This is possibly the weirdest bit of an ep to ever inspire me - that long pause between Helios saying "You're welcome to stay" and Morgana replying. But the first thing I thought as I was watching it was "How long's it been since a man's been interested in her?"

And, so, voila. This little piece emerged.

Enjoy.

"You are welcome to stay," Helios says. No longer is his voice sharp and displeased about her failure (Agravaine's failure!) to procure the map. Now it is low and soft and intimate, and it stuns her.

She doesn't know what to say in reply. It has been so long since any man has expressed an interest in her that she can't even work out whether she is flattered or annoyed. He is a lecherous man, yes, but he hasn't demanded she give herself in the same way as he had of whatever slave-girl she had just passed on the way in. It sounds more like a request; the sort of request that such an unscrupulous man might shamelessly broach to an equal whom he found ... attractive.

Attractive? Is she? She can't even remember what her face looks like. When did she last see her face?

The situation reminds her of her sister's little pet warlord, Cenred, but she shies away from that memory like a horse from a flapping cloth. Morgause is dead. In a practised mental movement, she recalls her hatred for all those who bar her way to Camelot and uses the white-hot heat to burn away the icy chill of grief.

Morgause's warlord-led plan to capture Camelot failed, drastically so. Hers would not. She would make sure of it.

The memories of her pre-magic time in Camelot feel bitter and sour with all that has passed. Fuzzy too, for she has tried not to think of them more than necessary. But in them she was queen (ha!) of all she surveyed and men dropped to her feet with a glance.

Uther's ward, the Lady Morgana had honeyed words aplenty for those suitors.

Uther's daughter, the rightful Queen Morgana of Camelot, does not.

So she combs through the memories, lightning-fast because he is staring at her and the laughing, dancing memories hurt too much. She wrenches the answer she needs from the hated, inspid past Morgana who knew nothing and was nothing and would do nothing with her pathetic life!

Calm. Stay calm. Stay focused.

"Take care not to get too distracted, Helios. There's still much to do. Once I am crowned Queen of Camelot, you may indulge yourself all you wish."

She can feel his gaze move slowly over her as he murmurs, "I may hold you to your word." Suddenly she feels flushed and awkward, and she speaks the truth through that courtly facade as she replies,

"I look forward to it."

She turns and flees before her body betrays the higher ideals of her mind.

Liked it? Hated it? Please let me know. :)

Thanks for reading!

Maz