Hi. This chapter is finally on time. It is a huge one, so I have split it in two parts.

I think I haven't given Mergana enough alone time, so in this and the next chapter I will be focusing on their relationship.

I am generally busy these days, I am learning to solve the 4x4 cube, trying to keep up with homework and playing matches with my volleyball team. Anyway, most chapters will be in a week's time from the previous one.

Thanks to all my readers and reviewers!

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin

"Merlin what's wrong?" Morgana stood quickly from her chair and threw herself on Merlin, who had just emerged from the door. He seemed terribly angry, but at the same time desperate, looked like he was going to collapse.

"That bastard" he said.

"Merlin, will you please tell me what happened?" Morgana pleaded while trying to calm down her boyfriend. She had made him sit on the sofa and wrapped around him a blanket. Morgause came from the door a few minutes later, saying she went for a walk to ease her nerves. She seemed quieter than usual.

"Didn't you get it?" Morgana tried again to get Merlin talking. "Doesn't matter, Merlin, there's no need to be like this just for a stupid key" She caressed his forehead and pushed some stray hair of his back in place.

"We found the key" He took a rusty key out of his pocket and gave it to her.

"And…?" It didn't make sense, Morgana thought.

"I have lost the recording." Merlin admitted. It took Morgana a while to realize what they were talking about. She frowned for a while. All their evidence was now gone. They would have to start again building the case for scratch. It was the most invaluable piece of information they had collected since getting into all of this.

"How?" she asked simply, trying not to make Merlin feel uncomfortable.

"It was stolen." Merlin said. "I left the car unlocked for five minutes, and left my mobile inside it, and when I came back, it was nowhere to be found , we realized, and the window was open. We came back to search for it, and we found it on the pavement…"

"Where obviously it can't have fallen…" Morgana continued his sentence.

"…And at first we were all relieved and happy, and then I realized that the recording was missing."

"So, Uther knew" Morgana said. "That we had recorded him. That we were going today. He knows everything. Which means…"

"…that we have a traitor between us…" Merlin exclaimed, looking at Draco and Morgause.

"Exactly" Morgana agreed. "It's sad. We cannot trust anyone, it seems"

"Surely, you don't believe…" Draco started to say.

Morgana's phone buzzed. She ignored it.

"…What would you do if you were in our shoes, Draco?" Merlin asked.

Morgana's phone buzzed again.

"Oh, for god's sake" she complained and went to take it.

Incoming Call: Arthur Pendragon

"Guys, it's Arthur." She announced. "Merlin, I didn't have time to tell you, tonight we will go with Arthur, he is starting wondering where I am."

"Okay, we will deal with this later." Merlin warned. "Where are we going?"

Morgana gave him a smile. "We are going to have so much fun"

Hey Arthur

Hi. Are you coming then?

Yes, we're coming.

All of you?

No. just me and Merlin.

Ok. See you there. Dress properly.

Don't worry.

Oh, now I'm worrying. Cover as much as you can, sister.

Yes, big brother, I know

Okay, see you.

Morgana closed the phone.

"Dress properly?" Merlin asked. "Morgana, where are we going?"

"We are going to go to a ball, at the Pendragon Manor. Uther doesn't have a clue we are coming."

Merlin looked confused and somewhat nervous.

"Oh, come on. He won't be able to do anything, with so many people around. We will have all the fun in the world seeing his expression when we show up and then we will spend a nice evening like high society does."

"I'm not really into this sort of thing" Merlin mumbled.

"Because you don't know it" Morgana contradicted. "I hope you have a suit to wear."

"I think so" Merlin said. "But I don't like it"

"Nonsense" Morgana said. "You are going to look like a gentleman in it. Let's go get dressed."

They went to their bedroom and Merlin took a dark navy suit out of his closet.

"It's perfect, Merlin. You just need this nice shirt here…" she handed him a plain white shirt.

Merlin grumbled a bit but said okay. In a few minutes he was ready.

"You look great" Morgana complimented. "Now I have to put on something too."

"Oh, do you now?" Merlin teased her, earning himself a nice punch on the arm.

"I will go downstairs now" he announced.

Merlin left the room, closing the door behind him.

"Merlin" Draco said, as soon as he saw him. "You look very smart in this"

"I look stupid in this" he said "but…"

"Morgana insisted, yes I know her."

"Exactly" Merlin said.

"And you couldn't do anything else way?"

"Nope" Merlin said simply.

"You really care for her, don't you" Draco said. "I'm asking because I need to make sure she won't get her heart broken again. She has been through too many hardships for one lifetime."

"I don't think there is anything I wouldn't do for her, Draco."

"I'm happy for you, both" Draco said,

Merlin said silent, thinking about what Draco had said. Morgana needed him just as much as he needed her. Since she had first stepped into his house and accidentally slept in, she hadn't left his mind for a mere second. That beautiful, clever and loving young woman had immediately claimed a place in his heart. He couldn't imagine what his life would be without her. He would still be that little unemployed no one, not the lucky man that had captured the Lady Morgana's heart.

"Are you planning on marriage?" Draco brought him out of his thoughts.

"Sorry, what?"

"Are you planning on marriage?" Draco repeated his question. Merlin had never thought about it. His relationship with Morgana had always seemed too good to be true. He hadn't even considered that she would want to marry him. It seemed to much of a commitment for her to make. He, of course, would want nothing more than having Morgana on his side for the rest of his life. If that would make her happy, that is. She loved him, he was sure about it, but was she ready for marriage?

"Would she want me?" Merlin asked Draco.

"Do you want her?"

"More than anything" Merlin said. "But she is…"

"A woman, that's what she is. And in fact, a woman who is madly in love with you."

"You were talking about me"

"I asked her. So, what are you thinking?"

"It's probably a bit early." Merlin said skeptically. "I mean, I have only known her for a few months. And we are in this whole mess, which is not very helpful."

"So you are planning on it someday."

"Yes, If she agrees, there is nothing that would make me happier" Merlin said.

"Here she comes" Draco said, reacting on the sound of the door. Both men's mouths fell as they saw her.

"Oh my god" Merlin said. She was wearing a plain black long strapless dress. It started fitting tightly on her, flattering her figure, and below her waist it became looser, until her feet. Her hair was loose in her shoulders until her waist and she had just barely used make-up, only some mascara and a lipstick. This way, her bright green eyes showed more and, it was breathtaking. The colour of her dress contrasted the paleness of her skin in the best way. She was wearing long silver earrings and a matching bracelet, while her neck was completely bare.

"You look…" Merlin stopped to think what he could say. Beautiful would definitely be an underestimation to what was before him, he thought. "You look amazing" he told her. The word still couldn't describe her fully, but it was a fair try, he thought.

He walked forward to kiss her on the cheek and closed his eyes as he inhaled her fragrance, something that could be described only as Morgana, spicy, at the same time flowery, not to sweet, not to strong, in other words perfect. Her hand went to caress his cheek. He realized, there weren't other words to describe this, it was love. It definitely was love.

"If you will follow me, milady" he offered his arm.

She smirked and curtsied before taking his extended arm.

They entered the car, where Morgana explained to Merlin what high society balls were like.

"It's like reliving the past. I don't really know why we keep doing them this way but it will be just like the 20s balls. We will give our names to a servant and he will announce our arrival. We will enter, pay our respects to Uther and Ygraine and then have all the time to speak with Arthur, Gwen and the others. We will have to dance at some time too."

"I don't dance" Merlin said.

"Of course you do." Morgana replied. "You are going to dance with me, Merlin."

"As my lady commands" Merlin smiled to her and leaned to kiss her.

They reached the Manor. Morgana took Merlin's hand and they stepped inside the gate.

"Names please?" A man in penguin suit asked them.

"Morgana Le Fay and Merlin Emrys" Morgana replied. "They are expecting us" she assured him.

"Morgana Le Fay and Merlin Emrys" The man announced and everyone in the room turned to see the couple coming down the stairs.

Morgana noticed how the butler had reacted when he had heard her name. Arthur probably hadn't told his father about inviting them.

They walked on until they were in front of Uther. The experience was intense, being in front of a man who in every other occasion would take out his gun and shoot you, and have to greet him like nothing has happened.

"Nice to see you, Uther" Morgana lifted her chin up, as she greeted Uther.

Merlin shook hands with him. Uther's face was unreadable.

"Enjoy yourselves" he said as he went to greet the rest of the guests.