My plot gremlins and I are ba-ack.
This is a sequel to a different path, which will be a series of interconnected one and or two shots. The stories will take place between when Uther died and the feast at the end of a different path.
The coffin sat alone in the middle of the great hall, the only light in the room came from a few candles that sat on the chandelier giving a slight glow. The rest of the room was dark and dim, the sun having set not long before.
The man inside the coffin had through his arrogance caused the deaths of hundred's of innocents people. He was responsible for the near extinction of a wise and noble species from his and surrounding lands. He had created a pre-judged ness and fear of an entire people turning friend against friend. He was the monster in the nightmares of many and many were relieved he was in the coffin.
The Man in the Coffin had lost the love of his life the day he was granted the son they had hoped for, for years. He desired to protect his Kingdom and his son from a dangerous force. He had worked to create alliances with neighboring kingdoms. He loved his son more than his own life. He loved the daughter he could not admit he had because her mother was the wife of another more than his own life. He was loved by his family and would be missed.
The doors slowly opened and a blonde man walked in with a dark haired woman by his side. A dark haired young man solemnly closed the door behind them. They walked over and stood by the coffin looking down at their father.
Arthur sighed sadly resting his hand on the edge of Uther's coffin. Morgana stepped around to stand on the other side across from him. They stood in silence neither know what or even if they should say anything. The brother and sister were still coming to terms with the fact that they were brother and sister, their shared father having admitted to being Morgana's birth father on his death bed. The death of Uther Pendragon was hard for both to come to terms with.
For Arthur because this man for all the mistakes that he had made, every life that had been lost that Arthur now understood had been because of the man's pride and refusal to admit his part in the death of Arthur's mother, whether he knew what would happen or not, was the only parent the prince had ever know. He was the man that taught him how to ride a horse, he had listened to him talk about his day every night at dinner, at least when he was home and was able to have dinner with his son and later on Morgana. He was the man who instilled a sense of pride in his kingdom, and a duty to protect it's people from those who would harm them.
For Morgana, this was the man that she had found herself fearing when she discovered her magic. The man who had been the source of death for so many of her kin. The man who used to put her in chains if she spoke out against him too much, this was the man that on several occasions she had wished dead. This was the man who had traveled all the way to Tintagel to bring her to live in Camelot after Gorlois died because of a promise made to her father. This is the man who hardly ever refused a request so long as it was reasonable. This was the man who sat by her bedside when she first started having nightmares. This was the man that had refused to give up looking for her for over a year when she was taken by Morgause. The man that she had found she no longer wanted dead, deposed perhaps but not dead.
"the first memory I have of him was when he came to bring me to Camelot after my father Gorlois died" Morgana spoke breaking the silence. "I had been told he was coming and made up my mind that I wasn't going"
Flash back
"My Lady please, the king will be here any moment,
"No, I don't want to live in Camelot" the eight-year-old Morgana shouted holding the door closed from the inside.
"I am staying in Tintagel castle and that's final Anna"
Anna let go of the doors and sat back from her position on her knees in front of the wardrobe, she sighed in frustration. The governess has taken the breakfast dishes to the door and handed them off to a waiting servant. She had not expected to turn around to see Lady Morgana Tintagel kneeling inside the wardrobe and closing herself in.
Anna didn't really want Morgana to go either, She had been taking care of her for the past four years. However, King Uther had claimed Morgana as his ward and it had been Gorlois's wish that should anything happen to him his daughter would be cared for by Uther. No one wanted Morgana to have to go, but there was no choice in the matter, no one had grounds to challenge the King in this matter.
"Morgana, I am sure it won't be so bad," Anna spoke gently.
" yes it will be, I'll never see any of you again if I leave. I'll never see you or my tutors and I'll never see Tintagel again" Morgana's voice was full of conviction certain of her words.
"of course you'll see me again, I'll come visit you," Anna told her hoping she sounded reassuring.
"No, you won't"
"What is going on here" a new and male voice demanded from behind her.
Eight-year-old Morgana kneeled inside her wardrobe listening to Anna talking to someone who's voice she didn't recognize. She was smart for an eight-year-old having learned that her wardrobe with a bit of modification was a perfect place to hide. She had borrowed a hammer and taken a hook lock and attached it the inside of the doors of her wardrobe. As soon as Anna stopped trying to pull the doors open Morgana had locked them.
"Sire" She heard Anna speak to the man.
"where is the Lady Morgana" The new voice demanded.
Morgana frowned a furrowed her brow, she didn't like his tone speaking to her governess like that. Who did he think he was coming here a speaking like that to her Anna.
"She's in the wardrobe My Lord. I am sorry I told her you were coming, I only turned my back for a moment I never expected" Anna stopped speaking, Morgana guessed this new person had signaled her to stop.
"why is she in the wardrobe?" The man asked a tad more gently but still with an authoritative tone.
The doors jiggled as the new man tried to open the doors.
Morgana huffed, she didn't like being talked about like she wasn't in the room. They may not be able to see her in the wardrobe but they knew she was there.
"she" Anna started but Morgana cut her off.
"I am right here if you want to know something about me, ask me" Morgana spoke trying to sound as authoritative as she could.
She could hear a pair of booted feet step toward the wardrobe.
"alright then" The new man's voice started out high up then lowered to more level with her as if he had been standing and then kneeled down.
"Lady Morgana Tintagel. Why are you in the wardrobe when you should be preparing for your journey to Camelot? Is this anyway for a Lady to greet a guest" The new man asked
"What's your name?" Morgana asked
"I am King Uther Pendragon." The man told her.
"well Uther Pendragon, I am in this wardrobe because I have decided I am not going to Camelot. I shall stay in my wardrobe until you leave"
"oh really?" Uther asked
"really"
"Morgana Tintagel as your King I am ordering to come out of that Wardrobe"
"No"
Uther was silents for a moment as he tried to think of how to get the child to come out of the wardrobe.
"Morgana, I promised your father I would take care of you and to do that I need to bring you to Camelot. Would you go against his final wishes?" Uther asked her
Morgana thought for a minute, she didn't want to have to go against her father, but she also didn't want to leave the only home she had ever known.
"you could stay here and be my guest for a couple years till I am old enough to take care of myself," Morgana told him.
"My son Arthur is waiting for us in Camelot. Am I to send word that I will not be returning for several years?" Uther asked.
"you have a son?" Morgana asked
"yes I do, he's nine years old almost a year and a half older than you. He's looking forward to meeting you" Uther told her.
"you can send word for him to come here, there is plenty of room," Morgana said,
"so two people should move rather than just one?" Uther asked
"um"
"Morgana you are going to Camelot if you like it or not. I know that moving to a new city, especially after losing your father is scary, but Camelot is a beautiful city which I am sure you will grow to love." Uther spoke gently.
Morgana was silent for a moment thinking.
"What about my tutors and my governess, who will teach me my lessons and watch over me?" Morgana asked
"I've already arranged for you to have new tutors in Camelot and you will have a personal servant to watch over you," Uther told her.
Morgana frowned , she didn't want new tutors and a personal servant instead of Anna. She liked the tutors she had and the servants often looked at the floor rather that her when she was speaking to them and they to her. Anna always looked her in the eyes and Anna had two boys that that would come and play with her sometimes.
"I don't want a servant, I want Anna and Anna can't leave Tintagel cause she's got a husband and two sons if I go to Camelot I'll never see her again," Morgana said the pout could almost be heard in her voice.
"Anna?" Uther asked
"She's speaking of me your majesty, if I may" Anna's voice came through the crack in the wardrobe.
There was the sound of moving around then Anna's voice was closer and down at Morgana's level.
"Lady Morgana you cannot know if you will like your new personal servant or not unless you give them a chance. You know your father wanted you to go with King Uther but that does not mean you won't see me again"
"yes, once you've settled in Anna is welcome to come visit you. She can even bring her son's with her I am sure they would enjoy one of Camelot's tournaments" Uther spoke
"See, next tournament I'll bring Peter and Garin to come visit you." Anna told her
"you won't come" Morgana spoke sounding so sure Anna almost believed her.
"yes I will, now be a good Lady and come out of that wardrobe," Anna said gently.
Anna and King Uther were met with stubborn silence, Morgana was simply refusing to budge.
"tell me something Lady Morgana would your father approve of this behavior?" Uther asked
Morgana was silent for a moment before she answered in a quiet voice.
"no," she said
Morgana sighed sadly and reached to unlock the latch from the inside of the wardrobe doors. She slowly pushed the doors open and found herself looking at a tall dark haired man. Uther offered his hand to help her out of the wardrobe.
End flash back
"I was right, I never did see Anna again. There was a sickness that hit Tintagel not long after I left, Anna's family was one of the first to die." Morgana said as she and Arthur stood by Uther's coffin.
Arthur didn't speak as he let the story sink in, it made him wonder if Morgana's certainty that she would never see her governess again was the fear of a child or the beginning of the seer powers he now knew that she had.
The prince tried to think of a memory he could tell her of their father, It wasn't like he could tell her about the first time he had met him he'd only been ten minutes old.
"I remember the first time he took me riding with my own horse" Arthur said thinking of one of his earliest fond memory of his father.
Flash back
At nine years old Prince Arthur was very energetic, He loved learning to fight with swords and hunting with his father when ever he had time. Which was not as often as the prince would like but he understood that his father was very busy with important kingly things to do. Arthur sat daydreaming about going hunting with his father, he was suppose to be practicing his reading but Arthur wasn't as fond of the more acidemic parts of his lesson as he was of the physical ones, in the daydream Arthur sat a top his own horse and rode beside his father rather than sharing a horse and riding infront of him like he always did. Arthur really wanted his own horse that he could ride all by himself, other boys that were younger than him had their own horses to ride. The prince had asked his father why he couldn't have his own horse yet when lord Torrin's son did and he was seven. Uther simply told Arthur that he didn't feel he was ready yet, Arthur pouted and mumbled about it not being fair and he was so ready. Arthur never knew but the "he" Uther was talking about was himself.
Uther opened the door to the library and walked in to see his son sitting at one of the tables with a book open in front of him slowly flipping through the pages. The king studied his son for a moment, he didn't seem to be actually reading the book. He turned to the boys tutor Geoffery who had stood up when the king entered the room.
"how are my son's lessons going today Geoffery?" Uther asked him
"father." Arther exclaimed happily his head coming up from the book when he heard his voice.
"he is doing well Sire" Geoffery told him a slight smile ghosted the mans face before he disciplined his featured into a more stern expression turning slightly to the prince before continuing speaking to the king but directing his comment to the prince. "of course he would do better if he did not daydream so much when he is supposed to be reading."
Arthur opened his mouth to protest but Uther cut him off with a look, he realized his father had seen him daydreaming himself and there was no use denying it.
"I am sure you will figure something out Geoffery. Now are you finished with Arthur for the day or should I come back later?" Uther asked.
"Yes Sire, we are finished for the day," Geoffery told him
"come along Arthur I have something to show you," Uther said holding out his hand to his son.
Arthur scrambled out of his seat and walked quickly over to his father taking his offered hand. Remembering his manners he turned to Geoffery.
"thank you for my reading, writing, and math lessons today Lord Monmouth," Arthur said
"you are most welcome my Lord," Geoffery said with a slight bow.
"Sire," Geoffery said bowing to the king.
"Lord Monmouth," The king said giving Geoffery a slight bow of his head.
Uther turned and walked out of the library with Arthur in tow. Arthur was curious his father hardly ever came and got him from his lessons him self, it was usually his personal servant that came for him. He wondered if Adam had quit like Lucas had before him and Fredrick before him and the list went on.
"father did Adam quit?" Arthur asked
"Adam?" Uther asked
"my man servant," Arthur said
"no Arthur he has not, he's waiting for us where I have a surprise for you," Uther told him
"a surprise, what is it?" Arthur asked bouncing a little excited, his father hardly ever got him a surprise unless it was his birthday.
"if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise," Uther told him chuckling under his breath.
Uther led Arthur out into the court yard where Adam and a few stable hands held the reigns of some horses that had all been saddled and were ready to be taken out. Sir Bruese, Sir Robert, the newly knighted Sir Cadwr and the young squire Leon all stood waiting. They eached bowed apon seeing Uther and Arthur coming down the steps and walking toward them.
"are we going riding?" Arthur asked thinking this wasn't much of a surprise.
"yes we are," Uther told him.
"but today is going to be slightly different" he motioned for Adam to come forward.
Adam led the two horse he was holding forward and stopped in front of the king his head bowed eyes on the man's feet as was the proper stance of a servant.
"My Lords " he said in a respectful tone holding out the reigns to the king.
Uther took the reigns and turned to Arthur, he held out one of the sets of reigns to his son.
"Arthur I have decided that you are ready to ride your own horse," Uther told him
Arthur's face lit up in a smile.
"really?" He asked
"yes," Uther said still holding the reigns.
"thank you father," Arthur said taking the reigns as he turned his attention to his new horse, he gently pet the horses muzzle.
"know Arthur having your own riding horse is a big responsibility," Uther said sternly
Arthur turned his attention back to his father, still gently petting the horses muzzle.
"you must take care of him, make sure he is taken care of"
"yes father I will," Arthur said with as much conviction as he could at nine years old.
Uther made sure Arthur was safely in his saddle before mounting his own horse. King Uther and Prince Arthur's horse trotted out of the courtyard towards to gates of the city with the knights and squire Leon following behind them.
End flash back
"it's strange to look back on those kinds of memories knowing what I know now about what our father did, how many innocent people died," Arthur said solemnly.
"I need to remember the good memories of him as few as they may be" Morgana spoke gently.
"if I only focus on the bad memories it will only make me angry with him which will make me hate him, what's the point of hating a man who has passed on it does no one any good."
"you are right of course" Arthur agreed with her.
Merlin sat against the wall across from the doors of the great hall looking out the window as he waited for Arthur and Morgana, he knew he would be waiting all night as it was tradition for the deceased kings son's and or daughter's to sit up with his body from dusk till dawn. Morgana had been nervous earlier, Merlin had advised her to focus on her good memories of Uther. Merlin sighed as he tried to do the same, he realized he didn't have all that many good memories of the King. He spent most of his time with Arthur or Gaius or secretly protecting Camelot from a magical threat, So his time with Uther was limited which the warlock was fine with.
"are you going to sit here all night?" Gwen asked sitting down beside him.
Merlin nodded.
"I need to be here to support them," Merlin said
"want some company," Sir Lancelot asked sitting down on the other side of him.
Sir Leon, Sir Gwaine, Sir Elyan and Sir Percival all joined his vigil for the night.
Knowing what they knew now about what Merlin had been doing for the kingdom and the fact that he had had to practically do it alone. With Merlin and Morgana being gone for over a year they had learned first hand just how much Merlin did for Camelot. Lancelot, Gwaine, Gwen and Leon and of course Arthur and Morgana were determined that Merlin should never have to handle things alone again.
When Arthur and Morgana came out the next dawn a smile met their lips at the sight of Merlin sitting there with Gwen and Lancelot's heads sleeping on his shoulders Gwaine and Percival leaned against each other on the opposite wall Elyan sat head lolled forward on the other side of his sister. Merlin and Leon were the only ones still awake.
okay so I tried to make some connections from a different path into this story you may recognize a couple of the names and the mention of Merlin and Morgana having been gone.
My plot gremmlin's and I bid you a dew till the next chapter.
Reviews are welcome, critasism only if constructive.