Hello again!

Some of you might remember in the AN of the last chapter I mentioned perhaps making a five year later one shot for Merlin and Morgana. Well, I started writing it but realised it would actually work a lot better if it was an epilogue at the end of this story rather than a stand-alone one shot. And so, here it is, the final, final chapter! A look at Merlin and Morgana's life five years after the last chapter and what's been going on in their lives during those years.

AN 06/09/13 - Quickly updating this AN to let anyone who might be interested know that I have a new Merlin/Morgana story in the works. It's AU like this one and has similar themes such as running away and struggling to accept magic, only this time Morgana is the ward of King Odin and Merlin is an outlaw of Camelot. It's called 'Sounds of Freedom' and it's on my profile if you're interested :)

In the meantime, thanks anyone to everyone who read this story and I hope you enjoy this last chapter!

All the best, Naisa.

Epilogue

The Highest Hopes

"You will be careful, won't you Merlin?" Morgana asked for what felt like the hundredth time, as her hands fiddled with his necktie, and she avoided looking into his eyes.

"I'll be fine," Merlin assured her, thinking sometimes Morgana sounded a lot like his mother. He was smiling despite feeling nervous, he just had a feeling deep down that everything was going to be all right, the same feeling he had had for days afterwards he had proposed to Morgana years ago, and it had proved him right.

Morgana however, didn't look so confident. She tried to muffle a sigh as she turned and sat down in a chair beside the fireplace in their chamber. "How long will you be gone for?" she asked, staring into the empty fireplace.

"Only a few days I hope," Merlin said. He knew this was difficult for Morgana, not only was her husband and brother going into battle, but they were going into battle against her sister, Morgause.

Five years had passed since Morgana had last set eyes on Morgause, and she was were re-united with Merlin. Since then great changes had taken place across the Kingdom, but Morgause's shadow occasionally flickered into view, causing worry and trouble, and this time she would not retreat without a fight out on the battle field.

Arthur had become a great King, just as Merlin had predicted. It wasn't long before the use of magic became legal in Camelot. Many people breathed a sigh of relief about this, they no longer had to fear about their own safety, or the safety of friends and family now that magic was welcomed. More trade could also now come into the Kingdom through magical people, but others weren't so pleased about this change in law, they had believed what Uther said or had had experience of meeting a bad witch or wizard. However Arthur was also extending the hand of friendship to many neighbouring Kingdoms to bring about peace, and when his official court sorcerer Merlin managed to save a village from a troublesome magical beast, everyone decided to accept this ruling from the King.

Merlin and Morgana had moved into their own house not far from the castle when they decided to marry. To Merlin's horror Gaius' eyes filled with tears when he explained he would be moving away, but Gaius explained it was simply because he was so proud of what Merlin had achieved, and it was a sign the boy who had wandered into his chamber so long ago had finally grown up. Arthur was less keen on the idea, trying to think of every excuse he could to stop his court sorcerer from moving out of the castle, but he eventually gave up and marched off, muttering something about love birds.

When the 'love birds' first moved into their new home, Morgana was fearful about stepping out onto the street. She didn't tell Merlin about the dreams she had about her walking down the road and a hand suddenly clamping down on her shoulder, screaming that she was a murderer. However the search for Morgana had very quickly died down, and Arthur started convincing everyone to instead look out for Morgause who was more of a danger. In the end Merlin managed to convince Morgana to leave the house by showing her a spell which she would be able to disguise herself with. It was the same one he would later use to turn himself into an old man, but for Morgana it was simply to make her appearance change slightly, her eyes to change colour, her skin to wrinkle slightly and her dark hair to lighten, so anyone who may have known what Morgana looked like would not have recognised her.

Those were still difficult times for Morgana at first. She felt constantly nervous, and her dreams did not help. Sometimes guilt would overwhelm her as she envisioned the night she had murdered her father, and seeing people stare at her as she walked down the street made her want to run away into her life of solitude again. But the promise of marrying Merlin and the freedom to practice magic kept her there, and over time she grew used to moving amongst such large crowds, and with Merlin's arms wrapped around her at night her dreams faded. She found a job helping at a market stool to get her out the house and keep her mind from wandering. Others may not have taken the strange, magical young woman, but a kind, elderly witch who had lived in fear for years because of her magic welcomed Morgana for the extra help and company. Morgana settled into her new job pretty quickly and found she was living the life she had always dreamed of but never thought she would have - a normal life.

However the King wasn't going to keep their lives too normal for long. Three years passed and the wedding day of Merlin and Morgana was announced, Arthur took this as an opportunity to get his court sorcerer to move back into the castle with his wife.

"I've seen where you live, I just think you'd be more comfortable in one of my chambers. I need my court sorcerer close by at all times." He stated, as if the move had already been settled. "No. I don't want to hear any arguments! Consider it a wedding present. You don't want to turn down gift from a King, I always have plenty of stocks to use."

In the end they agreed, and Morgana found herself moving away from her normal house, and living in the grandness of the castle. The woman she had worked a market stall with had passed away shortly before, and so Morgana took up a job helping Gaius with his parents and occasionally Merlin with his magical tasks. Plenty of time had passed since Arthur had first started the hunt for Morgana, but she wanted to be sure no one was left to search for her.

"I want you to tell the people I'm dead." She had told Arthur the day they moved into the castle.

The King stared at her, "But...but that's what father did," Arthur began, unable to believe she would want that lie to be told again.

"Yes, but now the past and who I was back then, is dead, and you should tell the people that. I don't want to live in disguise or hiding all my life."

Arthur looked into her determined eyes, and nodded. "Yes, I'll let it be known. We're still looking for Morgause but the Morgana we know is dead."

From then on Morgana no longer had to change her face and she was a lot happier being herself once more, but to prevent any suspicion when they were in public people named her Fay. And strangely, Morgana felt after a while that she was back where she belonged. If her magic hadn't been revealed at such a young age, this is where she would have been all along, living in the castle alongside the King. She wondered though what might have happened between her, Merlin and Morgause. A King's ward could never have married a servant and Morgause would have still been searching for her. However, Morgana was no longer the King's ward, she was a friend, and Arthur could hardly complain as he too had fallen for a servant.

Gwen was probably the closest thing Morgana had ever had to a friend when she was locked up in the tower before she met Merlin. It was strange for her when the two of them were first re-united, as it felt like an element of Morgana's past she longed to forget had come back to her, but Gwen was simply relieved to see she had returned.

"When you disappeared from the tower, I was so worried. I knew you didn't deserve to be locked up there, but I just had a terrible feeling when you ran away that you would only be heading into danger. I'm so glad you're back safe." Gwen had told her.

Morgana had managed to smile at these words, "I'm glad to be back, and to see that you're well. Perhaps this time, we can be real friends."

Gwen returned the smile, "I would like that very much."

At that point Arthur walked down the corridor. Both he and Gwen shared a nervous smile at each other, Arthur not noticing where he was walking and accidentally kicking a suit of armour. Morgana tried to suppress a laugh and decided to leave them to it. She may have been in hiding for years but she knew love when she saw it.

It seemed that everything was going to be all right, and Morgana had the happy ending she had longed for for so long, when Morgause returned.

Morgause had appeared a few times in the past five years, but she had been little more than a nuisance. The biggest trouble she had caused so far was employing Agravaine, Arthur's uncle who had moved into Camelot not long after he had become King, to collect information for her. However Merlin had his suspicions, especially when he caught Agravaine talking casually to Morgana about her picking the wrong side, and Morgana immediately knew he must have some form of contact with Morgause. Arthur however was not so sure, and it took an attempted siege of the castle for him to realise Morgause was once again a real danger, and his uncle had betrayed him. The event had left the King badly shaken, but other than that, little damage had been done and Morgause never managed to take the castle.

But Morgause was not going to give up so easily, and this time she had brought an entire army with her. Arthur and his advisors had agreed the only thing they could do was meet Morgause on a battle field before her armies reached Camelot and cause havoc and destruction. Merlin would join them and search for a way the army could be defeated. The whole thing felt like a bad dream for Morgana. It was her worst fears, to see those she loved on both sides of the battle field, and not knowing who might come back alive. She had chosen her side long ago however and accepted whatever the consequences might be.

"Are you still thinking of looking for Mordred?" She asked, still sitting in the chair as Merlin started pulling thick books off the shelf and glancing through them, seeing if any would be of any help.

He nodded, "If they say he's in the area and is already becoming a very powerful wizard, he shall be a very valuable ally. I just hope I can find him before Morgause does, he will not stay neutral for long and we do not want him as an enemy."

Morgana nodded in agreement, it would hurt so much more if she found Merlin and Arthur would have to fight against Mordred too. She would much prefer if he was on their side, she still missed him.

"I wish you could tell me why you're not coming though," Merlin crumbled, his optimistic attitude dissolving suddenly and he looked irritated. "I know this must be hard for you, knowing who we're going to face but you said only a few weeks ago you would come and help, but then you changed your mind."

Morgana stared at the ground, feeling suddenly nervous, but for a different reason. "I wasn't sure how to tell you, I wanted it to be a surprise..." She began.

"Why? What is it?" Merlin stopped searching the books and watched his wife with worry.

"I don't want to go into battle because I don't want to hurt the baby."

Merlin stared blankly at her. "What baby?"

Morgana couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Our baby of course!"

"We're...I'm...you're not..." Books fell from the astonished Merlin's hands, but he didn't notice, a small, disbelieving smile appeared on his face. "We...we're going to have a baby?"

Morgana nodded.

"I...This is...this is fantastic!" Merlin cried out suddenly, tears of joy filling his eyes. He stared around, as if not quite sure what he should do with this news. Morgana was grinning too. She felt like she had the night they met on the castle roof and realised the future they could have ahead of them. This was their next step, a family, a baby, nothing she had ever dared to dream of. Merlin was now frantically pacing up and down. "Have you told anyone else? We should see Gaius just to be sure, and then we must tell Arthur, and Gwen, they would love to hear the news! I have to write to my mother, she's always wanted a grandchild, we should-"

"Merlin, Merlin slow down!" Morgana said quickly, thinking that her husband was about to explode with joy. "Gaius already knows, I didn't want to tell you until I was sure, but he says I am. I haven't told anyone else though. I just...I want this battle to be won first. I want Camelot to be safe before we start telling anyone. I want you to come home safely, and then we can spread the good news. Just promise me you'll be safe."

"Of course. I promise you Morgana, I'll come back and we can raise our child together, I won't let you down." He went over to her and kissed her, as if to seal the promise.

Morgana put on a brave smile despite her worries and fears. "Just come home safe."

"Don't worry Morgana, I will, we have faced worse enemies than Morgause. We will defeat her so that our child will be able to live in peace, and I shall come back and find you again."

Morgana nodded. There was something in Merlin's eyes that made her worries fade. They looked so convinced that they could defeat Morgause and create a world of peace that she believed him. Her heart swelled with pride for the future family she would have, and she knew that when Merlin left for this battle, he would return and they would find each other again. They always did and they always will.