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The castle looked like something out of a nightmare, Ryll thought as they approached it. They had camped overnight and then continued their journey the next morning. She felt a sense of foreboding at the sight of Idirsholas. It turned her bones to ice and she sensed something sinister within the decaying bricks. She exchanged a glace with Merlin who looked just as worried. Even Arthur didn't look so confident that the legend was nonsense now that they stood within the shadow of the castle. They entered the ruins in silence, leaving their horses in the courtyard. The knights and Arthur drew their swords and so Ryll did the same. Merlin had no weapon, and Ryll cast him a sidelong glance, but he seemed unconcerned about this.

They crept through the ruins, seeing no one. They found the chamber where the smoke had been seen. Arthur ran a gloved hand through the ashes. "Probably just travelers passing through," he said.

Ryll somehow didn't think so though she wanted to believe this. She felt a shiver run down her back.

"Or maybe not," Merlin said. They swung around to find themselves faced with seven knights clad in decaying black cloaks. Ryll felt her heart trip up a beat. The knights drew their swords with one swift motion and moved forward to fight off the intruders. Ryll slashed out, catching one in the chest and slicing upward. He did not stumble. Arthur stabbed one straight through but it did not fall.

"They can't die!" Ryll shouted. "We can't kill them!"

"Great," Arthur muttered, fighting off two of the knights at once. The knights of Camelot had begun to fall around them. Ryll tried to defend herself as best she could, but the onslaught kept coming and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

"Go, get out of here!" Arthur shouted at Merlin and Ryll. They ran past him, but both stopped.

"We're not leaving you," Ryll said.

"Do as I say!" Arthur yelled back. They backed up to the entrance to the room as Arthur fought his way to them.

Ryll heard Merlin shout something just as she called on her elemental power. The ceiling collapsed on the knights, and Merlin pulled Arthur back just in time. They fled the ruins, slowing only when they breached open air.

"Did anyone else escape?" Arthur asked, looking back at the ruins.

Ryll shook her head. "I'm sorry, Arthur. We didn't stand a chance."

Arthur glanced at them. "What happened to your arm?" he asked Merlin. There was a slice in his jacket sleeve. He shrugged it off to expose a cut.

"I must have caught it on something," he said.

"Your first battle wound," Arthur said. "Let me see." He checked the wound and then ripped off a piece of his tunic.

"You don't have to do that," Merlin said, grimacing at the torn fabric. "You'll ruin it."

"That's alright. I'll just get you to repair it," Arthur said, tying off his wounded arm.

"Such sentiment," Ryll said, smiling.

"We need to get back to Camelot to gather reinforcements," Arthur said, grabbing his horse's reins.

"Somehow I doubt that cave in will stop the knights if they can't die," Ryll said.

"Probably not."

Merlin and Ryll rode alongside Arthur, riding quickly into the oncoming night. Ryll still felt a strong sense of foreboding. Was this when her nightmare would come true? It fit in a way. But the Sidhe had said that it would not happen in many years. He could have been lying though. She gripped the reins harder. No matter what happened, she would not let any of her friends die.

…

They rested briefly that night, only getting a few hours sleep before riding on. Ryll fell into an uneasy sleep. That night she dreamt of her friends again but this time it was different. She saw Merlin and Morgana in a familiar room though the edges were blurry. It was somewhere in Camelot though. She could see the Pendragon symbol on a flag. She could hear something beating on the door, trying to get in. Arthur was there too, she realized. Then the dream faded and suddenly Morgana was lying on the floor, Merlin gripping her as she choked in pain. What was happening? Ryll tried to cry out to her, but she could not speak, only watch. Morgana was clearly in a lot of pain. She convulsed slightly, struggling to breath. Ryll could hear her labored breath. Then the door burst open and the dream faded.

Ryll woke with a start, sitting straight up. "We need to go!" she said, waking Arthur. Merlin, who was keeping watch, leapt to his feet at the sound of her shout. "I think Morgana is in danger," she said.

"Why?" Arthur asked.

"It's just a feeling," she said. "We just need to go now!" She was already saddling Owl.

Merlin and Arthur hurried to follow her lead and soon they were galloping toward Camelot.

They reached the castle by midmorning finding it oddly still and silent. As they entered the gates, Ryll gasped. Knights lay scattered around the courtyard. They dismounted, and Arthur approached one of the men, feeling for a pulse.

"Are they dead?" Merlin asked.

"Asleep," Arthur replied.

"Asleep? Like under an enchantment?" Ryll asked.

"It would seem that way," Arthur said.

They jogged into the courtyard and found that everyone in sight was fast asleep. A clattering came from their left and they turned to see a horse pulling a cart. Arthur grabbed the reins to stop the horse. The man in the cart was fast asleep, hands slack on the reins. "Asleep," Arthur said.

"I'll get Gaius," Merlin said, running for the castle doors. "Arthur?!" he called from within. Arthur and Ryll ran after him, stopping short when they entered the castle. Bodies lay scattered about, all fast asleep.

"Is it a sickness or an enchantment?" Merlin asked aloud.

"If the knights of Medhir were summoned by magic, then I would guess that the same sorcerer – or sorceress," Ryll cast Merlin a meaningful glance, "has done this too."

"I need to find Gaius." Merlin sprinted for the physician's quarters, Arthur and Ryll at his heels. They found him passed out over a table, fast asleep. "It must be the work of magic," Merlin conceded.

"We have to find my father," Arthur said.

They left the physician's quarters and searched the castle, finding themselves at the doors of Morgana's room. Gwen was lying on the floor and Arthur gently lifted her onto the bed. The curtains across from them shifted and they all tensed. Ryll could hear her heart beating in her ears. There was something utterly unnerving about being in a castle filled with enchanted people. She huddled beside Merlin while Arthur drew his sword and slowly approached the curtain. He pulled it aside and gave a shout as the person behind it screamed. It was Morgana.

"It's all right, Morgana, it's me," Arthur said to calm her.

"I didn't know who you were," she said, her voice shaking.

"Oh, thank God," Ryll said, coming forward to her friend. "I was so afraid you were hurt."

"What's happened, Morgana?" Arthur asked.

"I don't know!" Morgana's voice was hysterical. "Everyone was complaining about feeling unwell. Then they all started to fall asleep. Everyone was asleep anywhere I went." She sounded completely frightened, her eyes wide. Ryll noticed she kept touching her bracelet as if trying to seek some comfort from it.

"Was someone here?" Arthur asked. Morgana shook her head. "Then why were you hiding?"

"I told you, I didn't know who you were."

"Where's my father?"

"I don't know."

"Arthur, she's distressed," Merlin cut in.

"She doesn't know anything," Ryll added, taking her friend's arm.

"If she was awake then she must have seen something," Arthur insisted.

"I didn't see anything," Morgana insisted.

"You saw people getting sick. What did you do?"

"What could I do?" she asked, her voice rising.

"Morgana, I don't understand. Why is it you're the only person awake?" Arthur asked.

She shook her head numbly. Ryll studied her for a moment. Her fear seemed genuine, but Arthur had a point. Why had the spell not affected Morgana? Perhaps because whoever cast the spell did not want her to be affected. "Do you know who could be behind this?" she asked Morgana in a whisper as Merlin and Arthur moved ahead to find Uther.

Morgana turned wide eyes to Ryll. Was it her imagination or did another emotion flash behind her eyes? Guilt? "I don't know," she said.

"Alright, it's okay. You're safe now."

Merlin fell back to talk to Morgana, and Ryll caught up to Arthur. "Arthur, aren't you afraid the spell will affect us too?" she asked. He looked down at her.

"I hadn't thought about that, but you're right. I just don't understand how Morgana is the only one who didn't fall asleep."

"I'm sure there's a logical explanation for it. I don't think she has any idea what's going on though. You shouldn't press her. She's frightened."

"But we need to know how to stop this," Arthur insisted.

"We'll figure it out," Ryll assured him. She was beginning to feel tired all of a sudden, and she wasn't sure if it was from lack of sleep or if the spell was taking ahold of her too. She shook her head and tried to focus.

They reached Uther's chambers and Arthur called out, "I've found him!" Uther was passed out at his desk, his head lolling over some papers. Arthur went over to his side. "Father?" Uther did not stir.

"See, he's alright," Merlin told him.

Arthur looked at Merlin. "He is not 'alright,'" he said, lifting his father's limp head from the desk.

"He's just asleep. We just need to find the cure – a way to wake everyone up," Merlin said.

"Who could have done this?" Arthur asked. He turned to Morgana again. "You're the only one who's not been affected, Morgana. There must be a reason."

"I don't know," Morgana repeated.

"That's all you keep saying! You must know something!"

"Arthur, she doesn't know anything!" Ryll jumped to her friend's defense.

"They just fell asleep one by one!" Morgana insisted, sounding close to tears.

"It's obvious," Merlin broke in. "When she started feeling sick, Gaius gave her a potion, right?" He looked at Morgana who nodded after a second.

"She never said she was sick," Arthur argued.

"She was one of the last to be affected. Somehow the potion must have helped," Merlin said.

"What about everyone else?" Arthur asked, looking unconvinced.

"By then Gaius must have fallen ill too. He didn't have a chance to treat anyone else."

Ryll watched Merlin intently. Clearly he was lying to protect Morgana. Did he know something she didn't? He knew she had magic. Was it her magic protecting her? But then why was Ryll suddenly feeling so drained? Sweat had broken out on her forehead and her knees felt weak.

"Go and see if you can find this potion," Arthur told Merlin. "I'll search for signs of life in the lower town. Morgana, you stay here." He handed her his sword. "Look after my father. Protect him with your life, do you understand?" She nodded mutely, taking the sword. "Ryll, will you stay with her?" he asked.

"Yes, of course," Ryll said, tying to keep her eyes focused. She felt sick now, but tried to keep any signs from showing. Arthur and Merlin left the room. She and Morgana lowered themselves into chairs at Uther's tables, sitting silently.

"I have no idea why this is happening," Morgana finally broke the silence. "Arthur thinks I know, but I don't."

"He just doesn't know what to do," Ryll told her, wiping her sleeve across her forehead.

"Are you alright?" Morgana asked. "You're looking pale."

"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, that's all. I didn't get much rest in the last two days," she rushed to say when Morgana looked frightened. "I'm sure I'm fine." She didn't feel fine, but she stayed awake nonetheless.

Waiting for Merlin and Arthur to return was agony. She kept expecting something to happen, but the castle remained silent and still. Finally Arthur and Merlin returned.

"We must get him somewhere else. This is the first place they'll look," Arthur was saying. Ryll and Morgana jumped to their feet.

"What's happening?" Morgana asked fearfully.

"We're under attack. No time to explain." Arthur grabbed Uther's arms. "Grab his legs, we need to move him," he directed Merlin who hesitantly heaved Uther's legs up. They began to drag him across the floor.

"I'll scout ahead. Where are we headed?" Ryll asked.

"My chambers," Arthur said. "At least for now."

Ryll left him and Merlin bickering about dusting the floor with Uther. She had to repress a grin. She wove her way around the prone bodies, finding the way clear. She motioned for them to follow. Now Morgana had taken up one of Uther's feet, and the going was a little faster.

Ryll paused at a window and saw eight riders dismounting in the courtyard. "Weren't there only seven knights before?" she asked.

"Yes," Arthur said. "Clearly they added a member."

Ryll watched as they strode toward the castle. She joined Arthur, Merlin, and Morgana in Arthur's chambers. Merlin was just shoving some pillows under Uther's head. Arthur staggered to his feet.

"Are you alright?" Ryll asked.

"Are you feeling the same way?" Arthur asked Merlin. Both had beads of sweat on their foreheads.

"We're getting sick," Merlin said.

"I am too, I think," Ryll confessed. She felt weak. Morgana still looked fine. She exchanged a worried glance with Ryll.

"Merlin couldn't find the potion," Arthur told Ryll wearily.

Somehow Ryll thought there never was a potion. "I'll go check their progress," she said. "You work on keeping Uther safe."

"Wait-" Merlin said, but she was already out the door. She stumbled along the hallway, finding it increasingly harder to lift her sword. She found her way down to the main entrance where she saw the knights filing in. The eighth knight had taken off his helmet – only it was no man, it was a woman with long blonde tresses. This had to be Morgause. Ryll watched as she led the knights forward. There had to be a way to stop this. If the cursed knights had stopped before because the sorcerer who had enchanted them had been killed, perhaps the solution was killing Morgause. She thought of the bond she and Morgana had formed. That didn't matter now. They were all going to die unless she stopped Morgause. She tried to clear her thoughts before stalking silently after the sorceress.