In Which the Original Episode Inspiration is Revealed: I am much indebted to 'Merlin' Season 2 Episode 12 "The Fires of Idirsholas". This is a non-profit story based on a TV show I don't own, and any recognizable plot points come from that episode.
Chapter Twenty-Five: In Which Feverish, Fainting, and Falling Asleep Camelotians Must Face Fancy Morgause and the Seven Knights
Despite her determination to not be comforted, Arthur's solicitations had not been without effect. His unshaken confidence that they together would be able to protect their child, as well as his dropping to his knees to kiss the unborn had pulled out the shaky laugh of the recently weeping. She'd smiled and pulled at him to stand up, saying, "Stand up. Imagine how you'd look if someone..."
She'd be unwittingly visualizing what they must look like and the image came so easily it was as if she was seeing it from an objective third person viewpoint. In fact the tableau was so clear Merlin immediately looked around her, taking in all the little details surrounding her. This was the scene the Crystal of Neahtid had shown her. And if this was true, so was the rest. The dying, the burning, the end.
Merlin wasn't aware she'd blurted out that the future had arrived until she realized Arthur was waving his hand in front of her face, calling her name in concern.
"What are you talking about?" Merlin quickly tried to explain about the crystal and how it showed the future to those with enough magic to see it. The understanding was slow because Arthur kept interrupting, but at last she managed to convey she'd seen horrible things in the crystal and that one of the scenes had already begun to be enacted before her eyes.
Arthur was silent a moment, clearly contemplating this. At last he stepped forward, grabbed her hand, and began to lead her out of the room.
"Where are we going?"
"To talk to Gaius. He's the one who told you about this crystal in the first place. Now that you've looked into it, hopefully we'll find a way to prevent what is coming." He sounded so calm, so reassuring that Merlin's rapidly fluctuating mood swayed once more into being happy.
Gaius was surprised to see the two of them visiting, though less than amused when Merlin confessed what she'd done weeks before. Gaius insisted she tell them everything she remembered seeing in detail.
"And was this the order the visions came in?" he asked once he was satisfied she'd accounted for everything she could remember. Merlin read over the list, and managed to get it in the approximate chronological sequence.
"So this vision of Arthur talking to your child, was the first to appear?" She nodded. "And the first to come to pass."
Arthur leaned closer to her, reading the list over her shoulder. "So what happens next should be everybody in Camelot lying dead on the ground?" Reading the list with him, Merlin saw that the image of Morgana choking on the floor in front of her followed that. Then the burning of Camelot. There was silence a moment. "What about the blood?" Arthur asked.
"What?" Merlin said, turning to look up at him.
"Where is all the blood in this vision?"
Merlin looked angry. "There wasn't enough bloodshed for you?"
"That isn't what I said," Arthur snapped back. "But in truth it wasn't. I would much prefer a battle of the blades to dragons. But how did everyone in Camelot die? The city isn't apparently destroyed until the dragon, yet everyone is dead already? Was there anyone fighting the dragon or the flames in the end? If so, how did they escape the first death? If the people weren't slaughtered by the sword - as evidenced by the lack of blood - then they must have been killed some other way." Merlin was beginning to understand Arthur's questions.
"Nobody appeared to be physically injured—apart from being dead—but neither were they discolored like the plague brought on by the afanc. What could cause everyone to be struck down like this, Gaius?"
"I don't know," the old man said wearily. "And that makes me very much afraid."
"It is said that when the knights of Medhir ride again from Idirsholas, they bring with them the doom of Camelot." Gaius finished his dire pronouncements about why the peasant was justly concerned to see the fire lights at the old fortress. In the few moments before Uther scoffed and ruined the mood, Gaius looked towards Merlin and Arthur, and they looked at each other. All three were in perfect sympathy for a few precious seconds. This must be the signalling symptom they had been looking for with dread. Whatever was happening at Idirsholas was certain to come to Camelot.
Uther scoffed at this melodramatic assessment. But despite Uther's expressed disbelief, the king was savvy enough to know that his subjects were concerned. With a curt reply he assured the peasant that Arthur and some of Camelot's upstanding knights would be on their way to Idirsholas. It was clear that Uther regarded these actions as more than enough for the peasant's story and that in delegating the task, his duty was amply discharged and Uther could wash his hands of it. Armed with his wife's visions, Arthur was not so quick at ease. With a polite bow and formal acceptance of his duty, Arthur left the throne room. Grabbing his wife's hand as he passed, he led her back to their chambers where they might talk in private.
Hardly had the door shut behind them then Merlin started talking. "You believe this to be as significant as I do," she stated and Arthur nodded. "Idirsholas is the cause of that pestilence affecting the whole city. We must ride out and stop it."
"When you say 'we'," Arthur began hopefully, "do you mean the royal we wherein I (and some loyal knights) ride out to investigate?"
"By 'we' I mean what is traditionally meant by 'we'," Merlin said. "You and I of course are the ideal people for this task."
"I was afraid you would say that," Arthur murmured.
"We're forewarned," Merlin continued, "and thus forearmed."
"Merlin," Arthur began cautiously, "I have no doubts in you, but perhaps you should remain here during this reconnaissance mission."
"And you would defeat this malicious magic how precisely?" Arthur really hated it when Merlin had reasonable objections to his viewpoints. Because without Merlin, he didn't have a clear idea of how to defeat some magical malady. He did however have confidence that with bravery and determination he would succeed in his mission. He had managed nearly twenty-one years of living without Merlin's effectual (and sometimes ineffectual) aid and he ought still to be able to ride out on a quest or two without her.
"Well," Arthur said after a moment, seizing upon the new strain of counterargument freshly occurring to him, "your presence will be sure to discomfit the knights and be ample cause for distraction as they strive to protect you. That is, if my father will countenance a princess riding out with the knights."
Merlin rolled her eyes at him. "If all of your knights are afraid of a girl, I fear for the future of Camelot. How do you expect any of them to produce a new generation of knights with that manner of attitude?"
"I think they'll manage just fine," Arthur retorted. "Though that does bring up a good point. You are currently tasked with protecting just such progeny. This is hardly the time for you to go running off on an adventure."
"If Idirsholas were just about seeking my own amusement I'd agree with you," said Merlin. "But if the cause of the mass death starts there and is coming here, I - and our child - will be no safer here than there." Arthur felt sick at the thought. Though they had braved many dangers within the walls of Camelot, few had so completely penetrated the safety of the fortress as the one Merlin had seen in that cursed crystal. In the context of impending fatherhood, this prospect was even more alarming. This was their home, and they were supposed to be safe within it.
Merlin set a gentle hand on Arthur. "There are always dangers for one or both of us. Now we simply have a new dimension to add to our partnership. We can't let this vision terrify us too much. Underneath all the joy of our impending parenthood, I have had a constant fear of all that could be disastrous considering the state of magic at the moment. But with all that fear, I realized that I have one stable, strong comfort."
Merlin fell silent then on those dangling remarks and Arthur knew that she wouldn't say more until he asked what her comfort was. He was curious. But he was also wary. He felt certain that in complying with Merlin's conversational gambits he would be tricking himself into agreeing with her accompanying him. After a few moments though, the expectant silence became too pressing. With a sigh, Arthur gave in.
"And what comfort is that, Merlin?"
She beamed at him. "Why that I always have you, and you have me. We're a team, we're a couple, we're soon to be parents, and one day we'll be rulers. Now is hardly the time for us to start facing things separately when we've just realized how fantastic we are together." She smiled up at him endearingly. "And that is how, when I lie awake at night, nervous over my ability to protect our child, that I fall asleep again. Because you are there, and I have complete faith that you will always be there, protecting me, and our family, and Camelot."
Arthur had been right; Merlin had talked him into a position he wasn't going to refute. He would protect both of them with his life, and he knew that for all her clumsiness, Merlin could take care of herself. And she was as fiercely protective of their unborn child as he was. His wife seemed to sense that she was close to getting her own way. Of course, when it came to forbidding her to go somewhere, she'd always won these arguments. Still he had a token protest.
"That still doesn't solve the issue of the knights not accepting a royal lady in entourage."
"Well," Merlin said with a smirk of satisfaction. "I couldn't stand living in Ealdor for more than a few months."
"Merlin, this is really not the time for non-sequitors."
"It's not. I was just stating that Myrddin has been in Ealdor for longer than before. I think its time that your old friend and faithfully shadowing manservant returned for a visit."
"That could work," Arthur conceded. Nobody had questioned Myrddin's presence before, no matter how irregular. And he'd much rather know that Merlin was in tow where he could see her rather than worry that she was tagging along getting into danger without his knowledge.
Idirsholas was about as Merlin had expected it to be: dirty from centuries of no habitation, falling down around them, and creepy enough to conjure up visions of an evil sorceress' lair, even if Merlin didn't have a default dislike of magic. But beyond the expected, there was something simply off about the place, something that defied description and did nothing to set Merlin's fraught nerves at ease.
It didn't take long for things to devolve particularly badly. For one thing, even the most perfect of sword work had no effect on these knights, who didn't react to fatal stabs or debilitating jabs. It was clear to Merlin that the Camelot knights were tiring and that there was little they could do. She was most concerned with the sweat she could see dripping down Arthur's face but she was cognizant of the weariness of the others. Catching sight of Arthur's right hand man, Sir Leon, fighting with all his might with his back to Arthur, Merlin knew that magical intervention would be necessary to save anyone's life.
Arthur managed to direct his knights behind him, forcing a gap between the for-the-moment unslayable fighters and the red cloaked ones he led. With Merlin beside him, he was unsurprised when he heard her whispering under her breath. A moment later, the ceiling caved in, neatly blanketing all the enemies. Merlin gave a sigh of relief. Arthur turned to her with a grin.
"I will admit, you are handy to have along," Arthur said. She smirked smugly. Together they turned back to the rest of their knights. The group displayed non of the signs of jubilation that the Pendragons sported. They were panting, tired, bleeding, and shocked. Looking to Arthur, Merlin saw that his smile had also disappeared. The pair met eyes for a moment, and in that moment, stepped back into the habits they hadn't employed for months, not since Myrddin's retirement.
"Luckily for us, Idirsholas seems to have fallen into disrepair," Arthur commanded. "But there is no reason to think that this will have been any more fatalistic to these strange knights than our swords have been. Thus we must prepare to act defensively." He would have continued, but Merlin interrupted.
"Arthur, not all of the men can return to Camelot immediately. Some of them need medical attention this instant."
The effect of Myrddin's statement was surprising. In Arthur's recollection, Myrddin had always been outspoken, dare he say, impertinent. But it seemed either the lulling effect of increased exposure had run dry or that Myrddin had said something more outrageous than usual. The knights were all staring at one or both of them, looking shocked at Myrddin's having encroached on his orders. Merlin met his eyes, shrugging in confusion at this reaction. Arthur smirked slightly before redirecting the men, this time incorporating Merlin's information on the wounded and dead. At last an agreement was reached.
Vacating the ruins, the dead were carefully placed aside, to be retrieved when the dangers to Camelot was passed. Of the remaining men, half were too wounded to continue. Arthur relegated a couple more knights to dealing with the wounded. That left two men, and then he and Myrddin. Arthur could tell his wife was anxious about returning to Camelot. If the source of the strange plague that was destined to take down all the inhabitants of Camelot was from Idirsholas, then likely they had little time to return to the castle and combat it. But if something magical was going to go on, then they'd need magic to combat it. And in that case, the two attendant knights might be more bother than help.
Coming to a decision, Arthur directed his attention to Sir Leon. He'd long trusted the other knight as his second-in-command. That trust was most helpful now.
"Leon, you will wait here for any signs of these knights of Idirsholas. If they emerge from the rubble, you will not engage them. You will follow at a safe distance. If Camelot appears under attack, do not enter. Wait in the Darkling Woods until evening. If I have not sent word to you by then, assume Camelot is in need of allied reinforcement. You should head first to," Arthur broke off. His father had never been willing to send for help with the various alliances. Arthur understood the idea of not wanting to appear in a position of weakness. Still, there was a time and place for pride. Merlin was found of pointing that out (and almost always adding that it wasn't his time). He looked over at his wife. She nodded her agreement.
"Powys," Myrddin joined in. "Head first for Powys." Arthur nodded. His in-laws, little though he knew them were the natural ones to come to their aid.
"Myrddin and I will ride ahead, rally the other knights in preparation for the something dangerous that is in Idirsholas moving to Camelot."
A few more parting instructions, and Myrddin and Arthur were able to ride out at fastest pace for the castle. With Merlin at his side, Arthur could only hope that their actions would be enough to save the city from the crystal's visions.
No words were necessary when the pair at last rode through the gates. There were no guards standing, no greeting or warning as two people, both armed and dangerous entered through the open gates. All around everyone was slumped over and silent. A quick glance at Merlin was enough to assure Arthur that this was the very image that had so haunted her. They rode quietly to the courtyard of the palace. The silence was disconcerting; the grandeur of the white stone having been transformed into an emptiness austere and solemn in the silence.
When the finally dismounted in synchronicity, they at last stooped to examine the corpses. It was overwhelming how little a fight anyone seemed to have put up. Merlin was crouched next to the driver of a cart. Arthur left the assessment to her, as she'd been Gaius' ward for months. But Merlin's exclamation after her cursory examination shocked Arthur to the core.
"Arthur, he's not dead; he's asleep." Arthur immediately jumped to action, running to one of the guards so ignominiously slumped on the steps.
"So is he!" The prince looked around. "They're all asleep!"
"But that means," Merlin said, a look of hope spreading across her face, "that we merely need to wake them up." Arthur gave a short laugh in relief. With renewed vigor the duo entered the palace proper, wary for any signs of intruders or magical object that might have been planted as the start of this curse.
However, the mere knowing that everyone wasn't dead did not repress the creepy air of a sleeping citadel. As they wandered from room to room, the mounting number of the asleep kept them silent and wary. Arthur led the way to his father's chambers; now would be the ideal time to assassinate a king with literally no one able to sense an intruder. But shortly before they reached the corridor that housed the monarch, Merlin and Arthur both stiffened in surprise. They had heard movement in Morgana's room. Blue eyes met blue eyes and with a nod of his head, they crept into Morgana's chambers.
The lady was not in sight, but there was a rustling at the curtains. Arthur readied his sword and with a mighty wrench on the draperies, revealed the person hiding.
"Morgana?" Arthur said in surprise. And indeed it was the lady, looking scared and pale, but undoubtedly awake. "How?" Arthur began in complete confusion.
"I don't know," she whispered. She went on to say that gradually everyone had been falling asleep all day, everyone but her. Arthur could well imagine how alarming the situation would have been. Giving her a comforting pat on her arm, he instructed the three to stay together. Quietly he led the way to the king's rooms. Arthur found his father slumped ignominiously on the floor. Desperately he looked at Merlin, wondering if she had any ideas on how to wake him. Much as he was relieved to have Morgana awake and mobile, it did curtail the frankness of conversation available to them. Not for the first time Arthur thought longingly of the life he had led before there were secrets.
"Arthur," Myrddin began, "I'm going to go to Gaius'. Perhaps he is working on an antidote." Arthur nodded. Perhaps while they were gone Gaius, armed with Merlin's visionary knowledge, might have found something useful. Fleetly, Myrddin ran out the door. The prince turned to Morgana.
"We need to find a way to move the king," Arthur declared. "He's too vulnerable here in his chambers." Morgana agreed, still looking pale and tense, and together they started moving their ruler down the halls.
They had reached the hall of the throne room when Arthur heard horses in the courtyard. Rushing to a window, Arthur saw immediately that things had gotten worse. The knights of Medhir had just arrived from Idirsholas.
Merlin was disappointed to find Gaius asleep; she had hoped that Morgana's alert state had indicated that magical people were not affected by the plague. It looked like this wasn't the case. Furthermore, a quick glance at all the open tomes on his work table showed that he had had made no progress on the sleeping curse. Taking advantage of the chance to cast some magic with absolutely no fear of being overheard or overseen, Merlin tried to wake up her mentor. Yet her magic was useless against whatever had sent the city snoring. Sighing, Merlin exited the chambers, determined to head back to Arthur and see if he had any advice.
Before she could exit the physician's chambers, she heard a noise in the courtyard. It was as she feared; the knights had followed them. She sprinted away from the window. Eight riders in the courtyard, versus the three of them. Not the odds she would have chosen, even if she knew all of them were at least somewhat skilled in combat. Eight apparently immortal knights...
Merlin stopped and spun around. There had been only seven knights at Idirsholas. Of that she was certain. Rushing back to the window, Merlin hastily recounted. There were eight horsemen. The leader was clothed differently than the rest and a few seconds observation showed why as the head horseman's helmet was removed to allow long blonde hair to tumble down.
"Morgause," Merlin muttered as a curse under her breath. Merlin had not directly battled the other woman sorceress to sorceress and she was not anxious to do so now. There was no time to worry about which of the two of them was stronger at the moment. She sprinted off to the royal quarters where Arthur was sure to be. She used every bit of knowledge of the castle's interior she had gained as Myrddin. And she was panting and breathless when she reached Arthur and Morgana, stooping low as they dragged the prone body of the king down the hall.
"Arthur, the knights," she panted out.
"I know," Arthur grunted. "Help us get the king to the throne room. Afterwards we can-" He broke off. Merlin though had been thinking as she ran.
"Lower him through the windows." Myrddin thought this was a rather good suggestion, and would have beamed had they not been running on adrenaline, hauling a deadweight form and yawning. Arthur just gave her a look that told her he thought this idea particularly imbecilic. "We can put him in the cart in the courtyard-" Merlin broke off to yawn. "And get him out of Camelot."
"That is a good idea," Arthur said. Any further thoughts were broken off by a yawn of his own. The two met eyes, both horrorstruck. A quick glance at Morgana showed a mirrored expression. Husband and wife were both falling asleep. Seeing Morgana awake had given Merlin some hope that those of magical persuasion would have been spared. But Gaius clearly hadn't been, and neither was she.
Hurriedly the trio finished conveying the king to the throne room. The doors were easily sturdy and could be used to barricade from the outside world. A small measure, but hopefully by the time imminent attack became the only option, Merlin would have figured out something.
The two apparent 'men' were busy dragging Uther the rest of the way when Morgana said she'd go check to see where the knights were. Morgana waited for no man's opinion, but darted out. Merlin didn't know how long she would be gone so hurried to Arthur's side.
"Do you have a plan?" she asked Arthur. It turned out he didn't have much of a plan beyond fighting with the hope that somehow things would work out. Merlin didn't have much confidence in this mode of attack. Unfortunately, she didn't have any alternatives.
Morgana came hurrying back, looking frightened. Arthur and Merlin exchanged incredulous glances at her report; she had been corned and then released by the faceless black knights. This certainly didn't jive with their own experiences.
"But why didn't they attack you?" Myrddin insisted again in frustration upon rehearing Morgana's tale of having been surprised by the knights who had refused to assault her even though she presented an easy target.
"I don't know," Morgana huffed. "Maybe because I'm a woman?"
Arthur let out a bark of laughter at that, and even Myrddin smiled despite being terribly confused. The knights had certainly displayed no compunction about trying to kill her at Idirsholas. Poor Morgana looked somewhat insulted at their laughter. But the levity could only be for a moment. "There has to be something else," Myrddin said in frustration. "I'm going to go see if I can find anything else in Gaius' books that could help us wake everybody up." She had to do something to stop the knights or there would be no hope for Camelot. With a last yawn and several dozen blinks, Myrddin slipped out of the door. Taking advantage of the increased activity she had become accustomed to since she had moved to Camelot, Merlin ran as fast as she could. Avoiding where Morgana said the knights were, Merlin ran down multiple staircases.
Morgana was getting increasingly upset as Arthur and Myrddin began to blink a bit more often than usual. Much as they tried to hide it, Morgana could see that they were falling asleep. Morgana staved off the panic of being alone in the city. Eventually Myrddin said desperately that he was going to go run back to the physician's chambers in the hope that Gaius had left some clue of what this ailment was. It left Morgana alone with Arthur, and the unconscious body of Uther. Finally she had the opportunity to voice something she'd been worrying over, even more so on her brief reconnaissance mission.
"Arthur," she said hesitantly. Nobody had mentioned a significant missing party, but Morgana couldn't ignore the absence of her friend any longer. "Arthur, I couldn't find Merlin anywhere. Where can she possibly be?" Arthur didn't answer. Morgana was already stressed and tense, and so said in frustration. "Arthur, we need to find Merlin. Surely she is as important to save as Uther."
"And Myrddin might find Gaius the person he loves most, and you might want to save Guinevere. There are so many good people, lying here defenseless. We can't save them all. So we save our king." Arthur said this all resolutely. Morgana was stunned.
"But she's your wife!"
"And she would agree with me, if she were here. She would understand that we must get out of this sleeping city before it is too late, and that all of us have sworn our first oath to the king."
"You would let your own wife be slaughtered in her sleep?" Morgana said in disgust.
"Myrddin and I already hid her somewhere safe, somewhere where she hopefully won't be noticed. We get the king out, pray that outside of these walls he wakes up and we are no longer in danger of dozing off. And then if we can we figure out how to destroy this pestilence and rescue more citizens."
Morgana backed away from the man she had always considered her brother in horror. "You would leave your family behind? If I hadn't been awake, you would have left me too?"
"Morgana, it's not like that," Arthur began, but Morgana couldn't believe this. Morgause had been so right; she had said that a Pendragon's heart thought first of himself. After all that they had gone through, after all the times Arthur had been positively giddy about his wife, he would abandon her to save Uther's life. Uther the greatest murderer in the land, saved in exchange for Merlin who went about rescuing servants and druids and even Morgana, when she had been so confused about her magic.
"Who are you?" Morgana spat in disgust. Arthur looked chagrined, but at that moment Myrddin returned, beckoning Arthur over. Morgana couldn't make out what the two men whispered, but the increased grimness of their expression spoke volumes, none of it good.
Merlin fully intended to head to Gaius', but was struck with the sudden impulse to visit the great reptile beneath the city. It seemed highly unlikely that whatever strange magic was affecting the city had had the power to effect him. As an added inducement, it was an area the invaders were little likely to go to.
Rushing down to the dragon's lair, she was irritated to find him too apparently enjoying a midday rest.
"Dragon!" she yelled at it. He lifted one giant eye to give her a lazy gaze before promptly settling contentedly back into his rock. "Camelot is in desperate need of your help."
"It is always the same story with you," the dragon replied. "And yet you never seem anxious to help me."
"I will release you one day," Merlin promised. Although with the visions from the crystal increasingly becoming reality, Merlin was by no means anxious to hasten the burning of the city she loved more than any other place she'd been.
"A very long time in the future, no doubt," the dragon said in a mocking tone. "After I have saved Camelot innumerable times for you."
"I will keep my promise," Merlin said fiercely. "But if you don't help me now, the knights of Medhir will have slayed me, Arthur, and any hopes you had of both Albion and being released."
"The knights of Medhir," the dragon drawled thoughtfully. "They carry enchanted blades." Merlin thought there were few things in the world more annoying than people (or in this case dragons) who talked slowly. "Blades strong enough to cut even these chains." Inadvertently Merlin took a step backwards.
"You want me to release you tonight?" she said, completely aghast. The crystal's future was unwrapping in rapid succession. All that was between the sleeping plague and the citadel burning had been Morgana choking to death. But even a firey opponent seemed better than one who could slaughter indiscriminately while the world slept. "If I release you with one of the swords, will you help me to wake everyone up?"
"Swear on something you hold dear."
"I swear on my life," Merlin said stoutly. It was just as well that Arthur was busy fighting for his life somewhere else. He was bound to be irritated by her cavalier disregard for her own safety.
The dragon laughed, and never had he sounded more cruel. "Your life is not the life you hold dearest," he said. "Swear on the one that matters most."
That was harder. Not only because Merlin didn't know (husband or unborn child was after all a very weighty matter, one Merlin had no intention of ever evaluating (and with a fierce stab Merlin realized that for the next six months, her life was her child's and she could only be grateful that the dragon had refused her offer)), but because it would be immoral to bargain on either her child or her husband's life. Merlin was reminded vividly of the Questing Beast. Nothing had changed in her feelings; hers was the only life she could bargain with. Releasing the dragon would be fatal to at least a few people. She'd already seen that. With that Merlin stiffened. In essence, Merlin was already bargaining with several lives, lives she had no right to offer up for sacrifice. Merlin had resolved from the moment of the vision's inception to prevent all the deaths to the extents of her ability. She was even more determined now. Right now there was no time for weeping. She must use even the cruelest of foreknowledge to her advantage. After all, time was most assuredly running out.
"I'll only swear on another's life if you guarantee me that you will harm no one when you are free. After all the citizens of Camelot have done nothing to you."
"Done nothing?" the dragon roared. "Uther and his kindled cruelty have kept me in chains these twenty years. I will have my vengeance."
Merlin remained stiff. "Then how can I release you when you will kill the same people I have vowed as a princess in Camelot to protect?"
"Then it appears we are useless to each other," the dragon said.
Merlin cursed herself for this next line, but saw no alternative. At least if they were awake, the townspeople would have a fighting chance. "Then Uther and Camelot and Albion will die without you, and you can die down here alone. You'll never get your revenge on the already dead."
She turned to leave, but could plainly hear the dragon rising from its rocky pillow. "You will steal a sword from a knight of Medhir and release me after you have defeated them," the dragon commanded.
It was a Pyrrhic victory to be certain, but Merlin was every moment closer to falling asleep. This was their only hope. "You have my word," she vowed as she turned around.
"Very well. The source of the sleep is contained within one vessel. To end this spell, that vessel must be destroyed." Merlin nodded. "Magic of this kind requires a living person, a magical person." Merlin felt the faintest twitchings of frightening foreboding. "You must kill that witch, the Lady Morgana."
If this was destiny, Merlin thought it most cruel. She wanted to protest to the dragon, to plead for some solution that didn't involve killing her friend, but she refrained. She'd already made a devil's bargain for this knowledge; she would not go back on her word but she would ask nothing more of this creature.
As she walked, Merlin suffered from the same duel vision she'd been laboring under for two months, ever since looking into the visionary rock. Before her she could see life as it was currently playing out and hanging tantalizingly in her memory were the images of the horrors to come. But as she exited the draconian lair, the two images seemed to become one treacherous trail. The victims of the sleeping plague were before her, the horrible choking death of Morgana was almost upon her, and with a certainty she knew that tonight would bring dragon fire. Much as she and Arthur had brainstormed to prevent this, it was now unmistakable before them, and for all but the sleeping death, she was the orchestrator.
Her walk was full of these repetitive musings. Not knowing what else to do, Merlin headed for Gaius' chambers, seeking out the kindest killing poison he possessed. She hated herself, but her hand lingered over the hemlock. But just as she was about to grab it, she caught sight of the two small vials behind it. One was the imitative poison Gaius had concocted to bring Uther to true remorse and break the spell of the troll. The other vial was of course the restorative antidote. Merlin knew full well why there was an extra set of these. She recalled Morgana's comments on the plan, how she had thought the idea ingenious and laughed that Arthur got to have all of the fun.
With a jubilant laugh Merlin snatched them both up. She could save everyone; the slumbering ones, the choking ones, and the burning ones. The visions showed images, but they didn't necessarily show death. Hadn't she thought in her vision that the bodies strewn around unmoving indicated death but it was only sleep! She could do the same with Morgana. The temporary 'demise' would disrupt the spell, and then Morgana could be revived! Merlin wasn't yet sure how she was going to approximate all the fires with destruction, but that was a worry for later that evening. For now, she had a city to save, and so thinking, Myrddin sprinted back to throne room with a suppressed yawn.
Arthur moved away from Morgana with Myrddin's return. With the manservant's help, the men barricaded the door. Arthur stayed there sword in hand, taking up his station at the door to wait for the knights in lieu of continuing to argue with her. Stood there waiting to defend Uther instead of looking for his wife. Morgana, standing frustrated and angry besides the prone body of the king, remained aggrieved at his callousness towards those he had long professed to love. After a few hushed words with Arthur, Myrddin approached Morgana. He saying that Arthur was going to try to hold off the knights. Morgana immediately pounced upon Myrddin, hoping that Myrddin would see the boorishness of Arthur's latest idea.
"Myrddin, Arthur is going to leave Merlin behind, leave her alone to be slaughtered." Myrddin didn't respond, instead fiddling with the straps to hoist the king. "Myrddin! We have to go rescue Merlin. We can't leave her alone in the city!"
Myrddin didn't say anything for a minute, but then, without looking at her, said in a rushed undertone, "Morgana, do you know anything about what has happened here?"
"Of course not," Morgana spat out.
"You didn't see anything strange before everyone started collapsing?" Myrddin's voice was urgent. Morgana denied it. The boy looked up with a piercing stare. "And you have no idea who would have the power to cast this spell?"
Morgana hesitated. Morgause was certainly powerful. And she had seen Morgause the evening before. Morgana tried to recall what they had talked about. Morgana had never told anyone, not even the always sympathetic Merlin, about how Morgause and she had stayed in touch. This reunion with her sister, a family member in blood and a kindred spirit in magic, had always seemed very private. And Morgause had always been sympathetic about Morgana's dreams of magic returning to Camelot. During their last few magic experiments before the witchfinder had come and upset everything, Merlin had been very open about her own goals of legalizing magic when she and Arthur were rulers. Morgana had relayed her excitement that at least one future ruler was compassionate. Morgause had been an enthusiastic listener. In fact she had even said...
Morgana drew in a deep breath as she recalled the essence of Morgause's statements. It had been so late and Morgana had been so inexplicably tired. So tired she hardly remembered how she had returned to her own bed this morning. But she did recall Morgause saying it was such a pity then, if Arthur was so sympathetic, that Uther was still around to tyrannize the people. Morgana had concurred to that. But in thinking on it, Morgana began to worry that she had agreed to more than that. Morgause had said something about ridding the land of Uther immediately. Could she have meant this? But innocent people could get hurt like this! Her good friends, like Gwen and Merlin were lying defenseless. The reminder of Merlin's peril particularly irked her. After all, Gwen was a serving girl, hardly likely to attract immediate notice. If Merlin was hurt, it would be due to Arthur's inattention.
Shaking herself from these wrathful and confused thoughts, belatedly Morgana returned to the conversation with the manservant. In looking at Myrddin Morgana felt uncomfortable. How did the boy look so suddenly knowing, as if he had realized that Morgana had talked to Morgause the day before? How did it seem that he knew her thoughts?
With a last tug of a knot the boy straightened up from his position bending over Uther. Turned slightly away from her, he started fiddling with his pack, extracting a canteen. He fumbled to open it.
"Here, Morgana," he said. "Have a drink of water."
Morgana stared at him in confusion. The world had gone insane. Morgause had possibly lied to her, Arthur was deserting his wife, apparently unkillable knights were just outside the door, and the manservant had addressed none of these issues and was instead worrying about giving her some water.
"I'm not thirsty, Myrddin," Morgana cried. How could the manservant be so callous about leaving their friends behind, particularly Arthur leaving his wife? Surely he could see that that was wrong.
Myrddin looked at Morgana, almost desperately. "Please, Morgana. I'm going to go try to sneak to the place where we left Merlin, but if I don't get back, this might be the last chance for water." Morgana gaped at him.
"You'll convince Arthur to go get Merlin? Convince him that a man doesn't just abandon his wife?"
"I don't think that is what Arthur is doing," Myrddin protested. Morgana looked at him mutinously. Always this loyalty to Arthur, who was clearly being as selfish and murderous as ever Uther had been. Myrddin seemed to see this in Morgana's expression. "Please just drink this Morgana, and then I'll take it with me and go find Merlin, make sure she gets out of the city with you." Myrddin nodded a promise, and Morgana took the canteen, taking a sip.
Myrddin took the water jug back quickly, and then moved away, towards the door, where sounds of a sword fight in the corridors right outside could be heard. Morgana hardly dared breath as she listened to the clashing. For all her anger at Arthur, Morgana was still worried about him taking on these kinds of odds.
But all external worry rapidly dissolved as Morgana began choking and coughing. Her insides felt like they were seizing up. Myrddin turned around at that moment, tears streaming down his face as he looked at her. He reached out to comfort the king's ward, Morgana felt her chest seize up even more. The wave of betrayal, already present in the way that Arthur so callously abandoned those he claimed to love was intensified by this. Was this the servant's way of not having to deal with the extra weight, so that they could focus on rescuing the tyrant? Or was this Myrddin's true response to Morgana having magic?
"You poisoned me!" she coughed out, scooting herself away from the lanky youth. "You're just as bad as him!" But that was all Morgana could articulate before she completely went unconscious.
Something shifted in the balance of magic and power then, and Merlin was hardly surprised that Morgause had felt it, that she burst into the room at that moment. Merlin was concerned that Arthur had been hurt, as he didn't come through the doors. The sounds of renewed fighting reassured her. And the witch knew she didn't have time to be distracted; Morgause was furious as she hastened to Morgana's side, pulling the limp girl into her arms, trying to figure out what was wrong with her. Merlin felt desperate. This was the same potion Gaius had concocted to give Arthur when the troll attacked. He had been completely fine, but Merlin knew that was only with the timely administration of the antidote. She had precious seconds to bargain.
"What have you done to her?" the blond priestess cried. It was the most emotional Merlin had ever seen the other sorceress; it looked like there was someone who Morgause cared for. A strange sort of carrying, making Morgana the source of the spell, but still a caring. As Morgause tried to diagnose Morgana's symptoms, Merlin took relief in how she herself was no longer yawning. The dragon was evidently right; Morgana's imminent death had weakened the magic's hold.
"You poisoned her!" Morgause cried in shock. "Tell me with what and I can still heal her."
"Call off the knights," Merlin bartered back ruthlessly. Inside she was desperately counting seconds. Morgana had moments left.
"I can kill you now, boy," Morgause spat.
Merlin leaned forward, glaring into Morgause's eye over the prone body. "Go ahead. She'll die with me." The exchange of hated gazes was only interrupted by Morgana's body convulsing in what looked like death throws.
Morgause didn't acquiesce in formal agreement, instead crying out a spell. From the corridors the sound of clanking swords died. Inwardly relieved, but determined not to lose any perception of strength until Morgause was dealt with, Merlin handed over the life restoring vial. She couldn't contain the relieved breath when Morgana took a shuddering breath.
Several things happened at once. Arthur burst into the room, sword still in hand. Uther sat up beside them, looking confounded and angry. And Morgause, with a smirk of wrathful revenge, tightened her hold on Morgana and with a fierce cry started a transporting whirlwind.
The three Pendragons in the room were all forced further backwards at the force of the spell. When the dust cleared, Morgause and Morgana were gone. Merlin looked wearily at a very shocked Arthur. How she wished she was appareled as herself; she felt like throwing herself in Arthur's arms and weeping. Morgana's betrayed expression clung in her mind more terribly than any vision. And Morgause's smirk had been everything that was viscous. Despite Morgause's limited affection for Morgana, the thought of her friend in that woman's company sent chills down Merlin's spine. The knights of Medhir may have been defeated but as Merlin recalled the next vision from the Crystal of Neahtid, she felt no comfort. The burning of the city was next on the list. Today was not a day for optimistic outpourings. The dragon would surely be as bent on revenge as every other magical being she had battled for two years. And she had just promised to release it.
Alternatively Titled, "In Which Morgana is Given a Justified Reason to Suddenly Hate Arthur Next Season, No Matter How Misguided Her Conclusions Are".