Alaia Skyhawk: PART 3!

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Music: N/A

"Whom History Won't Remember" Episode: N/A

~(-)~

Chapter 39: The Gates of Avalon ~Part 3~

This was becoming beyond a joke... There was something seriously wrong with Arthur, and no one else seemed to see it.

Morgana followed alongside Uther, the two of them walking along the outer hallway to the nobles' wing, leaving behind the strange scene that has transpired in the council chambers. Arthur had asked for an audience, seeking permission to marry Sophia. He'd gone almost so far as to walk out with her, and it was only Uther's stern threat to have the woman and her father arrested and executed that had stopped him. Normally Morgana would have been disgusted at such a threat being made, but this time she felt it was entirely acceptable.

If it were not for the fact that even with his apparent submission to his father's will, she feared Sophia was still going to kill Arthur.

Lost in her thoughts, Morgana paid little heed to the king beside her until he spoke with a hint of amusement.

"You're not planning on springing any surprises on me, are you?"

She glanced at him, her tone edgy.

"Don't you think you should be taking this a bit more seriously?"

Uther shook his head.

"He's young, foolish and in love. Give it a week and he'll be chasing after the next girl that catches his eye."

"Sophia will never let that happen."

The king glanced at her.

"Do you bear a grudge against our guest?"

"There's something about her I don't trust. You've seen the way Arthur changed since she's arrived."

"He's a fool in love."

Morgana: She's dangerous.

"Dangerous? To who?"

"Arthur."

Uther began to look through the documents he was carrying, seemingly not all that interested.

"Why do you say that?"

This seemed to be getting nowhere, she knew it.

"I just have a sense, a feeling."

"...And what has she done to make you have this feeling?"

Morgana hesitated for a moment. She should tell him, tell him the truth... She had to, this was for Arthur's sake, after all.

"Nothing, yet. It's what she's going to do." She took a deep breath, nervous. "I don't know how to tell you this."

Uther stopped, turning to face her.

"Try. Whatever it is, you can tell me."

She found herself looking into his eyes, his friendly expression towards her, his ward. He was the only father figure she'd known since the death of her own. Had raised her since she was ten. Could she say this? Could she bring herself to say something that might change that smile to a curse and a scowl, turn it to a shout for the nearest guards to drag her to the dungeons to await the fate of all thought to have magic? Just because of a dream?

She looked away slightly, fear making her baulk at the last moment.

"I've just seen girls like this before. They string men along and then drop them. I don't want to see him get hurt."

Uther placed a hand on her shoulder, unaware of the moment of terror she'd just put herself through.

"I know you want to protect him, but some lessons we have to learn for ourselves. He'll hurt for a week and then Sophia will be forgotten."

"I hope so."

"Are you sure there's nothing else behind this?"

Morgana smiled, shaking her head a little.

"Yes, it's nothing."

The king walked away, leaving her stood there, leaving her with the deep sense of having betrayed Arthur. She too walked away, in a different direction. Off to dwell on that feeling and try to think what she could possibly do now.

~(-)~

"Merlin! Merlin, wait up!"

The young man paused in the deserted hallway, turning to see Gwen hurrying towards him. He smiled at her in greeting.

"What is it, Gwen?"

She stopped beside him, a little out of breath and frowning at him in disapproval.

"Where were you yesterday? You were supposed to come talk to me!"

Merlin winced... Oops.

"Um, sorry... Something came up after I got out of the stocks."

Gwen took him by the arm, pulling him into a nearby alcove and lowering her voice to a murmur.

"Well I hope it was important, because Arthur's in danger."

He blinked, staring at her. She knew? Then it dawned on him.

"Oh, you're talking about Morgana's dream?"

Gwen seemed startled.

"Wait, you know? Then why did you cover for him and let him run off out with Sophia yesterday?"

Merlin sighed. He was going to have to lie, even if the first part of this was true.

"Look, Gaius told me about Morgana's dream after I was let out of the stocks yesterday. He suggested I refuse to cover for Arthur any more, so that Morgana would feel better about her nightmare. He told me off, saying I shouldn't let Arthur take advantage like that." He grimaced. "And then he sent me out on a monster of a herb errand. It was dark by the time I got back."

Gwen was frowning, trying to tell if he was lying, but contrary to the beliefs of those around him, Merlin was actually an exceptional liar when he wanted to be. The only one who could really see through them was Gaius, and that was only because he knew him so well.

She sighed, almost as if defeated.

"But what about what just happened? Arthur asked to marry Sophia!"

Merlin flinched. Ah, he'd almost forgotten about that. He shrugged, putting on his best non-committal grin.

"She's stringing him along like a dog on a leash, and I can't wait to see his face when he finally realises that." He put his hands on Gwen's shoulders. "She's just a privilege hunter, looking for a top marriage to gain influence. Uther can clearly see straight through her, and knows how stupid the whole thing is. Once she and her father leave tonight, it'll all blow over."

He left the alcove, trying not to cringe at the disappointed way he knew Gwen would be looking at him right now. He couldn't get her and Morgana involved. It was all up to him to stop this.

He changed direction, heading to Arthur's chambers. If there was anyone who could talk sense into the prince, anyone who could break him free of the enchantment, it was him.

He arrived to find Arthur dressed in his armour, packing a bag and clearly not in a good mood. He glared at his servant when he entered, scowling in manner Merlin had never seen him do before.

"Get out."

Merlin didn't move from the doorway.

"I thought the king was a bit harsh."

"I don't need sympathy, Merlin. Especially not from you."

"But I do think he had a point."

He was now stood at the end of the bed where's Arthur's bag was laid out, the prince turning on him angrily.

"I ordered you to get out, now leave me!"

Merlin stared him down.

"I know what you think you're doing, and I know you think you're in love with Sophia."

"Who are you to tell me what I'm thinking?"

"...I'm your friend."

"No, Merlin, you're my servant!"

Merlin was unprepared for how much those words hurt, but he couldn't let it get to him. This wasn't Arthur, not the real Arthur. It was just the spell talking.

"You don't know what you're doing. She's cast a spell on you! You're enchanted!"

"I told you people would try to keep us apart."

Sophia's voice from the doorway made Merlin turn, to see her stood there alongside her father. They didn't seem that bothered by Merlin being here.

Arthur immediately looked to her.

"I know. I won't let that happen."

Merlin turned back to him. He couldn't let this happen.

"Look, don't listen to her! She's controlling you!"

Sophia took a step towards them, her eyes on Arthur.

"We can elope together. Get away from this place, these people."

Merlin pointed to Aulfric.

"I saw you. I followed him... They're planning to sacrifice you, Arthur!"

Aulfric laughed.

"You let your servant talk to your guests this way?"

Merlin glared at him.

"I know what you're going to do, because I followed you to the lake and I heard everything!" He turned to Arthur. "You have to believe me!"

Behind him Arthur seemed to be becoming confused, shaking his head as if dazed, while the spell on him warred with what he knew of Merlin... Merlin was a man who would never lie about something like this.

"Don't listen to him, Arthur. Let's go. Let's leave tonight."

"She's going to kill you! Sophia plans to sacrifice you to buy a life of immortality! If you go with her, you'll die!"

Arthur's confusion seemed to be getting worse.

"But... But it doesn't make sense. We're in love..."

Merlin was practically shouting now.

"They're magical beings! Look at the writing on their staffs!" He made a rush towards Aulfric, trying to grab the stave, but backed off when the man's eyes turned red. "Look at their eyes! Arthur do you believe me now? Arthur, do you see?"

The prince had gone still, before he turned and glared at Merlin with a red gaze to match Sophia's and her father's... She'd managed to wrest control of him again.

"I see everything."

Merlin turned to look at the father and daughter, both of them holding Arthur now. He was trapped in a room with an enchanted prince and two magical beings, and he had to do something!

He made a move for the door, intent on summoning the guards, but barely got three feet before Aulfric blasted him with a bolt of energy from his staff. Merlin was flung into the wall between two of the windows, slumping to the floor in silence and presumed dead.

Sophia regarded him in disgust.

"To think a mere servant's words could have that much power over him. Arthur must have trusted him a great deal. Such a shame." She went to Arthur, moving him away from Merlin and seating him in a chair. "Wait here for me, my love. I will return once the castle and city have gone to sleep, and we shall be together."

She left him sat there, walking out of the room with her father and leaving the two alone... Unaware that where he lay against the wall, Merlin was still breathing.

~(-)~

She paced in her rooms, unable to sleep, unable to shake the terrible feeling inside.

Morgana wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. She dare not close her eyes, dare not risk sleep, instead haunting her windows and gazing out into the central courtyard every few minutes. It was long past midnight, well into the early hours. Everyone was asleep except for her and guards, or at least that was what she thought. Sophia and her had left late in the day, but that didn't reassure her, and her fears came back with a terrifying surge when her next look out the windows revealed the pair walking towards the gates with Arthur in tow.

They'd come back for him in secret, and now were taking him away.

She dashed from her rooms, grabbing a furred wrap to place around the shoulders of her night gown, heading as fast as her feet would take her to Gaius' chambers. Once there she burst through his door, her distress clear in her voice.

"He's gone! Arthur's gone with her! She's taken him!"

Gaius turned to face her, having had worries of his own. Merlin hadn't come back for bed like he should have, and he'd assumed he must be keeping watch on Arthur. But if Arthur were gone, then where was he?

"Slow down, child."

"I know you don't believe me, but I'm so sure it's going to happen. My dream's going to come true."

Gaius took her by the shoulders, unable to deny the terror to her words.

"I do believe you."

"I've got to tell Uther!"

He shook his head firmly.

"You can't."

"I've got to do something, if I don't then Arthur will die."

"You can't tell Uther about your dream. If Uther thinks you've got the seers' power, he'll charge you with witchcraft."

Morgana took a shuddering breath. She'd already backed out of it once, and now Sophia had taken Arthur because of it.

"I don't have a choice. I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd let him die."

Gaius realised she was serious, making his decision.

"Wait. We've known each other a long time, you trust me don't you?"

She nodded.

"Yes, you know I do."

Gaius looked her sternly in the eyes.

"Then trust me now. Stay here and don't say a word to anyone about this."

He headed for the door, Morgana calling out after him.

"But Arthur..."

"I'll take care of it."

She frowned when he reached the door.

"Where are you going?"

He gestured to her to stay put.

"To find someone who can help."

He walked out, heading where he knew Merlin would likely be if he'd been trying to stop Arthur leaving. If he'd been watching Arthur, to protect him, it was the only place.

Gaius stopped in shock when he opened Arthur's door, staring in horror to see Merlin slumped against the far wall. The warlock was groaning faintly, like he was starting to come around.

"Merlin! What happened to you?"

He rushed to his ward's side, the warlock wincing and mumbling as the physician helped him sit up.

"Aulfric... He... Where's Arthur? I have to go after him." He looked around, a bit dazed. "What's that buzzing noise?"

Gaius frowned in concern, as Merlin quickly stumbled to his feel and almost fell over in the process.

"Careful, Merlin. You can barely stand up."

"I have to go."

Gaius grabbed him when he tried to move.

"You can't, not in this state. You owe it to your powers that you survived this at all!"

Merlin tried to reassure him.

"I'm fine. He needs me."

"Has the buzzing stopped?"

"Yes."

"Liar."

Merlin shook his head to clear it a little.

"I have to go, Gaius. He'll die if I don't."

There was nothing Gaius could do to argue with that, so instead he gave a warning.

"The Sidhe are a vicious people. You must be careful."

Merlin gave him a smile, before starting to walk towards the window.

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

"Merlin? The door is that way?"

"Just testing."

Merlin changed direction, staggering out the door. His entire body still burned with the blast from that staff, his magic tingling all the way through him. Feeling it, it was obvious that Gaius had been right, his magic had protected him and stopped the attack from killing him, but it didn't change the fact that it still hurt.

He grimaced, cursing under his breath when an attempt to run only resulted in him falling flat on his face. He was going to have to just walk fast until he regained his balance enough to run, but the delay was agonising. Every moment lost was a moment that might mean Arthur would die because he'd not been quick enough.

Far off in the forest, the night slowly passing by, walked two the sidhe and their sacrifice. They were in no rush, no one knew where they were going, or so they thought. They arrived at the lake with the light of dawn, Arthur little more than a puppet as a tearful Sophia was informed by her father that she would be going alone, that he could not go with her.

She left her staff on the shore beside him, no longer having a need for it. She would be returning to her true for, and with that regaining the powers that she had lost upon being locked in this mortal shell.

Sophia led Arthur into the water, standing there as her father began the spell, and then with a kiss to send him to sleep, she pushed the prince over and watched him start to sink.

In the woods nearby, Merlin was now sprinting through the trees. His head was still pounding, his legs still felt like they wanted to collapse, but at least now he could run. The glimmer of dawn only emphasised the time it had taken. If Aulfric and Sophia had taken as long to reach the lake as it had the other night, then they would be there by now. They could be killing Arthur right this second, and he still had a way to go.

He felt a moment of relief when he saw the water through the trees, but that changed to fear for the prince when he could hear Aulfric's voice raised in incantation. Merlin kept running, his lungs burning from effort, skidding to a halt a short distance from the man.

Sophia was in the water, apparently alone, but for her holding a hand out over the water... Which meant Arthur was under it! Thinking fast, Merlin struggled to think of a spell, until he spotted the discarded staff on the ground beside her father.

He reached a hand towards it, his voice commanding.

"Anbregdan!" It lurched up from the ground, flying to his hand at his order, Aulfric turning in surprise only to see Merlin level the staff at him. "Swilte, gold beorth!"

Power surged from the stave's blue crystal tip, slamming into the old man and making him explode into ashes. Sophia screamed at the sight, starting to stumble towards the shore screeching in denial.

"Father! Father, no!"

Merlin pointed the staff at her.

"Oga ceoles!"

She took exploded, Merlin dropping the staff and removing his jacket. He sprinted to the water's edge, throwing himself into it and scrambling to where Sophia had been stood. He began to dive repeatedly below the surface, searching for Arthur, until after what felt like an eternity he found him.

They surged to the water's surface, Merlin finding it a struggle but managing to keep the fully armoured man high enough for his face to be clear of it. He dragged him back to shore, laying him down and realising in panic that Arthur wasn't breathing.

He slammed him on the back, expecting that Arthur had taken in water, but was gratefully surprised when the prince began breathing normally... It looked like whatever spell had been placed on him to make him sleep, had ironically also made him hold his breath.

Merlin slumped to the ground beside him, shaking with relief. He'd done it, he'd defeated Sophia and her father, and saved Arthur's life. Everything was going to be ok.

It took several minutes before he could make himself get to his feet, stumbling back to where he'd left his jacket and putting it back on. He then picked up Sophia's staff and stared at it, before taking note of where her father's one also lay nearby.

He pointed the one he held at it, murmuring.

"Ic abreodhe se repel." The resulting blast of power shattered Aulfric's staff, before Merlin dropped Sophia's and took a step back from it. He couldn't let these things exist, in case someone found them. "Ic abreodhe se repel." Nothing happened except the staff flew a few feet and landed in a shower of leaves. He pointed again. "Ic abreodhe se repel!"

Again nothing. Merlin stared at his hands, realising that quite clearly he didn't have the skill yet to destroy it without using another such staff to help. He grumbled under his breath and went to pick it up, and then used his belt to secure it to his back before returning to Arthur's side. And then, after few moments consideration, he figured that since the prince was unconscious anyway, this couldn't hurt.

He cast a hastily made up spell on Arthur, to make the prince temporarily lighter. He had to recast it several dozen times over the course of the trip, when the pitiful thing kept wearing off, but without it, it might have taken him more than a day to drag Arthur back to the city instead of just five hours.

~(-)~

The prince let out a groan from where he lay on his bed, alerting the two men seated beside it that he was finally waking up. Merlin had gotten back with him close to noon, actually managing to sneak him into the castle, before dumping him in his room and then going to get Gaius. And now, four hours later, it was time to see how much he remembered... Hopefully, not took much.

Merlin and Gaius glanced at each other, before the former spoke to the man on the bed.

"Arthur?"

A slightly mumbled reply.

"What happened? ...Where am I?"

He started to sit up, cringing at the moment while Merlin allowed himself a little relief. So, Arthur was pretty much a blank on this one, good.

"Do you remember anything?"

"Ow my head..." Arthur hand a hand to it, wincing as he replied. "There was a girl, Sophia. She... I asked my father something about her. I asked him..." Arthur suddenly went stiff, jolting fully upright. "What was I thinking?"

Another glance between Merlin and Gaius.

"Well we did wonder... Especially when you eloped with her last night."

Arthur stared at him in a mixture of shock and horror.

"I did what?"

Gaius nodded.

"Merlin had to bring you back to Camelot."

So Gaius was saying it was true, which meant it was true, but...

"I don't recall any of this."

Gaius winced a little and turned to Merlin.

"That must have been some blow."

Arthur was still staring.

"What 'blow'?"

Now that the fear Arthur would remember anything was past, Merlin was now starting to enjoy this.

"Well, um... When I caught up with you I couldn't persuade you to return, you were beyond reason... So I had to make you."

"You managed to knock me out?"

Merlin nodded cheerfully.

"Yep... With a lump of wood."

Gaius spoke, to mollify the prince.

"He only did it to... bring you back safely."

Arthur stared for a moment longer, before leaning towards Merlin and pointing at him.

"No one can know about this!" The finger now jabbed at Gaius. "Any of it! Is that understood."

Again they glanced at each other and nodded, Arthur now slumping back down among his pillows.

"What on earth am I supposed to tell my father? I was supposed to be on patrol this morning."

In the long silence that followed, Merlin eventually let out a resigned sigh.

"I suppose I could help you with that..."

~(-)~

It was that evening, after a stint in the stocks and a bath later, that found Merlin in Gaius' chambers eating his supper. Once again he'd saved the day, and now everyone thought he was an even bigger idiot than before. If it weren't for the fact that made it easier to hide his magic, then he probably would have been annoyed.

There was a quiet knock on the door, both men in the room turning to face it when it opened and Morgana came in. Gaius spoke to her in greeting.

"Morgana."

She approached the table where they sat, holding the vial of sleeping draught she'd received three days before.

"I've... had some troubled nights."

Gaius rose to his feet, nodding.

"I've prepared another sleeping draught for you. Have the dreams stopped?"

She hesitated, before changing the subject.

"Arthur told me what actually happened." She looked at Merlin. "You must have hit him round the head really hard. I can't imagine what Sophia must have thought."

Merlin tapped his fingers on the table for a moment, before a warning look from Gaius had him shrugging and tilting his head.

"She was a bit upset, but after I told her that if she took Arthur to Caerleon with her it could start a war, her father got her under control. He said he did not want her to have blood on her hands because of her actions, and said he should have been more firm with her and that they would cause no further trouble. They walked off after that."

Morgana stared at him.

"Just like that?"

He nodded.

"Yeah, just like that... Although the mention of the horde of soldiers that would be sent out after them, probably helped. It was just a pity Arthur couldn't be talked to the same way. I feel really bad about hitting him like that."

Gaius interrupted the conversation, by handing a new vial to Morgana.

"Here you are. Remember to take it every night just before you go to sleep."

She nodded, still seeming a little puzzled about something.

"Thank you, Gaius."

She left the chamber, closing the door, and as soon as her footsteps faded away, Gaius spoke to his ward.

"She must never find out the truth."

Merlin frowned.

"Why not? She had a premonition that helped save Arthur's life."

His mentor returned to the table, sitting down again.

"And it could've cost her her own. If Uther ever found out, things would never be the same again. It must remain a secret."

Merlin regarded him questioningly.

"Is she like me? Can she use magic?"

"No one's like you, Merlin."

The young warlock persisted.

"But she has the gift?"

Gaius sighed, clearly troubled.

"For her sake... I hope not."

~(-)~

Alaia Skyhawk: I have to say how much I LOVE the 'lump of wood' scene. So funny XD

Well, next sub-ep is going to be an interesting one. I'll get to work on it later :)