THE JOURNEY THERE FELT like it lasted a life time, the tension rising the closer they got. Merlin remained quiet the whole ride, but Arthur or one of the Knights would occasionally try to spark a conversation with him; none in which he engaged in. He could tell by Arthur's glance how worried he seemed, but Merlin tried returning the look with a smile to reassure the Prince. To be honest, Merlin just wanted to be left alone with his thoughts.

He didn't sleep at all that night. No surprise there. His body ached and his eyelids were heavy, but still he refused. The nightmares were too vivid. He couldn't keep reliving those moments over and over again. But one separate thought plagued his mind keeping him awake, and that was the man in the crystal. That Merlin who killed Arthur, or ... Emrys as the rider had put it. He said Emrys would be the one to kill Arthur, but the rider hadn't made sense. He had neglected to mention why Emrys would kill Arthur. Merlin would never lay a finger on him. There were so many missing pieces to this puzzle, and Merlin was desperately trying to get them to fit together.

Just a couple hours after dawn, they neared the spot where they had apprehended the three sorcerers just days before.

"Be on the look out!" Arthur shouted to his men. "We're about to enter Cenred's Kingdom. Spread out. Look for any sign of our men or the crystal." He dismounted and so did the Knights, Merlin glanced around and gulped before following suit. The Knights fanned out away from Arthur, but Merlin stayed attached to his hip.

He hated the thought of being back here. "Arthur, this doesn't feel like such a good idea," he whispered. "We were lucky enough to escape Cenred's land without being caught once, but we might not be so lucky a second time."

"Shut up, Merlin," Arthur responded, blankly. "My father gave the orders. I cannot disobey him."

As if somehow being able to hear his words, a horde of shouting erupted from every side. Merlin's heart leapt as he stood up straight and twisted his head from left to right. Several Knights bearing Cenred's emblem—that of a snake—jumped from the bushes and behind trees, all with their swords raised. "I hate being right!"

"No one likes a show off, Merlin!" Arthur swiftly unclasped his cape from around his shoulders and withdrew his sword. A second later, his sword clashed against another and metal rang loudly throughout the forest as the battle commenced.

Merlin, though his mind felt elsewhere, stayed alert. Prepared to defend his Prince at any cost—even if Arthur never knew and always thought he was a coward. His attention was drawn to the right as a soldier advanced on Arthur; Arthur totally unaware as he fiercely battled two other Knights.

Without thinking, Merlin uttered, "Ic þé wiþdrífe!" and magic left his body. A second later, the Knight was tossed into the air and thrown backwards. His back collided with a tree and the Knight flopped to the ground motionless. Merlin then, realizing he had used magic out in the open, quickly glanced around to see if anyone had seen him. Satisfied that no one had, he ran over and hid himself behind a tree while keeping his focus on Arthur.

From his safe hiding spot, his eyes found another Knight a few feet away. The Knight stood beside to a tree while holding a crossbow aimed at Arthur. Merlin gazed up at the tree to find a thick branch just hanging over the Knights head. With a flash of his irises and a quick, "Forbærne firgenholt," the branch suddenly snapped and flattened the man, but to Merlin's horror, not before he had released the bolt. Merlin quickly thrust his hand forward feeling another burst of magic. His magic impacted the bolt just in the nick of time and it flew past Arthur lodging into the bark of a nearby tree.

The battle continued and Merlin thought that surely they could win. The Knights of Camelot were more talented and had trained harder than Cenred's men. As it was, there lay more of Cenred's Knights dead on the ground then Camelot's, but just when he thought the battle would be over soon and Cenred's men would retreat, his eyes met an unforgettable face.

Morgana approached the battle, several more men following behind her. Her eyes glowed gold as she flung her hands from side to side, Camelot Knights flying through the air. Merlin could've done something, he should've done something, but he was held back by a strange force. Or to be more precise, a strange feeling. He stood there staring at Morgana feeling completely helpless. He was frozen as his gaze pierced her icy blue eyes.

His heart raced and images flashed through his mind. Images that he had seen through the crystal of him and Morgana standing side by side as Camelot burned. But they weren't the only unwanted flashes entering his mind. There were ones he couldn't remember ever doing, but they still felt very real. Images of him and her conversing in various places, some unknown places, and some were while standing over a body. He remembered none of this but it all felt so real.

Suddenly, screams echoed throughout the air, and Merlin slammed his eyes shut and he jumped as memories of Morgana and the man who tortured him revealed themselves. He felt the sting in his arm from the cuts and a burning filled his back from the lashes. His sweaty hands flung to his head and he curled up as the visions went on.

Forcing his eyes open, he shoved the memories away. Pushing himself up on all fours, he looked up and watched as Morgana swung a sword striking down Camelot's Knights. He jumped as flashbacks of her slicing a dagger across his abdomen returned along with that unforgettable pain. He clenched a hand over his stomach as he stared at the ground panting. He couldn't resist closing his eyes tightly shut as the screaming of the men reminded him of his own screams that he had tried desperately to keep inside. Of his pleading for Arthur to come and save him.

"Merlin?"

Startled, Merlin lept at the sound of his voice. He peaked around the tree to find Arthur searching for him through the seconds he had in-between each new advancing man. It was then that he found Morgana headed in Arthur's direction.

Staring back down at the leaves, he closed his eyes and took slow breaths in and out. He couldn't hide here like a coward. Arthur was in danger and it was his destiny to protect him. Mustering his courage, Merlin stood and emerged from his hiding spot.

He found Morgana mere inches behind Arthur and knew it was now or never. He thrust his hand forward, intending to release magic with him, but he found that there was none. Not that his magic was gone, but he was incapable of bringing any magic to the surface. Not with Morgana there. Not when ... Not when he could hurt her.

His hand slowly lowered as Arthur's gaze met his. Arthur must've seen the panic on his face because he flung himself around, sword raised. He sliced through the air, and Morgana ducked. She thrust her sword forward, but Arthur swiftly blocked it. Merlin watched in terror as the two fought until Arthur, with one swift move, unarmed Morgana and knocked her to the ground. Her head slammed hard against the dirt and she didn't get up.

Two of Cenred's men quickly charged Arthur defending their leader as another lifted Morgana into his arms and ran off out of view.

"No!" Arthur shouted, trying relentlessly to free himself of his attackers. He took down one of the men before the other ran off following his fellow Knights who began their retreat. Arthur took off after them, but Merlin couldn't bring his legs to move.

He didn't understand. They could've won. They were beating them badly, but as soon as Morgana had fallen they ceased their attack.

Arthur returned empty handed and shouted as he stuck his sword in the ground. "We had her! She was right there. We could've ended all of this!" His eyes found their way to Merlin, and Merlin paled. "What were you thinking?"

"I-I-I." Merlin was speechless.

"You could've gotten yourself or me killed," Arthur yelled, making his way to Merlin.

Merlin tensed as Arthur approached, fearing a fist to the face. "Arthur, I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I tried to warn—"

"But you didn't!" Arthur interrupted, his nose inches from Merlin's. "You stood there and watched as Morgana nearly took my head off!" In a burst of anger, he flung himself around and punched the air.

"Arthur, please," Merlin begged, "I'm sorry. It was just—" Something cut him off abruptly. He felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. His brain told him to find the source, but his eyes wouldn't let him as they stayed fixed on Arthur.

Arthur whipped himself around and quickly raced back his way as Merlin's legs unexpectedly became numb and buckled underneath him. He felt Arthur's strong hands catch him before he could hit the ground and he was gently lowered to the grass.

"Grab a flask and some cloth. Quick!" Arthur was talking, but his voice sounded so far away.

Merlin's ears rang as he forced his eyes to find what had happened. His gaze landed on the shaft of a bolt protruding from his shoulder, but he must have been in such shock that he had yet to feel the full blunt of the pain that was to come.

A Knight returned with a flask and a piece of cloth, and Merlin's daze ended as the pain began to take affect, but before he had the chance to even scream, his vision darkened.