Morgana just stared at Merlin, waiting for him to speak, to do anything. She didn't even try to run. She was tired of that. She waited for him to scream at her, to alert the guards to her presence, to try and blast her with his magic. She knew he could and she had no doubt he would. She waited for him to do it.
But he didn't. Instead he did the last thing she expected. He smiled. Not a cold, malicious "now I've got you!" kind of smile. It was a real genuine, warm, friendly smile. "Hello, Morgana." he said gently. "What are you doing here?"
Morgana couldn't answer, she was too stunned. The one person who had more cause than anybody else to hate her was actually smiling at her! He didn't hate her. That one thought made her burst into tears. And then Merlin did something even more surprising: he wrapped his arms around her in a hug.
"Shhhhh." he gently hushed her. "It's okay. Everything going's to be alright." Morgana just held on to Merlin for dear life as she cried. Eventually she was able to calm herself and she gently pushed herself away from him.
"You don't hate me?"
Merlin looked at her in surprise, as if the idea of hating her had not even crossed his mind, which in all honesty in hadn't. "No."
"Well, you should...after everything that I've done. I've betrayed you, Arthur, and Gwen. I've hurt all three of you and even tried to get you killed. My own father is dead because of me!"
Merlin reached out and gently placed a hand on her arm. "Morgana," he said kindly, "I have never, ever hated you. Even when you did try and get us killed the only emotion I felt towards you was sorrow...sorrow and pity that someone could become that bitter and hateful. I understood why you hated Uther. I've had magic all my life and I know what it is like to be alone. I was sadden that one of my own kind should be reduced to such a state."
"If you don't hate me, I'm sure Arthur and Gwen do."
"No, you're wrong about that." said Merlin. "It shows you how little you know them. They know you have magic Morgana and like me they now know why you did what you did, thought they don't agree with it. If you'd give them a chance..."
"No!" Morgana interrupted. "I don't want them to see me. I'd rather they think I'm dead."
"Morgana..." Merlin began, but she cut him off again.
"No, Merlin. I deserve to be hated, to be put to death. I'd rather they hate me and you too." Merlin reached out to touch her again, but she drew back. She turned and headed out of the city without once looking back at him.
"Morgana?" Gaius gasped. "She was here?"
Merlin merely nodded and told the old physician about their conversation. "She's changed, Gaius. So much so that she feels that she isn't worthy of love and kindness. She believes she deserves to be die."
"Then I pity her. Will you tell Arthur?" Merlin shook his head.
"No, I will respect her wish. I'll let them think she's dead."
Gaius nodded. "Yes, perhaps that is for the best after all."
Queen Guinevere. Gwen shook her head, she still couldn't believe it. She had of course known that if she married Arthur she would have become queen, but the thought hadn't really sunk in...until now. She paced the length of her new chambers and looked in the mirror. The crown was still on her head.
Gwen examined herself closely and had to admit that she certainly looked the part of queen, but was she really fit to be queen? She didn't know anything about how to run a country. She almost wanted to go back on her decision.
But there was Arthur. She loved him more than anything and if she had to put up with being queen to be his wife then so be it. He had looked so happy when he had placed the crown on her head and pronounced her "Queen Guinevere" that she would do anything to make him that happy every day for the rest of his life.
"Nervous?" Gwen turned to see her husband, standing in the doorway, a look of absolute joy on his face. Merlin's right. She was made to be queen. He approached her and held out his hand, which she instantly took. He bent and kissed her.
"A little." she admitted. "To be perfectly honest, Arthur, I don't think I'm fit to be queen and I think you've made a poor choice."
"Nonsense." said Arthur. "You, Guinevere, are more fit to be queen then most women who were born knowing that they would one day be one. Besides, I love you and that is the reason I wanted to marry you, not because you are or are not fit to be queen."
Gwen smiled. "Then I am content. Being your wife is more than enough."
Arthur smiled back and together they left her chambers and went to the battlements where they looked out over the city. There below a huge crowd had gathered. As soon as they beheld their new king and queen, the people brow out into cheers. "See?" he whispered. "They love you. That shows that you are indeed fit to be queen."
Hidden in the crowd, a figure did not cheer with the rest of them. A young boy no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. Mordred. His lips curled in a snarl. His snarl turned into a look of out right hatred when the knights of Camelot joined the king and queen on the battlements, with them was Merlin.
Emrys.
On the battlements, Merlin's smile wavered. He sensed a malevolent, magical presence down in the crowd below. He frowned and closed his eyes trying to locate it. "Merlin?"
He opened his eyes to see Lancelot who was standing next to him on the right staring at him in concern. "You alright?" he whispered.
"Something's not right." Merlin whispered back. "A can sense a strong magical presence and it's not friendly."
"Can you tell where it's coming from?"
Merlin shook his head. "Only that's coming from below...somewhere in the crowd."
"Hello, Emrys."Merlin froze. "Mordred?" "Correct. I told you once that I would never forgive and that I would never forget, and I have kept my word. You will pay, Emrys." "Don't do this, Mordred. If it's me you want than it's me you can have, but not here, not now." "You are not the only one I have a score to settle with, Emrys. The Pendragons must pay as well." "No!"
To be continued...