The Night Falls and Descends

 

Morgana hadn’t been well at all when Arthur had been near death. She hadn’t gotten up from where she lay tossing and turning from her bed, dreaming about impossible things. Things that terrified her. Some things that she never wanted to pass.

 

Things were changing and a lot of it she wasn’t sure she liked. But there was one change she was definitely happy with.

 

Merlin was sitting next to her as she ate dinner with Uther. With Uther sitting at his usual seat at the head of the table, Merlin sat to his right and then Morgana sat next to him. She didn’t even blink at the change of seating, happier about it in fact.  If even Uther could see something in Merlin to obviously try to put her and the servant together, then all the better for her. She was grateful and happy that Uther would do something like this, to try to bring her and Merlin closer together.

 

After the first time Merlin dined with them, the handsome servant would occasionally join them every once and a while. After whatever had happened with Arthur’s near death experience, Merlin joined them every day. Morgana loved the new change. Her nightmares haunted her, but Merlin’s presence soothe her into a calmness that took away the insanity she felt consuming her more and more every day.

 

Was that ever proof that they belonged together?

 

When dinner was over, Morgana stopped Merlin and asked for a moment. He glanced worriedly at Uther, who nodded at him. Merlin relaxed slightly and followed after her, Morgana unmindful of the exchange.

 

“I had more terrifying visions. They’ve increased since Arthur’s near passing. I have not told you this…but even before you came to Camelot I had dreams of you. Well, the female you. At first, you were a loyal servant and advisor to Arthur and he is already King. Gwen, of all people, was his Queen. It was a terrible dream. You were extremely loyal to Arthur, and when Gwen actually cheated on him with Lancelot, you –you killed them. But when you actually came here, that changed. In my dreams, Arthur no longer had any Queen. Just you…and you were his High Sorceress, just like before. But he’d refused a Queen and ruled alone, with only you by his side. But now everything has changed. You aren’t High Sorceress. Or at least not just.

 

“You were Queen of Camelot.”

 

Merlin stiffened up and Morgana guessed it was with worry for herself and her sanity. These dreams were confusing her, taking away her sleep, and driving her mad.

 

“I have to go, Morgana. What you’ve been dreaming are just that. Dreams. Don’t think on it, milady. Do you want a sleeping draught to help?” he murmured, touching her face gently with the tips of his fingers, so softly they’d just barely touched her.

 

How sweet, Merlin was.

 

“Yes…that would be nice,” Morgana murmured.

 

“Then I shall send some up with Gwen in a moment. Goodnight, Morgana. May your dreams be pleasant tonight.”

 

And then he was walking away from her, and she was not sure if she was imagining the underline danger in his movements or the clear grace. Merlin was kind, sweet, harmless and was her clumsy idiot. She must be imagining it.

 

It would be nice if Merlin were to deliver her draught himself. Or if he were to stay the night and keep the dreams at bay.

 

Merlin, meanwhile, was pacing in her rooms after her talk with Morgana. Growling in resignation, she plopped herself on her new bed and stuffed her face in her new soft pillow. There was only one good thing going for her right then.

 

Her loving bed.

 

Uther hadn’t been joking when he said he got her a new bed, complete with the softest pillows and blankets. She had been surprised when strange men marched into her room and began destroying her bed, taking care not to make too much noise though there was no helping at least some. She’d gaped at them until Uther appeared at her side, blinking at her.

 

“What on earth are you gaping there stupidly like an idiot for?”

 

“If you haven’t noticed, there are strange men taking apart my bed. What the hell?”

 

“Well, how else do you expect them to get your new bed here? They’re going to destroy that one and make your new one in here. No heavy lifting and no one can see that I’ve gotten you a new bed.”

 

“Why didn’t they just tell me that?! I’ve been trying to ask them what the hell are they doing in my room and they’ve just been ignoring me!”

 

“They’re being paid handsomely to keep quiet about this and to talk to no one.”

 

“…Okay. They’re taking it way too literal.”

 

“All well for me.”

 

She sighed. “Where am I going to sleep then? And Gaius can’t stay here while they’re making all that racket. Everyone outside of these chambers may not be able to hear them, but Gaius will.”

 

“I’ve already arranged for him to temporarily sleep elsewhere. You can sleep with Arthur.”

 

She glared at him.

 

“Are you really that stuck on not bedding with him? I thought you were giving in.”

 

“Yes! I was! I am! But I’m not going to sleep with him.”

 

“Virgin,” he snickered.

 

“You are a most horrid friend.”

 

“Alright, alright. You may stay with me until your bed’s complete.”

 

But he would not stop his quiet laughing.

 

She was barely starting to fall asleep when she felt her bed dip and a kiss was planted on her ear.

 

“What are you doing here, Arthur?” she asked, her voice slightly muffled from her face being stuffed against her pillow.

 

“You forget, tonight you were to spend in my bed,” he whispered into her ear, not at all sounding aggravated but more husky than he usually was with her in one those moods.

 

“…Right…”

 

He pulled back and lightly brushed his fingers against the small of her back, pushing her shirt up a little so that his fingers touched against her skin instead.

 

“And you’re supposed to wear whatever I wanted you to.”

 

She groaned but sat up, moving away from him slightly so that she would be able to look at him. But when she looked at him, he was holding up a small slip that was different from the usual, reminding her more of the sexier slips she’d remembered from the time she spent in the strange future.

 

He didn’t…

 

“A gift from my father, strangely. Said that you could probably use some relaxing tonight,” Arthur smirked, and Merlin cursed at Uther heavily in her head.

 

“No relaxing,” she glared.

 

“Just put it on. Trust me. I won’t take advantage of your trust,” his eyes turned soft and she begrudgingly took the slip from him and after making sure he was turned around, began undressing and putting on the slip. Seeing him still turned around, she smiled faintly and shuffled on her knees closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind him and kissing his neck softly.

 

“I like this,” he murmured, reaching up with one hand to hold her to him. “I like this. You and me. You letting yourself be closer.”

 

She nodded, burying her face into his neck and trying not to think of anything else but his scent and the feel of his back curving into her front.

 

“I promise you, you will be my Queen.”

 

She forced herself not to recoil.

 

“Don’t think about the future. Think about now, where we can be together.”

 

She let him turn around and push her back onto her back on her bed, where he covered her in kisses. They fell asleep together contentedly, in their usual position, with Arthur holding her against him.

 

In the middle of the night, she blearily opened her eyes, still in Arthur’s arms. Her eyes zeroed in on Uther in the darkness, who was staring at them with a strange look on his face, in a mix of pain, fondness, and remembrance.

 

She reluctantly untangled herself from Arthur and approached the dazed King.

 

“Uther?” she whispered, laying a hand hesitantly on his shoulder.

 

He snapped out of it and smiled apologetically at her.

 

“I’m sorry…I hadn’t meant to be so out of it. Would you –would you mind coming with me for a little while? I promise to return you to Arthur after.”

 

“Anytime, Uther,” and he led the way, with Arthur inconspicuously watching them curiously.

 

“Before I came to your room, I was thinking of taking a walk around the castle, but I realized I can’t with you. Someone might see. And my room is too far away. There is a guest room nearby, if we could head there?”

 

She just nodded and followed him, heading to a room she’d never noticed and realized was there before. Heading into it, she noticed it was just as big as Arthur’s but much more extravagant in design, more similar to Uther’s.

 

“This was Ingraine’s old room before we had gotten married and were still courting.”

 

“Really? You didn’t just have her sleep in your room, like you and Arthur insist I sleep in his?” she teased.

 

He smiled faintly. “No…we were much more proper back then…”

 

“Oh really?”

 

“Yes…though I suppose it would be hard to convince you of that. Come, sit down,” he tossed her an apple from a fresh fruit bowl and she caught it, staring at it sadly.

 

“You planned this, didn’t you?” Fresh fruit didn’t belong in an unused room.

 

“…Yes…” he sighed. “I just…I needed to talk to someone. I needed to talk to you. You know how I feel and know me more than anyone alive. You’re the only one I can really talk to –confide in.”

 

“Speak, Uther. I am listening,” she said softly.

 

“Even now, seeing you and Arthur in bed together, it reminds me of many memories. I am happy for you two…”

 

“But it is because those memories are just that. Memories.”

 

Funny how she’d used a similar annotation for Morgana.

 

“Ingraine and I…we used to sleep in a similar position, never too far apart and always kept close. How amusing is it, that such things are so similar.”

 

“Very amusing,” she gave him an understanding smile.

 

He wrapped his arms around himself, curling in and looking like he was trying to hold himself together.

 

“It hurts, Merlin. I don’t want to be…but sometimes I feel so jealous of Arthur. I just miss Ingraine so much and I wish I could have her here once more. I want what Arthur has…to be as happy as he is with you. I want my Ingraine back. It’s just so painful everyday without her.”

 

She took him into her arms and let him cry on her shoulder. After a few minutes, she felt like she should try to lighten things.

 

“Maybe I can set you up with my mother,” she muttered, rubbing circles on his back.

 

“I don’t think that’ll work, Merlin. Sorry.”

 

“No, it’s fine. I wasn’t really being serious. I just wanted to say something because I didn’t know what to say.”

 

“Just hold me,” he mumbled into her shoulder.

 

“Okay.” She bit her lip before starting to talk again. “I know Ingraine isn’t here…but you have the rest of us, you know. A-and you said that I was all that you had left of her, like I was your daughter with her. I, uh, I d-don’t mind if you want to pretend that’s really true.”

 

“I don’t have to pretend.”

 

And her heart warmed up considerably.

 

Afterwards, Uther led her back, staying near the doorway. He kissed her forehead and smiled faintly at her.

 

“Goodnight, my dear girl.”

 

And he left, leaving her to crawl back into bed and smuggle herself into Arthur’s arms, snuggling close to him. She fell asleep, unaware of Arthur still awake and thinking, even when his arms squeezed around her tenderly.

 

The next morning, Arthur had to reluctantly leave her to start his morning patrol, so she went to go meet Uther for breakfast, wondering if he’d already eaten since she was way later than their usual meeting time.

 

But surprisingly, he was sitting nonchalantly at the table, two plates laden with food, and his was still untouched.

 

“Morning,” she called out, sitting to his right as per usual.

 

“Morning,” he answered back, digging in finally.

 

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it, but…well, should you really have changed your dinner pastime with Morgana? Especially the seating? It wouldn’t do well for her to notice and start questioning.”

 

Uther shrugged, “I wish for you to be there. And I want you next to me, at my right hand side. I feel comfortable with you near me, and your presence soothes me. I understand I have become…clingy in regards to you, but just knowing you are close by, I am content and calm. And if I were to be angered, just your presence will keep me compose. Whatever anyone says, if I wish and want it so, then I will have it so.”

 

She felt highly proud and happy at his praise and admissions, blushing happily.

 

“Even if I don’t want to be there or be near you? Or if Arthur doesn’t want it so?” she teased, but was shocked at his answer.

 

“Then I will go on my knees and beg of you, and I will plead with Arthur with everything that I am.”

 

That she meant so much for him to not only admit that, but for him to mean it, made her entirely astonished and pleased.

 

She went through the day floating on happiness.

 

“Those workers are creating a racket,” Merlin stated in annoyance, her good mood evaporating into the night as she glared at the King.

 

“They’re excavating,” Uther said simply.

 

“I can’t sleep. They’re making too much noise that even my nice and fluffy bed is obsolete.”

 

“Have you tried Arthur’s room?”

 

“Yes,” she surprised him. “I went there before he did in hopes of falling asleep before I could face him, but the noise level is even worse there.”

 

“…”

 

“Your room is sound-proofed. Nothing.”

 

“Are you hinting at something?” Uther smirked.

 

“I want to sleep!” she whined, almost pouting.

 

“Alright, alright. You may sleep here.”

 

Merlin grinned in victory, “Good. Now, I’m going to check on Arthur to see if he needs anything and then I’m taking over your bed.”

 

He rolled his eyes but she was already out the door and heading towards Arthur’s, starting to hear him yelling for her. Sighing in fond exasperation, she entered the Prince’s room and saw him wearily getting out of his bed, his muscled torso bare to her eyes.

 

She whistled teasingly.

 

He looked up in surprise, blushing at her grinning face and the wink she tossed his way.

 

“Merlin,” and he gave her the patented Pendragon puppy pleading eyes with his tired face and the one he knew she couldn’t resist.

 

“I can’t sleep,” he complained. “The noise is too loud. Can you tell those workers to stop?”

 

“Those workers are working under your father’s orders,” Merlin held back her laugh.

 

“And you’re working under mine. And you love me. Please?”

 

Merlin couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped.

 

“And how can I get them to listen to me?”

 

Arthur’s mouth stretched into a wide grin. “Use your scary face! The one that makes you look a little like my father. And that sexy, commanding voice that gets people, more specifically me, to listen.”

 

Merlin’s laughter bubbled out and floated behind her as she headed to the caverns.

 

Her smile faltered as she first heard and then saw the workers fleeing the excavation site, running past her in terror. Scowling and worrying, she went to go investigate, only to run back out with a pale face. She went to Uther, whose smirk at seeing her disappeared as soon as he registered the unhappy and terrified look on her face.

 

“Merlin, what’s wrong?”

 

“Someone’s been killed in the tomb. I haven’t figured out how or why, but I thought you would like to know.”

 

“We shall go there then,” Uther said solemnly.

 

On the way there, they picked up Gaius, who looked at the two with knowing looks.

 

“Hmph, if I had known the two of you were conspiring together, then I would not have bothered myself with going to Uther all the time. I would have just sent Merlin to relay everything,” Gaius mock-scowled at them.

 

“Except she does that anyway,” Uther chortled, his laughter echoing through the tunnel as they neared.

 

“Oh shut up,” Merlin huffed, stomping ahead of them.

 

They entered the tomb cautiously, but apparently not cautiously enough as Gaius accidently stepped on the same booby trap the murdered worker had stepped on, causing an arrow to fly out seemingly out of nowhere and head straight for Gaius.

 

Merlin’s eyes turned gold as she panicked and a shield flew quickly in front of Gaius, saving him from certain death.

 

“That could’ve killed me,” Gaius shook his head in disbelief. “Thank you, Merlin. You’ve just saved my life.”

 

She nodded, but her anxiety levels shot up again when she heard footsteps outside the tomb and she let her hold on the shield go, letting it clatter to the ground and roll to a stop at Arthur’s feet. He stopped it with a foot, glancing at it and then her with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Quite the riches, eh Arthur?” Uther commented, adopting his usual single-minded approach to these things.

 

Merlin discreetly rolled her eyes, but Arthur and even Gaius bought it.

 

“So which of my predecessors do I owe for the find?” Uther continued, looking to Gaius.

 

“I’m not sure, milord. I’ll have to research a bit.”

 

Uther nodded, “Alright. You go do that.”

 

But as both Arthur and Uther started leaving, both Gaius and Merlin’s eyes were drawn to the large heart-shaped jewel on top of the tomb.

 

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Bright and early in the morning, Merlin grudgingly but affectionately set off to do her tasks, ending with securing Arthur’s horse for him. She diligently made sure the harness was extra snug and safe and then led it out for Arthur to mount.

 

She left the horse alone for a moment as she went to get Arthur, coming back with the Prince in tow.

 

At least he wasn’t going to use her as a step like he’d joked earlier.

 

However, she watched horrified as Arthur climbed on and then fell off with the harness, the horse running away. She clambered over to him, feeling like the idiot like she was supposed to be, and confused at what had happened. She had made sure the harness was strapped on correctly.

 

“I-I don’t understand, Arthur. I put it on.”

 

Arthur looked pointedly at her.

 

“Maybe that was the problem,” Arthur said in exasperation.

 

What?

 

He knew she wasn’t an idiot. She’d told him so and he’d worked that out for himself. So why was he being a smartass?

 

A skinny man came walking up with the runaway horse, trying to look demure, but it wasn’t working that well.

 

“Thank you, good sir.”

 

“It was my pleasure, Prince Arthur. Just had to straighten and tighten the straps,” the loser smiled crookedly at them.

 

“Well then, what’s your name?”

 

“Cedric, sir. I’ve come to Camelot to look for work.”

 

“Work, you say? We need another beater on the hunt. Come on.”

 

Merlin seethed quietly.

 

She didn’t get any happier when on the hunt, she saved Arthur and Cedric got the credit. And then the little bastard wheedled his way into a position in the royal service. She still wasn’t happy about it later when she was in Uther’s chambers, pacing like a wildcat and generally glaring at everything and mumbling angrily under her breath.

 

“It’s not like the fool of a man has replaced you,” Uther pointed out.

 

“This wouldn’t have happened at all if that stupid harness had stayed on like I kept it,” Merlin hissed. “And I don’t understand how that bloody thing came off anyway! I put it on!”

 

Uther hesitated but then plunged on, “Perhaps you were just tired. It was just one tiny mistake –”

 

“I don’t make mistakes! Not ones involving Arthur’s health or welfare!”

 

He hurried to placate her, “Yes, I know that. I admit, it is very unlike you. But you never know, Merlin. There’s a first for everything and you can’t be perfect all the time. Now…put it out of your head for now and –”

 

There was a knock on the door and Arthur strode in as soon as Uther bid him enter. Merlin frowned and got a wicked idea in her head, moving quickly to Uther’s side and grabbing onto his arm possessively, leaning ludicrously closer and causing Uther to be flustered. Arthur’s face didn’t change.

 

“Ah, Arthur. There you are. Uther and I…were just talking,” Merlin purred uncharacteristically, throwing a smile at Arthur that was closer to a sneer.

 

Arthur was still smiling, but looked a little confused –even if unquestioning.

 

“Oh…well, I was just here to report on the grain store, but if you’re busy I can come back later.”

 

Uther opened his mouth to say it was okay, but Merlin cut him off.

 

“Yes. We’re very busy,” Merlin said curtly, pointedly threading her fingers through Uther’s and stretching their arms out to lay their clasped hands on the table in plain view, watching Arthur with an unflinching gaze.

 

“Um…okay…I’ll just…come by later?” It came more as a question, but Arthur was genuinely getting confused by Merlin’s actions.

 

Once he’d left, Uther stared at her in disbelief.

 

“Did you just…use me…against Arthur?”

 

Merlin glared at the table, viciously taking her hand from his so that she could cross her arms across her chest.

 

“So?”

 

“You came on to me.”

 

“It’s not like you didn’t do the same thing to Arthur before. And you had some half-assed, weird and vague answer to why. What’s your problem?” Merlin asked irritably.

 

Uther stared.

 

“It’s different. I knew I was going to be hitting on you and all that. I was able to be decisive and made myself determined for it. You came on to me! I didn’t even get forewarning!”

 

“Quit complaining.”

 

“But I like to be in control…”

 

“Shush!”

 

“But –”

 

Merlin angrily grabbed his lunch and began violently cutting up his meat for him.

 

“I’m hungry,” she muttered, still tearing into the meat and feeling tears prickling at her eyes.

 

“You can have some of my lunch,” Uther offered. “I should’ve sent up another full plate of food for you. But I’m not all that hungry anyway, so just have mine.”

 

“Why?” she snapped at him. “You lost your appetite because of me? Am I that deplorable?”

 

“No! I’m really not that hungry,” Uther said in a weak voice, confused by her.

 

She sniffed and felt the tears finally fall, her shoulders shaking with the effort not to cry. Uther saw her and pulled her in for a hug, letting her cry on him.

 

“Your son’s such a prat,” she sniffled, clutching onto his front.

 

“So I’ve been told. Repeatedly. By you.”

 

And the amusement in his voice cheered her up a little bit.

 

It didn’t get any better the next day. She’d decided she had been overreacting, so she was going to get Arthur his breakfast, smile and maybe even feed it to him like a sap. But then she’d come in, and Arthur was smugly eating a table laden with food (much more appetizing and fulfilling than the pathetic plate she’d brought in), with Cedric at his shoulder.

 

She’d felt so useless and insignificant.

 

And now she was stuck mucking out the stables. It was just great. She could feel her jaw working furiously as she fought back her anger, which would consequently combust something with her magic if she wasn’t careful.

 

Then smoke filtered in and she blacked out.

 

She woke up to a see a frustrated Arthur above her and no horses around.

 

“He’s a good servant, milord. But he might be overworked and tired. You could give him the night off and I could take over?” that weasel offered.

 

A hint of worry entered Arthur’s eyes, and Merlin sneered.

 

“Don’t you dare worry about me! It wasn’t me. I’m fine. Can't you see what he's trying to do? He's trying to get rid of me,” she glared at him full force, making him wince.

 

“I understand one mistake, Merlin. But you keep making one after the other. Perhaps you are tired. I know you aren’t incompetent, much as I am loathe to admit and especially as insulting you is a favorite pastime,” Arthur threw in with a teasing smirk and as a icebreaker (and so Cedric wouldn’t get too suspicious of their relationship). It didn’t work. “But you’re not invincible.”

 

She felt the mud sticking to her cheek, remembered the ridiculously embarrassing times he’d brushed her off or practically scoffed at her, and the upsetting hurtful way he was doubting her. After everything. After all that she’d done for him, was careful and meticulous when it came to him. It said much for the faith he had in her.

 

“To hell with you Arthur Pendragon,” she hissed. “I quit.”

 

And she turned on her heel in the Pendragon way, leaving without a glance back.

 

She had never felt so humiliated and degraded in her life.

 

She stomped to Gaius’, ignoring his questioning eyes as she headed straight for her room.

 

Gaius entered through her door, a wet rag in hand. He quietly rubbed the caked mud off her cheek as she silently fumed on her chair, eyes embarrassingly wet with tears.

 

“Merlin?”

 

“I am not an idiot,” she muttered.

 

“I know you aren’t. What happened, dear?”

 

“I just want Arthur to trust me and see me for who I really am.  After everything, after everything I’ve done for him, that he would doubt me –that he’d take the word of a stranger over my own…If he loved me so much, why would he not believe in me? If I say something, why would he distrust it? I have never led him astray. Everything I do is for him and he will never understand that.”

 

“One day he will, Merlin. You’ll see,” Gaius murmured comfortingly. He laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, before leaving her to her thoughts.

 

He could feel the light pulse of magic behind him, indicating that Merlin had used a strong form of magical lock, telling him she didn’t want anyone else to intrude.

 

Most specifically Arthur, who could and probably would use brute force to break down the door.

 

But he’d come face to face with Uther, who seemed like he had just been hovering near the door, eavesdropping.

 

“I take it things have gone worse?” he asked Gaius.

 

Gaius tiredly nodded.

 

“I was going to talk to her, but I think it best I go talk to my son…”

 

“Yes, that would be best. Merlin doesn’t want to talk to anyone right now.”

 

“Alright…thank you for telling me about Sigan. Usually, Merlin would report to me, but she seemed preoccupied…”

 

“I have not yet told her about it. I wouldn’t want to worry her, especially since there seems to be a lot on her plate.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Uther went to his chambers first, surprised to find Arthur there already.

 

“I think Merlin’s upset at me,” Arthur told him right away.

 

“You think?” Uther asked dryly.

 

“So you went to see her?”

 

“No, she’s locked her room and doesn’t want to talk to anyone. But she said something before and I overheard her talking to Gaius just now, before she barricaded herself into her room.”

 

Arthur winced, “She quit. On me. I didn’t think that was possible!”

 

Uther raised an eyebrow, “You admit then, how loyal and faithful she is to you?”

 

“Of course!”

 

“Then why are you choosing to believe this…Cedric over Merlin? She told me that you’d promise to always believe in her and etcetera –hm, around the time of the unicorn incident, wasn’t it? I don’t believe you do. Or have been. If she says she’s fine or she did something or didn’t do something, you believe her at face value. I know her enough to know that she says what she says, and if otherwise then Merlin has good reason for the lie. If you were sure of her loyalty and faith to you, then it would not be in question.”

 

What with Merlin’s future self radically living for the sole purpose of serving Arthur, and the fact that it seemed Merlin was now rapidly approaching that level of devotion, it wasn’t confusing to understand why Merlin was upset –on top of the usual reaction one has to being questioned and having another being chosen over oneself.

 

“I didn’t realize…I do trust her. I believe in her more than anything. I worry sometimes and I don’t know what she can do. It isn’t like I’ve talked to her about it and there’s a lot of things she keeps from me. I mean, I don’t know how truly capable she is anyway. It’s not like I’m being kept in the loop,” Arthur said slightly bitterly.

 

Uther rolled his eyes at his son’s attitude, “With the way you overreact in regards to her, I’m surprised you didn’t when she practically threw herself at me the other day.”

 

“Oh, that’s because I’ve finally figured out what you two are to each other.”

 

The King blinked. “And what’s that?”

 

Arthur shrugged, “You look at Merlin the same way you look at Morgana. Just…different somehow.”

 

“This…is an odd complication. I had no idea how truly close this servant girl has come to the royal family,” Cedric’s voice said, as the man slowly walked towards them from the entrance.

 

“Cedric, what are you doing here?” Arthur asked in annoyance.

 

Cedric smiled, “That is my business.” And he waved a hand and chanted something under his breath, causing Uther and Arthur to stiffen up and unable to move.

 

“Merlin, was it? Ah, I hope she’ll enjoy this. I was going to make this quick, enchant some things, terrify and kill people, and take over Camelot, but I see an irresistible opportunity. But first, allow me to introduce myself. I am Cornelius Sigan.”

 

Both Pendragon’s eyes widened, Arthur having been briefly reprised on Sigan not too long ago that day.

 

“You see, this pathetic vessel found out about my little crown jewel in my tomb some time ago through a moronic worker. Cedric wheedled the information, found out the key was kept with the Prince at all times except at night –where you then would put it away in your room where no one but your servant could enter, and then the little weasel managed to devise a particular astounding plan to manhandle his way into becoming your servant. First, he’d loosened your harness when your servant, who, looking through his memories, I could easily tell was actually a female, came to fetch you which left the horse alone. Then, on the hunt, he took credit from the strangely powerful and accurate throw Merlin threw to save your life. And at last, she mucked out your stables, only to have horrid Cedric toss in a concoction of sleeping gas into the stables, causing the poor girl to pass out and the horses to run away. Tonight, as you put away your keys before leaving to come here, the little thief actually managed to gain a hold of the keys finally and came across my jewel where I then possessed him.

 

“Now…I told you I looked through this idiot’s memories, and I say –how unappreciative and ungrateful you are towards one who shows such unconditional devotion and love towards yourself. Merlin seems to care about you a great deal, and once someone dazzles you with better care, flatters you non-stop, kisses up to your royal behind, she is cast aside, her devotion forgotten, and insulted and put on. You say you just worry about her and is unable to be sure of her capabilities. It isn’t just that, dear boy. She isn’t really showy with her devotion, is she dear Prince? Not like Cedric. And you so do love attention…”

 

Arthur was mouthing a lot of things, but his voice was gone. But it wasn’t hard to discern the flashes of emotions on his face, from anger, indignation, shame, guilt, and remorse.

 

“Would you like to know what I’m going to do?” Sigan asked in a sickly sweet voice. “The little girl toy of yours has caught my interest. I have all the time in the world now, having conquered death. So Camelot can wait. I think I’ll take time to play a little game and manipulate your Merlin. I think it’ll be a challenge, if your earlier conversation implied as much. And the only way to get her is to push her away from you, and to me.”

 

Sigan muttered another incantation.

 

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Merlin unhappily moved out of her room, refusing to see or serve Arthur. Instead, she went straight to Uther, contemplating perhaps serving him. She entered the King’s royal bedchambers, seeing him already at his mirror, attempting to tie and adjust his cape again with a scowl.

 

A fond smile playing across her lips, she quickly crossed the distance and swiped his hands away, doing it herself.

 

“Really, Uther, you shouldn’t be having this much trouble –”

 

Merlin flew a distance away, landing awkwardly on her right arm, pain shooting up it as her face stung. Uther had just smacked her across the face…

 

“Who are you to address and touch me so familiarly?” Uther glared down at her, eyes so, so cold. Just like in the beginning.

 

Merlin stared. Then she clenched her jaw and gingerly got up, demurely keeping her head down.

 

“N-no one, milord. I apologize. I have no idea what had gotten into me,” she said shakily, not looking up.

 

“That’s better. Now go on and retrieve my breakfast. You’re late,” Uther ordered coldly.

 

Merlin nodded and left.

 

She didn’t want to face Arthur either. Not just because she was still upset with him, but also because she was afraid he would have changed just as completely as Uther had.

 

She was so confused. And hurt. Uther had never hit her. Occasionally threatened her in the beginning, yes, and even that incident where he’d almost choked her had been a loss on his grip on his anger and had been more of a reaction than anything. But he’d never just casually hit her.

 

And now she was stuck serving him breakfast. Which she should be having with him. And obviously wasn’t.

 

Things didn’t get any better as time went on. Since she was apparently stuck serving Uther and she’d never formally resigned from her post as Arthur’s servant, she mainly served Uther and occasionally took over any extra tasks Arthur needed and Cedric couldn’t or wouldn’t do. And while Uther was cruel, abusive, and insulting, Arthur never acknowledged her once. It was like she didn’t exist or that he didn’t even know her.

 

She didn’t know who was worse.

 

And so she went on through her days miserably, feeling alone, hurt, and wretched. She was so lonely. She missed talking and joking with Uther. She missed his teasing. She missed Arthur’s kisses and smug smiles. She missed his warm touch.

 

She missed so much.

 

Merlin didn’t know what had happened. But she was too miserable to even think about it.

 

Her only light seemed to be Morgana, whose strange nightmares seemed to be coming back, worse than before. Gwen had dealt with it at first, but Morgana had requested for Merlin the night she had dreamt of a raven.

 

“I should get you a stronger dose,” Merlin had murmured.

 

“Like a blow to the head?” Morgana had asked with eyes full of tears. “I’m sure Gwen wants to. I’m going mad, aren’t I?”

 

“No. Whatever happens, I’ll be here. I promise you, Morgana, I’ll be your guardian angel,” Merlin continued murmured assurances into Morgana’s ear as she held her and brushed her hair with her hand comfortingly.

 

“Promise?”

 

“Promise.”

 

And so Merlin relieved Gwen of her night duties, tending to Morgana after every nightmare, soothing her and making the dreams seemingly go away or at least dulled in intensity.

 

The days passed. And the days passed. And the days passed.

 

“Come, idiot! Am I or am I not King?” Uther hissed. “What are you serving me? This isn’t fit for a King!”

 

“Useless and moronic imbecile that you are, you could at least do the simplest of tasks! My bed is fixed completely wrong! This is how a commoner fixes their bed. Did no one teach you how royalty has their bed fixed?”

 

An indifferent gaze from Arthur. A look that passes over her. A stare that looks right through her.

 

“You there, polish my shoes for me,” Finally, an acknowledgment. But hurtfully and strangely no sense of recognition.

 

“What is this? Rat? Are you trying poison me? I am the King! I would have you hanged if I couldn’t be bothered to search for another servant.”

 

Another indifferent stare.

 

“Fool servant! Where are my clothes? Have you forgotten them already?”

 

Another see-through look.

 

“Ass! My sword! What have you done?”

 

Words, words, words. Indifference. A slap. Bruises on her arm from painful holds.

 

These were not her men.

 

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It wasn’t like Uther really gave a damn. Merlin was just a different sort. He was still just a servant. But for some reason, he felt attached to him and he couldn’t explain why he felt so close to him and trusted him so.

 

He even felt twinges of guilt when he would hit Merlin or insult him for something or other the boy had done or hadn’t done. And then he would get irritated at the way he was acting and double his harshness with the servant.

 

“There is no God in a world full of sinners.”

 

Uther’s head whipped around, to see Arthur’s new servant walking towards him, Arthur trailing behind with a confused look on his face. Cedric smiled cruelly before swiftly knocking Arthur out.

 

“I told her that once. I remember her now…Merlin. She was such a sweet, sweet girl. Lived in a small village. Powerful too, I remember. Even from beyond the planes, I was drawn to this earthly world when I felt the pulse of her power come into being. Magic like that –no one can ignore. Dead or not. Part of my spirit that wandered the world, hoping to reunite with the rest of myself trapped in the jewel on my tomb, had been content to traverse the beyond. And then I felt Merlin’s magic, which called out to me like sanguine temptation. So sweet and delectable…Do you remember it all now, King Uther?”

 

And the spell broke and Uther remembered the past, the missing part of himself he hadn’t realized was missing but felt fulfilled whenever Merlin was near. And that she was female, his most trusted confidant, and his daughter. And he remembered in horror how he’d treated her under Sigan’s spell.

 

“I’d come to her, feeling how powerful she was and how she’d called to me, but though she had power she had yet to use it or acknowledge it. She was five, and I found out she had performed her first bit of magic only days ago. The very same time that had alerted me to her presence. And I realized her first outburst of magic had scared and confused her so much that she’d instinctively put a powerful block on it. Powerful magic users could still feel it, but she herself wouldn’t be able to use it. I thought ‘Now, that isn’t good.’ And I forcefully pried that block away and let her magic run free and wild. I became her first teacher and taught her to be the jaded and calculating girl you know. I must say, knowing now that you have had a hand in her development, that you’ve done a good job molding her even more.”

 

Uther glared angrily at the sorcerer, disconcerted when Cedric’s body began to change form. Sigan looked less like Cedric and more like the description he’d heard from Gaius of how Sigan was said to look like. His blond hair was cropped short and his gray eyes were glinting maliciously at him, Sigan standing at a towering height of 6’8”.

 

“A changeling like Nimueh then?” Uther spat out.

 

Sigan’s handsome face contorted into a terrifying visage, furious all of a sudden.

 

“Nimueh, huh? That thing isn’t worth my time. And I am no mere changeling. I am an all powerful sorcerer, Fool! I can do whatever I wish –including using my magic to force my former vessel’s body to reimagine itself into my image. Though I do admit, I am a bit younger than when I had died…”

 

Arthur groaned, starting to wake up.

 

“Hm, resilient that one. No matter. Wake up, boy. I have one final act to play upon, and you two shall be witness and in fact party to it,” Sigan waved a hand, silently incanting something and forcing Arthur to move and sit at the table. Then, with a cruel grin, he silently incanted another spell, similarly taking over Uther.

 

“I’m going to take over both of your bodies. And then, while you’re aware and unable to move your own bodies, I am going to enjoy the scene while controlling your actions.” The sound of footsteps caused Sigan’s grin to widen, before he wiped his face of emotion and sat on his knees in the corner, prostrate and making himself look tired but an obedient servant.

 

Merlin entered, looking tired herself and carrying Uther’s breakfast tray.

 

“Your breakfast, milord,” Merlin stated unemotionally.

 

Uther’s body leaned casually against one of his bedpost, watching her closely, while Arthur sat still in his seat, never turning to see her.

 

Merlin trudged closer, setting his tray on the table and glancing only once at Uther’s new and unfamiliar servant sitting quietly in the corner. Suddenly, Uther was behind her and had twisted her arm behind her back and had slammed her face against the table, her body kept bent over it as her face was faced towards an indifferent Arthur. Tears immediately sprung up in her eyes once more and she was starting to contemplate blowing her cover and just use magic to get her out of this situation, even if it would reveal her to Arthur.

 

“I wasn’t aware that you were really a woman,” Uther hissed into her ear, adding pressure on his hold. “You could be killed for your deceit, girl.”

 

Merlin froze. Uther did know. And the past instances began to make sense.

 

“Who is the sorcerer responsible for bewitching Uther and Arthur Pendragon?” Merlin asked in a cold voice, not moving from her forced position.

 

Slow clapping was heard.

 

“Well, well. You are just as clever as Uther knew you would be. I bet the old fool hoped you would pick that up, just as they’ve probably been screaming in their heads for themselves to do something to break out of my spell,” the man in the corner slowly got up, gray eyes were twinkling with fake gentleness.

 

“And what kind of spell were you using?” Merlin asked with the same tone she’d been using.

 

“When I first enchanted them, I used a combination of two spells that would create amnesia and bring out the worse in people. Hence, the lack of affection towards you lately. Shame, shame. But it was necessary. I see now, that such a method would never work against you. You are far too clever to be tricked, at least for long time.”

 

Merlin nodded against the table once, and then she suddenly pushed back against Uther and twisted out of his hold, running away.

 

“Now where do you think you’re going?” he asked in amusement, shutting the doors and locking them.

 

Merlin turned to him with a sneer.

 

“Nowhere.”

 

“That’s right. Nowhere.”

 

He strode closer, threading his hand through her hair gently with a soft smile, before roughly tightening his hold and yanking her head up, making her cry out.

 

“Silly girl. You may be powerful, but I am more,” he whispered into her ear.

 

She took a deep breath, before glaring up at him with teary eyes.

 

“We, my dear, are going to get married. And then we will rule Camelot.”

 

Her eyes widened and she started struggling even more, trying to get away from him.

 

“We’ll marry tonight. A night wedding. And I’m thinking I’ll have Prince Arthur as our personal servant. Irony, no? You served him, now he’ll serve you. And Uther Pendragon will be publicly executed in two week’s time, just as I’ve heard he’s been publicly executing magic-users. We’ll start our rule off with a bang.”

 

He pressed a pressure point at her neck and knocked her out.

 

When she woke up later, she was still in Uther’s room, with Arthur, Uther and the frightening sorcerer gone. She panicked and got off the bed, stumbling as she realized uncomfortably that she was in a dark silk dress.

 

To hell with this. She wasn’t just going to stay there and get married to that man. And there was no way she would let Arthur and Uther suffer under that stranger’s spell –hurt or upset as she was with them.

 

If that man was smart, he would have magically locked the door and window. Then that would mean she was stuck in there.

 

Unless she did one hell of a last stand blow.

 

So closing her eyes, she stood in front of the door and began reaching into her magical core, gathering up her magic for a pure magical blast that would blow that door apart. Hard to explain, but she wasn’t going to be there to explain.

 

Having enough energy, enough to know that she could black out any second after (she’ll have to time this, probably around a ten minute time limit…), she thrust her hands out and blast the doors with her magical energy.

 

She began running.

 

No doubt, with the huge amount of magical energy, that sorcerer would have been alerted. And the sound of the blast would have had the guards coming after her, if they were forced to work for that man either through enchantment or through threats.

 

Her time was cut by three less minutes.

 

That meant she would never make it out of the castle. She had to find somewhere in the castle she could hide in, just long enough to regain her energy. She reluctantly headed to the caverns.

 

“I did not think I would see you again. You said it yourself,” the dragon’s bitter voice rang out in the cavern as she trudged in.

 

She glared at it.

 

“I am only here to regain my energy. The castle isn’t a good place to hide in right now. A…sorcerer has taken over.”

 

“Good,” the Great Dragon commented unconcerned.

 

She snarled at it, “He is an evil sorcerer! Albion will never be the place of golden dreams if he were to rule! If you only care for the rule of magic, then you are no better than he! A fool without morals! Nothing but an immoral, spineless fiend!”

 

The dragon roared and narrowed its eyes at her.

 

“You are not but a child! You have no idea of the true horror of the rule of man. Do not lecture me on the rights and wrongs of the world.”

 

Merlin didn’t waver, staring it down, “Burn in hel –”

 

Her time limit was way overdue and she collapsed, fainting from magical exhaustion.

 

The dragon angrily waved its tail, striking the ground several times and then heading it towards her, stopping an inch before it were to strike her. The dragon breathed heavily, but grudgingly tenderly held her with its tail, bringing her closer and laying her in the circle its tail created around her. The Great Dragon stayed quiet and watched the entrance with a solemn gaze, like a silent sentinel watching over its charge.

 

When she awoke this time, it was to this that her eyes opened to see. The dragon didn’t look at her, but it spoke as soon as she was completely aware.

 

“You cannot face him now, this sorcerer. You do know who it is, don’t you?” its voice was grave.

 

“No,” she whispered, suddenly feeling the serious atmosphere weighing down on her and realizing just how serious things were.

 

“Sigan. His name is Cornelius Sigan,” and when she froze up in fear, the dragon nodded somberly. “You know him…He remembers you as well. He is especially skilled in silent casting. Not like your silent casting, of course. He has to think of the spell or mouth it, where yours is instinct down to the core. You need only think of the want and need of something to happen and it will happen. But the similarities is what caused him to be a very important and necessary teacher to you. No matter –you will not be able to recognize his spells if he does not speak them. That is why you must prepare. I will not only gift you with the knowledge of the spell that will help defeat him, but I will also gift you with the knowledge on how to recognize his spells by using your magic to touch upon his and realize his intent in each spell.

 

“This is not something that you can just instinctively use. You must take the time to practice them so you will not make a mistake and to be completely careful. Therefore, you cannot leave here and confront him straight away. You must leave, take the time to prepare and learn what you must learn. It won’t take long, considering your prowess in magic. But consult your dead sorcerer.”

 

Merlin furrowed her eyebrows, “You mean, Edwin?”

 

“Yes. He may not have sufficient power for these spells or an exact understanding of them, but he may be able to help you through them or at least help you to figure them out. Be cautious, young sorceress. Sigan is a powerful sorcerer. In ways, more powerful than even Nimueh. Do not be careless.”

 

She understood. Both Sigan and Nimueh had more experience and power over her. She needed her luck and to keep outsmarting her foes. She knew that she had more power than either of them, but she only had a portion of her own power under her control. Her cleverness and planning would have to make due.

 

“In return, however, you must promise me something.”

 

Merlin closed her eyes. She already knew what the promise was.

 

“And if I grant you this promise?”

 

“That is not of your concern.”

 

“It is if your release from here causes me to allow you to break my trust and force me to truly become your enemy.”

 

She stared at it with steely eyes.

 

“Would you Camelot fall?”

 

No, she couldn’t let Sigan win.

 

“I promise.”

 

The deal was made and the dragon breathed on her, gifting her with the knowledge he promised.

 

She couldn’t afford to be caught now. So she prayed with all her might as she stole through the castle in the dark of the night, and ran through the streets of Camelot in abandon.

 

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“There is no God in a world full of sinners.”

 

“Little one, you need only to feel for you to grasp.”

 

“Such power…what fortune has been bestowed upon you. You are blessed with such a gift. You are special, Merlin Ambrosius. And you shall be my ultimate work of art.”

 

“For us, little one, we have no need for such insignificant mortals. Where there is no God, we make ourselves the very image of He. In the end, in this mortal plane, if there is to be a God, then it is true that of all magic-users –we are all Gods.”

 

“She loves us, the Lady. Magic is all our Mistress, little one. It is true of us all, especially for yourself and I, with the power we hold.”

 

Merlin woke up, tears in her eyes. For the past couple of days, she had been having her memories of her past with the bodiless voice which had haunted her childhood, the one who had come to her as Cornelius Sigan and taught her from the moment her magic manifested.

 

Whispers in her ear, telling her all sorts of things and making her question her sanity. When she’d entered Camelot, they had gone away. But now, she was haunted by the memories of him.

 

“Will! Stop teasing me!” she giggled as her friend tackled her and pushed onto her bed, continuing his tickling assault.

 

She kept laughing, slowing down as Will stopped and just lay on his side, facing her with a fond smile. Involuntarily blushing, she returned the fond smile as Will brushed back her hair.

 

‘Don’t let him touch you! He is not worthy of such a privilege!’ Sigan’s voice hissed in her mind.

 

She sat up abruptly, confusing Will as she squeezed her eyes shut and curled her knees to her chest and rocked herself back and forth.

 

“You’re awake. And reminiscing…Well, since you’re awake, let’s get right back to work,” Edwin’s voice interrupted her musing, thankfully ignoring her tears and her distraction. In fact, he was willingly providing a distraction from her distraction.

 

“Alright, Edwin. Let me just clean up a bit,” she muttered, wiping a hand down her face.

 

She hurried and then it was back to work.

 

Merlin practiced and practiced until she was exhausted, mentally thanking the gracious family that had taken her in after spotting her huddling in a corner in the lower levels of Camelot, fancy and strange dress full of rips and tears, dirt and grime, and a face smudged with filth. She had no idea how she still ended up smelling good though.

 

She ate with the family every meal, offered her services for whatever they needed (though they never seemed to need much and were just happy to take her in), and spent the rest of her time single-mindedly practicing with Edwin’s help.

 

Sigan was on the move.

 

“Hey Mary, have you heard what’s going on?” Alice, one of the daughters, asked her worriedly. “The harsh rulings lately haven’t been by King Uther. Apparently, a sorcerer has gone into the castle and taken control. Cornelius Sigan! I heard from Papa, who remembers his name, that he was some sort of really powerful sorcerer.”

 

“Yes, yes he was,” Merlin murmured as Rosalie joined in the conversation, mentioning that Sigan was supposed to be dead and that his powers supposedly helped build Camelot, and when he’d become too powerful, the King at the time had him killed.

 

So…Sigan was finally moving forward. Other than setting a curfew, limiting food distribution, and having Camelot knights patrolling the streets day and night frequently, he had not made an obvious move to reveal himself or to stake his claim of power to the public.

 

Merlin had almost finished. Soon, she knew things were going to get ugly, but she’ll be ready.

 

“Can you tell Carlisle that I will be back?” Merlin asked softly, both sisters nodding at her. She passed by Jasper and Emmett on the way out, giving them a small smile. She began making her rounds, speaking to the people who made up her small faction and were already unhappy with the limitations. And with the little announcement that morning about Sigan’s usurping of the throne and the castle, she had no doubt she will be gaining quite a bit more followers. Once Sigan made his big move, she will have the little Resistance.

 

By the end of the day, she had more than a dozen joining her. By the end of the week, she had people clamoring to join in floods. For Sigan had finally announced Uther’s execution.

 

And by that time…Merlin was finally sure enough of her abilities.

 

She began organizing her faction more. Since she and her group had kept quiet, Sigan had no idea of their existence. So she continued to work quietly and underground. Holding meetings at random times, never the same and never with the same people, using her magic to scout out weakness and unreliable or potential traitors.

 

She used a cook to send a message to a Camelot servant who would then send it to a Camelot cook who would then send it to Gwen. Gwen who would pass it on to Arthur if he was the same person.

 

This was usually how she communicated with everyone, using a line of people so that it had less of a chance to get intercepted. But this was the first time she had ever sent a message into the castle. She hoped it would work.

 

She had also finally informed the family she was living with of what she was doing. They hesitantly accepted it, the boys readily joining, the daughters, choosing to support her but stay out of it, and the parents still welcoming her.

 

She was ready to raise hell for Sigan.

 

In the week leading up to Uther’s execution, while Sigan had enchanted golems and the stone gargoyles on top of the castle to life, Camelot knights and servants forcefully locked inside while he had faithful and mindless soldiers at his fingertips and ready to just be created with a whisper, Merlin and her group started their reign of anarchy and rebellion. Every time a gargoyle came by, they’d throw fireballs that Merlin had secretly reinforced with magic and would then destroy the animated statues. The golems were harder to destroy and many knew they could and would die in the attempt. Merlin couldn’t easily use magic in this case without exposing herself. Therefore, each person throwing themselves in battle with them, would use sword, knife, shovel, whatever weapon in reach and desperately try to erase the ‘e’ in the word ‘emet’ sketched upon each golems’ head, causing them to deactivate.

 

She knew she could save a lot of them if she just used her magic, but this was a small-scale war they were launching and she could not afford to be exposed. Sacrifices had to be made.

 

Merlin could not afford to soften her heart for them.

 

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Gwen,

 

If Arthur is not under Sigan’s influence (ask him if he believes the unicorn’s death was a sad event –if he answers yes, don’t trust him. If he answers or mentions that the unicorn came back to life, then show him this letter), help Arthur form an revolt inside the courtyard of the castle. Talk with the other servants, cause a racket with them inside as Arthur and his knights battle against Sigan’s sentries.

 

Mary

 

Gwen stared at the letter confused, having been handed it by the main cook of the castle’s kitchens. She didn’t know a Mary. The closest would be…Wait, could it really? Merlin? He must be behind the rumored resistance on the outside of the castle walls, destroying whatever they could of Sigan’s guards. He hadn’t been seen close to a week and a half.

 

And because of her group, all of the gargoyle guards were destroyed.

 

Sigan was stalking through the hall of the castle, angrily ordering around the people and threatening all within reach as he created golem after golem. Those were harder to kill so he preferred those to the animating of any statues left around.

 

Hurrying to do Merlin’s bidding, she caught sight of a moping Arthur.

 

“P-Prince Arthur?” she hesitantly asked.

 

He turned to look at her with a weary gaze. He and everyone else were free to roam around, but were helpless to do anything. Or more hopeless. And the King hadn’t been seen since the week before, his last appearance around the same as Merlin’s.

 

“Yes, Gwen?”

 

She swallowed nervously and asked him about the unicorn, who gave a confused but right answer. So she shared the letter and instructions from their missing love, and the light that had been missing from Arthur’s eyes lately was back again. The fight that had died with Merlin’s disappearance was relit in the young Prince, and Arthur felt more empowered with the simple words and the indication that his Merlin was still alive.

 

The two could feel they didn’t have long to wait until Merlin was back.

 

Days later, on the night of Uther’s execution, Merlin was once more putting to good use the sword lessons Uther had taught her, as well as the specific moves Arthur had taken the time to teach her. She cut through and swung and viciously sliced through the golem ranks, wiping e’s as she ignored the blood splattering on her from the golems. Blood from the creator made them stronger, but Merlin herself was powerful.

 

And as she fought the golem sentries, she and the little army she created around her, people who fought just as hard if with less skill, she hoped Arthur and Gwen were making headway into their own uprising.

 

She successfully fought her way into the castle, hearing the clamor of others rebelling around them. There had been humans who had chosen to side with Sigan as well, but they’d been kept to the castle. No matter. The rest in the castle were fighting back and would cast judgment on them.

 

A little beforehand, Arthur and his knights were struggling to put up a good fight, surprised that Sigan actually had leftover animated gargoyles left to fight them. Without Merlin’s magic, they were harder to destroy, as evidence by the many fallen people by Arthur’s side.

 

Unluckily, he didn’t notice the gargoyle at his back, but Gwen appeared and she did.

 

“Arthur!” she screeched as she tackled him to the ground.

 

“Sorry, my lord,” she winced.

 

He groaned in pain as both of them got up.

 

“No, thank you. You saved my life.”

 

She smiled wryly at him. “I couldn’t let you die. Merlin would be upset. Though…it would be a good thing because then I get to be closer to him.”

 

Arthur snorted, “Nice try. Maybe you should let me be knocked off next time so you can have Merlin all to yourself.”

 

Gwen lightly laughed as they ran hurried together into the castle. “True, but…Seriously, you promised me that you would live for Merlin. You can’t die then.”

 

The solemn tone in her voice caused him to give her an understanding and serious look in return.

 

They made it into the castle in the same time as Merlin had, though they were separate ways from her. Surprised that Sigan was nowhere to be seen and that they were able and freely using the hall to tend to the wounded (and they excitedly realized that there were many there from Merlin’s faction, which meant Merlin was somewhere around), Gwen sat Arthur down and began to help dress the wound he received outside, the two of them talking eagerly about finally getting Merlin back and getting to see her/him.

 

But at the same time, Merlin entered above them, skidding to a stop on the bridge that connected the hall behind her to the hall on the other side. She gazed at them in first surprise before grimacing and watching in pain.

 

“Gwen, of all people, was his Queen.”

 

It would be best, Merlin realized. Gwen and Arthur would make for a more balanced kingdom than the fantasy of her ever staying together with Arthur. It wouldn’t be right. Her and Arthur would never be right.

 

Gwen and Arthur was perfect.

 

So she ran, continuing to her destination with determination, ignoring the tears that wanted to fall.

 

I’ll love you always, no matter what.

 

Uther’s chambers in sight, she barreled through them.

 

“Mutiny and unrest! Commoners daring to fight back! Against me!” Sigan ranted, pacing angrily.

 

Uther stood blank-faced in front of the open doors of his balcony. He saw her and his eyes lit up as he allowed himself to slightly sag with relief.

 

“Your execution will be simple,” Sigan hissed. “I’ll just throw you off the balcony. No grand execution for you, King Uther. You’re not worth the effort.”

 

“Actually, there won’t be an execution at all,” Merlin stated coldly, startling Sigan from his livid tirade.

 

A smile actually formed on his lips.

 

“So the prodigal daughter returns. I look forward to this fight,” Sigan immediately then thrust out his hand, causing a huge snake to appear and with amazing speed, slither towards her with its deadly fangs poised to bite.

 

Merlin took the borrowed sword and swung it, warding the snake off. Then Sigan began firing off his silent spells one after the other. She forced herself to remember her lessons, splitting her focus between the snake and identifying and then fighting off his spells. Realizing she was getting nowhere and that she had to come up with something quick to defeat Sigan before she ran out of energy or was gotten the best of, she threw herself to the side roughly and held up her hands in surrender.

 

Sigan stopped, looking at her curiously.

 

“What now, little one?”

 

She winced at the nickname, but stood up and straightened herself, staring him in the eye.

 

“I-I…give up,” she whispered. “I realized some things. I’m so tired of it all. Of everyone. Of being unappreciated, of having to hide who I am. I want to freely use magic. I want to be respected. If I agree to rule with you and marry you, will you swear that I will have all of that?”

 

Sigan’s mouth twisted into elated glee.

 

“Of course. That and more.”

 

“Then will I be able to have Arthur as a consort and Uther at my feet?” she forced herself to really look like she wanted this.

 

“Yes. Whatever you ask, little one, and I shall give you.” Though he seemed reluctantly to let her have Arthur like that and keeping Uther alive.

 

She gave him a smile, walking closer until she was right in front of him, leaning against him as her hands lay splayed against his chest.

 

“Really?” she whispered.

 

“Truly.”

 

And she slid the his heart-shaped jewel to touch upon on top where his heart really should be, and muttered the words the Great Dragon gave her to enchant his soul back into the jewel. He screamed as he was sucked back in, body morphing back to become Cedric, who fell and lay at her feet vacant-eyed and dead.

 

She stared unemotionally at him, unnoticing of Uther moving hesitantly and awkwardly behind her, not knowing if he could come near her after everything.

 

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All of Camelot, from the city to the castle, was celebrating the fall of Cornelius Sigan and their successful revolution. Wine and other such alcohol were making rounds, loud partying and cheering surrounding the area from alley to corner to courtyards, and kisses and dances exchanged.

 

Merlin sat in a lone tower, balancing on the railing as she overlooked Camelot with a resigned and lonely gaze. Her shoulders sagged as if burdened with a heavy weight and her mouth was set in a tired frown.

 

In all the merriment, Merlin had never felt as lonely as she did then.

 

Not even in the time of Uther and Arthur’s seeming abandonment of her.

 

Arthur was out of her reach. She should have known. She would never be able to stay with him like that. He was never meant for her and she shouldn’t have even entertained the idea. His road lay with someone else, and she had to trail behind dutifully. And while she would love him for as long as she could before she had to let him go, as she had promised him, she knew and was ready to let go of him when it was time.

 

It would be his destiny and Gwen would be good for him.

 

Let me love you for as long as I can. Don’t fall in love too fast.

 

She cried her tears, burying her face into her hands and letting her tears stain already blood-stained hands, body shaking in emotion.

 

He would stop loving her in time and find the one he was meant for all along, but she would never stop loving him. For as long as she lived, even after his love for her had died, she would stay in the shadows as was her place, loyal and loving until the end. Even if it hurt, even if she was in pain the entire time, she would suffer for him.

 

There was no question about that.

 

But she was so tired. Tired of people, tired of her destiny, tired of what awaited her in the end. She just wanted to give up.

 

“We’re not meant to live amongst these common mortals. We’re meant for so much more,” Sigan’s voice murmured into her ear as his ghostly form leaned against her back and wrapped his arms around her neck loosely, haunting her once more.

 

She loved Arthur. It wasn’t fair. It hurt.

 

“Power is a lonely road. Those who seek power, abandon everyone and all else. Those with power…are left to live and die alone.”

 

Merlin cried even more into her hands.