A Different Destiny:
Morgana stared out at the bustle of people outside in Camelot. Farmers and peasants from the outskirts along with neighboring kings and queens had all come to Camelot.
She clutched the necklace at her throat and tried to calm herself down by looking at the ring at the end of it. A plain silver band, if someone didn't know better they wouldn't understand why she treasured it. A smile spread across her face as she remembered that night.
"Marry me, Morgana."
"Arthur… you know I can't," she had whispered back though it had hurt to say.
"Why?" He leaned forward so that he was inches from her. "Marry me."
"You need a queen who is good and just. I'm evil…" her voice got caught as she said that painful truth. "It's in the past and I've seen it in the future. It's my destiny." She turned her face away from him.
"I need a queen who will tell me when I'm wrong and stand up for what is right no matter the consequences. I need a queen who is my equal in everything." He stretched his hand out and turned her face to his. "And as for destiny saying you are evil I don't believe it. We make our own destiny in this world Morgana."
He took the silver ring that had belonged to his mother off of his thumb and closed her fingers around it. She took a deep breath and looked up at him.
"I love you Morgana. You are my destiny."
Morgana smiled at the memory. Arthur always got what he wanted. And if she was honest with herself she hadn't wanted to fight him on it. She wanted to believe that what he said was right, that they created their own destiny and that she wasn't evil. That her dreams of Arthur falling dead to the ground with Mordred's sword through him and knowing it was all her fault, would never come about.
"My lady, Morgana?" She turned from the window to see Gwen standing there. Gwen was wearing a brand new pink gown and a flower in her hair for the occasion. It had only been a few months but she was already glowing.
"Gwen," a wide grin spread across her face. "I'm so glad you are here."
"Of course, where else would I be on my best friend's wedding day? Besides you were there at mine."
"How is Lancelot?" she inquired.
Gwen automatically smiled at the sound of her husband's name. "He is with Merlin somewhere. He was actually very nervous about me riding here."
"I'm surprised he even let you out of his sight, I would expect with the baby on the way he would be following your every step." Lancelot's love for Guinevere was evident in everything he did; he positively adored her and was thrilled that they were going to have a child. "Have you decided what you are going to name her?'
Gwen laughed. "I still have no idea how you are so sure it is going to be a girl."
Morgana got a mysterious smile on her face. "Trust me, I know. So what name have you decided on?"
"If you're right and it is a girl we are thinking we will name her Rebecca."
"That's a lovely name."
"But enough about me, it's your wedding day!" Gwen teased and stepped forward towards Morgana.
"Gwen… I'm so scared. Every time something good has come within my reach it has been taken from me. What if that happens with Arthur?" She said the fear evident in her voice.
"Nothing could destroy you and Arthur. You two have belonged together for as long as anyone can remember. Come, let's get you ready."
Morgana threw her arms around her friend in a tight hug. She needed to stop worrying about the future and focus on the present. She was getting married to the man she loved and her best friend was right there beside her.
"Merlin!" Arthur hollered. "Where is my crown?"
Lancelot laughed as Merlin came rushing into the prince's room with the crown in his hand.
"Jeez, you are even more of a prick on your wedding day. At least you only get married once."
Arthur picked up the cup nearest to him and threw it at Merlin, who automatically ducked.
"Alright, well I'm going to go track down Gwaine and take a seat. Good luck!" he called to Arthur as he strolled out of the room.
Arthur sighed. He wished he could be as relaxed as his friends were, but he hated all the fuss over this wedding. If it had been up to him he would have dragged Morgana to the nearest priestess (of the old religion because that would have made Morgana happy) and married her the moment she had said yes. He actually didn't even need a priestess to feel married to Morgana: his whole life already revolved around her. But Uther had insisted on having a grand ceremony and of course since he was the future king he had to agree to it.
"Merlin, what are you thinking about?" He said turning to his friend.
"You will be a great king one day Arthur. I know you will be joust and kind to all and unite Albion under one rule," Merlin said wisely and Arthur was once again struck with the fact that sometimes his stupid friend was rather wise.
Then Merlin got a big smile that spread to his ears. "I just can't wait to see Morgana scold you when you are acting like a royal ass."
Arthur glared at his friend. "You know just because I forgave you for hiding the fact that you have magic from me doesn't mean I'll forgive you everything."
Merlin laughed. "Come on your highness," he said in a mocking tone. "Let's get you ready for your wedding."
Morgana sat on the bench outside of the double doors and new everyone inside was waiting for her to enter. They must all be wondering where the bride was, but she couldn't move. Not yet.
One of the side doors creaked open and Merlin came into the room.
'Morgana, what's the matter? Everyone is ready and I think you are starting to worry Arthur."
She turned to look at him. "I know I'm sorry. I was just thinking about how I wish my father was here to walk me down the isle that's all. I know it's silly."
Merlin came and sat on the bench next to her. "No it's not." She turned to look at him and remembered that he too had lost his father. "Why didn't you let Uther walk you down the isle?"
She gave a half laugh. "I have made peace with Uther, and he has accepted the fact that I have magic. But that doesn't mean we are close. I spent too much of my life living in fear of the day he would have me killed."
Merlin nodded. "I understand."
She sighed. "I guess I just wish I had someone."
"You do. You have me and Arthur, and Gwen…" But suddenly she got an idea.
"Merlin, would you give me away?"
He got a startled look on his face. "Me? I'm just a servant."
She laughed at that. "We both know perfectly well that you aren't just a servant Merlin. You have saved Arthur's life countless times and when no one else knew of my magic you were there for me."
She looked straight at him. "Please?"
Slowly, very slowly, a wide grin spread across Merlin's face. She smiled back. She was ready to get married now.
Arthur stood nervously at the end of the isle waiting for Morgana. He could feel everyone's eyes in the room on him, knowing that they all must be wondering where the bride was.
He was suddenly very worried that Morgana had changed her mind. He knew she loved him; he would never doubt that. But he was worried that her fear of her dreams of the future might cause her to run.
He caught Gwen's eyes in the audience and she gave him a reassuring smile. Gwen was Morgana's closest friend and one of his also. He smiled back at her, but he was nervous.
Suddenly the doors opened and he caught his breath.
Standing at the entrance was Morgana. She was wearing a long lowly white gown that trailed on the floor behind her. Though it was very plain, she seemed to be radiating light. He vaguely remembered Morgana saying something about Gwen making it, but at that moment all of his thoughts were on his bride. Her long dark brown hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall and she wore a simple silver band around her forehead as a sign of place in the royal household. The band was placed perfectly to show the half crescent moon that was carved on her forehead to show that she was a daughter of Avalon and one of the high priestesses. (This had bothered Uther to no end but Morgana as always had stayed with what was true to her heart and said she was a priestess of Avalon and there was nothing he could do about it). Her perfect lips were a deep shade of red.
He looked into her eyes and she smiled. Neither took their eyes off of each other as she walked step by step down the isle.
He vaguely noticed that Merlin was wearing a goofy grin and escorting her down the isle, and it made him happy that his friend and the woman he loved were so close. If they had been constantly trying to kill each other it would have been a problem.
Finally Morgana reached the end of the isle and Merlin released her hand. Arthur reached out and took Morgana's hand in his, not even listening to all the words the priest was saying. (Uther hade insisted on a priest and Morgana had agreed telling Arthur later that it really didn't matter to her for in the eyes of the Goddess they would be one).
"Do you Arthur Pendragon promise to take Morgana LeFay as your lawful and wedded wife till the day you die?"
"I do." He said clearly keeping his eyes on Morgana. "Forever and always," he whispered so that only Morgana heard him.
"And do you Morgana LeFay promise to take Arthur Pendragon as your lawful and wedded husband till the day you die?"
"I do." Morgana said with equal clarity. "Forever and always," she whispered back to Arthur.
"Then with the power vested in me I pronounce you husband and wife," the priest said.
Arthur reached forward and pulled Morgana close to him and kissed her passionately. He wrapped his arms around her waist and felt her arms in turn move to encircle his neck as she kissed him back just as passionately.
Neither was carrying that the whole court of Camelot was watching.
He pulled back and smiled. Morgana in turn smiled wider than he had ever seen and laughed out of joy.
The audience erupted in applause as they kissed again, but Arthur didn't notice because all that mattered to him was that Morgana was now his wife.
Morgana sat at the dining table next to Arthur. Watching all the guests around her. She turned to beam at Arthur who was goofing off with Merlin, but still holding her hand. She was fine with that; she was perfectly content to watch all the guests.
In the corner of the room Gwen stood leaning into Lancelot who in turn had his hands wrapped around her stomach. The two were beaming at each other and more in love than any other couple she knew. They would make great parents.
In another corner of the room she saw Sir Leon flirting with some pretty maiden that she didn't recognize and Gaius smiling while taking a drink out of his glass. She was surprised to see that Gwaine wasn't over there with them and looked around the room.
Gwaine stood in a corner leaning against the wall obviously flirting with the pretty blonde in front of him. She took a harder look and realized that it was Princess Elena. It was actually rather amusing to see Gwaine try so hard to charm Elena who was in turn laughing but not taking any of his bullshit. She smiled to herself; they would be a good couple.
In another corner of the room she saw Uther having a long conversation with some foreign king she didn't recognize. It was the first time she had really seen him smile since she had told him that she had magic and was now a priestess of Avalon. He had been so furious that day and had Arthur not been there she wasn't sure she would have been able to control her own temper. She had hated Uther for so long that it was hard, to forgive him. But as time passed she found the hatred was dwindling. They would never have the father daughter relationship they had before, but they were forming a kind of truce.
She had made sure to set Uther as far away from the Druids and priestesses as she could. It wasn't physically possible to fit any more tables between them. Had Morgause come she was sure she would be sitting at the druid table with the other priestesses of Avalon, but Morgause had refused to come. Morgause had told her quite openly that though she loved her, and was happy for her and Arthur, she could not and would not come and celebrate with Uther. Instead she had gone and stayed with Cenred who had also refused to come.
Morgana sighed. Somehow she knew her sister would not leave Camelot and Uther at peace. Unlike Morgana, she would never forgive. But hopefully she wouldn't cause as much trouble now that Morgana was married to Arthur and the future queen of Camelot.
Her eyes continued scanning the room till they fell on the small boy she had been searching for. He was sitting at the druid table as she had expected, but he seemed to be completely separate from everyone else. While everyone was smiling and laughing he was sitting there in silence. He turned his piercing blue eyes toward her.
'Hello Morgana,' Mordred's voice spoke in her head.
She was startled for a moment, but then quickly scolded herself. She should be used to Mordred speaking in her mind by now.
'Hello Mordred. What's the matter?'she replied. Though it had been difficult at first she had finally mastered the art of speaking in her mind well enough to form sentences.
'Nothing. I was just thinking that you did it.' 'Did what?'
'Changed destiny.' Her heart skipped a beat as he said that word. Destiny. Destiny and Mordred's destiny to kill Arthur. She refused to believe that this boy she loved so much would kill Arthur, the man she loved more than anything in the world.
'Did I really?' she inquired back, almost daring Mordred to tell her that he was still planning on killing Arthur.
He smiled at her. 'You know the truth to that.'
She smiled back. Yes she did know the truth. Arthur was right, they made their own destiny. And hers was with Arthur.
"Morgana?" she turned and smiled at Arthur upon hearing his voice. "May I have this dance?"
"You really want to dance in public? People might be able to tell that you have two left feet," she teased.
"What are you talking about?" he said fanning being hurt. He took her hand and pulled her into the middle of the dance floor.
She laughed as everyone turned to stare at the newly weds.
He dipped her low causing her to laugh, before he pulled her close to him.
"I love you Arthur Pendragon," she said letting the truth surround them.
"I know. I love you too Morgana, my heart, my soul, my wife, my queen."
Arthur and Morgana had made a different destiny: one with each other.
Epilogue
During the reign of King Arthur and Queen Morgana Albion was united in peace and Camelot grew to be the ideal city. Guinevere and Lancelot had many children, the first being a daughter named Rebecca. They later had another daughter name Ninniane and a little boy they named Galahad. They were always at court and Gwen remained Morgana's closest friend. Gwaine bet Elena that if he could beat her in a horse race she had to marry him. It was the only time Gwaine ever beat Elena and Morgana always had the secret belief that Elena lost on purpose. They had twin boys with long flowy hair like their father who were slightly clumsy like their mother. Gaius stayed the courts physician for years until the retired and lived at the castle while babysitting the children. Uther never did trust the druids, but grew to accept that not all magic was evil. He didn't really have a choice being that all the druids always came to Camelot to see the Lady of Avalon, the Queen Morgana. Mordred would grow up to be the leader of the druids, and would spend his time constantly traveling solving disputes. But when he wasn't he was at court where he maintained a close son and mother relationship with Morgana. Unfortunately he and Arthur never did get along super well, but other than a few heated arguments nothing bad ever came from it. Merlin became the greatest wizard of all time, but whenever his ego got too big Arthur would throw something at him. He stayed the king and queen's closest advisor and friend, and had many adventures of his own but there are too many too name here. As for King Arthur and Queen Morgana they were married for many years. They were equals in all things and neither made any important decision without consulting the other. But even though they were adults they continued to bicker and argue with each other like children their whole marriage. The story of their unity and love spread throughout many kingdoms till it become a legend. They had one daughter, a little girl named Valeria who eventually married Galahad and kept Camelot as a save kingdom. When they got old and were about to die Arthur and Morgana left with Merlin on a boat into the mists of Avalon. Some say they died, but most believe that the royal couple and their adviser are still living together in Avalon, waiting for the day that Camelot needs them again.