Chapter 16 [Darkling Woods]
[A/N: Another curve ball dead ahead. Morgana should pay closer attention to diplomatic matters. Happy New Year, Everyone.]
Morgana hissed under her breath. Paranoia prompted her to look over her shoulder every few heartbeats. Her sister's telepathic prompting had come at a most inopportune time. She'd needed to make excuse over finishing the side chantry's decorations for Merlin and Gwen's ceremony the next day.
Even if the two meddlers were to be shoved out of the way, she would give them…and Arthur…a day to be remembered.
Much like during the cooking of a great feast, Anticipation savored Triumph's glory. She knew such an event would splinter the core relationships at Camelot's center. Arthur would never forgive Uther. He'd send Merlin away not wanting the constant reminders. He'd pine for Gwen. More than likely, he'd take more patrols remaining away from the citadel for longer and longer lengths of time.
All the better to plot and to eliminate Gaius and Uther. Then she'd prepare a proper end for her dear brother…
She came out to the familiar spot. A glance around tried to find her sister in the dark. Morgause?
I am here, Sister….
Morgana smirked. Her eyes narrowed as Morgause emerged from the shadows. "How goes Mercia?"
Morgause grinned. Canary feathers practically fell from the sides of her mouth. "Cenred prepares his forces. He will march within the week. Nemeth's delegation will reach Camelot. They camped at the Severn at sunset. Is everything set with Uther?"
"Aye." Morgana nodded feeling all too pleased with herself. "He drank the potion in his wine at dinner. By morning, it will control him. Uther will follow my every telepathic suggestion."
"Excellent! With Princess Mithian and Lord Brumenwald in the chamber, Uther will have them detained. If she wants the Queen to be revived, the brat Princess will marry Prince Arthur. The members of the party will return to Nemeth. Rodor will declare war. The two armies will tear into each other before Cenred finishes them both!"
It will not happen, Sisters. By order of the triple goddess herself… a strange female voice echoed through their minds.
Morgause glared at the dimly lit woods. Shadows revealed no other presence. She did feel another like themselves close by. WHO'S THERE? COME OUT!
"By order of the King's ward! Come out!" Morgana snapped.
"King's ward now? Back to being the dear daughter. Are we?" A robed figure sauntered into view. Her piercing dark eyes stabbed daggers into the other priestesses. Her smirk taunted and dared them to try something. Her raven dark hair fell just beneath her shoulder blades.
"NIMUE?" Morgause stared aghast at the revived priestess.
"Wait! I know you! You were at our court years ago!" Morgana recalled.
"Aye. I was. I had a score to settle with one of the courtiers. At that point, you were the sweet daughter! How I wish I had known about your potential, Morgana! I would have trained you myself." Nimue raised an eyebrow. "I certainly would not waste time with such armies. Arthur and Uther do enough to destroy themselves. If not for Emrys, they would have succeeded!"
"Emrys!" Morgana hissed. Anger seethed within her at the accursed name.
"Sister, calm yourself!" Morgause shook off Morgana's reaction. "Nimue, you do realize that what we do is meant to restore magic and the old religion to Camelot? We are doing this in her name."
Nimue sniffed. "Her name or Morgana's? I want Uther's head as much as anyone for his crimes against our kind! Even so, the triple goddess will deal with him in her own time. She orders you to stop. You will spill blood and incite opposition. Rodor of Nemeth tolerates magic. He is our ally. If we rid Camelot of Uther, the tide will turn in our favor, Sisters."
"NAY! I will rule in Camelot! The throne is mine!" Morgana insisted.
Sarcasm's fire burned in Nimue's eyes. "Oh you have a chance to rule. It will not be in Camelot, Lady Morgana." She pranced about allowing that particular revelation to waft in the night air.
"What?" Morgause spat. "I heard nothing of such things, Nimue!"
"It was not for you to know. The goddess tells who she will. I am her messenger." Nimue shook her head. "Morgana, you can gamble on this plan…and it is not certain. Or you can accept the sure offer of influence and power. You could be in a position to pressure Camelot to stop with Uther's Purge and accept our kind. "
"Sister, the dead cannot return. This is a trick! It is Emrys deceiving you!" Morgause lied.
IT IS THE TRUTH, MY PRIESTESSES. YOU WILL LISTEN TO NIMUE! SHE SPEAKS MY WILL, MORGANA PENDRAGON! the goddess' voice boomed in their minds.
Morgana frowned. Lady, what are you saying? Do you not want us to deal with Uther and Camelot?
I WILL DEAL WITH UTHER. HE WILL PAY FOR HIS CRIMES. WILL YOU NOT TRUST IN ME? I WISH FOR YOU TO ACCEPT YOUR NEW ROLE. The goddess' voice went silent once again.
"New role?" Morgana raised an eyebrow.
"Aye, Sister." Nimue coughed. "Do you remember Tintagel's Prince Accolon?"
"Aye. I do." Morgana remembered Accolon from an earlier state visit to Tintagel. She saw once more his martial skills against Arthur in the arena. She enjoyed his garden and books. She'd accompanied him on long rides through the woods and in a hunt. "Certainly he would not oppose our cause?"
"Nay he does not. His father, King Cuthbert, lies on his death bed. Soon, Prince Accolon will ascend the throne. Not only is he a Prince, Morgana, he is a fellow priest of the triple goddess. It seems he remembers you. He wants you as his queen and wife," Nimue declared.
"He…does?" Morgana stared at Nimue. Her heart skipped a beat. "And Tintagel is firmly for the goddess?"
"The people wish for this to happen, Morgana." Nimue turned toward the darkness. Accolon, it is time.
Wisps of smoke formed into a pillar and then into a doorway.
A strapping blonde-haired bearded man stepped through it. He smoothed his lavender robes. "Lady Morgana." He bowed to her.
"Prince Accolon." Morgana studied the other's face. "How is your father?"
"My father is dying. He is but days away. Forgive me for not approaching King Uther sooner. I will if you agree. Priestess Nimue did tell you?" He glanced toward the messenger.
"I did. She wished to see you for herself. I also wanted to satisfy Priestess Morgause's concerns," Nimue noted.
"I see. Lady Morgana, I remember you. I have wanted to visit but my father kept me abroad. The Queen's crown is yours. I would want you to rule as co-monarch with me." He kneeled before her. "Will you accept me as partner, husband and co-ruler before the goddess?"
"NAY! Morgana, you will have Camelot! Why bother with this?" Morgause interrupted. She grabbed onto her sister's arm.
"I believe she can speak for herself. Silence, Morgause!" Nimue stomped right up to the other priestesses. "I know of your abilities, Sister. Trust me. You really do not want me as an enemy!"
"Are you threatening me?" Morgause glared right back at Nimue.
"As you said recently, Sister, you will know when I do so." Nimue snorted an indelicate note. "This is the goddess' will. Defy her at your peril."
"This is?" Morgana bit her lip. "Morgause, I am sorry. We are sworn to serve her will." She took his hands. "Prince Accolon, promise me that we will do what we can to protect our kind in Camelot as well."
"We shall seek to negotiate with King Uther of course. I would hope Prince Arthur would listen to us. In the meantime, we shall look to our own people and kind. We will do what we can. I would fight a war only as a last resort." Earnestness carried through his gaze.
"Perhaps you should be at Camelot on the morrow? You will find King Uther in a most agreeable mood." Morgana smiled. "Aye, Accolon. I shall be your partner and co-monarch. I will be the priestess and you will be the priest for our goddess."
He smiled. His heart skipped a beat. "Thank you, Lady. I will give you a token when King Uther has agreed." He raised her hand to his lips. Amor whispered its notes across her knuckles. "Look for me."
"I will. I cannot believe you want me in that way." Morgana raised an eyebrow.
"I have for years, Milady. It is only now that we have our opportunity. I only want to please you and our people. I want to serve." He trembled slightly from Anxiety.
"As do I." Morgana squeezed his hand. "I will look for you. Safe travels."
"And to you, Dear Lady." He nodded to Nimue. "Thank you."
"We both serve, Accolon. Go on." Nimue replied. "I will see her safely back to Camelot."
He disappeared in a puff of mist.
"BAH! I cannot believe this treason! Well I will make sure of war! Count on that!" Morgause disappeared in a dark flash.
Morgana clenched her teeth. "I cannot blame her, Nimue. I would not betray her. This is the goddess' will."
"Morgause betrays the goddess and thus all of us. Even Emrys will see his way to our side soon. Come!" Nimue grabbed Morgana's sleeve. She teleported them both away in a flash.
Changes were coming to the plan it seemed….