Chapter 20

Restless Hunger

Morgana spotted Merlin at the back of the room. He was searching the room for something when their eyes clashed together. As soon as his eyes connected with hers she felt something akin to lightning strike her core. She swallowed. He looked wind blown. His eyes were extraordinarily bright and shiny. His cheeks and nose slightly red as if caressed by an extremely cold wind. It made the scar on his cheek stand out all the more. His hair was tossed and his lips looked as if he had been properly kissed. His eyes jerked away from her as they still searched for whatever grabbed his attention.

She knew when he found what he was looking for because he suddenly moved, stealthily, he stalked through the crowd towards a nobleman who had a young sorcerer forcibly sitting on his lap. Morgana watched, fascinated, as he walked towards the nobleman. He was as calm as the eye of a storm.

Merlin moved smoothly through the crowd towards them. He didn't intend to harm the man, only tell him to let young William go and remove himself from Merlin's sight lest he do something he won't regret. Merlin saw someone out of the corner of his eye matching his progress step for step. Cedric. He didn't look at any one person, but the crowd around where Merlin walked as if he assessed the danger before him.

William didn't know what was happening. He was sitting in his cell listening to his brother's tale of Merlin's heroics when guards came to get them. They put silver cuffs on each one of their wrists, and he could freely admit he was scared, terrified in fact. They brought them to a large ornate throne room filled with all sorts of people. The party was huge and the people intimidated him. But he was not nearly as terrified as he was when some strange man grabbed him from behind and sat him in his lap. William yelped and tried to get away but the man was stronger than him.

William tried to defend himself with magic but forgot about the cuffs that prevented magic and a shock of pain lanced up his arms and down his spine before it disappeared. He moaned in pain. It was useless. Even if he had access to his magic he wasn't good at battle magic, not like his older brothers. He was a healer. He was good with herbs.

"What's your name, little one?" The man breathed. "I'm Lord Harris. If you survive the culling I'd love for you to come home with me."

"No. Let me go." William squirmed.

Lord Harris tightened his hand on the back of his neck. William cried out again from the painful grip. William couldn't move. He was like a kitten caught by the scruff of the neck.

"Lord Harris, was it?" A voice interrupted calmly. "I believe he asked to be let go."

Lord Harris turned to the voice with a sneer. "Mind your own business, servant." He spat. He looked him up and down and noticed he had no cuffs or collar but it was obvious the man had worn them at some point, and beaten for his insubordinate tongue if all the scars were any indication to go by.

"Release the boy. He is not for your amusement."

"But he is, isn't he?" Lord Harris said.

Lord Harris glanced at Morgana and back. Why was she letting this servant harass him? He stood up abruptly, the motion forced William to move with him. His hand still clamped painfully around the back of Williams neck. William cried out again.

"Let him go." Merlin ordered dangerously low. He grit his teeth. He tried to reign in his emotions but seeing Williams' small neck gripped by this large man sent him spiraling. "I am not going to ask again." Merlin warned.

Lord Harris' only answer was to pull a dagger from his waist and press it to the soft spot under William's chin.

Merlin reacted instinctively. His eyes flashed gold as one of Merlis hands flew out and yanked the dagger away from William's throat. The dagger shot from Lord Harris' hand up into the ceiling where it embedded all the way to the hilt; while his other hand snapped out and choked Lord Harris with his magic. Everyone in a five foot radius backed up with exclamations of fright and surprise. They were afraid of him. He couldn't blame them. He was afraid of himself, too.

Lord Harris still didn't release William. Merlin's hand tightened into a claw. He cut off his air supply completely. "Are you always this stupid," Merlin asked irritably. "Or is today a special occasion?" Merlin asked. His eyes narrowed.

"Lord Harris." Morgana snapped. She intended to end this before Merlin made a mess, again. She still hasn't had his first mess cleaned up, nor the bodies removed, yet. "If you would be so tolerant as to release the boy and do as he asks."

"Why should I listen to him? He is just a servant." Lord Harris sneered.

"Lord Harris." Morgana hissed. "Do not forget whose house you are in." Morgana glowered. She looked over to Merlin. "Let him go."

"No. Not until the leach releases the boy."

"Emrys." Morgana finally snapped.

Merlin's head snapped to her. A flare of anger and agitation ignited. A swirling vortex of gold sparked to life deep in the blue of his eyes. He felt his upper lip rise in a snarl. Merlin looked back at Lord Harris intensely. He gave a final squeeze to his neck before he reluctantly released him. As soon as Lord Harris was released, he let go of the kid as if he had been burned, and tossed him away from himself.

William hit the floor with a gasp and scooted back away from them. William rubbed the back of his neck to try to erase the pain. Darrin and James showed up at William's side and took him to sit in the back with the rest of the shackled sorcerers.

Merlin glared at Lord Harris's back as he retreated. He peeled his gaze away from him and turned to Morgana. She motioned for him to join her. He held in a sigh and straightened his shoulders. He made his way carefully towards her. Once he reached the small three steps up that lead up to her throne she offered him her hand. With one foot poised on the first step he hesitated. Merlin looked from her offered hand, up her slender arm to her sharp green eyes.

Merlin steeled himself and went up the remaining steps to stand by her side. With a deep dread he put his hand in hers and they faced the nobles who would fund a blood bath.

"War is coming and the end will determine the winner." Morgana said victoriously. She smiled. "Now enjoy the rest of the evening. Come day break the count down to the culling begins. See you in three days."

She left them smiling and laughing and talking about the event to come. She pulled Merlin from the room. As soon as they were away from the festivities Merlin tugged his hand from hers.

"Come." she motioned for him to follow her. Merlin made a face. He didn't want to but he followed her up the stairs like a dutiful dog. He had to jog to keep up with her. Morgana kept going up the stairs. They reached the level her rooms were on. She didn't slow down. She was at her bedroom door before he finally snapped.

"Morgana, will you stop for a moment." Merlin asked. His frustration ate away at him.

"Merlin" Morgana cautioned as she kept pace into her chambers. She said it just as Arthur would. It sent a sickeningly sweet jolt of pain into his heart. He hadn't thought about Arthur for he didn't know how long.

"Morgana," Merlin snapped to get her attention. She turned around and glared at him. "You forget." Merlin snapped and riled. He crowded her. He walked her back step for step until he trapped her between the wall and his body. "We're not fighting for a cause here. We're fighting for a people. Our people. Don't make war sound like some exciting and thrilling game." Merlin said in disgust.

"This will be a massacre no matter how many lives are spared, you know this right? You will have to wade through blood to win this war, because war doesn't determine who the winner is, it tells who is left." Merlin warned.

He tried to reason with her. He wasn't helping her so that she would get the throne. He wasn't bargaining Arthur's life for Arthur's throne. He was bargaining with Arthur's trust for Albion's future. He was, hopefully, helping her realize she fought for a cause that was no longer relevant. That Arthur loved her and that he was the right man, the best king, for the responsibility to bring magic back.

"And that means sparing as many, if not all, of them including Arthur and the people of Camelot, not just those tied to magic and the Old Religion."

"Why?" She snapped. "All Camelot's Kings have done is persecute and hunt our kind. Why should I spare them when they never showed us any kindness."

"But Arthur did, didn't he?" Merlin asked softly.

"You know there are no other choices. You're fighting for the wrong cause. Camelot is not going to house magic. Arthur is not going to save us." Morgana stressed. She sighed. She wished it was otherwise. She did, but Arthur was too much like his father to see reason. With Morgana on the throne magic had a chance. Why couldn't he see that?

Merlin went to step away from her but she had her hands tightened into fists clenching his shirt at his waist. How could he convince her that her brother wasn't like their father, and Arthur still loved Morgana; she was his sister and the only living family he had left. He cradled her face in his hands gently when in actuality he wanted to wring her throat.

"He has shown he can separate magic from a man's actions. Why can't you separate a son from his fathers?" He proved this by accepting Merlin for what he was. After he told him about his magic Arthur was furious, lashed out and caused harm, but over time he accepted him and apologized for his actions. Merlin knew he felt terrible over it.

Morgana opened her mouth and then shut it with an audible snap. She didn't have an answer. She loved Arthur. She did. Even before she knew he was her brother, she loved him as if he already were. But there was that hatred that she had unintentionally let Uther instill in her that tainted the love she clearly saw shine from Arthur's heartbroken eyes. All she saw staring at her was Uther, the man who murdered hundreds.

Morgana leaned her forehead against his. " I see what you're doing, Merlin." Morgana breathed. "It wont work. It will change nothing. You can't fix this. You can't fix me." Because she wasn't broken, she was pissed off .

Merlin closed his eyes as if he were in actual physical pain. He waited a minute before he opened his eyes. When he did they shone a bright blue with sparks of gold fire. No. He couldn't could he? He thought bitterly to himself.

"Stop trying to save me when you're the one who tried to kill me first." She growled. "Yours is the hand that pushed me over the edge into the arms of chaos in the first place."

He glared at her another moment. Not knowing if he wanted to kiss her or kill her. She licked her lips. Merlin maneuvered his knee between her thighs. She squeezed her legs together, unknowingly arching into him. He felt his cock harden against her.

"Morgana," He whispered into her ear, rubbing his cheek against her jaw. "In your quest for heaven you have discovered the devil in you and you love it." He breathed. He nipped her earlobe. "Don't blame me for your madness. You were made to end lives." He declared. She protested. "Shh." He hushed her coarsely. He leaned back and looked at her. "I'm not trying to save you. I'm trying to dissuade you." He knew she believed she was the hero in her story so there was no changing her ultimate goal but he could try and change the way she went about achieving that goal. Either way, he feared it would end with both her, Merlin's and Arthur's deaths. No one would survive this.

She pursed her lips angrily. She held back her opinions. Her eyes shined dangerously and her cheeks burned. Her lips parted slightly and her pink tongue darted out to wet her lips. He molded his body into hers and with a tortured moan he took her mouth roughly. He took control of the fear, pain and darkness running rampant through him like a plague.

Morgana kissed him just as passionately. She pressed into him, melding them together. She couldn't get close enough. She took as much as he was willing to give and more. Morgana thrust into him, she craved more, needed more. She moaned into his kiss and nipped his bottom lip. She pushed into him and he stumbled back and tripped. He fell back, taking her with him. It didn't faze them in the least when they hit the floor. Morgana sat up and straddled him. Her hips rubbed into him craving that friction. He groaned loudly. His head tossed back exposing his throat.

Morgana leaned down."Shh." Morgana hissed into his ear and covered his mouth with her hand and bit his collarbone hard.

Merlin growled at her and shook her hand off. He rolled them over and pressed her into the floor. He gave her a scorching kiss and leaned back. He hovered above her and knelt between her legs. She lay spread out on the floor, a personal banquet. His mouth watered for a taste. She lifted her knees lightly and her lavender dress rose above her knees inviting him to feast.

Merlin's hands tracked up her feet over the strap of her white high heel shoes and over her ankles. His fingers caressed her flesh with confidence. She shivered and her thighs quivered. Goosebumps broke out wherever his fingers traveled. He traced the shape of her legs following the path that led him under her dress.

Merlin let his hands glide up and around towards her back side. He squeezed her plump rear. No undergarments. She never did around him. He dug his nails into her, ringing a breathy gasp from her parted swollen lips. She arched into him. She sought relief where he continued to deny her.

Merlin smiled wickedly. He leaned back over her and braced one arm above her head while the other traveled from her hip to hover over her aching mound. She arched again, attempting to impale herself on his fingers. He paused. He clenched his fingers into a fist and withdrew his hand denying what she needed most. Merlin shook his head. He wanted to do this but somehow denying himself helped keep a modicum of his innocence where she has robbed him of almost everything else. He grit his teeth and sat up. He still knelt on his knees between her welcoming thighs. He tried to shake away the fog of lust and desire.

"Stop holding back," Morgana growled at him.

Merlin glowered down at her,his jaw working in ire. He fought a silent battle. He had to hold back. Had he let his desire take over he didn't know what he was liable to do in his fit of lust, hate and rage. Mutely, he stood up. They looked at each other for a long tense moment. The air was so thick with pent up lust and desire it crackled with energy. Merlin's cerulean eyes clashed with her jade ones.

He wanted to grab her and drive into her hard and furious. He wanted to wring a cry of pleasure and pain from those beautiful lips. He wanted to- Merlin stopped his thoughts in their tracks. He dropped her hand as if he'd been burned and without another word turned on his heel and marched down the hallway back the way they had come.

He left her lying on the floor lost in her thoughts. He didn't want to be near her right now but he didn't know where else to go so he headed to the dungeons for some much needed rest. He felt he could sleep for a week straight. He needed to give himself space.

Morgana didn't try to stop Merlin as he left. She didn't care where he went or if he would try and leave. Distantly she hoped he was able to find some semblance of a peaceful rest. He would of course be the one to cull out the best, brightest and strongest sorcerers of the culling and dispose of the rest. He didn't yet know his role but he will soon enough.

Morgana sighed heavily. She stayed there on the floor of her chambers, stretched her legs out and crossed them at the ankles. Her arms were thrown out at her sides. She burned for him in the most deliciously agonizing way. Her nipples tightened and sang for attention but received none. She pouted. She eventually got up and went to her bed and let her imagination take her back to far off forgotten nights of wild passion that they once shared and took herself to the stars before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.