Write about a significant point/event/scene that caused Morgana to turn into a dark witch
Prompts used:
(object) sword
(colour) emerald green
(word) betrayal
(word) fear
(word) blood
(action) cry
(action) holding hands
Word Count: 2,380
Everything that is good must come to an end eventually. It's inevitable, unfortunately. There's always the calm before the storm, the peace before the war, first love before the first break up.
The trust that you have in someone before they betray you.
Many try to avoid this; many believe that things like this can never happen to them. They are hopefully, foolish, native.
Morgana had prided herself for being none of those things but that was her downfall: Her pride. Her cockiness, her arrogance is what caused her to stumble and fall into the abyss that she's now in. She thought she had examined every possible outcome, down to the very detail, and yet here she was sitting on the throne with ambitions she didn't have twenty-five years ago.
How could anybody blame her for taking that turn to a dark path? She once had everything in the palm of her hand and in moments, in the middle of the night, it was stolen from her leaving her breathless and furious.
Morgana closed her eyes briefly, her hand rubbing her temple as she force herself to go back to that night so many years ago. Where she became what she was now: the bane of Merlin (more like the bane of her but she was the villain in the story), the older sister of the bastard Arthur, the mother of Mordred, the darkest witch in history.
Morgana never quite understood the feeling of fear. What fueled it? What was the reason behind it? When Helena had taken her hand into hers and pulled her away from their classmates and brought her lips near her ear, she heard it there, clear as day: fear. Her voice quivered and cracked; her fingers curled tightly around her arm, that would surely leave half-moon crest in her arm; and when Helena pulled away, she saw it in her eyes.
"You have nothing to worry about dear," Morgana said.
She smiled and touched Helena's face, hoping to reassure her but Helena bit her lower lip and looked behind her instead. Morgana frowned slightly and turned her head, out the corner of her eye, she saw Rowena staring at them intently and she turned her head back to Helena, slowly. Her face was cool and calm even though her heart pang.
"Midnight tonight, everything will go according to plan, you just have to trust me," Morgana said.
She had to stop from touching Helena's face and kissing her reassuringly, not with Helena's mother staring at them so intently. Morgana instead opted to rub her hands up and down Helena's arms and offered her half-smile that Helena returned shakily. The plan would go accordingly; Morgana wouldn't let it go any other way.
Morgana was the first to leave, so that she could setup the scene. She had drunk just the right of amount of wine, to feel its buzz and for Rowena to see but still have her sharp mind. Being an excellent performer, she stumbled slightly and giggled out the door. Her hand was pressed up against the wall to guide her, and when she opened the door and stumbled through it and waited a second later for the door the close, her hand left the wall.
She continued to stumble, in case somebody was watching her. Once she was far away from the party, she straightened up and made her way to the kitchens determinedly. Morgana had spent months, observing Lady Ravenclaw's schedule after the school day. That when her last class let out, she headed towards the secret passage on the fourth floor that led to the dungeons or more specifically to Lord Slytherin's room. She would be in there for an hour, two at the most before students saw her back on the fourth floor even though they didn't see her there before.
From there, Rowena would leave the castle to do what, Morgana wasn't sure. She couldn't leave the castle and she had yet to gain allies outside of Hogwarts. But Rowena always returned back for Dinner. Then she would head to her rooms and call a house elf, Willa, to bring her nightly tea; the same house elf with no changes for the days. In thirty minutes, Rowena will leave and in another thirty minutes she would call Willa to her bedside and ask for her nightly tea. Morgana had an hour and she tended to use every second of it.
She pushed up the portrait to the kitchen and saw that it was busier than ever since there was a party going on upstairs. Just as she planned as she walked into Salazar Slytherin's room and convinced him to have a party for his leaving, a favor that she promised to return.
"It's a shame," Salazar started.
Morgana paused and turned to face him. "What is?"
"That you were sorted into Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin, everything that I look for in a student," He said. "It's ironic too since you will betray Rowena in the end, steal her daughter right from her nose."
Morgana smiled. "Intelligence and cunningness are one in the same, they walked hand and hand. One would be a fool not to notice."
She turned and left, leaving the implication that she knew.
In the far corner of the kitchen, Morgana saw Willa make Rowena's nightly tea and a smile graced her face. She walked over to the same house elf with confidence and cleared her throat when she was standing behind the creature. The house elf looked over and jumped at the sight of her causing Morgana to smirk.
"Willa did not see Mistress Pendragon," Willa said. "Willa is sorry, what can Willa do for Mistress Pendragon?"
"Willa, I would like for you to get the finest wine for me," Morgana said. "It's greatly needed."
"Needed for the party?" Willa asked.
"No, just for me, quickly now Willa, I haven't all night."
Willa bowed lowly and rushed towards the cellar, when the door closed behind the creature Morgana turned to the brewing tea. She put a strong sleeping potion into the tea and took a step back as it bubbled and popped before she put the container back into her pockets. Morgana, then, turned to face the cellar and within minutes Willa was back with the best wine that sat in Hogwarts. She took it and said thank you before she was out the kitchens and she made it up to her room.
Morgana was already packed and the wine in her hand was for William Johnson, Helena's admirer and a tough person to get pass.
She grabbed her single bag and brought it down to the common rooms where Helena sat with her own bag. The fear that Morgana had seen in Helena's eyes were gone, placed with eagerness to leave. Morgana walked over to her and pulled Helena into a deep kiss that she returned and left them both breathless.
"One more obstacle then we're free," Morgana whispered.
"I never thought the day would come." Helena whispered back, her hand on Morgana's cheek.
Morgana smiled down at her and kissed her again before she pulled back slowly. "Right after a midnight, I'll meet you by the entrance. Not a minute before and not a minute after. Then we're gone and your mother will never be a problem again."
Helena hummed approvingly and with another kiss Morgana was gone.
She walked down the stairs and into the dungeons and gave the portrait the password, which her dear friend, Merlin had given her. Inside, by himself, was William Johnson, The Baron. Morgana had been counting on The Baron being alone, since he never cared for parties. He always thought himself better than that. It made her job easier since the party would go well on until morning.
"William," Morgana said. "Why are you not at the party with the rest of the school? After all, this will be the last time you'll see the Head of your house."
"I have better things than being around drunken people," William said rolling his eyes.
Morgana frowned and looked down at the bottle at her hand. "Does that mean that you wouldn't want a drink of this fine wine?"
She lifted it to the light and William looked up from his book and licked his lips none too subtle. Morgana resisted a smirk.
"Well, now, I see no reason to waste it," He started before narrowed his eyes. "Why would you so willingly share it with me? Why not have it with Helena?"
Morgana resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the bitterness in his voice. Time and time again, Helena had turned down The Baron's advances, having no attraction for the loner Slytherin. She cursed the day she so willingly bragged to William about receiving Helena's affection; again it was her stupid pride.
"She's still at the party, under the watchful eye of her mother," Morgana explained. "I had hoped that the party would distract her but atlas—"
She sighed and looked over at the dying fireplace, allowing The Baron to give her a look over and decide whether she was telling the truth or not. The story rang true since Rowena always did this and Morgana wouldn't have come if it wasn't true.
"You meant to get Helena drunk and seduce her." The Baron accused.
Morgana looked around from the hot coals and turned to The Baron with a frown. "I would never! That's highly cowardly and only those who take pleasure from mudded minds would do such things. I rather enjoy speaking to Helena on an intellectual level don't you?"
William flushed in embarrassment, "Yes, of course. It is a privilege to be able to debate with the Ravenclaw Heiress. Insightful."
"I'm glad that you agree, so a drink?" Morgana asked.
He agreed to it and she conjured up two glass cups and engaged into drinking with William. After her first glass, she began sipping it periodically as William drained cup after cup, something was troubling him but she didn't care. Her plan was to get William so drunk that he would pass out and then she could leave with Helena in tow.
They said few words and Morgana constantly glanced at the clock. Waiting for midnight to come and pass. She looked over at William and noticed that he had slowed down on his drinking and instead opted to run a finger up and down the bottle.
"Drink all of it," Morgana said, leaning back from her chair. "I'm done for the night."
"You barely had any!" William protested.
Morgana shook her head, a smile on her face. "William this is my fifth drink! I'm good at holding my liquor."
"You would have to teach me."
William's words slurred and within seconds he was slumped into his seat, snoring softly. Morgana smiled triumphly before she rose from her seat and left. There was another hour before Morgana and Helena would be gone but first she had to say goodbye to a friend. Zezolla Weasley had been one of Morgana's closest companions, through their school days. Her first friend when she came to Hogwarts, far, far away from her family. She would miss her dearly and Zezolla deserved a goodbye.
Zezolla was another person that wouldn't have gone to the party. She hated anything that was too loud and loved silence instead, something that they both agreed on. She would be in her common room, relaxing and feeding her pet rat, Gus Gus, before she headed off to bed at 11:45. Sure enough, she was there sitting in a chair near the fire.
"Morgana! What are you doing here?" Zezolla asked. "Shouldn't you be with Helena while Rowena is distracted by the party?"
Morgana chuckled softly, Zezolla was also the reason why Helena and she were together.
"I'm here to say goodbye," Morgana said. "We're leaving right after midnight."
Zezolla blinked before she broke into a smile. "I'm glad to hear! Now sit, I have a feeling that this will be the last time we see each other."
How right she was. Months later, Zezolla Weasley had been captured by the witch hunters and was burned alive at the stake. Her brother, Evan Weasley, had told Morgana, a year after it had happened.
So, they chatted until it was time for Morgana to go and they hugged for a long moment before Morgana took a step back and left. When Morgana made to the entrance, Helena was already there with their two bags and something that glint under the torches. Morgana frowned and walked over to Helena and hissed.
"Why would you take the tiara?" Morgana demanded.
Helena was quiet for a moment and Morgana groaned, knowing why she did it.
"Put it back, or set it down here so that we can just leave." Morgana said.
Helena shook her head. "Besides we can sale it and take the money."
Morgana hesitated, biting her lower lip, debating before she sighed. "Fine."
She should have said no.
She grabbed Helena's hand and then they were gone.
Morgana blinked once and shook her head. She could remember that night; she was too much of a coward. She should have never left Helena there even though it was for a moment. Morgana learnt a lesson that night, that it only takes a moment. There had been so much blood; it covered Helena's emerald green dress. She had screamed and cried as she held Helena's dead body. Then that coward, William, had killed himself, he knew the consequences of what he done. That he would have Rowena and her after him and get their revenge and ended his life before either could reach him.
A flash of anger coursed over her as she rose from her seat and grabbed her sword. Her son Mordred was waiting for her by the door, suited in his armor ready to go under her command. She wondered briefly, if Helena hadn't been murdered would she still be in this position? Morgana inwardly shook her head; no she wouldn't have because the only reason why Arthur had to die was because Merlin had to know how it felt to lose a love one.
After all, he was the reason Helena was dead.