"what was that you said once about having hope and believing that tomorrow would be better?"

[3.6 — The Crystal Cave]

Illya sat with Illyria, pulling the newly turned nine-year-old's hair back in an intricate braid. Illyria was wearing a beautiful pink gown that the King of Camelot, Uther Pendragon, had sent for her birthday. The party that was to be held in her honor was starting in a little over an hour, and Illyria had asked her mother for help getting ready instead of her maid, Eleanor.

"Have you had a good birthday so far?" Illya asked.

Illyria nodded, but then stopped as it caused her mother to tug on her hair. "Really great! Chef Melissa made pancakes shaped like flowers for me. And then Father took me to watch the knights train, and Sir Galavant let me sit on his shoulders when I got there. He's like twenty feet tall."

Illya chuckled, knowing the knight she spoke of was no taller than six and a half feet, but Illyria liked to feel tall. Illyria continued to chatter on about nice things that many people had done for her throughout the day, and listed off a number of presents she had received — and she was very excited to get more at her party.

"I am so glad you've enjoyed your special day," Illya said, kissing the top of her head as she finished the braid. "You'll be getting another gift from me and your father later, but here is a little something I saw in the markets the other day."

Illyria grinned when her mother held out a pretty silk ribbon in a light pink color — her favorite color. "It's so pretty!"

"And it matches the dress from King Uther," she said. "Let me put it in your hair."

She sat still while Illya tied the ribbon tightly in her hair, securing the braid. "There. You look perfect."

"I always look perfect," Lia said, holding her head higher and sitting straighter.

Illya chuckled and wrapped her arms around her. "You certainly are your father's daughter. Now, we have a very important party to get to. It'll be one you shall never forget."

| | |

Merlin and Arthur ran as fast as they could through the forest. A horde of bandits were chasing after them and gaining fast. They bolted down a hill and through a ravine before ducking behind some boulders to hide.

"Are they still after us?" Merlin asked, panting heavily as Arthur checked their surroundings.

Arthur smiled when he saw no sign of the bandits. "I told you we'd outrun them."

"You sure?"

"Why is it you never trust me, Merlin?" he asked, scoffing. A moment later, they heard yelling and turned to see the bandits running at them from the opposite direction. They set off running again, and Arthur frantically looked around for one path in particular. "Come on, this way."

"Where are we going?" Merlin shouted, running after him.

"Trust me!" he called. An overwhelming sense of power washed over Merlin, who stopped running and called the Prince's name. Arthur went back and grabbed Merlin, dragging him along. They passed two large statues of men, which Merlin studied carefully. "Come on!"

Arthur and Merlin descended a set of stone steps. The uneasy feeling grew the farther that Merlin traveled. "What is this place?" he asked.

"The Valley of the Fallen Kings."

"Is it cursed?" he asked, studying the statues of dead kings as they passed.

"No," Arthur assured him. "Not unless you're superstitious."

"It is," Merlin said.

"It's a myth. They'll never follow us in here. They won't dare," he said. "Trust me."

"If you say that one more time," Merlin whispered to himself, annoyed.

Yet again, Arthur was proven wrong as the bandits chased them through the valley. They began to run again. Just when they thought they would escape, an arrow sailed through the air and right into Arthur's back.

"What was that?" he asked as he fell to the ground.

Merlin knelt at his side and tried to help him up. "An arrow."

"An arrow? Oh, good. For a moment I thought it was something terrible," Arthur said.

A moment later, he went limp in Merlin's arms. Merlin quickly dragged Arthur deeper into the woods, hiding from the bandits before they could find them. Once they passed, he began working on Arthur's wound. He did not have enough supplies to truly heal an arrow in the back. After removing the arrow and patching the wound, Merlin heated up a herbal pouch over a fire and placed it on Arthur's forehead to try and wake him up.

"Come on, dollophead," Merlin muttered, smacking his cheek. "I need you to recover."

Arthur did not stir, so Merlin rolled him over and placed his hand over the arrow wound. Focusing hard, he whispered a spell with hopes of it healing him. However, there was no change when he rolled Arthur back over. He thought he heard a sound in the distance, but let it go.

"Listen to me, clotpole, I don't care if you die," Merlin said, narrowing his eyes at Arthur. "There are plenty of other princes. You're not the only pompous, supercilious, condescending, royal imbecile I could work for. The world is full of them. And Lia has plenty of potential suitors to move on with — Leon, Gwaine, Lancelot, Sir Theodore. I could go on, though personally, I would root for Gwaine. But I'm gonna give you one more chance."

A small part of Merlin hoped the insults would wake him, but it didn't. Once again, Merlin said a spell, and once again, it did nothing to help Arthur. A helpless feeling washed over Merlin, knowing there was nothing he could do. He got up and moved to a nearby puddle to wash Arthur's blood from his hands. A sob escaped his lips as he considered the thought that Arthur would die like this.

"Tell me—" Merlin looked up sharply to see an old man standing at the entrance of the valley. "—why are you so sad?"

"It's my friend. He's dying and I can't help him," Merlin told him, sniffing.

"Then do not waste your tears. For I can tell you that the time for him to die is not yet upon us," the man said. Merlin eyed him warily before leading him to Arthur's body. "Don't be afraid. My name is Taliesin."

"I'm Merlin," he introduced.

"I know who you are. The moment of our meeting has been written for many, many years. You are Emrys," Taliesin said. Then he turned Arthur over and chanted a spell. Almost instantly, the color returned to Arthur's cheeks. He began to stir but did not wake.

"Arthur?" Merlin called, trying to wake him.

"He is sleeping. Within hours he will be fully recovered," Taliesin said.

"You sure?"

"If my memory serves me well. He has yet to even marry the Princess, I believe."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, not understanding.

"I want to show you something, Merlin," he said mysteriously before beginning to leave the valley.

"What?"

"You must wait and see."

Merlin glanced back nervously at Arthur before following Taliesin. He led him through the woods and to the mouth of a small cave. "Where are we going? Why have you brought me here?" he asked.

"In good time, you will discover all," he replied, chuckling to himself.

He led Merlin into the cave, who looked around with wide eyes. Crystals were growing up from the floor and down from the ceiling. He could feel the magic all around them. "What is this place?"

"This is where magic began. It is the Crystal Cave," Taliesin told him.

Merlin stepped forward and his eyes fell on a crystal. He saw a vision of Morgana sitting on the throne in Camelot with a crown on her head. And then he saw a glimpse of himself, only ancient-looking. Realizing what it was, Merlin quickly turned his head.

"What is it you see?" Taliesin asked, watching him carefully.

"Images. Flashes. I've seen something like this before in the Crystal of Neahtid," he told him.

"What you see here is exactly the same, for the Crystal of Neahtid was hewn from this very cave," he explained. "Look into them, Emrys. Really look. Much will be revealed."

Merlin was tempted to look again but jerked his head away. "No! Take me out of here. How do I get back to Arthur?"

"The future is hidden to all but a very few, Emrys. You are one such person."

"No! I've been through this before," Merlin said, shaking his head. "And some of it is still yet to come, I fear."

"Perhaps there is a reason you were brought here at this moment in time," Taliesin said.

"What reason?"

"Only the crystals can tell you. They contain futures that are not yet born. The secrets they reveal, Emrys, are unique to you, and you alone. Look into them, Emrys. Really look. Use what you see for good."

Slowly, Merlin walked down into the cave, his movements jarred. He feared what he would see, but knew he had to look. His eyes fell on a glowing crystal and the visions came quickly.

Morgana next to Lia, stroking a rearing horse, Morgana unsheathing an ornate dagger, her walking down a corridor in her red cloak, a red liquid — blood — dripping from someone's fingers, himself yelling near a blaze of fire, Morgana pulling the dagger from her belt, raising it to strike Uther, who had woken with a shocked expression at her betrayal.

Merlin turned away and fell over, holding his head in pain. "What's that? What was that?" he shouted. However, when he looked up, Taliesin was gone. Merlin, shaking, stumbled to his feet and began to exit the cave.

However, the last crystal he passed almost called out to him. Every cell in his body told him not to look, but he did. And what he saw confused and worried him just as much as the visions of Morgana.

Lia, dressed in a pretty purple gown danced around the Great Hall with Leon, but then the image was obscured by thick green smoke. Uther Pendragon staring at a sapphire crown, looking as if he'd seen a ghost. Himself, Arthur, Leon, Gwaine, and an unfamiliar man sitting around a fire in the woods. Lia trapped in a circle of fire, screaming not for herself, but for someone he could not see. Arthur, sobbing as he held Lia's still body tightly, soon interrupted by the unfamiliar man placing a hand on his shoulder.

Something was coming. Something bad.

| | |

Merlin hadn't been the same since he left the cave. Even Arthur had noticed, but could not get him to talk. As Arthur stood before Uther in the council chamber, Merlin's eyes would nervously flick back and forth between Morgana and Lia, worrying about them both for two very different reasons.

"The bandits probably have a stronghold somewhere in the White Mountains. How we escaped, I'll never know. Although, some credit must go to my servant, Merlin," Arthur surprisingly admitted.

Lia grinned brightly and leaned against Merlin while Gwen playfully nudged him for the praise. He managed to force a smile, but it fell just as quickly. Lia frowned, seeing how shaken he was — she just couldn't figure out why.

"Dispatch a patrol," Uther ordered. "I want these men caught and brought to justice."

"Immediately, Father," Arthur said, bowing. Uther and Morgana both got up from their chairs and walked by Arthur's side as they began to exit the council chambers.

"For a moment, we feared you might miss Lady Morgana's birthday," Uther said, clapping Arthur on the back.

"It'd take more than a bunch of thieves to keep me from such a feast," he said, chuckling.

"Tomorrow promises to be quite a night," Uther told them.

As the court followed them out, Merlin stayed still. Lia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Lin, you alright? Has something happened?"

A moment later, he shook off his odd behavior and nodded. "I'm alright. Just tired from the journey."

"Well, I know Arthur won't give you a break, but I'll help you with the rest of your chores for the day," Lia offered, linking her arm with his as they walked down the hall. "I'm meeting with Gwen for our training over dinner, but I shall convince Gaius to make your favorite. Once again, you have saved Arthur's life."

"I'm surprised he admitted it," Merlin said, chuckling.

"You do deserve praise every now and then," she told him. "Now, what is first on your long list of chores?"

"Mucking out the stables and making his bed."

"He still doesn't know how to make his bed?" she asked in disbelief, scoffing.

Merlin grinned — the first real smile since exited the Crystal Cave. "Your future husband isn't the most competent of men."

| | |

Merlin sat at the dinner table with Gaius, enjoying his favorite meal and telling him all that had happened with Taliesin and the cave. As he recounted it, the fear from before crept back upon him.

"Gaius, I can't get these visions out of my head," Merlin said, rubbing his eyes as if that would help get rid of them.

"You are extremely lucky to have seen the Crystal Cave. Even before the Great Purge wizards would talk about it with reverence," Gaius told him.

"That man who led me there, who is he?" Merlin asked.

Gaius scoffed. "Who was he? He died, I'd say, about three hundred years ago. Taliesin was a seer to the great kings of old. It is said that the Crystal Cave was a source of his prophecies."

"But he told me - he said there was a reason I was brought there at this moment in time. Why?" he questioned. "It must mean the events I saw are imminent. Morgana is going to kill Uther. And Lia, I - I can't even begin to imagine what's going to happen."

"Merlin, you must be careful," Gaius warned. "The Crystals are treacherous. What you saw may not be all that it seemed."

"So I do nothing?"

"There is nothing to suggest that what you saw is imminent, is there?"

"No."

"So, I wouldn't let it put you off your dinner," Gaius said.

"No, you're right," Merlin mumbled, focusing back on his food.

"Come on, eat up," Gaius told him. "It took a lot of whining for Lia to get me to cook this for you."

"Thanks," he said, chuckling. But then his smile fell. Despite Gaius' words of comfort, a small part of Merlin still feared the future he had seen for Lia. He could picture Arthur holding her limp body in his arms so clearly. Merlin knew he would do anything to keep it from happening.

| | |

Merlin walked through the Main Square, but he froze when he spotted Morgana. She was holding the reins of her horse, which was rearing back. Lia carefully stroked its nose to calm it down, just as he had seen in his vision. After Arthur told him that he'd be giving Morgana a dagger for her birthday, and now this, the sorcerer knew that Gaius had been wrong. The visions were coming true.

As Merlin rushed to the physician chambers to tell Gaius, Lia was none the wiser to his dilemma. She was gently petting Morgana's horse, which had finally calmed down.

"Who's a good boy?" she asked, smiling at the animal that would not reply. Then she turned to Morgana. "I feared he was going to run off on you."

"And I feared you would not be in Camelot for my celebration," Morgana told her. "Uther has been sending you out to more and more villages as a physician. I feel like I hardly see you anymore."

"Well, I'm sure had he tried to send me off, you'd simply have to bat your eyelashes and he'd let me remain," Lia said, chuckling.

"Certainly," Morgana said, smirking. She did have Uther wrapped around her finger. "Though, it's almost as if he wants you out of the castle."

Lia's smile dimmed slightly. Morgana didn't know how right she was. Uther did want Lia out of the castle, and more specifically, away from Arthur. It felt like every other week, he was sending her to some far village on the outskirts of Camelot — and of course, the villages actually did need medical help, which Lia was happy to provide. Uther did not force her to go alone. She always had a handful of knights or guards accompany her, but Arthur was never permitted to go, much to his annoyance. Arthur and Lia both knew that Uther was sending her away so often because he wanted to keep them apart, a sort of punishment for Arthur's actions with Elena.

"The King just wants to help more of his people now that he has two physicians," Lia said smoothly. "I may miss everyone when I am gone but am thankful I get to help those in need. I am also thankful to be here for your birthday."

"As am I," Morgana said, smiling softly. "The party would not be the same without you."

"I cannot wait," Lia said, grinning. "And I know you will be getting plenty of gifts later tonight, but I thought I'd go ahead and give you your gift before everyone starts vying for your attention."

"Oh, Lia, you didn't have to get me anything," she told her.

"Of course I did," she said, rolling her eyes. She pulled the cloth covering the basket in her arms back and first pulled out a bouquet of pink dahlias. "Every gift must come with flowers."

"They're beautiful," Morgana said, taking them and bringing them to her nose to smell. The large flowers hid some of the blush on her cheeks.

"And I saw this in the markets the other day, and it made me think of you."

Lia handed Morgana a small box with a red ribbon tied around it. The ward pretended to ponder over what could be inside, even shaking it to see if she could guess, which made Lia giggle. Finally, she opened the box and a small gasp left her lips.

"Lia, it's beautiful," Morgana said. She held up a dainty, golden ring. There was a beautiful emerald gemstone on it, and the metal twisted around it to look like branches were gripping the stone. "This is too much."

"Nonsense," Lia said, waving her off. "Uther and Arthur are always getting you things with diamonds and rubies on them, but I know emeralds are your favorite. And it'll look perfect with the green gown you love so much."

Morgana grinned happily as she slid the ring on her ring finger on her right hand, holding it out to admire it. Then she wrapped her arms around Lia tightly. "It's perfect. Thank you."

"Anything for you, Gana," Lia told her. She stood on her toes and placed a kiss on Morgana's cheek quickly. "I must finish making my rounds, but I'll see you at the celebration. I'm sure it shall be a party you never forget."

Morgana watched Lia go with an endearing expression on her face. She would receive extravagant gifts all throughout the day, but they would each pale in comparison to Lia's gift. In that moment, Morgana made a promise to never take the ring off, feeling somehow closer to the physician as she wore it.

| | |

Merlin kept a careful eye on Morgana throughout the feast. Most of his worries went away when Arthur showed off the dagger he planned on gifting to Morgana, which was simpler than the ornate one he had seen in his vision. Nothing seemed out of order as the court toasted her. Then Uther presented her with a gift — a diamond necklace that didn't quite match the green gown she was wearing, but she happily put it on to please him.

And then Arthur nodded to a knight, who then approached Morgana and handed her a simple wooden box. "Happy birthday," he told her, smiling.

"Arthur," she said, in happy surprise. She wasn't expecting him to get her a gift. She stood up and opened the box, pulling out a sumptuous dagger, the exact same one from his vision. Merlin felt himself go cold when he spotted it, knowing Arthur had changed the gift last minute. Morgana removed the sheath and studied the weapon carefully. Then she smiled gratefully at Arthur while those in the room applauded.

"It's not often you're right, Merlin, but this is one of those rare occasions," Arthur said as he got up and passed the servant. "Girls do like pretty things. Thanks."

| | |

That night, once Lia had already retired to bed, Merlin frantically spoke with Gaius. "Don't you see? It's started. It's coming true," he said, fear evident in his tone.

"We can't be certain about that," Gaius said, keeping a calm head.

"We have to stop her."

"How? We don't know when this is going to happen," he pointed out. "We don't even know if it will."

"We have to watch her," Merlin stated.

"Night and day?" Gaius asked, knowing they could not truly follow her every move.

"I was shown these visions for a reason."

"This is madness," he told him.

"We'll take it in turns. She cannot be left alone," Merlin insisted. "I'll go now."

"And if Lia asks where you've gone?" Gaius asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Tell her I am off doing things for Arthur," Merlin told him, preparing to leave. "And keep an ear out for any nightmares."

"Of course. She took a sleeping draught, so hopefully, there will be none tonight."

Though both men knew the sleeping draught never really helped with nightmares — only helped her fall back asleep after having them. Merlin soon left the physician chambers and rushed to spy on Morgana. He found a hiding spot behind a curtain outside Morgana's door.

Morgana was in her room with Gwen, who was sorting out all the presents she had received. She was at her dressing table, toying with the dagger from Arthur.

"You got some lovely presents. Mainly hairbrushes," Gwen said, earning a laugh from Morgana. Gwen picked up an old-looking hand mirror and read the note on it. "Who's King Gromause?"

Morgana studied the mirror, knowing exactly who it was from. She shrugged casually and laughed to throw Gwen off. "At least he doesn't think my hair needs brushing."

"It's so pretty," Gwen commented before handing Morgana the mirror.

Morgana glanced at her pile of gifts and grabbed a gold embroidered handkerchief to give to Gwen. "Here, I want you to have this."

"Me?" she asked in disbelief. She could not accept something so nice. "No—"

"It's a thank you," she said, putting the cloth in Gwen's hand.

Gwen sighed softly, accepting the nice gift. "Thank you."

Morgana waited patiently for Gwen to leave her chambers before looking at the mirror. She breathed on the glass to fog it up, which revealed the hidden message.

"Sister, come to the darkling woods at midnight. Morgause."

She was excited that she'd get to see her sister on her birthday. After another hour of waiting, it was time for her to leave. Merlin watched from his hiding spot as Morgana exited her chamber wearing the same red cloak from his dream. Seeing the dagger on her belt, he was convinced that she was on her way to kill Uther.

Merlin quietly crept after her, staying hidden in the shadows. Thinking quickly, he whispered a spell that magically closed the door she was approaching. The momentum caused a torch to fall off the wall and towards Morgana. She stepped back to avoid it and ended up stumbling backward and down a set of stairs. Merlin heard her screams and realized his mistake, running after her.

"No," he muttered, running to the bottom of the stairs. Morgana laid, unmoving on the floor with a large gash on her head — all but dead.

| | |

Gaius had woken Lia very suddenly, telling her that Morgana had been injured. He gave her very few details before running off with Merlin to bring her back to the physician chambers. Lia got dressed as quickly as she could and then prepared everything for Morgana, making a place for her on the cot and gathering all the supplies they could need. She was not sure what kind of condition she was in, only that she had fallen and hit her head.

Soon, Gaius and Merlin returned with Gwen and Arthur, who was carrying an unconscious Morgana in his arms.

"Put her here," Lia instructed, nodding to the cot. "I've got water, bandage, and yarrow."

"Good," Gaius told her as Arthur laid Morgana down. "She's having problems breathing."

"Dianthus?" Merlin asked, offering to go get it.

"Yes, and a preparation of pulmonaria," Gaius instructed. Merlin paused in confusion, not knowing what that was.

Lia quickly brushed past him, gathering the supplies needed to make it. "I've got it, Merlin."

"How could this have happened?" Arthur asked, standing close to Gaius.

"Arthur, I need room here," Gaius told him.

"Yes. Of course," Arthur said, backing away. He glanced around the room, taking note of how everyone was doing something helpful except for him. He knew that his presence would only be in the way, so decided to leave. "Um, anything you need, just tell me."

No one paid Arthur any mind as he left. Lia rushed back to the workbench and began crushing up the lungwort and violet. They worked tirelessly through the night, and once the bleeding slowed down, Gaius began carefully stitching up Morgana's head.

"Will she be alright?" Gwen asked nervously. She eyed Lia, who was sitting at Morgana's side and holding her hand. The tears in her eyes were not a good sign.

"We've done the best we can," Gaius said, finishing up the stitches. "I can heal her skin, Gwen, but the skull — the cranium is broken. She's bleeding inside."

Merlin, upset with himself, retreated to his chambers. Gaius, knowing that Lia would not be leaving Morgana's side any time soon, followed after him. Merlin was sitting in the dark on his bed with his head in his hands, and Gaius joined him.

"I had to stop the future. I had to stop Morgana killing Uther," he admitted in a quiet voice. "I didn't mean to do it like this."

"It wasn't your fault, Merlin," Gaius told him.

It sure did not feel that way. And Merlin knew that if Lia ever found out he was the one responsible for Morgana's condition, she'd never forgive him. "I've prevented something much worse from happening. I just... wish it could have been some other way."

| | |

It had taken a lot of convincing to get Lia to leave Morgana's side in the morning, but Gaius reminded her that a court physician was still needed. With her basket full of remedies to deliver, she set off. Lia moved slowly through the castle, growing more concerned the longer she was away. When she was finished, she made her way to Arthur's chambers to check on him — he hadn't left his room all morning.

"Arthur," she called softly, entering the room. He looked a mess, still in the clothes he slept in and leaning against the table, staring off at nothing. He spared a weak glance at her as she moved to his side. "Um, Gaius fixed a calming draught for you and your father. I'll leave it on the table."

Arthur nodded before speaking up. "How is she?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"Uh, I - I don't..." Lia bit her lip to stop it from trembling. "It's bad, Arthur. R - really bad. It will not be long before—"

Lia cut her own self off as she choked on a sob. She covered her mouth but that did nothing to stifle the sound. Arthur immediately reached out and pulled her into his arms, cradling her head and holding her tightly as she cried. Silent tears slipped down his cheeks, needing just as much as Lia to be in each other's arms.

Merlin passed by in the corridor, stopping when he heard Lia weeping for Morgana. He peeked through the cracked door and saw Lia and Arthur tightly embracing, already mourning Morgana. He had never seen Lia so distraught in all his years of knowing her. As it would continue to do throughout the day, the guilt consumed Merlin.

| | |

Lia sat at the workbench and kept a careful eye on Morgana. As the day went on, her skin grew paler and paler. Lia had covered her in a blanket and put a pillow under her head to make her feel more comfortable. Uther sat at Morgana's side, where he had been for most of the day and was stroking Morgana's hair gently. Gaius stood behind him.

"So beautiful," he muttered, tears in his eyes.

"Yes, Sire," Lia agreed.

"I cannot watch her die, Gaius," Uther said.

"I wish there was something we could do," Gaius told him.

"No, you don't understand," Uther said sharply. "I cannot lose her. No matter what happens, she cannot die."

"Lia and I will do everything we can, Sire," he promised.

"No, Gaius. Whatever it takes. Whatever, I don't care. You must save her," Uther insisted.

Lia seemed to pick up on the meaning in his tone faster than Gaius. "If I knew a way—"

"You're not understanding me, Gaius," he said, sharply looking at him. "Cure her. I don't care what remedy you use. In all these books there must be something. Something in the Old Religion?"

Gaius could scarcely believe it. "Are you suggesting?"

"Sorcery, yes."

"I know she's dear to you, Sire, but surely you're not going to risk everything for Morgana," Gaius told him, trying to get him to see reason.

"Gaius, you don't understand. There's something you should know. Something I've told no one but Florian, and he is long gone.," Uther said in a quiet tone. His eyes fell on Lia, who had remained quietly in the corner. For a moment, he considered asking her to leave, but eventually let her remain, knowing how dear she was to Morgana. "Morgana is my daughter. It was while Gorlois was away. He was fighting on the Northern Plains. Her mother, Vivienne, grew lonely."

Lia couldn't believe what she was hearing. But then it all made sense. Uther was willing to use sorcery, the thing he hated most, to save her life because she was his child. And no one — not even Morgana — knew about it, aside from Lia's dead father.

"I understand, Sire," Gaius said. He was shocked but managed to mask it.

"I've said enough," Uther said, quickly getting to his feet. "The people must never know who Morgana really is, for Arthur's sake."

"I assure you, Sire, your secret is safe with me," Gaius promised.

And then Uther looked pointedly at Lia, who nodded. "As with me, Sire."

The King left shortly after revealing Morgana's true heritage. Lia immediately jumped to her feet and stood over Morgana, nervously biting her lip. She looked at Gaius, who was watching her carefully.

"How could he never tell Morgana about this?" she asked, clearly upset.

"Lia, you know as well as I how a scandal such as this could negatively impact the kingdom," Gaius told her. "And how it would affect Arthur's—"

"It would not affect anything. Arthur is still the oldest and the male heir," she reminded him. "Uther should be proud to have Morgana as a daughter — as a Pendragon."

Gaius sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Lia, you promised Uther that you would keep this to yourself."

Lia bit her lip and looked down at Morgana, who was just as unresponsive as she had been all day. She sighed and shook her head, knowing the chances of Morgana surviving anyway were slim. But even if they lost her, Arthur deserved to know what she really was to him. He had always thought of her as a sister, and to find out she actually was would solidify the sibling-like bond they've always had.

"Lia," Gaius repeated in a firm tone.

"Alright," she said, sighing once more. "But make note that I am very against it. Uther shouldn't have kept this from her or Arthur."

"Noted," he told her. Then he glanced at the door to Lia and Merlin's chamber, knowing that the sorcerer had likely overheard Uther's secret. After telling Lia that he'd be right back, he went to speak with Merlin, who had a very shocked look on his face.

"It explains everything," Merlin whispered. "No wonder he spent a year looking for her."

"Now we know why she can do no wrong," Gaius muttered. "I know Lia is upset, but it's best that Morgana never knew. Hopefully, she will realize the importance of keeping this a secret, just as her father did."

| | |

Merlin and Lia both quietly entered Uther's chambers. The King was standing by his window and staring down at his city, a far-off look in his eyes. Lia had prepared yet another calming draught for the King, who had been anything but calm.

"Sire. This is from Gaius and Lia," Merlin said, walking over to him. "They thought it might help ease your mind." Merlin placed the bottle on his desk and waited a moment for Uther to dismiss him, before realizing it would not happen. He and Lia bowed and turned to leave when Uther finally spoke up.

"You are Gaius's children." Neither had heard Uther speak in such a weak tone.

"He is our guardian," Merlin told him. But they were the closest thing to actual children he had ever had.

"You're like a son to him. A daughter."

"Yes," they both agreed.

"I see the way he cares for you both. You feel your child's every joy, and their pain. You watch their failings and you see your own. All you want is for their happiness, for them to escape the sufferings of life. Wh - why has this happened? I woul — I would do anything. Anyth—"

Uther suddenly broke down crying, covering his mouth to stop his sobs from escaping. Merlin watched him for a moment, consumed by his guilt, before leaving. Lia remained behind though. She pulled out a handkerchief — she kept many on hand for herself and others — and offered it to Uther. He took it and wiped his eyes while Lia placed a comforting hand on his arm.

"What was that you said once about having hope and believing that tomorrow would be better?" he asked quietly after a moment.

"So that we may bear the hardships of today," Lia finished, nodding.

"And do you? Have hope this time?"

"I am trying to, Sire," she told him, smiling sadly. "Morgana is strong, stronger than any woman I know. If anyone could survive this, it would be her."

Uther appreciated Lia's presence, despite his efforts as of late to keep her away from Camelot. He knew she meant a lot to Morgana — to both of his children. Uther may not have approved of Arthur's feelings for her, but he did value Lia as both a physician and council member. And most importantly, at that moment, he was glad she was there to comfort him.

| | |

As night fell, Merlin rode out of Camelot and to the nearby clearing. He could not stand to be in the castle any longer with Lia and Gwen crying all the time, Arthur taking out his anger on the training grounds, and the King becoming practically useless. The guilt had finally won over, so he called Kilgharrah to meet with him.

"You summoned me, young warlock? And to what do I owe the pleasure this time?" Kilgharrah asked as he landed.

"I've been to the Crystal Cave," Merlin told him. "I saw Morgana make an attempt on Uther's life."

"It does not surprise me." The Great Dragon had seen Morgana's path of evil long ago.

"Well, I stopped her."

"To change the future is no simple matter, Merlin. To do so is fraught with danger," he warned.

"I know, and as a result of my actions, Morgana is dying," Merlin said.

"Then you should rejoice!" Kilgharrah said, laughing.

"I want you to help me to save her," he declared.

Kilgharrah sighed heavily. "Merlin, have you learned nothing?"

"I did not mean to kill her. All I wanted was to avoid the future that would've unfolded, to prevent Uther's death, to prevent Camelot being torn apart."

"I will not cure her."

"She is Uther's daughter," he told him.

But the dragon was not surprised as he thought he would be. "Yes."

"You knew," Merlin said in disbelief. A small part of him felt betrayed that Kilgharrah had kept it from him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It makes no difference," he told him.

"Well, whatever she was about to do, I stopped her. There's no need for people to suffer."

"The witch must die, as she should have done long ago. I will not save her," he said, his decision final.

"I am a Dragonlord!" Merlin shouted angrily. "You cannot refuse me!"

"How dare you treat me such!" Kilgharrah yelled, glaring down at him. "How dare you abuse your power! Even Illyria would not do such a thing if she were to tap into her power!"

"I command you," Merlin said coldly.

"Very well. But I warn you, the evil that will follow is of your doing, and yours alone," he told him. Against his will, Kilgharrah used his magical breath to transfer the spell Merlin needed to his mind, before flying off. He did not want to stick around in case Merlin felt like forcing him to do more things he did not want to.

Merlin rode with haste back to Camelot. When he entered the physician chambers, Gwen and Lia were both still awake, sitting at Morgana's side — they were both waiting for her to take her last breath.

"I'll sit with her. Why don't you go and get some sleep?" he asked, rubbing Gwen's back. "You must be exhausted."

"If she wakes up—"

"I'll call you," he promised her.

"Thank you," she said, finally leaving.

Merlin took a seat next to Lia, who was watching him carefully. "You have a look on your face," she said, furrowing her eyebrows. "What are you doing?"

"I went to Kilgharrah. He gave me a spell to save her," he revealed, leaving out the part where he forced him to do it.

"You can—" Lia was excited for a few moments before it quickly faded. "Lin, last time you meddled with life and death, you and your mother almost died. I love Morgana and want her to recover, but not at the risk of anyone's life."

Merlin reached for her hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "It'll work. I promise."

After a moment, Lia nodded, silently telling him to do it. Merlin held his hand out over Morgana and chanted the spell. Almost instantly, Morgana began breathing normally and her color began improving. Lia gasped and leaned forward and put a hand to her forehead, feeling her temperature, which was already growing warmer.

"Merlin, it worked!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. A few happy tears slipped down her cheeks as she squeezed him tightly. "She's going to be alright."

"Yup," Merlin said quietly as he hugged her back — though he was not as enthusiastic. He knew saving Morgana was the right thing to do, but as he studied the witch, he couldn't help but worry if he should have listened to Kilgharrah. "She's going to be alright."

| | |

"Arthur!"

The Prince had been staring down at his uneaten breakfast plate for several minutes when he was interrupted. He heard Lia shouting his name before she even entered the room and instantly feared the worse. Lia must have been coming to tell him that Morgana passed in the night. He could not bear to look up at her when she entered the chambers — if he saw her crying, he'd begin crying.

"She's gone, isn't she?" he asked weakly.

"No," she said, breathlessly. "Morgana is awake."

Arthur couldn't believe it, his jaw-dropping. Of course, Lia did not let him remain stunned for long. She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "Come on. Your father is already with her."

He did not drop her hand as they rushed to the physician chambers. As they arrived, Uther and Gaius were stepping into the corridor to speak about her recovery. Arthur stepped into the room and quickly moved to Morgana's side, who was sitting up in bed with a tired expression.

"Morgana, thank God," Arthur said, sighing in relief. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, cradling the back of her head gently. "Do not ever scare us like that again."

"I shall try to work on my coordination," she joked, though the humor did not reach her eyes. She had overheard far too much to think about anything else. Morgana had been too far gone to comprehend the fact that magic had been used by Merlin to save her, but she'd never forget what Uther had said — that she was his daughter.

| | |

Morgana sat in her bed while Gwen propped pillows behind her, making sure she was comfortable. Uther was hovering nearby, not wanting to leave her side now that she was better.

"Thank you, Gwen," she told her.

Gwen turned and bowed to Uther before leaving them alone. He quickly moved to her side, and Morgana reached out her hands for him to hold as he sat on the edge of her bed.

"I could never let you die. I think I somehow willed you to live," he said, kissing her knuckles.

"You've always been so good to me. I'm grateful," she told him.

"You and Arthur, you mean everything to me."

"I know I could have no better guardian," she said, smiling and leaning closer. "Being so close to death has made me realize how important you... and Arthur are to me. How close we are to each other."

"Yes," he agreed.

"You're like a father to me."

Morgana searched his eyes as she called him her father, hoping to get a confession from him. Uther seemed happy that she had called him such. "Yes," he said, looking down at their hands.

"I wish the people knew that," Morgana said.

"They do."

"Not really," she muttered, frowning.

"Of course they do," he assured her.

"In the eyes of the people I am no more than your ward, a guest," she stated.

"What matters is what we feel," Uther told her. "That's what's important, not what the people think. I must let you rest."

Uther pulled away and left her chambers. Morgana sat in bed, seething. She had nearly died and still, he would not admit it to her. He was too ashamed of her.

Despite the orders from Lia and Gaius to rest, Morgana had a hard time doing it. Her anger at Uther — at her father — consumed all her thoughts. As night fell, she made her way out onto the balcony and looked out over Camelot, the city that should have been hers. She was shocked when someone else entered the balcony, someone, that should not risk being seen in the kingdom walls.

"Morgause," she greeted in surprise.

"Sister. I waited for you the other night. What happened?" Morgause asked. Morgana instantly looked down, which worried her sister. "Something is wrong."

"There is much to tell you, Morgause."

"What is it?" she asked.

"I overheard Uther."

Morgause still didn't quite understand where this was going. "What?"

"Uther is my father," Morgana revealed. "I am his daughter."

"Uther?" Morgause could scarcely believe it — she almost didn't. But she immediately began to think about ways that could benefit their plan.

"He's been lying to me all these years," Morgana continued, growing more upset.

"But this is glorious news," Morgause muttered, the wheels in her head turning.

"He disowned me. He wants people to think that he's the perfect king. It's more important to him than his own flesh and blood," she spat.

"But don't you see? This is wonderful! You have a legitimate claim to his throne," she stated.

"No, Sister," Morgana said, shaking her head. This was about more than the throne to her. "You don't understand. He must pay for this." A moment later, the warning bells sounded, signaling that the guards had found the servant that Morgause had killed in order to sneak into the castle. "You must go."

"No, I don't want to leave you like this," she said, knowing that Morgana was not in the right frame of mind.

"You must or they will find you here."

"Find Lia and be with her if you must. Anything to keep yourself from doing anything rash, Morgana. Promise me!" Morgause leaned over to kiss Morgana on the cheek, who pulled away. "We must bide our time."

But the expression on Morgana's face told her she planned on doing something very rash indeed.

| | |

Arthur stood over the dead serving boy in the corridor, worry etched over his face. Merlin, Lia, and Gaius approached as he spoke quietly to a guard. "We need to seal the drawbridge, search the grounds. I'll inform the King," he said.

Lia knelt to examine the body, noting that the boy had been stabbed. Just to make sure he was really dead, she lifted his hand up out of a puddle of spilled wine and checked his pulse. Gaius had been standing back and noticed Merlin's horrified face. He was staring intently at the red liquid dripping from the serving boy's hand — it was wine, not blood as he had originally suspected.

"Merlin, what's the matter?" Gaius whispered so that Lia would not overhear.

"That was the next image I saw in the crystal," he said, shaking. "I haven't stopped anything."

| | |

Morgana sat at her vanity table brooding while Gwen turned down the bed. The longer she sat, the darker her thoughts grew. "Have they found the intruder?" she asked Gwen.

"Not yet," she replied. "Looks like it's going to be a bad night."

The thunder rumbled loudly outside as a storm rolled in, matching Morgana's raging mood. "Yes."

It did not take long for Morgana to make up her mind. As soon as Gwen retired for the night, she got everything ready, throwing on her red cloak and sliding the ornate dagger from Arthur onto her belt. No one would suspect anything, likely blaming Uther's demise on the intruder. It was a perfect crime — at least until Merlin showed up to interfere. He burst into her chambers just as she was ready to leave.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Arthur sent me to look after you. He's worried about the intruder," Merlin lied, shutting the door.

"I don't need you," she said, moving to the door.

Merlin was quick to block her from exiting. "He was quite insistent."

Morgana moved to shove him, but he easily caught her arm and held her firmly in place. She gasped from the slightly painful hold. "Get out of my way!"

Morgana's eyes glowed gold and she threw Merlin across the room, into the wall. The force knocked him out as well as knocked over a candelabra, which set the curtains in the room on fire. Morgana did not care enough to put out the flames as she left her room, heading for Uther's chambers, easily avoiding the guards patrolling the halls.

It took far too long for Merlin to wake up. He ran as fast as he could through the corridor as Morgana reached Uther's room. The King was sound asleep, unaware of her presence. Delight and excitement filled her as she unsheathed the dagger and held it above him, ready to strike. She could see the future so clearly — Uther dead, herself on the throne of Camelot, and Lia at her side.

Morgana was so focused on killing her father that she didn't notice Merlin run in. He used his magic to blast the window closest to Uther's bed. The explosion threw Morgana against the wall, and Uther woke with a gasp.

"What's going on?" he asked, sitting up.

"Uh - there was a fire, and I was scared!" Morgana said, feigning fear. She stepped towards Uther and kicked the fallen dagger under the bed so that he would not see it. He quickly welcomed her into his arms. "I wanted to be with you. You're the only person I feel safe with."

Merlin remained hidden, watching them embrace with a sneer. He had never hated anyone as much as he hated Morgana. The sorcerer was beginning to wish he had let her die.

| | |

After all the excitement, Merlin trudged back to the physician chambers, where he told Gaius about it.

"You saved the King's life," Gaius said, proud of him.

"Only just. I thought I could alter the future, but instead, I caused it. I made it happen," he said, disappointed in himself.

"What you did was dangerous, even for someone as gifted as you. But what's done is done," he told him, sighing. "There are more important things for us to worry about. I fear that Morgana knows the truth."

"About what?" he asked. There were a number of "truths" that Gaius could be referencing, his magic and Lia's identity being the ones he worried most about.

"She knows the King is her father. That explains why she acted so suddenly. Arthur must be careful," he warned.

"Why?"

"Morgana is of royal blood. If Uther were to die, Arthur is all that stands between her and the throne of Camelot."

Merlin sighed helplessly and put his head in his hands. He hadn't even considered Morgana taking the throne from Arthur. Having control over Camelot as opposed to destroying it was certainly more beneficial to her and Morgause.

"That's not the only thing to worry about," Merlin muttered, keeping his eyes shut. "Everything I saw about Morgana came true."

"Yes," Gaius said, nodding.

"That means Lia will be in danger. Danger I cannot even begin to imagine," he said.

"Think carefully about what you saw. Was there anything at all that could help us prepare?" Gaius asked. "Any small detail?"

The visions played on a loop in his mind. But two things, in particular, stood out. The first being Lia, looking near death in Arthur's arms — that would haunt his dreams for some time. The other was the glimpse of Uther's future. He had been staring down with a shocked expression at a crown, a very familiar one.

It was Lia's father's crown.

"Gaius," Merlin said, sitting straighter and growing pale. "I do not think Lia's identity will be staying a secret for much longer."