Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. .

Sorry for the delay but this chapter is long. I think this has been the most difficult chapter to write of any of my fics. You might recognize some of the dialogue from 2.3; I rewatched it to be inspired. I also ended up watching several episodes from Camelot, a short-lived Starz series about some of our favorite characters (it's on Netflix instant). Let me just say, wow, gratuitous sex/nudity and that's coming from someone writing an "M" fic. It was certainly interesting, but it had me longing for Merlin's loveable characters. Arthur was nowhere near as dreamy as our version.

So finally the big reveal! Enjoy!

Chapter 12

He had little trouble sneaking into the library. While the door was closed, it appeared that the librarian had forgot to lock up.

He made his way to the designated section, congratulating himself on something going right today. If I can find the answers, I can rid myself of this infernal—

But his thought was interuppted as he rounded the corner on row five. He had spoken too soon.

Bathed in the dying embers of sunlight, Morgana sat on the floor, her sensual gown pooled around her.

He felt himself take in a sharp breath. She was beautiful. Even poets couldn't describe the blueblack glow of her dark hair or the bronze illumination of her skin articulately. The blood immediately rushed to his loins as primitive longing filled him with lust.

But he wished it was just lust that he felt. He had tried to convince her of that earlier. But the only person he was trying to convince was himself. This couldn't go further. It would end badly. After tomorrow she'd be embarrassed, ashamed of the bizarre feelings that had her lust after a servant.

Was this love? This all consuming, nagging pain like one had been hit in the stomach with a sword? Was love noticing the way she crinkled her nose at something slightly humorous?

But love? The word fell so softly falling from her perfect lips earlier…could she possibly mean it? No, she couldn't. It was magic, the lust, the hormones for her. He couldn't indulge in this fantasy; it was hard enough to deny her his body let alone his heart. He had needed to cruel to be kind. In truth, he was crueler to himself.

And being here now was adding to that cruelty. He turned to go, too many things could happen in the dark corner of the library…

But some sound must've alerted her to his presence, because her eyes were fixed on him in the semi-darkness.

And her eyes were red rimmed with tears.

"It's true, isn't it?" she whispered across the space.

"What's true?" he said, trying to keep his voice quiet.

"It's magic. I have magic. My dreams, the strange things that happen…the feelings from the past few days, it's all magic" she said, confusion and anguish in her voice.

"My lady, I wish there was something I could say—" he began, the lie automatically coming to his lips.

"Don't," she said, rising to her feet and coming to stand before him, "Don't you dare try to deny it. Tell me the truth. Tell me I'm not crazy."

Her eyes were angry, desperate, imploring. "Please, Merlin, I need to know what's happening to me," she beseeched.

He knew he shouldn't. Knew that there would be consequences. Knew that there were prophesies, destinies, times in his later life where he might regret his weakness in this moment. Yet he was so tired of destiny coloring his reality.

In front of him he didn't see a powerful witch, an ally of Mordred, or enemy of Camelot.

All he saw was a scared young woman, confused, frightened, and in pain. And he wouldn't deny her the one thing that would end her misery.

So he spoke the words which might haunt him later, but at that moment seemed so very right, "Yes, it's magic. You have magic."

She visibly relaxed, the taut set of her face gone as she sank to the floor. He sat beside her, careful not to let their skin touch. He wasn't sure how much she had worked out…did she know about his magic?

New tears began to run down her face, uncertain of what to do, Merlin said, "I'm sorry."

He wasn't entirely certain of what he was sorry for-upsetting her, telling her the truth-but he wasn't sorry she had magic.

"Don't be. I wanted the truth and frankly, it's a relief. Everything makes so much sense now. But I won't lie….I'm frightened, frightened of my power. I have always been taught that magic corrupts your soul," she said a tremor still in her voice.

He put his arm around her comfortingly, still careful not to touch her skin. She leaned her head into the curve of his arm.

Before he could speak to her concerns, she said, "But I shouldn't be frightened, should I? I'm not alone, you have magic, too."

For the space of a second he considered lying to her. He had done his duty, had told her the truth about herself, it wasn't necessary that she know about him, right? But he couldn't, she needed him. And if he was honest with himself, he needed her.

"Yes," he breathed, "I have magic." He wasn't prepared for the immense relief that came with that declaration. He hated lying to her, to Arthur, to everyone about what he was. It made magic seem so tawdry, so dangerous when it could be used for good. One day he could reveal it without shame to the entire world, but it felt as if some of the vises of his secret had loosened. Morgana knew and for now, that was enough.

"Uther would kill us if he knew," she said matter of factly.

"Yes, but he won't find out." he said, assuredly.

"He's such a hard man. He may fear magic, but I suppose I've always relied on my position and his love to protect me. It seems that now I am no longer safe as the king's ward," she said.

He pulled her closer, bestowing a kiss on the top of her head. While it was a comforting gesture, he couldn't help but notice how soft her hair felt against his lips. It was like kissing silk and it smelled divine. "You're safe with me. I can protect you," he said and he meant every word. He would do anything to keep her safe from Uther. Anything.

Lifting her head from his shoulder, she looked into his eyes…and he felt like she really saw him. Before there were mere inklings of their connection, notions of what she might sense about him, but in her eyes he saw…honesty, acceptance. He hadn't realized how much he needed that from her.

She smiled softly and said, "You're right. We have each other." A frown marred her features as she said, "How lonely you must've been, how frightened without anyone to talk to, to answer your questions."

"Well, I had Gaius. He knows about us both," feeling bold, he replied, "but he isn't you."

An impish smile crossed her lips as she said, "I'd imagine not."

Her eyes kept darting between his eyes and his lips and he felt his body respond to her gaze, much as he had in the great hall.

There were no more secrets between them; surely it wouldn't hurt to have one kiss. But she was vulnerable and he didn't want to press his advances, no matter how delicious her lips looked.

As if reading his mind she leaned in, her lips slightly parting as she whispered, "Kiss me."

He wanted to jerk away, to put distance between them, to remove them both from this dark and seductive corner of the library. But then her hand cupped his cheek as she eagerly sought his lips. And he was lost in the magic of her touch.

Their lips met and it was the same burst of heat that coursed through them in the closet. His hands found their way into her hair, dislodging pins and loosening her hair as he slanted his mouth, wanting only to be closer.

Their previous kiss was a mere sample. He wanted the entire feast and apparently so did she.

Nudging and sliding his lips against hers only built his need. He needed more. His tongue flicked out to brush against the closed seam of her lips and with a gasp, she opened her mouth.

Her hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer as his tongue sank into her warm mouth. She was sweet, tasting of the strawberries she had temptingly ate earlier. He couldn't get enough, thrusting his tongue inside to mate with hers. She responded with a moan, her tongue swirling, tangling with his. She sucked his bottom lip inside and gently nibbled. He couldn't stop the heartfelt moan. She was driving him wild with her eagerness.

Tearing his lips from hers, he fanned kisses across her soft cheek to her ear. Taking her lobe in his mouth, he nibbled until she moaned. He trailed open-mouthed kisses down her neck. Sucking, nibbling, anything to hear the vibration of her moans against his lips.

Her hands had found their way down his back and were inching under his tunic. The pressure of touch on his lower back nearly made him jump. It was one thing to dream about her hands on his body, quite another to feel them unhindered by cloth. She ran her hands up and down the lines of his back as he shuddered under her ministrations. She ran her delicate nails down his back softly and he jerked.

Not idle himself, he passionately lingered on her neck, almost certain that his actions would leave a mark. But he needed to touch more of her. Undoing the knot which held her gown up, he pulled away to look into her eyes.

"Yes," she breathed in response to his unspoken question and he slowly pushed down the fabric of her dress.

He had explored her breasts earlier in the closet but nothing could've prepared him for the sight of her naked chest. She was…perfect yet that word seemed too insignificant to describe her. Her breasts were large with luminous, creamy skin topped by pert pink nipples the same red as her lips.

He felt his hands shake in eagerness as he skimmed the back of his fingers down to the valley between them. A line of sparks trailed behind his touch. Her head fell back as she moaned, "Oh, God, it feels so good…your touch is…amazing."

He cupped her breasts in his hands, again marveling at how perfectly they fit. He felt her hands quiver as she continued to explore his chest.

He couldn't just touch, he needed to taste her. Lowering his mouth, his tongue flicked out against her nipple. She gasped out his name. While his other hand teased her taut nipple, he took her nipple in his mouth and suckled. Her back arched as her hands moved to his hair to hold him to closer.

Sparks were flying everything but neither of them paid any heed to them. He moved to her other breast, giving it the same tortuous suction which sent her panting. His hands roamed her shoulders, her arms, the flat planes of her stomach…every bit of skin he could get to.

The touch of her skin was an aphrodisiac. He was hotter than he had been at any point today. Hotter than he'd been in his life. He didn't want to stop touching her, didn't think he could. Her breathy moans and gasps were music to his ears. His hand slid to her leg, eager to touch more of her soft skin, eager to bury himself in-

Muffled voices shattered the erotic haze. "Did you see something?" a voice said as the library's front door creaked open.

They broke apart, he pushed himself about two feet away to put some distance between their touching bodies. The sparks! How could he forget about their ability to be seen?

"Something like what?" another voice added.

He signaled her to be quiet. If he weren't so terrified of discovery, he would've been disappointed that she had already retied her top.

"Like a candle or a lantern? We'd better go check. Uther will have our heads of the library starts on fire," the first guard said.

His mind went blank. This was it. They likely wouldn't be executed, he would be executed. The sparks weren't visible but fraternization with the King's daughter was. Her loosened hair and his presence spoke volumes. And this time it wasn't gullible Gwen.

Looking into her eyes, he realized it might've been worth it. His gaze dropped to her plump, kiss reddened lips…and it definitely was.

She quickly got to her feet and moved around the corner, away from the safe corner where they would be discovered. Tossing a comforting glance, she disappeared around the corner and said, "Hello? Is anyone there?"

He heard the guards shuffle in her direction and light engulf her a mere few feet away from his hidden position.

"My lady?" a guard asked, puzzled at her appearance.

She feigned an impressive yawn, "I must've fallen asleep. I went in search of a book and started to read it…then I woke up just now."

Her mussed hair added credibility to her story.

"I see, my lady. Well, we best lock up the library. You know how the librarian gets…"

"Oh, I know, indeed," she replied, "Just let me grab my book and I'll be out directly."

The guards moved towards the door as she returned to row five.

"That was close," she whispered with a seductive smile.

"You could say that," he whispered.

"Meet me later. In my bedchamber. We have more to discuss."

"Morgana, I don't think that's a good idea…the sparks…"

"Merlin, I need you, I have questions. I need your support right now. Please?" she asked, some of the confusion and fear from earlier reappearing.

"Ok, but just for fifteen minutes. I can't be caught with you and we definitely can't be seen touching," he replied.

"My lady?" the guard called, clearly impatient.

"I'm coming," she replied loudly.

"Tonight. Just talking. I'm sure I can resist you for fifteen minutes. Come to my chamber at midnight," she whispered.

And with a swoosh of her skirts, she was gone. He heard the door to the library close and let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding.

Alone in her chamber with this blasted spring fling ritual hanging over their heads? He wouldn't last five minutes.

FINIS

What say you? I think this turned out pretty well. Morgana still has questions, particularly about the holiday. I mean, it's quite a lot to absorb in a few minutes, let alone to come up with intelligent things to ask. I really enjoy putting these two into difficult situations. Please review! I'd love to hear what you think about the reworked revelation.