Always Be With You - Merthur

Chapter 26

Arthur pov

Arthur could see Merlin didn't want to kill her. It was not something he liked, it was something that was needed, yet still, he was stalling by trying to reason with her, but Arthur got the feeling Morgause wasn't like most people and didn't actually care about anyone. "Morgause, stop this, call off your men!" Merlin pleaded, a frustrated frown on his face.

They'd been out here for so long now, Arthur had started shivering a while ago while Merlin didn't seem affected by the cold in the slightest. How was that possible? Last week, he was shaking like a scared deer on their last hunting trip together and it hadn't been this cold! That was only last week? Arthur shuddered when another gust of wind made his hairs stand on end.

Maybe it was because Merlin was using his magic right now. Again, he dared to sneak a glance at him and saw his eyes were still that brilliant shade of gold. Arthur frowned a bit. The glow didn't seem as bright as it had when he'd come outside, which was very long ago.

 Keen to speed this up, Arthur thought. There wasn't another way to end this than having Morgause agree to backing off, or killing her and since the second one wasn't an option because Arthur had been a complete idiot and dropped the only damn thing that was able to do that! He knew he shouldn't dwell on it, what's done is done, but now they had nothing. Unless, of course, Morgause would just leave them alone, but that chance was below zero.

For now, Merlin needed to hold her down, he was their only chance. Damnit. Arthur thought. Where is Gwen when you need her? She was smart, he was sure they would have been able to find a solution if she was here. It was a bit strange to not have seen her since leaving Gaius' chambers.

What on earth might she be doing right now? Arthur just hoped she wasn't getting herself in too much trouble. She was probably fine, she was never the one who screwed things up if you compared them two. She's probably helping out in the lower town. Arthur reassured himself.

Anyway, his fingers were starting to go numb, so he flexed them a few times before stuffing them under his armpits for warmth. Merlin was listening to Morgause, still not looking cold. Arthur guessed that was a good thing. Being cold sucked. Morgause looked away for a bit, studying the sky for a bit. "I never understood why you are so loyal to the king, but I can see you and your prince seem to get along... just fine." She looked between them two. 

Arthur felt the need to just kill her right there. Too bad she was invincible. Nearly. Morgause seemed to pick up on the change in his expression and rolled her eyes. Okay, so now she could grasp emotions? Merlin scowled tilted his hand a bit, making her grasp at her throat with a strangled noise as she was tilted into the air. "Oh, you're a fierce one, aren't you?" She hissed in between ragged breaths, with a glimmer in her eyes. "Just like that girl, Lilith."

Merlin shook his hand as if getting rid of something stuck to it and Morgause fell down to the ground, gasping for air. "What do you know about her?" There was a tremor of anger in his voice. Morgause blinked, cocking her head, staring at him with an intense gaze. "Oh, I've known her since she was ten," Arthur didn't know the entire story, but looking at the way Merlin's face twisted into rage, he figured Morgause was involved in the drama.

"Yes, you see, there was something I wanted from her camp, but they just would not give it to me-" "So, you slaughtered them." Merlin finished for her. Arthur finally understood. It had been Morgause, she'd killed Lilith's family. "You killed them all, but not Lilith. Why?" Merlin demanded, tightening his grip a bit, making her gag, before letting go. When she didn't answer, Merlin smiled. 

"She got away on her own, didn't she?" 

"There was a mistake made by my men, they didn't check to see for survivors. I made sure the man responsible paid for his mistakes." Morgause admitted before making eyecontact again, with a dark grin.