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A tag to "Arthur's Bane: Part Two"
I don't own anything but my ideas.
Mordred stared at the red cloak in his hands, aware of the weight of the sword at his belt. He breathed in the smell of his new home- a room in the castle of Camelot of all things. He was a knight- something permanent- sworn to protect Arthur, the man who had helped save his life all those years ago- a man who would order his execution if he knew about his magic. Mordred would have never guessed this would happen to him a week ago.
He had wandered around so long, never staying anywhere for long. He didn't even grow up with proper guardians, just past around from place to place to keep him safe. Mordred had even continued when he'd declared himself old enough to look after himself, fourteen, and had drifted around ever sense. He hadn't even meet to fall in with the slavers. Those men had been too brutal and cruel for him. However, he had felt like he needed to be there and now he knew why. Destiny was playing a tune for him and he'd have to dance for her.
He remembered the first time he was in Camelot. He remembered his saviors. Emrys, who was so concerned at first, Lady Morgana, so kind and caring, and Arthur Pendragon, a man who couldn't let his father kill a child. They had changed so much over the years.
Mordred had never been sure about Emrys, he had never known why a man destined to do great things would take a dislike to him. It had been so sudden. Emrys had went from hiding him from the guards and trying to save him to almost letting him get caught and killed. Something had happened to the man to forever color the way Emrys saw him and Mordred just wished he knew why. The fear radiating off him was deeper than if Mordred had just known about his magic. Emrys, or Merlin as he was now, was somewhat of an enigma. An enigma he couldn't trust.
Morgana was also different. As in, so different he had been forced to stab her. When Mordred had met Morgana she was all concern, all sincerity and love. She was angry at Uther, sure, but who wasn't? Uther was a monster. But Morgana always cared.
Now she was mad. He had seen it in her eyes. She was insane, in her own little world where everyone was against her and the only way to make everything better was to take over Camelot. She blamed her old friends for crimes that weren't outside her head. She saw Uther instead of Arthur, a traitor in Guinevere. Mordred didn't know what she made of Em- Merlin, he knew that they used to have been close for the servant to bring him to her but when she had just flung him against the wall, she didn't even dwell on it. She wasn't the woman he had known.
Strangely, Arthur had only changed for the better. He was surer of himself, less arrogant. He would stand up for his beliefs without the shadow of hesitation that his father had cast. He was fair and just, the Once and Future King.
Mordred had seen him stand up to Morgana, he had seen her relish Arthur's every discomfort but Arthur only felt sorrow towards his crazy sister. Arthur had been sad about the change in her, questioning why even to her face. That was when Mordred had felt empathy for the king. Here was a kindred spirit, who like him, saw no reason for such drastic change and disliked them. Arthur gave him strength for Mordred to plunge the knife into Morgana to save him. Mordred would protect Arthur, the only one who he could count on. The one who wouldn't change.
A\N: I came up with this idea (well most of it) right after Morgana had her little "I WANT ARTHUR'S HEAD ON A PIKE AND CROW TO EAT OUT HIS EYEBALLS!" moment, and the rest after the episode ended and Mordred actually picked Arthur. I'm kind of excited about this season, some of these new characterizations are interesting. Morgana is definitely crazy at this point. Merlin is... not sweet little naive and innocent Merlin from season one. Arthur's actually acting more responsible and not so much like an oblivious idiot. And Gwen- Gwen is awesome! Even if she decided to trust the castle's guards of all things, she made a more competent ruler of Camelot in two episodes than Uther did in three seasons, and Arthur in a season combined. All she needs to do is get guards that actually have eyes but I suppose that that's Arthur's fault since he's actually the one in charge of the army. I'm liking Mordred so far, even if I have no idea what he's thinking. In fact, that's why I like him! He's not smirking all the time or being a creeper who wears black. He's not transparently evil! Which is new! I love it! I mean, I know he'd supposed to kill Arthur and everything, but its-er- I don't know how to put it. I'm just and really excited about the new season.