A/N - I have become inspired and have decided to expand this fic into a whole new plot so that the actual ending isn't too rushed. I hope everyone is ok with that :) Thank you for the reviews so far and please keep them coming; pretty please XD Enjoy this chapter! Morgana has another dream which is very relevant to the new direction I'm taking this in...

21) Darkness

Morgana sat in her nightgown, braiding her hair in the candlelight. At the knock on the door, she quickly finished the braid and tied it off before getting up and going to see who it was at this unearthly hour. It was past midnight but she'd never been a great sleeper even as a young child so she'd learned to adapt.

"Arthur…" she said in surprise.

"I'm not disturbing you I hope," replied Arthur.

"Not at all. Please, come in."

As she held the door open, Arthur slipped into her chambers and moved over to the seat Morgana had indicated. She closed and locked the door, feeling very paranoid since everything that had happened with Lot even though he was now dead, and sat on the edge of the bed opposite her moonlight visitor.

"So, what brings you here at this late hour? Shouldn't you be getting refreshed for you kingly duties tomorrow?" asked Morgana with a smile.

"I…I was wondering if you would…accompany me to the feast," he said, nervously.

"And there are no young maidens who you would prefer to spend your evening with? Lady Ashlee… Lady Victoria?" she asked with the ghost of a smile on her lips.

"You don't have to of course, but there is no-one who understands me better than you…" he trailed off, awkwardly, redness creeping into his cheeks "I mean… I just…"

"Of course I will accompany you. I would be honoured to," replied Morgana with a beaming smile.

Arthur's face immediately changed from uncomfortable, to relief and finally settled on happiness. He returned her smile.

"Well then, my lady, I shall bid you goodnight," he said "A lady must always have her beauty sleep… less she get irritable."

"Goodnight, my lord," she responded with a grin "And kings must always have their rest so they do not fall asleep from boredom during council sessions."

Arthur groaned and Morgana laughed lightly before rising from the bed to let him out of her chambers. He bowed to her and kissed her hand in mock courtesy.

"Until tomorrow, my lady."

"Sleep well, your grace."

Morgana kicked the coverlet off irritably. She rolled over onto her side to face the window. Even after the hours of lying in the silent darkness, sleep failed to consume her. It wasn't unusual after all but it frustrated her to no end; the boredom. She'd thought about everything and anything twice over already and even that had not sent her to sleep. Perhaps what she needed was to endure another council session with Arthur that would surely send her to sleep, she thought with a wry smile.

Having had enough, she slipped out of bed and walked across to the window, bare feet against the freezing stone floor. Not having the sense to pull some shoes on, she sat on the window ledge, drawing her knees to her chest to make herself a smaller target for the biting autumn cold.

The citadel lay before her in all its glory; a silhouette illuminated by the moonlight, serene and silent. No-one was out and about save for the unfortunate guards on patrol. During the day, it would be a complete contrast; people rushing around, each doing the tasks that held the kingdom together. It was even busier than usual though with preparations for Samhain – festival of the dead. She'd never liked it. It brought back too many memories of her father's death, old wounds reopened once she was sure they had been sewn shut. Now, she thought of all those she'd killed in the battle and especially Lot. He'd surely come back to haunt her, to make her go insane even though she never once regretted it being the one to wield the blade that ended his life. She could almost imagine his taunting voice and his venomous words and see his pale ghostly figure out of the corner of her eye.

Morgana shook her head and changed her line of thought quickly. To her surprise, the next subject was Arthur. She was eternally grateful that his name would not join the lists of those she had killed; particularly at this time of the year where she was already haunted by enough ghosts. His recovery had been a slow one but a recovery all the same and there were no lasting effects. He was still able to ride and fight and rule. She was surprised that he'd asked to escort her to the grand feast to be held in two days' time; and glad. There wasn't a part of her that wanted to go with some stranger knight or high-ranking lord. Not after Lot. She'd never trusted easily, but now there was no-one. Everything was suspicious from the slightest whisper or a wrong look. She hated the way she'd become; so cynical, so bitter, but she couldn't change the way her mind reacted. Arthur made her feel safe and loved and happy again, just by smiling at her.

The raven-haired woman's body was soon prey to the cold and she sighed, closing the window and padding back across to bed. She wrapped herself tightly in the quilt and closed her eyes; hoping for sleep, dreamless sleep.

All around was damp and dark; no light anywhere. The silence was pierced by a terrifyingly penetrating scream followed by desperate rattling and murmurs. More screams. As everything fell silent again, there was the sound of metal grating and a sudden burst of harsh light, artificial. It was blinding. Then, everything was submerged into darkness once more.

Morgana shot up; her forehead on fire, flimsy nightgown clinging to her clammy skin. She bit down hard on her lip to supress a scream. The last thing she needed was more drugs; Gaius had given her enough of them as a child and they did nothing to help. Her breathing was erratic as she subconsciously clutched at the bed sheets.

Nightmares were no stranger to her and she'd learned to accept them, but this one was different. It carried an impending sense of doom like it was a premonition. The screams echoed in her ears and she shivered and pulled the covers up to her chin even though she was burning hot. She found herself shivering violently and tried desperately to compose herself. It's only a dream, Morgana, get a grip, she chided herself.

Once she'd regained some semblance of control, she rose from the bed and walked over to her mirror, the icy stone bringing her back to reality with each step. She splashed some cool water on her face to try and counteract the fiery fever. It worked somewhat and she found herself calming down. She breathed deeply. It was only a dream, after all.

When dawn came, Morgana was dressed in a plain purple dress and her boots, having done all the basic chores to save her from sleeping again and returning to the darkness before her maidservant could even appear. The young girl looked very surprised to see her mistress having completed her tasks for her and shuffled her feet, unsure of what to do now.

"Chrissie, would you be as kind as to inform my daughters to meet me in the courtyard at noon. I wish to spend some time with them," said Morgana, as soon as she noticed her maid's discomfort.

"Of course, milady. Is there anything else I can do for you…breakfast…?" asked Chrissie, nervously.

"I will eat later, Chrissie. Go, now, child and you can have the rest of the day off," responded Morgana with a smile. She was obviously new to the job.

"Thank you, milady. If you're sure, I mean."

"That will be all," finished Morgana, not unkindly.

Chrissie disappeared to do her bidding, pleased to have such a kind and understanding mistress. Morgana watched her go and then sighed. It was so hard to put up a front that she was ok and all it took was a smile and some carefully applied makeup to hide the dark circles under her eyes; indicators of her sleepless nights. Perhaps the time with her daughters would help her forget the nightmare that still refused to be shaken off.

As she finished the remainder of her apple, Morgana spotted her daughters waiting by the stairs to the castle, laughing at something. Arya was clothed in the simplest of dresses possible; a white cotton one while Alana was wearing a royal blue gown adorned with bows. For sisters, they were so different.

"Did you sleep well, girls?" asked Morgana.

"Yes, mother," responded Arya before giving her a pointed look which she merely nodded to, choosing not to tell her children of the nightmare.

"I had the most amazing dream," answered Alana, dizzy with happiness.

"That is most wonderful. Shall we walk and talk?" said Morgana, before taking her girls' hands in hers and heading towards the market.

Morgana tried her best to focus on the tale her youngest child was telling her. It seemed Lord William had asked to escort her to the feast and her dream had been full of dreams for the future; for their wedding and their children. She smiled and nodded along, happy to submerge herself in the childhood innocence, but her mind kept drifting back to her own dream. The more she thought on it, the more frustrated she got that she had no idea what it was even about.

"This is so pretty," said Alana, dreamily, twirling around, holding a swathe of pale pink silk against her body.

"So are you, sweet girl," smiled Morgana as she handed the royal seamstress a few gold coins and giving instructions to have the dress ready by sunset tomorrow "And what of you, Arya?"

Her eldest made a face. She was so much like Morgana had been as a child it was uncanny. Well, not a child anymore. Arya was fifteen now. The occasions for dressing up were ones dreaded since she hated the restriction. She'd learned to live with it though, use it to her advantage.

"How about this?" asked Morgana, pointing to a golden velvet dress as Alana had her measurements taken. Arya shook her head. "This?"

Several dresses and fabrics later, Arya finally nodded her head and smiled at a crimson silk dress with a belt of gold leaves. Morgana sighed in relief and ushered her over to the seamstress with the coins. That just left her…