A/N: Patty 4577 asked what would happen to Agravaine, so here's her answer. This is set after Morgana is pardoned but before Arthur proposes to Gwen.


Ever since Arthur's coronation, a great many nobles from outlying fiefs had come to Camelot to pay their respects to the new king. Arthur received each visitor in the royal audience chamber, Merlin and Morgana at his side. Morgana had long since stopped paying attention to the various names; nearly all of them had heard about her brief stint as queen and clearly had not forgiven her. Though few dared insult her to her face, their disdain was clear.

One day, however, a visitor arrived with quite a different attitude. "Lord Agravaine de Bois, Sire," a guard announced with a bow. Agravaine swept into the room, dressed in all black. Morgana stiffened, forcibly hiding her disgust.

"Uncle!" Arthur said happily, rising from his throne.

"Arthur!" Agravaine replied jovially, clasping arms with Arthur. "Have you been managing all right?"

"It's all still a bit new to me," Arthur admitted. "But I have Merlin and Morgana for support."

"Well, now you'll have me as well," Agravaine stated. He turned to Merlin and briefly inclined his head. "Merlin."

Merlin returned the nod. "Agravaine."

Agravaine turned to Morgana, took her hand and kissed it. "Princess Morgana. I am glad that you finally have the title you have always deserved."

Morgana withdrew her hand as quickly as she could without being rude. "Titles mean nothing to me. I am happy to be counted a member of the family, and happier still that magic is free."

"Of course," Agravaine agreed, though there was an odd look in his eyes that Morgana did not like.

"You must be weary from your travels, Uncle," Arthur interjected. He nodded at his servant. "Morris will show you to your guest chambers."


That evening, Arthur invited Agravaine to dine with him. Merlin and Morgana both declined to attend, saying that Arthur should have some time alone with his mother's brother. Instead, they dined in Morgana's chambers, served by Gwen.

"I hope Agravaine's not going to stick around," Morgana commented with a shudder.

"Why not?" Merlin asked curiously.

"Haven't you seen the way he looks at me?" Morgana demanded incredulously. "I think he's attracted to me."

"Don't be absurd," Merlin scoffed.

"I don't think she is," Gwen cut in. "I've seen it too."

Merlin sighed. "Have you mentioned it to Arthur?"

Morgana grimaced. "I mentioned it to Uther a few years ago. Agravaine left Camelot the next day and hadn't returned since…until today. Arthur got really upset with me back then, said I was imagining things and overreacting."

"How come I hadn't heard about it?"

Morgana snorted without humor. "You spent that entire week in the library working on the treaty with Mercia, remember? Barely came out to eat or sleep."

"Oh. Right."

"Worst comes to worst, you can take care of yourself, Morgana," Gwen consoled. "If he has the nerve to actually try anything, he'll find out exactly what training from a high priestess is worth."


A week passed, and Agravaine appeared to have no intention of leaving any time soon. Morgana did her best to avoid him, but eventually he cornered her in an empty corridor. "Your highness!" he exclaimed, bowing with a flourish. "I've scarcely seen you since my arrival, is anything amiss?"

"Everything's fine," Morgana said stiffly. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" She tried to walk away, but Agravaine caught her wrist.

"You don't have to pretend with me, Morgana, I can see that something has been weighing heavily on you. What is the matter? Perhaps I can help."

"Leave me alone," Morgana hissed through gritted teeth, pulling her wrist out of his grip.

"Please, I wish to be of service," Agravaine urged.

"You want to help me?" Morgana snapped. "A certain someone is getting on my nerves, and I would very much appreciate it if he would go away! Preferably forever!"

She stormed down the corridor. Thankfully, Agravaine did not follow.


A couple days later, Arthur approached both Merlin and Morgana. "I've been thinking," he began. "It would be good if Camelot had some actual magical defenses. Do you think you could cast some spells around the city and castle?"

"Sounds good to me," Merlin agreed. He glanced at Morgana. "I'll take the city, you take the castle?"

"Fine," Morgana sighed. She would prefer to take the city and stay far away from Agravaine, but she didn't want to bring that up in front of Arthur.

Arthur nodded agreement, and both sorcerers left to consult their spellbooks.


Morgana spent much of the day deciding upon and practicing various spells. In the evening, she left her chambers to cast the defenses. First, she cast spells on every entrance to the castle, including a few secret tunnels. Next, she enchanted the vaults. Finally, she went to cast wards around the personal chambers belonging to herself and her brothers.

Arthur's chambers were empty when Morgana arrived. She did not bother to light a candle, since she would not be there for long and would not need light for what she did. She cast a spell to neutralize hostile magic, then a spell to instantly alert her if anyone other than Arthur himself entered the room with a weapon. To her shock, her spell immediately set off alarm bells in her mind.

Now concerned, Morgana conjured a glowing orb of light visible only to herself. She cautiously looked around the room, attempting to move as silently as possible. After checking several shadowed corners and finding nothing, she looked under the bed.

A man was crouched underneath, holding a knife. He tried to attack Morgana, but she quickly cast a spell that caused his dagger to become red-hot. He dropped the knife with a cry of pain. However, he recovered quickly. He emerged from under the bed, apparently intending to attack Morgana with his bare hands, but she cast another spell that caused the bedclothes to tie him to a bedpost.

Morgana lit a candle and held it up to the man's face. He was a total stranger to her. She cast another spell on the man, then spoke in a cold voice. "So. You seek to assassinate my brother."

"Of course I do," the assassin replied, sounding confused. "He is a pretender, unworthy of the throne—"

"Silence!" Morgana snapped. She looked him up and down, then picked up his dagger and examined it. "Rough clothing and an expensive weapon. You were hired, weren't you?"

"I do not understand, your highness," the assassin protested. "I was told that you yourself wished your brother dead."

"You were misinformed," Morgana said icily. "Whoever paid you acted without my knowledge or consent. Tell me their name, and things will go better for you."

"Don't take me for a fool," the assassin spat. "Attempted regicide will earn me a trip to the gallows whether I was hired or not."

"True," Morgana conceded, casually fiddling with the dagger. "But the guards do so adore Arthur, and when they hear the charges, well…unless someone orders your good treatment, you may find yourself very battered by the time you reach the gallows. So I ask again, who hired you?"

The assassin seemingly considered this for a moment. He opened his mouth to speak, then choked.

Morgana smirked at him. "Ah, I suppose I should have warned you…I have cast a spell to ensure you do not lie. You will give me the real name or none at all."

The assassin glared at Morgana, mouth tightly shut.

"So, you choose to keep quiet? Guards it is, then." Morgana started to turn away. "Impressive loyalty for a hired knife. Not that it will spare you a beating…" She began heading to the door.

After a few moments, the assassin called after her. "Wait!"

Morgana turned back to him. The assassin swallowed. "Agravaine. It was Lord Agravaine who hired me. He-he said he was enlisting me to help restore you to your rightful throne."

Morgana clenched a fist so tightly her knuckles went white. "The throne rightfully belongs to Arthur, no one else," she growled. "I make no claim upon it, now or ever." She stormed out of the room to look for Arthur.


Morgana found Arthur alone in the council chambers, looking through a stack of reports. He looked up at her entrance. "Yes, Morgana?"

Morgana took a deep breath. "Arthur, there's something I need to show you."

"All right," Arthur said, standing up. "What is it?"

Morgana grimaced. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Come on."

"I've seen all manner of strange things in this castle, Morgana, what is it?"

"No really, I doubt you'd take my word for it. Come on."

"Morgana, do you think I don't trust you?" Arthur protested, sounding hurt.

"Not regarding this," Morgana snapped, patience wearing thin.

"Morgana, just tell me!" Arthur urged, sounding exasperated.

"Fine!" Morgana took a deep breath. "I captured an assassin in your bedchamber who claims, under truth spell, that Agravaine hired him to kill you so that I could be crowned queen again!"

Arthur's eyes widened.

"See?" Morgana added bitterly. "I told you you wouldn't believe me."

Arthur took a shaky breath. "Morgana…I haven't seen the man in years. You're my sister, you've been with me through all manner of hell, of course I believe you."

"Really?" Morgana said skeptically. "A few years ago when I told Uther I thought Agravaine was being inappropriate, you said I was imagining things and overreacting!"

Arthur sighed. "It's a bit harder to imagine capturing an assassin in my bedchamber. Besides, I know you wouldn't lie about this, regardless of your personal feelings toward the suspect. I don't like it, Morgana, but I believe you."

"So you'll arrest Agravaine?"

"I…" Arthur trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Actually, I have a better idea…"


The next day, Morgana summoned the court. Arthur and Merlin were two of the last to enter. "Well, sister?" Arthur prompted. "Why have you summoned the court?"

Morgana turned to the courtiers. "Lord Agravaine, would you come forward?"

Agravaine obeyed, looking confused.

Morgana gave him a cool look. "Would you care to explain what in the world possessed you to think that I would condone an attempt on the life of my dear brother?" She put a hand on Arthur's shoulder as she spoke.

Agravaine sputtered. "What—I would never try to kill my beloved nephew!"

"Oh, really?" Morgana said skeptically. "And if I were to cast a spell which forces you to tell the truth, would you still swear to that?"

"I—" Agravaine had gone very pale. "It was your own idea, your highness, you told me you wanted him dead!"

Morgana gaped, outraged. "I never said anything of the sort! How dare you—"

"Morgana," Merlin cut in quietly. "Why don't I cast a truth spell on both of you?"

"Please," Morgana agreed, simmering with anger.

Merlin cast the spell on her, then turned to Agravaine and cast the same spell. "Now, Agravaine, did Morgana tell you she wanted Arthur dead?"

"Yes!" Agravaine insisted.

"I did not!" Morgana retorted at the same time.

The crowd looked between Morgana and Agravaine, obviously baffled. Morgana looked back at Merlin. "Cast the spell on him again, he's lying!"

Merlin simply stared at Agravaine, looking thoroughly bewildered. "You're both telling the truth…but that's impossible…"

"Perhaps this is all a misunderstanding," Arthur said shrewdly. "Agravaine, what precisely did my sister say?"

"She said that a certain someone was causing her problems, and she wanted him gone forever!" Agravaine answered.

Morgana's jaw dropped. "And you thought I was asking you to commit regicide?! You had just accosted me in an empty corridor and refused to let me walk away! I was merely expressing my extreme distaste for your company!"

She looked around at the crowd and took a deep breath. "You all saw Merlin cast his spell. You know that what I am about to say is the truth. I have never wanted Arthur dead. I would never knowingly do anything to endanger him, and I have never desired the throne. I am wholeheartedly loyal to Arthur and to Camelot. I do not condone any plot to crown me queen again." She looked directly at Agravaine. "Do I make myself clear?"

Agravaine bowed, still very pale. "I offer my humblest apologies, your highness. This was all a grievous misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding or no, you are still guilty of attempted regicide," Arthur said sternly. "You will hang alongside your assassin." He nodded at the guards. "Take him away."

The guards obeyed. Agravaine did not resist; he appeared to be too stunned to speak.

Arthur turned back to the crowd. "I know that some of you have doubted my sister's loyalties. I hope this unfortunate incident will put your minds at rest. She is a loyal subject and she deserves better than to be a constant target for malicious gossip."


Agravaine and his assassin were hanged the next day, and Morgana watched them entirely impassively. However, it seemed that Agravaine had done her a favor—word of Morgana' speech soon spread, and in time she was once again beloved by the entire kingdom.