"Why is it back?" Arthur asked as Gaius dabbed at Merlin's neck again.

The youngest prince was slumped on Gaius's table, still knocked out from the blow Arthur had dealt him.

"It would appear, if you take it out another will grow in it's place." Gaius sighed, "I should of guessed, it is the nature of the beast."

"Well what do we do?" Arthur sighed, "We can't have Merlin trying to assassinate me every day!"

"Firstly, let's talk to Merlin, the real Merlin." Gaius suggested, "I've paralysed the head, he should be free of it's influence for a while now."

Dropping the cloth the physician quickly grabbed a small smoking salt from the bowl and held it under the princes nose. After a few twitches he began to cough and splutter, jumping up into the sitting position on the table.

"What is that!" he coughed, "Arthur's socks? What are you trying to do to me?"

"We're trying to stop you from killing me!" Arthur replied.

"Oh…"

…

"You really don't remember anything?" Gaius gaped, Merlin sat at the physicians table stuffing his face with berries. Apparently he'd been so obsessed ith his 'mission' he'd forgotten to eat.

"Morgana conjured the snake, then…nothing." Merlin admitted.

"Lucky for us you're a bad assassin." Arthur smirked.

"This isn't a joke Arthur," Gaius scolded, "It may be dormant for now but it will awake and then Morgana will possess him again and nothing will stop him from killing you."

"How are we supposed to kill it then?" Merlin posed, "It will just grow back."

"There is nothing else for it, you have to kill the mother beast." Gaius told him gravely, "You'll have to go to Morgana's hut, find it and dispose of it."

"How long does he have before that thing wakes up?" Arthur asked.

"About a day, no more." Gaius replied.

"We'd better act fast." Arthur mused, "We'll have to-"

"Oh no, I'll do it myself." Merlin nodded, "I'll go in disguise, the old man one. Morgana is powerful I want to be able to use my magic freely without having to restrain myself."

"But-"

"You can't be seen collaborating with an old sorcerer, it's not time yet." Merlin said again, "Pretend that I've taken ill, then take the knights on patrol to get some air, but stay in the area near me. That way if things get too heated I can always call on you and no other Camelot knights will try and arrest me."

"Merlin you can't just-"

"A future king should listen to his advisor!" Merlin grinned.

...

To see the face of an old man but know it was somebody younger than you, your little brother no less, was always a strange experience. Hence why Arthur did not stick around to witness the transformation.

Merlin wasn't fond of his best disguise either, sure it was near impossible to recognise him but he ached all over and his bones were old. It took him twice the time to do things. Luckily Arthur lead his patrol in the completely wrong direction, giving him easy access to Morgana's hut. Once inside he rifled through every box and each nook and cranny but no pendant and no Fomorroh.

Then he heard the creak of a door and there stood Morgana, arms loaded with fire wood. He huffed and to his great surprise she dropped the wood and raced out the door in fear. Using this to his advantage he kept searching but only for a few moments, Morgana re entered gingerly. She looked frightened and her quavering voice only confirmed it.

"You're not real."

"What ever you say!" Merlin snapped, using her fear to his advantage.

Remembering what Morgana said about the Fomorroh's aversion to sunlight he flicked a piece of cloth covering a large jar revealing the hissing monster.

"you're just my imagination." Morgana continued, oh well he could play that.

"That's right." He replied, "I'm not really here, just pretend is all."

He grabbed the jar as Morgana came forward, he knocked her back into a rickety bookshelf with a single look. He hobbled outside as quickly as he could, damn this old body! He heard Morgana's voice reciting the old tongue and turned just in time to be blown off his feet.

"So Emrys, it seems you will not be my doom after all." Morgana smiled, she knew he was Emrys?

He yelled out in the old tongue, he wasn't even sure of the spell, it was instinctual, out of fear. He rose to his feet slowly. Morgana was at the bottom of the hill by the thick roots of a tree, he stood over her.

"If I'm to die by your hand you could at least tell me who you are." She whimpered.

"Why are you here? Did Arthur send you?" She asked, he stayed silent, "Why? Arthur is no friend of yours, magic has no place in Camelot."

She sat abruptly, eyes a blaze, Merlin barely dodged the dagger that flew toward him from the side. He was knocked down, the jar once again being ripped from his fingers. Morgana picked it up, smiling and began to depart.

Summoning as much energy as he could Merlin summoned the winds, forming a misty white whirlwind by the trees. Morgana tried in van to stop it as it came for her but she was caught in it's winds lifted into the air and thrown heavily against the ground. The energy the spell took was immense and the warlock fell to his knees exhausted.

Once he had his breath he conjured a small fire and three the horrid creature into the flames. Pin flared in his neck making him gasp and wince but then he felt a calmness wash over him. He was free.

...

It felt wonderful to be back in his own body again and even better that he had no desire to kill his brother. He made his way back through the woods happily, his peace was disturbed by a yell that sounded suspiciously like Arthur, followed by a loud splash. The younger prince looked trough the trees to see the knights laughing while Arthur pulled himself out of the icy river.

"I go away for a few hours and look at you, soaked through." Merlin laughed.

"Sire! We thought you were ill." Percival greeted, whoops he'd forgotten that.

"I'm fine, Arthur had that up so I could go and get some fresh air." Merlin made up on the spot, "I've been feeling a little restless since...you know."

"Right." Gwaine nodded, "We should get back tot he castle before Arthur catches a cold."

"I'm not an infa.. !" Arthur sneezed.

"Too late." Merlin sighed, "Come on Arthur!"

I'll be doing The Wicked Day soon as promised.