The sound of screaming woke Morgana with a start and, at first, she thought she was having another nightmare. She soon realized it was Uther.
When she opened her door, there was no one there. No guards… why were there no guards?
She grabbed her sword and ran down the hall to Uther's chambers. But it was empty. She heard the yelling again. Arthur?
Still seeing no guards, she ran barefoot to Arthur's chambers. The door was latched. She heard yelling and clashing of swords on the other side. "Arthur?!" she called, banging on the door. "Uther?!"
"Morgana! Get help!" Uther called to her.
It didn't sound like there was time for that. She cast the door open with magic and readied her sword. But she was a moment too late. She saw the villain plunge his sword into Uther's chest as she cried out.
"Father! No!" she sobbed. Enraged, her eyes turned golden and she broke the assassin's neck with a flick of her wrist. Her eyes met her brother's just before he and their father both collapsed on the floor.
Merlin! she called to him with her mind. Merlin help! Arthur's chambers! Bring Gaius! The King is wounded!
She ran to Arthur, who was closest to her, but could find no wound. He was breathing and his heartbeat was strong. He could wait. She left him where he laid and put pressure on Uther's wound.
It wasn't good; he was losing too much blood. She muttered a few words and cauterized the wound, but she knew it was only a temporary solution. This was far beyond her skill and she needed Gaius.
"Morgana!" Merlin cried out, seeing her in a heap on the floor covered in blood.
"Thank heavens, you heard me. Uther's been stabbed. That knife thrower from the banquet. I stopped the bleeding, but I think there's something wrong internally, his chest doesn't look good…"
"Here, child, let me see," Gaius said, entering the room, winded.
Merlin helped them lift Uther onto Arthur's bed, and then tended to Arthur.
"What's wrong with Arthur?" Merlin asked, slapping him.
"I think he's been drugged," Morgana answered. "He collapsed, but he has no wounds. His heartbeat is strong, his color is good, and he breathes well."
Gaius nodded. "He'll need to sleep it off. Morgana, can you reopen the wound, just for a moment? I need to examine…"
Not needed, Merlin stepped over the knife-thrower's body with a shudder and went to find out where the guards were so they could sound the bells. The King was dying.
"Morgana, I need to speak to you privately," Arthur said, grabbing her wrist as she was about to leave Uther's bedside. Or Arthur's bedside. They hadn't moved the ailing king very far.
"Of course. Let's go to my chambers," she said.
"Gaius, if there are any changes…," Arthur said.
"I'll notify you immediately, Sire," he said.
Once they entered Morgana's chambers, Arthur closed the door and latched it.
"I owe you my life. You saved my life, and you may have saved our father's," he said.
"Oh, Arthur. I only wish I had been moments sooner. I'd gone to Uther's chambers first," she frowned.
"Morgana, I saw," he said, quietly.
"I know, it was a horrible thing to see," she said, grabbing his hands.
"No, I mean I saw you. You killed that man. Without your sword," he emphasized.
"He fell," she said, keeping her expression even despite her heart racing.
"You killed him with magic," he said, firmly.
She frowned. "That's absurd, Arthur. You were drugged, you just watched your father be stabbed. It's perfectly understandable that you would…"
"Morgana, I don't care that you have magic. I'm grateful," he said, his voice still unsure.
She laughed bitterly. "You would never be grateful for magic. No more than Uther would be. If he thought I used magic, even to save his life, he'd have me burned."
He shook his head. "He wouldn't, not you. And I wouldn't. You're my sister. I love you, Morgana. And I'm grateful for you, and your power."
She looked up at him with surprise. "You really mean that, don't you?"
It was his turn to look surprised. "You don't think I love you? Or that my love isn't unconditional?"
She looked down at her hands, fidgeting nervously. "I… I just thought you wouldn't love me if you believed me to be a monster."
"How could I ever think you're a monster? You are probably the best person I know. The bravest, most loyal. Everything a princess should be."
"Princess," she laughed bitterly. "A gold tiara can't withstand the flames any more than a Princess can."
"You are the Princess of Camelot. And I will protect you, from Uther, from the rest of the world. Just as you've protected me. I give you my word, you will never be harmed for possessing magic. Your secret is safe with me. I love you," he said, his voice breaking.
Tears spilled from her eyes and a sob escaped from her chest. She threw herself into his arms. "I love you too, Arthur. So much. You've no idea how lost and afraid I've been since I realized I have magic, and what your love means to me."
He held her while they both cried, tears of love, tears of sorrow.
After a few minutes, she pulled away. "What about everyone else?"
He looked confused.
"Others who possess magic. The Druids. Other sorcerers. When you're King, will you continue their persecution and protect only me? Or will you extend your mercy to my people? They're your people too."
He frowned. He knew he didn't want to hunt them down and kill them, as they had agreed to subvert Uther's commands on that already, but clearly he hadn't considered the implications, shuddering at the thought of a Camelot overrun with sorcerers practicing freely. "Honestly, I don't know. Will you help me? When I rule? There will be a lot to figure out. And if Father dies now…" he choked on his words.
She held him again as he cried, and said into his ear, "I will never leave your side, I promise. I will spend the rest of my days in Camelot, in your Court, as your Princess. I believe in you, Arthur. That you will be good and just, and the best King Camelot could ever hope for."
They held each other the rest of the night in her bed, as she told him as much of her story of magic as she could without implicating other sorcerers, particularly Merlin. But it was a relief nonetheless to be able to finally confide in her brother. She just wished it didn't take a deadly attack on their father to get there.
In the morning, Gaius told them the prognosis: The King would die.
"Can't you do something? Anything?" Arthur asked desperately.
Gaius shook his head.
"What about magic?" he blurted out.
"He knows. About my magic," Morgana said, as Gaius and Merlin looked at her with surprise.
"The healing spell it would take is beyond even Morgana's skill, even with her medical training," Gaius answered, sadly.
"Is there no one else? A more advanced sorcerer?" Arthur pressed.
"Arthur," she said, gently. "Even if I could heal him with magic, or even if another sorcerer could, do you think Uther would want that?"
"I don't care what he wants. I just want him to live!"
"I know, Arthur, as do I, but it isn't that simple. It's his choice. We can't take away his autonomy, it would be a great wrongdoing, the exact reason why he despises magic. He doesn't want this."
"That's very wise, Milady," Gaius said.
"We need to let him go, Arthur. Let him go the way he would want to," she sighed, her heart breaking seeing the despair on her brother's face, and feeling her own despair.
"I know. You're right. It's just… I don't know how to do this without him," Arthur answered, his voice cracking.
"You won't have to. Uther will be with you in all you do. And I will always be at your side, like I promised."
Arthur grabbed her hand as they knelt at Uther's side. She stayed with them both until Uther took his final breath. Her last words to Uther were, "I love you. And I forgive you, Father. I hope you'll forgive me as well."