It was suffocating walking around in the castle. It had been four days now and he got crazy of Uther's restlessness andshouting. Arthur had been send on nummerous patrols to villages to search for Morgana (he had to come along of course)and that hadn't been fun either. Arthur was unbelievably cranky and snappy at everything and would shout at him for noreason at all. Then there was Gwen, cute little Gwen who had been in a shock the minute she discovered Morgana had disappeared. She had asked him a thousand times if he knew anything at all, and everytime he had lied. It hurted him to lie to her, but it was only for a week. Three more days until Luke would return with Morgana, then this panicky situation would be over again.

"I'm so worried about her." He was with Gwen on the plaza in front of the castle and he was helping her with her chores, since Arthur had been lying on his bed all day. "I mean, she is strong, but alone in the wilderness? Even for Morgana that is difficult. Not to mention bandits or people from rival kingdoms will try to capture her."

"You should not worry, Luke is with her," he said without thinking and she almost dropped her service tray.

"But he is just one boy! How can he defend himself and Morgana if something happens?"

"He can use magic," he said. "Luke is strong, so don't worry about her too much. I think Morgana does not want to see you sad. She will be all right with Luke by her side."

"Merlin, are you sure he is a good sorcerer?" she asked.

"Yes, Luke is good. He always helps the people around him."

"But still, I'm concerned about her. If something's wrong... not to mention Uther will not rest until he has found her."

"Hmm, he will stop looking after the week is over anyway," he mumbled. Ah! He shouldn't have said that...

"What do you mean?" Gwen said and her voice changed from worried to suspicious. "Merlin, what do you know?"

"Nothing, really nothing!"

"Merlin!"

"Ok, ok, I might know something," he said when he saw the angry look on her face. "I know Luke is going to bring Morgana back at the end of the week."

"Honestly?" she said and now she sounded happy. Women... could change their moods rather quickly.

"Euhm yes, Luke said so himself. He just wanted to...take Morgana out, that's all."

"Take her out?" she repeated surprised. "You mean...he likes her?"

"Probably," he sighed. "He asked her what he had to do to seduce her so..."

"That's...he's quite straightforward isn't he?" Gwen said and he giggled. Wait, giggled? About Luke asking such a question? Why was it so funny? He would never understand women.

"Thanks for telling me this Merlin," she said. "I feel relieved now I know she will come back. Just a few more days and she will come right?"

"Yes, three days from now."

"Thank you Merlin!" she yelled happy before she ran away, her service tray balancing dangerously on one hand. If it was him he would've dropped it already. Not to mention she had to walk in that dress...

Aah, today Luke will bring Morgana back! He felt relieved and happy at the same time. No more stupid ghost-hunts with Arthur, no cranky Uther who shouted for no reason, no snappy comments from Arthur... He was looking forward to it.

He did his chores even faster than usual and when he saw Gwen they greeted each other with a big smile on their faces. "Good morning Merlin!" she yelled from a few feet away. "Don't you think it is sunny for the time of the year?"

"Yes, it does look great!" he yelled back.

"Today is the day isn't it?" she asked when she got closer.

"I think so," he replied with a smile. "Luke always keeps his promises, so he will bring her back tonight."

"I can't wait to see her again."

"You really miss her don't you?" he asked. She looked concerned for a second, but she quickly had a smile on her face again.

"I miss her, but I know she comes back tonight."

"She will, don't worry," he said.

"I have to go now, I need to do the laundry. See you soon!" She ran past him with a basket full of laundry and again he wondered how she could keep running without falling.

He went back to his room and grabbed his book of magic from under the floor boards. Talking about Luke made him want to look at spells again. And use them. He searched for a spell he had used once before and saw the one that was supposed to pour the sand out of a bottle. He put one (he 'borrowed' it from Gaius) in front of him and concentrated. "Readan ax giotan." The sand poured out quickly and fell on the ground. He smiled. This felt good, using his magic once in a while. "Formien doost ronane," he whispered and the sand neatly poured back in. He fell back on his bed and smiled. Using magic like this...it felt so good.

"Merlin!"

He jumped from his bed when he heard Arthur's voice and threw his book of magic under his bed, just as Arthur slammed the door to his room open.

"Merlin, what on earth are you doing?" he said when he saw him hanging with his head under his bed and his arms spread apart on the ground.

"Oh eh, hello," he said and he fell from his bed. "I was looking at eh, a mouse. There is eh, a mouse under my bed."

"Stop goofing around you idiot," he said angry and he quickly got up. Arthur seemed angrier than usual. What was going on?

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"Why am I here? Are you sure you don't know?" Arthur said and he stomped on the ground. "You know where Morgana is don't you?"

"Eh, what are you talking about?" he said with a silly laugh, but he got scared when Arthur grabbed him by his collar.

"You know very well what I'm talking about," he hissed. "You know where Morgana is!"

"Ehm, I eh.."

"Where is she?!"

"Arthur, I don't know where she is," he said hastly.

"But you know she's coming back tonight!"

"Eh? How do you know?" he said, and at the same time he realized how stupid it was to say that. Arthur got even angrier and threw him on the ground.

"You knew all this time... you knew and you didn't say anything! Not even to me!"

"I...I didn't know how to say it Arthur.." he said hesitant. "I didn't know how to tell you. Luke he...he asked her to come and she said yes. Before I knew it they were gone."

"You sure are stupid aren't you?" Arthur shouted. "Morgana is a lot more important than you! If something would happen to her..."

"Nothing will happen to her," he said quickly. "Luke is a good guy, he will protect her." He saw Arthur getting even angrier and hid behind his bed. This could become a bit dangerous. "How did you know about Morgana?"

"Gwen told me when I asked her why she was so happy without Morgana," he said and his anger seemed to fade a bit. "She did not want to tell me at first, but I persuaded her to tell me anyway. She said you told her Luke would bring Morgana back, tonight. Is that true?"

He couldn't lie to Arthur. His face...he looked so sad. "Y-Yes, Luke will bring back Morgana tonight. He will drop her off in the plaza."

"The plaza?" Arthur said surprised. "How does he think he can get into Camelot? The guards will stop him."

"Luke has the Griffin," he said stubborn.

"That monster...he will bring Morgana back on that monster? Fine, then we'll wait for him. If he comes he will go back to prison. How dare he kidnap Morgana?!"

"Arthur..." he tried but Arthur stomped away before he could finish his sentence. Oh what did he do? What did he do?

"I saw Arthur walk in," Gaius said and he stared at him, a bit surprised. "Well, I am glad to see that you've taken notice of the dirt on your floor Merlin, but I would suggest you take a broom when you clean it."

"I..." Gaius walked away before he could even finish what he was saying. Sometimes everybody took him for granted. "Gaius! Gaius, Luke will bring Morgana back tonight, but Arthur plans to wait for him and catch him! What can I do?"

"I suggest you do nothing," Gaius said as he undisturbingly started to mix odd-looking potions together until it was a dirty brown colour. "Luke is a sorcerer, he will know there are knights in this castle who will notice him. I don't think you need to help him out here. Instead, could you do those errands you promised to do yesterday? If you wait any longer they will become useless for the people who need them."

"Yes Gaius," he sighed as he grabbed the bag with potions. Luke, please, please be smart and bring Morgana to the entrance of the castle instead of the plaza. Please...

"It's too dark to see anything," he said as he looked at the sky. Maybe Luke heard his mumblings and took Morgana to the entrance. Or so he hoped.

"Well, the beast was black wasn't it?" Arthur said angry and he held his sword in his hand, ready to attack at any moment. "Merlin, don't you dare to interfere. If you do I will throw you in prison as well this time."

"I won't," he said hastly. "I won't."

"I see something!" one of the knights suddenly yelled and they all looked up. The stars seemed to disappear?

"It's the beast, be ready!" Arthur hissed and the knights around him nodded. "Wait until Morgana is on the ground! Then we will attack!"

The beast landed on the ground and to his surprise it didn't make a sound at all. Laughter that was unmistakably from Morgana filled the plaza and when the Griffin put his wings back on his side he saw her, sitting on the back in front of Luke. She was looking at him and laughing.

"She looks really happy," he said relieved, but he crouched a few feet away from Arthur when he saw the angry look on his face. The wrong thing to say at this time...?

"Let me help you milady," Luke said as he jumped from the Griffin and gently lifted her on the ground. "I was truly a pleasure to be with you for a week. I am jealous of all the men who can see you everyday."

Morgana laughed again and tucked her hair behind her ear. "They hardly appreciated me as much as you do," she said. Her voice was a little...it was more...like a little girl? He saw Arthur making gestures to his knights and swallowed a few times. Arthur said he couldn't interfere. But if he didn't see him do something...

"Milday, it seems I have to go," Luke suddenly said and he bowed and kissed her hand. "Your dear prince and knights are waiting for me and another trip to the dungeon is one too much I'm afraid."

"Attack!" Arthur yelled and the knights ran to the middle of the plaza, where the Griffin started to shriek and flapped its wings.

"Hmm, I think it's not right to leave after only kissing your hand," Luke said and he pulled Morgana to him and just lightly, almost playfully kissed her on her mouth.

He felt his jaw drop to the ground when he saw how Luke pulled Morgana to him. Not on her hand, not even on her cheek...just on her mouth! Arthur was very close to them now, but he froze in his tracks for a second when he saw what was happening in front of him, his face in a state of pure shock.

"Why you...!" Arthur yelled and he attacked. Luke danced away from him just in time with a big grin on his face and stuck out his tongue.

"Too bad prince Arthur, you're a tad late." He whistled and the Griffin ran to him, his wings spread. Luke jumped on its back while the Griffin ran and they both flew up. "Bye Merlin! We'll meet again!" he yelled as he flew over. "And I'll definitely meet you again," he said in a strange, low voice when he flew over Morgana, who smiled and waved at him when he left.

After Luke had left Arthur stomped back to Morgana and pointed his sword to the sky, somewhere near the spot Luke had disappeared from their sight.

"Hello Arthur," she said like nothing was going on. Her guts...!

"Welcome back Morgana," he said hastly before Arthur could start what probably would be a very angry tirade about what just had happend.

"Merlin, I didn't know you had arranged such a...warm welcome," she said a bit surprised.

"Well euhm, Arthur found out eh..." he said a bit uncomfortable.

"I see."

"I see?" Arthur repeated, his voice trembling with anger and still pointing his sword in the air. "You just leave for a week without anyone knowing, with a prisoner who was supposed to be sentenced to death and now you come back you just pretend like nothing has happend?!"

"Arthur, don't complain," she said annoyed. "I'm back now and nothing has happened to me."

"We were worried about you!" Arthur said. "We searched the whole kingdom for you, and this is what we get in return? An arrogant attitude?!"

"I'm tired," she said and she turned around, her dress whirling around her. To his surprise it was not the mossy green dress she wore when she ran away with Luke. Did he buy her a new one? "I will return to my chambers now."

"Wait! I'm not done talking to you!" Arthur yelled.

"I am done talking to you," she said as she walked to the main entrance of the castle. "Thank you," she whispered to him before she walked inside.

"I cannot believe her," Arthur said when he looked at the door Morgana had just used, a dumbfounded expression on his face. "She leaves in the middle of the night, stays away for a week, then comes back on a Griffin accompanied by a sorcerer and then tells me not to complain?!"

"I think she is a bit tired," he tried.

"And then he just kisses her!" Arthur continued. He seemed even more furious about that than about Morgana'sdisappearance.

"Luke already said he liked Morgana."

"Not...not...another...word," Arthur said and he stomped inside.

"Is he...jealous?" he whispered to himself, afraid Arthur would hear him.