'Til the New Dawn, Little Faery
Summary: When Morgause was aged eleven, her mother informed her that she must leave to the High Priestesses, so as to escape Uther's grasp. However, just before she leaves, Morgause must say goodbye to the baby in the bassinet. In this story, Vivienne is Ygraine's sister and it was Morgana who was a baby when Morgause left, which would explain why she remembered her vaguely.
Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.
The flames were burning far away in the distance, the crest of Pendragon most likely flying among them. The village of Willowdale was in a state of panic, as many residents felt it was the safest place within Camelot to live with magic, as the Lady of the village, Lady Vivienne Le Faye was a sorceress herself, and were scrambling to escape before Uther's men arrived. Unfortunately, Vivienne's daughter was also a sorceress, and Uther knew as much. He had spared the rod for Vivienne, as she was his wife's younger sister, but would do no such thing for the illegitimate daughter of his sister-in-law.
So she was being forced to leave. Leave her mother, her stepfather, her home and everything she knew to go to the High Priestesses of the Old Religion on the Isle of the Blessed. That was bad enough. But as Morgause Le Faye crept up through the winding staircases of her home into the nursery, it dawned on her that the one thing she could not bear to leave behind was the baby tucked up in the bassinet. Her little sister, Morgana.
Morgause zigzagged across the floor, avoiding the expensive trinkets littered across the fur rug, to the edge of the large bassinet, drawing back the curtain and sighing at the sight. The young baby was tucked up fast asleep in the satin sheets, her small black ringlets spread around her. The tiny girl was the spitting image of their mother, while Morgause could have been easily mistaken for the daughter of Ygraine. They were almost complete opposites, which was believable as they had different fathers, but Morgause had truly never loved anyone more than her baby sister.
Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face, dripping down onto the smoothly carved wood and down onto the stone flagons of the floor, sobs wracking her body and bringing her to kneel on the floor beside the bassinet, looking into it and stroking Morgana's hair, smiling through her tears.
"Oh, Morgana. I'm so sorry that I have to leave you, but it's for the best. Uther would kill me if he found me here, so I have to leave. I so hope that you don't have The Gift. It's far more of a curse in reality, though if Uther favours you, you may be able to survive. I so hope that you do. I may meet you again one day, I hope. Until then, you must look after Mama for me. Make sure that she stays strong, just like she always is. And if she ever breaks down, tell her that it wasn't her fault. It never was her fault."
Morgause took a deep breath, then let out a yelp as an explosion burned brightly and dozens, maybe hundreds of screams sounded through the night. The youngest Le Faye's eyes snapped open and she immediately began to whimper for a moment before letting out a loud wail. Morgause looked left and right for any sign of their mother, but seeing no sign of her, reached down and picked up the baby, cradling her in her arms and whispering a soothing lullaby into her ear, one that their mother had sung to sooth her off to sleep as a baby herself. Their mother was quite an anomaly in the court, as she had made the decision to raise both her daughters single-handedly, without the aid of wet nurses or nursery maids. She didn't even have many maids or servants in the house, just a cook, a manservant for Gorlois and a housekeeper.
"Ssh, darling, ssh. It's alright. It'll be alright." she whispered, kissing her baby sister's forehead.
"Morgause!" came a cry from within the house. It was definately the voice of her mother, and she was beginning to panic, Morgause could tell that from her voice.
"Mama, just five minutes, please!" she screamed, tears streaking down her face once more at the thought of having to leave the now gurgling Morgana.
"No! Morgause, I am sorry, but we have to go now!" Vivienne cried, running into the room and across to her eldest daughter. She reached over and plucked Morgana from her arms, who immediately began to cry at being so abruptly taken from her sister. Vivienne attempted to sooth her, then put her back down into the bassinet.
"Mama, can't we take her with us? I just want to see her one last time, please!" she begged, beginning to sob, setting off Morgana again. Vivienne sighed deeply as she watched her two daughters cry.
"Oh, alright." she sighed, plucking her youngest daughter from the bassinet and balancing her on her hip with one hand, taking her elder daughter's hand in the other.
The three descended the staircases together until they reached the door in the far end of the kitchen. It was quite well hidden behind a flowered tapestry and led through an underground tunnel directly to the edge of the Forest of Escitir. It would take Uther's men a long time to find the door, if they ever did, and by that time, they would be long gone. Gorlois was guarding the entrance for them and, after Vivienne gave Gorlois a peck on the cheek and he in turn gave a kiss to both she and Morgana, they were riding off into the forest, the hooting owls the only source of life in the dead of the night.
The three females were silent as well. Morgause looked over to try and catch her mother's gaze, turning away again unsuccessful. Vivienne had noticed this, but had made the decision to ignore her eldest daughter, in an attempt to ease their parting, and concentrated instead on the younger, who was fast asleep on the woman's lap. Morgause had offered to carry her, but Vivienne had insisted that Morgana ride with her. Gorlois had assumed that this was for Morgana's safety, and perhaps it was, thought Vivienne, but her first thought was that, given the nature of her swift departure, she wanted her baby daughter as close to her as possible.
They finally reached the edge of the forest, where a hooded man was waiting near the edge of the mist-covered lake. Vivienne dismounted her horse, holding onto Morgana tightly, sighing as the vibrations woke her once more and she began to cry. Vivienne then pulled Morgause from her mount and cleared her throat, catching the attention of the hooded man.
"Gaius, thank heavens! I am so sorry, it took us a while to get out of the village, but we managed eventually. Thank you so much for agreeing to this, Gaius, I understand the risk you must be taking and I appreciate it immensely." thanked Vivienne.
"It is quite alright, Vivienne, I understand completely. It must have been a very difficult decision to make." he replied.
"Yes it was, but it is for the best. At least this way Morgause will be safe."
"Mama, can you please stop talking about me as if I'm not here?" snapped Morgause, her brow furrowing a little as she looked at her mother. Both Vivienne and Gaius turned to see the young girl holding the younger in her arms as she sniffled.
"Of course, Morgause, I'm sorry." said Vivienne, a guilty expression across her face. They stood in an awkward silence for what seemed like hours before Vivienne spoke again, the faint glow of torchlight blinking in the distance.
"Morgause, you have to go, darling. Now."
"I know." she cried, tears suddenly flooding down her face. Vivienne, upon seeing this, enveloped her elder daughter in her arms, being mindful not to crush the baby. Both stayed in this embrace for a long while until Morgana began to cry. It was only then that they pulled away, Vivienne sitting onto a large boulder by the lake to soothe her, while Morgause knelt down on the ground beside them, taking Morgana's tiny hand in hers, which made her screaming wails die down immediately to a stream of silent tears.
"Listen to me, little one. This is not the end for us. One day, when I'm a big and strong woman, I shall come to find you, and we will hopefully be close again. If you ever discover that you have the Gift, wait for me. Don't ever let Uther find out. Love Mama and your papa, as they truly love you and I couldn't think of any two people finer suited to be parents to such a perfect little baby girl. Promise me that you will always be strong. Never let that obnoxious prince get you down and never let anyone walk all over you. Make me proud and don't forget me. That is all I ask of you, Morgana. Never forget me."
After these words, a crying Morgause kissed her still tearful baby sister before boarding the wooden boat with Gaius, waving goodbye once more to Morgana as they began to sail away.
As she watched her sister disappear from sight through the thickness of the fog, Morgause thought only a few short words as she pictured the woman the baby would grow into.
''Til the new dawn, little faery.'
A/N: I wanted to write this to honour that Merlin: Series 5 will be released in six days, on Saturday 6th October 2012, at 7.45pm. Set your alarms, people! It was also a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone.