"Don't supposed you've changed your mind yet?" Morgana asked coldly as she crossed her arms while standing in front of Merlin's cell the next day.

Merlin faced the wall and ignored her.

She nodded her head, "very well." She said as she left him alone for the rest of the day.

This cycle went on for another week before Merlin finally answered her. His voice was hoarse from not talking for so long, "give it up, Morgana."

It was the first time he had ever called her by her name. She found herself quite liking the way it sounded coming from him. She quickly chastised herself for thinking such thoughts. "I won't give up until I can get you to join our cause."

"What," Merlin said as he finally turned to face her, "murder? You want to start a war and end up killing people? For what? So you can be queen? Give it up! It's never going to happen!" he ranted.

She found herself taken aback by his sudden outburst. It was almost... attractive. She growled at herself. 'It simply has to be that he's practically the only person I talk to besides my sister,' she reasoned. She mentally slapped herself for thinking like she was. She glared at Merlin, "it will happen." She grit her teeth, "just you wait."

"Morgana," Merlin said as he walked closer to the bars, "there is no way that you will ever become queen."

Morgana walked closer to the bars as well, "well that just shows how much you know."

Merlin tried to ignore the thick tension that seemed to surround the two of them. He refused to admit that he felt anything for the witch. Sure, she was beautiful, but she was a monster. She used her gifts to gain power. That wasn't the purpose of magic. Merlin turned away from her and sat back down in the chair that he had in his cell with him.

When Morgana was positive that he wouldn't be talking to her again that day, she turned around and left him to his thoughts.

....

Morgana returned the next day, as promised. She walked slowly to his cell and magically undid the handcuffs around his wrists. He raised an eyebrow, unwilling to let himself believe she was letting him go. No, she had something else planned.

Morgana noticed the look he was giving her and remarked harshly, "don't look anything into it, I just figured that you'd at least like them taken off after this long."

Merlin nodded once, silently thanking her.

She held his gaze for a moment before shaking her head. She walked to the door and unlocked it. "I'm not letting you out if that's what you're hoping." She motioned for him to come to her. He walked towards her and she grabbed his hand. She quickly clasped a thin bracelet around his wrist and smirked, "now you can't use magic."

He rolled his eyes, "I already couldn't use magic."

She led him out of the cell and down a dark hallway, "yeah, well I've been told to bring you here so you can get a change of clothes and get that thing off of your face," she said as she looked up at his beard that had started to grow. It wasn't very long, at all, but it was most definitely noticeable.

He nodded his thanks and walked into the room she pointed to. She had made sure to take him to a room with no windows, so he couldn't escape. Once he walked in Morgana shouted through the door, "and don't go trying anything funny with the knife."

She didn't get a response but she knew that he wouldn't try anything. She waited outside the door for fifteen minutes before he finally walked back out.

She quickly grabbed his wrist so that he wouldn't run away and she led him back to his cell.

"I am perfectly capable of returning to my own cell, Morgana."

She rolled her eyes, "and I'M perfectly aware of that. I was just told that you weren't to try and escape."

He raised his hands in surrender as he sat back down on the cot in his cell. He leaned his head against the cold stone and crossed his arms as he looked at Morgana.

Morgana looked over the clothes they had given him. A dark blue shirt, better quality than the one he usually wore, a leather jacket that reached just above his knees, black pants, and riding boots, he also apparently kept some of the stubble. He looked good. Once she realized that she had been staring, she quickly averted her gaze and looked up towards the door to the dungeons, hoping he hadn't noticed. He did though, if the slight smirk on his face was anything to go by.

"Any idea how much longer I'm going to be in here?" he asked suddenly.

She sat down on the crate in front of the cell and smirked, "why, have you got places to be?"

He shrugged, "maybe. Really, I'd rather be anywhere else."

She rolled her eyes, "Morgause says we need you. I'm just following orders."

"If Morgause wants me so much then why doesn't she come down here and talk to me?"

Morgana smiled, "she's busy."

"What, planning a war? Yeah, I've heard that one already. We were 'on the brink of war'," he made air quotes with his fingers, "just six months ago. What's happened since then?"

Morgana knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to get information. Sneaky. "Morgause decided to wait to attack. She'd rather we had the great and powerful Emrys on our side," Morgana mocked.

Merlin rolled his eyes, "you're aware that won't happen, right?"

"She doesn't seem to be. After all, I get sent down here every day just to ask you if you've changed your mind."

"Then why do you stay longer?"

"Emrys is in our dungeons. Thought I'd see what all the fuss was about." She shrugged her shoulders, "I think the prophecies were wrong about you. They all see you as some great person, but in reality you're just a coward." She grit her teeth and leaned closer to the bars, "a coward who won't fight for his kind. Your people are being persecuted and every day they hope Emrys will save them, but what do you do? Nothing!"

"Can't do anything if I'm stuck in here," he shrugged.

This made Morgana angry, "don't play the fool. You've had years as Arthur's servant to do something about it! And what have you done? Brought the prince breakfast and clean his room. Your people are dying," she got quieter and then asked in a whisper, emotion apparent in her eyes, "do you feel nothing for them?"

Merlin took a deep breath. Now it was his turn to be serious. "If I kill Uther in cold blood then I'm no better than he is and I'll harden Arthur's feelings for magic. I'm here to show him that magic can be used for good. Don't you see that? If Arthur's father is killed by magic he will hate it forever. I know he's supposed to bring magic back to the land, but he can't do that if you and a thousand sorcerers are always trying to kill him! The only reason he's just a little alright with magic is because of me. And now you've trapped me here, trying to turn the only good example of magic Arthur's ever seen and make it evil." He, too, leaned forward in his seat, "so no, I won't join you, and you can go tell Morgause every word of what I've just said."

"No need," a voice came from the top of the stairs, "I've heard every word." A beautiful blonde woman walked down the stairs and stood in front of the cell with her hands wrapped around the bars, staring at Merlin intently. She smiled, "so this is Emrys, it is a pleasure."

"Can't really say the same."

She smiled again, "I've heard much about you." She nodded at Morgana and Morgana quickly smirked before leaving the room. Morgause turned her gaze back to Merlin, "I've already let my sister try to persuade you, but to no avail. I guess it's my turn to finally have some fun."