"I TOLD YOU ARTHUR!" I screamed as we ran from bandits as they shot at us with crossbows.
"BIT LATE FOR THAT NOW GWEN!" He yelled back tripping over branches and crushing leaves beneath his feet, I could hear my heart beating as we sprinted round corners and ran through branches that we got caught on and cut us but we didn't care
"Do you think we outran them?" Whispered Merlin from beside me.
"Of course," Arthur grinned.
"Really?" We both asked gaping at him.
"Why is it that you never trust me...?" He muttered as men screaming came from the other side, we looked at each other before running away as fast as we could, we jumped down into a path and followed Arthur towards two statues that towered above us.
"What are you two doing?" He snapped as we froze in front of the valley, magic pulsed through the area and filled our stomach with fear and nausea, "come on!" He whispered grabbing our shirt sleeves and pulling us into the valley.
I grabbed Merlin's hand and looked fearfully at the statues pulling him round in a circle before sprinting after Arthur as we heard footsteps.
"What is this place?" Merlin asked.
"Valley of the fallen kings Merlin."
"Is it cursed?" I whispered looking at two stone heads sticking out of the wall.
"No... Unless you're superstitious," Arthur smirked as we walked further and further into the magic filled wasteland.
"It is," I said feeling a wave of terror wash through Merlin's bond.
"It's a myth!" Arthur laughed, "they wouldn't dare follow us in here..."
"Well..."
"Trust me," he said.
"You say that one more time," Me and Merlin whispered sharing a sarcastic look before running away from the footfalls behind us, we ran round corners but they were too fast and Arthur was shot by a crossbow.
"What was that?" He gasped as we tried to pull him up.
"An arrow you'll be fine."
"For a moment I thought it was something bad," he laughed before passing out in Merlin's arms.
"Arthur!" I yelled shaking his limp body but it was no use, we dragged him next to the river nearby and cleaned his wound before linking hands and muttering a healing spell.
"Þurhhæle dolgbenn," but it was no use so we tried another, "Licsar ge staðol nu!" I let out a shuddery breath as Arthur didn't move. Merlin pulled me over to the little lake and we sat and cried into each other knowing we had failed our destiny.
"Tell me..." we looked up and stared into two wise blue eyes, "...Why are you sad?"
"Our friend he's dying and we can't help him," Merlin sniffed looking back at the pale prince.
"Then do not waste your tears let me look at him," he said before kneeling down and muttering a few words from the old religion and when we looked over Arthur looked better already.
"Thank you for saving him," I smiled.
"His time for dying has not yet come and our meeting has been foretold for centuries, you are Emrys and Ambros," he nodded before standing up and shaking our hands, "He will be awake in a few hours if my memory serves me right."
"What do you mean?" We asked.
"I want to show the two of you something," he muttered before turning and beckoning for us to follow, with one last look we spun round and followed him full of curiosity.
After a while we came to a cave, we asked him where we were going but he just smiled and wondered into the pitch black cave, when we got in there Merlin stiffened and I gasped at the thousands of white crystals hanging from the ceiling.
"This is the crystal cave where much will be revealed."
"You don't say Mr Obvious," I joked before being shoved by Merlin and dragged into the middle of the cave, I spun round and looked at one beside me where images appeared blurred at first, I gasped and felt tears in my eyes as an image of Morgana sitting on Camelot's throne with Uther crying in front of her and me bloody and teary eyed staring at her with horror appeared in front of my eyes.
I turned round and saw Merlin screaming surrounded by fire in another crystal, I screamed and fell to the floor gasping for breath as I looked up and stared wide eyed as Arthur, Gwaine, Merlin and many others stood in front of a round table with their swords in the air. I spun round and blinked before seeing Merlin whimpering on the ground, I crawled shakily over to him and curled up next to him as the images we both saw ran through our bond.
"Morgana's going to kill Uther," he whispered grabbing my hand tightly.
"The Reign of Morgana and The Coming of Arthur," I whispered back trying to help Merlin up without falling over myself.
"You two look like startled stoats," said Arthur throwing bags at us.
"At least we don't look like a bone idle... Toad," muttered Merlin as he shakily stood up and put the bag on his back.
"Are you saying I look like a toad?"
"Yes and maybe one day you'll magically turn into a handsome prince but since magic's outlawed that will never happen... Let's go!" Merlin said causing me to smile slightly.
"Merlin I give the orders."
"Sorry..." He murmured.
"You ready? Let's get going then," I said walking off leaving a confused Arthur behind me.
"What happened Merlin? Gwen?" Asked Gaius as we appeared for dinner that night."
"A man took us to the crystal caves," I whispered feeling Merlin's fear wash through me.
"You two are very lucky to even glimpse the caves let alone look into the crystals, before the Great Purge wizards would talk about them with reverence," Gaius explained.
"Who was the man?"
"He was the keeper of the caves known as Taliesin but he died about three hundred years ago," Gaius told us.
"But..." I whispered before Merlin interrupted.
"We can't get the images out of our heads, Morgana is going to kill Uther and become queen," Merlin whispered playing with his soup.
"But there is no evidence of this actually happening!" Snapped Gaius before looking at us with a look of sympathy. "Eat your dinner."
"Ok Gaius what is it?" I asked staring down at the red liquid.
"Sometimes it's best not to know children," he smiled and chuckled as we stared at curiously at the food.
"I'll give it a miss thanks Gaius I've got to go home I'll see you tomorrow."
"Arthur's getting Morgana a dagger for her birthday! It's like the one I saw in the crystal... WAKE UP!" Came the annoyed voice of Merlin the next day.
"Sorry! I don't have to work till later!" I yawned.
"I'm worried Gw..."
"Merlin? What is it?" I thought before an image of Morgana trying to calm her horse passed through my mind, "NO!"
"It's happening Gwen I can't stand by and watch it!"
"Calm down just hold out for a while, the dagger might show it's not the same vision! I'll go and see Arthur and the dagger ok?" I said feeling Merlin calm down and whisper a quick yes before zoning out.
"H...Hello Gwen," stammered Arthur as I walked into his messy room.
"What happened? It looks like a tornadoes gone through it!" I gasped holding back a laugh.
"Merlin hasn't been in yet do you know where he is?"
"He sent me up to apologize as Gaius asked him to get a few herbs and to collect anything you need cleaned," I lied smiling sweetly.
"Oh can you ask him to polish these boots and wash this shirt and robe for the feast tonight?" He asked lightly passing me the things I needed, I nodded meekly at him and turned away, "hey Gwen? Do you think Morgana would like this as a present?"
I spun back around and let out a sigh of relief as he showed me a small dagger with a brown hilt, "Wow! It's absolutely beautiful but isn't Morgana a proper woman? I mean doesn't she want jewellery and clothes?" I asked smiling at him causing him to blush slightly.
"Thank you for the advice Gwen I will think about it... Will you be there tonight?" He asked.
"Yes I'll be with Gwen why sire?" I whispered walking towards the door.
"Because I'll ask you to be my first dance," he chuckled causing me to blush dark red.
"Of course I'll be delighted see you tonight Arthur." I said walking out the door, "Ok Merlin we are safe."
"Would you care to dance Gwen?" Came Arthur's voice from beside me, I looked up and smiled.
"Of course sire," I said letting him pull me away into the middle of the room and wrap my arms around his neck before starting to dance and trying to ignore Merlin's laughter in the back of my mind.
"I must say you look stunning tonight," he grinned spinning me round.
"The other Gwen let me borrow one of her best dresses I don't have any dresses."
"I'm going to get confused with two Gwen's can I just call you G?" He asked smiling at my surprised face.
"Of course Arthur."
"Well G you should wear dresses more because they make you look even more beautiful then you usually do," his compliments made me grin like an idiot and I looked down at the floor embarrassed until he lifted my chin up.
"Who knew you could dance?" I laughed.
"I didn't I asked someone to teach me especially for tonight."
"Dancing with a lot of women I take it?" I asked feeling a pang of jealousy.
"Well no actually," he whispered staring into my eyes, I bit my lip as he wrapped his arm tighter round my waist and pulled me closer to him, "you are probably the coolest woman I have ever met."
"Th... Thank you," I stammered inches away from his lips by now, I forgot about the visions, the impending death of Uther Pendragon and the people around me and focused on Arthur and how close together we were.
"Thank you! Lady Morgana will now open her present from Prince Arthur," I pulled away and smiled at the slightly annoyed prince, he smiled back and kissed my hand before walking off to the table. I turned around just in time to see the smug look on Morgana's face before she opened the box. I walked over to Merlin and he smirked at me before going as white as a sheet, I looked over at what he was staring at and froze as Morgana stared at a jewelled dagger like the one we saw in the Crystal Cave.
"Girls really do like pretty things," shrugged Arthur from beside me before walking back to his chambers.
"What do we do now?" Merlin asked telepathically.
"Now we watch her and see if she does anything we will get through this Merlin."
"Ok bond twin," his nickname for me made the corner of my mouth twitch and I grabbed his hand and squeezed it.
"Ow Merlin you're squishing me!" I squealed as we hid behind a curtain near Morgana's room.
"I can't help being long!" He snapped back before letting out a bark of laughter.
"Ssssh! I can hear someone!" I whispered putting my hand over Merlin's mouth and peering through the split between the curtain and the wall, after a few minutes I let out a sigh and whispered, "It's only Gwen we should just keep a lookout now so be quiet!"
BANG!
A few hours later I felt Merlin stir awake and pushed the overwhelming urge to sleep away before looking out and seeing Morgana in a dark red cloak walk round the corner, I pushed Merlin out and we ran down the corridor hand in hand, we stopped just as Morgana was about to walk through a large door and whispered a spell that closed the door and knocked a light over, Morgana screamed and fell backwards down a flight of stairs, we looked at each other in alarm and ran to see an unconscious Morgana at the bottom of the steps with a bleeding head.
"Oh my god get Arthur I'll stay with her we are in big trouble..."
"What happened?" Cried Gaius as Gwen, Arthur, Merlin and myself ran in carrying Morgana's body.
"She fell down a flight of stairs why she was there I don't know," whispered Arthur holding back tears.
"What can you do?" Sobbed Gwen.
"I can close the wound but her craniums broken and she's bleeding inside," explained Gaius, Arthur shook his head and ran from the room whilst Gwen stood as still as a statue tears falling down her cheeks, I looked at Merlin who ran off to his room whilst I ran off to find Arthur.
"Arthur?" I whispered from outside his chamber, I kept telling myself it was for the best but I felt guilty and shocked at the outcome, I never knew her but Arthur loved her like a sister and it strangely hurt seeing him heartbroken.
"Come in," came the quiet voice from inside, I opened the door and felt a rush of pity as I saw him sitting at his desk, head in hands and body wracked with sobs, I walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't even look up he just stood up and threw his arms around me and sobbed onto my shoulder.
"I'm sorry I don't usually cry..."
"A debt repaid huh?" I joked remembering how I had cried on him when Gwaine was banished.
"Ha yeah I guess so," he whimpered before crying again.
"How's Arthur?"
"A wreck! He's crying in front of me," I thought.
"Oh god he is upset!"
"How's Uther? I know he's up there I saw him when I came to find Arthur," I asked.
"Guess what? He's Morgana's real father! Who knew?" I gaped at the wall. "He said Gorlois wife and him spent time together when Gorlois was fighting and he wants to use magic to save her..."
"I know what you're thinking Merlin but no," I demanded knowing he wanted to save her using magic.
"I'll hold out but I hate seeing everyone like this Gwen! It's horrible!"
"Hide in your room then," I joked feeling him mentally roll his eyes.
"Don't... Just don't."
"YOU SAW THE DRAGON!" I shrieked in shock, "And you threatened him?"
"I done what was right!"
"Oh god Merlin you're saving your enemy," I whispered.
"I can't watch her die and everyone else's pain Gwen, even you said you couldn't bare seeing Arthur or Gwen or even Uther's grief," he mumbled barely audible.
"But I know this isn't the right thing to do! It'll come back with a vengeance."
"I can't watch her die!" He cried wiping away tears.
"Why?"
"Because I loved her once! She was an angel and because I didn't help her she turned on me and everyone she cared about," he yelled.
"Look Merlin do what you think is right but this might just turn on you," I whispered before sitting down and watching him as he put his hand over Morgana and with hesitation muttered these words.
"Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ!" Morgana let out a breath and fell into a peaceful sleep, Merlin looked up at me and smiled before walking up to his chambers leaving me in thought.
"So... You loved her?" I asked as we walked along the hallways.
"Well yeah I did," he muttered.
"So... Why?"
"Well she wasn't what she is now and she was kind and..." But he was cut off as the warning bell sounded and from a short distance away Arthur's yelling could be heard, we ran towards the noise and found Arthur kneeling next to an unconscious man and Gaius just walking in. We looked at him and knelt down next to the man whilst Arthur went and sealed the drawbridge off.
"How?" Merlin asked as Gaius picked up his wine soaked hand to feel for a pulse, I looked at Merlin and saw him pale as the man's fingers dripped with wine.
"What is it you two?"
"That was the next image," I stammered shaking slightly.
"I haven't stopped anything! Gwen stay here I'll call you if I need you," he yelled before sprinting down the corridor.
I forced myself into Merlin's mind so I could see what was happening, he slid over the slippery floors and threw himself into Morgana's room where she stood putting her dagger in its holder on her belt.
"What are you doing here Merlin?" She asked.
"Arthur told me to come and protect you he was very insistent," he explained standing in front of her, she glared at him and went to walk away but he grabbed her wrist, she screamed at him and he flew backwards into the wall hitting a candle holder and falling unconscious as flames spread around him, Morgana sneered at him before running away to find Uther.
"Oh god!" I yelped standing up and running towards her room, I waited for her to move before running in to see Merlin scream in the flames, I gasped and ran towards Uther's room, fear taking over me as the image from my vision appeared as a screaming Merlin in the middle of a fire. I slid into Uther's room and gasped as Morgana held the dagger over a sleeping Uther, I looked around the room and just as Morgana started throwing the knife down I made the window shatter and Morgana fly into the wall.
"WHAT HAPPENED?" Shouted Uther as he woke up and looked around the room.
"There was a fire I was so scared so I came to you the only person I feel safe with," Morgana sobbed as she threw herself into Uther's arms, I rolled my eyes and ran back to find Merlin who stood outside the room with a bleeding head.
"Come on Gaius will fix your head and don't worry Uther's alive and I managed to survive the cheesiest and lamest excuse from the witch without killing anyone," I said dragging him to Gaius' chambers.
"You saved the King's life you should be proud," Gaius said after he bandaged up Merlin's head.
"Only just we thought we could alter the future but instead we caused it and made it happen," I explained.
"What you did was dangerous even with your powers but what's done is done now there is more important stuff for us to worry about I fear Morgana knows the truth."
"About what?" Asked Merlin with a mouth full of food.
"That Uther is her father it explains why she acted so suddenly Arthur must be careful."
"Why?" I whispered.
"She is of royal blood, if Uther died then Arthur would be the only one in her way to the throne of Camelot," Gaius explained.
"Ah hell."
*sigh* I FINALLY FINISHED THIS CHAPTER! I HAD WRITERS BLOCK FOR WEEKS! I EVEN GOT TO ADD IN A LITTLE DOCTOR WHO THING! (Don't... Don't do that) NOW I GET TO BE ALL WRITERS BLOCKED OVER THE NEXT CHAPTER! REVIEW AND TELL ME IF I SHOULD CARRY ON AS PER USUAL! THANK YOU FOR READING!