Merlin cursed when he heard Eve yelling for him. He'd separated from the others when he spotted Nimueh lurking near the edge of the crowd. Forced to choose between Eve and Nimueh, he knew that the sorceress would continue to hinder them until he'd driven her from this Story as well. It nearly broke his heart to have to ignore Rachel's daughter's plea for help, but Nimueh had to be dealt with.

The woman was waiting for him on the outskirts of the crowd. She had an amused look on her face when he approached, unhindered by the bystanders or George's soldiers. "You actually came and sought me out," she said, smiling. "I would have thought the heartbroken cry of Rachel's daughter would have sent you running. Yet you come to me instead! It's just like the old days, isn't it? When you would have done anything for me."

"Those days are long past," Merlin answered, scowling. "Especially after everything that you've done."

Nimueh adopted an innocent expression. "You mean, like killing Alan's wife?" Seeing the look of horror that Merlin hastily tried to hide, she became triumphant. "Yes. And by this time, his daughter will be dead as well. Imagine that! The entire Dale family, killed because of you. Doesn't that just make you feel happy?"

Merlin clenched his fists. "Lana is not dead. She can't be dead." Not after the promise I made to her father. I can't fail him. Not again.

"Oh, but she is. She's drowned. And did you know, she had a crippling fear of water?" Nimueh smirked. "What a way for her to go, hm? In the care of someone she lovingly called her uncle, killed by the thing she feared most. How sad."

Merlin unleashed a blast of energy. Nimueh, with a laugh, simply absorbed the blow. In fact, it seemed to add to her power. Merlin struggled to control his temper. It would only weaken his magic and make it impossible to defeat her. But the thought that she might be telling the truth and that Lana truly could be dead ... he knew Ellen was. That much he couldn't have prevented. But Lana—the child he'd already had to wipe her memories and prevent from ever seeing her father again—she couldn't be dead. How could it be?

Nimueh twirled a string of fire around her finger. "Oh, dear. Have I gone and upset you now?" she asked. "What a pity. I intended to, you know. Why do you think I told Rumpelstiltskin to take her instead of one of your sons?"

Goaded beyond control, Merlin shot flames at her. Giving another laugh, she caught the fire into a fireball and lobbed it at him. They caught him in the chest and sent him flying backwards. He was unable to rise before Nimueh put her foot on his stomach and held him down. "Sorry, dear," she said. "I can't let you do that. There was a reason I had to push you this far. Don't you remember your own weakness, Merlin? You get too attached and act on your emotions. That's how I always used to take advantage of you in our past, true Stories."

"If it's revenge on me you want, why bother killing the other Guardians?" Merlin demanded.

Nimueh tapped her foot against his stomach as she thought. "I don't like people being too much more powerful than me," she answered. "The Guardians have been around too long. And, of course, the role of Editor is open after you killed young Will's mother."

Merlin felt his blood freeze. "You want to be the Editor?"

"Mm," Nimueh said. "And what better way to start on that path than by draining the most powerful sorcerer in The Story?" She held her hand above him as tendrils of white light shot out of her fingers and struck Merlin in the chest. He cried out in pain as he felt her draining his power from him, pulling it from his body. "I've waited so long to do this!" she exclaimed. "All this delicious power ... it's all mine!"

Merlin gasped, feeling as if she were pulling his very life from him. It was more painful than he could possibly comprehend. It flooded through him, choking him with his guilt for what he'd done to Alan's family. They were all dead—because of him.

"Merlin!" A shrill young woman's voice cut through the chaos of the suddenly-panicking crowd. Apparently, they'd discovered that Nimueh was the true witch. "Get away from him!"

A waterfall of red hair slammed into Nimueh, knocking her away from Merlin. Rampion ran up, wrapping Nimueh in her hair and binding her hand and foot. "You witch!" the girl screamed at her. "How dare you? Leave my friends ALONE!"

Nimueh laughed. "You wicked little girl. Congratulate yourself. The only victory you've won today is sparing this miserable sorcerer's life, and he might not even thank you for it. In the meantime, I look forward to our next meeting ... if you don't want to give up, that is." With her semi-free hand, she snapped her fingers and vanished from the hair wrapped around her.

Rampion knelt beside Merlin, shaking his arm until he focused on her. "What did she do to you?" she cried. "Are you alright? Please ... please, be alright. I need you!" She was near-panic.

"You need me?" Merlin asked, trying to get his hazy mind to focus. He had very little magic remaining in him after Nimueh had drained him. "For what?"

"It's Lana!" Rampion said, slapping his face. "She needs you. She won't wake up, Emrys can't do anything. Please, Merlin. You've got to come!"

He let her haul him to his feet, feeling barely conscious. She won't wake up because she's dead. She's dead because of me. I killed Alan, I killed Ellen, and now Lana is dead because of me. How could I have brought her, endangered her? I should have known. Rampion dragged him with her, running. Most of the crowds were gone and the soldiers were gathered around King George.

By the time Merlin and Rampion reached Lana, Eve, Gwaine, and Emrys, Gwaine had retrieved Ellen's body and covered it nearby. It seemed like a memorial to Merlin's failure, her covered corpse. He hadn't known Ellen nearly as well as Alan, but he had promised to protect Alan's family, and he'd failed.

"Father!" Emrys said, looking relieved. "You've got to do something. Please." He had an uncomfortable arm around Eve as she covered her face and sobbed. Of all of the children, only she seemed to realize the gravity of the situation. Gwaine had Lana's hand in his own.

Merlin knelt beside Lana. It was nigh on unbearable to see the energetic girl so still and ... limp. An ashen pallor had overcome her face. How could he save her? Laying a hand over her lungs, he could feel the water in there. He attempted to summon it out through her mouth, but nothing happened. Of course—Lana was too far gone for that. She had been without a heartbeat for several minutes now.

A strange sense of resolve overcame Merlin. No matter what it cost him, he would save her. No matter what he had to do. It would require an immense feat of magic and would likely take almost everything he had left. But it would be worth it. "Emrys," he said.

"Father?"

"I've taught you a memory spell, haven't I?"

Emrys looked surprised. "Um, yes. Why?"

"We may need it." Merlin turned his attention from his son and back to Lana. It would require a complete change of her system. Since he couldn't take the water from her lungs, he'd have to make it so the water was a part of her. A mermaid would be a bad choice. What other ...? Ah. He had just the thing.

Laying his hands over her, Merlin enacted the spell, feeling it weaken his system. That at least meant it was taking effect, and, taking heart, he continued. He heard Emrys's sharp intake of breath as the color returned to Lana's cheeks. With a sound halfway between a cough and a sob, Lana began to breathe again, and Merlin collapsed backwards. Eve threw her arms around the confused bard. "Oh, thank God!" she cried.

Lana blinked. "What ... what happened?" she asked, a hint of hysteria entering her voice. Her eyes went past Eve to the covered form of her mother. "It—it can't be." She crawled over to Ellen and pulled Gwaine's cloak from her face. With a heartbroken, piercing shriek, she collapsed on top of her mother, sobbing into her shoulder. "Mama! Mama, please! Wake up! Don't leave me. Please!"

Merlin closed his eyes briefly. The pain in Lana's voice pierced into all of their hearts, but particularly his. If he'd been paying more attention, he could have spared her that heartbreak. "Emrys," he said.

"F-Father?"

"You won't need to cast that memory spell. Take us out of this Story."

"Lord Merlin." They all turned—except for Lana—to see King George approaching. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me for the horrors bestowed on your companions here. That woman bewitched me, I had no choice!"

"It's alright." The words sounded hollow even to Merlin. "Just ... do me a favor. To make up for it. This woman. Bury her, and give her a fitting headstone. Make the legend say, 'Ellen-a-Dale; devoted wife and loving mother'. Do you understand?"

George nodded. "I do. Fair weather and good travels, Lord Merlin."

Merlin nodded, unable to think of anything else to say. The Story door appeared behind them, and Merlin motioned to Gwaine. "Take Lana," he said quietly. "We need to get out of this Story."