Hello! I'm really sorry for making you all wait. Hope you enjoy this chapter and the more that will come! ^^
Layla sniffles and Merlin cups her face in his hands, slowly brushing her tears away with his thumbs. Arthur watches on, feeling sick that he had just witnessed Layla crying openly while Merlin screamed at her.
Merlin!
Of all the people-!
He had scolded her loudly and Arthur could tell that Merlin was truly furious with his wife. Thinking about it a little more, Arthur realized that he would have probably screamed at Gwen too if she did something like that as well; running away to aid in a dangerous quest while carrying a child?
Yes, Arthur understood now. Merlin was furious because he was concerned for his wife's safety not because she had kept things from him.
He yelled at her out of love.
He raises his head and sees Merlin and Layla kissing fondly and embracing each other tightly. He continues to watch as Merlin kisses her forehead before rubbing her shoulders.
"I'm sorry for making you cry."
"Don't be. I'm a stubborn mule."
He laughs and Layla holds onto him tighter.
"Boy or girl?"
"Secret"
Merlin visibly pouts causing his wife to giggle.
"Don't you think you have kept enough from me love?"
"Perhaps but this is harmless compared to everything else I had been silent about isn't it?"
Merlin's eye twinkled before kissing the top of Layla's head, "Tease."
"You know it"
Gwaine chuckled out loud, unable to help himself seeing the couple having their playful banter especially after just watching Merlin yelling at Layla was unbearable despite understanding his reasons.
"Congratulations you two."
Layla smirks and Merlin winks at the knight as his wife kisses his chin.
"You two truly are a one of a kind couple." Mordred snickers.
"Wait, am I the only one surprised by this? "
The bashful druid knight rubbed the back of his head nervously while Gwaine tries his best not to laugh.
"Now Arthur don't get upset-"Merlin tried to say.
" How come they knew before me? "
" Because the idea of telling them is a lot less terrifying than telling you!"
"What? Why would that be? "
Layla snorted, forcing Arthur to turn away from her husband, " You grew up under a rule where the propaganda was that magic is evil and anybody who practices it should be killed on immediate sight. Is it really all that surprising that he hid the fact he is a dragonlord, husband to a witch and father of a little warlock? "
Arthur flushed, understanding it immediately.
Merlin went over to the blonde, looking at him anxiously over the man's shoulder," So are you going to kill me? "
"Absolutely not you dolt! You are my friend! "
At that moment, Gwaine could swear he saw all the tension Merlin carried on his shoulders lift off of him.
"Merlin, all this time you've been looking out for me haven't you? With your magic? "
Merlin nodded and Arthur gripped his shoulders gratefully, giving it a firm squeeze.
"Thank you "
Layla watched with tears in her eyes as she watched her husband hugged by his best friend.
This is so wonderful...I am so happy for my beloved...
"I hate that I'm interrupting a monumental moment like this but we have a wicked witch to face."
Merlin chuckles at Mordreds words, squeezing Arthurs shoulder, "He's right, we should keep moving."
Back in Camelot
Gwen couldn't hide her elation hearing Gauis's diagnosis.
She was pregnant!
She thought she caught a flu bug of some sort when she started vommiting violently the past few days but to her splendid surprise, she was carrying Arthur's baby!
Finally!
After years of marriage, she is finally carrying a child with her husband!
Apparently, Beth was just as happy and kept rambling on about exciting things were going to be and baby's laughter filling the castle and a little toddler running around and etc.
Gwen listed to her friend rattle on, intent on holding on to this blissful feeling.
She was finally pregnant!
At the Cauldron of Arianrhod, Morgana scowled seeing Merlin and company actually in her sights, practically coming up toward her confidently without a drop of fear or hesitation for that matter.
"Really Merlin? Not trying to creep around like you usually do?"
Merlin smirks at her and closes his eyes, raising his hand to flick his wrist and to Morgana's surprise the swords that the knights were holding in their holsters fled toward her in an instant. She screamed out a spell quickly in retaliation and the swords dropped onto the ground. Shocked was an understatement, Morgana felt a flurry of emotions rushing through her and questions bouncing around in her brain.
When did Merlin learn magic?
Why was Arthur looking so nonchalant?
What in hell was she in for?
She raises her head and Merlin met eyes with her directly, "Morgana, you can't win."
"You spoke no words...how is that possible when you clearly used magic. Only those-"
"-born with magic can cast spells without incantation." Arthur finished much to everyone's surprise.
The dark witch stares at her half-brother with her mouth agape as Arthur continues, "Merlin is warlock Morgana."
"WHAT?!"
Taking advantage of Morgana's confused state, Layla's eyes glows a brilliant gold as she wordlessly uses her magic to pushes the priestess into the water of the Cauldron water hole.
Morgana screams in frustration before raising her hand which everyone could see were the jewels already joined together in an amulet form. Morgana starts chanting eerily and Merlin screams in rage as he rushes forward to stop her. Mordred grabs hold of his bow and arrow quickly, Gwaine watches on as his junior aims and fires, right in the center of the amulet causing it to smoke and glow red. Morgana cries out and drops the amulet in disdain until Merlin dives at her.
Layla watches her husband and Morgana struggle in the water until an idea comes to her. She closes her eyes and mutters a spell familiar to both Arthur. Arthur couldn't put his finger on where he heard it from but Mordred could. The Mistress Dolma used it on Gwen to heal her the last time they were together at the Cauldron of Arianrhod.
"Yfel gaest, ga thu fram thisselichaman. Bith hire mod eft freo. Ar ond heofonutungol sceal thurhswithan."
Gwaine watches in awe as the anger and hateful expression from Morgana's face disappears as Layla chants. Realizing what his wife was doing, Merlin turns Morgana around, and holds her tightly to himself with her back against his chest.
"Remember who you are Morgana! You're the woman who wanted a liberal kingdom where everyone was free from bias and loved each other and lived peacefully! Remember Morgana!
Merlin lets go and watches as the priestess breaks away from the tall man, clutching at her throat. Arthur watches horrified as a dark, looming spirit of some sort leaves his sister's mouth and burn in ashes.
What in the hell was that?
Layla rushes toward them, her boots and thighs becoming wet from the water as she helped Morgana back to a proper posture because she looked like she was very well about to fall over. The hooded brunette whispers softly another spell and everyone watches as Morgana's black dress turns white slowly before their very eyes. Merlin picks Morgana up bridal style noting that the pale beauty was losing consciousness to travel back to shore with his wife in tow.
Everyone looks on as Merlin lays Morgana down. Layla whispers another spell and slowly moves her hand over the witch's chest.
"Gestepe hole! Þurhhæle"
She breathes a sigh of relief seeing Morgana sit up, coughing out water. Merlin rubs her back soothingly as Morgana slowly regains vision, she sees Arthur first, crouching to her level. Unable to find the right words, she starts to cry and Arthur stares unsure of what to do. "I a-am so s-sorry."
Gwaine was the first to react, he takes off his red cape and covers Morgana in it, seeing her shivering so.
"What did you two do?" Mordred asks, bewildered by the silently crying Morgana.
"We rid her of her sister's corruption. Morgana will be fine once she gets a hold of herself. She will get better soon."
Arthur studies his drenched sister, unsure of what to do or say.
Was Morgana really alright?
Layla stands up and takes off her boots to pour the water out of them, Merlin however was bus trying to soothe Morgana.
"M-merlin...I tried to kill you..so many-"
"Morgana relax, we can talk about all this later I promise."
She sniffles causing Merlin to comfortingly squeeze her hand. She then turns to where Layla is sitting on a rock as she squeezes the water out of her cloak.
"Thank you to you sister for healing me."
"Sister?!" Arthur repeats.
"I think she means because like her she is a priestess but her rank so to speak is 'Grand Priestess' she rule over the priestesses" Merlin lies smoothly.
Morgana frowns, confused, "No...that is not it. She is my blood sister, her magic is far too warm and relaxing to be a mere ruler's magic and also she has Uther's eyes."
Layla froze, unsure of what to say but Arthur beats her to the punch.
"Remove the hood now."
The witch sighs deeply, "Arthur-"
"-do it."
The brunnette relents and takes off her hood. When she turns to Arthur, the blonde staggers backward confused, "Nimueh?!"
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