I've written up to chapter 13, but the last two chapters are very sad. Unfortunately, I got that mood because of the death of the mother of a friend.

Who am I?

Six days ago

Morgana got out in the chilly air. The close surroundings of the castle were charming in the moonlight. She walked down the rocky path towards the village, following the white dragon. She watched the magnificent statues that adorned the great garden. She wondered if there were any pixies among the flowers. She'd read about them in the books Sarah had brought her. Or maybe, other magic creatures.

No, the place was deserted. The witch was disappointed. The child side of her would have liked to see one. Or a unicorn. Merlin had spoken so nicely about…

Wait. Why am I thinking about that stupid servant? I wasn't. She answered herself. I was thinking about the unicorn. Why was Merlin able to see one and I wasn't? Even my stupid brother did see one. And the idiot killed it. Of course, he did. He couldn't let daddy think he was too soft-hearted and not fitted to be king.

As she climbed down the stone stairs the air went cold. Her clothes had been spelled to keep her warm, but even so, the witch could still feel the icy whip of the wind.

She hesitated for a while as the path in front of her was muddy and the witch didn't want to get dirty. Aithusa looked at her with some sort of...disappointment. Morgana didn't like that look. She wasn't an arrogant princess. She'd never been afraid of getting dirty. She wouldn't now.

The deeper she entered inside the village the more gloomy the sight was. The houses were a shadow of what once had been a magic village. The roofs hardly protect their inhabitants from cold and rain. The walls looked like they might fall on the first blow of wind.

Morgana turned her glance to the only nice sight she could find: her little dragon flying in the sky. The state of the village wasn't her problem, was it?

Soon, a child appeared in front of her. His loose ragged clothes were too light and too worn to keep him warm. Yet he carried a big red apple tightly to his chest.

"Hi, little dragon" the child greeted Aithusa. Morgana looked at the apple then at Aithusa and she understood why Aithusa kept stealing the fruits from her chambers.

"Why haven't you eaten the apple?" She asked the child, her voice cold. She had no idea why she was talking with the child. Maybe because he was there and the witch had felt she had to say something.

"I'm saving it for tomorrow. It's my birthday and I want to have something to celebrate." The child answered honestly.

"And you're celebrating it with an apple!" Her tone was still cold, but she felt something stirring inside her stomach. She couldn't care for the child. Life was cruel. She'd learned that a long time ago. She couldn't bother her mind with every suffering in the world. Despite her ration telling her to go, Morgana continued "Where are your parents?"

"Mummy is inside. She'd been sick for a very long time. Aithusa healed her. Yet she hadn't recovered her strength yet. Daddy hasn't returned yet. People say he won't return. Ever. He's said something. Against the prince. He has never agreed with him. None does, but they say nothing."

"Thesus, come inside." A woman called him. Morgana supposed she was his mother.

"I have to go." The boy added in a hurry. "Bye, Aithusa. Will you come back?" The dragon nodded. "I'll wait for you tomorrow. I wish you'd come. You, too, Princess."

Morgana was taken aback. Had the boy invited her to visit him? Why would he? She hadn't been kind to him. She'd only spoken with him because...well, she didn't know why she'd done it.

"His father is dead, isn't he?" The witch asked Aithusa, mostly because she wanted not to dwell much on those questions than because she actually cared. Is Eugene hated so much by the people?" Aithusa nodded. "You hate him, too, do you?" Aithusa nodded again. "You know, Aithusa, the people of Camelot hate me, too. But you don't hate me, do you?" Morgana continued. The dragon shook her head. "I understand Eugene. It's very hard to rule. No matter what I did, people would refuse to acknowledge me as their queen. I ordered them to be shot because the knights refused to swear allegiance to me. I ordered their crops to be burnt. Do you think I would have made a bad queen?" This time Aithusa watched directly in the eye before she nodded. "Worse than Uther?"

Aithusa had only been an egg during Uther's reign, but she'd heard stories about that period. Merlin had used to talk with her at night.

The memory of Merlin made her heart heavy. She wondered what he'd thought about her when Kilgharrah had informed his young lord she'd run with Morgana. If Kilgharrah had been honest with Merlin. Most certainly not. The white dragon remembered the Great Dragon's fury upon finding she'd saved Morgana. Aithusa was certain the Great Dragon had invented a lie. She only hoped that whatever the Great Dragon had told his lord, Merlin wouldn't hate him.

Morgana waited for a while, but the dragon seemed to be far away. The witch didn't know if she really wanted to know Aithusa's answer.

"They respect him. I've never got that respect. It isn't fair. He was cruel….well, so did I. But I didn't have a choice. If they'd obeyed me, then I wouldn't have been forced to take such measures. And Arthur." She continued. "I can't understand why everybody loves him so much. Arthur has been nothing but an arrogant, spoiled prince. Everything he has ever cared about was to make his daddy proud. He's never got the gut to disobey his father. Not before that stupid servant came to Camelot." The mention of Merlin caused her an entire whirlpool of emotions, mainly fury, but also pain and longing for a time long gone. Though, she had to admit his positive influence over Arthur. "Merlin has changed him a lot. Made him question his decisions. His own actions. Could have Merlin convince him to legalize magic?"

This question was new to her. She had noticed how much influence his servant had over Arthur. Agravain had complained numerous times that Merlin's pieces of advice had saved Arthur from different situations. As a result, Arthur started to listen more and more to Merlin.

"It doesn't matter. He had no reason to try to persuade Arthur. "

But I could have convinced him to try. A thought crossed her mind. "We can find another way." Merlin's voice echoed in her head. Did he really want to help me?

"No, I couldn't have. He didn't care for me. He poisoned me. You don't hurt someone you care about." She added aloud in order to silence her doubts "I didn't have a choice. Merlin wouldn't have helped me and Arthur would have never dared to doubt his father's judgment. I did the right thing. There was no other way. Arthur had enough time to change the laws."

Aithusa had so many things she wished to tell Morgana. If only he could speak. If only she could show her what he knew. If only Morgana could see Merlin's version of the story.

They wandered around the town for a long time. Everywhere she went she met only poor people, dirt and ruins. However, no one dared to speak to her. They all watched her with fear and bowed in front of her. It was almost the middle of the night when they returned to Morgana's chambers.

Sarah was still waiting for her. Morgana had forgotten her maid would come to help her get ready for bed.

"My Lady," Sarah uttered as she noticed Morgana. Morgana threw a glance towards the place where her dinner had used to be. Now, the place was clean. She had hardly eaten a thing, but she wasn't hungry. Though, the boy… Much as she tried she couldn't get him out of her mind.

It had been easy to send people to die when she hadn't looked in their eyes. She had no problem in letting them starve as long as they did not have a name, a voice, a figure.

It made her feel so weak. So vulnerable. She wanted not to care. She shouldn't care. He was just a peasant. They were just peasants. Eugene was doing what he had to do. They deserved it for opposing him. He was their future king. They had to obey him.

What made him worse than Uther? A voice inside her cried and she felt a wave of fury running through her veins. It isn't fair. People hadn't opposed Uther. Most of them, at least. She felt the entire world was against her. And it was unjust and cruel. Uther was a bad king. He deserved to die. But he hadn't starved them. A voice spoke uttered in her mind.

Much as she hated Uther and Arthur the witch had to admit the people hadn't starved or died of cold in Camelot. Contrary, the kingdom was prosperous and strong. It got even richer during Arthur's reign.

Her heart broke upon saying that, but if Arthur was a bad king, Eugene was worse. Eugene may treat magic and no-magic equally, but what consolation did that provide her?

"My Lady," Sarah called her for the umpteenth time. This time more timidly. "Are you alright?"

Morgana watched her maid for a moment.

"Could you bring me some food? More than usual. As much as you can. And put it into a basket." Morgana added after a while.

"Do you need help with carrying it?" The girl asked. Morgana watched her surprised. "You've been in the town, haven't you? The kids are so sweet. I'm glad you like them." Sarah continued with a smile on her face.

"I'd rather the prince wouldn't find out about it."

"Of course."

"Thank you, Sarah." It had been such a long time since she last had a confidant and a friend.