The young man hissed in a fury as he laid the cloth over his badly-burned leg. Why in the world had Merlin blasted him with a fireball?! Maybe keeping his distance from the others wasn't his best idea ... but how was he to have known that it would garner such a reaction? Or an overreaction, as was the case. He felt like he was walking blind.

He tossed the cloth into the bucket and swished it around again. "I'm tired of this," he grumbled. Moving carefully, he pulled aside the lower leg of his breeches, looking at the roasted skin. He wouldn't be any good to anyone with his leg like that. Maybe there was someone he could find to heal it. Perhaps Apollo from the Greek Story, or any old sorcerer.

"Oh, dear." The voice behind him made the young man spin around and grab for his sword. Even so, he couldn't have looked very intimidating, kneeling on his good leg, too in pain to rise fully. And the raven-haired woman Nimueh seemed to agree with him. "Have a seat. Don't bother embarrassing yourself, Morpheus."

"I prefer Morph," he replied.

Nimueh smiled sweetly. "How's your father, Morph?"

Morph's hand crept to the sword concealed beneath his black cloak. Magic was out of the question—his wound had thrown his emotions out of sync and left him unable to conjure a simple sleeping spell. But if he could take Nimueh by surprise, catch her off-guard, make her think he was weaker than he actually was ... who needed legs when one had wings? "How should I know? You blocked me from going back to Final Death. Didn't you?"

Nimueh's innocent smile widened. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said. "Unless, of course, I didn't need Ewan Andric sticking his nose in my business and I had a plan for his snarky little boy."

"I am not snarky," Morph retorted. "I'm ... sarcastic. And what the devil am I doing, explaining myself to a villain? What have you done with Merlin's compatriots?"

The sorceress crossed her arms, the flowing sleeves of her dress moving like snakes. "If I told you, where would be the fun in that? And, you know, your uncle is a villain, Morph. So I wouldn't judge too harshly if I were you."

"I don't even know my uncle," Morph said. "So why should I care? Think of me what you will, but I have no respect for either my aunt Rachel or my uncle Guy. Since I've never known them, how can I feel anything about or for them? The only reason I'm involved is for my father's sake. If that's a crime, arrest me. What do I care? It will save me time in the end."

"Yet you are siding with them," Nimueh pointed out. "Why not side with me?"

Morph rolled his eyes. "Didn't I make that clear?" he asked. "I'm doing it for my father."

"Apparently not clear enough, dear," she answered. She moved closer to him, and he instinctively shifted backwards. It was only a small movement, but it was enough for her to smirk in triumph as she claimed the higher ground. "What's the matter?"

Morph silently cursed himself for moving back. He would not be afraid of her, but he also couldn't let her get any closer. He drew his sword and pointed it at her. "That's far enough," he replied. "I've no desire to get to know you better and you need to leave while I tend to my leg."

Instead of listening to him, Nimueh moved even closer. Morph swallowed nervously, his wings twitching as they prepared for what would probably end badly for him. "Do you really think I'm that stupid?" Nimueh demanded, her face pale with anger. "Honestly! What do you take me for, a fool?"

Morph hadn't even done anything yet. He stared at her blankly. By that time, Nimueh was within arm's reach of him. "I grow weary of you," she went on. "You and your high-and-mightiness! Just because you're the child of a former Guardian and a god of Greece doesn't mean that you can defeat me!" Moving with the swiftness of a biting snake, Nimueh's hand shot forward and wrapped around Morph's wrist. Searing pain shot through his arm and his grip on his sword released. The weapon clattered to the rocky terrain at his feet, and still she didn't let go. She drew him closer to her, dragging him through sheer strength. "This will be the last time I see you," she whispered, her free hand running through Morph's hair. He didn't even bother trying to knock her hand away with his own free hand. What was the point?

Nimueh's fingertips brushed against Morph's forehead. "Good night, little Morpheus," she crooned. Again, he simply submitted to her as the sleep spell coursed through his body. With that, he lost consciousness.

. . . . . . . . . .

Eve was once again in her library, but she found that she couldn't focus. One of the servants had brought a message to her from Ellen. "Your parents have been kidnapped." Kidnapped ... How could they be gone? Even worse, how could she have not been able to say good-bye? What if she never saw them again? Never got to tell them she loved them, or feel her father's strong arms around her, or heard her mother's voice again.

Eve put her head in her hands and let her tears flow. Why couldn't she do anymore? How could she not have done something to save them? "Oh, Mama," she whispered. "Papa. How could I have failed you so?"

The door to the library opened, and Eve stood and turned to face the intruder. She wiped the tears from her cheeks when she saw Emrys standing there. "What do you want?" she demanded. It came out harsher than she'd intended it to, and Emrys flinched.

"I—I'm sorry about your parents," he stammered.

That made Eve feel guilty. She stared at her feet. "It's not your fault," she muttered. "If anything, it's my fault. I should've insisted that I go with them, or ..."

"No, you were right," Emrys interrupted her. "We would've just made things worse. But I've come to you to apologize. I haven't been very nice to you. And there's something I think we can do."

"Something?" Eve stared at him. This was the last thing she'd been expecting from him. "Like—what?"

The young sorcerer shifted from foot to foot anxiously. "I think we should go after them."

"But if our parents were captured, and they're far more experienced than we are, what chance do we have?" she asked.

"We've got to try!" Emrys exclaimed. "I won't let my mother be executed like a common criminal, and I don't think you should either!"

"You think I want my mother to die?" she yelled. "I love her more than anything, you idiotic sorcerer! But what if I put her in greater peril by going to help? Think about it," she went on, lowering her voice. "Somebody went after Rampion not that long ago, and there's something about Lana that we're not being told. I think that the only reason our parents are being kept alive is so they can get us."

Emrys pursed his lips, obviously thinking about that. Then he shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We still have to do something, Eve. We're the only ones who can. And besides, if they're going to come after us next, they can do it just as easily here, right? If we're with Father, we're going to be safer."

"I suppose you're right," Eve concurred. "But how are we supposed to be of service to him?"

"I'm a sorcerer," Emrys said. "And my brother's a knight."

"Well, my father taught me how to use a sword," Eve added. "And Lana's a splendid shot with a bow. Rather frightening, actually."

Emrys looked at her for a long moment. "Oh," he said. "That's ... interesting."

That made Eve put her hands on her hips. "Just because the two of you are oh-so-special manly men doesn't mean that me and Lana are useless women!" she snapped. "We know how to defend ourselves. I don't know what women were like in Camelot, but Lana and I have learned from the very best!"

The scolding made Emrys blink as if she'd slapped him. "I—alright," he said weakly. "Sounds good to me. Shall we go to the others?"

Realizing that she might have been a little too harsh, Eve softened her next words. "Yes. I think you're right. We shouldn't make any decisions without consulting them first."

As it turned out, Rampion, Gwaine, and even Lana had the same idea as Emrys and Eve. When they approached the other three, agreement was quick and Eve and Emrys were made their spokespeople. Although Eve wasn't thrilled about having to petition to Merlin with Emrys instead of one of the others, she said nothing. It had, after all, been Emrys's idea to help Merlin.

Minutes later, they found themselves outside of the infirmary. For a brief moment, Eve and Emrys shared a moment of camaraderie as they looked at each other in nervousness. It was gone in a moment. "Knock," Emrys told her in a low voice.

"No!" she answered in the same tone. "You knock. He's your father!"

The argument was ended when the door opened and Merlin looked out. He'd either replaced or fixed his sorcerer's robes—there was no evidence of blood or damage on them. It was still a little odd to see him looking like a teenager but knowing that he was Emrys's father. "Hello," he said with a smile. "Having a little trouble out here?"

"No," Eve and Emrys said at the same time. Eve blushed as Emrys went on, "There's something I wanted to talk to you about, Father. That—we wanted to talk to you about."

Merlin's smile widened. "You want to come with me, don't you? All of you."

The conversation was not going the way Eve had wanted it to. She interrupted before the obviously-frazzled Emrys could say anything. "Yes, sir." It was still mind-boggling that she was talking to the Merlin from the Camelot stories she'd read throughout her life. "My mother and father's lives are in danger," she added, a hint of desperation entering her voice. "Please. You have to let us help."

"Absolutely not!" Ellen had been unseen in the room. She looked out at them with a frown. "I will not allow it. It's far too dangerous for anybody. I don't even think Merlin should be going."

"Nevertheless, Ellen, such tasks must be undertaken," Merlin reminded her. "If we had stood by and done nothing, The Story would have been destroyed. And if the children wish to risk their lives to save their parents, why should we prevent them? They're adults." Gently, seeing the expression on Ellen's face, he rested both hands on her shoulders. "I know you're afraid to lose your daughter like you lost Alan," he whispered. "But you know the risks are great even if they stay here. At least with me, I can protect them."

"But ..." Ellen bit off her protest and heaved a sigh. "I'm sorry, Merlin. I understand, I really do. Promise me." She took his hand. "Promise me that you'll protect my daughter. Please."

Merlin kissed her knuckle to his lips with a smile. Eve and Emrys took a step back, feeling like interlopers. "It would be my pleasure," he said. "You have nothing to worry about. I shall guard them with my own life if necessary." He turned to Emrys and Eve, his smile widening to include them as well. "Go and prepare, and tell the others that I've decided to allow them to come. Including Lana, with your blessing, of course?" he added to Ellen.

"Oh ... I suppose," Ellen said.

"Brilliant. Go on, then," Merlin said, waving his hands at them. "Shoo. You have half an hour to gather your belongings before we set off. Now ... go on."