The Royal Scandal *Book Three*

What are Friends for? S3 E1

As I began my search for Leon, who had somehow gone MIA recently, a hand around my wrist grabbed my attention, quite literally. My hand flew to the side of my thigh as I reached for the dagger but I halted my movements when I saw that it was only Morgana.

"Gods, Morgana. You scared the hell out of me," I gasped, placing a hand on my chest where my heart rate had risen drastically.

"Sorry," Morgana replied with a small smile. "I'd been looking for you for ages."

"For me? Why?" I asked.

"I think that with everything that's going on recently, Arthur's a little bit overwhelmed. I just wondered if you wanted to come with me to see if he's alright," Morgana said, and I was torn between continuing my search for Leon and going to help my brother. But as I thought about it, I knew that I really didn't have much of a choice.

"Our best bet will be in father's chambers," I told her, grabbing onto her hand and pulling her along with me.

"Have you spoken to him since this all went down?" Morgana asked, to which I nodded.

"Yeah, but I don't think I was much help," I sighed, thinking back to everything that I had said. "I told him that he needed to step in as Regent just until father is better. I said that he should do it for the people because they need someone to look up to. Talk about putting him under pressure."

"These are trying times for everyone," Morgana reassured me, giving my hand a tight squeeze. "Both you and Arthur are just trying to do what is best for the kingdom."

"What about you?" I asked, looking over at her. "How are you doing? This can't all be easy to come back to especially after what you went through."

"I'll admit it's been harder than I thought," Morgana gave me a small smile. "But I'm getting there. Just trying to get back to normal."

"What is normal anymore?" I muttered, earning a small chuckle from Morgana. "Can I ask you something random?"

"Of course," Morgana nodded.

"You wouldn't happen to have seen Merlin recently, have you?" I asked, fully looking over at her.

"Merlin?" Morgana repeated. "No, I can't say I have. Why? Do you think he's in trouble?"

"I don't know, maybe," I said, but as I looked at Morgana, the most horrible feeling occurred in my gut. Surely, she would tell me if she'd seen Merlin, right? "He might just be at the tavern or running errands for Gaius."

"Somehow I don't see Merlin as the tavern kind of person," Morgana admitted, and the odd feeling stayed.

That same feeling haunted me as we made our way into father's room and sure enough Arthur was sat on a chair beside father's bed. Walking over to him in silence, I leaned down and wrapped my arms around his shoulders from behind as I rested my chin on his shoulder.

"I need him to get better," Arthur murmured, and I noticed a stray tear fall down his cheek.

"I know," Morgana reassured him while I tightened my hold on him.

Arthur sniffed and wiped his nose on the back of his hand before he looked over at me and Morgana as I straightened back up. Taking one of our hands each, Arthur smiled weakly, letting another tear slide down his cheek.

"I'm glad you're both here," Arthur said.

"Where else would we be?" I replied, offering a small smile.

"And don't worry about him, Arthur. I'll make sure he's looked after," Morgana assured him.

As I looked at Morgana, I could see a small smile also resting on her face but the sight of it made me slightly uneasy. Though after all, she had allegedly been through, why would she turn on us? She said she forgave Merlin and myself for ... for what we did. Unless she had lied about that. But we were family. I refused to believe that she would betray us. She was stronger than that.