Gwen

Gwen had thought she had figured out what ailed Arthur. That day, when she learned of her husband and King's strange new orders, she knew for sure that Arthur was not of sound mind. Over the time of the treaty and negotiations, Gwen knew that Arthur was preoccupied with so many tasks on hand, it was not uncustomary for him to seem distant. But that was different from orders that made no sense. Sending his most loyal Knights to fetch old artifacts to add to Camelot's vaults? It was not her Arthur.

Gwen did not know if it was an enchantment or not, but she figured if she could simply drug Arthur for a few hours, she could come up with an explanation. She had hastily sent out a messenger to give word to Gaius and Merlin that something was wrong with Arthur, but it seemed that Morgana had been a step ahead of her.

Gwen had been wrong about what ailed Arthur. It was not the same thing that had possessed Merlin. She had thought it could have been. And while she had been wrong, she thought she would have another chance, but that had been lost the moment Morgana entered the picture.

Morgana. How once upon a time the two had been friends, although they were of different Classes. But that had been then…. Before she had been corrupted by Magic. The darkness that had shrouded her once close confident, Gwen didn't recognize Morgana at all. She was cold and cruel, and could easily kill without a second thought. Although Morgana claimed to hate Uther so much, she was so much like her father it was unsettling to say the least.

While Uther wanted all those who had magic to be burned or killed, Morgana wanted the same, to all those who were not with magic to die and perish in her hands.

The were one of the same coin.

And for a moment Gwen had feared her husband had become just that in the short duration. But Gwenknew Arthur. She knew him and she would never believe her husband and king would ever become so cold, not to the Knights that had been loyal to him, not for the greed of artifacts, and most certainly, he would have consulted with her before sending Elyan on a journey he may not return from.

No. It wasn't Arthur.

It was Arthur controlled by Morgana as it seemed.

After Arthur had left in the morning to do this duties as King, Morgana had appeared again, and the sound of her voice chilled Gwen. Although she could not see the woman, her eyes forced shut against her will, the tone she carried as she prattled on her plan, it was of a woman that was broken and irreparable. Did Morgana even look to what she was doing? She was on her way to creating a purge, but not of the magical kind. The people of Camelot would feel her wrath, for simply existing.

But in some ways, Gwen could sense something else. Morgana was in pain. Deep pain. Gwen had heard that Morgause, sister to Morgana had perished recently. The woman was frightening in the times Gwen had encountered her. Gwen could have blamed Morgause for twisting the mind of Morgana, but that could not have been further from the truth. Morgana had a choice. She was raised in Camelot as the King's Ward. Regardless if she hated Uther or resented Arthur for being the one to take the throne, still, the people within Camelot, they were innocent.

And Arthur. He had never known Morgana was his sister, though he had always treated her as such, and not as some Ward people would have believed her to be. They were family. Yet this same person had turned and done these terrible things.

Gwen felt tears roll from her eyes, and it seemed to bring Morgana to a silence. But only for a moment before she wiped the tears away from her eyes. Still unable to open them, she could only listen as Morgana paced away from her.

Was this what Arthur felt? Trapped? Locked in? It must have hurt him deeply to have no control, no power to do anything.

It was hours before Gwen heard footsteps again enter the room again. She felt dizzy and exhausted despite having done nothing but lay in bed. Likely because she hadn't had any food. Did Morgana intend this for her? To lay her to waste on her very own bed, dying slowly next to the King with him helpless to do anything? The thought was chilling, and for some reason Gwen wouldn't be surprised. Morgana was so full of hate she could very well do that simply to torture Arthur.

However to Gwen's surprise, she was suddenly released from her prison. She felt the magic wash over her body and suddenly, she was able to move her hands. Gwen slowly sat up from the bed and opened her eyes, adjusting to the light of the afternoon sun. It was definitely at least noon, perhaps later.

Gwen turned her head and looked unsurprisingly at Morgana. In the light, Gwen could see that whatever Morgana was doing, her spells upon Arthur and even on her, it had taken a toll. There were streaks of silver hair mixed her normally dark hair, and her face which had always been pale, was even more so now.

Despite her appearance, her movements showed no such weakness. She moved smoothly with grace as she came to Gwen's side.

"You must be hungry, Gwen," she said smiling. "There is food over by the table, please feel free to have some."

Gwen didn't move despite having the ability to do so now.

Morgana took her silence as fear, "Now, there's no need to be fearful, Gwen, I haven't poisoned the food. I don't need to." Her eyes were dark when she added those last words.

"Why are you here, Morgana," said Gwen keeping her emotions in check, afraid to give leave to how fearful she actually was. "Are you here to gloat about your plans as you did all morning?"

The woman merely smiled at her words but didn't say anything. She seemed to be simply… observing. It was unsettling.

"What did you do to Arthur?" Gwen snapped out finally, unable to contain herself anymore. It didn't matter about what Morgana did to her, but Arthur, aside from her love for the man, there was the fact he was King of Camelot. His orders were law.

"Shouldn't you be more worried about yourself?" Morgana replied in response. Seeing not a flicker of emotion from Gwen, she smirked, "I am showing him mercy of course, Gwen. More than he or Uther would have shown me. He gets to live, but just under my guidance. You should be grateful, Gwen. I could have done so much more." She emphasized on the words 'more'.

"You're controlling him like a puppet," stated Gwen, "how could you do that to your brother?"

Morgana's mouth twitched at the words brother.

"I can do much more, Gwen, but I'm holding back dear Queen."

Seeing that Gwen wasn't going to move from the bed, Morgana uttered a spell it seemed and the tray of food suddenly appeared on Gwen's lap.

"You should have something before I put the spell back on you Gwen."

Gwen wanted to take the bread and toss it to Morgana's face. But she couldn't. She had to live. She had to save Arthur somehow. She instead forced herself to chew on the bread. She needed more information. What did she give Arthur? A potion? Was there a creature in him? She prayed that the serving girl managed relay the message to the royal messenger.

But as if reading her mind, Morgana spoke softly, "Dear Gwen, you are quick with your wit as you are with your mind. Unfortunately, not fast enough, your serving girl had a little accident before delivering her message. I think she's snapped her neck on her little fall down the back steps of Camelot."

Gwen nearly chocked on the morsel of bread in her mouth. "Gyanna.." Unshed tears came to Gwen's eyes. The girl was only sixteen. She was but a child still.

"Oh, she had a name?"

"You're a monster!" Cried Gwen in anguish and rose from her bed. Her legs felt like rubber, and her bare feet felt chilled touching the marbled floors of the King's quarters.

"Now now, calm yourself Gwen." Morgana did not seem taken aback at all by her reaction, but rather enjoyed it. "The best news has yet to come."

Gwen stood still at her words.

News?

It couldn't have been Arthur, Morgana needed him still. Elyan? Was he… was he dead?

"Elyan, you haven't – " Gwen started, her eyes wide like saucers as she spoke.

Morgana didn't seem to answer for a moment, as if she lost track of what wanted to say, but Gwen realized in a moment, it wasn't that at all. She was deciding how to tell her to get the 'best' reaction.

Morgana tossed something to her. By reflex, Gwen caught what looked like a blue cloth. Once in her hands, she saw it wasn't any blue cloth. It was Merlin's neckerchief. And it was stained with dry blood.

"What… what have you done to Merlin?" Choked out Gwen. It took all her power not to scream at Morgana.

"I actually didn't do anything to him. But Arthur did. It was quite gruesome actually. Very bloody." Morgana's smile seemed to widen more.

"What did you do to Merlin!," demanded Gwen again, her voice rising in both panic and fear. "What did you make Arthur do?!"

"Something, dear Gwen, he will remember for the rest of his long and prosperous life as King of Camelot. You should really talk to him tonight, Gwen. I think I may have broken your poor Arthur's spirit."

Morgana paused for a moment and then added, "Perhaps you should lie back down to bed and finish your meal, Gwen?"

Gwen felt sick. Every part of her wanted to strike Morgana and wipe the evil smile off her face. Yet again, she knew that would do nothing. No. She had to hold her anger in, and when it was time, she would exact her vengeance on Morgana.

It was why it took so much of her to return to the bed and obediently finish the meal. Each swallow seemed to be a betrayal to whatever had befallen upon Merlin. But Gwen was no fool. If she attacked Morgana, it would only be rash and if Merlin were with her now, he would say the same thing. Wouldn't he? Gwen swallowed the lump in her throat. Yes, he would understand.

Gwen eyed Morgana who had the look of satisfaction on her face. It must have been nice to have the King and Queen of Camelot on a leash, thought Gwen to herself, but never underestimate Morgana, or your punishment for your crime will be three fold. And for Merlin, I will have your head for this. I promise you that.