Gwen stumbled through the forest, dragging the cart that now contained her whole life awkwardly behind her. She was no longer upset, she was just angry. It had taken her a while to realise but now she saw exactly what had happened. She thought he had loved her, thought he genuinely cared about her but now all she could think was how idiotic she had been. Arthur had been looking for any opportunity to get rid of her for months.

Gwen cursed herself, she felt so stupid for listening to him. She wondered just how many times Arthur had reassured her, sworn to her that the rumours about him and Merlin were just that. Silly stories created by his enemies to try and slate him. She wished she could say she had always had her doubts, but the worst thing was she had believed him. He had seemed so sincere, so loving, so tender. Morgana had been right. Gwen stopped herself quickly. She was not going down that train of thought, she had sworn to herself that she had moved on from Morgana, she was not about to go back on that just because things with Arthur hadn't worked out.

Merlin had come to say goodbye to her. She had seen him, standing, watching her pack up her life. He hadn't said anything or even tried to approach her. She didn't blame him. What was he supposed to say? He probably felt guilty. Probably knew that the only reason she had been banished was because of him and Arthur. Gwen took some comfort in this.

This was perfect for Arthur she thought angrily. He had had a girlfriend, a fiancee even for long enough to dispel rumors about his sexuality. Then she had been disloyal to him and he had had her banished. People would understand if he took several months, maybe even years to try and recover from her betrayal and all the while he and Merlin could continue just as they always had.

Gwen wondered how they slept at night. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks but she brushed them away and continued resolutely onwards. It was then that she noticed it. For a split second she could not identify it, but as it moved forwards she realised. It was a griffin. Gwen turned and began to run but the griffin had speed that far exceeded her own and soon it was practically on top of her. It lashed out cutting her back and knocking hard against her head.

Exhausted and miserable Gwen collapsed to the ground and was just about to give herself up to the claws of the griffin when she felt herself shoved roughly out of the way. All she remembered next was a flash of light before she drifted into unconsciousness.

When Gwen awoke she was surprised to find herself inside. She tried to sit up but felt her head spin so slumped back into the bed. On doing so she found that her back was incredibly sore where the griffin had clawed at it. Reaching back to assess to damage she found that her wounds had been cleaned and bandaged. She propped up her pillows and sat up to assess her surroundings.

She was in a small cottage. The bed was in the same room as the kitchen and a large table was covered with books and bottles containing odd looking substances. A fire was simmering in the grate and the place had an odd smell that reflected the many potions and concoctions left lying in odd places around the place. Just then the door opened and in walked a woman carrying a bundle of firewood. To Gwen's horror she realised it was Morgana.

Gwen sat dumbly. The last time she had seen her had been when Morgana betrayed Arthur and Uther and took over Camelot with the help of Morgause. She had changed a lot since then. No longer confident and somewhat noble looking despite the evil path she had taken, Morgana appeared a shell of her former self. She looked broken, tortured. Gwen felt a pang of something she couldn't identify at the sight of the woman who had at one point been such an important part of her life.

"You're awake." Morgana smiled. Gwen felt her stomach twist in odd knots. How she had adored that smile. How she had craved it. Even after Morgana had left it had stayed imprinted in her mind. Seeing it again brought everything she had felt all those years ago up to the surface. It was raw and it hurt and she had never been happier to see anyone in her life.

"Why am I here?" she asked, attempting to keep her face neutral.

"I found you in the woods. You were being attacked by a griffin. I fought it off and brought you back."

Clinging to the memory of the pain Morgana had caused in Camelot, Gwen said "I need to leave."

Morgana's face fell. "You can't possibly Gwen, you're still too weak."

She glided across the room to perch at the end of Gwen's bed.

"I am not staying with you Morgana a second longer than I have to. You have caused a ridiculous amount of pain and suffering to the people of Camelot. My friends, people I knew, dead or mourning because of your acts. I will not co-operate with you or tell you anything no matter what you threaten, I have nothing left to live for so kill me if you wish. It would have been less hassle for you is you had left me to die."

Morgana looked as though she was in physical pain and Gwen fought the urge to hold her and tell her everything was going to be okay.

"I'm sorry, Gwen." said Morgana.

Gwen looked at her. This was the last thing she had expected. She had thought that Morgana would be angry, torture her, kill her on the spot. Having seen for herself the results of Morgana's destructive streak she had come to picture her as a cold hearted killer. She found herself unable to assess how best to handle this situation so she just sat.

"I'm sorry about the people I killed." Morgana continued, "They didn't deserve to die but this is war and war has casualties."

"It doesn't need to be war." Gwen said, "It never needed to be."

"Yes it did." said Morgana shortly, "There was no other way. What I'm really sorry for Gwen is how much I've hurt you, I know there were probably better ways to go about getting you out there but I just couldn't think of any that would show you what he was like."

"What?" Gwen spluttered, "Is this your fault?"

Morgana stared at her feet. "I brought Lancelot back from the dead. I gave him an enchanted bracelet to give to you. That's why you couldn't resist him"

Gwen stared at Morgana. "You are unbelievable." she said, "Unbelievable and insane and totally unforgivable."

Gwen forced herself to her feet and made for the door.

"Gwen, wait!" called Morgana.

"For what!" Gwen shouted turning to face Morgana. "What can you possibly have left to say. You got me thrown out of my home and for what? I mean how did you think this would work, Morgana? Did you think I would just leave Camelot and suddenly be ready to go to war with you? What Arthur has done is awful but what you have done is so much worse."

"Is it?" said Morgana, getting up from the bed. This was the Morgana Gwen remembered. Fierce and formidable and utterly intimidating. "Remind me Gwen what exactly have I done?"

"You killed people."

"It's a war, Gwen. Besides the number of your people I have killed dwarfs in comparison to the number of my people killed by Arthur and Uther."

"You tried to take over Camelot! You tried to rule my home as a dictatorship."

"A monarchy is always a dictatorship! I would have made a far better ruler than Uther did. Once I was settled in power everything would have died down. I would have ruled fairly."

"You were going to kill me and all the knights, not to mention Arthur."

"I offered you immunity and if the knights had joined me they could have had it too."

"And Arthur?"

"Why are you so loyal to him? Why are you so loyal to Uther? Uther killed your father Gwen and Arthur pretended to love you so he could carry on sleeping with Merlin. He threw you out of your home without a second thought as soon as the opportunity came up because it suited him to do so. All I did was show you what would have happened sooner or later anyway. Do you honestly think either of these men deserve to rule Camelot?"

"You're right." Gwen said quietly. She pulled out a chair and sat down. "They don't Morgana. They have been unfair to your people and I owe them no personal loyalty but you are not the better choice. Arthur may have wronged me, but he is not a bad king. He tries to do what's right for the people. Between you and Arthur I am afraid that Arthur is more suited to be king."

"I agree." said Morgana, "Which is why I need you. I need you to keep me grounded, to stop me taking things too far. Morgause was the only person who ever accepted me for who I was, her sister and a sorcerer, when she met me I was right for the throne but she has led me down a path of death and destruction. I need someone to help me get back to the person I used to be."

"You want me to help you be a better queen?"

Morgana nodded and sat anxiously waiting for a response.

"Why should I trust you?" Gwen asked after a few minutes.

"You probably shouldn't. All I know is that you loved me once. Before Lancelot and before Arthur it was me and you. You made me a better person and I know there was something about me that made you happy or you never would have stayed with me for so long."

Gwen reached out a hand and cupped Morgana's cheek in her hand. "I did love you once. I think I still do. And Arthur has wronged me."

She leant forward a placed a light, chaste kiss on Morgana's lips.

"But I can't get past the things you have done, or not to the point where I would happily fight to see you ruling Camelot. So I will give you a choice. You can have me. I will stay with you, here, forever, on the condition that you stop trying to kill Arthur and take over. Or you can continue on your path of death and destruction but you can continue alone."

Gwen allowed her hand to drop and studied Morgana's face.

"Can I have some time to think?" Morgana asked.

"I won't be ready to leave until morning. You can have until then to decide but know this. If I leave I am never coming back. Not to you, not to Arthur, not to Camelot. I want to be free of everything that has happened since my father's death. I want a fresh start."

Morgana nodded and got up. She put the logs she had brought in onto the fire and headed towards the door.

"I'm going for a walk." she said, "you should be able to find anything you need in the kitchen area."

And with that she swept from the house leaving Gwen alone with her thoughts.