A/N: Hello again! I would like to apologize to the length of this chapter and the time it took me to post it. I couldn't decide on some tiny plot things but here we are! All the usual pain brought to you in a smaller package! Another apology, if I update less, it's because I started school (;-;)

Let the fic commence!

"Morgana," Merlin scrambled to stand up and face the woman he had epitomised as an enemy for several years. The mere sight of her sent his heart into a panic, even though he knew he was more powerful than she was. His magic focused, sharpened, and was ready to attack her. He raised his hands to strike, but then he noticed her demeanor. It was calm and extremely out of character. She appeared to mean him no harm whatsoever. Relaxing himself slightly, he voiced the question that began to pound around in his brain, "What do you want?"

"I know what happened between you and Arthur," Morgana said gently, scaring Merlin even more. What else did she know? Then she stunned him. "I know you have magic."

Merlin's blood ran cold fearing what Morgana had in store, but her manner never wavered. He expected her to be angry for all he had done and to be furious for hiding his magic when he could've been there for her. Anger wasn't present in Morgana's eyes. She seemed like the Morgana that Merlin had known before she had spiralled into a pit of hatred and fear. It was as if Merlin had never poisoned her, and if she hadn't been wearing all black with hair as big as her hatred, he might've believed it was the compassionate girl he met all those years ago. But, she was extremely manipulative and he was not falling for it.

She wants me on her side.

He gave a halfhearted laugh when he finally figured out what she wanted. Then he straightened up and approached her, darkly looking her in the eye so she would know he meant it with everything he was. Then in his strongest, lowest voice he said, "I know what you want. My answer is no."

"How could you possibly know what I came here for? What made you think I wanted something from you?"

"Why else would you be here right after I ran away from Camelot?"

"I see your point, but I don't want something from you. I came to offer you a place to stay, actually."

"My answer firmly remains. No." Merlin turned his back to her and gathered his things. It sent Morgana into a slight panic. What had she been thinking? Merlin wasn't going to instantly trust her. She hoped she wouldn't have to retreat to her backup plan...

"Where are you going to go? Not to Ealdor, you wouldn't risk your mother's safety."

"To be honest, I'm not sure." Merlin shouldered his bag and started walking down the road. Morgana followed him, matching his pace and falling in stride with him. She wasn't sure what to do, she hadn't exactly thought this through.

"Arthur's never going to accept magic in his kingdom, Merlin, you see that?" Merlin said nothing and never wavered in his step. "Merlin, I'm only offering you a place to stay, I'm not asking you to kill Arthur."

Merlin stopped walking and gave Morgana a very annoyed look. Morgana was slightly confused but didn't say a word as Merlin looked around him, searching for the words to get Morgana off his back.

"How can I make this perfectly clear to you, Morgana. I. Don't. Trust. You." Merlin exaggerated the last sentence, saying each word slowly and clearly. Morgana took a deep breath to keep herself from strangling the man with his condescending tone. "Go back to whatever hole you came from to find me, because I'm not interested in whatever your next plan to overthrow Arthur involves."

"So you're still loyal to him even though he made it inherently clear he didn't accept you?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Morgana asked him, but he honestly didn't know. Arthur had hurt him deeper than most people could understand, maybe even the woman in front of him. A small, minuscule part of him wanted to go with her because of the understanding and companionship that she probably could offer to him. But he couldn't do that to Arthur. He wouldn't.

"He's my friend," he said. What else was there to say?

"What kind of friend would treat you like that?" Morgana's word sent doubt into Merlin, making him question himself, his destiny, and his decisions. No, Arthur's just afraid of what he doesn't understand.

Merlin swirling thoughts finally came to a stop, leaving himself much less clouded and lost. He smiled sadly and replied, "A lost one."

"I was hoping this was going to be simpler," Morgana said with a sigh. Then she lifted her hands.

"What?" Merlin barely turned his body to defend himself when Morgana's eyes turned gold. He found himself flying, Morgana getting smaller and smaller as he moved through the air.

Then everything went black.

Burning. Something is burning.

Merlin shot straight up in the bed ready to help, ready to save lives, or whatever was needed of him. His eyes were still blurry with sleep, so he rubbed them, his body fulling waking up and remembering what had last happened. It had something to do with Morgana. His current whereabouts probably had to do with her, too. He located the source of the burning smell, which was a candle across from the bed he was laying in, casting weird shadows and setting a dark mood in the room.

That was new. It wasn't just any room, it was a room that belonged to a noble. Maybe even royalty. The cloth was finer than anything he'd ever seen. The blacks and crimsons contrasting each other in the curtains and bed sheets set an even darker mood for the room, and a dark mood for Merlin. Definitely Morgana's castle, or a castle Morgana would like to stay in. It was nothing like Camelot, or anything Arthur would like.

Flashes of the day before gave Merlin an instant headache, and a longing to see Gaius to get rid of the pain. Arthur's betrayal stung worse than anything Merlin could remember, but a different pain than he was used to. He was used to loss, used to seeing people leave his life and never be able to return. But not like this. They always left his life in love and he knew that they cared for him. He could still feel Arthur's hatred as if it had left a burn.

Crunch. Merlin looked over to the left to see Morgana slicing at an apple and eating the bits off the blade. She was leaned back against the chair and was just watching him, the shadows covering her face slightly.

"Good morning, Merlin," she said cooly, continuing to eat her apple slices off of her knife. It was probably present to intimidate Merlin, but it didn't.

"You don't want anything from me, but yet you kidnapped me," he replied harshly and he moved in the bed to face her. Then his arm caught on something. For the first time, he noticed a silver band with runes carved into it, wrapped around his wrist and connected to the bed pole.

She noticed his struggle against his chains and noted, "They're magical. Don't waste your time." She finished off her apple, put the core on the table, and began twirling the knife in the air. "Well, there is one thing I want from you, Merlin."

"And what, may I ask, is that?"

Morgana leaned forward, so Merlin could see her face in the light. She looked sincere, but Merlin wasn't sure if she acting, or if she really meant what she was about to say, "I want you to know that we aren't all that different."

Merlin scoffed, "We, alike? We both have magic, but beyond that we are night and day, Morgana."

She looked truly hurt, as if she had relied on his response to convince herself of her goodness. She must not have realized that she seemed to be trying to convince Merlin of his darkness. The look in her eyes put Merlin's stomach in a frenzy. The chains on his wrists bound his magic, not completely, but he couldn't use it for defense. Grossly exposed, he just glared daggers back at the sorceress that held him hostage.

After several seconds, she suddenly stood up, "Well, it was nice talking. We should do it again sometime."

"Don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon," Merlin bitterly said. Morgana smirked in response. Then she left without another word. The shut of the door cued the relaxation of every muscle in Merlin's body, exhaustion ensuing. His body shut down, darkness engulfing him.

Merlin fell asleep, the empty, alone feeling intensifying with the silence in the room.

He missed Arthur despite everything.