The Near Death of Morgana

Apparently he couldn't just increase the guard without a good reason. And apparently just because he had a bad feeling wasn't a good enough reason. What was the point in being king when he cannot do as he pleases? He only wanted a few more guards to patrol the walls and streets. Apparently they didn't have the capacity to do so.

Merlin glared at the knights as they started to shout loudly. They were all drunk and being rowdy. He turned from them, sighing heavily.

"Everything okay?" Morgana asked.

He smiled at her. "Everything is fine."

He could watch Uther out of the corner of his eye. He had been allowed to attend the feast as Morgana's legal guardian but he had been given a spot down by Gaius. No it wasn't proper but it was what his father had said was right. He could join in but didn't deserve to sit with them.

"You just seem a bit … on edge."

"I'm fine." He wanted to tell her of his suspicions and what he had seen but he thought that it was too risky.

A servant walked up to them and placed a box in front of her. She smiled up at the servant as he walked of and she opened it up.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"Merlin, it is beautiful."

She gathered it up in her hands and brought it closer to herself. He had gone to the jewellers when he got back and picked out the clearest crystals for her. The crystals of the cave had given him an idea and even though he knew that she would get jewellery, he knew that she would cherish his.

Another servant walked up and held out another box to her. He watched her as she stood up to open it. He looked over to his right to Arthur.

"Yours?"

He nodded. "I think I am going to out do you though."

"It wouldn't be very hard."

"Arthur is this your gift?"

Both boys turned to her as she held the dagger in her hands. Merlin wanted to hit himself for not thinking of something along those lines. It was obviously the perfect present for her.

"Yes."

"Thank you."

Morgana sat down and looked over the dagger.

"Next time, we get a join present." Merlin whispered.

Arthur chuckled.

"I will be fine Merlin. Stay and enjoy yourself."

"Are you sure?"

Morgana smiled down at him. "Relax a bit. You deserve to." She kissed his cheek before leaving them.

She chuckled to herself at how protective Merlin was. He had always been sweet in that way but he had become even more so after the assassination. She really couldn't blame him. This life had been built up for them and they had a good year. It was only a matter of time before something went wrong, wasn't it?

"Happy Birthday Morgana."

She looked up to see Morgause standing in front of her.

"I know what you did last time. I will not help you nor will I be on your side."

"Listen, I was naïve the first time. I should have asked you to come with me when I first arrived. He has got to you first and I accept that. I am happy for you Morgana."

"Why do I sense a but?"

"But he will never be the man to make magic come back." Morgause said. "He has been King for a few weeks now. Wouldn't you think that he would want to carry on his father's work?"

"And end up like him, with an arrow through his throat." Morgana stepped back from her. "Merlin will make magic legal. He is just finding the right time to do it."

"He is weak, why cannot you see that? The Eorðdracas were always making promises that they couldn't keep."

"He is biding his time."

"He will never do it then." Morgause strode forward and grabbed Morgana's upper arms. "You cannot see past the man you have fallen for. Love is a great gift but it also makes you blind. He would have already done it."

"Merlin will. He is a man of his word."

"But how long will it take?"

"As long as it needs to."

Morgana watched as Morgause's eyes continually flicked from her to over her shoulder. She grabbed her arms to try and get out of her grip. Morgause held tighter and swung her round to pin her gains the wall. She let go at the last second so that Morgana hit the wall.

Both their eyes went wide as Morgana stumbled and clipped the wall, falling down a set of steps instead.

"Merlin go and rest."

"I should have walked her back."

"Please Merlin, you will make yourself sick." Arthur placed his hand on Merlin's shoulder. "It obvious that you aren't going to leave her side. What do you want me to bring? Where are all your books on magic?"

Merlin groaned and leant forward, placing his head in his hands. "Why did I think sooner?" He got up out of his seat and ran across the room. "Will be back soon. Gone to ask the dragon."

Arthur chuckled before taking his seat next to Morgana's bedside. Merlin hadn't left the seat since she was brought into the physician's chambers. He had no idea why Merlin blamed himself for it. He had no way of knowing that it could happen.

"You had to fall for a worrier didn't you?" He said to her. "Anything would have been better than a worrier. The idiot, and he is an idiot, probably knows a spell that can save you but he has been too worried to leave you."

Even though Merlin didn't know what Arthur had said to Morgana, he wasn't going to tell him that Killgharrah had already given him a spell that would have saved her, which he used once before to save her. He cursed himself for not thinking about it. He had been cursing himself a lot recently. He should have walked her back.

But Morgause didn't get Morgana. She was still with them. He had managed to stop one thing. As soon as Morgana left the hall, he sent Arthur to go and entertain his father, told to speak to him for as long as possible. Uther had left but that was just before a guard came running in telling them that the Lady Morgana had been found lying at the bottom of the stairs.

Merlin couldn't think why Morgause hadn't taken her when she was there. But then maybe she had realised that she had chosen love. He had searched through the books, trying to find out why Morgana would have to choose between love and family but he couldn't find Morgause anywhere.

He shook himself out of his thoughts as he knocked on Morgana's door.

"Enter." He heard her through the door.

He entered and walked over to her bed, sitting on the edge of it.

"You look awful." She said.

"You look no better." He joked.

"I have a reason to look this awful. You don't."

"I was worried."

"I can tell." She grabbed his hand. "But I am fine now."

"What happened?" He asked.

"Morgause was there. I think she wanted me to be on her side."

Merlin closed his eyes and brought her hands up to his lips and kissed the back of them.

"I should have walked you back."

"Merlin, you weren't meant to know."

"But I did."

Merlin took his time and explained everything he saw in the cave from how he knew that Morgause was going to get in to Uther helping her and then her speech about magic being on top. Morgana just nodded all the way through it taking it in as slowly as he was saying it.

She took a few moments to comment after he had finished.

"If there is one thing that your father taught me over his time with us, it was that you cannot stop everything. The dreams and visions are just a way that things could go. It is destiny that shapes whether we could change it. And you did. You stopped Uther from helping her and I am still with you." She raised her hand to cup his cheek. "I will always be with you."

Merlin gave her a small smile before leaning in a kissing her.