Sorry for the delay... This chapter really give me some trouble. Given it's rather longer than the previous ones, I hope you will forgive me ;)

Chapters 5 and 6 are under way, thanks for your patience and the kind review!

Chapter 4

Watched by four pairs of intrigued eyes, Morgana removed the oilcloth carefully, unwrapping its content slowly. The protective layer revealed another one, made of some gauze or linen, covered with a thin crust of wax. The oilcloth had obviously prevented the wax from cracking with the passing years. Morgana slowly released the breath she was unconsciously holding.

"It looks like a book. I'm afraid I could damage it if I cut through the seal without the proper instruments."

"Maybe we should bring it to Godefroi." Gwen suggested.

Morgana sighed heavily and folded the oilcloth around the book again.

"You're right. He'll handle it better than me…"

Merlin made a face, disappointed she didn't give it a try. Arthur stood annoyed. First she ignored him for his father, and now he was being relegated for a stupid book?

"So, if we're done here, I'd like to have a couple of things done today, if you don't mind…"

Morgana frowned.

"You don't need to be this harsh."

"I'm simply pointing out we have serious work to do."

"So my work is not a real one?"

"Stop putting words in my mouth Morgana! I said…"

Uther raised his hand and they both fell silent instantly. Some things never changed…

Arthur was fuming. He was so angry with her. She did it every time they argued; she twisted his words so he looked like a fool. She knew how to push to completely enraged him. Then she looked at him with those big green eyes of hers, and she had him nearly begging at his knees for forgiveness. Damned her… He wanted to crush her against that counter and have her beg for his mercy. He wanted to strangle her lovely neck, even if he knew what having his hands on her soft skin would do to his sanity. Damned her, she was playing with him and he let her; again. Arthur fisted his hands more tightly behind his head.

Morgana took deep breaths, trying to push away the unwanted tears in her eyes. Hurt or rage, she didn't even know where they were coming from. She could barely remember what made her so mad in the first place. She was home; she had her dearest friends with her; Uther was here, and Arthur… Arthur was acting like a jerk.

She snorted. Arthur was leaning against the counter with a horrible air of satisfaction that got to her again. He had crossed his hands behind his head, ruffling his hair in the process and he was staring at her. She wanted to wipe that arrogant smirk of his face. Her fingers itched to run through that golden hair of his. The thought made her actually madder, if that was possible. She wanted to be furious at him, not go running to him to kiss him senseless… Whatever thought crossed his mind, his cocky smile turned wolfish. Morgana blushed furiously, partly ashamed, partly outraged.

"Children."

Uther's commanding voice pierced through their respective bubbles of anger. Morgana looked away. Arthur relaxed a little.

"The living room needs to be cleaned, you can hardly move in here. Arthur, find me some working gloves, will you? Morgana, honey, call the local Inn to book me a room and make a reservation at the same time for diner tonight, around seven."

"Of course."

Arthur followed his father's lead out of the room as quickly as he could without another word. Merlin grinned and made his exit last, with his best imitation of Kermit the Frog, his chin pointing up in the air. He almost banged his head on the frame in the process. Gwen laughed, and finished cleaning the table before taking their cups for a refill of coffee.

"Poor Merlin… Stuck between Arthur and his father all afternoon."

"We'll rescue him later eventually. I can't deal with him now."

The hiss in Morgana's voice made clear enough who she was referring to. Gwen poked at her arm gently.

"Don't let him get to you like that… You know how he acts when his father is around…"

"Yes and he should grow out of that 'I-need-to-prove-I'm-better-than-my-father' complex! What an idiot!"

"Maybe. But he is your idiot."

Gwen's retort shut Morgana up. A light smile blossomed on her lips. The smile grew slowly, and by the time it reached her eyes, her anger was gone completely.

"Yes, I suppose he is…"

"Good. Now I strongly suggest you tell him, before he blows up in Uther's face."

"You think me telling Arthur he is an idiot is going to help?" Morgana asked maliciously.

Gwen giggled.

"Oh, that's low..."

Morgana grinned in return. Now that her good mood was back, she (nearly) felt sorry for Arthur. Uther was going to boss him around, because he always did. And Arthur was not going to confront him, because he never did. Maybe that was enough punishment for his ridiculous behaviour. And maybe, just maybe, she'll forgive him.

"I'll make those phone calls. Afterwards, I want another look at that cupboard. There was another package on the shelf…"

Uther picked up an armful of soiled clothes, sticky with glue and cement, and took them outside. His son and Merlin were handling a heavy old beam.

"Careful Merlin. Step on your right. No, the other right. Good. Forward now, two steps. Stop! Okay, on the count of three, one, two, three!"

They threw the beam into the container. Uther approved internally. Arthur had a head for that kind of things. With his work he was patient and cold-headed; thus he was quite prompt to lose his temper with everything else. Morgana was particularly good at annoying him. And she enjoyed her power; Always had... Uther cast his load into the container in turn. He paused, wiping the sweat of his forehead and breathing heavily.

Uther straightened up when he spotted Morgana walking out of the kitchen with refreshments. She tossed two bottles to Merlin and Arthur then turned her attention to her godfather.

"You must not overwork yourself, Uther. You know what Dr. Gaius said…"

"Don't worry, honey, I'm fine. We're nearly done anyway."

Morgana gave her godfather a meaningful glance. He looked his years after an afternoon of carrying loads of trash in and out the house.

"Arthur and Merlin will handle the rest of it. I miss your company and I need your talent with locks…"

She slipped her arm beneath his and tugged him back inside without waiting for an answer.

Arthur leaned against the container to drink, glimpsing at her slender form moving away. Her solicitude didn't bother him this time. He, too, had noticed the slight trembling in the hands of his father while he drank. Merlin crashed on the ground and sighed loudly.

"Don't get too comfortable, Merlin, we're not done yet."

"I wouldn't dream of it… Are you still mad?"

"Was not."

"It looked a lot like it."

"Whatever you say."

Merlin gave him a sympathetic look.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really."

Arthur gulped more water. Merlin dropped the subject; sort of.

"You know, I'm sure you can find more efficient ways to prove to Morgana that she belongs to you other than enraging her."

Arthur took another mouthful before answering.

"She's so frustrating… One minute she's an angel and the next one she is beating me up into a pulp."

"Did you try flowers? Or sweets? Girls are goners for chocolates."

"Merlin…"

"Hey, I'm trying to help, here."

"You're not."

Arthur pushed up from the tank.

"Let's give it another hour…"

He helped his friend on his feet.

"Jewellery?"

"Merlin."

"I shut up now."

Morgana presented Uther with a small wooden box. The box was unadorned, except for the intricate metal work of the closure. The lock was incredibly stiff and the metal looked battered. Still, it was fragile enough and she didn't want to damage the box or its eventual content. The box had been wrapped in the same kind of clothing as the book, so the wood had not suffered from humidity.

"I need some wire to make a hook and oil to ease the mechanism."

"I'll ask Arthur."

Gwen came back a few minutes later with the required items.

"Here."

Uther set to work on the gripped lock. Arthur entered the kitchen with Merlin in tow a few minutes later.

"Wait!"

Morgana frowned at the interruption. Arthur handed her camera.

"You might want this."

The tone was still too patronizing for her taste; but it was good thinking. Why couldn't he be considerate and amiable at the same time? Morgana nodded before moving to the table again.

"Thanks. Uther, I'll take a few pictures first."

She displayed the box and the oil cloth on the counter.

"I need…"

Arthur handed his tape. Using it as a scale, Morgana photographed their discovery conscientiously then stepped aside.

"I'm done. Uther, can you open it?"

Her godfather had bent the wire to form a hook and he inserted it into the keyhole. The thin wire ripped on the hard metal when he tried to work it on the lock. Uther tried again, without success. The third attempt ended with the hook scratching his hand. Uther swore loudly. Arthur grinned, quickly erasing the smile of his face under Morgana's glare.

His father crooked the wire some more and returned his ministrations to the refractory box. This time, the hook stayed in place. Several minutes later, they heard a tiny crack and then a click. Uther exhaled slowly. So did the four friends around him.

He handed the box back to his ward. Gwen picked up the camera.

"Go on, Morgana. Open it."

Morgana didn't hesitate. She moved the cover up, slowly but firmly. The inside of the box was filled with grey dust. Arthur stepped forward.

"Are you sure this is not dangerous? What is it?"

"I don't know."

The dust looked like cinder.

"Uther, can you give me the wire? Thanks."

Careful not to blow on the dust, Morgana used the sharp point to search the grey powder. A small 'cling' answered her exploration and she moved to look for the mysterious object inside the box, but Arthur stopped her again.

"I'd rather you don't touch that thing. Use this."

His overseeing was annoying, but she had to agree to his methods. Morgana took the fork he was handing and used it as a grid to corner the elusive item. She lifted it slowly along the inner side of the box until it passed over its edge. A rock the size of her thumb with the shape of a cubic prism landed on the table. One end was encased into a ring with a long chain.

Gwen handed a tissue. Morgana cleaned the strangle jewel. The ring and the chain glittered like old gold. The rock was transparent and roughly cut. Merlin gasped.

"Oh my god… Is this a diamond?"

Arthur used the tissue to hold the pendant by its chain. Light gleamed through the crystal, exploding into a rainbow.

"Yes, I think it is."

N/A: Season 3 is on air, and I must say it : Canon sucks! I will have my own version online soon. Unless they find some tricks out of their sleeves, I will probably keep with AU afterward.