I have decided that from now on that chapters of this story will be uploaded on Mondays, not Saturdays. Therefore the story will always appear on Livejournal two days before it appears here.

Morgana's eyes shot open.

Sitting up suddenly she realised that she had dropped off in her chair from lack of anything else to do. It had been another vivid dream, the same dream. It was obvious that the sleeping drafts were not working for her. She had to convince Gaius to tell her more about what she saw. She had to tell someone…

She pulled her wrap around her and walked cross the sunny courtyard, straight towards Gaius's apartments. There was no guarantee he would be there, but if he wasn't then Merlin might be; she could leave a message with him.

Finally getting to the dark passage that led to his home she opened the door and stepped inside. There didn't appear to be anyone in. She sighed in defeat and walked in nonetheless. She ran her fingers across the books on the table, all of them about how to make concoctions with herbs to heal the sick and soothe pain, about creatures that inhabited the kingdom, and about science. They were all subjects Morgana lacked interest in.

She heard a clang come from the little room at the top of a small set of stairs. She made her way over to see what it was.

"Gaius?" she called quietly.

There was no reply.

Morgana cautiously went to the door and peered through. Inside she saw someone lying on a small bed in the corner with their head buried in a book. It had to be Merlin. She was about to knock on the door to alert him to her presence when she heard the clag again. Merlin looked up, not seeing her through the break in the door, and got up.

"Oh well," he said to himself. "It was a nice try."

He sat back down on the bed with a bucket of water. Morgana scowled, what was he doing? He sat cross legged on the bed with the book his was reading lying in front of him and he placed the bucket on the table by his bed. He then picked up a scrubbing brush. Morgana tried to lean forward to see what he was going to do with it.

"Right, now, let's try again" he said. He placed the brush down with the bucket and shook his head, "Why is it that for all the things I can use this book for I can't use it to do my housework?"

He located something on the page of the book he was reading and drew breath to speak; unbeknownst that Morgana was watching intently. He whispered something old-sounding, like an ancient poem. Then, suddenly there was another small crash. Merlin looked towards the door…

Morgana gasped, backing against the wall. She waited a few moments before looking back into the room, covering her mouth to hide her breathing.

Merlin was standing by the window, looking out at the city. Morgana leant in closer to see what was going on. Merlin said something before she could look. She froze, as if he knew she was here. Then she realised that Merlin was talking to himself.

"I hope Arthur doesn't get into trouble today," he said. "If I end up in the stocks again and he nearly gets killed… Ow!" he felt behind him to rub his back, "Let's hope he doesn't meet any more of the sidhe; I'm lucky I can walk… ouch!"

He turned, she ducked away.

She left it a few seconds before she dared to look again. He was lying on his bed with his eyes closed. He then chuckled, "Let's hope Gwen keeps her feet on the ground…"

It was at that moment Morgana heard someone coming from the passageway outside the room. It must be Gaius, she thought.

"Merlin!" called Gaius from outside.

Morgana rushed down the small stairs into the main room so that Merlin wouldn't see that she was right outside the door. Trying to look as if she'd only just stumbled in, she looked at the odd herbs and books on the table as Gaius came in.

"Merlin!" he called again as he saw her. "Morgana."

Merlin came out of his room at that moment and saw her too. He stopped dead, his skin pale with shock, "Hello, Morgana."

She stared at him before managing to smile, "Hello, Merlin."

Gaius came up towards her and gave her an affectionate, fatherly kiss on the cheek. As he spoke to her he glanced at Merlin, "How long have you been waiting, my child?"

"Oh, I only just came in," she lied. "I didn't know Merlin was home."

"I didn't know she was here" Merlin said independently, to Gaius.

"Yes, she just said that, Merlin," Gaius said.

Merlin awkwardly nodded and looked away, not knowing what to say. Morgana glanced at him before turning to Gaius, "I had another dream."

"I thought as much," the old man replied.

He motioned her into a chair and began to put together some sort of tea for her. As he worked he glanced up at Merlin. "Don't you have to go back to work, Merlin?"

"No," he said, picking up one of Gaius's books and reading it through. He looked up and saw Gaius staring at him. "Oh right, that was a hint. I can take a hint."

Merlin put down the book, picked up his jacket and went towards the door.

"It's alright," Morgana said to Gaius. "I trust Merlin."

"Don't worry about me," Merlin assured her with an innocent smile. "I can tell when I'm not wanted. I'll just walk aimlessly around the castle until someone gives me an order." He nodded to Morgana, "See you later."

She watched him go, her eyes not leaving him. She managed to smile as she did so. As soon as he was gone it faded and she wondered about the scene she had witnessed in his room. What had she actually seen? She wondered if he had been using the 'forbidden' word. Furthermore she wondered what he was talking about with the 'sidhe' and whatnot.

Gaius sat down at the end of the table and poured her out the tea before offering it to her. She drank it nervously, looking around the cluttered and dusty room, wondering how anyone as old as Gaius could stand to live in a place like it.

"Well?" Gaius said.

"Well," Morgana began. "It was the dream again. I didn't think anything of it at first but now… I don't know."

"Do you still see Gwen in the dreams?"

She nodded, "I see her sitting in a room, crying. It's all so vivid… I know I see Arthur as well, and Uther, and a fire burning, and blood pouring across the floor of the throne room, and then…" she said, trying to recall. "I saw the eyes again."

Gaius started up, "The cat eyes?"

"Yes, the same yellow cat eyes," she explained. "Like the eyes of a demon."

She gulped down the tea in one go, trying to remain as ladylike as possible.

Gaius shook his head, "It's just a nightmare, Morgana. You've been dreaming of those yellow eyes ever since you were a little girl. It doesn't mean anything."

"Then why do I keep seeing it!" she cried.

Gaius raised his hands to calm her down, resting them on her shoulders, "Morgana, I keep telling you. Your mind is playing tricks. Everyone has nightmares."

Morgana nodded, not convinced. "So what are you going to do now? Drug me with an even stronger sleeping draft?"

Gaius sighed, "What do you want to do?"

She sighed helplessly, "I don't know what I can do. I never have ever since I was a child. I'd just dream things and then they'd happen."

She stood and walked towards the window.

"Like that time Arthur fell off his horse and broke his wrist," she said. "I dreamt that for nearly a month before it happened. I remember the dream even now – it happened just as I said it would!"

She turned to look at Gaius, "I just want to be able to sleep at night and know the dreams I am having are just dreams. Now, tell me honestly, is that ever going to happen?"

There was a long pause.

Gaius shook his head, "I only wish it could be that way, Morgana."

With a look of defeat in her eyes she turned to leave. Then she stopped, thinking of Merlin again. She turned to look at Gaius. He stood looking at her in silence. After a short pause he finally spoke.

"What is it, Morgana?"

"Gaius," she began. "May I ask you something… about Merlin?"

"What about Merlin?"

"Have you ever noticed something… different about him?"

Gaius turned back to his work, "He's a very 'different' sort of a boy. Why do you ask?"

"It's just…" she began, trying to find the right words. She didn't want to mention magic as she knew how loyal Gaius was to Uther, and didn't want to worry him. "There is something different about him."

"What do you mean?"

"It's like," she said, "he knows about things that no one else does. Whenever Arthur is saved he's always there. Remember when I had that dream about Sophia killing him. You said yourself that you would find someone who could help him… and you sent Merlin."

Gaius shrugged, "There was no one else to send."

"You could have told Uther," she said. "If Arthur had just run off to elope then you could have had Uther send riders out to find them. You could have sent the whole army knowing the mood Uther is in these days. But you didn't… you sent Merlin."

Gaius glanced at her, "He offered to go. It wasn't exactly an emergency. I didn't want to worry Uther needlessly."

"Then there's the druid boy," she began. "Mordred, you remember him. When I was treating him, he called out my name. I heard him say it but his lips didn't move. It's like… he was in my mind."

"What's your point?"

"When his father was executed," she explained. "Merlin was with me; we were watching from my bedroom window. The boy screamed so loud he smashed my mirror. Again, his lips didn't move. He did it in his mind, and I could hear him. Looking back I realised… Merlin could hear him too. He tried to speak to him a few times while he was there. Merlin and I could hear Mordred speak to us in our minds while Arthur and Gwen couldn't hear…"

The old man put his work down and looked at her, "Morgana…"

"Is he like me?"

The old man looked at her, "In what way?"

"You know what I mean."

Gaius picked up a bottle and handed it to her, "Drink this before you go to bed it should induce a very deep sleep…"

"I take it that's a yes," Morgana said.

"…Your mother used to find it very effective."

"Gaius, please," she said imploringly. "Tell me."

"Morgana" Gaius said. "I will not say anything that will incriminate you or Merlin."

She shook her head helplessly, "You don't understand. I can feel it on him…"

The old man shook his head, "Then why are you talking to me about it?"

Morgana stood in silence, not knowing how to reply. In the end she didn't. She just took the medicine and walked out.

-

The next day Gwen came into the castle with two letters; one for Arthur and one for Merlin. She had taken all night to write them and felt quite weary for having done so. But it was worth it. She had decided that the only way she could find the courage to confess anything. It made her feel stronger.

Firstly, she dropped off the letter to Merlin.

She knocked on the door and found Gaius inside but no sign of Merlin. On some level she was glad as she would rather the letter were passed on rather than have to give it to him herself.

Gaius was brewing something at his workbench when she walked in. He turned and smiled, "Gwen, what brings you here? Are you here to see Merlin?"

"Why, is he here?" she asked.

"I'm afraid not," he replied. "He just left to see Arthur."

"Good," she whispered before swiftly handing him the letter. "Make sure he gets that."

Gaius took the letter, looking it over and nodded, placing it safely into a book. "I'll make sure he does. Was that all?"

She nodded and turned to leave. Then she remembered something. "Oh, by the way, make sure that he knows it is for him. Don't let him give it to Arthur by mistake."

Gaius tilted his head, having no idea what she meant. He nodded again, "I will."

The second letter was to go to Arthur. There was only one place she felt she could leave that; in the secret alcove where all the letters were left. When she opened it she found yet another letter there, as always. She took it and replaced it with the letter she had written.

For the first time she had written a letter solely for Arthur.

Walking towards Morgana's apartments she thought about those letters and the things she had considered the night before when she wrote, what she believed would be her last letter to Arthur.

Her feelings for Merlin had already been there when she started writing, and he started replying. The more she read the letters the more in love she fell. Now she didn't know what to think. Had she only fallen in love with the letter writer because she believed it was Merlin, or had she on some level fallen in love with the letter writer because she thought she was seeing a different side to someone she thought she loved?

In the end she decided she had to set the record straight. With Merlin, in any case; it had gone too far to amend the damage it might have done to Arthur. She could hardly tell him that it was a case of mistaken identity.

She wasn't even sure it was anymore.

The letter writer had bared a part of his soul to her in those letters. When she thought about it she felt it was possible that Arthur was just making the whole thing up. He had never been someone you could associate with 'deep feelings' and certainly not one for writing romantic love letters.

Yet he did, and there was a chance that he could truly be developing feelings for her. The thing was that she had Merlin to tell her what he thought. Then again what if he did have feelings for her, maybe even love her? Gwen knew she was getting ahead of herself but what if he found out now it was her that sent the letters. He'd be humiliated and probably ridicule her.

But that is the Arthur I know from every day life, Gwen thought. Not the letter writer.

Was this rough-tough Arthur all there was to him? He had done so many noble and loving things – he saved Merlin from dying even though there was a risk that he could die, and he rescued her the other night from being robbed by thieves…

Gwen walked into Morgana's chambers and greeted her with a forced smile. "Good morning, milady."

Morgana walked up to her and noticed straight away something was wrong, "What's the matter, Gwen?"

"Oh, nothing, milady" she said bravely. "I'll be fine."

Morgana wasn't convinced, but decided not to press the issue since Gwen was obviously not looking for advice. She walked over to her drinking cabinet and poured out a cup of wine. She took it as if it were medicine. It had become a habit recently – medicating herself with wine seemed to take the edge off the dreams much better than the sleeping drafts did.

She even wondered what would happen if she poured the sleeping draft into a cup of wine.

"Gwen," she said suddenly.

"Yes, milady," Gwen replied, also in a world of her own. "Is there something I can do for you?"

"Do you speak to Merlin often?" the lady asked.

"He's" Gwen began. She thought for a moment before finishing. "He's my friend, milady. One of the best I could ask for."

"I thought the two of you were—" Morgana began.

Gwen started up, "We're not! We never have… and we probably never will now."

Morgana was intrigued, realising this was why Gwen looked so down, "Why do you say that?"

The maidservant took a deep breath and shook her head. "It's a long story."

Morgana turned back to pour another glass of wine, this time getting one for Gwen. She handed it to the girl and sat down, "Tell me. I want to help."

Gwen took the cup and shook her head again, "I don't see how anyone can help. I'm so confused and…" she sat down. She felt like telling someone who wouldn't judge her, but she had to think about how she could cover up for things Morgana might find awkward – like Arthur's involvement – as she knew that in reality Morgana would probably end up as queen one day.

She began: "I've been sending letters to a man. I thought he was Merlin at first but I recently found out that it was in fact another man. He would write such wonderful things in the letter, and always ask who I was and… I thought it was Merlin I loved, and the letters made me believe it more but now…"

"You're in love with the man who you have been writing letters to?" Morgana asked.

"That's just it," Gwen said in a strained, confused voice. "I don't know what to think anymore. I adore Merlin. There's just something about him; he's so kind, sweet, and funny. He's so wonderfully weird…"

Morgana nodded and smiled, "Tell me about it."

"I liked him as soon as I saw him," Gwen confessed. She then held her head down, ready to talk about 'the other man', "But the man who was writing the letters…"

"What's he like?"

"He's very… un-Merlin," she explained. "He's much harder, not nearly as sweet, and is a bit of a… bully. Not to me or anything but, you know, to others. You know the type."

Morgana nodded again, "Sounds like most men our age. Arthur is one, his friends are another. Not many men are like Merlin."

Gwen looked away at the mention of Arthur, "I know. But the thing is that these letters have shown another side of him to me. I mean the other day he helped me when I was walking home late and even came to see if I was alright. He doesn't even have a clue the letters were written by me. It made me wonder… what if he just behaves that way because he feels he needs to."

"Could be," Morgana said. "The thing about men is that they often pretend to be tougher than they really are. What sort of things did the man write in his letters?"

Gwen couldn't help but smile, "The most touching and endearing things I have ever read. Looking back over the letters I'm surprised I didn't catch on quicker. Funny thing is that even in my dreams when I thought about the letters I never saw Merlin. I only ever saw the words."

Morgana chuckled, "It sounds like you answered your own question."

"Sorry?"

"You're obviously in love with this man."

Gwen looked at her, cheeks starting to flush.

"It sounds like what you felt for Merlin was a bit of a—" Morgana tried to find the right word, "an infatuation. We all get those. But this other man, I don't know, when I look at you when you speak of him… there's something there."

Gwen smiled shyly, "You think?"

Morgana nodded, "I do."

The maid smiled before looking away and shaking her head, "It doesn't matter because it's never going to work out."

"Why not?"

"It's a long story."

"I have plenty of wine."

Gwen chuckled, "It's longer than that. The bottom line is that… I'm not good enough for him."

Morgana scowled. She put down her wine goblet and took Gwen's hands, "Listen to me, Gwen. Don't ever believe that you're not good enough for someone. Any man would be lucky to have you."

"It's not like that," the maid replied. "He's a bit higher up in the social class than I am."

Gwen thought, A bit doesn't cover it. He's a bloody Prince!

"That doesn't matter!" Morgana said firmly. "If this man loves you then he should fight for you, and damn your social class. Whether he's a servant like you, or a lord, or a king, he should fight for you. Then you'll know your love is true."

Gwen shook his head, "It's funny but before Merlin came here…"

"Hmm," Morgana said through a smile.

"I had a little bit of a crush on this man," she confessed, "Just a little one, mind. Very, very little, but I did; ever since I was a little girl, actually."

Morgana tilted her head, "I didn't know that!"

"I didn't want to tell you because…" Gwen began but she stopped. She almost said 'because I knew how you felt about him.' She just shook her head and smiled, "I… thought you might laugh."

Morgana reached out to pat Gwen's hair as if they were sisters, "Don't be silly. I would never laugh at you. You're the only person who keeps me sane in this world. I do anything to make you happy."

Gwen couldn't help but smile. Morgana was so much more than her mistress; she was her friend.

"I am happy," Gwen said. "I'm just confused. I feel as if… I'm trapped. I don't want to confess my love to this man face to face. I'm just terrified of what will happen."

"It'll be fine," Morgana replied. "If he is worthy of your love then he will love you the moment he realises it is you."

-

Merlin walked into his master's chambers and, for the first time in that week, Arthur wasn't waiting by the door for him. On the other hand Merlin had made sure to get up extra early so Arthur probably hadn't got up yet. He walked into the bedroom and found Arthur sitting in bed, staring into space. On his lap there was a letter.

Another one, Merlin thought.

He still hadn't come around to the fact that Gwen was the letter writer. It made him see them in a whole other way. He then remembered Morgana's dream about Gwen, and how she saw her as Queen of Camelot. Merlin shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself.

It was then he noticed that Arthur had a troubled look on his face.

"Morning, sire" he said chirpily.

Arthur looked at him and then straight ahead again, "I never thought I'd live to see you get here early. Has the plague finally broken out in that pig sty you call a bedroom?"

Merlin cleared his throat.

He went on: "You're welcome to sleep on the floor of my bedroom after you've swept it."

"And is there a reason for your prickliness this morning, sire?" Merlin asked.

The prince sighed, laying his head back around the head board of the bed with his eyes closed. "I went out early to get the letter from the alcove this morning."

Merlin nodded and set to folding up Arthur's discharged nightshirt. A part of him felt a little smug, as he was 'in the know', "You must be keen, then."

"Keener than she seems to be," Arthur said quietly.

The manservant stopped and asked, "How'd you mean?"

"It's her latest letter," he explained. "It's much more… formal than the others."

Merlin swallowed, "In what way?"

Arthur handed it to him, "Read it, I don't mind."

The servant read aloud:

Sir,

Over the last few weeks your letters have inspired a strange and deep meaning within me. You say that my identity kept you writing, but for me it was that I was certain I knew who you were. What I found from these letters you sent showed how wrong I was about who you were, in more ways than one.

You truly have a sensitive side…

Merlin couldn't help chocking back a chuckle.

…that I feel you do not show often enough. I'd like to see you use this romantic side of you more. Yet, in reading your letters I have come to realise several things. Firstly, I must be straight with you – as well as you there is someone else…

He stopped and looked at Arthur, "Oh…"

"Read the rest," Arthur ordered.

Merlin obeyed, curious to know who Gwen's 'other man' was…

I have had feelings for this man for some time now and I am confused. I see him and I burn with emotion. Yet when I read your letters I burn just as much, if not even more. Now, when I see you walking around the palace, I daren't look you in the face for fear you'll see me for what I am.

Merlin paused again, thinking about the words. Was this true? He had suspected Gwen had an innocent crush on Arthur but had no idea she was going through this. It made him feel awkward. He was supposed to be her best friend.

This brings me to the second point – although you said that you could love me no matter what, I feel that any love between us is impossible. The truth is that regardless of this other man he is more within my reach. You are a prince, and I cannot compete with other women, more beautiful and glamorous, and – above all – rich as they are.

I have nothing to offer you other than little love letters and a heart, which is not enough for a prince who deserves so much more.

An Admirer

Merlin put the letter down and looked at Arthur, "I think she prefers you deep down."

The prince sighed, "Another man. That has never happened to me before. A girl who I care for has another man."

"I'm sorry."

"God!" cried Arthur, throwing his head back again and covering his face. "If only I knew who she was I'd be able to fight for her or better," he added. "I'd put that other man in his place."

Merlin sighed. He had promised Gwen he wouldn't tell her that he knew it was her sending the letters, but he had to tell Arthur something.

"I know who she is" Merlin said quietly.

Arthur sprang up with a start and stared at him, "What, you know who she is?" He nodded. The prince jumped up onto his feet, "Tell me!"

"I can't," the servant replied. "I promised her I wouldn't tell you her name."

"Why?" Arthur said with a scowl.

"Because she just did," Merlin replied.

"Merlin," Arthur said in his stern 'I-am-the-Prince' voice, "Tell me who she is!"

He shrugged, "I can't tell you, but I might be able to find out who the other man is for you."

Arthur sighed and fell backwards onto the bed again, throwing his arms over the other aide and groaning loudly. He felt so frustrated. Merlin stood there awkwardly, looking out the window for distraction. He knew he'd crack eventually, but he couldn't betray Gwen.

Merlin sighed, "I'm sorry. I truly am sorry sire but… she's my best friend."

"Fine" the prince finally said.

"Fine…" Merlin repeated.

"Find out who this man is for me, and then," Arthur said pulling himself up. He walked over to the window and looked out at the white sky. He held himself tall and strong, as if he were regaining the masculinity he had shamelessly let down right in front of Merlin.

"And then?" Merlin asked.

"Find out just how serious they are."

-

Merlin wandered home in a daze, thinking about Gwen and the letter she had sent to Arthur. He wondered whether his asking about her feelings for Arthur the other day had frightened her off. Had he ruined this relationship for Arthur? Had he ruined Gwen's chance to be part of a fairytale come true?

He dragged himself into the room. Gaius looked up and pulled a poker face when he saw how shattered and saddened his charge seemed to be in comparison to the personification of cheerfulness.

He collapsed into a chair and buried his head in his arms at the table. Gaius slipped two piece of paper in front of him. Merlin looked up and took them, "What are these?"

"A note and a letter," Gaius explained, getting back to his work, "The note is from Morgana, asking if you could bring her another sleeping draft and some more willow bark for her headaches. The letter is from Gwen, she delivered it this morning. She told me to point out that it is for you."

Merlin looked at the letter sealed up, just for him. "Why would she be writing to me? She only lives a few streets away…"

Gaius rolled his eyes, "I don't know, Merlin. Why don't you read it?"

"And why does Morgana want me to bring her the sleeping draft?" Merlin asked.

Gaius looked away, "I'm too busy to take it myself."

Merlin groaned and made his way to his room. The day wasn't even over yet and he was completely drained of all happiness. All he could think about was Arthur and how sad he was. What made it worse was that he had made it worse by telling him he knew who the girl was.

Why did I do that? Merlin asked himself.

He sat on his bed and opened the letter from Gwen. He wondered if it contained instructions from her on what he could and could not say to Arthur about her. He hated being in the middle of this love affair gone wrong. It was bad enough he had his own 'big' secret without keeping Gwen's too.

He read the letter;

Merlin,

This is more of a confession than anything else. It is a confession of the foolish mistake that I made which has now left me in the middle of a hopeless circle of confusion. Like something out of a fairytale…

At that moment his innocence of the situation was broken:

This is the confession; I love you. It was my error in not just telling you months ago how I felt, but writing these letters where anyone could have read them. As it turns out the original letter that I wrote, it was written for you—not the man who read it. I foolishly kept reading and writing believing the writer was you.

And yet I knew something wasn't quite right. The language used, the handwriting, the smell of the paper, I knew it wasn't you. I suppose I was living a delusion. But, Merlin, I have now found myself caught by my own feelings. I love you, but I also love Arthur. The things he wrote… they have shown a different side to him, one I didn't know was there.

I can't lie anymore. I need to know what you think and how you feel. I imagine this will cause you some distress, and this I am sorry for, but you of all people will understand my need an answer.

You need not write a reply to me, just tell me face to face. I promise I will accept whatever choice you make, and I hope I can count on your sympathy and support no matter what because that is just your good nature.

Gwen.

Merlin slumped back into his pillow, took a deep sigh and closing his eyes wishing he hadn't woken up this morning. He tried to churn all the information over in his head. It just didn't seem to make sense in his head.

Gwen had feelings for him?

Thinking back over the last few months it was somewhat obvious, what with her kissing him and Morgana and Arthur mistaking their relationship for that of a romantic one. Even Lancelot, who had clearly been smitten with Gwen, asked him whether they were – to put it in polite terms – having relations.

He'd laughed at the very idea. "No, we're just friends!"

He had no idea Gwen felt that way – and that really did make him an idiot. One of the first things he said to her was along those lines: "I'm Merlin, but most people just call me 'idiot'." And he was a complete idiot.

The tragic thing was that no girl had ever fallen for him before, so he didn't know what to do. He felt helpless and clueless. He had always believed that he would know the girl he would love the moment he saw her. Ironically Merlin had been 'attracted' to plenty of girls, but for some reason Gwen was never one of them.

Besides, even if he did love her, what would be the point? Arthur was in love with her too – although he didn't know it yet – and he always got the girl. He deserved the girl, really. He had been the one she fell in love with over the letters. Gwen deserved to have the prince too. She would live out every serving girl's fantasy.

He loved Gwen, but as a friend. She meant the world to him, but just not in that way. If there was a chance Gwen could find happiness with the most handsome prince in the kingdom, he wouldn't stand in the way of it. Even if he did feel the same, Merlin couldn't offer Gwen. He was only a servant. He was a servant with a great destiny but nonetheless he was still a servant.

After thinking everything over in his head, he stumbled out of his room an hour later rubbing his eyes. Gaius was reading peacefully. He looked up, "Feeling better now?"

Merlin nodded and sat in a chair at the bench. Gaius stared at him, "Merlin."

"Hmm"

"Morgana's sleeping draft," he stated. Merlin sighed, picked up the sleeping draft and the willow bark, and made his way out the door. "And remember the meeting."

"What meeting?"

"The May Day meeting," Gaius replied.

Merlin thought for a moment, "Wait a minute, I thought we already had one."

"There is another one."

As if other people didn't have anything better to do, Merlin thought. He groaned, "Holding meetings must be one of Uther's favourite pass times; holding meetings, burning witches and putting me in the stocks."