Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or Angel the Series.

This chapter was not beta-read, so blame me for any and all mistakes.

Ruins of My Kingdom To Come

By Alkeni

Chapter 9: The End of the Nightmare

Legs weak, Morgana fell back. Moving quickly, Merlin thrust out a hand, eyes glowing old as a chair pulled itself into position to catch her before she hit the ground.

Breathing, fast, shallow gasps, Morgana gripped her hands into fists, forcing herself to regain the composure that was all but iconic to her public persona. It was time to approach this rationally, with a calm, clear mind – or close enough. It was certainly not the time for her to panic like she was one of the air-headed other noblewomen that pranced around the court.

I am not mad. I have magic. Merlin has magic. I am not evil. Merlin – Merlin is not evil. Magic is not evil. Uther was wrong- of all the revelations that were hitting her at once right now, this last one was the easiest to handle. She'd disagreed with Uther so often, so much, even – perhaps especially – on the way he treated magic users...

Her breathing returned to something remotely stable. She looked up at Merlin. "My dreams...they're...they're related? Am I...some kind of...some kind of...seer?" That – that has to be it...and Wesley...he has to know...or suspect... that brought a whole new dimension to all of it. Whatever agenda that man and his 'Lady Illyria' had, it somehow involved her, and her ability to see the future. He wouldn't have made such leading...obviously connected statements, if he wasn't trying to get some kind of point across, or influence her...

"As far as I can figure, yes." Merlin answered. He looked to the door. "Morgana, Gaius will be back soon. We have to-"

"Gaius. He knows about you." She said, rather than asked. "Knows that you have magic. And...he hasn't told Uther..."

Merlin nodded. "He does. And," the young man paused, as if deciding something. "And he knows...he knows that you have magic...that your dreams are more than dreams."

"He knew? And he never told me? He gave me – he gave me those tonics to- to suppress the dreams...he wanted me to not figure it out-" she unclenched and re-clenched her fists repeatedly as she spoke.

"Morgana, he was trying to protect you." Merlin stepped closer. "Camelot...its hardly the safest place for someone with magic...and you're the King's ward. You're so visible- the risk. He was just trying to protect-"

"I didn't need his protection, Merlin!" Morgana shot back, voice rising. "I need – I need to understand, to...control...control this..."

Merlin took one of her hands in his, gently, carefully. "I know, Morgana. That's why I didn't agree with him – I've been where you are...I understand what's happening to you. He doesn't – he can't. But he's been trying to help."

"He lied to me- he's been lying to me...for years." Morgana said "I can't – I can't just forgive him that."

"I'm not asking you to just...snap your fingers and forgive him. But Gaius – for all – he's a good man."

"How can you say that, Merlin?" She pulled her hand from his. "If he knows that you have magic, and that I have magic – and hasn't turned either of us in to Uther – than he knows that magic is not evil. And yet he helps Uther, serves Uther – how can he do that and be a good man?"

"What else do you want him to do?" Merlin threw up his hands into their, gesticulating his words. Do you propose that he speak out against Uther? What would that accomplish? All it would do is get him killed – and quite possibly me along with him. Uther is the King – you don't stand up to him on this. You've seen what it gets you. He threw you into prison for disagreeing with him about it."

"He could have done something!" Morgana insisted. "He could have... poisoned Uther!"

"Yes, murder, what a wonderful solution!" Merlin shot back.

"Uther is a murderer! It would have been justice!"

"Are you listening to yourself Morgana!? This is Uther – the man has been all but your father for years now. And you're proposing that he be killed?" Morgana cast her eyes down as he spoke. "Do I agree with you that Uther should die for all that he's done? Yes, I do. How many senseless deaths has he caused because of his hatred, his fear, his prejudice? Don't you think killing him occurred to me, Morgana? For that matter, I wouldn't have to do it – I could just stop preventing attempts on his life, or attempts on Camelot. Edwin – remember him? – he tried to kill Uther with magic. I stopped him. Killing Uther doesn't solve the problem, not really. Think about it – right now, Arthur doesn't entirely agree with his father on this. He helped us with the druid boy. But if his father died because of magic?"

"He- he would hate it. Redouble the efforts to suppress it in the Kingdom, and beyond it." Morgana answered hollowly.

"Exactly. And think about Camelot. For all his failings, Uther does well for this kingdom. Camelot is a mostly safe and prosperous city in a mostly safe and prosperous Kingdom. The Knights and the Army, and yes, Uther's administration, all have helped to create that. You don't think, if Uther died, that Cenred might march his forces on the kingdom – or any one of our other neighbors might? Would you wish that on the people of this kingdom – on the wives and children of the soldiers of other kingdoms that would be invading? Do you want to create orphans and widows?"

"No." Morgana's voice was just as hollow as before. "No...I wouldn't."

"And killing someone in cold blood – that's still murder, no matter how justified the death. Its a line, and its not one I'm prepared to cross. Not one anyone should cross. You have to understand that."

"I do." Morgana breathed slowly. "I- I still want...Uther has done so much...killed so many innocents..."

"Morgana...its one of my first thoughts almost every day." Merlin swallowed as he admitted it. He took a slow, shaky breath, changing the topic radically. "If...if you are to control your magic, learn to handle it like I did-"

"In your village. With the bandits. That wasn't your friend- that was you?" Morgana interrupted softly. Merlin having magic...so much of what had happened in the time since Merlin had come to Camelot...it was started to make some degree of sense. There had always been...questions about various things. But the idea of Merlin...it would never have occurred to her. But now that it had.

"It was." Merlin said softly. "I was about to tell Arthur the truth...but Will...he knew he wasn't going to make it. I suppose...he decided to take the fall. Help me one last time."

This time Morgana reached out, taking his hand. Then she looked at him. "You were saying – to learn to control it...?" She prompted. "I didn't mean to...to interrupt."

"I managed it by trial and error...there were so many close moments, and Will found out before I was done. But...I've been through it. I don't know any formal rules of teaching magic, if there are any, but I can help you. I can teach you to control your magic, so you won't...set candles aflame in your sleep, or blow windows out in a panic. From there...I think I can teach you how to use it."

"Use it for what?"

"That's not my choice, Morgana. Its yours."

ATS-Merlin-ATS-Merlin-ATS-Merlin-ATS-Merlin

Merlin. The young warlock woke to the dragon's voice in his mind once again. He looked out on the night sky. Morgana had returned to her chambers after Gaius had returned, claiming that she'd come for another tonic. From the look she'd given him, she wasn't planning on drinking.

Not that I blame her. From the stuff I've seen him put in them, it has to taste foul.

Merlin. The dragon was insistent tonight, it seemed. Slowly, Merlin got out of bed, dressed fully, and made is way along the familiar path down to the dragon's chamber, wondering, not for the first time, how it had fit down in there in the first place.

"You have told the witch the truth about her powers." The Dragon's tone was accusing, almost angry. "You should not have done that."

"Don't call her that!" Merlin shot back. "She has a name."

"She is the witch. She is not to be trusted."

"She's my friend. I trust her with my life." Merlin couldn't help but shake his head mentally. He'd been down here for a minute, and they were here. "Why shouldn't I trust her? Why shouldn't I help her?"

"The prophecy is clear, young warlock. Should the witch come to understand her powers, she will be your greatest enemy. She is the darkness to your light, the hatred to your love."

And he expects me to believe this? "I don't give a damn about your prophecy!" Merlin snarled. "Not when it comes to this. I know Morgana! She is a good person. I'm not going to abandon her to deal with this on her own!"

The Dragon made a...tutting sound? as it shook his head. "I sometimes forget, in knowing you as a figure of prophecy, that you are as human as the rest. A young man at that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Merlin demanded.

"I'm sure you can think of what I mean. Its clear that I will not change your thoughts. Not now. Far be it for me to compete with a pretty face. So it is. On your head all that comes after, from your decision. I warned you, young warlock. Never let it be said that I did not." The Dragon leapt into the air, flying up, its chain rattling after it.

ATS-Merlin-ATS-Merlin-ATS-Merlin-ATS-Merlin

Wesley was calmly sitting in his room, practicing with the quill, inkwell and parchment. If it was to make this his new medium for making notes, now that his pen was officially empty of its ink, he needed to be sure he could do it perfectly. He was familiar with fountain pens, but had never had an occasion to use a genuine – or even imitation – feather quill. It was proving to be slightly more difficult to perfect than he had expected.

Speaking of expectations, the door to his chambers burst open, Illyria walking in without a by-your-leave, as usual.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Wesley asked the ancient demon-god.

"There is a Dragon underneath the castle. Trapped. I did not imagine Uther had the power, or the force of will, to achieve such. Its presence is...unpleasant. I did not place it – I assumed it was this place, these humans, the walls of this castle. But I can feel its presence now."

"A dragon? Really?"

"A True Dragon. Not the pale copies created by would-be warlords in distant hells. Of the same brethren that drove the last of what you call the 'Old Ones' out of this dimension, in the millennia after my betrayal."

"Dragons are what drove your people from this reality?"

"One of several factors. Before my rise to Empire, they had been a threat to us, but I broke them to my will, subject to my will. They served in my armies, but they were always restive. They were not demons – their origins remain a mystery to me. After my betrayal, I was imprisoned, but for some time, I retained awareness of the world outside my tomb. The Dragons eventually rose, reclaiming their status as independent beings. They were the...final straw, as you say, that drove the last of my people from Earth."

"How can you find its presence...unpleasant, as you say?"

"Dragons and demons are not compatible. The presence of one around the other is instantly noticeable. It is proof of the limitations of this shell that I could not detect it immediately. Our opposition is in our natures. It knows I'm here. And it wants to kill me."

"Can it?"

"In this shell? Beyond a doubt. Which is why it is fortunate that it remains trapped, or it would have acted by now. But It bears knowing. You will research this dragon. You will find what means the humans of this era used to trap it, what weapons they have to use against such creatures."

"I will?"

"You are my Qwa'ha Xahn. You will do as I command."

"I will?" Now it was obstinate skepticism behind his words.

"You repeat your bleating question. I do not find that I enjoy it." She walked out of the room.