The evening after their conversation Morgana found herself in the throne room faced with the object of her vision. "My name is Alfric Tia Mor and this is my daughter Sophia. Morgana looked at the back of Merlin's head it's her Merlin, it's her. Merlin nodded his head imperceptibly letting her know that he had heard her. Arthur had found them in the woods when on patrol, Merlin stayed with Morgana that morning in the light of her nightmarish discovery. Only Arthur Pendragon was capable of finding trouble on the one occasion his magical protector was not with him. He even brought his potential murderer back with him within the walls of the bloody citadel! "You may stay as long as you like". Uther's voice brought her attention back to the situation at hand. Arthur's chambers she heard from her beloved as he followed Arthur walking towards the room.

"Where did you find them"? She heard Merlin ask Arthur once they had reached his rooms and the doors were locked.

"In the woods, they were being attacked by bandits".

"Of course they were" Merlin sighed.

"Morgana are you sure it's her". Arthur addressed her from his place, leaning against the dining table, face sullen, addressing them both.

"I couldn't forget her face if I wanted to".

Merlin looked at Arthur for a moment, "Did she touch you? Say anything out of the ordinary?"

"Except for the time I pulled her out of the way of an attack? no, and she hasn't said a word. Why do you ask"?

"Because you're already besotted"! Merlin reprimanded firmly

"I'm not"! Arthur retaliated in a loud voice, his face flushed betraying the truth in Merlin's words.

"You're going to stay away from her". Merlin's tone reminded Morgana of Uther when he gave a command meant to cease any and all argument. She was also aware of the type of response that tone usually provoked from Arthur.

She thought it best to intervene before this went any further "Arthur please listen to him, I know what I saw and I saw her kill you".

"You could be wrong" he replied quietly, looking up at her "or maybe it was just a dream". Merlin looked at his brother again, a frown marring his forehead. He moved closer but for some reason, Arthur moved back.

"Why are you moving away from me"?

"I…" Arthur shook his head as if trying to clear it.

"She has enchanted you". Arthur looked back at his brother hopelessly. "Arthur, listen to me please, this woman; she's done something to you. Will you please let me get close to check you over"? Merlin said it with all the calm of a physician. Arthur not being able to garner a verbal response nodded his head and at Merlin's direction sat on one of the dining areas wooden chairs. Merlin placed his hands on Arthur's head and chanted after a few moments, his forehead beading with the sweat of exertion before he stepped back. "How do you feel"?

Arthur blinked "I feel clearer, my head was a fog I.."

"She did enchant you, probably sometime before you reached the palace".

"Morgana, stay with him today, don't leave him out of your sight". She nodded agreeing.

"Now hold on. I don't need a caretaker Merlin"!

Merlin looked back at his brother "Arthur the magic I just felt was ancient, it reminded me of Kilgharrah, who or whatever she is she's dangerous. Though I don't think she will try any overt magic while in Camelot there is a good chance she will try to get to you again, Morgana is my insurance at thwarting that". There was no argument Arthur could make. Morgana watched as Merlin moved to the door.

"Where are you going"? He turned to face her.

"I need more information on what we are facing".

She knew it was useless trying to stop him "Please be careful".

He grinned at that "Me? I'm always careful". and left the room.

Morgana turned to Arthur looking lost at what to do, she smiled at him "Would you like to escort me on a walk through your mother's gardens"?

Merlin had followed Alfric and what he found was disturbing, to say the least. Of all the damned creatures in the old religion, it had to be the Shide! When the creatures, now done conversing, returned to Avalon, Alfric turned to make his way back to the palace, Merlin following after him. This was exactly the reason he chose not to be a Knight, he thought as he plunged his sword through Alfirc's back and the now mortal Shide crumpled to the ground. There would be a great many things he would need to do and decisions he would have to make for Arthur on Albion's behalf; things that the Knights code would only hinder. Using his magic he let the body sink into a shallow grave. He picked up the Shide's staff, he could feel the ancient power running through it, I'm sure it'll come in handy.

Merlin made his way back to the palace, the staff safely wrapped and hidden in his traveling cloak. He made his way discreetly to the armory, as expected no one in sight. Merlin lay the staff down on a bench and closed his eyes, he tried to feel for the ancient magic, the signature of the Shide, after a few moments still nothing. Where is she! He tried a different tactic instead, Morgana? He called mentally.

Morgana who was at the time being led around the palace gardens by Arthur suddenly stumbled. "Are you alright"? She turned to her escort with a slight smile, as soon as "Merlin" left her lips Arthur nodded helping her straighten and walk again. Both pretending nothing out of sorts had occurred, they were being watched after all. Merlin? She called back.

Where are both of you?

In the Queen's gardens, Merlin she hasn't stopped watching us since we arrived.

Where is she?

On the first floor of the west passage, overlooking the gardens.

I'm on my way. With that said, he cut her off and moved towards the specified passage.

"Sophia" He called as he reached the corridor. The girl turned to the younger prince as he slowly walked towards her.

"Sire" she curtseyed. As the prince drew nearer however her eyes grew dark at the sight of her father's scepter "Where is my father"? she demanded coldly.

Merlin looked back at her with an equally vicious glare "back in Avalon or where ever you Shide go when you die". That was enough to cause her attack, Merlin dodged the blue lightning bolt from her staff, as it hit the wall behind him leaving a scorch mark in its wake. Sophia screamed in frustration and that gave Merlin enough time to retaliate using a bolt of his own using Alfric's staff. The bolt hit true and the now mortal Shide crumbled to dust before his eyes. Merlin looked at the staff in his grasp, Handy indeed he smirked as he headed to his rooms.

Later that night, a blue light slipped under the door of the younger princes rooms. It floated just above his bed and a bolt of lightning released from it hit the blankets shooting goose feathers into the air. "I must have done something extremely unsatisfying for the King of the Shide to try and assassinate me himself". Merlin moved from behind the changing screen, eyes flashed gold, time slowed, and his answer was received in an enraged tone

"You dare to defy the will of the Shide"!

"I will defy the Triple Goddess herself if it means Albion lives"! the creature once again shot a blast at Merlin who ducked and rolled out of the way. As soon as he was on his feet once again, he took aim and this time struck true. In a blast of blue, the Shide King was destroyed. He had felt the ancient as soon as it had entered the city, magic like that cannot be easily concealed.

"They tried to kill you! What makes you think they won't try again"? Morgana asked concerned. They once again called a meet to Arthur's room, so he could inform them that the threat was neutralized. "Cut the head off and the body ceases to function, they won't be back, not unless they have a more solid strategy".

Arthur looked at his brother from where he stood near the dining table. "Why did the Shide King come after you, I mean based on what you told us they were not happy with Alfric or Sophia so why try to avenge their death"?

"Both of you need to understand something". he looked and Arthur and Morgana in turn, "Magic does not follow the laws of man, and the Shide are omniscient. They may have realized that I, would at some point, be a danger to them or their plans. Before we win Albion, I am going to make a lot of powerful enemies, I already have in the past".

"Then we refuse to be a liability to add to your burden, Arthur and I will learn, we will gain competency in our power and we will watch out for each other" Morgana looked at his brother for approval and they both nodded at him in agreement. He sighed it would at least be less stressful.

"Merlin for this to work, you are going to have to trust us, you are going to have to let us use our power". Merlin turned to Arthur and then to his beloved, his brother was right, if this was to work he would have to take his own advice and let them both have the opportunity to prove themselves.