A/N: Hi! Lol, welcome to the third story, Burning, of my Merlin Series the Draconian Prophecies :) I would recommend any new readers take a look at the first two stories (Sparks and Flames), to understand the relationship my OC, Marayna, has with Merlin and Arthur and also Merlin's relationship with Morgana ;) I've written some other stories for Doctor Who, Supernatural, Sherlock, Star Trek, and Thor for anyone who might be interested ;) This story will follow the episodes but will also have an original chapter between most of them (except 2-parters) :)
This story should be about 23 chapters long and updated daily. This is also be an Arthur/OC (Merlin/Morgana, Gwen/Lancelot) story ;)
A quick description of the OC, Marayna is a tall, slightly gangly woman, with a bit of curly black hair. Her eyes are blue, like Merlin's, with the same cheekbones, smile and other features, as he's her brother ;) She seems to think her mouth is a bit small (despite how mouthy she is lol) and her eyes are a tiny bit unlevel with each other. She tends to wear a red dress, now, at the start of this story, more like a plain red dress with hints of her white underdress peeking out by her shoulders and sleeves. She hates dresses though and wishes she could wear her favored tunic and leggings as she trips quite a bit on her dress due to family clumsiness. For a reference, to help in visualization, I picture the OC to look something like Natalie Dormer :)
I hope you enjoy :)
~8~ is a scene break.
"italics" are spells.
'italics' is telepathic talk between magic users.
Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin...or we'd have seen more of Merlin using his magic to poke fun at Arthur than we did :)
~8~
The Tears of Uther Pendragon (Part 1)
Merlin and Marayna followed Arthur through a battlefield, well, what looked like a battlefield to them. To Arthur though, it just appeared more a group of guards of some sort, a very large group, that had attacked them, probably by bandits, and paid the price. Marayna didn't bother to pick up the hem of her dress any more than she'd need to walk without tripping on it. Gwen, without Morgana around to dress up and sew for, had gone a bit odd about dressing Marayna up instead. Her new dresses were more a simple, red dress with her white underdress visible by the shoulders and sleeves, instead of her white dress with the red frock she'd used to wear.
"Check for survivors," Arthur called, "Seems their attackers headed north! Come on!"
"Do you think we should be going after them?" Merlin frowned.
He honestly didn't want to be there, not at all. What he wanted to do was go find Morgana, wherever she was, wherever it was that Morgause had taken her, and get her back. It had been more than a year since Morgause had kidnapped the woman...or since Morgana had sacrificed herself to go with her so as to save the whole of Camelot. He'd thought he could handle it at the time, that it wouldn't be so long before they found each other again...but he was nearly at his wit's end about it. He missed her terribly and every day it just became more unbearable to stand there without her there, not knowing what Morgause was doing to her, teaching her. He had nightmares about what might become of his Gana and he felt guilty for all the times he'd shouted himself awake or had to have his sister shake him from a nightmare. He'd taken to sleeping in his room again, now that Morgana wasn't there for him to spend time with. He fully understood the hell that the nightmares must have been for Morgana, his were terrible, but unlike Morgana's that came here and there, his were just...every night near enough. He'd woken his sister on more than one occasion and worn himself ragged trying to learn spells that could help him find her again.
He honestly hadn't known what he was thinking when he'd agreed with Marayna's plan of how to allow Morgana to take the Hemlock, thinking Morgause would save her, even though they knew it was likely Morgause would spirit her away. He'd hoped it would only be mere months, weeks at best, before he saw his love again, but that was not to be. It was a year now, a year Morgana had been left alone with Morgause and he just...he worried for her.
It had even taken its toll on Marayna and Arthur's relationship as she was just as eager to get her returned as Merlin. But that wasn't all, Arthur seemed to empathize with him, with how it felt to be apart from the woman you cared for. Even though the prince's experience had been for a week physically parted from Marayna but quite a long while emotionally separated when they'd had a rather bad moment last year, Arthur could understand. He seemed to almost be trying to be a good friend to his servant, agreeing to go search for even the smallest sign of Morgana, taking them 'hunting' when really it was tracking some sort of witness's claim they'd glimpsed the woman. He tended to keep Merlin closer the last few months than he did Marayna, mostly because...he was worrying as well.
Not only was Merlin the brother of the woman he loved and the beloved of a woman who was like a sister to him...but Merlin was also his friend and, as much as it pained him to say it, it DID bother him to see Merlin look so depressed and hopeless. He tried his best to keep Merlin's spirit's up, he'd even (and Morgana WOULD kill him for it) told Merlin a few stories here and there of his childhood with Morgana. Even though the girl was a older than him, there were plenty of embarrassing stories to go around.
"You are such a girl's petticoat," Arthur remarked, following his knights.
"Ow," Marayna groaned for the hundredth time as she walked, rubbing her bum and wincing.
"Something wrong?" Arthur glanced at her.
She grimaced, rubbing her lower back as well, "I've been on a horse, ALL day."
"Is your little bottom sore?" he quipped, trying to be clever.
He should have known better when Marayna smiled teasingly back at him, "Yes, as a matter of fact, it is. Would you like to kiss it and make it better, or perhaps rub it?"
Arthur sputtered, nearly tripping over his own two feet at her words. Honestly just about four years with the woman and he STILL wasn't used to comments like that. She always managed to surprise him, never letting him know if she was going to be serious or jesting whenever he attempted flirting or teasing her.
"Her bum isn't as fat as yours," Merlin added, gesturing to the two of them, the point being that they were quite thin compared to the muscular prince.
"You know, you've got a lot of nerve for a wimp," Arthur remarked.
"I may be a wimp, but at least I'm not a dollophead."
"There's no such word."
"It's idiomatic."
"It's...what?" Arthur blinked at him, Marayna smirking more.
"He means you should try and be more in touch with people," Marayna told him.
"Describe 'dollophead,'" he scoffed, he'd been called it before, but he highly doubted the word actually meant something, much like Marayna's favored 'clotpole.'
"I bet Merlin can do it in just two words."
"Oh yeah?"
Merlin smirked as well, "Prince. Arthur."
They slowed though when they approached an abandoned camp, clearly the bandits, and investigated the fire that seemed to have been put out only recently. They began to check around, trying to find signs for where the men might have gone, Merlin more trying to see if there might be a sign of Morgana there, as far as that hope might be. A moment later the sound of an arrow whizzed through the air and narrowly missed a knight.
"On me!" Arthur ordered his knights as the bandits attacked.
Merlin and Marayna grabbed their weapon, Marayna pulling the sais out of her boots, Merlin grabbing a long branch as he hadn't been able to bring his staff with him, the two of them helping as much as they could. Over the year, as Uther became more driven to see Morgana returned, they found themselves in more dangers, making more enemies on that quest. Arthur had taken to actually having them trained up a bit in terms of their weapons of choice, the sais for Marayna, the staff for Merlin. Gwen had been restless without her mistress to tend to so, at times, she would help them with their chores, like the needlework for Arthur's mending and the polishing for his armor, which gave them time with the prince to actually practice. It had been slow going as they didn't always have time, what with their chores and with the quest to find Morgana, but they managed. They'd actually gotten fairly decent now, able to hold their own without tricks or getting the opponent to underestimate them...if Arthur used only one hand and kept an eye shut that is, but it was a vast improvement!
Merlin's eyes flashed as he saw a man sneaking up on h is sister and the bandit's sword became heavy, pulling the man backwards with an oomph, crushing his hand beneath the sword so he couldn't move. Marayna turned, smiling at him, before her own eyes flashed, a small tree toppling over onto an attacker behind HIM. They made it to each other's side and tried to get to Arthur...when Merlin tripped. Marayna, thankful she'd tied a bit of her skirt up to the side when she'd pulled out her sais, moved to help him up and they joined hands, throwing their others out and sending a spear flying at a bandit behind Arthur.
The prince spun around to see Merlin on the ground and Marayna in the process of trying to help him up, or so it seemed, "We're not playing hide and seek, Merlin!"
"Dollophead," Merlin muttered as Marayna yanked him to his feet as the last bandit fell.
Arthur held up a hand, hearing a twig snap and fearing there may be more men on the way. He signaled to the knights to be on alert as he neared the edge of a bush…only for Morgana to stumble out of it, her hair wild, her skin pale with small cuts on her arms, her clothes in rags.
"Morgana!" they gasped.
Morgana looked at them with wide, frightened eyes, before they landed on Merlin, "Merlin…" she breathed, before she pitched forward in a faint, Merlin leaping over to catch her.
Marayna glared fiercely at the knights as they shifted, watching the servant stroke the noblewoman's hair and cradle her ever so gently, so much so that they quickly averted their eyes from the display and her look.
"Not a word of this to my father," Arthur threatened the knights, pointing a warning finger at them, startling them with the knowledge that…the two before them were in a relationship and that the prince had been aware of it the entire time. But then they saw him take Marayna's hand and understood, all of them nodding, swearing their silence. They had been the ones to train with Arthur for years, had seen how he acted around his maidservant, half the kingdom probably knew that there was something between them though they tried to be a little careful around Uther.
They'd had NO idea about Merlin and Morgana though, not that they would, the woman had typically stayed in the castle most of the time. But they could see it, the same care that Arthur looked at Marayna with in Merlin's eyes as he tended to the woman in his arms. The truth was, they all rather liked Merlin and they knew, given the different families and sometimes kingdoms they hailed from...that Merlin, with his kindness and his gentle heart, would be a better match for the woman than half the men Uther might try to pair her with. He clearly loved her and would cherish her whereas other men would desire her only for her beauty and the power they'd have from an alliance of that sort with Uther.
~8~
Merlin was pacing in Gaius's chambers, the man having gone to examine Morgana. As soon as Camelot was in sight, Arthur had to, regretfully, take Morgana from his arms, knowing his father wouldn't understand what the knights had. They'd allowed Merlin to carry Morgana on his horse, none of them able to bear asking him to give up his hold on the woman when they saw the look in his eyes and realized...he had clearly cared for her before she'd disappeared, and it had been a year he'd had to spend without her. Arthur wouldn't have wanted anyone to pull Marayna away from him if the roles were reversed, so he'd allowed it as far as he could.
Merlin and Marayna though, had been forbidden, everyone except Gwen and Gaius had, from entering Morgana's chambers as Gaius worked, Uther's orders though.
"Did you talk to her?" Merlin asked, rushing to their uncle's side as soon as he stepped through the door, "Is she alright? Did anything happen to her? Is she hurt? Is…"
"Is she even awake?" Marayna had to cut in, smiling though at how frantic her brother was. The sign of true love. She could still remember the flash of fear and pain she'd gotten when she'd seen Arthur on the ground after the griffin attacked, she couldn't fault him for his relief that Morgana was back with them.
"She's sleeping," Gaius assured them.
"Did she say anything about what happened?" Merlin tried again.
"Nothing as yet."
He let out a sigh, "Is she alright Gaius?"
"She'll be just fine," Gaius smiled, "Morgause would not have harmed her sister."
He'd told them who Morgause was in relation to Morgana and it still shocked them to that day to know that the two women shared a mother, they were so different, not just in appearance but in personality, in spirit. They feared though, that despite Gaius's claims Morgause wouldn't HARM Morgana, that it didn't mean she wouldn't do other things to the woman to try and get her on her side. She'd already proven she had no qualms with trying to enchant the woman and use magic against her. They hoped though, that her thinking Morgana believed she'd been 'betrayed' and that Morgause had 'saved her' would be enough to keep the woman from trying anything like that again with Morgana.
"Still," Merlin continued, "I wish I could see her."
"As do I," Marayna added, the only, ONLY good thing that had come from Morgana's time away had been that she hadn't been expected to keep up with her embroidery lessons or constantly reminded of her lady-in-waiting training, but that wasn't enough to make the time away from the woman good.
"She should wake by tomorrow," Gaius guessed, "I'm certain she wishes to see you both as well."
~8~
And, sure enough, the very next morning would find them gathered in Morgana's chambers, having been called there by Arthur. Gwen and Arthur were already there, listening to Morgana's story.
"I was kept in a cell for almost a year," Morgana explained, looking more at Uther than anyone, knowing if she looked at Merlin for even a moment she wouldn't be able to look away. Merlin and Morgana caught Gwen's look at that though, the girl shaking her head, signalling that Morgana was lying, "I thought I'd go mad."
"How did you escape?" Arthur asked gently.
"They moved me about a week ago. I don't know why. It may have been the patrol from Camelot."
"The patrol found you?"
"I thought I was gonna be free. But then I saw them killed. Every one of them cut down. But that night, the bandits were distracted by their spoils. I took my chance. When I saw you, I couldn't believe it," she laid back, tears in her eyes, "I think I need to rest."
"Everything's gonna be alright," Arthur told her, moving to leave, needing to report to his father, but also knowing that Merlin and Marayna needed time to welcome her back properly as well and he would not begrudge Merlin that, "You're safe now."
They waited till the door shut before Merlin was at Morgana's side, hugging her tightly as he kissed her deeply, both of them desperate to express their love to the other after being separated for so long, which made Marayna let out a breath, seeing Morgana like that, so tender and loving with her brother made her more reassured that nothing too terrible had happened to the woman. She knew her brother had nightmares about Morgana turning to darkness, she wouldn't say but...she'd had nightmares as well, of Morgana being tricked into thinking she and Merlin had betrayed her, that they'd poisoned her out of evil, nightmares of Morgana breaking her brother's heart, but seeing her like that, clinging to Merlin's shirt, having seen the look in Morgana's eyes when she saw them in the forest before she collapsed...her nightmares were not founded.
Merlin and Morgana were panting when they pulled away, but smiling widely at the other, "I'm so glad you're alright," Merlin breathed, reaching up to brush a lock of hair behind her ear, stroking her cheek with the back of his knuckles.
"Morgana…" Marayna began, moving to kneel at the side of the bed, taking the woman's hand as Merlin put an arm around her, letting her lean on him as Gwen sat at the foot of the bed with them, "What happened?"
She sighed, "Morgause did as I feared she might, tried to make me believe you'd poisoned me on purpose, as though it hadn't been ME who practically demanded it. She tried to twist everything, make me hate Arthur and Camelot and you," she reached out and touched Merlin's cheek, "But she underestimated the love in my heart."
He smiled, kissing her palm, "She was kind to you?"
"Mostly," she nodded, "She DID keep me in a cell, trying to convince me to join her. Little by little, I acted as though I accepted her words, till I told her I would join her," she winced at that, "It was the only way for her to not try other tricks on me, if she thought I'd come to believe in her on my own. And then she taught me magic as we hoped," she closed her eyes, "She tried to teach me such dark magic, but I tried my best to keep it at least neutral. I made her teach me the basics, teach me good magic as well, like healing," she smiled, "I brought up the 'healing' bracelet she had wanted to give me. Said that, if anything happened to her, I needed to know how to help her. She seemed pleased by my 'concern' for her so she taught me. When she started to try and force the darker spells on me…" she swallowed.
"It's alright," Gwen whispered, Morgana having told her everything last night as she tended to her.
"I listened," Morgana admitted, "But while I was taught them, I had a choice on which spells I wished to remember. And I couldn't bring myself to remember or use most of them."
"They were that bad?" Marayna frowned, though Merlin rubbed Morgana's arm in comfort, so...relieved to know she hadn't even been tempted to use such spells.
"Morgause has sworn revenge," Morgana warned them, "She will not rest till she has seen Camelot fall."
"We'll have to keep an eye out for her then," Merlin nodded, leaning over to kiss Morgana once more, "I will never allow her to take you from me again," he promised her.
Morgana just smiled, finally feeling like she could breathe, feeling safe, feeling truly loved.
~8~
Merlin and Marayna looked up as Morgana burst into the physician's chambers, seeming frantic, not even noticing Merlin standing there with his shirt off, having had to change it after Arthur dumped a bucket of water over him.
"Gana?" he frowned, moving over to her, hugging her tightly, despite his half-naked appearance, just seeing her alarmed about something.
Morgana flushed slightly, to her Merlin was a rather handsome man, even more so now with his shirt off, and especially after having not seen him for a year. She could see the muscles Arthur claimed he didn't have, his arms were stronger, he was warmer than she remembered, but maybe it was just her missing him so. Dreams and imaginings, memory, could never compare to the physical presence.
"What is it?" Marayna stood as Gaius looked over.
"Gaius?" Morgana turned to him, "I need a spell."
"What?" he frowned, startled she was being so blunt about it and knowing for Morgana, who had always been the most cautious, having grown up around Uther, to say such a thing so clearly, it had to be serious.
"I need to know if there's a spell or an oath or something where if I break it…something happens to me."
Gaius blinked, "Why on Earth would you need something like THAT?"
"Morgana, what's wrong?" Merlin took a step back to look at her.
She took a breath, "Morgause, she sent me a letter," she pulled out a note from her pocket, "She only let me go because she thought I was on her side and ready to help her. She's tasked me with…" she swallowed hard, "With helping spy on Camelot for her, with helping her get to Uther. And…" tears filled her eyes, "I agreed," she looked at Merlin, desperate, "I missed you Merlin, so much, I couldn't bear it any longer to be away from you and I just…"
"It's alright Gana," he held her close again, running his hand along her back to soothe her, he understood the pain of their separation more than she knew.
"What does she want you to do exactly?" Marayna frowned.
"I'm supposed to gather his tears," she said, "For some sort of spell that will make him suffer," she shook her had, "I don't know what to do. I don't want to hurt Uther, even if he's a bloody paranoid tyrant, he's still Arthur's father. But…if I don't help…she…she's threatened to attack by force, she's forming an alliance with Cenred and I can't bear the thought of her attacking the kingdom, not after Gwen told me about Kilgharrah…"
They nodded, stumped.
"I needed to know if there was a spell that can prove that, no matter what I do or seem to be doing, that I am loyal only to you," she looked at Merlin, "To Camelot," and Marayna, "To Arthur," before her gaze landed on Gaius, "Please Gaius, is there anything?"
He paused, thinking, "There is ONE spell I know of, a Blood Oath," he began, "It must be resided over by the High Priestess of the Old Religion and be made between two creatures of magic," he looked at the three of them, "Which we have."
"What does it do?" Marayna hesitated, not liking even the sound of it, how solemn and serious it appeared to be.
"Both parties cut their hands and clasp them," Gaius explained, "One swears something to the other and, if they break that oath, their magic reacts against them and…" he swallowed hard, "They die."
"No," Merlin said instantly, shaking his head as his arm tightened around Morgana, "No, no way."
Morgana, though, frowned, "Merlin do you think I'd BREAK the Oath?"
"NO!" he turned to her, his eyes wide, "No, not at all. I KNOW you won't. I just…Morgana I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you, even if it likely won't."
"Merlin please," she whispered, tears in her eyes as she half-begged him, "I NEED to do this. I need to prove, without any doubt, that I am on YOUR side always. If I play the role of spy, for both sides, helping alert you to what she's doing, I will still have to play the role of helping her. I need to know that there is no doubt which side I fight for, no question of where my heart truly lies," she placed her hand over his heart, "No matter what happens."
He sighed, seeing her determined to see this through, "Fine," he whispered, moving her hand off his chest to kiss it, "Gaius," he looked at his uncle, "How do we do it?"
Gaius merely reached out and picked up a knife he'd just been using, cleaning it off, making sure it was sanitized on a candle's flame, and handed it to them, "Cut your palms," they did, "And press them together," he watched as they held up their hands at each other, lacing their fingers as they pressed their palms together, "Rayna," Gaius turned to her, "Put your hand over theirs and incant 'éaðe drýcræft begíeman þisne áþstæf, 'éaðe drýcræft ágeldan þá hwa ábrecan hit…'"
She nodded, taking a breath as she put her hand over theirs, "Eaðe drýcræft begíeman þisne áþstæf, 'éaðe drýcræft ágeldan þá hwa ábrecan hit…" she breathed, her eyes flashing as their hands glowed as well.
"Make your promise Morgana," Gaius instructed.
Morgana took a breath, "I swear, on my magic, on my blood, on my life, that my allegiance lies only with Camelot. I will do all I can to help protect her and to thwart the plots of others that I have knowledge of."
Morgana's eyes flashed, as did Merlin's, a pulse of magic flowing out around them, the energy of it billowing their hair till Marayna let go of their hands and they pulled their hands away from each other to see their cut palms were healed.
"The Oath has been made." Gaius said solemnly, praying to the gods of old that nothing would happen that magic would interpret as Morgana breaking her promise.
~8~
Morgana made her way out of the castle that night, a handkerchief in her hand from where she'd reunited with Uther earlier and he'd wept for her safe return, allowing her the opportunity to brush away his tears. Now she had to deposit it with Morgause. She arrived at a small clearing, seeing a cage, guarded by men, with Morgause stepping out of it and made her way over to her as she was greeted, "My sister. How have you fared?"
Morgana put on a smirk, "Camelot has welcomed back its daughter with open arms."
"Uther does not suspect?"
"He laps up my lies like the snivelling dog that he is," she sneered.
"And the servants?" Morgause eyed her closely, and Morgana knew she was waiting to see how she'd react, another part of her act had been to put on the airs of hating Merlin and Morgana. Morgause would be looking for any sort of hint that she cared for them still, she'd nearly been caught a few times when Morgause found her scrying and watching Merlin. She'd had to lie and say she was plotting the best way to kill him (with kisses she added to herself). The only good thing that had come from that lie was Morgause had helped advance her scrying and gotten her to the level of crystals, which made it easier to hide in her pocket instead of carrying around a basin of water.
It took all she had not to flinch at the mention of Merlin and Marayna, reuniting with the two of them and being so happy and now having to pretend she couldn't care less about them was a challenge, "Merlin and his sister believe I escaped you and was held by bandits."
"You've done well," Morgause smiled, taking the cloth Morgana offered her, seeing the wet marks on it, "The tears of Uther Pendragon have only begun to fall. Come," she led her over to a large cauldron filled with boiling mud and dropped it in, followed by a root of some sort. The root screamed and Morgana flinched, "The mandrake root is very special. Only those with magic can hear its cries. But for those without magic, the magic pierces the very recesses of the soul, twisting the unconscious into the very image of fear and dread. Uther Pendragon will find that his great kingdom counts for nothing when he has lost his mind," she smirked down at the caldron, "Mid þæm wundorcræft þæs ealdan æwe ic þe hate nime Utheres wopdropan ond þa gemengan mid his blod. Sy he under wittig ond deofol seocnes his heorte afylþ," she hissed, her eyes flashing before she reached in and pulled out the muddy root, handing it to Morgana, "Go."
Morgana nodded, smirking still, before she turned and headed back to the forest, her smirk fading. She stopped when she reached the horses, seeing a solemn Merlin and Marayna waiting of her, having gone with her at her request, "I don't even like touching it," she whispered, looking at the root in her hand, her stomach churning as she could feel the evil and darkness rolling off it.
"We'll think of something," Marayna promised as Merlin held out a bag for Morgana to drop it into, the three of them knowing Morgause would be watching for signs of the spell affecting Uther and that left them little choice but to use it on the king and pray that, now that they knew what it was, they could find a counter to the spell faster but without suspicion.
~8~
Morgana and Marayna were taking a break from the 'lessons' that had started up once Morgana had returned. Morgana had spoken with Uther over dinner that past night of her wish to resume where she'd left off with Marayna, claiming that sense of normalcy was what she needed to recover despite Marayna audibly groaning from the side of the room in protest...something that made Uther smirk and Marayna feel like Uther's sole purpose in the 'lessons' was to punish her for something. Merlin and Arthur still had no idea what really went on during the lessons, both were under the assumption that she was helping Gwen tend to her, that Morgana just wanted more female companionship. But that wasn't the case at all though Marayna wished it were. Why was Uther spending so much effort on her learning the ways of a noble, she refused to call them 'Queen lessons' as Gwen had jokingly called them. It couldn't be for that though, Uther hadn't lost his mind just yet, he'd NEVER allow a servant to be queen no matter if she could act the part or not.
Right now though they were standing at the open window of Morgana's rooms, watching Arthur on the training field, fighting two opponents blindfolded, "Let's change weapons," he called after he disarmed them literally with his eyes closed...which was how she and Merlin knew they were improving if it took Arthur ONE eye open to best them in their own private training sessions, "What'd you think?"
"I've seen better," Merlin shrugged, smiling, he hadn't stopped smiling really since Morgana had returned, nor had the noblewoman in question.
"Course. Well, you are the expert at fighting with your eyes closed."
"But you didn't see what I did when we rescued Morgana."
"Because you were hiding behind a tree."
"No. I was not," Merlin nearly pouted.
"I'm not going to use the blindfold, I'm just going to fight like Merlin here," Arthur joked, waving his sword around, whimpering, "Merlin, don't hurt me. Ready?"
He started to fight when Morgana smirked, her eyes flashing, the sword magically pulled out of Arthur's grasp as he got hit in the stomach with a mace by another knight, falling face first right into the mud.
Merlin glanced up at the window, seeing Morgana wink at him, his sister having fallen to the ground laughing, and allowed himself a laugh as well.
~8~
They knew immediately when the spell took effect on the king, not long after Morgana had hung the mandrake root up in Uther's chambers. There had been a celebration for Morgana's return, Uther had stepped out a moment…and been found by the guards, crying, crouching at the side of a well, completely off his head. They'd gotten him back to his rooms quickly enough, but the damage had been done.
The guards had seen him.
Arthur had been concerned about that, especially when he learned Uther had been mumbling his mother's name, but Gaius said he seemed to have recovered. They knew better though. The mandrake root was meant to force his guilt to the surface. And Uther…had much to be guilty for. And that was what Morgana reported to Morgause, how the king was going mad, the rumors spreading about his sanity and ability to rule. That was exactly what Morgause had wanted apparently, a kingdom weak without its king, knowing Arthur was too noble to take up the throne while his father was alive, making it perfect to attack.
Unfortunately, they hadn't been able to see Morgana after her meeting. Morgause was very protective of her sister now that Uther was mad and the guards that the woman had brought with her were on higher alert as they stood in the forest. Morgause, despite Morgana's protests, had one of her own guards escort her sister back to Camelot, so they'd been forced to trail behind them, watching, making sure the guard wouldn't try anything.
Well, he hadn't. Not to HER at least…one of Camelot's night watchmen had spotted them, Morgana had tried to warn the guard away but the watchman approached them and the guard attacked, stabbing the watchman. Merlin had reacted instantly, sending the guard flying into a wall, knocking him out before rushing to Morgana and holding her close, knowing she'd feel guilty for the attack.
Marayna had ensured that the guard wouldn't wake till morning, leaving him little time to escape…which made it so that the evidence of the attack would be discovered. If they could inspire the thought of sorcery, Arthur would have a better idea what to look for…as much as they hated it, they needed him to be on the hunt for a sorcerer, for Morgause.
They just had to wait till the body was found as terrible as that was to just leave it there.
~8~
"We've had reports that mercenaries are streaming into Cenred's kingdom," Arthur reported to his father as he stood in the Main Hall before the court, at least now aware of the growing threat.
"Do we know why?" Uther asked, seemingly recovered as he sat stiffly on his throne.
"There is rumor that Cenred is amassing an army. I think we should send a patrol out to assess the situation…" he trailed off, seeing Uther staring past him, making Merlin and Marayna tense as well, spotting the growing look of horror on the man's face, realizing the mandrake was affecting him again, "Father?" Arthur turned to see what he was looking at, the court doing the same, but nothing was there…
"Oh my god," Marayna breathed, seeing it somehow, seeing what Uther was, she didn't know how, perhaps it was the fact that she could always see things other missed, or maybe it was being the High Priestess, she didn't know. All she knew was that...there was a boy, a child, standing there, soaking wet, staring at Uther accusingly, "It's a little boy…"
Gaius looked at her, alarmed that she was able to see it.
But then Uther stood, pointing at the boy, "Leave me alone. Get out of here!"
"Father, will you..." Arthur turned to him, trying to calm him, knowing the ENTIRE court was there, that they would see...
"I said get out! Get out! I'll have you hanged!" Arthur and Leon ran forward, restraining Uther as the man tried to attack something that wasn't there, dragging him out of the room, "Have you hanged! You...you..."
"It was just a little boy," Marayna breathed as the court started to whisper, "Uncle please don't tell me I just saw…" one of the children Uther remembered murdering.
Gaius sighed, figuring out what it was based on her words, "During the Great Purge, Uther drowned many he suspected of sorcery. And some, God help them, were children, killed for the magic they were born with," he knew that they both were aware of what Uther had done, but...he knew for Marayna to be confronted with an image of it was just terrible, "Maybe his conscience is playing tricks with him. Whatever it is, we can no longer hide this. A king's hold on his people's a very fragile thing. If they start to lose faith in him, I fear for Camelot."
As though it couldn't get any worse...the warning bells sounded.
~8~
Merlin and Marayna stood with Gaius as he spoke to Arthur in the Main Hall later that day, the body of the fallen guard had finally been discovered. And now it was time to tell Arthur about the latest magic threat against him, something Merlin and Marayna were not too keen to have to do, knowing it might harden him against magic more to see his father so openly attacked in such a brutal way.
"The sentry must've been attacked at some point during the night," Gaius told him.
"Who could've done this?" Arthur frowned.
Gaius pulled out the dagger that had been found with the watchman and handed it to him, "That is a sigil of the Bloodguard."
"The Bloodguard?" Merlin glanced at it, they'd just thought Morgause's guards were hired men.
"Warrior priests sworn to protect the…" he glanced at Marayna, "High Priestess of the Old Religion."
Marayna's eyes widened at that bit of information, before narrowing, realizing what that meant, what had happened. AGAIN! She knew she'd only JUST gotten the title of high Priestess, but it appeared it was a title she was always meant to have and yet people kept claiming they were the High Priestess. First Nimueh, now Morgause...she was starting to get very offended..
"Surely they were wiped out during the Great Purge," Arthur remarked.
"Not all of them."
"So you believe there is a traitor in Camelot."
Merlin and Marayna exchanged a glance at that, traitor was far too harsh a word for what Morgana was doing, she was helping them keep Camelot safe by putting herself at risk of Morgause's anger to let them know the woman's plots.
"It is possible, Sire," Gaius nodded, those his lips pursed, knowing that said 'traitor' was Morgana as well, "The sentry will be able to tell us soon enough."
"He's still alive?" Arthur looked started, as did Merlin and Marayna.
"Indeed," Gaius smiled.
~8~
Merlin, Marayna, and Gaius entered his chambers to find the watchman, lying on his cot, gasping, struggling to breathe, and rushed to his side.
"Gaius?" Morgana called as she knocked on the door, "Rayna? Merlin?" she stepped into the room and stopped short, seeing the guard panting, "What's wrong with him?" she ran over.
"You said he was recovering," Marayna frowned at her uncle.
"I thought he was," Gaius defended.
"Then what's happening to him?" Merlin frowned as the man's eyes rolled back in his head.
Gaius quickly peeled away the bandage by his wound, his eyes widening as he saw dark veins popping up from it, "He's been poisoned."
"Oh my god," Morgana breathed, surprised. She knew that Morgause had taken the Bloodguard as her own, claiming to be the High Priestess, but THIS…she'd poisoned their weapons apparently.
"She's enchanted their weapons,' Gaius sighed, answering Morgana's thoughts.
The watchman struggled to breathe once more before his head lulled to the side and he let out his final breath.
Marayna shook her head, "Why would they even follow her?" she asked, "She's not the High Priestess."
"Because she doesn't think you claimed the title when you stopped Nimueh," Morgana answered quietly, "She wants others to believe SHE is the High Priestess so they'll follow her. If they knew it was YOU they'd back off Camelot."
"But loads of people already know," Merlin frowned, "Those renegade sorcerers, the Druids, Kilgharrah…"
"But they were sworn to secrecy, knowing if anyone addressed Marayna differently, she'd be revealed," Morgana explained, knowing the Druids had made a pact when they'd felt the stirrings of a new High Priestess and realized who it was, they'd gone after the renegades and gotten them to swear to be quiet as well, "Until you take the title officially and are addressed as such...she's going to proclaim she's the High Priestess and she's powerful enough to fool even the Bloodguard into believing her."
Marayna scoffed, "We'll see about that."
~8~
Later that night, Marayna insisted she and Merlin go with Morgana to her latest meeting with Morgause. They were going to wait till Morgana left the meeting and confront the woman, prove to the Bloodguard she wasn't their priestess, that they'd been tricked, earn their allegiance, hopefully get them to turn on Morgause and stop both her and Cenred.
"Sorry you had to wait," Morgause called as she made her way to Morgana as she waited in a small hollow in the woods, "There was much to discuss."
"But your visit was successful?" Morgana turned to her, trying to seem like she wasn't talking louder than necessary to make sure the others could hear her from their hiding spots behind the trees.
"Cenred's army ride for Camelot on my command," Morgause smiled, not noticing, not wanting to notice likely.
Morgana offered her an 'awed' smile, "There is nothing you cannot do."
Except earn her loyalty, Morgana added silently to herself, despite being her sister...she felt nothing of the sort for the woman.
"It is you that gives me strength, sister," Morgause reached out and took her hand a moment, "How goes the battle for Uther's mind?"
"When Cenred marches on Camelot, he will find a kingdom without a leader," she said, trying to keep her despair at that out of her voice.
"Finally we are ready," Morgause cheered, before frowning, a thought striking her, "And the servants? Do they suspect you?"
"No," Morgana frowned, "I don't believe so."
"Are you certain?"
"Yes, of course," she answered quickly, "Why?"
"Because they're here!" she turned, her eyes flashing as the two were pulled out from behind a tree and fell before her, "Did you really think I was that stupid?" she sneered at them.
'RUN!' Morgana called in their minds.
They hesitated a moment but she nodded and they pushed themselves up and ran, the Bloodguard and Morgause following them.
"Stop!" Marayna turned to face the men suddenly, "I command you," she tried to stand as straight as she could, imitating Arthur, her eyes flashing gold and staying that way, blazing in the night with warning.
The Bloodguard skid to a halt, their eyes wide as they looked between the woman before them, the power radiating off her that could ONLY be from the High Priestess, and the woman they'd been serving who had claimed the same title. They fell to their knees before Marayna, their fists over their hearts, making her let out a relieved breath.
'Thank god that worked,' she muttered to Merlin in her mind, her brother edging closer to her, shaking his head at how badly that could have gone if it hadn't worked.
"What are you doing?" Morgause spat as she entered the clearing, just a moment after the gold in Marayna's eyes faded, but the men stood, glaring at her, and advanced, moving to attack. Sensing something had changed within them, her eyes flared and they were thrown back, crashing into the trees, either knocked out or dead. Her eyes flashed again and bindings surrounded Merlin and Marayna, "You intrigue me," she eyed them, "Why do lowly servants continue to risk everything for Arthur and for Camelot?" she looked at their defiant faces, "You know the answer, but you're not telling me. Why? Come on," she tempted them, "Time and again you put your lives on the line. There must be a reason."
Marayna rolled her eyes, "Ever heard of love?"
Morgause scoffed.
"I believe in a fair and just land," Merlin added.
"And you think Arthur will give you that?" Morgause taunted, "Either of you?"
"He already has," Marayna glared at her, "He's proven himself to be a better man than his father. We know he will be a better king."
"And then what?" she crossed her arms, amused, "You think you'll be his queen or something?" she eyed Marayna, before glancing at Merlin, "Be recognized? Is that it? All this so, one day, you can be serving the king? No," she shook her head, "There's something more. Something you're not telling me, isn't there?"
"We told you," Merlin glared.
"Well, you can take your secret to your grave," she smirked, "Weorc untoworpenlic," the chains glowed and tightened, binding them magically, "You chose to poison one of my own. You may regret that."
And with that she stalked off, assuming Morgana had returned to Camelot, not even seeing her sneak out from behind a tree where she'd been waiting.
"Merlin!" she gasped, rushing to his side, trying a spell, "Abricaþ benda," but it didn't work, she tried again, "Abricaþ benda!" same result.
"Morgana," he cut in, "You need to get back to Camelot."
"No," she shook her head.
"You have to," Marayna agreed, "If Morgause finds you here, everything will be lost. Get back, protect Arthur and the kingdom till we get back."
"We'll get out of this eventually," Merlin grinned at her, "You know us, but these woods are dangerous, we need to know you're safe. I need to know."
Morgana frowned, "And I need to know YOU are."
"I'll watch him Morgana," Marayna promised, "The Bloodguard, they know who it is they serve now. When they wake up , we'll get them to free us, but please go."
"Go," Merlin whispered, urging her on.
Morgana hesitated before getting up and running off.
"Isen fæstnunga onlucan me," Merlin tried another spell.
"Merlin…" Marayna hesitated, "Do you hear that?"
There was a clicking in the distance, a chittering.
"Serkets," Merlin breathed.
"Well," Marayna struggled, trying to see the good part, "At least it's not rats."
~8~
"Gaius!" Morgana ran into his chambers.
"Ah Morgana," he turned to her with a smile, "Have you seen Merlin or Rayna?"
"That's it," Morgana panted, "Morgause…she's captured them."
Gaius looked at her, his heart freezing at her words, "No..."
~8~
"Min strengest miht hate þe tospringan," Marayna tried, but even that failed.
And now they could see the serkets drawing in.
"Awendaþ eft wansæliga neat," Merlin cried, trying to throw the serkets back.
"Forlætan me!" Marayna incanted, wiggling to try and get free.
Their eyes flashed and a few serkets flew back…but one stabbed Merlin in the back.
"NO!" Marayna shouted, her eyes flaring as the scorpion-thing was thrown back into a tree and didn't get up.
Merlin groaned, before shouting into the sky words Marayna had only ever heard him say when speaking to Kilgharrah last time they'd seen him, "O drakon, e male so ftengometta tesd'hup'anankes!"
Marayna let out a breath of relief when, moments later, the Dragon descended, breathing fire at the serkets, knocking them away and causing them to flee, before picking the two up in his claws and flying off.
To be continued...
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the story :) I'm VERY excited for this series ^-^
Eaðe drýcræft begíeman þisne áþstæf, 'éaðe drýcræft ágeldan þá hwa ábrecan hit - May magic heed this oath, may magic punish those who break it.
Some notes on reviews (from the end of Flames)...
Thank you all so much for your condolences, it really meant a lot to me :') My uncle was the sort of guy where he didn't want you to be unhappy or sad, and the funeral was full of that sentiment, as much as it could be, so thank you again :')
And a happy birthday to Ceasar-Flickerman! I hope you have a great day and enjoy the second chapter posted for the series ;)