Morgana felt a little put out by the impending arrival of the little boy Uther had taken in. She couldn't quite work out why her nose had been knocked of joint by it; taking the gesture as it was meant, Uther was doing a good thing. He had done it for her, taking her in when her father had died. She had never really known her mother, having lost her when she was three.

Maybe that was why it bothered her. In some ways she felt less special, less chosen. And that was ridiculous. She didn't need anyone to tell her that. At sixteen Morgana was very self-aware. Nobody in the household needed to tell her she was being silly. Uther wouldn't love her any less, nor would Hunith, their housekeeper, or her husband Balinor, who maintained the house and grounds.

The emotion dissipated the moment Merlin had been brought into the house, his tiny hand in Uther's, head down, his dread of the situation obvious, unsure of what would happen next. Uther had taken Merlin up to his room, which had, Morgana noticed, causing some surprised goggling on the boy's part as he looked at the swiftly decorated room, and the toys retrieved from the attic – Uther appeared to have thrown nothing of Arthur or Morgana's away – and the sun streaming through the bright windows.

Merlin's reaction made Morgana wonder what it had really been like for him. The truth had been evaded. Uther probably not wanting to distress anyone in the household with that information. It made her wonder even more now when she arrived back from school the next day, hoisting her bag upstairs and walking past Merlin's room. She paused, stepping silently down the hallway, so as not to startle Merlin.

The little boy sat neatly at the end of the bed, eyes fixed on the piles of toys that he hadn't seemed to have touched. Morgana could see the longing in his eyes, and also some fear, as if he didn't dare play with anything. Morgana frowned wandered off to her own room to change out of her hideous uniform and realised, as she glanced at her own bed, the one thing that hadn't been put in Merlin's room.

She picked up the teddy bear, the one she had owned all her life. Her mother had picked it out before Morgana had even been born. Because of that she had no intention of getting rid of it, but an instinct told her that Merlin would appreciate it. Tucking the teddy under her arm she went out of her room and went into Merlin's.

He looked startled as she strolled in. Merlin still sat in the same position, his clothes looking neat and tidy. Merlin was so small Uther had been forced to by clothes suitable for a younger age, the boy didn't even look eight years old, although all records for him stated that he was. Merlin stared at her warily. Morgana smiled.

"I know you've got all those toys, but you haven't got one of these," she said, holding the teddy bear out. Merlin's eyes widened, the longing in them increasing. Sitting down next to him Morgana sat the teddy bear on her lap for a moment, looking down at Merlin. The apprehension in his eyes lingered, darkening the deep blue but as they drifted back to look at the soft toy she saw the desperation again.

"Would you like to cuddle him?"

Merlin stared up at her again, leaning away from her. Reaching out she gently took Merlin's nearest hand, ignoring the sudden terror in his gaze. She lifted it gently and put it against the soft, fluffy fur of her teddy bear. Merlin's eyes went wider, although Morgana couldn't work out how that was physically possible. She held his wrist gently, rubbing the palm of Merlin's hand on the teddy's stomach. After a few seconds Merlin's fist clenched and then released. She moved the boy's hand to the arm and he clenched again, at which moment, she released ownership of the bear to him.

The fluffy toy almost seemed to swamp him as he hugged it, wrapping his thin arms around it, holding it tightly. Morgana watched him for a moment and then turned to the neat piles of toys that Uther had left.

"What else would you like to play with?" she asked. Standing up she gently eased Merlin off the end of the bed, wondering when he had been left up here, since he hadn't seemed to have moved. Very gently, realising he was still wary, she coaxed him across the room to the cabinet. Merlin paused a step away, watching as Morgana sifted through the items close to hand. She rummaged confidently, keeping her voice deliberately casual, ignoring the nerves and hammering of her heart because she wanted this to go right, as she asked,

"What do you like, Merlin?"

She felt Merlin shift closer and one little hand released the bear, although the other arm stayed clamped around the teddy. Merlin's little hand tentatively touched one of Arthur's old Action Man toys. Merlin's fingers explored and then, after a wary glance at Morgana he took the figure by the leg to lift it.

"You want to play with that?"

Merlin just stared at her, holding the figure in one hand. Morgana smiled, sifting again.

"I can't find any of his stuff," she said. "I'm sure he had a jeep, and tons of stupid weapons and things. Oh... train set!"

She picked up the box she had found, remembering it well. It was probably a little young for Merlin, the wooden train set more geared for a toddler but Morgana actually wondered if Merlin really knew what to do with toys, other than just being scared of touching them. She turned and put the box on the floor, lifting the lid. It was something she remembered from long ago, it had been Arthur's, but when she had visited the house with her father she had loved playing with it. Mostly because she knew it annoyed Arthur.

"I used to like this," Morgana said. Merlin peered at the wooden track and little trains. Slowly he hunkered down, still clutching the teddy and action toy.

"Shall we set it up, it will look nice," Morgana said.

Merlin chewed his lower lip as he nodded, glancing up at Morgana's face, probably trying to understand what was going on. She looked back at him, Uther had told her that Merlin hadn't spoken, since the institute had been investigated. No one knew if he had ever, but he seemed to listen and understand. Morgana felt her eyes water as she looked at him; at the thick, spiky dark hair, big blue eyes, white skin and dangerously thin limbs. Merlin's expression changed to one of fear and Morgana immediately got herself under control.

"Shall we put some track out," she said, realising her voice sounded thick with emotion. She took a breath and sounded more controlled the next moment.

"We could lay it out and Action Man could... we'll think of something."

Pulling out a few lengths of track she locked them together, Merlin watching with interest. Then very carefully he put the figure down to take a piece of track and lay it carefully next to another, not quite getting how they connected, until he fiddled for a moment and then locked the two pieces together.

"Shall we make a cross bit there and we can loop it there."

She handed Merlin bits of track and he concentrated while he carefully put them together. It would probably be easier if he put the teddy down but he kept his left arm around that, holding it tightly. Morgana felt some concern over the precious item, but she gritted her teeth and controlled the urge to retrieve it. The sacrifice was worth it, she could tell Merlin how important teddy was, but Merlin probably already knew, he would understand that given that it was the first thing that she had encouraged Merlin to touch. The gesture was un-retractable, she couldn't take her bear away now.

"Now we fit it there and make another loop here, and let's put the train on," Morgana did that, and then put the little wooden block that made up the station, putting two of the fat wooden figures on it.

"And they can wait for the train, and if we put Action Man here, he can be looking after the platform,"

She sat the plastic figure by the platform and then pushed the train round, easing it towards Merlin's side of the track.

"There you go, you push it now."

She felt an odd knot of anxiety building in her stomach, it had been a long time since she had ever felt this nervous; if ever. Morgana knew she was competent at things, could handle people and situations. It had always been necessary ever since she could remember, with her father having a high profile business, a rival and then partner of Uther. She couldn't comprehend not being confident, but she felt so nervous now. Merlin's hand reached out, she still couldn't get over how small and vulnerable he seemed and she looked at the scars on his arm as he stretched to grip the train and push it around the track, very slowly.

"And round to the station, and then the people are going to get on," she bobbed on wooden figure into the carriage and then waited. Merlin pushed the train on, the other little figures left waiting. Morgana smirked and grabbed one bouncing it along the platform and saying in a high pitched voice.

"Oh no, oh no! I'm late for the train!"

Merlin stared up at her in shock, his pushing slowing. Morgana picked up Action Man, deepening her tone as she said.

"Don't worry Ma'am, I'll stop the train for you."

She wedged the plastic figure's foot under the train to stop it and then little wooden figure bounced on.

"Thank you Action Man, you're my hero," she said, making her tone high-pitched again. Merlin giggled, ducking his head a little. Morgana smiled at him and she let the train carry on, Merlin moved it around the track with diligence.

Morgana couldn't believe it was a whole hour. They increased the track, and added trains and when Hunith shouted up to them they were racing. Morgana could have won easily, but that was no fun so she slowed making their races close. Merlin giggled, even if she chose to win he giggled and they made it more complicated by putting figures on and off the train. Merlin seemed to follow the rules she made up easily. He wasn't a stupid boy but people probably assumed he was because he never said one word.

He responded to her, but with gestures and smiles. For some reason he didn't talk. Morgana didn't know why, but between them they seemed to be communicating fairly well.

"Morgana, supper! Can you bring Merlin?"

"Yes!" Morgana sing-songed back.

Merlin's eyes widened, falling back onto his rump and clutching the teddy. His eyes wandered nervously over the track they had made, and he picked a loose section up to hurriedly put it back into the box.

"Don't worry, that's just Hunith, we need to go for dinner. You can leave that there. We can come back and play. Hunith might like to play too."

She wondered what the hell was going on. One moment Merlin had been happy and giggling, now he looked terrified again. He held out her teddy bear, offering it back.

"No, you keep teddy. Do you want to bring him down to supper? We can bring him with us."

Merlin regarded her with shock and nerves but he pulled the teddy bear back clinging again while he looked at her. Morgana couldn't understand the reaction but guessed she just had to get past it and behave as if things were normal. Merlin waited for her.

"Do you want to bring something else as well?" she asked. Merlin looked around, his free hand reaching for the plastic action toy.

"You can bring him as well," Morgana said, helping Merlin up. He held the Action Man by the leg and kept his arm locked around the teddy. She felt him tense, and ignored it as she helped him up and then lifted him onto her hip. It seemed as if he weight nothing, she settled him easily and carried him out onto the landing to the long flight of stairs that curled around the wall of the main hallway. Looking at the stairs.

"I think it's safer if you walk or we might fall."

She put Merlin down and kept a steadying hand on his arm to help him as he shuffled down the stairs. Hunith came out of the kitchen again to see where they had got to.

"Oh, there you are," she said watching as Morgana gently guided Merlin down, she smiled as she saw the little boy clinging to the toys. "Are you hungry Merlin?"

Merlin stared at her.

"I know I am," Morgana said guiding Merlin ahead of her towards the kitchen door. Hunith went ahead of them and Morgana felt Merlin freeze, his back going rigid as he looked at Uther calmly reading the paper at the head of the table. The late afternoon sun lit the room. That was the reason they always ate in the kitchen, rather than in the dark, formal dining room. They only used that for Sunday lunch, and special occasions. The dining room seemed silly to use on a regular basis when the kitchen was big enough for five of them, and would be six when Arthur came home tomorrow.

Balinor sat at the end of the table, on the right, reading a gardening magazine. Both men looked up as Merlin hesitated on the threshold. He now looked a little rumpled, so did Morgana. She watched Uther blink in surprise as he saw the teddy bear in Merlin's arms.

"I noticed he didn't have one, so..."

"That was nice of you," Balinor said. All of them knew how much sentimental value the soft toy had.

"I'm sure we can buy Merlin his own, I didn't think of it. We lost all of Arthur's didn't we?" Uther said.

"In the great bonfire night disaster of 2009," Balinor said, making Uther roll his eyes.

"Arthur's a prat," Morgana agreed, gently pushing Merlin into the room.

"Morgana," Uther admonished, none to seriously.

"We played with the train set as well, didn't we?" Morgana said brightly to Merlin. Who looked around the room before nodding shyly. She nudged him over to his seat, right of Uther and helped him up. Everyone watched her with some interest as she settled Merlin on the seat.

"You'd better put those down now," Morgana advised.

Looking worried again Merlin immediately held up the teddy.

"Put them next to him," Balinor advised, leaning over to move the utensils that had been set up, for him, pulling them towards himself, where he currently sat, staying out of Hunith's way while she sat up. It left the seat free for the two toys, which Morgana carefully settled. Merlin watched her with a serious expression. Once she was happy with it she went and sat in her place next to Uther, opposite Merlin smiling at him as she did so.

Merlin gave a shy smile back, looking up as Hunith placed a bowl of stew in front of him and to the side a plate of bread, carefully broken up into manageable pieces for him.

"Eat your supper now Merlin."

Merlin fumbled for his spoon, while Hunith passed out the rest of the bowls and she placed a plate of warm rolls in the centre for the rest of them.

"Me and Merlin played with the train set, didn't we?" Morgana said. Merlin nodded, glancing at Uther warily.

"That's nice," Uther said, wondering why Morgana appeared to be announcing that with such significance.

"We can show you later, I thought we might as well just leave it set up."

"Okay," Uther replied.

"I got some DVD's today," Hunith added. "For Merlin. We could watch one after supper. Would you like that Merlin?"

Merlin looked baffled, but nodded. Uther said nothing, resolving to discuss whatever was on her mind with Morgana later.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Unsurprisingly Merlin fell asleep sprawled on the rug on the sitting room floor, where he and Morgana had set up camp. That again made Uther curious, seeing behaviour that his adopted daughter had not displayed since she had started to mature. She had laid out on the rug with Merlin, and the toys, and a bowl of sweets, which she encouraged Merlin to eat, until he fell asleep, his head on the teddy bear's stomach.

Uther had carried Merlin up to bed and put him in his pyjamas, Merlin hardly responding. He tired out easily, his body weak from malnutrition and the abuse that he had suffered for the sake of 'science'.

"What was that about?" Uther asked as he sat on the end of the bed, Morgana hunted through the toys, determined to find Action Man's jeep. Unless Arthur had at some point done something ridiculous and destructive to it, which meant it was long gone.

"When I got home from school I found him sat on the end of the bed, looking at all the toys and as if he didn't dare touch them. At least now he might think it's okay to play with stuff. How long was he up here?"

"Not that long, he seemed nervous around me so I thought he might be happier settling on his own... oh... I forgot... damn it!"

Morgana paused, although she triumphantly had the jeep in her left hand.

"What?"

Uther turned to rest a hand on Merlin's leg which was almost lost under the thick duvet.

"In the dormitory, where they kept the children, there were cupboards filled with toys, which they were never allowed to touch. They had just been put up there to pretend that the kids had something to play with. In reality none of them dared move when they were left up there. I thought he might realise it was different, or maybe I didn't think about it at all. I just assumed."

Morgana sat back on her rump, settling on the floor, idly putting the jeep down and running it back and forth on the carpet.

"Shit, that's horrible."

"Morgana, don't swear."

Morgana huffed. "I saw the scars on his arm. What the hell did they do to him?"

Uther gave her a level glare, indicating that he had no intention of explaining any of it. Morgana pouted wondering who he didn't want to upset, her or himself.

"We just need to find a way to work through it, so he knows he is safe here. At least once he meets Arthur, he'll know us all and then we can get him into a routine, going to school and living here."

"How the hell can he go to school when he doesn't talk?"

"I looked up that private school, they have a special class. They can take into account his issues, once they are aware of his abilities they can hopefully work with him to help him along. I have made arrangements for him to do a few short days with them, to help him settle in."

"It might take longer than a few days," Morgana told him.

"But it will be a start. Let's introduce Arthur first, and we can work to settle Merlin over the weekend. And we'll look at getting Merlin his own teddy bear."

"I don't mind," Morgana said. "It's a good cause."

"I know, and it was kind of you, but I know what that toy means to you."

Morgana smiled, looking at the little boy curled up in the bed, looking tiny. Wherever he was, Merlin looked so small. He had carefully placed the teddy on the cabinet, settling the soft toy where it would be safe.

"I think Merlin does too."