Tokens

by Y-Pen-yn-y-Garreg

A few weeks after Morgana and Morgause's brief reign, a mysterious strip of purple cloth puts Arthur in a very touchy mood. Merlin enlists Gwen's help in getting the Prince to open up about the one thing he's always been least fond of discussing: his feelings.

A one-shot inspired by a deleted scene from series three. It draws on a few different deleted scenes, but you don't have to have seen them in order to understand the story.

I strongly recommend that you read this using the half-width display option. (To switch to half-width, click the symbol above with four horizontal lines and then select 1/2 from the options.)

For the optimal reading experience, however, I would recommend either reading this story on ArchiveofOurOwn (see my profile for a link) or going to my profile for a link to a plain HTML Dropbox hosted version.

INT. = interior
EXT. = exterior

---

MERLIN

"TOKENS"

FADE IN:

INT. KING'S PALACE (ARTHUR'S CHAMBERS) – DAY

Merlin stumbles towards the door, half-blinded by an armload of precariously balanced armour.

ARTHUR
(calling after him)
Merlin. Aren't you forgetting something?

Merlin glances back and sees that he's left one of the vambraces on the table. Sighing he heads back for it.

He tries to add the silver cuff to his load, but in doing so he drops the helmet, which falls to the floor with a clang. Arthur snorts.

Merlin fumbles for the helmet with his foot. He flips it into the air with the toe of his boot and tries to catch it but misses completely. It clangs back onto the floor and rolls under the table.

ARTHUR
Don't dent it. If you do, you're the one who gets to repair it.

MERLIN
(annoyed)
You could give me a hand, instead of just standing there.

ARTHUR
I could. But it's so much more entertaining to watch you try and fail.

Merlin scowls. He scoops the helmet out from under the table with his foot, and then, turning his back to Arthur, he flips it into the air again. But this time a flicker of golden fire dances across his eyes. The helmet lands neatly on top of the stack of armour.

Merlin turns back to Arthur, looking smug.

ARTHUR
(disappointed)
Lucky catch.

MERLIN
(heading back to the door)
That wasn't luck. It was pure talent.

ARTHUR
(as Merlin disappears through the door)
Hey, Merlin –

Just outside the door, there's a thundering crash followed by the sound of several metal objects skittering across the floor.

ARTHUR
(once the ringing has stopped)
… try not to trip over that broom you left out there.

Still chortling, Arthur crosses to the fireplace to retrieve his boots, which have been left there to dry. He sits down on a chair and makes to put them on, but then he realises he's missing something.

ARTHUR
(calling out)
Merlin, where are my socks?

Merlin's voice sounds from out in the corridor, muffled by a whole lot of scraping and clanking.

MERLIN'S VOICE
I'm a bit busy at the moment …

ARTHUR
(sarcastic)
Oh, don't you mind doing your job, Merlin. I'll just find them myself.

MERLIN'S VOICE
(calling back as he moves
away down the corridor)
Excellent. It'll do you a world of good …

Arthur shoots a glare towards the half-open door, then gets to his feet and makes for the wardrobe.

He takes a single glance inside before giving it up as a bad job. He heads instead for a bureau cabinet sitting on top of a small wooden table. He starts irritably pulling out drawers and slamming them shut again.

But about halfway down the second row, something stops him short.

He reaches into the little drawer, as though in a trance, and takes out a neatly folded strip of fine purple cloth. He stares down at it as though he's seeing a ghost.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. KING'S PALACE (ARTHUR'S CHAMBERS) – A LITTLE LATER

Arthur runs the strip of purple cloth through his fingers. He's sitting on his bed, lost in thought, wearing an expression that's uncharacteristically emotional – vulnerable even.

MERLIN'S VOICE
What's that?

ARTHUR
(hastily)
Nothing.

He flings the piece of cloth over the far side of the bed and out of sight.

MERLIN
(raising his eyebrows)
OK …

Merlin crosses to the wardrobe and digs a pair of socks out of a small trunk at the bottom. He returns to the foot of the bed and tosses them down next to Arthur.

MERLIN
There.

Arthur doesn't even seem to notice.

Merlin stares at Arthur for a moment, nonplussed. Then he bends down to retrieve the piece of cloth from next to the bed.

ARTHUR
(sharply)
Leave that.

MERLIN
(straightening up again empty-handed)
Why?

ARTHUR
Because I told you to.

Merlin tilts his head so he can examine the piece of cloth from where he's standing.

MERLIN
(teasingly)
Did Gwen give you that? A token of her affections?

ARTHUR
(quietly)
Get out.

MERLIN
(grinning bemusedly)
Why?

ARTHUR
(voice rising angrily)
Because I told you to.

MERLIN
But –

ARTHUR
Now, Merlin. Get out.

Merlin doesn't budge. Arthur seizes a goblet from the bedside table and draws his arm back threateningly.

MERLIN
(throwing up his hands defensively)
All right, all right! Don't have to tell me thrice.

Merlin backs hurriedly from the room.

Arthur lowers the goblet. He tries to return it to the bedside table without looking but lets go of it too close to the edge, and it rolls off onto the floor. He ignores it.

He makes a movement towards the other side of the bed, as though to retrieve the strip of cloth, but he stops halfway. For a moment, he stays where he is, frozen in place. Then he lets himself sink back onto the bed. He stares up at the canopy, taking deep, steadying breaths, as though trying to force down whatever emotions the strip of purple cloth has conjured.

INT. KING'S PALACE (KITCHENS) – DAY

Gwen stands alone at the washtub, scrubbing away.

MERLIN'S VOICE
There you are. I've been looking all over for you.

GWEN
(turning around)
Do you need something?

MERLIN
Not in particular. I was mostly just bored. Gaius is doing his rounds,
and Arthur's in one of his keep-away-from-me-Merlin moods.

GWEN
Is he all right?

MERLIN
(shrugging)
He's just being Arthur … Come to think of it, though, maybe
you should go see him. He appears to have gone into some
kind of Guinevere withdrawal. He was practically caressing
that bit of purple ribbon you gave him.

GWEN
Purple ribbon? What are you talking about, Merlin? I didn't
give him any purple ribbon.

MERLIN
You sure? Isn't that what girls do? Before tournaments and
things? Give men little strips of cloth to tie on their armour?
You've never done that?

GWEN
I gave him a strip of white cloth once, but that was years ago.

MERLIN
Maybe it … turned purple with age.

GWEN
(rolling her eyes)
Things fade with age, Merlin. They don't turn purple.

MERLIN
Maybe he spilled wine on it. Or maybe it was a trick of the light.
It looked pale purple, but I suppose it could have been white.

GWEN
(thoughtfully)
He had a strip of light-purple cloth tied round his arm at the
semi-final to that open tournament a few months ago … the
one where he fought Uther … But I didn't give it to him.

MERLIN
(teasingly)
Uh oh. Maybe he's got another girl on the side.

Gwen rolls her eyes and turns back to her washing. But halfway through pulling a shirt out of the tub she freezes. A look of dismayed realisation creeps onto her face.

GWEN
(turning slowly back around)
What did you say to him, Merlin? You didn't tease him, did you?

MERLIN
(taken aback by Gwen's sudden seriousness)
I – yeah – a bit … So what? Do you think he wouldn't tease me
if he caught me getting all broody over a pretty purple ribbon?

GWEN
Merlin, if he was wearing it at the tournament but I didn't give
it to him … then there's only one other person I can think of
who would have.

MERLIN
Who – … Oh …

Merlin and Gwen gaze at each other in grim understanding for several silent moments.

MERLIN
He must have found it when … I'm such an idiot. I should have
known it wasn't safe to let him look for socks on his own. I'll
have to go talk to him.

Merlin turns and is halfway across the kitchen before he slows suddenly then doubles back.

MERLIN
Actually, you should go talk to him.

GWEN
I don't know … Isn't it better just to give him his space? Let him
sort out his feelings on his own? He deals with things differently
from you and me; I'm not sure he'd welcome my intrusion …

MERLIN
I spent a week telling myself that, Gwen – the week after she
made herself Queen of Camelot – the week after he found
out … He likes people to think he can handle everything on his
own, but not this … You know how Uther's been ever since?
Well, Arthur wasn't much different at first … If I hadn't finally
decided to ignore his wishes to be left alone, he might still be …
He needs to know he's not alone in this, Gwen. He can't keep
bottling it up, or it'll just keep getting worse. If you can't bring
yourself to go talk to him, then I will, but … well …
(smiling wryly)
… he's already threatened to throw one heavy object at me today,
and I think he's far less likely to be incited to violence if it's you.

Gwen smiles slightly, but still looks hesitant.

GWEN
It's the King I'm supposed to be looking after … I need to
finish this washing for him …

MERLIN
I can finish up in here for you. You can do a lot more good
for Arthur right now than you can for Uther.

GWEN
(in a small voice)
What if I just make things worse?

MERLIN
You won't. You're you.

Gwen looks unconvinced.

MERLIN
At the very least, go give him a hug or something. I don't want
to have to put up with him brooding all day, and God knows
he's not going to let me hug him. As the only person in the
entire castle who can get away with it, I think that makes
it your sacred duty or something.

Gwen grins embarrassedly.

GWEN
All right, I'll … go hug Arthur … and see if I can get him
to talk to me … but I can't make any promises there.

MERLIN
(grinning)
Good luck.

Gwen abandons the washtub and exits the kitchens. Merlin peers down into the murky water and makes a face.

MERLIN
(to himself)
Ugh … Did I really just volunteer to do Uther's laundry?

INT. KING'S PALACE (ARTHUR'S CHAMBERS) – DAY

Arthur's still lying on his back in the middle of the bed, staring up at the canopy with an unfocused look in his eyes.

There's a knock at the door.

ARTHUR
Go away, Merlin.

There's a small creak of hinges.

GWEN'S VOICE
It's … not Merlin. He doesn't knock, remember?

Arthur sits bolt upright.

ARTHUR
(surprised)
Guinevere …

Gwen edges tentatively into the room.

GWEN
I'm sorry to disturb you …

ARTHUR
I could never consider you a disturbance.

GWEN
(half to herself)
So far, so good, then …

Taking his lack of dismissal as an invitation, Gwen closes the door behind her and approaches Arthur. She sits down on the edge of the bed. Arthur takes in her hesitant expression.

ARTHUR
Is there something wrong?
(tensing slightly)
Did something happen with my father?

GWEN
(soothingly)
No, no, nothing like that …

She moves closer to him and takes his hands in hers.

ARTHUR
(softly)
What is it?

Gwen remains silent for several more moments; then she looks up at Arthur with a small and slightly wry smile.

GWEN
Merlin tells me you're not in a very … accommodating mood …

Arthur huffs irritably.

ARTHUR
(annoyed)
Does he go around the castle reporting on my state of mind
to anyone who'll listen?

GWEN
Only to the people he thinks might be able to help …

ARTHUR
I'm fine. I don't need any help.

Arthur lets go of Gwen's hands and looks away from her. He starts fiddling with the ring on his left index finger.

Gwen watches him sadly, chewing her lip. She glances over the side of the bed, where the purple cloth still lies.

GWEN
(softly)
I miss her too.

ARTHUR
(feigning ignorance)
Who?

GWEN
Morgana.

Arthur glances fleetingly at Gwen and then away again. He swings his legs over the side of the bed and sits on its edge, as though he's trying to close himself off physically as well as emotionally.

ARTHUR
(defensive)
I don't miss Morgana. Why should I miss being lied to?

GWEN
I miss not knowing I was being lied to … Ignorance is bliss, I guess …

ARTHUR
It's better this way. At least now she can't …

His voice catches in his throat. He takes a steadying breath and starts spinning the centre band on his ring more frenetically than ever.

ARTHUR
(after a long silence)
But I suppose you're right …
(softly)
I was happier not knowing … My father was certainly happier
not knowing …

He falls silent and takes to staring at the engraving on his bedside table.

Gwen tries to speak several times, but can't seem to find the words. She takes a deep breath and then, with a tentative glance at Arthur, she leans over the side of the bed and picks up the purple strip of cloth.

Arthur glances at it and away again, looking embarrassed – almost ashamed.

GWEN
(running the supple material through her fingers)
She gave it to you, didn't she? At the tournament … to wear
during the semi-final …

ARTHUR
(after a long uncomfortable
silence, fiddling with his ring again)
I've had to ask myself why … I mean, it certainly wasn't
to show that she cared … And it wasn't necessary to her
deception … It's not as though it was a common practice of
hers during tournaments. She didn't give me anything before
the melee … There's only one answer that makes sense. It
was an excuse to come talk to me …

Gwen waits for him to elaborate, but he doesn't.

GWEN
(softly)
What do you mean?

ARTHUR
She wanted to make sure I didn't throw the fight … She told
me I had to win – that I wouldn't be able to command the
respect of the knights if I couldn't even beat an old man …
(in a tone of self-disgust)
And I took her at her word … believed that was what she was
really worried about … But she didn't care about my standing
with the knights. It'd have been in her best interest if I'd lost
their respect … There's only one thing left that makes sense …
She wanted me to hurt him … maybe even kill him … my own
father … Or maybe she wanted him to kill me … Maybe it made
no difference to her so long as one of us died and the other
had to live with the guilt … And I just let her manipulate me …

GWEN
(gently)
You didn't, though. In the end, you decided to throw the fight anyway.

Arthur glances askance at Gwen, caught slightly off guard.

ARTHUR
How do you know I didn't just lose?

GWEN
I know you better than that. The fight turned in his favour
far too quickly.

ARTHUR
(vexed)
Great. Was the whole kingdom talking about it?

GWEN
(placating)
I think it was only obvious to those of us who know you so well.

ARTHUR
(softly)
My father worked it out … He even said he was grateful …

GWEN
That's nice.

ARTHUR
He only mentioned it because Morgana was …

He trails off into silence.

GWEN
(quietly)
Morgana was …?

ARTHUR
It was strange … I should have – I should have noticed
something – I should have …

He blinks and starts playing with the engraving on the side of his bedside table.

ARTHUR
Ever since she got back … after she was … missing … she
was … politer … We didn't argue as much as we used to … I
thought – I thought being away had made her … I don't know …
appreciate us more … me and my father …

He seems to lose his train of thought for a moment and trails off into silence again. Gwen looks as though she might cry.

GWEN
Oh, Arthur …

ARTHUR
(continuing on quickly to cover
up his moment of vulnerability)
But not during that tournament. It was like she was trying
to make up for the last several months by being twice as
argumentative as ever. I should have seen it … She was –
pitting us against each other … Even afterwards … especially
afterwards … It was like she was trying to make up for the
fact that neither of us had died by using the outcome to drive a
wedge between us … Maybe she thought she could destabilise
the kingdom … Or maybe she just wanted to hurt us …

Arthur sighs deeply. Just for something to do, he picks up the goblet he dropped earlier and sets it back on the bedside table, taking more time about it than necessary.

GWEN
The important thing to remember, Arthur, is that she failed.
You made your own decision about the fight in the end, despite
her attempt to manipulate you, and she failed again in her
last-ditch effort to create ill will between you and your father.
That's a victory, not a defeat.
(lifting up the length of purple cloth)
You could keep this as a reminder of how you got the
better of her. Even before you knew of her true colours.

Arthur shakes his head, unable to spare the cloth more than a half glance.

ARTHUR
I can't … It'll always be a reminder of what she tried to do …
Of how completely fooled she had me …
(with a sudden rush of anger)
I should just –

He seizes the cloth out of Gwen's hands, and lurching to his feet, he takes several strides towards the fireplace, as though to fling the piece of cloth into the flames.

But about halfway there his anger burns itself out. His arm falls limply to his side and his grip on the cloth slackens. It ripples silently to the floor. He stands with his back to Gwen, his shoulders slumped, looking lost.

ARTHUR
I don't understand … What happened to her … to turn her into this?

GWEN
(fighting back tears)
I don't know …

She gets to her feet and takes Arthur's hand, pulling him back onto the bed.

ARTHUR
(barely above a whisper)
She wasn't always this way … was she?

GWEN
No. She can't have been.

Gwen can't stop the tears any longer. They glide silently down her face. Arthur just stares back at her numbly. He drops his eyes.

ARTHUR
(even less audibly)
I thought she cared about us …

Gwen tries to reply, but can't get out the words, so she abandons her attempts at verbal comfort and pulls Arthur into a hug. He grips her back, holding onto her tightly.

GWEN
(into Arthur's shoulder)
It'll get better …

ARTHUR
(listlessly)
My father doesn't seem to think so …

Gwen can't think of a response, so she just hugs Arthur tighter. They stay holding each other for several moments, before Arthur pulls away. Gwen moves her hands back to hold his.

They sit in silence for a little while. Arthur's eyes drift to a spot on the floor several feet away, where the strip of purple cloth glints innocently in the sunlight. Gwen follows his gaze. She gives his hands a reassuring squeeze.

ARTHUR
(not taking his eyes off the purple cloth)
That's not the only … gift she gave me that I've had reason
to question since …

GWEN
(when he fails once again to elaborate)
What do you mean?

ARTHUR
Do you remember when I journeyed to the Perilous Lands
to find the Trident of the Fisher King?

GWEN
How could I forget?

ARTHUR
Before I left, she … came to me in my chambers … said she
was worried about me … She gave me a silver cuff set with a
yellow stone … She said it would keep me safe … told me never
to take it off … so that she could be there with me … every step
of the way …

Gwen's eyes widen slightly, as though she's realising something herself.

ARTHUR
I thought it was a little odd, but … it never crossed my mind that
her motives were anything other than what she said … But now …

GWEN
(horrified)
Do you think she might have cursed it?

Arthur takes another carefully measured breath before continuing.

ARTHUR
On the way to the Fisher King's tower, I … found myself growing
weak … unnaturally tired … at first I thought I was coming down
with something … and then, because it kept getting worse the
further I got into the Perilous Lands, I thought it was just an
effect of whatever pestilence lay on that realm … It was as
though the life was being drained right out of me … It wore off
sometime after I reached the Dark Tower … and I assumed
the tower must be shielded somehow … and yet on the journey
back … I felt normal … I thought maybe the curse was intended
only for those voyaging into the Fisher King's lands, so it had
no effect on those leaving them behind … I also considered that
perhaps it was the Golden Trident itself rather than the tower
that had driven it off … But … on the way home, I also noticed
that I'd somehow lost Morgana's gift … and the last time I can
remember seeing it was just before entering the Dark Tower …
I must have lost it somehow when I was fighting the wyverns …
and it was just after that that I started feeling better …

Arthur sighs and starts fiddling with his ring again.

ARTHUR
I'd like to tell myself that I'm imagining things … that it really was
the Perilous Lands affecting me and not her … but why else would
she have given me something like that? Why would a traitor want
me to stay safe? And also … I realise now that I started feeling
weak long before I had even entered the Perilous Lands …

Arthur looks up at Gwen as though hoping she'll contradict him, but she's chewing her lip and looking guilty.

ARTHUR
What's wrong?

GWEN
I … I fear you're right to suspect her, Arthur, I …
(taking a deep breath)
While you were gone, I … I saw her … in her chambers …
she was … she was using magic …

ARTHUR
(taken aback)
You saw her? Why didn't you say anything?

GWEN
I did … to Gaius … but I had no proof, and I … I didn't want to
believe it … I wanted to believe it was something harmless,
whatever she was doing, but … knowing what I know now …
given what you've told me … I'm so sorry, Arthur; I wish I'd
done more to stop her.

ARTHUR
(gently)
It's not your fault. It was my responsibility to protect this
kingdom from its enemies, not yours. I'm the one who should
have seen through her. I'm the one who should have stopped her.

GWEN
How could you have? There was no way you could have
known. You had no reason to suspect her. She fooled us all.

ARTHUR
She came to me the night before I left to find the Cup of Life …
She was asking questions … about where I was going … She
knew about the Cup somehow … kept trying to look at my
maps … I'm such a fool. All those people who died … all
because I trusted her …

GWEN
You can't blame yourself for that, Arthur. That was Morgana
and Morgause's doing, not yours.

ARTHUR
I let the Cup fall into Cenred's hands. And Morgana … she
must have let him know what I was after, somehow … through
Morgause … I should have seen it, but I believed her every
lie … right up until the end.

GWEN
You cared about her. You can't be faulted for that. She's the
traitor. She's the one who should feel ashamed.

ARTHUR
I'm not sure she knows how to feel shame any more … If
she could, how could she –
(in sudden frustration)
It just doesn't make any sense. I thought I knew her. How can
she be capable of such – such … Even with the evidence staring
me in the face, there's a part of me that still doesn't believe it
was really her that did all this. I just … I just want to wake up
and find out that the last few weeks have all been a bad dream …

Gwen pulls Arthur's hands back into hers.

GWEN
I know, Arthur, I … I don't understand it either.

ARTHUR
(softly)
She's my sister … she's actually my sister … Why doesn't that
mean anything to her? Morgause clearly means something to her,
and yet she's no more Morgana's family than I am, so why is it
that Morgause means something to her but I don't? I grew up
with her, not Morgause. It isn't – … It doesn't make any sense.

GWEN
(tearful)
I know …

ARTHUR
The night before I left to look for the Cup of Life, she – she
said … she said that she and I were like brother and sister … I
think she was laughing at me … She knew that we really were,
and I had no clue … I wonder how long she knew … I wonder
how she found out … I wonder if she ever stopped to think – if
it ever gave her pause … There was a moment – … but it was
probably my imagination …

GWEN
(gently)
What moment?

ARTHUR
When she said we were like brother and sister, I … I told her
that was why I couldn't tell her where the Cup of Life was …
I was afraid that if she knew too much, she might become a
target for the enemy … I didn't want …
(softly)
I didn't want to lose her again … I told her that, and she got a bit
strange … just for a second … Looking back, I wonder … I wonder
if, maybe, just for a moment, maybe she felt a little guilty …
(giving himself a shake)
It's probably just wishful thinking.

GWEN
May as well think wishfully, then … What can it hurt?

ARTHUR
Ask the families of all those innocent people she slaughtered –
all because my father and I wanted to believe we really had her
back … and yet we lost her the moment Morgause took her …
maybe even before … I just don't know any more … Why … why
would she side with Morgause? So what if they're half-sisters,
Morgause is cruel … evil … Morgana never used to stand for such
things … Was it all about magic? But that doesn't make any sense
either, because why would Morgana study it in the first place,
knowing it was banned? Perhaps – perhaps Morgause forced her
somehow … and then it corrupted her … But then, she always
did have sympathy for those who practised magic … I just never
imagined she would take it this far. I thought she disagreed with
my father's executions because she thought them unjust … But
the way she ruled … how was that just? I thought she believed in
mercy, and yet she showed none … I just don't understand … Can
the corrupting influence of magic really be so strong that it could
rob Morgana of all her kindness, all her goodness?

GWEN
I wish I had the answers to those questions, Arthur. I've asked
them myself, many, many times. I, too, find myself second-
guessing so many things that happened this past year … when
Elyan was held captive, for instance …

ARTHUR
(sighing)
You think she was probably in on it.

GWEN
We know she was working with Cenred and Morgause …

ARTHUR
I've thought about that too … the tunnels … it all makes sense …
I told her all about them … by the campfire the day before …
She must have found some way of passing the information on to
Morgause – to Cenred … She played me for a complete fool, just
like always … and when I found her with Cenred in the throne
room … he had a sword at her throat, but it must all have been
an act … She was … trying to get me captured again … using
my … concern for her … as a weapon … How could she do that?
How could she use your brother like that? Use you like that?

GWEN
(in a tiny voice)
I don't know …

ARTHUR
I don't understand her any more … Perhaps I never did …
Perhaps I never really knew her at all … And yet she
understood me … enough to know just how to manipulate me …
(sighing)
It's just lucky Morgause's spell went wrong and brought the
ceiling down on top of her … but I should have noticed how
eager Morgana was to delay us, even after that … she slowed
us down in the tunnels, complaining about her ankle … I wonder
if she staged falling off her horse just in case she needed an
excuse to slow us down later on …

GWEN
Well, the important thing is that, despite her treachery, she and
Morgause failed. We all got out of there alive. And something
good even came out of it all. It brought Elyan back to Camelot.

ARTHUR
(smiling sadly)
You two are lucky to have each other …

GWEN
(softly)
We are …

Arthur drops his gaze. Gwen tightens her grip on his hands.

GWEN
(earnestly)
You have us too, Arthur – both of us. I know it's not the same
as … But you needn't ever feel that you're alone. Anything
you need, I'll always be here for you. You can count on that.

ARTHUR
You've already done more than I could ever have asked of you …
for me and my father … And I know you have reason to – …

He breaks off, as though he doesn't know how or can't bring himself to complete this last thought. And yet, by the look on Gwen's face, it seems he doesn't need to.

ARTHUR
How is my father?

Gwen hesitates, as though unsure how to be truthful and comforting at the same time.

GWEN
(finally)
There's been no change since you saw him last night.

Arthur nods vaguely, staring down at his hands which are still clasped in Gwen's.

GWEN
(gently)
He needs time.

ARTHUR
What if – …?

But once again, he can't seem to bring himself to continue. He lets go of Gwen's hands and goes back to playing with his ring.

ARTHUR
I just wish … I wish he would … talk to me … About her …
or not about her … about anything …

Gwen opens her mouth several times, but can't seem to think of anything helpful to say.

ARTHUR
Sometimes I think … maybe if I brought it up … But I'm afraid
to. I'm afraid of making him worse … I feel so – … I don't know
what to do.

GWEN
I wish I could tell you, Arthur … All I can say is, let your heart guide
you. It'll tell you how to proceed, with your father … with everything.

ARTHUR
(with a broken laugh)
You and Merlin, you bandy that about as though it's this foolproof
gem of wisdom … But what good is my heart? It didn't warn me
about Morgana … How am I ever supposed to trust it again …?

GWEN
Don't let her do that to you, Arthur. That's letting her win.

Arthur looks away. Although he doesn't change his position on the bed, he seems to almost physically withdraw from her. She counters it by scooting even closer to him.

ARTHUR
I think that's why he's gi– why he's … I don't think he wants
to win … Not if it means winning against her … winning against
his own daughter … But letting her win … means condemning
the people of Camelot … so I have no choice but to fight. But
sometimes winning … doesn't feel that much better than losing.

GWEN
I know.

She slips an arm around Arthur and buries her head in his shoulder. He closes his eyes.

Several moments pass in silence.

ARTHUR
(in a faraway voice)
He tried to talk to me …

GWEN
Who? Your father?

ARTHUR
Mmm …

GWEN
When?

ARTHUR
The first time I saw him … after … When I found him in the dungeons …
(after a moment's silence)
He said he was sorry …

GWEN
(softly)
Sorry for what?

ARTHUR
I don't know … I'll never know … I didn't listen to him. I told
him it wasn't a good time.
(turning to Gwen and looking
desperately into her eyes)
What if that was my one chance? And I let it pass by because
I was too busy … fighting my own sister? What if – what if I
made him shut down like this … because when he wanted to
talk to me, I wouldn't listen?

GWEN
Arthur, I'm sure that's not – … You were fighting an immortal
army. You were fighting to save him. I'm sure he understood that.

ARTHUR
Have I saved him, though? It doesn't feel like it …

GWEN
(in a small voice)
Give it time … It's only been a few weeks.

Arthur looks into her eyes, searchingly, as though for a sign that she believes what she's saying, anything that might help him believe it himself.

ARTHUR
(looking away)
It's funny … I keep wishing … for it to be magic. For his condition
to be the result of some sort of spell. I keep wishing Gaius would
find another cursed root under his bed, so we could just toss it
in the fire and he'd be all right again … But it seems there are
evils greater even than magic … evils less easily remedied …

Arthur trails off into silence, clearly lost in thought.

Several moments tick by. Unsure what else to do, Gwen puts her arms around Arthur again. She rubs his shoulders soothingly, but he inhales sharply and pulls away.

GWEN
What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Did you injure your shoulder
during training?

ARTHUR
No … I'm sorry. It's just … It's nothing. Never mind.

GWEN
(patiently)
Arthur.

ARTHUR
I just … I was thinking … about last time … when it really was
just a magic spell … though I didn't know it at the time …

GWEN
(not seeing the connection)
And?

ARTHUR
I was sitting at his bedside … and she came in and … she
did just that … exactly what you just did …

Gwen doesn't seem to know what to say. She very gingerly takes Arthur's hand, as though afraid of triggering another memory.

ARTHUR
She promised me she'd look after him … She seemed so
sincere … but she must have been behind it all along. She must
have been the one who planted that thing in his chambers …
She's the only one who had access … I should never have
left her alone with him … I can only guess what would have
happened if Gaius hadn't found that thing when he did …

GWEN
(pensive)
And that army of skeletons … Do you think she was behind that too?

ARTHUR
She must have at least known about it … but that's the part that
doesn't make sense. If it wasn't Morgana who destroyed the
source of that enchantment, then who did?

GWEN
That is strange …

ARTHUR
I'd like to think that it was her … that she got cold feet, just that
once … that when she saw all the harm that was being done, she
changed her mind and decided to undo the spell that she … or
Morgause … had cast … But I guess that's just more wishful
thinking. Perhaps the spell just went wrong. From what I've seen,
magic is unreliable like that. Her immortal army didn't last long
either … and there's little chance she sabotaged that one herself …

GWEN
Did they really all just explode into dust like Elyan said?

ARTHUR
Yeah … Gaius said something about the Cup of Life being tipped
over and the blood being spilled from it … but he couldn't seem
to explain how it had happened … Maybe it got knocked over
by accident in all the commotion caused by our arrival … But
anyway, it goes to show how unwise Morgana was to put all
her faith in magic … Apparently it's as treacherous as she is …
(sighing)
Damned magic … I find myself questioning every little thing
that's happened involving it since we found her … That old
woman who tried to poison my father … was she working with
Morgause and Morgana? It would certainly explain how she
managed to escape from the cells … Those two thugs who
tried to kill me in the melee by disguising themselves as Sir
Oswald and his friend … maybe it was Morgana or Morgause
who provided them with those enchanted crystals …
(with a slight laugh)
I've even wondered whether Morgana was the one who set
that goblin loose in the palace.

Gwen blushes slightly, as though remembering something embarrassing, but then she pulls a determinedly straight face.

GWEN
(calmly)
What goblin?

ARTHUR
(catching her eye)
Indeed. What goblin?

GWEN
Of course, if Morgana was the one who released it, it rather
backfired on her, didn't it?

ARTHUR
(remembering)
Yeah, I suppose it did …

He almost smiles, but the spark of humour quickly fades from his eyes, as though remembering those simpler, happier times is too painful at the moment.

ARTHUR
(just to fill the silence)
I've also wondered whether she wasn't in league with that mad
old sorcerer who tried to enchant us … except that I can't think
of any possible reason that Morgana would have had to want
us under a love spell, especially since she already knew I had
feelings for you without any enchantment.

Arthur seems perfectly ready to dismiss the notion, until he catches sight of the look on Gwen's face.

ARTHUR
What is it?

GWEN
It – it's nothing.

ARTHUR
Come on. I've been open with you. I think you owe me as
much in return.

Gwen opens her mouth but doesn't seem to know where to start.

ARTHUR
Did she do something that made it seem like she knew that old sorcerer?

GWEN
No. It's just … before you caught that man trying to plant
another poultice in your chambers … I was almost certain that …

ARTHUR
That?

GWEN
… that Morgana was responsible for planting the first one.

ARTHUR
(confused)
Why would she do that?

GWEN
To make it look like I had been enchanting you.

ARTHUR
But why would she … Wait a minute … you said you suspected
her before I caught that old man … You mean you … you
suspected her at the time it was actually happening?

GWEN
Yes, I – …

She glances guiltily up at Arthur and then away again.

GWEN
I had already seen her using magic while you were in the
Perilous Lands, and … and then … when I was arrested … after
I was sentenced to death and they were dragging me away, I …
I saw Morgana … I saw her … smiling … this horrible, vindictive
smile … and I had this terrible feeling … that she had set the
whole thing up. Not just the poultice, but … your father just
happening across us in the woods that day … She was with him …

ARTHUR
(dismayed)
She knew I was planning on spending some time with you …
The whole thing was her idea …
(after a silence)
Why didn't you ever say anything?

GWEN
I – … At the time they wouldn't even let me talk to you, and
your father certainly wouldn't have believed me if I'd told him
I thought Morgana was behind it all. And then – then that old
man got caught and confessed to everything … so – I guess
I was just being paranoid about her after all.

ARTHUR
But you said you saw her smiling?

GWEN
I know … I don't know what to think any more. Maybe she was
just … revelling in all the chaos that was going on … I can't see
how she and that sorcerer could have been working together,
though. I mean, even if she had convinced him to plant the
poultice for her so she didn't have to risk doing it herself, why
would she have had him plant another one after I'd already
been sentenced to death?

ARTHUR
What made you think Morgana would want you dead in the first
place? You're not a threat to her … and she let you live when
she and Morgause took the kingdom … Seemed she wanted
to hold on to her friendship with you …

GWEN
Yes, I … like I said, she was probably just revelling in the
chaos and had nothing to do with the poultices.

ARTHUR
But why would she revel in you being sentenced to death?
What harm had you ever done her?

GWEN
(in sudden frustration)
What harm had any of us done her? You never did a thing
wrong to her, but that didn't stop her from going after you. Why
should I be any different? Stop asking me to explain Morgana.

ARTHUR
(blinking and looking away)
I'm sorry.

GWEN
(looking regretful)
I'm not angry with you, Arthur … I'm angry with her … I'm
angry with the whole situation …

Arthur nods in understanding.

ARTHUR
I try to be angry … but mostly I just feel … I don't know …
confused, maybe … No, it's more like … I don't know what it is …
I just know it's not anger … I wish it was. Anger would be easier.

GWEN
Maybe that's the problem. Anger is too easy. But anger's
mostly just a cover for deeper feelings … I suppose more
than angry I feel … I just feel sad.
(reaching out and gripping Arthur by the arms)
You're right, Arthur. It's better not to give in to anger. I expect
that's what she did.

ARTHUR
(nonplussed)
I … never said that. I didn't even think it.

GWEN
(smiling sadly)
No, but you felt it.

Arthur still looks confused.

Gwen envelops him in another hug.

GWEN
Don't ever doubt that you have a good heart, Arthur. That's
the one thing I'm sure of.

ARTHUR
(resting his head against her shoulder)
I thought Morgana had a good heart …

GWEN
(softly)
So did I.

ARTHUR
Then, how can you be sure of anything?

GWEN
(hugging him more tightly)
Because I may have lost Morgana, but I won't let her take
anyone else from me.

ARTHUR
Even if that means you might be fooled again?

GWEN
Maybe accepting that risk is an inseparable part of what it
means to love … Maybe we just have to decide that it's worth it.

ARTHUR
For ourselves or for Camelot? Perhaps as a man I can do the
former … but as a prince, I'm not sure if I can do the latter …

GWEN
Maybe as a prince you have to. And even more so as a king …
Because a king who doesn't love … is the worst kind of king
there can be.

Arthur pulls away just enough to be able to look into Gwen's eyes.

ARTHUR
I hope you're right about that … because I don't know where I
went wrong with Morgana … and I don't know how to prevent it
from happening again … except by shutting everyone out … and
I don't think I have the strength to do that …

GWEN
Shutting people out isn't strength, Arthur. It's letting them
in that takes strength.

ARTHUR
Even if you let in the wrong people?

GWEN
That's the risk we have to accept …
(pulling him back into her embrace)
It's worth it.

ARTHUR
For Camelot's sake, I hope you're right …

For a long while the two of them simply hold each other, and for a time they seem to forget that the world's still turning beyond the doors of the chamber, until a distant echo from somewhere within the palace calls them back to the wider world.

Arthur stirs and glances up at the hazy outline of the sun high in one of the upper windows. Somewhat reluctantly, he pulls away from Gwen.

ARTHUR
I have a council session to attend at noon …

GWEN
And I have a bundle of washing to track down.

Gwen gets to her feet, then turns back to look at Arthur.

GWEN
You going to be all right?

ARTHUR
Of course. Why wouldn't I be?

Gwen sighs at how quickly he's managed to put his walls back up.

GWEN
Perhaps I'll see you this evening?

ARTHUR
(looking around for the
socks Merlin got out earlier)
Mmm …

Gwen turns to leave. Arthur snatches up the socks from where they've fallen on top of the bench at the foot of his bed and then gets up to retrieve his boots, but he only makes it a few steps before Morgana's purple strip of cloth once again catches his eye and stops him in his tracks.

Gwen seems to have either heard or sensed Arthur's sudden impasse, because she turns back around and once again follows his gaze to the purple cloth. Arthur looks at his feet.

GWEN
(cautiously)
Do you want me to … maybe … get … rid of that for you?

Still not meeting her eyes, Arthur nods.

ARTHUR
Don't see what good can come of me keeping it …
(with an edge of bitterness)
… unless it's as a reminder never to trust anyone again …
(finally locking eyes with Gwen)
I don't want that …

GWEN
No … you don't.

Gwen snatches up the strip of cloth and balls it up in her fist so that it's effectively obscured from sight. She starts to leave again.

ARTHUR
Guinevere …

Hand on the door handle, Gwen turns back to look at him.

ARTHUR
Thank you.

Gwen smiles.

GWEN
You know there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, Arthur.

Her gaze lingers with his for a few more moments, before she tears her eyes away and pulls open the door.

INT. KING'S PALACE (CORRIDOR) – CONTINUOUS

On the other side of the door, Gwen runs headlong into Merlin.

She stares at him in surprised indignation and then back at the open door. She quickly pulls it shut behind her.

GWEN
(in a whisper)
Merlin, what are you doing?

She grabs him by the arm and pulls him away along the corridor until they're out of earshot of Arthur's door.

GWEN
What were you doing?

MERLIN
(promptly)
Not eavesdropping.

Gwen narrows her eyes.

MERLIN
Oh, all right, maybe I was trying to eavesdrop, but in my defence,
most of the time I was standing there, you two weren't talking
loudly enough for your voices to carry all the way to the door.

GWEN
(sarcastically)
Oh – well – how very inconsiderate of us.

Merlin eyes her expectantly, as though waiting for her to say something else.

MERLIN
(when she doesn't)
So?

GWEN
So what?

MERLIN
Did you hug him?

GWEN
(rolling her eyes)
Yes.

MERLIN
Did he hug you back?

GWEN
Yes. Not that it's really your business.

MERLIN
Did he talk to you?

GWEN
Yeah.

MERLIN
(lowering his voice)
About Morgana?

GWEN
Yes.

MERLIN
Did he cry?

GWEN
Wha–? No.

MERLIN
Oh …

GWEN
Why do you sound disappointed?

MERLIN
It'd have been good for him. Crying always makes me feel
better. OK, maybe not while I'm crying, but I feel better
afterwards. Don't you?

GWEN
(rolling her eyes again)
Sorry, Merlin, next time I talk to Arthur, I'll try harder to
make him cry.

MERLIN
(brightly)
Good.
(glancing back towards Arthur's door)
So is it … safe to go in there?

GWEN
Not if he works out you've been eavesdropping on him, it won't be.

MERLIN
Why would he work that out?

GWEN
Well, it'd be a bit convenient, wouldn't it, if you just happened
to turn up moments after I left?

MERLIN
Yeah – Arthur's not that observant.

GWEN
You'd be willing to stake your life on that?

MERLIN
Yeah, funnily enough, I think I would be.

Merlin starts towards Arthur's door, but Gwen pulls him back.

GWEN
Yes, well, I've got another task for you anyway, so it doesn't matter.

MERLIN
If it's more of Uther's laundry –

GWEN
It isn't.
(after a hesitation)
Here.

She presses Morgana's bit of purple cloth into his hands.

GWEN
I told Arthur I'd get rid of it, but … I don't really know what
to do with it. I thought about just putting it back in Morgana's
room, but … I don't really want to go in there, and I'd feel
strange burning it, or keeping it in my house, or … I hate
to ask, Merlin, but … do you think you could maybe …?

MERLIN
(heading her off)
Consider it done.

GWEN
(smiling)
Thanks, Merlin. You're a good friend – when you're not eavesdropping.

Merlin grins.

CUT TO:

EXT. KING'S PALACE (RAMPARTS) – DAY

Merlin stands on the ramparts overlooking the road beyond Camelot.

He pulls out Morgana's purple cloth and holds it up over the parapet wall. The wind catches it and it flutters out like a long, thin flag.

Merlin looks around. Once he's sure that nobody's watching, he turns back to the fluttering strip of cloth.

MERLIN
Tofære swa æsce on lyfte, ond us trege næfre ma …

A brief flicker of golden flame flares to life in Merlin's eyes, and as he watches, the purple cloth loses its cohesion. It reduces to a fine purple dust and is borne away on the wind. Merlin looks on in its wake until well after the last trace has vanished.

At long last, he turns back to the citadel. He lets out a deep sigh.

MERLIN
If only all the marks you left on this place could be so easily
erased, Morgana …

FADE OUT.

THE END

---

Let me know what you think in a review, the more detailed the better, but simple reviews are welcome too. :)

Tofære swa æsce on lyfte ond us trege næfre ma = Disperse like dust on the wind and trouble us no more.

If you want to see the deleted scenes referenced in this story they're available here: youtu. be/poRDSmMIldk (just take out the space after the dot)

So I guess this story is me pushing the boundaries on what can be done in screenplay format. Usually a story like this would be written from the perspective of one character or another, but I decided to see how far I could go in conveying a character's emotions using just dialogue and descriptions of non-verbal cues.

Generally I avoid using the genre "Hurt/Comfort" because I feel it's a bit cliche, but there's no denying that it pretty accurately describes this story, so I swallowed my aversion to the term and went ahead and used it. My aversion to the word "angst", on the other hand, won out, so you won't see that as a genre.

I decided against using the genre "Romance" because ultimately the story is far more about Arthur's (non-romantic) relationship with Morgana than his (romantic) relationship with Gwen. Not to undervalue her as a character, but plot-wise Gwen is more of a sounding board for Arthur's feelings about Morgana's betrayal than the focus of this story.

To anyone who might be disappointed that Merlin wasn't the one to have this conversation with Arthur or possibly thinking that he'd have been a better person for Arthur to talk to about this because he's got more insight into what happened to Morgana, I'd argue that that's precisely why Merlin wasn't the right person for Arthur to talk to about her. Arthur and Gwen are in relatively the same boat. They can be completely open with each other. But what Merlin knows about Morgana is too tightly wrapped up with his own secrets for him to tell Arthur about it, so they couldn't really have had a completely open, honest conversation about her.

Note: I sometimes respond to reviews on the review page by posting my response as a separate review. If you have an account I'll also send you a copy of the response via PM, but if you review as a guest you may want to check the review page every now and then to see if your review has been replied to.