A few weeks later, Merlin brought a small knife and several maps of the Five Kingdoms to Morgana's magic lesson. "So, Morgana, you still haven't had much luck finding your exiled uncle, have you?"

"None at all," Morgana confirmed, scowling.

"Well, I've had an idea that might help with that," Merlin continued. "There's a spell that allows you to use your blood to show the locations of your blood relatives."

"You want to use blood magic?" Gwen gasped, horrified.

Merlin gave her a weary look. "You're thinking of spells that require a sacrificial victim. There's nothing inherently wrong with spells that require you to use a few drops of your own blood."

"Right. Sorry," Gwen said, abashed. She reached out and tightly gripped Lancelot's hand.

Merlin sighed, turning back to Morgana. "Anyway. One drop will show immediate relatives—parents, siblings, children. Adding a second drop will also show aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. If your uncle is still alive, or if he ever had any children, casting this spell with two drops of blood will allow you to find them."

"And if I used more?" Morgana asked curiously.

"Well, then you'd start seeing second cousins and the like, but I don't think you need that."

"No, you're right, I was just wondering," Morgana agreed.

"Allow me to demonstrate." Merlin pulled a map over to himself and picked up the knife. "Now, if I use one drop, it should show my mother over here in Ealdor…" He pricked his finger, allowing a single drop of blood to spill onto the map. He then chanted a long incantation, and the drop of blood split in two. One droplet rolled away and came to rest over Ealdor, as Merlin had predicted, but the other rolled to a mountain in the Forest of Merendra. Merlin stared at it in confusion. "Who could that be? My father is dead, and so far as I know I don't have any siblings."

"Apparently, I'm not the only one who has had family secrets kept hidden from me," Morgana observed sympathetically.

"Perhaps your father had another child before he married your mother?" Lancelot suggested.

Merlin winced and mumbled something indistinct.

"What was that?" Morgana demanded.

"My parents never married," Merlin said more loudly, looking heartily embarrassed.

"Oh." Morgana wasn't sure how to respond to that. Several moments passed in awkward silence.

It was Gwen who finally broke it. "Well…no offense, but if your father never married your mother, that does make it sound more likely that he might have sired a child before he met her."

"Look, this lesson wasn't even supposed to be about me," Merlin said, a little louder than necessary. He handed the knife to Morgana. "We're looking for your exiled uncle, remember?"

"Right." Morgana picked up the knife and took out another map. "Could you maybe write down the incantation for me?"

"Sure," Merlin agreed. Gwen brought him a quill and inkwell, and he wrote out the incantation on a spare scrap of parchment.

"All right then. Seeing as I've no living parents or siblings…" Morgana trailed off. "On second thought, why should I believe that? People have been lying to me all my life." She pricked her finger, allowing a single drop of blood to spill onto the map. She then read out the incantation. Nothing happened.

"Well, I guess that's one thing people haven't lied to you about," Gwen commented.

Merlin grimaced. "Actually, if there are no living relatives to identify, or the map isn't big enough to show them, the blood is supposed to disperse completely. I don't think she did it right. But that's why I brought multiple maps, anyway." He slid another map over to Morgana.

It ultimately took another three tries for Morgana to make something happen. When she did, the drop of blood split into three. Two parts moved together and settled at the heart of Camelot, but one moved away and stopped in a rural part of Odin's kingdom. Morgana stared in disbelief. "Just how many family secrets are being hidden from me?"

"Maybe we could get a map of the city, help you identify the two in Camelot?" Merlin suggested.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Morgana agreed stiffly. "But first, let's find out just how many uncles and cousins I really have." She pulled out another map and cast the spell again, this time with two drops of blood. Two additional droplets formed, one moving to join the other two in the heart of Camelot, and one moving to the Forest of Merendra.

"Wait a minute…" Merlin murmured. He looked at his own map, then back at Morgana's, jaw hanging open. Morgana looked over at his map to see what had caught his attention, and realized that his mysterious relative was located in the exact same place in the Forest of Merendra.

"My god," Gwen breathed, staring at Merlin. "You must be her third relative in Camelot!"

"What?!" Merlin yelped, his voice rising an octave. "But how—no, no, that's not possible! Not that I wouldn't love to have you as a relative," he added hastily, "but you're a noble and I'm just a peasant! We can't possibly be related!"

"Couldn't you?" Lancelot said thoughtfully. "You both were born with magic. Lady Morgana's uncle was exiled during the Great Purge. All records of her mother's family have been expunged. Perhaps they were expunged because the family was magical. Perhaps her uncle disguised himself as a peasant to escape the Great Purge, and met your mother when he fled the kingdom."

"You…you think my father was Morgana's exiled uncle?" Merlin stammered, still stunned.

"It certainly sounds possible," Gwen agreed. "What was your father's name?"

"I…don't know," Merlin admitted, eyes widening. "My mother hardly speaks of him."

"Why don't you try the spell with two drops of blood, see if you get any unknown relatives in Camelot?" Gwen suggested.

"O-okay then…" Merlin pulled over the last map, took a deep breath, then pricked his finger again and cast the spell with two drops of blood. Three new droplets formed. One moved to Odin's kingdom, and the others settled at the heart of Camelot. "One of those must be Gaius, but the other two…" Merlin trailed off, looking up at Morgana.

Morgana swallowed. "Well, speculating is all well and good, but we need proper answers. We'll just have to travel to the Forest of Merendra and see who we find."

"How will you explain that to the king?" Merlin asked worriedly.

Morgana thought about it. "I'll…tell him I'm going to visit my father's estate."

"What about you, Merlin?" Gwen asked. "You can't exactly be seen to accompany her."

"I'll tell Arthur I need to visit my mother," Merlin suggested.

"And you should probably leave before I announce my trip," Morgana added. "Otherwise, Arthur might guess that you're really going with me."

"Good point," Merlin said wryly. "Wouldn't want the prat thinking I'm secretly courting my own cousin, would we?"

"No, we certainly wouldn't," Morgana agreed.

That evening, Gwen brought Morgana a map of the city. "I wasn't sure if you were still planning to look for your unknown relatives in Camelot," she explained.

"Thank you, but I'll wait," Morgana replied. "Whoever we find in the Forest of Merendra may have answers."

"All right, I'll put this aside for now, then." Gwen opened a dresser and put the map in the top drawer.

The next day, Merlin successfully wheedled Arthur into giving him time off. That night, he and Morgana both recast the spell to confirm that their quarry was still in the same place. The mysterious relative in the Forest of Merendra had not moved, and Merlin departed Camelot at dawn the following morning.

Morgana waited until after the midday meal to approach Uther about her own trip. She had a bit of difficulty convincing him she didn't need an entire contingent of knights to escort her, but at last he agreed to allow her to go with only Lancelot for protection. Morgana and Lancelot returned to her chambers to prepare for the journey.

A short while later, Gwen entered the room, carrying a big bouquet of white lilies. "Looks like you have an admirer," she announced.

Morgana walked over for a closer look. "Who are they from?"

"I don't know," Gwen shrugged. "There's no note."

"Hm. Well, whoever my admirer is, he'll just have to wait." Morgana critically eyed the flowers. "Seems a shame to think of them wilting before I can enjoy them, though. I wonder if…oh!" Morgana cast a preservation spell on the flowers, pleased that she had remembered it. Oddly, her spell made her instantly sense a blemish in one of the lilies. She bent down to look inside, then pulled out an unsightly black beetle. She curled her lip in distaste, dropped the beetle onto the floor and ground it beneath her heel. "That's better."

"Are you not concerned that someone will notice the flowers have been enchanted?" Lancelot asked worriedly.

Morgana scoffed. "If anyone comes snooping in my private chambers during my absence, they'd be fools to admit to it. Keep packing, I want to catch up to Merlin by nightfall."

They departed the city an hour later. Once they passed the tree line, Morgana changed into a blouse and trousers. She wasn't expecting a fight, but riding around looking like a wealthy noblewoman would just be asking for trouble. Thus camouflaged, she re-mounted her horse, and they soon found Merlin waiting for them by the side of the road.

They had made it halfway to the border when night fell, and they made camp a little ways off the road. Soon, they all sat around the fire, eating supper. "You know, I've been thinking," Lancelot began. "Merlin, what exactly happened to your father?"

"I'm not sure," Merlin admitted. "Mother never really said what happened, only that he was gone and she was sure he would have loved me. I only have the vaguest memory of him, and I'm not even sure if it's real."

"And have you ever been to his grave?" Lancelot prompted.

Merlin shook his head. "No, we burn our dead in Ealdor."

Lancelot swallowed his mouthful of bread. "Merlin…are you absolutely certain that 'gone' meant 'dead'? Whoever we're seeking, they live very far from even the nearest village. You don't settle in the middle of a forest on a whim. Perhaps your father felt that Ealdor was too close to Camelot for safety, and he fled into the Forest of Merendra."

"You mean…you think my father is the person we're looking for?" Merlin asked uncertainly.

"I think it's a possibility."

Merlin stared at his bread, not touching it. "I always wanted to meet my father. I never thought I would. But if you're right…I have no idea how I'm supposed to feel about that. I…does he know about me? Or did he leave before I was born? If he is alive, why didn't he take us with him? And why did my mother never say anything?!" Merlin stood up. "I had a right to know about my father!"

Morgana gently reached out to grab his elbow and pull him back to the ground. "Let's not get angry until we know precisely what we should be angry for."

"Right. Sorry." Merlin swallowed hard. "I just feel like I don't know anything any more."

"I've been feeling like that ever since I realized my dreams are real," Morgana replied quietly. "So many people have lied to me for so long. But I know I can count on all of you. And Merlin, you can count on all of us."

"Whatever we find in the Forest of Merendra, we'll stand by you," Gwen added. Lancelot nodded in agreement.

In the morning, their journey was largely uneventful until they crossed the border into Essetir. Shortly afterwards, they ran into a patrol. The soldiers surrounded them, and Morgana tried very hard to look innocent. "State your business," commanded a soldier who appeared to be the ranking officer.

"Our home was recently lost to fire," Merlin replied calmly. He gestured to Morgana. "My sister and I have family on the other side of the Forest of Merendra, and we hope to find a new home with them. Our friends kindly offered to escort us for the journey."

The officer gave them all a critical look, then nodded. "Safe travels, then." He signaled to his men, and they continued down the road, leaving the travelers alone.

Once the soldiers were out of earshot, Gwen heaved a massive sigh of relief. "I thought we were done for."

Merlin shot her a look of confusion. "Why?"

"They were enemy soldiers!" Gwen replied, as if it were obvious.

"No, they were just soldiers," Merlin corrected. "Camelot and Essetir have a treaty now. Besides, they're just men trying to make an honest living by fighting for their king, same as Camelot's soldiers. My best friend's father fought in Cenred's army, and he was one of the most honorable men I've ever known."

"It is not a man's banner that determines his virtue, but the quality of his heart," Lancelot stated thoughtfully.

"Exactly," Merlin agreed. "So long as we don't pose a threat to Essetir, they've got no reason to attack us. I wouldn't have even bothered lying if it weren't for Morgana. Probably best not to let people here know who she really is."

"Yes, I can well imagine Cenred might twist my presence into an excuse to declare war again," Morgana agreed wryly.

"But they don't know what you look like," Merlin continued. "Just stick to that story if we see any more of Cenred's soldiers, and we'll be fine."

"I'm sorry," Gwen said, somewhat sheepishly. "I've never actually been outside Camelot's borders before."

"Cenred may not be the greatest of kings, but that doesn't mean we Essetirans are all savages," Merlin said seriously.

Gwen nodded. "I'll try to remember that."

Several hours later, they finally reached the base of a tall mountain in the Forest of Merendra. "Now what?" Merlin wondered aloud.

"We circle the foot of the mountain, looking for signs of human habitation," Lancelot suggested.

"It's as good a plan as any," Morgana agreed, steering her horse to the south. The rest of the group followed.

An hour later, they spotted a stream flowing out from a cave. "There," Lancelot called, pointing to footprints in the mud. "Someone is here."

"This is it, then," Morgana murmured. She dismounted and tied her horse to a nearby tree. The others did the same with their own mounts.

By unspoken agreement, they all allowed Merlin to lead the way into the cave. "Hello?" Merlin called nervously.

Suddenly, a shadowy figure grabbed Merlin from behind, restraining him with an arm around his neck. "What do you all want here?" the man hissed angrily.

Morgana lifted her chin. "Are you brother to the Lady Vivienne?"

The man narrowed his eyes at her before answering. "Who's asking?"

"Her daughter, the Lady Morgana."

The man finally released Merlin, staring at Morgana. Several moments passed before he spoke again. "You have your mother's eyes," he said softly.

"So you are my uncle?"

"Once, I was known as Lord Balinor Ambrosius, trusted advisor to King Uther. Now, thanks to a man I once called friend, I'm just an old recluse in a cave."

"So you have magic, then?" Merlin asked, staring at Balinor.

"Aye," Balinor confirmed. "Why do you think I'm in this cave, boy? Uther hunted me like an animal! I stopped in a village across the border, made a life for myself there, but still he would not let me be! I was forced to come here, to this!" Balinor shook his head. "When we were younger, I often mourned that Vivienne had little aptitude for magic, but once the Purge began, I thanked the stars that the family talent had passed her by." He looked at Morgana again. "I also thank the stars that you were born a girl. Our family's greatest gift is passed down solely through the male line. If you'd been born a boy, I fear that Uther might have killed you just to make certain you could not inherit it."

"And what if you had a son?" Merlin asked.

"I don't have a son," Balinor said curtly. "And a good thing too, or Uther surely would have had him drowned."

"But you mentioned a village," Merlin persisted. "You said you had a life there. Did that life include a woman?"

"Yes," Balinor admitted, a faraway look on his face. "Hunith. A good woman. I had hoped to marry her, but it was not to be."

"Hunith of Ealdor?"

Balinor looked at Merlin in surprise. "You know her?"

"She's my mother."

A flash of sadness passed through Balinor's eyes. "So she married. That's good."

Merlin shook his head. "She never married. I'm your son."

Balinor stared, the silence stretching out for what felt like forever. "I don't know what it is to have a son," he said at last.

"Nor I a father," Merlin replied, smiling tentatively at Balinor.

Balinor smiled back, then suddenly frowned. "I don't believe you've told me your name."

"I'm Merlin."

"Merlin," Balinor repeated thoughtfully. "A fine name. Hunith always was fond of birds." He stared into space for a while longer, then turned to Lancelot and Gwen. "And who are you? More long-lost relatives?"

Lancelot shook his head. "My name is Lancelot, bodyguard to the Lady Morgana, and this is Guinevere, her maidservant."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Gwen added, smiling.

"And a pleasure to meet you too," Balinor responded. "I am sorry I could not be a better host, but I was not expecting visitors."

"That's all right," Morgana assured. "We brought provisions of our own."

"Then perhaps we could all get to know each other over supper?" Balinor suggested.

"That sounds great," Merlin agreed, still smiling.

Soon, they all sat in the cave, eating a simple meal. "You, uh, mentioned a family gift passed down through the male line?" Merlin asked hesitantly.

"The Ambrosius family is a line of Dragonlords," Balinor replied. "In the days before the Purge, both dragons and Dragonlords were common across the Five Kingdoms. Now, I am the last of the Dragonlords, and Kilgharrah is the last of the dragons."

"Kilgharrah?" Merlin repeated. "The dragon Uther chained under a cave in Camelot?"

"The very same," Balinor confirmed, scowling. "Uther convinced me to use my power to bring the last dragon to Camelot. He said he wanted to make peace with him, but he did not. He lied to me. He betrayed me. He captured Kilgharrah, used him as a trophy, and I was forced to flee for my life!"

"I'm sorry," Merlin said quietly.

Balinor sobered, giving Merlin a serious look. "I have always hated Uther for his actions that day, but now I know, if I had never fled Camelot…you would never have been born."

"I'm still sorry it happened that way," Merlin insisted.

"You are not to blame," Balinor assured.

"You said you 'used your power' to bring the last dragon to Camelot," Morgana cut in, curious. "What exactly does it mean to be a Dragonlord?"

"The dragons are our kin," Balinor explained. "There is a voice we share with them, and every true Dragonlord can reach inside himself to use it. When we speak to the dragons in that voice, they must obey our will."

"And…have Dragonlords ever commanded dragons to attack?" Gwen asked nervously.

"Of a certainty, yes," Balinor confirmed. "But every Dragonlord is taught from birth to use the power responsibly, and if any Dragonlord is found abusing his power, the rest of us will strip him of it." Balinor swallowed. "Would have stripped him of it."

"Um…would it be abusing my power if I ordered Kilgharrah never to call Morgana evil again?" Merlin asked tentatively.

Balinor briefly stared in surprise, then sighed and shook his head. "Kilgharrah has always harbored an irrational hatred for females of all species. I remember one time I hatched a dragon egg, and Kilgharrah was full of praise for what he repeatedly referred to as a male hatchling…and when I corrected him that the hatchling was female, he turned his back and refused to acknowledge her existence."

"So, it's no cause for concern, that he claimed I was destined for evil?" Morgana demanded. Her voice came out rather more anxious than she would have liked.

"None at all," Balinor assured. "Though I would certainly like to have words with him for saying that, especially considering your relation to me." He grimaced, then looked back at Merlin. "But in any event, you won't have the gift yet. It is only handed down from father to son upon the death of the father, and I plan to spend plenty of time teaching you about our sacred gift before passing it on to you."

"In that case, I can definitely wait to become a Dragonlord," Merlin agreed.

Balinor smiled again, then ate another spoonful of his dinner. He swallowed it and gave them all a curious look. "How exactly did you find me? No one else has been to this cave in years."

Merlin and Morgana shared a look, then Morgana turned back to Balinor. "I remembered my father once mentioned that my mother had a brother who was exiled, and I tried to find your name and seal. When I could not, I searched harder, trying to find any record of you. Merlin eventually had the idea to teach me a spell to find my blood relatives on a map."

"Teach you a spell?" Balinor repeated. "You both have magic, then?"

Merlin nodded. "I've had it all my life. Morgana was just a Seer before we met, but I was able to teach her magic too."

"And who did you learn from?" Balinor demanded.

"No one, really. Gaius gave me a book when I came to Camelot, and I've been using it to teach myself. Gaius helps too, a bit, but we don't really trust him."

Balinor frowned. "Why not? He's a good man. It was Gaius who helped me escape Camelot, all those years ago."

Morgana scowled. "He knew I was a Seer, but instead of explaining what was happening to me, he insisted that I was suffering from perfectly ordinary nightmares and he tried to drug my visions away. I thought I was going mad until Merlin told me the truth."

"Ah." Balinor grimaced. "Yes, Gaius always did have difficulties understanding how magic is different for those who have it in their blood. He sees it as an art to be mastered, not a muscle to be exercised."

"Well, that explains a lot," Merlin muttered.

"Anyway," Morgana continued. "I had assumed you would be my only living relative, if indeed you were alive at all, yet imagine my surprise when I discovered I had three rather more immediate living relatives—two in Camelot, and one in Odin's kingdom. Would you happen to know anything about that?"

"And why only the one in Odin's kingdom showed up for me?" Merlin added.

"Two in Camelot?" Balinor repeated, surprised. "I can't imagine who that might be. I can answer you about the one in Odin's kingdom, though—Morgana has a half-sister, born nearly a decade before her." He grimaced, looking at Morgana again. "Your parents were traveling to Camelot when they were beset by bandits. They left your parents alive, but your mother…" Balinor's expression darkened with rage. "The incident left her with child. Your father asked Gaius if there was any way to help your mother 'lose' the baby, but Vivienne refused. She insisted the babe was innocent of its origins and did not deserve to die. Gorlois was less than pleased by that, and Vivienne feared he would do the child harm, so she asked Gaius and me for help. I told Gorlois the child was stillborn, and Gaius smuggled her to the high priestesses. Your sister's name is Morgause."

"Morgause," Morgana repeated softly.

"I haven't seen her since before the Purge, but she was a vivacious child," Balinor continued wistfully. "I imagine she's quite a powerful sorceress now."

"I should like to meet her one day," Morgana stated. "But you've no idea about the other two? None at all?"

"No, none…unless…" Balinor suddenly looked thoughtful. "Around the time you would have been conceived, Gorlois and I were away, fighting on the borders. And your mother had once confided in me that she suspected Gorlois was unable to produce children. As much as it pains me to admit it, I can believe your mother might have decided that an affair was the only way to produce an heir. In which case you would be a product of that affair, and the second relative could be a grandparent or half-sibling from your true father's side."

Morgana scowled. "My true father is the man who raised me. If what you say is true, then this other man has never claimed me."

Balinor shook his head. "I cannot say for certain that there was an affair. I can only speculate."

"Hmph." Morgana stood up. "Well, you have given me much to think about. I believe I shall retire now, and sleep on these revelations."

Gwen and Lancelot also stood up. "We should retire as well," Gwen stated. "I'm sure you and Merlin have plenty more to talk about."

Merlin smiled at them. "Thanks."

Gwen nodded, and she and Lancelot accompanied Morgana back to the horses to fetch their bedrolls.

In the morning, Morgana still wasn't sure how to feel about the possibility that Gorlois might not be her real father. Nonetheless, she intended to do whatever it took to pinpoint the identities of her remaining mystery relatives. She wanted answers, once and for all.

Merlin and Balinor were the last two to wake, and they ate a quick breakfast. Merlin then made an announcement. "Balinor and I will be going to Ealdor to see my mother, and then we will both be returning to Camelot."

"I will not be returning to the city proper," Balinor corrected. "There may yet be those there who would recognize me. But from what I understand, Uther has long ceased his active hunt for me, and I believe I will be safe if I find a cave near the city. Merlin needs to learn about our ancestral gift, and I should like to spend more time with my son and niece."

Morgana smiled. "We would be happy to have you there."

"Am I to understand that the rest of us will be returning to Camelot today, then?" Lancelot asked.

"Yes," Morgana confirmed. "I see no reason to remain here longer."

"Best get packing, then," Gwen concluded, folding up her bedroll.

They set out for Camelot within the hour. They encountered another Essetiran patrol near midday, but Morgana repeated the story about losing her home, and the soldiers let them pass without further question. They reached the border a few hours after that.

Leon and Ewan met them just past the border. Both of them looked displeased. "My lady, would you care to tell me what exactly you were doing in Cenred's kingdom, when you're supposed to be at Tintagel?" Leon demanded.

Morgana froze. "What are you doing here?"

"Arthur asked us to follow you," Ewan explained. "Told us he was concerned about you abruptly taking off on your own. Though he didn't mention any suspicion of treason."

"Treason?!" Lancelot repeated, shocked.

Morgana quelled him with a look. "I swear on my mother's grave, I am no traitor to Camelot. I merely sought to uncover family secrets that Uther has been hiding from me."

Ewan raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Family secrets…in Essetir?"

"My uncle was exiled when I was a baby, and I could find no record explaining why. I recently learned that he settled in Essetir, and I sought to learn his side of the story. I have found the answers I sought, and I swear to you, I have no intention of crossing the border to seek him out again."

"And what of the fourth person who joined you outside the city walls?" Leon demanded. "Don't try to lie, we saw the tracks."

"An old family servant," Morgana replied, thinking quickly. "He knew where my uncle was living, and he led me to him. He remained with my uncle when we left."

Leon and Ewan shared a look. "And you swear to all of this?" Leon asked.

"I swear on my mother's grave, I only sought to uncover family secrets," Morgana insisted, choosing her words very carefully. "As I said, I am no traitor."

"I also swear, on my own parents' graves, none of us meant treason against Camelot," Lancelot spoke up.

"And I also swear," Gwen chimed in.

Leon looked at her, and his expression softened. "All right. I believe you. We'll escort you back to Camelot, and that will be the end of it."

They reached Camelot the following morning. Leon and Ewan went to report to Arthur while Morgana announced her return to Uther. Once the formalities had been taken care of, Morgana returned to her chambers, where Gwen and Lancelot were already unpacking.

A few minutes later, Arthur joined them. "If I could speak to Morgana alone?" he asked.

"I have no secrets from them," Morgana replied. "Whatever you have to say, you can say to all of us."

"All right." Arthur took a deep breath. "Morgana, were you investigating a vision?"

Morgana shot him a look of surprise. "What? No, Arthur, I didn't have any visions. I promised I would tell you if I did, remember?"

"You took off so suddenly, I didn't know what to think," Arthur retorted. "And then that sorcerer came to Camelot, and I began to wonder if perhaps you'd had a vision about him, because that was certainly a very convenient time to leave the city…"

"Wait," Morgana interrupted. "What sorcerer?"

"You really didn't know?" Arthur demanded. Morgana shook her head. "Two days after you left, a man came to Camelot, saying he knew you were ill and he could help. At first, I thought he meant you'd taken ill on the road, but it soon became clear that he believed you were still in Camelot. So, naturally, I had him detained for further questioning. He seemed to think you'd been unconscious for days, and seeing as that was not the case, we suspected he had attempted to render you such. Your chambers were searched, and we discovered some sort of dead beetle that Gaius said was enchanted to enter your brain and devour your soul."

"What?!" Morgana looked around, noticing for the first time that the white lilies were gone. "I received flowers from an anonymous admirer that day, and I found a beetle inside, but I thought nothing of it!"

"Gaius said the flowers were enchanted too," Arthur continued. "The man was charged with sorcery and set to be executed the following day. But that night, he broke out of the dungeons. He killed several guards and made it all the way to my father's chambers. I took him by surprise whilst he was trying to set my father on fire. Ran my sword straight through his chest; he won't be bothering us any more."

"It seems I missed quite a bit of excitement," Morgana remarked.

"That's not the strangest thing, though," Arthur said, looking somewhat bemused now. "The next day, I went to offer condolences to the families of all the guards that were killed, and one man's wife shouted that this was all my fault for letting Merlin leave Camelot. As if Merlin could have done anything against a sorcerer!"

Morgana froze, trying desperately to school her expression. She could see similar looks of shock on Gwen and Lancelot's faces. "That's…certainly odd."

Arthur shook his head. "Clearly, the poor woman was driven mad by her grief."

"Clearly," Morgana agreed.

Arthur snorted humorlessly, then looked back up at Morgana. "So, what you told Leon and Ewan was true, then? You were searching for an exiled uncle?"

"Yes." Morgana took a deep breath. "Arthur, have you ever heard of Dragonlords?"

"Dragonlords? No."

"They're men who could command dragons. It's an inherited ability, passed down through the male lines. No Dragonlord ever chose his power, any more than I chose to be a Seer. Yet they were killed along with the sorcerers in the Purge. My uncle Balinor was the only one to escape."

"You're sure about all that?" Arthur asked skeptically. "He could have been lying."

"All records of my mother's family have been removed from the library, Arthur!" Morgana insisted. "Uther is hiding something. If I was born with the ability to see the future, why shouldn't I come from a magical lineage? I'm starting to wonder whether it was truly illness that took my mother when I was a baby!"

Arthur scoffed. "You honestly think my father would…" He trailed off, suddenly looking shaken. "Then again, if he would let Merlin die just to teach me a lesson, who's to say what he wouldn't do?" He swallowed and looked back up at Morgana. "You really believed Balinor?"

"Why don't you ask Gaius?" Gwen spoke up. "Balinor said Gaius helped him escape the Purge."

Morgana scowled. "Better have Merlin ask for you. I've a feeling Gaius wouldn't be honest with either of us."

Arthur nodded. "I will, as soon as Merlin returns." He hesitated for a few moments longer, then left.

Morgana spent the rest of the day drawing up a painstaking map of the palace. She suspected that if her mother had truly had an affair, then it was most likely with another courtier, and therefore her mysterious relatives probably lived in the castle. She finished her drawing around suppertime, but held off on casting the spell. She knew the map would be most informative late at night, once people retired to their own chambers.

At last, several hours after dusk, Morgana decided it was time to cast the spell. She used one drop of blood this time, and carefully enunciated the chant. The drop once again split into three. One droplet slid away and faded at the edge of the map, but the other two…Morgana stared. She shut her eyes, hoping the droplets would keep moving. When she opened them, the two droplets remained in the same damning locations.

Her mother had had an affair with Uther.

A/N: Oh, sorry, were you expecting a retelling of A Remedy to Cure All Ills? Nope, Morgana's got better things to do than fall into a coma!