This is the new chapter. Sorry for the wait. It follows the events of the third episode of Merlin season 1 and has quotes taken directly from the script of it.
Thanks to everyone who let me a review for this story and to everyone who put this story in the alters and/or favorites. I'm really glad you're liking this story and I hope you'll like this chapter too! Please Read and Review!
Chapter 3 - THE MARK OF NIMUEH
"Maybe one day people will come to see magic as a force for good"
(Morgana, Merlin 2x03)
Morgana woke up with a gasp, the fractures images of her visions haunting her mind. There was water, and some kind of monster, and bodies with blank eyes, white skin and all too evident blue veins on their faces.
She noticed with dismay that she was shaking and tried to calm herself down. She got up from her bed and noticed Gwen had already left a bath ready for her and the blue dress she had decided to wear for today, already on the chair in front of the dresser.
She washed and dressed quickly, wanting to go talk to Merlin and Gaius as soon as she was able. They needed to know about her dream.
She had just finished dressing when Gwen entered the room, a smile on her face and a bouquet of flowers in her hands.
"You look happy" Morgana immediately commented, not able to resist a smile in the face of Gwen's happiness.
Gwen smiled back before handing her the flowers. "I picked these for you".
"Oh, that's so sweet".
"Something to cheer you up. I know you're not sleeping well" Morgana kept smiling but the nightmare that woke her up immediately came back to her mind.
"You cheer me up".
Gwen smiled at her words before offering "Would you like me to put them in water for you?" Morgana nodded and told Gwen that she was going to talk to Gaius before leaving the room.
She entered the room without knocking and immediately noticed Gaius and Merlin examining a body, the characteristics of it, too similar to the bodies in her dream. White skin, blank eyes, blue veins. She shivered again and came a little closer.
"I've never seen anything like this before" She heard Gaius commenting.
"Do you think it could be some kind of plague?" Merlin asked then. Neither of them had noticed her yet.
"No. I fear that something like this could never come from nature. But who has this kind of power?
"You think it's caused by magic?" Merlin asked then.
"If I had a dream about it, the cause is definitely magical" Morgana commented and Merlin almost squeaked at her presence in the room.
"Morgana" He immediately said, trying to hide the body from her view.
"My Lady" Gaius said then "What are you doing here?" Both their voices appeared nervous.
"No need to try to hide the body for me Gaius. I already seen enough of it to know that it's like in my dream" Morgana commented calmly.
"What did you see?" Merlin asked her, a tone of apprehension in his voice.
"It was confusing but...I remember water, and some...monster maybe. I'm not sure..." Morgana tried to force herself to remember more but she just couldn't.
Gaius and Merlin exchanged a worried glance but the moment was interrupted by Arthur's voice calling from Merlin. "Merlin!"
Merlin went to the door and opened it before Arthur could come in and see the body.
"Erm... I'm on my way. Sorry I'm late" Merlin replied, a little nervously.
"Don't worry. I'm getting used to it" Arthur replied, a little sarcastically.
Morgana noticed Arthur looking at something in Merlin's scarf and Merlin immediately commenting "Oh, er... Gwen, she gave it to me".
Arthur shook his head in amusement but didn't comment. "Tell Gaius my father wants to see him now" He ordered then and was about to leave when he finally noticed her presence in the room.
"Morgana!" He said surprised "What are you doing here?"
Morgana smirked, noticing a trace of jealousy in his voice, probably because of Merlin and her being in the same room, again.
"I came to Gaius for a headache remedy, Arthur. Why? Am I not allowed to visit the physician's chambers now?"
Arthur glared a little before shaking his head "Whatever". He left without a backward glance and Morgana shrugged her shoulders.
"It would be better for me to go now. Tell me if you have some more news about this..." Morgana said, waving her hand in the direction of the body before making her way towards the Council Chambers.
"Morgana? What are you doing here?" It was Uther's voice, asking her this as soon as she set foot inside the room.
Morgana forced herself not to roll her eyes at hearing that question directed towards her for the third time in less than an hour and decided to answer calmly anyway. "I was in Gaius' chambers when I heard Arthur asking for his presence. If you called for the physician, something must be wrong". She noticed immediately a second body, the cause of his death the same as the one in Gaius' chambers and realized immediately what the problem was.
"This is not for your eyes, Morgana. Go back to your room" Uther ordered gently.
"I'm not some delicate flower you need to protect Sire. I'm the First Lady of Camelot. If there is something I can do to help, I will" Morgana replied, standing erect and proud before the King. She felt Arthur's eyes on her but she didn't shift her focus from the older Pendragon.
Uther smiled at her and was surely about to say something along the lines of 'There's nothing you can do' when Gaius and Merlin entered the room.
Uther immediately left her side and went towards Gaius who was looking over the body "What's happened to him?"
"I don't know, Sire. It's the second case I've seen today" Gaius replied, going back to his feet.
"Why didn't you report it to me?" Uther's voice was worried like Morgana had never heard it before.
"I was attempting to find the cause".
"What did you conclude?" Uther asked immediately.
"I don't think it's time to hurry to conclusions. The scientific process is a long one" Gaius was obviously stalling and Uther obviously noticed because he asked "What are you concealing from me?"
"Sire, I have seen nothing like it. The victims are dying in 24 hours, and it's spreading fast".
"What is the cause?" Uther asked again.
"I think you should say that the cause, the most likely cause, is sorcery" Morgana looked worriedly towards Merlin and wondered who could have used magic in such a way, besides herself once upon a time, of course. Morgause maybe? But no, this was not Morgause's style.
She noticed Uther pulling Arthur aside but she couldn't hear what Uther was saying to him. She turned her attention towards Merlin.
"There must be something we can do Merlin" She said in a whisper towards him. "We have magic. If there is someone who can find some kind of cure, it's us. We can't let other people die" Her voice was frantic but she couldn't control herself. She was worried.
"I know." Merlin replied in a grim voice.
Merlin observed Arthur and his knights searching the city while he and Gaius walked through town. Merlin saw a man sprawled on the ground, half leaning towards a column, his face white as a sheet. He realized immediately that he had been infected. And yet, he was still alive.
"Gaius?" He called to catch Gaius' attention "He's still alive".
"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for him" Gaius said, once he came close enough to see what had caught Merlin's attention.
"But we haven't tried" Merlin protested immediately.
"If we don't know what a disease is, then how can we cure him?"
"With magic" Merlin whispered back immediately, Morgana's words coming back to him. "Morgana is right. She said that if there is someone who can cure these people is us. Because we have magic"
Gaius shook his head immediately "Have a look. They're suspicious of everyone. This is not the time to be using magic. Science will lead us to the source of the disease".
And with that said, Gaius dragged Merlin away from the sick man and towards his chambers.
Morgana entered Gaius' chambers the next morning, hoping to hear some good news.
"Gaius?" She noticed immediately another body on the table, this time of a woman.
"Morgana" Merlin greeted her with a worried sigh. Gaius shook his head, probably about to protest about her presence there once again but then thought better of it because he said. "Come closer Morgana, since you're here anyway. Tell me, what's different about this victim?" The question was directed towards both her and Merlin.
"Er... she's a woman" Merlin replied uncertainly.
Gaius almost rolled his eyes at that answer "Sometimes I do wonder whether your magical talents were given to the right person. Anything else?" He turned towards Morgana.
"She's a courtier" Morgana realized, noticing her expensive necklace and dress.
"Ah" Gaius nodded in approval towards her.
"How does that help us?" Merlin asked confused.
"Courtiers seldom go down to the lower town. So what does that mean?" Gaius prompted him.
"Erm... that, that she hasn't spoken to any townspeople" Gaius looked pained at that and Morgana couldn't help but laugh slightly in amusement at that.
"Yes, it suggests that the disease is not spread by contact" Gaius continued.
"Oh, and they probably ate different food" Merlin added. Morgana stayed silent, thinking to herself what could this woman have in common with the other victims.
"Good. Anything else?"
"Erm... I doubt they breathe the same air" Merlin replied, his tone still a little confused but Morgana had finally realized what it was all those people had in common.
"So what's the only thing they do share?"
"Water" Morgana exclaimed, excited. "Like in my dream"
"Water? You think the disease is spread through water?" Merlin asked Gaius in surprised understanding.
Gaius smiled, his tone a little ironic "Merlin, you're a prodigy".
While Merlin went to fetch some water from the lower town for Gaius to analyze, Morgana waited there, feeling a little useless since she wasn't exactly of much help to Gaius.
A few minutes later, a distraught Gwen entered the room, not even noticing her presence there but going straight to Gaius.
"Gwen!" Both Morgana and Gaius exclaimed surprised.
"Gaius" She exclaimed in tears. Morgana came closer towards her, wanting to help but not knowing what the problem was.
"You have the sickness?" Gwen shook her head. "My father!" She exclaimed "Please, Gaius, he's all I have" Morgana looked at her sadly and put a hand on her shoulder in comfort. Gwen looked at her for a second before her head turned immediately towards Gaius.
"Gwen, I have no cure" Gaius said apologetically.
"I am begging you!"
"I wish there was something, anything, but so far the remedy is beyond what I can achieve" He said to her while taking her hand "I'm sorry, Gwen".
Gwen run out of the room in tears and Morgana immediately went after her.
"Gwen! Wait!" She followed her all through her house and immediately hug her when she noticed Gwen's father on the bed, his skin white like all the other victims.
"She's going to be okay, Gwen. I promise you" Morgana said to her, trying to comfort her. "I'll stay with you tonight okay? I don't want to leave you alone like this"
"My Lady..." Gwen immediately protested but Morgana shook her head. "I'll stay" she said resolutely. Gwen thanked her with a small smile and didn't protest further. Morgana left a few minutes later and returned to Gaius' chambers.
"There must be something we can do" Morgana immediately said, as soon as she has closed the door behind her.
"Not what you're thinking My Lady. You can't use magic. It's too dangerous" Gaius protested immediately.
"But it's Gwen's father. We have to help him. I have a knack for healing spells, I'm sure I could find something"
"I don't doubt your powers Morgana. But how are you going to explain Tom's sudden recovery? Or actually, how are Gwen and Tom going to explain it? It could bring Uther to suspect them of sorcery. Maybe even to be the cause of the disease"
"But it's absurd. It's Gwen, she wouldn't hurt a fly" Morgana protested vehemently.
"Yes, we know that. But I'm afraid the King wouldn't care".
Morgana sighed defeated, her eyes filling with tears of frustration at the idea of having the power to help Gwen and not being able to use it. It was all Uther's fault.
"I'll do my best" Gaius said with a pat on her shoulder to comfort her. "Let's hope that this can provide some answers" Referring to the water Merlin had brought.
"But that'll be too late for Gwen's father" Merlin commented, looking as grim as she did.
"I fear you may be right" Gaius said with sadness in his voice while putting a flower in a jar filled with water. Morgana shook her head, not being able to stand this talk anymore. "I'm going to Gwen" She said in the end and without a backward glance, she left the room.
Morgana startled awake when she felt the door opening. She looked first at Gwen, half sitting on the floor and with her head near her father's legs on the bed and then at the door. She noticed Merlin making his way inside the house and indicating with a finger in front of his mouth to keep silent.
"What are you doing?" She mouthed back at him. Merlin showed her the glowing poultice he had in his hand and Morgana nodded, a little uncertainly. She wasn't sure this was the best idea but she didn't want Gwen's father to die so she didn't stop him when she saw him walking towards the bed when Tom was sleeping.
He put the poultice under Tom's pillow before whispering "þu fornimst adl fram guman" She noticed immediately the sickness leaving Tom's body. Merlin exited the house as quietly as he had come and Morgana pretended to wake as soon she heard saying in a whisper "Father?"
"Gwen" The man said, caressing his daughter's head. Gwen noticed that her father was awake and well and smiled "What's happened? I can't believe it!" Morgana smiled at Gwen. "It's a miracle" She said elated.
Gwen smiled at her before hugging her father happily.
Morgana watched happily Gwen humming as she carried a vase full of flowers. The moment was interrupted by Arthur and some of Camelot guards entering her room.
"Arthur? What is the meaning of this?" She asked outraged. Arthur ignored her and ordered the guards to seize Gwen.
"No" Gwen protested.
"Arthur, stop!" Morgana cried out but she was ignored once again.
"Guinevere, I'm arresting you for crimes and contraventions of the laws of Camelot, that you did practice enchantments".
"But what have I done? I haven't done anything! Help me, please!" Gwen pleaded desperately.
"What are you doing?" She asked once again towards Arthur.
"I found a magic poultice in her house" Arthur finally replied, his expression stony.
"Oh, that's ridiculous" She protested, feeling her heart skipping a beat in fear.
"Then how else do you explain her father's recovery?"
"Well, she's innocent! I know she's innocent" She pleaded with him.
"What can I do? I can't turn a blind eye just because she's your maid!" Arthur replied, his eyes apologetically.
"And my friend. Arthur please, you know she's innocent!" Arthur shook his head at her and left the room. Morgana followed him to the corridor outside her room, trying to make him see reason but to no avail.
"No, please. You've got to listen to me!" Continued to protest Gwen, a guard on each arm "Please, I haven't done anything wrong! You have to listen to me, please! I am innocent, I swear! Let me go! I swear to you!"
"Merlin! Merlin, please help me!" She said, seeing Merlin approaching with Gaius "Why won't you listen to me?!" Gaius took Merlin's arm to stop him from interfering. Morgana clenched her fists in anger but continued following Arthur and the guards escorting Gwen to the King. Her only hope was to convince Uther to see reason, but she already knew that when it came to magic there was no reasoning with him.
Morgana watched the guards dragging Gwen into the room before following them inside. Uther sat on his throne in cold silence while Gwen continued to plead innocence. "Please listen to me I have done nothing, please! I swear I haven't done anything!"
"Well done" Uther praised Arthur and ignored completely Gwen kneeling in front of him.
"Why will no one believe me?! He got better, he just recovered. I didn't do anything!"
Morgana walked ahead until she was standing at Gwen's side "I believe you" Then towards Uther, she said "Perhaps this is a disease that is not always fatal. Have you thought of that? Perhaps he recovered naturally".
"And what of this poultice that was found?" Uther asked, no expression on his face.
"What poultice?" Gwen asked confused "I don't know anything about a poultice!"
"It was found in your house" Uther answered, for the first time addressing Gwen directly since she had been brought into the room "Undo this enchantment. Put an end to this contagion".
"I can't!" Gwen cried in protest.
"I will show you no mercy".
"I am not a witch." Gwen tried to explain "I don't know how to stop the illness!"
"If you will not undo your sorcery, you force my hand and I must find you guilty..." Uther continued merciless.
"But I told you, I..." Gwen tried to say but the King interrupted "It is therefore my duty to pronounce judgment. And under the circumstance I have no choice but to sentence you to death."
"No!" Gwen said as the same time as Morgana. "Sire please..." Morgana begged him but Uther ignored her.
"I can only hope that when you die, this evil plague dies with you" Uther continued, showing no remorse.
"No! No!" Gwen cried desperately.
"Take her away." The King ordered the guards that immediately complied, dragging Gwen out of the room.
"I know Gwen, she's my maidservant, not an enchantress" Morgana tried once again to make Uther see reason.
Uther turned towards her calmly "Have you ever seen an enchantress? Believe me, they bear no sign, no mark. There is no sense of evil in the eye".
"I've seen the way the girl works. Her fingers are worn, her nails are broken. If she was a sorceress, why would she do this? Why would she kneel on a cold stone floor morning after morning when she could make these things happen with a snap of her fingers?" Then, unable to restrain herself she added "Like an idle king!"
Uther turned towards her in anger "You have no right!"
"You have no right to cast a judgment on that girl!" Morgana retorted back.
"I have a responsibility to take care of this kingdom! I take no pleasure in this!"
"But you're sentencing the wrong person!" Morgana shouted in frustration.
"She's right, Father." Arthur intervened finally "You hear the word magic, you no longer listen."
"You saw it for yourself. She used enchantments." Uther replied calmly.
"Yes, maybe." Arthur concurred "But to save her dying father, that doesn't make her guilty of creating a plague. One's the act of...of kindness, of love, the other of evil. I don't believe evil's in this girl's heart." Morgana smiled at him at those words, proud that he had dared go against his father for once.
"I have witnessed what witchcraft can do. I have suffered at its hand." Uther said and Morgana almost snorted. "I cannot take that chance. If there is the slightest doubt about this girl, she must die or the whole kingdom may perish."
"I understand that." Arthur said in submission.
"One day you may become King. Then you will understand. Such decisions must be made. There are dark forces that threaten this kingdom."
"I know." Arthur said once again "Witchcraft is an evil, father." Morgana almost winced at that but tried to keep her expression impassive "So is injustice. Yes, I am yet to be King, and I don't know what kind of king I will be, but I do have a sense of the kind of Camelot I would wish to live in. It would be where the punishment fits the crime."
"I fear you're right." Uther said and Arthur and Morgana both looked at him in confusion and trepidation "She has played with fire, and sadly she must die by fire." The King finished.
"No! Please, Sire! She didn't do anything!" Morgana cried in anger.
"My decision is final Morgana" Uther said without looking at her. Morgana glared at him one more time before stomping out of the room.
Morgana went immediately to see Gwen in the cell where she had been imprisoned. She tried to comfort her how she could but it wasn't easy. She didn't know what she was supposed to do.
"It will be alright Gwen. I promise you, I won't let you die" She said before leaving, unable to hold back the tears filling her eyes any longer. While crying she passed by Merlin, obviously on his way to see Gwen. She looked at him for a moment, trying to cover her eyes and then run away, not liking to be seen this weak.
She tried to calm herself down before heading towards the Council Room.
"What if burning this witch doesn't stop the poison? How do I protect my people? My men have closed down the water pumps." Uther was saying when she burst into the room.
"Morgana!" Uther shouted outraged. Morgana ignored him and said "I spent the night at Gwen's house. She couldn't have done anything because I was with her all night. She's innocent"
"She must have done her enchantment while you were sleeping Morgana..." Uther said, obvious to anyone that he wasn't really taking into consideration her words.
"I would have noticed if she had done magic. I was in the same room with her!" She tried once again.
Uther was about to reply something back when Merlin irrupted into the room.
"It was me! It was me who used magic to cure Gwen's father!" Merlin said aloud. The whole Council stared at him, Arthur included. Morgana tried to signal to him to keep quiet but Merlin wasn't even looking at her, he was looking fixedly at the King.
"Gwen is not the sorcerer. I am!" Merlin continued unperturbed.
Gaius stood up "Merlin! Are you mad?" He asked dismayed.
"I cannot let her die for me." He said towards Gaius before turning towards the King "I place myself at your mercy."
"He doesn't know what he's talking about." Gaius tried to say but Merlin interrupted "I do."
"Then arrest him." Uther said immediately. Two guards immediately complied to Uther's orders, restraining him.
"Father, please!" Arthur intruded himself into the conversation "I can't allow this! This is madness! There's no way Merlin is a sorcerer."
"Did you not hear him?" Uther asked his son.
"Yes." Arthur nodded.
"He admitted it." Uther continued.
"He saved my life, remember." Arthur said then.
"Why should he fabricate such a story?"
"As Gaius said, he's got a... grave mental disease." Morgana looked at Arthur in confusion. What was he talking about?
"Really?" Uther appeared equally confused.
"He's in love." Arthur continued with a smirk.
"What?" Merlin asked surprised.
"With Gwen." Arthur continued, like it wasn't obvious already what he meant.
Uther grinned at that
"I am not." Merlin protested immediately.
"Yes, you are." Arthur said towards Merlin.
"No way." Merlin shook his head.
"Come on, Merlin. There's no need to deny it" Morgana interjected, throwing Merlin a pointed look to second Arthur's story.
"I saw yesterday with that flower she'd given you." Arthur ignored Merlin's protests.
"I'm not in love with her." Arthur put his arm around Merlin with a grin "It's alright. You can admit it."
"I don't even think of her like that!" Merlin continued to protest but Morgana noticed with relief that everyone in the room seemed to have bought Arthur's story.
"Perhaps she cast a spell on you." Uther commented but he was joking.
"Merlin is a wonder, but the wonder is that he's such an idiot." Arthur added then "There's no way he's a sorcerer."
Uther was still grinning "Don't waste my time again." And with that he ordered the guards to let him go.
Merlin left the room dejectedly. Morgana shook her head and followed him.
"Arthur's the idiot." She heard him comment before entering the room.
"No, I have to admit that this time Arthur has not behaved at all like an idiot." Morgana commented drily.
"Yes." Gaius agreed "He was right to do what he did. And, thankfully, he saved you from your own stupidity."
"What else could I do?" Merlin asked no one in particular "It's my fault Gwen's going to die."
"It's your fault just as much as mine, but telling Uther you are a sorceress is not going to solve anything"
"Morgana is right" Gaius agreed "We have to find out what's causing the disease"
"Well, whatever it is, one thing's for sure: Arthur isn't going to find it." Merlin commented, probably a little offended by Arthur's words "He thinks he is so sharp! But even when I told him I was a wizard, he still couldn't see it."
"Sometimes they're pretty hard to spot." Gaius said in reply.
"Well, maybe I should go around wearing a pointy hat." Morgana smiled amused at the mental image.
"I don't think you'll find one big enough." Gaius said drily. "Anyway, forget that. If we're going to save Gwen, we have to find out what's contaminating the water."
"I'm coming with you" Morgana immediately offered.
"My Lady..." Gaius started to protest.
"No buts Gaius. I'm coming. This is Gwen we're talking about here..." Merlin grinned at her and the three of them made their way towards the water supply. They made their way inside the underground entrance until they reach the pool full of water.
"The water from here supplies the whole town." Gaius explained "Take a sample." He said to Merlin. Morgana and Gaius stayed behind him, waiting for him to collect the water in a bottle.
"Let's take it back and examine it." Gaius said, as soon as Merlin had rejoined their side and gave back the bottle to Gaius.
They turned around and were about to leave when they heard a growl. They turned as one and saw a monster coming out of the water for a moment before plunging back in.
"What the hell was that?" Merlin said with bewilderment and a little fear.
"It was the same monster I saw in my dream" Morgana explained surprised.
They immediately went back to Gaius' rooms and Gaius started to search in a book for the answer he was looking for.
"Here. It was an Afanc." Gaius said then.
"An...a what?" Merlin asked confused.
"A beast born of clay, and conjured up only by the most powerful sorcerer." Gaius explained "Now we have to find a way to defeat it. But where?" The three of them looked at the shelves full of books.
"That could take days." Merlin said aloud what they were all thinking. "Gwen'll be dead by then."
"Have you got a better idea?" Gaius asked him then. Merlin appeared lost in thought for a moment before nodding his head slowly. "Maybe..." he replied uncertainly. "Morgana, come with me. I want you to meet someone" Morgana looked at him confused but nodded her head, following him out of the room after a shrug towards Gaius.
They passed in front of Gwen's cell and after swearing to her that they would get her out, they continued walking until Merlin stopped suddenly and turned towards her in warning. "Now, don't be alarmed. It's not going to hurt you"
"Hurt me? What, exactly, are we going to visit?" Morgana asked him but Merlin didn't answer, resuming walking until they reached the entrance of a large cave underneath the castle.
It appeared empty at first site and Morgana looked once again at Merlin in confusion.
"Hello?" Merlin called out and a moment later a great dragon appeared flying in front of them. Morgana couldn't help but take one step back and cried out a little in fright.
"Hello." The dragon spoke for the first time. "The great warlock returns, as I knew he would." Then, turning towards Morgana he said "Don't be scared My Lady. I have no intention of hurting you" The dragon said, and if dragons could smile, this one was definitely smiling.
Morgana smiled tentatively back before asking "You know who I am?"
"Of course I know. You have a great destiny ahead of you Young Seer"
Morgana was about to ask more when Merlin interjected. "We need to know how to defeat an Afanc."
"Yes, I suppose you do." The dragon replied, not at all surprised.
"Will you help us?" Morgana asked then.
"Trust the elements that are at your command." The dragon replied cryptically.
"Elements?" Merlin asked confused "But what is it we have to do?"
"The two of you cannot do this alone. You need the Prince's help" The dragon said, not answering Merlin's question in the slightest.
"Arthur?" Morgana asked surprised. The dragon nodded at her.
"I, I don't understand." Merlin said "Just tell me what it is we have to do." The dragon didn't answer but immediately flew away.
"No! Please, help us!" Merlin called after him.
"I have." They heard the dragon's voice saying with a laugh.
"Oh, yeah, right. Thanks." Merlin said sarcastically before leaving the cave, Morgana following behind him.
Merlin returned to Gaius' chambers to search through Gaius' books.
"Merlin, what are you doing?" Gaius asked him.
"Looking for a book." Merlin replied, not stopping his search while, at the same time, explaining the situation to Gaius.
"You going to tell me which one?"
"A book on elements."
"Elements?" Gaius asked confused.
"Yes. Which one would I find them in?"
"Well, most of them. The study of base elements is at the very heart of the scientific process." Gaius explained.
"But how would they help me kill the Afanc?"
"Well, the Afanc is a creature made from earth and water. That's two of the four base elements."
"What about the other two?" Merlin asked then, hoping for Gaius to shed some light on the dragon's words.
"Well, perhaps they will destroy it. You want fire. Wind and fire." Gaius said reflectively "How did you find this out?"
"Erm... I just knew, you know? One of my powers." He wasn't yet ready to tell Gaius about the dragon.
"What else do your powers tell you?" Gaius asked curious.
Before Merlin could answer, Morgana burst into the room. "They're bringing forward the execution." She said in a clearly upset voice. "We have to prove Gwen's innocence." The turning towards Merlin "Merlin, have you found out how to kill the Afanc?"
"Maybe..." Merlin said, not completely certain.
"We must tell Uther then." Morgana said immediately.
"The Afanc's a creature forged by magic." Gaius explained. "Telling Uther wouldn't save Gwen. He'd just blame her for conjuring it."
"So what are we to do?" Morgana asked a little impatiently.
"We need to destroy it. Then the plague will stop and Uther may see sense." Merlin explained.
Morgana nodded at him in understanding. "And for this we need Arthur" She said rhetorically.
"He's our best chance. But he won't want to disobey the King."
Merlin looked Morgana's face assuming an air of determination before nodding to herself "Leave that to me." And with that said, Morgana left the room without a backward glance.
When Arthur entered his chambers, Morgana is waiting for him.
"You alright?" Arthur asked her as soon as she saw her "Sorry about all this." He added then, indicating the mess of food on the table. "Merlin's not been in today." That was exactly the input Morgana needed.
"Poor Merlin." She said with a slight smile.
"Yeah." Arthur agreed.
"To offer to give up his life to save Gwen's." She said a little dramatically "I certainly can't imagine any man loving me so much."
Arthur smiled slightly at that before masking his expression "No, I certainly can't imagine that either."
Morgana couldn't help a slight smirk at that before continuing "That's because you're not like Merlin. He's a lover."
Arthur smiled slightly again "Yeah, maybe that's because I haven't found the right person to love." He said looking directly at her.
Morgana sighed theatrically "Sadly the age of gallantry seems to be dead. You look around and all you see are small men, not big enough to fill their armour. There's not one of them that's able to stand up for what is right."
Arthur smirked at Morgana's obvious manipulative insult and almost shook his head at her in amusement "What do you want me to do?" Morgana smiled cheekily back at him.
Morgana and Arthur walked into the square where Merlin was waiting for them. Once they had reached Merlin's side, the three of them made their way towards the water cavern. They opened the door and Arthur and Morgana immediately lighted a torch before starting to descend.
"You'd better be right about this, Merlin" Arthur said while walking through one of the different tunnels of the cavern. Suddenly they heard a growl and Morgana gasped instinctively in response.
Arthur immediately turned to look at her "You should stay here" He said to her.
Morgana disagreed "I'm coming with you".
"No." Arthur said forcefully but Morgana had no intention of going anywhere but forward so she smirked and said "Scared I'll show you up?"
Arthur glared at her "Father will slam us both in chains if he knew I'd endangered you".
Morgana grinned "Well good thing he doesn't know about it then."
"I'm telling you, Morgana, turn back. You could get hurt." Arthur said and Morgana could hear perfectly the worry in her tone.
"So could you..." She answered gently and seriously before adding more forcefully "Now get out of my way!". And with that she passed by him until she was at the front of their little group. She had her back turned but she could almost feel Merlin's amusement and Arthur's irritation.
"How are we going to find it?" She asked then.
"I just hope we do before it finds us." Merlin said a little worriedly.
Arthur suddenly spun around, probably having felt something behind them. "Stop." He ordered while looking at the shadows with his torch.
"What?" Asked Merlin, not seeing anything.
Arthur shook his head a moment later "It's just a shadow."
They kept moving, turning another tunnel. When they found themselves at a crossroads Arthur said "Spread out." They did as he said but when Morgana heard the sounds of a struggle she turned back around immediately. When she noticed Arthur on the ground, Morgana rushed immediately to him.
"What is it? Are you alright?" She helped him get back on his feet.
"Yeah." Arthur nodded.
"Did you see it?" Merlin asked then.
"Yes" Arthur merely said in reply.
"What did it look like?" Merlin kept asking.
"It... it's quick." Arthur stumbled a little with his words, not knowing how to describe him exactly.
Suddenly the Afanc came up in front of Morgana who immediately used the torch to keep it away. "And ugly" Morgana added drily.
Arthur smirked at her "That too". Arthur attacked him but he disappeared once again.
"Where is it?" He looked around him frantically but couldn't find him anywhere.
"I think it's gone this way!" Merlin indicated a point to his left and they followed that direction. The Afanc appeared from another tunnel and came into full view. Arthur swung the sword at it but lost it in the process. Morgana tried to hurt it in some way with her torch but it swiped it away.
"Arthur, use the torch!" Merlin said suddenly and Arthur complied immediately for once in his life.
"Lyfte ic þe in balwen ac forhienan" Merlin whispered a spell under his breath and the flames of the torch Arthur had in hand spread towards the Afanc, incinerating it. Morgana checked that Arthur was alright before smiling at Merlin in relief and thanks.
As soon as the guards opened Gwen's cell, Gwen's father, Merlin, and Morgana made their way in. Gwen got up immediately and run to embrace her father.
"Dad!" She said happily while Morgana observed the scene with a smile.
"Oh, my little child!" Tom said back, embracing her just as strongly. Gwen turned towards her then, taking Morgana's hand in hers. "Thank you!"
"Don't thank me. It was more Merlin." Morgana said sincerely.
"Really?" Gwen asked, both surprised and pleased.
Morgana nodded "He's the real hero here."
Gwen turned towards Merlin "I don't know what to say."
Merlin shrugged embarrassedly "I didn't do anything."
"I'm- I'm grateful to you all." Tom thanked them then "Come on, Gwen." Gwen and her father left the cell and Morgana turned towards Merlin.
"I wanted you to know Merlin, your secret's safe with me" Morgana said seriously. Merlin looked at her in confusion.
"Yes, I know that" Merlin replied, furrowing his eyebrows slightly.
"Not that secret. Your other secret..." Morgana smiled mischievously at him.
"What secret?" Merlin asked, even more confused.
"Merlin, come on, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about." At Merlin's blank look she continued "Your feelings for Gwen..."
"Gwen?" He asked surprised.
"Well, you can continue to deny it, if you want but I think Gwen's a very lucky woman." She said with a smile before putting a finger to her lips. "It's our secret." She said with a light laugh before leaving the dungeons and very confused Merlin behind.
Morgana knocked on Arthur's door and entered without waiting for an answer, not willing to leave him an opening to tease her about visiting his rooms at that time of night.
"Morgana?" Arthur asked surprised, turning towards her from looking out the window. "What are you doing here?"
Morgana smiled slightly at him and joined his side. "I just wanted to thank you. For what you did today".
"I was only doing my duty Morgana" Arthur replied seriously.
Morgana didn't lose her smile "I know but..thanks to you Gwen is free. So I just wanted you to know that I'm grateful...and definitely pleased that you listed to me for once" She teased him slightly to lighten the air.
Arthur smirked at her "I listen to you too often as it is." He said with fake irritation. "But this time I have to admit I'm glad I did" He continued more seriously. "Guinevere didn't deserve to be burn at the stake".
"No, she didn't" Morgana took his hand in hers for a moment, ignoring his startled look. "You'll be a great King one day, I'm sure of it". She didn't wait for an answer, she simply turned back around before wishing him good night.
Arthur watched her go, his hand still tingling slightly at the contact of her skin on his. He smiled to himself while whispering to the empty room "Good night My Lady".