Hello :) This is my first Fanfiction so please be kind ;) This is basically based on the witch who was responsible for Freya's curse. I would be very grateful for reviews and help, as spelling and grammar aren't my strong point, so if you do see a mistake please just mentally correct it, and if you point it out to me I'll change it. Thanks, I guess :) Alice.

*Updated: 25/4/14

Disclaimer: Tragically, I do not own Merlin.

"So then," Gwaine began, "when are we going to find this 'old hag'?"

Merlin rolled his eyes, and Arthur opened his mouth to speak when a mysterious, creaky, old voice suddenly split and stopped the conversation, interrupting the king's reply.

"Who? Me?"

All attention - including a random squirrels' - immediately turned to a bag bones, an old woman in a rough-materialed, ebony dress along with grey, muddy, straw-like curls; topped off with an ancient, brown, wooden staff, encrusted with what looked to be a frozen crystal at the top. It looked almost as old as it's wielder. She was blind, all could tell her disadvantage in vision.

"ƒlεøṉïṉṉαṉτɾεøώ" In a split second, Merlin realised what she had done. But he had realised too late, for he, Arthur and the knights had all been flung through the air and smacked into the trees, falling unconscious straight after impact...

Merlin looked around. He recognised this place. Every crook and crevice, every nook and cranny was mapped into his mind: it was the root he'd taken to go to the lake were Freya had died. Looking around further, he saw all the knights were awake and alert, and Arthur was being the lazy prat he is, although he was slowly beginning to wake up. Once we was, he emmediately struggled against the rusted chains that bound his hands and legs together.

"Finally awake 'ey Princess?"

"Not now, Gwaine" Leon warned him.

"Now then! Are we ready? Just bare in mind one false move and I'll put up a barrier...if you don't try to harm me that is". Silence. "υṉlυсαṉɾαсεṉτεαģṡ"

Arthur, ready for the worst, scrunched up his eyes despite the fact the knights never (apart from Gwaine), whilst Merlin just relaxed as if he knew what she was doing (little did Arthur know he did) - but he dismissed it like always. He swore he heard Merlin mutter 'stupid clot-poles' when he saw him in his frightened state - and briefly returned to waiting for the impact.

His chains unlocked. At a snail's pace, Arthur got up and asked the most-over used question in the whole of history of 'dollop-hea-' questions...

"Who are you?"

"You surprise me young, Pendragon," She replied, "Your friend was the one who called my name. I assumed you knew",

Arthur just stood with a confused expression, trying to think back without letting his guard down, when Percival (the smart yet quiet one) pointed it out:

"The sorceress"

"Yes the so-called 'Old Hag' " she turned and gave Gwaine and annoyed, angry glare and the jolly smile wiped off his face.

"Right," Arthur announced, "let's finish this quest". He went for his sword when Merlin spoke up:

"Arthur, she hasn't caused any harm. Can we not spare her life?" Merlin dared not say short life, sensing this old crone had power.

"Oh but you are mistaken, Emrys. I have caused harm, however only when required" the witch stated proudly (approximately 5 hours later, Merlin thanked the gods no-one quizzed him about the name.)

"See Mer-" Arthur started.

"Like when I cursed the girl, who killed my son" the living corpse shed a tear at the thought of her precious, deceased son, whilst her eyes blazed with hatred, without a doubt targeted at the unnamed girl. Merlin stood there, shock still.

She carried on, letting her fury run her heart and her wild emotion to escape its cage: "Damn girl. Wretched girl. Wretched Freya!" and turned her back to take a moment to weep and grieve once more.

Within a flash and without thought in the world, Merlin grabbed Excalibur from its scabbard and stabbed the witch. He drew it out and she fell to the floor, stone still, the haunting expression of shock preserved on her wrinkled face. That's when Merlin snapped back to sense. He looked at Arthur's sword, then the wicked witch laying dead on the floor, and finally to the west - his friends. They were stunned. Merlin reacted: he ran.

Merlin sat by the lake of Avalon, crying his already pumped-dry heart out. He was unaware of the fact that Arthur and the knights were scouring the forest endlessly for him and the king had just discovered his tranquil location. However before Arthur could get to him, a sudden light soared across the lake, causing it to glimmer more then it already was. Shimmering and shining, an unknown silhouette approached the young Warlock with the moonlight beaming of their fair and familiar smile. Merlin looked up, his eyes watering with un-flown tears, when he made out the figure, who was now revealed to be a creation of water. He gasped. He knew that creation...

"Freya?" He gaped, dumb-struck.

"Hello, Merlin" Freya grinned, as if the Cheshire cat.

"How can you be here?"

"The curse was lifted, Merlin. I can return to this world - yet only for a mere 5 minutes..."

"Can I tou-"

"No, Merlin," She informed him as sorrow bubbled up and across her face, "you can not touch me. I shall be forced to retreat to the water if you do..."

Merlin still did not realise hat Arthur watching from behind a gigantic Oak tree, located on the side of the lake.

"How have you been?" Merlin asked with a chuckle standing up.

"Only I guard this lake remember, Merlin. Time has hardly passed for me, although I have been busy."

"How long have we got left?" A tear ran down his wet cheek.

"Seconds" she choked

"Well, I can't think of what to say..."

"I can. Let us not waste this moment, my love."

Freya's water forum placed a hand on Merlin's damp cheek and kissed him tenderly. Then, without warning, her liquid sprite dissolved and shattered in to thousands upon thousands of water droplets, resembling Merlin's salty tears.

"Goodbye..." Merlin sobbed, as his knees collapsed under him whilst his heart was breaking and aching inside its biological cage.

Arthur was shocked. As he discovered who Freya was, he walked up to his servant and put a hand on his shoulder, startling and stunning him. From Merlin's point of view, the big shock wasn't Arthur actually being there, but the fact he wasn't in 'Full-Prat mode', as he began to walk away with his Master. His king. His best friend. His brother...

25/4/14: Hey! So this is probably my most popular story to date, and I'm glad you enjoyed it ;) I'm thinking about maybe writing a sequel (again a one-shot) to this, centered on Freya and Merlin's time together. Please tell me if you'd like to see that ;)

Thanks, Alice.