A/N: There you go, another chapter, this time the beginning of the fifth (and last, let me weep again) series of Merlin. One of my favourite characters appears at the end of this chapter, and I'm sure you'll be surprised what I'll do with him later on. ;)

13. Arthur's bane

A year later, Aithusa had not reappeared into sight of any Dragonlord or dragon. Kilgharrah knew she wasn't dead, but had no clue as to why she was nowhere to be found.

So, instead of sending knights to find a missing dragon, Lily was by then sending them to find the main worry of the realm: Morgana.

And that morning, her husband, Gwaine, was to set out for Ismir, a land far north of Camelot.

She was still in bed when a ruffling nearby woke her.

As she peaked through an eyelid, she noticed Gwaine, putting on his chainmail next to the bed, his hair ruffled as every morning.

"What are you doing?"

He stopped his movements and turned around, a soft smile forming on his lips. "I didn't want to wake you."

Lily's brow furrowed as she sat up. "Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye."

He rolled his eyes and leaned down, pecking her on the lips. "I wasn't leaving. Percy and I have to meet in the armoury before we leave. Better do that early than late."

"Right." She smirked and reached to pull him back down onto the bed.

As he laid down, his head resting on her lap, he sighed. "I really have to go, Lily."

"Not right now. Or will you say that Percival has more power over you than your wife?"

Gwaine chuckled. "I wouldn't dare. You'd set out your beast onto me if I did."

"Oi, don't you say ill of Kilgharrah before me!"

Another chuckle. Gwaine reached for her face and drew her down for a quick, soft kiss. "I will miss you."

"Are you sure? You'll have Percy, after all..."

"Oh yes, because Percy looks so much like my woman!"

Lily laughed high and clear. "Would you wish me to curse your eyes so that you'd see me in his stead?"

"If I was an idiot, I'd say yes. But as I couldn't stop myself from kissing you, it'd probably be gross."

They both laughed again, and then a bell rang nearby, ringing eight.

Gwaine sighed and pushed himself back up. "I really have to go."

"Alright." Lily got out of bed and walked him to the door, leaning into it as she kept it open. "I'll see you later."

"Yes. Later." He leaned in and kissed her for a long, languid moment.

It took all the strength she had not to pull him back to her in their bed.

Six weeks passed.

And Gwaine never resurfaced.

And since he was not a magical being, Lily had no means to reach him in mind, to know if everything was alright or not.

So Arthur called for an exceptional meeting of the Round Table – an event rare enough to clear the seriousness of the matter.

Lily met with Merlin as they reached the throne-room.

She had bags under her eyes, and the lack of sleep was taking quite a toll on her.

"Are you alright?"

She looked over at her friend and shook her head. "My husband's missing, Merlin. How could I ever be alright?"

He put a helping hand on her shoulder and squeezed.

Remaining silent as it was probably the best thing to do to comfort her.

Arthur was quick in reminding the court of the reason for their presence.

Lily, who was sitting on his direct right, had her eyes locked onto her hands on the table, not able to look up for tears threatened to get out of her eyes.

A gloved hand touched hers, drawing her eyes up to meet black ones on her right.

Lancelot smiled softly at her, nodding his comfort as well.

She quickly noticed how Gwen, on Arthur's left, had also her gaze on her.

She was missing her husband, but she still had her friends.

The King was swift in asking a group of Knights to accompany him on the search for their missing brothers, and it seemed Elyan had some plan for it.

He was quick in explaining to Arthur, Lily, Lancelot and Gwen as they stood in Arthur's office.

"We know Gwaine and his men crossed here at Esolfoal, but beyond that...there's no trace. The train went cold."

"What's this story about the fortress of Ismir being occupied as of late?"

"I have heard many rumours, Sire, all of them had one name in common. Morgana."

Lily looked up from her perch on a desk and met Merlin's eyes. He understood her silent question, closed his eyes for a moment, then nodded. Aithusa was back.

"We have no time to lose."

"What if the rumours are true, Sire, you may be walking into a trap..."

"Knights of Camelot do not abandon their own."

"Morgana knows that. She'll be waiting for you."

Arthur sighed. "These men have fought for me, bled for me..."

Gwen then spoke up, to the whole room's surprise. "May I make a suggestion?" She paused. "What if you were to take a different route? Approach Ismir from the West."

"Through Annis' lands?"

Gaius nodded. "It would certainly take Morgana by surprise."

Arthur looked up at Lily. "Would Annis grant safe passage for so many armed men?"

She titled her head. "I believe she would, Sire."

The King nodded. "Dispatch a rider immediately, we'll follow at dawn. And remember: if we want to succeed, no one must know of our intentions."

She nodded and got down from the desk, exiting the room after glancing at Merlin meaningfully.

He reached her in mind as soon as the door was closed.

"So... How did you know? About Aithusa?"

"A hunch. If Morgana has reappeared, there were good chances your dragon would have too. I still don't know who or how, but I guess they were imprisoned by the same person."

"We should tell Kilgharrah."

"Already done."

Lily felt Merlin chuckle in her mind. "Of course. The link and everything."

"Yup. Now, if you may..."

"See you later."

It took the company half a day to reach the northern border of Camelot and therefore Annis' lands. Lily dispatched Elyan and five men to go up ahead in the gorge marking the border, while she rode aside Lancelot, who was checking up on her so often she was starting to find it annoying.

"What again?"

"You're brooding...again."

"You really have to shut up, Lance, I'm losing patience."

"Better angry than sad, m'lady."

"Shut it..."

But after a second, a chuckle escaped her.

Darn the man knew her too well...

When Elyan came back, he had found a settlement, up ahead, and dead people in it.

When Lily dismounted to check for survivors, it became clear to her the magic held magic.

She felt it course the air as she breathed. Her gaze met Merlin's, who nodded and continued to look around.

As she checked onto one body, she found a tattoo on the wrist of the woman.

Lancelot, who had been standing right next to her, met her eyes. "Druids?" He had made sure to whisper, to make sure no one heard.

She nodded. "I'm afraid so."

That night, Merlin woke Lily for a quiet chat away from the others.

And god was he distraught.

So as the Lady Knight sat facing him, repressing a yawn, she planted her sword in the grass next to her and stared at her friend intently. "What is it?"

The warlock's blue gaze was veiled, as if he was fighting back tears. "Earlier, in the settlement, I...I found something."

"Those people were druids, I saw the tattoos. Did you meet another?"

He nodded. "Briefly. He told me of a prophecy. About Arthur." He paused, and Lily nodded, gesturing him forward. "Arthur's bane. He said that even as Camelot grew stronger, its end was coming ever closer. And...and...there was a vision-"

"You've had a vision?" Lily could help but gasp. "But...you've never had a vision before!"

"I know, it wasn't really me, it was...him...starting it. It was a battle, bloody battle. Knights dead everywhere. And Arthur. Facing an opponent. Being stabbed to death." He gasped, one tear falling from his eyes, which he wiped straight away. "Sorry, I just-"

Lily put a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to apologize to me of all people. I know what pain it would give you if Arthur died. He is your other half, Merlin. We all know that." She smiled sadly, squeezing his shoulder.

He panted a few times, blinking away any remaining tear, until calm came back to his features.

So Lily asked one last question. "Do you know who was Arthur's bane?"

The warlock nodded, his blue eyes darkening with a new feeling – rage. "It was Mordred."

Lily knew everything about Mordred – in both worlds.

In hers, Mordred was Arthur's illegitimate son, vouched to kill his father to take Camelot's throne for himself. He and Arthur were killing each other in the battle of Camlann.

In here, Mordred was a druid boy Merlin and Arthur had helped Morgana save quite a few years back, way before Lily even arrived in Camelot.

Merlin had never trusted the boy. And now his instincts were proving right.

To Lily, who had never met him, she was doubting a boy that age – he would be seventeen that year – could kill a king that easily.

Once her thoughts came back to the present moment, Lily looked over at her companion. "Want a chat with Kilgharrah? For a change?"

Merlin looked up at her, brow furrowed. "You'd ask him?"

She smiled. "It's not as if he's used to having to help you once in a while. He's already tugging at my mind, knowing what is asked of him."

The warlock smiled back, then stood. "Thanks."

"Anytime." She stood too, and as soon as he had escaped towards the nearby woods, she closed her eyes. "Hear that, Kilghie?"

A growl birthed at the back of her mind. "Everything you think I can hear, Vivian. I will meet the young warlock."

"Thank you."

"Before you leave, Vivian..." He paused. "Arthur's bane..."

"Yes?"

"That prophecy is linked to yours. Closely so."

But before she could ask for anything else, he had become silent.

Letting her ponder his words.

The following day, the company was welcomed by Queen Annis at her castle. Lily, having encountered her once in far than happy circumstances, was surprised to see she was known in the court, and that the Queen herself wished to hear about her.

But later, as Merlin was asked to perform as the King's fool, Lily couldn't help but feel a little tense as her friend juggled easily with four eggs and Arthur's gaze fell upon her as she applauded.

"If I hear you have anything to do with this..."

She chuckled. "Come on, Arthur," she lowered her voice, "there isn't a spell that helps you juggle..."

And the flabbergasted look on her king's face was enough to make her laugh wholeheartedly.

They set out the next morning, and with leaving a court and many things to do and to think, Lily began to feel Gwaine's absence again.

It came like a tidal wave as she sat among her fellow knights that night, how missed he was, how his jokes filled empty conversations, how his laugh made her smile.

It didn't pass unnoticed, her behaviour.

So, as Arthur joined Merlin a little ahead from the others – the warlock had still troubles accepting that his best friend could die any minute – Lancelot stood before Lily and outstretched a hand.

"M'lady, would you please?"

She looked at him, dumbfounded. "What?"

"For a dance, of course!" He was smiling, the bastard.

She shook her head vehemently. "Oh no, Lance, you are not doing this!"

"Yes I am." He turned to the others. "Boys, a little cheering for our Captain! Music!"

Cheers erupted around, and a couple of knights began a song that soon all followed in.

Lancelot kept on standing there, not moving, and Lily had no other choice than obliging.

Strange how nice it was to have friends that made you forget all your troubles for a few minutes... It felt good...

They were attacked in the morning.

By a means they still had to comprehend, Morgana had been told of their coming from the West, and had dispatched a good hundred men to kill them all as they moved from camp at dawn.

Soon, they were surrounded, and couldn't escape.

Lily stayed by Arthur's side even as he fought an older man awfully skilled with a blade, who knocked him out.

As she pushed Fang under his final strike, Merlin stepped in and removed Arthur from the battle.

The man facing her paused for a second, surprised by her appearance, and the reputation she seemed to have made even that far from Camelot.

Her sword clashed against his own, but soon, it appeared he wasn't trying to kill anymore.

So, as he turned his head slightly and discovered his neck, it was her turn to pause.

"You are a druid!"

But she had no time to ponder, for Merlin yelled her name and she left the scene, following her friend as he carried Arthur away.

Leaving their friends behind, but knowing they would not be killed.

For they now knew Morgana was using them as handymen.

When Arthur awoke a few hours later, he quickly set his mind into walking inside Ismir and release all of his men. He, alone with Lily...and Merlin.

Who didn't like the idea one bit.

So, after a good ten minutes of yelling, Lily, who had been walking behind, hurried up to catch up with them and pushed herself between the two.

"Oi, you two! Stop bickering like idiots! You," she pointed at Merlin, "cannot forget my husband is in this bloody tower, so we're going! You," Arthur, "are better listening to me when we arrive, for I swear on everything I hold dear you'll need me to save your sorry ass! Now let's go!"

She walked ahead, and a few seconds later, heard Arthur sigh. "Remind me why I appointed her as Captain?"

She snorted. "Perhaps because I saved your bacon more than you could count on both hands?"

A day later, Merlin proved to be more of an idiot when he was hungry.

He stepped right into a trap, with Arthur, trying to stop him.

Lily watched as they were hoisted up in a net, and chuckled.

"I have half a mind to let you rot there."

"Lily!"

"Alright, let me just pause and admire for a second..."

"Lily!"

She chuckled again, then unsheathed Fang.

Only to be knocked out cold a second later.

After what seemed to her mere instants, Lily started to regain consciousness. Hearing men talk above her, one hand on her brow.

"She's just knocked out." Merlin.

"Then wake her." Arthur.

"They shouldn't have harmed her. I'm sorry about that." One last voice she couldn't make.

She grunted, then opened an eye and then two.

Merlin, kneeling next to her, sent her a small, unlived smile. "Hey."

"Hey." She grunted again as she sat up. "I have the biggest headache."

"Next time you'll stop bragging and hear when I'm warning you of impending danger."

She glared at Arthur while standing up. "And next time you'll shut it or I'll curse your ass off."

He sent her another warning glance, that passed unnoticed.

Lily had met the stranger's eyes.

She was certain she had never seen him before. She would have recognized those bright green eyes anywhere in a crowd.

Curly, jet black hair framed a pale, round face that couldn't be older than eighteen.

And he was staring back at her, a little surprised, but also chocked, although she didn't understand why.

It is only when Merlin spoke up that Lily started to have strong suspicions about a warning Kilgharrah had given her a few nights prior.

"Oh yes. Lily, this is Mordred."