Chapter Two

Gaius returned to his chambers to find Merlin lost in thought, staring out at space with his magic book lying open on the table.

"Honestly, I've told you before, read that in your room, not out here," the old man scolded. "You don't know who might come in and see it."

"Yes, I know, sorry, but I really needed to cross reference it with something," Merlin replied, pointing at one of Gaius' books lying near by.

"What exactly are you looking for?"

"Memory spells." Merlin shook his head. "Or, perhaps I should say, spells that take away memories."

"Those enchantments are notoriously tricky," Gaius warned. "I really don't think you should be meddling with them."

"Yes, I know … I understand but … I think perhaps I did or... one was used against me?"

"Merlin?"

The young man sighed. "I've lost about a week of my memory."

Gaius sat down in front of him, suddenly concerned. "What is the last thing your remember?"

"Mithian visiting. Agravaine and the siege tunnel plans. Sending Gwen to Ealdor."

"Not you going to Ealdor?" Gaius asked.

"No, I didn't go there," Merlin replied with a frown.

"Yes, you did. You arranged a holiday with Arthur and told us all that you'd be gone for a week."

"A week? That must be my missing week then but Ealdor is not where I was when I woke up, I was..." He winced.

"Where?"

"In the opposite direction." The young man shook his head. "Do you have any idea how I can get my memories back?"

~o~0~o~

Merlin's memory slowly started to return and it wasn't long before he remembered that had some specific plan in mind for Morgana when he'd gone to visit her and had used Ealdor as an excuse for Arthur and Gaius but, apart from confirming that he had deliberately sought her out, he still could not remember what his plan had been nor what had happened when he'd got there.

Night time gave him a few more clues, although the things he saw then didn't make him feel any better. The dreams he had were worryingly erotic and involved him and Morgana in a number of very sexual and intimate situations. Merlin woke up several times over the next weeks and months, hot, sweating and very turned on. He would have dismissed the dreams as some odd, desperate figment of his imagination if it weren't for the very genuine memory of being in Morgana's hovel and her telling him to come back to bed.

He tried desperately to deny what he was starting to recall but, as the 'dreams' became even more vivid, Merlin had to accept the fact that they were, in fact, his true memories starting to return. There was no way he would have the imagination to conjure such things up for himself for a start and, as the weeks stretched into months, he began to recall certain incidents even more clearly. Began to understand that they had actually happened to him, rather than just imagining it as if it were a dream.

Why though? Why would he and Morgana spend so much time willingly making love to one another? And it hadn't been random acts of passion between them either. Merlin now had clear memories of long, lazy evenings sitting around the fire with her whilst talking calmly about the past; of Uther and Camelot and how happy Morgana was now she away from there. Genuine memories of friendship and – dare he say it - love?

What was he missing?

~o~0~o~

After Series Four

The attack on Camelot was a nice distraction for Morgana even if she did end up loosing it all yet again. She also lost her magic for a period of time – thanks to Emrys - and very nearly her life, courtesy of a stray sword wound. Befriending a small, white dragon was a blessing to her in the weeks that followed but all of those distractions meant that took her much longer than it should for her to realise what the result of that strange, missing week was likely to be.

She was with child.

As time had gone by her memories had started to return but they were still very sketchy and didn't fully make sense to her. It seemed that she had believed herself to be in the past. Thought it was the time shortly after she had discovered her magic and had escaped Camelot to find the Druids. However, instead of being forced to go back to Camelot, in this version of events, she had apparently stayed with them for a little while - learning their ways and customs - before moving into a small cottage in a nearby, mystical valley.

Some time after that Merlin had started visiting her and it was here that their relationship developed further, neither concerned about their status now that Morgana was a willing outcast.

She had no idea why she thought that this was the truth, but it would certainly explain why she had felt grateful towards Merlin. Back then he had helped her out, no matter how much she had wanted to deny that fact in later years. With no memories of the poisoning or of his numerous other betrayals, she had no reason to hate him, and so she had given herself to him body and soul until reality had finally returned.

However, that false memory of her time with the druids had now also presented her with a solution to her current dilemma. Cradling her swollen stomach with one arm, Morgana looked around the little hut that had been her home for so long and set off towards their last known location, unsure of the reception she would receive, but hoping that her current condition would make them look favourably on her and take her in.

~o~0~o~

Merlin remembered it all now. He had gone to the hovel with the intention of wiping Morgana's memory of the last four years. Choosing the time when she'd left to seek out the druids as the crucial point, adding a certain amount of logic to the situation, and also adding some false memories, making her believe she had stayed with them instead of returning to Camelot.

He now also recalled that she'd attempted to reflect the spell back at him too, the result of which had cause them both to be affected; albeit for only one week.

So, after the spell had hit them they both believed that this was some time after Uther's hunt for her and the Druids and, after that realisation, the pair had started to talk properly for the first time; Morgana sharing her real fear of her magic and Merlin willingly giving her his full support, causing them to grow closer.

Very close. He smiled at those memories now, knowing that they had both fallen in love during that time and hoping that something of that experience would have got through to her, even after her failed attack on Camelot.

Merlin had heard from Aithusa soon after that event and knew that Morgana had survived the sword wound and was now safe. The little dragon refused to give him her location however, and Merlin did not have the heart to force her. Eventually she acquiesced and, thanks to the last few years of peace, the warlock was finally able to find some time to pack his bags and head off to the Druid camp where she was now living; both nervous and excited about the reception he may receive from her.

He didn't know for certain whether she would recall that he was the one who had used magic or even if he'd told her about his ability during that missing week, but he was now here to make things right between them and to ask for her forgiveness if it was required.

And maybe, just maybe, those memories of their shared love and her recent time spent with the Druids would have been enough to bring her some sort of peace.

"Hello. What do you want?"

His path to the camp was barred by a small, wild eyed child, with a red kerchief carelessly tied over her dark, tangled hair. She looked well fed and healthy enough, but a dirty face and bare feet gave the hint of someone rather more wild and feral.

"I've come to see Iseldir and... Morgana," Merlin replied, searching the surprisingly wise face for more clues of what he was to expect.

"Yes, they know that you're coming," the little girl said, turning to walk back the way she came without acknowledging him any further.

"What's your name?" he asked as he started to follow his small guide.

"Munin."

He stopped, surprised at the name. "Memory?"

The little girl turned around and smiled, green eyes shining brightly as she pushed her hair back over ears that were a little more prominent than usual. Merlin caught his breath as he realised what it was she was wearing on her head.

His lost neckerchief.

"Hello, Merlin," Morgana's calm voice called out from one side. "I see you've already met your daughter."

~o~0~o~

A/N: So, the prompt I used for this was the request for a pregnant Morgana - specifically using a lovely manip recently created on The Heart of Camelot. I shall link you to that on my PP.