Arthur has made a discovery for which Merlynn is still oblivious. Darkside is more motivated than ever, and Arthur is losing his inner battle. Morgana helps him out. Or does she?

Notes: This is the last of the confusion. Thanks for tolerating one of my handicaps.


With their arms linked, the three women stroll towards Alton Towers' entrance to meet the rest of their group. Elena and Gwen adjoin Merlynn in solidarity. To their dismay, when they all returned from the bridal salon, the previously cheerful, delighted raven crumbled. The poor thing was quaking and overwrought with fear. No longer able to maintain her composure, words of the tale poured from their lovable roommate. The women were furious with Arthur, and outraged, disgusted, horrified... but most of all, confused. What the hell is a matter with him?! This is not their friend. He would never... But they have to acknowledge his bizarre situation. No one could possibly understand the pull and drive for the other half of your soul. It's a kind of magic, isn't it? It's not like typical attraction. This is more like attraction on steroids, a magnetism as strong as gravity's pull. Still, it's no excuse. His behavior is criminal and will not be tolerated. After the Goddess vented the story, all the ladies had a girls' night with chick flicks, pepperoni, and Rocky Road. It took a while, but she eventually fell asleep.

When the girls are still a few meters away, Elena stops and turns to Merlynn. "Now don't worry. Gwen and/or I are going to be with you the whole time."

"Absolutely," Gwen echoes. As they near the meeting point, she takes stock of who's there and who has yet to arrive. First, she notices that her brother isn't there yet, but Lance and Percy are. Next, she spots the rest of Camelot's feminine side (minus the princess) Mithian and Sefa. So, besides her brother, the royals are missing, along with Gwaine and Leon. Leon is most likely with the prince and princess, on Guard duty for Morgana. That leaves Gwaine, the lone rogue. Gwen sees Merlynn also surveying their party, accounting for those present and noting who's absent. Watching her breathe deeply in and out in hopes of calming her nerves... it's quite distressing when an immortal Goddess is rattled. "You're going to be okay, Merlynn." Gwen rubs her arm in support.

"Thank you." Merlynn smiles gratefully at her precious roommate.

The female band finish their hike to the park's entrance and join the waiting group.

"Hi guys! Has anyone heard from the crowns?" Elena wishes Arthur would just get sick or something. She knows he didn't, though. They would have called Merlynn, since she's technically working. So Elena's glad at least the weather is chilly, gives them all a reason to cover up. They dressed Merlynn in jeans and a borrowed CamU hoodie, decidedly not sexy. She also threw her hair up in a haphazard messy bun. Not that Merlynn can help being beautiful, but hopefully, the lack of alluring attire will keep sex off Arthur's mind, and the prince can keep his hands to himself.

"I got a text from Leon a couple minutes ago. They should be walking up anytime. All of them are already parked, and I think they met up in the lot," Mithian says.

Goddess, he's coming, and she has to protect him. Blagh! It's okay, Merlynn, you can do this. You're a professional, and it's just a job. Yes, just a job. That's when she glances up and sees her nightmare sauntering up with the last of the legends. She pretends she's engrossed in her phone so she doesn't have to acknowledge him.

See that. She can't even stand the sight of him. Aren't you proud of yourself.

•It is what it is. Again, had to be done.•

Well, congratulations. She hates you.

•She'll get over it.•

The final five at last meet up with the waiting seven.

Morgana searches for any absences. She has some announcements to make and only wants to say them once. After it's confirmed there are none, she proceeds. "Good, I see everyone is here. I need to tell all of you about the plan for the day. Now, you already know I have to stay with Leon, and Merlynn has to stay with Arthur, correct?"

Nods all around, practically in unison.

The raven swiftly glimpses in Arthur's direction, and he's just staring at her. Goddess.

"Outside of that we can all go our separate ways, if we choose."

That definitely perks Merlynn's ears. What? Separate ways?

Separate ways?

•You're hopeful.•

No, he's not. He's not! He can't be alone with her. He's out of control.

"I think we should all stay together."

•Bloody cow.•

Ha!

"It's more fun that way. Besides, who wants to miss Elyan lose it in the mazes, or my Gwainey poo wet himself on the rollercoasters?"

"I sure don't. Right, Lance?"

•Bitch.•

Oh, shut up. They're doing the right thing.

"No way. It's half the fun of Scarefest."

•Arse.•

What? Are you planning on ruining all of your relationships, now? Does he really have a problem with them not wanting him to assault their friend? How dare they! Idiot.

Merlynn loves her roommates. They really are the best and always come through. She looks at Arthur in her periphery and sees the frustration in his eyes. So, he thought he was going to get her alone, huh? Well her new best friends took care of that. Merlynn can't help but smugly grin to herself, but her joy is shattered with the next words out of Morgana's mouth.

"...Arthur and Merlynn as boyfriend and girlfriend."

•Woo-hoo! Love you, Morgana!•

Shut up.

•Told you it was meant to be. You think it's a coincidence it was a high priestess to push you two together? No, the Old Religion wants you with your Goddess, and they used one of their acolytes to make it happen.•

What? "What was that? Sorry, I missed it."

"I said that everyone might have noticed Arthur and I are absent our little fan clubs. That's because we are glamoured. Only you all can see us as our real selves."

Merlynn can sense it now. There is magic on both royals. "I see. And what was the rest?" Arthur is now walking towards her, and she has to fight not to step back.

•Oh, this is going to be so good.•

Arthur... don't torment the poor girl.

•Uh, uh. You're not ruining the fun, not today. This is golden opportunity here. Now, bugger off! "She said that, so our Guards always remain with us we should pretend we're couples. Leon and Morgana..." Arthur slinks behind her and traps her in his arms. "...and you and I." He gives her a chaste kiss on the top of her head.•

Merlynn forces herself not to cringe and smiles instead. Just remember you aren't alone. There are ten other people. You can do this (even though he's rubbing circles on her stomach with his fingers). Professional! Just act! Goddess help her.

"Okay, I booked us all for the scare mazes. We do those first. We only have two hours to complete them all. Now Merlynn, Leon says you've never been to a theme park. Is it safe to say you haven't been to a haunted house either?" The raven wags her head. "Well, they can be pretty scary and cause what are called jump scares. That's self-explanatory. Anyway, that sudden startling has caused magic mishaps in the past, so they have a policy that magic users have to wear restraints. They're not cuffs or shackles or anything, just a runed metal bracelet."

"But nothing can restrain me."

"Exactly. I don't know what will happen. They may not let you go. If that's the case, you and Arthur can ride some rides while we're in the mazes."

•Yes! This just keeps getting better and better!•

Oh no.

What? Be alone with Arthur? No, she can't let that happen. "I can put my own lock on it. I've never been to anything haunted before. I don't want to miss it."

"You can. I don't know if they'll trust that or not."

God, you would swear she's almost helping you. Thank you, sis! "Don't worry, Morgana. If we can't do the mazes, I'll make sure Merlynn has a good time. She will have an amazing first time experience, I promise you that."•

Ugh! You're revolting!

•Whatever has to be will be... good, bad, or ugly.•

The raven shudders, but it turns out, there was nothing to worry about. The park employee was a magic user and beyond ecstatic to meet the Emrys.

"Of course you can go in! Oh goddess, Emrys. I can't believe you're here. Can I have a selfie? Oh! And your autograph?"

Merlynn chuckles at the bloke's giddiness. She's never met someone this starstruck before. Well, she is spelled, so that's probably why. Goddess, if everyone was like this... She sees she's not the only one amused. The rest of the Camelot Twelve are trying to hide their own twittering. Actually... no, there is one with a very different expression.

•Look at this kid, slobbering all over her!•

He's just a fan, Arthur. You have them, too.

•Not like this. Look at him leering at her. He wants her. He's probably picturing her naked as we speak... or think.•

He's doing no such thing.

•Wait a min... What's he... Oh, hell no! He's getting her number! She's giving him her number! That's it! He flounces up next to HIS witch and her admirer.•

Arthur?!

Merlynn's handing the bloke the now signed napkin.

•Arthur was about to intervene when...•

"So, what's the Once and Future King like?"

•Ha!•

She feels Arthur move in closer and grab her hand.

•"Yeah honey. What's he like?"•

"Honey? But I thought... He's your boyfriend?"

•"One and only." Her exact words for Mordred. For extra drama he lifts her wrist to his lips and kisses the back of her hand.•

You're deplorable.

She gives a tight nod and forces a small grin. She can't manage words, though. Not about... him. "Why? Is there a problem?" Please say yes. Please say there is big, great, enormous problem with them as a couple.

"Well... it's just... It's really none of my business, so..."

"No, no, you can say." She urges him on. Hopefully show Arthur how wrong they are for each other.

"Okay... we all just sorta thought Emrys would be with the Once and Future King."

Merlynn's face drops. Fuck! She forgot about the bloody glamour!

•Arthur snorts and can barely contain his glee.•

The aura of smugness around the prince is so thick, she can feel it. Well, she needs to shut it down. "Oh no. I'd never be with him. Between you and me, he's kind of a wanker." She hears Arthur gasp and she stops her own smirk from forming. "Besides, I'm engaged." This time she grabs the prince's hand. "Yes, Mordred and I grew up together and have been in love for a while now." She sighs for dramatic effect. "Was just meant to be. Like kismet." She eyes Arthur dreamily and wistfully. "No, I'm perfectly happy with my beloved. There's no room in my heart for the king. He's just a job." Merlynn glances at the rest of their party in her periphery. The majority of the group think this is just teasing in good fun between friends. Only her roommates know how serious she really is, and judging by their own smugness this is one round she's won. "Well, I want to thank you again for letting me through. I think we need to join our friends now, though. It was nice meeting you."

"Oh, goddess, you too. It's been an honor, really."

"Pleasure. Oh, uh... you might want to spread the word I'm not with the king. Wouldn't want him to lose any prospects for a queen, now, would we?"

"Oh no. Yeah, sure, I'll spread it everywhere. I'll get it on all the social medias."

"Wonderful! Well thank you, really."

"It's no problem. Anything for you, Emrys. And congratulations on your engagement with Mordred!"

"Aww. You're sweet." Merlynn leans in to chastely kiss the boy's cheek, which she knows makes Arthur's blood boil. "Yes, Mordred and I are very happy." She faces Arthur with a knowing grin. "Bye now." She waves to her devotee. "Let's go, love." She snatches Arthur's hand in a bruising grip, and they scuttle to join their friends.

"Now that was impressive! And a total riot! Thanks for the entertainment, Merlynn."

"I'm with you, Elyan. She really put you in your place, princess."

"Yeah, you are kinda a wanker." Leon elbows Arthur with a friendly smile.

He can barely return it. This is his fault! Him with all his possessiveness and jealousy. Him and his insatiable lust. He's ruined everything!

•This isn't over, Arthur. It's only just begun. You will have your queen. In one way or another she will be yours.•

Just leave her alone. You're only gonna make it worse.

•What could be worse, Arthur? Hmm? What could possibly be worse?•

He doesn't have an answer.

The mazes are brilliant! Merlynn, Gwen, and Elena cling to each other and huddle around one another the entire time. There is one time Arthur makes an effort to try something, but Elena's on it in seconds. To the rest, it appears as if the bubbly blonde is joking around with the prince, but they both know differently. If Arthur wasn't aware that Merlynn's roommates knew of their latest interactions, then he is now.

The mazes themselves are incredible. Her two closest friends help her maximize the experience by playing into the stories. She has never been scared about things like paranormal activity or psychopaths. Ghosts and spirits seem similar to magical creatures, only human. Well, ex-human. And she's always been more powerful than the criminally insane, so there's nothing to be afraid of there, either. But in the maze setting, the intense special effects, the acting, the ambience that fed the eerie atmosphere, even she suffers her own screams and jump scares. It's magnificent!

After the final maze, the Toxic Junkyard, everyone's hungry, so they make their way back towards Tower Street to find something to eat. That's when they run into the flash mob, Alton Ancestors. The Camelot legends all stop to view the display, but what's most astounding is when Merlynn joins them! She recognizes the Michael Jackson song from her performance with Mordred at the reception, and she can't resist. She's able to pick up on the other dances as well. By the end, people are cheering for her, this random park goer who merged with the Alton pros.

Don't you see how happy she is? That glorious smile? He hasn't seen it for a while. He knows why? Because he's a bastard. And if he doesn't stop... If he proceeds along with this course of action, he'll never see it again.

•You seem to think this is all about lust. It's not. You aren't wrong that it's definitely included, but this is ultimately about uniting the Future King and Emrys. Restoring two souls to achieve the pinnacle goal of saving magic.•

Saving magic shouldn't require... this.

•It shouldn't, but it does now, because the Ambrosians and high priest interfered where they shouldn't have.•

He just hates even the idea of hurting her.

•Unfortunately, you have to.•

About half way through the evening Lance comments to Gwaine that he feels more like they're dating instead of Gwen.

"Oh don't forget about Arthur. We're a threesome." Gwaine circles one arm each around the two men.

Elena hears her boyfriend mention threesomes and has to know more. "What are you on about?"

"Oh nothing, love. Lancey here, just remarked about how you ladies have been three French hens ever since we got here. And since our girls gilted us, Mr. Noble Knight and I had to cuddle up during Mine Tours. Then we noticed the princess was also getting the cold shoulder, so he joined our dynamic duo, and now we're The Three Musketeers."

"Oh come on. It's not that bad. Besides, it's Merlynn's first time with all this. We wanted to be there for her."

"We understand that, love, but I would like to ride some things with my girlfriend. Merlynn doesn't mind, do you, Merls? Besides, we all know Arthur would love to ride some rides with his soulmate."

"Gwaine..."

Merlynn touches Elena's arm. "It's okay. You can ride with them. It's not like we aren't going to the same place anyway."

"There. See. Now come with me, my little lemon drop." Gwaine crooks his elbow in a gentleman hold and gestures for Elena to join him.

"Would you care to join me, milady?" Lance follows Gwaine's example and waits to link arms with his fiance.

Gwen bites her lip and glances at Merlynn, who motions for her to go on. The brunette wearily accepts and darts to her fiance.

Arthur follows suit. Merlynn doesn't want to cause a scene, so she reluctantly links arms with the prince.

Well, he's finally partnered with Merlynn. Is he going to fuck it up? Or is he going to try and redeem himself?

•You're going to do what you have to.•

So fuck it up. Good choice. Idiot.

•"You've been avoiding me."•

"Don't know why you'd think that. The girls and I were just enjoying ourselves, that's all."

•Oh hell no! She is not going to blow you off!•

Arthur, calm down.

•No! She's been eluding you all night. Well, it stops now!•

Arthur, don't do anything stupid.

•Stupid would be not to do anything. He's grateful they're in the back of the group. He seizes Merlynn's bicep and drags the raven to a secluded corner. "That's bullshit and you know it! You've stayed two meters away from me the whole time, and you're supposed to be my girlfriend!"•

"I'm not your girlfriend, Arthur! I'm your nothing. I am your bodyguard. That is it!"

•His witch tries to round him, but he blocks her escape. Looks like your raven beauty needs to be apprised of her role once again. "You're right. You aren't my girlfriend. You're my soulmate, and you better start acting like it." This time he's the one stalking away and she yanks him back.•

"What the hell does that mean?! Are you threatening me?!"

•"I don't need to threaten you, Merlynn. Deep down you know I'm right. You know where you belong and who you belong to. It's only a matter of time." He leaves her standing in the corner and catches up with the group. There, muse on that a while, my Goddess.•

Merlynn isn't afraid anymore. Who does this bloke think he is?! She doesn't care that he's a prince or savior. He is wrong... And she is not indulging in this power play anymore. She is Emrys for goddess sake! She IS power, pure power. It's about time Arthur remembers that. Oh my king... you have messed with the wrong witch.

The rest of the evening is rollercoasters. Camelot walks the whole park. There isn't time to ride everything, and since they've decided to remain together, they have to vote on their top choices. Galactica is where they start, and Merlynn doesn't even care that she has to ride with Arthur. She just allows herself to have fun and ignores the man. She knows he's fuming, but doesn't care. He isn't going to ruin this for her.

Merlynn has never heard of virtual reality, and the experience fascinates her. She's confident she could do something similar with magic. The idea just hasn't occurred to her before. Maybe she could create a virtual world so her peppy blonde roommate could actually meet a unicorn.

Next, they're in the vicinity, so they ride the Nemesis. Gwaine almost breaks Elena's hand on this one. It's the dangling feet.

Then they go across the park to the other side and ride the Smiler. She doesn't think she's ever experienced so many loops in such a short amount of time. Merlynn's swears she's s still riding it even after they disembark.

Then is the Oblivion. This is Merlynn's least favorite as it's so short. It's appeal is apparently the ninety degree drop, but this dragonlady has gone far beyond vertical drops riding Aithusa, and from greater heights. It's honestly kind of boring.

Overall, Merlynn realizes that each coaster has their own claim to fame. Just as important as the tracks and themes of the rides, are the cars themselves. If you're hanging, sitting, standing, tracks on bottom, tracks on top, where you're facing, all contribute to the kind of experience you're going to have, and she's having a marvelous one. Merlynn's having such a good time she has forgotten all about prince git.

"Okay everyone. It's almost nine. Any cue we're in at closing time, they have to let us ride. So where are we going?" Morgana, self named Alton Towers guide.

"Wicker Man!"

"Wicker Man!"

"Absolutely!"

"There's no other choice."

"All right, All right. Is it safe to say that we are unanimous for Wicker Man?"

Ten nods in reply. They all start to make their way to the wooden coaster.

•He has an idea. He hasn't had any opportunity to be alone with his Goddess, and this might be his chance. "I want to do Whispering Souls."•

People are all staring at Arthur like he asked to wade in a bog. It's not even a coaster.

Elena's eyes narrow. She knows exactly what his plan is, and she's not gonna let him get away with it. "Uh, me too. I've been wanting to all night."

•Arthur's lips purse, both blondes facing each other in a sort of stand-off. He'll win.•

Only Gwen and Merlynn understand what's happening.

"What? Babe you know I can't ride a coaster by myself. I need you. And why are you only mentioning this now?"

•Arthur has to cover his sinful smirk. Take that, skank.•

You do remember she's your friend, right?

•Not if she's keeping you from your soulmate.•

Bloody hell. He's gonna lose everyone. Doesn't he understand that? He's going to end up all alone, with nothing but duty to keep him company.

•You're wrong. Your queen will be there, right at your side.•

Yeah... in shackles.

"Uh, I... I didn't think anyone else would want to go."

"Come on, Elena. If Arthur wants to go do Whispering Souls, then Merlynn can take him. We need you to ride with Gwaine." Elyan's been dying to see the rogue on the famed coaster.

"Uh..."

Merlynn will not be intimidated anymore. "I think you better go Elena. I'll take his royal backside to the Whispering Souls."

•Oh beauty, he'll be doing the taking in their relationship, and it's her backside he'll be getting acquainted with.•

Ugh!

•Quiet. You know it's true.•

Everyone snorts at Merlynn's choice of words.

The bubbly blonde eyes her roommate and sees no fear, and warily responds, "Okay then. I'll go."

"Yes! Thank you, snookums. You are my ray of sunshine. My blonde pineapple. My honey butter biscuit. My..."

"Gwaine!"

The group stides away and Arthur and Merlynn can still hear the rogue's ridiculous pet-names.

"My cutie patootie. My sugar snap pea..."

Now they hear his girlfriend's cackling.

"Oh you barmy man. You need to shut it now, my captain hottie pants."

The laughter eventually trails off into nothingness, as their party moves further on. It is inevitable the founding members of the legends catch the contagious bug and suffer their own case of the giggles. The savior and Magic actually share their first positive moment since things went to hell on their one and only date. Merlynn chokes at the sight, not wanting to share anything with the man.

"I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work. I'm through being cowed by you." She glares at the prince and marches with pride to their last attraction.

•Oh, sweetheart. This is only the beginning.•

You're in a public place. Remember that, Arthur. Emrys may not have power against him, but she still has lungs.

•Don't worry. You're saving those for another time.•

He sighs in defeat.

They don't speak the entire trek there.

•You're letting Merlynn keep her distance for now, Arthur, but you won't forever. You chose this place for the time you did for a reason. Isolation.•

No, he didn't. He wouldn't. This isn't him!

Once they arrive at their destination Arthur and Merlynn start their leisurely walk through the evening attraction. The witch is surprised by how few people are there. It's a beautiful path with all the lights, She would've expected more guests taking advantage of the enchanting ambience.

•Let the games begin."You know this place, in an eerie way is quite romantic."•

"That's a matter of opinion."

•"Oh come on, Merlynn. You can't tell me all these lights and a quiet stroll under the stars isn't romantic."•

"To you maybe. To me, the company makes the romance, not as much the setting."

•Your current company is destiny, witch.•

Arthur?! Control yourself.

•The prince grapples her bicep and jerks her into his body. "Maybe you just need to be enlightened." And he smashes his lips to hers.•

"Mmm!" She shoves him away from her. "You bastard! What the hell is the matter with you?! That is it! I will protect you, Arthur, as the savior of my people, but you come near me again, in any other capacity than professional, and I will not hesitate to use my magic against you! Are we clear?!"

Arthur. Let. It. Go.

•Never. He will let her think she's won this round. He bows his head, but if what he suspects is true, she's in for a very rude awakening.•

--

Merlynn feels good, like she's regained her dignity. She and the girls are back at the flat. It's been a long day between all the scares, emotions, and thrills, and they need a soothing cuppa to alleviate the tempestuous peaks and valleys of the evening.

"What has you so chipper?" The blonde notices her surprisingly jovial friend. After time alone with Arthur, they thought for sure they'd be cleaning her off the floor again. "Gwen and I were worried. He didn't try anything, did he?"

"Oh no, he tried. He just didn't succeed," Merlynn answers with a smile and twinkle in her eye while also fetching the girls' mugs.

"What do you mean?" Gwen was responsible for the kettle and wasn't making eye contact at the time. She missed the delighted behavior, but the tone was still clear.

"Well, he kissed me, so I shoved him away. I told him what was what, and that I wasn't going to let him intimidate me anymore. I said I would protect him for my people's sake, but if he attacked me again, I wouldn't hold back using my magic to protect myself. I think I've officially shut down the lech, Arthur Pendragon." She grins widely. Merlynn feels free. She had never felt so trapped, but now... she's been liberated and can breathe again.

They all scatter themselves around the living room, burrowing into comfy furniture to sip their tea. They change the subject to a more pleasant topic, discussing the highlights of Scarefest. Merlynn's favorite is Galactica as she's always thinking of others, and informs Elena of her plan to create a way for the blonde to meet a unicorn. Elena changes her favorite from the Mine Tour to Merlynn's offer. Gwen, the romantic, enjoyed the Smiler, where she clung tightly to her fiance the duration of the ride.

The day officially has come to an end and the three French hens indulging in a warm drink is the perfect conclusion.

"Well, I think I'm going to go take a soak in the tub, my friends." Merlynn returns to the kitchen to wash her cup, then retreats to her room, pausing while passing the living room. "Goodnight ladies, and thank you for everything, really."

"Goodnight Merls."

"Night."

After their friend leaves, the two women eye each other.

"She still doesn't know."

"I know."

"What's worse is I think Arthur does."

"I agree."

"I don't like it. He kisses her and then he just accepts her rebuke? Uh uh? Something isn't right, Gwen."

"I know."

"What are we going to do?"

She doesn't have a clue.

--

"So how was your evening, brother?" She's been worried about him ever since Merlynn humiliated him in line at themaze. She decided to give him a ring.

"Fine."

•Go on, and be honest. Your sister seems like a supporter.•

He knows. He's not so sure that's a good thing.

"You don't seem fine."

•"Merlynn just continues to reject me and I'm sick of it!" Tell her about the battle.•

The battle?

•Your internal battle.•

"Woah! Calm down." Morgana thinks it's time. She's been threading the scarf through her fingers. Such a beautiful accessory meant for evil purposes. It really is a shame.

"Morgana, can I tell you something?"

This sounds ominous. "You can tell me anything, Arthur. You know that."

•Told you.•

"I think I might be going mad. I've been having sort of this... fight with myself. It's not like a normal, trying to make a decision kind of fight. It's like there's another person, and he's always telling me things."

"I see. And what does he tell you?" She can't decide if this is better or worse than she thought.

"Well... me talking to you right now... he told me to. It's not that I didn't want to. He just said it first. For lack of a better way to say it, he's the bad one."

•No, the prudent one. The one who's willing to do the 'dirty' work.•

"And I take it you're the good?"

"Yeah."

"Okaay, so then what is the battle over?"

"Merlynn."

•Your Merlynn.•

This is what you wanted, Morgana. Stay strong. "And what about her?"

"Um... he kind of wants me to... hurt her. And he's started taking control. I am trying to stop him. I'm desperately trying to stop him, Morgana, but every day that passes... I'm losing."

"How does he want you to hurt her?"

"Well... um... he uh... we love her, okay. I know that sounds weird given what I'm saying, but we really do. Like a lot, and we're VERY attracted to her. Uh, too... attracted to her. Sort of obsessed with her, and uh... out of control desire... for her, if you know what I mean."

• Fuck! You're such a pussy! You can't even say it. Grow some, will you please. You're gonna need them.•

"Uh huh. Uh... Oh! Oh, I... understand now. And you say you're losing?"

"Very... quickly. Maybe you should lock me away. I don't want him to hurt her! I mean me, not him. Argh! This is confusing! Just lock me away somewhere. If I'm caged then so is he."

"I don't think that's your solution." By the dramatic pause, he clearly didn't expect her answer. Let's get this over with. "I think... I have something to tell you. But not tonight. It's late and it's been a long day. Get some sleep and rest soundly. I believe I have the resolution to your problem. Lunch tomorrow?"

What could she possibly have to say?

•Don't know, but something says it's for your dark side.•

"Yeah, fine. Okay."

"Good. I'll be at your place by noon. Cheers." She doesn't wait for his response before she hangs up. She retrieves the last vial wrapped safely in Egyptian cotton, and stows it in her handbag, along with the scarf. Oh brother... I'm about to make all your dreams come true.

Well, the other guy's, anyway.

--

They've already finished their lunch. The royals attempt to relax into their seats, but find themselves poised on the edges instead, each anxious of the ensuing words following their meal. Arthur for what his sister has to say and Morgana for what her brother's going to hear. They each savor cuppas of chamomile, letting the smooth blend coat their throats and pacify their nerves.

"So you wanted to tell me something?" Arthur's been imagining any possible solutions Morgana might know. Short of incarceration or commitment to a psychological facility, he's skeptical there even is an answer.

•Give her a chance, Arthur. No harm ihearing her out.•

Come on, Morgana, you can do this. After she hung up with Arthur the previous night, she had an epiphany of sorts. The princess made a decision for the fifth and final altered dose. From this point further each vial is a repeat of the last, and the choice will be Arthur's to take them. She will explain to him how they work, and he will have the option of pursuing the plan himself. She's tired of questioning her own involvement in this plan regarding her brother's fate. It's his life. He should decide. The priestess refuses to be a villain again and is proud of her status as one of the Camelot Twelve.

"Morgana?" His sister's acting strange. It's obvious that whatever she has to say, she is reluctant to do so.

"Huh?... Oh, yes. Sorry. Lost in thought for a minute. Um, first... I want to ask you some questions?"

"Okaay." He gestures for her to proceed. No eye contact. His usual confident sister is floundering.

"What would you do to save magic?"

He was not expecting that question. What does that have to do with it?

•Everything, Arthur. Claiming your Goddess is what is needed to save magic.•

How does that save magic?!

•The savior and Magic must unite.•

Why?! Why... that way?! Why can't they just be friends and save magic?

•Your soul wants its other half. Magic wants the King it was created for. If you remain apart, it will eventually break both of you.•

"I thought we've talked about this before. I will do what I have to." He just doesn't agree with himself on what that is.

"Have you done anything in the fight against Liberty in the past week? Past two weeks?"

He hasn't. He's done nothing but pine, pine for his soulmate who wants nothing to do with him. He wags his head.

"That's what I thought. Arthur, I'm worried about you. You are so focused on Merlynn, you can barely function."

He knows that. Of course he knows that. She's just stating the obvious.

"For that reason... I think you should."

Excuse me? "Excuse me?" She can't mean... "You think I should what?"

•What'd you think, Arthur?•

"I think you should take her."

•Woohoo! You see? A high priestess of the Old Religion is telling you to claim your Goddess.•

Arthur is shocked. Morgana was the one that layed into him with the first assault. He springs to his feet, nearly knocking his chair over with the swift movement. He was counting on his sister to talk him down, to send him away, maybe lock him up... to protect Merlynn. Not to encourage him to violate the woman he loves! "What the hell, Morgana?!"

"Arthur, your people need you. Merlynn's people need you. I need you. You are no good to anyone like this. If you need this to function again, then I think you should do it."

Arthur paces and interlinks his fingers behind his neck. "Just so we're clear... my sister, Morgana Pendragon, is telling me to fuck a dear friend of hers against her will?"

"Arthur, she is a dear friend. I love her to pieces, but I love you more. Like you said, you're going mad with this. Something is talking to you regularly and has even 'possessed' you in some way. If this is what it takes to be yourself again, then I say that's what you should do. She's your soulmate, Arthur. It could be destiny itself that's driving this. This isn't you. There has to be some outside force that's pushing you so hard. Maybe you need to stop fighting it."

"And then what, huh? So okay, I rape her and what? We just go our merry way? She'll never want to see me again. She'll probably magic herself back to Ambrosia and we never see her again. And she'll live happily ever after with... Mordred." He sneers.

"Merlynn would never sacrifice magic's wellbeing like that. She'll stay here, I know she will. But... I've been thinking about this while observing your descent day after day. I'm your sister, Arthur. I can't bare to watch you fall anymore. So... I uh... what would you say if I told you I have a way to end things between Merlynn and Mordred once and for all?"

•What?•

Let it go, Arthur.

•What do you mean let it go?! You could have it all, Arthur. Your queen would be yours. ALL yours!... Forget it, if you can't handle it... "I'm listening."•

What's he doing?! He's lost control again. Come on, Arthur, get it together.

"Do you remember at the Ambrosian wedding that the celebrant did some magic at the end with their tied wrists?" He nods. "Well, you weren't at the table to hear about the significance of what that ritual was. Mordred explained it all. It wasn't a blessing. It was a spell. The words mean 'forever unity'. Now the 'forever' in the spell doesn't mean eternity, it means the current lifetime. Mordred and Merlynn weren't going to use it in their ceremony, because Merlynn's current lifetime is eternity. But the way it binds them is... they can never, for the rest of their lives, be intimate with another person."

•What?! You could be rid of Mordred! Your Goddess will be bound to you and only you! What are you waiting for?!•

It's... it's wrong. She should get to choose.

•You have your meltdown, Arthur. Meanwhile..."How is this all supposed to work?"•

Morgana fetches the scarf from her hand bag. "This is already spelled, since you don't have magic. You will still have to say the words to activate it, but it's created for a layman's use. All you do is tie both your wrists together during your peak of pleasure, and say the words, 'aefre annes'. The spell will do the rest. Her magic will be thrilled to connect with its King. You shouldn't have any problems."

Arthur examines the scarf in awe.

•Don't you see? This is the answer. This is destiny.•

The idea of Merlynn being only his... he can't help but smile.

"There's something else." Arthur lifts his gaze, intrigued. "An additional spell will initialize at the same time as the first. It was attached to the original, piggybacked to it, so to speak. Do you remember the sparks? The magic that shocks any man that touches her?" He nods. "Well, this makes it permanent. She will be one hundred percent yours, Arthur, not even able to touch any other man, not in any sort of romantic or sexual capacity."

•God, Arthur, if you don't do this, then you are a fool. Your queen is being gift wrapped for you in threads of silk, can't you see that? Not only will she not marry the warlock, but he'll be electrically blocked from ever touching her again. Aargh! What else is it going to take?! Fuck her already!•

Of course he wants his queen all to himself! Of course he wants Mordred gone! But there's still one thing he can't get past. It's. Wrong!

Morgana observes her brother and can see the conflict within. "Arthur, I can tell you're struggling. I know you, and this will eat you alive. The guilt will consume you... so... I have this." No going back now. She reveals the fifth vial.

His sister holds a tube of clear fluid you'd assume was water, except its chosen vessel is an ampoule, so most likely doesn't flow from a faucet. "What is it?"

"It will help you with your emotions. It will help you make the sacrifice, and not hate yourself for it." She passes it over to him. "The choice is yours, Arthur. You can choose to take it and claim your witch, or you can choose not to."

• Take it, Arthur! Take it now! You can do this!•

You just want it so you don't have to feel guilty. This will be the end of HIM. His darkside will take over. What if this is just the beginning? What if he becomes evil?

•You can't be evil, Arthur. Not even your darkside is evil. The only reason you are considering it is to save magic. If this were only about attraction and lust, even your darkside would abstain. But when the Old Religion not only wants this, but is aggressively pushing for it beyond just approval, that her own magic pines for you... yes, even you could succumb.•

He just can't. He can't. He will find another way.

•Yes. You. Can. There is no other way. Arthur seizes the tube and downs it in one gulp like a whiskey shot.•

Arthur! Noooo!

"Arthur!" Morgana can't believe it. She thought he would think about it at the very least. This is what you wanted, Morgana... Not when he bursts into tears, though. "Arthur?"

"Why did you give me that?" He shamefully drops his head and just... weeps. "I told you I was losing. I told you he had been taking over. Do you know he threatened her this past week? When she came home from her date. That was the beginning. Then again at the bridal salon. Yeah, we went there. And Scarefest. Pretty much every opportunity he had, he harassed her. I would fight it, but I lost, he won. This will happen now. I know it will. She can't even hide from me, did you know that? She gave me a way to summon her for emergencies, when there isn't enough time to call or text. I have a way to force her to come to me, anytime or any place. I thought talking to you would give me the strength to fight. But no, you gave me the tools to surrender."

Morgana understands how he feels. She didn't expect him to blame her, though. She knows if he knew why, he'd understand. Obviously, the other Arthur is thrilled.

"How long do I have before I'm gone and he takes over? How long before my darkside captains this ship, and I go dormant?"

"I don't know." She has to get out of there. Him blaming her is too much. She'll come back when the other Arthur is in complete control. "I'm sorry, Arthur." She rises and makes for the door but pauses before she completes her exit. "I'm sorry." And she's gone.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry, my love. Goodbye."

--

"He took it. He downed it like he had been waiting for it. He barely even took a minute to think about it. I just can't believe this is really happening. I know it's what we wanted, Morgause, but part of me thought it was never going to work. It's just... surreal."

"I know, Morgana. This is when it gets painful, when we'll have to encourage one another to hold strong. Once he's claimed her you'll need to present the solution for her to escape, but you have to time it perfectly. It needs to have to be at its worst. She needs to KNOW you only are suggesting it to help her against our brother. She needs to feel your legendary compassion."

"You know about that?"

"Did you miss the word legendary? You were inducted to the Camelot Twelve for a reason, Morgana. After I got over myself, I was very proud of you and grateful."

"I know. I just... I hate this, and every I time I think about it, I feel like I'm already grieving, Merlynn. We're close, and she's wonderful. I guess since I have only the first lifetime and our relationship has changed so much, I realize how much I loved our friendship before he poisoned me."

"You don't know why, do you? You didn't find out until a later lifetime. Morgana, he had to. The spell was anchored to you. The only way to save Camelot was for you to die, or I end the spell. I didn't know until after he had done it. As soon as I ended the spell, he gave me the antidote, and he was very relieved. He might have poisoned you, but he also saved you. I wouldn't have been able to in time."

"I had no idea."

"Trust me. They, Merlin and Merlynn adore you. I think the only one who has issues with either the savior or Magic anymore is Nimueh. I think if she didn't need us, she would have made this a lot worse for our brother and Emrys. I think she resents Emrys' for their power, and since they and Arthur are a package deal she has issues with him too."

"I'm glad we're here to force her hand then."

"You and me both, sister. You and me, both."


Next chapter it gets bad, people. Prepare yourself.