The Kindness of Strangers pt.1

Hello, hope you are having a good day. I am trying to do one story a day. Meaning that hopefully, I will be doing one chapter a day. I only have five stories to do so I am adding two more. This story and The Hollow Queen. Continue to vote. On AO3, go to my story Mergana POLL and vote up to three. I only have four stories left and I have a tie between the Servant of Two Masters and The Diamond of the Day. On ff, go to the top of my profile and vote up to three. Please, hurry. I am begging you.

After Finna was killed, Morgana saw a door leading to the balcony. She went up and saw Merlin on the ground weakly. She could tell that he had been injured. She knelt next to him and could see in the moonlight that he was close to death. She looked at his side and saw a wound. She chuckled slightly and touched Merlin's pale face.

"Oh, Merlin. Why do you always have to meddle in matters that do not concern you." Morgana sighed. "Guards!" Guards ran up. "Get a stretcher. We're taking him with us."

"Yes, my lady." A guard answered. Morgana got up and went to the horses. Soon, they arrived at her castle.

"Take him to my room and put him on the bed."

The guards did as they were told. Morgana went in after they were done and saw that he had practically been thrown unto the bed. She sighed and began to take Merlin's clothes off. She felt something in Merlin's pocket. She pulled it out and opened it. She saw a paper that she could not read. She set it aside and continued her work on Merlin. She took his clothes off and covered him. She began to treat his wound and saw that it was deep and that Merlin had lost a lot of blood from it. When she was done tending to Merlin, she took care of his clothes. Then she went to the table and picked up the letter. She chanted a spell and it translated itself.

"'Let loose the hounds of war. Let the dread fire of last priestess rain down from angry skies. For brother will slaughter brother. For friend will murder friend. As the great horn sounds, a cold dawn at Camlann. The prophets do not lie. There Arthur will meet his end, upon that mighty plain.' "Morgana read. She looked over at Merlin and smiled when she saw that he was awake and that he heard ever word. "This is just what I need to defeat Arthur once and for all."

"No, I won't let you." Merlin answered.

"And you think you can stop me?"

"I've done it before and I can do it again."

"If you hadn't poisoned me none of this would have happened."

"It would have happened no matter what. I just started all of it and I have more regrets than you will ever know."

"Like I'm really going to believe that."

"Morgana, I'm tired of fighting. I don't want to fight you anymore."

"Then it looks like I've already won."

"No, you've lost. You have lost more than you could ever imagine, Morgana. You have lost a lot of friends and family."

"I never needed them anyways."

"I bet you even Emrys needs his family and friends."

"You know where he is?"

"Maybe."

"Take me to him."

"Or what? Or you'll kill me. Go ahead. I don't even want to live anyways. You'll just be letting me live."

"Where is he?"

"Give me my clothes and I'll tell you."

Morgana did as she was told. Merlin got dressed. He got up and whimpered painfully. Morgana got close to Merlin and Merlin grabbed her wrists and pulled her close. Then he chanted and spell. When they appeared, they were in a cave. Merlin looked at Morgana and chanted another spell. Chains appeared on Morgana's hands. Merlin let go of Morgana and looked around at the crystals.

"I assume you know where we are." Merlin said as he went to the crystals.

"You lied to me. You have magic." Morgana gasped.

"Yes, to both and I wish I didn't lie to you."

"Then why did you? You could have helped me."

"Because I was a stupid and foolish boy like you're a stupid and foolish woman. Both of did things that could easily be resolved."

"Then why didn't we resolve them?"

Merlin turned to Morgana and saw that she was desperate.

"Because we both listened to those around us instead of our hearts. Did your heart tell you to hate me after what I did or did Morgause?" Merlin said.

"Morgause. I was just hurt and confused by what you did, but I didn't hate you." Morgana answered. "Did you hate me so much that you would poison me?"

"No. I was told that Morgause had used you as a vessel. You were the reason why everyone was falling asleep. I had to stop you and that meant killing you. Did you hate Arthur so much that you would do anything and everything to kill him? Or was it Morgause and Agravaine?"

"Morgause and Agravaine. Did you hate me so much that you left me alone with my magic and fear or did you listen to someonelse?"

"I listened to Gaius and a stupid old dragon. I wanted to tell, but I was told not to. I wish I hadn't."

"It looks like we both were stupid and foolish and we should have just listened to our hearts."

"Yeah, it does. Has it dawned on you yet?"

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind. Come here. If we continue the path that we have been on for the past few years, this is what will happen."

Morgana went to Merlin and they watched as the future unfolded before them. They watched as Mordred betrayed Camelot and the battle of Camlann. They watched as Mordred and Arthur killed each both and saw Merlin killed Morgana again. Then Morgana saw the old man and then looked at Merlin.

"You… You're Emrys." Morgana gasped. She backed away from Merlin. "Someone told me that you were my destiny and my doom. They said that you would kill me."

"And you are the darkness to my light. The hatred to my love. If we continue to go down this path, the future we saw will unfold, but if we stop all this hatred and violence, then none of it will happen. I don't want to kill you."

"How can we change? We've gone too far, Merlin."

"Maybe not. Maybe we can still be forgiven. Maybe I'm the light to your darkness and the love to your hatred."

"And maybe being my destiny and my doom doesn't mean that you'll kill me."

"Then let's stop this."

"But how, Merlin? We've done unforgivable things."

"We can run away together. We can go someplace where no one will find or know us."

"That will be pretty hard."

"But we can do it. We can hide from the world for a few years and just focus on trying to make amends. No one will know where we are. Eventually, they'll think that we're dead."

"What about Gaius and Hunith? They deserve to know."

"I'll tell my mother the truth. I'll ask her not to tell anyone and to burn the letters I write to her or hide them someplace no one will find them. I'll tell Gaius that I have to figure somethings out to protect Arthur and I may never come back. I'll ask him not to ask any questions and not to tell Arthur."

"Maybe you should tell him the truth."

"I can't. He'll think that you've kidnapped me or something. Mother will understand. She knows the truth about you. She encouraged me to have hope that you would turn away from everything and make amends and she was right."

Morgana looked at her hands and then held them out.

"If we're going to make amends, can you at least take these chains off?" Morgana asked. Merlin sighed and walked over to Morgana. He thought about it and smiled.

"Ok. Just don't try to kill me." Merlin replied. He took the chains off Morgana. They went back to Morgana's castle so that Morgana could pack.

"Merlin, why don't you go back to Camelot and say good-bye? It will be better that way. You won't feel guilty and everyone will know why you disappeared."

"I can't. I'll go get my things but I'll hide. I've written letters to Gaius and he'll know what to tell Arthur."

"Are you sure? What if Arthur tries to find you?"

"I've told Gaius what to tell him. I'll be back in half an hour."

"Ok."

Merlin chanted a spell and disappeared. He appeared in his chambers. He looked around and sighed. He packed what he needed and what was close to his heart. When he was done, he left his chambers and went into the main room and saw Gaius sleeping. He put the letter on a table where Gaius would see it. He looked at Gaius and sighed.

"Good-bye, Gaius." Merlin whispered. Then he disappeared. Gaius felt a wind and opened his eyes. He looked around and saw nothing. He got up and lit a candle. He saw the letter and opened it.

Dear Gaius,

Please do not blame yourself for what happened to Finna.

After everything Finna had to say, I have decided to try to

find out more and sadly I cannot do so in Camelot. My

journey is leading me elsewhere and I must follow it.

Tell Arthur that I have left Camelot because of something

that was brought to my attention and that I may not return.

Tell him not to worry about me or come after me. I have to

concentrate on what's going on and he would only make it harder.

I love you and I will miss you.

Merlin

Gaius read the letter several times as the shock hit him that Merlin had left. He began to write a letter to Merlin. Merlin reappeared and saw Morgana. She was all ready and was talking to Aithusa. Merlin went to them and touched Aithusa head.

"Hello, Aithusa." Merlin said. Aithusa made a few noises and lifted her injured leg. Merlin touch the leg. "How long has she been like this?"

"Since we were captured by the Sarrum." Morgana answered.

"The Sarrum?"

"You didn't hear that he captured me?"

"No, I did, but they were only rumors. I didn't think that it actually happened. I guess I was wrong."

"He had us for two years in a small hole. I just wished nothing more than to be dead."

"At least he's dead."

"Yes. Can you fix her leg?"

"Over time. I have to rebreak her leg. I'll wait to do that when we get to our destination."

They left the castle in the dark and journeyed through the night. At dawn, they had traveled far from any village or people.

"This lead is next to Camelot, but it's belongs to no one. It's free land." Merlin said. "So where do you want to build your house?"

"IN the woods, next to a lake or river."

"Ok."

In Camelot, Arthur was meeting Gaius. When he got to Gaius' chambers, he saw everyone close to Merlin waiting.

"What is it? Where's Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"That's what this is about, Arthur. It came to Merlin's attention that someone he cared about was in trouble. He went to help, but he thinks it will be a long journey. He doesn't know if he'll ever be able to return to Camelot." Gaius explained.

"If he does, how long will we wait?"

"Possibly a few years."

"Did he tell you who it was?" Gwen wondered.

"No, he didn't. Arthur, do not good after him. He asked me to make sure that you would not try to look for him. He needs all the concentration he can get and you will not help." Gaius answered.

"But we can't just wait for him to return." Arthur exclaimed.

"We have no choice, Arthur. We must respect Merlin's need to leave."

Merlin, Morgana, and Aithusa walked through the woods and saw a small clearing with a lake.

"How about here?" Merlin asked.

"I like it." Morgana answered. They got settled and started building the house. That evening, they were almost finished. They had built a fire and were eating. Merlin was tending to Aithusa leg.

"I just rebroke her leg. It will heal correctly now."

"Good."

Merlin picked up his bowl and started eating.

"Is it good?" Merlin asked.

"Yes. Thank you, Merlin." Morgana answered.

"Your welcome. If you're willing, we can try to finish it tonight and then sleep as long as we want."

"It might be for the best. How's your wound?"

"It's fine."

"Then why do you act like you're in pain?"

"It's nothing. I've had worse."

"No, you haven't and we both know it."

"I have to or did you forget about the serket, being poisoned twice, getting hit by a dorocha, and several other things."

"You were hit by a dorocha?"

"Yes. I was saved by someone. Not sure who."

"What other injuries do you have?"

"A lot. It'd take too long to tell you all of them."

"We have all the time in the world."

"How about we finish the house and then I'll tell you one?"

"Deal."

They cleaned up after dinner and finished the house with magic, of course. When they were done, they got settled. Morgana was resting on her bedroll while watching Merlin fix the fire.

"So, are you going to tell me a story?" Morgana asked.

"Ok." Merlin answered.

TBC