No visits he said, but that didn't mean he couldn't talk to Luke. He sat behind a statue, waiting for Gwen, who would bring food to the prisoner. Something Morgana thought of.

"Merlin?" she said as she looked around in the hallway, a tray with food and water in her hands.

"I'm here," he whispered and he stood up. His foot got stuck in the curtain next to the statue and he almost knocked Gwen's tray from her hands. "I'm here," he repeated when he found his balance - and his dignity- again.

"I can see that," she said with her cute smile. "Morgana told me you had a message that your friend needed to hear. What is it?"

"Ah, I want to know if he already thought of a plan to escape."

"I will make sure he gets the message," she said before she walked to the dungeon. He returned to his chamber and anxiously waited until she would come back from her visit to the dungeon. He paced up and down until Gaius put him in a chair and forbade him to move.

"Gaius, this can't be right, right?" he asked when he drummed with his hand on the table. "How can it be right to let a fellow sorcerer die?"

"I don't know the answer to that Merlin," Gaius said. "I do know that it is your..."

"Yeah yeah, my destiny to protect Arthur," he said tired. "I know, but I can't let my friend die."

The door opened and he jumped up. "And?" he asked when Gwen came in.

"Ehm, he said that you did not need to worry about him," she said hesitant.

"But did he have an idea of how he is going to escape?" he asked.

"I asked him specifically, but he said he did not have the strenght to escape today. He said that if he slept, he would have enough power to escape tomorrow."

"Then it will be too late!" he shouted. "He will be executed in the morning, Arthur said so!"

"I'm sorry Merlin, I wish there was something I can do," Gwen said and she crunched her dress in her hands.

"No Gwen, you did enough, thank you," he said and smiled.

He knew what he had to do. He went to the older part of the dungeons, via stairs that were unguarded and that would leadhim deep into the dungeon. With a torch to light him the way he effortlessly found the enormous cave. He had been there a few times before after all.

"Hello? Are you there?" he yelled in the darkness of the cave and he listened for a sound. He staggered back a bit when the great dragon fell from the sky and landed on a rockformation in front of him. No matter how many times he saw it, the dragon got more impressive every time.

"Where else would I be?" he said and he sounded like he was joking. Could the dragon even joke? He sure had a weird sense of humor... "I see you have a question for me Merlin," he said and his voice echoed in the cave.

"Y-yes. I want to know how I can save my friend Luke. He is ..."

"He is imprisoned in the dungeon, just like me," the dragon said. He always knew everything that troubled him. He didn't know if he was happy with that, but until now the dragon had always given him hints to help him out. Hopefully he would do the same this time.

"Yes. How can I save him? If I don't do something he will be executed tomorrow."

"By Uther I presume," the dragon said detestful. "You know where you can find the key."

"Yes, but Arthur will stay awake tonight; he suspects I might do something."

"Then make sure he can't stay awake," the dragon said.

"How will I do that?"

"I gave you your answer Merlin," he said and he spread his enormous wings.

"Wait! That is not an answer!" he shouted but the dragon flew up and out of his sight. "Great, now I have to find a way to get Arthur so fast asleep he won't notice me." Oh, that's right, he read something about it in his book of magic. He ran back to his chamber and smiled when Gaius looked at him.

"Did you find your answer?" he said while he shook a bottle with a weird yellow mixture in it.

"Yes, I think I have," he said happily and he grabbed his great book of magic to find the sleeping spell. "Swefe nu", he said aloud and he pointed to Gaius. He immediately fell asleep, banged his head on the table and let the bottle of liquid fall on the floor. Just before it could hit the ground he stopped it with a movement of his hand. He grabbed the bottle and put it back on the table. "I'm sorry Gaius," he said before he threw the book back in its hiding place and ran to Arthurs room. When he came there he bumped into Morgana, who ran in the opposite direction of him. "Morgana, what are you doing here?" he asked surprised.

"Helping you of course," she said and she waved the keys back and forth in front of his face.

"You stole them from Arthur?"

"I only borrowed them," she said. "I'm going to the dungeon now to free Luke."

"Morgana?" The sound of Arthur's voice made them both jump.

"Do you think he already noticed that the keys are missing?" she said and she looked over her shoulder.

"No, I don't think so," he said and he put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Wait here. I will go to Arthur and think of an excuse to make him stay in his room." He ran to Arthur's room and walked in at the same time Arthur wanted to walk out. They collided with each other and of course he was the one to fall on his butt. Great, just what he needed. Arthur looked at him like he did it on purpose and sighed.

"Merlin, can't you at least knock before you enter?"

"The door was already open," he tried, but Arthur shook his head and walked back inside. "Weren't you going outside?" he asked when he closed the door behind him.

"No, Morgana just left and when she stormed outside she forgot to close the door," Arthur said. He seemed disturbed by that and stared in the fire, completely lost in thought. If he would just stay like this for a few hours he had nothing to worry about...which, of course, wasn't going to happen. He needed to put Arthur asleep so he could go back to Morgana to help her.

"What are you standing there for?" Arthur said. He was back to reality and immediately annoyed by his presence. Nothing new there.

"I eh, was wondering if you wanted something to eat."

"Something to eat? It's the middle of the day," Arthur said. "You can go now, and don't forget to polish my boots."

"Yes Arthur." He probably said it a bit too enthusiastic, because Arthur looked at him like he was a complete idiot. Also nothing new here, but he didn't like it. If he hadn't been around Arthur would have been dead a dozen times. It was a shame Arthur did not know about that. "I'll eh, start with your boots then," he said hastly and he walked to Arthur's bed. Arthur stared in the fire again and he got a little closer so he could see him. "Swefe nu," he whispered and he pointed to Arthur, whose head suddenly leaned back on the back of the chair. His mouth hung open and he was snoring, so... succes, right? He waved above his head, but Arthur didn't react at all. Good, this spell should keep him in his chambers until dinner. He locked the door from the outside with another spell and ran back to the place where he'd left Morgana.

Not there. He looked around frantically, but didn't see her in the hallways or on the stairs. Did she already go to the dungeon? That was too dangerous! If Uther found her there...

He ran to the dungeons as fast as he could and looked down from the stairs to see if the guards were still there. To his surprise they both lay on the ground, unconscious. What happened here? He ran even faster and got to the cell Luke was supposed to be.

"Oh? I see Merlin has come to visit me as well, how nice," Luke said with his usual jolly grin.

"Merlin, did Arthur stay in his room?" Morgana asked. She just opened Luke's cell so he could walk out.

"Morgana, why are you here? I told you it is too dangerous for you to help Luke escape," he said. "And what did you do to the guards? They are unconscious!"

"Ah, I saw her," Luke said and his eyes glinstered with joy. "She knocked them out. You have some fine women in Camelot Merlin, I'm jealous." He smiled at Morgana, who stared at her dress with a slight smile on her face.

"Luke, you need to get out of here," he said and he pulled Luke's sleeve. "They will execute you in the morning. If you call your Griffin when you're outside I'm sure you'll be able to escape."

"Ah, that will be a bit difficult," Luke said. "You see, Griffin and I have been apart since you last saw me. He sometimes hunts in the dark forests of Gudrun and he stays there for a few days before he returns to me. I won't be able to call him from here."

"Then what should we do?" he said desperate and he ruffled with his hands through his hair. "The other guards will be here any moment for a change of shifts."

"The passage-way through the older part of the dungeon," Morgana said. "We used it once when you brought me to the druids, remember?"

"He? You helped this beautiful woman escape from the castle?" Luke grinned. "This is getting better and better. How are you two related exactly?"

"Not like anything you are thinking right now," he said, a bit embarrassed. "But it is a good idea to escape via the old passage-way. If you go back upstairs Morgana before Uther finds out you're gone..."

"Not a chance!" she said offended. "I will help you and that is final."

"You should give the lady what she wants Merlin," Luke said in a singing voice. "And besides, I don't mind the presence of a fine lady a little longer. Lead the way milady, I will follow you."

"Luke, what are you doing?" he said. Luke pressed his finger on his forehead and grinned.

"Get that frown off your face Merlin, you know what I'm doing. It has been a while since I have seen such a beautiful woman,of course I will try to seduce her. And? Am I doing a good job?" His last question was directed to Morgana, who put her nose in the air and had the same slight smile on her face she had seconds ago when he complimented her.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about? Seducing me? It will take a lot more to do that."

"Oh, that sounds interesting," he said while he followed her deeper into the dungeons. "Please, do tell. What do I need to do to seduce you?"

"Like I will tell you that," she said and laughed. "You will have to find that out yourself."

"I already like her," he said. He didn't say anything and only sighed heavily. Luke's strange habit...

"Luke, she's Uthers ward, don't get any idea's."

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about," he said in exactly the same tone Morgana had used before. Shelaughed and to his surprise it sounded kind, not the sarcastic laugh she often used against Arthur. Was she actually enjoying Luke's comments?