[ Hello! I just want to thank all of you who reviewed my story and who put this story on your alerts, you don't know how much it means to come on and read such lovely reviews or to find someone who actuallyenjoys reading my story! Please contiune reviewing, as I've said before it really does help with the plot. This chapter is a lot shorter than the other two, but I felt I wanted to tie this section up. The next chapters will be of Arthur and Morgana growing into teenagers, where it will really get a lot better, I promise! I'll be able to do a lot more with all the characters when they're teenagers. I just also want to thank Anna, (Anina613) for your constant reviews and kindness towards my story! It means so much, thank you. :) ]

Chapter 3

"Friend or Foe?"

Arthur had returned to the castle that night with a heavy heart, he knew what he said to the young Morgana was very hurtful, but he could only see that now. He supposed he believed Morgana to be of very strong foundations, and for her to retaliate with something more cruel, but now he had understood that she couldn't possibly be strong when she had lost her father a little less than a week ago, and that the topic was still very tender and sensitive on her mind.

Arthur had warily dragged himself into the long dining hall- where his father sat at the top of the table beaming down at his son. "I want you to tell me everything!" Uther said, his eyes alight with amusement. Arthur took his seat, before he opened his mouth to speak, but his father stopped him. "Haha- hold your tongue! We'll wait for the Lady Morgana to come down, I want to hear both sides to this story!" Uther said, his barking laugh erupting through his lips. He saw his son however was not up to spirits, he gazed at him- before he felt the need to ask what was bothering him, although Uther could possibly guess. "Oh- well... It looks like someone's a sore loser!" Uther cackled, shoving his son's forearm in a lighthearted way.

"Its not my fault you're such a sore loser!" Came the echo of Morgana's voice in his head. Arthur shoved his father's arm off rather violently, the King had hit a nerve. "I'm not a sore loser!" Arthur snapped, as he stared down at his food. "All right! All right!" Uther said, taken aback. "I was only teasing!" Uther told him, before he picked over his meat. Once again Arthur didn't feel like eating, but for different reasons. He felt utterly sick to the stomach, he had caused Morgana to cry- and even though he was only a young boy of nine, it still ached him to know that he had caused her suffering. However, his father noticed his loss of appetite and smirked. "How very rude of me- you're right Arthur!" Uther praised, patting his son of the back. "Huh?" Arthur said, looking up from his large plate with bewilderment. "We must wait until the Lady Morgana joins us to begin our meal." Uther said with wisdom, clearly proud of his son for remembering this. "Yes, right." Arthur nodded, pretending that was why he wasn't eating. "What is keeping her, anyway?" Uther asked, looking suspicious as he gazed down at the wooden double doors. "Did you behead the girl, Arthur?" Uther asked getting up off his seat to go and fetch her, but he was cut off- as his waving scarlet cloak floated to a halt. The wooden doors opened and one, slender tall figure entered. "My Lord." She bowed. "I regret to inform you that the Lady Morgana will not be joining you this evening." Helena spoke, as Arthur's heart pounced in his chest. "And why might that be?" Uther asked, in his usual patronizing tone when he spoke to those below him. "She is not feeling at her best, Sire." Helena replied. "I expect she will be up in fighting form tomorrow My Lord, nothing to worry about." Helena smiled sweetly, before she excused herself, and the doors clung shut. "Fighting form?" Uther said, turning to his son with a shocked expression. "Good Lord Arthur, what have you done to her?" Uther asked, looking extremely anxious. "Calm down father, I expect it's just a play on words!" Arthur snapped, before he began to leave the hall. "Where are you going?" Uther asked. "You haven't touched your food!" Arthur turned to him, trying to quickly come up with an excuse. "Oh... I expect theres something going about father, I'm not feeling at all well either." Arthur said, throwing in a fake cough for effect. "Good night." He concluded before he left the hall.

Meanwhile the Lady Morgana was laid in her bed, in her white silk night gown, a pillow propped behind her head, her slender curls laid over the pillow neatly, either side of her. Her eyes widened and her eyes shot to the door as she heard someone enter, she breathed out calmly to see Uther hadn't returned with her maid to check on her. "Well?" Morgana asked Helena impatiently. "I explained you were not well, he understood." Helena told her with a kind smile as though it were fact. "Good." Morgana replied, as Helena blew out her candle. "I expect you'll be fine in the morning- I felt no need to alert the Physician." Helena told, as she closed her window. "Oh no, please don't." Morgana half begged, making Helena turn around. "If you feel worse in the night Morgana, you must alert someone." Helena said seriously, as she tucked the small girl into her bed. "But I expect you will be fine, hopefully." The sweet maid smiled, before she planted a gentle kiss on Morgana's head. "I wish you would allow me to stay with you tonight." Helena pleaded. "That won't be necessary, Helena- I assure you, I'm just not feeling entirely well, nothing to blow out of proportion." Morgana replied in a soothing way, to calm her maid. "If you're sure..." Helena replied, before she gave her her sleeping draught and bid her Lady goodnight and left. Now, Morgana was alone.

Helena had been so worried when she found Lady Morgana had locked her door earlier, thankfully Morgana had informed her it was because she was changing out of her fighting-wear. She had tried so desperately to hide her red, puffy eyes and she had tried to stifle the sobs, but she couldn't. So, she had blamed it on her sickness- the sickness which didn't exist. Of course Helena believed her and changed her for bed at once, before she had went to tell Uther. Morgana didn't feel much like sharing a dining table with the prestigious Prince anyway, and his ignorant ways- and she doubted she'd feel at all comfortable explaining their small duel to Uther, yes- it was best she stay in bed.

She had closed her eyes to sleep, but sleep would not come- as it never did. The lingering taste of black currant and cinnamon wavered on her tongue from the sleeping draught, which often left a fizzy, strange sort of taste in her mouth. The young girl twisted and turned, before finally curling up in the fetal position and slowly, but surely she was in a tranquil place of sleep, of calm and soothing energy. It didn't last long however.

The thick knock of a hand against wood banged on her door. It knocked and it knocked, before a rather drowsy Morgana rushed to her feet, almost stumbling from being awoke abruptly. Her heart pounded against her chest as she rushed for her dressing gown, the thin lace floating delicately over her white, silk nightgown. "What- what is it?" She asked, opening her door, rubbing her fuzzy eyes which were clouded from view for a few moments. There she was greeted by a short, blonde haired Prince who was now wearing a red shirt and lined-leather jacket. He scratched his head awkwardly. "May I come in?" He asked, lingering the threshold, before Morgana gave him permission. "I'm sorry to have awoken you." Arthur explained as he closed her door, Morgana walking to her table to get some water. "And what has you feeling so concerned all of a sudden?" Morgana asked with a hint of anger in her voice as she lifted a silver goblet and poured ice-cold water into it, using the thick and heavy silver jug. "I came to see if you were alright- I heard you weren't feeling well." Arthur told her, as Morgana sipped her water, her hand resting on the back of the carefully carved chair. "Well, you'll be pleased to know I'm fine- you can leave now." Morgana told him, as she held her head high and proceeded past him, to return to her bed, when Arthur gripped her forearm to stop her. Morgana froze, their eyes met for no more than a second, before Morgana pulled her arm away. "I-I came to say I'm sorry..." Arthur muttered out, still staring at her magnificent emerald eyes.

Morgana stared at him, her gaze somewhat having a sympathetic glint to them, she held her mouth ajar for a few moments before she finally replied. "It's fine." She mumbled out as a reply, knowing it wasn't fine, but she couldn't understand why she had so little to say- she loathed him too, right? Wrong.

"No!" Arthur half begged, "It isn't fine! I saw you earlier!" Arthur said, a pleading hint in his words. "I said it's fine, Arthur- please." Morgana told him, as she made her way over to her bed, she didn't want to bring up this afternoon's events again, he had seen her in a very vulnerable state- she hated being perceived that way, she was so very strong, if he only knew.

"I didn't mean to upset you, I... I didn't mean to bring it up." Arthur told her, she knew by the word 'it' that it meant the subject of her father, a very delicate one. "Really, Arthur- please." Morgana said her voice turning to a delicate whisper on the last word as her hand rested on her bed post, almost begging him to stop- she couldn't, she couldn't cry now in front of him. It meant so much that he would come and apologize, he had recognized he had hurt her, maybe he wasn't that arrogant after all. "Morgana..." Arthur asked, wondering if she was alright. "You should go." She muttered, unable to turn around and face him.

It was clear to Arthur that he had perhaps upset her again, and he wondered for a moment that maybe they would never make become friends, but now- now he wanted to become her friend more than ever, not her foe. "I really am sorry..." Arthur told her, sounding very awkward, he was caught between wanting to comfort her and wanting to leave- one overthrew the other request however, but he had never comforted a girl before, and the thought made him uncomfortable- apologizing was hard enough, but he didn't want to leave her like this.

"If your father only knew you where here." Morgana half-laughed, trying to lighten the mood, ever-so softly. "I'll deal with him." Arthur scoffed. She returned the laugh, feeling that the tears didn't feel so prominent to escape now, they glistened in her eyes, but that was merely a threat, she felt she could let her guard down- and she did so by turning to face the young boy in the darkness, a smile curling on the edge of her lips, something of a smirk. "Or perhaps I will." Morgana said sardonically. "Me being such a suck-up to him after all..." Morgana let a louder laugh escape her lips this time. "Well..." Arthur said, trying to return her sudden humor. "I'm sure you'd beat him on the battlefield anyway..." Arthur smirked. "Would I now?" Morgana replied, trying to act surprised. "Yeah... I suppose you're not bad- for a girl." Arthur added with a light laugh, and soon the two were laughing in harmony with each other, before it grew late and Arthur felt the need to leave in case his father really did find out he was here.

"Goodnight then." Arthur whispered as he opened the door, Morgana following him to show him out. "Goodnight- and thank you for coming!" She smiled, showing her dazzling white toothy smile. "Of course." Arthur grinned, before he went to step over the threshold and out into the hall, but was caught off guard by Morgana's arms swinging around his neck. "Really." She whispered. "Thank you." She told him again, having more in depth meaning, by apologizing he wasn't only taking back the cruel things he had said to her earlier, but he was admitting their friendship, and thats all she wanted; more than anything. "Right." Arthur replied, hugging her awkwardly back, before he shot her a smile and left. Morgana returned to her bed, with happy thought, and she fell to sleep rather quickly now, with the delightful dreams that both her and Arthur might actually enjoy growing up together.