THE PERFECT PLAN

Summary: Rewrite of Season3, AU, starting from the first episode. Morgana returns to Camelot intent on seducing Arthur into marrying her so she can become Queen and free Camelot from Uther Pendragon. But things don't go exactly as they were supposed to, because Morgana starts to really fall in love with Arthur. Arthur/Morgana. Morgana is not exactly good in this story but she's not bad like in season3. She just wants Uther dead more than anything but she doesn't want to destroy Camelot or kill Arthur, Gwen and Merlin. NO INCEST!

Disclaimer: I'll say this only once. I don't own 'Merlin' nor do I make money by writing this story.

More Information(a little bit of spoilers for the next chapter): Morgana returns after season2 with a very precise plan in mind to take the throne of Camelot. She knows that taking the throne by force would never work because the people of Camelot would never accept her. The only way to become Queen is through marriage with Arthur. This way, once married with the heir of the Kingdom, the only thing she will be left to do would be to kill Uther and then convince Arthur to see things her way, even by using magic if necessary.

To become Arthur's wife though, she first needs to make him fall in love with her because she knows, he will never marry her otherwise. Morgause then gives her a charmed necklace that - once worn by her - would reawake Arthur's old feelings towards her. Morgause doesn't tell her this however, she simply said that it's charmed to help her make Arthur fall in love with her. Morgana simply believes that it's a love spell. The necklace alone is not enough though. She will need to work on really seduce him if she wants to really become Queen.

Morgause, at the beginning, agrees with Morgana's plan but then changes her mind because it will require too much time and she gets impatient. She decides to act on her own to conquer Camelot with an army(like in the first two episodes of season3, however Morgana doesn't know anything about it this time). Morgana doesn't want to destroy Camelot but Morgause doesn't care about that. Morgana is still convinced that her plan will work while Morgause wants a more 'immediate' solution. So, they come at an impasse. Morgause will continue trying to take over Camelot from the outside and Morgana will try to stop her because she doesn't want the people of Camelot to suffer while in the meantime working towards seducing Arthur and conquer Camelot from the inside.

Merlin this time around will not suspect her because she will actually tried to stop Morgause from conquering Camelot.

Morgana's plan seems to be foolproof, however, she doesn't take into account the feelings she has towards Arthur that start to grow the more time she spends with him. Will she have the courage to see her plan through to the end?

Pairing: Arthur/Morgana obviously but a little of Arthur/Gwen is necessary for the story to make sense.

I really hope you like my idea and that you will continue reading my story. Please tell me what you think!

P.S You will recognize sentences taken directly from the episode 'The Tears of Uther Pendragon'.

Prologue

Arthur looked around in desolation at all the bodies on the ground, once brave knights of Camelot and now just corpses left to decay. "Check for survivors." He ordered the knights he brought with him. "Seems their attackers headed north! Come on!" he continued before turning around and was about to get back on his horse when Merlin's voice stopped him.

"Do you think we should be going after them?" Merlin asked him and Arthur turned around before rolling his eyes at him.

"You are such a girl's petticoat." He commented sarcastically before turning his back on him.

They had followed the trails that brought them to the woods but for now there was no trace of the assailants who had slaughtered his knights.

"Ow." Arthur heard Merlin exclaiming.

Arthur turned towards him with a raised eyebrow. "Is there something wrong with you?"

"I've been on a horse all day." Merlin complained immediately.

"Is your little bottom sore?" Arthur mocked him with a smirk.

Merlin glared back at him. "Yes. It's not as fat as yours."

Arthur snorted at that. "You know, you've got a lot of nerve for a wimp."

"I may be a wimp, but at least I'm not a dollophead." Merlin immediately replied back. Arthur would never admit it to anyone but he enjoyed bantering with Merlin. "There's no such word."

"It's idiomatic."

Arthur looked at him, skeptically. "It's what?"

"You need to be more in touch with the people."

Arthur rolled his eyes once again. "Describe "dollop head"."

"In two words?"

"Yeah."

Merlin looked around for a second, like he needed to think about it and then said "Er...Prince Arthur".

Arthur was about to reply something back when he noticed an abandoned camp right in front of them. He immediately stopped the knights who were riding behind them and together, they went to investigate, trying not to make any noise as much as it was possible.

Suddenly one of his knights was hit by an arrow in the back and they realized they were being attacked. They immediately started to fight but the battle didn't last more than a few minutes. Arthur looked behind him when he noticed a man had a spear embedded deep in his chest and he wondered how did that happened. He turned around to understand where it had come from but noticed only Merlin, laying flat on the forest floor.

"We're not playing hide and seek, Merlin!" He said exasperated.

Suddenly, Arthur heard a twig snap in the woods and he approached slowly and with caution to investigate. A moment later Morgana came stumbling out of the fog, her hair a bird's nest on her head and her face covered in mud. Arthur had never seen a more beautiful sight in his entire life. "Morgana." He breathed in relief and happiness.

Morgana stared at him for a second, scared, before running into his arms. Arthur was surprised at that, Morgana had never been one to show her feelings so openly, especially towards him, but he hugged her close to his chest nonetheless. "I've missed you." Morgana whispered into his ear, sobbing. "Oh, Arthur, I've missed you so much!" Arthur felt warmth spreading into his chest at her words. "I've missed you too Morgana! You have no idea how much."

No matter how complicated was his relationship with Morgana, he loved her. He had always loved her. Those feelings had taken different shapes throughout his life but he had always loved her somehow. She was, and always would be, the most important person in his life, at the same level with his father.

Suddenly, he felt her go limp in his arms and realized she had fainted. Arthur immediately took her into his arms and brought her to his horse. He rode with her in his arms until they reached the gates of Camelot.

Gaius was examining her and Gwen was inside with her. Arthur paced in front of her room, impatient. He wanted to be sure that she was really okay. Finally, he couldn't wait any longer and entered inside her room. He heard Gwen exclaimed "I'll stay with her" and he couldn't help but protest. "No Gwen, I'll stay with her. You go rest." His tone was gentle but it was obvious that it was an order. Gwen looked at him with a hurt look on her face and Arthur immediately avoided her gaze. He noticed Gwen curtsying out of the corner of his eye and leaving the room but his attention was completely focused on Morgana.

He didn't know what had suddenly changed but he felt like he couldn't leave Morgana's side. Even at the expense of his relationship with Gwen, the girl he was in love with, or at least he was convinced he loved. But the absence of Morgana for an entire year had left a deep wound in his heart. He couldn't bear the idea of losing her and now that she was finally safe and at home where she belonged, he couldn't seem to focus his thoughts on anything else but her.

Arthur could admit that there had been a time once when Morgana had often appeared in his thoughts and even in numerous, not-so-innocent dreams. But then, he had started to develop feelings for Gwen and he and Morgana had started to drift apart and she had started to spend more and more time with Merlin.

Now she was back though, and Arthur almost felt like his once forgotten feelings for Morgana were starting to appear again and he didn't know how to deal with that. The way she had fit into his embrace, the warm feeling inside his chest when he had held her. What was happening to him?

Arthur tried to divert his thoughts and came closer to the bed where Morgana was now resting, apparently peaceful in her sleep. He looked at her and was struck once again by her beauty, like he had been that time when she had entered into the throne room during a banquet, with that scandalous red dress, capturing the attention of everyone gathered there. He shook his head and breathed deeply. He was supposed to be in love with Guinevere, where those thoughts were coming from all of a sudden?

He took Morgana's hand in his and watched her sleep, trying to keep his mind blank from all thoughts.

Morgana woke up a few hours later and he smiled at her, watching her opening her eyes. Morgana seemed confused for a moment at having found him there but then she smiled. "Arthur." She changed position until she was resting against the pillow before starting talking again. "You stayed here with me. You must have missed me very much to not becoming bored after a few minutes of just watching me sleep." She was smiling that impudent smile that was typical Morgana and Arthur had the sudden urge to kiss her to wipe it off her face.

He cleared his throat awkwardly before answering her. "I did. And yes, it was awfully boring but I endured it for your sake."

"How very gallant of you" She replied with a sarcastic smirk. Then she hesitated a second before avoiding his eyes and looking at the covers. It was obvious that she wanted to say something and she was trying to find the courage to do it. Then, taking a fortifying breath, she exclaimed. "You have no idea how much I missed this place and everyone in it. I thought...I thought I would never see you again..." She was looking at him while saying this last part and Arthur immediately realized that she was referring especially to him even if she added immediately soon after "Any of you."

Arthur took her hand in his once again before exclaiming "I would have continued looking for you forever if that was the time needed to have you back home. I would have never given up Morgana. You should know that." He surprised even himself with how passionate his words were. Morgana smiled tremulously back at him before squeezing his hand slightly.

She seemed to regain control of herself soon after before asking him something that he definitely wasn't expecting, even if maybe he should have had. "I would like to speak with Merlin now, if you don't mind. Could you send someone to make him come here please?"

He frowned slightly at her request and couldn't help but feel his heart squeezing in jealousy. He had always wondered if there was something between Morgana and Merlin, more than friendship, but he had always dismissed those thoughts because he didn't think Merlin was her type at all. But maybe he was wrong. Maybe she cared for him more than he had realized. Why, otherwise, she wanted to see him before anyone else, before even Gwen? He couldn't help but agree with her request though and immediately send one of his knights to call for his idiot servant.

A few minutes passed until Merlin appeared into her room, while Morgana was recounting what actually happened to her in the year she had been 'away'.

"I was kept in a cell for almost a year. I thought I'd go mad."

"How did you escape?" Arthur asked, his mind filling with rage at the thought of her kept prisoner for a whole year.

"They moved me about a week ago. I don't know why. It may have been the patrol from Camelot." She was putting up a good front but Arthur noticed that she appeared really shaken.

"The patrol found you?"

"I thought I was gonna be free. But then I saw them killed. Every one of them cut down. But that night, the bandits were distracted by their spoils. I took my chance. When I saw you, I couldn't believe it." She smiled once again towards him, like he was her savior and Arthur's heart filled with joy once again. She went to embrace him again and Arthur held her tight against his chest, breathing her in.

"Everything's gonna be alright. You're safe now." Morgana nodded at him before turning her head towards Merlin who had just entered the room. "Arthur, can you please leave us alone? I need to speak with Merlin for a few minutes"

Arthur was about to protest but noticing her pleading eyes, he nodded in assent towards her before leaving the room.

Merlin looked at Morgana hesitantly, not knowing what to expect from her. Morgana stared at him for long seconds before ordering him to close the door. Merlin did as she asked, neither of them saying a word.

"I know what you did. You tried to poison me." Morgana said in the end.

Merlin looked at the floor before answering her. "I didn't want to."

"Then why did you do it? I don't understand. Morgause said it's because I have magic, but I don't believe her. You could have said the truth to Uther so many times but you never did and yet...you tried to kill me Merlin. Why? I thought we were friends." She looked devastated and the look of betrayal on her face cut him deeply.

"Morgause? So you lied to Arthur? You were never captured by bandits." He couldn't hide the accusation in his tone and Morgana glared at him before sighing and explain.

"Morgause took months to cure me. Then she just...let me go back to Camelot. But I was never able to reach it. Bandits captured me, about six months ago I think. I tried to defend myself by using magic but...I'm still so weak...Yes, I didn't spent a whole year in a cage but I was really kept prisoner. Arthur really saved me and...I'm really grateful for that."

Merlin nodded in understanding before finally explaining his reasons for poisoning her. "Morgause made you the vessel of her spell. I had to choose between you and the whole of Camelot. I thought I didn't have a choice. You can't know how much I regret that decision. I wished I could have found some other way to stop her. I'm so sorry Morgana. I never wanted to hurt you."

"Morgause made me the vessel? I didn't know that. I had no idea what was going on. When she asked me If I was with her, I meant in killing Uther. I never meant Camelot any harm. You must know that." Merlin looked at her, surprised that she was revealing so much but also happy that she seemed to be trusting him again. "I can't deny though that I still want Uther dead Merlin. I hate him and there's a part of me that loves him like a father and I hate him even more for that. I just want to be free to be who I am, without needing to fear for my life because of something I have no control over. Can you understand that?"

Merlin could understand her better than anyone so he nodded with a smile. Morgana was crying by now and Merlin wanted so much to find the words to comfort her but he didn't know what he was supposed to do. "I'm so sorry for everything you've been through. Can you ever forgive me?"

Morgana sighed before smiling slightly. "I understand why you did what you did. You were trying to save Camelot. I probably would have done the same in your situation but...I don't know if I would ever be able to trust you again Merlin. I need time."

Merlin nodded, expecting this kind of answer. Actually he was expecting a lot worse. "I understand. I promise you, I'll do everything to regain your trust. You are my friend Morgana. This has never changed" Morgana smiled at him warmly this time and nodded. "I consider you my friend too Merlin. This will never change."

Merlin smiled elated at her response before bowing slightly towards her. "It's good to have you back."

"It's good to be back, despite everything."

Morgana watched Merlin walk away and smirked. Part one of her plan seemed to be working perfectly already. Merlin trusted her again so she didn't regret revealing so much to him, he wouldn't be an obstacle to her now and that was all that mattered. Furthermore, the spell Morgause did seemed to be working already. She had never seen Arthur so worried about her before. He couldn't seem to be able to leave her side. She played a little with her new rose quartz pendant that Morgause gave her and smiled satisfied. This will be much easier than she thought it would be.