Authors Note;
Just a mess-up that's been dawdling on my mind for some time, I'm not sure if I'll continue it, but I have some ideas for some more chapters, although I'm not entirely sure. I started this some time ago, some alterations have been made prior to Series 4, but I wanted to attempt being the bad Morgana? I'm not sure. Anyway, let me know what you think.
Chapter 1
"The seed has been planted."
The loud creaks of the floorboards created a sense of foreboding in the small shack that lay hidden in the woods. Morgana paced back and forth, her delicate brows furrowed in annoyance and impatience, as she heard a thunderous storm evoke the nature outside. A small fire burned in the hearth, her only source for warmth, and it was freezing out here.
Cupping her hands together she rubbed them violently together, creating friction a she attempted to warm her cool hands, before she sat on the rickety wooden chair beside the dying fire. Where was he? Morgana hated to be kept waiting, and Agravaine was supposed to have met her here hours ago, and she could not rest waiting his presence. Morgana had chosen not to change from her long black gown; it would hold more warmth for now, than the light nightshirts she was now forced to wear.
Morgana let a loud squeal of anger escape her lips through gritted teeth, he was an idiot- how dare he keep her waiting, she hated being played with, meddled with- and the reason for his lateness would obviously be a bad one, she was sure of it, something was holding him up.
Soon, the echoing subdue of horses hooves racing with the rainstorm made Morgana stand and fold her arms, looking bold and intimidating, but her eyes wide with the hope of a small child. Agravaine pushed open the wooden board that was her front door, before he closed it and shook of the rain, his face a mixture of orange and yellows from the glowing fire. "How nice of you to join me!" Morgana spat in disgust through gritted teeth as she fell back down onto her chair, looking into the fiery flames.
"I could not get away, Milady- it was hard, I had matters to address." Agravaine told her shyly, making his way over the warmth of the fire with open hands as Morgana looked up to him. "And what matters where so important?" Morgana asked him, in a tone of aggression and high annoyance from being kept waiting.
Agravaine looked to her, with wary eyes; she could tell from his silent disposition that he was hiding something. "Speak!" She urged, angered by his attitude. "It is Arthur…" Agravaine explained, afraid to speak in fear of what she might do.
Morgana's eyes then grew wide, and she feared she might have revealed too much emotion in that single glance, her face was washed with concern, her brows furrowed as she looked away from Agravaine, her teeth still gritted, her mind deep in thought. "What of him?" Morgana asked finally, wanting him to spit the words right out, he had left her waiting long enough already.
"He… Suspects you..." Agravaine said finally, looking to Morgana, awaiting her reaction. Morgana let a mocking laugh escape her lips as she stormed out of her chair and over the window, watching the pouring rain. "Good." She commented, a sly smile prying on her lips, her mind already flowing with conniving plans.
"He plans to have you hunted, and killed." Agravaine explained further, not moving but his dark eyes of worry following her across the room. Morgana let another mocking laugh escape, Arthur would not dare kill her; she knew him well enough, he would send empty threats of going on a hunt to have her blood spilled, but he would not be the one to drain her of life. "What are these?" Morgana turned finally to Agravaine, her teeth gritted as she spoke, a sudden rage flowing through her veins, as she moved her hands in motion. "These; constant idle threats of murder and defeat!" Morgana snapped, meeting Agravaine's gaze as she spoke.
"You know as well as I how many times he threatens to spill my blood!" Morgana said in disgust, moving closer to Agravaine, so close now, that her breath could be felt on his cheek. "You tell your Prince…" Morgana spat, in some form of disgust and foolish hatred. "That if he wants me dead, he come and see to it himself." Morgana said her voice now low, close to a whisper.
Agravaine was frozen, she suddenly was across the room and now, now she was here, right up and into his face speaking so aggressively the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He shivered as her words leaked from her lips and wavered across his, but soon she had broken away, and now had his back to him.
"He plans to send a Cavalry out in the morning." Agravaine told her, stepping back from the fire now, as he looked to her, his face full of regret and concern.
"Coward." Morgana spat, disgusted by Arthur's actions, before she finally turned to face Agravaine again, the distance in the room between them was no more than a few footsteps. "Does he constantly need the pathetic protection of his Knights?" Morgana groaned angrily, more so speaking to herself.
"Milady!" Agravaine said, louder than before- his voice full of concern as his brows furrowed with anxiety. "You tried to kill him, his father, his friends- you plan to watch Camelot fall, and at your hands." Agravaine explained, wanting her to understand that Arthur wasn't as foolish as she thought. But the young woman was now close to him now, she spoke up and into his face again, her teeth gritted, he had angered her.
"Whose side are you on?" She snarled aggressively up at him, making him hold his hands out in defence. "Yours Milady, always." Agravaine motioned, fearing her like a predator. "I'm simply stating that… Arthur would not come alone, he fears you- if he were to come alone I suspect he believes you'd kill him, and that Camelot would fall." Agravaine told her, adding a soft smile in at the end when he seen her smirk.
"Oh, and it will." Morgana smirked slyly at the wondrous thought of the day Camelot would be under her ruling, when she would sit on that glorious throne with than magnificent crown of rubies and sapphires placed on her head, she would be a truly remarkable Queen.
"I will need another source." Morgana said finally after the long silence of twisted thoughts, as she fell back into her wooden chair and placed her fingers on her lips thoughtfully, as her emerald gaze was brought back to the flames which caressed and licked her face in an orange glow. "No offence to you, but- I will need someone closer to Arthur." Morgana spoke, awaiting Agravaine's reaction, she knew he would not take this kindly- he would take this one to heart.
"Milady, I am Arthur's Uncle, he confides me in everything he does- he looks at me like a father." Agravaine told her, his face awash with nervousness and fear, did she no longer trust him.
"Well, you have proved yourself useful." Morgana said, looking to him with a light smile. "But, I will need someone much closer than a father figure." Morgana explained. "A friend, someone he would trust dearly- someone he would spend a great deal of time with…" Morgana sighed in defeat; no one was coming to mind at all.
"I know of no one who would be so foolish to betray Arthur." Agravaine told her, making a face of deep concern.
Morgana sighed greatly, who was close to Arthur in such a way? That he trusted them on the most greatest of missions, she needed an inside source, with someone who was on her side so close to him, she knew it would break the already fragile Prince. Agravaine was great yes, but she needed to trick this new person into believing she was the good one here, she was the one hard done by- which she was. Merlin would be his closest companion, but she wanted him dead as much as she wanted Uther gone, and Merlin would never succumb to her, see any trace of goodwill in her bones, not to mention she could not fool him.
Sir Leon, he was too loyal- he would rather die than to betray Arthur, he had proved this when she was Queen for the short period, he would not believe her good. Lancelot would be great yes, but he was in love with the foolish servant, he would certainly not have eyes for another. Elyan, Morgana did not know him well enough but she could play this to her strengths, with Percival also- but she could not fool them into believing her angelic. And then, that only left Gwaine- the most foolish of them all, but would he believe Morgana was the victim in all of this? He could be fooled yes, she had heard of his womanizing ways, he would not turn her down if she was willingly- and perhaps he was the only one dumb enough to hide his betrayal from Arthur, if Morgana led him to believe it wasn't a betrayal after all.
Morgana let a smirk creep onto her cold lips, her prying eyes rising up to meet Agravaine's. "What is it?" Agravaine urged, unnerved by her prying smirk. "You have someone in mind?" He questioned with great curiosity, and she replied with a slow nod, somewhat eerie in the dark, colourless shadows that surrounded them.
"Who do you believe is the idiot, of all of Arthur's Knights?" Morgana asked him, seeing the answer as now obvious, as she stood up and spoke proudly, pacing back and forth as she asked him this.
"Well… That's obvious." Agravaine replied, as though it were common sense. "Gwaine." He remarked, not fully catching on. "And why is that?" Morgana stopped and looked to him, her smirk widening. "Because… Well because he cares more of foolish things, such as food and women- rather than defending a Kingdom, although he is a talented fighter." Agravaine explained to Morgana, his brows furrowed in confusion as he looked to smirking features, looking for a hidden meaning, for the obvious answer.
"Exactly." She whispered, before Agravaine let a small laugh escape his lips- he understood clearly now, it had been so obvious. Morgana let a cruel laugh escape her lips, whilst he returned in, the twisted sadistic mind of the woman now racing of new plans, as she confided in Agravaine, well into the night.
"Ow!" Yelped the burly young Knight as a bright green apple bounced and rolled on the ground. Gwaine brought a hand up to rub the throbbing pain on the back of his head as he lifted his eyes to the young Prince above him.
"Are you going to sleep all day?" Arthur moaned, putting out a hand for Gwaine to take. Gwaine sighed and yawned and stretched before he accepted the help and pulled himself from the ground, patting down the backs of his trousers.
"I told you!" Arthur scolded as he furrowed his brows at Gwaine. "To get a decent night's rest, in your chamber, not out here in the courtyard." The Prince moaned as Gwaine broke a smile and laughed at his Prince.
"Well, you know the duties of being a Knight." Gwaine winked as he marched over to his dazzling white stallion, already saddled up and waiting. "Yes, and it doesn't consist of women and wine!" Arthur retaliated as he walked behind Gwaine and slapped him around the back of the head, before he climbed his own chestnut brown horse.
"You're so abusive!" Gwaine muttered as he tousled his shaggy dark hair again, and mounted his horse. "You're lucky you're not in a pit somewhere!" Arthur spat angrily, before he dug his heels into his horse and trotted out of the Courtyard, Gwaine at his horse's heels- as the two went to meet up with the rest of the waiting Knights and Merlin.
"Found him then!" Percival laughed as he saw Arthur and Gwaine ride out from the drawbridge. "He'd sleep on a clothesline that one." Arthur replied with a slight smirk, looking back to a drowsy Gwaine who was yawning and not paying much attention to the fun his friends were making at him.
"Everyone raring to go then?" Merlin chimed with an exasperated grin as he looked to Gwaine and Arthur. "Shut up Merlin." Arthur told him with a roll of his eyes, as he looked to Leon to give orders.
"Today, we're going to hunt for the witch." Arthur sighed whole heartily, the words escaping his lips paining him, to even refer to her like that. "Morgana." He commented at last, although everyone knew who he was referring to. "As we can expect, she's dangerous- and won't think twice about taking any of your lives." Arthur explained, very serious now, although Gwaine still wasn't paying much attention.
"We'll split up- it's the easiest way." Arthur told them, raising his hands to point at Elyan, Merlin and Lancelot. "I'll go with you three; Gwaine will go with Percival and you Leon." Arthur told him, seriously- knowing that Leon was his second man; he would be a great leader, for Gwaine especially.
"Will we kill her upon sight?" Leon asked his brows rose in curiosity as he looked to Arthur for an answer. "No." Arthur replied quickly, a little too quickly. "Then… Please excuse my bluntness Sire, but what exactly is the object of the mission?" Leon questioned, his brow raised as he looked to Arthur, the other Knights all intrigued on this answer also.
"I have unfinished business with her." Arthur explained with a sigh of deep concern. He couldn't kill Morgana, not really. Although he feared that she was already dead, that this new form of evil and magic had taken over her and drained all humanity from her veins, he feared if anything that she would not have one ounce of her old self left- if she didn't he would have to kill this twisted woman of magic and sadism, but if she did- he would spare her. He needed to talk with Morgana, like they were still as they once were, to ask her of her cruelness, he would give her the throne if it meant she would return to her old self, he would give anything to have her back as foolish as it sounded he still believed he could change her, to explain that all of this could end, now that Morgause was dead it seemed possible, but he couldn't deny that he was perhaps fooling himself, and was in a grave form of denial.
"I see, you wish you kill her yourself." Leon smirked, letting a small laugh escape his lips. "I should hate her." Arthur replied. "For what she's done on me, on Camelot, and my father- I should be thirsty for her blood." Arthur confessed the heartbreak clear in his gaze. "But, I cannot just kill her without reason for all of this." Arthur told his main Knight. Leon's mouth fell open, in some form of horror and disbelief.
"Sire, she is of magic." Leon gasped, was that not reason enough? "I do not believe magic is a toll of death." Arthur frowned as he looked to Leon to reply, what would be his great answer. Merlin on the other hand couldn't help but let a small, sneaky smile creep onto his lips at Arthur's last remark.
"But, surely you know her reason for all of this, for this war she had evoked- surely you do not believe this is a big misunderstanding." Leon half laughed, believing Arthur was so foolish, forgetting Arthur was Prince and looking at him as his friend. Arthur however frowned scornfully at his Knight; he did not take kindly to being laughed at in front of his men.
"You will hold your tongue, Leon." Arthur snapped, sitting proudly on his horse now, his brows still furrowed, bringing strain to his sapphire gaze. "You will do exactly as I have asked." Arthur told him forcefully, digging the heels into his horse. "And that is an order." Arthur snapped, his teeth gritted, before he dug his heels into his horse's ribs and began off on a small trot before breaking into a graceful gallop.
Leon looked taken off-guard, Arthur had never snapped at him like that, Leon had always had a way of adding some light heartedness to all that he said, yet Arthur had taken these words to heart instead of laughing like he usually did. Perhaps the subject of Morgana was closer to his heart than he thought. Did he… no, he was with Guinevere, everyone knew that. Leon laughed foolishly to himself, Morgana was his sister after all, and he could not have those sorts of feelings of incest for her. Yes, it was clear Arthur just felt protective over his newfound sister and that is why he had acted as he had. And with that, Leon, Percival and Gwaine took the north pathway whilst Elyan, Lancelot and Merlin galloped off the east path to catch up with Arthur.
"When can we go home?" Gwaine moaned as he trotted alongside Leon when they were deep within the forest. "I don't think you understand how serious this is." Leon told him with a frown, as he watched the swiping tail of Percival's grey horse in front.
"Oh come on, can't we just tell Arthur we couldn't find her- he'll never know." Gwaine moaned with an added smirk, thinking his plan was a rather dashing one, and would certainly deceive the young Prince.
"No, we cannot!" Leon snapped. "You are a Knight, these are your duties." The blonde Knight explained to his sighing companion, as he watched Gwaine roll his eyes in disgust at his words.
"You know, sometimes I wonder how you even became a Knight." Leon scowled, scoffing in half-belief. "Because, I am a better fighter." Gwaine winked to the frowning Leon, as Percival turned around to give a small laugh at Leon's expense, before the loud sound of rustling leaves could be heard.
"What was that?" Leon said, his face frozen- listening hard to hear something. "I said I'm a better fighter." Gwaine replied with another small laugh, before Leon turned with a face of fury.
"Will you shut up?" Leon whispered aggressively in rage to his friend, which took Gwaine aback. Soon the rustling returned, swarming around them. "Maybe it's just an animal- a deer." Percival nodded, trying to reconcile Leon's anger and suspense. "We need to be sure." Leon whispered in return as he pulled out his shining silver blade.
"We'll go check further up the path and Gwaine; you stay here and call us back if you see anything." Leon explained seriously, turning to his friend with wide eyes of concern. "If you come with us, you'll just scare it away." Leon explained. "Yeah- it'll take one look at you and just die." Percival laughed, but soon shut up as Leon stared icily in his direction. "No, he just won't shut up." Leon added with a smirk before he kicked his horse and set off up the path, before he and Percival were lost in the thickening fog.
Gwaine sat on his horse, giving a hefty sigh as he stared around him; trees, trees and more trees, not to mention the thousands of golden leaves which lay upon the forest floor. It was quite a beautiful sight, but the thickening fog added eeriness, and a coldness which could definitely be felt both inside and out.
Although, Gwaine didn't take much notice, instead he yawned and sighed and even contemplated going for a quick nap on his horses long haired mane, it wasn't like anyone would find out. But then he heard the rustling return, of course this made him freeze as a spooky silence seemed to captivate the woods around him; should he call for Leon and Percival? No… He'd deal with this lurking beast himself.
His long freezing fingers crept along his blade before he ripped the shining blade from its slumber and quickly hopped off his horse. "Who's there?" He called out to the silence, as his eyes shot frantically around- nothing; nothing but a folded piece of white parchment which lay just a few footsteps out.
His face grew curious, his brows furrowing in disbelief as the handsome young Knight stepped out to retrieve it before the breeze took it away.
The thick parchment was folded neatly and sealed messily with red wax, but there was no royal seal, no mark of who was the bearer of such notes. But he wasted no time in pulled the card with force to watched the blob of red wax crack and break, as his fingers unfolded the card. It read thin, neat black writing, each letter curled graciously with elegant flicks and glorious swipes with that of a quill.
Gwaine,
Do not fear, I have not come for vengeance, I hold no quarrel with you after all. We have never met, and it has probably been for the better- but, I wish to speak with you soon. Please do not fear me- I bring you no harm; please trust in my words if not anything else.
Meet me at the forest edge at nightfall, I will wait for you there- for a conversation and nothing more, I have things to ask of you. You do not have to come, but I would be greatly disappointed and would cherish your company.
Burn this note upon reading it and show no one, I beg of you.
Morgana.
Gwaine froze, as his eyes graced over the signature at the end; Morgana. Wasn't she the one they were out hunting today? Yet she was surely here moments ago, watching… It sent a shiver down his spine, as his eyes shot up and around him, looking for any trace of her presence still lingering, he backed away- shaken by this encounter, his hands still holding the note possessively.
Why did Morgana want him? What had he done? Although, she did not seem angered, she seemed curious if anything else. He was aware of her manipulative ways that she would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. What if this act of kindness in her letter was in fact an act of aggression, that she would hold him captive, kill him perhaps?
But she explained she only wanted to exchange words with him, she had stressed she meant no harm, she did not want peace no, but she did not want blood either, or so it seemed.
"What are you doing?" Leon laughed as he saw Gwaine standing, frozen in fear. Gwaine's mind raced before he jumped at Leon's presence. "Eh… Nothing, I thought I heard something." Gwaine explained, as he forced a fake smile before climbed upon his horse again.
"Where you scared down here all by yourself?" Percival mocked with a childish voice before his booming laughed echoed through the silence. Gwaine scowled at his friend before he went to tuck the note into the pocket sewn to his chest.
"What's that then?" Percival asked, as he saw Gwaine tuck the parchment away. "Nothing." Gwaine muttered quickly, not meeting Percival's gaze. "Aw, just another love letter from one of your many sweethearts?" Percival mocked a second time, holding his hands to his chest and gazing up to the sky, his tone filled with sardonic infatuation. "Yeah… Something like that." Gwaine told him with a sheepish smile, as Leon took off back down the path.
"What's the matter with you?" Percival asked Gwaine, seriously now. "Before we left you were practically asleep on your saddle, and now you're fully alert, you seem… unnerved…" Percival told his friend, his eyes scanning his face for any sign of what might be wrong.
"Oh, he's just scared- in case he met Morgana." Leon scoffed before he let a booming laugh escape him lips, not unlike Percival's, as Percival returned the laugh, leaving a frowning Gwaine. "Well, you'll be happy to know, it was just a deer." Leon reassured his friend when his laughs dampened. "And I was too much of sap to kill it." Percival confessed with a laugh, before he kicked off his horse to catch up with Leon's, leaving an anxious Gwaine to think over the recent events in his mind.
