the stars are crying (for what we could have had) (7/13)

[x_spikeaholic_x]

Title: the stars are crying (for what we could have had) (7/13)
Fandom: Merlin
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Morgana, any and all other characters
Word Count: 9,376
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this stuff, because if I did ArMor would be canon.
Spoilers: Vague spoilers for all of Merlin series 3
Summary: (The sequel to "you and i are a story that never gets told") This is season 3, the way it should've been. Arthur has lost Morgana, and he is struggling to move on without her. Morgana is learning to master her powers with the help of her sister, but she can't stay away from Camelot forever... Once you set things into motion, everything can change.
Author's Notes: Sorry for the extra long wait! But hey, longest chapter yet!
Previous Installment: you and i are a story that never gets told
Previous Chapters: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

---

Arthur trudged back to his chambers, feeling particularly exhausted after a rather grueling council session with his father. He had hoped to rest after eating dinner, but his father had pulled him aside to discuss issues in the kingdom, and it had gone on for quite a while. The sun had long since sunk beneath the horizon, and most of the castle was empty, with everyone retiring for the night.

When he entered his room, he was fully prepared to sink into his bed, but he caught sight of something interesting that made him stop. There was a chair pulled up by the window, and in it, was a person; or more accurately, a bundle of limbs all wrapped up in a silk dress and a thin blanket. As his eyes trailed up along the lines of twisted legs and arms where they were tucked into the chair, his gaze fell on long strands of dark hair falling haphazardly out of a bun and covering a petite porcelain face. Eyes closed shut and features relaxed, Morgana looked quite peaceful, if not a bit uncomfortable in the hard chair.

Arthur studied her face for a moment, smiling as he saw the way her lashes laid prettily on her cheeks as she slept. It was common for her to come to his chambers now; they had gotten back into a fairly familiar routine of spending more than a fair amount of every day with one another. She had most likely come to talk to him and fell asleep while waiting for him, and he felt a twinge of guilt, though it wasn’t entirely his fault. His father was on some sort of mission lately, and though he didn’t share everything with Arthur, he still wanted his son’s military advice on certain subjects. It made Arthur wary that his father was being secretive, but he hadn’t pushed the matter.

Morgana twitched in her sleep and the small movement shook Arthur out of his thoughts. He looked down at her and found himself swept up in the way the soft light from the candles cast shadows on her skin. He knew that he couldn’t stand there forever, but it was nice to stare for once without her being aware. It was late, and he hated to wake her when she looked so peaceful. It was rare for her to sleep through the night, and he didn’t want to be the cause of another restless night. His eyes flicked to his bed, and for a brief moment, he considered letting her stay with him. His entire being ached with the thought of having her that close again, but he knew better.

Realizing that his only other option was to get her to her own bed, he crept across the room as quietly as he could manage. He reached down and gently maneuvered her legs, slipping his hand under her knees. Bending forward, he set one of her arms over his shoulder and tucked his own arm around her back. In one slow motion, he stood up to his full height, lifting her with him. The blanket fell away, and her head fell against his chest.

Morgana stirred and then settled in against him, unconsciously nuzzling her face against the small area of Arthur’s skin left exposed by the opening in his shirt. Arthur gripped her tightly and started to walk with her in his arms. He left his room and started down the hall towards Morgana’s room. A guard saw them pass and made a face, but Arthur simply nodded and wished the man a good evening.

When he reached Morgana’s door, he carefully held her up with one arm as he reached down to turn the knob. The door swung open and he entered the room, padding over to Morgana’s bed. Using one hand to cradle her head, Arthur laid Morgana down on top of the sheets, carefully removing his arms from under her body as he let her go.

A rustling sound echoed through the quiet room, and Arthur looked up, finding Guinevere at the foot of the bed with a candle. “Guinevere,” he greeted, whispering her name.

Gwen looked from Arthur to Morgana’s sleeping form and smiled. In hushed tones, she replied, “I wasn’t sure I’d see her again tonight. She seemed so determined to see you.”

Arthur’s face lit up at Gwen’s words, the hint of a smile blooming on his lips.

“Thank you for bringing her here.” Gwen moved over to the bed and removed Morgana’s shoes.

Arthur put on a show, stretching out his hand and bowing jokingly. “Anything for my lady.”

Gwen stifled a chuckle for Morgana’s sake. Walking over to the chest by the bed, she pulled out a blanket and laid it over Morgana.

Arthur stared down at Morgana, watching as Guinevere took the pins out of her hair. As the curls tumbled out of their bonds, Arthur brushed them away from Morgana’s cheek, unable to stop himself.

Gwen saw the movement out of the corner of her eye and smiled.

Recognizing that he wasn’t alone, Arthur pulled his hand away from Morgana’s face. Backing up from the bed, he cleared his throat and quietly mumbled, “I should take my leave.”

Gwen noticed Arthur hovering by the foot of the bed, hesitating, and she whispered, “I’ll take care of her, Arthur.”

Color flared up in the apples of his cheeks, and he nodded. “Good night, Guinevere.” He walked out of the door, slowly closing it behind him. He turned and watched Morgana disappear through the ever dwindling sliver of light until the door latched, only then forcing his feet to move.

After Arthur left, Gwen finished prepping Morgana for bed, managing as well as she could without waking her mistress. It was getting late, and she had to suppress several yawns as she worked. Finally, she headed home to her own bed for the night, feeling secure that Morgana would rest well.

Wrapping her shawl around her shoulders, Gwen left Morgana’s chambers through the servant’s entrance and took the stairs down to the courtyard. She took the path to the lower town that led to her house. It was dark, and she walked with a hurried pace, eager to get inside.

As Gwen entered her house, she could sense that something was wrong. Before she had the chance to react, a man stepped out of the shadows, coming towards her. Reaching for the nearest object to use a weapon, Gwen’s fingers grasped the fire poker, and she raised it like a sword, prepared to attack. She backed up, her eyes frantically scanning the room, looking for an easy escape route. However, before she could choose a course of action, she felt a pair of strong arms grab her from behind. A second man had a hold of her, and he placed a thin scrap of cotton across Gwen’s mouth as she struggled. With no choice but to breathe through the material, Gwen inhaled the strong aroma of chemicals, and soon everything went dark.

---

The next morning, Morgana woke up late, the streaming sun through her window shining through her closed eyelids. She sat up slowly, looking down at herself in wonderment. She was still in her dress from the previous day, though someone had let her hair down and covered her with a blanket.

It was surprising that Gwen hadn’t come in yet, since she was usually so prompt when arriving for work. Though, Morgana mused, Gwen probably had quite a late night, what with taking care of her, it seemed. She put aside her worry, assuming that Gwen would arrive in a few hours.

Morgana went about her morning routines on her own, getting dressed and doing her makeup. She brushed out her hair, leaving it down, since she lacked the patience Guinevere had when it came to pinning up her curls.

She went down and got breakfast from the cook, and then took a long walk around the gardens. By the time she returned to her room, the sun had passed over to the western sky. It had been hours, and still Gwen had not shown up to do her chores. Morgana worried her bottom lip between her teeth, fearing for Gwen. Usually if the girl was sick, she would have sent a note, at least.

Eventually, Morgana grew anxious, and decided to go check on Gwen herself. As she walked through the corridors, she passed Arthur, and his eyes followed her. Morgana was on a mission, and she didn’t even notice him.

Arthur frowned slightly, but didn’t make a scene, as he was accompanied by several of his knights.

After walking through town for several minutes, Morgana came upon Gwen’s house and knocked on the door. “Gwen?”

When she received no response, she tried the doorknob, finding the door unlocked. She let herself into the house, discovering that it was empty. She searched around the small space, but there was no sign of Guinevere. While some things looked out of place, there was nothing extremely alarming that Morgana could see. Perhaps Gwen had gone out for the day, and had forgotten to mention it. Sighing to herself, Morgana went back to the castle, feeling disheartened.

---

After waiting a whole day, hoping for Gwen to turn up on her own, Morgana was nearly at the point of going to Arthur and Merlin for their help. She was concerned that something terrible must have happened. As she slipped on her boots and grabbed a cloak, she heard the slight creak of her door opening. Turning, she saw Gwen standing there, holding a bin of laundry. Morgana gasped, calling out, “Gwen!”

Gwen looked over at Morgana, but didn’t smile.

Morgana ran to her maidservant, throwing her arms around the slightly smaller girl. “Where have you been? I was so worried about you!”

“I’m fine, Morgana. It was nothing,” Gwen mumbled, her voice holding the hints of a well-covered tremor. She pulled out of Morgana’s arms and set the laundry basket down on a table.

Morgana raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “You don’t sound fine. I went to your house and you were gone. Did something happen?”

Gwen shook her head vigorously, trying to hold back her tears.

Reaching her arm out, Morgana tried to take Gwen’s hands in her own, but Gwen snatched them back before Morgana could get a good grip. Frowning, Morgana implored, “You know you can tell me anything, Gwen.”

Gwen was tugging at the bottoms of her sleeves, and Morgana’s eyes were drawn to the motion. The girl was hiding something. Morgana quickly grabbed at Gwen’s wrist, trying to see what she was covering. Gwen let out a hiss of pain, and Morgana immediately let go, her eyes widening. There was no hiding the dark red marks marring Gwen’s skin, even though Gwen tried her best.

“Morgana…” Gwen started.

“Who did this to you?” Morgana demanded, her eyes narrowing in anger. The thought of someone hurting her friend made her furious.

Shaking her head, Gwen mumbled, “No one.”

“Don’t mistake me for Arthur, Gwen; I’m not nearly as thick,” Morgana warned with a smirk on her lips. “I know something happened.”

Gwen finally broke, a sob erupting from her chest. “Oh, Morgana, I don’t know what to do,” she cried. “It’s Elyan, he’s in trouble.”

Morgana vaguely remembered Elyan from when they were children. He was Gwen’s brother and had grown up here, but he had left Camelot many years ago.

“He’s been captured by King Cenred,” Gwen continued. “And they won’t release him unless I give them Arthur in exchange.”

Puzzled, Morgana questioned, “But why would Cenred—” She paused as a realization occurred to her. While Cenred did desperately want to take over Camelot and kill Arthur, it seemed odd that he would use Gwen as his means of bargaining. Unless… unless he knew how much Arthur cared for Guinevere. There was only one person that could have told him, outside of herself and Merlin. Morgana took a steadying breath, trying not to betray her tumultuous emotions. Gwen was still staring at her, so Morgana amended, “Cenred must have taken a gamble, capturing a previous citizen of Camelot with hopes that Arthur would rescue them.”

Gwen nodded, though it was clear from her eyes that she didn’t entirely accept Morgana’s claims.

Morgana smiled. “Don’t fret, Gwen, everything will be fine. I’m going to fix it.”

“But what about Arthur?” Gwen asked.

“Leave Arthur out of this for now. Promise me.” If Arthur got involved, things would become infinitely more complicated, and Morgana couldn’t have that.

Gwen smiled hesitantly, agreeing with Morgana’s plan.

---

As night fell, Morgana rode out through the forest, using magic to quicken her journey. She arrived at the lake she knew so well, and tied up her horse. Getting in the small boat, she allowed the mists to guide her to the Isle. As she pulled up on the shores, she immediately called out for her sister. “Morgause!”

The blonde witch appeared out of the mist and walked up to Morgana. “Sister. I thought you had decided to stay in Camelot permanently; what has brought you here?”

“I needed to see you. Cenred has launched a plan to kill Arthur and take over Camelot.”

Morgause made a quiet humming noise in her throat. “That does sound quite like him. The man is so impetuous.”

Reluctantly, Morgana asked, “Sister, I must know, are you a part of this plot?” Morgana noticed her sister’s eyes darken, but she didn’t stop, “Cenred has taken Gwen’s brother, and you were the only one who knew of his existence, and of Arthur’s feelings for Gwen.”

If Morgause had been less of a lady, she would’ve rolled her eyes. “Really, Morgana, you believe I would involve myself with this ill-conceived attempt on the Prince’s life? I have nothing to do with Cenred’s plans.”

“Then how—”

Morgause cut Morgana off, already knowing the question. “While I may not support everything he does, he is an ally for our cause. I gave him information, but nothing more.”

Morgana nodded, swallowing down her frustration. “Please, you must help me stop him. If you went to him, he’d listen; he’d release Elyan, I’m sure of it.”

Waving a hand through the air, Morgause dismissed her sister’s pleas. “I cannot help you, sister. Though I have no stake in Cenred’s plan, I will not destroy our alliance over this, over a serving girl’s brother.”

“He means to kill Arthur,” Morgana stated, as if that simple statement held the weight to sway the world in her favor.

“That will only come to pass if Arthur is foolish enough to trade himself. Keep the prince away from Cenred and you have nothing to fear. Arthur is safe within Camelot’s walls.”

Morgana clenched her fists in anger. She knew that Morgause would not be convinced to help, not once she had made her decision. Nodding curtly out of respect for her sibling, Morgana turned and started for the boat.

“Morgana?” Morgause called. “Please, be careful.” Morgause knew that her younger sister was bound to make some kind of reckless decision, and she could only hope that Morgana wouldn’t be harmed in the process. Cenred should know better than to hurt a relative of a high priestess, but still, she worried.

A small smile grew on Morgana’s lips, some of her anger fading. She nodded again before climbing into the boat and heading home.

---

Unfortunately, despite Gwen’s promise to keep quiet, Arthur still managed to find out about what had happened. Merlin and his nosy tendencies had figured it out, and unsurprisingly, told Arthur about it.

Arthur had summoned Gwen to his chambers, and along with Merlin’s help, hatched a plan to save Gwen’s brother. Gwen had reservations, but Arthur and his overconfident nature won out in the end. He was convinced that they could sneak in and rescue Elyan without Cenred even knowing they were there.

Gwen immediately went to Morgana after seeing Arthur and told her everything, apologizing profusely all the while.

Morgana knew that it wasn’t Gwen’s fault, but she was aggravated nonetheless. There was absolutely no chance that Arthur wouldn’t insist on sacrificing himself if necessary; the man was just infuriatingly noble that way. She’d be damned if she let him die though, so she sought him out, hoping that there was a small chance he’d listen to her.

Arthur wasn’t in his chambers, so Morgana went searching for him. After walking in circles for a long while, she asked some servants, who pointed her in the right direction. She found Arthur in the armory, where he was probably gathering weapons for the rescue attempt he was planning. “Arthur,” she called, causing him to fumble and drop the sword in his hands.

“Morgana! What are you doing down here?” he cried, still flustered.

She shrugged, trying to appear disinterested, though inside she was a flurry of nerves. “Looking for you. I heard about what you’re planning.”

Arthur smiled sheepishly, ducking his head. “Of course, I should’ve known you’d find a way to get involved.”

Morgana had to hold in a scoff. It was astounding that there he was, preparing for a mission that would likely get him killed, and yet he was still trying to protect her. “You know that this is reckless, don’t you? It’s clearly a trap.”

Picking up the sword he had dropped, he swung the weapon around in his hands. “Which is precisely why I’m not going to get caught.”

“Arthur,” Morgana huffed. “You can’t guarantee that.”

Arthur smirked. “Come now, Morgana, I’ve been through worse than this. It’ll be fine.”

“Cenred wants to kill you, and you’re practically offering yourself over to him. Sounds like a perfect plan.” She knew Cenred may not be the smartest, but where he lacked intelligence, he made up for it in ruthlessness.

He chuckled, “You’re worried about me.”

Arthur was still playing with his sword, and Morgana snatched it away and threw it backwards, letting it clatter to the floor behind her. Leaning over the weapons rack, she snapped, “Of course I’m worried.” The playful atmosphere was long gone, and Arthur’s movements stilled, his eye’s intently locked with Morgana’s. She couldn’t help but feel responsible for this whole situation. If she hadn’t complained to her sister about Arthur and Gwen, then Cenred never would’ve known to take Elyan. It was her fault.

Arthur looked down to where Morgana’s hands were braced against the edge of the rack, and he placed one of his hands over top hers. “Morgana, I’m coming back, I promise.”

She kept her eyes focused on Arthur’s face, though she could feel the warmth of his palm on her knuckles. Straightening her back, she stood, setting her shoulders. “You’re right. You are,” she remarked, her voice calm and ringing with certainty. “Because I’m coming with you.”

Shaking his head, Arthur sighed. “Of course you are.”

---

The next day, Arthur made up an excuse to this father for where he’d be heading, and had Merlin ready four horses. He still wasn’t comfortable with Morgana coming, or Guinevere for that matter, but there was no convincing them to stay behind.

Gwen and Morgana came out of the castle, both in riding gear. Morgana was wearing tailored armor and breeches, with her hair in a single braid down her back. Arthur only lost his breath for a few agonizing seconds before he remembered to inhale the air into his lungs. When Morgana smiled over at him, he turned away and started taking note of all the supplies they were taking with them as a way to occupy his thoughts.

Once everything was ready, the four mounted their horses and started on their journey. Arthur took the front position, with Morgana close behind him. Merlin lingered near Morgana, leaving Gwen to take up the rear.

As they rode, Morgana noticed Merlin riding unnecessarily close to her. He kept giving her looks, and it made Morgana uncomfortable. He seemed suspicious, as though he knew that this was somehow her fault. It only served to darken Morgana’s mood, and she kicked her horse sharply, picking up the pace.

The silence of the ride wore on Arthur, and he began to prattle on about various topics. Gwen and Merlin joined in his conversations, but Morgana was quiet.

Gwen started to ask about the woods, worried about the presence of bandits. She hadn’t often journeyed this far out of Camelot, and it was disconcerting.

Arthur commented, “Well, if anything happens, I think I can count on Morgana to watch my back.” He glanced over at Morgana, grinning cheekily. “You probably already do that, anyways,” he joked, hoping to get a rise out of Morgana.

Instead of exploding and calling Arthur a multitude of names, Morgana kept silent, staring ahead at the path. She was distant, wrapped up in her head.

Arthur frowned; Morgana’s behavior was troubling him. Trying to make light of the situation, he called out, “I guess I’ll have to resort to having Merlin watch my back.”

Merlin snorted. “I’d rather not, sire.”

Gwen giggled at that, which made Merlin laugh as well, but as Arthur looked over at Morgana, he found her expression unchanged.

---

After riding for several hours, they stopped to make camp before the sun went down. Morgana offered to get firewood, but Arthur stopped her, asking Merlin to do it instead.

Gwen made herself busy by collecting ingredients to flavor their stew, leaving Arthur and Morgana alone with the horses.

Arthur went up to Morgana and took her by the arm, pulling her away from the horses. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

Morgana was trapped by his hand on her arm, and she knew she had to come up with an excuse. She faked a smile, muttering, “I’m fine, Arthur.”

Arthur squeezed her arm harder, pulling her closer to him. “Something is bothering you, I can tell.”

Morgana shook her head. She couldn’t tell him about the guilt that she felt, not without letting him know about her plotting in the past with her sister. She had tried to destroy his kingdom, and she couldn’t tell him that. “Really, Arthur, don’t worry about it.”

“Morgana,” he murmured in a harsh whisper.

He still hadn’t let go of her arm, so Morgana told him the closest thing to the truth. “I’m still a little worried, that’s all. But I’ll be fine.”

Arthur scanned her face; he knew she was worried, but there was something more, he felt it. “Morgana, is there—”

Desperate for him to stop prying, Morgana moved closer until the length of her body was pressed up against him. She tilted her head and rose up on her toes, settling her mouth over his and kissing him forcefully to get him to be quiet. The kiss was quick, but it lasted long enough for Arthur’s fingers to relax on her arm, and Morgana knew she had succeeded. She pulled back, chirping, “See? Fine.”

Arthur was too dumbstruck to argue her point, and he nodded mutely.

Morgana slipped her arm out of his grasp and smiled at him before walking away, heading off to help Gwen.

---

As the sun sunk below the trees, the group all sat down around the fire, eating their supper. Gwen kept playing with her fingers, clearly anxious, and Morgana set her hand on Gwen’s shoulder, trying to comfort her friend.

During their meal, Arthur started to explain his strategy to rescue Elyan. Cenred was using the Castle of Fyrien as his stronghold, since it was an impenetrable fortress. However, Arthur knew of a secret passage that would allow them to get into the castle unnoticed. If they went along by the sea, they would find the hidden tunnels and be able to sneak in and get Elyan.

Hearing Arthur’s plan lifted Morgana’s spirits marginally. If they had the element of surprise, perhaps this mission wouldn’t be a total disaster after all.

Once the sun had disappeared and the air grew cold, they all made their beds for the night. Arthur positioned himself so he had a good view of Morgana from where he lay. Her kiss earlier had made him forget his worry for a moment, but he could tell that there was something upsetting her, and he wanted to make sure he could watch over her as she slept, just in case she needed him.

Merlin also kept an eye on Morgana, though his motives were not the same as Arthur’s.

Morgana ignored both sets of eyes on her, snuggling down into her makeshift bed and shutting her eyes.

---

As the sun rose, Gwen gently shook Morgana awake. The boys were both up, and had already packed their things. Morgana’s movements were sluggish, but she started to put away her belongings, tucking them back into the pouches of the saddle bags on her horse. As she packed, she heard someone come up behind her, and she turned to find Merlin standing there.

Merlin was studying Morgana carefully, as though he were trying to decide something. Eventually, he spoke. “It’s strange, isn’t it, how Cenred chose Gwen’s brother, of all people, to kidnap.”

Morgana looked back over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes. She didn’t appreciate the insinuation. “I don’t claim to know the inner workings of the power crazed mind of a king.”

“It just seems a bit ironic, that he’d unknowingly pick the relative of the servant with whom Arthur was closest.”

Morgana finished tucking a dagger into her belt and turned on her heel, facing Merlin. “Jealous that Cenred didn’t capture your family instead?” she snapped. “Arthur cares for a lot of people, in case you haven’t noticed.”

The boy’s face darkened for a brief moment, but it was gone as soon as it came. “I just wonder how Cenred could’ve known, that’s all.”

Morgana lifted an eyebrow. “Are you implying something, Merlin?”

Merlin shook his head. “No, of course not.”

“Good,” Morgana bit, “Wouldn’t want you jumping to wrong conclusions.” With a flip of her braid, she went back to readying her horse, ignoring the heated glare on her back.

---

They all set off riding towards the Castle of Fyrien, the journey a mostly silent one. It was nearly dusk when they arrived at the coast, the tall towers of the castle rising up out of the rocks above them.

Finding a safe, hidden area, they tied up their horses and walked along the beach, staying close to the rocky cliff base. Gwen nearly slipped, but Arthur’s hand shot out and steadied her, helping her along the narrow pathway.

As they found the entrance to the tunnels, Morgana hesitated, and Merlin bumped into her back.

“Something wrong?” Merlin asked.

Morgana shook her head. Arthur turned back and caught her eye, smiling at her, and she swallowed the lump in her throat, pushing forward.

They entered the dark tunnels, finding them covered in age’s worth of dust and cobwebs. There were skeletons littering the ground, along with discarded weapons and shields, left over from the fight with Caerleon years prior.

Arthur found a few stray torches and lit two of them, handing one to Merlin. They trudged on through the tunnels, Arthur leading the way.

Morgana stayed close behind Arthur, her hands twitching. She kept one on the hilt of her sword, prepared for an attack. After walking a bit farther, she could see a door outlined in the faint light ahead of them.

Arthur walked up to the door, which turned out to be more of a gate, one that led to the lower levels of the castle. Arthur kicked the door open, resulting in a loud clanging sound.

Morgana cringed at the sound, but they continued to follow the path without interruption. They left their torches in the tunnels, not wanting to attract attention. As they moved along in the bowels of the castle, the light grew brighter, and they knew they were headed in the right direction.

As they came upon an actual door, Merlin sighed in relief, ready to be out of the tunnels. Pushing past Gwen, Merlin moved up to the door, grabbing the knob.

Once Arthur noticed Merlin’s actions, he let out a low hiss, calling out the servant’s name, but it was too late. Merlin turned the knob, opening the door.

The door opened, and with it, a series of objects came crashing down, creating a loud clatter that reverberated off the walls.

As Arthur had expected, Cenred was paranoid, and he had booby-trapped any entrances into the castle. It was only a matter of time before someone heard them. Arthur shoved Gwen in front of him and grabbed Morgana by the wrist, tugging her behind him as he yelled, “Run!”

Merlin stared for a moment at his mess and then quickly followed the trio, jumping over the debris and running through the halls of the castle.

Arthur’s mind was moving a mile a minute, struggling to formulate a new plan. If he could only find the dungeons before someone caught them, then maybe he could free Elyan and get everyone out safely. However, his attempts to think of a plan were cut short as the flickers of shadows appeared on the walls in front of them. He pulled on Morgana’s wrist and grabbed at Guinevere’s shirt, slowing their progress. Arthur pushed both girls behind him, trying to protect them. He released Morgana and drew his sword as the shadows grew larger. There was no other way to go; he would have to fight.

Morgana handed Gwen her dagger and then drew her own sword. Merlin didn’t have a weapon, but Morgana doubted he needed one.

The shadows started to lose their shape as they climbed up the ceiling. Soon, a swarm of guards rounded the corner, headed straight for Arthur. As soon as they noticed what was in front of them, the guards drew their weapons and attacked.

Arthur and Morgana fought back, parrying the blows delivered by the guards. Gwen stabbed at the men when they got close enough, but she mostly tried to stay out of dodge. Merlin fought with his bare hands, using magic when he could manage without Arthur noticing. For a brief moment, Arthur thought they might be winning, but then he heard Guinevere’s scream.

One of the guards had Gwen trapped, a knife to her throat. She had dropped Morgana’s dagger on the floor and couldn’t defend herself.

Morgana dove forward, grabbing for the dagger, but before she could get to Gwen, she too was overpowered by the guards.

With both girls in danger, Arthur had no choice but to surrender. He and Merlin reluctantly allowed the guards to take them prisoner as well.

The guards gruffly maneuvered their hostages down the hall to the throne room, bringing the four to their king. Morgana struggled, desperately wanting to tear the men apart. Their grip on her arms was starting to become quite painful, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of letting it show.

As they entered the throne room, the guards arranged them in a line, shoving each of them to their knees. They started first with Arthur, followed by Morgana, Gwen, and Merlin. Morgana huffed as her knees hit the ground, and she turned and sneered at the men behind her. Being manhandled was definitely not high on her list of favorite things.

In the front of the room, Cenred sat on his throne, his legs crossed. His signature double swords were tucked away behind his back, and he wore a devilish smirk on his lips. “Arthur Pendragon, right on schedule. You truly are too valiant for your own good, my friend.”

Arthur jerked violently against the men holding him, his expression livid. Next to him, Morgana could feel the vibrations of his movements through the floor.

“And you’ve brought friends, how sweet,” Cenred remarked as he scanned over the three others. His eyes fell on Morgana and he grinned widely. “Ah, the Lady Morgana. I’ve heard so much about you.” The statement was heavy with pointed undertones, and Morgana scowled.

As Cenred rose from his seat, Gwen looked over at Morgana with a panicked expression. Morgana tried to smile reassuringly at the girl, but she couldn’t manage it.

Cenred walked up to Morgana, placing a hand under her chin and tilting her face up so he could look at her. “You’re even more beautiful than they say,” he murmured darkly.

Upon seeing Cenred lay a hand on Morgana, Arthur thrashed against the men holding him, furiously trying to break free so he could tear Cenred’s arm clean off his body. “Don’t touch her,” he fumed.

Cenred chuckled, enjoying Arthur’s frustration. Keeping an eye on the prince, he gripped Morgana’s chin tightly in his hand, just to prove that he could.

Arthur tried to lunge forward, but the hold on his arms kept him in place.

As Cenred laughed again, Morgana could feel his breath on her face, and she flinched, despite her attempts to stay strong.

Watching Arthur squirm lost its appeal quickly, however, and Cenred grew bored. Letting go of Morgana, Cenred walked back to his throne, settling down in it. He waved a hand at his guards. “Take them away.” A pensive look crossed his face, and he added, “But leave the Lady Morgana here with me.”

As the guards yanked Arthur to his feet, he fought them, screaming, “I’m the one you want! Leave her out of this!”

Cenred smiled wickedly. “Where’s the fun in that?”

Merlin and Gwen were taken out first, and Gwen shot Morgana a worried look before she was pulled away. Arthur was still fighting to stay; he kept kicking out his legs and throwing his head back, trying to hurt his captors.

The guards continued to drag Arthur out of the hall, despite his constant struggle to stay with Morgana. “Don’t you touch her!” Arthur bellowed.

Morgana squirmed in the guards’ grip; seeing Arthur this way was terrible, and she wanted to run to him. She wasn’t afraid of Cenred, but she knew that it would kill Arthur to be locked away, unable to protect her.

As the doors began to close, Arthur grew even more frantic. “Morgana!” He locked eyes with her, watching until the guards pulled her out of his sight. “MORGANA!”

The doors shut, and the guards tugged harshly on Arthur’s arms, forcing him to be cooperative. They walked down a narrow passageway and until they reached the dungeons, where they stopped. Arthur and Merlin were tossed into one cell, and Gwen was thrown in another, the guards locking the doors behind them.

As Gwen landed on the hard ground, she took in her surroundings, finding that her brother was in the cell with her. “Elyan,” she murmured.

Elyan moved over to his sister, kneeling down and taking her into his arms, hugging her. Gwen was nearly on the brink of tears, and Elyan smoothed her hair down, whispering, “It’s going to be alright.”

Gwen didn’t know why, but she almost believed him.

---

After her friends had been taken away, Morgana was left only with Cenred and his brutish guards. Two men remained behind Morgana, firmly grasping her arms. Scowling venomously at Cenred, she snapped, “What do you want with me?”

Still seated on his throne, Cenred nodded over to his men, signaling for them to release Morgana.

As the men released her, Morgana stepped forward quickly, eager to be free. She rubbed at her upper arms, trying to relieve the soreness there from being contorted uncomfortably.

Cenred rose elegantly from his throne, coming down to stand a few feet away from Morgana. “What I want, Lady Morgana, is for your assistance.” He noticed Morgana’s withering stare, but it didn’t faze him. “Your sister has told me of your endeavors to bring Camelot down, and I figured we could be of use to each other.”

Morgana scoffed at his proposition. “Go to hell.”

Blowing out a low whistling breath, Cenred commented, “Feisty, I like that. But still, my offer stands. I can bring an end to the Pendragons, ushering in a new era.”

Rolling her eyes, Morgana remarked snarkily, “Don’t be so pretentious, Cenred. You want Camelot for yourself; you care nothing for the plight of the people.” She saw right through him; he was greedy and cowardly, desperate for a strong kingdom to protect and pamper him. “Even if the destruction of Camelot was my goal, I would never work with you. You may have my sister fooled, but I see you for what you really are. Nothing,” she spat.

Cenred raised his hand, prepared to slap Morgana, but he stilled his movements before he made contact. Steeling his features, he warned, “You may come to regret that, my lady.”

---

In the dungeons, Arthur was pacing around the cell, and it was making Merlin dizzy. “Arthur, would you stop that? Unless your plan is to dig a hole in the floor, it’s not going to help.”

Arthur glared at his companion. “Like you’re so full of helpful ideas.” Throwing his arms up, Arthur ranted, “Cenred could be torturing Morgana right now, and we’re stuck in this stupid—” He kicked the cot in the corner, flipping it over as he yelled, “—cell!”

“I’m sure she’s alright, Arthur.” Merlin still had a nagging feeling that Morgana was behind all this somehow.

Ignoring Merlin, Arthur started studying the cell, checking for anything he could use. “We have to find a way out of here.” His eyes landed on a grate in the ceiling, and he smiled, coming up with a plan.

---

In Gwen’s cell, there was an awkward silence between the two siblings. Gwen was angry that Elyan had abandoned her and had gone for four years without a word. He claimed that he never felt it was the right time to reach out, but Gwen didn’t buy it. Their father had died, and still Elyan didn’t contact her. It hurt to think that her own brother didn’t care enough to come back and help her.

Elyan sat next to his sister, and finally broke the silence. “I’m sorry, Gwen. I haven’t been much help, have I?”

Gwen shook her head and smiled over at him, unable to stay too mad at her big brother.

While Gwen and Elyan had their moment, down the hall, Arthur and Merlin were breaking out of their cell. Gwen could hear several loud thumps, and the sound of fighting, and she stood up from her sitting position on the floor.

After a few more minutes, the cell door swung open, revealing Arthur and Merlin. Gwen beamed at them, thrilled to be rescued. Quickly and quietly, Arthur ushered Gwen and Elyan out of the cell, leading them down the hall.

Once they were close to the entrance to the tunnels, Arthur turned to Merlin and ordered, “Get Gwen and Elyan out of here.”

“Arthur…” Merlin started.

“I’ll find Morgana and meet you by the horses.” There was no way Arthur would leave without Morgana, no matter how dangerous it was. He turned and left the others, heading in the opposite direction, towards the throne room.

---

The warning bells started going off, and Morgana began to smile, knowing what they meant.

Cenred heard the sound as well and frowned, getting up from his chair and looking at the door.

“It seems that Arthur has escaped. I guess you’re not as formidable as you thought,” Morgana quipped.

Cenred was furious, but he still had one last card to play. “He may have escaped the cells, but he will not escape me.” Turning to Morgana, he grinned. “He will come for you, and I will be waiting.”

Morgana’s eyes shot over to the door, a cold fear rushing through her blood. She knew that Cenred was right; Arthur would always come for her.

Removing his swords from their sheaths, Cenred advanced on Morgana. “It seems like you’ll be of use to me, after all.” With his swords still in his hands, he grabbed Morgana’s arm, spinning her so she was facing away from him. Before she could try to resist, Cenred yanked her backwards, leaving her back flush with his chest. Placing one sword at her throat, he held the other out in front of him, awaiting Arthur’s arrival.

As expected, within a few minutes, Arthur burst through the double doors, his sword held high. Upon seeing Morgana with a sword to her neck, his movements stilled and something like fear passed over his eyes.

Morgana tried to stay strong, but she could feel the blade biting into her neck, and she winced involuntarily.

The slight noise of pain that Morgana made reached Arthur’s ears, and he nearly growled in anger. “Let her go, Cenred. This is between you and me.”

“I don’t think so.” Cenred knew good leverage when he saw it, and he refused to yield. Noticing Arthur’s progression towards him, he held out one of his swords, threatening, “Take one more step and she dies.”

Arthur’s eyes narrowed irately, but he did as Cenred asked.

“Put down the sword, and she gets to live,” Cenred bargained.

The muscles in Arthur’s arm twitched, and he considered it for a second, if only because of the trickle of blood he saw dripping down Morgana’s throat. He knew better than to trust Cenred though, and he held strong.

“I said put down your sword!” Cenred pushed the blade further into Morgana’s neck as he yelled.

Despite his rage, Arthur found some amusement in the situation and smirked at his opponent. “Why don’t you let her go and face me like a man?”

Cenred made no attempts to release Morgana, and Arthur’s smirk vanished.

Darkly, Arthur spoke, “If you harm her, I will gladly take you apart, piece by piece.”

Shaking his head, Cenred looked down at the girl trapped in his arms. “All this fuss over you, Morgana,” Cenred sneered. “I suppose he doesn’t know all the dirty little things you’ve done.”

“Shut up,” Morgana hissed.

“He could’ve escaped, yet he came back for you. How foolish of him.” Cenred turned to Arthur, hoping to bait him into doing something stupid. “The lady here is a traitor, did you know? She helped me lay siege to your kingdom.”

“You’re lying,” Arthur ground out, his teeth clenched.

“Tell him, Morgana,” Cenred murmured in her ear. “Tell him how you orchestrated a war on his kingdom. How you plotted to kill the king.” As he spoke, Morgana flinched in his arms.

Arthur shook his head. “I knew you were a coward, Cenred, but this is low even for you.”

Cocking his head, Cenred inquired, “How else do you explain your father’s bout of insanity? Or that I knew exactly who to kidnap to get your attention?”

Morgana snapped at him, “Stop it.”

“It was her,” Cenred finished.

Arthur took in the information, contemplating it. Cenred’s words stung, and he knew that they could possibly be true, but he refused to believe a word that came out of that coward’s mouth.

The blade slid further up Morgana’s neck, cutting into her skin, and she cried out. The sound jolted Arthur out of his thoughts and he started to move forward, rounding on Cenred.

“You played your part well, Morgana,” Cenred cooed, as though he was impressed. “The snake in Camelot’s garden. You wanted Camelot’s downfall just as much as I.”

Morgana struggled in his arms, the warmth of her own blood running down her skin. “You’re wrong.”

Glancing back up at Arthur, Cenred mused, “I wonder, if I kill him now, would you care?”

Something in Morgana snapped at that question, and she could no longer bear standing still in that monster’s grip. With a yell, she elbowed Cenred in the chest, twisting in his arms.

Arthur took the opening and attacked Cenred, trying to avoid hitting Morgana as he launched forward with his sword.

Morgana ducked under Arthur’s sword, attempting to move out of the line of fire. As she spun away, she felt a sharp pain in her right side, and she stumbled.

Violently swinging his sword, Arthur fought Cenred with a fury he didn’t quite understand. He just knew he wanted to rip the man apart. Even though Cenred had two swords, he was no match for Arthur and his expert sword fighting skills. Arthur knocked away one of the swords, slicing at Cenred’s wrist. Without one of his weapons, Cenred was off balance, and he wasn’t able to block Arthur’s attacks as well. Arthur found an opening and thrust his sword forward. Just before he could make the killing blow, he heard a faint cry from behind him, and he faltered.

Morgana was doubled over in pain, clutching at her side. There was a slice in her mail, and she could feel the jagged edges of a wound in her skin.

Arthur looked over his shoulder at Morgana and knew that she needed him. Though he desperately wanted to dispatch Cenred, he couldn’t leave Morgana. Using the butt of his sword, he slammed it into Cenred’s face, rendering him unconscious.

Cenred dropped to the floor, and Arthur ran over to Morgana. He could see the blood seeping through her fingers from where she was holding her ribs. She had been sliced by one of Cenred’s swords.

Morgana grabbed at Arthur’s shoulder with her free hand, steadying herself. Now that she was losing blood from both her neck and her side, she felt faint. “Arthur,” she murmured, trying to explain herself.

Arthur didn’t let her finish; he looped one of her arms over his shoulder and started running, bearing most of her weight. They made it out of the throne room and down the hall, finally reaching the door that would lead them to safety.

Once they were in the tunnels, the dizziness became too much, and Morgana nearly fell. Arthur bent over and slipped his arm under her knees. He picked her up and carried her for the rest of the journey, since she was nearly at the point of passing out.

As they passed over the ridge outside the tunnel, Arthur could see three people and four horses ahead of him.

Gwen ran up to meet them, her happy expression at seeing them fading as she noticed Morgana’s condition. “Morgana,” Gwen called. She came up to the pair, placing her hand on Morgana’s forehead and brushing back the stray pieces of hair from her braid.

Arthur clutched Morgana tighter, moving back from Gwen. “We have to keep going,” Arthur explained. They didn’t have time to tend to Morgana now; they had to get far away from the castle before Cenred’s men caught up with them.

Gwen nodded and went over to her horse. She instructed Elyan to take Morgana’s horse, since she wouldn’t be able to ride on her own. Arthur handed Morgana over to Merlin temporarily.

Merlin looked highly uncomfortable at holding a woman in his arms. His eyes fell on the blood stains on Morgana’s chest and he felt a surge of guilt for thinking that she had been responsible for Elyan’s capture.

Arthur normally would make a joke about Merlin dropping Morgana, but his mind was too preoccupied. He holstered his sword in the sheath on the saddle and mounted his horse.

Merlin lifted Morgana up, ignoring his straining muscles. With Arthur’s help, he placed Morgana up on the front of the saddle. Arthur situated Morgana so she was resting against him, and he clutched her tightly around the waist.

Once Morgana was safely in Arthur’s arms, Merlin got on his horse, and the group started to ride, traveling away from the castle. They rode for almost an hour, until Arthur was sure they were far enough that Cenred wouldn’t follow them. He found a safe place in the woods and they stopped there to camp.

Gwen immediately tended to Morgana, bandaging her wound with scraps of fabric that she ripped from Arthur’s shirt. The boys collected wood, made a fire, and cooked some carrots and some meat in a stew. Morgana was barely conscious, but Gwen helped her to drink some water and eat a few bites of stew.

Though Morgana was stable, she needed rest, so they settled in and stayed for the night. Everyone was exhausted, and most of the group fell asleep instantly. Arthur, however, stayed up, the thrum of adrenaline still rushing through his veins. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Cenred had said about Morgana. The words were playing over and over in his head, until he ached from the thought of them. They couldn’t be true; he trusted Morgana, she wouldn’t do that. But a nagging voice in his mind kept reminding him of the things his father had done, and how much Morgana loathed the king, and he knew that it was possible.

Arthur stared at the flickering embers of the fire into the late hours, telling himself that everything was going to be fine.

---

In the dim light of the sunrise, Morgana woke up, finding Arthur at her side, watching over her. The pain in her side had dulled to a faint ache, and she felt much better. Now that she was coherent, she scanned her surroundings, finding Gwen, Merlin, and Elyan still asleep around her. The fire had completely died away, leaving a pile of ash a few feet from her bed.

Arthur looked troubled, the dark circles under his eyes stark against his skin. As Morgana looked up at him, he found he could hold it in no longer, and he asked, “Was any of it true?”

Morgana knew what he was asking of her, and she couldn’t find the words. She sat up halfway, resting on her elbows.

“Just tell me he was lying,” Arthur pleaded. “Tell me that Cenred made it all up, and I’ll believe you.”

Morgana ducked her head, her silence conveying volumes.

Arthur swallowed roughly. “Please.” He didn’t even care if she lied to him; he needed to hear her say it.

“I can’t.” She looked up at his face, holding back the tears that pricked at her eyes.

He had known, but the confirmation was like a blade in his heart all the same. It felt like all the air had been choked off from his lungs, and Arthur had to walk away, desperately trying to breathe again.

Morgana moved her arms and dropped down onto her back, letting out a sigh as she stared up at the sky.

---

The ride back to Camelot was tense and quiet. Morgana was forced to sit in front of Arthur, listening to his breathing for almost an entire day. He never spoke to her, and except for where their bodies met in the saddle, he never touched her. It reminded Morgana of the day he had found her in the woods and brought her back to Camelot. She had betrayed his trust, yet again, and he was clearly hurt, so he responded by shutting her out.

When they reached Camelot, Arthur stormed off into the castle, eager to escape Morgana. Morgana wanted to chase him, but Gwen corralled her and convinced her to see Gaius first.

Merlin offered to help Elyan to find a place to stay now that he was remaining in Camelot, which made Gwen smile. She was relieved to have her brother home again.

Morgana left her friends and went to see the physician. Gaius tended to her wounds and dismissed her to her chambers, where Morgana stripped out of her armor and took a hot bath. She took her time brushing out her hair and getting dressed, giving Arthur at least an hour to cool down. She needed to see him, and when the wait became unbearable, Morgana slipped on her shoes and walked to Arthur’s chambers. She knew he didn’t want to be near her, but she went anyway. She strode into his room without knocking, since he’d only turn her away if she did.

Arthur heard the door open and didn’t even bother to look up from the papers on his table. “Get out, Morgana.”

“No,” Morgana retorted. “Hate me if you wish, but you should know the whole story.”

Dragging a hand over his face, he replied tiredly, “Hundreds of people, good people, lost their lives in that battle. The battle you allowed to happen.”

“I know.” She exhaled slowly. “There’s nothing I can say that will erase what I’ve done. But I did try to stop it, you saw, I fought by your side—”

Arthur lifted his head, his eyes flickering with resentment. “You betrayed me.”

“I made a mistake, Arthur,” she admitted. “I was angry, and scared. I thought that eliminating Uther would satisfy me. I didn’t realize how wrong I was until it was too late.”

“I knew you hated my father, but this—” He took in a shaky breath. “Did you want my death as well?”

Her reply was immediate, “Never.”

Arthur locked eyes with her, studying the swirling emotions in the depths of green. He could always tell when she was lying, but she wasn’t now.

Morgana held his gaze. “Even in my darkest hour, I never could bear the thought of losing you.”

Arthur rose from the table and walked over to her, shaking his head. He was so damn weak, he couldn’t bear losing her either.

The apology hung limply on her tongue, but she couldn’t say it out loud. It didn’t matter, he knew, he had to know.

Arthur watched her, his anger ebbing away as he stared at her face. Lunging forward, he grasped the sides of her head, fisting his hands in her hair and drawing her close. Their faces were almost touching, and he murmured, “God, why do you do this to me?”

She shook slightly from the force of his pull, her bottom lip trembling.

A ragged sigh escaped his chest, and he admitted brokenly, “I can’t stop loving you.” He bowed his head, his gaze focused on the floor as he fell forward so his forehead rested against hers. “I can’t stop.” He kept repeating the words under his breath like a mantra.

“Arthur,” she whispered.

Hearing his name roll off her tongue broke something inside him, and he leaned in and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. Using his hold on her hair, he hauled her up to meet him, pressing their bodies together.

Morgana lost her breath, the gasp swallowed down by Arthur’s mouth. Once the shock wore off, she threw her arms around him, clinging to him as he was to her. Her mouth was pliant under his, and he devoured her with heated movements of his lips and tongue. The force of his kiss made her see stars, and she gripped his shoulders, digging her fingers into his skin.

As he continued to suck greedily at her lips, he forced her backwards, pushing her up against the cold stone of the wall. The soft humming noises in her throat were stirring his already frenzied brain to the point of madness, and he kissed her harder.

Arthur’s hands slid down over her body, tracing her form under his palms, and Morgana squeezed his shoulders in response. He moved his hands over her torso, gripping at her ribcage as he pulled her impossibly closer. In his haze, he forgot about her injuries, not recognizing his mistake until she hissed against his lips.

Morgana pulled back, dragging her teeth along the inside of Arthur’s bottom lip as she released his mouth.

Arthur fumbled about, feeling awkward. He attempted to move away, but Morgana’s hands slipped down to his wrists, holding him in place.

Leaning forward, Morgana whispered brokenly against his lips, “I can’t stop either.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, the room filled with the hushed sounds of their breathing.

She gradually let go of his hands, and Arthur stepped back to give her space. Morgana stepped to the side and opened the door, and with one last look, she left.

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