Chapter 1: The Secret Invitation
It started as just another ordinary battle with Morgana. But when she blasted Merlin backward, he felt her slip something into his hand. Looking down, he discovered a hidden note. Deciding to keep it a secret for now, he focused on his immediate task: protecting Arthur. They managed to evade her and returned safely to Camelot.
Once back in his chambers, Merlin finally opened the note. It listed a specific place and time. Morgana had written that she had no intention of hurting him—she only wanted to talk. Merlin decided to go; after all, he was powerful enough to defend himself. He told Gaius he was heading into the forest to gather herbs and wouldn't return until tomorrow noon.
When he reached the meeting point, Merlin waited. He was just about to give up and leave when Morgana suddenly appeared. As she stepped closer, Merlin instinctively backed away.
"I don't plan to hurt you, Merlin," she said.
"You've already done that plenty of times, Morgana," Merlin replied bitterly.
With a swift incantation, Morgana used her magic to freeze him in place and approached. Walking closer, she repeated, "I don't want to hurt you. I only want to talk." She lifted the spell, restoring his movement.
"So, what do you want?" Merlin asked.
Morgana smiled a warm, genuine smile—one he hadn't seen since before she changed and became Camelot's greatest enemy. "I want to know how you are doing," she said softly. "To tell you the truth, I miss our friendship. But I know how you feel about me. Please, Merlin, believe me."
Merlin sighed, feeling the wall around his heart crack. "I'm doing just fine. And... I miss our friendship too."
Morgana stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. Merlin froze in shock for a second, but then he relaxed and hugged her back.
"Maybe we could meet again?" Morgana suggested.
Merlin sighed heavily. "But Arthur will be furious if he finds out."
"Exactly—if he finds out," Morgana countered. "Just sneak out of Camelot." Seeing the hesitant expression on his face, she quickly added, "I am not asking you to betray Arthur or Camelot. I just want us to be friends like we used to be."
Ultimately, Merlin agreed. As time passed, he and Morgana grew closer and closer.
During their early meetings, they would sit on fallen logs for hours, cautiously sharing small details about their daily lives. In one moment, Morgana playfully teased Merlin about how he still couldn't pour wine without spilling it on Arthur, laughing a sound Merlin thought he had lost forever.
In another meeting, when a sudden rainstorm caught them by surprise, Morgana instinctively reached out to shield Merlin with her cloak, their faces inches apart as they shared a quiet, lingering look of understanding under the shelter of the trees. Old feelings that Merlin thought were long dead sparked back to life.
Finally, during one of their secret meetings, as the sun dipped below the tree line, they shared a deep, breathless kiss, finally confessing their deeper feelings for one another.
Their meetings became much more frequent. Morgana constantly tried to convince Merlin that her magic wasn't inherently evil and that she truly wanted to bring good to Camelot. For a long time, Merlin remained hesitant and refused to fully dive into it.
