Merille Marc, I haven't thought about it (the queen demanding Merlin to display his power). I like the idea. I focused more on how women were perceived at the time (and even later). Including queens.

The villain

Morgana stood there, unable to utter a word. She heard Arthur and the knights' annoying discussion and it started to get on her nerves.

"I've trusted him." She heard Arthur complain and she couldn't help rolling her eyes. "Why has he done something like that? I mean…I understand he couldn't help who his father was and…although, he should have told me…I've…"

"What would you have done if he'd told you?" Morgana lashed out at him.

"None have asked for your opinion." Elyon threw out full of hate. "My sister almost died because of him. I've thought he was our friend. That he cared for us." He commented disappointed. "It seems he's as bad as you."

Morgana smirked, unaffected by his words.

"He's a horrible friend, indeed. But it's not you who should be complaining about it. Was the spell he put on you efficient?" She teased Arthur. "You've married Gwen, after all. Wasn't his intention to make you two fall in love because…I can't remember… Why was that?…Oh yes, to bring shame to the kingdom…Or maybe he actually wanted Uther to execute Gwen, but he returned to put another potion under your pillow because….Why did he do that? Well, you didn't ask, did you? And he got caught like an idiot….and he was so shocked that he forgot he could use magic to escape… or was there another reason he didn't escape?" The High Priestess enjoyed torturing them.

"Hold your tongue, Morgana!" Arthur threw at her.

"Why? You haven't answered my questions." She added on a honeyed tone.

"Leave him alone, witch." Leon intervened.

"Wait. You weren't talking about when he made Uther think Gwen had enchanted Arthur, were you?" The High Priestess went on.

"What do you know?" Gwen snapped "Do you know why he did that?"

"Was it another time when he'd tried to kill Gwynever?" Arthur asked at the same time.

" Maybe the time he healed Tom… do you remember the Afac, don't you?...Merlin was so dumbhead to forget the poltice there. If Arthur hadn't been so skillful to kill…wait! He didn't kill the monster…he only stood there like an idiot waiting for his torch to magically reach the monster and turn it to ashes. So, if Arthur hadn't provided such a wonderful cover for Merlin to be able to destroy that thing, Gwen would have been some particles of ash by now. We should have a toast for Arthur. The hero." Morgana laughed. " Let's not forget Arthur saved Gwen's life again when he caught Merlin planting that poltice in his chambers. It's so ironic that him getting caught by Arthur while putting that poltice led to Gwen being declared innocent, isn't it?"

"He saved me." Gwen realized. "But why .."

"I guess he acknowledged his limits and realized he could never convince the king that his beloved ward was behind it so he invented another sorcerer. I bet there weren't many who fancy being caught and executed, though."

"It was you. You tried to kill me." Gwen uttered shocked.

"Why are you being so surprised? It's not like I haven't done anything bad after that, is it?" She had the slightest idea why she was telling them all those things. She was aware her words would justify lots of Merlin's actions, but they were so stupid that she couldn't help mocking them. Anyway, there was no way of getting out alive from there. Not for her. No matter who was to win the war, he would be her enemy. It was so hard to decide which one she should fear more.

"So, he helped us. All this time. Never asking anything in return." Gwain finally voiced his thoughts.

"Yes, that idiot went to the hell and back to keep your noble bottoms safe." The witch laughed as she noticed the stupid expression on their faces. "You didn't know, did you? Why am I surprised? When has our darling prince…oooh, sorry king, paid attention to anything else that wasn't related with his own person?"

"I wasn't something to be used as a cover…"Arthur mumbled…"I've never waited for someone else to save my life."

"And yet, even you must have figured out how extremely lucky you were that day. And I bet it wasn't the only time."

"He was always hiding behind trees…He looked nothing like a strong man. How was I supposed to know who he really was?"

"Of course he used to hide behind trees. Could you blame him for not fancy having his head chopped by your compassionate father?"

"He hasn't trusted me." He said it more for himself, but Morgana could hear him perfectly."

"Were you trustworthy? What would you have done, Arthur, if he'd told you? Look at you! After so many proofs of his loyalty and you are still debating why he betrayed you. When should he have told you? When was it the perfect time? The first day you met? Or maybe after he saved your life for the first time. Admit it, Arthur. You wouldn't have gone against your father's will."

"But why did he learn magic? Why did he decide to put his own life in danger? Did he really think we were too stupid to notice?"

"How am I supposed to know that? I can only guess. And I don't think he chose to learn it. It was magic that chose him and he only gave his best to control it. You're right. No one would risk that much if there were another way."

"You did, though." Gwen accused her. "You learned magic only to take that throne. How do you hope to trust Merlin when we all knew how much magic has changed you?"

"You don't actually believe that I wanted it, do you? Do you really think it caused me any pleasure to hide and live every day knowing that I could be caught and executed? Do you think I asked for that? Well, I didn't. Morgause saved me. She showed me I don't have to be afraid of my power. She taught me how to control it. I'd already had magic when we met. I had it since I was a kid, but I've lied to myself telling me that my nightmares were just nightmares and not possible futures. Yet I couldn't deny it when I lit a candle in the middle of the night. Much I wanted it not to be true, it was, and since that day I lived into a never-ending fear. I only wanted to be free and Morgause gave me the way to it. I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to look in Uther's eyes and pretend I was his loving ward."

"I didn't know," Arthur admitted.

"Even if you'd known, you would have chosen your father and not me. You would have let me die as you did with so many innocent men and women your father condemned."

"Will Merlin manage to save us?" Gwen asked innocently. It seemed so strange to put the hopes in Merlin. She'd told him long ago he didn't look like those tough save-the-word men, but he proved to be more powerful than all of them. The Camelot queen tried to remember what he'd said back then. He said he was in disguise. At the time she'd laughed genuinely thinking he was funny and witty. "Do you think he has felt alone all those years? As his mother said? "Gwen wondered.

"Now you're feeling sorry for him?!"The witched criticized her. "He deserves it, anyway. I hope he'll break his neck…but after he will have broken Eugene's. I can't decide who I want to win this war. I can't stand the idea of that stupid servant becoming a king. It's not fair. He deserves the worse and instead life seems to favor him." Morgana fumed.

"It doesn't look like life has been good to him," Percival remarked. "His parents are dead. We are debating how a big traitor he was. I can't imagine how it must have been to him to know that if we were to ever find about his powers we might turn against him. Strong or not, he cared for us. He enjoyed being a part of our group."

"He could have chosen me. I wouldn't have looked down on him or overworked him or condemn him for his magic. But, not…he had to lie to me. To let me suffer alone. Because of you. Do you think I care about Merlin's fear of being chased away? I've been to hell and back. No one cared. I'm not going to care either." Morgana barked.

"Then why did you tell us all those staff about Merlin? We were furious at him for lying. Remember? You made him look like a hero." Arthur reminded her.

"I wasn't intending to make him look like a hero, but I couldn't help making you look like an idiot. Not that you need any help." She snapped. "Now, I want to sleep. You are getting on my nerves."