Rating K+

Word Count: 300

Challenge Given: Series 3: Beyond Words: Write 100-300 words as a response to this prompt, making sure you don't go above 400 at the absolute maximum. You may use whatever genre, characters, pairings, ratings you like, but you MUST include the word below in your drabble.

Word: Imperious
Definition: domineering in a haughty manner; dictatorial; overbearing

You may also use: imperiously, imperiousness

A/N: I'm in a series 1 mood after all the recent angst

Imperious

The lady Morgana was beautiful, intriguing, fierce and alluring. She was unlike any woman that Merlin had even met and, initially, he could do nothing but stare at her, his mouth lolling open like Arthur's dogs after a hunt, even though he knew she would never notice someone like him.

However, it wasn't long before he discovered that appearances could be deceiving and most of what he saw was an act. Merlin forced himself to be more clumsy than he actually was and Arthur pretended to be more confident. Gwen hid a wicked sense of humour under her guise of little-shy-girl and Morgana hid her fear under a mask of Imperiousness.

Not that Merlin would have realised that if he hadn't been working part-time as Gaius' assistant, but that job sometimes required him to take Morgana's sleeping draught to her chambers and it was here that he would occasionally see another side of her; child-like, wide-eyed and terrified.

"What is it?" An impertinent question but one he couldn't help asking.

She looked towards her bed and he could almost sense her fear. "I don't want to go to sleep."

"Your nightmares?" he asked and she just nodded. "I'm sure the potion will help."

Her expression turned steely and the imperious Morgana was suddenly back. "It won't," she hissed.

"Ah, have you tried warm milk with honey? My mother swears by it."

Her expression suddenly changed, her face relaxing and a beautiful smile lighting up her face.

"Thank you, Merlin. You're very sweet." He felt his cheeks burn at the compliment. "Would you stay with me for a bit?"

"Ah, I'm not sure..."

"Just for a while? Just to talk?" She widened her eyes, her bottom lip trembling slightly. "Please."

~o~0~o~

29/6/13