"What is this place?" Merlin breathed, looking around the cave the man - the Druid? Few others ever called him Emrys - had led him to. White glowing crystals covered the walls, ceiling, and floor as if he'd stepped inside a geode the size of a building. The air crackled with energy that resonated with his magic, with his very being.

"This is where magic began. It is the Crystal Cave," Taliesin said.

Something cut through the resonance to tug at him. He stumbled forward, eyes darting about and unable to fight off the draw. His eyes landed on a set of crystals.

"Hello, Brother," the woman said as she stepped into the light and he drew his sword.

"But why would Mordred want to kill Arthur?"

"Ah, good, Mordred. Right on time. This is Kara."

Aredian frowned as he picked up a shard of broken pottery.

"Lancelot, I've always known you weren't of noble blood."

Lady Anna of Garlot took the dragonlord's hand and led him to her chambers.

"There has to be a way to ensure the child won't have magic," Uther said and Ygraine looked considering.

Merlin tore his gaze away, shaking.

"What is it you see?" Taliesin asked.

"Images. Flashes. I've never seen anything like this."

"The crystals hold knowledge of what is, what has been, and what is yet to come. Look into them, Emrys," he said, pointing behind Merlin. "Really look. Much will be revealed."

Merlin turned, the crystals calling him, drawing him in. He jerked away, shaking all the more. "No! Take me… out of here," he panted. "How do I get back to Arthur?"

"The future is hidden to all but a very few, Emrys. You are one such person."

"No! This… isn't right. I can't…" Arthur, he needed to get to Arthur. Knowing the future, he'd seen what it had done to Morgana. Seen how it had scared her, nearly driven her mad. He needed to leave.

But his feet felt as rooted as the crystals and they sang to him, called to him, surrounded him. His magic felt like a light caught in their prisms.

"Perhaps there is a reason you were brought here at this moment in time."

"What reason?"

"Only the crystals can tell you. They contain futures that are not yet born. The secrets they reveal, Emrys, are unique to you, and you alone. Look into them, Emrys."

He shook his head, even as he felt drawn backward.

"Really look. Use what you see for good."

Merlin turned and moved further into the cave, the crystals' songs ringing in his ear. A group caught his eye.

"Morgana hates things like that," Guinevere pointed out.

Morgana tried to soothe her rearing horse as the wind blew around them.

He watched The Enchantress trek through the corridor in a red cloak.

"Are you going to tell her?" Mordred asked, tossing a shirt onto the dressing screen.

Wine dripped off his limp fingers into a puddle.

He jerked back, but his head turned to a new cluster of crystals.

"Morgana hates things like that," Guinevere pointed out.

Morgana tried to soothe her rearing horse as the wind blew around them.

He watched The Enchantress trek through the corridor in a red cloak.

"Are you going to tell her?" Mordred asked, tossing a shirt onto the dressing screen.

Wine dripped off his limp fingers into a puddle.

Morgana stood over a sleeping Uther with a dagger in hand.

Merlin looked away, falling to his hands and knees with the effort. He looked up.

Morgana stood over a sleeping Uther with a dagger in hand. She brought it overhead, then struck.

Uther gasped, eyes wide.

"What's that?" Merlin panted, curling in on himself. "What was that?" he repeated in a yell, but received no response. He turned his head - slowly, terrified - to see that Taliesin was gone. He closed his eyes and curled up tighter.

He's not sure how long he laid there before he uncurled and stumbled out of the cave. He didn't dare open his eyes the whole way out, though the crystals didn't call to him anymore.

Once he was out, he ran as fast as his feet could carry him until he was able to collapse at Arthur's side. He sat down next to his prince. Shaking, shivering, staring at nothing as images danced through his mind over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and…

"Merlin?" Freya said, placing her hands on either side of his face to make him look at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just want to get this done," he said, trying to turn back to Arthur's armor, but she kept his head still.

"You've been acting off since you two returned. Arthur said it started sometime after he passed out. What happened?"

"Nothing. I was just… worried about him. I thought I wasn't going to be able to heal him."

Freya shook her head and let him go to steal away the bits of armor. She then pulled him into a hug, pressing his face into her shoulder. "There's something else. We're all worried. Please, talk to me."

He gave a halfhearted attempt to pull away before collapsing into her. She felt tears on her shoulder as his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Th-there was a man. He healed Arthur and then brought me to this cave. There were crystals everywhere and they called out to me. I couldn't resist them, no matter how hard I tried. I looked into them and saw things. It was horrible. It felt like my very being was being dragged into the crystals. And the visions, I can't get them out of my head."

"Did he hurt you?" she snarled, squeezing him and she knew she had cats' eyes.

He shook his head. "I'm fine, it's just the images."

"Was it some sort of enchantment? Or curse?"

"I don't know. The crystals didn't feel dark, or light either. They just felt like magic. I can't explain it. He said-said they had the power to see into the future, or something."

She ran her fingers through his hair, being extra careful when she saw the claws tipping them. "You think the images were visions of the future?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I read about crystals like that before. When we first found out Morgana was a seer. Crystals tied to fate that can draw people in to force them to see visions of the future."

"What did you see?"

He shook his head and pressed closer to her. "N-not tonight. I can't…"

"Okay, love." She pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "I'm going to tell the others though, and you can stay with Arthur or Mordred. You shouldn't be alone like this."

He nodded and let her pull away.

She slipped out of the armory as he went back to work and wasn't surprised to find the three waiting just outside. She shut the door and said, "I'm guessing you heard it all."

"It must have been the Crystal Cave," Mordred said in an awed voice. "I was taught that it was where magic itself was born. The cave is said to exist between all worlds and the crystals there are more powerful than any others, even those that were taken from it. Only the most powerful Readers have ever been called to them, and many have gone mad from their power."

"Reader?" Freya asked.

"People who scry the future instead of having visions in their sleep," Gwen explained, surprised. "You're saying Merlin is a seer?"

"If he really did see the future in the crystals, then he has to be."

"Great. He's a warlock, a dragonlord, and now a seer. Anything else?" Arthur huffed, though worry took the edge off his voice as he continued to glance at the door to the armory.

"He's also Emrys," Mordred said.

"He'll be fine," Arthur said firmly, shoving the boy. "He'll be back to his annoying self by tomorrow."

Freya could see the uncertainty in his eyes and set her hand on his arm. "I'm sure you're right."

Merlin had to be fine. He just had to.

"Tell that idiot he can stay with me tonight. Maybe he'll be on time for once," he said, pulling away and marching off down the hall.

The group sat in silence as Merlin finished. After a moment he said, "Well?"

"So all this fuss is over something that happens on a near-weekly basis," Arthur snorted.

"Morgana's going to kill your father," Merlin said, throwing up his hands.

"Merlin, her and Morgause set a Ceffyl Dŵr loose on our hunting party two weeks ago. She's always trying to kill my father."

"She's going to succeed."

"You saw him dead?"

"No, but -"

"There you go then." Arthur slapped his back, nearly knocking him off the bed. "She'll try and fail like all the times before."

"He's right," Guinevere said before Merlin could argue. "We don't have enough information to start panicking. For all we know, what you saw won't happen for years."

"I-I guess"

"Good. Now that that is settled, you two need to get my things ready for the feast and I need to pick up Morgana's present." Arthur said, standing up. The boys frowned at the idea of chores and he and the girls left them to it.

"What did you get her?" Freya asked as the three walked down the hall.

"A fancy brush."

"Morgana hates things like that," Guinevere pointed out.

"Exactly," he said with a smirk. "It's nice enough that father will think it's a good gift, but it will annoy her to hell and back."

Ddof cleaned his paws with a purr. He loved feast days. There was so much food everywhere and everyone was too drunk or distracted to notice him sneaking some. He only wished there had been fish this time.

He heard a door close nearby and peeked out of the room he was in.

He watched The Enchantress trek through the corridor in a red cloak.

Fur bristling at the sickly smell that wafted off her, he leaped out at her. He snarled and the tamed flames on the walls shifted so their shadows made him look larger.

She screamed, leaping to the side, and then she was gone.

Turning away with a flick of his tail, he headed toward the kitchen. Maybe there would be fish there.

"SIRE!"

Arthur groaned and rolled over, pulling his pillow over his head.

"PRINCE ARTHUR!"

Thin fingers dug into his side. "Get up and see what they want."

Arthur moved the pillow up just enough for Merlin to be able to see his glare.

"PRINCE ARTHUR!"

Growling, he tossed the pillow at Merlin and stood up to march over to the door. He opened it just enough to see the guard waiting outside. "What?"

"The Lady Morgana was found unconscious at the bottom of a staircase. She's being brought to the court physician now."

Arthur jerked back, glancing at Merlin. He was sitting up in bed, looking just as shocked as Arthur.

"I-I'll be right there. Has my father been informed?"

"Someone was sent to wake him."

"Good." Arthur shut the door. "Morgana…"

Merlin nodded and got up.

As he rushed to the wardrobe, Mordred poked his head into the room. "Wha's going on?" He blinked at Merlin. "Why are you here? Did you sleep here again?"

"Morgana fell down the stairs," Merlin answered, ignoring the second question. He helped Arthur into a nightshirt and the three headed to the Physician's Chambers.

"Where have you been, Merlin?" Gaius snapped as soon as they stepped through the doors. Morgana had been placed on a table and the physician was fussing over her.

"Sorry, I was working late."

"She's having problems breathing," Gaius said in lieu of more reprimands.

"Dianthus?" Merlin asked, running over to the herbs.

"Yes, and a preparation of pulmonaria."

Merlin paused.

"Lungwort, Merlin. Quarter of an ounce, ground fine and mixed with violet. Mordred, I need water and bandages. And yarrow; we need to stop the bleeding."

"Right," the two said, doing as they were told.

"How could this have happened?" Arthur asked.

"Arthur, I need room here."

"Yes. Of course. Um...anything you need, just tell me." He watched for a moment before leaving the room.

"Gaius said her cranium is broken and she's bleeding inside. There's nothing he can do," Merlin said.

"I know she's an enemy of Camelot, so why don't I feel... relieved, I guess," Arthur growled, leaning against the mantle of his fireplace and staring into the flames.

"You two grew up together," Leon said. "She came around often when her father was alive and after, you two became like siblings."

"I think we're all going to miss her, faults or not," Gwen said, leaning against Merlin.

"I just… wish it could have been some other way," Merlin said.

Merlin's head was hanging low when he came to the door to the physician's chambers. He reached for the handle and paused when he heard Uther's voice. He leaned in to hear more.

"-ery, yes."

"I know she's dear to you, Sire," Gaius said, "but surely you're not going to risk everything for Morgana?"

"Gaius, you don't understand. There's something you should know. Something I've told no one. Morgana is my daughter."

Merlin slapped a hand over his mouth to force down any sounds of surprise.

"It was while Gorlois was away. He was fighting on the Northern Plains. Her mother, Vivienne, grew lonely."

"I understand, Sire."

"I've said enough. The people must never know who Morgana really is, for Arthur's sake."

"I assure you, Sire, your secret is safe with me.

Merlin focused all his attention on not making a single noise as he backed away to the stairs. Once he reached them, he bolted down and didn't stop until he reached Arthur's chambers. "Arthur," Merlin hissed as he stormed through the door.

"Merlin? I thought we agreed you weren't sleeping here again because we didn't want Mordred getting the wrong idea," Arthur yawned, rolling over to glare at him.

"No. I mean, yes, we did, that's not why I'm here. I'm… Gods help me, your father is going to kill me."

"What did you do now?" Arthur sighed, sitting up.

"It wasn't my fault, really. I was just going to my room. And honestly, he should have remembered I live with Gaius and even if I wasn't in my room at the time, I'd be coming home soon. So it's actually his fault that I -"

"Merlin," Arthur said, cutting over his rambling. "What happened?"

"I overheard your father talking to Gaius."

"You mean you eavesdropped on my father?"

Merlin waved him off. "I overheard them talking and he said… Well, he said Morgana… is his daughter."

Arthur went still. "Morgana's father was Lord Gorlois."

"Your father said something about him being away fighting and her mother being lonely," Merlin said awkwardly.

"That-No, that's ridiculous."

"I -"

"You must have heard wrong!"

"Arthur."

"I'm going to go talk to him."

"You can't," Merlin gasped, grabbing his arm when he tried to pass him.

"Merlin."

"Arthur."

"I'm going."

"Arthur, think about this. He told Gaius in confidence. If you show up asking questions, at best he'll realize I overheard them and kill me, at worst he'll think Gaius said something and kill him."

"He's not going to kill anyone because you misheard."

"I really think I didn't," Merlin said, tugging him back towards the bed.

"She can't be my sister."

"It explains everything," Merlin said softly. "Why he spent a year looking for her. Why he won't listen to a thing you have to say against her. Why she's second only to you."

"She's like family to us, not…" Arthur dropped onto his bed. "She can't be my sister."

"She-"

"I tried to kill her, Merlin. I tricked her into drinking poison."

Merlin wrapped him in a hug. "I know. I'm so, so sorry."

"You shouldn't have told me," Arthur mumbled into his chest, arms still limp at his sides.

"Why? So you could throw a goblet at my head and give me another lecture about keeping things from you?" he joked half-heartedly. Rubbing circles into his prince's back, he said in a more serious tone, "You deserved to know. Uther shouldn't have kept this from you. Either of you, really, but Morgana's already got enough of a reason to call me a liar and throw me off a tower."

"Considering she's on her deathbed I don't think it will make much of a difference." Arthur grabbed Merlin's hips and squeezed them before pushing him away. "You should be heading to bed."

"I'm staying here."

"Mor-"

"Mordred can think whatever he wants. I'm not leaving you like this," Merlin said, crossing his arms.

"I'm not some swooning girl," Arthur scoffed. "I don't need to have a sleepover just because I got some bad news."

"You'd do it for me."

"Because you are a swooning girl."

Merlin's eyes glittered and a pillow smacked Arthur in the face. The prince retaliated by putting him into a headlock and pinning him to the bed.

"Prat."

"Idiot."

Wyllt stared down at The Enchantress's face from his perch atop her sternum with annoyance. He hated being trapped within Ddof's domain on the best of days, but now the entire place reeked of grief that made it feel even more claustrophobic than usual.

He leaned forwards and pressed his nose to hers, looking past her closed eyelids and into her eyes. In the tongue of his people, he whispered, "Listen well, one whose truest power is of me. Fulfill my master's secret desire. Be healed of your wound and come once more through my domain."

He dropped down and stretched before leaving the room. He hoped Emrys and The King would go hunting or on a quest soon.

"Morgana's healed!"

"I swear, if you keep waking me up like this…"

"Did you hear what I said? Mordred, did you heal Morgana?"

"Heal Morgana? How would I even do that?"

"What are you talking about?" Arthur huffed, reluctantly pulling himself out of his nice, warm blanket cocoon. Merlin was standing by the dinner table and Mordred was watching him, one arm still in Arthur's wardrobe.

"Morgana. She's been healed," Merlin said, waving his arms around like an idiot.

Arthur frowned and sat up. "Healed, as in…"

"As in Gaius told Gwen just last night that she'd be gone by morning, only for Gwen to drag me out of bed half an hour ago to show me that Morgana woke up right as rain."

"Her wound?"

"Gone. Uther's proclaimed it a miracle. He's in there right now, soaking up her little innocent princess act."

"And it wasn't you?"

"You know I'm terrible at healing magic, and I would never have tried anything without talking to you first."

Arthur's eyes slid to Mordred and the boy shook his head. "As I said, I don't know a spell that can heal an injury like that."

The prince considered it. "Morgause? If she found out Morgana was hurt, she would have snuck in to heal her."

Merlin shivered. "I think if Morgause snuck into Camelot and up to the room right outside of mine, she probably would have finished what she started when she left me for the serkets."

"I think she had more important things on her mind, like healing her sister and not getting caught."

"It's not that hard to sneak around the castle," Mordred muttered.

"That's because we've got an advantage others don't," Merlin said before Arthur could decide what to throw at the younger boy. "You really think it was Morgause?"

"It's the only thing that makes sense."

Merlin nodded. "I'll go get breakfast then?"

Arthur waved him off and he slipped out the doors.

"Are you going to tell her?" Mordred asked, tossing a shirt onto the dressing screen. "About, you know, your father?"

"I doubt she'd believe me even if I tried."

Arthur was crouched over a serving boy when Gaius, Merlin, and Mordred arrived. He stood and gave them space, turning to a guard. "We need to seal the drawbridge and search the grounds. I'll inform the King."

The guard nodded and rushed off.

Arthur sent his warlocks a look, then left.

Mordred set down Gaius's bag and opened it as the physician started looking over the dead servant. Merlin knelt on the other side of the boy just as Gaius lifted his hand to check his wrists.

Wine dripped off his limp fingers into a puddle.

"Merlin, what's the matter?" Gaius asked.

"Nothing."

What's wrong?

Merlin shook his head and forced himself to focus on the inspection.

Mordred kept sending him worried looks as they finished up, moved the body out of sight until it could be picked up by family, and accompanied Gaius back to the physician's chambers.

That scene was one of my visions, Merlin said once they left to tend to Arthur, his voice shaken. He'd almost managed to forget the visions as the only one he'd seen was Morgana with the horse, but seeing the wine had dragged his nerves right back to the forefront. It was the last one before…

Should we go tell Arthur?

Go find Morgana. I'll have Freya fill in Arthur. I want to find Uther, just in case.

Mordred nodded and they ran off in opposite directions. Freya, tell Arthur I just saw the last vision before Morgana and Uther.

Are you sure?

Yes, tell him it was the dead servant. Mordred is going to check on Morgana and I'm going to keep watch over Uther.

Alright, be careful.

Merlin was almost to Uther's chambers when Mordred said, Morgana's not here!

He picked up speed and pushed through the servant's door.

Morgana stood over a sleeping Uther with a dagger in hand. She brought it overhead, then struck.

Reacting on instinct, Merlin lashed out at the windows with his magic and they blew inwards, knocking both he and Morgana off their feet.

Uther gasped, eyes wide. "What's going on?"

"Uh… the storm was shaking my windows, I-and I was scared," Morgana stammered, throwing herself at the king. "I wanted to be with you. You're the only person I feel safe with."

Merlin sighed as he spotted the dagger under Uther's bed and slipped out of the room as the two hugged. The king's safe.

She really tried then? Freya asked.

I barely got there in time.

Merlin turned a corner just as she and Arthur stepped into the hall.

"This isn't like her," Arthur said as they met. "Her and Morgause are usually sneakier than this. If she'd been caught…"

"Do you think she might know?" Freya asked.

Arthur frowned. "It would explain why she acted rashly. If she does, then she knows she has a claim to the throne. We're going to need to be more careful from now on."