3. The darkest hour

Four months later, the fate of Camelot changed again.

Arthur had received calls for help from all corners of the realm, talking about a mysterious woman clad in black who was roaming the roads pulling behind her a cart...and whom no one met without paying the ultimate price.

So he asked Lily to send groups of three knights to all who asked for help in hope to find and capture that woman.

She sent Elyan, Gwaine and Percival alone with two younger knights, while Lancelot and herself remained as sole protection for Camelot.

Two months prior, a man had appeared on the castle's doorstep, seeking Arthur's hospitality.

He was named Agravaine, was Arthur's uncle by his mother...

And he crept the hell out of Lily.

So he...well...he remained too.

Camelot was preparing a grand feast and was buzzing with people when the first groups of knights came back from their scouting.

She was speaking with Gwen about the king's health when Merlin came rushing to her.

"Elyan's back. With news. Come quick!"

So she excused herself to her friend and followed the young warlock.

Lancelot was already waiting before Arthur's office's door when they arrived. He was grave-looking, and it somehow made him even more handsome.

Yes, in moments like this one, Lily understood why the ladies of Camelot all pined for the knight's affections. When they were already settled on only one person.

"Do you have any idea what happened?"

Lancelot shrugged. "I only crossed Elyan's path, he barely said a word. It must really be grave."

"Yes..." She met Merlin's gaze and reached him in mind. "What do you think happened?"

"A woman in black, killing people on her way? Looks like someone we know..."

"You know," they both snapped their heads at Lancelot, "there's no need to talk silently. Whatever you're saying I can hear."

Lily snorted. "Just because you know doesn't mean you must hear everything. What if we were talking about some things I should need for a night-out with Gwaine, eh?"

Lancelot chuckled. "I'd rather not know. Ever."

"I thought so." But she smiled anyway.

It was good to know Lancelot knew about Merlin's powers. It felt safer to have another ally within the castle walls.

The door of Arthur's office opened and revealed Elyan, who exited the room, pale and visibly uneasy.

The prince's voice then summoned the three of them inside, and they came to stand by the desk, Agravaine standing behind his nephew, as the counsellor he now was.

Lily gritted her teeth but said nothing.

"So? What did Elyan see?"

Arthur sighed. "What we all suspected, Lily."

She met the prince's gaze. "Yes. Morgana. So it was her."

"It was her. She was heading towards the plains of Denario."

She turned her head and met Merlin's eyes. He met hers with the same look of fear in their blue depths. "Was she alone?"

"No. Apparently, her sister was lying in the cart she seems to carry around with her."

"Sire, I may know where they are headed."

Arthur lifted his head, by then interested. "Do tell, Lily, please."

"The Isle of the Blessed. Morgause has been gravely wounded during the city's siege, perhaps they are trying to find a way to heal her...one that includes using the altar on the Isle."

"What do you know of this Isle?"

"Not much, apart from the fact that it was an important ritual place for the Old Religion."

The prince nodded. "If they really are trying to heal Morgause, we shall be ever more careful. Last time, see what both their powers have done to Camelot."

"Yes, Sire. I shall double the patrols on the borders."

"Good. And call back all others that have gone in search for her. There's no need now."

"As you wish." She bowed her head and made to exit the room.

Arthur stopped her. "And Lily? Please try and find more information on that Isle of the Blessed."

"Will do, Sire."

After her orders were taken by messengers and sent to all corners of the realm, Lily went down to the knight's hall, and met Elyan and Lancelot there.

Gwen's brother still seemed on edge.

"Elyan?"

He met her eyes, and shook his head. "Her powers have grown. She has killed Sir Bertrand and Sir Henry."

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Sometimes I wish there wasn't any magic in this world."

"What will you do against her?"

"I don't know, Elyan. First, I need to know what it is that she was looking for on the Isle of the Blessed. I guess it can't be good, but to what extent?"

All remained silent for a moment, then Lancelot chuckled. "Well, least we can say is that tonight's feast will be entertaining."

Lily snorted. "Shut up, Lance. Or you'll end up saying things you'll regret."

"Me? Never." He got up and walked towards the door, towards her, leaning a little when he stopped beside her. "I hope you'll wear a dress this time."

A little before dusk, as Lily was putting on her perfectly polished armour – a dress? certainly not – she was interrupted by a knock on her chambers' door.

"Come in!"

"I would hope so!"

A smile formed onto her lips and she whirled around, hurrying into Gwaine's arms. "You're back."

"Wouldn't miss the feast for the world, as you know. Mmh. Lancelot hinted you might wear a dress, but as I see, he was wrong."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Lancelot needs to stop flirting with women who are already taken. Especially his own Captain."

Gwaine chuckled and nuzzled her nose, his arms wrapping around her waist. "He likes you. Who doesn't?"

"Agravaine."

"Ah, but he is immune to anyone's charms but the wine's. I wouldn't despair."

"I don't. I've got you." She smiled and kissed his lips before wriggling out of his grasp. "Let me finish to change before we go down."

"I'm waiting." He went to sit on her bed and made sure he was ogling her as she was fastening her belt and scabbard at her hips, showing a little of her skin as she lifted her tunic to do so.

It made her roll her eyes even more.

The feast was quiet. Ever since Uther, Arthur's father, had lost his mind by losing his daughter, the feasts lacked their previous...joy.

Lily sat between Gwaine and Percival, as usual, and engaged a conversation with the kind giant, asking where he'd gone with his own patrol and how it'd gone.

It's when midnight struck that all shifted.

Arthur was toasting his father when it happened.

Like a tear in the fabric of magic.

Accompanied by the distant hiss of a dragon at the back of her mind.

It knocked the breath out of her, and she stumbled on her feet, her eyes searching for Merlin's across the room.

They shared a moment of fright, then of incomprehension, before she excused herself and walked around the room to meet the serving-boy.

As she reached him however, he started shaking as if in cold, and fainted.

Lily's eyes went to Lancelot, who hurried to them and scooped Merlin in his arms at once, carrying him away.

"What happened?"

Lily looked around as they walked, making sure no one could eavesdrop. "There was something strange happening. As if someone had...wounded magic itself. But obviously, it took a bigger toll on Merlin than on me."

"And why do you think is that?"

She shrugged. "I'm not the greatest sorcerer that ever walked the Earth, Lance."

"Ah yes. I forgot. You're just a little Dragonlord."

"Shut up, or the little Dragonlord will set your ass on fire."

Merlin appeared to be as cold as death when they put him in his bed. Gaius ordered for lots of blankets and an infusion Lily made at the speed of light.

And after an hour, he woke.

Gaius was preparing another infusion, Lily was the only one left in his bedroom.

His blue eyes met hers at once. "Have you seen her?"

The knight sat next to her friend, her hand going to his forehead. He was still freezing. "Seen whom?"

"A woman. She...she called me Emrys."

Lily shook her head. "No, I haven't seen her. But I felt as if magic had been pierced with an arrow, or torn apart by a blade. I still feel it." She shuddered. "It's painful."

"Yes. Have you asked Kilgharrah?"

She shook her head again. "He's too far away, I can sense it."

Gaius then called her name softly, and she turned from Merlin, heading to the physician's room.

She turned to her friend one last time. "Whatever that was, it wasn't good."

It appeared Gaius wanted her to go have some sleep, in case Arthur needed her for anything the morrow after.

By the tone he used, Lily knew he meant he was waiting for something very bad to come to Camelot's doorstep.

And so was she.

And it was clear, when she was awaken by Gwaine next morning, that they had been right to fear.

"What is it?"

"There a girl in the counsel chambers, Lily. She says her village has been attacked."

She shook out of bed and hurried to get dressed. "Go fetch Arthur. I'll tell the others."

He nodded and hurried away.

The girl in question was in great distress when she arrived. Gaius was tending to her as she seemed, too, to be freezing cold.

Arthur arrived not long after herself.

He walked straight to the girl. "What is your name?"

"Drea."

He walked towards her, putting a soothing hand on her shoulder. "Drea, I'm Arthur. Don't be frightened. Tell me what happened."

"My mother... My father... My little sister...they..." She sobbed.

"It's alright. It's alright. Did someone attack them?" She nodded. "Who?"

"It was no one. Just...shapes."

"You couldn't see their faces?"

"They had no faces. I-I keep telling you. They were there but...they weren't there. They moved so quickly! It was as if they weren't real, but...they must've been." She sobbed again. "I could hear the people screaming... And then...silence. They were all...dead." She burst into tears, and Arthur put both his hands on her shoulders to soothe her.

"Hey. Thank you." He handed her over to Gaius, then moved to Agravaine. "Where's this village?"

"Out, to the east of the White Mountains. No more than half a day's hard ride."

Arthur turned to Lily. "Ready the men."

She nodded, and moved out of the room.

Reaching Merlin in mind not a second later. "Did you hear it?"

From wherever he was, she felt him nod. "Screams."

"So Gaius is right. Someone has torn the veil between the worlds."

"And I have no idea how to heal it."

"Neither do I. All we have to do now is pray Kilgharrah comes back from his little expedition and knows anything about it."

"Yes." He sighed. "That's all we can do."

They reached the village at dusk.

And it was all too quiet.

As they moved through the empty and cold streets, Lily's mind scanned for anything magical, anything at all. But it still felt as if magic was wounded. As if...if she was to cast anything right now, it wouldn't work.

When they reached a crossroad, Arthur nodded to Lancelot, who took Merlin with him. Elyan nodded to Percival, and Lily was left with both Arthur...and Gwaine.

"I don't like this..."

"Shut it. You never know what happened here, no need to be a prat."

"I agree with Lily, Gwaine. Better be quiet."

It's only a few seconds later that they heard Elyan call for them from a little house, and they all gathered.

Gasping when their eyes fell to a man and his wife's bodies, ice covering their features as if they had been frozen to death.

Merlin and Lily whirled around as they briefly heard the screams again, but saw nothing.

The knights, however, saw it when another passed close, white as a ghost.

"Did you see it?"

All nodded to Arthur, all with fear embedded in their gazes.

"We are...literally...chasing shadows."

Arthur gulped, then moved out of the room. "Come on."

Lily and Merlin exchanged another meaningful gaze before following.

It's only a few moments later, when they heard Lancelot shouting, that all gathered to find him and Merlin at the edge of the village, the knight waving his torch in the air, chasing away one of the shadows.

Lily's mind reached for Merlin's. "What happened?"

"My magic doesn't work."

"Great. Just as I feared."

A minute later, Arthur decided to leave.

His best decision of the night, in Lily's opinion.

But when they arrived in Camelot in the middle of the night, nothing got better.

The shadows had reached the city, and everyone was awake, trying to chase them away.

Lily found Gwen tending to the king when she arrived.

"What happened here?"

"We were awaken by screams, then then more screams. Before I knew it, a knight was coming to fetch me and fell dead at my feet." The maid's eyes met the knight's. "What are those things?"

Lily winced. "I don't know yet. What I know is my magic doesn't work since they arrived."

It was Gwen's time to wince. "Well then...all we have left is hope, then."

For days things didn't change. More people came into the city every day, seeking protection from the prince and his mighty knights.

As night fell, all of them were in the streets, repelling the shadows with torches and fires.

But they kept coming.

So, one morning, when Arthur came to find Lily and tell her they were making for the Isle of the Blessed, she knew something bad was going to happen.

A hunch.

"Merlin?"

The warlock tilted his head to her on his horse, slowing it down so they fell behind their companions. "The only way to seal the veil back is for someone to sacrifice himself."

"Oh." Her eyes fell to Arthur. "And he wants to sacrifice himself, of course."

"Of course. You know him."

"Unfortunately. Merlie." His eyes met hers. "Don't."

He needn't ask what she meant. "I have to. I can't let him do it. He is the Once and Future King!"

"And you are the most powerful sorcerer in this realm. I won't let you do it. If someone has to sacrifice himself, it's me. End of."

He was about to answer, but knew her mind was set.

She was too stubborn to be talked to in these circumstances...

On their second night ride, they reached an abandoned stronghold.

And the wood they gathered wasn't half enough to last through the night.

So when Merlin volunteered to go with Arthur, Lily – and Lancelot – started worrying.

"They should have been back by now."

Lily fidgeted with her sword. "I know."

Their eyes met, an understanding passing. They both knew of Merlin's wish to sacrifice himself for Arthur, and they both...disagreed.

"You with me?"

She made a face. "Grab a torch, Lance."

He did so, but before she could make a pace forward, Gwaine had her cornered. "Where are you going?"

"Someone has to go find them." She smiled softly. "Don't worry, I'm a tough girl." Then she decided to lie blatantly. "And I have magic. So you three should be the ones worrying."

She leaned up and pecked him on the lips before drawing out her sword and joining Lancelot on the path.

"So, you know then?"

"He's told me. Wasn't even ashamed of himself."

Lancelot sighed. "Yes, the same goes here."

"I guess you want to sacrifice yourself then, uh?"

"And I guess you too."

"I'm magical. I guess my sacrifice would be worth more than yours, simple, useless knight."

"Yeah, well, say that again, and I'm the one setting your ass on fire with this torch."

Lily chuckled, then sighed again. "Seriously, Lance. Don't."

"There's no one waiting for me in Camelot, Lily."

"I know that Gwen does not love you as you wished she did. But...I would be devastated if you died, doesn't that count?"

The knight stopped and looked at her, puzzled. "Really?"

"Really. You're a friend, a very good friend. I would not come out of my bed for months if anything happened to you."

"Thank you, Lily."

"No thanks needed when truth is spoken."

Then a Dorocha stopped their conversation, passing by with a loud scream.

"Come now. Let's find these two clotpoles."

It's when they finally found the clotpoles that Lily felt something harsh happening.

As if magic had been even more wounded. As if...it had collapsed on itself.

Lancelot kicked a door open and chased a Dorocha out of the room, hurrying to Arthur's side. "What happened?"

Lily gasped as she saw Merlin's body lying against a wall, and ran to him.

"You idiotic little shit!"

She touched his shoulder, and it was cold as death, and rolled him over.

His blue eyes were opened on nothing, his face was covered in ice, but...

"He's alive."

Lancelot, beside her, gasped. "But...no one can survive this."

She made a face, then leaned in so only he heard her. "Gaius said no mortal could."

The knight's black eyes widened. "I see." Then he looked down at Merlin. "Come, better move him out."