I'm afraid to look at the last time this was updated. I'm sorry for the hiatus, and for the cliffhanger that was the last chapter.
This chapter gave me issues. Problems arose that I didn't foresee, which made me reevaluate the entire direction of the story.

I can't promise anything for a while - my schedule isn't getting any less hectic any time in the foreseeable future, and I haven't even started on Chapter 11. So I apologize ahead of time, and humbly ask that you bear with me - pretty pretty please with a cherry on top?

An enormous round of applause goes to CaraLee934, without whose efforts this chapter would be a convoluted mess.

Disclaimer: As always, the characters belong to C.S. Lewis and BBC, not to me. I don't profit from this work at all, yadda yadda yadda.

Chapter 10: Forgive and Forget?
In which a Prince needs advice, a Warlock is forgiven, and a King returns.

Merlin sighed and stretched, wondering how he'd ever managed a good night's sleep before coming to Narnia. He didn't know how he would go back to the old cot that rested in Gaius' chambers after this – but he didn't allow himself to think on that too much. He was in too much bliss.

When he finally managed to move the covers and haul himself out of bed, he found that there was another set of clothing resting on the chest. It was a simple green doublet, leggings, and boots, but it was worth more than everything he had ever owned. He grinned and donned the fine clothes. He felt no shame in running his fingers over the soft material, though he did resolve never to tell Arthur he'd done it. He moved in front of a mirror – larger than even Morgana's back home had been, and probably worth five times as much – to admire the reflection. Feeling much like a child playing make-believe, the servant took a moment to imagine that this was normal for him. That he was a great lord with money and land and respect, and that all of this was his.

Too soon, the moment was interrupted by a knock on the door. Merlin frowned and opened it, poking his head out. A Faun, different from the one who had come the night before, bowed.

"His Highness Prince Arthur would speak with thee, Sir," the creature said. "At your earliest convenience."

"Alright," Merlin said. He sidled out of the room and closed the door behind him. He remembered where Arthur's chamber was – three or four doors down from his own. The Faun bowed once more and said, "By thy leave, Sir." Merlin nodded and the butler pranced down toward the main hallway. Merlin headed the other way.

He didn't bother knocking on the door – as he never had. He peeked around to make sure his liege was decent, before entering all the way.

"You sent for me, Sire?" he asked. Arthur started, then sighed.

"Yes. I need to talk to you." Merlin moved so that he was standing beside the prince, and cocked his head, prompting Arthur to go on. The prince took a breath and said, "Morgana is alive."

Merlin felt his breath catch in his throat. He had suspected that she'd survived the hemlock – Morgause was a powerful witch, and she had been confident that she could heal her sister. But why was Arthur just now telling him? Had she told him about Merlin's part in that day? What explanation could Merlin give, without also giving away his own guilt?

When he realized Arthur was awaiting a reply, Merlin swallowed and asked, "How do you know?"

"She... she's here. In Narnia." Arthur let loose a humorless chuckle. "In Cair Paravel, no less. She has been a guest in this house for months." Merlin exhaled when he realized that, regardless of what else Morgana had said, she had not outed him. Arthur would not be telling him this if she had. Merlin listened as he relayed the information he'd learned only minutes before, interrupting himself and backtracking as if he'd never given a speech in his life. As the story went on, Merlin began to understand why the prince was unsettled. Of course, most of the information he already knew – her lineage, her magic. It was no news to him. He was glad that she had resisted Morgause's temptation, and he grieved for the time she spent a prisoner. Before the plague, Merlin had considered Morgana a friend. She had been kinder to him than any other noble in Camelot, Arthur Pendragon included, and when he poisoned her, he'd felt like he himself was dying beside her. Hearing this tale, he felt more relief than he rightfully should have, knowing she had survived.

He listened as Arthur talked his way through Morgana's admission – that she had magic. At this point, he looked to Merlin and stopped.

"You don't seem surprised," Arthur stated. Merlin looked up sharply. Seeing nothing more than curiosity on his master's face, he shrugged, thinking fast.

"Honestly?" he asked, "I think it explains a lot. Her being Uther's child, and her having magic. You said that she was the source of the plague?" Arthur nodded. "Morgause stored a plague inside of her. That much... well, magic, would have killed anyone else. At least, I would think so. And it explains why she has always been more sympathetic to magic users." He waited a beat and added softly, "It must have been hard for her, growing up in Uther's court, finding out she possessed the one thing her father loathed more than anything. She must have been terrified." Merlin knew he had been, when things started happening around him. Arthur looked away, as if the thought hadn't occurred to him. It probably hadn't.

"I don't know how to handle this," Arthur admitted. "By law, she belongs in Camelot. And by law, she must be executed." He didn't have to voice how much that thought scared him. Merlin knew the love he bore for his sister. If she had tried to kill him herself, he wouldn't have been able to lay a finger against her. And yet, everything he had been taught – his entire being – told him that magic was evil.

Merlin sighed. "Me either," he admitted. "If she returns to Uther, she'll be miserable. Even if her secret remains that, she would never willingly go back to that life. Not now." Not after experiencing the freedom Narnia offered.

Arthur leaned back until his head hit the wooden board with a thump. Merlin looked around and, after spotting a chair very much like the one in his own room, dragged the thing closer to the bed and sat heavily. He needed to speak to Morgana. He needed to beg her forgiveness, even if she refused to grant it. Why had she not told Arthur about his betrayal? It was well within her rights.

A crash made him start. He was up in an instant, at Arthur's side in another. The prince knelt in a heap beside his bed, the shards of what once was a water pitcher scattered around him.

"The damn leg's asleep!" he cursed, scattering the glass. Merlin knelt to help him back onto the bed. Arthur glared at his offending limb, as if this whole predicament were its fault. "I can't even get my own water, blast!" Merlin looked around and found a cup on the bedside table, still a quarter-full. He held it in front of his liege, waiting to see what would happen. Arthur mumbled something under his breath and snatched the water from his hand. He downed it in one gulp and wiped his face.

"What the hell am I going to do?" he asked. "I can't force her back into that wretched castle. Uther would see her dead before he allowed her to live with magic." He moved to stand once more, but apparently his leg had awoken and was keeping him from doing anything too stupid. He pounded the thing, then winced as his wound was irritated.

"Hey, easy," Merlin said, jumping into action once he saw that Arthur was doing more harm than good. "You're not helping anything." He pushed the chair away from the bed so he'd have room to work, and went about making his master more comfortable. Arthur waved him away when he tried to elevate the leg, and eventually lost patience entirely.

"Get out of here, Merlin," Arthur huffed. "You're not helping. If you come up with a solution to this problem, then tell me. Otherwise, go make yourself useful and get me some food."

Merlin ducked to hide a grin. Arthur couldn't be in too much pain if he was already back to ordering him around. As he turned, though, his face fell. How in the world was he to find the kitchen in this place?

It turned out the kitchen wasn't nearly so hard to get to as he had feared. He encountered a maid who, though shy at first, gladly showed him where to find food,and after a little more conversation, started talking about her life in Narnia, as a servant of the Sovereigns. Merlin listened, fascinated, until she started talking about where her duties would take her today. "Queen Susan will have her tea in the solar, but only after she has finished in the library. And I shall have to find the Little Queen, for she is like to be anywhere in the kingdom. His Majesty will be with his lady pupil, likely in the Royal Solar. The Lady Morgana always takes her lessons there, where she can concentrate."

"Morgana?"

"Aye, Sir. She is an honored guest of the Four Sovereigns."

"Would you like company?" Merlin asked, wondering if he could find Morgana alone. The maid gave a sweet smile.

"I should love to walk in the company of the great Emrys," she said, looking down. "If he would walk with one such as myself."

"What did you say?" Merlin asked, more sharply than he had intended. The girl backed away.

"Forgive me, Sir," she stuttered. "I – I spoke out of turn."

"Wait!" Merlin moved to follow her. "I'm sorry; I didn't -"

"I must attend my duties, Sir," she said. "By your leave." She hurried away before Merlin could catch up.

Merlin grunted and kicked the wall before leaving the kitchen. He didn't know where exactly he was going, but he was too preoccupied to care. What had just happened? He didn't even care that he hadn't got the girl's name. How had she known about Emrys? And how many others knew? In Camelot, Gaius was the only one who knew about his great destiny. He didn't have to worry about who else could tell his secret, because no one else knew it – but here... how would he keep this from Arthur, if he didn't even know who to watch?

He had no idea how far he'd gone, but he hadn't been stopped or intercepted at all, so he kept walking, worrying. He kept going until he rounded a corner and ran right into -

"Merlin?"

"Morgana?"

Merlin froze. There stood Morgana, arm linked with Queen Susan's. The latter was mid-chuckle, and a polite smile was frozen on her face. She looked from Morgana to Merlin, and nodded to herself.

"Well, dear friend, I see you have much to discuss with our guest," she said, her voice low and sweet. She smiled warmly at Merlin, and curtsied. Merlin jerked himself into a low bow and hoped he hadn't offended the queen too much. Lucy disregarded his courtesies with a wave if her hand, but Merlin got the distinct impression that propriety was very important to her sister.

Morgana moved closer to the queen, but a moment later she sighed and nodded. Queen Susan returned the gesture and took her leave, flowing gracefully forward and past Merlin, leaving him alone with the woman he had tried to kill.

He didn't look up. He wasn't yet willing to meet her eyes and find… whatever emotion he would see there.

She didn't seem compelled to break the silence – in fact, she seemed to be expecting him to speak. What was he going to say? What could he say?

"Hello, Merlin," she finally said. Merlin flinched – there was certainly some coolness to her voice, though there wasn't nearly as much bite as he had expected.

"My Lady Morgana," Merlin murmured around his suddenly dry throat.

Another awkward silence, once again broken by Morgana.

"I should have known you would be here, with Arthur. You always have insisted on attending him everywhere – I suppose Narnia would be no different."

Merlin took a deep breath and looked up. Morgana had backed up so she was leaning against the wall, one delicate hand on her temple and the other resting in the crook of her arm.

"Mor – Lady Morgana – I -"

"I know," she sighed. "I know, Merlin. I understand why you did it. I... I might have done the same thing, were our roles reversed." Her voice started out soft, but now it grew even smaller. "I should have known that Morgause was using me. I will always regret bringing that plague into Camelot. It..." she took a breath again, and said, "Merlin, I don't blame you. Not anymore."

Merlin licked his lips, trying to function past the shock. This surely hadn't been the way he'd expected the conversation to go. He had been expecting... rage. Hatred. Fear. Distrust. Things he had been feeling for himself since that horrible day all those months ago. How could she so willingly look past his treachery?

She continued, "I suppose Arthur has told you about our conversation?" He nodded. She paused. Then, "I told him about my magic."

"He mentioned."

Another pause.

"I don't know what he is going to do," she admitted. "You... have you told him? That you knew all along?"

"It was not my secret to tell, my Lady." This time it was Morgana who nodded.

"I did not tell him about that day. There is no need."

Merlin had figured as much, though for the life of him he couldn't understand why. Arthur certainly would have killed him on the spot if he found out.

"Morgana – Lady Morgana –" Merlin breathed out and watched her warily. She returned his gaze with her head cocked, waiting for him to finish. He took another breath and continued, "My Lady, I beg your forgiveness. For the part I played in your pain. Not a day went by that I didn't loathe myself for what I did to you."

"I know," she replied gently. "I saw it in your eyes, after I realized what was happening. You looked to be in more pain than I was." She placed her hands on his shoulders and said, "You have my forgiveness, my friend. Please, do not dwell on it. I would move forward, if you would."

Merlin breathed a sigh, this time of relief, and allowed himself a small sigh. He didn't know how she could have forgiven him so easily, but he felt as if a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He knew the matter wasn't finished, no matter what Morgana said. He would be trying for the rest of his life to make up for what he had done, if she wanted or not. Still, this was a start, and a better one than he could have ever hoped for.

"Well." Morgana dropped her hands and looked around. "It seems Susan has well and truly deserted us – I know she was heading down to take her tea with Lucy and Edmund. Will you escort me – unless you are on an errand for Arthur?"

Merlin had nothing to do, since he had effectively squared things away with Morgana (for the moment), and he could think of no reason to decline, so after a short moment, he nodded. She took his arm and guided him the way Queen Susan had gone, making polite conversation along the way.

"How have you liked Narnia?" She asked as they ascended what must have been the fifth staircase since their walk began. "I know it is different than anything you've experienced in Camelot."

"It is," he said. He wondered in the change he saw in his one-time friend. The Morgana he knew in Camelot would never allow a commoner – a servant, no less – take her arm and escort her to high tea. Even as close as they had been, etiquette would never allow it. She seemed happier, too, than she had been back home. Merlin imagined it had largely to do with her magic, but it probably had just as much to do with Queen Lucy and her family. The three Sovereigns he had met seemed willing to befriend anyone, and Morgana desperately needed someone like that in her life.

At first they walked on in companionable silence. Merlin found himself looking for another opportunity to apologize, but Morgana started back talking before he could. It was awkward at first, but eventually she fell into a rhythm and was chatting amiably when a Doe pranced up.

"Lady Morgana," she said sweetly. "Master Merlin." The Doe extended her left foreleg and bent her right, bowing gracefully. "Her Majesty Queen Susan bade me inform you that the Splendour Hyaline was spotted on the horizon - that High King Peter is arriving home ahead of schedule. She apologizes, my Lady-" here the Doe turned slightly toward Morgana - "but she will have to postpone tea for another day." Then she turned to Merlin, who was still trying to get used to supposedly wild animals roaming about the castle. She bowed again and said, "If you will excuse my, my Lady, Sir. I must inform King Edmund of his brother's early return."

"Thank you, Tabitha," Morgana said. The Doe dipped her head once more, then bounded off, leaving a flabbergasted Merlin and an amused Morgana in her wake. The Lady turned to Merlin and said, "Well, Merlin. Are you ready to meet Peter the Magnificent, High King of Narnia?"