the change
Her eyes shot wide open as she scrambled to free herself from the bedsheets in which she was tangled. This made her blind panic all the more worse, and shouts of pain broke the silence of the night as pottery shattered around those gathered. A soothing hand landed on her forehead, and Morgana fell back onto her pillows as the spell quelled the fear in her heart.
"Hush, sister. Rest now. You've had a terrible fortnight. You need to recover your strength before you go casting spells like that."
"Morgause?"
Morgana looked up through bleary eyes. Now that she was laying down, she could feel a dull ache in every one of her muscles. She searched backwards in her mind for reasons why she was in pain, but nothing rose to the surface. The last thing she could remember was Arthur riding out with his knights to investigate far from Camelot. The rest of her memories evaded her, but she couldn't bring herself to worry. Morgause's spell was working wonders. That didn't stop her curiousity, and Morgana soon spoke up.
"Why am I here with you? Why aren't I in Camelot?"
A dark expression settled on Morgause's face. "The serving boy, Merlin was it? He meddled in our plans to overthrow Uther. He poisoned you. He would see you dead in order to ensure that tyrant remains on the throne. I had to take you with me, otherwise you would have died. I am sorry, sister, for putting you through that ordeal. I had to test your loyalties."
"Merlin poisoned me?" Morgana's throat felt tight. She had thought that Merlin was her friend. Why would he hurt her?
"Somehow he knew that the source of the enchantment controlling Camelot was radiating from you. I have no idea how a mere servant would have figured that out, but he did and he poisoned you. Had you died, the spell would have faded. I was in a bind. Either watch you die and fail my task, or abort it and save your life. I fled as soon as Uther awoke. Do not worry though, sister. We will exact our revenge on the kingdom of Albion and that wretched boy."
Memories prickled at the back of Morgana's mind, but when she pressed harder, a splitting pain rained down across her skull. She shut her eyes, images of Merlin playing on the backs of her eyelids. The cheerful, upbeat servant of Arthur had plotted to kill her to save Camelot. Could she forgive him of his sin? If the roles had been reversed, would she have sacrificed Merlin to save the lives of the innocent?
No.
The answer startled Morgana and when she reopened her eyes, she saw Morgause watching her intently in an almost nervous manner. "Why do you call me sister?"
Morgause's jaw dropped open in silent surprise, but the sorceress regathered her wits quickly. "Because you are my sister. My half-sister. We share the same mother. It is where you have inherited your magic from. I believe it is time for you to know the truth, but now is not the time for more details. You must rest and I must plot our revenge against the state of Albion. Rest, little sister. Dream."
Morgause pressed her hand against Morgana's cheek before the other woman could react. Her eyes flashed gold for a heartbeat, and then Morgana's eyelids were fluttering shut once more, into the realm of dreams.