A/N: Have been gifted a lovely book cover for this story from Wil1969

Now, hold onto your hats...

Chapter 20: Queen Sacrifice

Tuesday Evening

With the day spent working on the Gauntlets, and Mordred in bed by eight, Merlin and Morgana were able to enjoy most of the evening alone, finally allowing her to ask a few of the hundreds of questions that she hadn't been able to before.

"Do you think we could risk contacting Arthur or Gwen again?" she began as the couple sat together on a small sofa in the interconnecting living room, fingers intertwined.

"Possibly," he replied, gently stroking her hand with his thumb. "Hopefully the fuss will have started to die down by now. Especially if they've convinced themselves we've gone to France."

She frowned. "Hopefully."

"I think it might be better to contact Gwen," Merlin continued. "As she shouldn't be kept under such close scrutiny. I'll see if Edwin has one of those disposable phones here – most of our operatives do."

"That's good. When do you think we can call her?"

"Probably best to wait until we're closer to the mountains. Hopefully the poor signal over there will hinder their search efforts."

"Mountains?" Morgana queried. "So we are going into Wales?"

He grinned. "The old Celtic countries have always been the most sympathetic as far as magic users are concerned. It's where the ability came from, after all."

"It is?"

He nodded. "The ancient Celts used magic, yes. The Romans came up with all sorts of propaganda about sacrifices and unsavoury rituals, but that was mostly to justify their slaughter of the Druids at the time. From then on, all the various invaders continued to be convinced that the old ways were barbaric and often persecuted magic users."

"I didn't know that."

He nodded again. "Some of the facts about the Celts are coming to light now, thanks to modern archaeology, but those of us who are descended from those magicians have always known the truth of it. We've always known that the invaders killed the Druids because they were afraid of their power, just as the Prime Minister and your father say the Gauntlets are for the public safety when it's really because of their own fear."

"But none of those invaders succeeded. The skill lived on."

"Fortunately, yes, and there's no sign of it fading. Which means we need to find better ways of dealing with it in the long term."

"I see." She bit her lip, thoughtfully. "And so, does the Welsh Assembly support Eden and their plans?"

"They're sympathetic to our cause, yes. As are the Nationalist parties in Scotland and Northern Ireland. There are rumours that the upcoming General Election will start to shake things up and Downing Street might finally have to start taking notice, whichever party gets in."

"I see." Morgana paused for a moment before asking her next question. "So, are you going to tell me why you're quite so desperate to get Mordred over there?"

Merlin frowned, as if debating telling her. "It's this prophecy, you see," he said eventually. "It hints that Arthur will help bring about an age of freedom for magic users and, from what I've seen of him and the power he'll inherit from your father, I'm inclined to believe it could be true."

She scoffed at the suggestion. "He's not been much help so far."

"He let us go, didn't he?"

She shrugged. "I suppose."

"And, as you said yourself, it's obvious that he doesn't believe in all the measures Uther advocates. With Gwen influencing him too…?"

"And Mordred?" Morgana asked. "What of his destiny?"

Merlin winced. "Yes well, it is said that Mordred is the cause of Arthur's death and yet..."

"What!" She certainly hadn't expected that.

"Yeah, that's what all the fuss is about. And there's enough doubt placed on the words of the prophecy and their translations over the years to have caused a lot of confusion within Eden itself."

"But he's just a harmless boy. How can anyone believe that of him?"

Merlin turned to her with a raised eyebrow. "Harmless? After what he did to those boys in the school playground? And the way he reacted yesterday when he set off the security on that Yellow Gauntlet."

"He's just young, that's all, and those Gauntlets were challenging."

Merlin shook his head. "You know, so many people say that about children to excuse their behaviour – that they're 'only three' and 'only seven' and then 'only twelve' – but I think, in my admittedly limited experience, that what you see as a young child is pretty much what you see in the adult. Mordred is naturally impatient and impetuous and his early upbringing has simply encouraged those traits."

"But upbringing does make a difference," she insisted.

"It does, and it's possible that he is still young enough to be influenced, but I just couldn't take that chance, Morgana. I couldn't leave him there with that prophecy hanging over all of our heads. What if he had pushed through that Gauntlet and caused Arthur to be injured by accident? What if his lack of control indirectly caused your brother's death?"

"I've told you before, I think this whole destiny thing is rubbish. You can't base your whole life on such things."

Merlin shrugged. "Perhaps not, but we're constantly making decisions about our lives every minute of the day. Who's to say that we're not always being nudged in one direction or another by some outside force."

Morgana opened her mouth to continue her argument but quickly closed it again when she considered her recent actions. Hadn't she just made her own decision based on a dream? And one which both she and Merlin had decided couldn't possibly have been a true vision. Hadn't she decided to continued travelling with Merlin simply because she didn't want to be left behind?

"I'm sure you're wrong about him," was all she said instead. "He's a good boy who's just had a tough start in life, that's all."

"I'm sure that's the case," Merlin said with an encouraging smile. "But I'll still feel a lot happier when he's finally out of reach of Camelot. If we get captured and he gets taken back there…?" He shook his head. "Honestly I'm more worried about him now as a child than I would be in years to come when he's an adult. He really can't be allowed to go anywhere near Arthur whilst he's still angry and unable to control his magic."

She nodded. "Of course. I understand and I'm not complaining. Actually, I'm now very excited about seeing Eden and all your mysterious friends."

Merlin laughed. "Don't get your hopes up. They really are exceptionally ordinary."

"Aw, don't spoil the illusion." She grinned broadly and accepted his passionate kiss before they moved next door to get ready for bed.

Wednesday

The next morning they were up early to pack their bags into the car before breakfast. After saying their goodbyes they set off wearing Edwin's special, tweaked Gauntlets, and carrying a number of his and Camelot's prototypes in their luggage to take on to Eden. Having enjoyed the relaxed nature of their stay in what had felt like a very safe house, the trio were now back out in public and soon starting to feel nervous again.

They had left the farmhouse with bags full of food and a tank full of petrol in the hope that there would be little reason to stop as they headed further west towards the Welsh border. Morgana tried to lighten their mood with more car games but it was a lost cause; even the weather reflecting their sombre mood as dark clouds gathered and spots of rain started to appear on the windows. Soon, even Merlin's wild optimism was flagging.

Their chosen route consisted of mostly minor roads with the occasional stretch of motorway which would hopefully speed up the journey. Unfortunately the worsening weather and some major road works slowed their progress and they were required to stop for a toilet break whilst still in England. With any luck the busy motorway service station near the border would provide them with more anonymity than a quiet, countryside pub or café would.

"What now?" Morgana asked as they finally found an empty space in the heaving car park.

"I think it's probably best we split up as we did before," Merlin said.

She nodded. "And not be seen as a threesome. Yes, I agree."

"I'll go in with Mordred and you follow. Feel free to visit the shops if you need anything and then head back here when you're ready."

So, Morgana sat in the car for a few minutes, watching the pair head towards the main building until they disappeared from view. Then she left and locked up behind her, tucking her long hair up in a cap and keeping her head down.

It was really busy here today, helping her to merge with the crowd, but she ended up having to wait in a long queue before she was able to use the toilet. She browsed the stationary shop briefly, contemplating buying herself a magazine and sweets for the journey and wondering if Mordred would consider himself too old for a cuddly toy. In the end though she left with nothing, suddenly experiencing an overwhelming need to get back to the boys. Seeing no sign of the pair in the main concourse, she headed back towards the entrance and stood on the top of the steps leading down to the car park, looking around to remind herself of where they'd parked.

What she saw then made her cry out in shock.

There, just a little way from the bottom of the steps, were a group of four Knights approaching Merlin and Mordred and pointing their Gauntlet Shields straight towards them. The pair were pinned in with cars behind them and crowds of people all around and had little chance of escape, short of transporting out.

"No!" she shouted as she moved to the top of the stairs.

Luckily the large crowd meant she was not immediately noticed and so she paused again, taking advantage of her good position and calling silently to Merlin.

"Don't come any closer, Morgana," he replied, as he spotted her making her cautious way down the stairs. "Go back inside and hopefully they won't notice you."

"No way," she replied. "I'm not letting them take you."

And, before she'd really given it any logical thought, Morgana rushed forwards, pushing through the crowd and carefully started to focus her magic.

"Let them go," she shouted at the Knights. "It's me you want. I'm the one with the magic!"

The knights immediately turned to face her and she held up a hand in a threatening manner, trying to look a lot more confident than she felt. On seeing the move, several members of public screamed and began to pull away from her.

"Morgana! What are you doing?" Merlin asked. He had one arm around Mordred's shoulder and his eyes were darting left and right, trying to size up the situation and find an escape route.

"Ah, and here's the third one," the eldest of the Knights said calmly, moving slightly towards her. "Morgana, you might as well come quietly. There is nowhere to run and our Shields will not let you use magic here."

She kept her hand raised and took another step forward. "Are you quite sure about that?"

"Be careful, Morgana," Mordred begged.

There were a few more shouts from the crowd as the audience debated between watching the show or escaping back to their own cars. "Just keep calm and keep your distance," the youngest man instructed in a clear, loud voice. "There is nothing to fear. Knight Aredian will soon have these criminals subdued."

The Knight in question, moved a little closer too Morgana with a sly smile, raising his Shield and, without really thinking about it, Morgana moved her hand towards his position and focused her magic through her Gauntlet. To everyone's surprise, including her own, her magic surged easily and Aredian was thrown wildly up in the air before landing heavily on his back. There were more shrieks from the crowd and the other Knights hesitated, torn between securing Merlin and Mordred and checking up on their colleague.

"How did she do that?" the youngest knight asked.

"Go!" Morgana said to Merlin. "Transport Mordred and get out of here."

"Not without you."

She analysed the situation and shook her head. The Knights were still standing in-between them, and Merlin would not be able to reach her and escape, and she couldn't get to him now that the Knights were on full alert.

"Now then, Morgana, there's no need for anyone to get hurt," Aredian said in a voice which seemed exceptionally calm, considering the situation. "Just come down here very slowly and don't give us any more trouble."

She laughed at that, still holding her hand up and enjoying seeing a flicker of fear cross the Knights' faces. Perhaps the three of them could still escape? If they all used their magic at the same time...?

"We could, I suppose, but..."

She nodded, understanding that the only reason the Knights weren't keeping a close eye on Merlin was because they believed him to have no magic. One of them was edging closer to Mordred whilst the others now focused on her. Her boyfriend, however, was being almost completely ignored.

"I just need you to come closer," Merlin said. "Wait until the very last minute, and then I can transport us all out before they realise."

"But I'm not sure how to get over to you unless we all use our magic," she replied.

"And I'm not sure if even that will work. Especially seeing Mordred does not yet have full control."

"We must try something," the boy said. "We can't just leave her there."

But Morgana wasn't so sure. "Remember what you said, Merlin? Mordred has to get to Eden. If he's captured here, you know where he'll be sent?"

"Back to Camelot." She could sense Merlin's panic at the thought.

"Better that it's me. I'll keep them distracted and then the two of you can transport away away."

Aredian raised his Shield device and she responded by stabbing her hand forward in a threatening manner, desperate to keep them all off balance long enough for the boys to get away. The movement made the man pause.

"Morgana..." Merlin pleaded.

"I'll tell them Dad was right," she continued. Still trying to distract the Knights. "I'll tell him that you lead me astray and that I'm sorry for my part in it all. I'm family, so I know they won't hurt me and that way we can be sure that Arthur and Mordred are safe."

"I thought you didn't believe in the prophecy."

"I don't want any harm to come to either of them, or you. Best not to take any chances."

"We're not leaving you behind…"

Merlin had also started forward, trying to reach her but the move alerted the youngest of the Knights who suddenly turned towards the pair, his Shield getting perilously close to Mordred. Merlin halted, pulling the boy towards him, looking over his shoulder to see what other alternatives were left open to him. Morgana could see he had none. She pushed her magic forwards again, flooring another of the Knights.

"Go!" she insisted, her silent voice now betraying her desperation. "You have to leave whilst you still can."

"I will come back for you. I promise and..." Merlin hugged Mordred even closer as he looked this way and that. "I love you." And the pair disappeared in a wild whirl of wind and dust.

Despite insisting they left, Morgana couldn't help but feel a sudden emptiness when they'd gone, and Merlin's parting words had made her heart race for an entirely different reason.

Some of the crowd screamed as the pair transported whilst others gasped in shock. The Knights all looked stunned and even Aredian looking visibly confused. No sorcerer should have been able to transport whilst so close to their Shields but, more to the point, everyone had been able to see Merlin's Red Gauntlet and hadn't considered him any threat.

"I thought you said he didn't have magic," the youngest Knight accused Aredian.

The eldest Knight shook his head slightly, not knowing how to reply, before turning his attention back to Morgana. "And you should not be able to use magic here either."

"You understand nothing about it," she shouted, making sure everyone could hear. "I am not the criminal here. I rescued a child who had been imprisoned without trial, whilst the Knights, whom everyone believes protects them, were the ones who had captured him in the first place. I do have magic but I am not the one you should fear."

Aredian took a step forwards then and Morgana again held up her hand to push him away. However, using magic constantly was tiring at the best of times and it seemed that these Shields were having some effect on her after all. At that point, the man pressed a couple of buttons, and Morgana felt a vibration shudder through her body and began to panic. Her next magic attempt did little more than cause Aredian to take a small step backwards and unfortunately, with most of her attention on him, she had let one of the others out of her sight.

She was grabbed roughly from behind, an arm around her neck, whilst another pinned her arms against her body, and Aredian took advantage of her shock to move even closer, holding his Shield so close to her face that she sagged under its influence.

Then, the Knight behind her snapped a Gauntlet on her empty left wrist and she cried out as pins and needles surged through her body and dizziness overcame her. She shook her head, trying to dispel the sensation. It had been weeks since she'd experienced anything like this.

"Please… it hurts..."

She looked down at the new Gauntlet, trying to remember Edwin's lessons and work out what sort of security this had on it. Perhaps the modified one on her right wrist might help to neutralise its power?

Unfortunately, Aredian obviously had the same thought, quickly placing his Shield against her own Gauntlet and soon managing to unlock and remove it. Then he turned his attention to the new one.

Morgana tried desperately to fight back but she knew it was a hopeless cause. She needed tools as well as magic and, right now, she couldn't find even the smallest bit of control to cast any sort of spell. The Gauntlet on her left wrist rapidly flickered through the rainbow before settling on its final colour.

Purple.

Morgana screamed as she realised what was happening, falling to her knees as the Knight behind her let her go. The pins and needles increased and turned into severe pain, accompanied by a strange hissing sound which seemed to vibrate throughout her whole body. She felt sick and dizzy and everything hurt.

'They can kill people. Innocent people. I know that from personal experience.'

"Merlin!" she called silently. Desperately. "Are you still nearby?" But, even if he were, it was unlikely her telepathy would work whilst wearing this new Gauntlet. "Please help me!"

Finally, mercifully, darkness descended upon her and she passed out. Her last thought was of Mordred and Merlin and if she'd ever wake to see them again.

~o~0~o~

~ Runs and hides ~