Hello, readers, I edited this chapter. It is set in the third season before the attack of the immortal army. I'm going to be editing all chapters, so be ready.

Morgana paced her room, hands folded over her chest, deep in thought. It was snowing gently outside, the small flurries fluttering to the ground and the wind attempting to prevent them from doing so. The sky was dark with clouds and thick snowflakes, the air chilled from cold weather. Her chambers were dark and lonely, and she preferred them that way today. Her stream of thought was intercepted however.

"Morgana?" Merlin's voice called from her closed door, following a knock. She glanced up, instantly on guard and alert; she still had not forgiven him for that little stunt with the water skin, and never would. She was determined to hold her grudge until the day she died, and she wouldn't break that oath.

She grudgingly strode to open the door, realizing he knew she was in there and still standing outside. The quicker she answered it, the faster he'd leave. At the last minute, she remembered to place a mischievous and dastardly looking smirk upon her face. There stood Merlin, his neckerchief red and a red shirt, in his hand a small box with a beautiful necklace placed within it; a dazzling green gem sat in the center of a thin gold chain, and it looked intricately crafted.

"Yes?" she replied to his earlier question, eager to get the chat over with, in a tone that clearly stated, "don't cross me." Her foot tapped to let him know that she was impatient and still very much angry. Why was Merlin outside her chambers holding a gift on this day, looking just about ready to profess is long adoration and love for her? Was it, perhaps, a trick? To get her to trust him again? If so, it was all in vain, and she would make this known.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" He exclaimed in response, carefully handing her the necklace as though it required deep amounts of thought and concentration not to drop it. Morgana took it swiftly, pursing her lips in annoyance as she stared at him with distaste. "I made presents for everyone in the castle!"

"Thank you, Merlin." She said stiffly and with a glare towards him, in which his eyes darted to the floor. For a moment, only a moment, she considered the fact that he might actually feel remorse for what he had done to her, but she smashed that thought. "Goodbye now." Without letting him get another word in, she slammed the door on him and carelessly tossed the trinket on her nightstand amongst the others she had recieved. She was confident that she would not wear it, but there was no point in throwing it out when one day she could re gift it had she no other options. She would be more than glad to be rid of it.

She flopped onto her bed, bored and desolate. She felt very much alone and like she was the only sane being in the world, fighting against both the retarted holiday and the tyranny of Uther. This possessed her thoughts day and night, in sleep and waking; it claimed her while she was alone and amongst others. It seemed she could no longer relate to anyone but her sister, who alone knew the torture she was put through, and alone knew of her goals and wishes. Her sister alone knew of the painful and depressing darkness that surrounded them as Uther still lived. This is what once again absorbed her mind as she lay there, drumming her fingers thoughtfully against her mattress, wondering what Gwen, her only companion, was doing right then.

Morgana had given Gwen the day off, though she knew Gwen was too dutiful to truly take it; she would be there at some point in the day. Morgana, in all her boredom, had no intention of seeking another friend or family, and decided to just sit and wait until Gwen arrived.

"Arthur!" Gwen squealed as she ran around her table in her house, Arthur chuckling all the more louder and Gwen dodging more blows. "Stop-throwing-grapes-at-me!" She tried to choke this out between her breaths and laughter. He laughed harder, his eyes twinkling with amusment, his attack unceasing. "No!" She ran around her small home, grabbing a platter and using it like a shield.

"I will get you, Guinevere!" Arthur shouted with conviction and determination in his eyes and tone. Gwen shook her head, glancing about her small home to find a weapon to fight back with. She spotted nothing that could help her cause and was eventually cornered, her back to the wall and hands outstretched in an attempt to protect herself.

"Arthur, really stop it-" But she was cut short by a girlish scream as Arthur picked her up and spun her around. "Arthur!" She cried, both of them now chortling. He reluctantly put her down, his grin not fading and eyes still joyful. He looked down upon her with such love and compassion as she had ever seen from another human being before, and it made her heartsick for an unknown reason.

"Sorry," He apologized as he saw just how dizzy she had gotten, brows creasing a bit in concern but relaxing when she smiled at him.

"It's fine," she assured him happily, grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards her. She stood on her tippy toes, stretched her neck, and leaned up to kiss him shortly though passionately before pulling away. "I better go..." she said worriedly, biting her lip and concern now shining in her caramel eyes.

Arthur chuckled as he said, "Gwen, it's your house!"

Gwen laughed, punching her boyfriend on the arm lightly. "I know that, but Morgana will be expecting me..."

Arthur sighed, but nodded. "Alright, but at least let me walk you-"

"No, Arthur, it's too dangerous-"

"I want to be with you-"

"And I with you but if we're discovered we won't see each other ever again." Gwen stressed, pressing his hand, the urgency weaved through her tone startling him.

Arthur sighed. "You're right. As always."

She kissed him again lightly on the lips. "Cheer up, Arthur." She winked, grabbed her shawl, opened the door and entered the frosty air.

"Morgana?" Gwen called as she entered Morgana's dark and lonely looking chambers, her eyebrows furrowing even as she spotted the young woman splayed on the bed.

Morgana sat up and approached her, trying to plant a smile on her lips as she took in the sight of her friend. "Gwen!" Gwen's cheeks were rosy with the cold, her hair a little wind blown. "Where have you been?"

Gwen scrambled for a cover story, panic clouding her mind and dulling her senses for a moment. "Oh, I, uh, nowhere." This lame excuse made Gwen wish to facepalm and earned her a raised eyebrow from Morgana.

"You are a terrible liar. Come on, spill. What's going on?" Gwen tried to hold Morgana's gaze, but faltered under the harshness under her usually bright countenance.

"Fine. I'm...I'm in a relationship." She admitted bashfully, hoping the harshness would be absent from her mistress's gaze. Morgana tried to act surprised, although she had previously known about Gwen and Arthur's relationship for months.

"That's wonderful! With whom?" Gwen didn't answer, biting her lip as she always did when she was nervous or worried. Morgana tried again, attempting to sound like she truly cared. "With who?" Morgana searched her maid's face, the smile slowly falling. This was going well, Morgana thought to herself; she sounded to herself as if she was curious and now a little concerned that Gwen had not replied.

"Arthur." Came the small response from her maid.

"Arthur!? Gwen are you crazy?!" Morgana exclaimed, sounding alarmed to her maid but actually laughing at her own acting and cleverness. "What if Uther found out? What do you think he would do?"

Gwen gulped. "I don't know."

Morgana sighed, trying to look as though she was fighting for her friend's sake to put a smile back on her face. A forbidden relationship would surely get the both of them killed, and it would lessen the burden and responsibility of Morgana's job. If Uther punished Arthur and burned Gwen, the nation would realize that no one, not even servants of the castle and the crown prince were safe, and there would hopefully be an uproar. "Well, nonetheless I'm happy for you, Gwen." It was a good lie that sounded completely genuine. Gwen broke into a watery smile, and only then did Morgana realize she was crying.

"Thanks, Morgana."

Arthur didn't quite know what to do with himself after Gwen left. He knew he had to get back to his Prince-ly duties, however his thoughts incessantly strayed back to Gwen. How her curls always perfectly framed her beautiful complexion and pretty face, how her eyes lit up whenever an act of kindness or love, no matter how small, was performed. Her childlike innocence towards most everything yet her wisdom beyond her years in dire situations- the personality traits that made Gwen who she was.

He shut the wooden door of Gwen's cottage quietly, slipping his dark blue cloak about his shoulders hiding his fine garments and taking the hood to hide his face. He strode through town towards the palace.

As he reached his chambers, desperate for an excuse not to do the paper work he was required to do, spotted Merlin walking down the hall looking quite down trodden.

"Merlin?" he called, and the young man looked up. "No tavern!"

That's the end of that. Leave a comment!