This chapter is set right after Morgana (original evil version) attempted to murder King Uther in his chambers, and Merlin accidentally knocked her to fall into those flight of stairs with his magic. Onwards with Morgana's redemption! :)
The Guardian
Chapter 2: Camelot, Part One
I woke with a start. The first thing I saw were four posts on a bed. I think the sun had yet to go up, but I wasn't really sure if dawn was near, or that dusk had just happened a few hours prior.
"Where am I?" I couldn't help but exclaim out loud. I had never slept against my will like that for more than five hundred years.
There was a girl to the far left of the room who turned around and promptly dropped the vase she was cleaning, surprised that I had woken up. The loud crash echoed throughout the room.
"Oh, my Lady Morgana! You're AWAKE! You're okay! How are you feeling?!" The same girl I saw in my vision, the handmaiden. She sounded truly worried and relieved, as she hurriedly ran to my side and promptly gave me a hug.
"I'm fine, thank you." What else was there to say? I'm a woman of few words.
"Thank the Gods! Nevertheless, I'll get someone to summon Gaius - he needs to give you a full check up. You've been asleep for three days! We thought for sure you were going to-"
"Guinevere! Is everything alright in there?" The voice of a man asked from outside the door asked.
"Yes! Sir Geoffrey, Lady Morgana's awake! Please get Gaius!"
"Right away, miss!"
"I feel fine, really. Please don't fuss over me..." I didn't have any attention on me for most of my existence. Oddly enough, all this girl's attention on me wasn't awkward. It was almost familiar and warm.
Guinevere. She has a pretty name, I thought to myself. "Milady, you were on the brink of death... you could not be healed."
"What?" Surely she was mistaken, I couldn't die even if I tried. "What happened?"
She paused for a moment, for what I don't know. She looked almost frightened for a moment before she replied.
"Lady Morgana... you fell down a flight of stairs. Gaius examined you and diagnosed that you had sustained a severe injury to your head. You were apparently bleeding in your brain..."
I couldn't help but gasp. What HAD happened?
A knock came upon the door, three times, and in burst a boy wearing a red scarf.
"Well that was fas-" Gwen started, but then interrupted.
"Gwen! Hi, uh, sorry to barge in like this but could you please get Gaius?"
"Wait, you're not here with him?"
"No, why? I was just... uh, visiting," he said with a tilt of his head.
"Um, hello," I said to the young man.
Finally I was acknowledged. He turned around to face me and was surprised. Well gee, I seem to be surprising a lot of people as of late, huh?
"Lady Morgana..." he breathed out, looking so happy that I was pretty sure he had tears in his eyes.
"Hi," I smiled at him, earning a warm one back.
"I can't believe you're healed! Your color is back, oh my god, oh my god... how is this possible?!" He looked so confused it was adorable.
Gwen replied, "I could hardly believe it myself, Merlin! It's a miracle!"
But I guess it was now or never, I had to tell them I had no recollection of who they were whatsoever.
"...but, um, I don't remember who either of you are. Actually, I can't recall anything about myself either." It was half the truth, at the very least.
"Oh dear," said Guinevere as she covered her mouth with her palm and covered her gasp.
The once happy face of this boy came crashing down. I didn't like that reaction one bit. I didn't like seeing him upset.
He simply stated, "oh no."
"What is your name? I would prefer much not to have to call you boy," I tried to joke. But both their faces remained somber.
"Merlin. My name is Merlin," he patiently replied, as well as a small warm smile from him. I really liked that.
"And I'm Guinevere," said the girl who I startled earlier as she smiled sadly. "My lady, your name is Morgana Le Fay. The Lady Morgana of Camelot."
"And the King's name is Uther. He'll be around very soon once he finds out you're awake, so you might want to remember that," Merlin trailed.
"What ever for?" I had to ask, "am I a princess or something?"
Merlin almost chuckled, "no, but almost, milady. You are his ward."
"This is not good, I'm truly worried," Gwen was constantly nibbling on her lower lip. "Milady, what do you remember last?"
I couldn't very well tell them I came from the year two thousand and thirteen. So I paused and contemplated my answer.
"Nothing, everything's a blank." Well, it's the truth anyway, as far as this place is concerned. Wait, where was here?
"Where am I, by the way? Where is this castle situated?" I continued to ask.
"The name of our city is Camelot," answered Merlin.
"Of legend?!" I couldn't help but blurt out.
"What?" Merlin asked.
"Oh, em, nothing. Pardon my outburst." I really have to have a better filter on what I reveal.
Gwen walked towards me and said, "milady I think it's best I get you cleaned up before the King arrives."
"Please, Guinevere, call me Morgana, enough of this my lady. May I call you Gwen?"
"Goodness, of course you may...my-Morgana." We both laughed.
"That has a nice ring to it too! I'm sure we'll be good friends, Gwen," I pointed to the room divider thing, "I suppose that's where I have to change clothes?"
"Yes, milady."
Walking to the changing area, I noticed Gwen elbow Merlin whose face turned tomato red. "I'm going to change now, I'll see you around, Merlin?" I said to him smiling.
"OH! Right, uh, I'll go inform Prince Prat, I mean, Arthur you're awake! As well as the King. No doubt Gaius will want to see you too... but I suppose he's on his way, he's the court physician by the way, oh erm, am I rambling? Sorry, sorry, I'll be on my way-" his voice trailed off, walking uncomfortably away and out the door.
Poor shy little Merlin. I like him already. I'm beginning to think talking to people and having relationships isn't so bad after all.
"Something's different about you, milady Morgana, and I don't mean your memory loss" Gwen smiled shyly.
"How so, Gwen?" Putting these clothes on was different, but I know if I conjure myself new clothing I'd scare this poor girl.
"You just seem...happier. Than you have been for a while now, or your other self was carrying such a weight on your shoulders. I kind of think this is a blessing in disguise for you..."
"Well, I believe things happen for a reason. Hopefully I figure out the reason for this one, yeah?" I was optimistic as always.
"Indeed, milady, indeed. I mean, Morgana."
Merlin's Point of View
I couldn't help but stare at her. At first I was just shocked that she was healed. I had originally come to Morgana's chambers to try and heal her with my magic and get Gwen out of there, but even that I had my reservations about. I knew there was a huge chance I'd have to talk to the dragon. Thankfully she's healed, but how, I don't know. I'm just glad I didn't have to talk to Kilgarrah about how to heal her. I doubt he'd even let me, knowing his immense hate towards her.
"I'm going to change now, I'll see you around, Merlin?" Morgana said to me pointedly with a bright smile. Was she really the same person who accidentally fell off those stairs? ...Wait, change clothes? My mind shouldn't go there.
"Merlin! The lady needs to change." Gwen whispered harshly, while simultaneously elbowing me in the ribs. I felt so embarrassed I was sure my face had taken the characteristics of an heirloom tomato.
"OH! Right, uh, I'll go inform Prince Prat, I mean, Arthur you're awake! As well as the King. No doubt Gaius will want to see you too... but I suppose-" oh my God, I'm rambling aren't I? I feel like I just started talking and hoped for the best I get to my destination of what I'm saying! "-sorry, I'll be on my way!"
I ran out of the Lady Morgana's chambers absolutely ecstatic. She was alive and well! At least to my eyes. Either way I was so relieved she was fine. My conscience could hardly take that I had done such a thing to her, I had only meant to scare her off before entering King Uther's chambers and killing him.
Author's Note:
Well! I will try to be quick with chapters as I'm overflowing with ideas these days. But seeing as it is 2:30 in the morning, I shall upload this and go to bed.
