*Does a Dogeza*

I am soooooooooo sorry! I know it's been forever since I updated, and I have about a million reasons/excuses, but I'm just too excited to list them all right now. Why, you ask?

I JUST WATCHED THE NEW EPISODE OF MERLIN! I have not stopped screaming for the last ten minutes. And am going to watch it again as soon as I've finished posting this and a one-shot I wrote the other day.

MERLIN ROCKS! THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! !

Anyway, I'll stop rambling. I have an episode to watch. Again.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. I'm not awesome enough to... yet.

Chapter 21

Michael stared, wide-eyed, as Uther jerked his body violently from side to side. The former King's face was contorted into a mask of agony, his eyes rolling wildly in their sockets, and the screams tearing themselves from his throat and echoing around the cavernous chamber in which they stood were enough to cause the red-haired sorcerer watching it happen to shudder right down to his very core.

And, as if the screams weren't enough, the scene was made all the more horrendous by the sight of Morgana's chilling smile and the cold joy radiating from her eyes. The picture of her former guardian's agony wasn't dampening her spirits in the slightest. In fact, she seemed to have discarded any and all affection she had once held for the man. If Michael had to describe it, he would say that she was relishing Uther's reaction to her torture.

It was to such a degree that, had any normal person been watching, they would have turned and run from the room in terror. But Michael wasn't an ordinary person. He had a task to accomplish, and he had the power to carry it out. And while he couldn't say that he wasn't affected by what he was witnessing, he knew that it was necessary for him to go through with it. If he wanted to reach his goal, there were things which needed to be sacrificed.

But, even so, he couldn't help but let the tiniest of sighs escape his lips when the torture stopped briefly. It was just his bad luck that Morgause happened to hear. Brown eyes snapped instantly towards him, and he could almost feel the air around him turn turn cold from her icy glare.

"Is there a problem?" The sorceress hissed.

Hastily, he lowered his head a fraction. "No, my lady. I am merely impatient to return to my chores. As enjoyable as I find this, I am afraid I have other matters to attend to."

There was, but for the sounds of Uther's pants, silence in the room for a few seconds. Both sisters' eyes were on him now, analysing every possible meaning in his words. Eventually, though, Morgause nodded.

"I understand. How goes your work? Are you any closer to finding the Prince?"

A quick shake of the head. "Unfortunately not, my lady. But it shouldn't be long. I believe I have almost perfected a spell which will assist us in the search. I just need to finish my preparations."

"And what of the rest of your work?"

"All is going smoothly, my Lady. The people of Camelot are completely under your control. I have so far managed to locate five suitable individuals for the next phase. Given a week or so, I believe I will be able to present you with what you require."

A triumphant smirk tugged at the corner of the Blonde's lips, as well as that of her sister's.

"Excellent," stated the new Queen. "It seems, then, that it is merely a matter time."

Morgause took the young seeress' hands in her own. "Indeed, sister. Soon you will have all that you deserve. And all of Albion will fall under our control."

"Never."

Three sets of eyes flicked towards the source of the exclamation. The former King was glaring venomously at the room's inhabitants, his chest heaving. "I don't know," he panted, "just what you have planned, but mark my words- you will be stopped." His gaze settled once more on his daughter, and just for a moment Uther's determination seemed to fail him. "It's not too late," he pleaded. "You can still turn back."

"And have you execute me, father?" Morgana spat, her eyes glittering dangerously. "I think not. No- I have chosen my path. And besides," she smirked, closing the distance between them, "I'm having far too much fun to stop now."

It was only once Uther's howls of pain had filled the chamber once more that Morgause turned to face Michael yet again.

"Your task here is done. You may leave now."

"Thank you, my Lady."

With a quick bow towards each of his mistresses, Michael made to hasten from the room. It wasn't until he reached the doorway that he sensed it- almost imperceptible, but there nonetheless. In fact, he doubted anyone but he himself would have been able to detect the faint protective spell which had worked it's way around Uther's core. A spell formed from the same magic he had felt the previous day, down in the dungeons. The same magic that had been present earlier that day, in the Physician's chambers.

As the doors swung shut behind him, Michael allowed his eyes to narrow. He wouldn't tell Morgana or Morgause about this. Not yet. But there was a sorcerer hiding themselves somewhere in Camelot- a powerful one, with a type of magic he'd never felt before. And Michael couldn't afford to have anyone around who might be capable of interfering in the plan. The sorcerer would have to be found and dealt with. Immediately.

And he was the perfect man for the job.

"You can't talk?"

Another nod.

Merlin could barely help the small sense of despair he felt, somewhere deep within his heart. They had put in the effort to find one of the vessels- to find some way of defeating Morgause's spell- only to find that, having located one, any assistance she could offer them would be severely limited. After all, how could they work properly, in a situation like this, with someone with whom they couldn't properly communicate?

In an instant, though, his despair was pushed back, and his mind scanning through as many solutions he could think of. This was a game of take what you're given. And if they couldn't figure out how to work with the girl, then all may well be lost.

With a mumbled "give me a minute," and a quick, reassuring smile to the girl, Merlin made his way over the side of the room, and sat with his back against the wall and his head tilted back. It was how, over the past half a year, he had positioned himself when thinking of new spell variations- a simple trick to focus his mind. So deep in thought was he, that he barely even registered it when Arthur joined him until a few seconds later, when the Prince spoke.

"Have you thought of anything?"

Merlin nodded. "I can place a tracer on her for if we lose sight of her, but I doubt we'll be able to get much information from her directly about what's going on, or where the other vessels are. The best idea would probably be to go to higher ground- maybe a tower, or the battlements, and run a spell through her, and in to the magic's web. I might be able to locate the vessels that way, and maybe even get a message through to them."

"Such as?"

"I was thinking of asking them to meet us somewhere. It would make it easier than having to seek each one out individually. The problem is whether or not they'd come. After all, some of them may support what Morgana and Morgause are doing. There's no guarantee they would agree to help, and I don't want to use force against them if it can be helped."

"What about the enemy? Would any of them be able to trace you from the spell? Would they be able to sense you using it?"

The young Warlock paused for a moment, deliberating. "I don't think so. If I'm careful, I should be able to avoid detection. But it would be best to remain alert, just in case."

There was a break in the conversation, as Arthur seemed to be pondering over what Merlin had said. The Prince had always been good in this sort of situation- he was able to think clearly under tremendous amounts of pressure. If Arthur managed to reach a decision, Merlin was more than willing to follow it. Not that he would ever tell the Prince just how great his trust in the older man was. That just wasn't a manly thing to say.

Finally, Arthur nodded. "It sounds like a good plan. It might be a good idea, though, to place tracers on all of us. If it comes to it, we may have to split up and go to collect a few of the vessels individually. With the tracers, you'd be able to tell if anything happens to us. Right?"

"Right. Although you won't need one. The tattoo is enough in your case."

"Of course." The Blond rose to his feet. "Now come on. It's about time we let that girl know what on earth she's doing here. She must find it somewhat unnerving to suddenly find herself in a room full of total strangers."

Merlin barely managed to hold back a smile. It seemed that, in the time the two had been apart, Arthur's empathy towards others had grown. The man was definitely on his way to becoming a fine King.

Okay, I hope that made it up to you for the amount of time I've kept you all waiting. I won't ask for reviews, as I really don't deserve them given my lack of fanfiction presence for the last few months.

I hope you enjoyed it XD

WAHHH! SERIES FOUR ROCKS!