Arthur knocked on the door of the small stone hut. He and his men had set off on their patrol several days ago, but had found nothing. They didn't dare venture too far into Cenred's lands, not yet anyway, stopping just short in Ealdor to rest and replenish their supplies. Arthur was frustrated, not only with their unfruitful trip, but also with himself. How could he have been so stupid! Of course Morgause didn't leave any visible trail! This was just a waste of time!
The door creaked open and the friendly dark haired woman smiled at him.
"Prince Arthur! What a pleasant surprise. What brings you to Ealdor?" She peered passed him and Arthur felt a twinge of guilt as he realized she must be looking for her son. "Is Merlin with you?" Her smile faltered. Arthur knew the grim expression he wore on his face must have told her everything. "Please, come in."
He followed her inside and took a seat next to the barrel that functioned as a table as she sat worriedly on crates stacked in the corner.
"There was an attack on Camelot. A sorceress named Morgause brought a curse on the Citadel that forced everyone into a deep sleep. Merlin and I were away at the time, so we weren't effected as quick, but eventually... we succumbed to it. Morgause was attacking at that time with these terrifying knights... I thought we were all going to die, but... we didn't. We woke up and everything was fine. Morgana said she fought off Morgause and wounded her, forcing her to flee. But after the attack, after everything cleared, we couldn't find Merlin. At first I thought, he must be around somewhere and I would find him after everything settled, but it's been days and there's no sign of him! I... I..." He had to catch his breath, the worry in his voice reaching a breaking point. "I don't know where he is and I'm afraid it has something to do with that witch, Morgause. I fear she's done something to him, taken him somewhere... I don't know what I'm supposed to do or how I'm supposed to find him!" He massaged his brow with his gloved hand. "I'm sorry Hunith. Your son is lost and it's all my fault."
There was silence for a moment before Hunith rose from her seat and approached the prince. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Of course Hunith would try to comfort him, Arthur thought. He couldn't imagine Hunith being mad at anyone, even if they were responsible for putting her son in danger.
"I've been out here, searching Camelot's lands, all the way along the border, but I don't even know which direction she fled!"
"Prince Arthur-"
"When I first realized he was missing I thought he might have come here to... I don't know why he would come without telling me, but I thought he might have wanted to visit you... I don't know, but it's evident he's not here so..." he rose from the table. "I'd better be off to continue the search."
"Prince Arthur, please!" Hunith tried a little more forcefully. "You need to stop moving so fast. You look exhausted, you need to rest. How about you and your men stay here for the night. Then you can continue on your way in the morning."
"I can't rest now, not when Merlin is out there alone."
"And if you do find him now, what are you going to do? How are you going to fight off his captors in such an exhausted state? I want you to find Merlin as much as you do, but you can't stop taking care of yourself. It defeats the purpose of a search!"
Arthur sighed. "You're right... you're right..." He plopped himself back down in the rickety chair. "I just feel awful. He... he's probably out there alone and I can't help him. He's in danger because of me."
Hunith knelt down next to him. "There's a part of me that agree's with you, that wants to blame you for leading my son into trouble," she smiled weakly. "But then I think back and I realize... Merlin is capable of finding trouble all by himself, always has been."
Arthur's lip curled slightly at the thought of Hunith running after Merlin as he grew up, always finding new shenanigans to tangle himself in.
"And he's stronger than you give him credit for. He can handle himself. He might not be as handy with a sword, but he has other attributes that will keep him safe. I'm sure of it."
This received an audible chuckle from the prince. "I mean, on one hunting trip he did talk a bandit out of killing us."
"You see?!" Hunith laughed at the thought. Little did Arthur know, Merlin's ability to talk bandits to death hadn't been what she referred to.
The pair lingered in the moment of serenity before their minds slowly sank back into the reality of the situation.
"You will stay the night. There is no question about it."
<<>>
"We've been through this before, Merlin, but you're going to go through it again." Morgause stalked in front of the boy tied to the chair. She noticed him looking desperately passed her, trying to catch Morgana's eye who stood at the edge of the room.
It was midday, and light spilled through the stained windows creating a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere, contrary to what was actually transpiring within the king's chambers. Uther remained placid at his desk, going about his business as usual under the orders of Morgause. Occasionally, he glanced up at the scene before him, attempting, in vain, to regain his will.
"I implore you to be honest with me this time. I do have plans for you if you refuse and I'm warning you, it is not pleasant."
Merlin refused to look at Morgause, continuing to try and catch the eye of Morgana.
"Do you understand?"
He didn't answer her.
"That's not a good start, Merlin." She came closer. "But we can begin nonetheless." She gave him a menacing smile. "You are a dragonlord. There's no question about it, there's no point trying to lie to me or my sister because we know."
"I don't know what you're talking about." He gritted his teeth, repeating something he had told Morgause many times in the past few days."
"As you've said." Morgause turned to her sister and raised an eyebrow.
"No," Morgana said. "He's lying. He is a dragonlord. I saw it. I saw him speak to Aithusa, I saw him change his will."
"Do you think he's lying?"
"Yes. How could he not be?"
"It is possible he speaks the truth. You cannot be born a dragonlord. It is a power inherited only from father to son, but only after the father dies."
"But Merlin's father..." Morgana looked to the servant.
"You don't know, do you?"
"I thought he died."
"That's what the boy claims."
"But you think..."
"I think he's lying. I think he's lying to protect his father. If his father is alive, he may be hiding him."
"I'm not!" Merlin protested. "I've told you, I've never met him!! He was gone before I was born!!" Morgana and Morgause ignored him and continued to have their conversation.
"We could go to his village and interrogate his mother."
Morgana watched as Merlin's eyes grew wide. "No!! Please leave my mother alone! She's innocent! Don't hurt her!!"
"Why are you obsessed with Merlin being a dragonlord in the first place?" Morgana asked, embarrassingly distressed at the thought of sweet Hunith at her sister's mercy. She remembered liking the woman when she had come to Camelot, helpless when her village was attacked.
"We need a sword forged in a dragon's breath if we are to put a final end to your doom, an end to Emrys. That, along with a powerful spell to weaken the boy before the sword is used, should to the trick."
"Nothing else will do?"
"No. And I doubt the Great Dragon would fix you such a weapon, not without some encouragement from a dragonlord."
"Well... maybe... maybe his father isn't dead yet. Maybe he became a dragonlord later than I thought."
"It is possible, but there are ways to be sure..."
Morgana bit her lip. "Is it...?"
"Yes."
"Oh," she said quietly. She looked to Merlin who looked up at her with wide eyes, with innocent eyes. NO! She screamed at herself. In her mind she replayed the memory of the wicked Emrys standing over her as she suffered on the floor, impervious to her desperate cries for help. Even if this Merlin hadn't betrayed her, he was still capable of doing her harm, right? She turned away from his imploring gaze, hardening her expression. "Then we should be sure." She walked back to the outskirts of the room, not wanting to be near the young boy any longer.
Morgause smiled at her sister's decision. "I do as you ask." She made her way over to the bedside cabinet and pulled out a small bottle of black liquid from the drawer. She uncorked it as she walked back to Merlin and placed it on the table next to him. The boy began to struggle, unsure of what the liquid was, but sure he did not want to come into contact with it. Morgause drew a knife from her belt and held it aloft, causing Merlin to struggle even more desperately.
"Calm yourself. This won't kill you, remember?"
"What is that?" Merlin asked, panicked.
"Just something that will help us see what you see."
"I-"
She moved her arm in one swift motion, dragging the knife across his chest, leaving a deep cut. Merlin cried out in pain.
"Oh, that reminds me..." She shoved the gag back into his mouth. She pulled his shirt back, exposing the wound and gripped the small vile in her hand. She poured the thin black liquid into the cut. "Bemeldian," she said forcefully. The liquid steamed along with Merlin's blood. He let out a muzzled scream. "Don't fight it Emrys!!" Morgause looked to her sister and beckoned her closer. "Morgana, come here!"
"I-"
"Now, please!"
Morgana obeyed her sister. "Wh- why?" she asked, quite uncomfortable. She found herself unable to look at the boy who continued to scream and moan in pain.
"I think it will be easier if you do the interrogating."
"Oh... why?"
"Even in this instance, you may be a friendlier and familiar face." Morgause guided Morgana's hand to the deep cut, now stained with the black liquid. The dark substance had begun to leak out and away from the wound, seeping into the veins surrounding the cut skin. Morgause admired her work. "This is a potion, designed by the high priestesses of the old religion. It will allow you into the very mind of a victim. Once you're there, it's harder to conceal information. We will be able to tell if he's hiding something about his father."
Morgana nodded. She had tortured many of her enemies from a time yet to come in a similar fashion.
"You have used something like this before?"
"I have."
"Good then." Morgause pushed Morgana's hand into the cut.
Instantly Morgana's mind clouded over, her thoughts became distracted and obsolete. She was hurtling towards the Earth at breakneck speed. She saw flashes, images, moments of Merlin's life. Some she recognized, some she did not. She tried to focus, pressing for the information she and her sister needed. Your father, where is your father? For a moment she saw Merlin's eyes in front of her. They were wide and full of terror, shocked by the way his former friend could cause him such pain. She heard him crying out to her. Why, why, why? Why, Morgana? Why?
She suppressed her initial rage, choosing to press his mind in a gentler style. Her consciousness appeared, sitting comfortably in a chair next to a table. Across from her, was Merlin. She heard the crashing of waves and realized they sat on a beautiful rocky beach. Merlin looked around, recognizing his surroundings.
"What's happening?" he asked. "This is... Gedreff?" He stared at the goblet in front of him. He looked at Morgana. "Morgana, what's going on?! Why are you doing this?! Morgause said..." he stumbled over his words. "Morgause said you had memories of something, memories of the future... but that can't be real. How could that even be possible!!?"
"I'm not here to answer your questions."
"But-"
"You're here to answer mine."
Merlin gulped.
"What do you know about your father."
"I don't know anything! I said I didn't!"
"What do you remember of him?!"
The scene drifted in and out. A memory faded into of her vision. Amidst total darkness a deep voice echoed from above. She couldn't understand the words, but a deep sense of calm washed over her.
She was back, sitting at the table on the beach, across from Merlin who winced and clutched his head.
"Stay out. Please, stay out," he moaned.
"I'm sorry, Merlin." Morgana put a hand over her mouth to prevent a sob from escaping her lips. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do!" She cursed herself for crying. Why was she so weak? Merlin's pain should amuse her, satisfy her, not distress her. Morgana gritted her teeth. She needed to be stronger.
Merlin screamed as the same memory flashed before them, the deep voice amongst the total black.
"I need to hate you. I'm supposed to enjoy this!"
"Please, please! I tried to help you! I tried to help you."
"I-"
"I want you to see what I see, please! Morgause doesn't want peace, she wants domination. Is that truly what you want? To lose everyone along the way!"
Morgana thought long and hard about what she wanted. She wanted her mother back, she wanted her father, not Uther, but Gorlois to see her talents, she wanted magic to be free, she wanted Morgause to be happy, she wanted...
"The only way magic can be free in Camelot is if someone with magic takes the throne," she said coldly, forcing her way through the dried tears on her cheeks.
Merlin shook his head, desperation in his eyes.
"Morgause didn't lie to you, Merlin. I do have memories of the future, memories that stretch for years. The time was that I hated you. I wanted to subject you to a cruel end for years for what you did to me, but now... things have changed. I pity you. I really do. Magic will never be truly free with Uther or even Arthur on the throne and I pity the man who cannot see that. But Merlin, you stand in the way of your own freedom. You stand in the way of our freedom! So, as much as it pains me to see you like this, someone who used to be my friend, someone who's like me... it is a necessary sacrifice I have to make."
"You don't-"
"I do." She could't contain her sobs any longer. "I have to kill you. It's the only way..."
"Morgana-"
"Stop talking! It pains me to listen to you!"
"Morgana, please!"
"Where can I find a blade forged in a dragon's breath!?"
She was surprised that this triggered another memory. She saw flashes of Kilgharrah, breathing on a beautiful blade as Merlin watched. Then she saw a lake, one she recognized, and the sword flying through the air, landing in the mirky depths. Just as quick as the memory started, it ended.
She stared at Merlin. "The lake of Avalon."
"Please..."
"You've already made one," she said quietly. "You've already forged Arthur's sword... Excalibur..."
"No, no! I- I haven't!"
"How do I find it, Merlin?"
Merlin's face scrunched up in pain as he tried to resist the question. He whimpered.
"Make it easier on yourself, Merlin. Please just..." She didn't need to finish. A new flash came before her. It was the lake again, but this time the sword was emerging from the depths, grasped in the delicate hand of a woman.
"No! Leave her alone!!"
This time, Morgana was not only forced out of a memory, but forced out of Merlin's mind entirely. Uther's chambers swirled back into view as she stumbled back into her sister's arms. Merlin still struggled in the chair, the black liquid having made its way through his chest and up the veins of his neck.
"Sister!" Morgause lowered Morgana into a chair. "What happened? Did you uncover the truth?"
Morgana nodded, but took a moment to catch her breath. "Yes. Yes, I did. He was telling the truth about his father. However," she paused, giving her sister a serious look, "it is of no consequence. Merlin has already created a sword forged in a dragon's breath."
"Where is it?"
"Hidden in the lake of Avalon."
"Then, I must leave at once!" Morgause said, making her way towards the door.
"Wait-" Morgana called out to her. "Let... let me go instead."
Morgause stared curiously at her. "Is there a reason why?"
"Umm..." In truth, Morgana didn't quite understand her motives herself. She just had a strong feeling that she should be the one to retrieve the sword, like something in that memory she saw was calling out to her. Instead she said: "I haven't felt like I've actually been doing anything. I've just been sitting around in the castle, waiting and waiting. I want to feel useful."
Morgause thought for a moment, then retreated from the door. "Very well. But please be careful, sister."
"I will." Morgana turned her back to Morgause, uncomfortable with how accustomed she had grown to lying to her sister. "I'll be back with the sword as soon as I can."