A/N: This is a response to a prompt made over at camelot_love. I'm not that happy with it but revision doesn't give me time to work on it, so here it is...

The fog swam about her, surrounding her, drowning her senses. She took a step forward. Blindly striding into the unknown. Her foot found a bulky something. She bent low, the mist thinning near the wet

grass as she stretched out her hand. It found something dark and wet and... sticky. She recoiled. It was a body. Then the image of the man's face burst through the fog. It was Uther Pendragon. His face was

made grey but the folds of death which lay thickly over him, his body made smaller by the way he was curled, almost foetus-like, around the sword which had been plunged into his gut and ended his life. She

would have gasped, had she any air in her lungs but it seemed to have been replaced by thick moist mist, choking, drowning her. And then darkness claimed her.

She was standing in Arthur's chambers now. He sat hunched in his chair, still in his armour, his eyes red and swollen. There was a knock on the door. 'I told you I didn't want to see anyone' Arthur shouted, his

voice cracking.

'It's me'

He seemed to sit up a little straighter.

'I've brought you some lunch' said the timid voice again.

'I don't want anything, I need to be alone'

'You have to eat something Arthur and I will stand outside your door until you do'

He stood up and crossed to the door. He unbolted it. He swiftly turned towards the window to hide his tearstained face from his visitor.

Gwen lay the pewter plate down on the table.

'Thank you' Arthur said, not looking at her.

'Would you like some help with your armour sire?'

'What?' he said distractedly.

'Your armour, you still haven't taken it off'

'I guess I must have forgotten' he said shrugging as she set about the task.

'Perfectly understandable'

He nodded, looking rather lost.

She avoided his gaze as she worked, her eyes never moving from her own hands.

There was a knock at the door and a guard entered.

'The Council would like to speak with you Your Majesty' he said bowing low.

Before Arthur could speak Gwen said, with a distinct air of authority, 'the Prince will not being seeing anyone today'

'Of course' the guard replied with a nervous look at the maid.

The door shut.

'Thank you Guinevere' Arthur said in a voice which made goosebumps appear along Morgana's arms as she observed them from the corner.

And then it was dark once more.

She was in the Prince's chambers once again but this time bright spring sunlight filtered through the window. Again Arthur and Gwen were alone. She felt a frown crease her forehead. Why would her maid be

spending so much time alone with the Crown Prince?

'How is Merlin doing? Any better?' Arthur asked as he fastened his scarlet cloak about his neck. Aaahh, so that explained it.

'He is much improved, though still complaining a great deal of course' she smiled.

'So he is out of danger?'

'Yes'

'Good' he said as he placed his Prince's crown atop his head.

She tutted and took several steps towards him, reaching up to straighten his collar.

'Thank you' he said with a gentle smile, 'so how do I look?'

'Like our future King'

He smiled a sad smile.

'Your father would be proud of you'

He nodded silently.

'You will be a great King Arthur Pendragon'

'How do you know?'

'Because I have faith in you' she said with a smile which was incomprehensible to the observer, but seemed to make perfect sense to Arthur.

The darkness cleared.

She watched with a furrowed brow as Arthur pulled Gwen into the nearest alcove.

'You have been avoiding me' he said with wide, accusatory eyes.

'I have not' she said trying not to meet his gaze.

'You have'

'Fine, maybe I have'

'Have you thought over what I said?' he breathed with a wide grin.

'Yes, but-' she began.

'Things are different now'

'Yes, but-'

'Things have changed'

'Yes, but-'

'Then what is the problem?' he said, leaning in to kiss her.

She watched in shock as Gwen wrapped her arms around her sovereign, as he backed her into the cold stone wall, their lips locked, bodies flush against each other.

She turned away, her cheeks on fire with embarrassment at observing such a scene. But as it faded it was concern, not embarrassment, which was writhing like snakes in her stomach.

She was in the King's chamber now.

Gwen sat beside Arthur in the chair by the fire.

'What am I to do?' he said looking into the flames.

'I can not tell you'

'But I don't know what to do, what to feel. I was raised to loathe magic, to believe it, and all those who practise it, evil, and yet...'

She remained silent.

'I can not accept it' he said seriously, deep lines furrowing his brow, 'I believe it can be used for good as well as evil and I do not believe that someone ought to be punished for curing their daughter, whatever

the method'

She smiled.

'So think I am right in what I say?'

'I would support you in whatever decision you made'

'But...?'

'But I can support you with a clearer conscience with this decision' she smiled gently, squeezing his hand tenderly as they looked at one another, eyes filled with an emotion which made Morgana nervous.

Darkness filled her vision once again.

'Merlin what is the use of you being my chief advisor if you are never around?'

'I have been busy' he replied.

'With Gwen?'

'Planning a wedding does take time you know' Merlin grinned, 'besides we always just end up getting sidetracked'

'You two are useless' Arthur replied shaking his head with a smile.

'But what would you do without us eh?' Merlin beamed.

The darkness cleared before her eyes.

Gwen was standing in the doorway to her small house which was now totally bare.

Her shoulders shook slightly with suppressed emotion as she surveyed her home.

Merlin appeared beside her.

'Are you okay?'

Gwen nodded, holding back tears.

'It's foolish I know, but this has been my home for longer than I can remember, I mean I always thought I'd leave it someday, but it's harder than I thought it would be'

'It's not foolish' Merlin said putting one arm around her.

'And I can't believe how nervous I am, I shouldn't be should I?'

'Marriage is a big step, it's perfectly normal to be a little scared' he said giving her a squeeze.

'I'm not scared exactly, it's more like butterflies' she explained, smiling up at him, 'I can't believe that it all worked out. I am so lucky'

'-to have me, I know' he teased.

'The treaty has been signed. On Alfric's death, his territories will pass to Camelot' said Merlin as he strode beside the King 'finally all the lands of Albion will be united'

'Thank you Merlin'

'For what?'

'For standing beside me through all this' Arthur said patting his friend's shoulder and Morgana saw the flash of gold on his ring finger.

'I can think of no better King to stand beside'

'You jest'

'I don't' Merlin said putting his hand on his heart theatrically, 'you will have united Albion. You have brought your lands peace and their prosperity is growing all the time. You have allowed magic to return to

Camelot. I no longer have to hide who I truly am. And you're less of a prat than you used to be' he grinned.

Darkness fell.

An unfamiliar room unfolded before her.

'Oh I felt it kick' Merlin squealed excitedly, his hand pressed against Gwen's swollen stomach.

'So can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?'

'I'm no seer' he grinned, 'but whatever it is I hope it's nothing like it's father'

'You don't mean that' she chided him.

'I dunno' he teased.

'I hope it will be half of each of us' she beamed, laying her palms over her stomach.

She smiled into the descending darkness. Glad that both Merlin and Gwen had found happiness, and that they had found it together. She had suspected a while ago that her maid and the manservant might

have a soft spot for each other. She was glad that her brother had not stood in their way and that Merlin had accepted her, despite her history with the King.

Gwen was sat, propped up in bed by a large pile of pillows. Sweat covered her forehead and dark circles shadowed her eyes but she did not seem to care in the slightest. She was looking down at the baby in

her arms, her love for it, palpable and transfixing.

She moved closer so she was standing over them. Bright blue eyes looked up at her from underneath a shock of dark curls. It seemed Gwen had got her wish.

'He is beautiful' said a man voice.

Morgana looked up in surprise, not having noticed the presence of anyone but the mother and child.

'I know he's a boy and I probably shouldn't call him beautiful, but I can't think of any other way of describing him' said the King who was sat on the bed, next to Gwen.

What was going on?

'I think that's as good a word as any' she beamed, not looking away from the baby boy in her arms.

'We did make one good-looking kid'

She laughed gently, careful not to disturb the sleeping child. Morgana felt slightly heady, what was Arthur talking about? This couldn't be happening.

'So have you thought about a name?' he asked as she rested her head on his shoulder.

'William' she said with a smile which only he could understand.

'William' he said with a grin, looking down at the boy. 'I think it suits him.'

There was a knock on the door.

'Hey' Merlin said poking his head through the door without invitation.

'Merlin, come in' Gwen said ushering him in.

He approached the bed tentatively. He looked down at the baby, a wide smile on his face.

'We've been thinking' Arthur said looking at Gwen, 'and we would like you to be his guardian, if you don't mind?'

'Mind?' Merlin said grinning, 'I'd love too, besides he can't be any harder to look after than you. What's his name?'

'William' Arthur said proudly.

'Prince William' Merlin said with a smile of understanding.

Morgana gasped a gasp only she could hear. What was Merlin talking about?

'I better go and give the Council an update' Arthur said squeezing Gwen's hand. Wedding band on wedding band, 'they'll be wanting to know that their Queen and new Prince are well'

'Of course' she smiled as he pressed a kiss to her lips.

This wasn't possible. Arthur and Gwen? King and Queen? Prince and maid?

Lust- yes. Love- maybe. Marriage- impossible.

And yet what she saw before her told her that it was, despite all the odds, a real possibility.

She was dragged downwards into a cold, close blackness.

Then she felt a hand on her forehead. The gentle touch dragging her out of the darkness. She woke with a gasp.

'My Lady?' said Gwen looking concerned as she stroked her mistress's cheek, 'are you alright?'

'I am fine' Morgana said breathlessly 'just a dream'

'You were tossing and turning a great deal. Was it a nightmare?' Gwen asked holding her hand gently.

She tried to remember the dream. The details were scattering like seeds in the wind. She tried to cling onto them but could not. It had been about Arthur becoming King- that was it. And he had become a great

one. He had been in the process of uniting Albion and had allowed magic to return to the kingdom. And he had needed two people on this path. Merlin and... she felt a shiver run up her spine... Guinevere.

'No it wasn't a nightmare' she said half smile.

Had someone told her the day before that her brother would fall in love with the young woman who sat beside her, dabbing her forehead with a damp cloth, would make her his Queen and mother to the

Pendragon dynasty she would have laughed. But she couldn't laugh now. Not now that she had seen them together. Not now that she had seen the greatness their union could bring. Not now that she had

seen how necessary it was. Not when she knew that this could be only one of any number of possible futures.

But she needed that future, so did Camelot. And she was not going to leave it to chance.