This takes place in season 4, following the death of Morgouse in the first episode and before Uther's death in the third episode. This is my first fanfic entry ever. Please comment. Any feedback is welcome, positive or negative.

Morgana paced about her hovel, turning a dagger between her fingers. Her eyes were swollen and red, gazing off into a distant place. How could this have happened? Morgouse's final sacrifice upon the Isle of the Blessed had come to nothing. Camelot still stood under its despot, Uther.

Uther.

Hate boiled in her stomach. She wasn't even able to end Arthur's life.

Arthur.

And what was sacrificed? Some knight? Merlin didn't even take his place.

Merlin.

With a cry of rage, Morgana whisked around and launched the dagger across the room. It buried itself with a thump into what sounded like a wall. She straightened herself up as if a crowd was watching her and smoothed down her rouge hairs that were all done up in knots and braids and wound around twigs. Then, she drew closer to where the dagger had disappeared to.

At first she couldn't find it, but its milky gleam drew her eye. How amusing, she thought. No wonder she hadn't seen it at first. She had expected it to be buried in the wall, but it wasn't. It was sticking straight through one of her thickest books that had not been put away, but left propped up. She took it by its hilt and picked up the dagger as well as the book it was skewering and inspected them.

A rap came at the door. Morgana froze.

"Who is it?"

'It's me," came Agravaine's voice.

«How many time have I told you, Agravaine-Come in!-How many times have I told you to annouce yourself!"

"My apologies, my Lady," he said, slipping through the door.

"I take it you have news?" She asked irritably, her green eyes burning into him.

He hesitated for a second and then found his words. "My Lady, I came to see how you were fairing. After losing Morgouse. . ." The look she shot him silenced him.

"I am perfectly capable on my own!" she spit. "You would presume yourself so high to think that I would need to come crying to you!"

"I presumed nothing," He said calmly, attempting to defuse her. "You may accept or reject my condolences as you wish."

She looked him over venomously and then, with a shrug, let it pass and mustered up her dignity. "So why have you really come. I know it wasn't just to console me-get this out for me." She tossed him the skewered book. He turned it in his hands questionably then gripped it and yanked it out. He set the book down on the table and stuck the knife into the wood, leaving it to sit vertically.

"Uther has maximized the security. There are double the guards now and they are everywhere."

"What is your definition of 'everywhere'?" she asked, suddenly very interested.

"Everywhere. And I mean that in the literal sense. There are far more guards on the streets now, walking about. Looking for anyone suspicious. The places that already had guards now have double the number. Even me, one of Uther's only advisers, is never alone with him anymore. He always has guards about him. And it's the same with Arthur. It's been like this ever since the Isle of the Blessed."

"Well, no wonder it took you so long to get word to me," said Morana.

"Indeed. I waited a very long time for my opportune moment to get out of Camelot without arousing suspicion." Then he drew a glass vial from his riding coat and handed it to her. "I'm sorry I failed you. I was in the guards' presence constantly. I never got the chance to lace Arthur's food with poison like you asked me to. I'm afraid I won't get the chance any time soon and carrying poison around in my pockets is just getting to be too risky."

"I see." She put the poison away.

Suddenly, there was a sharp creak in the low ceiling and everything that followed next happened very fast.

"Sficksey!" she hissed. The erected dagger shot up from across the room and into her hand. "Rama hom!" The entire hut shuddered and the ceiling bulged and broke open, issuing a cloud of dust and rubble. There was a surprised cry and a crash as someone fell through the hole and down onto the floor below.

Morgana was on the eavesdropper in a second and by the time the dust cleared, she had them locked in her grip with the dagger at their throat.

"What did you hear?" roared Morgana into her captive's ear. Then she shouted to a very shocked Agravaine, "Do you recognize her?"

"Ah, uh," he fumbled. The person that sat before them was a girl. She was tall and young-faced, but he suspected that she was full grown despite her youthful features. Particularly, her wide, silvery eyes and rosy cheeks. But those were not her most noticeable features. No, most noticeable was her shining, gold hair that glowed molten in the sun stream that now entered from the hole in the ceiling. "I don't know her. I've never seen her before."

"I've never seen her either. Now what did you hear? WHAT DID YOU HEAR?" Morgana pressed the dagger deeper into the girl's throat.

"W-wait," The girl squeaked desperately. "I'm not an enemy."

Morgana paused. "What's your name?"

"Sana. It's Sana."

"What do you mean you're not my enemy?" Morgana's grip loosened slightly. The dagger didn't press so hard anymore.

"It's a long story," Sana said.

"Then make it short."

Sana hesitated for a long moment, regaining her breath. She hadn't even noticed she had been holding it. "I heard a powerful witch lived in this area."

Morgana's lips curled at the word 'powerful'. "Go on."

"Are you her?"

"I am," she said with flourish.

"I don't know what's happening to me. I suppose something about me was always a bit off, but I never expected that it could be. . .magic."

"You came to trouble me because you, like so many others, have magic."

"I'm not. . .I'm not the same as them."

"Oh?"

"You see. . ." She said, lowering her voice. "I need help. I can't control it. It comes and goes like the tides. Sometimes it won't work at all and other times. . .it's so raw. It consumes me and I wake up surrounded by destruction. And I'll know that it was me, but I won't be able to remember. I've. . .killed people."

"I can feel your power," breathed Morgana. "It's. . .intoxicating. But that still doesn't explain why you were eavesdropping."

"I heard voices and got nervous."

"What did you hear?" Morgana asked again.

"Everything," Sana said boldly. "Every word."

There was a long pause. Morgana both plotted her next course of action and tried to make sense of the girl. Deep within her and in Agravaine too, who watched speechlessly, there was an inkling of respect for the girl's harebrained courage.

Morgana finally spoke. "Well, Agravaine. We have two options. Either we kill her or take her in."

Agravaine stared aghast at her. "Haven't you heard her? She could go off at any second. She could be our demise!"

"Please," pleaded the girl, still bold as she leaned forward, fearlessly pushing her own neck into Morgana's dagger. "I have nowhere to go. I ran away from home. I need to learn how to harness my magic, to have control over it. Please. Don't send me away. I'm. . .I'm all alone in the world"

"It would be such a waste to kill you," cooed Morgana as a calmness settled over her."So we only have one choice. Besides," she added. "You remind of someone. A late friend."

"I would strongly advise against it, My Lady," huffed Agravaine. "Keeping her here. . ."

"But she won't be here."

Both Sana and Agravaine blinked in confusion. "She won't?"

"No." A twisted smile wrought Morgana's features. "I have an Idea."

Then she released Sana. The girl rubbed her throat and shakily stood up. Morgana rose too.

"Let's get you something to eat now. I would think you would be hungry wandering about the woods all day, eavesdropping on people's roofs."

Sana nodded with a shaky grin.

"Then come. I will explain myself."

Sana couldn't have begun to expect how terrifying and dangerous the plan would be.

"I can't-I don't think that-that I could do that," said Sana. She had only eaten a couple spoonfuls of stew, but she was already neglecting it.

"It's dangerous, yes, but think of what could be accomplished," said Morgana. "The plan is simple enough. Agravaine would introduce you as a Noble Lady of a family that was completely wiped out by an attack from the druids. Uther will instantly sympathize with you and ask you to stay. You will have your own coat of arms, fine clothing. It will all be legitimate. But leave those details to me. All I need you to do is be 'Lady Lenore'. Are you alright so far?"

"Yes, yes I suppose," Sana gave hesitantly.

"Agravaine will suggest a union of marriage between you and Prince Arthur. Uther will not say no to that. He will feel too sorry for you when he knows you have no family left and that you are all alone. You will get closer to Arthur and try to win his heart."

"What if I can't?"

"I doubt you will be able to. He loves a lowly serving girl. Gwenevere. But that doesn't matter, because you will be the one marrying him. And on your wedding night the two of you will be alone. The guards will leave you completely alone. And that's when you will take this dagger," she said, holding it up. ". . .and shove it through his heart."

Sana's eyes widened and she shook her head. "I couldn't. I couldn't do that."

"Sana, if you do this for me I will make you my personal apprentice. You will learn all about your magic, how to control it and use it. You could master your gifts. If you do this for me you will never have to be alone in the world again."

"What if I make a mistake?"

"Agravaine will be there to guide you and if you are found out then he will make sure that get you out somehow and you can run on back here."

"So many things could still go wrong. . ."

"Well, I won't deny that. But, Sana, I am the only person who can help you. I am your only friend. Do you really want to throw that away?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and let a single tear slide down her cheek. "I don't want to be alone anymore. . .I'll do it."

"Good," said Morgana, curling her lips. "But there is one other thing I should warn you about. Arthur has a manservant. Just an idiot, but he is always very close to Arthur and he is far more observant than he looks. He has made a nuisance of himself. Be wary of him."

"What's his name?"

"Merlin. Don't underestimate the lows that he will sink to." Morgana's suddenly disgusted expression made Sana wonder if Morgana had some past experience with him. She didn't ask.

"So when do we do this?"

"Soon. But first, finish your soup. You will need your strength."

So yeah, there you go. Sorry I didn't get to Merlin and Arthur in this chapter. This is really more like a prologue than a chapter. Don't worry. It picks up with our two heroes in the next chapter.