Since this is the 25th chapter I have put in a special Morgana scene and a Gwaine hilarious scene too (Gwapple included),

"I wanted to inform you on some very unfortunate news, dear brother," Morgana silkily laughed. "You haven't been missing anyone recently?" Arthur's heart skipped a beat with fright and he leapt to his feet. It vigorously pounded as the adrenaline increased his anxiety. Gwen had been missing for just over a day now; a day that lasted a century. Arthur couldn't believe what he was hearing. He couldn't even believe that Morgana would hint about killing Gwen. If Arthur had heard anything about this seven years ago, he wouldn't have believed his ears. Everything had changed since then and, unfortunately, a lot of it had been for the worst.

"Yes, it's very sad to know the man that poisoned me is dead," Morgana sarcastically said. Arthur's heart skipped another beat as he heard this glorious sentence. Unless his ears had deceived him, Arthur was positively sure that Morgana had mentioned a 'man' and someone who had 'poisoned' her. As far as the king knew, he was sure his wife wasn't a man and hadn't poisoned Morgana. Though he was relieved, Arthur tried not to show it too much but Morgana seldom missed any vital giveaways so she spotted his face looking close to elation; elation that even a blind man could spot.

"Morgana, I don't understand it," Arthur stated, his voice strong but having many cracks. Morgana could sense that his voice was close to breaking and that Arthur was barely coping with Merlin and whatever else was bothering.

"You do," Morgana hissed with a cruel look upon her face. She was enjoying spectating her brother beginning to break at last. "You just don't want to admit it. You trusted him. You cared for him. How does it feel to know that he betrayed you?" This left Arthur in a state of traumatic bewilderment. He didn't have a clue to what his sister was going on about. What 'man' had 'poisoned' her? Arthur didn't even think that there would be someone he cared for that murdered in cold blood.

"Morgana, stop it," Arthur demanded. But Morgana had no plans to stop irritating and teasing her brother.

"Are you scared that best friend is going to die?" Morgana asked in mocking tone. Arthur recognised that tone as one that Morgana had used to tease him when they were mere children. Clearly, Morgana had realised her mistake as she frowned a bit at her tone of voice. The last time she had spoke like that had been during a playful taunt to Arthur whereas now she was using the tone to inflict pain and despair in him.

"Morgana, why did you do this?" Arthur softly asked, fighting to keep the tears away "Were you not content being treated like a princess? You may say that I am lying when I say this but I loved you as a sister; I still do. This is why I can't kill you. You may think love is a weakness but if I didn't love than I would rather die. I pity you. You are so alone. You shall be alone forever." Morgana chose not to enlighten him by saying she had her half-sister, a dragon and Mordred to keep her company. To be honest those words had touched her. Morgana knew the truth hurt sometimes but she couldn't understand the truth anymore. Her nemesis had touched her heart and made her feel loved. This just didn't make sense. The witch tried to push this feeling away and reassure herself by thinking that Arthur was just trying to deceive her. Yet, in the depths of her heart she knew he had not been lying.

"It is you fault that I suffer," Morgana retaliated. "You would have slaughtered me if you knew the truth." At this a tear of sorrow began to trickle down Arthur's cheek. Surely Morgana didn't believe her own words. He had a feeling that she had precisely weighed each word and made sure she had the exact definition to fit the context. The word "slaughtered" had been particularly hurtful for Arthur to hear.

"Nowadays you ally with sorcerers," explained Morgana. Arthur wanted to ask what she was raving on about but his throat was too dry to utter a word. "I mean Emrys, you know that old man with the long white beard and hair and dazzlingly blue eyes, you allied with him. You chose a stranger above your own sister. He is your best friend but you thought he was a stranger." Arthur was beyond perplexed and seriously worried about his sister's mental health. Since when had he allied with sorcerers? Since when had his best friend become a stranger? Arthur didn't know if Morgana was getting completely deranged because of her loneliness or if he was just being hopelessly stupid.

"Ally with sorcerers," Arthur repeated incredulously. Morgana smirked at this managing to wash away her earlier conflict

"Yes, genius. Ageing spells can be very useful. I mean the two have an uncanny appearance. Think about it."

"Who is it?" Arthur wondered out loud at last. "None of my friends are missing."

"WHERE'S MERLIN?" raged Morgana slamming her fist on the table.

"I don't know," Arthur decided, trying to cover up his friend's existence. He realised that Morgana would hunt his friend down to try and destroy him.

"Good!" Morgana exclaimed, picking a grape up and biting into it with vigour. She had almost thought that Emrys had managed to escape from her wrath (again), unscathed (again)!

"Merlin is deceased. I killed him with hemlock. He tried to kill me with it before but fortunately my half-sister came to the rescue. I would have died because of him," Morgana coldly said. "Now where is Gwen?"

Arthur's jaw feel open as he thought of a suggestion to say for Gwen's absence. He just hoped that Mordred and Gwaine had been right in saying that Merlin was alive. The more Arthur thought about it, the more he would suspect that Mordred and Gwaine had been lying. After all, the duo of knight may have not of chosen to inform him in the death of Merlin because the vast battle that was dawning.

"Guinevere is indisposed. I have sent her away because of the war and I am not going to tell you where she is." Morgana grabbed an apple from the bowl and impatiently tossed it from hand to hand, deciding what to do next.

"I was just wanting to have a nice talk wi-"

"NO MORGANA!" Arthur shouted. "I do not trust you and why would I give confidential information to my sworn enemy? You seek her and I dead." Morgana shot him daggers before she strode out the room.

"And Morgana," Arthur laughed. "You have been spending too much time with Gwaine. You have chosen the exact same fruit that Gwaine would have done." Morgana banged the door shut and almost strode into Gaius.

"Good morning, Gaius," Morgana greeted. "Arthur and I were just remising about old times." Gaius raised an eyebrow and watched the high priestess trudge away before entering Arthur's chambers. He was surprised to see Arthur sitting up healthy and alive.

"Is everything alright, sire," Gaius questioned. Arthur was too deep in thought about Merlin. Then he realised something. The king began to fit the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together and then slapped his teary face in frustration. It wasn't completely clear but Morgana had hinted it enough for him to realise what it was. What was he going to do. The king knew that Merlin could be dead.

...

Merlin woke up roughly twelve hours after Mordred had enchanted him. As he woke up and his blurred surroundings became clear shapes in his mind, Merlin began to wonder where he was. It was a dreary room lined with dim torches. It seemed to consist of numerous rocks and nothing else apart from the blanket that lay on top of Merlin. Merlin gave a huge yawn and sat up stretching his back as he had not been sleeping in a comfortable position at all.

"Hello?" Merlin mumbled, his voice reverberating around the room. "Hello? HELLO?" Merlin tried again hopeful that someone would come rushing to his aid, but no one did. The young warlock slowly crept out the room wondering who he would find.

"Emrys, you're awake," came a voice from the corner of the next room. Merlin looked up, relieved to see that it was only Iseldir talking to him.

"Why am I here?" Merlin inquired rather loudly. Iseldir took a couple of steps forward while Merlin impatiently waited for the answer.

"Young Mordred wanted you to permanently stay here until the wars with the Saxons are over. Him and Sir Gwaine took you here," Iseldir wisely replied. Merlin gazed up at him and realised what was young warlock knew that Mordred was destined to kill the king so obviously Mordred had locked him here to prevent him from getting his path to kill Arthur.

"I need to save Arthur's life," called Merlin darting out of the cave. This didn't surprise Iseldir as the bond that the pair had was stronger than Iseldir had ever heard of between a king and a servant.

Merlin began to sprint towards Camelot but without a horse it could take him more than a day to get back to Camelot without any major distractions. His pace slowed gradually to a jogging and then to such a slow pace he was trudging back to Camelot. Who knew what Mordred or Morgana would have in store for Arthur?

Suddenly, Merlin began to hear leave rustling in front of him so he dived behind the bush to his immediate. Out the corner of his eye he saw a Morgana strolling in the opposite direction of Camelot. This surprised Merlin because he thought the witch would be trying to murder Arthur.

In a split second Merlin darted out the bush and pulled Morgana's arm from behind her. The witch acted swiftly, instinctively using magic against whoever was had given her fright. Merlin promptly reacted too and put up a force field to answer Morgana's spell. The witch turned around and her mouth opened in shock.

"Merlin?" she whispered so quietly that he struggled to hear her. Merlin raised his eyebrows trying to give her a superior look that curdled her blood. Merlin didn't know why he was acting so strangely (first reaching out for her hand and now trying to look superior) but he presumed that it had something to do with Morgana almost murdering him. The young warlock didn't get how grabbing Morgana's arm was related with revenge and anger but he dismissed it.

"It is me, idiot," Merlin chuckled trying to get himself back into character. "Did you really expect the most powerful sorcerer in the world to be killed by you!" A tinge of pink appeared in Merlin's pale cheeks and he took a step back in embarrassment. He didn't normally show off but that was what he was doing. Was he just trying to frighten Morgana? The warlock didn't think so. He also didn't understand where the embarrassment came from. Was it really that normal for people to behave like this to their nemesis's?

Morgana seemed to notice Merlin's strange mood and was unsure whether to just murder him or not. Yet, a strange feeling infested her too and prevented her from killing him. The whole situation felt extremely awkward between them. Morgana was extremely afraid of not wanting to kill her destiny and doom. She couldn't understand what was happening to her. Merlin couldn't understand what was happening to himself either.

Morgana ended the perplexing silence by saying, "How did you manage it?" Merlin immediately relaxed into his normal self but he still didn't have a clue about what had just happened.

"For me to know and you to find out," Merlin said, firmly deciding against telling Morgana that it was their half-sister who had saved him. "I would prefer if you didn't find out." Morgana gave a small laugh at this but shortly cut it off, feeling more embarrassed than Merlin. She felt like an idiot. Who laughed at their nemesis's jokes? Who laughed at their destiny and doom.

Merlin's eyes narrowed at Morgana and her cheeks glowed scarlet in embarrassment. The warlock began to wonder this place was cursed. Since when had Morgana laughed normally and not out of cruelty. Merlin had never seem Morgana blush before even when she had been good. Neither of the pair could understand what was going on and both of them wanted to run but their determination got the better of them.

"Emrys," Morgana called. Merlin's stiff tendons relaxed at this. Morgana hadn't called him Merlin in years either using 'servant' or now 'Emrys'. "Emrys, what do you want with me?" All the awkwardness had now vanished and was now replaced with intensity. Merlin preferred the intensity by a long way but could tell that Morgana still wasn't her usual self. The Morgana that he had knew would have tried to have murder him straight away. Perhaps Morgana was on the path back to redemption.

The sorcerer could tell that Morgana was frightened out her wits. Merlin heart wanted to reassure her and promise her that he wouldn't do anything to hurt her but his brain refused. After all, it would most likely be a lie.

"Morgana, the only thing I want with you is to stop trying to kill Arthur and Gwen and stop trying to take over Camelot." Morgana looked at Merlin intrigued but slightly relieved. She couldn't believe her ears. The witch thought Merlin would have spat in her face that he wanted her dead but she didn't.

"Alas, I have stopped trying to kill Arthur and Gwen. Ask Gaius he'll confirm it. I do still have a desire to become queen of Camelot and to stop me you will have to either kill or imprison me." This was half the truth as Morgana was indirectly trying to get Arthur killed by converting Mordred to her side. She wasn't going to downright lie about taking over Camelot as she knew that Merlin would never believe her in a thousand years.

"Morgana." It was now Merlin's turn to speak so quietly it was just audible. "Morgana it's not too late for redemption but it soon will be." The priestess knew it was a gesture to switch sides but she was more conflicted than usual.

"I can't Merlin," Morgana sighed at last. Merlin blushed a little as she used to actual name again.

"Can't or won't," injected Merlin.

"I can't. Arthur kills my kin so I have to everything in my power to save them," Morgana said, staring sadly at the ground. "Besides no one would forgive me as they all want me burnt at the stake."

"I don't," Merlin quickly blurted out. He looked very shocked at his sudden outburst and blushed again. "I mean a lot of people don't. Gwaine doesn't and nor does me, Arthur, Gwen or Gaius." Morgana looked at him with further interest. Merlin didn't understand this meeting at all. Morgana was completely out of character and was treating him like a friend.

"Thanks," Morgana smiled. The smile was perhaps small and weak but it was real. Then as soon as it came it vanished. "This was just a moment of weakness Emrys. Do not expect this much kindness next time I see you." With this Morgana strode away leaving Merlin disappointed. He thought that the witch was beginning to redeem herself but he should have realised that it was too out of 'evil' Morgana's character to be true.

...

"You don't have any apples on you?" wondered Gwaine, riding his bay horse beside Mordred.

"NO," Mordred yelled. "You ate them all early this morning. That is the thirty seventh time you've persistently asked me this in the past hour hour." Gwaine looked at the ground disappointed for the thirty seventh time in the past hour.

"You should have packed more apples, Mordred," Gwaine sadly said. Mordred looked at Gwaine extremely frustrated at his friends very annoying behaviour.

"I packed three apples each and that should have lasted us three days. Not five minutes when I went to collect fire wood. You ate my three apples as well," protested Mordred. He didn't really care too much about Gwaine eating all the apples but he did care about having some peace and quiet.

"Did not," laughed Gwaine

"Did."

"Didn't."

"Did."

"Didn't."

"If you don't shut up, I'll tell everybody who your girlfriend is," chortled Mordred. Gwaine rolled his eyes and felt like galloping off. That had only ever been a joke. Or had it? Perhaps he liked her a little. A little bit more. A lot. Gwaine shook this feeling from him and groaned.

"I don't have a girlfriend," Gwaine grumbled. Now it was Mordred's turn to laugh.

"You do. Remember her name is Morgana other known as 'my favourite damsel in distress' by you," chortled Mordred, taking a swig out of his water fur. Now he could get some revenge for Gwaine annoying him twenty-four seven.

"Is Morgana really a damsel in distress?" wondered Gwaine his mouth wide open. "I thought everyone thought she was a witch with no feelings?" The sorcerer coughed to cover his laughs but it didn't work very well. Gwaine looked stressfully at other knight trying to work out what was funny as he had only asked two simple questions.

"I'm sorry," Mordred apologised still laughing. "You sounded like a naïve five year old; you are a naïve five year old. Only you think she is a damsel in distress, I think she is a witch with some feelings and the rest of the world thinks she is a witch with no feelings. You do love her though. You as good as admitted it."

"That was just for for fun," protested Gwaine urging his horse into a trot. Mordred kicked his heels in making his horse go on after his fellow knight.

"She is you girlfriend," Mordred persisted, a gleeful smile upon his face.

"No she isn't."

"Is"

"Isn't."

"Is."

"We nearly there," Gwaine pointed out. "The Saxon camp can't be longer than an hour away." Mordred put a rather large smile upon his face but said nothing.

"What is it?" Gwaine worriedly asked.

"You attempt to try and get out of the topic of conversation was not sly," Mordred murmured. As Gwaine sighed at Mordred's reply, a plan began to form in his head. The more he thought about the more he knew that it had the potential to end the bloodshed. Of course like most plans it could go disastrously wrong.

"Mordred. I've got a plan..."

...

After she had seen Merlin, Morgana grew more and more frustrated by the minute. Firstly, she was in a tetchy mood because of the awkward meeting that she had had with Merlin. The witch's mood became more and more unpleasant by the minute. It erupted into anger when Morgana figured out she had nothing to do except from wait to find out the outcome of the battle. Wanting to fight, Morgana grew furious as she knew she couldn't. It would be suicidal even for someone with her powers to go into the middle of a battle where both the sides wanted to kill her. Now she waited with bated breath for the outcome. Morgana waited... waited.. and waited in her house but grew impatient.

Kicking the chair she was lounging in aside, Morgana fastened on her travelling cloak with the flared sleeves. Being patient and sitting down wasn't something that Morgana was good at although she was improving. At times like this the priestess needed something to occupy her mind. The ideas that she had just had was risky but stop the next week, or however long, being boring.

Once she had securely fastened her cloak, Morgana strode to the white stallion which she had tethered up by her hovel. Adjusting it's girth, she put her foot in its stirrup and flung herself up onto the leather saddle. Morgana gathered the reins in her hands, kicking her heels into the horse's flanks. The horse reared before setting off at a full fledged gallop. This happened to be Morgana's favourite gait as they reached their destination in two hours. Morgana drew her horse to a halt right in front of King Gremian and began to keep up the act of what King Gremian thought. King Gremian thought she was a madly in love witch so that is what she'd act as.

"GREMIAN!" Morgana yelled, the blood boiling in her though she was as calm as sleeping person. "HOW DARE YOU IMPRISON MY TRUE LOVE!"

All Morgana heard was 'seize her!' before she was knocked off her horse and blindfolded. She hid a small smile which was threatening to appear on her face. Though she wasn't really pleased about some torture that she was about endure, her plan was making progress.

"Fancy seeing you restrained AGAIN!" said a mocking voice. The witch knew who this voice and almost wish that she had not come up with this stupid plan. "You what, my lady? This time I have a proper plan on how to thwart King Gremian. You don't have an apple on you do you? I am suffering from apple withdrawal symptoms." For the next hour Morgana was persistently pestered (a hundred and thirty-nine times to be exact) for apples. After that the witch collapsed and was slapped a few times but didn't care. What had she signed herself up to?

This is going to be different from last time as both Morgana and Gwaine are intentionally in this position. Please review.