Morgana stomped her feet on the ground, letting out a loud groan that if she had been calmer, she would have been terrified she could get caught. So far, all her attempts to make the trees around her move at the same time had been futile, sure, some moved, but not in the way she wanted them to.

She no longer dared to freely use magic in the castle. With Emrys busy for the day while Uther visited a duke, Morgana had to go on her own to be able to practice her magic. All she could feel was disappointment when the only thing she could see with clarity at the moment was that, while she was perfectly able to summon ghosts in the nunnery, moving something as simple as a group of trees was proving to be an exceptional challenge.

Morgana allowed herself to drop to the grass, caring very little by the fact that it could stain her dress. Stains she would have to hastily explain to the people in the castle.

"I don't believe I've seen you around." A calm, curious, feminine voice resonated, Morgana's eyes opened wide. She stood up as fast as she could, passing her hands over her skirt to clean it, as she looked around to find the owner of the voice.

The only person near was a woman standing at the edge of the lake, she had dark long hair, pale skin, green eyes, was wearing an olive dress, and had a golden ring around her head. She was beautiful, Morgana noted, and was looking at her with curiosity. The girl found herself unable to tell if she was standing on the edge of the lake or if she was standing above the water. No matter what the answer was, the mere fact that she was around was dangerous.

"Is this... is this your land?" Morgana found herself stammering, "I'm deeply sorry, I thought no one lived here, I shall leave, please don't tell the king." Upon the mention of the king, a shadow covered the woman's face, one that she seemingly tried to brush off. Morgana looked at her up and down. Her heart beating fast in her chest finding herself unable to move.

"You're a child of a Fae, aren't you?" her eyes still glinted with curiosity. Morgana knit her eyebrows together, "I won't hurt you, it's been so long since I've seen anyone like you, or anyone worthwhile for that matter. You don't need to worry, I can't go and talk to that king even if I wanted to, and I'm honest with you when I tell you, the least thing I could ever want would be to interact with that man or his lineage" an expression of disgust covered the woman's face before she smiled politely at Morgana, who took a step back

"A... a child of the what? I'm not quite sure what you mean, my family name is Lefay, I'm not sure if you mean that or... I... who are you? What king are you talking about?" Morgana asked nervous. The woman furrowed her eyebrows slightly, her expression softened.

"Poor thing, all that power and you don't know where it comes from, do you?"

Morgana shook her head, feeling her cheeks get warm.

"Are the Pendragons still in power?" Morgana tilted her head slightly before nodding.

"Uther Pendragon is the current king of Camelot," Morgana explained, the woman's nose wrinkled, an expression of disgust covered her face, "Who are you again?" Morgana questioned, knitting her eyebrows together.

"I apologize, it seems I've forgotten how to interact with others. My name is Nimueh, and yours is...?"

"Morgana," the girl said, "Do you know the king?"

"Fortunately, no, but I had the misfortune of meeting Cederic," there was a hint of fury in Nimueh's tone that made Morgana take a step back.

Morgana hesitated. Eyes shifting between the woman in front of her and the woods behind, "I think I must go..."

"What were you trying to do before? I couldn't help but notice you were struggling," Nimueh interrupted, Morgana closed her mouth.

"I'm trying to get all the trees around the lake to move at the same time," she admitted, the woman nodded, eyebrows knit together.

"Would you like some help?" she questioned.

Morgana froze for a second, tilting her head slightly, "Why?"

"You looked like you needed help," Nimueh said, Morgana felt the heat raise to her cheeks and she turned her eyes to the floor, a rush of embarrassment going through her, "and I might know a thing or two about magic," the woman spoke, and Morgana saw how, with a movement of Nimueh's hand it was as if the seasons changed in the trees around her until it was summer once again.

"I suppose it could be fine, thank you my Lady," Morgana said, Nimueh smiled.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Valerie felt her aunt fall on the couch by her side while she played with her phone. She glanced at the woman's direction. She cursed because that second she had taken to make sure it was her aunt and not Merlin dropping at her side had been enough to make her lose the game. She took a deep breath locking the phone's screen.

"How's work?" Valerie questioned, fully turning her attention to her aunt. The woman, looked at her hands and knit her eyebrows together, mumbling something under her breath that Valerie wasn't able to catch. She reached for her aunt, shaking her arm slightly.

"Is everything alright?" the girl tried; Morgana's eyes shot in her direction. A soft smile rose to her features, but it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"As good as it can be, why?" she spoke softly, Valerie furrowed her eyebrows.

Valerie hesitated, looking at her aunt up and down, "You seemed odd."

"Just a bit concerned about Gabriel and Audrey, that's all, we haven't had any news about them", Morgana moved her hand slightly, returning her phone to her purse. Valerie couldn't recall seeing her taking it out of it in the first place.

Valerie felt an uncomfortable feeling in her chest at the mention of Gabriel and Audrey, her voice braking slightly, a little too nervous to ask the question in her mind, "Do you think they might be..."

Morgana's eyes opened wide, looking at the girl with shock, "No, of course not, don't think like that, I'm sure they're fine somewhere, we've just got to find them, that's all, alright?"

Morgana rubbed Valerie's arm. Valerie's mouth turned into a line, eyes turning to the floor as she nodded. Feeling the same pang of guilt that hadn't quite left her since she found out about Gabriel's disappearance and had only grown after Audrey's.

The door resonated as if the wind had pushed it open. Morgana and Valerie stood up instantly. Valerie turned her bracelet into a sword, holding it steady in her hand, trying to be as prepared. Morgana put a hand in front of her, stopping the girl from giving any step towards whoever had pushed the door open. The adult stepped forward carefully, with Valerie trailing behind her as closely as possible.

Valerie was ready to point her sword at whoever it was, until she saw Jonathan stumbling forward. She turned the sword back into a bracelet, her aunt approaching the boy whose face was red and entire appearance disheveled. Valerie found herself thinking it looked good on him. He leant against the wall, trying to regain some air. Valerie slid underneath Morgana's arm. They rushed towards the boy who for a second looked like if he was five seconds away from passing out.

"What happened?" Morgana questioned. He leant against Valerie, with an arm over her shoulder, nearly making her stumble. The girl looked at him up and down, eyes worried, her heart beating fast in her chest.

He took a deep breath, "Merlin... Audrey and Gabriel... I think? I'm not sure, a tree was... I'm..."

Jonathan tried to stand up on his own. His legs nearly giving up, making him stand against Valerie, who was the closest to him for support.

"Have you been running?" Valerie questioned, eyebrows furrowed, watching the boy's chest grow with each deep breath he took. It had always been a mystery to her how, no matter how long Jonathan had been training his physical condition had hardly improved.

"Come on, you have to sit," Morgana spoke, putting a hand on Jonathan's shoulder. Both teenagers nodded, walking to the couch where Jonathan collapsed while Valerie rushed to grab him a glass of water.

"What happened?" Valerie asked him as soon as she returned from the kitchen. She gave the glass of water to Jonathan who drank it all at once, taking a deep breath after, muttering a soft thank you to the girl.

"Are you okay? What happened? Weren't you with Merlin?" Valerie asked in one go, shaking the boy slightly, pulling his arm to make sure there wasn't any injury in it.

"Valerie, sweetie," Morgana intervened. Valerie was listening to her, but her eyes were still focused on Jonathan, "One question at the time, the boy's not injured but he needs to breath before he can answer them," Valerie nodded, her eyes still on Jonathan, lowering his arm when her aunt mentioned the lack of injuries.

He took a deep breath, "I'm-I'm fine," he said, "I was with Merlin, up until an hour ago, we went near the lake, the lake where we where the other day, remember? Well, apparently, that lake has an enormous surprise box underwater because I think... I can... I swear I... I saw Gabriel and Audrey looking at me when I moved the water and these plants moved and trapped Merlin and he told me to run... which I did, and ended up using the teleportation thing and somehow ended in the bathroom of a pub in London. I have no idea how, because I've never been to one before, and when I appeared here I showed up in the school and just figured it was... it was better to run here than to risk appearing in Argentina or in India," he explained, drawing deep breaths every few words, it took Valerie a second to take into her entire story, her aunt, however had understood it at first by the expression of shock her face took.

"Jonathan, you saw Audrey and Gabriel where?" Valerie questioned; eyebrows furrowed.

"It wasn't them per se, it was as if I was looking at their reflection, but I could swear I knew it was them it was as if they were trapped in the water," Valerie turned to her aunt, whose eyebrows were knit together, her eyes moving fast, focused on the floor beneath them.

"What did you say happened to Merlin?" Morgana questioned, turning back to them, eyes eager for the answer.

"After I saw Gabriel and Audrey these vines came from the lake and trapped him. They slowly turned into trees and surrounded him," Jonathan said, eyebrows furrowed, moving his hands as if he was imitating an animal crawling up the wall.

"Are you okay?" Valerie asked Jonathan, the boy nodded briefly. "Okay, now what are we gonna do?" she turned to her aunt, who stood up, "We have to do something, maybe I can chop off the tree and between the three of you can pull Gabriel and Audrey out, yes, Jonathan, I'm sure you'll do great at it, but the three of you can pull Gabriel and Audrey out and maybe I can stab the water?"

Jonathan seemed to be aware of Valerie lack of cleaver ideas, because he rose an eyebrow at her, an amused glint in his eyes. Valerie rolled her eyes at him.

"I have to do something, you don't pretend I just sit there while the three of you pull some magical shit," Valerie complained.

Jonathan opened his mouth to speak, however Morgana was quicker, "You two are staying here, I'm going to see what's going on," her voice was stern, Valerie opened her mouth to speak, Morgana glared at her, "Particularly you Valerie, you two are going to stay here until I return or I'm going to ground you, do you understand? And Jonathan, if you even think about using the moving spell on Valerie, I want you to know that that spell can kill humans because they can't take it" Morgana spoke, Jonathan nodded fast.

"But Aunt..." Valerie moaned.

"No buts, Valerie, you and Jonathan are staying here, am I making myself clear?" Morgana interrupted, pointing at both teenagers.

They nodded, Jonathan with a slight fear in his eyes and Valerie with her mouth in a line and eyebrows furrowed.

"Good," Morgana said before her eyes glowed green and she disappeared from the room.

Valerie crossed her arms in front of her chest, eyebrows knit together as she sank in the couch. She felt Jonathan's eyes on her and she turned in his direction noticing the risen eyebrow and the curious eyes.

"Are you really standing still?" he questioned, Valerie shook her head, leaning forward as if to check if her aunt was watching her from the kitchen, a mischievous smile on her face.

"You can drive, can't you?" Valerie rose an eyebrow, Jonathan smiled, scoffing slightly.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Morgana felt her heart pounding heart in her chest. She had an uneasy sensation that had started from earlier in the day. Now, she had a reason for it.

Her eyes travelled around the lake trying to look for anything out of the ordinary on the usually calm area. Most of the people began to move the search to larger areas, which made the place almost as empty as it usually was. It didn't take long for her to notice a tree that hadn't been in there the last time she had visited the lake with Emrys. The tree stood almost three meters tall and it was tangled as if multiple trunks and branches had tried to merge.

Morgana knelt on the ground, putting a hand on the water, calling for Nimueh, praying this time she would answer. When she got no response, Morgana groaned and walked to the tree, knocking it, hearing it as if it was empty inside. Morgana took a deep breath, touching the tree, trying to make it disappear, to sink it or turn it into something else. The best she managed to do was to open it as if it was a book, and even that left her with a lingering sensation of tiredness.

With the tree open, Merlin stumbled forward. Morgana stopped him from falling face flat to the dirt. The man took a deep breath, holding onto Morgana.

"It's Nimueh..." he managed to stammer out, trying to regain his balance, "She..."

"I know," Morgana mumbled, hand touching his cheek, she let out a breath of air, relieved he was okay, "Figured when Jonathan told me what happened," Morgana said, Merlin smiled soft, leaving a kiss on her forehead. He took a step back, Morgana's eyes glowed blue, doing a vague movement with her hand watching as the water in the lake split in two.

"Hold it for me," she mumbled to Merlin, he nodded, eyes glowing green as he held a hand up. Morgana walked to the middle of the lake, fingers brushing the water in her way, leaving a trail of blue light in her path.

She made a wall in front of herself, joining both halves while Merlin still held it. She looked for any indication that could prove the kids presence, or any hint, no matter how minor. Noticing the lack of any proof, she reappeared besides Merlin. With a brief indication from Morgana he allowed the water to meet in the middle, rattling it slightly at the sudden movement.

The look on Morgana's face made it all too clear that she had found nothing, nor had she gotten an response from Nimueh. She tapped her foot against the ground, trying to figure out another plan. Merlin furrowed his eyebrows, Morgana knit hers together, her mouth tense in a line, not having to wait for the sound of shoes against the ground to know there was more people near them. She took a deep breath, turning behind herself.

"Boy, I know you're there" Merlin spoke, rolling his eyes in discontent. There was a mumbling and Jonathan walked out rather awkwardly, holding both hands in the pockets of his jeans. Morgana rose an eyebrow.

"Valerie, don't even try to hide," Morgana followed, rubbing both sides of her forehead. The girl came out from behind a tree, hands risen as if they had been caught in the middle of a crime, Morgana put both hands in her waist before crossing them in front of her chest.

"Sorry aunt."

"Sorry miss Morgana."

Both kids spoke at the same time, Morgana's frown deepened.

"I believe I told you both to stay at home, did I not?" Morgana glared, watching them take a hesitant step back.

"Yes, aunt," Valerie said. "but you couldn't have seriously thought that I would stay sitting down when..."

"Yes, Valerie, I did expect you two to stay at home when I told you to stay at home," the attempt of a playful smile on the girl's lips did not go amiss by the woman who took a deep breath "whose car did you bring here?"

Jonathan pulled out a set of keys out of his jeans' pocket and Morgana quickly recognized the keychain.

"My car?" Morgana approached the kids, extending her hand waiting for Jonathan to give the keys back to her. Behind her, Merlin shook his head.

"Where are Audrey and Gabriel?" Valerie tried, looking around. Morgana took a deep breath; she would have to find a way to ground both kids later.

"Underwater," Jonathan answered before either Morgana or Merlin had the opportunity to "They're underwater, aren't they?" the stepped forward, closer to where Merlin was.

"Glad to see you're fine, by the way," Valerie turned to Merlin.

"Were you concerned about my wellbeing?" Merlin rose an eyebrow, Valerie shrugged, and a half smile rose to Morgana's lips.

"Who trapped them there?" Valerie questioned, leaning over the lake, Morgana shook her head, pulling the girl back. "It had to be someone, right?" she turned to them.

"We have a suspect" Morgana admitted, both arms crossed in front of her chest. Merlin stepped closer to her, and for a moment, she felt calmer.

"Who?" Jonathan questioned.

"Why don't you try to call her?" Morgana turned to Merlin, ignoring the boy's question, "She obviously doesn't want to answer to me, maybe the grudge you think she has against you will be enough to pull her out,"

Merlin knit his eyebrows together, thinking the idea before nodding. He knelt near the water, taking a deep breath.

"Who are you gonna call?" Valerie tried, Morgana put a finger on her lips, Merlin's eyes glowed green. He put a hand on the water, moving it as if he was knocking on a door.

There were a few moments of silence, when nothing had happened. Morgana felt her heartbeat quick in her chest. Until the water moved, the rippling moving from the outside and focusing on a point in front of Merlin, who stood up, taking a wary step back.

A woman slowly emerged entirely dry from the water. She was stunningly beautiful, with long dark hair, a light blue dress that turned darker the closer it was to the water and a pair of bright green eyes with fury in them. At first, she smiled at Morgana, but when she saw Merlin in front of her, the smile stopped from reaching her eyes.

The silence was heavy, and Morgana saw Merlin shift uncomfortably. Morgana hadn't seen her in a long time, but there was something different about her. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

"Where are my friends?" Valerie questioned, the first one to break the silence.

"What are you doing here?" Nimueh spat, glaring at the girl, Morgana took a step forward, Merlin did the same thing, "I have no need for another human."

Morgana was taken aback.

"Where are my friends?" Valerie spat again, this time, holding her sword in her hands. As soon as she noticed it, Nimueh's eyes filled with fury. Valerie knelt to the ground, sword dropping to the floor as she clutched onto her stomach.

"It...hurts" Valerie managed to stammer, her face turning pale, looking like if she would throw up at any moment. Morgana felt her heart in her threat, a surge of panic filling her.

"Valerie!" Jonathan screamed rushing to her. Merlin knelt to the girl's height.

"Nimueh, stop this!" Morgana let out, the woman rolled her eyes.

Valerie let out a deep breath of air, nearly collapsing against the ground had it not been for the people around her. Morgana knelt to the girl's level, Merlin's eyes glowing, trying to check if there was any injury on the girl who had taken the sword back in her hands and insisted she was fine even if her eyes were filled with tears.

When Morgana's eyes turned to Nimueh, the woman was staring in shock. Eyes almost entirely focusing on the boy who was helping his friend stand up and made sure she was alright. Her expression softened, although only for a moment.

"Nimueh," Morgana tried, the woman's eyes didn't divert from the scene, but Morgana knew she was listening, "Listen, we need..." Nimueh shook her head. Now, her eyes were focused on Valerie instead of the boy.

"She shouldn't be here," Nimueh spoke softly, as if she didn't want anyone to hear her, "I don't care about her," she spat.

The water moved uneasy, as if it was aware of the venom in the woman's words. Morgana rose a wall from the ground, that stood between the woman and the group.

 A.N
Thank you so much for reading this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please consider leaving a vote or a comment! Thank you so much again and have a lovely day!