Reminiscing Under the Stars

by Cel140

(This Merlin fic was inspired by a picture on deviantart called 'Fireflies _ Happiness' by an artist called 'Shyriane'. It's so beautiful, and I badly wanted to write a one-shot based on it, so here goes! Some Mergana and Arwen. Set around Season 4.)

Morgana Pendragon breathed in deeply, her lungs taking in the fresh night air. She did not mind the cold, or the fact that the clouds overhead had begun sprinkling rain down on her. She had even left her warm outfit behind in her hovel-her old, tattered overdress with its worn hood, her corset, her dark gown.

And now, as she walked in the forest, she wore something completely different. Something she wore every night when she was alone in the woods at an hour too late for Agravaine to bring any news worth hearing.

She wore her beautiful blue lace gown with its golden arm bracelets and a pair of brown boots. The only dress she'd ever kept, the only tangible reminder of another life. A life where she was happy, oblivious to the cruel outside world. A life where she and her friends had been so tightly knit.

A life that she could not help but miss.

Her often miskept hair was fixed quite perfectly-even without her brush. She'd torn her fingers ruthlessly through the knots till she'd smoothed out every last one. It didn't matter that her head ached from pulling so much. After all the chaos she'd caused, the pain of betrayal she'd inflicted-

She owed it to them to look her best.

Her step quickened at that thought and, keeping in mind she had to hurry if she did not want to be late or soaked in the soon-coming downpour, she swallowed the lump in her throat and stifled her tears. However, she could not block out the pain in her heart. She'd betrayed everyone in Camelot, but the knowledge could not destroy her, unless she wanted to end up crying in front of them.

Morgana came out of the trees presently, and her heart pounded excitedly in her chest. Making her way down into the clearing, she muttered a spell under her breath.

"Ic àcierran samod min frèndeos."

And as her eyes shone, her eye-lids closed and her body swayed, suddenly invaded by the powerful magic of her own spell. Her natural senses became numb, and she collapsed onto her back on the grass. She could hear nothing, feel nothing, see nothing, but she was not afraid. She had done this before, and it was as safe as it was wonderful.

Slowly, everything began to change. As her natural, hectic mind-which would never give her peace with all its plotting in taking over Camelot-began to lose its power, her inner mind took over.

She began to feel and hear with her inner senses.

The High Priestess was lying on her back as she had been when she'd passed out, and now she began to feel a light heat wave sweep over her. It was still night, but the warmth she felt was almost like the sun on the first day of spring-welcoming and gentle. Her finger tips enjoyed the tickling sensation that the grass, no longer wet, provided.

Then, she became aware of the distant noise of soft giggling and laughs. As she went deeper and deeper into this trance, she began hearing them clearer, till they sounded like they were lying right next to her.

Slowly opening her eyes, she took in the peaceful sight. The full moon was glistening above, crickets chirped soothingly in the grass all around, and stars twinkled.

But to see this beautiful sight wasn't the only reason why Morgana was here.

"There you are! What took you so long, sleepy? It's not like we're going to wait here all day!"

Morgana turned onto her stomach, and as she did, she took in the faces of the people she wished she'd never left behind.

The golden-haired, blue eyed prince in all his 'glory'; the beautiful dark skinned maid; the charming dark-haired manservant.

Arthur, Guinevere, and Merlin.

"Shush, you turniphead!" Merlin cut in quickly before Gwen had a chance to defend her previous mistress, "Don't be mean to her! You were just busy, right 'Gana?"

"Turniphead?" Arthur retorted, "Look who's talking!"

"Right," Merlin replied cheerily, grinning so wide his face might split, "You're not a turniphead, you're a dollophead."

"Idiot."

"Prat."

And, for a lack of a better comeback, Arthur faked a cold stare. Morgana shook her head at Merlin's endearing nickname and giggled.

"Boys, boys," Gwen interrupted, trying her best to keep a straight face, "Stop all your bickering! Morgana didn't come all this way to hear your new insults."

She eventually broke into a fit of laughter when Arthur lightly kicked Merlin's shin.

"Ow!" Merlin exclaimed dramatically, "You started it!"

"And I'll be the one to finish it!" Morgana laughed. Standing up, she forced the two to make room for her. It took a bit of force and shoving, so that when they all lay on their backs again, all of them-except Gwen who was sensible enough not to get involved-were wheezing from the small fight. Now, Merlin was on her left, Arthur on her right, and Gwen opposite her.

"So," Arthur dragged out, in an irritable state that Morgana was 'protecting' Merlin, "Now that you've successfully ruined everything, my lady, how've you been?"

Arthur paused, studying Morgana's face, and in-between breaths he pointed and said, "You seem alright, but your hair's a bit messy. Did you lose your brush?"

Gwen slapped Arthur's arm, "Arthur!"

"Yes, in fact," Morgana retorted, yet there was no evil in her eyes, only mirth and joy, "About a whole year ago, I lost it."

"And a lot of other things." Morgana thought bitterly, but pushed it away.

No tears. No regrets.

She was going to spend time with them, no matter what was going on in real life. Right now, real life be damned.

"I brushed it out with my fingers." She added, as if that was a great achievement.

"I don't see what's Arthur complaining about," Merlin said, thinking it was high time he spoke up, "I think your hair looks great."

The twinkle in his eye was quite mesmerizing, and for a moment Morgana almost forgot Arthur and Gwen.

For a few moments, all she could see were Merlin's shining eyes, ones that were as deep as the oceans and as enchanting as magic. For a few moments, she thought he reached out his hand to interlace his fingers with hers. For a few moments, she thought she might just melt into him.

But then Arthur broke the silence, and the moment was gone.

"I wonder-" He speculated.

"-what can I do to make Merlin pay for doing absolutely nothing wrong?" Merlin filled in, turning to meet the prince's pensive eyes.

Arthur smirked, "That too, but I was going for-I wonder, what if we're not actually here? What if, by dreams or some other means, we've entered into this world?"

"My Arthur's a poet," Gwen giggled, rolling over and pecking his cheek, "And he doesn't even know it. But yes, that is quite an interesting speculation. Like, we can come here every night in our dreams?"

"Maybe not just dreams," Morgana added, careful to leave the rest to the other's imagination. Merlin seemed the most pensive of the three, yet he eventually broke into a lopsided, charming grin.

"All this thinking is hurting the poor prat," He joked, "Anyone want apples?"

"Apples?" Gwen asked incredulously, "Where'd you get apples from?"

"I-" Merlin scrunched his brow, "-don't know. I just found them in this pouch right here."

He patted the brown bag beside him for emphasis.

"I'll have one," Arthur said.

Merlin reached his hand into the pouch, but as he passed the fruit to Morgana, Arthur whispered 'to hit you with'.

"Oh no, you don't!" Merlin exclaimed, grabbing the apple from a confused Morgana's hands just before Arthur could take it, "I like going around without any bruises, thank you very much!"

Morgana smiled slightly and Merlin took a bite just to let Arthur hear the mouth-watering 'crunch' and repent of his sins. However, Arthur was not fazed, and Merlin only succeded in getting his mouth all dripping in apple juice.

Morgana stifled a laugh, "You'll have to try harder than that."

Then, covering her hand with her sleeve, she began to dab Merlin's mouth, despite his protests.

"Stop squirming," She laughed, "You'll only make it worse!"

"As if it isn't already!" Merlin exclaimed, "I'm not a baby, and you're getting those lace sleeves all covered in sticky juice! Do you know how long it's going to take to wash that out? I pity Gwen!"

Morgana and Gwen rolled their eyes and smiled at that, but Morgana knew he didn't mind as much as he said he did. So what if her sleeve got dirty. There was a river nearby her hovel, and she'd never wear this dress in public anyway. Besides, Merlin's admittedly endearing smile made her not mind so much.

As she kept working, she thought her heart skipped a beat, for she found herself unintentionally tracing Merlin's lower lip in her efforts to dry it all off.

His perfect, pouted lips.

"There." She said in a breathy tone, trying to force her eyes to look away, "All done."

Merlin's eyes regarded her in such a uniquely special way for a moment, as if this look was reserved for her and her only.

"Thanks."

Morgana looked down, hoping no one noticed her blush. But she did not have to worry, for just at that moment, Gwen spoke up.

"Everyone," She whispered, her almond eyes suddenly alight, "Look!"

And when they all did, their breaths hitched, for directly above them, and in so many numbers they could not be counted, were fireflies!

Each firefly buzzed quietly and brightly above the small group alone for a few moments till, out of nowhere, a sweet tune began to play. And as the song progressed, the fireflies grouped together to take on the form of many different, creative shapes.

Just close your eyes

Here the fireflies formed an eye.

The sun has gone down

A setting sun.

You'll be alright, no one will harm you now

A great tree shading a group of friends.

Come midnight light

An array of stars.

You and I'll be,

Safe and sound.

Two friends hugging.

"Beautiful!" Morgana whispered, once the music had ended and the fireflies had scattered.

"Agreed." Gwen smiled, and the other two nodded.

A gentle silence followed, in which, Morgana remembered she had to leave again. The spell would not last long, and already her natural mind was overpowering her inner mind. But she couldn't leave without saying goodnight.

"I should go now," She said sadly, already feeling an emptyness in her heart, "I will be back tomorrow, I promise."

"Well then," Arthur replied, speaking for all the rest, "You can't leave without saying goodbye."

Morgana smiled, and she stood on her feet. The rest copied her actions then, one by one, they hugged one another.

"Goodnight Gwen," Morgana said gently, "Don't stop where you are, because you deserve a good life. Not being a maid, you deserve better than that."

Guinevere smiled.

"I don't want anything else," She assured, "I'm happy Morgana, really."

Morgana sighed deeply. Of course, Gwen never wanted the throne. She was just a sweet, innocent girl who loved Arthur and couldn't wish for anything more in life than to have him love her back.

"Then that's all I can hope for," Morgana smiled genuinely. They hugged briefly, and then Morgana went over to Arthur.

"Be good, alright? Don't over work Merlin, he deserves a day off."

Arthur only laughed, "I'll be the judge of that."

He embraced her tightly, before leaving her so that she could say goodbye to Merlin.

When Morgana met Merlin's eyes, all she wanted was to kiss him. A kiss she had wanted to press into his lips all those years ago when he had helped her find the druids and promised to keep her secret. Just a small goodbye kiss, if her time would allow. Already her vision was getting hazy.

It was a split second decision. Leaning forward, she tilted her head ever so slightly, her hands meeting his cheeks just before their lips met.

Then they did.

It was a brief, fleeting moment, yet Morgana had never touched lips so smooth, so gentle, and yet so firm.

She pulled slowly away again, not noticing Arthur or Gwen's expressions.

"Goodbye, Merlin."

The manservant's lips were set wide apart in surprise, but just before he could say anything, Morgana's vision blackened. Her beautiful, imaginary world faded from view, and she awoke in the cold and rain once more.

An emptyness took over again. He hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye. Or was he going to say goodbye? Morgana couldn't tell. She had stayed too long, and now that world was gone, never reachable again, not by dreams, or visions, or magic.

She slowly got up off the ground and wiped the small tear that had begun to form in her eyes. She had to go back home to her hovel. A new day was coming, and as she made her way back, she did not know that far, far away in Camelot, Arthur, Gwen, and Merlin had all awoken from the strangest and most beautiful dream they had ever had.

But only Merlin knew, deep in his heart, that what had taken place had been real. The sensation of the dark-haired beauty's lips still burned on his own, a hauntingly beautiful reminder of what he could have had.

(All doneeee! Sowy I made that all angsty, I couldn't help it! Anyway, please do check out Shyriane's beautiful drawing and please leave me a fave or follow! And, most encouraging for me and amazing of all, that little review button right under ;) It's calling xD)