Yeah... Sorry people- looks like I accidentally put chapter eight up again... Oops. Here's the right one XD

Okay- over 90 reviews so far for this story, and after just eight chapters :D You have no idea how happy you guys make me- this is looking like it's going to be my most popular story yet. Which is odd, as it's the third in a series. But, no complaining here.

However, I do have a bone to pick with you guys- you seem to like this story too much! Thanks to your enthusiasm, my brain is now making up all sorts of things. If you're not careful, I may end up writing a million of these things. Man, it's so fun creating a new time line. It means that my mind is free to play with their lives as much as it wants too... In my head, I know things which aren't going to happen for months/years now! Grrr!

Anyway, brain train rant over...

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin

Chapter 9

Arthur barely even noticed as his arm dropped to his side. He didn't see the servant boy run off down the corridor. He didn't register the confused expression on Kennard's face as the young Knight studied his Prince's face.

All he knew was the disgusting feeling of pure horror creeping it's way up his spine, coupled with mind-numbing shock. Morgana was back. This couldn't be a coincidence. Everything that had happened- the spell which seemed to be running throughout the Kingdom, destroying all sense of security the people had previously held. And the events of his dream. It could only mean that Morgana had chosen her side.

The idea went against every fibre of his being, but he couldn't deny that it made perfect sense- Morgana had betrayed them all.

And now she was here to claim her Prize- Camelot.

Gradually, he started to notice that Kennard was shaking his arm worriedly. He snapped his face towards that of the young, dark-haired Knight, suddenly filled with an overwhelming sense of urgency.

"We have to get out of sight."

"Sire?"

"I mean it- we have to get out of sight. Somewhere no-one will suspect, but where we'll still be able to see what happens. I have to confirm something." He wasn't about to write Morgana off just like that- not unless he saw it with his own two eyes. But, at the same time, he couldn't risk losing the Kingdom's last line of defence if his suspicions were correct.

"We're not going to greet the Lady Morgana?"

"No- it's too dangerous. Trust me."

Kennard seemed to study his eyes for a moment, before nodding. "Where would you suggest?"

"There's a balcony overlooking the throne room. It has a view of the courtyard too- we can watch what happens."

Without another word, they dove out of the room. The route Arthur took them on was longer than he would have liked, but he felt it necessary to use as many minor corridors as possible- it wouldn't do for even one person to notice where they were going.

As they ran, Arthur couldn't stop thinking about Morgana. He had grown up with her, ever since Gorlois had died. They shared so many memories- happy times and sad times; falling outs and making ups; tears of grief and times of laughter. Yes, the two had had their differences, but he thought of her as his sister. And siblings were bound to fight sometimes. To even imagine her as an enemy tore him apart- what if she wasn't even recognisable any more as the girl she was in the past?

And even worse- what if she was?

Eventually finding their way to the balcony in question, the two settled themselves down on their fronts, making sure they would not be seen, and focused out of the windows on what was happening in the city outside. And there they waited.

Uther was in his chambers, alone, when he heard the commotion outside. He was about to order someone to go and check, when he heard a distant voice in his head.

'You don't need to check. It's what you've been waiting for.'

So it was Morgana then...

Uther let a small smile drift on to his face. This would make everything better. Arthur had betrayed him- turned against everything the King had worked for for over twenty years. But Morgana would never betray him. She had managed to find her way back, as he had always known she would. It was something the voices had been telling him, ever since he had first started hearing them over four months ago. He had known instinctively, back then, that he could trust the voices. And they hadn't guided him wrong so far.

Still smiling, he made his way towards the throne room, eager to greet his missing daughter.

The streets turned silent as she passed, the peoples' faces calming as she walked. She saw Sir Leon walking towards her, obvious worry on his face for her ragged appearance. He wasn't completely gone yet, but he would be soon. They all would. It was quite simple really- the spell hadn't been kicked in to it's final stages yet. And when it was, then Morgana was certain that nothing would stop her and her sister.

"My Lady- you're alright."

She smiled weakly back at the sandy-haired Knight. The spell would never succeed unless she played her part perfectly until the time was right.

"Yes Leon, I'm alright. But I would like to see Uther as soon as possible."

He nodded understandingly. "Of course. You must be eager to see him. But may I ask-"

She cut in before he could ask the question, forcing some fake tears to swim across her vision. "That will have to wait I'm afraid. I am not certain I would be able to recall it more than once."

"Of course."

He took her arm, obviously believing her too weak to walk by herself. Morgana allowed a small, secrete smirk to flick across her features. If only they knew just what she was capable of.

Well, they would know soon enough. They just wouldn't care.

A few short minutes later found Morgana rushing across the floor of the throne room and flying in to the arms of the one man she hated most in the world. Or, at least, the one living man. The most hated had almost certainly been that traitor, Merlin. In fact, even in death his name still made her blood boil with rage.

But that wasn't important right now. What was important was that she stayed focussed on her goal. So as she stood there in the arms of her old guardian, she whispered the fatal words in to his ear.

"I have returned to you. Now let me speak."

It is was though the sound of her voice sent a jolt through Uther's body. He took her hand, guiding his ward to stand at his side, a sickeningly sweet smile on his face.

"Gather the council. The Lady Morgana wishes to address the court." Not that the order was necessary- by this time, even the oldest and most infirm of the council members had filed in to the room. She spied Gaius lurking in the corner, and felt a thrill of triumph run through her as she realized that his eyes were equally as vague as all the others in the room. As someone Merlin had treasured, it felt somewhat more special to conquer his mind than it did most of the others.

She shook her head, reminding herself once again that this was about more than just triumphing against 'Emrys,' and begun addressing the crowd gathered before her.

"I want to thank you all for remaining loyal to me- for never giving up on me in all the months I've been away. I cannot describe just how difficult my time in captivity was." She purposefully faltered here, ducking her head as though finding it near impossible to speak. "The only thing which kept me going was knowing that you must have all been searching for me.

" It took me a lot of time and effort before I was able to escape from the witch, Morgause-"

She paused, admiring the fact that everybody in the room had gone completely still as she mentioned her sister's name, her eyes glittering dangerously. Trigger word one was successful.

"-But I am pleased to say that I have managed to return now, and it is thanks to the efforts of the people of Camelot. It was thanks to the distractions-"

Every face went blank, and they stared at her, unseeing. Trigger two: complete.

"-caused by Camelot's Knights that I was able to escape. And now, I have come home, to the one person who is more important to me than any of you will ever know. My guardian, and your King," for now, "Uther Pendragon."

And with the naming of the tyrant King, the final trigger was set, and the spell was entirely complete. Uther froze beside her, and raised his voice so that everyone could hear him.

"I now announce that the Lady Morgana will replace my son, Arthur, as sole heir to the throne of Camelot. The ceremony will take place this afternoon."

A round of uproarious applause echoed around the room, and for the first time Morgana looked around to see Arthur's expression. Even if it was just vague acceptance, she wanted this moment of triumph to feel complete.

And that was when she realized, with a surge of pure fury, that Arthur wasn't in the room.

Kennard could hardly believe what he was hearing. He and the Prince had watched, silently and unseen, as the Lady Morgana made her way up through the streets of Camelot. He had to admit to being confused when Arthur had first suggested that they remain hidden, but the intense look in the older man's eyes was enough to convince Kennard that this was crucially important to him.

And then Morgana had begun her speech, and Kennard had been quick to notice that the people down below them were becoming increasingly blank-faced at random intervals while she spoke. The realization was terrifying for him, so he could only imagine how hard it must be for the Prince to watch the unfolding evidence that his foster-sister seemed to have turned against them.

And matters could, he reasoned, only have been made worse when Uther announced that he was disinheriting his son.

That was when Kennard finally found it in him to sneak a peek at the blond lying beside him. He was nervous, expecting to find a shocked Arthur brimming with indignant anger. He was not expecting for the Prince's face to be set in an expression of grim determination.

'He knew,' Kennard realized, 'or at least suspected.'

Arthur's insistence that the two of them- possibly the only two who were unaffected by the spell- remained hidden- It made sense now. Kennard wasn't sure how long, but to him is was obvious from the Prince's expression that he had at least had suspicions about his foster-sister for a while now. Suspicions which were now confirmed.

It was while he was trying to digest this information that Arthur turned to face him.

"We'll wait here for a while longer," the Prince whispered, "until the room has cleared slightly. Once we're sure we'll be able to escape unnoticed, then we'll be on our way."

"Where to?"

A fiery glint appeared in Arthur's eyes. "To the dungeon. I think it's about time a certain Warlock was released."

Alright- hopefully that deserves a review. I'm going to set you guys a challenge. The maximum number of reviews for a single chapter so far is 16. Well, 15 really, as fortheloveofcamelot had to split a review. So, your challenge is to see if you can beat that number. Because you're turning me in to a review-a-holic. Virtual good-guy cookies and virtual golden magic eyes for anybody who assists in beating the record. XD

ps. This is not a desperate plea. Honest...