Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin etc... (plus the song) yada yada

This took ALL day! My mum was making me help clean my sister's room (a big job, believe me), we had to clear everything out practically and then put it all back, except the junk, which there was ALOT of. But, here we go, a day early, worth it.

Bad news (for the fic), I'm going on holiday on the 19th, that's next friday which means that the next chapter will either be up on thursday or not until about two weeks into September. The good thing is I'll probably have it all written up ready to be typed and uploaded when I get back (all meaning the whole story). But actually, I think we are very near the end of the story now, which I didn't know until a few minutes ago when I finished the chapter :)

Anyway, finally an update rather than an edit! On with the fic!

Chapter Ten

Over the remainder of the day and the next night Arthur's condition worsened, he was largely left alone in his less than favourable condition. He did his best to fight the fever but knew he was losing the battle. He kept in mind that the fight wasn't over yet.

-oOo-

Merlin shifted where he slept near the warmth of the lilac flames, he smiled in his sleep, a natural one for once. Morgause tended the potion in a far happier mood and Erec caught the warlock in his embrace, having just returned from taunting Arthur again.

"Erec."

"Yes?"

"The potion is almost done."

Erec sat up abruptly to look directly at the sorceress "You're not serious!"

The blond witch huffed indignantly "Of course I am, soon enough I can have full access to all his power and you can have your fill of whatever's left, did you not think I could do it without eating him?" She laughed, all good humour restored.

Erec lay back down as Morgause returned to her stirring after muttering a spell which intensified the flames and turned them green, the new glow this gave the cave was eerie.

Erec clutched the sleeping figure close and whispered in his ear, one hand trapped the sorcerer against his body and the other stroked the man's lean thigh. "You'll be mine soon..."

With his face turned towards the far cave wall and his back pressed against the knight's chest Merlin's eyes were wide and his face pale. He had heard everything. When he failed to hold back a shudder Erec merely pulled the man closer.

Merlin knew he wasn't getting any more sleep.

-oOo-

Morgana couldn't find them! Her dream had informed her that Arthur had arrived, was in a dark space with rock nearby, maybe the inside of a cave, she had found tracks that seemed to end around the place she was at. She had even found not one but two royal Camelot horses! But could she find the boys? NO!

Now, however frustrated, Morgana wasn't stupid, she was rather certain Merlin, Arthur, whoever caused this mess and that terrible, terrible, familiar man were in the cave she was pacing in front of.

Unfortunately it looked to be completely blocked with rubble and soil and stone. Looked to be. The seer was sure that she could get through and hadn't even tried to move a single small stone from the pile ahead, something wasn't right about it.

The young witch stilled and sat down after ripping a strip of bread from the loaf she had packed. She chewed slowly as she pondered.

-oOo-

It was late afternoon in the cave before someone approached Merlin again, Merlin who had, despite his body's and Erec's protests, retreated to the colder cave walls, away from the fire, away from the traitors.

Surprisingly, the one who came close was Morgause. She was still beautiful and he was still enraptured but now he thought her as cold as the ice of the landscape she transports him to. The cold blue of the ever changing flame highlighted that aspect, it also highlighted her eyes.

Damn.

Merlin could sense himself reaching for her mentally already, his hands lay steadfastly at his sides, though, for that he was grateful. He had to remember that-

"Merlin."

-to remember that... that she...that she betrayed-

"Merlin?"

Damn again. "Morgause" His voiced was longing in sound form. Still she looked suspicious, she held his gaze for a long time and Merlin felt the ever-present burn grow and fill him, only when his eyes misted and he fell willingly into her arms did she lift her hands to his face.

Merlin was standing this time, being thrust against one of the delicate-looking ice structures. The blond woman kissed and nipped down his neck quickly and harshly, it was as though she were afraid to lose him...

In the real world Sir Erec was just returning to the more hospital part of the cave and smiled at his timing when he caught sight of the two on the floor, this time, he had brought a guest.

-oOo-

Arthur gasped as he abruptly awoke; he felt stabs of indescribable pain jolt through his body in paths from his abdominals right down to his toes and up to strike the base of his skull. He was being roughly rolled onto a thick blanket. The pain ebbed slightly as he lay as still as he could, aware that he was being dragged but not knowing where to or for what purpose. His world suddenly became brighter, even through his squinted lids, it turned blue.

The surroundings once again turned black when the pain returned with a vengeance.

-oOo-

Erec hauled the crown prince to his feet and let him slump against his side, he moved the prince across the room and sat him against the cave wall, out of reach, but with full view of Morgause and Merlin entwined on the stone floor.

-oOo-

Merlin placed his hands on either side of her head and she looked up at him, his mind was clear but his memory was flawed, he searched for what he had forgotten in her eyes but she looked back down. Though his arms moved to instead hold her closer against him a corner of his mind still thought, still strained towards something. What that was he didn't know.

In the outside world Merlin was more active than last time, he actively squirmed in Morgause's arms and though his breathing wasn't elevated Erec was still satisfied with the result. The witch he assisted 'the honorary seductress' he mentally corrected grasped the body he craved in a possessive hold. 'Soon, Merlin. Soon.' The traitorous knight promised.

No! Dream Merlin screamed mentally, he squirmed in his love's embrace. His traitorous love. He didn't recall what she had done; neither could he keep hold of the feelings he was sure he should be in procession of. The anger, the betrayal, the hurt. At least not in the correct intensity. He was confused and bewildered and his head spun.

The blond lady had obviously taken his animation as passion and had intensified her attack on his person he grabbed her arms and when he look up he shook his head.

Arthur looked up in disbelief, he had found himself in the light and recalled only a little of his journey from before he blacked out. He had woken for the second time in less than ten minutes to be greeted by the sight of his best friend in the arms of his worst enemy. A lying witch who dared conjure pale imitations of his mother and turn him against his only remaining relative.

This same lying witch who had evidently controlled Merlin from afar and lured him here to do- well, that was anyone's guess.

Thankfully, as per his wishes, the woman stopped. She stared hard into his eyes and Merlin spoke aloud for the first time in the ice land, in a way he never previously could.

"Stop."

Morgause's eyes widened, he should not be able to do that.

For Arthur, the word, spoken quietly and thoughtfully but very decisively spurred something in him.

"Merlin! Merlin!"

Erec, who was merely dumbstruck, gathered himself at Arthur's call, "He can't hear you, prince boy. Besides, what can you do to help? You're so weak I didn't even need to bind your hands!" he laughed and something coiled in Arthur's stomach.

Too bad the words were true and he couldn't leap to strangle the guy as he desperately wanted too.

He ignored him. "MERLIN!"

"Sorry, I need to think," Merlin's whole demeanour changed then, she could tell even as he still leant against the ice sculpture. The ice sculpture which was... melting?

"How could you do this to me! I trusted you, I LOVED you!"

Merlin said what felt right to him, though he could not make sense of it, he wasn't portraying thoughts, it was all feelings.

"But, what did I do?"

The lovely blond lady looked at a total loss. Merlin wished he knew her name to comfort her; the picture she formed was tragically beautiful. She looked utterly lost, Merlin almost didn't recognise her, he began to step towards her but she suddenly regained herself.

She stood as the proud warrior woman she was and an image formed clearly in his mind...

"Merlin, please! Don't! I won't lose you to that witch! I won't!"

...of an armoured figure standing tall over a broken prince...

"I can't lose you to Morgause! Merlin!"

...of that same figure reaching up to grip the edge of a helmet, wrenching it off. Revealing pale skin, pink lips, effeminate features and...

"Not to Morgause!"

...long blond pale hair which fell about her shoulders in loose, untamed curls.

The hand outstretched to comfort his love faltered and dropped back to his side. "My love, Morgause?"

The ice melted, forming rivers at their feet, the sculptures were lost, the disappearing snow revealed stone beneath their feet. Merlin looked up to see a stricken woman before he closed his eyes.

"I love you, Merlin!"

As the burning in his body faded for the first time in days the last vestiges of the landscape outside his lidded eyes faded too. He opened them to see-

"Arthur?"

As awareness fully returned he registered warm arms around his body, the sorcerer turned to take in-

"M-M-Morgause?"

The spell was broken.

-oOo-

Morgana tossed Arthur's sword up and down in her hand, testing its weight and growing accustomed to the size. "Hmmm."

She smiled.

Yay, we finally know that Morgause is the sorceror/seductress and Erec is just the evil tagalong who's after Merlin's body as payment for his help.

Did you forget Morgana? Lol, just couldn't fit her in earlier, or Gaius. Anyway, Morgause was so upset after Merlin shouted at her because she knew her power over him was fading not because she felt sorry or anything. Also, Merlin remembered her name because she reminded him strongly of a memory that's pretty fixed in his mind (Arthur's defeat at her hands). Erm, I had more but I've forgetten. Oh, one thing is, when Morgause said "But, what did I do?" she meant, how did her power over him start to slip not and where did she go wrong NOT 'Ohmigosh, what made him angry?'. Please review? If you have questions just review as well, I reply to everyone, even the anon ones :)

Speaking of which: Hi Keyrani, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far :D And look the update came! I don't suppose Arthur got much 'saving Merlin' in here after all, unless his screaming somehow got through to Merlin's subconcious and helped remind him who Morgause really was. But, i don't suppose it matters since they're still alive, also in the clutches of a sorceress and a sadistic manical pervert/potential rapist though. No idea how it's gonna turn out, you guys find out only a little bit after I do! Thanks for reviewing!