Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin or its characters.

Chapter Five.

"I think you are pleasing Maydern quite well Morgana." Morgause said to her happily.

"He has interesting tales of his lands." Morgana replied diplomatically.

Morgause turned to view her sister as they walked through the hallways. "He has an intriguing offer for us sister."

"Is that so."

"Yes, he is going to offer us the information we want in exchange for something I think is acceptable."

"I'm glad you have in information you desire sister." Morgana replied.

"And do you not wish to know what he wants in return?" Morgause asked with an amused tinge in her voice.

"The usual they want I suppose, land, gold, power." Morgana replied rather bored.

"Marriage." Morgause replied with a laugh.

"Marriage?" Morgana replied surprised and with a growing hint of apprehension. "And who, er, who does he wish to marry?"

"Why, you of course." Morgause replied.

"Me!" Morgana said shocked. "I don't think so." She laughed.

"Why not sister?" Morgause asked confused as if it was a silly response.

"I cannot marry him. I do not know or like him." Morgana said.

"This is what we need." Morgause said once again perplexed as to Morgana's attitude.

"Then you marry him." Morgana said as she stormed away.

Merlin walked casually through the hallways checking that no one could see him as he slipped into Morgana's rooms.

"Merlin?" Gwen asked as she spied Merlin sneak into Morgana's room.

"Gwen? What are you doing here?"

"I should ask you that. I'm here keeping Morgana's room clean." She replied. "And what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I was er, just you know, thinking?" Merlin stumbled over an answer.

"You can say you miss Morgana you know." Gwen said with a knowing smile on her face. "I know you care about her."

"What?" Merlin said blankly. "Oh, erm, only as much as you lot, and you know she was right in front of me when Morgause took her, so I want to get her back as much as the rest of you." Merlin blabbered and cursed himself internally for blabbing so much.

Gwen smiled softly at him. "I've finished here anyway, here's the key lock it up afterwards." She handed him the key "Arthur has it usually so just put it with his other keys."

Merlin nodded absentmindedly as Gwen patted his arm consolingly and left him alone.

Merlin let out a puff of breath as he considered his close call, even if it was just Gwen. He looked around the room if he was going to use his modified spell to locate Morgana he needed something that was close to her heart, something valuable to Morgana.

He looked around her vanity table, ignoring the various pieces of jewellery and hairbrushes, he needed something very sentimental, his fingers touched the jewelled green hairclip that Morgana favoured, he remembered her wearing it quite a few times, and the only time he had ever seen her berate Gwen was when she could not find the hairclip and was worried it was lost.

He put the clip back on the vanity, whilst it was a favoured piece of Morgana's he didn't feel it was good enough.

Also ignoring her clothes he turned to the few small chests dotted around her room which he knew must contain items from her father and from her childhood.

Merlin huffed as he failed to find something and smiling in relief when he finally found a chest full of sentimental things that was hidden under her bed.

Merlin pulled the chest out and opened it carefully, one part of him hating himself for invading her privacy so much, the other weighing it out that it was to find her again. He found a wood carving of a mans profile that he thought must be her father, he put the to one side considering the value, and hoping it would not lead him to Goloris' grave instead of Morgana, he found an array of dried pressed flowers shut in a small book, he didn't look at it knowing that was one step too far, he found a small necklace, much too small to fit her still, it held a locket and when he opened it he found a lock of hair, a dark blonde hair. He closed it thinking it over, maybe this was Morgana's, containing her mothers lock of hair, probably given to her after her mother died.

Merlin thought it was the best option to try and carefully put the other items back in the box, and put it back under the bed. He stood up and stretched his legs feeling more optimistic.

Morgana walked through the forests surrounding the opulent grounds that she was staying in with her sister, she craved the solitude of her own thoughts and company after everything that had occurred lately. She had pulled the hood of her cloak up and idily wandered through the thick underbush, not caring about the state of her dress, she laughed to herself when she thought of Uthers reaction to her leaving Camelot for a walk in the woods alone, he always fretted after her. For a fleeting moment she wished she had no magic that had complicated her life so much, without magic there would be no reason for Uther to demand her death, she had always felt strongly about his treatment of those with magic, but to have it herself and have to live under that fear was stifling. Another thought crossed her, whether Arthur would be the same as his father, Morgause thought so, and Morgana feared that she was planning Arthur's death alongside Uther's. Morgana believed that Arthur would be a better King than his father. Already he was showing great independent believes aside his fathers. Morgana believed a lot of that was due to Merlin's appearance, Arthur was a bully and arrogant until he met Merlin. Merlin the peasant boy that challenged and taunted Arthur and never backed down, and was strangely his greatest confidence, friend and supporter. Morgana wished Merlin would feel that for her, but he poisoned her to force Morgause into a standstill. Morgana still had anxiety on such a gamble.

When Morgana felt she had enough time to herself she turned back to the old castle and with a sigh headed back.

"Where were you sister?" Morgause asked her appearing as if out of nowhere behind Morgana.

Morgana turned to her sister. "I was out thinking. I did not mean to worry you."

"I was not worried." Morgause corrected her. "Why did you leave?"

"I erm." Morgana was taken aback by Morgause' attitude. "I needed time to think."

"In the woods?" Morgause asked her tone sceptical.

"Yes, I find it soothes my mind." Morgana said defensively.

"I'm glad that you've considered the opportunity, it will give us great aid in our goals." Morgause said her countenance a lot warmer now as she smiled.

"I have not changed my mind regarding the proposal." Morgana said flatly.

Morgause looked calmly at her sister. "Why not."

"I cannot marry him."

"Who else will you marry then?" Morgause laughed. "Arthur?" She sneered. "I suppose that is one way to gain the throne."

"Gain the throne?" Morgana asked thrown by the change in direction.

"Why yes Morgana, how dim must Uther have made you to not see this course of action?" Morgause said.

"I thought we were trying to bring magic back to the Kingdoms," Morgana asked.

"And how else can we gain that Morgana?" Morgause stepped forward and grasped her sisters hands. "A legitimate claim to the throne is of course better," She said as if in hindsight.

Morgana tried to keep her face blank as her mind reeled. "I cannot marry Arthur anyway. We'd never get on."

Morgause rolled her eyes. "I thought of all things Uther would teach you is the value of a profitable marriage."

Morgana reeled slightly pulling her hands from her sisters. "Yes Uther did consider my marriage opportunities, but he never forced an idea on me."

"It will just be until we have what we need." Morgause said focusing on Maydern again.

"What if he wants a year or more of marriage before giving you what you want, or worse an heir before then?"

"We will cross that when we get to it." Morgause said instead. "You will marry him."

Morgana huffed and walked away from her sister.

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