"I did not have much hope to begin with, I suspect." Uther's taken everything else from her, so why not every remnant of her family.

"It is a wonderful gift, Arthur." She laughs, though not really in humour.

"And to demonstrate such, I will tell you that I think my gift will pale in comparison."

"No, you misunderstand. I mean my gift does not equal this." Morgana's still looking at the ring, and not at Arthur.

"It is in the stables. I arranged new tack to be made for the mount I gave you on your birthday."

The hug takes her aback, as it is rare. Yes, he hugged her when she returned to Camelot, when his father was ill, and when they found the attic full of his mother's things, but this isn't a time of distress or relief, so she is a little slow in returning the embrace.

The thought of all of Arthur's mother's things, safely tucked away, dims her earlier happiness with her present. Uther had taken everything away to the point that such things had to be made for her to have anything.

And she has to say something, "I thought it only fitting since I gave you the horse. It gladdens my heart to have such a reaction."

"If you do not name him soon, I will have to do so."

This is easier, the friendly banter. This she can do without thinking.

"I agree," she twists the ring around her finger. It will be something she will do frequently when she wears it in the future.

And there is the question that must be asked. "I doubt we will be able to give gifts in the future that could rival these. It would almost be prudent to relieve each other of such duties in the future."

Oh, Morgana, stop foreshadowing.

"I am certain poor Nameless will be relieved." She might be hinting that the horse will be called Nameless, if she does not decide on one soon.

Morgana knows full well Arthur likes receiving gifts. She's lived with him for more than half her life. Gifts are a fine art for Morgana.

"I believe you would pout should you stop receiving gifts. Did you manage to acquire gifts for everyone?" She looks at his hands, which are no longer an odd colour.

She's more cognizant about her recent slips about Merlin of late, so she's careful with how she words things. As she wishes she could do with Merlin, he doesn't exist in her account of the gifts.

"I had a cloak made for Gwen, and you know what you have received. I gave your father a pair of new goblets for feasts. The old ones were looking worn." By worn, she means scratched from being dropped on the floor too many times.

The irony of it all is that Arthur wanted it engraved in celebration, Morgana wanted hers cursed.

"I do not think it would be good to ask him which one he likes better, though I am confident with the personalization of yours, he will prefer it." As, Morgana is convinced, Uther is with all things.

She's a little uncomfortable with the idea of the goblet's engraving is specifically regarding her.

"Whatever could you have had engraved on it to commemorate such and unimportant event?"

Morgana's issues are showing again. The longer she stays in Camelot, the harder it is to hide.

Then there's Merlin to worry about.

One day, Arthur is going to look back on this conversation, on a dozen conversations, and realize a great many things.

"I cannot be happy about any of the events surrounding it." It's completely truthful, but she's well aware Arthur should take it in a completely different way.

"I have always thought such things, how your father treated me, was simply due to other things." Repressed guilt perhaps?

The statement she makes next has far more significance than even she realizes.

"Perhaps he secretly likes being contradicted. Maybe he knows he needs it at times, as that is the only purpose I serve."

Looking at Arthur, she smiles and that twinge of regret she gets when it comes to whatever is going to happen to him returns. She really doesn't know, and after Fyrien -- she's not sure what she could do in the future.

"I think you would listen to me far more than he does."

Careful Arthur, there's a lot riding on that answer.

Considering his tone, and his mood, Morgana understands exactly what he's talking about.

"So I cannot a suggest the annual celebration of throwing produce at Merlin?"

"No, it would be a shame to let a competent servant get away, or one that could be featured in such an event."

Not that Merlin was going to get away with anything, in Morgana's mind.

"I hope this Yule has been nothing but a joy for you, Arthur."