My imagination ran away on me and this it what it brought back. Hey, I don't know either.

Enjoy, and, as always, make sure to review! :)

Again taking a careful measure to avoid that damn vase near Arthur's chambers, Merlin went directly to those occupied by Analise. He knocked on the doors and pushed them open to see her standing in the center of the room, brandishing her sword.

"Yes?"

"Are you alright Analise?"

"Fine."

She twirled the sword in her hand, slicing at an imaginary opponent. Her swordsmanship was her strongest quality; she was one of the best fighters Merlin had ever seen, though coming from him, that probably didn't hold a whole lot of merit. Though she could hold her own against Arthur, and on that much he was certain.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she insisted, sheathing the sword.

Taking the opportunity now that she no longer held the weapon, he seized her by the shoulders and look carefully at her. There was a conflict behind her eyes, he could see it, plain as anything. Analise was fighting against Nimueh and slowly losing. She was silently pleading to him, that much he could see as well, begging for help.

"I'm going to help you. I promise. Just like you've helped me all those times."

She didn't respond, still fighting, but gave him a look that was a mixture of desperation and thanks.

"I won't let this happen to you."

He noticed her hand go to the hilt of her sword, and he took a couple of quick steps backward as she pulled it out of its scabbard, eyes swimming dark black as Analise lost the battle inside her. She placed the point of the sword against his chest and smirked maniacally.

"You'd best be careful Merlin. I still have the upper hand here."

He let out a slow, shaky breath; it was time to get in touch with the Analise he knew was still inside, desperate to get out.

"You're so much stronger than this, Ana, I know you are. I've seen you defeat people who were stronger than you, better than you. I know you're still in there, and I know you can hear me. You have to fight this, fight Nimueh, just long enough for me to help you. I won't leave you to fight this on your own."

Her eyes squeezed shut and her hand clenched around the sword; she was truly trying to fight Nimueh off. Merlin rubbed his hands together, then held his right out in front of him and began to recite the spell he was sure he could recite in his sleep (which, honestly, he was pretty sure he had). Half-way through, a powerful force pulled him off his feet and threw him back into the wall of her room. His head clanked hard against the stone and he was almost certain that he went blind for a few moments.

"I'm not going away that easily," she said, walking over to him.

"I won't let you kill her."

"It won't be me that kills her, Merlin. It'll be her magic, and her inability to control it."

That stoked a fire in Merlin which consumed him; despite the stars around his vision and the ringing in his ears, he leapt to his feet, which, in hindsight, wasn't his best decision, but the adrenaline rushing through his veins helped him avoid any immediate hindrance. She had dropped her sword after casting the spell, which he summoned and held it out in front of him, not completely sure what to do with the bloody thing but willingly to try.

She laughed that same sinister laugh from his dream. "Please. What do you know about fighting?"

"For Analise, I'd do anything.'

"If you wish to fight me, so be it. I'll enjoy this."

Another sword materialized in her hand, and she beckoned him forward. He let out a deep breath, diving headfirst in a decision that could very well get him killed; the most he could do with a sword was swing it about as if he knew what he was doing. The sound of metal upon metal was all that could be heard throughout the room, and Merlin fought with an ability he didn't know he possessed, though he suspected he unconsciously brought magic into the mix. They fought for a solid ten minutes, an excellent effort on Merlin's part, before he managed to knock the weapon out of her hands and brought the blade of his own down across her shoulder. That caused the adrenaline to disappear real quick, once the reality of what he did hit him; he had no time to feel sorry, though, and he threw his own sword aside and reattempted the spell.

"Ic þín sáwol hér beléac, abide þæt ic þé álíese."

The magic coursed through his entire being and everything tinged gold for a moment before returning to normal; it wasn't immediately apparent if the spell worked, and he just stood and watched her clutch her bleeding left arm, praying to the higher powers above that it worked. Then an extremely disturbing presence filled the room and a black mist slowly drifted across the floor, away from Analise and towards the bed.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked, his voice low and desperate.

She looked to him with those familiar green eyes; they were Analise's again, bright and inviting. "Thank you."

He immediately dropped next to her, thanking everyone in the universe; he took her arm and ran his thumb over the wound, not particularly sanitary but Merlin didn't particularly care, and gave her a sympathetic puppy look.

"Yes Merlin. Thank you."

They both looked; standing there, completely human again, the full persona of Nimueh stood near the bed, smirking gleefully.

Well, that wasn't supposed to happen.