Chapter 17: Bonnie and Clyde

"It's not just about magic then?" Morgana asked as she watched Merlin select a metal pin from a small, leather wrap and press it against a few points on Mordred's Gauntlet.

"It's a bit of both," he explained as he worked. "The Knights have a special device called a Shield which allows them to access the controls and adjust the settings at a basic level without magic but, for the really subtle stuff, you need to make both mechanical and magical adjustments. Although, I'm mostly using magic to over-ride the inbuilt security systems at the moment."

She shuffled her chair a little closer and leaned in to get a better view. "So someone unofficial who doesn't have magic can't adjust them?"

"No-one unofficial should be able to adjust them at all," Merlin replied. "I can only do it because my magic can't be detected."

She nodded. "Oh. So could I?"

"I expect so. With training."

"And those Gauntlets you've taken away?"

He leant back and eyed his work critically. "We do have a couple of research facilities of our own and some ideas on how we can adapt the system to be more helpful."

"So, why hasn't anything been done about that?"

"There has. There is. There's a lot going on behind the scenes and a number of politicians who are working to change things officially."

She frowned. "I didn't know that."

"Uther likes to talk extremes," Merlin said, making a few more adjustments. "He tries to convince everyone that Eden is bribing corrupt politicians and that we want all Gauntlets destroyed, neither of which is true."

"It isn't?"

He shook his head. "In fact the Gauntlets can be useful and are even desirable in some circumstances as you've discovered. What we don't approve of though, is their use as a method of forced compliance or the imprisonment of sorcerers who don't agree with the current system and have committed no crime unconnected to the Gauntlets."

"Like you?"

"Yes. I have unregistered magic and have helped sorcerers escape captivity, which makes me a criminal in the current climate. Take those transgressions away and I am innocent of any wrong-doing."

"And Mordred?"

Merlin pulled a face, and glanced briefly at the boy before replying. "They would say he is dangerous because he attacked those boys but, even taking away the fact that he is under-age, it could be argued that the Gauntlet itself fuelled his aggression. As I said, there are numerous politicians and lawyers desperately trying to change the laws behind the scenes, and Eden has been reaching out feelers to many of these people and trying to offer them our assistance."

"Why is none of this on the news?" she asked. "Why are we all not hearing about it?"

"Why do you think?"

"A conspiracy of silence?"

He nodded. "The problem is that the current Prime Minster has very similar views to your father. We're hoping the next General Election might herald a more moderate leader. One who is open to the idea of change." He sat back with a sigh. "There how does that feel, Mordred?"

"Better." It was a mere whisper. "Can't you take it off?"

"No, because we all need to be seen to be wearing them." He held up his own as an example. "Also, as I was just saying, they can be of some use. They help to prevent any emotional outburst of magic – especially the way I have them set up now – and can also assist your magic, help you to channel it."

"It's true, Mordred," Morgana said. "Just a short while ago I couldn't perform any magic on command, but now I nearly always use the Gauntlet to help me."

"How?"

"That is definitely something for later," Merlin said. "You'll be fine, just as long as you don't try to consciously use magic and we really do need to get going."

"Well, I've got your new documents ready," Gwaine said, coming over. "The family cover, obviously."

Merlin shook his head. "If you say so."

Gwaine laughed. "And a couple of rings for you two to help with that disguise." He opened up a box full of rings, necklaces and other trinkets.

Merlin gaped. "Where did you get all those?"

"Don't get excited, they're not real gold. Just some of the many things I've collected to help people with their disguises. Including wedding rings for people posing as married couples."

Merlin nodded and fished out a large ring, trying it on for size.

"Oh, I like this," Morgana said, distracted from her search by a beautiful mother-of-pearl dragon brooch.

"Then it's yours, my lady," Gwaine said with a grin and a messy bow.

"Really? Thank you." She quickly pinned it onto her jacket before rummaging through the box for a ring.

Merlin grinned. "It looks good on you. He held up his left hand. Finally found one that fits."

Morgana grabbed the first ring she discovered and was delighted to find it slipped on perfectly.

"Congratulations," their host said with a cheeky grin. "I now pronounce you husband and wife."

"Funny, Gwaine."

Saturday Afternoon

They said goodbye to Gwaine, thanking him for the hospitality, before putting their newly packed bags in the boot of the car and setting off south.

"We're going to Eden now?" Morgana asked. "One of these sanctuaries you keep talking about?"

"Actually we're deliberately heading in the wrong direction."

"Why?"

"Because I agree with you. We really do need to talk to Arthur and Gwen."

"What's that got to do with our direction?"

"Phones can be traced, as Percival and Gwaine said, so we're going to lay a false trail for the Knights to follow."

Once out of the city, they continued south-east, with Merlin taking them off the main roads and down numerous, narrow country lanes. Then they pulled over into a small passing place where he took out the latest phone Gwaine had given him and looked at it for a moment.

"But we don't have our old phones," Morgana said. "How are you going to contact Arthur?"

Merlin frowned. "What do you mean? I'm just going to call him on this."

"Yes, but what about the number?"

He shrugged. "I know it."

"You do?"

"Of course. Don't you?" He grinned at her annoyed expression before pressing a few keys with absolutely no hesitation. Morgana looked at the number as he dialled it and admitted that it did seem pretty familiar.

'Hello?' Arthur's voice sounded clearly over the speaker.

"It's me."

'Merlin? You idiot! Where the hell are you?'

"I'm here with Morgana."

'And the boy?'

"Yes," Morgana answered. "And I know you agree with us about his imprisonment."

'I don't know what to think, to be honest.' There was a pause. 'Gwen's here too.'

'How are you both?' Their friend sounded especially concerned.

"We're fine" Merlin replied. "We just phoned to... talk about what happened and... well, try to explain things, really."

"Although I don't know why we need to explain anything," Morgana added. "I'd say it's pretty obvious why Mordred had to be released."

'I agree that children shouldn't be held like that, but that's not the point, is it?" Arthur said. "It wasn't just him. It's been you all along, hasn't it, Morgana?'

She opened her mouth to reply and then closed it again, realising she needed to revise what she had been going to say. She looked over at Merlin who nodded.

"It's as I suspected. He assumes it's just you with the magic."

"So?" she managed to reply. "None of them should be in there."

'They're criminals.'

"No, they're people who have magic. People like me."

'I can't believe you've known how to use magic all this time.'

She exchanged another look with Merlin before giving her false reply. "It's true. I'm a member of Eden."

Gwen gasped. 'Morgana!'

"What? How could I have agreed to use my magic to help Gaius and Dad when others less fortunate were being imprisoned without reason. And how could I refuse them without suffering the same fate myself. Once I knew I had controllable magic there was only one course I could realistically take."

There was a long silence and some furious whispering on the other side. 'Tell them, Arthur,' Gwen said eventually.

"Tell us, what?" Merlin asked.

'I knew Eden would want to get the boy out as soon as possible and so I decided to lie in wait, although I really didn't think for a moment it would be you," Arthur began. "Anyway, I hung around in the laboratory for ages once you'd gone, really confused, trying to work out what to do. However, ten minutes later I received an automatic system alert on my phone and realised that you hadn't managed to switch everything off as you'd done before.'

"Yeah," Morgana said. "Someone interrupted me before I was able to."

'Anyway, I knew that that meant everyone else would be alerted too so I wandered outside in order to wait for Dad, Leon and Gaius to arrive. Still trying to decide what to do next.'

"Did you tell them who it was?" she asked.

'Not at first. Initially it was easy enough to imply I'd arrived shortly before they had, but it wasn't long before Dad was asking after you, Morgana and kept trying to call. When he got an 'unavailable' tone rather than voice mail he insisted on going straight around to your flat and wouldn't listen when I suggested we waited until the morning. Then he decided you were probably around Merlin's and asked for his address. When you weren't there either he started to panic.'

"Panic?" Morgana was surprised. "That doesn't sound like him."

'I'm not sure you've ever realised how just much he cares about you.'

She scoffed. "Dad doesn't care for anyone or anything except his precious Camelot."

'That's not true,' Gwen said. 'I know he can come across like that but, as I've said to Arthur, it's obvious to me that he does care a great deal about both of you.'

'He keeps it well hidden, It's true,' Arthur agreed. 'But there's no doubt about his feelings for you right now. This has all has him really shaken and, last night he started to freak out imagining you in some sort of danger. Honestly he was getting so stressed, so paranoid, that I ended up telling him just to try and calm him down.'

"What did you tell him, exactly?" Merlin asked.

"Well, I told him some of it. I said I had a feeling that Eden might try to free the boy and had gone in to check, only to see Morgana there. At first he thought that you might also simply be checking things out until I said I'd seen you with the boy and that I saw you use magic to escape."

"Thanks," she said, dryly. "What about Merlin?"

"Well, Dad automatically assumed that it must have been his idea. That he had lead you astray somehow. He still doesn't believe Morgana could've been willingly involved.'

"But Leon and Gaius would," Merlin guessed.

'Yes. I just got a message from Leon in fact, saying that the pair of you match the description of a couple seen on the security cameras around Camelot after the other disappearances, and Gaius knows it's possible for Morgana to have usable magic, of course.'

'So, Uther has now set out a priority message to the Knights,' Gwen said. 'He's also contacted the police, accusing Merlin of releasing Mordred and of abducting you.'

"He's what?" Morgana turned to Merlin who appeared as surprised as she felt.

'I've tried to tell him that he's got it all backwards,' Arthur said. 'That it's all your idea and Merlin's the one being strung along, but he won't hear of it.'

Morgana another confused look towards Merlin who was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Or perhaps you're both wrong, Arthur," he managed. "Perhaps we're in this together. Equal partners. Bonnie and Clyde."

'Don't be ridiculous, Merlin.'

'Either way it's not looking good for you,' Gwen continued. 'News of this has now been made public and your descriptions are everywhere. I honestly can't see how you can go undetected.'

'Probably best to turn yourself in,' Arthur agreed. 'Perhaps, in Morgana's case, Dad will finally listen to what Gaius has been saying about that Purple setting and reserve it only for truly dangerous criminals, and I'm sure I can persuade them to be lenient on Merlin... considering.'

"And Mordred?" Merlin asked, catching her eye and with no sign of amusement on his face now.

There was a long, ominous silence.

"There is no way he's going back into that horrible place!" she shouted. "He's finally free, as am I, and we're not going back to being slaves."

'Don't be so dramatic, Morgana.'

"I'm afraid I have to agree with her on this one," Merlin said calmly. "There is no way Mordred is going anywhere near Camelot."

'I know he's young,' Arthur said. 'I know something needs to change but what you've done is wrong. You've broken the law and I'm shocked that you both felt the need to go behind my back like that.'

"And I'm shocked that you still don't understand why we had to," Morgana retorted. "Arthur, you have to see. You have to help."

"Look, we both wanted to talk to you," Merlin said. "We needed to explain but, as you said, we are being hunted so we really should get a move on."

'Phone us again soon,' Gwen said. 'Please. I need to know you're safe.'

"We'll see," Merlin replied. "We'll try." And he quickly ended the phone call and threw the phone out the window into the nearby field.

"What? Why did you do that?" Morgana asked him.

"I heard this strange noise and thought the call was probably being traced."

"You really think Arthur and Gwen would have gone along with that?"

"Possibly. Or it may have been done without their knowledge, but it is best we don't take any chances. If the Knights do find the phone here they'll think we're heading toward the Channel Tunnel, so let's get moving quickly north and west and hope that we can keep one step ahead of them."

"So, where are we going now?"

"Well, we're heading towards Gloucester but it's getting late so we may have to stop before then."

"Gloucester?"

"Yes. There's someone I'd like to talk to before we travel onto Eden."

~o~0~o~

And so they were off again, following a route on the car's satnav which avoided most major roads. During the drive they talked a little about their conversation with Arthur and Gwen, coming to terms with what had been said and discussing Uther's reaction to it all.

However, it wasn't long before they started to relax and enjoy the ride. The sun was out, the roads they were driving down were quiet and the views were beautiful. They took short breaks in out-of-the-way places and would play games and sing songs to keep themselves amused. Mordred was soon looking happier than Morgana had ever seen him. With his Gauntlet now tamed and the car taking them further and further away from all the unpleasant memories, he could start to be a little boy again, just enjoying his freedom and the scenery.

By the late afternoon, the temperature had risen further and the windows were quickly rolled down. Morgana adjusted her sunglasses and turned her face towards the sun, enjoying the feeling of the warm breeze on her face and breathing in the clean, fresh air. She turned briefly to see Merlin smiling as he drove, looking more relaxed than he had in days. Mordred had also turned towards the sun, one hand trailing outside the open window and a rare smile stretched across his face.

"This is what true freedom feels like," Merlin declared. "Not just freedom from the Gauntlets but from the city too. Sometimes I think everyone in London is a prisoner, even those without magic. Being out in the countryside always makes me feel better and I think that's because magic is so intrinsically tied to nature and the land."

Morgana nodded, "I've always been a bit of a city girl but I think I see what you mean. It is beautiful out here." She turned back to look out of the window. "The sun will be going down soon, have you any idea where we'll be sleeping tonight?"

Merlin frowned. "I'm trying to decide the best option. I was going to book us into a hotel but, if what Gwen says is true, that might not be the best choice."

"Don't you have any other contacts?"

"Not close enough and no safe houses that I know of around here." He bit his lip, contemplating. "I was thinking of just roughing it in the car or putting up the tent somewhere random, but I really don't want to draw attention to ourselves."

Morgana turned to look the large pack on the back seat which she never had got around to asking about. "Oh, it's a tent."

He grinned. "So I was thinking about a compromise. There's a campsite not far from here. Official enough not to break any vagrancy laws but hopefully casual enough not to gain too much attention. Let's hope Percival was right and we can pass as a family with little comment."

She pulled a face. "Camping?"

"Sorry, city girl. Just for one night, I promise, and most of these sites have showers and stuff."

"They do?"

He smirked at her. "A bit of... water therapy required, perhaps?"

"But..." She tipped her head towards the boy.

"Yeah, we can't leave him alone so we it'll have to be individual water therapy perhaps."

"Getting withdrawal symptoms?" she asked him with a smirk.

"Been a bit too busy up until now but seeing you looking so relaxed and beautiful here... yes, perhaps a little."

She grinned at the compliment before turned back towards the window. "Look at the sky over there, Mordred. It's going to be a beautiful sunset."

"Magical, in fact," Merlin declared with a broad grin.

~o~0~o~

A/N: Finally I've reached the scene that inspired the whole fic - the 'From Eden' video starring Katie McGrath. Go watch it if you haven't already and experience a nice sense of deja vu. :)

Funny thing is, I expected to reach this point a lot earlier but the 'setting up' took far longer than I expected.