A/N - Hey everyone.. So this isn't my best chapter, but I decided to take out half of the original chapter and put it into the next one (so it's extra long the next one).. It's a little shorter than the others, but I hope you enjoy it! x
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Chapter 10 – Remember Yesterday
Shouting from the training fields drew many people's attention as they walked by. It was not unusual for the Prince and Merlyn to be at each other's throats, but it had been happening more regularly. Neither of them would back down and it usually ended up with one or both of them storming off. The King had been informed of several of these feuds, but he found them more amusing than anything else. Despite the disrespect that the woman showed his son on several occasions, it was just the thing he needed to keep him grounded. If it were anyone else then he would have had the person sent straight to the cells or stocks.
Morgana sighed as she sat on a small hill that lead to the castle with Leon by her side as they watched the two arguing down below. Training had finished a while ago, but the other two were still arguing, oblivious to everyone who was listening in or watching.
"Is it just me or are they both more irritable recently?" Morgana asked, almost in amusement as she watched Merlyn throw something at Arthur's head, which he managed to dodge.
"They are arguing more often." Leon agreed. "If I might say, I think Arthur might be jealous."
"Jealous? Of what?" Morgana turned to look at him. The thought had never crossed her mind. Her brother could be an arrogant competitive idiot, but she had never once seen him jealous before.
"Well, since the tournament, there is now Percy and Elyan joining our little group of fighters as well as Lance and myself. He isn't getting to spend as much time with her alone as he did before. He will never admit it but it seems far too coincidental."
"I never thought of that. Well that may change. The King has requested Arthur to take someone to check out a lead on a group of bandits who were spotted. It will just be the two of them."
"Maybe that's what they are fighting over." Leon suggested, before hissing as he saw Merlyn throw something else in the direction of the Prince who only just managed to dodge out of its path.
"You are an ass!" They heard Merlyn yell at him before storming off towards the castle.
They watched as some of the Knight recruits were sniggering at the show they had just watched. Big mistake on their part. "5 laps! Now!" Arthur yelled at them. Leon rolled his eyes as he saw one of the recruits, Haytham, begin to argue. "10!" Arthur increased it. The recruits quickly started their running as Arthur headed in their direction.
"You don't have to take it out on the poor boys." Morgana cooed as he passed them.
"Shut it." He grumbled as he continued to the castle.
Morgana laughed quietly watching the recruits doing their laps. Leon was watching them, seeing Haytham looking around for Arthur, slowing down his running.
"That's an extra 2 for you Haytham!" Leon called over, raising an eyebrow at the boy who sighed again before continuing with his laps.
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Morgana smiled as she walked around the markets, with Gwen by her side. They looked at fabrics for a new dress that she wanted to be able to wear for an upcoming feast that was to be held in honor of some Prince who was planning a visit in a few months time.
"How about this?" Gwen said, holding up some velvet red fabric. "It would go nice with the design." Gwen loved making new dresses, it was the thing she enjoyed most about her job.
"I already have loads of red dresses. I guess that's what happens when it's the royal colour." She sighed, picking up another piece. "It's so easy for Arthur and my father. They just have to wear their armour whereas I have to have a new dress for every occasion. Don't get me wrong, I love all my dresses, but it gets a little tedious."
"It's a Princess' duty I suppose." Gwen smiled softly to her. "How about this blue?" She suggested.
"It's beautiful." Morgana took the sample from her examining it. "You know one day we really need to get Merlyn into a dress for an occasion."
"That will be a sight." Gwen laughed. "Come on, let's get this and get started." Morgana paid for a roll of the fabric and smiled kindly at the woman who owned the stall. "Do you mind if I just go and get something from that stall over there?" Gwen asked.
"Sure." Morgana assured her as she waited for the fabric to be packed for her. She watched as Gwen headed away before she looked around to people watch for a moment.
Her eyes landed across the market. A woman stood by the shadows, looking directly at her. "Morgana.." She gasped in shock, quickly looking around to see if anyone else had heard the sound. She looked back over towards the edge, only to find that no one was there. Had she imagined it?
"Morgana?" She jumped out of her skin, clutching her chest as she spun to find Gwen stood beside her. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's fine. I was off in my own world." She concluded, letting her heart settle down. "Got everything you need?" Gwen nodded, as the stall owner handed Morgana the bag of fabric over. "Let's go." She smiled, ignoring the feeling she was being watched.
They headed back towards the castle, but not after Morgana did another quick search of the area, seeing nothing.
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Merlyn was riding her horse in silence as they made their way down a road through the forest. It would take the two of them the full day to get to where the location of where the sighting of the bandits was. They could only take their horses so far before having to leave them.
Since they had left Camelot, they had been riding in silence, despite Arthur's best efforts. "Are you going to ignore me this whole journey?" Arthur questioned as Merlyn's horse went a little in front of his.
"Are you going to stop being an ass?" She responded.
Arthur sighed. "Look, I've said sorry! I didn't mean say it, it just slipped out!"
"Yeah well next time don't expect me not to use the dress story." Merlyn smirked back as they continued riding.
"Why are you friends with my sister again?" Arthur groaned as he cursed Morgana.
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Morgana sat at the large table in the great hall. Dinners without Arthur were never fun, especially when the council were invited. She sat bored out of her mind, only with Gwen filling up her goblet. She heard some of the council members drivel on about some nonsense or other that she really wasn't interested in.
"Morgana.." She gasped, hearing the voice once more in her head.
"Morgana? Are you alright?" Uther asked his daughter concerned when he heard her gasp.
"Sorry, just got a sudden headache." She quickly made up an excuse. "I think I may need some fresh air. Uther nodded before she stood up and quickly left the hall. Gwen went to follow her, but she shook her head, wanting to be alone.
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They came to the edge of the forest, and spotted a small village in the distance. Quickly deciding that it would be a good place to stop for a break and also to keep their horses since they had to carry on by foot, they headed down the hill and into the village. Arthur paid the stable master to look after their horses over night before they headed towards the tavern.
Opening the door to the tavern, Arthur quickly ducked as a glass headed in his direction and smashed on the wooden beam beside him. Merlyn took a look around the room and saw several men fighting one another, some taking cover from flying objects and other just stood by and watched. Rolling her eyes, she took a step further into the room.
Everyone stopped silent as a loud whistle echoed around the place. All heads turned to face Merlyn who had her hands on her hips, glaring at them all. "Who started this?" She demanded.
One man, clearly very drunk, shrugged off the man who was currently trying to lay into him, and stumbled his way towards the door. "Well, hello there little lady." He slurred. He yelled in the next moment as Merlyn caught him by the ear and dragged his drunken ass outside. Dropping to the ground he started giggling. "You're sexy when you are angry."
Arthur stood leaning against the door jar, rolling his eyes at the stupidity of this guy. The guy stumbles to his feet before advancing on Merlyn again. Arthur watched in amusement as the man tried to fight her. The guy hardly put up a fight before Merlyn had had enough, making him fall into a trough that was meant for horses.
"I want a drink." Merlyn grumbled as they walked back into the bar. Tables and chairs were back up in the right places, and everyone seemed to have calmed down now, sitting down and going back to the way it was before. Sitting at the bar, Arthur ordered them two beers.
"Thank you." The barmaid smiled at them as she handed over the beers. "They are on the house."
"So who was that guy?" Arthur asked.
"Who Gwaine? He's a regular and likes to rub people up the wrong way. Nothing unusual." She told them before wandering off to clean a table.
"Which way are we heading?" Merlyn asked, taking a sip of her drink.
"To the north. The forest is too dense to take the horses, hence why we are leaving them here." He explained. "Come on, drink up. We need to get going if we want to cover a lot of ground before nightfall."
The two quickly left the tavern and collected their saddlebags from the horses before heading over towards the path into the forest. On their way past, Arthur spotted Gwanie still in the water trough, snoring asleep.
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Morgana sat in the gardens that were her mother's pride and joy when she was alive. She didn't remember her, only being a small babe when she had passed, but being here always made her feel closer to her.
A noise from behind caught her attention. Turning her head she saw Leon walking towards her.
"Princess, are you alright?" He asked as he came to sit beside her.
Morgana gave him a soft smile. "I am fine."
He contemplated her for a moment, not sure if he really believed her or not. "Morgana.. If something is troubling you.."
"I promise I would tell you." She assured him. "I just needed some time alone."
"I have to get back to the Knights." He whispered after a few minutes. "If you need anything.."
"Leon.." She laughed a little. Leon was almost as overprotective as her brother. He smiled before standing and heading out of the gardens, leaving her alone.
She watched as he left and smiled. Closing her eyes, she listened to the sounds of nature passing around her. She always felt at peace in her mother's gardens, like it brought them closer together. She remembered the times that she used to run away from the castle but Arthur would always find her here. It wasn't to say that Uther was a bad father, but Arthur had always been the one there for her. When she had nightmares it was Arthur she ran to, or whenever she managed to hurt herself, it was him that she cried to. Sure they had their arguments over the years, and even didn't speak to each other for a day or two, but they would always be there for each other.
"He will never understand who you are." Gasping and spinning around she saw the woman from this morning stood only metres away from her.
"Who are you?" She asked, standing, taking a few steps back. "What do you want?"
"Who I am does not matter." The woman said. Her hair was long blonde, resting it light curls on her chest. Her cloak was wrapped around her as her blue eyes bore into Morgana's own. "It is you who denies your true self."
"What are you talking about?" Morgana was more confused than ever.
"You are one of us, Morgana." The voice in her head spoke.
"How.. how did you do that?" She asked in a panic.
"There are many things that I can do." The woman told her. "Just as you can." Her eyes turned gold as air sped up around them.
"Sorceress.." Morgana's voice quivered in fear.
"Just as you are." She responded when her eyes turned back to normal.
"I don't have magic." Morgana insisted.
"You've never doubted things that have happened around you? You've never felt some sort of connection when you've watched our kin being slaughtered? You've never wished for something and then it has come true?" The woman asked. "I can feel your magic pulsing through your veins."
"Who are you? Why are you telling me this?" Morgana took another step backwards, wanting to get away from this woman.
"I am Morgause. I am here to teach you to embrace your powers, to become the witch you were truly meant to be." The blonde told her.
"Leave me alone! I am no witch!" She turned and began to run towards the exit of the gardens, only to come to a halt when Morgause blocked her way.
"You may deny it all you like, but the time will come when you can deny it no longer. When that day comes, I will be waiting." In a whirlwind, the woman disappeared. Morgana stood in shock at the place that the other woman had once been.
Could it be true?
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"Tell me again why it just had to be the two of us?" Merlyn asked as they walked in single file.
"Orders from the King." Arthur simply stated. "If half a company of men stormed through the forest, it would make them scatter before we even got close. The two of us can get close and sneak up on them." Arthur continued to speak to her and drivelled on about something when something else caught her attention.
Despite Arthur's voice filling the air, she heard something that she dreaded. Her blood ran cold almost in fear. It was only quiet, but the whistle told her everything that she needed to know. She froze on the spot, eyes scouring the trees. Arthur noticed she was no longer walking. Stopping he turned to look at her. "Merlyn?" He question, taking a few steps back towards her. "What is it?"
She silently counted. "One.. Two.. Three.." Eyes flickering between figures hidden away in the shadows. Arthur glanced around seeing nothing. "Twelve.. Thirteen.. Fourteen.."
"Merlyn?" He asked again.
"Arthur.." Her eyes flickered to his. He could see fear in her eyes. "Run back the way we came and don't look back." She whispered.
"What?" He questioned. "What's going on?"
"Yes, Merlyn. Do tell our young Prince here what is going on." Arthur spun around to see a man, dark tanned skin stepping out of the trees, a smirk plastered on his face.
"Who are you?" Arthur questioned, eyes glancing around as the others made their presence known. They were completely surrounded.
"Now, now, Merlyn, there's no need for that." Helios cooed as Merlyn moved to take her swords out, hand on the hilt.
A prick in the side of her neck, made her hand quickly move there. She removed the little dart and looked down at it just as Arthur fell to the ground unconscious. Her vision went blurry before she too fell to the ground. The world went black.
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"Morgana? Are you alright?" Gwen asked as she finished putting some things away in her mistress' chambers. "You have been quiet all night and look a little pale." Gwen was concerned at the Princess' behavior.
"I am a little tired." Morgana explained. "I will retire early for the night."
"Is there anything that I can get you?" Gwen asked her.
"That will be all Gwen." Morgana dismissed her.
Once she was alone to her thoughts, she began to sob. Was she telling the truth? She had been going over everything that she classified as being weird in the past few years.
There were the nightmares, some which had started coming true. A sleeping draught had put a stop to those. There had been times when things had moved around her chambers from where she had left them or even the time when she was young when she found a injured rabbit. It had looked like it was near death, but moments later it was up and hopping around like it had never happened.
Each time something happened, she put it down as being weird, never thinking anything of it. Did she really have magic? No surely not. Her father would never hear of such things. If she had magic, she would have known about it.
Turning over in the bed, she grabbed the vial of sleeping draught from the side and downed it. Darkness overcame her in a dreamless sleep.
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