Title: Drowning In You

Rating: T

Pairing: Arthur/Morgana.

Summary: Someone is drowning young women in Camelot. With no motive and no suspects, Morgana must work out who the murderer is before she becomes the next victim…

Warning: Character Deaths.

"Look out!"

At Merlin's warning Arthur dropped to the floor and rolled. Thaniel's blade sang through the air where he had been standing only moments ago. The prince had no time to think, only dodge, as Thaniel's blows continued to come fast and furious, his eyes lit up manically, raw grief twisting his face.

"You took her from me!" The Fossegrim screamed as Arthur scrambled to his feet and brandished Excalibur, blocking a downward thrust at his ribs. "You took away my beloved!" He cast a careless glance in Morgana's direction as she lay bleeding on the ground and sneered. "But at least yours isn't far behind."

Arthur swung at his heart.

Kneeling in the cold mud Bridget balled her cloak up and pressed it to Morgana's abdomen, where the blood was staining her dress in an ever widening circle.

Morgana winced at the pain. "Bri?" She coughed, water and blood dribbling from her lips.

"Shhh," Bridget soothed, failing to keep the tremor from her voice. She stroked her hair gently and attempted a wobbly smile. "It's all right. Try not to speak."

Morgana shivered as the clash of swords continued to ring out around her but all she could do was stare up at the cloudless sky. Vaguely, she recognised it was turning a hazy shade of bloody pink.

Someone laid their jerkin over her and a pair of blue eyes came into view. For a second she thought they glowed gold and warmth filled her stomach. But she blinked hard, the brightness faded and the eyes disappeared leaving only the open wound of the sky. Someone dropped down on her other side.

"Merlin?" she whispered.

He gently took her hand. His flesh was hot, almost too hot and crackly dry like sticks on a fire as they clutched her cold fingers in his.

"It's alright, Morgana; you're going to be fine."

She smiled drowsily and shivered again. Her eyelids felt so heavy. "Always were…" Her head felt light and woozy, as though she'd drunk too much old wine at one of Uther's feasts and she struggled to finish her thought, "…terrible liar."

There was a pause and she knew he was exchanging a look with Bridget.

"Morgana, I need you to stay awake for us," said Merlin too brightly, his tone forcibly cheerful. "You can't go to sleep, you mustn't go to sleep."

She blinked but her gaze was unfocussed and Merlin and Bridget suddenly seemed to be drawing further and further away.

"Morgana!" said Bridget sharply.

A burning hand pressed up against her forehead. "Alright," she muttered thickly, another round of shivers wracking her body. The ache in her belly intensified. "I'm stay….staying awake."

Bridget worried her lip and looked at Merlin. "How long until the dawn patrol arrive?"

He shrugged helplessly. "I don't know-"

A sudden cry rang out.

They watched helplessly as Arthur dropped to his knees, Excalibur falling to the ground from nerveless fingers.

Arthur, who was clutching his right, dislocated shoulder, which hung uselessly at his side.

Arthur who was kneeling, with Thaniel's blade pressed to his throat.

Arthur, who only had eyes for the still, pale body of Morgana that lay only metres from him.

Above him, Thaniel's eyes burned with triumph and pain. "Goodbye, Arthur." He raised his sword for the death blow.

"Thaniel! Don't!" Bridget screamed.

And he hesitated. A fraction of a second, a momentary pause in the downward thrust of his blade. His eyes flickered to the side to catch his sister's horrified stare.

And then Arthur's left hand enclosed around Excalibur, and with a flick of his wrist he sent the gleaming sword straight through Thaniel's heart.

The sword glowed once more, the bright streaming light capturing the water sprite and trapping it within the metal for an eternity, rippling waves of energy sucking the writhing Fossegrim from it's human shell.

Thaniel fell bonelessly to the ground as the light faded, his body reverting to its former appearance and his lungs exhaling their final breath.

Arthur dropped his sword and stumbled over to Morgana.

Her face had paled to the colour of frost licked water and her fingers were now icy in Merlin's grasp, despite the flickers of heat magic he was sending into her in a vain attempt to help.

"Morgana!" Arthur shrugged painfully out of his own jacket and tucked it in tightly over Merlin's. Beneath the pile of coats she was beginning to look pathetically small.

Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to focus on him. "Arthur?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he muttered, gently taking her other hand from Bridget and kneeling at her side.

"Did you…you win?" She asked, licking her suddenly dry lips.

"Yes."

"Then st…stop 'pologizing." She smiled weakly at him but a bout of violent coughing suddenly wracked her form and she rolled her head to the side, vomiting blood onto the muddy ground.

"Arthur," said Bridget urgently, "we need to get her back to the castle now." She removed her hand from where it lay still pressed against Morgana's abdomen. It came out slippery with blood. Wiping her palm on her own clothes she pressed it back again more firmly.

Morgana winced and gritted her teeth. Said nothing.

Arthur's face was grim. "It'll take us too long on foot," he replied, "and none of us has a horse."

Merlin took a deep breath and opened his mouth, ready to spill his secret, ready to make a horse appear from thin air, when there was the sudden crash of hooves on shingle.

The dawn patrol had arrived.

"Sire!" Sir Leon's horse pranced beneath him anxiously as they came upon the scene. "What…?"

"There's no time to explain." Arthur retorted shortly. "Take Morgana. Ride as fast as you can back to Camelot and get her to Gaius, immediately."

"Sire?"

Between them Bridget and Merlin scooped Morgana up and bundled her into the knight's arms as she cried out in agony. Leon cradled her on his horse as gently as he could, confusion and fear crossing his face as he took in the other body lying by the lake.

"Get to her Gaius. Now!"

Leon nodded and with a sharp kick to the horse's flank he raced away, back through into the forest.

Arthur watched in silence until they could no longer be seen.

Sir Gedwyn dismounted from his horse and came over to the group. His eyes flickered over to Thaniel's body lying by the lake and then back to his Prince, who was spattered in gore and mud.

"Sire, everyone's looking for you. There was a fire in your rooms; nobody knew where you were…" He trailed off when he realised Arthur wasn't listening to him. "Prince Arthur?" He touched his shoulder.

For a moment Arthur stared blankly at him and then visibly pulled himself back together. "There is little time to explain," he said. "I need to speak to the King, now."

"Sire? Lord Thaniel..?"

It was Bridget who answered him, her voice surprisingly calm and controlled. "My brother was killed defending us from the water demon." She wiped her bloody hands on her cloak and fixed her red rimmed eyes on Gedwyn. "I need to take him to my Father."

"Of course, my lady." Glad for some direction, Gedwyn bowed and hastily began to direct his knights in wrapping up Thaniel in his cloak and taking him back to the castle.

"Arthur, your arm," said Merlin quietly by his side. "We need to fix it."

"Oh, yes," he replied absently, as though he'd forgotten all about it.

"I'll do it," said Bridget, "I've done it hundreds of times." She smiled sadly. "Comes with having older brothers."

She took his right wrist and held it out horizontally in one hand, then took his left hand and placed it down on his right collar bone, palm down. She placed her thumb on his right shoulder blade and then slid her palm towards his back.

"This will hurt," she said evenly. "But it'll be over quickly. One, two, three." She pressed down hard. There was a sharp tug, a loud popping sound and Arthur cried out as his shoulder realigned itself. Merlin wrapped his kerchief round it and slipped Arthur's arm into the temporary sling.

"Are you going to be able to ride back like that?"

Arthur nodded shortly. "I've had worse."

The knights had finished carefully wrapping Thaniel and had placed his body over one of the horses.

"My lady, if you'd like to ride with me?" Bridget nodded and followed Sir Gedwyn, taking his hand to mount the horse. The mare snorted under the weight of an extra unexpected load as Gedwyn swung himself up behind, her breath rising in the early morning as white mist.

Whilst the knights were busy Arthur picked up Excalibur from the ground and handed it back to Merlin. He gazed solemnly at the sword. "Merlin, put this back where you found it."

"You're not keeping it?"

"Knowing what's in it? No. Put it back where you found it." He paused. "On second thoughts… not in the water. When you have the chance, hide it somewhere else, somewhere safe."

Merlin nodded and while Arthur was helped onto Sir Kay's horse he quietly vanished it to a place of dark twisting paths, high thorny hedges and silent birds. A maze with a tree growing in the middle, which turned to stone as Excalibur's blade pierced the bark and buried itself up to the hilt in the tree trunk. A stone tree with a heart carved around two names.

"Merlin, are you coming?"

The servant boy nodded and slung himself up behind Sir Ephrayn on his white mare.

With a sharp nod from Arthur the knights set off back to Camelot, leaving the lakeside undisturbed, except for two bloody splashes of crimson on the shingle mud shore.

As the group clattered into the crowded courtyard they were met by a large crowd of confused courtiers and busy servants who were hurrying around carrying baskets of clean linens, smoke ruined clothing or fresh food. The thick stench of smoke still hung around, though the flames had long been put out, and Arthur could see the black scorched stone that crept down from his bedroom window where the fire had raged.

He slid from his mount as his Father stormed toward him, followed by Lord Bedworth in a thick overcoat and finely wrought boots, but who by the state of his beard and shadowed eyes hadn't slept at all that night.

Uther embraced his son fiercely, his face worn deep with worry. Then he held him at arm's length and scowled at him, eyes gleaming dark with anger.

"Where have you been?" he exploded. "And what have you done to yourself?" His eyes roamed over his son's muddied visage, the blood clinging to his hands and flecked through his hair. The sling cradling Arthur's right arm.

"Father-"

There was a sudden bellow of pain as Bedworth caught sight of his son, as the body was carefully taken down and laid on a stretcher. The older man rushed over to his son, clutching the body to him, his ruddy cheek pressed against Thaniel's tight sable curls.

All of Uther's anger seemed to deflate out of him as he watched his friend weep over the body of his son.

He turned to his own child, and this time when he asked his voice was weary. "Tell me what happened."

So Arthur rehearsed the story he had struck upon as they rode back from the lake. The story that would be told whenever anyone asked what happened the day that the House of Dunheny lost its youngest son.

That a possessed Morgana had broken free from her dungeon restraints.

Had attempted to kill the crown prince by burning down his rooms.

Had been caught in the act and chased from Camelot by the Prince, his servant, The Lady Bridget, and the Lord Thaniel.

How it had been cornered at the lake, only for her waterdemon beloved to emerge and attempt to kill them all.

How they had fought it, and freed Morgana from her possession.

How she had been gravely wounded in the process.

How Lord Thaniel had destroyed the Fossegrim.

How he had been killed in the process of saving them all.

By the time Arthur had finished narrating his tale of half truths and lies Uther was struggling to reign in his emotions.

"Father," he eventually asked when the King seemed unable to say anything. "Morgana? Is she-"

"Gaius is attending to her." Uther's face was grave. "She is in the best hands now." He turned to go but stopped, before awkwardly clasping his son's shoulder. "Considering the circumstances…well-done. You acted as a Prince of Camelot should."

Arthur watched as Uther strode away over to Bedworth, putting a consoling hand on his broad shoulders. Bridget was already standing silently next to her Father as Bedworth's tears trickled down his ruddy face and into his beard.

He turned and walked back to the castle entrance, Merlin trailing behind him. But the lie he had told still carried on the breeze. The lie that Uther was now telling Bedworth- the words that would partly soothe a father's grief.

"Your son died defending his friends from the evil that had been stalking Camelot."

Dazedly Arthur registered Sir Leon walking past him on his way into the entrance hall. Reaching out he grabbed the Knight by his shirt, before he knew what he was even doing.

Leon turned, but before Arthur could say anything the knight was shaking his head, knowing the question before it was even asked.

"Lady Morgana lost consciousness on the ride home."

It was over an hour before things had sufficiently calmed down in the courtyard. Thaniel had been taken back to his own rooms to be cleaned, washed and redressed in the emblems of his House by the serving women. Bedworth had retired, grieving, to his chambers along with his daughter and when the courtyard had finally cleared of gawping onlookers and gossips Uther wearily made his way to his council chambers, Court having been dismissed for the day.

Gaius was waiting for him when he got to the doors and he ushered his grave faced old friend inside the warm, richly lined room. Uther had just sunk into his great chair when there was an anxious knock at the door and Arthur came in, closing the door behind him. He was still wearing the same things as he had been when he arrived, though he appeared more dishevelled than ever.

"They wouldn't let me in to see her. Father, what's going on?"

Gaius exchanged a look with Uther. The king sighed.

"Come, Arthur. You might as well hear this from Gaius too."

The Prince turned anxiously to the physician. "Is she going to be all right?"

Gaius spread his hands apologetically and shook his head. "Sire, I'm very sorry, but the Lady Morgana is suffering from a grievous wound, and though I have done everything in my power to stem the flow of blood, the damage to her internally means that she is bleeding inside." He met Arthur's eyes squarely. "She has perhaps til tomorrow morning if she is fortunate."

Uther's face sunk deeper into grief at this new blow. "Gaius, there must be something you can do." He pressed him further. "If you can do nothing, perhaps there is someone you know who can help her."

The old man rocked on his heels. "Sire, tis a mortal wound. She is beyond the help of any doctor."

There was a pause and Uther put his greying head in his hands. And then the King lifted his head, eyes gleaming wetly and asked a question Arthur never thought he would hear his Father utter.

"What about the old practitioners?"

Arthur stopped his pacing and held his breath at his Father's statement, shock keeping him silent. His Father- the man who hated magic…was asking for magic to save his Ward?

Gaius shook his head in the pregnant silence. "Sire, there is no-one left who would help from the Old Religion, and even if there were they would never step foot in Camelot. I'm afraid there is very little hope."

"There is always hope," said Arthur fiercely, his eyes burning. He turned to his Father. "We can't just let her die. There must be something, some way!"

Uther's lips pressed tightly together, their edges turning white as he seemed to come to some decision. "Send a messenger to Escetia. Tell King Cenred, the Lady Morgana is deathly ill. Ask him…beg him to, to send Morgause."

"Father?" Arthur questioned at the same time as Gaius gasped quietly.

"Sire, you cannot be serious."

Uther sank deeper into his chair but his voice was steady, his decision firm. "I have little choice. I cannot fail Gorlois in the promise I made to keep his daughter safe. I have already failed one friend today. Do not make me add another to the list."

"But to send for Morgause…" Gaius clucked his tongue anxiously. "You know how she hates Camelot."

"But she loves her sister. She will come."

"Sire, it is a six day ride to Escetia. It is unlikely Morgana will see the next sunrise."

"I know, Gaius!" he snapped.

The physician took a small step back and Uther rubbed his face tiredly with one hand. His voice when he spoke next was soft with regret. "I know it's impossible she'll even get the message. But I have to try."

"Can I see her now?" asked Arthur impatiently.

Gaius nodded. "Of course, but-"

Arthur didn't wait to hear the rest of it. He had already raced out of the room.

Morgana lay in the Rooms of Healing, still and quiet, her face as pale as snowdrops, lips the colour of frozen water. Her face and hands were the only part of her he could see, swathed as she was under yards of bandages and brightly stitched blankets.

In the silence of the room Arthur sat down by her bedside and took her slender cold hand in his.

"Morgana? Please." His voice cracked. "Morgana, please wake up."

There was no response. His eyes tracked the irregular rhythm of her shallow breathing, her chest shuddering up and down and he clutched her fingers harder.

"You know, when they wouldn't let me see you whilst Gaius was treating you I went to your room and found that hiding place we'd had where you stuffed that old book we stole." His smile was pained. "Do you remember? We hid all sorts of things down that hole. Our secret space, we called it. There were those harpy toenails we bribed Gaius for and the butterfly I squashed trying to kiss you on your birthday." He smiled humourlessly. "You never did think it was a very good kiss."

He studied the blanket until the pattern began to blur before his eyes. "And…and there was the silver spoon we stole from the kitchens that Christmas, the lucky silver spoon they used to make the children's puddings with and we pretended that if you held it really, really tightly it would bring you luck and all that day nothing bad could happen to us."

He reached into the pocket of his tunic and pulled out the tarnished silver spoon. "Well the butterfly rotted away and I didn't think you'd want the toenails but the spoon is still pretty good." He uncurled her other hand and wrapped her fingers round the handle. "You have to squeeze really hard, Morgana," he ordered. "And, and then nothing…nothing bad can happen to you."

There was a gentle tap on the door and as he surreptitiously wiped at his eyes, Gwen walked in, carrying a pestle, mortar and a basket of herbs.

She offered him a kind smile as she placed her things down on Gaius' work bench. "Any change?"

Arthur swallowed and shook his head.

"Well, that's good." She bustled around with the herbs and held up a bushel of poppies along with a honeycomb and some seeds Arthur didn't recognise. "Gaius showed me how to make a syrup from the seed heads and she's been having the potion every hour or so. It's a very deep pain relieving draught." She gave him a weak smile. "She's just sleeping now."

He nodded, though Gwen didn't think he'd really registered what she was saying at all.

"After everything we've gone through. To lose her like this." He shook his head. "It's my fault."

"Arthur, no-"

"It was my sword. I ran her through." He turned his face away so Gwen wouldn't see his tears. His voice though was full of self loathing. "It's her blood on my hands."

"No, Arthur, you can't blame yourself like this. Merlin told me what happened. It was an accident."

"Give me my guilt, Gwen." His words choked in his throat. "It's the only thing I have left."

Gwen touched his shoulder gently. "Come, you should probably get cleaned up."

Arthur looked down, and realised he was still wearing the same clothes he had been in when he'd been at the lake. Clothes that were covered in Morgana's blood.

"I don't want to leave her," he whispered.

"When she wakes up she won't want to see you like this though, will she?" said Gwen, wincing at her own cruelty in giving Arthur false hope.

Arthur swallowed and nodded and she gently ushered him to the door, where Merlin stood outside waiting. Wordlessly she handed him over and motioned to his clothes.

Casting one last longing look back at the Healing Room, the Prince let Merlin slip a hand under his elbow and lead him away down the silent, empty corridor.

Gwen closed the door, sat down and cried.

Several hours later there was a knock at Bridget's door.

"Come in."

Arthur walked in as Bridget looked up from the letters she was writing. Bedivere, who had been seated in a chair by the fireplace rose and inclined his head to Arthur.

"I'm disturbing you," the prince observed and turned to leave.

"Not at all," said Bridget kindly. "Stay, please."

"If you will excuse me, my Lady. Prince Arthur." Bedivere and Bridget shared a look and then he left, closing the door behind him.

She sighed and glanced down at the pieces of parchment scattered in front of her. "I'm writing to my brothers urgently requesting them to come to Camelot," she explained. "Father's in no state to do it and the sooner they get here the better it will be for everyone."

Arthur looked stricken. "Bridget, I'm sorry, I should have thought-"

"Oh, don't apologize to me - that's all anyone seems to be doing today. Morgana is your first priority. There's nothing anyone can do for Thaniel now, except ensure he has the funeral he deserves." Bridget shook her head and though her eyes were red her face was composed. "My brother died five years ago when that creature took hold of his body. I hope he's at peace now."

Arthur took the chair Bedivere had vacated and warmed himself by the fire. "You saved my life, you know. He listened to you."

"Five years of pretending to be my brother must have rubbed off on him I suppose," she replied thoughtfully. She put down her quill and looked at Arthur properly. "When was the last time you ate anything?"

Arthur's face creased. "I'm…I'm not sure."

"Neither am I." She pushed away from her desk and took his arm in hers. "Come, we're going to the kitchens. I need something to take my mind off all these awful letters."

He had little choice but to follow her.

Down in the labyrinthine maze of larders he watched as Bridget efficiently raided shelves and pots and pottery dishes, helping herself to cakes, chicken legs, quiches and thick slices of buttered bread, which she piled onto silver platters. Lastly she took down a large jug of mead and poured out two goblets before handing one to Arthur.

She knocked her cup against his before taking a swig. "Cheers."

"I think I owe you an apology," he said eventually, when the plates were cleared and the mead half drunk.

Bridget snorted. "I should think so, yes. An apology is normally what one expects in these sorts of circumstances. "

"Well… then I hope you can forgive me."

"Forgive you for which bit?" Bridget poured herself another glass. "For thinking I was the murderer? For chasing me around the castle in the middle of the night, with a sword?" She crossed her arms. "Or for being generally rude and insufferable to me through most of my time here?"

"You're enjoying this," accused Arthur.

She smiled. "Just a little bit." She raised an eyebrow. "Well go on then. Get on with it."

"I… I made a mistake. I was wrong about you. I should have listened to Morgana." He sighed rather ruefully and leaned his head back against the cool white plaster of the stone. "I should always listen to Morgana."

"Arthur, you're a blockhead," said Bridget, not unkindly. "But you're Morgana's blockhead so I suppose that means I accept your apology. Come here." She engulfed him in a hug.

Arthur's eyes widened.

Bridget set him back down and held out her hand. "Friends again?"

He took it. "As long as you promise never to do that again."

She smiled and they shook. "Promise."

There was a comfortable silence as the two of them sat in the cool passageway and listened to the noise of servants rushing up and down the passageways above their heads.

"You know, when we were children Morgana and I used to sneak down here all the time and help ourselves to whatever we wanted. I remember the cream puddings used to go up to the Banqueting halls and they always had children's handprints in them." Arthur smiled at the memory and then hesitated. "Have you been to see her yet?"

Bridget nodded tightly. "Yes. She looked…peaceful." She smiled weakly. "Not like Morgana at all."

"My father's with her now." Arthur leaned his head back against the wall. "You know he's sent for Morgause."

"I heard," said Bridget. "Infact, I think the whole castle knows Uther's sent for her. There was somewhat of a rumpus about it."

"Do you think she'll come?" He hated that his voice sounded so unsure, so uncertain of himself.

Bridget nodded firmly, however. "Nothing is more important to Morgause than Morgana. I don't think anything could stop her."

It was evening and the candles were beginning to burn low when in the Rooms of Healing a rather hushed but urgent conversation took place.

"The damage done to her is too great, Merlin! The sword pierced too many important organs and she's bleeding internally." Gaius' face was grave. "I can give her pain relief and I can slow the bleeding for a while but I cannot stop it completely, nor can I stop her from dying."

Merlin's face blanched white. "But Arthur-"

"Believes she will wake because he cannot believe anything else. He believes Morgause will come on her white horse and save her sister." The physician sighed. "If the poor boy loses her now it will kill him, so he clings blindly to any hope he can."

"You don't think she'll come then?"

"You mean, if she gets the message at all." Gaius pursed his lips and looked over the rim of his glasses at his apprentice. "I think she would be a fool if she does. Her enmity with Uther is as legendary as her love for Morgana. She could save her sister's life and lose her own, and in the end all human beings are selfish creatures."

"And there's really nothing you can do?" pressed Merlin desperately.

"She needs a miracle." He saw the look on Merlin's face and shook his head. "Not even your magic can save her. She is dying. If magic were to restore her another life would have to be taken to restore the balance." Gaius placed his hands firmly on Merlin's shoulders and fixed him with a look. "Could you do that? Kill another to save your friend?"

Even as Merlin hesitated the old man pressed on. "And even if you did, even if you killed another to save her, what would Morgana think? Would she really want you to take someone else's life to help her?"

Merlin sank down. "No."

"I am very sorry Merlin. More sorry than you can know. I've known Morgana nearly all of her life and to see her like this…" the old man sighed, shook his head and peered down at the unlabelled jars on his work bench. He pressed the top onto one of them and handed it to the young man. "Here, be useful and take this to Lord Bedworth. Tell him it will help him to sleep."

There was a tap on the door and Bridget popped her head around, followed by Arthur.

"Hello," she said quietly. "We just came to see how Morgana was."

Gaius ushered them inside, and Arthur took up his usual position at Morgana's bedside, one hand laced in hers. The other he noted with some hope, still clutched tightly to the silver spoon.

"I was just about to send Merlin to give this to your father. A sleeping draught." Gaius handed the potion over to Bridget. "Would you like one?"

"No. I have no trouble sleeping." She smiled thinly and stared at Morgana, as though she could will her to open her eyes and wake up. "It's when I'm awake that I'm troubled." She turned to Gaius. "Has there been any change?"

"No, my lady."

She swallowed a sigh and then clutched the jar to her chest, hesitating. "I suppose I should take this to my Father."

"I'll watch over them both," Merlin offered quietly.

She squeezed his hand gratefully. "Thank you, you're a good friend."

Taking one last look at the woman lying in the bed and the man sat in vigil beside her she left.

Gaius rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn before closing his medical ledger. "I am retiring to bed." He pressed Merlin's arm and looked at him significantly. "Fetch me if anything changes."

"You're leaving?" Arthur said angrily.

"Sire, I am only a room away. If there is any change or you need me for anything, simply knock on my door," Gaius replied firmly. "But I cannot help anyone if I never sleep."

Arthur sank back down wearily and nodded. "All right then. Goodnight, Gaius."

Merlin sat down in the easy chair by Gaius' table and watched the candles burn lower. Arthur seemed content to sit in silence and gaze at Morgana, and unwilling to break the peace that had settled over the room Merlin soon found his eyelids flickering.

Unwillingly he felt sleep creep up on him. He blinked quickly but soon there was nothing for it but to pillow his head with his arms on Gaius' desk and close his eyes.

He would just have five minutes rest. Five minutes and then he would wake again.

It wasn't long before Arthur slipped into sleep after him, the moon high in the heavens casting silver shafts of moonlight through the high paned window.

Without a breeze, the candles guttered.

In her bed, Morgana let out a final shuddering breath.

Please Read and Review!

Tell me all your thoughts and reactions :) Hope this chapter was worth the wait!

My wonderful reviewers, thank you for bearing with me in my four month absence. Life has been very busy as of late, which is why I haven't posted and then I left my Master Document of this story at my parent's house which prevented me from finishing this chapter for about 10 weeks. So apologies, but hope this chapter more than makes up for the gap!

p.s Sorry about the cliffhanger.