Lots of Morgana and Arthur here. I hope I did their voices and characters justice. Also a plan is set into motion, but will they meet up with Merlin? You'll have to wait to find out lol.

Something was different. Everyone felt it. Everyone knew something had changed. The servants would openly admit that it was Merlin being gone. The nobles admitted it behind closed doors, except for Uther, but that's because that was how Uther was. Gaius was taking Merlin's absence the hardest, and it was a pain to see. Gwen had taken to helping him as well as Morgana, but she was not Merlin, nor did she want to be.

There was sadness about the castle. Before Merlin the people knew no different, but when Merlin had come they welcomed him. He was friends with everyone, and even if they cook threatened to beat him with a ladle she truly liked him, and had taken to making sure he ate, at least in the mornings and whenever Arthur took his meals in his chambers.

Now that Merlin was gone, they realized how much they had taken Merlin's presence for granted. They realized that before Merlin life was just not the same. It was evident now. Merlin in some way or another affected everyone in the castle. The kids of servants and nobles alike really missed him. Merlin often told them stories of Arthur the Clotpole who needed his servant to save his royal behind, and they loved it.

Gaius had taken it the hardest, but Arthur had yet to tell anyone how he was feeling. Though he had taken up a new man servant, George. The knights saw that Arthur did have anger built up, it was evident on the practice field. And Arthur complained that George couldn't even take a hit like Merlin. But that was not relayed to the king.

The king had all but forbidden the use of Merlin's name. That was part of the reason of the sadness. Uther saw no difference, but Uther never really appreciated all that Merlin did.

Morgana had had enough; she had done her part, or at least tried to save Merlin. She had no dreams about his death, though that didn't put her mind at ease any more than watching Merlin leave shackled and in that cage did. She was tired of pacing her rooms; she was tired of not saying anything. She was tired of no one saying anything, Merlin was their friend.

She left her own room, and contemplated giving Uther a piece of her mind, but she decided Arthur needed to hear it first. Arthur was being, as Merlin would say a Prat, and suddenly the man servant's gests towards the prince seemed totally justified.

She knocked on the door, and got no answer. She frowned, and looked at the door like she wished it would just disappear. She knocked on the door again and said, "Arthur if you don't let me in this second, I swear I will,"

The door opened cutting her off, "Well get on with it. What do you plan on doing."

She smirked, "Well it doesn't matter now; you opened the door."

She walked past Arthur, her dress flowing behind her. Arthur was aghast. He should have expected that, but he didn't and now Morgana was in his room. He closed the door. "What could you possibly want, Morgana?"

"I want you to do something about Merlin."

"Don't say his name, he's a, a sorcerer."

"Yes and you are an idiot. He was your friend."

"He's evil."

"Well so is Uther."

"That talk is treasonous."

"So have me arrested. Merlin is your friend Arthur. He's a good man. You really think out of all people Merlin could be evil?"

"I thought that about him being a sorcerer."

Morgana rolled her eyes, "I think if he wanted to kill you he would have already, it would have saved me this conversation."

"That's treasonous as well."

"How thick are you, your friend could be being tortured, or dead, and all you can think about is how evil he is?" She sighed, and walked up close to Arthur, "I don't know about you, but I certainly believe he doesn't deserve that."

"He lied."

"And when he told the truth you mocked him, or through him in the dungeons. He lied so he wouldn't get killed."

"Morgana, he's not welcome here."

She through her hands up in the air, "You're hopeless."

Arthur glared at her, "Well what do you want me to do?"

"Be a man, be the friend Merlin deserves, be a person with a soul, just this once Arthur. I know it's easier when Merlin is around, but you would be doing it for him."

"Merlin is a sorcerer."

"Yes, you have told me that point already. But I am waiting for you to give me a real reason why you aren't going to help him."

Arthur sighed, "Its not that easy."

"Oh really, just like it wasn't easy when you helped the druid boy?"

"That was, different."

"Oh and how was it different."

"The druid boy," Arthur paused, not wanting to relent and admit he was losing this argument. "He was a boy."

"And so is Merlin, he's barely 18, Arthur. He's your manservant, and God help us all if you don't get him back. You were starting to become tolerable."

"Can't say the same for you," Arthur mumbled. "This is different though."

Morgana sighed, "You are a pig, Arthur." She was making her way to leave the room. "Just like your father. Merlin has helped you, he has helped me, he has helped your father, and your payment to him for that is to send him off to his death without even a word, a second thought."

Arthur sighed, "Alright, what should we do. And if you mention this to anyone,"

"What will you do Arthur, beat me with your swordsman ship, we both now I am stronger there."

Arthur sighed, "Just don't. How can we help him."

There was a knock to the door, Morgana went to open it, and let in Gwen who was carrying food. "Sorry," she said, "I was bringing your food milady, and was informed you were here by George, so I grabbed Arthur's as well." She gave a smile as she set the food down. "Did I, interrupt something."

"Yes," Arthur responded.

"No," Morgana said, "In fact we could probably use your help Gwen, we were discussing, Merlin."

Arthur glared at Morgana, Gwen's look went from soft to worried, "I'm so scared for him. You know at first, I didn't know what to think was it true, or just an accusation. But I know Merlin. He was willing to die for me and my father. So I talked to Gaius, and decided sorcerer or not, Merlin is my friend and he deserves anything I can do for him." She looked up, and a blush rose to her cheeks, "Sorry, I'm rambling."

"Guinevere, you have every right to say that," surprisingly the comment came from Arthur.

Gwen got nervous, "It's not," she began.

Arthur knew what she was saying, "No, I guess it isn't treasonous." He looked at Morgana who gave a triumphant smile.

"How is Gaius?" Morgana asked, sitting at the table, offering Gwen a seat.

"Not well, Merlin was like his son. He's grieving. I feel for him," Gwen answered. "I think the whole castle does. I spoke to some of the other servants and they all agree nothing has been the same."

Arthur followed the conversation, he was at a loss. He had no clue what to do. He had no clue what he could do. He was still trying to work out his thoughts about Merlin. And he was still on the belief, even if Merlin was accused of sorcery that it was just that, and accusation. He didn't want to fight the battle of Merlin being an actual sorcerer, not without Merlin to defend himself and call Arthur a clotpole.

"Well we can wait, but," Morgana said, "I visited someone and told them of what was going on with Merlin."

Arthur looked furious, "When did you do this exactly?"

"The night Merlin was put in the cells. They, they were the only people I thought would know what to do." Morgana was getting nervous.

"Who did you tell?" Arthur said, his eyes hard.

"The druids. I did it out of good conscious, believe me."

"They are peaceful people, what good are they going to do?"

Morgana sighed, "I don't know. I thought they would help, if Merlin really does have magic, they might help him." She decided to not tell them that Merlin told her the druids would help her, and they did. She also didn't tell them that she believed Merlin truly did have magic. She in her time in pacing her room knew why Merlin didn't tell her about his own magic. She also knew she saw there was something about his eyes that maybe hinted he wanted to. She would need to talk with Merlin later, if he was still alive.

Arthur sighed, "I guess your proposing we go. You realize they hate me, my men."

Morgana looked at him, "You attacked them, but I know one still holds you as an idol, at least." She didn't know of the prophecy that involved Arthur. "We've got to try, Arthur. They could be our only hope. And think about it, a peaceful meeting with them could be used for diplomacy. Uther need not know."

Arthur was getting more skeptical of her idea the more she talked. But the idea of maybe apologizing for what happened. But they had taken her, his thoughts stopped, if Morgana had gone to them for help, "You weren't abducted by them were you?"

Morgana sighed, and looked down, "No, but I couldn't possibly tell you that now could I."

Gwen who had been silent til now spoke up, "Why did you go to them in the first place?" It was a quiet question but it had a lot of weight.

"I had questions. My dreams, the fire in my room. Merlin suggested they might help me. And they did. They are good people."

Arthur nodded, then his eyes got cold, "Help you, Merlin suggested." He was speaking in sentence fragments like what he wanted to say would not come out of his mouth. Morgana just nodded, to what he was implying. She had magic. This was all going to hell. All because Uther had to bring in the witchfinder.

It was a long while before anyone in the room spoke again. The cogs in Arthur's brain were visibly working as he was trying to figure out his opinion on the whole matter. "I will not tell Uther." He looked towards Gwen, then back at Morgana, "I am wary of you Morgana, and I probably will be so of Merlin." He paused, swallowing his pride was hard, "But you both are my friends, and I do not have many."

"You have me sire," Gwen said, raising her head.

Arthur smiled fondly at her, puppy eyes evident. "I do. And while I might never tell Merlin he is my friend. He might be the worst manservant in the history of manservants, his advice is useful, and he is a friend. And we need to help him." He looked at a smiling Morgana, "You are never going to let me live this down are you."

She laughed, "Never."

"While this is great and all," Gwen spoke now, "What are we to do about Merlin?"

"We can't leave right away, my father will get suspicious. But we can come up with an excuse," he said. "Morgana do you think you can get him to believe you want to watch me hunt, or try it out yourself to help improve your marksmanship?"

She smirked, "I think I am capable of getting Uther to believe just about anything."