Hime: I do not own Merlin! Enjoy! :)

The next morning, Merlin accompanied Mordred to the depths of the forests of Ealdor to where they were going to bury Kara. Merlin still could not believe it though; he had never imagined such events to occur. Nor did he imagine his little boy to attend a funeral so young; Myrddin was insistent on going.

Merlin turned to look at Mordred who looked like he hadn't slept at all, his eyebags were obvious. He wore a dark green, long-sleeved tunic and dark brown pants with almond coloured boots. Merlin knew he should say something to him soon, he of all people knew what it was like to lose a first love so quickly.

When they finally reached the spot, they were greeted with the rest of Merlin's family. Hunith, dressed in her usual village garb, was holding on to her little grandson's hand. Myrddin to Merlin's amusement dressed like his father; the brown jacket, the blue tunic, red neckerchief and brown boots.

A mini-version of me

Mordred saw it as well but he couldn't find it in himself to smile. He just felt awful for what has happened.

"Mordred, how are you feeling?"

Mordred looked up to see Merlin's wife looking at him. She was gorgeous that he had to admit.

Long, flowy locks of tawny-brown hair veiled her heart shaped face, adorning her flawless peaches and cream skin complexion. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, were a smoky, gray color. With her straight nose, strong jawline, high cheekbones and full rosebud pink lips - she looked like an angel from heaven.

Lord have mercy…Merlin is one lucky man…

"Mordred?"

Mordred flushed, "My apologies, I didn't really get much sleep last night to be honest."

"Understandable but you know, it's not your fault."

Mordred felt tears prickling in his eyes, "But it was."

Layla put a hand on the knight's shoulder to comfort him, "No, it wasn't."

Mordred's tears fell but Layla continued, "Think about it this way, the Triple Goddess felt that it was Kara's time and now Kara is free and happy in heaven. She is now your guardian angel, watching over you."

Mordred did felt better then, the idea of Kara finally relieved of all her pain and the negativity around her made him feel at ease.

"We need to bury her now" says Merlin.

Layla moved to the side and Mordred's eyes widened.

A glass coffin?

Mordred approached the coffin to have a closer and he swore that his breath was literally taken away by the sight before him. Kara was surrounded by flowers in her coffin; she looked peaceful now, a true picture of serenity.

"She looked beautiful," Mordred thought, "Like a princess out of a storybook"

White flower petals adorned Kara's swan-like neck and a flower wreath was worn as well on her head. The wreath stood out nicely against Kara's curly, dark mahogany hair; it had green leaves and pink buds around the thin vine. Kara wore a dark forest green dress that had high quality trim and lacing on the sleeves. It was simple yet elegant. She wore matching green shoes on her tiny, little feet.

Kara…

Mordred felt the tears sliding down his face again. But before he could move his hand to wipe them away, the young knight felt a small hand slip into his.

"You know, even though big sister Kara was blinded by dark magic, she was nice and she played with me. She had a pretty smile."

Mordred held on to the little boy's hand as he continued talking.

"The Triple Goddess took Kara away and freed her from the dark magic that befell her. She's happy now; I'm sure of it. Papa, Mama and Nana are sure of it too. So you should too big brother. Big sister would have wanted you too."

Finally, since everything had happened, Mordred smiled.

The next day, after breakfast, Merlin and Mordred were set to return to Camelot.

"Will you come back and visit with Papa next time?" Myrddin asked with hope in his eyes.

Mordred crouched to the boy's level and ruffled his hair, "Of course."

Mordred had to admit, he's gotten attached to the small boy over the past few days, like a nephew of sorts.

The boy's parents meanwhile had just ended their kiss goodbye.

"Damn it Merlin, why didn't you ask for more time off?" mutters the frustrated wife.

"You know why. You have to be patient love"

"Meanie" she pouted. "I bet you have some tall blonde lover in Camelot don't you?"

"Oh please, what women can ever compare to your beauty?"

Layla smiled and planted another kiss on her husband's lips, "I love you"

"I love you too."

Merlin was about to kiss his wife himself before Mordred started coughing to get his attention.

"We should get a move on"

Merlin glared at the former druid before hugging his wife goodbye and stepping away from her.

But before he could turn away to go to his horse, his son ran over.

"Papa!"

Merlin chuckled, picked up his son and kissed his son on the forehead, "Till we meet again little one."

Myrddin kissed his father on the cheek, "I love you Papa".

Reluctantly, Merlin passed his child over to his mother.

"Farewell mother" he says, kissing her cheek.

"Take care my son."

The small family waved the men goodbye till they passed the village gate before retreating back to their hut to clean up after breakfast.

The next day

"How do you do it?" Mordred asks.

"Do what?"

"Leave them, your family. They're so warm, loving,-"

Merlin sighed, "It's not like I have a choice, I have my duties to do and besides I'm just grateful that the Royal Prat gives me a weekend off each month to go Ealdor."

"Why is it a secret anyway? That you have a family?"

Merlin found it troublesome to explain, "It's complicated."

Mordred frowned at the older man's answer until the smell of smoke filled his nostrils. He turned and saw smoke and a huge Pendragon flag.

"A funeral is going on in Camelot."

"What happened? Who died?"

Arthur turned to see Merlin and Mordred had returned.

"A pair of knights, Sir Henry and Sir Ian had died" the sober king answered.

A women in a black mourning dress, no more the age of thirty who was next to Arthur, started crying then and Merlin recognized her to be a regular client of Gaius who just happened to be the wife of Sir Henry and the sister of Sir Ian. The empathetic man took her in his arms and hugged her, rubbing her back up and down, murmuring soothing words in her ear. Lady Isadora couldn't put it in words how grateful she was that Merlin did that.

"When?" Mordred was in shock. The men were loved and respected by all the knights. "How?"

"Do you remember last month when a knight we uncovered whose face had fell victim to what Gaius had identified that as ragaid, a gruesome type of magic which he said was Morgana's way of saying that she declared war on Camelot?"

"So they were-"

Lady Isadora started crying again so Merlin moved his hand to stoke her hair, comfortingly.

Damn

"Yes, they were victims of it as well. If it wasn't for Henry's wedding ring and Ian's birthmark we wouldn't have identified them."

Mordred couldn't believe it, "I'm sorry, Merlin and I took so long to return, we-"

"It is not your fault that things have ended like this Mordred. It was Morgana's fault."

Mordred saw his king's face form a bitter expression and wondered whatever happened to kind, lovely woman that helped him those years ago?

Morgana, just how much have you fallen into the pits of darkness?

"But I don't understand, why those two though? Weren't the two of them on separate patrol teams?" Gwen asked, appearing beside her husband.

"I believe it was Morgana, those two were the ones that guarded Kara when she escaped. Morgana must have came for Kara and rescued her. She killed the knights most likely to keep them quiet. It explains why no one was there when I came the next morning."

Mordred's eyes widened, "Then, where did you-?"

"Under the castle bridge, we found them there the day you left." Gwen answered for her husband.

"Merlin!"

Mordred had been waiting for Merlin to return to the physician quarters for a while now. He was restless and only Merlin could put his mind at ease.

Merlin looked up, exhausted. He had finally left Lady Isadora's home. It took him a while to get her to try and catch up on the sleep she had missed and let him leave.

"What is it Mordred?" the warlock asked tiredly, not in the mood.

"Was it Layla?"

"What?"

"Was she the one who killed the knights?"

"What?" Merlin asked again, disbelieving what Mordred was saying.

"Well, she was the one who rescued Kara so-"

Merlin interrupted him mid-sentence and glared at the druid, "How dare you? Accusing my wife of such a thing!"

Mordred stepped back, he had never seen Merlin look so angry.

"Uhm-"

"My wife, Mordred has only committed herself to pure magic. She would NEVER degrade herself to the dark, sick and twisted magic Morgana uses!"

Mordred gulped, now he knew why the Druids had said Emrys's fury was to be feared. Merlin looked ready to kill Mordred.

"I a-apologize Lord Emrys."

Merlin grunted in response and moved past the young druid to the door. Mordred turned to leave but Merlin spoke again.

"Mordred?"

"Y-yes?"

"Next time, be mindful of your tongue when you speak of my wife am I clear?"

Mordred nodded, "C-crystal my lord."

"Good and just to let you know, I checked on the knights after my wife informed me she had made it out of Camelot, they were knocked out cold. Alive and breathing. Most likely, Morgana came after I did and killed the knights in her anger."

"I see, I am sorry milord. I should have never-"

"Enough, I am tired. Good day to you Sir Mordred."

With that, Merlin opened the door, entered the physician chambers and slammed the door behind him.

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