A/N: Happy Birthday to Colin Morgan, and while you're at it, go ahead and wish me happy birthday to me, too. It'll be here in about a week. I'm excited! I'll be... I'll be... uh, I'll be older. You may ask yourself, why do I write so much Morgana when I hate her? I can't help it. She's such a great, hateable character!

I scrabbled at the lid, feeling the strain as I forced my face to smile still. Opening the gift, I took in what sat inside the box, winking up at me in the evening light.

Everything seemed to stand still.

I couldn't move. My mouth dropped in disbelief. After a few moments, though, I managed to look up and meet Arthur's eyes, his excited face… And I smiled.

I thought once that I was all shocked-out. Nothing could surprise me anymore, I believed. Not after learning I had a sister. Not after discovering that magic ran through my veins. Not after I experienced poison trickling down my throat. I was older and harder. It had come to a point where I just accepted things; I didn't balk at them.

As I stared down at my gift, I also reflected that I had come to believe that no one was any stupider than Uther. I mean, I'm talking about the man who would rather kill thousands of magic-users than admit he made a mistake. This is the man who could look me in the eye everyday and think that I was crazy about him. This is the man who accepted his worst enemy back into Camelot without question. The man who imprisoned friends and didn't recognize foes.

And as the smile stretched my face to the point of discomfort, I recalled that I didn't think anyone could be tricked easier than Merlin. Why, just a few soft words, tear-filled eyes, and a sad smile were enough to dupe him into believing my repentance. Even before the poisoning, when I considered him my friend, I had lost count of the number of times I had him going with just a smile and a word or two.

I watched Arthur relax at my obvious pleasure upon seeing my present.

I had thought those things once. No more shocks for me. No man stupider than Uther. No one taken in easier than Merlin.

Now, I was going to have to rethink those beliefs. For I was shocked; this was stupid; he thought I actually liked it.

But… but…

Mentally, I shook my head. I couldn't believe the fool would think any female would want a dagger for her birthday!