful and designed to be unbreakable. If we destroy the wall, we will damage your mind at the same time. That's the way Morgause planned it," he said in tones of disgust and contempt."
"Even from beyond the grave, she is still controlling you." Mordred's outrage was palpable. "But we will find a way to conquer it; I promise you that."
"So what shall we do then?" For once, she seemed lost and vulnerable, without a shadow of her usual arrogance, as she appealed to them for help. The realisation that she had been betrayed yet again, and by the person she loved most, was devastating.
"May I have a word with you in private?" Merlin said to his partner. "Excuse us for a moment, Morgana."
He drew Mordred to the other side of the room and spoke softly in his ear.
"I have an idea, but I'm not sure you're going to like it."
"What is it? I'm willing to try anything."
"It will require you to open your minds to each other. She will be able to see your innermost thoughts and secrets. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I am," he said. "I owe it to her."
Merlin nodded. "Alright then. It seems we cannot destroy it by force, but we may be able to overwhelm it with...positive feelings."
"Excuse me? What exactly do you mean?"
"If you remember how you felt when Morgana saved your life, when she took you in, when you shared a bond; and you project those feelings at it, I am confident it will not be able to withstand them."
Mordred looked thoughtful. "Love. You mean love, don't you, Merlin? You should always say what you mean." He eyed him speculatively. "And what are you going to contribute to this project?"
"It's built with hatred, isn't it? So the opposite should destroy it, " Merlin replied, although he chose not to answer the second question.
Morgana agreed to their suggestion, and dismissed the guards. She was now confident that Merlin and Mordred wished her no harm, and she desired no witnesses to such an intimate procedure. They took up positions on either side of her and all linked hands, closed their eyes, and waited for Mordred to begin. The images came slowly at first, as he drew his boyhood memories to the surface and projected them into Morgana's mind. He seemed to look down from above, to see his boyhood self at a distance, as he relived the circumstances of their first meeting.
He was tossing and turning in fever and fear, and nightmarish images of guards with pitchforks were pursuing him in an endless, relentless chase. He was sure he would die, for how could he ever hope to evade them? They were bound to catch up with him eventually. Or maybe he was already dead? He couldn't move or open his eyes after all. But he could still hear voices, although they seemed far away at first. There was one in particular that sounded so kind, and he wanted to hear more of it. He struggled to get closer to that voice, to fight off the illness, so he could see the person with the kindest voice in the world again. When at last he was able to open his eyes, he thought he must be asleep and dreaming still, for he saw...her. The most beautiful vision he had ever encountered, with her pale oval face, framed by lustrous black hair, and her startling, green eyes staring down at him, full of care and concern. When Merlin had brought him into her chambers, he'd been too weak to take much in, but now, he knew he had a chance. There was someone on his side: someone extraordinary, someone who understood him and who cared what happened to him. He felt safe by her side, and as time passed, their connection only grew stronger. He had recognized she had magic at once, and it helped that he was able to talk to her without speaking. When he had realized who she was and how much she had risked for him, his admiration and gratitude had blossomed and deepened into love. He felt sorry when he had to leave her, and he wished she could have come with him.
And the next time they had met, when he and Alvarr had gone to her for help, help he had been sure she would give; he would never forget the look on her face when she awoke and saw him. A look of pure happiness, of a welcome that he could find nowhere else. And how, as she had held her arms wide to him, nothing else had seemed to matter, as he had run towards her, crying 'Morgana'.
The wall was flooded with the warmth and light of his emotions. The hatred at its core wavered and waned under the assault of the stream of memories he directed at it. But Mordred knew he was tiring, and he needed to finish the job quickly. The enchantment tried to resist and would not give in without a fight, and it was not certain it would fall. But then Merlin was there, and the issue was no longer in doubt. He stood motionless on the plain before the structure, gazed at it with implacable resolve...and remembered.
How, when he had first met her, he had been instantly struck by her beauty, but as he had come to know her, he had been astonished by her courage, her integrity, and her determination to do what was right, regardless of the consequences to herself. He recalled how she had defied Uther and tried to save Gwen, when Gwen had been accused of witchcraft because of his own actions. How she had saved the day by persuading Arthur to help kill the avanc, and how impressed he had been that she was willing to face the danger with them. How, thanks to her warning to Gaius, he had been able to save Arthur from the Sidhe, in the days when the thought of Arthur dying had been her worst nightmare. How she had even been willing to sacrifice herself for Arthur, by risking revealing to Uther that she had the seer's power.
How he had helped Mordred escape the guards, and how fate or instinct had guided him to take the boy to her chambers. How, deep down, he had known that she would save Mordred, despite the risk to herself. How he had been thrilled when she had declared that Uther was wrong about magic, and had felt they were kindred spirits. and how he had longed to reveal his own secret to her, but had lacked the courage.
And above all, if he had had no other recollections of her, this one alone would suffice to place him forever in her debt: She had responded to his mother's desperate appeal for help, in the face of Uther's prohibition. She had fought for him, for his mother, and for his village. Without her initiative, the outcome would have been in doubt, and how could he ever repay her for that? His emotions blazed and burned and soared to a great height, and the wall, already weakened, began to melt between them. As it disintegrated, they gazed across the dying embers at each other, and he opened his mind further and allowed her to glide through his other memories, even those that brought him guilt or shame, so that she would finally understand. He sensed her softly flitting through his thoughts as a butterfly explores a flower garden. Sometimes she paused a moment here or there, before moving on. Finally, he felt her withdraw completely. Her mind was now clear of all polluting influences, and at last she was able to respond as herself. She had so much she wanted to say, but she found no words would come. Instead, she took a step towards Merlin, but then hesitated and looked at him questioningly. He moved like the wind, and in a mere second his arms had closed about her in a tight embrace. He thought he would never let go. Mordred smiled and took a step back to give them some privacy.
The wall was no more. The final trace of Morgause's corrupt enchantment had been vanquished and withered into nothingness, and there remained only the three of them, with every barrier between them crushed, every secret unveiled, and every misapprehension unravelled. They were now bound by ties so profound, so elemental and magical that they could never be broken again. Slowly, reluctantly, they unlinked hands and opened their eyes, and saw the world anew.