A/N: Hi, I know, I should have updated ages ago, I am so sorry! This chapter (and the last one, and probably the next one too) was a pain to write. I have to warn you though, finals start Tuesday, and I have 13 of them over the course of 9 days, so I probably won't write one word.

Anyway, I really hope all of you will enjoy this, and this chapter is dedicated to my friend Sarah, because I just found out that she reads fanfiction too.

Chapter 11: The Nightmare Begins – part 3

Days passed in this fashion: I'd do my chores and then during every free moment, I would visit Morgana's chambers, helping her develop her powers. She was advancing in leaps and bounds, and her confidence was growing again.

I was on my way back to my room after one of our sessions when I was grabbed in a hallway and pushed against a pillar.

"Arthur, don't, someone will see," I whispered, but the prince didn't step back. He hugged me and nuzzled my neck as he pulled us further into the shadows.

"Well, this is the only way I ever get to see you these days. You're always off with Morgana…"

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help the smile growing on my face. "Don't whine, Arthur, it doesn't suit you. Besides, Morgana is going through a rough time. She needs me."

Arthur finally pulled back a little, but held on to me, staring into my eyes. "What?" I asked.

"I don't know how this happened. How did we ever deserve you? Any of us?"

Guilt rose up in me. If only he knew the truth, he would never look at me like that again. "Yes, well… I guess you were too much of a prat for the world to handle, so I simply had to step in," I joked.

Arthur was opening his mouth to say something when we suddenly heard footsteps approaching. Quickly, I pushed Arthur further into the shadows and stepped out myself, hoping I didn't look too mussed.

I bowed my head when the King passed, hoping he wouldn't notice me, but the man stopped and frowned at me. "Aren't you Arthur's servant?" he asked.

I blushed and looked up. "Yes, your highness," I replied timidly. I was really hoping he wouldn't search the shadows behind me, because I was fairly sure that Arthur was still at least a little bit visible, even hidden behind the pillar as he was.

"Then what are you doing here?" the King pressed.

I felt panic bubble up inside of me, but stomped it down with as much force as I could muster. "I brought the Lady Morgana a tonic from Gaius, sire," I lied. Morgana and I had come up with this lie beforehand in case anyone ever questioned my presence near or in her room.

The King nodded, the frown still in place. "You seem to get along well with my son and my ward," he commented.

What was I supposed to say to that? 'Well, I'm in love with your son and teaching your surrogate daughter magic. Fun isn't it?' "I'm just Arthur's servant, my lord," I said instead. "And the Lady is kind, I help her when my duties allow."

The King didn't reply right away, but kept studying me. In some distant part of my brain, I realized that I should probably look down, or at least look more submissive, but I just couldn't force myself to do it. "True enough. Back to your work."

I curtsied. "Yes, my lord," I said, and quickly hurried down the hall.

/*/

Arthur caught up with me half an hour later in my chambers. I was so exhausted I just wanted to sleep, but I knew he'd want to see me after what had happened in the hallway. All of my doubts about us had come back to the front of my mind, and I didn't know what to do. I loved Arthur with all my heart, and I'd do anything for him, but could we really go on like this? Stolen kisses in alcoves, a hurried minute in the privacy of his chambers before he was needed elsewhere? And what if someone found out? What if Uther did? Would he banish me, or send me to the executioner's block?

I had to protect Arthur, but if I was gone how could I still do that?

I felt two arms around my waist and knew the prince had reappeared. The guilt welled up in me again, and I couldn't look at him. "What's wrong, Merlynn?" he asked. "You look tense."

I squirmed out of his hold and finally faced him. I knew my discomfort was written all over my face; I'd never been a good liar. "Arthur..." I tried to speak, but the words caught in my throat.

Now I could tell he was getting worried. "Merlynn, what is it? If it's my father you're worried about…"

"It's not that," I said, moving closer without consciously having made that decision. Resting my hands on his chest gave me somewhere to look besides his face; I knew I wouldn't be able to resist him if I looked at him now. I knew what I'd see on those features. His eyes full of warmth and concern, the left-hand corner of his lips pulled down slightly… If I saw that, I wouldn't be able to tell him what I needed to say.

"Arthur, I'm–" I started, but was cut off as someone barged into the room. Arthur and I quickly jumped apart, but then I saw who it was. "Gwen? What's wrong?" I asked, hurrying over to the other maid.

"It's Morgana," she whispered urgently. "She had a fight with the King, and now she's packing a bag, I think she's going to leave at nightfall! Please, Merlynn, you must stop her," Gwen pleaded.

I didn't need telling twice. I ran through the open door and hurried in the direction of the Lady's chambers. "Merlynn!" Arthur shouted after me.

"Stay with Gwen!" I called back over my shoulder, and turned my attention back to my destination. 'Please don't do anything stupid, Morgana…'

/*/

As I burst into the door to Morgana's chambers, I knew I'd come only just in time. The light outside was fading, and Morgana had an open bag on her bed and was in the process of tying a cloak around her shoulders.

"Merlynn!" she called out, startled.

Quickly, I closed the door behind me and strode over to the noblewoman, grabbing her wrist. "Are you crazy? You can't run away!" I hissed, worry and anger overriding my common sense.

Morgana shook me off. "Let me go, Merlynn. It's none of your concern," she snapped, and turned back to her bag.

"It is very much my concern, seeing as you're going to get yourself killed! You're my friend, I care about you!" I countered, moving to stand in her field of vision.

The Lady paused, her eyes on her hands. "Uther is rounding up everyone suspected of even talking to a magic-user. He's going to kill them all…" She looked me in the eye then. "I can't stay here, Merlynn. You can only help me so much, and sooner or later the King will find out and have me…" She couldn't bring herself to finish that sentence. She was shaking now, tears brimming in her eyes.

I stepped forward and hugged my friend. "I can't even imagine what you're going through, Morgana, but you can't let it get to you like this. Your fear and insecurities are what's causing you to lose control, remember? We can get through this together. I promise I will never let Uther lay a finger on you, do you understand?" I asked, pulling back to look into her eyes. Morgana looked so much like a lost child, and even though she was older than me by a few years, I felt responsible for her.

She gave me the tiniest of nods, and I offered her a smile. "You're right that I can't help you as much as you need right now… but I think I have an idea."

/*/

When I got back to Gaius's chambers, Arthur was gone, but Gwen was still there, and it looked like she was making an ointment.

"Gwen? What are you doing?" I asked, stepping inside and closing the door.

The other maid jumped, but calmed down when she saw it was just me. "Nothing. I was going crazy just sitting here, so I started making some of Gaius's bruising ointment… You don't think he'll mind, do you?" she asked, suddenly nervous.

I smiled kindly. "I doubt it. He needs it almost every day, and never has time to make a new batch. I'll be sure to tell him you helped."

Gwen smiled back, clearly relieved. Then the smile vanished, and worry was etched into her face again. "What happened with Morgana? Is she still leaving?"

I sighed and sat down in front of her. "No, but she's terrified. I wish I could just tell her about me, but I can't risk her becoming even more of a target…" I looked determinately into the other maid's eyes. "I have a plan, though."

Gwen raised her eyebrows. "You do?"

I grinned. "Don't be so surprised. It's fairly simple, really, but I do need to ask a huge favour…"

/*/

"Another pilgrimage?" the King asked, apprehension written in every line on his face. "After what happened the last time you went to your father's grave…"

"I will go in disguise. Gaius has already agreed to spread the news that I'm sick, and then Merlynn and I will go by ourselves, dressed as peasants," Morgana explained patiently. It still surprised me sometimes how good of an actress she was, but I supposed I'd just gotten used to her opening up to me.

"At least take some guards. The attack–" Uther started, but Morgana interrupted him.

"Is even more of a reason to go. You can place a guard in my room and if anyone else tries to break in, you can have them arrested, and I will be far away from all the danger."

Uther pressed his lips together in a thin line and leaned back into his throne. "Why not take your own maid? Why Arthur's?" he asked at length.

"I love Gwen, but she was born and raised in a city. Merlynn knows how to navigate in the woods, how to set up snares, which plants to eat and which ones are poisonous. She can get me to my father's grave and back safely," Morgana said confidently, just as we'd practised.

Uther frowned at me, but I kept my head down, trying to seem as submissive as possible. "You will stay with my ward and watch over her. If anything happens to her, I will hold you personally responsible," he threatened, and I was sure he had meant it.

I raised my head, looked straight into the King's eyes, and held his gaze. "You have my word, sire," I said, completely sincere.

The King frowned at me, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Very well… Let's hope you get to keep your head, then." It was a clear dismissal, so Morgana and I curtsied and left the throne room.

/*/

As soon as the door to Morgana's chambers closed, I started giggling uncontrollably, my nerves bubbling to the surface. The Lady regarded me with amusement glinting in her eyes as she indulged in a few chuckles of her own. "Well. That went as well as could be expected."

I grinned widely at her. "That's only because I didn't get creative. Did you see the way he looked at me?"

Morgana smiled back at me, going over to her vanity and sitting down lightly. "I think he likes you," she commented, taking off her earrings.

I nearly chocked. "That was liking? I wouldn't want to be the one he's truly angry with."

I was only half-joking, but Morgana laughed all the same. "He knows your name – that's more than any other servant in the castle can say."

I snorted. "I think that has more to do with the fact that I'm chronically unable to keep my mouth shut, and because I claimed that I was a sorceress to save Gwen once." I walked over, took up Morgana's brush, and started smoothing out her hair. "Also, I saved his son's life," I added as an afterthought.

"You do so much for everyone else…" she whispered, almost to herself. "How do you do that, being so selfless?"

Shrugging, I started braiding the Lady's hair. "I'm not selfless; I do things for myself all the time. I lie to Arthur to spend a few more minutes sleeping, or to get out of a chore I don't want to do. I tell Gaius I'm doing something for Arthur, and tell Arthur I'm going to pick herbs for Gaius, only to sneak out and spend a few lazy hours in the forest… I'm just as selfish as everyone else."

Morgana gently pulled her hair from my fingers and turned to face me. Silently, I grumbled at my lost work; it had taken me ages to figure out how to braid someone else's hair that intricately. "That's not being selfish, that's called being human. You're helping me at great cost to yourself. You would have given up your entire life here to help out your mother – you would give your life for the ones you love…" Morgana shook her head. "I wish I could be more like you."

I snorted quietly. "I make stupid decisions all the time. I'm clumsy and immature, tactless and rash… I'm not perfect; nobody is. Don't make the mistake of thinking that I have no faults, Morgana. I wish more than anything that I could have your poise and elegance, your beauty–" I cut myself off, having said more than I'd intended. But then again, Morgana was looking at me with something akin to hope in her eyes now.

I moved around her so that I could work on her hair again without having to look into her eyes. "Nobody is perfect," I repeated, "and nobody should have to be."

I finished with Morgana's hair and left without a word.

A/N: Reviews are love and hugs!