Thank you for the reviews.

I am sorry this wasn't up yesterday. I literally had about 40 minutes to myself and I focused on eating. I need a different job. Chapter 5 will be up tomorrow as planned.


Chapter 4

Hunith knew something was wrong way before the new reached Drugonia. But even as the messenger read out the statement that her son had written, she could feel her legs go weak and her heartbreak. She already knew that her husband was dead. She just knew it. It was the way that he died that made her distraught.

Uther had finally done it. He had killed Balinor.

She didn't realise that she was falling until Morgause caught her and told her that she was taking her back to her chambers.

The walk from the council chambers to her own wasn't long but to Hunith, it felt like a lifetime as Morgause guided her down the halls. She only felt relief when she was sat on her bed with Morgause kneeling in front of her.

"He finally did it. Uther finally killed my husband. He has been wanting to do that since Balinor helped him capture that dragon. He crossed the border in the early stages of the purge. Uther was still afraid of the dragons then and Balinor knew it. He and his brothers use to go to the dragons and find the biggest dragons that would agree to what they had planned to scare him off."

"So you were expecting it?" Morgause asked.

"I was expecting them to tell me that my husband was dead. I knew that. I didn't expect that Uther would stab him while they were trying to have talks to sort it out. Uther Pendragon is a coward."

"Was a coward."

"Sorry?" Hunith asked.

"You must have blanked out after hearing that Uther killed Balinor. Uther is dead too."

"How?"

Morgause sighed. "Balinor stumbled back and Merlin caught him. Uther started taunting Merlin, saying that his son wouldn't be crying. Uther took a step forward, as did the Drugonian knights but Merlin's magic reacted with his emotions. He sent the Camelot side flying. There were a number of rocks sticking out of the ground and as Uther fell, he hit his head on one of them. Died pretty instantly by the sounds of things."

"Did I blank anything else out?"

"Merlin and Morgana are going to Camelot to help Arthur find his feet."

"No, they place is in Drugonia."

"Merlin has sent his father's body home, via the dragons, but they want to make sure that Arthur can surround himself with people that he trusts. Merlin has you and is surrounded by lords who wouldn't question his every move. Arthur does not have that luxury. He is Uther's son and if he does become Uther's son, then I fear that is the man that Mordred is destined to kill."

"I want them back. Where they are safe."

"Believe me Hunith. Camelot is the last place I want my sister as well."

Morgause stood up and brought her into a hug.


"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Merlin asked her as he grabbed his jacket.

"I am sure that you will only be talking about boring things. Gwen and I will definitely be having a more interesting conversation while you and Arthur battle with stubborn lords." Morgana said in reply.

"You probably will." He said before he kissed her on the forehead. "I hope not to be too long."

Morgana dropped her smile as Merlin left. She knew that she would easily have half an hour to herself and that was what worried her. No, she didn't want to go to the council meeting but she didn't want to be on her own. Gwen would still be a little while yet.

She was once again in the place that she hated and she wanted to leave. She should have taken up Merlin's offer of sending her back to Drugonia. She thought that she would be okay with Merlin, but she wasn't.

Something had changed in her. She knew it from the moment that she had accidentally used magic in front of Uther.

But Uther was dead. So it couldn't be fear of who she was. Arthur was technically king. Arthur wouldn't hurt her. Arthur wasn't his father.

But that was what it felt like. Her fear mixing with her magic and her guilt over Balinor's death. It was a toxic mix and she felt like her magic just wanted to release. The damage that would cause would be great as that feeling grew with every moment.

Merlin had tried and failed to reassure her that she wasn't to blame for Balinor's death but it was her.

They wouldn't have been there if she hadn't shown him her magic.

They wouldn't have been there if Uther didn't hate magic.

They wouldn't have been there if she hadn't married Merlin.

They wouldn't have been there if Uther hadn't thought that she had been kidnapped.

They wouldn't have been there if she hadn't left Camelot.

They wouldn't have been there if she had turned Balinor down and didn't follow Merlin North.

She looked into the mirror and swore that she didn't recognise herself. This whole experience had changed her. She was no longer Uther's ward. She wasn't young and innocent anymore.

She had become a woman who could be a Queen.

But was she the right Queen for Drugonia and Merlin?

She would have said yes straight away had anyone asked her that question a month ago but now, she wasn't so sure. She might still be the dragon's choice but she was doubting their judgement now.

What would happen if they got it all wrong? What if she couldn't be saved? What if that was the path that she was going to take anyway?

Morgana closed her eyes and pushed the heel of her palms into them. She pushed in till it hurt. She wanted to feel something else. She wanted to fill her thoughts with something else. She would go crazy if she didn't take her mind off of it. She felt like she was so close to breaking.

"Morgana," Gwen said softly.

She looked up and was grateful at the sight of her friend.

"Merlin has gone to a council meeting. How about we go and get some fresh air? I know I could do with it." She said as she rose.

"That sounds like a good idea."

Morgana glanced at herself in the mirror, hoping that she would recognise herself again. Something had changed.