They reached the end of the plain after three long days. Morgana was relieved to see trees on the horizon, the idea of getting out of the tall grasses driving her to walk faster and faster. She couldn't stop thinking about what Merlin had said to her. Do you remember what you used to look like? Of course she did. Black hair, blue eyes. But there had been something else. She thought it had been compliancy. Maybe it had been compassion. When they reached the forest she took a deep breath as relief washed over her. She squinted at her reflection in a puddle. For the first time she noticed her hair. It had knotted itself into a mess, and stuck out in every direction.

'We did it!' Merlin grinned lopsidedly. 'We've reached the Darkling Woods! Now we've just got to get to the other side of them!'

She smiled back at him, as Aithusa tried to land gracefully, but got tangled up in a tree. Squawking she tried to hide her face under her wing to avoid further humiliation, but couldn't quite reach. They tried to give her instruction on how to get herself down independently, but eventually Merlin lost a coin toss to Morgana and had to climb the tree and carry her down.

The little dragon grumbled as she was handed back to Morgana.

'What do you say to Merlin?'

'Heyyy Mer-mum.' She said guiltily as he doubled over to catch his breath.

After a swig from a flask of water Merlin decided he was all right to keep walking, but she made him wait another ten minutes, partly for his benefit, but also for her own. It had been a long and stressful journey so far, and already politics had threatened what fragile relationship they had. She knew she shouldn't trust Merlin. She should be planning a way to kill him. But she didn't have to stay with him. She could go back to her hovel in the Darkling Woods, take Aithusa with her, and live life alone again. But looking at him, with his stupid lopsided grin, she knew she couldn't think about killing him. And the idea of being alone again was unbearable. She was growing too fond of him. Again.

They started walking again, up a hill for the first time since they had left the plain. Curse this hill. It seemed incredibly steep.

'Wait.' She called.

Merlin turned around and walked back down to her.

God she hated feeling weak.

He offered her the flask of water. She made him drink from it first, as she always did. He accepted without complaint and took a small sip, before handing it back to her. She watched closely to make sure he swallowed, then smiled at him gratefully and drank.

'Thank you Merlin. I really should stop making you do that.' She said.

'No! Sister, you cannot trust him.' A new voice.

Sister?

'Time to get going again.' Merlin said cheerfully.

'Morgause?' She thought to the voice.

'You cannot trust him. You must tell him nothing.'

'Morgause?' she thought.

'Morgana?' his brow creased in worry.

'Do not trust him.'

'I'm fine. Let's go.'

They continued, leaving the hill and the plain far behind, but the thought that her sister might be with her followed Morgana, haunting her. The voice she had just heard was much louder than the usual ones, her sister's voice crystal clear as though she was standing in front of her. But Morgause had died, and her death had broken Morgana's heart. That had been Merlin's fault too, the one thing she refused to forgive him for. But it had been Morgana who had finally ended her life, plunging the blade into her gut. Was it possible that Morgause's spirit had crept into her head with the opening of the Veil Between the Worlds, lying dormant all this time? Morgause had never liked Merlin, and Morgana had tried to pull away from him to please her. Clearly that wasn't working. She had loved her sister dearly. But she had broken away from her memory, and formed a new life without her. Strangely, the idea that she was inside her head angered Morgana. Her mind was the only part of herself that she had full control over, and she didn't want anyone changing that. And if it was Morgause's spirit, why hadn't she said so at once? Was the spirit only just waking up now? She felt as though she should have known. A deafening noise filled her head, making her vision blur and her ears ring. In front of her Merlin didn't stop walking; he couldn't hear it. She clutched at her head and fell to her knees, gasping. She could hear screaming. Maybe it was her own. Louder and louder. Merlin had dropped down on his knees next to her. He was talking to her, but she couldn't hear him, it was too loud. Someone else was talking too. Morgause?

'Morgana!'

The noise got even louder. Then it stopped, and she saw her. Morgause stepped out of the darkness towards her, her face no longer disfigured, but beautiful, and wearing an expression as cold as stone.

'Sister.'

'Morgause.' She cried.

The expression on her sister's face thawed, and she returned Morgana's smile, embracing her.

'We must talk quickly, there isn't much time.'

'I'm so sorry Morgause.'

'What for?'

'I killed you. I'm so sorry.' She wept.

'You acted as I instructed you to. It is I who should be sorry; I didn't mean for you to have to feel guilty. But now the time has come.'

'The time?'

It's time to decide whose side you are on Morgana.'

'Have I not always been on your side?' she said, wiping her eyes.

'Not Merlin's?'

Morgana hesitated. 'Is… Can that not be the same side?'

'The boy fights for Arthur. I fought for us. For you.'

'But, Sister, he tells me Arthur is destined return magic to Albion.'

Morgause scoffed. 'You would make a better queen.'

'Camelot's people hate me.'

'You could make them like you.'

'I… I don't think that will work anymore.'

'Things could go back to the way they were. Before your capture. You could make a new plan, and this time you would succeed.'

'Back in my hovel. Alone. I have tried to take Camelot. I have tried to kill Arthur. But it is pointless, because whatever I do, whatever means I try, it never works. Never. Every time I fail, and I grow weaker, and they grow stronger. Sister. I never doubted you before. I always thought your way was best. But…there must be another way.'

Morgause stared at her.

'And so you will help Merlin. And think your destiny will forget about you. But you are wrong.'

'Morgause-'

'No. No, I understand. You're still young Morgana. But that won't last forever. You don't want to spend your life alone, with only the memory of your sister, who died long ago. But don't ever let yourself be suppressed by Arthur and his kind. Never again.'

'Morgause, I-'

'One last thing. Before I go.' She interrupted.

'I've- I've not decided yet.'

'Sister.' She smiled for the first time. 'You've made your choice. I judged you cruelly. It is not my decision to make, and I know who you have chosen.'

'But-'

'But you must beware. No one can escape their destiny, not even you. Emrys is closer than you think. The traitor's last secret. Merlin is Emrys. He is still your destiny, and he is still your doom. You must not trust him, never truly. '

'Merlin? Merlin is Emrys?'

'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer. I'm proud of you.' She kissed Morgana on the top of her head.

'I miss you Morgause.'

'And I you. But now I must go. And I do not know if I shall ever be able to return to this world. I will watch over you from the Great Beyond.'

'I won't forget you. I promise. I will win this war in your memory.'

Morgause smiled, and then Morgana's world faded into darkness.

•••

Merlin saw the spirit leave Morgana. She had fallen to her knees, screaming, without any warning. He had turned around, trying to help her, but she didn't seem to hear him or see him anymore. Then she had stopped screaming as abruptly as she had started. Staring into the distance, her mouth moving, but no words coming out. A trickle of blood ran out of her mouth. This had lasted for a few minutes. Then she stopped breathing, and her body crumpled into a heap. Merlin went to move towards her, but a shadowy figure emerged in front of him, barring his way. He stood up, face to face with it. He recognised it immediately.

'Morgause?'

'You look after her.' it whispered hoarsely, and then exploded into a million tiny particles.

With a gasp Morgana began breathing again.

Merlin stared into the air in astonishment.

He made her as comfortable as he could, then started a small fire. That was risky in itself, getting close to nightfall, but it meant he could cook something, and heat water.

'Aithusa.' He called quietly. 'Can you find me a rabbit?'

She curled up next to Morgana protectively.

'I'll take care of her. Promise.'

She looked him up and down suspiciously, then nodded and put her nose to the ground, running and sniffing. Then she flew off.

Merlin sat down next to Morgana.

He wondered how much Morgause's presence had effected her. it couldn't have been the reason she turned against Camelot; Morgause had still been alive when that happened. But the things that she had done after Morgause had died, those acts were potentially not done willingly by Morgana alone. He liked to think that anyway. Would she be different when she woke up? Gaius had only taught him briefly about possession. He said the subject was often unaware that they had been possessed, instead thinking they were going mad, hearing voices in their heads. That would explain what Merlin had heard. Morgana hadn't know he could speak to people with his mind. It was a skill used mainly by the druids, but occasionally, he had heard her talking to someone in her mind, but he had only heard one side of the conversation and it had confused him.

He doubted Morgause had taught her to communicate with thought, but because of the extent of Morgana's power, it was unsurprising that she would have the ability without training.

He gazed at her. He couldn't get over how much she had changed since they met. He was still wearing the same jacket, shirt and neckerchief! She had transformed from a delicate noblewoman to a high priestess, the most wanted sorceress in the five kingdoms, a woman who lives alone, with her dragon in a hovel in the Darkling Woods.

It was only while she was asleep she looked like his Morgana.

Aithusa landed across from him, with something furry hanging out of her mouth. Merlin walked over to her and pulled what was left of the rabbit out of her mouth.

'What happened to it?' he asked in disbelief.

She shrugged, trying to hide a guilty look.

'This is just the fur! Where did all the meat go?'

More guilt.

'Aithusa. Did you eat the rabbit?'

She hung her head, standing on her hind legs to hide her face behind two clawed hands.

'I don't mind.' He reassured her. 'You can eat as many rabbits as you like, so long as you bring me back one.' Her ears pricked up.

'And carry it in your hands, not your mouth!'

She nodded frantically, scrambling off into the bushes to find some more rabbits.

Merlin laughed. She was like a dog. He wondered if Kilgharrah had been like that once. The idea seemed even funnier.

He sat back down next to Morgana and stared into the fire, waiting for Aithusa to bring back a rabbit in any kind of semi-edible condition.

As he did, Morgana began to stir. When she woke up, she groaned, clutching her head.

'How do you feel?' he asked cautiously.

'Like death.' She mumbled groggily, propping herself up on one arm.

'Where's Aithusa?'

'She's gone to get some rabbits.'

She nodded, then grimaced, pressing a hand to her forehead.

Merlin offered her a hand to get up and she accepted gratefully, walking a few steps giddily over to the rock he had been sitting on.

"What do you remember?" Merlin asked her after a while.

'Morgause.' She replied simply.

'What did she say to you?'

'She… she was saying goodbye. Properly this time.' Her eyes filled with tears.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She didn't push him away.

'She told me the time to choose a side has come.'

'Did she make you choose?'

Morgana nodded. 'I chose.'

At that moment, Aithusa fell from the sky, landing in front of them, making them both jump.

'Aithusa!' Merlin exclaimed.

'Mer-mum! MUM!' Her reply was muffled by what was hanging out of her mouth. It looked like it might've been a rabbit once. In fact, it might've been a few rabbits once.

Merlin wiped spittle off his face, trying not to grimace and asked 'Did you find a rabbit for me?'

Aithusa unfolded her tightly clasped hands to reveal one rabbit, still perfectly intact, and, trying not to get dragon dribble on it, she handed it to Merlin.

'Mer-mum. Mum.' She began quietly.

Merlin started to thank her, but Aithusa wasn't finished yet.

'BUNNY!' she screamed, more spit flying through the air as she enthusiastically jumped up and down, in the excitement of presenting her catch to them.

She ran around in circles like a dog chasing its tail. Merlin turned to face Morgana, clutching the rabbit by its feet.

She tried to hide her laughter, and stood slowly to wipe something off his face with her thumb. He looked down at it. It was a bit of fur, mixed in with dragon spit.

'Urgh, gross!' he exclaimed, pulling a face.

She laughed, and wiped it on his jacket.

'Aithusa!' she called. Aithusa was still running around wildly ecstatic about her new word, and her dinner.

'Come here.'

Aithusa ran to sit in front of her, chewing enthusiastically, her shoulders rising and falling rapidly.

Merlin listened over his shoulder, glancing up occasionally as he began to prepare the rabbit, mainly using his magic.

'You've been such a good girl, helping us look out for bad people and finding us food.'

Aithusa swallowed a huge mouthful of rabbit.

'I'm so proud of you. So is Merlin. Aren't you Merlin?' she called over to him.

'I definitely am.' He replied, grimacing as he took off his jacket to find it covered in dragon spit.

'Would you like to go out and find some more rabbits for yourself?'

Merlin pivoted on the spot to face them.

Aithusa smiled, baring all her needle sharp white teeth.

Morgana and Aithusa looked at him expectantly.

'Why not?' he threw his hands up and grinned at them. 'That's a great idea!'

Aithusa bounced up and down.

'Go on.' Morgana laughed.

She flew off again.

'More rabbit?'

He stood to help Morgana back to her seat.

'She does love it. It was the first thing she caught all by herself.'

He handed her a bowl of stew.

'If you still feel like rabbit after what we just saw.' He said, sitting next to her.

They chatted to each other while they ate, never touching on the subject of Arthur or Mordred or what Morgause had said to Morgana. Politics had no place with them tonight.

They were getting ready to put out their tiny fire and go to bed when a high-pitched screaming pierced the night, coming from directly above them.

They looked up to see something falling towards them. Merlin dived at Morgana, pushing her to the ground out of the way, as whatever it was hit the ground behind them.

The screaming grew louder, followed by a flapping noise. Merlin looked over his shoulder at the dragon, who was trying to look under the thing that had fallen, calling 'Mer-mum? MUM? MUM?!'

'Aithusa?' Morgana wheezed.

Merlin realised he was still lying on top of her, and blushing furiously stood and helped her up.

Aithusa turned around, seeing them and squawking in delight. Then she froze and she began trying to hide the thing behind her outstretched wings.

Merlin and Morgana looked at each other.

'Hug?' Morgana asked the dragon innocently, arms hovering in the air.

Aithusa enthusiastically bounced over to her. She turned around as Morgana enclosed her in a hug, and saw Merlin gaping her.

'It's a boar.'

'A boar?'

'A wild boar!'

Aithusa realised she had been tricked and hide her head under Morgana's hair.

Morgana let go of her dragon and stood next to Merlin to stare at the dead pig.

'It has tusks!' she exclaimed.

The dragon was trying to bury itself in the dead leaves on the ground behind them.

'That's… Not a rabbit Aithusa.'

The dragon sobbed.

'You could've killed us!' he went on.

She nodded through her loud dragon sobbing.

'Morgana said rabbits!'

Aithusa wailed.

'Merlin!' Morgana said, pulling at his sleeve. 'That's enough. What if she hurt her teeth carrying that thing?'

Aithusa sniffed loudly, breathing out a puff of smoke.

'What if she hurt my face dropping it on me?' he said incredulously.

'Merlin!'

Aithusa blew her nose loudly on her wing.

'Fine! I'm sorry Aithusa.'

Aithusa immediately stopped sniffling and bounded over to the hog, sinking her teeth into it.

'Well, I don't think we need to be worried about her teeth, do you?'

Morgana shook her head, looking faintly disgusted, as Aithusa made mouth noises, playing with her food.

After turning down many offers from Aithusa to share her food with her, telling her how they'd just enjoyed the rabbit she caught them, they curled up side-by-side.

Morgana looked as though she had fallen to sleep immediately, but Merlin couldn't sleep. Mordred's face swam in front of his eyes. He was just a little boy. But little boys turn into men Merlin. He told himself firmly. Mordred was destined to kill Arthur. He had to kill Mordred, he had no choice.

Merlin looked at Morgana. He remembered how fiercely she had protected the boy. She had changed into a different person since then, but Merlin could still see his Morgana in her. asking her to kill Mordred would be like asking himself to kill Arthur or Gaius.

He was brought out of his chain of thought by the sound of padding feet along the ground. Morgana frowned in her sleep, reaching out blindly toward the noise. Aithusa plonked herself down above their heads, looking at Merlin, rocking back and forth.

'What's wrong?' Merlin whispered, rolling onto his stomach to face her.

Aithusa groaned, clutching her stomach.

'Mer-muuum. Ow.'

'You ate too much?'

'OW.'

'Shh, shh. What did you expect? How can I help?'

Aithusa mimed performing a spell, holding out a clawed hand and making her eyes glow golden, then smirking evilly, laughing under her breath, rubbing her hands together.

Merlin chuckled at her impression of Morgana, wondering if she really did rub her hands together after each spell.

'Éadnes.' He said, directing the spell towards Aithusa's stomach. The dragon's eyes widened in delight.

'Mer-mum!' she said affectionately, and bounded back to the body of the boar.

'The same thing will happen if you keep eating!' Merlin hissed after her, but the dragon ignored him.

Merlin shook his head, but couldn't wipe the smile off his face.

•••

Hopefully this chapter isn't too strange? i never thought Morgause got a proper goodbye, even if it was a bit better than some other characters, later on in the show, I thought Morgana and Morgause deserved it. Also, Merlin was taking his time telling Morgana he's Emrys, so i figured Morgause may as well be the one to drop that bombshell. Why not, eh?

Will update soon! Comments always welcome xx