Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin. This is the first of many Merlin one-shots, all Morgana-centric. I just love her character so much! Also, season 5 finally came out on Netflix, so I'm on a Merlin high. I personally adored Agravaine, and would have seen him as a fatherly figure for Morgana. I wish BBC had explored his character a bit more. He could have become tragic, but they didn't delve into his life at all. This is not romantic at all! Just fatherly feelings, for the love of all things holy! So, read and review!
He had been pacing for a while now. Ever since he had found her in the woods, unconscious, head lolling to the side. He had carried her to her cottage as swiftly as possible. And she still wouldn't wake up. Agravaine had never been this worried in his life. She needed to wake up. She just had to.
Agravaine dropped to one knee before the king, as was custom. And as was custom –to him, at least- Agravaine was seething. Eleven years ago, this man had killed his sister and brother. Thanks to Uther Pendragon, Agravaine had no one. And now, he destroyed another family. Agravaine had met Gorlois and Vivien once, and now both were dead. Little Morgana was to be raised at the royal court, alongside Arthur. Arthur. Agravaine wasn't sure how to feel about the boy.
"Agravaine, welcome," Uther said warmly. "Rise." Agravaine rose, and his eyes rested on the young lady Morgana. Dark hair, and pale green eyes that watched him with guarded curiosity. Agravaine dipped his head to the two children, who both sat side by side.
"Hi Uncle Agravaine," Arthur said brightly. Agravaine smiled slightly.
"Agravaine, why do you swath yourself in black?" Uther asked. The smile fell from his face swiftly.
"I am in mourning," he said simply. "Surely you knew that." Uther stood, and took a step towards Agravaine.
"And who, pray tell, has died?" He asked softly. Agravaine met his gaze.
"My family," he said. "Ygraine and Tristan."
"That was not my fault," Uther growled.
"No," Agravaine replied sardonically. "Of course not. You got what you wanted. And I lost my family."
"You have no right-!" Uther began shouting, fist raised. And then one of the windows shattered. Morgana let out a shriek as Arthur quickly wrapped his arms around her, protecting the young girl from falling shards. Agravaine raised his arms in protection. He stared straight at Morgana. He had seen the golden glow in her eyes, just seconds before the window exploded. Uther, despiser of magic, was harboring a sorceress in his own palace.
That was many years ago. Now, here they were, much different from that eventful day in the throne room. What had happened, that turned that young little girl into this hardened, embittered woman?
Agravaine rode through the forest, black cloak billowing behind him. Arthur had sent him a message, begging for help. I cannot rule alone, the letter read. My father is of no help, as he has been since Morgana's betrayal. Please Uncle, come to Camelot. Help me, I beg you. By the time the letter came, Agravaine's hatred of all the Pendragons had been cemented deep into his heart. Arthur had killed his sister, Uther his brother. Agravaine hadn't been to the court since the day he had first met Gorlois's daughter. Whatever Morgana had done, he applauded her for it. But Agravaine was coming anyway. He could be able to wrest control from Arthur, throw his nephew and his father in the dungeons and leave them there to rot. A smile twisted Agravaine's lip as he thought more and more of disposing of the Pendragons. Suddenly, a weight collapsed on him, sending him tumbling on the forest floor. Agravaine struggled as a hooded figure pressed a blade to his neck.
"Who are you?" The stranger hissed. Agravaine groaned internally. A woman? A woman was besting him?
"I am uncle of Prince Arthur," he said. The unseen woman growled.
"A Pendragon?" She asked incredulously. "Then you must die."
"I am not a Pendragon!" Agravaine cried. The woman, evidently shocked, loosened her grip on him. Agravaine decided to use it to his advantage. He flipped his attacker over, knocking the knife out of her hand and pinning her to the ground. Agravaine saw a beautiful, pale young girl with matted black hair struggling beneath him.
"Please," she whispered. "I meant no harm. My sister, she needed medicine, I thought you were coming to attack us! Please, please let me go…" Suddenly, her eyes flared gold, and Agravaine was slammed into a tree. He staggered to his feet, holding out his hands.
"Morgana!" He gasped, for he now recognized her. "It's me! Agravaine!" Morgana glanced at him warily.
"Agravaine?" She asked softly. "But you are still loyal to Arthur."
"No," Agravaine insisted with a shake of his head. "I wish to see all Pendragons dead."
"Then you are here to kill me," Morgana said, voice hardening. "For surely you know everything?" Agravaine shook his head, bemused. "Gorlois is not my father. Uther is." She spat out the name as if it were coated in poison. Shock coursed through Agravaine's veins. Morgana was Uther's daughter? More searing hatred coursed through his blood. Uther had betrayed Ygraine. Agravaine put his hands up in the air in a gesture of surrender.
"I have no wish to kill you, Morgana," he said slowly. "In fact, we could be valuable allies."
"How?" Morgana snapped. "I have magic, and you have none."
"But Arthur and the King trust me," Agravaine explained calmly. "I could be your eyes and ears inside the palace." Morgana looked at him sideways, wary.
"It could work," she said slowly. "But if you betray me, no that you will pay."
"I would expect no less," Agravaine said solemnly. Morgana walked closer to him until her lips were right next to his ear.
"You believe you know pain?" She whispered softly. "If you betray me, I will make you long for something as sweet as pain."
It was not only Morgana's threats that made Agravaine swear his undying devotion to her and her cause. She was enigmatic, charismatic. But there was another event, one event that made Agravaine realize just how deeply his loyalty to Morgana went.
Morgana slipped off her healing bracelet, and placed it around Morgause's wrist.
"May I ask why you do this, my lady?" Agravaine asked from his post at the doorway. He had his hands folded behind his back, staring at the disfigured face of Morgana's half-sister.
"She has nightmares," Morgana explained without looking up. "The bracelet induces a deeper sleep; it fends off the nightmares. She gave it to me, and until she no longer needs it, I give it to her."
"And what about you, my lady?" Agravaine asked. "Do you not suffer from nightmares as well?" Morgana turned to glare at him.
"Your impertinence begins to chafe me, my lord," she said. "What I do and don't suffer is none of your concern. Now, why are you here?"
"Arthur rides by here tomorrow on his way to slay the sorcerer Kalmar," Agravaine said promptly. "He sent me out tonight to scout for danger."
"But there will be none, save me," Morgana said, a smile twisting her lips. "You have done well, my lord. If Arthur believes you to be out riding when you are not, you may stay here for the night." Agravaine nodded stiffly as a sign of thanks. Morgana stretched herself out on her bed, and with a sigh, fell asleep.
Agravaine remembered how peaceful, how blissful she looked while asleep, the hard lines of suffering smoothing themselves away from her face. But that night, that night had shown just how much he would do for Lady Morgana Pendragon.
Agravaine could not sleep. He was staring out the small window of the cottage, staring at the stars in the sky. Suddenly, he heard a small whimper from behind him. He whirled around, dagger drawn, ready to attack whatever intruder. But it was Morgana, tossing as she slept, nightmares evidently plaguing her mind. She cried out again, and shuddered. Agravaine walked over to the bed and knelt, unsure. What could he do for this girl, who needed help but loathed it so? She twitched, and her eyes rolled back in her head as she elicited another small sob. Paternal instincts took over Agravaine. He had no children of his own, had never even married, but Ygraine had always been younger than him, had always come to him and Tristan for comfort whenever she got scared of thunderstorms, or when she sobbed for fear of disappointing her powerful husband. Agravaine stroked Morgana's cheeks softly, whispering words of comfort to her. The tossing and whimpers slowly stopped as Agravaine's comfort seeped into her subconscious. Morgana sighed softly, and rolled over, at peace.
Now, Agravaine felt his insides twist in knots. Whoever had done this to her would surely pay. He ran a hand through his dark hair in agitation. He looked over at her, almost sadly. But, like her, emotion had no place in Agravaine's heart. That one night had been nothing more than foolishness, foolishness that must never happen again. Revenge was the only thing that must reign in Agravaine's mind. But he couldn't help but worry about her.
"Wake up Morgana, I beg you," he pleaded. And he then went to stoke the fire.
What do you think? Too angsty? Too OOC? I'm trying as hard as I can, but maybe I'm not cut out for angst. I've never really written it before. I hope you guys all liked it, and please, don't be shy to tell me TRUTHFULLY what you thought in a review.