Hello all! first off, thanks to all who reviewed you guys have tons of good, awesome karma coming your way (I'm not going to mention the kind of karma coming to the rest of you...smirks, totally joking...kinda) ;) So this chapter is a bit shorter then the previous ones approx 5000 words instead of the usual 10, 000. It revolves around the Merlin episode where we first meet Morgause. Unless you are at least a bit familar with the tv show it may be hard to follow but hopefully not impossible. There is not a ton of Arthur/harry action in this chapter, but promise there will be major steps forward for them in the next!

Anyhow read and enjoy (and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!)

-ahahahahahahahahahahah-

Chapter 8: Three little witches

"I am relieved. May I now have the truth?"
― Georgette Heyer, These Old Shades

Morgause smirked as one after another, the charging knights fell to her blade. 'So easy' she lamented tching in mock disappointment. To think that these pathetic men could ever hope to stop her from entering the fabled city when she really wanted to.

She threw the door to the throne room open with ease, feeling delighted laughter bubbling up inside of her, only to push it back down with practiced restraint; too early to reveal her cards yet.

The new knights, that had just been bestowed their titles, leapt up, drawing their weapons, ready to defend Camelot and their king with their lives-so young and naïve they were. Such fools. Morgause reveled in the drama of everything….really, she could have chosen to enter and put forth her challenge with far less notice…but where was the fun in that?

Despite herself she felt her gaze drawn to the famed beauty standing off to Uther's right—her raven locks and ice eyes were so opposite of Morgause's own, yet the sorceress knew they shared blood. Her half sister would, and could be just as powerful as she…. given the chance. A chance she would never receive while under Uther's iron shackles.

Forcing her attention back to the warily circling knights in front of her, Morgause briefly scanned them before coming to a stop just in front of the Prince of Camelot himself: Arthur Pendragon. The killer of magicians, the upholder of Uther's laws, the fiercest fighter….Uther's heir.

She decided that she had let the tension build enough to do what she had come for. So she took off her gauntlet and let it drop with a resounding clank at the prince's feet; her attention unwavering and full of challenge.

The golden prince seemed to hesitate the briefest of a seconds before stepping forward, "I accept your challenge. If I am to face you in combat, do me the courtesy of revealing your identity"

This time Morgause allowed a small chuckle….god she loved shock value, and gracefully removed the restricting helmet from her head, giving her long golden tresses a shake as she did so.

"I am Morgause"

The resounding silence that followed made the cackle in her throat burst forward. Oh what fun this would be.

-00—

Morgause grimaced at the sting coming from her arm as the elderly physician cleaned it. She could just see the questions hovering about his graying head, desperate to be asked but hesitating due to their audience.

'Oh how delightful' she inwardly smirked. Any amount of discomfort she could bring Gaius was a plus—she hated the old traitor almost as much as she hated the bigoted king. Well, okay….not quite that much, but she still despised him all the same. He was the epitome of why her people had to run and hide their gifts….one of their own who was too cowardly to fight against the injustice that happened day after day within Camelot and her surrounding lands. In fact, if rumors were to be believed the coward had actually leant a hand in some of the atrocities Uther had commanded. He disgusted her.

"You're fortunate the wound isn't too deep…. you seem familiar. Have you visited Camelot in the past?" Gaius finally asked staring at her searchingly.

She sensed more then saw the increased interest coming from the corner of the room—right where the poison eyed youth stood. She could care less about whether or not Gaius was suspicious of her or remembered her true origins—true, it would make her plans a bit harder to carry out in the end but it didn't worry her all that much.

The boy however.

The boy was another story completely. She was itching to get him alone, to delve into that quiet mind of his and find out just what made him tick. She had been sensing his fluctuating aura from the moment she entered Camelot….true, it had taken her a while to pinpoint who exactly it was coming from (and wasn't it ironic that it was a mere servant, as opposed to the venerated knights and nobles of the kings court?) but once she had…..

He was both fascinating and worrisome. There was no doubt from his aura (what little she was able to read—it was odd, it was like the boy possessed to separate and completely different states within himself. One black and sinister, the other a jaded worn purity) that he was powerful. Far more powerful then she, or really anyone she had come across in her ventures.

That could be very good….or it could be very, very bad for her plans. As of yet, she could not be certain of which.

It meant that she needed to proceed with caution. She would definitely need to watch the lovely little apprentice closely…..after all, despite him being more powerful, she could still manipulate things in her favor.

Her smile turned a tad sharper as a new and improved plan began to form.

-00—

(note: a lot of the dialogue in this scene is taken directly from the previously mentioned Merlin episode)

Arthur bit back the swell of humiliation he felt as he forced himself to do what was expected of him and walked over to where the blond fighter was tending to her horse and travel bags. Of course she would be someone who did not trust the stable boys to prepare her horse for travel….honestly, Arthur couldn't even find it in himself to be surprised by this fact.

He had given his word though….of course when he had given it, he had been sure that he would be the one who won the fight. But still, he had told her he would grant her one request if she won…and she had, so he would be damned if he didn't follow through now. Despite the cautious words of Uther, and even Merlin.

Plus completing some mysterious challenge set forth by the blond didn't sound all that bad; after all, if she had wanted him dead she could have done so without repercussion during their fight. Now all that was left was to find out what exactly the challenge was and where she wanted him to go.

Bracing himself for what would no doubt be a highly uncomfortable conversation (at least on his half) he cleared his throat, "congratulations on your victory. You're a skillful swordsman. Woman. Swords….swordswoman…." ok, so not the smoothest start to said conversation.

Still…..he was a prince and he was not about to show his discomfort, even if he was pretty sure the woman, Morgause, could sense it going by the slight smirk that crossed her face. He wondered briefly why it was that he did not feel himself drawn to her.

She was without doubt a very beautiful, high spirited woman….just the type that in the past would have had Arthur salivating. But he felt nothing outside of clinical appreciation. He sighed and pushed his thoughts away, it really wasn't all that important at the moment.

"You have a beautiful horse" she said, seemingly to Arthur. Arthur glanced at the mare he had been leading back to the stables when he had spotted her and approached. It was ok…..he wasn't really sure why she would choose to talk to him about his horse however. Still, he wasn't so rude as to ask. He was about to thank her for her comment when she spoke again.

"I expect to see you in three days hence"

Welll…yeah. He had expected that, after all, she had apparently come all the way here to challenge him to a fight just so he would agree to doing so…..

"How will I find you?" he asked, thinking this a pretty logical question.

Of course he couldn't hope to be answered with an equally logical answer, "When the time comes, you will know your way"

Riiiiiggght…okay then.

"If I don't show up it might be because I don't know where I'm going…." Arthur stated, hinting to her that it really would be better to just give him some bloody directions. Honestly, it wasn't that much to ask!

Again her answer was vague and meaningless, "The path you must follow will become clear to you. The emerald healer should ride at your side"

Arthur felt the urge to beat his head against something solid….for as long as it took to get rid of the oncoming headache he could feel blooming at the base of his skull.

"Emerald Healer?" he decided to focus on the least cloudy bit of her statement as she swung up onto her horse.

"You know who he is…." She answered simply before turning slightly in the saddle to face him more fully, "I should thank you for allowing me to retrieve my sword"

Arthur fought off a grimace. Sure it had been an act of chivalry and he wasn't exactly angry he had done so, but in doing so he had allowed her to come back at him and win the fight. Giving a slight shrug he tried to laugh such brooding thoughts off, "I'm starting to wish I hadn't"

She gave him a smile, though he thought it looked sharp enough to cut steel, "You showed yourself to be a man of honor. You inherited that trait from your mother".

Arthur felt his breath suck out of his chest at her words, completely bypassing the subtle insult directed towards Uther—after all, she was not the only person he had met who thought his father was without honor. Truth be told, Arthur himself often felt that way. No, the reason he was finding it difficult to draw breath was because of the comment about his mother.

To speak of her so easily… as though commenting on the weather, as though they had been close acquaintances or even friends at one point….but no, that could not be….she was far too young, still…..

"You knew my mother?" he asked mentally berating himself at the amount of hope that came out in that sentence.

"I knew her well" the blond replied, offering one more smile before giving her horse a sharp kick and cantering swiftly out of the gates of Camelot.

Arthur's desperate "Wait!" was lost in the swell of the surrounding marketers, knights, and nobles.

He pushed the disappointment away sharply, one thing he knew; he would follow her directions no matter who tried to stop him, if only to see her again.

Because she had known his mother and Arthur would sooner practice magic then let such an opportunity pass.

-00—

(*)

Merlin rode moodily down the barely there forest path, wondering once again just what he had done in his last life to deserve such a fate in this one. He had tried to talk Arthur out of this bizarre request posed to him by the strange Morgause….buuuut nooooo, of course Arthur wasn't about to listen to little ol Merlin. After all, when had Merlin ever been right about his intuitions?

Oh, like all the time you say? Yeah well, tell that to the uppity prince.

At least this time, Merlin wasn't the only one getting dragged along on what was most likely going to end up as a shit show quest…..not that he was all that thrilled with the identity of the other poor soul who had been forced to come.

Yes, not only had Merlin been coerced into helping Arthur sneak past the guards his father had posted to try and stop the prince from doing this very thing, but he was being forced to endure both his 'master's' nervous anticipation, and his half brother's own reluctance at going.

He was still not sure why Arthur had even wanted his brother to go, but for once he actually was siding with Henry's voiced caution regarding their journey. As in….they shouldn't be going.

Yet here they were, riding merrily (or not so merrily in Merlin's and Henry's case) along, not even sure where exactly they were supposed to be heading. Lovely.

"This is going to go terribly wrong, you know that right?" Henry's voice broke his gloomy thoughts.

The glare that Merlin sent him in return was more habitual then sincere, and by Henry's nonplused look he either knew this or just wasn't affected by Merlin's overt hostility any longer.

"If you know this, then why are you even here?" Merlin shot back annoyed at the lack of reaction more than anything.

Henry shot him an unimpressed look but answered anyway, "yes, because saying no was really an option…." the sarcasm was hard to miss.

Merlin let out a sigh, deciding to concede on this point however reluctantly "I've already tried to talk him out of it. I just have a terrible feeling about it….I don't trust Morgause in the least"

"hmmm….I guess your instincts aren't completely rusty after all" Henry teased, his eyes alight with hidden knowledge.

"What are you talking about?" Merlin couldn't stop himself from asking. His brother was so very, very annoying; arrogant and condescending. How Merlin wished he could demonstrate just why the twit shouldn't underestimate Merlin….once again the manservant found himself resentful of having to live a lie when it came to his magic.

"Calm down, just some harmless teasing. You are far too uptight about everything. What I am saying is that I agree….this was thoroughly planned, I can't help but wonder just what made Morgause feel the need to weave such a complicated plot"

Their conversation came to a halt as their horses caught up with Arthur's at the edge of a majestic looking lake, complete with waterfall.

Staring across the crystal waters Merlin found himself answering Henry's last statement with a whispered, "I guess we are about to find out"

-o—

Harry tuned out Merlin and Arthur's squabbling, much as he had been doing the entire ride. He sensed something off about the waterfall but knew that he had no way of explaining his intuitions and that even if he did that he would not get a word in edge wise with the two idiots arguing as they were. Really, it was like being back with Hermione and Ron again-a thought that caused his stomach to clench slightly.

Since he was not in favor of meeting up with Morgause—who Harry was decidedly wary about (as he had mentioned to Merlin, no one with innocent intentions went to the trouble she had gone to in order to get Arthur to agree to this stupid quest). Not to mention the amount of dark….almost malevolent energy swirling around her. She felt like Morgana did, only amplified and more…..twisted (?)Due to these many contributing factors, he decided to wait and let Arthur and Merlin figure out where to go from here without his input, maybe they wouldn't be able to even find the witch and just go home…..right, like he was ever that lucky.

Harry wasn't really sure how to explain the feeling he got off Morgause….or even what it meant. He could only assume that she, like Morgana, contained magic—but unlike Morgana's, hers was far from being underdeveloped. Still, despite the obvious wariness she caused him…who was he to judge? He was certainly no expert in aura reading (what he had decided to term this new ability to feel things off of people….hey it sounded better then 'feeling-thing-mer-jig', so he was going with it) so it was stupid of him to actually act upon his findings.

He sighed and shifted slightly wondering once again why he had even been asked to come along. It was no secret (at least between him and Arthur) that the prince had been avoiding him since their awkward and weird training session. At first Harry had been shocked over the almost kiss (well that was what he was assuming it was going to be….and despite how oblivious he normally was to such things, he really couldn't think up a better reason for why Arthur had been leaning in at such an angle), then annoyed, frustrated and lastly angry.

Ignoring the immediate surge of rage he had felt watching Arthur walk away (which he still had no idea what that was about) Harry only started to feel the cooler, more frustrated anger when he noticed how hard the prince was trying to pretend he didn't exist.

It was fine. Really it was (oh, no no no it wasn't!).

Arthur was a prince; he a lowly servant….he should not be surprised that the prince's attentions were no longer on him. It was surprising enough that they had ever been with him to begin with. It wasn't as though he actually knew the prince at all….hell, they were barely acquaintances. So why had he felt so lonely and abandoned this past week? Maybe it was because the prince was one of the few (outside of Morgana) who had actually looked at him with something other than disgust or dismissal? It would make sense that he would feel a loss now that the prince was treating him just as everyone else in this cursed kingdom was. Somehow though, he knew that wasn't the reason he was missing the idiot.

He sighed trying to redirect his thoughts to a more uplifting subject….ok, not uplifting but at least not as morose and introspective as his previous ones.

Arthur suddenly requesting his presence on this quest without so much as a explanation to his past behavior or a reason for why he wanted Harry to come (considering he had basically been ignoring him since they had left) was weird; weird enough to spark Harry's curiosity.

Never a good thing; especially paired with the mystery of Morgause and her odd aura (not to mention her obsession with Morgana…Harry had noticed the blonds eyes constantly seeking out the King's ward throughout her short time in Camelot. He was also pretty sure that she sought Morgana out privately, and Harry couldn't help but notice Morgana was sporting a new piece of jewelry the morning they had left. A piece of jewelry that had very similar energy to Morgause's surrounding it. Curious and worrisome).

Still, despite his curiosity having been twanged, Harry still had a bad feeling about this trip. Not that he could do much about it of course. Like he had told Merlin, he was along for the ride whether or not he agreed with it.

"Arthur?"

Henry's head shot up from where he had been studying the tuffed hair of his horse's mane to realize that Arthur and Merlin had stopped their arguing. In fact Arthur was no longer visible.

"Where did Arthur go?" Harry asked slightly bemused at the fact he had not even noticed the prince's departure.

"The lake" Merlin answered his tone filled with disbelief.

Harry would have thought that his brother was being his usual pain in the ass self if Merlin hadn't sighed forlornly before directing his own horse to move into the water.

Ahhh….well, apparently Arthur had clued into the waterfall being just a front for whatever was behind it then. With his own sigh over the thought of having to get wet Harry nudged his stubborn mare to follow.

Oh this was such a bad idea…..

-0-

He was right. It had been a bad, terrible, horribly cliché idea. Like the ending to every villainous plot in the history of villainous plots. And that was his opinion before Arthur had willingly laid his neck to bear on the executioner's block in the courtyard. He was starting to wonder if the gold in the crown that the royals seemed to favor had lead in it….after all, that was the only logical explanation he could come up with for why Uther was such a bat shit nut job, and why Arthur would willingly almost get guillotined.

Luckily for all involved, (especially Arthur—as he got to live, and Morgause because Harry would have lost his shit on her had she actually gone through with chopping that fine, fine head from that lovely, fit body) it had been another test for the golden prince and instead of beheading Arthur, as it appeared like she would, she had stopped at the last moment.

Harry didn't think he was the only one in that dilapidated courtyard to breath a heavy sight of relief. Really, he would have interfered beforehand, but his reactions had been a bit delayed due to the shock of having Arthur be stupid enough to actually lay his head on top of a bloody looking chopping block. Honestly…..some people….

He had hoped that the executioner's block challenge would be the end of it…. but of course it wasn't. Of COURSE Morgause had to offer a 'reward' for Arthur's courage and nobility (stupidity and pride, says Harry). Not that he was going to deny the slight swell of his heart when Arthur had remarked that perhaps Uther's opinion on magic was not entirely correct, that perhaps magic could be good….after all, Morgause had done nothing to harm him and she was offering him a chance to speak with his long dead mother.

Despite the obvious good qualities Morgause was demonstrating, Harry for once was in agreement with his brother…that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't the best idea to take her up on her offer. And of course Arthur hadn't listened to either of them.

Which brought them to where they were now: watching Arthur from several feet back surrounded by a shimmery shield like substance, waiting for him to finish what had to be an enlightening conversation with his long deceased mother. Not that they could actually tell whether or not the conversation was interesting considering the shield made seeing what was going on in general, much less the individual expressions on the conversee's faces impossible. But Harry could assume that Morgause would not have gone to so much trouble to get Arthur to talk to his dead mother's spirit if it was going to revolve around top secret family recipes or whatnot.

Harry felt her presence draw up beside him but pretended not to, keeping his attention focused on the shielded Arthur several feet away. He knew that she would break the silence eventually….he could almost feel the curiosity and questions bubbling from her.

"Who are you?" was asked just a hair over a whisper, though Harry saw Merlin's head cock slightly and it was obvious that he was curious to the upcoming conversation as well.

"Henry" though he was pretty sure that was not what she had meant with her question. He didn't like the way that she had been periodically staring at him since they had arrived. The slight shadow of insanity and obsession was just a wee bit too familiar…..cough cough Bella.

"No….who are you? You are no simple apprentice….there is no point in trying to claim so. I can feel you. I can feel it….so strong, I have never sensed someone with so much potential. So much black energy….where do you come from boy? Who taught you? And why are you in Camelot of all places?" Again with the intensity….and the crazy eyes….and the urgency to know. Yeah, Harry could tell this wasn't going to go away anytime soon.

Harry could feel Merlin's suspicious gaze burning into the back of his neck-fan-fucking-tastic; just the line of questions that he had wanted his half brother to overhear. This was sure to ensure family bonding. He felt a sudden urge to sigh wearily and pull out all of his hair...which would hurt, so he did not. Despite wanting to. Yeah…..

"I am afraid you are mistaken my lady…..I am just a humble peasant who was lucky enough to be granted a position within the royal court. I would ask you to refrain from such a perilous misconception in the future" Harry refuted stubbornly, not really sure what else he could really say with Merlin listening in like a hawk.

Thankfully, (or not so, as Harry would find out later) Morgause's response was cut off by the crumbling of the magical shield surrounding Arthur, revealing a furious, and haunted looking prince in its wake.

Merlin's suspicious glare was drawn from Harry morphing into an apprehensive concern, "Arthur….what's wrong? What happened? Are you alright?" the questions fell from the disguised sorcerer's lips as he too took in Arthur's expression.

Arthur was already striding purposefully to where they had left their horses tied up, not pausing as he swung himself up.

His answer when he finally answered Merlin's query was not all that comforting.

"I am going to kill him"

Harry let out a weary sigh; he had a feeling that he was going to be bald by the end of his stay in Camelot.

-oo—

The frenzied ride home (because really, there was no other way to describe the near impossible pace that Arthur led back to Camelot) and the following events passed in almost a haze. Well all expect for Harry's conversation with Merlin that is.

A conversation that was loaded with barely veiled hostility and suspicion….so big change from the norm…..(cue sarcasm)

Despite Harry and Morgause's overheard conversation, and the questions and concerns it no doubt increased in his brother, Merlin seemed to be willing to set said concerns aside. At least for the moment. Though Harry was pretty sure that had Arthur not been about to murder his father, the king (and bring civil war and rioting down upon all their heads) that Merlin would not have been so willing. Silver linings and all that.

The conversation revolved around, what else?- Arthur. Well, Arthur and whether or not it was a good idea to lie to him. Which in Harry's opinion, it was not.

"How else are we supposed to stop him from killing Uther?" Merlin snarled under his breath as they raced after Arthur in his march to find his father and engage said father in a duel to his death.

"I don't know. But lying to him about what he supposedly saw and learnt is not going to end well" Harry spat back, starting to feel slightly winded. (Who knew that a worked up and betrayed prince could move at such a pace?)

"And why should you care? It's not like this will affect you in any way" Merlin snarked back suspicion coloring his expression.

'Oh, but brother dearest, this will definitely affect me as I am a magic wielder like you, living in this kingdom of bigotry and hatred over something people have no say over. But unlike you, I don't think telling Arthur that the sorceress who has opened his eyes—even if just slightly—to magic not being an all out evil, is fooling him into murdering the king so that she can take over Camelot herself, is the way to go about things. Especially since she actually told him the truth; that Uther is an uber lying duchbag'. -too bad Harry couldn't bring himself to say such words to his sadly misguided sibling. No, revealing he was magical at this point wasn't going to end well considering Merlin was already suspicious and wary of him.

Heck he wasn't even sure if the fact that they shared both blood and ability would stop his brother from ratting him out to Uther and watching him burn. Likely while eating popcorn. So instead of what he wanted to say, he settled for:

"I don't. I just think that lying to him is going to make things worse rather than better"

Sadly, as events followed Merlin did just that. Not that Harry was exactly expecting his brother to finally listen to his advice, but still…..only an idiot couldn't see that this lie wasn't going to come back and bite everyone in the ass.

Still, once the words were out of his brother's mouth, it wasn't as though he could exactly refute them without drawing majorly unwanted attention to himself. Maybe he should have owned up to Merlin when he had the chance.

But then again, the saying that hindsight can be a bitch didn't come out of nowhere.**

Note:

Chapter titles: taken from the children's Halloween song titled, Three little witches.

*I am diverging from the episode slightly, the three never ran into Odin's men, and while the conversation regarding Arthur's mother did happen between Merlin and Arthur it is not going to be a scene in the chapter. Just know that it did occur yada yada.

**I know, I am aware that the actual saying is hindsight is 20/20, but hey this is Harry ;) just go with it….he can be a stubborn git.