Mending and harming

14 years ago

"You'll train him much harder than any boy you've ever trained." The woman ordered. The boy waited afraid with the sword trembling in his hands. It was too heavy for his small body and he had the slightest idea how to use it. Plus, that man was really frightening him. He was massive or at least that was how he looked to the poor boy.

"I'll do my best, my lady." The man promised and he bowed in front of the lady. The boy thought it pretty funny to see that rough man kissing the hand of such a delicate lady although the boy'd already found out that she was anything but delicate.

He kept falling and dropping the sword out of his small hands and then the blow came directly to his body as he couldn't stop them and the man was not going to stop no matter how much the little boy would begged him to. So, the boy would have to force his body to endure the pain and raise tall on his feet only to fall down again.

He clinged his hand around the sword, but the force of the blow threw the swords away while dislocated his arm from his shoulder.

The pain got unbearable and the man wouldn't stop because she wouldn't let him to. He hated her. He hated him. He hated that place. No he didn't hate that place because there was that blonde lady who would tell him stories at night and would take care of him. They would set his mother free and then they would leave that place together. It sounded perfect. But he had to survive until that night.

He stood up again; this time he was decided to win. The man laughed at his stubbornness, but as the boy's sword met the man's he freed his magic together with that blow and threw the man away. He had not idea how he'd done that. He'd just wanted it to end, but as the man showed no sign of life the boy panicked. The woman sent him away. She didn't seem quite upset for his actions, but it was very difficult to say it for sure. That night he was going to see his mother and they would run away; just the three of them.


Merlin climbed the stairs to her room. He needed someone to talk, but most of all he needed her help because no matter how much Morgana was getting on his nerves, he couldn't help caring for her. The warlock had already got over the phase when he'd realized he'd been such a big idiot. Well, idiot or not, the time for pitying himself was gone.

"If you came to plead for your little prince" Morgause stated as he entered her room "then you should know I don't want to hear about it." He couldn't help wondering how she'd known he wanted something. At least she hadn't guessed what.

"Hello to you too, Gesy! Yes, I had a nice trip and I'm alright. Thanks for your concern. No, I haven't come to plead for Arthur. You've already met him and I suppose you've realized I'm right." The witch laughed. That boy was never going to give up.

"Well, he's better than I've expected, but he definitely lacks manners. He accused me of trying to steal his crown." the witch laughed "Poor boy! What do you think the crown will suit me well?" Morgause went on and she pretend to arrange an imaginary crown on her head. The she started to waltz around the room as if she were at a waited for her to stop. "Just admit it. Arthur needs some tuition."

"You can teach him some of the precious lessons SHE gave to you, but it's Morgana who I think that really needs your help."

"What that silly girl needs is a good cuffing."

"Maybe." It was clear that he didn't agree with her which was hardly unusual for them. Yet Morgause decided to change the topic.

"You look like you've been in the middle of a tornado which is why I highly doubt you're alright." Morgause threw at him before she disappeared in the other room. She'd known something was wrong as he'd seen him, but she prefered to let him start rather than asking him to. Maybe, her cakes would make a used to love them.

The castle looked the same as the time he'd come there with Arthur to find the answers to the prince's questions. Yet it didn't scared the warlock anymore. In fact, it brought him many funny memories of the time he and Morgause used to hide there to escape under the eagle's eyes of the High Priestess.

"If it's not Arthur" she went on as she brought him a cake "then what is troubling you? Don't you dare to lie to me, you ambulant trouble-maker?"

"Morgana" He resumed all his problems in only one world.

"Morgana?! If I haven't known better I would have thought she'd enchanted you."

"She's ruthless and unpredictable, bitter, stubborn and very ambitious." He went on as if he hadn't heard her. "And she's Arthur's sister. If he dies the throne is hers."

"Honestly, I don't see the difference whether there's he or she on the throne. After all, they are both some spoilt children." The blonde admitted. "Well, she has magic which could been an advantage for us."

"Not if she uses it ruthlessly. People won't accept it. She has inherited just so much of Uther's character." The way he spoke let her understand more than he'd really said.

"Yet you said you've come to plead for her" The blonde High Priestess made him clear that it was time for him to split the gut. "Till now I've hardly see something on her to be worth being pleaded for. Am I wrong, Merlin? Or do I misinterpreted your words "needs your help"?"

"It's just… I can't really hate her. I did for a while, but eventually … I can't get her out of my mind... I've…."

"Let me guess. You feel your owe Arthur helping him becoming king, but at the same time you realized you've fallen for his beautiful sister, who, by the way, wants the same throne and you don't know who to pick."

"I know who to pick, but I don't want to pick anymore. I do understand why I fell for her before. I was just a stupid village boy who saw the world for the first time. But now. I had 11 years to learn. I spent another decade learning to keep my feeling in check and to be rational. I'm not supposed to act like a little boy and yet…."

"You know what Merlin? I don't get what is so special about her. She's just a spoilt girl and yet everybody will choose her no matter what. My parents abandoned me as if I had been nothing but an useless cloth. Yet she got all their love. And now you are willing to jeopardy the future of Camelot for her even if all she gives you is disregard and hatred. Why does she deserve it more than me?" Morgause threw all the fury out. Morgana was her sister, but deep down she hated her for having everything she'd only dreamt for. It was maybe because Morgana looked just so happy while Morgause had hardly had any kind of happiness.

"Waw" Merlin couldn't help to exclaim, but as he felt Morgause cold glance on him, he felt the need to explain. "First of all, you are loved and I'm sure one day you'll find someone to appreciate you the way you deserve, Gesy. Secondly, I think that's exactly how she felt about Arthur." And he told her the entire story.

Morgause listened to his story. He had such a way of telling stories. When they were young it was he rather than her who used to tell stories at night. Well, she usually started the story, but he always continued it, making it sound much more interesting that it really was. Well, that time it was a true story and he'd been part of it. "So I think she deserves all that happiness after all. I really wanted her to feel loved."

"You've made everybody happy, Merlin; me, Morgana, Arthur. I'm sorry I couldn't help you save your parents." Morgause spoke and she really meant it. He wanted to tell her he'd been happy, but she stopped him. "I know what you want to say. Yes, we were happy in that awkward way someone could be happy living in a cage. Look, I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't hate her because you're right. Her life hadn't been perfect either, but…"

"No, I think you should tell her how you feel. This is brilliant" The warlock exclaimed maybe a bit to enthusiastically, but he acknowledged his mistake soon." I mean she loves you and this may help her realize that she is as prone to make mistakes as Arthur is; that she is making people she loves feel the way she felt and yet she has no clue."

"Fine. What you want me to do?"

"Help her. You could work as her maid for instance."

"Her maid?! Definitely not." She cried out, but he made such a face that she couldn't help feeling guilty.

"Just a tiny, tiny try." He played the sweet child part.

"Fine. I'll try." The warlock hugged her happily. "I said I'll try."

"It's perfect. Thanks, Sis!"