chapter forty-four!
044. and so, it begins

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    IT WAS late in the night and Adelynn had still not fallen asleep. She spent time trying to calm her mind in the candlelight, sketching faces with charcoal until her fingers were dirty. Adelynn stared, dull-eyed into the eyes of the ghost living in her mirror she had drawn▬only to crumple the parchment up and throw it to the side, frustrated. She went ahead and tried to draw something else. She was lightly sketching out the silhouette of her mother's features by memory when there was a knock on the door.

    Adelynn glanced up and pursed her lips. She already had a feeling she knew exactly who it was. She set down her charcoal and got to her feet. Wiping the dust off her fingers on a rag, she made her way to the door and opened it up.

    Not even greeting her a good evening, Merlin stepped into her chambers and Adelynn closed the door once he did with a sigh. Turning to him as he walked straight towards the painting she was drying nearby the window before she was to add more detail in the morning, Adelynn grumbled: "Did you use magic to sneak in here again?"

    "No one saw me," Merlin glanced at her briefly with a slight mischief in his eye. He then started to look through her drawings set up on her easel and Adelynn rolled her eyes, exasperated, but did not stop him. 

    "But if they did," she warned him in a whisper as she drew closer, "you would be executed. And if not for magic, for sneaking into the chambers of a nobleman's sister. If my brother does not take your head, the King surely will."

    Prince Arthur's manservant shrugged, and Adelynn shook her head with a light scoff, unable to believe Merlin sometimes. Though her light scoff broke away to a small smile of amusement. She couldn't fault Merlin for sneaking into her brother's manor just to see her▬it made her feel not as alone; and it was thrilling, almost. And despite her disapproving sigh, Adelynn was a lover of adventure. She would do the same thing▬she has.

    So, Adelynn decided to rush forward and grab Merlin's arm to pull him away from her sketches. "Come along, have a look at this. I have something to show you."

    "What is it?" Merlin chuckled but eagerly followed her to the candle on her table. 

    "I am not telling you," she chided him, "that ruins the surprise. Now be quiet and watch."

    Adelynn stopped right in front of the candle. Merlin hovered at her side, watching over her shoulder as she waited a moment. She took a breath and closed her eyes, going over the things Merlin has taught her until she felt a slight warmth in her chest▬she whispered the spell and when her eyes opened, they burned gold. She smiled when the flame of her candle lifted away from the wick. It floated and hovered upwards▬Adelynn glanced at Merlin to see his reaction. Her smile brightened▬and so did the flame▬when she noticed him grinning, too. 

    Merlin chuckled and then he nodded. It was almost as if with the flame, a heaviness on his shoulders lifted, too▬following it up into the air. Whatever troubled him dissipated and brightened with the glow of the candlelight. 

    Adelynn lowered her fingers and the flame reattached to the wick. "I have been practising," she told him, rather proud of herself. "I wished for you to see." They shared a small smile; two unlikely friends, but friends nonetheless. "What brings you here so late?" then asked Adelynn, her smile turning to a concerned frown. "Is something troubling you?"

    Merlin pursed his lips. Then, he took a cautious breath. At first, she thought he would tell her, but something stopped him. Adelynn watched him hide his troubles with a strained smile. "Nothing's troubling me, My Lady." Before Adelynn could call him a liar, Merlin stepped around her shoulder and leaned against the side of her table. "Actually, since you have that spell handled, let me show you another." 

    Adelynn wished to argue. She wished to demand him to tell her, but she realised she couldn't. Instead, she pursed her lips and focused back onto the candle as Merlin changed the conversation. "All right..."

    And until the early morning▬in the darkest hour right before dawn▬the sorcerer and the sorceress practised their magic hidden in plain sight. And yet, despite being in plain sight, neither have ever felt more comfortable. They enjoyed the other's company, chuckling softly and speaking in whispers. Merlin taught Adelynn new charms▬gentle, delicate charms she could practice in the cover of her own chambers without anyone knowing. By themselves, they realised that they felt incredibly alone, but when their time was spent together ... the troubles their magic always caused became the light in the darkness▬became the cure to their troubled thoughts within their minds. Perhaps they were the cure, themselves, to each other.

    Adelynn believed Merlin was her's at the very least.

    Merlin could not ignore his problems and troubling thoughts over Morgana and what he must do once they reached the sunrise. He had to return to the castle and receive just barely an hour's sleep before he had to be awake once again to tend to Arthur in the morning. Even as tired as he was, he couldn't stop his mind from drifting off▬swarmed with thoughts of what the Great Dragon said and the look on Morgana's face when she stormed out of Gaius's chambers. He wasn't sure how long he had been standing there in Arthur's chambers, scrubbing the same boot over and over and over ...

    The door opened. Merlin blinked and glanced upwards, hitching back a yawn as he watched Arthur and Ronyn march inside the chambers. They were conversing in low tones over the parchment the Prince had in his hands▬neither noticed Merlin was there. 

    "Are you sure this is all of them?"

    "Is your confidence in me that frail?" muttered Ronyn in reply, tugging at his doublet sleeves. Arthur just glanced at him, his stare very blank. The Lord Venectia pursed his lips, not too sure what to make of it. He then rolled his eyes. "Yes, that is all of them. Names and last names and dwelling places across the Kingdom. Oh, hello there, Merlin."

    Merlin managed a tight smile and nod as Ronyn greeted him in passing. He went back to polishing Arthur's shoes. 

    Arthur checked over Ronyn's work once again with a stern frown. "My father suspects the fire was started by sorcery."

    "Yes, I am aware," Ronyn propped his hands on his hips and pointed out his scribblings. "If you open your eyes▬" Arthur scowled at him again, "▬you will see the details I have managed to obtain of everyone we suspect to have consorted or to be consorting with sorcerers, witches or Druids."

    Merlin's eyes snapped upwards at that word. He tried to hide it, but he felt his heart jolt with a realisation of how he might be able to help Morgana. Gaius and the Great Dragon warned him not to, but if there was someone in Camelot who knew where the Druids were, Merlin had to find them. 

    Arthur frowned at the paper one last time, and glanced at Ronyn for a long second, before rolling it up and setting it down on the table with a satisfied: "All right. Tell Sir Leon to gather the men. We will arrest them immediately."

    When Ronyn didn't leave, Arthur sighed and turned to face him. "What is it?"

    The Lord Vecentia gestured at the scroll. "I put a lot of work into that, should you know."

    The Prince's stare did not change. "You mean you did your job?" He muttered rather sarcastically.  

    "I mean I put a lot of detail into that scroll," Ronyn frowned at Arthur's lack of expression. He gestured to the scroll again. "I▬I am very proud of it. There is a lot of detail. I▬I mean, hypothetically, in these sorts of situations, friends such as you and I would▬hypothetically praise▬"

    "Ronyn," Arthur cut him off.

    "Yes?"

    When Ronyn still didn't move the Prince sighed and lightly shoved his best friend by his shoulder to leave. Ronyn threw his hands up. "All right! All right!" He let out and started to leave Arthur's chambers. "You are the worst friend, just so you know!"

    Arthur rolled his eyes and shook his head after Ronyn. At last, he turned to Merlin and frowned at what he was doing. "I thought I told you to do that yesterday."

    Merlin stared at him blankly for a second. He then at last had the energy to blink. "I did not have the time. I was cleaning the stables."

    The Prince tilted his head. He then nodded, though the look on his face told Merlin he didn't believe him. "That is strange," he mused as he turned away and started to take off his doublet, "because a little bird told me you were somewhere else."

    While his back was turned, Merlin carefully leaned over, trying to get close enough to the scroll to try and see the names listed. With a slight breath of magic, the scroll straightened up at his command. "Working at the stables is strange and a talking bird is not?" 

    "Merlin▬" when Arthur started to turn back to him, the young warlock quickly glanced away from the scroll and it snapped shut, "▬what have we said about you trying to be funny?"

    Merlin forced a smile. "I should not."

    Arthur nodded, matching his grimace. He threw his doublet over the back of the chair and then asked. "So ... Where are my flowers?"

    Too busy trying to sneak a glance at the scroll again while Arthur faced away from him, it took Merlin a second to comprehend what he had said. "Your ... your flowers?"

    Arthur opened his cupboard to search for a fresh doublet. "I heard Morgana got some▬" he found one and slipped it one. The scroll snapped shut once again as soon as he glanced back. "I assumed you would be putting them in all the rooms. Or ..." the Prince didn't hide the teasing smirk on his face, "... is she the only one to receive a token of your affection?"

    Tired and distant in his thoughts, Merlin answered: "Yes." At the look on Arthur's face, he realised and his eyes widened. He tried to backtrack. "Uh▬wait. No, no▬" Arthur frowned in a ridiculous manner, shaking his head and Merlin took a sharp, frustrated breath through his nose. He knew he was being teased. "What? It is not a token of anything, affection or otherwise."

    "Hmm..." Arthur considered his words as he tied the laces of his new doublet together. "You see, that is not what Odette tells me."

    He wandered back towards his cupboard and Merlin rushed to open the scroll once again and his eyes skimmed over the many names on the list. "O▬Odette?" 

    The Prince hummed. "Yes. In fact, she tells me that you personally showed up at Morgana's chamber door to hand the flowers over. Odette thought they were quite lovely."

    "I▬uh▬well, I did," Merlin was only half-listening, frowning at the many names and searching for one that had consorting with Druids next to it▬however, Ronyn's handwriting was pitiful and it was very hard to decipher. "But I just▬I did not say anything because I did not want anyone to get the wrong impression. I suppose Odette already did as she is overdramatic and quick to conclusions."

    "And what is the right impression?"

    Merlin narrowed his eyes and his breath hitched when he found a name. Forridel. Camelot, Lower Town: Suspected of consorting with Druids. "That ... I was trying to cheer her up after the fire."

    "Pick them yourself?" Arthur turned around so quickly Merlin almost didn't hide the scroll in time. It shut so quickly that it jolted and was swept right off the table. Arthur stepped past it without even realising, too focused on tormenting and teasing his servant. 

    Merlin stammered. "Er▬Maybe..." At Arthur's nod he set his jaw. "I was only trying to be nice." He then added, his voice sharper. 

    The Prince didn't believe him. He hummed, nodding and fighting back an amused grin. "Sword▬" he nodded to his blade on the table.

    Merlin eyed him for a second longer, wanting to hex that look right off his face. But he resisted the urge and passed the Prince his sword. 

    "That will be all," said Arthur and he watched Merlin storm out of his chambers with a chuckle. 

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    ODETTE KNEW Morgana wasn't telling her something.

    It was hard because Morgana was Odette's friend more than she was her mistress▬a very good friend. Despite her being a few years older and more mature, they were very close (at least, Odette always liked to believe). But while she was her close friend, Morgana was also superior to her. She couldn't ask her to tell her what she was keeping secret and she couldn't demand it. It wasn't her place. Odette always had to hear what Morgana said to her, she couldn't ask her to explain in return. And right now, when she saw her barely even speak to her this morning as she and Gwen made their rounds, it hurt Odette. It hurt her because she knew Morgana was upset over something else other than the fire, and yet she didn't know what it was. 

    She has seen Morgana upset and crying▬screaming after her nightmares. But Odette has not seen her quite like this. She didn't look like she was entirely here. Her eyes were red-rimmed from tears, there were dark circles beneath them▬Morgana looked gaunt and ghostly. She didn't look as though she was truly alive; as if some part of her soul had left her the moment the fire broke out. 

    Odette pursed her lips but didn't say anything, once again, as she crouched down and cleaned up the mess on the floor. Morgana's vase that held the flowers Merlin had gotten her had shattered. The King's Ward told them that she accidentally knocked it over before they got here, but she didn't say anything else▬and the tone of her voice made Odette scared, almost, to ask any questions. But if it had been knocked over this morning, she was sure there would be water still spilled out on the floor. And the flowers wouldn't be so ... discarded and shredded. It almost seemed as though the vase and the flowers inside had exploded, not broken and shattered once they hit the ground. 

    Once she cleaned it up, folding the shards into a cloth and placing it in a basket, Odette finally turned to Morgana who was sitting at her mirror▬though she did not make any move to brush her hair. She just stared at her reflection. Even though her mirror had long been fixed since the Druid boy had shattered it last year ... Morgana's reflection still seemed just as fractured as it had been then. 

    Odette chewed on the inside of her cheek. She shared a glance with Gwen and the two maids held a concerned exchange. At last, Odette pursed her lips and spoke up. "Is everything all right, My Lady?"

    Morgana jolted in her seat. She glanced at Odette in her reflection and quickly looked away. She set her gaze down onto her brush and turned it around in her fingers. "Yes, I am quite all right. Thank you, Odette," said the King's Ward. "Have you cleaned up the mess?"

    Odette blinked, taken aback by how sharply her friend changed the subject. She glanced down at the basket in her hands. "Er▬yes, I have."

    Her mistress nodded. "Then that will be all."

    Odette and Guinevere shared another look▬this time, they were confused. Gwen stopped gathering Morgana's washing to say: "But ... My Lady, you are not yet dressed for the day. Would you not like▬?"

    Morgana set her hairbrush down. "I can dress myself today. That will be all."

    Odette was unsure. She shuffled on her feet, not sure whether to leave it at that, or whether Morgana's tone was just because she was tired▬she didn't really mean how she sounded. "Well," the young handmaiden took a deep breath and smiled, putting it behind her, "there is still things that need to be done. Would you like me to make your bed? I believe you wished to have some silver taken to be polished. Let me do that for you▬"

    But as soon as Odette took a step forward, Morgana snapped. She spun around on her stool and ordered: "I said that will be all, Odette." Her youngest handmaiden stopped right in her tracks, staring at her mistress in shock at her angry tone. The King's Ward held a firey gaze amongst her dull complexion▬the only thing left that seemed to look alive. Odette never thought such gaze would ever be thrown onto her. "You are my maid, listen to me. Now go," Morgana set her firery gaze onto Guinevere, too. "Both of you. I do not require your services for the rest of the day."

    Odette swallowed back a sudden lump in her throat. She frowned, very confused (and if not a little hurt). She went to say Morgana's name, but Gwen was there to gently take her arm with a soft shake of her head. Odette let herself be guided back towards her basket. Flustered at being scolded by a mistress who has always been so kind to her, Odette took her basket and quickly left Morgana's chambers before she or Gwen would see the hot tears wanting to well up in her eyes. 

    Guinevere followed her out of the King's Ward's chambers. Once she closed the door, she jogged to catch up to her friend. "Odette," she called after her gently. When she didn't stop, she picked up her pace until she was walking beside her. "Odette, it is all right. She is just stressed."

    Odette knew this. She knew this deep down, but she still felt herself burn with embarrassment over making Morgana snap like that▬or perhaps just from the surprise that she did. "She▬she has never raised her voice at me like that..."

    "I know, I know," Guinevere took her arm and gently pulled her to a stop in the hallway. They stepped to the side to chat, letting the daily traffic continue in the castle corridor. "I know," Gwen said again, squeezing Odette's arm with a breath of reassurance. "But I am sure she did not mean it. There is a lot going on for her at the moment."

    Odette nodded and took a sharp breath through her nose, trying to will herself to calm down. She quickly wiped a stray tear and slowly managed to swallow the lump in her throat. She did her very best to push her hurt feelings away with it, focusing her thoughts on Morgana▬and what she must be feeling right now. Odette just had to push through it for her because once this passes, every hard feeling between them will pass with it. 

     Gwen pursed her lips and gently pulled Odette into a hug. She welcomed it, setting her chin on her shoulder. She sniffled slightly, but Odette was okay▬she had just been startled. Now that the moment has passed, her hot, flustered tears passed, too. Guinevere rubbed her back, gentle and caring. Once she was sure her friend felt better, she pulled away and gave her one of her sweet, encouraging smiles▬and Odette couldn't help but smile as well. 

    Guinevere was satisfied to see it. Nodding, she then tucked the basket of Morgana's clothes under her arm. She set it on her hip. "Now, I should go and get these washed in the kitchens. Will you keep me company?"

    Odette hesitated. "Oh, I would love to. But I should go and see Gaius. I have not been to visit him today yet. I will see you later, though and I will bring a flower with me as a reward for your hard work." She gave her friend a final smile, and this one was bright and sweet▬full of the youthful happiness Odette always seemed to shine with. "I will choose a bright flower to match your dress. Maybe a few!" she said as she started off down the corridor, a perk back in her step. "All of the bright and different colours!" Odette waved at Gwen one last time before she turned the corner, and Guinevere believed she saw a skip in her dear friend's step. 

    Feeling much better, her troubles with Morgana left her mind and were replaced with the bright thoughts of what flowers she will search for and pick for Guinevere after she visited Gaius. Then, perhaps after that, Odette will try and find Merlin in hopes to annoy him into spending time with her. If she is not doing any work, then she will make sure Merlin is wasting time with her. (Maybe she will pick flowers for Merlin, too▬and perhaps another set to give to Adelynn, as well to brighten her day).

    Odette made it to the physician's chambers very quickly, knowing all of the shortcuts throughout the castle until she was climbing the stairs with the same youthful excitement she started her day with. Even before she opened the door, she was calling out: "Gaius. Gaius▬" She passed the guard with little care of what he must think of her, almost running right into the door before she opened it, and rushed into Gaius's chambers. She realised she was yet to tell Gaius about how Merlin gave Morgana flowers he picked himself and was eager to spread gossip. "Gaius, I must tell you something about Merlin▬!"

    She burst right into his chambers without even knocking and it was a lesson she learns time and time again. Odette skidded to a stop and went pink at the cheeks to realise she had barged in on a conversation Gaius was having with Lady Elayne, Ronyn and Adelynn's mother. "Oh," Odette let out as soon as she realised. She quickly picked up her skirts and curtsied to her mother's old mistress. "My Lady."

    Gaius sighed to himself and resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his long nose. "Odette, what have I told you about knocking before entering?"

    Odette pursed her lips, sheepish. "Sorry, Gaius," she mumbled. "I will knock next time." She awkwardly turned to the Lady Elayne. "Sorry for being so rude and inconsiderate, My Lady," she recited what Gaius has told her and Merlin to say on multiple occasions. Though it sounded very flat from her lips and it didn't help Gaius's exasperation. 

    Lady Elayne pursed her lips and decided it best not to say anything. She clasped her hands together in front of her expensive silks. "It is all right. Thank you for agreeing to this, Gaius," Ronyn and Adelynn's mother gave the court physician a polite, curt smile before leaving. Odette rushed to the side to allow her room, bowing her head when she passed. 

    Once the door closed, she turned to Gaius and expected an answer. "What did she want?" asked Odette when he didn't say anything. "Is she unwell? Does she need a remedy?"

    Gaius picked up his papers and cleaned them up into a neat pile. "Odette, I would not tell you even so. There is confidentiality between a physician and his patient."

    "So she is a patient?" Odette pressed.

    "No."

    "Then you can tell me why she was here?" the young handmaiden walked over to the table and sat down opposite him. She waited eagerly for him to say something, hiding back a grin. "If she is not a patient there is no confidentiality."

    Gaius frowned at Odette for a moment. Then, he took a breath and told her: "If you must know, I am taking Adelynn on as an apprentice."

    Odette was not expecting that. Her eyes widened and she sat straighter on the seat. "Wait, what? Really?" 

    "Well, Odette," Gaius started to explain, searching the table for his looking glass. Once he found it, he set it down on his papers to read them, "it is not unusual for young girls of high society to take on a hobby. Most draw or learn a musical talent. Lady Elayne, however, sees potential in Adelynn's interest in medicine. She hopes if I take her on as an apprentice, she will be able to transition into court easier."

    Odette realised what this was about deep down. Gaius can take on Adelynn as an apprentice, but she cannot be a court physician. Lady Elayne was trying to introduce Adelynn into the court in a position that will introduce her to many different people▬something that might aid Adelynn in getting a husband one day while doing something she might enjoy. She pursed her lips and chose not to say anything. She didn't know Adelynn as well as she might do Merlin or Gwen, but she did understand the younger Vecentia enough to know she will not take lightly to finding out the deeper reasoning behind this. 

    Lady Elayne was focusing most of her attention on Ronyn these days, however, in order to find him a wife now that he was Lord of the household. Odette has heard her friend vent about it on multiple occasions. He would wake up and see a schedule that included escorting highborn ladies to the markets or through the gardens he had not agreed to last time he remembered. Odette also would hear about how much all of these highborn ladies, as lovely as they seemed to be, always seemed to "Not have the quality I am looking for▬hypothetically if I were looking for a wife..." as Ronyn would say. When Odette asked him what that quality was, he would never tell her. In fact, he would get into a slight sweat and change the subject. Odette believes Ronyn has his eyes set on one of the high-born ladies, but will not tell her who. She just knows she has never seen him react in such a way▬ever. 

    Feeling her thoughts digressing, Odette brought herself back to the topic at hand. "Does that mean Adelynn will be spending time here?"

    "She will follow me and attend most of my errands," Gaius murmured as he read over his manuscripts. 

    A thought occurred to her and she pursed her lips. She fiddled with her fingers. "But ... What about Merlin and his magic? And▬well▬everything that his magic brings to our dinner discussions?" Odette shrugged, not too sure how else she was to explain it. She cannot have dinner here without Merlin speaking of something regarding Arthur and destiny and magic. He is always practising spells and complaining about something in relation to his magic (or Arthur and magic▬they are very much connected). 

    "Well," Gaius met her gaze and she knew that gaze meant he wished to work without her questions. "I suppose this will mean discussions on magic will not happen around Adelynn. Which shouldn't be hard, yes?" He said this as though this was the obvious answer▬which it was. Odette gave him a sheepish smile. 

    Satisfied that the conversation was finished, Gaius turned back to his work. Odette pursed her lips and tried to stay quiet, but she couldn't help it and leaned forward on the table. "What are you working on?"

    The court physician sighed and looked up again, meeting her gaze. Odette gave him her best smile once again. At his exasperation, she sighed and slumped. "Please, Gaius. I have nothing else to do today other than get flowers for Guinevere, Merlin and Adelynn▬Morgana dismissed me early, I am bored!"

    She knew the moment Gaius sighed, too, she had won. Odette grinned when he relented and asked her to help him organise his herbs and remedies▬to which she happily got to her feet to help. She was grateful, because the moment she found some other work to do, everything that happened this morning with Morgana truly left her mind and she could distract herself from thinking about it completely. 

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     LATER THAT night, Merlin found himself outside the door of Morgana's chambers once again. Though, this time, he did not have any flowers. He held his breath as he knocked on the door and at first, he expected her not to answer▬not after the way she walked out of Gaius's chambers last night. But then, after a long silence and Merlin thought she'd never open it, the lock on her door twisted with a click. Slow and hesitant, the oak door opened and Morgana's tear-stricken face shyly stared back at him. Merlin's breath hitched. The King's Ward was in nothing but her nightgown. A gentle, virtuous silk with golden thread. With her raven hair and icy eyes▬even if they were red from her tears, Merlin thought Morgana looked like a princess.

    She pursed her lips and awkwardly held the door open for him to step inside. Merlin fiddled with the potion he had in his hands▬a sleeping draught he had taken from Gaius's shelves as a means to be here. But his reasons were something completely different.

    Merlin and Morgana said not a word to each other as the King's Ward carefully closed the door behind him. They shared a few glances, both of their throats tight and their hearts twisting. They had not spoken since Morgana's confession▬and since Merlin looked her right in the face and pushed her away. 

    But he knew he had to say something. Soon, the silence between them had become unbearable. Merlin cleared his throat and fiddled with the remedy▬however, Morgana got there first. With a shaky breath, she said quietly: "Have you spoken to Odette? Is she okay?"

    Merlin frowned at Morgana, taken aback. He nodded. "She is all right."

    Morgana looked away, almost ashamed. The King's Ward looked like shattered glass. Her porceilain features were cracked and fractured. "I ... I snapped at her and Gwen today. I did not mean to, I just ..." she chewed on her bottom lip and shook her head, saying not another word. Merlin has never seen Morgana so frail and broken▬he always knew the King's Ward to be brave and strong; never afraid of anything, and especially not one to back down from a fight. The young woman that stood in front of him now was not that same Morgana. She was desperate and pleading▬screaming a silent cry for help and no one was listening. 

    Merlin pursed his lips and fiddled with the potion once more. "I▬er▬Gaius asked me to deliver this." He awkwardly held it out to her. Morgana stared at it for a moment with shining eyes. 

    Then she shook her head. Voice quiet and soft, she mumbled: "I do not need any potion, thank you." Merlin took a breath, only for her to glance up and continue: "M▬Merlin, ignore what I said last night. I▬I had a nightmare. I was upset."

    Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. "I know. I haven't said anything to anyone." 

    Morgana's brows tilted upwards in surprise. Fresh tears welled up in her eyes and she stared at him for a long time without a word. Merlin held the sleeping draught tight in his fingers, his heart skipping a beat when he didn't look away. They stood like that, watching the other until Morgana shed a tear of relief▬she quickly brushed it off her cheek and turned away from him. "I am sorry. It is usually Gwen and Odette that has to deal with me when I am like this."

    She walked away, deeper into her chambers. Merlin's voice was stuck in the back of his throat when he reassured her: "I do not mind."

    He watched his friend slow to a stop nearby her table. Her fingers rested on the back of her chair, and Merlin noticed that her long raven hair had grown to the small of her back▬long and soft like the silk of her nightgown. Morgana was like winter; harsh but beautiful and then also delicate. Like the ice on a frozen lake, her surface seemed thick and unbreakable until one got closer to the centre, and then the ice shattered. Right now, Merlin stood at the centre of her frozen lake. 

    The young warlock brewed on his words for a moment before finally muttering: "Maybe I can help?"

     Morgana scoffed a bitter laugh that soon died down. She did not meet his gaze. "I doubt that."

    "You'd be surprised."

    Merlin swallowed his words after he said them. He faltered, realising what he had said and he regretted it▬he didn't know how to explain himself when Morgana glanced around. The look on her face, calculating and taken aback made Merlin take a sharp breath through his nose. He clenched his eyes shut and turned to the closed door, his heart pounding. He had this sudden urge to tell her. To tell her everything. I understand; he wanted to say. But unlike revealing his secret to Adelynn, he held back. The Great Dragon's warnings swam in the waters of his mind, taunting him and keeping him chained from telling Morgana the truth. I have magic, too▬four simple words, and yet also a death sentence he held on the tip of his tongue. 

     The young warlock chose his next words carefully. He could feel Morgana's frown burn through the back of his head. Merlin took another hesitant breath. "I ... understand," he started. "I▬I mean, I realise how frightening all this must be for you▬especially, for you."

     He met her gaze finally and saw Morgana watching him with fresh interest. Almost like she knew he wasn't telling her something▬something very important, and yet didn't know what. Merlin's heart twisted with a breath of fear the moment he saw it. "Why especially for me?"

     "You ..." Merlin treaded the thin ice, careful not to crash into the freezing cold waters. "You are the King's Ward. You know his hatred of magic better than anyone."

    Morgana's eyes widened. Her breath hitched. "That is what you think has been happening to me? The dream, the fire▬you think it was magic?"

    Merlin stammered. "I▬I am not saying that▬"

    "But it could be, could it not?" Morgana's eyes glinted with a light Merlin didn't recognise. 

    "I▬I really would not know," he said and approached her, "but there are people who do."

    Morgana hung onto every word he said. Her eyes were wide and staring▬almost like a frantic animal locked in a cage. "Who?"

    "What about the Druids?" suggested Merlin. "They help people like you."

    The King's Ward shook her head. "None of their kind would dare show their face in Camelot."

    "No," agreed Merlin. He pursed his lips. "But I know where you can find them."

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    ODETTE WAS startled awake by the warning bells. They echoed and rolled▬pounding her ears and bouncing off the stone walls of the servants' quarters she had slept in. She rushed to get dressed, racing out of the chambers and searching for an answer over what had happened. Odette skidded to a stop nearby the kitchens, catching the arm of one of the younger maids. "What is happening?" she asked, still startled by the loud noise.

    The young maid stared back at her, confused. "Have you not heard?" she frowned. "You are one of Lady Morgana's handmaidens. Surely, you know?"

    Odette shook her head. "No. What has happened?"

    The serving girl clutched the breakfast she had for whoever she worked for. "The King's Ward disappeared overnight. They say she has been kidnapped."

    Odette's eyes widened. Her grip fell and the young maid continued on her way. The Lady Morgana's second handmaiden felt her heart start to race with sudden fear and realisation over what she was told. Her breath hitched and before she thought of anything else, she took off at a run. 

    She raced to Morgana's chambers, stumbling through the corridors and up the many stairwells. Odette sprinted through servant hallways and did not stop▬not once▬until she burst back out into the open just outside. She took a few deep breaths, glancing down the corridor and seeing the guards swarming outside of Morgana's open chamber door, Odette felt sick. 

    She found herself stepping back into the shadows when the King exited Morgana's chambers▬and he did not look happy. Uther Pendragon seemed furious, even, that this happened. Odette knew that if he saw her, she would become an easy target to set that fury upon. Thankfully, he stormed the opposite direction, conversing with the guards and demanding that they search the city for Morgana▬though, if she had disappeared and been kidnapped, she would be long gone by now. 

    The next to exit Morgana's chambers was Arthur. Though, unlike his father, the Prince noticed Odette almost immediately. Her breath hitched when he glanced around before quickly marching over to her. She let him take her arm and the both of them stepped into the servants' hallway, shutting the door behind them to talk without worry of being interrupted. 

    Odette looked up at Arthur, her eyes searching his in the dim light for an answer to her fears▬and she quickly knew that they were right. "It is true," she whispered, horrified. "Morgana has been kidnapped?"

    Arthur was very serious. He kept the grip on her arm and asked her in a stern tone: "Do you know anything? Perhaps saw anything out of the ordinary?" at the frightful look on her face and the way she glanced back to the door, he squeezed her arm to get her attention. "Odette, you must tell me if you▬"

    "I have nothing to say," she whispered, her breath hitching with fretful worry. Her heart was still pounding as she came to terms with what was happening. "She has been upset, she has been not been herself▬But that was to be expected."

    "Were you not with her yesterday?"

    "No," Odette shook her head, growing tearful. Morgana was missing, and as the realisation started to hit her of what this meant, her heart started to rise up into her throat. "She▬she dismissed Gwen and I early yesterday morning. She▬she was upset..." A horrible thought struck her and Odette slumped. "I should have stayed with her. I should have checked on her. Oh, God▬What will the King do to us?"

    "Nothing," Arthur told her and she chewed on the inside of her cheek. "My father will do nothing to you. His mind is already set on finding and punishing who has kidnapped her."

    Odette wiped away her tears and Arthur let go of her arm. The Lady Morgana's second handmaiden wished he did not see her like this, upset and frantic. She brushed the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hands. Morgana had snapped at Odette, and she had not checked on her afterwards▬mostly because Odette had been hurt by the tone she had spoken with ... and now, Morgana was gone. Perhaps if Odette had checked on her, things would be different.

    The Prince frowned, taken aback by her reaction▬he seemed unsure on what to do. He didn't want to overstep, but he also didn't want to stand here and do nothing. Things between them have very much changed▬drastically, and neither of them were entirely sure what to do now; how to be around each other. 

    In the end, Arthur murmured: "Odette, we will find her. I will find her."

    Odette nodded, her bottom lip trembling. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out: "She snapped at me." Her breath hitched and now that she said those words, she could not stop the rest from flowing out. "She was upset and she snapped at me. She has never raised her voice at me▬ever. But she did yesterday and▬and I was hurt and so I did not check on her before she retired and now she is gone..."

    Arthur realised and he pursed his lips. Odette sighed and looked down, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "I was being childish," muttered Odette bitterly. "I acted childish instead of doing my duty." She closed her eyes briefly and shook her head, not sure why she was telling this to Arthur. This was the last thing he needed or wanted to hear when he needed to go out there and search for Morgana. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You need to go, I understand."

    The Prince watched Odette for a moment, his gaze gentle▬and it surprised her. "You are not childish, Odette," he tried to reassure her. She pursed her lips, upset. "You are ..." Arthur hung onto his next words, trying to find the right way to describe her, "... energetic but you are not childish. We will find Morgana, I promise."

    Odette nodded. She took another quick breath through her nose and swallowed the lump in her throat. Before Arthur would leave, she murmured: "Who was the last to see her? Do you know?"

     Arthur's expression changed very quickly from stern to all-knowing. "Merlin."

    She made a face. "Merlin?"

    The Prince nodded. "He brought Morgana a sleeping draught last night. Do with that information as you will. See you later, Odette." His eyes glinted with amusement at this information, but Odette was too busy frowning to recognise it. She watched the Prince leave and soon she was alone in the servants' quarters, perplexed. 

     Odette frowned to herself, still, for a moment longer. She wondered why Merlin would deliver a sleeping draught neither she nor Guinevere requested on Morgana's behalf. A strange feeling settled in her stomach▬a breath of suspicion. 

     By noon, the King declared a proclamation to Morgana's kidnapper. If she was not to be returned by tomorrow's sunset, every prisoner arrested in suspicion of the fire was to be executed in retaliation. The situation had become something more than grave. Lives that could very well be innocent were on the line, but so far, even that did not seem to encourage those responsible to return the King's Ward back to the castle. By evening, there still had been no word nor any sighting. The guards were starting to expand outside the city walls in search of Morgana▬and not only those close to her were worried, but the city itself. Morgana was loved by everyone. Her disappearance pained them all.

    Once it reached the evening, Odette couldn't keep herself from seeking Merlin out. It didn't make sense to her that he would give Morgana a sleeping draught last night▬not when neither Odette nor Guinevere had requested one on their mistress's behalf. Something didn't settle right in her chest. She felt as though there was something she did not know; something Merlin was keeping from her. It was the same feeling she held the moment she looked into his eyes last year and asked why he did not want to help the Druid boy out of the castle ... Odette had been scared of the lack of answer he had given her. 

    Despite both of them being so close, Odette knew he kept things from her. There were secrets he held on the tip of his tongue he did not share. Until now, she told herself it was not her place to demand the truth▬but when the secret was Morgana, Odette was determined to know what it was. 

    However, when the handmaiden made it to the physician's chambers late in the night▬sneaking past Gaius's sleeping figure towards Merlin's room ... Odette saw that the warlock was nowhere to be seen. The only thing left was his bed▬neat and empty; it had not been slept in. 

    Odette then knew for sure that whatever happened to Morgana, Merlin was connected to it▬he knew something.

     And he had told her nothing. 

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    THE NEXT morning, Arthur led the Knights of Camelot on a hunt to the Forest of Ascetir. Someone had fled Camelot in the late hours of the night, destroying the grate that led outside the city walls from the castle vaults with something they knew to be magic. And in the mind of the King, magic could only mean one thing: this person would lead them to where Morgana had been taken. The Forest of Ascetir was home to the Druids▬a peaceful people who had fled to the very borders of Camelot and Cendred's Kingdom to escape Uther and his vengeance on magic. Odette wondered why the Druids would ever kidnap Morgana. They were not violent nor did they look for trouble▬it was the last thing they wanted. They did their very best to stay away from it. But it seemed that whoever had fled Camelot left a trail right to them ... and it gave Uther the perfect excuse for slaughter.

    Odette waited for their return from Morgana's chambers, sitting by the window and frowning down into the courtyard. She remembered the last time Uther set the Knights of Camelot onto a Druid camp▬sent his son. She remembered the way Arthur changed afterwards the most. 

     She thought about Merlin's empty bed last night▬and she knew deep down who had led them to the Druid camp. Morgana was there, and Merlin seemed to know why. He had fled after her. Maybe he thought he could save her. Maybe ...

     Odette frowned across the room at Morgana's shattered window, suddenly very troubled. 

     She stayed there until the next morning when Arthur finally returned▬and everyone rejoiced to see the Lady Morgana on horseback with him. The King had raced down the stairs to help her from the saddle, smiling brightly as he took her into his arms for a tight embrace. Though the relief dropped immediately off the King's Ward's face as soon as Uther could not see. 

    However, when the King's Ward was returned to her chambers and saw Odette and Guinevere both waiting there, diligent, the smile on her face was true. Her handmaidens got to their feet and were hesitant, but when Morgana breathed their names and held out her arms, they were rushing to her in mere moments.

    Odette threw her arms around Morgana's waist, burying her face into her shoulder. Gwen joined her soon after. They shared a few breathless cries of relief that Morgana was okay. The King's Ward apologised, instead, holding both of them close as the three friends embraced. And then, they spent the rest of the afternoon laughing and gossiping, almost as though nothing had ever happened▬and everything was okay again. Everything was back to normal. 

     (And Morgana learnt very quickly that she was a great liar).

    (Or she will have become one). 

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    a/n: this is short and sUCH a filler and i am SO SORRY hahah.

    but like this episode is literally just merlin and morgana and i didn't want to just completely rewrite the episode without oc content. i'm not happy with this chapter and some of it just feel so forced and i apologise hahaha. but it's also important to include these chapters for morgana's development...

     i just wish i had better ideas for this episode but oh well. this chapter is just filled with some random character and relationship moments that don't flow/connect well ... eesh, i'm better thant his whoops.

    excited for the next few chapters, though.