The Rising of Merlin

The One With the Friends

Chapter 45 The One With the Friends

"So... this is it then?" Morgana said with a hint of sadness in her voice. She and Merlin had gone down to sit in the lounge so they could talk in private and now they sat wrapped up in each other on the sofa, both refusing to let go of the other.

"I don't want it to be." Merlin said and buried his nose in her hair. "I don't know what I will do without you here."

"We both knew it would happen eventually." Morgana said, biting down her emotions.

"I know." Merlin said and she could hear that he tried to hide his emotions as well. "But I had hoped it would be a while longer."

"Me too," Morgana tightened her hold on him and buried her head in the crock of his neck. "What will you do about the cup?"

"I don't know yet." He swallowed loudly and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I have no doubt that Tom knows exactly was the cup is for, and that he will be able to create his own spell to use on it. What I don't know is what the repercussion will be."

"Repercussion?" Morgana lifted her head and looked at him with a frown.

"The cup isn't meant to work with New Magic, so even if he managed to use it, there will be side-effects." Merlin explained. "If I can find out what, then I can use it against him."

"You're not going to try and get the cup back before he uses it?" Morgana placed her head back on his shoulder.

"No," He shook his head. "He will guard it personally, and there is no way I can get to it without killing him, and doing so before the Horcruxes are destroyed would be disastrous."

"Maybe that's why Arthur needs to come back." Morgana suddenly realised.

"What?" He frowned at her and Morgana hurried to clarify.

"The only way to kill someone who has put his blood in the cup is with a sword forged in a dragon's breath..." Morgana began but Merlin interrupter her.

"Excalibur!" Merlin exclaimed. "Morgana, you're a genius." He beamed at her and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"So you see," Morgana continued with a smile. "Arthur is the only one allowed to use Excalibur, and also the only one that have access to it."

"This had been planned all along." Merlin said quietly and disentangled himself from her and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and his hands under his chin in a thoughtful expression. "That is why you haven't had any visions and I haven't been able to see anything in the crystals." He stood up so fast Morgana almost flinched. "Something or someone has designed this so that we wouldn't be able to stop him from getting the cup because they want Arthur to come back." He started to pace. "We could have gotten rid of old Tom easily enough without Arthur if he wasn't going to use the cup, but by using the cup he will, in a way, bind himself to the Old Religion and his death will make a greater impact, possibly enough to bring the balance back."

"And Arthur?" Morgana asked. "Why is he needed, except for the sword?"

"Because he and I are two sides of the same coin." Merlin stopped pacing and looked at her. "I cannot fulfil my destiny without him, and..." He faltered. "I actually don't know." He bit his lower lip. "I guess only time will tell," He sighed. "But I have a feeling it is more important than bringing back the Old Magic... at least for me." He scrunched up his face. "I don't know what it means, but Aragog told me that something terrible is about to happen and it will lead me on a path to darkness, and I believe that Arthur is the only one that can put it right." He looked up at her again. "If that makes any sense."