Morgana laid on her bed at the boarding house, staring up at the ceiling, the words from what seemed so long ago now sometimes laying in her head. It was while Gloris was away. Her mother, Viennenne, grew lonely…
Most of the time she could put it in the back of her mind, this revelation that she was not, in fact, the biological child of the man who had raised her, but of the man's friend who had betrayed him along with his wife. Other times, something would happen, something that would trigger her, and then it was there. Everything ran through her mind. Had Gloris ever suspected anything? Did Viennenne ever feel guilt for what she had done? And what about the troops Uther was supposed to send? Troops that never came…
And then she thought about Arthur.
They'd kill him if it was found out. A faction noble who didn't like his polices and through she would do what they wanted. Angry peasants. She wouldn't either put it past Uther at this point. She could never tell him, couldn't risk it getting out.
Finally getting up, she made her way to dining room, were two children, a boy girl, siblings from what she had gathered, had set up a paint set at the table. The girl, a little imp of a thing with pale blonder hair and pale blue eyes, saw her. "Hi."
"Hello there." Morgana smiled, walking over to her, "How's the painting going?"
"I made a flower." The girl said, holding up the picture for Morgana to see.
Morgana smile, the children melting away her dark mood.
At least until the boy leaned over to get a bottle of baby powder that had been left to help thicken the paints, knocking the whole bottle over and sending the white dusk everywhere. "Oops. Sorry."
Suddenly Morgana's throat began to feel tight, her skin itching. She stepped back and tried to breathe, but couldn't.
The little girl began to panic. "Mommy!" She called out running, "We broke our neighbor!"
The children's mother ran into the room. "Miss are you alight?"
Morgana couldn't speak and by then, wheezing and turning purple.
"Oh my gosh!" The woman exclaimed grabbing Morgana up. "We're gonna get you to a doctor, okay?"
Morgana nodded, allowing herself to be led outside.
That was the last thing she remembered before blacking out.
Morgana's eyes fluttered opened, staring up a bright light ceiling. Alarmed, she shot up, and found herself staring at Gwen and Arthur who were standing in front of her bed.
"How are you feeling?" Gwen asked.
Morgana began rubbing her forehead. "Who put rocks in my head?"
"Do you remember what happened?" Arthur asked.
"I was catching these children play." Morgana began, "One of them knocked over the bottle and I—I couldn't breathe."
"I'll go get the doctor." Arthur declared, "Let him know you're awake."
Dr. Callahan, a man with large mulberry colored birthmark covering half his face, came in, and began talking to Morgana about what happened.
"We think you a severe allergic reaction to something." Dr. Callahan explained, "We're just not sure what. I've had test ordered. Can you tell me what happened at the time you had the attack?"
Morgana told the doctor everything that happened. The doctor took blood samples and they did a prick test. By the time that finished, Merlin came running into the room.
"I just heard what happened." Merlin began, "Is she—"
"I'm fine, Merlin." Morgana told him, "The doctor left from doing to test to figure out what happened."
"Ah, what did happen?" Merlin asked, "Exactly?"
"They think it was some kind of allergic reaction." Arthur answered, "A type of chemical embrace somewhere in the body that causes it to react—badly when exposed to rather innocuous things."
"Like what?" Morgana asked.
"It could be anything." Arthur responded, "There were people back on Earth that were allergic to water and sunlight. There are some weird one's out there."
Morgana was cleared to go back to the boarding house that night, and two days later the test came in. She sat on the table as the other surrounding her, Dr. Callahan explaining everything.
"It looks like the thing you're allergic to is talcum powder." Dr. Callahan began, "It's a mineral made from a particular type of rock, it's commonly used in baby powder, like the children were using to thicken their paint."
"Is it very dangerous?" Gwen spoke up.
"It is alarming that you had that bad a reaction the first time you were exposed to it." The doctor admitted, "I'm giving you a prescription for an epi pen in case this ever happens again, show you to use it." He started writing on a piece of paper. "Fortunately, since talcum is hard to get your hands on around here, we've found ways to avoid putting it in things unless absolutely necessary. "
"Is this—is this common?" Morgana questioned.
"This type of allergy? Not exactly." Dr. Callahan commented, "I'm only seen it once before. "His eyes subconiously went over to Arthur.
Just then Tilly stuck her head in. "Doctor," She began, "You're needed upstairs."
"Sorry to lay all of this on you and run, but I have to go." Dr. Callahan said before leaving the room.
They were all silent for a moment, process what they just learned. "Arthur," Morgana began, trying not to sound afraid, "Why did he look at you?"
"I'm allergic to baby powder too." Arthur explained, "I was helping to change Arrietty's diaper when she was a baby and I got this rash. After it happened a couple of times, they figured out something was wrong, took me to the doctor and started using cornstarch as substate to cover Arrietty. But I never had a reaction as bad as yours. Please stay away from the stuff from now on."
"You don't have to worry about that." Morgana assured her, wondering if allegories could be genetic.
Once Morgana was relatively sorted, Merlin's focus was back on Freya, specifically, trying to find a way to break the curse. So far, they had come up empty. In the meantime, he was sneaking back into the colony every few days to check on her and give her an update.
"I'm sorry I keep bringing you bad news." Merlin said as they sit on the couch together.
"Failing means you're playing." Freya told him.
"What?" Merlin responded.
"It's something my employer says sometimes." Freya explained, "It's supposed to mean that failing just means you're trying."
"Oh." Merlin responded.
"It's a Scottish saying." Freya rambled, "Scotland, that's a country they have on Earth."
"Arthur mentioned it when we were preparing for the treaty, I think." Merlin responded, "It was a long list of countries." After a beat he asked, "So, if we can break the curse, what's the plan? Are you going to stay here?"
"I have a life here." Freya reasoned, "Not so much anywhere." She looked down, forlorn.
"I'm sorry," Merlin began, "I didn't mean—"
"I know," Freya assured him, "It's alright." Trying to change the subject, she asked, "Can I ask how you came to be here? In the Colony?"
Merlin grinned. "That's actually a rather long story." So, saying, he told her all of it. Well, most of it, at least.
"So, you just—go around helping people?" Freya asked when he finished.
Merlin laughed. "You make me sound like some kind of wondering hero or something. But, in the process, I suppose that happens."
"Do you ever miss it, your home village?" Freya asked, "What's it like there?"
"It's a small village." Merlin told her, "Just a few fields, a couple of cows. Nothing special."
"My home was next to a lake surrounded by the tallest mountains." Freya began, starting to brighten, "In winter the storms whipped up the water into waves and you thought they were going to crash down and take away all the houses. But in summer, there was wild flowers and light. It was like Heaven."
Merlin couldn't help but agreed. "Sounds perfect."
"It was." Freya responded sadly.
Merlin opened his mouth, almost assuring her that they would break the curse and she could go back, but something in the way she said it stopped him. "Was?"
"My family died." Freya explained, forlorn again.
"Have you been on your own ever since?" Merlin asked.
"Until Jensen found me." Freya confirmed.
"Well, you're not on your own anymore." Merlin assured her, "Not just your girls. I won't give up. I promise."
Merlin's promised worked in theory at least, but they were faced with an obscle to it. As one month was becoming two, Uther started sending letters that inquiring as to when the group would return. Increasingly instant letters.
"I don't know how much longer I can stall him." Arthur told Gwen as he paced the kitchen and Gwen sat at the table rotating a cup of steaming sunflower root tea in hands.
"Well, maybe it's time we go back." Gwen reasoned, "I mean, Arrietty seems to be doing a lot better. It won't be easy, but we all knew it wasn't forever."
"I know," Arthur began, "But I also feel bad about the situation with Merlin and the girl, what was her name? Freya? "After a beat he reasoned, "I mean, I suppose he could keep searching in Camelot, and if he found something make an excuse to come back. It's not like there's no traffic between here and there now."
Ever since relations opened up between the two people, business was slowly increasing between Camelot and the Colony including people traveling to conduct business to and from each place. Merlin wouldn't raise any eyebrow.
"So, I guess now we tell the other's what's going on." Arthur guessed, "Amusing Morgana's not avoiding me…do you know what's going on with that, as long as we're speaking? Have I done something?"
"Not that I know of." Gwen responded, "Thought now that you mentioned she does seem…distant, sometimes. Especially since the baby powder incident. I thought maybe that spooked her."
After every one talked, Arthur sent word to Uther that they would be back within the next week, as they needed time to make travel preparations, which was technically true.
"I'm sorry we couldn't do more to help you." Merlin told Freya at her place, unable to look at her.
"You did everything you could." Freya assured him, "More than anyone else has done."
"I'll still keep working on this, back home." Merlin vowed, "I promised."
Freya was silent for a moment, then said, "If you wanted, there is one more thing you could do…"
Merlin looked at her. "Of course. What?"
"There's a—club in town, kinda like a tavern." Freya began, "I've always wanted to go, but—I've always worried about getting home on time. "Would you—go with me."
"I—I'd be honored." Merlin told her.
The next night, there was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." Rowena called out, running down the hall and opening the door, revealing Merlin, dressed in slightly too big black clothes, shifting awkwardly.
Rowena turned her head back. "Freya, Merlin's here!" She then turned back to Merlin, "Come on, in, Freya will be out in a minute."
Merlin took the offer, stepping past the threshold.
"Have her back by eleven, okay?" Rowena continued, "You know how important that is, right?"
"Yes, don't worry." Merlin assured her.
Meeting his gaze Rowena added, "And if you hurt her, I'll feed you your own intenseness."
Merlin had a feeling she meant it. "Agreed."
Just then Freya came down the hall. She was in white dress with strapped that went around her neck, her hair down, but the top of it pulled up with pin.
Merlin stared at her. "You—you look beautiful."
"Thank you," Freya responded almost bashfully, "You look nice too."
Merlin offered her his arm. "You ready?"
Freya nodded taking the arm.
"Have fun, you too." Rowena told them, "And be safe."
The club, called The Tavern at The End of The World, was bustling, people drinking at the bars or at tables, people dancing, music playing. On that night it was actually Karaoke night. They had managed to fix up a machine a couple of years before, but only used it once a month. At that moment a familiar brunette with her hair down was on the stage.
"I alone am the one that you don't need." Daisy belted out, "Take heed, fed your ego. Make me blind when your eyes close. Sink when you get close, tie me to a bedpost. I alone am the one that you don't need. You don't know you need me. Make me blind when your eyes close. Tie me to the bed post!"
Morgana, Gwen and Arrietty was at the bar, watching the spectacle. Grabbing napkin Arrietty wrote, I've never seen her like this. How does she sound?
She's not the best, but she's certainly not the worst person to go up there. Gwen signed and finder spelt.
"I would swallow my pride; I would choke on the rhinos." Daisy continued to sing, "But the lack there of would leave me empty inside. Swallow my doubt, turn it inside out. Find nothing but faith in nothing. Want to put my tender heart in a blender…"
Gwaine and Arthur came over to the group. "When my girl cuts lose, she goes all out." Turning to Arthur he asked, "Has she always been like that?"
"Sometimes much worse." Arthur answered, "Merlin and Freya seem to be enjoying themselves."
On the dance floor Freya was letting Merlin twirl her, the pair oblivious to all else.
"Rendezvous, then I'm through with you." Daisy finished the song, the began descending the stage to thunderous applause, already pinning her hair back up.
"Good job, Daisy." Arthur complimented, going in for the hug.
"Yeah, you were great." Gwaine agreed, kissing her on the cheek.
"Thanks guy," Daisy began, when she realized they were missing one, "Uh, where's Morgana?"
Morgana was currently in the woman's bathroom, her body slammed up against the door. Why did she keep doing this? Why was it so hard to be around Arthur all of a sudden? She'd know about her true parentage for weeks. Why was she acting like this now?
A girl in a black dress came out from the stall. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Yes," Morgana said, backing away from the door to let her out, "Sorry."
Back in the club, a young man and woman got up on the stage, and new sound began to play. "I don't know you, but I want you all the more for that…."
Freya got a little almost nostalgic smile on her face.
"What?" Merlin asked.
"It's just—this was the song Jensen sung the night we met." Freya told him.
"You—you remember that?" Merlin asked, surprised she remembered that detail.
Freya nodded. "I also remembered you though they were hurting me, and you got mad."
"You were chained in the basement." Merlin countered, "What was I supposed to think?"
Freya smiled shyly. "Fair point."
"And words fall thought me and always fool me and I can't react…"
"I've never known anyone like you." Merlin declared, almost sadly, "I wish I could stay."
"I wish you could do." Freya agreed, "But maybe we could write?"
Merlin smiled. "I'd like that."
"And games that never amount to more than they're meant will play themselves out…"
"I'm so sorry for that that sorceress did to you." Merlin whispered.
"Don't be sorry." Freya told him, "If anything I should thank you."
"For what?" Merlin responded.
"For coming here with me tonight." Freya answered, "For giving me my life back. I mean, the girls already did that, but you—you made feel love."
In the clam and bliss of the moment, their faces moved closer to each other, until suddenly their lips were touching.
"Take this sinking boat and point it home. We've still got time. Raise your hopeful voice, you have a choice. You've made it now."
Arthur's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, will you look at that." He felt a tug on his sleeve and turned around to see Arrietty standing next to a boy with smooth brown hair, glasses covering his eyes, holding a white cane. "Arthur, this is Jeremy. "Arrietty began, gesturing to the boy, and signing, then she stopped signing and said, "Jeremy, my brother."
"Hi," Jeremy responded.
"And now we're going to dance." Arreitty declared pulling Jeremy onto the dance floor.
Arthur stared at them as they went. "I'm not sure I like this. I don't know Jeremy. I don't know how she knows Jeremy."
"I think he's a friend of a friend." Daisy told him.
That was Gwaine took her by the hand, saying, "You know, those crazy kids, have the right idea." Then he pulled off to the dance floor, leaving Arthur and Gwen alone.
The pair stared each other for a moment. "Do you—" Arthur began.
"I wouldn't mind." Gwen replied, walking up to them.
As everyone took their partner in their arms, the dance ended and young woman with long blonde hair ascending the stage as another slow song began to play, "Hey, Homecoming Queen, why do you lie? When's somebody's mean, where do you hide?"
Morgana came back from the bathroom and sat down at the bar, waving to get the bar tender's attention. "Uh, can I get another of what I was drinking, I'm not sure—" She tried to think of the name.
"An English Como." The bar tender recalled, "Vodka and red current juice."
"Do people assume, you're always alright? Been so good at smiling most of your life…."
"Ah, yes, that." Morgana agreed, "But maybe not so much vodka this time?"
"Easy on the vodka, got it." The bar tender agreed, before going to get the drink.
"Look damn good in the dress. Zipping up the mess. Dancing with your best foot forward…."
Arthur paused from where he had been dancing with Gwen and when he saw the other young woman. "Morgana's back. Can you hold on a minute, I'd like to try to talk to her?"
"Sure." Gwen replied, stepping back, but not entirely sure what was going on in her stomach.
"Does it get hard to have to play the part? Nobody's feeling sorry for Ya. But what I told you the world wouldn't end…."
Arthur sort of ambushed her, sitting down on the seat next to her before she could see him. "Hey there."
"Oh," Morgana startled before calming down, "Hello."
"…if you started showing what's under your skin…"
"So, is there any particular reason you've been avoiding me?" Arthur just came out with it.
"What makes you think I've been avoiding you?" Morgana countered.
"What if you let them all in on the lie? Even the homecoming Queen cries…"
"Because for one thing you literally fled when I got a few feet away from you." Arthur pointed out, "Have I done something? If I did, I'm sorry—"
"No, no," Morgana cut him off, "It's not you, please don't ever think it's you."
"Hey Homecoming Queen, how's things at home? Still walking on eggshells, when that's curtain's closed…."
"Then what?" Arthur responded.
"Did you Daddy teach you how to act tough? Or more like your Momma? Sweep it under the rug…"
"Arthur, I wish I could explain, but— "Morgana began.
"Look daman good in the dress. Zipping up the mess. Dancing with your best foot forward." The girl on stage hit a loud, high note at that point, "Did you want the crown or does it—"
Even though she hadn't been paying much attention to the song, that line hit a little too close to home, causing Morgana to snap. "No!" She shouted, shooting up, "I don't want it, I never wanted it! Especially not if it hurts you!"
"Morgana what are you—" Arthur began.
"I'm sorry, I—I can't stay here." Morgana declared, running from the club.
Seeing her flee, the other stopped what they were doing and began to follow, gathering back together, when Arthur raised a hand to stop them. "Hold on a second. Let me go check on her first."
When Arthur burst through the door, he saw Morgana standing in the street, crying.
"I'm sorry." Arthur began, "I shouldn't have ambushed you like that."
"No, it wasn't that." Morgana told him, "It's actually been building up for a while now. "She turned to look at him, "Arthur, there's something I have to tell you."
And so, Morgana told him everything she had heard Uther say while she was in the coma.
When he was done, Arthur rubbed his face wearily. "I'm so sorry, Morgana. Sorry you had to find out like that. Sorry for—" His voice trailed out, not wanting to say it.
"I've already though about it." Morgana told him, "And it haunts me. But I'm more worried about you—it's one of the reasons I didn't say anything."
"A possible alternative heir could be used against you." Morgan explained.
Arthur pulled her to him. "We'll deal with that if we need to."
Morgana began to cry again, the weight of her secret lifting from her. Again. "Thank you."
"That's what brothers are for." Arthur assured her.