So this is only a tiny bit late and to be honest all excuses are useless and it's just late. It's too late for me to get creative with excuses- although there's always the good old 'the dog ate my computer' excuse. Anyway enjoy! Read, review, favorite and follow all you like and it is all very much appreciated. P.s a review said this would be a good Mordred/Merlin fic and all I have to say to that is 'Eww! They are siblings, man!'. Sorry had to be said I think incest fics are all very well and good but not really my cup of tea.
IDOM by the way.
Leon's POV
Morgause's tent is small but warm and the woman herself is warmer than usual with a soft smile on her lips as she creates some kind of herbal drink. Her hands are moving deftly and expertly showing her experience of making the hot drink however her brow is still furrowed in concentration. "Do you always make this drink to help you meditate?"
Looking up at me and leaving her work for a second she replies. "A connection to the earth and her natural stimulants often helps a person connect to their inner nature."
"Who told you that?" I ask as she returns to her work.
"A friend." Her tone tells me not to ask more about this friend. Morgause has a lot of secrets and although I'm not exactly comfortable with the secrecy I can't help understand it. Until recently I would have killed her under the King's command. "What are you thinking about Leon?"
Her soft voice breaks through my thoughts. "Us."
She passes me some of her hot brew and sits on her bed with her own and observes me. "What about us?"
I shift under her analysing gaze. "I was wondering about what Balinor said about trust and love. How there couldn't be one without the other."
"Leon I have done many things in my life, some of which I'm not entirely proud of, have made plenty of friends and enemies and you can't expect me to relate to you everything that has happened in my life."
"I know and I don't expect you to- I just want to know that you do trust me and that you don't expect me to hurt you." I can't help but think that only a few short months ago I would've been trying to kill her.
"I trust you not to hurt me physically Leon." Something shifts in her face but before I can analyse it it's gone.
"And emotionally?"
"I'm not ready for anything emotional yet Leon." She pauses and her voice cracks ever so slightly. A small crack in the hard mask she's determined to wear. "Emotional attachment leads to contact and when I was a child... I heard many things and saw... The screams used to keep me up for hours and when they finally stopped there would just be blood everywhere. I 'm not saying we can't be close emotionally but I need you to know I'm not ready for anything... closer..."
"That's horrible. Truly disgusting and for you to be exposed to that at a young age is worse but it's not all like that. I swear I won't do anything you don't want me to and even if you were ready for anything more I'd be careful with you-"
"I'm not a delicate flower Leon." And the mask is back hiding her insecurities again. "That's another thing you need to know about me. I'm not a pretty little damsel in distress who needs you to ride in on a white horse. I'm a fighter. A Priestess of the Old Religion. A survivor."
"I know and believe me I'd never want you to be anything but. I've had enough of the Ladies of the court who simper and gossip but don't know the real world. I like the fact that you are all those things and more because it makes you interesting and where it goes from there I don't know and at the moment I don't particularly care. All I want is for whatever this is between us to continue. For the first time in my life I haven't got a strict target or a commanding officer all I have is my instincts and they are telling me to stay right here."
She looks at me with an unreadable expression on her face for a long moment and then reaches her arm out and pulls me towards her. Both of herbal drinks fall to the floor forgotten. Our bodies and lips collide in a mess and we over balance and fall to the floor in a mass of limbs. Neither of us stop though and instead focus on keeping our lips firmly pressed together
I can taste the delicate mixture of herbs on her lips and I think I may have found my new favourite flavour. Desperate for more I beg entrance into her mouth which she gladly grants and the taste of the herbs engulfs me as I explore her mouth. she returns the favour and although I can tell she's not experienced all I want is more. I take my lips of hers and trail kisses form the side of her mouth right down her long golden neck. A groan manage to escape her flushed lips as my own begin sucking a sensitive spot on her neck, the sound drives me wild and bring my hands up from the floor and begin trailing them up and down her curved yet firm body.
"Leon-" The gasp makes me stop and I completely freeze. "I want- this. So much. But not now- not here-not ready-" Shit. I take my hands off her immediately and scramble away from her trying to untangle our legs. Shit, right after I said we'd take things slow I lose control of my... well control.
"I'm sorry." I can't look at her. She's all flushed, ruffled and has a glaring red mark on her neck that I'm pretty sure will bruise.
"No it's alright. I didn't say no. I liked it." She's still a little out of breath and my treacherous brain wants to make her more so. Gods damn it I need to get out of here before my lust filled brain does anything stupid!
"Uh I did to. I've got to go.. do some hunting! Yep we're running out of food and we need to eat." With that I dash out of the tent without another word and I can hear a mocking voice in my head that sounds unnervingly like Morgana snort: smooth.
Gaius' POV
The Lady Catriona Tregor swept into the Throne Room with an amazing amount of elegance despite having sprained her ankle, always was a fighter. Lord Blackwood, the little rat that he is, acts as if he's king despite only being a third cousin twice removed of Uthur or something and the King isn't even dead. He greets her most graciously but there's an edge to his smile which shows his annoyance at her sudden appearance after all these years in absence. The Tregor family have always had influence and power within Camelot and if Blackwood is planning to grab power after Uthur's death he might find trouble with the notoriously loyal until the end Tregors.
"Lady Catriona it has been to long since you graced this castle with your presence. I trust you had a pleasant journey?"
"Despite the injury I sustained the journey was very pleasant. I heard that the King was ill and I immediately hastened to Camelot to see for myself." Wait does she know Mordred is here? I'd assumed that's why she arrived to see her long lost nephew.
"It is with the deepest regret that I must confirm the tragic rumours. Uthur Pendragon is a broken man after his son's... betrayal." Blackwood's trying to discredit Arthur then annoying but not unexpected. He knows that the court, despite his banishment, would support Arthur's claim on the throne more than his.
"I was saddened also about this news but I had hope that the rumours were false to try and undermine Camelot."
"I fear to say not so my dear Lady Catriona. However I have a feeling that the Kingdom will not fall whilst loyal citizens like you and I are still within her walls." Merlin would be green if she heard this man's slimy talk- she always did have a weak stomach for the slimy- getting her to clean out my leech tank was a nightmare.
"Well let us hope so Lord Blackwood." Catriona's smile is clearly a bit false now and I can't help a smile of my own.
"Even now we are planning a jousting tournament within the Knights of Camelot to decide the next First Knight of Camelot. It seems a member of your own family will be competing in the event."
"Really?" She doesn't bother to hide her shock because as far as she knows she's the last in the line of Tregor. "Who?"
"Sir Mordred Tregor, son of Myrddin. Your nephew."
Lady Catriona's eyes widen and for a moment a very unladylike gape appears on her face. "M-my nephew! I thought him dead."
"Well he isn't and showing promise within the Knights and is a clear competitor in the tournament. Many people's favourite although there's still a few knights that could take the crown."
The Lady Catriona doesn't seem to be taking in any of the information about her nephew's odds in the tournament and appears to still be in shock, to save her I step forward. "My lord, I think it best that the Lady Catriona retires now, she has had a very trying day and has a badly sprained ankle. We wouldn't want her to be too tired to go to the tournament tomorrow."
"Yes very well Gaius I think that's is best to. It is set to be quite a day and ~I wouldn't want anybody to be too fatigued to enjoy it."
"Thank you, my lord." With that the Lady Catriona Tregor left the throne room as elegantly as she came in.
Morgana's POV
When I walked out of my tent almost a whole day after I went asleep it is to find Ambrosia, Gwaine and Percival sitting around the fire talking in hushed voices. Avoiding the empty space next to Gwaine (I'm still pretty embarrassed that I hugged him yesterday) I sit myself next to Ambrosia. "What are you all talking about so secretly?" It's meant to be teasing but my voice sounds hollow even to my own ears.
"We've heard news of a Druid festival nearby." Ambrosia says almost excitedly."I think we should go."
"Who's 'we' we can't leave Merlin."
Percival snorted but had a almost sad understanding look on his face. "Like we could pry Arthur away from her bedside. He's been there since you left yesterday saying he wants her to wake to see yours or his own face. The boy is desperate and hasn't slept much since Merlin became like this."
"I should be with him!" I go to stand but Ambrosia grabs my arm and pulls me back down.
"No Freya. You need a break from her bedside. I can't lose two daughters." I don't understand exactly what she means but her hushed melancholy tones keep me in my seat. "Anyway I was thinking maybe only a few of us should go." She continued seemingly shaking off her previous sadness. "Like the four of us maybe?"
"I'd be up for it!" Gwaine replies jovially with a rogue wink. "Where there's a festival there's drink and it would be nice to have a few drinking companions this time. Ever since I took Lance people have been refusing to accompany me on my trips to the tavern."
Percival reached over to him and thumped him playfully on the arm and chuckles. "That's because anybody who goes to the tavern with ends up having to drag your passed out form back."
Gwaine grins back at Percival and I feel my own heart lighten a fraction at the friendly camaraderie. "I'd like to come. I want to learn more about festivals and magic celebrations."
Ambrosia smiled at me excitedly managing to get a weak one out of me to. we all turn in unison to Percival. "How about you old friend? Want to try and stop Gwaine get ridiculously drunk at a druid festival?"
"Well if you all insist on going I better come along in case you fail your mission to keep Gwaine sober. I can't see either of you dainty ladies managing to lug a intoxicated Gwaine back to camp."
Ambrosia smiles mischievously and waggles her fingers in his direction. Suddenly Percival finds himself dangling upside down in midair. Gwaine laughs uproariously and ends up falling off his log into the forest floor, he's laughing so loudly at his friend's predicament that I only just hear Ambrosia say. "I think we'd manage Percy but your still welcome to come." With that she let him down and they shared a smile.
"It would be a honour High Priestess." Ambrosia's smile grows even wider.
"Then to the druid festival we go!" Her eyes are bright and happy but as she turns and sees Merlin's tent I see the grief that passes through her eyes. Then I hear her voice in my head softly saying: Merlin would have loved to come but as she can't we'll have to enjoy it for her and tell her all about it when she wakes up.
Sorry blatant build up chapter but stuff happens next chapter promise! If your still here thank you for reading!