Dee, I really appreciate your comments. I hope the story will get better and better and you won't be disappointed.
Merille Marc, I don't know what to say about the conflicts and struggles. yes and no. The conflict will mostly be about letting go of the past and holding on. Kara is going to play an important role, indeed.
The rise of Elmet. The fears of the High Priestess
Morgana was on her knees in front of a cold stone throne. The throne room was empty. Too empty and cold. Her knees had started to hurt. The floor was just too cold and her dress too torn to cover her feeble body.
She heard steps behind her, but she didn't dare to turn around. She knew whom they belonged to. She struggled to keep her body firm and prevent it from shaking.
His steps echoed on the stone floor, rhythmical and strong, counting each of her breaths. She felt dizzy. The world spun around her.
"Doom. Death" Those words echoed in her mind with every step he got closer to her. He wouldn't be merciful. Not this time.
"Morgana. Morgana" a familiar voice called her. Morgana opened her eyes slowly. It was so cold there. She was wrapped in a warm blanket, but she was freezing. "Are you alright?" Mordred asked as Morgana kept looking around without a target.
"Mordred," she muttered feebly upon recognizing the boy she had once used to love so dearly. Though, she soon remembered he'd betrayed her, as well. The witch felt the ropes around her body and started to panic as she acknowledged her situation. "You're helping him. You're working for Emrys." She cried, disappointment written on her face.
"He's a good man. He's going to help us." Mordred tried to justify his action. Betraying Morgana hadn't been an easy choice. He owed her a lot. Including his life.
"Where is he?" The witch asked, too tired to fight with Mordred. The knight was at loss for words, but the witch didn't notice as Merlin instantly filled the awkward silence.
"He has some...important business...somewhere," Morgana's eyes stopped on him. She hadn't noticed his presence.
Aithusa threw a glance towards Merlin, but she kept eating. She didn't want to interfere between Morgana and her master. Unless Morgana were to need her.
"Merlin...of course. I'm starting to believe you've become my shadow." She added with malice in her voice.
"You haven't left me much sunlight. Shadow is all I got." He tried to make it look like a joke, but it was much deeper than she'd thought. Merlin wasn't referring only to her, but to her father as well. He'd dealt with it all his life. Hiding. Pretending. Yarning for those around him to see him. Love him. Shadow had been his only friend for such a long time.
"So you know Emrys, too. What does Arthur think about it?" She tried to humiliate him.
"I haven't told him. But you must suspect that. You've never been an idiot, just...too...well, you never actually pay attention to details. You should learn to listen. Really listen. And think things through. Believe me, Morgana, you're just as oblivious as Arthur sometimes." The warlock laughed.
"At least I don't have a servant who conspires with a sorcerer and be unaware about it." She threw it at him.
"No, but you wouldn't recognize Emrys even if he were to stay in front of you, Morgana. You could have been friends with Emrys and still not figure he had magic. But compared to Arthur, you would have ruined any chance of gaining his respect, so something like this would have never happened."
"I don't need him." In fact, she knew she would have been so safe as his friend. Well, he was a bit creepy and very old, but he was very loyal. She couldn't understand why he would help someone who would kill him."Why does he want me dead? Why does he protect Arthur? Arthur would kill him were he to find out about him. We could have worked together to bring magic back." Morgana finally voiced her thoughts.
"Yes, we… you could have worked together. But not like this. Not killing thousands of innocent people and turning against your friends. Arthur has needed you a lot. You have no idea how strong you were together and how weak you have become apart. He doesn't want you dead. He's never had. Your own decisions brought you into this situation. Why did you come here? Why did you hunt Alastor? Now, you'll have to bear the consequences of your actions." Merlin's voice cut like a knife through her heart, but she wouldn't be intimidated.
"There was no other way." She pointed out, trying to look confident.
"It helps you sleep at night, doesn't it? There is always another way." Merlin spoke wisely.
"Does it help you? Do you still think that betraying me was the right thing to do?" She replied. All the eyes were on the two sorcerers.
"No. Nothing helps." There was so much pain in his voice that Morgana felt disarmed. She hadn't expected that answer.
"The food is getting cold," Karla announced as she decided someone had to bring Merlin back to the track.
"You should eat." Merlin took a bowl of stew and handed it to the witch. She watched him with big eyes and hesitated.
"Come on, Merlin. It's already late. Are we going to the town or not? Let her starve if that's what she wants." Kara threw at him exhausted. Yet Merlin knew better. He knew why Morgana had hesitated and he couldn't help feeling guilty.
He took advantage that the witch was still focused on the food, too hungry to refuse it and too scared to dare to eat, and he cast a spell on her. Her eyes closed and she passed out for a few moments. Then she woke up confused.
"You should eat," Merlin said while he unbound her. The witch started to eat without complaining while Merlin told her about Elmet and their trip.
They were traveling for a while. Morgana hadn't questioned his story. She looked so good in the queen's dress that Merlin had to remind himself he had other things to do and he should stop staring. They'd quickly packed everything (there wasn't much, though). Merlin and Mordred put on dark clothes and a dark cloak over them.
The night was dark. The moon was covered by the clouds and they had nothing to light their way, but the little flame Merlin had conjured.
Aithusa was flying freely. Warning them in case of any danger. She seemed to enjoy it. The horses started to get used to the dragon's presence and they were walking slowly over the old branches of the trees which broke under their feet.
"Aren't you tired of walking?" Morgana asked the two men as they had no horses and so they had to go on foot. Merlin had suggested to Mordred to sit next to Morgana on his horse, but he didn't feel comfortable doing so as Merlin would walk on foot.
"It's a lovely night for walking," Merlin answered. "We don't have much until we arrive, My Lady."
Suddenly, they heard laughter coming from a spot down the hill. They could see some men gathered around the fire.
"Bandits," Mordred muttered silently.
Meanwhile, Morgana had climbed down her horse and came close to the edge. Under the spell, she was acting like a curious child. But she was too close...She stumbled over an old root and before Merlin could catch her she slid down the hill, next to the bandits' camp.
"Great." Merlin cried as he had to go to rescue her. " Wait here." He commanded his companions.
"But…" Mordred wanted to offer his help.
"Wait here." The warlock repeated.
The bandits had already surrounded Morgana by the time Merlin was down. They were around twelve men armed with swords.
"You don't want to touch her," Merlin warned them.
"Why not?" One of the bandits asked and the others started to laugh. They seemed scary, with loose clothes and dirty looks, but Merlin wasn't intimidated.
"It's dangerous. You should be careful." He warned again.
"Really? Why so? What are you going to do?" He mocked him.
"You don't want to know. "
"In fact, we do want to know." A bandit answered arrogantly.
"Alright. Do not say I didn't warn you." His eyes flashed gold and some of the bandits were thrown on the ground. As a bonus, the arrogant one had a pair of donkey ears as well.
Morgana started to laugh while the rest of the bandits threw themselves on the ground, begging for mercy.
Half an hour later Morgana, Kara, and Finna sat on the bandits' carriage, together with the bandits' families, chewing apples while Merlin and Mordred rode next to the leader of the bandits who kept telling Merlin their story.
It was long after the middle of the night and it was good to have such company.
They hadn't been able to run away when Merlin used his magic against them as their families and their possessions were in the place. So, they swore allegiance to Merlin and decided to join him.
"We couldn't settle. Magic was banned and we couldn't risk our families getting hurt." The leader explained. " My wife has magic and so does my daughter. I had to leave the town. Then we found a group of bandits. We were all furious about the king from the realm, be it their view on magic or the high taxes. We joined them. It's been many years."
"We don't like kings and queens." One of them admitted.
"None of us is king or queen. We just want to build a home. We don't have much, but in time things will get better." Merlin said. "We need people who can wield a sword. Most of the people are just farmers or scholars."
"Look," Morgana cried. She'd climbed on the top of the carriage and was looking at the stars. Meanwhile, the clouds had scattered and the sky had gotten crystal clear.
"Morgana," the warlock cried, but she was very happy there. He knew she wouldn't be glad to be sent back in the carriage.
"She's so sweet and innocent. I like her...I mean like a person...I don't mean to…" A young bandit named Lews declared.
"It's alright. You don't have to justify yourself" Merlin assured him. "Yet she's not going to be like that for long. She's under a spell." Boromir, the leader and Lews watched him in surprise. "Have you heard of Morgana Pendragon?" The two nodded. "Well, you see. It was the only solution I've found."