I am so sorry that this chapter has taken so long to get up! It was giving me trouble because I kept trying to fit stuff in one chapter so I could move on to the good stuff, but my hands just refused to go along with my rushing, so there you have it haha. Anyways, it's a nice semi-long chapter that should explain a bit about what's going on with Merlin.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or anything related to it.

Chapter 11: Fighting Back

Morgana smirked, enjoying this more than she could say. She nodded at Merlin and turned back toward her army and said three simple words for the start of the battle.

"It is time."

Merlin stayed close to his queen as the men and women of her army poured into the street of the Lower Town, setting fire to the houses as they went. It didn't take long for the townspeople to begin racing from their houses toward the citadel in a panic.

"Kill them if they fight back." Morgana yelled.

"What if they're in the way?" one of the passing bandits shouted back.

Morgana just shrugged in answer and a grin grew across the bandit's face. Merlin just looked around, frowning slightly as he watched the houses burn and the people running in fear. A man ran out of a burning house, a scythe in his hand, and charged at the invading army. He never made it far as a sorcerer sent a killing curse at him. The man's eyes grew wide as he fell face down to the ground, dead.

Merlin walked over to the dead man and turned him onto his back. Merlin looked into the man's lifeless eyes and studied the man for a moment. He felt sick as he forced himself to stop looking at the man. He recognized the deceased as a farmer, a family man. Merlin got to his feet, trying to keep his eyes off the man's body, when a hand fell on his shoulder.

The warlock turned quickly to find Morgana standing behind him. He stared at her for a moment, suddenly feeling very wrong. Her hand was still on his shoulder, and it suddenly felt as hot as fire. He brushed her hand off and stepped backwards. A sudden pain spread across his head and he gasped, grabbing his head in one hand.

"Wh…what's going on?" he gasped, shutting his eyes against the pain.

Morgana frowned as she realized Merlin was fighting back against her spell. She didn't understand how; the spell was one of the more powerful she knew of. And yet Merlin was fighting it and was coming out from her power. She looked down at the dead man's body and understanding hit her. Merlin knew the man and the man's death was helping Merlin realize what he was doing. Morgana could not let him break free.

"Áfæstne mín galdor." She chanted, her eyes flashing gold.

The pain suddenly disappeared and Merlin dropped his hand. He looked up at Morgana and his eyes flashed a deep red. A cruel smile spread across Morgana's face when she saw that her spell had worked. It wasn't time for Merlin to be released. Not just yet.

"What do you wish for me to do, my Queen?" he asked, bowing respectfully.

"Stay out of the way of the fighting," Morgana ordered, "Use your powers from the sidelines to help our army. When I call for you, come to me. But until then stay out of the way."

"I will do as you say, my Queen." Merlin replied with a nod.

Morgana smirked, proud of her handiwork on the manservant. She turned on her heel, her long black dress swishing as she moved through the crowd, sending knights, guards, and townspeople flying around as she went. Merlin watched her go before turning to walk along the burning houses. He stepped over the dead man's body without looking down.

He walked along the outsides of the battle, throwing a few of Camelot's knights and guards when it seemed they were winning over his Queen's army. He studied the battle, waiting eagerly for his Queen to call him. A girl's scream suddenly echoed across the battleground. Merlin looked around until he saw a familiar little girl being chased by three of his Queen's men.

Merlin frowned and followed after the girl and her pursuers. He recognized her from somewhere, but he couldn't remember. The girl suddenly tripped and let out another cry. As she looked around frantically, the answer suddenly came to Merlin. Amaya. That was who the girl was. She was the one who had asked if he was going to visit her when he returned that morning! Amaya scrambled to her feet and tried to run, but the three men had formed a circle around her. Tears poured from her eyes as the men pointed their swords at her.

A pounding spread across Merlin's head again and he grabbed at it, trying to stop the pain. Memories suddenly raced across his mind. Amaya and a group of children sitting around him laughing as he told stories. Amaya running up and hugging him. Merlin giving Amaya a bouquet of flowers.

Amaya let out a scream and Merlin jerked his head up. He saw the terror on her face as one of the men prepared to run her threw. He reacted instantly.

""Hleap on bæc!" he shouted. His hand raised on its own and his eyes flashed gold.

The three men surrounding Amaya flew backwards as if punched by an invisible hand. They crashed to the ground and lay unmoving, their chests completely still. Amaya sniffled as she looked around in confusion. Merlin ran toward her, shouting her name, and she clearly recognized him as she ran toward him as well.

"Merlin!" she shouted as she jumped into his arms. "Merlin!"

"Shh, you're all right, Amaya." He soothed as she buried her head in his chest. "It's all right."

"Where's Momma?" she whimpered.

"She's up in the citadel." Merlin replied, looking around quickly.

The battle was raging even more than before. Fire and spells flew everywhere. Swords clanged and dying men and women screamed in agony. The sounds of the screaming townspeople still sounded, though they had grown less now as they either made it to the safety of the castle or died in the s streets.

"I want Momma." Amaya cried, her tears staining Merlin's jacket.

"Don't worry, Amaya." Merlin said quietly. "I'll get you to your mother."

Amaya just sniffled and curled her hands into Merlin's jacket. Merlin looked around, noticing that Morgana's army was getting the best of the knights and driving them back toward the castle. He turned around and saw Gwaine fighting another bandit. He started to throw the bandit away, when his Queen's orders echoed through his head. He was to help her army, not Camelot's.

'But it's Gwaine!' A voice argued in his head. 'He's your friend!'

'My Queen has ordered me though.' Merlin argued back.

A sudden pain spread across his head and Merlin almost dropped Amaya who was still crying against his chest. Merlin shut his eyes against the pain and bit back a groan. Amaya didn't seem to notice his sudden attack of pain and kept crying against his shoulder, growing more scared as the battle continued around them.

A hand grasping Merlin's shoulder forced him to open his eyes, despite the pain that racked his head. He spun around, stumbling backwards as he grew dizzy. He managed to keep his balance though and blinked twice to clear the sudden blurriness. A knight of Camelot stood in front of him, looking at him worriedly.

"Are you ok, Merlin?" Gwaine asked.

"I…I'm fine." Merlin stammered. "What are you doing here Gwaine?"

"Looking for you." Gwaine replied, his eyes looking around to make sure no one was sneaking up on them. "We have to get to the citadel."

"I…I can't." Merlin replied, shaking his head as the pounding grew worse. "I'm…I'm supposed to be…"

"You're supposed to be coming with me." Gwaine replied, pulling on Merlin's arm.

Merlin stumbled slightly as the knight pulled him along, avoiding the fighting as best he could. He was forced to stop though, when a man in a midnight blue cloak stepped in front of him. Gwaine brought his sword up, slightly at a loss of what to do as the man held no weapon and Gwaine, despite his love of fighting, was against fighting unarmed men.

"The Lady Morgana wishes you to meet her in the middle of the Lower Town." The man's voice echoed in Merlin's head and the pain grew worse, forcing him to close his eyes against the pain.

"I don't want to hurt you," Gwaine said uneasily, his sword at the ready. "Get out of our way."

The sorcerer didn't reply, just stared past the knight at Merlin.

"Wh…what?" Merlin stammered.

His head felt like it was on fire, and something kept telling him to go with the man to Morgana, his Queen. His queen? Merlin's eyes shot open in surprise. Gwen was his queen, not Morgana! His eyes flashed red and stayed that way before fading away to gold then back to his normal blue. The sorcerer's eyes opened wide in shock and admiration.

"You are strong to fight such a spell." The sorcerer said in his mind. "But Morgana is not yet finished with you. Come along quietly and you will not be hurt."

"No!" he exclaimed, tightening his grip on Amaya who was shaking against his chest.

"Merlin?" Gwaine asked, looking back at him nervously.

"Gæle þes cniht." The sorcerer chanted quickly, holding his hand up toward Merlin. "Áfæstne níwfylle sé þonne galdor."

"No!" Gwaine shouted, vainly trying to get in front of Merlin as a blast of purple light leaped from the sorcerer's hand.

Merlin saw the spell coming, but before he could put up a shield he remembered Amaya. He couldn't risk his shield failing and her being hit. Thinking fast, Merlin did the only thing he could. He turned and jumped to the side, clutching Amaya tightly. He hit the ground and turned, landing on his back so the girl in his arms was unharmed.

For a moment he thought he had avoided the spell, but a sudden warmness began to spread through him and he looked down. To his horror, his left foot was glowing purple and the light was slowly moving up his body. Merlin tried to fight back, but the spell was to powerful. His eyes shut and when he reopened them, they were glowing red once more.

Spell Translations

Áfæstne mín galdor—Strengthen my spell.

Hleap on bæc—Leap on (your) back!

Gæle þes cniht. Áfæstne níwfylle sé þonne galdor." —Enchant this boy. Strengthen anew the previous spell.