Disclaimer: IDOM

Good evening, ladies and gents. I have a major headache right now, so I can hardly think much less leave you with a thought provoking AN (as if that ever happens anyway.) Just a quick note, though... If you haven't seen Thor: The Dark World, I highly recommend it. I was literally bawling in the theaters. I don't want to say why or at what part, but just know... it is so bad, and the actor that I'm in love with is so, so, so, so brilliant.

With that said, enjoy:

Chapter 16: Grounded

It only took a total of twenty minutes to record everything Mr. Hui was willing to tell them, and, to Merlin's great disappointment, Morgana wasn't factored in. Hui only called her "the woman" or "her" or "she." Never a name, never a title. Not even a description.

His story, the abbreviated version, was that "the woman" had come seeking his services a few months ago, promising him an easy, wealthy life if he cooperated. He agreed. Of course he did. She gave him a specific set of assignments—stealing objects here, taking them there. One of them had been the jewelry store break-in, which he confessed to. Another had been breaking into the private archives in the library and, more recently, she gave them an object to look for in museums. He wouldn't say what, but he said that they would stake out the place for the object and, if they think they saw it or it's identical, Hui would report it to the woman, and she would accompany them on the break-in. It was during one of these break-ins that Lyngrid was murdered.

Hui said that after trying several times and failing to find what she wanted, the woman went into a rage. Lyngrid had come running at the noise, shouting for the security guard, and the woman had killed her. Hui wouldn't say how. They left before the security guard arrived.

Percival glanced up from his notes. "So she didn't find what she wanted? Still hasn't, to your knowledge?"

Hui nodded. "I haven't heard from her since that night. She threatened to kill me if we couldn't find what she wanted."

"And it didn't occur to you to just... turn her in?" Merlin said cheekily.

"When you are dealing with a woman like her, young man, you cannot simply turn your back."

The warlock fought the urge to roll his eyes. He knew that, of course. He'd dealt with hundreds of women like that. Raged, scorned, vengeful. But Hui's cowardice wasn't helping him figure out how Morgana factored into all this. She had known about the case—said they were looking the wrong direction. What did she mean by that? How could she have known? What did she know?

"If that's all you can tell us," Perce interjected, "an officer will escort you to your cell."

"Cell?"

"Yes, Mr. Hui. You did just confess to a murder."

"But I didn't kill her!"

"You were there when she was killed, weren't you?" Percival questioned, his deep tone soft but direct.

"Well, yes, but—"

"And what did you do to prevent her murder?"

Hui's eyes darkened. "Well, nothing, but she—"

"Then you are just as guilty as the person who killed her. Thank you, Mr. Hui, for your cooperation."

As Merlin followed Perce out the door, he couldn't help but admire the man's careful tact and bravado. He was straight to the point but was discreet in his questions.

Gwaine was outside waiting for them, leaning casually against a pillar. "So... how'd it go?"

"Fine," Percival replied. "He told us what he wanted to, but we couldn't get anything else out of him. Aren't you supposed to be with Leon and Elyan?"

"Nah, they're just doing paperwork for their case. They caught the guy, I guess, so I thought I'd wait out here to bug you two."

A smirk pulled on Merlin's lips, but he still couldn't banish the disappointment from the interview with Hui. "Wonderful."

Perce lifted the small notebook. "I'd better get this to Arthur. I'll see you two later."

The sound of a door clicking shut made Merlin turn. He saw Hui, head ducked, being led towards the back of the precinct by a uniformed officer. Could he...? Gwaine, too, watched as he was led back, and Merlin waited until Hui was out of sight before turning back towards his friend.

"I'm gonna hit the restroom," he said.

"Of course you are," Gwaine replied. "Little ol' Gwaine left alone again. I'll go bug Arthur, then."

The warlock genuinely smiled. "Suit yourself," he offered, slipping off in the same direction Hui went. Merlin kept his eyes focused on where they were going, taking note of each turn they took and memorizing it as he trailed casually behind them. It was when the officer stopped behind Hui that Merlin ducked behind the corner, peering out cautiously. The man unlocked the cell door before undoing Hui's handcuffs and gently pushing him inside the cell, locking the wrought iron behind him. The uniformed man sauntered in the other direction, and Merlin took a moment to compose himself. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and schooled his features. This was probably the only one-on-one time he would have with Hui to find out the truth, to solidify his suspicions.

He stepped out from behind the corner, walking casually to the cell with a blank face. Hui glanced up at him, sneering.

"You again? Haven't I answered enough of your questions?"

"Theirs, yes."

The man snickered. "What? You have questions, too? What makes you think I'll answer anything? I was just charged with murder, remember."

"Oh, I remember quite well. I'm just wondering if you'd like to be alive for your trial?"

"What do you mean?" he snapped, eyes widening with fear.

Merlin felt hope bubble in him. Maybe he could still get him to talk. "You just told us who really killed Lyngrid. You don't think that "the woman" is just going to let you off, do you?"

"I did not tell you anything about her!"

"You told us she was involved. That's all, but that's enough. I've seen people die for less. Now tell me, what did she look like?"

Hui shook his head. "She'll k-kill me... Maybe she'll show mercy."

The warlock's eyes hardened, and his lips were pulled into a straight line. "You know she won't, Hui. Did she have long, black hair, dark eyes, and pale skin?"

"I can't say anything."

"Listen, Hui, you are in way over your head as it is. You truly don't know who you're dealing with here, so what would be best for you right now if for you to answer my questions. We can't find her if we don't know what we're looking for."

"No, you're in way over your head. You have no idea what you're dealing with. You don't know her. You do not know what she is capable of! She has—has—"

Merlin found himself leaning forward, long fingers wrapping around the bars. "What does she have?"

"No! If I tell you, you'll think I'm mad. That's the last thing I need. Maybe I am mad."

The desperate curiosity clawing at the warlock won over and, carefully, he whispered: "She has magic, doesn't she?"

Hui gave him an incredulous look, his eyes widening, and he gasped loudly. "How do you know?"

"You have to trust me, Hui. Please, I have to know."

"Why should I trust you?"

Merlin pressed his forehead against the bars, his eyes blazing. "Because I'm on your side. Because if I don't know who we're dealing with, I can't stop her. Because if you don't tell me who she is, then you are going to die by her hand, and I won't be able to do anything. I can't protect you if you won't tell me who she is."

Hui bit his lip, and Merlin could see the inward battle he was waging. Seconds later, though, he let out a short breath and spoke. "Long hair. Dark. Almost black eyes. Pale skin."

"Did she have a name?"

Hui scoffed. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

The unease stirring beneath the surface reared, like a tidal wave gathering. "Try me."

The man angled his head away for several moments, once again debating before he turned back to Merlin. "She said her name was Morgana. Like from Arthurian legend. She wouldn't tell me her real name, though. Always just 'Morgana.'"

The tidal wave crashed down on him harder and faster than he had anticipated, but the warlock kept his expression schooled, his fingers tightening around the bars of the cell. Merlin swallowed thickly as he asked his next question, jaw clenched.

"Did she find what she was looking for?"

"It's... I imagine s-she did. She didn't come back to ask for my services."

His fingers whitened against the bars now, and Merlin's face hovered centimeters from the cold steel as his voice lowered. "Hui, listen, this might be the most important thing in the world right now..." He paused to let him digest his words and the timbre in which they were said. "What was she looking for?"

Hui's eyes never left his, and Merlin could see the caution and fear running behind his irises. The warlock felt a measure of pity for him—he was just another man tied up in their never-ending war, and he didn't understand any of it. "She... she was looking for a sword."

"What sword?" Merlin pressed. "Did she give any specifications?"

"She just... Once, she went into this obsessed rant, and she kept repeating something, but I didn't understand it, and she—"

The warlock snapped. "What did she say?"

"'Mordred's sword.' That's it. She kept repeating 'Mordred's sword.'"

Merlin felt his breath stop in his throat, and for the life of him, he couldn't get his heart to beat regularly in his chest. Mordred's sword. She was looking for Mordred's sword. In shock, he let go of the bars and stumbled into the wall behind him, eyes wide as memories and emotions and thoughts and actions flew behind his pained corneas.

"Does that mean anything?"

But the warlock didn't answer. Blindly, he ran out of the holding cells and turned left, towards the bathroom as bile rose in his throat.

"Wait!" Hui cried.

Merlin only kept going. He crashed into the door and, sensing that no one was near, locked it behind him with a flash of his eyes. Merlin rushed into the nearest stall and leaned in towards the porcelain bowl as he was sick, putting his hands on the open lid in front of him. He clenched his eyes shut as his stomach and throat burned.

Mordred's sword. She was looking for Mordred's sword. After all this time...

He'd forgotten about it.

The warlock's stomach clenched again, sharply, and he retched again as he began to tremble violently and tears pressed against his closed eyelids.

How could he have forgotten?

How could he have been so irresponsible?

And she'd found it.

He was sure of it.

Merlin collapsed against the stall wall, breaths coming in short gasps as hot tears slid down his cheeks and his insides burned as a result from being sick. Another wave of nausea hit him and he pulled his knees up to his chest, burying his face in his denim jeans as he swallowed the hot bile in his throat.

How could he have missed that?

Mordred's sword. Excalibur's equivalent. Begotten in the breath of a dragon. Indestructible. Magical. Invincible.

And sure to kill.

Anyone.

Again.

Merlin sniffed and rubbed his sleeve across his face. Morgana had found Mordred's sword, and the warlock knew exactly who she wanted to use it on.

The war wasn't over.

And during the fifteen hundred years of waiting, Merlin knew, deep in his heart, despite all his hope and wishes and dreams, that it never truly had been.

Also, thanks to his headache, I can't work on my NaNo (which I'm a little behind on, surprise, surprise). Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up this week, though. :)

Goodnight, all! Sleep well! :)