CHAPTER X
Sorcery

This was just like her dream.

Morgana screamed Morgause's name, trying to fight against Uther's grip. He was ordering her to calm down, but she couldn't even if she tried. Fear was overtaking her entire being, causing tears to stream down her face. If her nightmare really was coming to pass, that meant fire was in Morgause's future. That scared Morgana more than words could describe. But it was impossible, wasn't it? Only those with magick could see into the future, so it was just a dream. It had to be a dream; it couldn't be real, because if it was real then…

The possibility of having to witness Morgause's death overwhelmed her and she let out a strangled cry, feeling something powerful rise up from within her. The feeling frightened her and she desperately tried to control it, but it was too late. Suddenly, the blue vase that was sitting delicately on the table near Guinevere shattered, causing all three of them to cry out.

Morgana and Gwen stared at each other wide eyed as they both realized what happened almost instantly. The Ward went pale. "What the hell was that?!" Uther demanded, turning around to shoot Gwen a furious look, believing it was her to blame.

"I-I'm sorry," Gwen stuttered, immediately taking the fall for her mistress. "I… m-my hands slipped, I didn't—"

"Stupid girl," Uther spat, at the end of his rope over this whole situation. "Don't just sit there and sputter at me, clean it up!"

Morgana wished she could tell the King not to speak to Gwen that way, but she couldn't utter a word. She could barely move. She just continued to stare at the broken remnants of pottery that covered the floor of her bedchambers, in complete disbelief that it was her who just caused that to happen. She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe.

Morgana's knees buckled from underneath her.

Uther caught her before she hit the floor, but his gesture was in no way gentle. "Pull yourself together," he barked as he forced her to sit down on her bed. "I don't know why you're so concerned over that meaningless woman's fate, but you have a room full of guests who need your attention. I will not have you embarrassing this kingdom, do you hear me?"

"She's my friend…" Morgana tried to explain, yet she felt as though she were in some sort of daze and her voice came out as a hoarse whisper. She couldn't look at him; she couldn't look at anything. She felt as though she was staring through the world itself.

"You can always make new ones," Uther responded, his tone uncaring as he rose from her side. "Now make yourself look presentable; I expect for you to be back down there with a smile on your face before dinner is served, less you wish me to marry you off to the highest bidder tomorrow. Is that clear?" Morgana felt as though she was suffocating, but she still managed to nod her head. She didn't want to give the King any reason to stay longer than he had to. "Good."

Uther strode from the room, not even sparing Gwen a glance as he stepped over her to get to the door; it was as though he regarded her as nothing more than part of the scenery. The door slammed shut behind him and Morgana jumped, irrationally afraid for a moment that she herself had done that. Gwen immediately abandoned her task of cleaning and wrapped her friend up in her arms.

"Are you alright, my Lady?" she asked, concern coloring her features. Morgana found she could not speak, but shook her head violently before burying her face into Gwen's neck. She began to cry. She didn't know what was happening anymore; it seemed like the whole world had flipped upside down on her and the knowledge that nothing would ever be the same suffocated her.

"Can you catch it…?" Morgana asked desperately through her tears, clinging to the one person who was unchanged through all of this.

Gwen furrowed her brow, unsure of what her friend was referring too. She rubbed her back, trying to console her. "What?" she asked, trying to be supportive although Morgana knew she must be bursting with questions. She couldn't handle that right now though and Gwen knew it.

"Magick," Morgana choked out, trying to make sense of what had happened. How could she be normal one minute, then exploding vases in the next? It didn't make any sense; it had to be some sort of fluke, some aftermath from being intimate with Morgause. "Can you touch someone and just… get it? Like some sort of plague? Because I can't… I…!"

"Shh," Gwen hushed, tightening her grip on Morgana. She stroked her hair, trying to calm her down so they could talk without Morgana being on the verge of a panic attack. Her breathing was coming out as a hard wheeze and she was shaking from head to toe.

Morgana knew she was frightening her friend but she couldn't stop. She was beyond terrified, not only for herself, but for Morgause. If Uther didn't know why she was so upset then it could mean only one thing; he suspected that she was a sorceress. He didn't arrest her though – just brought her into custody to be questioned – so there was still hope. Not that it mattered, as Morgana didn't have the first clue about how to help her. She didn't even know how to help herself right now.

It took a little while, but Gwen finally had her calmed down and breathing normally. "Do you think you can speak without crying now?" she asked cautiously, not wanting to set Morgana off again. The Ward nodded, sniffling slightly as the last of her tears dried. "We don't have much time; I need to get you presentable quickly so you can go back down there. But please, for the love of everything, Morgana, explain to me what is happening right now." Gwen looked into her eyes, her gaze a desperate plea to understand. Morgana wished she could explain, but she didn't even know herself what was going on anymore.

Morgana opened her mouth to speak, but Gwen held up a finger. She looked apologetic that she spoke before action was required. "In a second though, I need to get something. Just stay there and breathe for me, okay? It will all be alright."

Morgana didn't know why Gwen asked if she was just going to leave a moment later, but when her handmaiden came back with a cool cloth, Morgana understood; Gwen was not going to allow her to go back down there with red, puffy eyes. It was embarrassing enough, to be absent for so long, but to come back looking like she had been crying? That would have been so much worse. Morgana held out her hand for the fabric, giving her friend a small smile of thanks.

"Keep this on your eyes," Gwen instructed gently, her tone sympathetic as she took in Morgana's state. The Ward knew she must look a wreck; she felt like she had been trampled by a stampede of wild horses and left to die. "But talk to me while I fix your hair, alright?" Morgana nodded, holding the cloth to her face. She prayed it would do her good.

As Gwen started arranging her hair back to its previous state, Morgana began by pleading. "Gwen, if I… if I tell you something, you mustn't breathe a word of it to anyone. Please." She didn't think she would, but Morgana needed to have her word; Morgause's life was on the line. She needed to hear her promise.

Hands stilled in her hair for a moment, Gwen recognizing how serious this was to Morgana. "Of course, my Lady; you have my word," she promised softly. "It is you I am loyal to, above all others. You know this."

Morgana pursed her lips, nodding. As Gwen swept her hair back from her face once more, Morgana whispered, "Morgause is a sorceress." The hair fell back into her eyes, Gwen having lost her grip on it. Morgana froze, waiting for her friend to start yelling at her about how foolish she was to associate with someone like her, or be furious that Morgana knew and yet didn't bother to tell Gwen that she was currently housing someone who's very presence was treason. However, her maidservant did neither of those things.

Instead she said, "And you believe you caught magick from her." Morgana didn't understand how Gwen could be so calm about this, and although it wasn't a question, Morgana nodded her answer anyway. But she shrugged shortly afterwards, groaning as she realized how naïve she must sound.

"I don't know anymore. I know everyone says sorcery is in the blood, but that can't be true, can it? Nothing like this has ever happened to me before!"

"Perhaps it arrives when one comes of age."

The thought made Morgana's stomach sink with fear. If that was the case, then this really was happening to her; it wasn't just some aftereffect of her time with Morgause. This was real. That frightened her. She was the Ward of Camelot, she was much too close to the King to ever attempt to hide such a thing. She would be killed. She probably wouldn't even last a fortnight!

Morgana began to hyperventilate once more.

"No, no…!" Gwen exclaimed, wrapping her arms around her mistress once more. "I'm sorry, I spoke before I thought! Please, calm down. We don't know why this happened, alright? Perhaps… perhaps if you just spoke to Morgause…?"

"How? She's in the dungeons, Gwen!" Morgana shouted, despair coloring every word as another tear fell from her eye. "I'll never be able to get near her!" Her breathing was becoming so frantic that she nearly choked on it.

"Yes, you will," Gwen promised, gently hushing her as she rocked Morgana back and forth. She wiped the fallen tear from her friend's eye before replacing the cool cloth against her skin, not wanting the redness to get any worse than it already was. "I'll help you, alright? Please, just calm yourself. Please…" She rested her head against hers, holding her protectively.

Morgana clung to her, glad that she had at least one friend in this world. Gwen never judged her, she never betrayed her; she was loyal to a fault and was incredibly understanding. If there was one thing Morgana was most thankful for, it would definitely have to be that she had someone like Guinevere in her life. She didn't know what she would do without her sometimes and right now was no different.

Morgana took over holding the cloth on her face, not wanting Gwen to do all the work. She leaned against her friend, trying to steady her breathing. She knew she couldn't do this right now; she had to get back to the party. If she didn't, the punishment would be far worse than trying to pretend that she was happy for a few hours.

"Thank you," Morgana whispered. "For not being scared of me, or of her. You don't know how frightened I am already; I couldn't bear the thought of you—!"

"Shh," Gwen hushed soothingly, stroking her hair. Morgana fell silent. "Morgana, I'm not so simple that the mere mention of 'sorcery' would frighten me into some sort of frenzy. You've been my best friend for years; just because you may have magick now, that doesn't change who you are as a person." She smiled at her, brushing a piece of hair away from Morgana's face before pinning it back in place atop her head. "And Morgause… she has been a great help to my father and has shown me nothing but kindness since she's been here. The fact that she is a sorceress doesn't change that either."

"High Priestess," Morgana corrected softly. Gwen's eyebrows rose in surprise, obviously not expecting someone that young to have such a title.

"Impressive."

Morgana couldn't help but smile, loving that she could brag about that to someone. "I know." She bit her bottom lip a little as she thought about Morgause, her smile growing bigger as she remembered how it felt to be with her. But then her face fell, reality setting in once more. If she didn't find a way to help her, that may very well be the last time they would ever be together. Morgana couldn't let that happen.

She turned towards Gwen, fear in her eyes once more. "We have to get her out of there, Gwen. We have to."

Gwen pursed her lips, her expression saying more than her words; she was unsure if they would be able to. Camelot's dungeons were a hard place to break out of. Only a few have ever managed and neither Gwen nor Morgana had any experience in that area. "First let's get you a moment alone to speak with her," she tried, hoping Morgana would realize they needed to take things one step at a time. "Then we will figure out how to get her released." The Ward nodded in agreement, knowing Gwen was right about taking it slow.

Morgana just hoped that they would have time to.

[x]

The next morning, Morgause was taken to the throne room by two of Camelot's guards.

Uther sat on his throne, a menacing expression on his face as he watched Morgause be thrown to her knees before him, using her shackled wrists to try to catch herself from falling on her face. His son stood to his right, looking much less enthusiastic about how roughly their prisoner was being treated. He said nothing however. A few paces behind him stood and old man and what looked like to be a servant boy. Outside of them, the room was deserted.

Morgause had half-hoped that she would be able to see Morgana, but a part of her was glad for it; she didn't know how much Uther knew and did not want things to be revealed to her sister before she was ready to reveal them herself. Her expression stony, she looked up at the King. She wished she could show him how easy it would be for her to free herself from her chains, just so she could see the look of horror upon his ugly face, but Morgause knew that the safest thing to do right now was just to deny everything. Perhaps then, if she got lucky, she would be set free and be able to see Morgana again.

Morgause was surprised that it was not her that Uther addressed first.

"Well, Gaius?" he asked the old man. "Is it her?" Hope swelled in Morgause's heart; if it was identification the king needed, she would be set free within hours. Morgause was certain she had never seen the old man before in her life.

Gaius seemed rather uncomfortable with the question. "I cannot be certain, my Lord," he replied. "The child was smuggled out of Camelot at a very young age; I do not think it would be possible for me to identify her as she is now, should this woman even be the Morgause you're looking for."

Morgause's stomach sank. She should have used another name. She had assumed Uther would not remember who she was, but she could not have been more wrong. She had also been wrong about her belief that Uther thought her dead; though that was the story that was told when she left Camelot, it seemed someone had betrayed them. The rage that burned within Morgause at that thought was quickly suppressed though; if she wished to get out of this alive, she had to keep control of her emotions.

Uther looked displeased by Gaius's assessment. "But she is of the proper age, is she not?" he demanded. Once again, the old man's answers were not what he wanted to hear.

"I suppose she could be, but it is possible that there are many women that look the proper age and bare the same name all across Albion. I fear it is not much to go on, my Lord."

"But she is the only one of them who purposely sought out Morgana!" The King's voice was booming, causing everyone in the room to fall silent.

"Her handmaiden kindly invited me into her home when I had no place to go," Morgause tried to explain. "I didn't—!"

"You will speak when spoken to!" Uther bellowed before waving his hand to one of the guards, giving him the signal to silence the prisoner. Morgause cried out when the hilt of a sword slammed into her back and she crumpled to the floor.

"Father!" Arthur tried to protest, but it fell on deaf ears.

"I believe this woman is a sorceress, I must do what is necessary," he told his son sharply, not leaving much room for argument. Gaius, however, had a point to make.

"With all due respect, my Lord; if this woman is who you believe her to be, she would have been trained since childhood to take her birthright as High Priestess of the Old Religion. Those shackles you have her bound in would not be able to stop her from fleeing."

This seemed to make Uther pause, however it also seemed to make him furious that he had done so. "A trick," he growled, convincing himself of such. "To make us believe she is nothing but an innocent girl."

Gaius looked exasperated. So did Arthur.

"She doesn't even look like her!" he protested. Uther turned towards his son, looking displeased that he had spoken out against him. "Father, if this woman really is Morgana's sister she would look like her, wouldn't she? They couldn't look more different."

"Just because their hair color is different, doesn't mean anything," Uther told him, speaking to him as though he were stupid for looking at such a large difference, yet a trivial one overall. "Look at her features, Arthur; her eyes, her nose. She is clearly a Le Fay."

Everyone began to stare at Morgause, scrutinizing her appearance. The blonde scowled and turned her face from them, despising being treated like no more than a caged animal for their amusement. "I am not who you think I am," she insisted, trying to keep her voice strong to convey truth from her lie. "My surname is Isengard, not Le Fay."

Uther waved his hand once more and Morgause was silenced by another blow to her back. She cried out in pain, wishing beyond anything else that she could snuff out Uther Pendragon's life right then and there.

"Father, please," Arthur stepped in, trying to compromise. "Let me ride to Mercia, see if what this woman says about herself is true. I'll be back before nightfall tomorrow."

Although Morgause was grateful that the prince may have bought her more time, it still was of no help. No one in Mercia would know who she was and Uther would sentence her to death, convinced that she really was Morgause Le Fay. It seemed unlikely now that she would be freed.

Uther took a moment to think about his son's proposal. Finally he relented, "Fine. But I assure you, Arthur; no one in Mercia will have ever heard of a Morgause Isengard." He looked at Morgause when he spat out her fake surname, convinced she was lying. She was, but that wasn't the point. It took an incredible amount of effort not to glare at the man.

Arthur nodded in acknowledgement before heading off, yet stopped and turned around as he realized he wasn't being followed. "I don't have all day, Merlin," he said exasperatedly to the servant boy, who looked surprised that Arthur needed him to accompany him on the journey.

"Right, sorry." The boy trotted off after his master and once he and Arthur had disappeared from the room, Uther finally turned his attention to Morgause.

"Tell me, Morgause," the name was like offal in the King's mouth. "What is your relationship to my Ward?"

Morgause kept her expression neutral, knowing he was trying to trip her up. "She is my friend." An understatement to be sure, but she sold the lie flawlessly.

Uther still looked disbelieving. He leaned forward, trying to intimidate her. "Then why is it that a friend that Morgana has had for barely a fortnight," he began slowly, "Why is it that your fate, has her distressed to the point of screaming and tears?"

Morgause didn't know how to answer that at first and her hesitation was noticeable. "I…"

"Did you tell her that the two of you were blood?!" Uther shouted, clearly more afraid of that possibility than anything else. Morgause had to wonder why.

"No!" she exclaimed. "We're not—she's not my blood, my Lord! She's just my friend!"

Uther waved his hand and the blow to her back this time nearly brought tears to the sorceress's eyes. Pain was shooting down her spine and she gasped, trying to bear it.

"It disgusts me," he told her, "that you can lie to my face so easily."

Morgause didn't bother getting up this time. She just lay on the floor, cheek pressed against the wood as she tried to breathe normally. She was stronger than this man; she could bear the pain. She could endure anything Uther did to her, she was sure of it.

It was just hard.

"Take her back to the dungeons," Uther ordered his guards. "I will deal with her when Arthur returns."

Morgause was hoisted to her feet roughly and she gritted her teeth, trying not to cry out from the pain. She was sick of giving Uther the satisfaction. She was a prisoner, being held and beaten although there was no evidence against her. He was paranoid, that was all; and although he was right to be, there was no legal reason for him to do this to her. So if Uther wanted to play like this, then fine. She would make it her personal goal to take everything from him that he had ever loved.

Starting with Morgana.

TBC…