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Will Arthur never learn? This week's Merlin begins with the King and his knights riding through the notoriously unsafe Valley of the Fallen Kings - and soon enough, dozens of mercenaries descend on our heroes. A vicious battle ensues, and tragedy strikes - Merlin is badly wounded...

Arthur helps his wounded servant to find refuge and inspects his wound. "I've seen worse," he claims, but Arthur is a bad liar and Merlin knows that he's in trouble. Arthur tells his friend that he is "extremely brave" and "incredibly loyal" - Merlin must be dying if Arthur's being this nice!

Once dawn rises, Arthur slings Merlin over his shoulder and intends to carry him home, but more mercenaries descend on them. Merlin uses his magic to cause a rock-fall and the huge boulders cut Arthur off from the villains. The only problem - Merlin has been cut off from the King too...

The mercenaries were sent by Morgana, and Agravaine drags an unconscious Merlin back to his witchy ally. But Morgana's just annoyed that she didn't get her clutches on Arthur! Agravaine has bigger concerns - he knows that Gaius suspects him of being a traitor and Morgana warns, "If your true nature is revealed, I really don't know what use I'll have for you."

Aggy prepares to kill Merlin, but Morgana stops him, "Arthur's strangely fond of the boy. He could prove useful..."

Morgana strings Merlin up and taunts her former friend. She treats his battle wound, but he's convinced she's going to finish him off. "You're not going to die," she tells him. "I'm not going to make it that easy!"

Reuniting with his knights, Arthur rides back to Camelot, promising a worried Gaius that he will not rest until Merlin is recovered. But the king is also anxious to know how the mercenaries that attacked them found out about their secret route. "There's only one conclusion we can draw," says Sir Leon. "We have a traitor in our midst!"

Back in her rather homely hut, Morgana is brewing up some dark magic. She summons a snake-like creature with seven heads - the Fomorroh - and severs one of the heads.