Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin! I only own my OC, and any other characters or plotlines I make up along the way!

AN: On to the next chapter!

Enjoy!

Agravaine, filled with a purpose, walked into Arthur's chambers. "Good morning, my lord. May I have a word?"

"Of course," Arthur nodded.

Agravaine looked behind him to see him manservant, Merlin, behind him. He couldn't do what he was about to do with him in the room. He turned to Arthur. "Er, the matter I wish to discuss is a delicate one, sire. Perhaps it'd be better if we talked alone."

Merlin looked a little suspicious, but he left when Arthur prompted him to. Arthur went behind his dressing screen and started to get ready for his day.

"We know there is a traitor amongst us," Agravaine started as he walked up to the dressing screen.

"I wish I could deny it," Arthur sighed.

"But we have to consider everyone," Agravaine went on. "Even those dearest to us. No one can be above suspicion."

"Of course," the King agreed.

"So...one of your knights?" Agravaine tried.

Arthur immediately shot that down. "No."

"Are you sure?" Agravaine asked.

"I would vouch for each and every one of them," Arthur said firmly.

"Well... what about Gaius?" Agravaine offered.

"No," Arthur said as he stepped from behind the screen. "Gaius has always been a loyal servant. Indeed, a friend. To me and my father."

Agravaine gave a fake sigh. "Then..." he shook his head. "I hate to say this."

"Who?" Arthur prompted.

Agravaine sighed again before saying, "Perhaps Elizabeth is the traitor."

Arthur was shaking his head as soon as Agravaine had said Elizabeth's name. "No. Never. Elizabeth would never."

"Think about it, my Lord," Agravaine reasoned. "She is Morgana's sister. And if we are to believe the reports coming in, Morgana has been quietly regaining her strength."

Arthur pulled on his jacket and then turned on his heel to face Agravaine. "Elizabeth is also my sister, Agravaine. I would watch what you say about her."

"Perhaps I am being a little hasty," Agravaine backtracked. "But it wouldn't do any harm to ask her some questions, would it?"

"I'm don't think there's any need," Arthur replied.

"Oh, I believe there is, sire," Agravaine went on. "We're talking about your safety, and the safety of the realm. Somebody is plotting against you, and it is my duty to investigate every possibility, however unlikely. I-I'm sure that Elizabeth herself would respect that."

"If you're trying to be dramatic, you've certainly achieved it," I said as the guards opened the door to the council chamber. I was told that Arthur wanted to talk to me, but he wanted to talk to me in the council chambers. "If you wanted to speak with me, you could've just-"

I cut myself off as I finally noticed that Arthur and I weren't alone in this room. Agravaine was here as well.

Agravaine pulled the chair that he was leaning against out. "Please, sit down."

I stayed rooted in my spot as I asked Arthur, completely ignoring Agravaine, "Why is he here?"

"As the king's right hand man, one of my jobs is to ensure his safety," Agravaine cut in.

I openly glared at Agravaine as I spat, "I was speaking to my king, Agravaine, not to you."

Agravaine, not knowing what to say, awkwardly pulled the chair out more. "Have a seat."

I made it a point to walk all the way to the other side of the table and pulled out the chair that was directly across from the one that Agravaine had pulled out for me. I maintained eye contact with him as I sat down.

"Being the king's right hand mean means asking questions, even of his most trusted servants," Agravaine went on as he sat down in the seat himself. "No one is to take offence."

Once again, I ignored Agravaine as I looked over at Arthur, who was standing behind the king's seat and very obviously not looking at me. "Have I done something wrong, my Lord?"

"What is your attitude to sorcery, Elizabeth?" Agravaine asked, and I looked over at him in confusion. What the hell was going on?

Arthur obviously wasn't going to intervene, so I was forced to answer the question. "It is against our laws to practice it."

"And do you agree with that?" Agravaine went on.

No. "I realize why we have outlawed it."

"That's not an answer to the question that I asked," Agravaine said, giving me a pointed look.

I tried again, though I was trying my best not to squirm. "Laws are put in place to prevent crimes. There are certain sorcerers that abuse magic, and that is what our laws protect us from."

"Can I ask you to be a little more direct with your answers?" Agravaine asked as he leaned forward, and I tried my best not to break his nose. "Do you agree that magic should be banned? Yes or no?"

It was killing me, but I finally answered, "Yes."

"Have you ever practiced sorcery?" Agravaine went on, and I very nearly choked on my own surprise at the bluntness of his question.

"I fail to see how someone can practice magic if they don't have it," I bit out. It was a lie. Lie, lie, lie. It was true that ever since I got pregnant, my magic had been all wonky so I used it less frequently, but I still used it.

"Have you been in contact with your sister Morgana?" Agravaine demanded.

This time, I opened and shut my mouth like a fish. I was that surprised. "Of course not!" I exclaimed. "I am just as interested in speaking to Morgana as she is in speaking to me." At least that part wasn't a lie.

"But she is your sister," Agravaine continued. "Do you love her?"

"I did at one point," I answered truthfully. "She was the most important person in my life."

"Until how recently?" Agravaine prompted. "Have you been corrosponding with Morgana?"

I was fed up. "Is this an interrogation?" I asked in disbelief. "Am I being interrogated?"

"No one said anything about an interrogation," Agravaine said neutrally. "I am simply asking questions."

"Well, I am finished answering them," I spat as I stood up. I looked over at Arthur, who still refused to meet my gaze. I couldn't believe this. He was listening to Agravaine again.

Agravaine stood up as well. "Elizabeth-"

"Do not finish that sentence, Agravaine," I seethed as I pointed a finger at him. "Now listen, and listen good. I have done absolutely nothing to cause suspicion about my loyalty to Camelot, and you spending time interrogating me is time that is being wasted when you could be looking for the real traitor." I stood up straight and fixed my dress. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am through wasting my time."

I gave Arthur a hard glare that I know he didn't miss before giving the same look to Agravaine and stomping out of the room.

"Ugh!" I screamed as I missed another knot. I was currently trying to knit some clothes for my baby, something that usually calmed me down, but now everything that I did pissed me off somehow because I couldn't get out of my pissed off mood.

"Lizzie, you are going to break the needle," Merlin pointed out as he took the knitting needles and ball of yarn away from me. "What is wrong with you?" he asked as he sat down next to me.

"Agravaine!" I screeched as I balled my hands into fists. "Once again, he is getting into Arthur's head. But this time, it seems like he's trying to turn Arthur against me."

Merlin made a face. "Agravaine wouldn't be that foolish. He knows what you mean to Arthur."

"I'm starting to doubt that," I told him honestly as I reached behind me and grabbed the pillow. I had initially put it there to support my back, but now it was bothering me.

"Lizzie, you know that Arthur loves you," Merlin assured me as he put his hand on my shoulder. "You remember what happened with Queen Annis?"

"Of course I do," I mumbled as I traced the lines in the pillow. "But I also remember that I didn't get an actual apology. He never apologized for choosing Agravaine over me. And now I fear that it's going to happen again."

"That's not going to happen," Merlin tried again as he kissed the sides of my head. "You know what you mean to Arthur, don't you?"

"I know what I mean to Arthur," I clarified. I looked over at him. "I just don't know what I mean to King Arthur."

"They're one and the same," Merlin said gently.

"No, because Arthur listens to me," I retorted. "King Arthur seems to only trust that two faced, sneaky, utterly traitorous, snake!" With each word, I had started to pull the pillow, and when I said the last word, I had pulled the pillow entirely apart so now that fluffy insides of the pillow exploded everywhere.

We sat there for a second, covered in pillow guts, not saying anything, and just as Merlin opened his mouth to finally say something, there was a knock on our door. Merlin didn't look away from me, but he called out, "Enter!"

It was another servant who bowed to us and said, "Lady Elizabeth, Gaius wishes to see you in his chambers. And Merlin, Lord Agravaine wishes to see you in his chambers."

We both looked at each other in confusion. "This late?" I wondered, in reference to both people.

Merlin shrugged, but the two of us got up to leave. Merlin went in one direction, and I went in the other.

I forgot how far Gaius's chambers were from ours. And with all the extra weight from the pregnancy was making me even more. I was forced to slow my walking, which made it seem even longer.

However, just before I got to Gaius's chambers, I felt a whoosh of air next to me, and the next thing I knew, someone's dirty, callused hand was covering my mouth. I drew a deep breath to scream, but the words, "Onslæp nu!" were whispered into my ear, and before I knew, I felt the familiar tug of sleep at the back of my mind and I was out like a light.

Guards practically pulled Elizabeth and Merlin's chambers apart as they searched. Agravaine turned when Arthur and Merlin entered the room, and he held up the book he had planted against Elizabeth. "My Lord, she was seen riding away from the city."

Merlin immediately shook his head as Leon entered the room. "That can't be true."

"Sire," Leon said to Agravaine. "You were right. A white stallion has been taken from the royal stables."

"Well, where would she be going?" Arthur wondered aloud. 'Why leave at this time of night?"

"Well, I could hazard a guess, sire, but I think a thorough search of her belongings may well provide us with the truth," Agravaine said gravely.

A while later, Arthur flipped through the books of sorcery that Agravaine had planted in the council room. "And this was found in Elizabeth's chambers?"

"I am as disappointed as you, sire," Agravaine faked. "Someone so close, so trusted. And it's not merely the discovery that she was a sorcerer, is it? It's... it's the lies."

Merlin felt himself boil. All the lies, the slander, against his wife made him want to set Agravaine on fire. But he wouldn't dare say anything to Arthur, not while Agravaine was in the room. And the entire time, all he could think about was where his wife was right now. She wouldn't have run away, and even if she had, she would have told Merlin. No, she had been kidnapped for some reason. And it was eating Merlin alive that he wasn't out searching for her right that second.

"The lies and years of betrayal," Agravaine shook his head. "She was like your sister."

Arthur dropped the spell book on the table, clearly upset. "I know it's hard to believe, isn't it, sire?" Agravaine went on. "But we both saw her refuse to condemn magic. We both knew she was hiding something. And neither of us want to believe it, but...now, with this...hasty departure in the middle of the night? These are not the actions of an innocent woman, sire. There can be no doubt. Elizabeth is the traitor. Without a doubt, she has gone to her sister."

Arthur leaned back in his chair, still struggling Agravaine's words. Elizabeth, time and again, had proven how loyal she was to Camelot. She had displayed how much she loved Arthur, and her kingdom. But could it all have been an act? A ploy to destroy Camelot from within, as Morgana had done during his father's reign? They had no reason to doubt Morgana until she had shown her true colours. Could...could Elizabeth really be doing the same thing?

"I'll send a search party as soon as possible," Agravaine offered as he moved to leave.

"No," Arthur shook his head. "What purpose will that serve? Let her run."

Agravaine bowed. "As you wish, sire." Without looking at Merlin, he left the room. Even though he didn't look at Merlin, Merlin made sure that Agravaine could feel the daggers that he was glaring at him.

As soon as the door closed, Merlin turned to Arthur. "How can you believe this?"

Arthur looked down. "I know how you must feel," he began. "We questioned her. She refused to answer any questions regarding her contact with Morgana."

"And that makes her a traitor," Merlin spat.

"Why run if you have nothing to hide?" Arthur wondered.

Merlin shook his head. "She betrayed her sisters, her flesh and blood, for you. For this kingdom. She would never betray you."

"Then explain her actions," Arthur asked, and if he was being honest, he was hoping that Merlin had a good one.

Merlin finally looked over at Arthur, but it was taking everything in him not to use his magic against him. "All right. They're all lies. Lizzie would never run off in the night, especially not to Morgana."

"Look, I know it's hard," Arthur choked out. "This is just as bad for me as it is for you. But no break ins were reported. Her possessions are missing. A horse has been stolen."

"She would not have left me," Merlin said, and he looked in the other direction, away from Arthur. "She would not have left without saying anything to me." He raised his head, though still looked away from Arthur. "Agravaine has made this story up."

Arthur looked at Merlin sternly. "I shall ignore that last comment."

"Because he's your uncle, you will not see who he really is," Merlin continued, ignoring him. "This is exactly what Lizzie has always feared. That because he is your uncle, you will believe his word over hers. And you are. You are choosing Agravaine over Lizzie."

"Merlin!" Arthur shot. "I've had my heart broken enough already today. I don't want to lose another friend."

Merlin looked over at Arthur this time, and the tears in his eyes were evident. "She is my wife, Arthur," he said sternly. "She is my wife, and your sister, and she would not have betrayed you. She would have died first." He looked away from Arthur. "And that is something that we both know."

I felt my back being slammed against something hard as I finally began to wake up. My stomach churned, and I fought the urge to throw up as my arms immediately went to wrap my round stomach.

"You've had a difficult journey," I heard a familiar voice say, and I fought to wake up fully. "You must be tired. It's time to wake up."

"It's time for the fun to begin." I felt a hand stroke my cheek, and my vision finally cleared enough to recognize the face of Morgana Pendragon, Princess of Camelot, and my sister. She grinned. "Hello, dear sister."

"Don't touch me," I said weakly as I tried to move my head away from her touch.

Morgana lifted her hand and ran it across my stomach. "It's been so long since I last saw you. It looks like much as changed." She lifted her hand from my stomach as she said, "It turns out you reciprocated that fool Merlin's feelings." She tilted her head to the side. "I was actually a little upset that I hadn't seen it coming."

"What do you want, Morgana?" I bit.

She actually looked a little...sad. "I miss you," she said, and she somehow sounded sincere. From the look on her face to the tone in her voice, I could have been persuaded that she was telling the truth. "You were my best friend, and my sister. And I confess that I miss your company." She leaned forward a little. "Is there no way that I can persuade you to come to your senses and join your sister again? We would have so much fun." She ran her hand on my stomach again. "And my little niece or nephew could grow up learning their magic in the right way." She gave me a look when she noticed the "surprised" look on my face at the mention that my kid might have magic. "Come now, Elizabeth. Two of their aunts are High Priestesses. It is doubtless that your child will have magic. Now, I ask again." She leaned closer. "Will you join me?"

I didn't waste any time in giving her my response. Using the last bit of strength that I could muster, I lifted my left hand and raked my fingernails down her cheek, hard.

She instantly recoiled, pulling her face away from me. I could feel a wetness on my fingers, and to my delight, she now had four long, deep lines of blood streaming down her face in thick waves. She raised her hand to her face and brought her hand back stained with red.

She balled her hand into a fist and turned to me. "Fine. If that is what you wish." She turned and for the first time, I saw a man standing behind her. "My friend here's going to help me get some information. Some information you might be a little reluctant to give." Blood continued to drip down from her face, and it made her look even more menacing as she demanded, "I want you to tell me where Emrys is."

Of all the things I was expecting, it wasn't that. "I don't know anyone by the name of Emrys," I lied swiftly.

"Oh, I think you do," Morgana nodded.

I shook my head. "I don't care what you do, Morgana. You will not get a single word out of me."

"Alator is no ordinary torturer," she said. "He's a Catha...priest of the Old Religion. He has at his disposal some skills only known by initiates." She leaned over my face, and this time, drops of her blood fell onto my face, which I was sure she was doing on purpose. "You will have fun with him, sister."

With that, Morgana left, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar figure follow after her.

Agravaine.

Merlin was shoving clothes and food and anything else he might need on the road into a pack. He couldn't just sit here while his wife and child were missing. He had to find her. As her husband, he had to find her.

The door to his chambers opened, and he turned around expectantly. To his disappointment, it was just Gwen.

He deflated as he turned to his packing. "I thought you were her."

Gwen walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. "Agravaine's behind this. He's done something to Lizzie," Merlin insisted.

"Arthur told me what you said," Gwen told him.

"He won't listen to me," Merlin growled.

"I'll do what I can, but...Agravaine's his uncle," Gwen said sadly. "He...he trusts him more than anyone. Even Lizzie."

He looked over at his bag. "That is the one thing she has feared. Losing him to Agravaine." He looked back over to Gwen. "She's never trusted him."

"I know she hasn't," Gwen nodded. "She's just really careful about how she speaks. But I know that she's never liked Agravaine."

"And for good reason," Merlin balled his hand into a fist, so tightly that his knuckles cracked. "I have to find her."

"Ligfyr onbærne swiþe," Alator breathed, and all of sudden, a circle of flame rose up around me. I felt panic beginning to settle in as I tried to shrink away from the flames.

"Do not resist the fire," Alator said, and I could feel the lick of flames somehow start getting closer to me without physically getting closer to me. "Let it enter your mind. Let the flames search out your thoughts. Feel them burn..."

The tips of fire began to tease the walls around my mind, striking them one by one and breaking them down. I tried my best to rebuild them, replacing burnt brick after burnt brick. It hurt me to do so, though, and I could feel my strength starting to slowly buckle.

"Into the darkest recesses of your mind," Alator continued. "Let them shine a torch on your deepest secrets. Bring them to the light."

After having done a search of Agravaine's chambers for anything that might help him, Merlin returned to his chambers. Just as he walked in, he saw that he wasn't alone. Gwaine was sitting at the dining table, waiting for him.

"What are you doing in here?" Merlin asked him.

"Got bored of playing soldiers," Gwaine answered. "And I thought I'd come and see how you were."

Merlin just shook his head as he headed over to the desk that was in the room where Merlin did his work. "I'm busy," he gruffed.

"Doing what?" Gwaine questioned.

"What do you think?" Merlin grumbled as he sat down at the table.

"Looking for your wife," Gwaine answered.

Merlin sighed. "I know everyone thinks she's gone back to be with Morgana, that she's a traitor, but she's not. Never in her life would she return willingly to Morgana. She's been abducted, Gwaine." He tried his best not to cry as he held his tears in. "She may even be dead."

Merlin wiped at his face as he turned to look at a book. He brought a candle closer to examine the swipe of dirt he had gotten from Agravaine's boot.

"Probably don't need my help, then," Gwaine said softly. "For the record though, Merlin, I know that Beth is not a traitor." He shrugged slightly. "She just doesn't have it in her."

Merlin looked over at him, and some of his ice melted. "Do you know what this is?" He held out his dirty thumb.

"Might do," Gwaine shrugged as he got up. "Here. Let me see."

Gwaine walked over to the work table, and Merlin held out his hand as Gwaine took a swipe of the dirt and smelled it. "That's iron ore. Where'd you find this?"

Merlin decided to keep that part a secret for now. "That doesn't matter. Does it help us?"

Gwaine sat down and wiped his dirty fingers on the table, something that Lizzie was surely going to freak out over when she returned. "Iron ore's pretty rare in Camelot. In fact, I've only seen it once, on a patrol."

"Where?" Merlin asked eagerly.

"Er...ridge of Kemeray," Gwaine answered. "They've been hewing iron from rocks there for hundreds of years."

"Feel the fire roar deep within you," Alator exclaimed. "Feel your thoughts begin to simmer. Let them flee the rushing flames. Let them run like burning oil. Let them escape. Allow them free, Elizabeth."

No... I thought, struggling to resist. The heat of the flames had left me soaking with sweat, and the smell of smoke was filling my lungs. But still, Alator's powers were getting to me. Merlin's name in my mind kept running, but everywhere it went, it met a wall of fire. It was trying its best to get out, to find an exit, to save itself...

"Tell me. Who...is...Emrys?" Alator demanded.

"N...never..." I managed to choke out.

"Tell me about Emrys. Tell me, Elizabeth," Alator went on. "Where can we find Emrys?" He raised his hand towards my stomach, where my baby was. "Or we could try something else?"

"No!" I choked, wanting to lift my arms and wrap them around my baby, but Alator's magic kept them firmly against the slab of stone I was laying on. My thoughts were running even wilder, struggling to save themselves, wanting to get out...

I was shaking my head, begging my body not to betray me, not to give up on me. But when I felt those same flames starting to make its way to my stomach... I gave up. I gave up immediately. Tears flooded eyes and rolled down my cheeks, and I could feel my heart break as I spat out, "In Camelot."

"Where in Camelot?" Alator demanded.

"Emrys..." I began, and I bit my tongue. But I couldn't help myself. I kept going. "Emrys is the name by which he is known to the druids. But to me, he is someone else."

"Tell me, Elizabeth," Alator pressed.

I took a breath to say his name, but I finally managed to regain control. "No!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, shaking my head.

Alator put his hands on me, and the spell that he was using against me tripled in its power. "Who is he?"

My words were not my own. My actions were not my own. "H...he is the most powerful sorcerer who has ever lived. Who will ever live."

"What is his name?" Alator said.

"His name..." I choked out a son. "is..." I sucked in a deep breath and pleaded my body not to betray me. But my pleas fell on deaf ears, and my lips were forming the name before I could stop myself, "Merlin."

I felt a wave of shame fill me as I continued. "He is my husband. I am his wife. I am known to the druids as Maeve, Emrys's queen. I am destined to help Emrys in everything that he does."

There it was. I had given it all up. I might as well keep going. "The druids' legends are true. Merlin is...Emrys. A man destined for greatness. A man who will one day unite the powers of the old world and the new, and bring the time that the poets speak of. The time of Albion."

With that, Alator had stopped his assault on me, and I finally felt like I could breathe again. But I wished I hadn't. I had betrayed the most important person in my life. I didn't want to live. I didn't feel like I deserved to live.

I slid my eyes shut, and I was finally blessed with unconsciousness.

Agravaine's task was to find Elizabeth, a task which he completed when he returned to the part of the cave where he had last seen her. She was lying still on the makeshift table as he walked over to her. He raised his hand and rested his fingers on her pulse, and to his annoyance, she was still alive. He pulled out a dagger and raised it to her throat to finish her off.

"Agravaine!" he heard, and he whirled around to see Gwaine approaching him, pointing a sword at him. "So it was you! You abducted her."

"What? No!" Agravaine lied.

"What are you doing?" Gwaine asked, placing his sword at Agravaine's throat.

"She's unconscious, I'm trying to help," Agravaine tried, hoping that Gwaine would buy it.

Gwaine nodded at the dagger near her throat. "With that?"

"I want to see if she's still breathing," Agravaine clarified, and he lifted the dagger from Elizabeth's throat to her nose.

"And is she?" Gwaine questioned.

"Just. You can see the breath still on the blade, look," Agravaine offered, holding out the dagger to him.

Gwaine held the torch near the dagger to take a better look, and Agravaine parried Gwaine's sword away from him. "Now do you believe me?" he demanded.

Gwaine put the sword back at Agravaine's throat, not believing him for a second. "Then how did you know she was here?"

Agravaine paused, forcing him to think on his feet. Thankfully, an answer came to him easily. "Guards at the western gate saw you and Merlin leave. Knowing Merlin's intentions for finding his wife, I thought it must be some new information at hand. So, I just followed your trail."

That managed to somehow convince Gwaine, who nodded and drew his sword back. "You agree she was abducted, then?"

Though it irritated Agravaine, he said, "Elizabeth would never turn her back on Camelot. Of course she was abducted. Now, we must get her back to Camelot without delay. Come on." He nodded at her.

Gwaine turned around. "We have to find Merlin first."

"No!" Agravaine protested, and when Gwaine turned around with a suspicious look on his face, was forced to think on his feet again. "I fear if we do not leave now, Elizabeth will not survive. She is with child, Gwaine. We must get her back to Gaius. We've no time to lose. Give me a hand!"

Gwaine hesitated as he looked back to the direction from where he had come. On the one hand, he wanted to get Beth out of there and back to Gaius, but on the other, if Beth woke up and found out that he had left Merlin there, she would tear him apart with her bare hands.

Agravaine could sense his hesitation and took advantage of it. "Look, the people who took Elizabeth have already fled. I saw them with my own eyes from the ridge. We must get back to Camelot by night fall."

Gwaine hesitated once more, but the soft sound of a voice stopped him. "Gwaine..." Beth whispered softly.

Gwaine immediately ran over to her, pushing her hair away from her face as she moved her head. She squeezed her eyes as if she were in pain as she said again, "Gwaine."

"I'm here, Beth," he assured her. "You're going to be fine."

"Merlin..." she breathed. The way she was speaking made it seem like she didn't even know she was speaking.

Agravaine sensed that and used it to his advantage. "She may have a fever. We must get her back to Gaius before it gets any worse."

Gwaine, knowing that Merlin would never forgive him if he had left Beth potentially sick to go find him, sheathed his sword and helped Agravaine to lift Beth.

When I finally woke up, it was clear that I was out of the cave. When my vision finally focused, I almost cried out in relief when I recognized the ceiling of my bedchambers in my home. I was home again.

I lazily looked to my side to see Merlin sitting beside me, and he sat up attentively when he noticed me move. He was holding my hand tightly, and he brought my fingers up to his lips. "Thank goodness you're all right."

I couldn't bear to look at him. Every time I did, I heard myself telling Alator who Emrys was. I turned my head and looked away from him as tears slipped down my cheeks.

"What?" Merlin asked as he got up from the chair that he was sitting in and sat down next to me in the bed. "What's wrong?"

"I can't look at you," I whispered.

"Why not?" he wondered.

"I'm ashamed," I choked out. Merlin grabbed a hold of my chin and turned my face to look at him.

"Why?" he asked.

More tears fell out of my eyes as I cried, "Your secret. The secret that I vowed to myself that I'd take to my grave..." I sniffled deeply. "I told it. I was a desperate, selfish fool, and I told it."

Merlin wrapped his arm around me and hugged me to him. "Lizzie, you could've died. Our child could've died. You did the right thing by protecting the two of you."

"But if Morgana had found out about you..." I sobbed as I clutched my husband tightly.

"She didn't," Merlin assured me as he rested his chin on my head. "She didn't count on Alator's true loyalties." He looked down at me while I looked up at him. "He chose us, Lizzie. He chose the world that we seek to create."

"I'm sorry," I told him. "I'm sorry that I failed you as your wife."

"You did no such thing," Merlin said sternly.

"But you succeeded as my husband," I sniffled. "You came and found me."

"I will spend the rest of my life finding you, Elizabeth Malinor," he vowed. "That is my promise to you."

He kissed me deeply, and when he pulled away, he brushed some hair away from my face. I smiled up at him, and then the memory of Agravaine putting his dagger to my throat resurfaced. I wasn't unconscious for that. I was awake the entire time. I was just too weak to open my eyes. I sighed. "As much as I hate it, we can't tell him about Agravaine."

Merlin made a face. "You hate Agravaine. He took it too far this time. Arthur needs to know."

"Not until we have any proof," I promised him. "Once we have enough evidence, we'll go to Arthur. I don't think he's going to budge when it comes to Agravaine, no matter how much I wish he'd pick me."

There was a knock at the door, and it opened to reveal Arthur. Merlin moved to get up (because we were technically in an intimate position), but I held onto him. If Merlin didn't physically stay between Arthur and I, I couldn't trust myself on what I'd do.

"I think I owe both of you an apology," Arthur started.

Merlin shook his head. "Not to me." He looked down at me. "To Lizzie."

Arthur looked at me as he said, "Yes." He turned his head in Merlin's direction. "Merlin, will you give us a moment?"

Trying his luck, Merlin asked, "Does mean I get the morning off?"

I actually managed to smile at his joke as Arthur answered, "Yes." But before Merlin could get too excited, Arthur continued. "Yes, you can have the morning off to...clean my chambers, polish my armour, and launder my clothes."

Merlin pulled himself away from me, and this time I let him, but I held on to one of his hands. "You certainly know how to apologize."

I looked up at him. "Come back quick," I told him. After everything I just went through, I really just wanted to lie in bed and hold him.

Merlin caressed my face with his hand and nodded before leaving the room.

After an awkward thirty seconds, Arthur walked over to my bed. I looked away from him as he sat in the chair that Merlin was in before. "Are you all right?"

"Did you really just ask that?" I asked as I still didn't look at him.

Arthur sighed. "I made a mistake."

"Not your first," I retorted just as quickly.

"Elizabeth-" he started.

I suddenly turned to look at him. "I am your sister, Arthur. How could you think, even for a second, that I'd turn my back on you?"

. He took one of my hands, and even though I wanted to snatch it away, I didn't. "I'm sorry. I'm so, deeply sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me." He shook his head. "I know. I know that you'd never betray me, that you'd never leave me for Morgana. But I just..."

Was having your head messed with by your corrupt uncle, I thought to myself, but I couldn't say that to him without making the problem worse. Instead of finishing his sentence, Arthur asked, "Elizabeth...who abducted you?"

"I don't know," I lied. If Arthur couldn't be truthful with me, I couldn't be truthful with him. As long as Agravaine stood between us, we couldn't stand together. "But I'm sure that they were working with Morgana. She was there. I saw her." I looked down at my hand and lifted it up for him to see. "There's still dried blood underneath my fingernails from when I attacked her."

Arthur observed the flecks of blood on my nails before asking, "What did they want?"

"What does Morgana ever want?" I responded. "Information about Camelot, information about you... All Morgana's ever wanted was to bring down the kingdom and take the throne for herself."

Softly, Arthur asked, "Did they get it?"

I wanted to stay mad at him, I really did, but I couldn't stay mad at his face for long. And I didn't blame him for being a bit skeptical. Even though it was Agravaine currently feeding the lies, it was Morgana that created the doubt within him, and my refusal to tell him about Morgana in the first place that created doubt about me.

I shook my head. "That witch didn't get a single word out of me." I actually wanted to say, "bitch" in place of "witch", but it wouldn't've been appropriate.

He lifted my hand to his mouth, kissing it softly. "I'm grateful."

"You should know, Arthur," I started. "You are my family now. I'd never leave you willingly. You are all I have left in this world. And I'd never do anything to betray that trust. Not again."

Arthur nodded as he looked down at my hands. For some reason, I kept going. "One day, Arthur Pendragon," I started, and he looked up at me. "One day, you will realize how great your kingdom truly is. You will see that I'm not the only person that is standing behind you, who believes in the world that you want to create. One day you will understand just how much has been done for you."

He nodded once again, though this time more thoughtfully. "I love you, Elizabeth," he said.

I smiled at him. "I love you, too."

There was one thing I had to do.

I knocked on the door, and at the person's permission, opened the door and entered the room.

Agravaine was sitting at his desk, going over some sort of paperwork. He faked a smile when he saw me walk in. "Ah! Elizabeth. So good to see you back on your feet."

"Gaius said that walking would help me heal faster," I explained as I strolled over to his desk. I stopped beside his chair as I said, "I have something to show you, Agravaine."

"What is it?" he asked.

I reached to my side for my sword, and I drew the long, thick blade. I relished at the familiar weight of it in my hands, and I held it up for Agravaine to see. "Do you see this?"

"It's a beautiful weapon," he acknowledged, though now I knew he was starting to question what was going on.

"It was a gift," I told him, running my hand lightly against the hilt. "From Arthur to me on my birthday, many years ago." I started to pace, moving to the front of his desk. My back was to Agravaine as I continued. "I thought it was a beautiful weapon at the time as well, so I've never used it. I promised myself that only a very special circumstance would persuade me to take out this sword and use it." I spun around suddenly and pointed the sword at his throat. "I've found my circumstance."

He swallowed, the lump in his throat evident as he eyed the blade that was eye level with him. "Elizabeth-" he started.

"Say my name again and I will cut out your tongue," I hissed. "Don't be surprised, Agravaine. I've been on to you for some time."

"Then why haven't you said anything to Arthur?" he asked, not even bothering to try and deny it.

"Because for some unfathomable reason, Arthur loves you," I responded. "And this way, I get to keep my eye on you. Because I have eyes everywhere, Agravaine," I told him, and I moved the blade a little more towards his face, to the point where the tip of the blade was just barely grazing his nose. "Do not think for a minute that I am not aware of what you are doing, or where you are going, or what you are planning."

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded.

"Because I love Arthur," I growled. "And I care about him too much for him to fall prey to you." I pressed the tip of the blade into his nose, and I could see his eyes twinge with pain as a small trickle of blood began to drip from his nose. "And when you chose to side with my sister and kidnapped me, you didn't put just my life in danger. You put my child's life in danger. And perhaps if you hadn't, and perhaps if I weren't with child, I wouldn't have to go this far." I tilted my head to the side. "So let this be a lesson to you, Agravaine. Go after my family again- and I mean anyone, be it Merlin or Gaius or Gwen or my child or anyone else that I love- and I will not stop myself next time."

At a small nod from Agravaine, I drew the sword back. I reached into my dress pocket and produced a small handkerchief that I used to wipe away his blood from my sword. I put the sword back into its holder. "Cross me again, Agravaine, and I promise you that it will be the last thing that you ever do."

I glared at him and turned around to leave. Just as I pulled the door open, I found Arthur standing on the other side poised to knock. He frowned as he saw me walking out. "Elizabeth? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I just wanted to discuss something with Lord Agravaine," I smiled sweetly, and I looked over at Agravaine. "Right?"

He had wiped off the blood from his nose and nodded. "Yes, that's right."

"I hope I have made myself clear," I said in a light tone as I side stepped Arthur. I was standing behind him so he couldn't see me give Agravaine a death glare.

"Perfectly clear," he responded, and I could tell he wanted to give me a dirty look, but he couldn't because Arthur was watching him.

Arthur looked over at me, and I switched my glare out for a polite smile. "Great! I should get going-Gaius wants me to rest." I curtsied to Arthur. "Arthur." I turned to Agravaine and held his stare as I dropped to a curtsy. "Lord Agravaine."

I gave him a smirk as I straightened up, and I made sure to move my cloak out of the way so he could see my sword in its holster clearly as I left the room.

That was the last time I would let Agravaine threaten my family.

TBC...

Oooh shit! Elizabeth going to mess with Agravaine!

Till next time!

REVIEW! FOLLOW! FAVOURITE! THANKS! STAY TUNED!

THE ADVENTURES OF ELIZABETH MALINOR CONTINUES...

"There's something at work here that I don't understand," Merlin muses to Elizabeth and Gwen.

"Are you suggesting sorcery?" a man asks.

Merlin rests his hand on top of the sick girl in Percival's arms, who screams at the touch, sending all around them to stagger backwards.

Gwaine pulls out his sword and parries with Leon.

"A lamia," Gaius starts. "A creature of magic. They could control the mind of a man."

Percival pushes Merlin back from the horse that the girl is sitting on top of. "Get away from her!" he growls.

"It's something about you Merlin," Gwen insists.

"It's the way she looks at you," Elizabeth agrees. "Like you're her enemy."

"We're the ones in danger, Leon!" Merlin exclaims. "She's led us to a trap!"

Until next time!