My thoughts consumed me as I walked to the kitchens to get Arthurs Breakfast. The whole situation seemed so much worse now I pondered Arthur's presence in the dream. Was he ready to learn about magic? Was he ready to fulfil his destiny? Hell, was I ready for him to know? I was so used to playing the part of the bumbling servant who occasionally sprouted a few words of wisdom now and again, that I couldn't help but be worried. I wondered what would change if Arthur found out.

His whole perspective of me would change and in light of that, I doubted if I would ever be able to be his servant again. But I so wanted our relationship to stay the same, over the years we had created a strong friendship with an underlying sense of comradeship and loyalty in it, mixed with some teasing and light bullying on Arthur's behalf. More than anything I didn't want to lose his friendship, but deep down I knew it would never be the same.

My thoughts turned back to Morgana, how did she fit into all this? I knew Arthur deep down believed he could bring the loving girl we all once knew and loved back from the past back to the present. But I had my doubts; Morgana was consumed by corruption and a want to kill. The way she saw it, anyone and everyone was her enemy. I knew she thought she was doing right and I knew she was lonely and just wanted to be accepted but I couldn't forgive her for going to Morgause, for betraying us so fully.

Ah, but you betrayed her too when you shoved poison down her throat, a cruel voice said in my mind. I tried time and time again to tell myself that it was to save the kingdom. But somehow I couldn't quite forgive myself; it was like I knew that somehow there must have been another way. Morgause didn't have her fully converted to her when she had attacked. I knew at the time, that Morgana was still confused and scared. I should have saved her and shown her the evil ways of her so called sister. But instead I listened to the dragon.

Kilgharrah I sighed thinking about him. My kin, my brother in magic and heart. I missed him, he had guided me so well these years, and although we had our ups and downs, his hatred for Morgana being one, not to mention his escape and the chaos that came after, we were still extremely close. He was my kin, my dragon; he understood me and knew me like no other. He knew my thoughts before they were out of my head. I longed for a time when we could show our bond freely as dragon and dragon lord and show the whole of Albion the beauty of magic and all of its creatures. But that time was a long way off and I knew that the people of Camelot would have a hard time forgiving him his slaughter of hundreds of people. It didn't stop me wishing though.

'Merlin?'

Gwen. Lovely kind hearted Gwen brought me out of my musings.

'Morning Gwen, you look lovely today, anyone you looking to impress?' I asked cheekily.

'Don't be silly,' she replied.

I liked Gwen. She was my first friend here and she was a lovely giving person who loved Arthur completely, but I couldn't help but wonder that if Lancelot had been around, she wouldn't be waiting for Arthur so patiently.

I firmly believed that there was one person for everyone on this earth; I knew it was kind of cheesy but I believed in the idea of soul mates. Freya hadn't been mine, as much as I liked her and missed her, I knew my feelings for her had been sprouted by sympathy for her situation and her want for life .I knew given time we would have been the best of friends, but nothing more. I knew she wasn't the girl for me. But Gwen, she seemed so determined in Arthur, yet had lusted openly for Lancelot, and part of me didn't want to forgive her for that.

'Are you heading for the kitchens?' She asked.

'Yes', I replied 'Arthur's breakfast.'

Gwen laughed 'It's a bit late isn't it?'

'Yeah I didn't sleep well.'

'Well, I'm sure he'll forgive you,' She paused and laughed at my dubious expression 'eventually.'

'Yes well you're making me even later,' I joked.

'I'll let you go then, see you later Merlin,' she waved and continued around the corner her arms filled with laundry.

I continued into the kitchens where I received a stern lecture from Mary the head cook about my tardiness and then gave me Arthur's breakfast and I continued on my way. The castle was so familiar to me now. It was my home. I loved my mother very much and missed her acutely. But Camelot had become my home; the people who I considered to be the rest of my family were here. Besides it was a much more interesting place to live than Ealdor, despite the warning of a death sentence hanging around my neck.

I pushed open Arthurs chamber door with my spare hand and was startled to find him already up glaring at me from behind his desk.

'Rise and shine?' I ventured.

'You're late,' he said bluntly, his blonde arrogant head gleaming in the morning sunshine that spilled through his window.

'I am,' I replied.

'I assume you have a perfectly good explanation?' He asked.

I considered what to tell him and eventually decided on something which was vaguely true.

'I didn't sleep very well last night.'

'Aw, is Merlin having nightmares?' He asked nastily. I felt a flash of irritation, if only he knew the half of it.

'You have no idea,' I mumbled. I laid down his breakfast in front of him and set about making his bed.

'Did Gaius not read you a bedtime story?' He continued to tease me, his blue eyes twinkling with mirth. I sighed and did not reply.

'What no reply Merlin? Wow, that nightmare must have been scary.'

I gave no reply; once again he had no comprehension of the gravity of the situation or the dread that lay in the depths of my stomach. Ah, but you can't tell him what really happened can you, so how can you blame him for his teasing? I cursed myself and my forgiving brain; I could somehow never bring myself to hate Arthur for anything. That was the difference between me and Morgana.

Arthur seemed to realise something was bugging me and he frowned.

'Are you okay?' his voice serious now. He seemed to have clicked that I wasn't feeling my best.

'Just a feeling,' I replied vaguely.

'A feeling…' Arthur trailed off with one eyebrow raised.

'I don't know, I just think something is going to happen.'

'Well we can't run Camelot off of your feelings Merlin,' Arthur replied.

'Yes you do a much better job,' I kept my sarcasm subtle and I heard the pause as he seemed to determine whether or not I was mocking him. He decided I wasn't.

'What do your feelings tell you Merlin?' he asked taking a sip from his goblet his blue eyes watching me.

'That Morgana is coming back,' I don't know why I was being so reckless but the panic from my dream was setting in. How could I just wait around and not warn the King that a magical attack could be happening sometime soon. On the other hand I knew I couldn't actually tell him.

'Morgana?' Arthur asked then paused. 'She's been quiet, probably nursing her sister back to health, I doubt she's ready to attack us.'

I noticed the way he twisted the word 'sister' his opinion of Morgause wasn't a high one.

'What if she's dead?' I asked.

'Morgana?' he asked stupidly.

'Morgause you clotpole,' I said rolling my eyes.

'Oi,' he said pointing a finger at me and mock glaring.

'I'm serious Arthur, what if she is dead, grief can make you do reckless things, and Morgana is naturally reckless.'

'What makes you such an expert on her Merlin?' he asked.

'Nothing,' I replied quickly not wanting him to get suspicious. 'Like I said, it's just a feeling.'

'Yes well, your feelings aside I have training practice with my knights later so you need to polish my armour, sharpen my sword…' He carried on with his list of things but I was barely listening, my thoughts were on her, always on her.

It was sometime later I returned to Gaius's chambers, he was waiting for me it seemed. He was pacing anxiously and there were books thrown across his chambers. He had obviously been doing research.

'Have you found anything?' I asked excitedly my thoughts turning to the weird spell that had occurred between me and Morgana in the dream.

'No,' Gaius said, and came to a stop.

'Oh,' I said and waited for him to continue.

'But I do know that what you saw was a vision of the future,' he finished.

'Oh,' I said again.

So it was going to happen. Morgana was coming, my thoughts swirled in a mad panic as I tried to prepare.

'Wait, how do you know this?' I asked I took up Gaius's previous pacing.

'There's a book on fore dreams and visions, its old and I haven't looked at in a while but something just told me to,' Gaius paused. 'When a seer is distressed they can't receive a vision, that's why they normally get them at night, when they are most peaceful and relaxed. But if a particular vision comes and the said seer isn't waiting to receive it, then a magical person they are bonded with receives it instead.'

'So you're saying I received Morgana's vision because she was too distressed to receive it?' I asked confused.

'Exactly,' Gaius replied.

'But I'm not bonded with her,' I said.

'Maybe not in friendship or romance Merlin, but you are through destiny,' he replied.

'The darkness to my light,' I mumbled repeating Kilgharrah's past words.

'What?'

'Nothing,' I replied. 'So what do I do Gaius?'

'I don't think there's anything you can do Merlin,' Gaius said 'Morgana is her own person who is probably blinded by grief, you won't be able to stop her coming.'

'And there's no way of knowing when she is coming is there?' I asked. 'So I can't make sure Arthur is anywhere around without knocking him out for several weeks.'

'I'm afraid not my boy, visions are helpful but they are not very specific,' Gaius replied.

'What do I do about the spell?' I asked.

'Merlin we don't know what that spell is let alone what it will do.'

I considered this. That spell could be something harmful or something completely different; there was no way of knowing without just letting it happen.

'But its caused by us sending spells at each other,' I said my thoughts running wildly 'Maybe it's to do with the spell I send, what if I send a different one at her? What if I don't send one at all?'

'What and just let her kill you and then Arthur?' Gaius asked.

I sniffed. Maybe not.

'I don't think you should change anything Merlin, playing with the future is a dangerous thing and not without consequences, maybe you should ask the great dragon for help?' Gaius suggested.

'No, there's no point, I know what he would say,' I said.

'And what's that?'

I tried to mimic his deep booming voice.

'None of us can change our destiny Merlin…or maybe…the witch must die, strike her with everything you have,…in fact he'd probably give me a hand,'

Gaius did not seem amused.

'I think you should just let this play out.'

'What and let Arthur learn my secret? I don't think he's ready Gaius.'

'I disagree.'

'Well maybe you'll take your words back when you're watching me burn,' I snapped. I paused as I saw Gaius's shocked face.

'I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, I'm just scared Gaius.'

'Of course you are Merlin, I'm scared for you my boy,' Gaius said 'but I promise, and I firmly believe that you will not burn, but become the greatest Warlock Albion will ever know.'

I Sighed.

'She doesn't know what she's started does she,' I said my thoughts turning back to Morgana, always back to her. 'She must be so lonely.'

'Now, Merlin, you must remember she's not the same, she wants your blood and your head on a platter.'

'I know, but I still miss her,' there was a pause and then….

'Me too my boy, me too.'

'Well we best sit down and remember exactly what happened in this dream and work out a battle plan,'

'I thought you weren't going to change anything?' Gaius said sternly

'I meant in dealing with Arthur afterwards.'

The thought wasn't comforting.

Let me know what you think.