Chapter 9

The attendant took the heating cover off his back and began working with the electrical massager. Arthur clenched his teeth. The buzzing of the vibration on his back always created an itch he was dying to scratch; and when it reached his neck…

"Thank you, I'll take it from here. Hello Arthur!"

Freya dismissed her assistant. Arthur sighed thankfully when she stopped the torturing machine. The gel she started rubbing on the tensed muscles was icy and helped with the burning from the previous treatment.

"You need to learn how to relax, you know. Most muscle pains come from stress."

He chocked some uncompromising answer. Freya did not pay much attention to his grunting and commented nonchalantly

"Morgana seemed a bit edgy last night."

Edgy? On the contrary, Morgana was disturbingly calm… The idea distracted him and first thing he knew, Freya had twisted his head to one side, making the bones crack in the process.

"Ow…"

"Don't be such a baby. So, what's the problem?"

"Problem? No, no problem... Everything's fine."

Now the shock from the twist had passed, he felt better, the stiffness in his neck was nearly gone...

"Really?... She looked so nervous around you, I thought that maybe you…"

God, not her too… Merlin was bad enough with his weekly lectures about talking to Morgana. Was his girlfriend going to start on that to? They really made a pair…

"She was not nervous, just tired. She sleeps poorly these days."

"Oh. And why is that?"

Freya cracked his neck to the other side without a warning.

"Ouch! Do you have to do that?"

"Yeap. You're paying me big bucks for it. So, why does Morgana have trouble sleeping?"

Arthur groaned.

"I don't know."

"Oh."

He didn't like the sound of that 'Oh'. It was making him feel bad.

He had asked! And Morgana said everything was fine… Maybe he should have insisted?

Freya was firmly manipulating his head from side to side. If she twisted his neck again, he plainly deserved the pain. Maybe Morgana was not well? Maybe she needed him? He should have insisted. Freya patted his shoulder instead of giving a fully deserve wrench to his neck.

"All done."

Forgetting momentarily about Morgana's odd behaviour the previous night, Arthur sighed and straightened up, testing his neck. He rolled his head forward and backward, then from left to right. The stiffness was completely gone.

"Wow. Thanks…"

Freya handed his shirt. Her smile was contagious and Arthur returned it.

Freya was a nice girl and he could see why Merlin was so taken.

"Ask for another session next week with the clerk. You're good, that's just for routine exams."

"Okay."

He decidedly liked her. Arthur buttoned his shirt quickly and grabbed his jacket. Her remark was still nagging him so he paused at the door.

"Do you know something I don't?"

"About Morgana? Why would I; she's your foster-sister, not mine."

"She's not my sister."

Freya kissed his cheek lightly before she showed him out.

"Start acting accordingly, then."


Morgana folded her legs under her on the chair. They had been discussing for hours now, and neither one seemed to want to end the chat. She didn't want to be the first to call it a night…

Morgana yawned and pondered about Arthur. Knowing him, he was probably comfortably installed with his feet on the desk, and the keyboard on his knees…

LeiaM : 'Any plans for the weekend?'

ShiningKnight : 'Well, I was supposed to go hiking, but the weather is definitely not cooperative.'

LeiaM : 'Oh.'

Arthur frowned. Was the short syllabus the new answer for everything or what?

ShiningKnight : 'I have a couple of things to buy, so I'll do that instead. You?'

LeiaM : 'A guy who shops? I want one.'

ShiningKnight : 'Maybe… But you would hate shopping with me. I know what I want and where to find it, and I don't fool around…'

LeiaM : '*pouting*. You just don't understand the art of shopping.'

ShiningKnight : 'LOLL. Typical female reaction.'

Morgana laughed. This conversation was so much like them…

They had it nearly every time she dragged him along when she decided he needed new clothes or just wanted his company while she fussed with the latest fashion collections.

Arthur played with the idea of asking if she was free for coffee or a drink. But she still refused to give her name, so the direct approach was out of the question …

ShiningKnight : 'So, what did you plan for the weekend?'

He really wanted to meet her; the real her, the woman behind the screen. LeiaM was fascinating. She was smart and witty. He enjoyed the bantering and their online arguments. Bickering with her was as fun as his usual jesting with Morgana, without the awkwardness.

They talked about movies, TV, music, books, even politics. They had so much in common, it was nearly unbelievable. He had lost his mother, she was an orphan. They both loved Asian cooking, and outdoors as long as it involved coming back to a hot shower and comfortable furniture afterward…

At some point, Arthur had asked bluntly if she was Merlin making fun of him. LeiaM had flooded his chat window with fuming little faces. Then she had answered a short 'No'. He hadn't asked again.

LeiaM : 'Dunno. Hanging out with friends maybe.'

ShiningKnight : 'Male friends?'

Morgana grinned. Oh yeah, the particular friend she was planning to spend her weekend with was definitely male…

LeiaM : 'Some of them are. Are you worried or jealous?'

ShiningKnight : 'Both.'

LeiaM : 'You're a sweetheart. Good night…'

ShiningKnight : 'Sweet dreams My Lady.'


Groggy and in desperate need for caffeine, Arthur pushed the door of the kitchen open.

"Ah! Finally you're up… I was about to shove you off the bed!"

Flashes of LeiaM's avatars crossed his mind briefly, and he tried to resist… but those framed images dissolved in her welcoming arms. It was not his fault if his body betrayed him.

Her curves pressed against him were too soft, her perfume too intoxicating. When she sighed lightly, probably loosing her breath in the crushing embrace, he just buried his face in her hair and pulled her even closer.

Her mouth curled against his cheek, she was going to dash him…

Arthur released her faintly and searched her face for a sign of embarrassment, already looking for some joke to excuse his behaviour. Morgana was smiling happily, not at all chagrined. How could she not have noticed… Arthur sat down.

She tousled his hair then combed the blond strands. The gesture was tender and so intimate that desire shot through him again and a low groan escaped him. Morgana chuckled, blissfully misinterpreting the sound.

"Still churlish in the morning, I see… Coffee is nearly ready. I brought croissants."

Playing with his hair was sinful, it felt so soft under her hand; it was like playing with golden silk. Her fingers itched to curl around his nape and bring him close again so he would make more of those little noises of pleasure…

She brushed the hot skin on his collar and Arthur tensed a little with a sharp intake of air. Morgana stepped back instantly.

"Sorry, are you still hurting?"

"No. No it's fine."

He was dying for more of her touch.

"Just sensitive."

"Oh."

The monosyllable word finally wiped dazedness away. What was it with women and that stupid 'oh'! First Freya, then LeiaM, and now her? Please…

"Morgana, what are you doing here?"

She beamed. How could she look so radiant at (he glimpsed at the clock) 9 in the morning?

"I'm coming with you for your couch-shopping of course."

Couch-shopping? He didn't plan for couch-shopping… The gulp of coffee didn't help to forget how green her eyes were. So beautiful…

"I told you! I want to check for a new bed, and you have to change this couch of yours for a convertible. So you won't hurt yourself again and end up with a stiff neck."

"I won't if you let me sleep in MY bed."

'With you. And then I'll look forward to waking up every morning to hold you and kiss you and…'

Her marvellous eyes shone a little more. He definitely needed more coffee. And to ask LeiaM out. Quickly. Like, now…

"I refuse to sleep on a sofa. Anyway, it's raining cats and dogs and I'm bored. So we are going shopping. Do you want your croissant heated?"

Anything as long as she kept talking. Her smart-mouth was the only thing keeping him sane right now. Arthur stood up.

"I'm going to shower."

Her hands pressed on his shoulders for him to sit down again. She was not going to perch on his lap was she? He would never be able to control himself is she did. He wanted her so badly...

Thankfully/unluckily, Morgana walked away.

"You eat first."