Glad people share my sentiments on short chapters. As always, love the reviewing! It makes me happy and it reminds me to post actively. Lots of action, mainly because this isn't all that important to the story overall... sort of.

True to Merlin's guess, Arthur stayed bed-ridden, giving Merlin plenty of time to do what he needed and be free early in the evening. For once, he glowered at the thought of being free a little earlier. Lancelot and Gwaine were on his case more often than not now and even though he was free from Arthur's incessant orders, he wasn't free from their worry. Let alone Gwen. He avoided her like the plague as she was almost as stubborn as Arthur when it came to knowing things. Lancelot, for his valiance and tactfulness, hedged around the question while being stubborn about getting some form of answer. He'd avoided the man almost as much as he avoided Gwen. Gwaine was a lot harder to avoid. Where Lancelot would eventually stop, or he could throw Gwen in his line of sight and have him be distracted, Gwaine had no such problems of single-minded love. Yes, Gwaine loved Percival, and yes the man was huge distraction (big enough for Merlin to hide behind anyway), but Gwaine was a champion at multi-tasking, almost as much of a champion as Merlin was. As Merlin hid behind Percival, Gwaine told him that he'd better stop avoiding his questions or he'll be turned over a knee... while practically molesting the larger man who flushed at his lover's forwardness as always.

"I'm serious, Merlin. Percival isn't going to save you."

Merlin knew that already and promised him that eventually he would explain something and left. With Arthur bed-ridden, no one would be following him around. Lancelot and Gwaine, while pushy, had their own duties to attend to and were often far too tired to do anything else but curl up beside the ones they loved. It seemed that only Arthur had the energy to follow him around on his nightly escapades. He headed out of the immediate area of Camelot through the Darkling woods and called on Kilgarrah. The sound of his wings on the wind made Merlin sigh as he landed. Merlin sat down and Kilgarrah lay against the ground. For a moment, they said nothing and just enjoyed being in each other's presence.

It had been awhile since Merlin had called on the old dragon, it wasn't as if he'd had time to really consult the dragon for companionship with Arthur always in danger. It hadn't been feasible. A deep sense of whimsy set in him as the daydream of sitting in Camelot's courtyard with Kilgarrah, talking about nothing related to Camelot or much of anything, just delighting in not being a long for a little while. The whimsy became bittersweet almost immediately... that day seemed so far away that it may never happen most days, and nothing but a fantasy any other time.

"It is not everyday you call me sitting down, young warlock... There most be something very wrong in Camelot..."

"No," Merlin replied. "There isn't. No magic, no normal attacks even on Camelot. Sure Arthur almost got killed in the forest, but the attack was by a group of bandits... that's also... not why I've called you..."

Kilgarrah waited looking down Merlin. There was something off about the man. He was sure he could figure out what, and his sympathy went to the young lad. He saw the turn of Merlin's future in a myriad of paths, many of them wonderful, but no more wonderful than the fantastic darkness he felt looming. While he had faith that Merlin, in all his innocence, was firmly on the path of the light... he did worry about what he could not feel. Their soul's relationship was practically a one way street now that Merlin had a better hold on himself and his powers. While he could feel Merlin's presence, he was not privy to the mechanics of his heart. That was more troubling than the look on the man's face. He knew more than most that the troubles of the heart and soul could lead to darker paths than intended faster than anyone could ever hope to guess or react to. If Merlin turned to darkness, the light of Albion would be wiped out forever and he had every understanding that though magic would return to the land and he would be free, Arthur would not be so lucky.

"You're a creature of magic... I wanted to ask Gaius, but I don't think he'd understand..."

"What is troubling you?"

"It's my magic... I... I think there's something wrong with it. I think I'm sick."

Kilgarrah snorted, "Young warlock, what you speak of is not a sickness, but an internalization of your power. You do not have the ability to become,as you say, sick."

Merlin huffed, he supposed he should be grateful that he will never completely lose his powers ever...

"What does that mean?"

"You've locked your powers up and now they are rebelling. It is as simple as that."

Merlin winced, it was always a bad sign when Kilgarrah gave him a straight answer.

"Rebelling?"

"I am a creature of magic, Merlin, yet I have never suppressed it as you have. As in my blood, magic flows through you, composes you, and with that comes a need for balance. A call for restoration and usage, of being...There is a darkness that is building up in you. It has been since you were a boy in Ealdor and now that you are in Camelot where you cannot use your gifts on threat of death, it is welling up and causing what you call sickness."

"But it was never this bad before! I didn't use my powers much in Ealdor, and it wasn't this bad! What does it want me to do about it? Enchant the King?"

"You are older now Merlin and as you grow so does your awareness of your magic. Being in Camelot with all the threats on Arthur's life and the kingdom was well timed with the accelerated growth that you could channel and practice... Now you are in a time of threatening peace... I have no doubt that the reason behind it is sinister and the consequences possibly more so."

Merlin swallowed, "What do you mean?"

"I mean that it is too much of a coincidence that there has been no attack on Camelot, magical or not, as young Arthur continues to rise in power and influence among the people... Knowing that the witch Morgana knows her greatest enemy resides in Camelot."

Merlin's insides squirmed. Morgana was laying a trap for him? But how could she have known that this would happen? Does she know?

"How would Morgana know that?"

"She wouldn't, but there are those that would work for her that would... Magical beings know things that sorcerers are never privy to. The state you are in is not something that would be lost on a magical being in the realm of Camelot... even the boy Mordred would know, but none have the powers that you do, nor the experience that you have in hiding... The only exception I would think is Arthur..."

Merlin snorted, "He'd be lucky to notice anything that wasn't food,swords, or girls."

"I would not be so certain of that young warlock..."

Merlin frowned and conceded that point. Sure, Arthur had more blonde moments than King moments, and he really was a dollop-head, but he wasn't a complete idiot. He had a sense of knowing that Merlin was sure came from his magical origin, but he didn't bother to think about it. He didn't have the time to-another wave of disorientation hit him and he swooned slightly. His eyes fluttered and he wrenched his eyes shut to blot out the echoing of something that wasn't his own past in his ears. It wasn't anything near, the night was quiet, this was something beyond, engrained and bleeding up from the earth and into his mind. His magic was reviving something that he didn't think needed to be remember.

I beg you! I beg you! He'd just a child- You will suffer your death by the thing you do not understand, Uther Pendragon! May the Goddess have mercy on you, because she will not-

"How do I stop it?" Merlin asked, breathing slowly.

"You can't," he replied, slowly as Merlin, winced and looked up at him. "Your magic will circle you the longer you hold it in, the more painful it will become, the more fierce it will fight to get out... It will continue in that way until you can let it run freely."

"And there is nothing I can do?" Merlin asked, his voice trembling.

"You must understand that your powers are a part of you, a part of yourself connected to Camelot, there is much about your magic that even I do not know, but I can see that is not a burden bore lightly."

"I've noticed," Merlin said, curling into himself, hands to his temples and breathing slowly.

Kilgarrah watched in interest as Merlin leaned forward, his head between his legs, and his eyes shut. The breathing was low and shuddering and there was an edged whimper there.

"What is truly the matter, young warlock? There is more to your pain than what you are saying isn't there?"

"I..." Merlin drifted off. "It's dark... I feel... It's... I can't shake the feeling."

"The feeling?"

"There's a part of me that wants to watch Camelot crumble at my feet, a part of me that wants to murder Arthur in cold blood, but I... I don't let it. I keep thinking it's just my magic, but then I find myself fiddling with knives. Or blacking out and disarming the King! I see Uther and all those people in my sleep, I see Igraine and blood, so much blood on my hands, on his hands... I hear Agravaine saying how I'm no different than him in my deception of Arthur... I keep telling myself that it isn't true, but the blood... so much blood because I didn't save them when I could, because I had to kill to keep my secret, to keep Arthur safe... I've never hated destiny and fate as much as I have in these last few weeks. Kilgarrah... I don't know what to do..."

Kilgarrah sighed, seeing the pained look in his eyes. Merlin seemed to glow in his eyes radiating disjointed energy and some of it seeped out into the earth and the wind around them, keeping the young warlock warm, no doubt. But the majority of it was thrashing around unseen inside him, ricocheting through psychic space and world that even Kilgarrah had no experience accessing. At the proximity, Kilgarrah could feel his turmoil, though not determine the cause. The problems that Merlin would face would be his own.

"Merlin... not even you know the depths of your power... and though I am a being of magic, I could not fathom it. I can only tell you that you must not let the darkness consume you... You cannot let it consume you or Albion will be lost and Arthur will die... or worse"

Merlin shook his head, he didn't think that the darkness would have time to consume him if he carried on this way. He could feel his magic getting stronger by the day threatening to breakout of his trembling control at a moment's notice.

"What about Morgana? Surely she would be able to-"

"Though Morgana is the dark to your light, and she wields the power of the high priestess... even she would be no match... no... The only one that could truly stop you... would be the Tripple Goddess by ending your life."

He looked up at Kilgarrah, teary eyed and weary.

"I can't contain all of this..." Merlin said feeling it pushing at the back of his eyes, humming in his throat and squeezing into his cranial cavity, pushing against nerves and making his arms tremble. The pain and the blood... the pain and the blood... so much pain, so much-too much... he couldn't!

I can't! I can't anymore!

"You must Merlin," Kilgarrah said. "Until the time is right... You must hold strong."

Merlin shook his head. He'd held strong when Kilgarrah attacked Camelot, he'd held strong all those times that Arthur almost died in his arms... He'd held strong all this time, but this... He wasn't sure he could anymore. But he couldn't tell that to Kilgarrah. Even though Kilgarrah was a magical creature, he could not understand completely what Merlin was trying to understand himself. How could he articulate something that he didn't understand? How was he suppose to ask for help when he didn't know what he was fighting?

Was he fighting himself? His magic? Were the different? If they were, how so? If not, then why couldn't he except that- He knew the answer to that. Because he couldn't... he couldn't take his own words to mean that he had no place in Camelot as well. He couldn't because that would crush him and send him back to Ealdor in a mess of emotion. Or worse, destroying Camelot in a fit of rage and watching people die with no remorse.

Do it, it was such a wonderful fantasy. He would be merciful and kill all but Arthur quickly. He would let Gwaine and Percival, Lancelot and Gwen, and Gaius escape... but Arthur... he wasn't sure. His magic saw Igraine in Arthur's eyes, but when he spoke he saw Uther. He didn't know which he would be looking into Merlin's eyes glowing gold and wreaking chaos. He honestly didn't know if he would let it run amuck and kill anyone but himself.

But he couldn't voice all that confusion to the dragon, so Merlin shuffled his way back to Camelot, shutting off the faucet of magic as he entered the citadel and slipping past the guards without detection to head to Gaius' chambers. The man left a plate out for him, but the thought of eating made his head spin. He walked past it and rummaged through his satchel for a handful of seeds and sprouts from the lakeside. With it came the memory of the tiny orb of light that spoke to him in thoughts and kindness. His soul felt soothed and reassured. He should probably look the creature up, or ask about it when he called Kilgarrah again. He wondered how he would feel if he actually took a holiday and traveled the country side freely, avoiding any kind of loyalty, any kind of kingdom. He could go home and spend time with his mother, he could feel the world and let his magic flow out of him at will and just be. He wouldn't have to see Igraine and Uther jumbled up together with no lines between them in Arthur and want to kill and cradle, destroy and love all at once. A little holiday wouldn't hurt would it?

He shook his head, he had a duty to the rest of the magical world and all those people that died in the Great Purge, the people torn from their homes, the families decimated... He had a duty to all the people he saw in his nightmares that he didn't know, and all the ones that he did know. His suffering was nothing compared to theirs and what it would continue to be if he didn't follow through with his destiny. When Albion was restored, he'd take his holiday somewhere faraway from Arthur and reevaluate his connection to Camelot. He went to sleep planning his soul-searching trek across Albion and the dream of better days to come.

For once, he didn't dream. When he woke up, the plants were more than just seeds and sprouts in his hands, but sprouting flowers from his fists. He felt strangely better, level almost and put them aside in the pot with the others, before letting the roots curl around his fingers gently and leech energy from him. He enchanted the water they sat in and got up ready to start the day. Maybe today would be a good day...

Arthur went where?...

"Yeah, he left at dawn for some meeting near Nemeth. Said he'd be back in a few days time."

Merlin winced he didn't like the sound of that at all. He hadn't been woken up to go along, so maybe they weren't completely back to normal yet. There was no telling what could happen with Merlin in Camelot and Arthur out and about. If the day couldn't get worse, the sky darkened and he felt something in him flailing on alert. Something was going on. Something about the guards, the city a creeping feeling, even Gaius acted strangely. There was a stiffness and a suspicion in his eyes turned on Merlin.

"What's... going on?" Merlin asked.

"I... I don't know Merlin...I feel strange..." Snapping out of his staring to return to being the Gaius that he knew and loved.

Merlin frowned and closed the door, locking it before sitting Gaius down and taking a deep breath, opening his eyes to seet he shimmering waves around him that melted around him and were slowly seeping into Gaius.

"Hold still," he said lifting a hand and casting a barrier around him. Gaius shivered a little and blinked. The haze was gone but still shooting through the room. Oddly, it avoided him. It avoided anything that did not live, but he had a feeling that it wasn't good.

"What's going on Merlin?"

"I don't know, Gaius... there's some kind of spell in the air..."

"A spell for what?"

Merlin shook his head, "I don't know..."

It was a long day ahead. Gaius sent him out to make a few deliveries and everyone seemed to be intensely aware of him, sometimes staring, glaring, dogs barked at him... It was weird all together. Much weirder than normal. When he returned to the palace, much of the same happened. The council chambers were closed and in session. What could they possibly be discussing without Arthur there? The day continued and the odd shimmer in the air didn't dissipate. The small minority users in Camelot seemed to be unaffected and were a little panicked at what this was supposed to mean. He had no

Arthur arrived in Nemeth with little trouble and a deep regret for the decision to leave Merlin behind. Things were still strange between them, and he wasn't sure how the other felt about accompanying him.

The drunken lout should be grateful that I'm giving him a break-again he winced at the words that didn't feel like his, but could only be his own. He sounded too much like his father for comfort.

The Princess Mithian was as beautiful as he remembered and as kind. He didn't anticipate staying long until Mithian asked the question he hoped she wouldn't.

"Has Merlin left your service?"

His insides turned at the thought, "No, I've just allowed him a bit of rest. He hasn't been feeling well..."

Mithian rose an eyebrow but didn't comment. Merlin had been on the brink of death, or worse and had still come to save Arthur and Arthur had never seemed to give any consideration to Merlin's well-being before... She had a feeling that there was more to Merlin's illness than Arthur was revealing, but she didn't push. The only thing she could really do was try and get things underway as quickly as possible so that Arthur could go back and fix whatever he'd done... Or at least hope that Merlin had found better employment that recognized him for all the work he did.

It was her father, Rodor, who'd asked a more prying question, gaping at Merlin's absence. The boy was famed as the constant companion of Arthur.

"Why Arthur, have you fired him?" Rodor asked confused. Arthur winced and shook his head, giving the same answer that he'd given Mithian and hoping that Rodor would just get on with business.

He did luckily and the questions stopped there. He didn't think that it would last long. He was right, but he feigned that it didn't matter. No one but Mithian seemed to really think it odd, but she didn't push either and for that he was grateful. He was meant to be going home in three days, but he'd rather return to Camelot faster than that and pushed the date up.

Morgana entered Camelot around nightfall that same day, walking past the guards, through the city and straight into the palace accompanied by Agravaine. To be honest, she hated using men or these things, but what must be done must be done. The curse required her presence in the city to hold it, and a point of focus to guide it. It wasn't enough that Emrys was practically under siege and even he could not over run the power of the curse, nor do anything to save Merlin's life.

They marched in to the council, spoke briefly and everything was set up. Once she got rid of Merlin, then Arthur would be easy. He was practically helpless without the young man, and his emotional dependence on the other's life made him the perfect target. Emrys was ready to pop and in the circumstances, there was little change that he would risk being found out for the servant boy. The emotional weight of that however, the blood already dripping on his fingers was no doubt going to break him. He would either be forced with the blood of another man on his hands and his power would reveal itself and Merlin would die, or Merlin would be saved and she would have her chance to kill Emrys. Merlin would die either by noose or magic. Which, at this point, didn't matter to her.

"He dies midday."

They came for him in the night. Barging in through Gaius' chambers, rushing up the small set of steps to his quarters away from the main floor, the found him curled on his side staring into darkness. He jumped at their entrance, asking what the problem was, but they paid no heed. Only reaching out and dragging him from bed, punching him in the face to silence him in flurry of a Pendragon red and chainmail silver. He didn't recognize these knights as they weren't the core knights that he usually spent his time with. Gaius could be heard demanding answers, but all Merlin could hear through his adrenaline haze, the pain in his face, and the pain from keeping his magic from healing him was "Sorcerer", "treachery", "sentenced" and "trial".

He felt his heart fall through stone and into a deep dark pit as he was dragged to the throne room where Agravaine sat in Arthur's throne ready to pass judgement. A shadow just beyond his eyesight, but he didn't need to see who it was to know what was going on and swallowed hanging his head.

"Morgana…" the words fell from his lips as the guards threw him onto his face. The unnecessary violence made him think that the enchantment did more than make people suspicious... they made them suspicious and hateful towards him.

Agravaine was such a weasley man, he really didn't like him at all and since Agravaine apparently survived his last brush in with Merlin, he didn't have to ask what he was being charged with. But there was something different about Agravaine that he couldn't put his finger on, it was darker, there was something about the look in his eyes that made him think that it wasn't Agravaine at all but some shadow of a ghost. Because Morgana would have had his head chopped off immediately if she'd truly known who he was. Knowing Agravaine, he would have told her immediately if he was truly alive and he would have had an even larger problem.

A Shade... which meant that this was a vague charge based on the sentiments of the people, not a charge against him. There was a bittersweet relief to that realization that Merlin didn't have time to think about.

"As the uncle to the King, and his magistrate in his absence, I hereby find you guilty of using sorcery within Camelot and sentence you to death by hanging…. Have you any last words?"

Merlin sneered, feeling heady with it all and too disoriented to do much. The words weren't necessary, he didn't have anything to say as the Knight drug him away towards the dungeons. The words he'd fought so hard never to hear again were ringing in his ears through the haze and the phantom screaming.

Sorcerer…Evil…

Traitor…

He found himself hours later as the sun rose into the sky staring out into darkness, staring out into the cold damp wall of the cell and breathing deeply, in his pain. The wounds weren't healed, he didn't need to better their argument against him. He would sustain enough from the crowd. He didn't need to do anything but lie there and accept his fate.

You could blow the door off and run...

And go where?

Away from here!

I couldn't leave Gaius like that...

His magic grumbled, roiling around in him at his suppression, but he remained firm. He had no real idea of what the next day would bring, but he also didn't really care. If he was to die, there was no point in making it a difficult transition into the after life.

"King Arthur!" Arthur turned to see the messenger gasping for breath as he ran towards them.

"What is it William?"He gasped for breath collapsing to his knees, there was no telling how fast or how far he'd run to find them, but he had a distinct feeling that he'd ran. He was the fastest foot messenger in Camelot, and even faster on a horse.

"What's happened? Calm yourself."

"A message… from Gaius… It's Merlin—he's… he's been accused of sorcery and has been sentenced to death by Agravaine…"

Arthur frowned, "How… is that possible? Agravaine is dead."

"With Morgana," he breathed falling forward. "He's sentenced to die at noon… there's an ambush coming here to kill you… Please your Majesty, you must go!"

He cursed, mounting his horse, pulling off his armor, shucking his chainmail and trading his rich cloak for a more simple one. He left the items with William and left him money to rest and find somewhere else to spend the night.

"I thank you William, rest," and then he was off, pressing his horse into the fastest ride of his life. It was nearly dawn now, sorcerer executions usually happened before noon, he didn't have much time. He could only hope that it was enough to save Merlin.

That idiot… what has he gotten himself into? Why sorcery? Why is it always sorcery?!

He didn't want to think about which part of him was asking that question, he didn't want to think about why he was asking that question at all, he only knew that every part of him was screaming FASTER! And hoping his horse understood it. They broke into the outer city as noon began and he could hear the tolling of the death bell.

Please let it not be too late…

Merlin woke up, eyes blinking through pain as the masses jeered, yelled, the guards drug him from his chambers and blood slid over the curves of his face. His head hurt, he was too tired and all he could see was Agravaine at the other side with Morgana by his side in disguise. He didn't need magic to see through it… then again, she didn't really need a disguise to walk into Camelot with the spell she'd cast. No one was in their right mind, so just an enchantment here and cloak there, she could slip through the town as the least of everyone's problems. She was royal, no matter what she'd done and would be the next in line for the throne if Arthur died. But that wasn't her main concern… it was to kill him. Whether she knew if he was Emrys or not, or rather knew that he meant a great deal to Arthur, or the simple idea that he had thwarted her plans ever single time, was enough to get the people to believe Agravaine under the idea that Arthur was under a spell, everything that he'd done had been under a sorcerer's control. Agravaine at the very least would get rid of him and Morgana would unknowingly be rid of her bane. But Agravaine was definitely dead, wasn't he? He had to be, there was no way that man was still alive...

Morgana looked so pleased with herself. She probably would have enjoyed killing him herself except this was much more fitting. A public execution, a blood sacrifice to seal the curse on Camelot and be prepared for Arthur's return.

They pulled him up to the gallows, shoving him down and tying the noose tight. He could feel the roughness cutting into his skin and beyond the splatters of blood coming from his mouth he could see Gaius begging the guards to reconsider, but they did not hear. None of the Knights that would have vouched for him were there, too far by now for sure to make a difference. Merlin had a feeling that even if they were there, even they would not do much against the enchantment. He smiled wryly, destiny and fate sucked… How was it that he got the short end of the stick here? How was it that he always got the short end of the stick? Never living a normal life, always hiding, worrying, waking up in terror and pain... How was it that for the.. he didn't know how many times he was staring death in the face caught between the fire and an even hotter fire? How is it that he ended up here?

That damned dragon, he growled under his breath as Agravaine began to speak and he was positioned over the trapdoor that would fall from beneath him and let him break his neck or strangle to death.

Let's hope I just break my neck and get it over with. Somehow he knew he would end up strangling to death rather. Not only did he probably not weigh enough, but it would be just his luck in either case.

"And this is the day that we end the control of fair King Arthur…" Agravaine said and announced it okay for him to die.

Arthur arrived in the city, rushing through the paved streets to hear the sound of the crowd, the fall of a trap door and the choking sounds of a dying felt the noose tighten, his body swing and tears burned as his throat was squeezed, less by the noose and more by the pair of glowing orbs at Agravaine's side. They would make sure he was dead. Tighter, tighter…He couldn't breathe. He couldn't clenched in their binding , his legs kicked thrashing in hopes of loosening, in panic, and terror. The darkness was coming, rushing and creeping up on him. He was going to die… He was going to die… But he was Emrys, he was Merlin. He didn't deserve this! He never asked for any of this! He never asked for the magic, this burden, he didn't ask for any of the things he'd had to do, he didn't want to. He didn't ask for the nightmares and the blood, the pain and suffering... the blood and so much more blood coating his hands, dripping, bathing him in scarlet guilt and memories. He'd wanted a simple life, but no, his powers were too great. He wanted to leave Camelot, but Arthur, the clotpole, needed him to be protect him. Fate needed him there. It killed Freya to keep him there, it let things go awry to keep him there...Maybe…

Maybe this time he shouldn't struggle… Maybe it was best that he let go this time…The Dragon had told him once that destiny was not set in stone (he'd also said not to let the darkness overcome him)… maybe the united Albion was one of those paths that was nothing more than a shimmer in the pond of fate rather than a real reflection… Maybe this wasn't the darkness he meant... He always thought of death as light anyway… maybe if Merlin wanted to die, he would actually get what he asked for…. That sounded nice, it sounded peaceful like sleeping in the woods alone and letting his body manage its own power properly... It sounded like sleeping forever among light and the universe...So his body relaxed by degrees, his eyes turned up, the pain faded away and everything vanished into a distance blinding like the sun. Just a little more and it wouldn't hurt anymore... Couldn't he choke to death any faster?

Merlin…

Someone in the crowd turned as he flicked his sword towards the rope. The rope tore and Merlin's body fell motionless to the scaffold as Arthur leapt from his rushing horse onto the platform to retrieve his sword and get to Merlin, loosening the noose and leaving him in Gaius's care before rushing towards Morgana.

"MORGANA!" He shouted, rushing towards them.

She only laughed at his foolishness as his guards moved to cut him off and Agravaine began to speak.

"Dear Arthur, I am only trying to free you from this traitorous sorcerer's powers."

"Agravaine… is dead." Arthur said in a low voice, raising his sword. "Who are you and what have you done to my men?"

"Simple dear Arthur…I'm controlling them… them and this pathetic and bigoted crowd. It's very easy to control weak, ignorant minds..."

"Why Merlin...?"

"I didn't realize your serving boy meant so much to you, dear brother. He'd been a pain in my side and the poisoner of my dreams... he deserves to die."

Gaius rushed to Merlin through the crowd, pressing on his chest, checking vitals and praying that he was still alive, there was still a weak pulse, but it was strong enough to let Gaius know he was still alive. A storm collected overhead, wind blew and Morgana and Agravaine vanished in a storm of laughter. Arthur didn't understand why he knew that they would be back, but once they were gone his men blinked and looked at him in confusion, looking around at the crowd.

"What… what happened?"

"Get Merlin to Gaius's chambers… now!"They rushed to do as commanded, lifting he broken boy off the floor and carrying him towards Gaius' chamber with Arthur following soon afterwards, sheathing his sword and biting his lip. Morgana had done something more than just control his people, she'd hurt Merlin for a purpose? What was it? What purpose could it have possibly been? Did it matter? Of course it did, it had something to do with her attempt to take over Camelot. It couldn't have been that he cared for Merlin, that wouldn't have been enough to do it the way she an hour of thinking and pacing back and forth outside of Gaius' chambers, the door opened with the old man looking more weary and frightened than he ever remembered.

"He's… he's…"

Arthur swallowed, waiting for the worst.

"He's… he's very weak… It's a miracle that he's even still alive… I cannot say if… if he will make it the night…"

"How weak? Is there nothing to be done, Gaius?"He shook his head, more than the hanging there was something else going inside of Merlin's body, some war for power that was draining his life away.

Arthur spent the night by Merlin's side, gripping a cold clammy hand in his, stoking the fire, adjusting blankets to keep the other warm. He didn't like it. Merlin had always been so warm, how warm Arthur wasn't entirely sure, but he was always bordering on feverish, but not sick. All that warmth was gone now and Arthur prayed that it would return. By morning, very little had changed. His breathing was still deathly soft, but at least he was breathing.

Come on Merlin, you can't die alright?

The other didn't seem to hear him as he sighed in the dead of night, Gaius fast asleep. He leaned down, stroking a hand through dark hair and laying a gentle kiss on his forehead and pulled the blankets over him before leaving to attend to some other matters. He wanted to be there if he woke up... while at the same time he didn't think he could handle it if he was there if he didn't. He found no rest that night and instead went over the reports about the kingdom and pondered how Morgana and Agravaine got in the city...

The damage was done, Morgana knew that laughing as the Shade of Agravaine sat motionless not too far away. Emotional turmoil, a witch hanging, it really didn't take much for that perfect image of Camelot to come crashing down now did it? It would almost be time and then Emrys would have to show himself... It wasn't as if Emrys could protect Arthur from himself...The time was almost upon them...She smirked a little sitting in the old chair in the lower town before going to the window to look up at the great stone tower of Camelot.

"Let's get going," she said standing. "It's almost time."

Arthur managed to get through the paperwork on his desk in the dark of the night, but couldn't sleep. It usually made him sleepy but for some reason the usually lulling effects of boredom weren't working. He was a little cold eventhough the fire was still blazing and filling the room with a heat that did not touch him. He went to go check on Merlin only to find that nothing had changed, if anything he was only getting paler... Arthur didn't think that was possible.

"How is he Gaius?"Gaius shook his head, "He seems to be getting worse."

Arthur huffed, "Trust you to be stubborn about your own death..."Gaius winced at those words as Arthur glared down at him.

"You'd better wake up Merlin, that's an order!"

Merlin didn't move and he huffed marching out of the room to go train with the Knights. Gaius moved to Merlin side to check his temperature and treat the bruises around his neck. His eyes flashed open, glowing and shifting between gold and blue."Merlin-dear heavens..."

"Mor... gan...a...com...ing...sa...ve... Arthur...room... room..."

All the strength required for that moment seemed to be used up and he fell back unconscious, breathing heavily. The wounds around his neck seemed to throb with something else and Gaius realized that Morgana had enchanted his wounds, probably attempting to lengthen his suffering and ensure his death.

"Come on, Merlin... fight it!" Gaius said but there was no reply. Merlin did not move for the next three days no matter what was said, Arthur's threats, Gaius's pleading, Gwen's tears... nothing changed.

In the meantime, Morgana was marching towards Camelot with a full magical army, ready to finish what she'd started. It didn't take long to arrive, midday and begin the attack on the walls of Camelot. Spells were hurled blowing chunks of wall apart and the screams that littered the air floated up with the smell of burning flesh and blood. Arthur cursed looking out the window with Morgana flinging his soldiers left and right calling for him, marching towards the palace.

"Arthur!" She mounted his sword, struggling into his armor. He could hear the Knights fighting with the enchanted men and women and the sorcerers that controlled them.

"Get the people through the forest, immediately, we'll hold them off for as long as we can-"

"Come out and play, Arthur!"

Leon nodded, telling him not to get himself killed before moving down the corridor to carry on with his duty.

He could feel her strutting through the corridors towards his chambers, where he was now prepared to face her.

"Give me my crown, Arthur!"

This was stupid... he realized, what could he use a sword against magic for? He needed to find Gaius, but knowing the old man would probably never leave Merlin's side... He growled, this was a fine time for Merlin to end up injured. The man always seemed to be able to get out of tough spots before, but how? How did he-

"Die a slow and painful death, Arthur!"

The window... He didn't think he was going to like this, but rather than making this difficult for himself, he sheathed Excalibur and headed towards the window, swinging himself out and began his descent down, cursing all the while. The doors of his chambers flew open, he knew that, but by then he was already rushing across the courtyard towards Gaius's chambers.

"Sire!"He whirled at the voice, Gaius was treating Gwaine's arm, tying it tight as he kept look out.

"Where... what are you... Where's Merlin?"

Gaius shook his head, "I had to leave him..."

Arthur blinked, "You... what?"

"They were coming in quickly I had other people to tend to... besides... Merlin looks as good as dead. They won't bother him..."Arthur's eyes widened. He didn't believe that Gaius had just said that with such a grave voice.

"Who are you?"

Gwaine frowned as Gaius's face shifted into another form and leapt at him, slashing at him with lightning that seemed to ricochet off his armor and ground in stone. The sorcerer continued slashing, angrier that it wasn't working and Arthur could do very little but stare in shock. Why wasn't he dead? how the lightning bouncing off his armor as if it was nothing? He should have been dead!

"For all your hate of magic, you apparently have a pet sorcerer protecting you! Die damn you, Arthur Pendragon!"

In that moment, the monstrous figure was tossed back against a wall with a sickening crack. Gwaine blinked and swallowed. At least he knew that Merlin was still alive, if nothing else. Arthur looked at him.

"Don't look at me Princess, if I had magic I'd have saved myself first," he said gesturing to his arm. Arthur conceded that point and lifted his friend off the rubble and trudged their way into the castle. He wondered why he felt the need to smack Merlin over the head...

Because Merlin had the tendency of saving everyone else but himself...As soon as they were sure that he wouldn't die, he'd make sure to give Merlin a good beating and Arthur a good kick in the ass.

Merlin woke up in a flash, the door to Gaius's chamber had been caved in, soldiers rushing in to take Gaius saying that there were people dying, they needed his help and then there was silence followed by screams from outside and the rumble of rocks falling beyond the door.

He was alone. Whatever curse or sickness that Morgana had given him wasn't letting up, but he wasn't too far into death, so he rolled himself onto the floor with a painful thud! as he landed. He groaned, getting up on shaky limbs to limp, and stagger across the room, knocking over potions, tripping over books, barely avoiding falling beams before reaching the few steps to his room.

Move, Merlin! Move!

He forced more power into his limbs, it wouldn't take long, he just had to make it up the stairs. Dragging his body across the floor and earned himself a whole host of splinters, but he was close to the edge of the tiny magical collection he'd had going. Tugging it down, container and all, onto the floor as the last of his strength expired. Water flooded with an odd gleam onto the floor shyly rolling towards him at it splashed in his face and the leafy green curled around his fingers in remembrance.

Of course you remember me... He thought wryly. Are you going to keep me here too?

Everyone seemed to be trying to keep him there, yet no one seemed to remember him either. It grew and curled as the water glowed around his face and he tried and tried hard to stay awake, but that wish wasn't granted. The last thing he saw was a weirdly colored daisy reaching towards him and dipping into the water. He thought of how ironic it would be if now, of all times, Destiny decided that it was okay for him to die.

He was unconscious and true to its sentiments, his magic ran amuck. The collection returned to its place up on the mantle as his magic forced Morgana's spell out of time. It was as if it brought fists to a weapons melee: no contest. His strength ebbed into his legs to support his weakened body, but that was all it could do without more guidance.

Gwaine found him lying on his floor hoping that he would say something, wake up, but got nothing.

"Damn it Merlin, we could use you about now..."Hefting him onto his back, probably wasn't the smartest idea until he found Lancelot and they cut through the castle together. In the confusion, Gwaine set Merlin down near a suit of armor as he and Lancelot dealt with the onslaught of armed men. When they were done, he was gone.