A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I really appreciate them. I hope I'm still heading in the direction and that the story still feels like it flows. I'm trying really hard to stay true to the characters and I hope they sound like they're supposed to. Also, anything in italics is a flashback - kind of something new I'm trying since I don't work with flashbacks that often. So I hope that makes sense, too!

Things are going to start to pick up now. Soon, the temporary forgetting potion will wear off and then Merlin and Morgana's relationship will seem closer/more intense/etc. Right now I've kept it kind of light because that's the way I always thought of it in the show before she turned evil - they seemed like just friends - she was the king's ward and he was a servant and he was there for her. Thank you again, I totally value the feedback!


Chapter 3: Disguise

Three days later

Although shadows darted here and there throughout the corridor, the only two solid shapes were that of Merlin and Morgana as they silently snuck down the length of the hallway, hiding behind a column occasionally, and slowing to a walk if they passed anyone. They were able to do this because Morgana was disguised as a peasant.

Gwen had taken an old brown blanket and fitted it to Morgana like a dress. The sleeves were frayed and the neckline scooped down into a modest V. To any passing eyes, the hem of the dress would look uneven, but Merlin could see that Gwen had methodically put it together with care. A thin piece of rope was tied around Morgana's waist, pulling her entire look together. Her hair was piled on top of her head and her feet were bare. Gwen had also thrown a black cloak over her shoulders and pulled the hood up so that she would be further unrecognizable.

"Don't I look just like a peasant?" Morgana had asked them excitedly, her pleased smile lighting up her face. As Gaius assured her that she made a riveting peasant, Merlin silently thought to himself that she did look just like a peasant.

"Gwen, you work wonders," Morgana had said, turning to her maidservant and putting a hand on her shoulder. Gwen bowed her head a bit and smiled at the compliment, but Merlin could see how strained that smile was and how tense her posture was.

Now, as they hurried along the corridor, Merlin watched Morgana closely out of the corner of his eye. He was relieved that she was keeping his pace; she wasn't planning on getting caught, either. He found he had a hard time breathing as they traveled through the castle. Gaius was right; if they were caught, that would be the end.

It had been Morgana's idea to do this.

"Gaius, I don't feel like we're getting anywhere."

Gaius looked up from the stack of books at the table. "Whatever do you mean, Merlin?"

"It's just that, it's been three days, and we're still exactly where we started."

"Patience, Merlin."

"What about a permanent forgetting potion?" Merlin asked suddenly, leaning forward.

Gaius was silent for a few moments. "I've thought about it," he admitted. "But if I know the way prophecies work, then I would think that in order for this prophecy to come true, Morgana would have to turn good of her own accord, while acknowledging all the evil she has done."

"Remorse," Merlin said flatly.

"Exactly," Gaius agreed. "And I don't think the effect of a permanent forgetting spell would last for long. Morgana is not stupid."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Merlin said quietly, just as the door to his room opened.

Morgana stepped confidently down the steps, her purple gown swaying as she strode purposely to the table. She took a seat next to Merlin, as if they had been the best of friends for all time, and looked at Gaius.

"Is there something on your mind, milady?" Gaius asked her.

"Why hasn't Arthur come to see me?" Morgana asked, her brow furrowed. "Or Uther?"

Gaius and Merlin exchanged a look.

"Not that I care," Morgana added quickly. "I just thought perhaps they would have come to see how I was."

"Uther isn't well," Gaius said quietly, not daring to mention that he was unwell because of Morgana's betrayal. At the moment, Morgana didn't remember that she had betrayed her own father and her own kingdom.

Merlin watched as Morgana stiffened. "What's wrong with him?" she asked casually.

"Just an injury from the attack," Gaius said, before adding reassuringly, "Nothing at all serious." He looked at Merlin and Merlin realized the depth of the lie he had just told.

"I wish to see the ruins," Morgana said suddenly.

"The ruins?" Merlin echoed.

"Yes, the ruins. You said the throne room was destroyed, along with my chambers?"

Merlin's heart began to race. "Yes…"

"The king said that you were not to leave here," Gaius reminded her. "He would be furious."

"What the king doesn't know won't hurt him," Morgana said with a defiant smile that was only too familiar. The sight of it made Merlin sick. If the betrayal hadn't occurred, he would have thought it was a shadow of things to come. He saw instead that it was a shadow of what had already been.

Merlin caught her gaze. "We'll have to disguise you…"

"That's fine…"

"…as a peasant," he finished.

Morgana nodded. "I understand."

"You must be careful," Gaius warned.

"Of course," Morgana agreed, getting up from the table. "Gwen will be able to make me the perfect disguise." She walked back towards the steps, before turning and flashing another smile. "They don't call her the best seamstress in Camelot for nothing."

When she was gone, Merlin turned back to Gaius, exasperated. "Now what?"

"You're the one who agreed to take her on this outing," Gaius said, snapping his book closed. Merlin coughed as dust from the old volume filled his nose.

"I couldn't exactly refuse," Merlin said, waving the dust away."We should have known she would get restless."

"All I can tell you Merlin is that you cannot allow anyone to see her," Gaius said, opening another book. "If she is found, I dare not think of what will happen."

Merlin nodded, before getting up and going to find Gwen. He had told Gwen (and Gwaine) about everything and they had agreed to keep silent. Gwen had been very reluctant to serve Morgana again, but had done so to help Merlin and to make sure that Arthur's future as king of Camelot would come to be.

They were still quite a distance from the throne room when Merlin's worst fear came to pass.

Directly ahead, Arthur was discussing something with Sir Leon. Merlin quickly pushed Morgana into the corner, behind a wide, white column of stone. With a racing pulse, he leaned against the other side of it, where Arthur would see him, and not Morgana.

As soon as Arthur spotted him, he bid Sir Leon farewell, and walked over to him, the sound of his boots – the very boots that Merlin had polished the day before – echoing through the corridor.

"Ah, Merlin, there you are."

Merlin pressed harder against the stone column, as if that would hide Morgana better, or better yet, make them disappear.

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you all day. There's the little matter of my armor…" Arthur stopped suddenly, peering closely at Merlin's face. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," Merlin said, forcing himself to swallow. "Why would I be hiding anything?" As if to prove his innocence, he forced himself to put on the widest, goofiest smile he could.

"Right," Arthur said slowly, raising an eyebrow.

"Your armor?" Merlin reminded him. "There's a problem with it?"

"Yes," Arthur said, folding his arms. "It wasn't repaired."

Merlin stared at him. He had been so busy looking through thick, hopeless books with Gaius that he had completely forgotten about that necessity.

"Merlin," Arthur's voice broke him out of his thoughts. "What's the matter with you today?"

"Just a bit tired," Merlin said. "I will get right on that armor."

Arthur stepped back and looked at him as if he were the strangest specimen he had ever seen. Then he shook his head, as if dismissing it. "See to it that you do," he said, before turning and walking back the way he came. Once he had turned the corner, Merlin let out a sigh of relief.

Morgana stepped out from behind her column. "I think that went very well," she said as she walked boldly back into the corridor. Her walk reminded Merlin very much of Arthur's strut.

"Peasants don't walk like that, milady," he reminded her, the corners of his mouth twitching into the slightest smile.

Morgana turned around and smiled confidently. "This peasant does. Are you coming?" She held out her hand. Merlin stared at it for a moment, as if touching it would burn him. Slowly, he walked to her and took it.

"There now," she said, patting it, her smile warm and not evil. "There's nothing to be nervous about. I know a faster way to the throne room." She released his hand and turned the same way Arthur had.

Nothing to be nervous about? Merlin thought bitterly. Morgana didn't know how wrong she was. He followed her, trying to ignore the feeling in his chest that something bad was going to happen.