As Merlin and Arther stoped before the lake they both looked around unable to find the meeting place with Morgouse.
"Well then it looks like your horse has gotten us lost."
"Oh shut up Merlin. Clearly this is probably a part of the challenge Morgouse wants me to deal with." Yet before Arther could do anything further his horse began to trot into the lake.
"Be careful sire it looks like you might get a bit wet." Merlin quipped.
"You don't say." Said Arther not at all amused.
Merlin gave an amused smile before guiding his horse to follow Arther.
After both went through the waterfall, they went through a tunnel hidden behind the waterfall leading them into a open grassy area with a ruined castle in full view.
As they rode along towards the entrance Merlin mentioned how if they weren't sure if she was a sorcerer before they do now, which lead Arther to think, that was how Morgouse had beaten him in their dual she cheated using magic.
Merlin said, "It didn't look like she was."
"And what would you know of magic, Merlin."
…
"Nothing."
While watching from the crystal both Taylor and Morgana laughed. Yet watching from a different crystal Morgouse observed both Arther and Merlin approach the entrance where her challenge awaited.
After getting off their horses Arther and Merlin entered the ruin and after walking around for a bit they saw a wooden executioners block with an axe lodged in it.
Arther walked up to the block and took out the axe and swung it around for a bit.
"Now what?"
"Maybe we should ask the horse." Merlin quipped due to having followed Arther's horse.
While Arther looked at Merlin in an annoyed way then he returned the axe into the wooden executioners block.
" Oh, well seems like no one is here let's just go." Merlin began to walk back to exit through the same place as where they entered.
Then a voice rang out, " You kept your word." On a higher elevated steps of the ruin Morgouse stood at another stairway.
She was dressed in a beautiful red gown as if she was going to a royal ball or high class dinner.
Arther waited at the executioners block while Merlin stood near the stairway that led to the exit.
Once Morgouse and Arther stood face to face Arther asked " what is the nature of the challenge you wish to set me?"
"Place your head on the block." After she said this she lifted the axe out of the block with both her hands.
For a moment their was nothing but silence passed between the three, meanwhile Morgana felt very concerned and slightly panicked until Taylor successfully calmed her down.
" You give me your word that you would do anything I asked."
" Arther don't."
Arther looked Morgouse dead in the eyes.
" What are you doing."
Ather lowered his head on to the executioners block.
" I won't let you do this!"
" Stay out of it Merlin." Arther said while sweating due to entrusting his life or death to Morgouse.
And Morgana nearly yelled out when she heard this.
Morgouse then put the edge of the axe to Arther's neck then slowly raised the axe up ready to fall at any moment.
Merlin was sweating.
Arther was sweating.
Morgana looking through the crystal was bordering on fainting she's basically watching what was borderline her best friends execution.
Taylor was perfectly calm as was Morgouse.
And when the axe fell before Merlin could try and stop it the head of the axe was on the ground while the end of the handle rested at the corner the block.
Morgana literally yelled out in relief when she saw the result, Fortunately Taylor had plenty of silencing charms to block noise from leaving the room or maybe half of all of Camelot would've heard it.
Arther showed a look of relief when he saw the axes placement, before quickly taking his head away from the block.
" You have shown that you are truly a man of your word, Arther Pendragon. And for that, I will grant you one wish." And now Morgouse will see if the seed she planted well now bear fruit.
" Tell me what it is that your heart most desires."
" You said you knew my mother. Tell me all that you know about her."
While finding it extremely difficult Morgouse successfully hid her grin from everyone except Taylor who did see it and he helped Morgana see it.
" Perhaps you would like to see her."
The look of true shock could be seen in Arther's eyes, " I want that more than anything."
" As you wish." Morgouse then walked away while indicating to Arther to follow which he did and he was then followed by Merlin.
Meanwhile back in Camelot sir Leon reported to Uther that the search party have been unable to pick up the trail and found no sign of Arther anywhere.
But Uther naturally refused to accept that so he demanded a doubling of all efforts and look to even the furthest fringes of the kingdom due to travelling even at the absolute fastest three days of travelling would not take you outside the kingdom's borders.
After The knights followed Sir Leon out Uther and Gaius talked.
" It chills me to think what Morgouse has plans for Arther."
"Had she chosen to, she could have killed him. I believe she has some other purpose in mind."
" Morgouse told Arther that she knew his mother."
A stunned look came across Gaius's face, " She knew Ygraine?"
In a booming voice Uther said, " I don't know." Then in a much calmer tone he said, "Perhaps it's a lie. She knew it would tempt Arthur to go to her."
" You think that Morgouse knows the true circumstances of Arther's birth?"
A concerning silence lingered before Uther said, " I fear that more than anything."
…
In the dark of night with the full moon shining down upon a garden area of the Ruin with pillars creating a walkway where at one end Morgouse's stood behind an altar that is covered in lit candles with both Merlin and Arthur stood before it.
Before the ritual began Merlin spoke with Arther one last time.
" Are you sure you want to do this?"
" If you were granted the same opportunity, Would you not want to meet your father?"
Merlin stayed silent as bot he and Arther knew that he would indeed take the same opportunity.
" Uther won't forgive you if he finds out you've collaborated with the sorcerer."
" What if my father's attitude towards magic is wrong?" When Morgana heard Arther say this through the crystal she was delighted she potentially had another person she could confide in about her ability to use magic.
Merlin had what could only be described as a certain look in his eyes as he said, " You really think that?"
" Perhaps it's not as simple he would have us believe. Morgouse is clearly a Sorcerer, she has caused us no harm. Not to Mention the Archmage Taylor Who has been nothing but civil and kind, Surely not everyone who practices magic can be evil."
" We don't Actually know why she is doing this."
Morgouse then turned around after lighting the final candle that was behind her, " It is time."
Morgouse reached out to Arthur inviting him to stand next to her, as he did she began to speak.
" Close your eyes."
And Arthur did so. While Merlin stood to the side.
Morgouse began to speak the ritual chant, once she finished Time moved to a crawl, fortunately Taylor knowing that this would happen made preparations so that him and Morgana could witness what was about to happen.
Arther stood still until he heard the voice he had not heard before.
" Arther."
He opened his eyes to see a woman in a dress that looked like is was made of The same fabric as a wife's veil with silver all throughout it.
" Arther."
" Mother?"
"Oh my son." Ygraine lifted her dress and ran to Arther and pulled him into a deep hug.
" When I held you, you were only a tiny baby." After coming out of the hug, she commented on how she still remembered his eyes and how they stared up at her.
Arther began to apologise blaming himself for her death, yet she said that the only one you should be blamed is Uther.
When Arther asked to know what she ment by that, Ygraine try to change the topic a couple times but eventually told him that his birth was the result of magic. That Uther desperate for an heir went to the high priestess by the name of Nimueh.
Yet as the old saying goes to create a life one must be taken as the balance of the world must be maintained, which was an ideology that Taylor was in personal conflict with for life will always defeat death and death will one day be destroyed, but that's besides the point.
The point it that Ygraine said that Uther knew that and he traded her life for Ather's against her will and without her knowledge, which was both true and false as Ither did indeed ask Nimueh but he offered his life not his wife's, The reason for Ygraine's life being paid was because the life taken is random not willingly offered this was what Uther did not know.
Yet this was not what was told to Ather he was only told that Uther call heartedly decided to sacrifice his wife to have a son.
After the ritual was complete and Ygraine disappeared Arthur followed by Merlin marched to Camelot.