xxx Hey, so this chapter took a little longer than i hoped but its all from Arthur's POV so it was a little more difficult for me to write, but i hope its ok and don't worry, Merlin and Morgana are still in it. xxx

"How do you think he died?" Arthur asked while Gaius noted something down in a workbook.

"Well the large plank of wood in his chest might be a clue." The physician replied without looking up.

"Yes, but the wood is from the table, which is now broken in two so it must have been a great force."

Arthur pondered on this for a moment. How would he of fallen on the table hard enough the break it in half and kill him?

"Oh no, Morgana must have her magic back!"

Arthur began to panic and pace back and forth. She could have had her powers back the whole time and she was just lying about it to get herself back in! How could he have been so stupid!

"What makes you say that my lord?"

"Because of the way the body is! She must have used magic to through him into the table because that's the only way it could break!"

Arthur knew he was beginning to overreact a little, but the evidence was so obvious to draw any other conclusion. (Plus he was still a little drunk to be acting rationally.)

"Not necessarily. The table is infested with wood rot sire, so it may only have taken him to fall or be pushed into the table to cause it to snap like that." Gaius replied calmly.

"Oh."

Arthur found himself straightening up slightly to regain his kingly posture, and decided to change the subject.

"So who is he?" Arthur quizzed.

Gaius gave the body a quick once over before drawing his conclusion.

"Well the blue tunic and the Mercian crest on his front suggests than he's only a servant, however I found a rather unusual tattoo on his neck."

Gaius pulled down the top of the dead man's tunic to show Arthur the tattoo. It wasn't a very impressive tattoo, just a few broken circles with a pointed wavy line going through it.

"And what does that tell you?"

"It tells me that this man, is an assassin," Gaius paused to let the information sink in," Now whether he was hired by Bayard I cannot tell you, however I suggest you find out as soon as possible since its more than likely that they will try again, they always do."

"Of course."

Arthur turned to the knights that were standing quietly behind him, (looking rather bored,) and pointed at them.

"Go and arrest Bayard." He ordered like it was as simple as picking berries from a tree.

"But en't he like a king?" Gwaine asked unhelpfully.

"Don't worry we've done it before." Leon replied with a sigh.

They all left the room together; the knights in front surrounding Leon as he told the story of the first time Bayard came to visit, and Arthur and Gaius side by side.

"Goodnight sire." Gaius said as he turned in the direction of his chambers.

"Goodnight Gaius."

Arthur locked Morgana's door behind him and headed towards the council chambers. Dawn would be in a few hours and he hadn't had any sleep yet, but Gwen was probably asleep and he wouldn't want the knight's inappropriately barging in with information and waking her up.

Arthur had just dropped off when the knights came crashing through the doors to the council chambers, informing him that Bayard had fled in the night with only a few of his guards. There was no denying now who was behind Morgana's attack.

When Gwaine suggested they torture the servant's into confessing his plans, Arthur ordered that they all be escorted out of Camelot. The chances were the servants wouldn't know anything anyway, but Arthur had never believed in torturing people for information, that was a cowards approach.

He then dismissed himself to his chambers and settle into bed, placing a protective arm around his wife and snuggling into her warmth. It didn't take long until he was sleeping like a baby.

Arthur contemplated kicking Merlin awake, but found it very difficult to disturb the scene before him. Besides, waking Merlin would most definitely wake Morgana as well considering she was curled around his head and shoulders that were rested on the edge of the bed, her hand placed on his head with her fingers entwined in his hair. The sight could have almost been peaceful if he didn't know who any of them were, but since he did it only scared him.

If he would have seen this a few years ago he would have probably locked Merlin up for it, but now there was no doubt that if anything happened between them it would be Morgana pulling the strings, the evidence was lying before him.

"How long have they been like this?" Arthur asked the old physician beside him.

"I don't know sire, they were exactly like this when I came home last night." Gaius replied uncertainly.

Arthur signalled to the door and Gaius followed him out, closing the door behind him as quietly as possible.

"Doesn't that bother you Gaius?" Arthur asked carefully.

Gaius looked stunned at his question, and was hesitant to answer. Surely it had to bother him more than it did Arthur, because Merlin was like a son to Gaius, so it must worry him that Merlin was getting so close to a sorceress. Arthur still loved Morgana even after everything she had done, but he struggled to see her as anything different, even without her powers. He hoped one day he would be able to trust her again and she would earn that trust, make up for everything she had done but he struggled to see that happening. Morgana hadn't made any effort to even talk to him the whole time she had been back, (apart from trying to save her neck,) let alone make amends.

"Does what bother me my lord?"

"That," Arthur replied while waving his arm towards the door where Merlin and Morgana were sleeping, "How close they are getting."

Gaius seamed hesitant to answer, and gave out a deep sigh.

"No my lord, it doesn't bother me, but it does concern me."

Arthur was relieved that it wasn't just him that had a problem with it. Gwen always acted quite overjoyed by it whenever he mentioned it and had told him he was being paranoid, but now Gaius was on his side so he knew he wasn't going mad.

"Very well, I'll assign someone else to watch over her."

"Arthur, Are you sure that is wise?" Gaius asked quickly.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Arthur asked in an annoyed tone.

"It's just, Morgana may be a powerful sorceress…"

"She was a powerful sorceress." Arthur interrupted.

"Right, was a powerful sorceress, but she is still a human being…"

"I wouldn't be so sure."

"Arthur!"

Arthur was stunned and almost embarrassed when Gaius yelled at him, and felt like a little child again. The one person he would never back chat to was Gaius, (probably out of fear of giving the poor man a heart attack,) and it would remain that way.

"Sorry," Arthur said stubbornly while crossing his arms and standing a little taller, (he was the king after all,) "Continue."

Gaius moved to pick up the kettle and placed it on the fire, and then prodded at the wood below with a poker idly.

"Gaius?"

"It doesn't matter anymore sire." Gaius replied quickly in a bored tone.

"Gaius." Arthur persisted.

Gaius abandoned the poker to start putting some medicines in his bag, and took a few sips of some tea he already had made, (why he just put more on Arthur didn't know.)

"I just think that it's a little too late." Gaius said unexpectedly.

Arthur released his arms to his side. Too late? What did he mean too late?

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked while giving the physician a confused look.

Arthur already thought he knew the answer but tried to push it away. Unfortunately the look Gaius gave him indicated that the answer he thought was right.

"Too separate them." Gaius said like it was completely obvious.

Arthur turned on his heel and headed to where Merlin and Morgana were sleeping.

"I doubt that." Arthur retorted when he reached the steps.

"Well I'm off to do my rounds."

And with that, Gaius fled the room.

"Merlin." Arthur called when he opened the door; no response.

"Merlin!"

Just like he suspected the first time he was in the room, waking Merlin would wake Morgana, but instead of her waking up like a normal person, she decides to scream the house down! (Not to mention burst Arthur's ear drums.) Morgana shot up from the bed into a sitting position, (while still screaming,) and forgot to let go of Merlin's hair, pulling him up with her and making him scream as well in pain.

Arthur covered his ears with his hands and began shouting at the pair to shut up. When Morgana saw Arthur her fear quickly turned to anger and she finally released Merlin's hair with a not-so-gentle push.

"What the hell are you doing scaring me to death like that!" Morgana bellowed at the top of her voice while smoothing down her hair.

"Ow cramp! Cramp! CRAMP!" Merlin screamed while pulling his left foot to his chest and rocking back and forth.

"Don't be such a girl Merlin!" Morgana teased.

"That's my saying!" Arthur told himself sulkily. Now she was stealing his insults! How dare she!

"Well that's what you get Merlin for sleeping in stupid positions." Arthur mocked, (he had to say something; it was too funny.)

Arthur pretended not to see Morgana staring daggers at him as he hauled Merlin to his feet with a stern grip on his shoulders.

"Ouch! What is it with Pendragon's and being so rough!" Merlin cried as he hopped on one foot and cradled his ankle.

"Sorry." Morgana apologised instantly while rising from the bed to support his weight, and still continued to give Arthur evil looks.

Something inside Arthur told him she wasn't looking at him like that because he woke her up. He remembered that look from when they were younger, and when Arthur did something that she didn't approve of. If she wanted him to apologise to him then she was going to be disappointed.

"Are you ok now?" Morgana asked Merlin sweetly, battering her eyelids like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

"Yes, thanks." Merlin replied while giving her a little smile.

"Oh dear…" Arthur thought, "He's buying her act. That was the most fake smile ever, how could he now see that!"

It was only when Morgana limped passed him did he notice she was pretty much wearing nothing but a top; Merlin's top. This was getting ridiculous…

"Does anybody want some tea?" Morgana asked while picking up the kettle from the fire place with a tea towel.

"You can't make tea." Arthur stated irritably.

"On the contrary, there's a lot you don't know about me Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur gave Merlin an appalled look when he started giggling.

"It's not funny, Merlin."

"I'd love some thanks." Merlin called back, completely ignoring Arthur and walking swiftly passed him.

Arthur watched in horror as they stood side by side at the table; Merlin beginning on making breakfast since Morgana had batted his hand away when he tried to help with the tea, and both of them talking in hushed tones and giggling like small children.

The last time he had seen them together he had described it as 'just like old times' but it most definitely wasn't. It was something much more.

"Merlin."

Merlin looked up from his work, ceasing giggling immediately and gave Arthur an innocent expression.

"A word." Arthur asked as he signalled with his head back into Merlin's room.

Merlin reluctantly dropped two eggs back into a bowl and stalked to him bedroom, eyes fixed on the ground and walking far too slowly for Arthurs liking. As soon as he was in, Arthur secured the door shut and leaned against it.

"Arthur what's wrong?" Merlin asked; genuine concern in his voice.

"Nothing, yet."

Merlin gave him a puzzled look, tilting his head in confusion making Arthur sign deeply.

"Merlin, you do realise that Morgana is still off limits?"

"Off limits?"

"Yes." Arthur said with more aggressiveness than he intended.

Merlin seamed to twig on to what he was getting at and began to nod slightly, however his expression was far from an understanding one.

"All I'm saying is that, you shouldn't get yourself too emotionally involved in your job." Arthur replied flatly.

Merlin pondered for an annoying amount of time, before smiling as he came to some sort of realisation that made Arthur worry a little.

"Are you worrying about me again?" Merlin asked, his smile growing wider as Arthur hesitated to answer.

"Of course not…"

"Sure…" Merlin mocked while crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly.

"Fine, I'm worried, yes, I'm worried about the insane thought of having you as some sort of brother-in –law!"

Arthur stared dumbly at Merlin who was finding this absolutely hilarious, and then he found himself laughing a little. The whole brother-in-law thought hadn't even crossed his mind; until he mentioned it. The idea was preposterous! And not what he should be worried about considering he was trying to get Morgana to be a better person, not shatter her love life, and the truth was he honestly was worried about Morgana hurting Merlin or turning him evil or something. But what if Morgana's closeness to Merlin wasn't some weird trap to manipulate him? What if it actually was her true feelings?

Arthur thought back to what Gaius said to him earlier about her still being a human being. What if he meant that Morgana was craving closeness to other human beings, since being deprived from human company for so long, and loosing so many loved ones? Arthur was surprised that he was actually feeling some sort of empathy towards her, after all, had they not both lost their parents? Morgana twice considering she thought that Gorlois was her farther, and for over ten years she believed she was alone in the world, no parents, no siblings. And then they all came flooding in from different directions, Morgause first and leading her down the wrong path, a path that would have been so enticing to her since it promised her family. Arthur remembered seeing his own Mother and how irrational he had become because of what she had told him. Everything she told him were lies but he believed them because they came from his supposed Mother's mouth, and he was so enraged that he tried to kill his farther, like Morgana did.

Suddenly the sound of smashed and screaming shocked him from his thoughts, and he felt like he was flying as Merlin instantly yanked on his arm and pulled him out the way of the door, almost ripping the door of its hinges as he fled the room and nearly hitting Arthur in the face with it.

Arthur drew his sword as he rushed into the room, only to find it completely empty bar him, Merlin and Morgana.

Morgana sat in middle of the room clutching her knees, two smashed cups of either side of her rocking form, the floor and her body utterly drenched; Arthur guessed it was tea. Merlin was at her side within seconds placing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in, and she made no attempt to escape his hold, her eyes fixed on the doorway.

Arthur sheathed his sword and stood awkwardly for quite a long time, extremely relieved when Merlin asked her the only question that was going through his head.

"What happened?"

xxx So, the attackers identity is finally revealed, yay! As always i love to hear your ideas so any thoughts on what happened to Morgana?

Plus, the same as last time, if you see any mistakes, please let me know! xxx