A/N: Alright I think this is the last chapter! Sorry for ending it so abruptly and kind of awfully, I understand and accept that it's not quality work :P

Thanks to everyone who's read so far!

Morgana:

Morgana isn't sure who she expected, but it certainly isn't clumsy Merlin of all people. Maybe if the knights were around she wouldn't find his presence so puzzling, but he's come alone. And right before her planned visit to that girl in the dungeons! Morgana has been planning some experiments for the girl, and preferably a human would be nice to test them on.

Merlin spoils everything. He may not be Arthur, or even a knight, but he's sabotaged Morgana's plans enough that his presence will never be welcomed unless accompanied by a chain around his neck. And now he shows up out of the blue, taking Morgana by surprise.

And Morgana hates surprises.

Merlin:

Merlin is very surprised, and slightly taken aback, as he finds himself face to face with Morgana Pendragon. He resists the urge to back out of the door and check to make sure that he has entered the right room; perhaps there is another tower? But the guard said Freya would be here...

A quick glance around the somewhat bare room makes it painfully clear that that is not the case.

Morgana is, arbitrarily, smiling. Merlin tries to assure himself that she doesn't know about his magic, his secret is safe. He is just a servant.

"Morgana," Merlin breathes, still winded from the climb up, "What are you doing hear?" He tries not to make his bewilderment too obvious, but he is suspicious that he fails miserably as her smile only widens.

"Why, I could ask you the same thing," she says casually, like they are old friends. Were old friends. Like this is all expected. But, Merlin's pulse quickens, she can't really expect him here. She can't know he'd come after Freya. Can she?

"But I suppose you're here on behalf of Arthur," Morgana continues, her tone unchanging as she absently fiddles with her ragged hair, "Your never could leave well enough alone, could you Merlin?" And here her voice takes up a bitter edge, and Merlin knows he has to think fast if he plans on saving Freya or even himself at all.

Merlin opens his mouth, ready to try and persuade Morgana without having to use magic, but she beats him to it.

"I've had quite enough of you Merin," she hisses, popping up from the bed to stride towards him, "Goodnight."

Her eyes flash gold, and Merlin falls.

Arthur:

"The tavern?"

"Er, yes sire."

Arthur stares at Gaius as the physician nervously fiddles with a potion.

The king frowns. Of all the times for Merlin to drink, he picks a crisis. The girl they saved is missing. Arthur's emergency meeting starts in less than an hour. And not to mention, there is snow covering Camelot. In the summer.

He really needs Merlin right now.

Arthur continues to stare a few moments. "And when will he be back?"

Gaius is looking a little helpless, and hesitantly says, "Well sire, he could be very late. I also sent him to pick up..."

Arthur tunes out the herbs list, mentally cursing his manservant. "Then I guess you'll have to help me then," he decides.

Gaius blinks, remembering a rather similar and uncomfortable incident. "Sire?"

Freya:

The stairs are long not only because the tower is high, but time seems to slow.

Freya is gasping as she tries to quicken her pace, knowing that Merlin's welfare may depend on it. She's so close now, another turn, and she can see the door. Her heart leaps as she spots Merlin's figure in the doorway.

But Freya stops. She can hear voices. Anger rages through her as she imagines Morgana talking to Merlin in her condescending voice. How dare that witch even speak to him! Freya watches, waiting for the tension to finally burst.

It takes but a moment before Merlin's body stiffens and he is suddenly blasted out of the room, landing on the stairs face up with a painful wince. Morgana appears in the doorway, smirking triumphantly.

"I'd kill you now, Merlin," she says, "and save myself future trouble, but you might be helpful for some... human experiments I've been planning."

Freya shivers, knowing that those experiments must have something to do with her curse. A sound from below signals the presence of guards climbing the stairs. Morgana reaches down to Merlin and suddenly Freya can't take it anymore.

"No!" she yells, jumping forward, hands outstretched. Icy tendrils shoot out from her hands and even radiate from her feet, spiralling up the stairs and turning it into a frozen slide. Somewhere below her Freya can hear the cries as the guards slip and fall, unable to climb, but Freya's attention is focused on what's above her. The ice stops right in front of Morgana's feet and the witch looks up, startled, to meet Freya's gaze.

Freya keeps her expression cool, but she knows her voice is poisonous. "Don't touch him," she hisses, walking forwards. Realization lights up Morgana's eyes as she glances between Freya and Merlin; it's clear she is trying desperately to understand the connection. Or maybe why Freya is out of her cell.

The icy slope has no effect on Freya but she can see that Merlin is slipping. He loops disoriented from his fall but he is aware of what's going on, Freya can see it in his eyes as he looks at her. He stares at Freya, then without turning to Morgana his eyes flash gold, so she can't see.

The next thing Freya knows, Morgana falls, screaming, down the icy slope, past Merlin and Freya. Her cries echo off the walls of the stairwell. Merlin slides slower,and Freya moves quickly to catch him, supporting his weight without complaint.

"Merlin," she breathes, and he smiles.

"Freya," he says happily, and there is a glint in his eyes that is much more than a reflection of the ice as he glances around them. "Looks like you put your curse to good use."

And Freya laughs. Not for long though, because then Merlin is kissing her. She feels something warm inside her heart for the first time since waking up on the beach, and it feels... nice.

But she forces herself to break them apart, and the warm feeling slowly dies like a forgotten fire.

"Merlin," she says, hand steadying his head so his eyes will meet hers. Her voice almost breaks, but she forges on, needing to get the words off her chest. "I can't... we can't... " deep breath, "my curse will never go away. I'll never be able to give you paradise, I'll always be a pocket of winter."

It hurts her to say this, but she feels compelled to. Paradise has green grass, summer sun and warm happy smiles. She can't have that, so why should she stop Merlin?

Her thoughts are cut off as Merlin slaps his fingers over her lips to silence her, making sure she can't get any more self-deprecating words out. He rolls his eyes, but the smile hasn't left his face.

"Really Freya?" He says. "I don't need a tropical beach. I don't need a fireplace, and if I get cold next to you, then we can always get more blankets. Freya," his voice drops, his eyes serious, "You are my paradise."

And here he kisses her again and that warm feeling is back, only this time it doesn't go away. It spreads through her body, flowing in her veins, and when she opens her eyes again, she finds Merlin's weight no longer needs supporting as the icy slope has disappeared.

Freya glances at her hands, surprised. Did she do that? Merlin looks at her with interest.

"Is it gone?" he asks curiously, talking about her curse, but Freya doesn't think so. She can still sense the cold in her veins. She checks anyway though, summoning the icy feeling again, and little snowflakes shoot from her fingers. Merlin laughs.

"Well, at least it's got an on/off switch," he says, smiling. "I wonder, if you got rid of all of the snow in Camelot just now." his eyes brighten. "Let's check!"

He stands up, reaching down a hand to help her up as well, and Freya lets him light her to her feet. Merlin doesn't let go of her hand, and Freya's grip doesn't loosen either as they walk up to the top room in the tower.

Merlin leads her over to the window, and they squint out through the bars. Outside, the sky is still cloudy, shading a thick blanket of snow from the sun. But Freya doesn't even blink before she reaches a hand out.

Still squeezing Merlin's hand with her other, she summons the warm feeling. Happiness. They watch silently as the world seems to melt before their eyes and the clouds recede. In only a few minutes, the scene that greets them is green and sunny.

"Well," Merlin laughs, "Powerful aren't you?" And the proud look in his eyes is enough to make Freya blush.

"Come on," Merlin says, tugging gently on her hand. "Let's get back to Camelot. I've had enough of this place. Let's go home."

"Home," Freya repeats. Home sounds good.

As they walk down the stairs, Merlin thinks to himself. I wonder if it's still strawberry season, he muses, glancing at Freya.

Merlin smiles.

Arthur:

After a very stern lecture to Gaius on colour combinations, followed by forced endurance of the humility of getting a normal servant to dress him, Arthur was just about done with the day. The meeting that followed was anything but refreshing, and now Arthur has a headache. Sitting around a round table staring at equally bewildered men and talking in circles (haha pun- get it? ;) is getting nowhere.

Frustrated, Arthur dismisses everyone and retires to his chambers. He glares at the bath Merlin has not filled before simply sighing, too tired to hold the bitter expression. He settles for mentally cursing his lazy manservant. Arthur stretches as he walks to the window to look out, and -

freezes, his arms still over his head.

Where snow covered the area in buckets deep only hours earlier, the sun shines through cloudless skies onto a typical summer scene. In the distance, Arthur can see Merlin walking through the city's gate with a certain girl.

Arthur groans, resting his head against the glass of the window.

Camelot is so weird.