Season 2, Episode 7

Story 20: Behind the Scenes

Chapter 4: The Great Escape

Morgana's heart was pounding as she heard the guard announce her presence to Uther. She had made up her mind and she wasn't going to change it, but she was terrified. "The Lady Morgana seeks an audience with you," the guard said loudly.

"Let her in," Uther said.

The guard returned and opened the door wide for Morgana to pass through. Uther was sitting at the end of the long table, a pile of paperwork was sitting before him. Arthur was sitting to his right with a slightly smaller pile of paperwork in front of him.

Arthur's eyes hardened when he saw Morgana. He knew it was coming, but that didn't mean he was ready for it.

Arthur put down his quill and tensed as he waited for Morgana to speak. He had barely been able to concentrate on his work because he was so anxious for what was coming. If Uther noticed Arthur's tension, he didn't say anything about it.

Uther was watching his ward, surprised that she had sought an audience with them. She normally wouldn't do such a thing.

Morgana was shaking as she approached Uther. "Th-th-there's something I n-n-need to t-t-tell you," Morgana stuttered. She had practiced what she was going to say, but now that the moment had come, she couldn't remember what words she had rehearsed earlier. In fact, she could barely remember any words at all. She had yearned for the chance to be herself, for the chance to be honest and now that it was here, she was blanking.

Uther's eyebrows shot up his forehead. He had never seen Morgana so nervous before. She was normally so composed and tough. It was one of the things she acquired from her father.

Morgana couldn't bring herself to tell him she had magic. Not yet, so she chose to admit something that she had yet to say out loud.

"I'm engaged," Morgana told him, tears in her eyes. It had been easy for her to say, because it was something that had caused her so much happiness since Merlin had given her his mother's ring.

Arthur looked at her uncertainly. He wasn't sure where she was going with this. He had thought she was going to tell Uther about her magic. Had she changed her mind?

"What?" Uther asked. He looked like he wasn't sure how to respond. Morgana had always been so composed and so levelheaded. He couldn't fathom how she went from her usual self to recklessly associating with sorcerers and announcing engagements. "To whom?"

"Merlin," Morgana told him seriously. A small smile crossed her face. "I am engaged to Merlin. I love him and he loves me; we are to be married. Surely you would not kill my betrothed."

"His hold over you is stronger than I had ever anticipated," Uther said. He looked at her with pity. He should have realized when she confessed her love to him earlier that it was serious. "I wish I had recognized the signs before it got to this point."

"It's funny," Morgana said softly. "You accuse Merlin of corrupting me, but never considered that the opposite might be true. Blostma." She held out her hand so Uther could see the flower forming in her palm. Merlin usually made roses with the spell, but Morgana hadn't managed to control it yet. Instead, a beautiful yellow sunflower was sprouting. When she had completed her spell, she looked up at Uther. "I did not know of Merlin's magic until he discovered mine. He is a good man. If not for him, I probably would have killed you long ago. Your hatred of magic and the people that practice it stem from your own cowardice, not your bravery."

Uther was staring at Morgana horrified. He didn't know what to say. She was his ward, he had promised to keep her safe. But her crimes were unforgiveable. She had practiced magic.

"You… you are a witch," he said. His voice sounded hollow. He was almost overwhelmed by the betrayal. His own ward.

"I am," Morgana said strongly. "It is not something I am ashamed of. You live in fear of my kind, but what have we ever done to you. What have I ever done to you?"

"It's not what you have done, but what you are destined to do," Uther spat at her. "I will not allow you to corrupt my kingdom."

"I cannot corrupt it any further than you already have," Morgana said softly.

"Guards," he called. He turned away before he gave the order, unable to watch. "Arrest her."

Arthur watched as Morgana was dragged away. The knights weren't overly rough with her, but they weren't gentle.

"I'll go with them," Arthur muttered to him, leaving his father alone to gather his thoughts. Arthur followed Morgana out the door. She was unceremoniously shoved in the cell right next to Merlin's. Once the guards had resumed their post at the top of the stairs, Arthur walked towards Morgana. "Sunset is in an hour. We will do it then." His whisper was barely audible, but a nod from Morgana told him she heard him.

Arthur was tense as the sun started to set. He left his chambers and made his way down to the dungeons. He tried to avoid his knights. The less people that saw him, the better. He didn't want anyone to be able to say he had been here right before Merlin and Morgana had escaped.

When he got down there, he wasn't surprised that Merlin and Morgana were in the same cell. They were both sitting on the ground, Morgana's head resting on Merlin's shoulder. Merlin was rubbing small circles into her shoulder and was whispering something into her ear.

Arthur almost hesitated, not because he was backing out, but because he didn't want to ruin the moment. Reality returned to him though and the reality was, they just didn't have time for this right now.

"Quickly," he whispered. Both of them looked up at him, their eyes filled with determination. "We must leave now." Arthur unlocked their cell door, looking over his shoulder every couple of seconds to make sure no one was watching.

Morgana and Merlin followed Arthur further into the dungeons. He led them down twists and turns deeper under the castle than they have ever been. He didn't stop until they got to a rotting wooden door. Vines crept up it and it looked like it hadn't been opened in centuries.

"This will lead you to our panic room," Arthur whispered. "My father showed it to me once, long ago. We have it in case our enemies overpower us and there is no chance of us surviving or saving Camelot. When you go through, you will see much parchment and ink. That is so we would be able to contact our allies. Under the table with that parchment and ink is a small door. Pull it open and go down the tunnel. When you reach the end, you will be out of Camelot. It leads you right to the woods."

Arthur opened the creaky door, cringing at how loud it was. He looked into the dusty room, remembering when his father showed it to him. Arthur hadn't been entirely honest with Merlin and Morgana. His father hadn't shown him this room as a possible escape if they were being overwhelmed. He had shown it to him to explain how they were stronger than their ancestors. Their ancestors had needed a place to hide, an escape route. "We have learned from them and so we use them as an example," his father had told him. "Their cowardice sets the course for our bravery."

Watching Merlin and Morgana disappear, Arthur couldn't help but disagree with his father. They weren't being cowards. They were braver than his father could comprehend.

Merlin turned back around to face Arthur. He hesitated. "I know that what we are disgusts you and that you believe us to be evil. I also know that you are doing this for Morgana and not for me, but I appreciate your help all the same. Thank you," Merlin said. He extended his hand to Arthur.

Arthur stared at it for a moment. He wanted to shake it, he truly did, but he couldn't make himself. He wasn't ready for that. "You must hurry. I will lock the door behind you, but it will not be long before they are searching for you," Arthur warned.

An indescribable emotion crossed over Merlin's eyes as Arthur shut the door. Arthur knew he would never forget the look on his face. Arthur heard the creaking of the trap door and then there was silence. He knew they were gone.

Arthur was back to his chambers before the knights discovered Merlin and Morgana's absence. He ran out, as if he were just as surprised by the warning bells as everybody else was. He went to the council chambers, where he knew his father and the knights would be gathered.

When he entered, he was instantly assigned a sector of Camelot to search for them. Arthur didn't delay in leaving with a team of three other knights to do their assigned job.

Merlin and Morgana were silent as they climbed through the tunnel. They didn't dare talk in case their voices would carry in some way. They were deep in the tunnel when it started shaking. The warning bells reverberated deeply through the tunnel. Merlin jumped at the sudden noise, banging his head on the ceiling.

"Ouch," he moaned.

"Come on," Morgana whispered. "We must keep going!"

Merlin nodded. "Hold on. Let me create a light," he whispered. With a flash of gold, a little ball of fire hovered before them. They followed its path for what felt like hours.

"If we're not out soon, they will catch us," Morgana warned.

"We'll be fine. They won't find us," Merlin promised her.

Deep down, he wasn't so sure. If Arthur had had a change of heart, they could be walking right into a trap. Merlin didn't want to frighten Morgana, so he kept those thoughts to himself.

After a few more minutes they could see the light at the end of the tunnel. They froze when they heard voices outside of the tunnel. They didn't dare turn back for fear that whoever was outside the door would hear them.

Merlin looked through the bars that blocked the end of the tunnel. He only saw a grassy foliage, but he knew that if someone were to look down the tunnel they would be seen. Merlin could already feel the moonlight reflecting on his pale skin. After a moment, when no one called them out on their hiding place, Merlin and Morgana relaxed enough to listen to what the voices were saying.

"We cannot strike now, not with the warning bells," a gruff voice said.

"Who would've guessed? Arthur's manservant and Uther's ward. Sorcerers," an amused voice replied. "Wish we had known. They could have helped us."

"Nothing we can do about that now. I think we should strike now. It's the perfect time. Uther won't expect us," a third voice said. "We can go to him with an update and kill him."

Morgana dug her fingers into Merlin's hand. She scarcely dared to breathe. Merlin's heart was pounding. They were plotting to kill the king. Merlin despised Uther, but he didn't want him dead.

"But how?" The first man demanded. "He's guarded. We can't get through to him. They're ready for an attack and magic or not, we're going to kill a lot of good men before we even have a chance to get to him."

"We do have our secret weapon though. Send him in first and Uther wouldn't dare attack him," the second man pointed out. "He's the last person Uther would expect to attempt an assassination."

"He'll know right away that he's under a spell, so he won't dare fight as well as he could. He won't want to hurt him," the third man agreed.

"I agree," a fourth man said. Merlin froze. He recognized that voice. That man stepped in front of the grate and Merlin's hand went over Morgana's mouth to stifle her gasp. It was Arthur.