"Stay," said Morgana. She was a noblewoman of the court and the ward of the king and as such she did not beg, but there was a slight whine in her voice as she kissed Gwen on the patch of soft skin just underneath her ear (where the last few days of extensive experimentation had revealed she loved to be kissed) and said, "Stay."

"I can't sleep in your chambers every night, Morgana. People will talk."

"You did before," Morgana didn't pout, much in the same manner as she didn't beg. "You lived here for a week."

"I was ill then."

"I'll tell people that you're ill again. I'll have Gaius pronounce you ill," she declared melodramatically. "I like sleeping beside you."

"I never would have suspected you of being the sentimental type, Morgana."

"Only with you," replied Morgana honestly.

Gwen kissed her briefly, pulling away before Morgana could take advantage of the situation. "Good night, sleep well."

Despite her protestations Morgana went to bed in an excellent mood. She was still shocked and thrilled at what she'd managed to do to the griffin, and Arthur's bemusement at the turn of events was hilarious. And Gwen, she'd always loved Gwen, of course, but now it was different. She was even feeling reasonably good humoured towards the Dragon. Until-

Morgana.

"What?!"

Morgana.

One of these days Morgana was going to ask the Dragon why, if it could speak directly into her mind, did she have to sneak down to its cave whenever it wanted a word? In fact that was the first thing she asked when she arrived.

It ignored her completely and said, "Do not accept flowers from strange men."

On her way back to bed she decided that the Dragon had ridden straight past cryptic to arrive at utterly crazy. She might even have been able to summon up some sympathy for it had she been better rested.

Gwen arrived the next morning to find Morgana standing in the middle of the room glaring murderously at a chair. "What has the chair ever done to you?"

"It won't move."

"I wouldn't expect it to. At least not under its own power."

"I don't think you're allowed to make fun of me."

"And I think we're beyond you telling me what I can and can't do," but Gwen said it with a smile and set about straightening Morgana's chambers, including returning the chair to its correct position. "Are you trying to move it with magic, like you did with the griffin?"

"Exactly so. I don't understand why it isn't working. As you said, it worked on the griffin, which was a homicidal mythical being, and this is only a chair."

"Maybe that's the difference," suggested Gwen, "perhaps you need to be afraid for your life. If you like I could try and find you a more menacing-looking piece of furniture from somewhere else in the castle?"

"No, thank you." It was only then that Morgana noted the elaborate bouquet of flowers that Gwen had left on the nightstand when she entered. "Those are beautiful."

"They are. Although should I be worried about having a rival for your affections?"

"They're not from you?"

"They are a little beyond my pay scale, Morgana."

"Well, we must see about getting you a raise."

"They were handed in at the main gate this morning."

Morgana looked at the flowers, they were very beautiful, but the Dragon had said... She stared at the flowers willing them to fly off the table, they didn't move. "Throw them out, would you?" she requested.

Arthur smiled at her when she arrived for supper that evening. "Morgana, not feeling ill at all?"

"I'm the picture of health. Your concern, Arthur, is most... uncharacteristic."

"I'm sure you meant appreciated."

"I'm sure."

Uther interrupted them. "Arthur was approached by a physician by the name of Edwin in the town today, who had heard that you were gravely ill. Apparently at death's door, and that he alone could cure you."

"For a small fee, of course," concluded Morgana.

"Of course. But Arthur came racing back up to the castle to ensure your good health."

Arthur blushed bright red and muttered, "I did not race."

"Arthur!" Morgana woke screaming Arthur's name. Her scream woke Gwen, who she'd been able to convince for once to stay the night. Gwen stroked Morgana's hair and made soothing noises until she'd calmed a little. Not for the first time it struck Morgana how good and patient Gwen was. Most people would be a touch irate if their lover woke them up by screaming someone else's name.

"This is why you don't like sleeping here all the time, isn't it?"

"This, and the fact that your hair gets everywhere," Gwen teased. "What did you see?"

"A woman," Morgana tried to remember, "I didn't recognise her. She was drowning Arthur."

"That's awful."

"I know. I've been living in the same castle as Arthur since childhood, if anyone gets to drown him then it's going to be me." Morgana wasn't sure exactly when she'd become so blasé about dreaming of Arthur's untimely demise, but there was something about being able to act, together with Gwen, to change the future that made the nightmares easier to live with.

"You don't mean that," said Gwen and yawned.

"Of course I don't mean that," said Morgana, pulling the bedclothes over them. "I'm sorry I woke you." The rest of their night was thankfully uninterrupted.

The next morning they both overslept. Morgana blamed Gwen for not waking her, Gwen blamed Morgana for disturbing her throughout the night, Morgana wanted to know why Gwen had been lying on her hair when she woke up, Gwen apologised but said that there really was rather a lot of it and it wasn't that big a bed.

Long story short, by the time they were done with the bickering and the making up, then washing and dressing it was nearing noon when Morgana put in an appearance at court to find herself faced with the woman from her dream.

Sophia Tirmawr, who Arthur had apparently rescued from bandits while on a hunting trip this morning. Her father had been killed before Arthur could see the assailants off. She didn't look as though she was grieving for a parent, she also didn't look like she wanted to drown mostly innocent princes. Things were so rarely what they seemed these days.

"My lord!" Morgana exclaimed when Uther extended Camelot's hospitality to their visitor.

"You have some objection, Morgana?" Uther asked.

She weighed her options, there was no way to say 'I saw her drown your son in a dream' without sounding crazy, and no way to say 'I don't like the way she looks at Arthur' without sounding like a jilted lover.

"No, my lord."

"Good. Then I'm sure you will be happy to show Sophia around the castle and its grounds."

"More than happy, my lord," Morgana said through gritted teeth.

"Arthur's very handsome, isn't he?" Sophia observed in that simpering tone of hers which seemed perfectly pitched to grate on Morgana's nerves. She'd never liked women who simpered.

"I suppose," she replied non-committally.

"And very brave."

"I'm fully aware of Arthur's finer qualities, Sophia, but I'm not interested in discussing them with you."

"It's fortunate that you don't have designs on the prince yourself, I'd hate to disappoint you but Arthur is destined for me."

It was fortunate that they were in a secluded part of the gardens and there was nobody around to see Morgana grab Sophia by the throat. "If you hurt him, I'll-"

"You'll do nothing," said Sophia, her eyes flashing an unnatural colour. "You have no idea who I am."

Morgana felt like she had the night she'd stopped the griffin, as though she could strangle Sophia without tightening her grip. "No, you have no idea who I am."

Just then the guards who'd been following at a discrete distance rounded the corner. Morgana released Sophia and stepped back, loudly she said, "I think that's all for the tour." Under her breath she hissed, "Stay away from Arthur," before striding away.

"But can you keep Arthur away for me?" Sophia called after her.

That was the first thing Morgana tried.

"You're jealous," said Arthur, after Morgana had spent most of the morning trying to convince him to stay as far away from Sophia as possible.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Not of me, of Sophia. You're used to being the only woman at court and now Sophia's here; she's taking attention away from you."

"There are about twelve women at court."

"The only young and beau-" Arthur cut himself short, "not physically repulsive woman at court."

Morgana tossed her hair over her shoulder and tried to think of something cutting to say to refute Arthur's theory. "She's not that beautiful," she said, unfortunately it came out more whiney than cutting.

"While it's always entertaining to listen to you lose your tenuous grip on reality, Morgana, I'm late to take Sophia riding and I must change."

Morgana stood her ground and she and Arthur started at each other until Arthur stripped off his jacket and made to lift his tunic over his head and Morgana relented, "Alright, I'm going. But promise me that you'll stay away from lakes while you're with Sophia. And streams, and deep puddles."

"Get out."

"Oh, and wear your brown coat, the one that makes you look like a peasant."

"Out!"

"And then Arthur said that I was jealous because Sophia is attractive." Morgana and Gwen were lying fully clothed on Morgana's bed discussing possible ways of keeping Arthur safe from Sophia but Morgana had quickly gotten off topic, "How ridiculous."

"I know. You're much more beautiful than Sophia."

Morgana beamed and kissed Gwen. "Not," she said, pulling back, "that that's the point." She shifted until she was reclining against Gwen who began stroking her hair, something that Morgana found immensely relaxing.

"Of course not. What are we going to do about Sophia?"

"I've already warned her off Arthur. But as Uther's declared that she can stay in the castle as long as she wishes, I'll just have to keep a close eye on them both."

Obviously Morgana didn't keep a close enough eye on Arthur because a few days later he announced his engagement to Sophia.

"She's enchanted him," declared Morgana as she paced her chambers in a foul mood.

"Are you sure?" Gwen asked. "I mean we know she's evil, but Arthur's not a seer, maybe he really does want to marry her."

"He doesn't. Believe me, I know him. When King Lot brought his daughter to Camelot to discuss the possibility of marriage Arthur spent the entire feast hiding under the table. He kept getting me to pass him down plates of food."

"Wasn't he twelve then?"

"Yes. But we're talking about Arthur, mentally he's still twelve. And the day that she arrived I think that Sophia tried to use magic against me."

"Why didn't you tell the king? He would have sent her away, or..."

"It was nothing, really. Her eyes flashed, changed colour. I used to dream about a warlock who could do magic the same way. Anyway," Morgana shrugged, "the king has forbidden the marriage so hopefully that will be the end of the matter."

"If you're sure," Gwen sounded unconvinced.

"What?"

"If she's enchanted Arthur to love her is there any reason she couldn't enchant Uther to give them his blessing?"

Morgana hurried to the door with the intention of going to see the king immediately. She threw the door open to find Arthur's manservant, Morris, standing there timidly holding his hand up to knock.

"Arthur's gone," he squeaked.

"Gone where?" Morgana demanded.

Morris looked at her, swallowed audibly and then looked past her and spoke to Gwen. "He's eloped, with Sophia. And he told me not to tell anyone. The king is going to kill me. Help me," the last part was barely a whisper.

Morgana pushed him into a wall in her hurry to get out the door. Gwen, being more level headed, went to the wardrobe to retrieve the sword.

"What's that?" Morris asked.

"Would you believe me if I told you that it's a magic sword that Lady Morgana has been hiding at the back of her wardrobe for months?"

Morris assessed his options, "Er, no."

"Good. Don't say anything to the king, we'll get Arthur back."

As it turned out they didn't need the sword. When they caught up with her at the lake Sophia was standing waist deep in the water, she was surrounded by some kind of magical light, she was shouting, begging. There was no sign of Arthur.

"You must let me back into Avalon. Please, I beg of you, my father is dead, his crime was not mine. No, no, please. I brought you a prince, take his soul, please-" Sophia broke off with a tortured scream.

"Help her," Gwen pleaded. "Morgana, do something."

Despite herself Morgana waded out into the water, but before she could reach Sophia the magical light rushed inwards, her scream reached fever pitch and she vanished.

Morgana tripped over something on the bottom of the lake which dunked her entirely underwater. Lucky it did, because it was Prince Arthur in full armour.

"Gwen, it's Arthur!" Morgana screamed, when she broke the surface. "Help me get him out."

By the time Arthur spluttered up some muddy water and began to wake up Morgana was sitting on one side of him ringing out her hair and Gwen was sitting on the other pouring water out of her shoes.

"Good morning, sire," she said cheerfully.

"Morning, Arthur."

"Morgana? Wha- Why am I wet?"

"You went for a swim."

Arthur propped himself on his elbows causing a good deal of the lake to slosh out of his armour. "In my armour?"

"Seemingly so," said Morgana, matter-of-factly.

"Why are you wet?"

"I went for a swim too."

Arthur looked between them, "Why is Guinevere wet?"

"Now, Arthur, is that really an appropriate question to ask?"

"We came after you, sire," said Gwen kindly. "You were upset about Sophia."

"Yes, upset," agreed Morgana, "especially after Sophia jilted you at the altar."

Gwen sent a reprimanding look at Morgana over Arthur's head. "Altar!" Arthur exclaimed, shooting upright and causing yet more water to pour out of his armour. "I wanted to marry her, what was wrong with me?"

"Too many blows to the head," Morgana said to no one in particular.

"No one can ever know about this," Arthur said seriously.

"We won't tell anyone, sire," Gwen promised. She meant it too, it was hardly her fault that Morgana spent the next week cheerfully telling anyone who'd listen that Prince Arthur had eloped with a visiting noblewoman only to limp back the next day, unmarried and looking like a drowned cat in rusty armour.

For several weeks Morgana's nights had been untroubled. Her dreams once again turned to the young warlock, Merlin. She watched him journey peacefully south towards his home village. It must be nice not to spend your days running around after a prince with a death wish.

But as Morgana hadn't had any visions of Arthur's imminent death she declared it a day off and she and Gwen went walking in the woods, they found a clearing and Morgana dozed in the shade of a tree while Gwen picked flowers. When she woke she found Gwen kneeling before her.

"Gwen?"

"I'm sorry," Gwen said, blushing, "I'm just not used to seeing you sleep peacefully. It's very... you're very beautiful."

Morgana smiled and reached out to pluck one of the flowers Gwen was holding, she tucked it behind Gwen's ear. "As are you. Your future husband will be a very lucky man."

Gwen rocked back on her heels and couldn't meet Morgana's eyes. "I-"

"No," Morgana reached out and caught Gwen's hands, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned it."

"I'm not a fool. I know what we have can't last forever, you have to marry Arthur and I-"

Morgana pulled Gwen off balance, down on top of her and kissed her desperately. "I love you. Whatever else happens always remember that I love you before all others."

"I love you too."

There was time for more declarations of undying love as they'd both foolishly chosen to wear dresses with complicated fastenings that took a while to undo. Still, it was worth the wait.

MORGANA! HELP ME!

She woke up terrified, breathing heavily. It wasn't the Dragon, it sounded like a child's voice. There was something else that could speak directly into her mind. It took her a moment to remember that she was perfectly safe. She was lying underneath a cloak with the woman she loved in a sunny clearing, in a kingdom that was perfectly safe, partially due to her. But the echoes of the voice took a few moments to fade.

She was loath to wake Gwen, who was still sleeping peacefully, but they had to get back to Camelot.

"Gwen!" she said sharply, and kissed Gwen's bare shoulder to soften the demand.

When they arrived the town was in an uproar. They met Arthur and a squad of guards just outside the castle gates. "There were two druids in the marketplace," Arthur gruffly informed them.

"And the entire army of Camelot hasn't managed to track down two druids?"

"We got one of them, but there was another who escaped, a young boy."

"A boy?" Morgana grabbed his arm. "Arthur, you can't use guards to chase down a child!"

He shrugged her off, "What would you have me do?" For once Morgana was speechless, "Yes, that's what I thought."

Morgana spent the day wandering the castle, but she couldn't hear any trace of the voice that had woken her in the woods. Not until later that night, when it woke her again.

Help me. Please help me. They're going to kill me.

This time when she left her chambers she didn't go to the Dragon's cave. Instead she followed the voice up to the tower where the court physician had his workshop.

Gaius opened the door almost immediately, he didn't look as though he'd been sleeping, but then Morgana had not expected him to.

"My lady, it's late-"

Morgana pushed past him, through his workshop, ran up the narrow staircase and pushed open the door at the top. On a cot inside, pale and sickly looking, was the druid boy. She gently closed the door so as not to wake him and turned to face Gaius.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"I saw it in a dream," she replied, "and you don't look surprised by that."

"How long have you known," Gaius asked, once they were sitting downstairs in his workshop and he'd prepared them some tea, "about your powers?"

"Several months now."

"Hmm, I always worried that the sleeping draught would stop working."

"You've been drugging me. Ever since I told you I'd dreamed about the Dragon."

Gaius jerked, and some of his tea spilled from his cup. "You know of the Dragon?"

"Who do you think told me about what you'd been doing to me?"

"Morgana," Gaius clutched her hand desperately, "you can't trust anything it says!"

"Believe me, I don't trust it. Then again, you've been drugging me without my knowledge for nearly ten years so I don't know that I should trust anything you say either."

Gaius sighed, "Morgana, when you arrived in Camelot you were just a child and Uther did not yet know you. I was afraid that if he discovered your powers he would have you killed before you could grow to use them properly. I was trying to protect you."

"And when I was grown?"

"I always intended to tell you about your dreams and teach you to understand them. But Uther's hatred of witchcraft grew ever more intense and it was never safe."

"And hiding the druid boy is safe?"

"When Uther came to power he executed sorcerers, grown sorcerers, who understood their powers and had chosen what ends to use them for." Gaius looked down, "I helped him. The boy is like you were, a child. I've sent word to the druids, as soon as he is well enough I will make my excuses to the king and take him to them."

"Gaius, you're the king's personal physician, what excuse could you possibly have for leaving the kingdom for days on end? No, I'll take the boy."

"And how are you planning to convince the king to let you leave?"

"I'll think of something," said Morgana, and then almost to herself, "I'm getting good at that."

Morgana.

"You wish to go and visit your cousin?" Uther asked.

Morgana, listen to me.

"Morgana?" said Uther, a little more sharply.

Morgana, you cannot help the druid boy.

"Er, yes, my lord. My cousin, Elaine."

The boy is a threat. To all of us, Morgana!

A visit to one of her father's relations who she hadn't seen in years was as good an excuse as any to let her depart the kingdom. Unfortunately the dragon's incessant whittering in her mind was making it difficult to concentrate on her conversation with the king.

"Very well. You will take a squad of guards with you."

"Yes, my lord. I mean, no. The road leading out of Camelot is perfectly safe and my cousin will send a squadron of her guards to meet me."

Morgana owed it to the fact that Uther was preoccupied with the hunt for the boy that he didn't question this.

"I should come with you," insisted Gwen, packing food and water for Morgana's trip.

"Not this time," said Morgana. "There are still guards everywhere looking for the boy, I've put you in enough danger."

"If there are guards everywhere, are you sure it's a good idea to try and sneak the boy away?"

"Now you sound like the Dragon." Morgana could still hear it, niggling at the back of her mind, demanding her attention.

"Why, what does the Dragon say?"

"That the boy's a danger. That he will be the downfall of us all."

"That's ridiculous! He's just a child."

"Exactly," Morgana kissed Gwen goodbye and picked up her bag. "Don't let Arthur kill himself in my absence."

Their journey was quiet, the druid boy didn't say much, out loud or in Morgana's mind. On their second night she was watching the boy sleep by the light of the fire, she found the sight soothing, when she became aware of someone sitting down next to her.

"It's becoming impossible to get any peace and quiet," Morgana complained to Nimueh. "If it's not the Dragon then it's you."

"If you wanted a quiet life, Morgana, you should not have set yourself up as Arthur's protector."

"I've asked about you, Nimueh." Sort of, she'd spoken to Geoffrey in a round-about way about the sorceress, but he'd told her enough to know that Nimueh was dangerous. "And I won't let you hurt Arthur."

"Arthur?" Nimueh laughed, "I have no great interest in Arthur. Uther is my enemy. In fact I'm glad you're protecting him, better you than that whelp, Merlin."

"What do you want, Nimueh?"

"Uther. I want him dead, and I want you to stay out of the way and let it happen."

"Uther's been like a father to me!" Morgana objected.

"Oh, and if you want my advice you'll slay that boy immediately," and with that Nimueh vanished as quietly as she'd arrived.

Morgana returned the druid boy, Mordred, to his people, and did not regret it for a moment. Nimueh and the Dragon were hardly what she would call reliable sources of information. She returned to Camelot to find Gwen waiting for her by the main gate, anxiously wringing her hands.

"He'll kill him," she said, without preamble. "You only have to look at him to know that."

"Who'll kill who? Gwen, calm down. What are you talking about?"

"Sir Pellinor. I don't mean Pellinor's going to kill anybody. The knight's already killed Owain, and he's going to kill Pellinor."

"What knight?"

"It was at the coronation, to make Arthur crown prince, there was a knight, dressed all in black. He challenged Uther, but Sir Owain picked up the gauntlet and..." Gwen trailed off.

"He was killed?"

"Yes, but, Morgana, I'd swear Owain landed a killing blow. I've been around weapons my whole life and I'd swear to it."

"I believe you, I do," Morgana wanted to take Gwen into her arms, but they were in the courtyard surrounded by prying eyes.

"The Black Knight challenged Uther again, and this time Sir Pellinor accepted."

It was Nimueh, it had to be. She'd said she wanted to kill Uther and a knight who couldn't be killed was a better method than most. "When is the fight?"

"Now, up at the training field."

Morgana let Gwen lead her quickly up to the training field, even though she knew that with the fight already in progress there was very little she could do. They arrived just in time to see Pellinor land a blow to his opponent's neck. The Black Knight staggered, then straightened up and impaled Sir Pellinor on his sword. Morgana winced and Gwen turned away so that her face was pressed against Morgana's shoulder. Morgana was just turning away, to take Gwen back to the castle when Arthur leapt onto the field.

"I, Prince Arthur, challenge you," he declared, throwing his gauntlet down.

"Oh, you idiot," Morgana seethed.

The Black Knight in the courtyard didn't move, didn't eat, didn't sleep. Just stood and silently waited for the next day's fight to begin.

"Right," said Morgana, looking out the window at the knight below. "This should be easy, just sneak up behind him and cut his head off."

Gwen snaked her arms around Morgana's waist from behind and stood on tiptoes to kiss her cheek, "Have I mentioned that I really missed you?"

"Yes. But feel free to mention it again."

"I really missed you. No one talked to me about beheading apparently invulnerable knights while you were away."

"However did you cope?" Morgana turned around and kissed Gwen quickly. "Shall we go?"

The Black Knight was still standing motionless when Gwen and Morgana got down to the courtyard. Morgana was just reaching for the sword when a guard stepped out in front of her.

"Good evening, my lady."

"Good evening."

"You should be careful, my lady, that knight is dangerous."

I know, thought Morgana, that's why you should go and have a cup of tea and I should deal with him. Aloud she said, "Is that right?"

"Yes, my lady. We've got guards posted all around the yard so no one gets hurt before the fight tomorrow."

"That's very conscientious of you." Morgana and Gwen walked nonchalantly away. Well, Gwen did, Morgana tried, but it was quite hard to walk nonchalantly with a sword concealed in one's cloak.

"I suppose," mused Morgana from a second floor window, "that I could just thrown the sword in the general direction of the Knight and hope it kills him."

"Or you could give the sword to Arthur for the fight tomorrow?" suggested Gwen.

"I love you, you know that?"

"You may have mentioned it once or twice."

Arthur was practising stances when Morgana arrived in his chambers.

"Oh, good," she said, "because the Black Knight is bound to be frightened off by something we learned when we were five."

"The basics are important. What do you want, Morgana?"

"I want to give you this," Morgana held her sword out to Arthur, "for the battle tomorrow."

"Thank you, but I fear I'm in enough trouble without using a girl's sword."

"Oh, just take it, would you?"

"It's... Actually it's good, the balance is excellent. Where did you get it?"

"Gwen's father forged it," Morgana omitted the dragon-based detour the sword had taken before reaching Arthur. "Now give me the sword you were using."

"Why?" Arthur asked, but tossed her the sword anyway.

"You can't practice the basics alone."

"Morgana, do you know what you are wearing?"

Morgana swept up the hem of the dress in one hand, and angled the sword with the other. "Yes, I'm getting rather good at fighting in a dress." It was true, she was, at least as long as she wasn't expected to hold a shield at the same time.

Just then there was a knock at the door and Gaius popped his head round the door. "Sire, your father asked me to bring you something to help you sleep."

"Not now, Gaius," said Arthur, who was too busy squaring up against Morgana to deal with the physician.

"Yes, sire," and with that Gaius departed.

In the morning Arthur killed the Black Knight with surprisingly little ceremony.

"It is a very good sword," observed Gwen.

"My very good sword," responded Morgana.

"Tell that to Arthur."

"I don't think I'm paying you to answer back, Gwen."

"No, Morgana, but there are a number of other services you're not paying me for either."

Nothing ever before had caused Morgana to blush that far down her cleavage.

"My lady," said the servant who'd crept up on them during this exchange. "The king requires your presence."

The king apparently required her and Arthur's presence both. Uther was in a foul mood, he was dressed in full armour, almost as if he'd been expecting to fight the Black Knight.

"I'm disappointed in both of you," said Uther. Despite being grown adults Arthur and Morgana hung their heads. They did have an advantage over the rest of Camelot's population in that they were pretty sure that the king wouldn't actually have them beheaded. "You should never have challenged that Knight, you knew it was against my will," Arthur winced. "And you, Morgana, claiming you were going to visit a cousin who knew nothing about your trip."

"Sorry, my lord," muttered Morgana.

"Running around the castle behind my back, sword fights in the corridors, affairs with the serving girls."

Morgana risked a glance upwards. Uther's gaze was locked on Arthur. Oh, thank God, so Arthur had been sneaking around the castle and fighting in corridors too, and everyone knew about him and the kitchen maids. At least Uther hadn't gotten wind of her and Gwen's relationship.

"Sorry, father," Arthur added his apology to Morgana's and they both backed out of the room.

As soon as she was out in the corridor Gwen grabbed her arm, "What happened?"

"He's stolen my sword," said Morgana, watching Arthur stride off in the opposite direction with the magic sword slapping against his thigh.

"You gave it to him."

"Loaned!"

"But we're not about to be beheaded by the king?" asked Gwen, who was in many ways a more pragmatic individual than Morgana.

"Oh, no. At least, not yet."

Morgana dreamed of raiders sacking a village, murdering the occupants and leaving the survivors to starve. She dreamed again of Merlin, raising a storm of magic to drive the attackers away.

She woke feeling a stab of irritation at Merlin. If he wasn't going to come to Camelot and fulfil what the dragon said was his destiny, then the least he could do was stay out of her dreams.

Gwen was dressing Morgana for the day, at least that was the idea. Gwen's hands wandered over Morgana's bare skin and she dropped kisses on her shoulders and the back of her neck.

"I'm thinking of hiring another maid," said Morgana, turning and pulling Gwen against her, "to help me dress on mornings when I'm actually in a hurry."

"Are you in a hurry this morning?"

"Hmm, not especially."

This partly explains how Arthur managed to go hunting, slay a unicorn and present its horn as a gift to his father before Morgana made it out of bed.

"What did the unicorn ever do to you?" she asked Arthur later in the day. Arthur's brow furrowed as he tried and failed to come up with a witty response.

Uther and Arthur, in their latest misguided attempt to protect her, hadn't informed her about the destruction of Camelot's harvest. Morgana heard it from Gwen, who'd heard it from a chambermaid, who'd got it from one of the guards.

"Not eating, Morgana?" Uther asked, looking at her across their elaborately laid table.

"I'm just not hungry, my lord," she pushed her plate away. Uther looked disapproving, but she noticed neither he nor Arthur had touched their plates.

It wasn't long before Morgana was regretting not finishing that meal.

"Finish it," she said, pushing the plate containing her meagre breakfast across the table to Gwen.

"No, it's alright. I get rations like everybody else."

"All of which you give to your father. I know you, Gwen."

"Have you had any dreams?" Gwen asked, gratefully taking up the plate.

"Yes. All of them about food," said Morgana bitterly. "It's a famine, Gwen, there's nothing mystical about it."

"I have to get down to the well," remarked Gwen, "at least we still have water."

Gwen's remark had nothing to do with the reservoir drying up, but they both wished she hadn't said it.

"Hello?" Morgana called, there was no response. "Listen, I haven't had any water since yesterday, I can't stand here and shout."

The Dragon landed on its rock. It opened its mouth but no sound came out. It coughed up a little fireball and croaked, "What?"

So there was no water down here either, so much for that bright idea. "The kingdom is under some kind of a curse, what can I do?"

"Nothing."

"You know they say Dragons are distant cousins of chickens, I'm beginning to believe them."

"Arthur caused the curse, he must be the one to lift it."

"Arthur caused the curse?" Morgana was going to kill him, future king or not she was going to kill him.

"He killed a unicorn, to lift the curse he must prove to the keeper of the unicorns that he is pure of heart."

Morgana mused on this for a moment, "I don't suppose the keeper of the unicorns would like to take my word for it?"

"That sounds simple enough," said Gwen when Morgana told her what the Dragon had said. "I mean, Arthur is pure of heart."

"You haven't heard what the test is yet, Arthur has to give up his life for someone else."

"We'd be sending him to his death."

"Maybe, maybe not. I don't think the Dragon would tell me anything that would get Arthur killed, ever since I've known it all it's wanted is for Arthur to become king."

"Are you willing to risk it?"

Morgana looked at the courtyard full of people queuing for their pathetic rations, she felt a gnawing in her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger. "I don't think I have a choice."

"I should go, then," said Gwen, "with Arthur."

"Absolutely not. I'm going."

"That won't prove anything," said Gwen. "You're the king's ward, Arthur loves you like a sister, of course he'd die for you. I'm only a servant-"

"That's a good idea."

"Is it?" said Gwen, surprised at Morgana's agreement.

"Yes, with one slight adjustment." Morgana strode past Gwen, across the courtyard to where Morris was skulking against the wall trying not to be noticed. She grabbed him by his tunic.

As a rule Morgana aggravated Morris's state of perpetual terror, but he managed to squeak, "I haven't got any food."

"Never mind that, I've got a job for you."

Morris was very stoic about going off with Arthur to face a possibly fatal magical test. He didn't even whimper that much.

When Arthur and Morris both returned alive to a kingdom full of food and water Morgana was so relieved that she momentarily forgot to be cross that Arthur was still carrying her sword.

Morgana picked up a dirty shirt from the pile on the chair, wrinkled her nose and dropped it.

"I don't like this," said Gwen.

"Neither do I," agreed Morgana, "the least Arthur could do is open a window."

"I meant," explained Gwen patiently, "that I'm not comfortable snooping in the crown prince's rooms when he's out."

"Be sensible, Gwen, if he was here he would not have admitted us."

"Why are you so sure he's keeping the sword here? He might have it stored in the armoury."

"No, I've-"

"You've already looked there," Gwen smiled indulgently at Morgana. "What about the wardrobe?"

"The wardrobe?"

"It's where you kept it."

Morgana opened the door to Arthur's wardrobe, slightly afraid of what she'd find in there. "Ah, well, obviously," she said, gingerly lifting the sword out, "great minds think alike."

They tried to leave Arthur's chambers exactly as they'd found them, which basically meant dropping the few things they'd picked up back onto the floor.

They were nearly back to Morgana's chambers (looking as innocent as two people who'd just crept, armed, out of the private rooms of the heir to the realm could) when they heard a voice behind them.

"Hello again, Morgana."

Morgana pushed Gwen behind her and raised the sword, "Nimueh."

"You don't really think that's going to work, do you? I thought you were bright." Nimueh waved her hand lackadaisically and the sword flew out of Morgana's hand and clattered against the wall.

"Who is she?" Gwen asked from behind Morgana. The two sorceresses stared at each other and ignored her.

"You know," Nimueh continued, "I really thought we'd come to an understanding about Uther."

"Your Knight, I assume the Black Knight was your doing, was going to kill Arthur before it got anywhere near Uther!"

"If you knew what Uther had done you would not care how many other people had to die."

"Nimueh, the executions happen beneath my bedroom window. I know exactly what Uther has done."

Nimueh raised her palm towards Morgana. "Then I hope you realise that if Uther had allowed you to develop your powers you might have had a chance of surviving this. As it is..."

Morgana's world moved rapidly sideways as Gwen grabbed her and pulled her sharply to the left. Nimueh's spell glanced off Gwen's arm and sent her spinning into the wall.

"Gwen!" without thinking about it or knowing what would happen Morgana thrust her arm out.

Nimueh laughed as the spell rushed towards her, already fading away. "I'll be back for you. Both of you."

Morgana stared at the palm of her hand in shock. "Fireballs, that's a new one." There was a groan and Morgana rushed to Gwen. "You idiot, what did you think you were doing? You could have been killed!"

"I'm okay, thank you for asking."

"Be quiet," Morgana ordered, crouching next to Gwen and feeling her all over for injuries.

"What's going on here?" asked Arthur, who had thoroughly mastered the knack of appearing at the least opportune moment.

"What does it look like?" Morgana asked, then hearing herself, "Don't say it. I'm in no mood. Just help me get her up and into bed."

Arthur opened his mouth but Morgana's glare shut him up.

Gwen wouldn't stay in bed and insisted on accompanying Morgana to the Dragon's cave.

"Ah, the young seer graces me with her presence again. And I see you've brought the future queen with you."

"What!?"

"Not now, Gwen. There's a sorceress called Nimueh who wants to kill Gwen and I. And possibly Arthur," she added, trying to pique the Dragon's interest.

"You cannot defeat Nimueh in Camelot."

"You're not a naturally helpful reptile, are you?"

"The source of Nimueh's power is the Isle of the Blessed, only there can she be killed."

"Thank you."

"Hey, just a minute-"

"I'll explain later," Morgana promised, pulling Gwen up the stairs by the hand.

Morgana and Gwen were packing for their trip to the Isle of the Blessed.

"Do you know what did the Dragon meant, about me?" Gwen asked.

"Gwen," Morgana sighed, she sat next to Gwen on the bed, wrapped her arms around her and started again. "Gwen, the only reason I didn't tell you what the Dragon said was that I didn't want to lose you before I had to-"

It was then that Arthur arrived for his daily argument with Morgana. He took one look at Gwen and Morgana embracing on the bed and said in a shocked tone of voice, "Morgana, what are you wearing?"

"Trousers, try not to faint."

Arthur looked at the bags, "Going somewhere?"

"That's none of your concern," Morgana said, hefting the sword from its hiding place.

"And," continued Arthur, "isn't that my sword?"

"Actually-"

Please, sire," Gwen interrupted, touching Arthur's elbow, "don't get her started."

"Where are you going?" When both girls remained silent he said, "Fine, I'll just go and tell my father that you're leaving."

"Wait," Morgana pinched the bridge of her nose, she missed the days when she could make Arthur do whatever she wanted by threatening to hit him around the head with a wooden sword. "There's a witch, Nimueh, she threatened us both."

"Then the knights and I will deal with her, this is no work for women."

Morgana and Gwen exchanged a look behind Arthur's back.

"Arthur," Morgana said, "have you any idea how many times I've saved your life?"

"No."

So Morgana told him and in the resultant confusion they managed to convince him not to take out a band of knights. He did insist on coming along himself, for their protection, apparently.

"Fine," Morgana reluctantly conceded, "get your armour and meet us outside the castle gates in twenty minutes."

"Did you hear that?" Arthur asked. They were well off the beaten path, walking through the woods on their way to the Isle of the Blessed.

"What?"

"That!" Arthur drew his sword, "you two wait here," he ordered and darted off to the left.

In a moment Gwen and Morgana heard what Arthur had, the sound of something stumbling through the undergrowth. A brown haired boy wandered out of a thicket a few yards ahead of them. He grinned, looking incredibly glad to see them. Morgana recognised him from her dreams as Merlin.

"Oh, thank God, I've been walking around these woods for days. There's been this voice telling me I've got to go to Camelot."

"A deep, disembodied voice?" Morgana asked, "That breaks off every now and then to laugh manically?"

"Yes!"

"And it's been telling you that it's your destiny to protect Prince Arthur?"

"Yes!"

Morgana looked Merlin up and down. "Good," she said, "I've been at this for months and to be honest I could use a holiday. Arthur is the process of sneaking up behind you, he knows the way back to Camelot. Try to keep him alive, won't you? Oh, there's an enchanted sword that comes with the job but I need that, I'm sure you'll manage."

"I-" Merlin gaped.

"Don't worry about the Dragon," Morgana added, "its bark is worse than its bite."

She offered her arm to Gwen, "Shall we?"

"Yes, I think we shall."

And Morgana and Gwen headed off to face Nimueh and then take a well earned romantic holiday, leaving Arthur in the hands of a bemused Merlin.