*steps out from the shadows of darkness*

Sooo, erm hi?

*quickly dodges the rapid fire of pitchforks and rotten fruits from the audience*

Right. Well, let's move on then. Here's the newly updated version of the first chapter. Sit back and enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin because if I did, Mergana would have definitely happened.

Chapter 1

Torrents of water fell from the dark ominous sky. From the distance came the low rumbling of thunder. The relentless gale howled through the air, a strong gust of wind blowing against the dense foliage of the forest. Rain pelted down and hammered steadily on the roof of the tiny hovel.

Inside said hovel, a dark-haired woman stood quietly in front of a caldron that was placed over an open fire place, humming to herself as she stirred the contents of the caldron. As she listened to the constant splashing of raindrops, her mind began drifting back to the times when she used to live in the castle walls and how she had many a time, been awoken in the middle of the night by heavy storms, just like the one that was currently happening outside.

Ah, beautiful Camelot. How she missed it. The bittersweet memories of that land came rushing back to her mind. It had been the place of her childhood. It had once been a dear place she called home. She had many people there she once supposedly called friends.

At the thought of friends, she immediately began thinking of the fair-haired man who had once been like a brother to her… who had in fact, turned out to be her half-brother. She had grown up together with Arthur and had constantly bickered with him throughout their many years.

He was rather big headed and had a massive ego at times. However, despite being a prat, he was a kind and caring soul. He had grown up to be truly honourable and a loyal man at heart, unlike that of his cruel and merciless father, King Uther. If only he were still alive today.

Who knew, maybe if he had continued to live on, then he would have proved to her that he was a different sort of ruler, one that would have eventually allowed magic to be used freely in the kingdom. He would probably have grown to become a great king; one who did not condemn people to die simply because of having the gift of magic that they were born with.

And then, there was the soft-spoken and lovely maid servant who stole the heart of the fair-haired prince. She was always so sweet and caring towards other people. Being the kind-hearted soul, Gwen had always put the needs of others before her own and she had never been unpleasant to anyone around her.

Gwen had been like a sister to her despite them being of different social status. She remembered how Gwen used to comfort her in the middle of many nights whenever she woke up from terrible nightmares. That very same maid servant was now the beloved queen of Camelot.

Gwen took over the throne and became the reigning sovereign of Camelot after Arthur had passed away in the battle of Camlann. She was a fair and kind monarch who treated her people well. She was deeply loved by the people of Camelot. Her reign brought back peace to Camelot after the war. She had also most importantly, abolished the laws against the use of magic. Magic was now allowed in Camelot and no one could be happier.

Lastly, there was the dark-haired servant boy that had captured her attention from the very first time they had met. He had always been so different from the rest. Merlin had always been an enigma, someone who deeply intrigued her. Unlike most of the other servants, Merlin was bold and daring. Not one to hold back his opinions to himself, Merlin had always expressed his thoughts freely. He had never been afraid to tease Arthur with witty and cheeky remarks.

She also remembered how compassionate the dark-haired man servant had been. His sweet and goofy personality was what made him so lovable. No one could ever stay mad at him for long whenever he made mistakes or caused accidents due to his clumsiness. He was also extremely loyal and protective of those he cared for. That was what made him so special in her eyes.

If she were to be honest, he had been her closest friend, maybe even more than that. She had trusted him the most of all. She had turned to him when the night terrors started and when she began to suspect that she was developing magic… and so, his betrayal had hurt her the most.

Even now when she thought about it, she could still clearly recall how he had cruelly broken her trust and her heart. Oh, how he had just watched silently as she choked to death after drinking the poisoned water from the flask he had given her. Why, he even had the gall to look at her with sorrow filled eyes, pleading for her to understand the reason behind his actions when he had just held her as she slowly suffocated and had done nothing to save her.

She remembered the crushing pain in her heart that she had felt when she realised the treachery he had committed. To this day, she never fully understood why he did it. To add on to that, there were all the secrets he had kept from her. Morgana could still feel the immense disbelieve and anger she had felt upon finding out about his magic and his real identity.

What a shock it had been to find out that a seemingly ordinary man like him was the one and only Emrys, the greatest and most powerful warlock to ever live. He was the one that had been prophesised to be her destiny and her doom. He never told her a single thing. He had lied all that time.

He could have helped her. She would have never felt so scared and alone. But, it seemed that he didn't trust her enough. She remembered the very last time she had met him. More than five years ago, at the battle where he had attempted to end everything, the place where she had almost died.

He had run her through with the sword forged with dragon's breath during their last battle. She remembered the empty look in his eyes as he looked down at her dying form. His very last words to her were quiet and filled with so much grief.

"I blame myself for the monster you have become… goodbye Morgana" He had said.

To think, she had once loved him so much. He had been everything to her, someone who would listen and comfort her, someone who really cared about her. But then again, life was full of lies sometimes was it not? There wasn't anyone she could really trust but herself.

A sudden loud thunderclap followed by a startled shriek brought her out of her reverie. Morgana turned around only to find the shaking figure of a young child sitting on the floor with his tiny hands covering his ears.

The young boy got up and immediately ran to Morgana. Having reached her, he wrapped his hands around her legs and clutched on to her tightly, burying his small face into her skirts to seek comfort.

"Mama, I'm scared mama!" Cried the little boy.

"Oh, little love, there's nothing to be afraid of! It's only a little thunder my dear!" Morgana cooed.

Morgana stopped stirring the meal she was preparing in the cauldron and bent down to pick the boy up. She carried him and looked at his tear stained face. He was a miniature version of his father. The similarities were astounding.

He had those adorable huge ears and the exact same goofy smile as his father. The only thing her son had not inherited from his father was his eyes. Twin green orbs stared at Morgana as the little boy looked at her.

Feeling safe in his mother's arms, the boy began to calm down. He let out a sniffle, bringing his hand up to his face and wiping away his tears.

"Mama, tell me a story please mama. I know, I know! Tell me about papa! Please oh please oh please!" He said excitedly.

Morgana let out a small chuckle. Smiling, she nodded her head.

"Alright then little love. Well…your father…he was a very handsome man, just like you little one! Your father was also very kind, caring and very loyal, especially to the ones he loved. He was also a very…strong warlock…he…he had strong magic, yes very strong…" Morgana began.

"Like mine mama? Like my magic?" The boy cut in.

"Yes, little one, just like yours."

The little boy in her arms had truly powerful magic indeed. But then again, that was rather expected when the boy was the son of the most powerful warlock and witch in the entire realm.

"Mama, where…where is papa? Why isn't he here with us mama? All the other kids in the village and the town haves their papa. Where's mine mama?" The little boy suddenly asked with a childlike curiosity.

Morgana flinched at her son's question. How was she to answer him? How would she explain to the little boy that he may never ever get to see his papa?

"My dear, your papa…well…he isn't with us because a long time ago, before you were born, he and mama we… we didn't agree on a lot of things. You see little one, your papa and I, we were very different people. Yes… and because we were so different, mama and papa argued a lot. One day, mama decided to travel far, far away from papa so that we wouldn't fight anymore. I don't know where your papa is now but maybe…maybe you may get to meet him when you're older," Morgana finally decided to say.

Morgana sighed as she set her son down and turned back to finish her cooking. The little boy blinked owlishly back at her from where he stood. Being the innocent young child that he was, it was clear that he did not truly understand how his parents could possibly hold hatred against one another or how his father and mother could fight each other.

"Well, that's enough stories for tonight little one. Come and eat your supper. Mama made your favourite stew. It's getting late and you'll need to sleep soon." Morgana said as she dished out a ladleful of warm delicious stew into a bowl.

Walking towards a table nearby, she placed the bowl down and beckoned for her son to eat. The young child eagerly sat himself down at the table and began eating. After a while, he was finished with his meal and began to entertain himself by chatting with Morgana about frivolous matters.

However, soon after, the boy started to tire, rubbing his eyes sleepily. Morgana carried him up and walked towards the sleeping area in the hovel. She then laid the little boy down on the cot and pulled the covers up to his chin, tucking him in.

Morgana sat at the side of the bed and began to sing a soft lullaby, stroking her son's hair softly. Soon enough, his eyes fluttered shut and his breathing evened out. He was fast asleep. Morgana continued stroking his hair softly, watching her son sleep. He looked so peaceful and innocent in his sleep.

"Oh, my sweet little child, if only you knew how much it wounds me whenever I think about your father. He hurt me so badly. I hated but loved him. Sometimes I do wonder if things would have been different if he had trusted me enough to tell me who he really was in the first place…I was so alone…" Morgana murmured sadly.

She had named her son Mordred Cadfael Le Fay, after the deceased young druid whom she had once considered like her very own child. Mordred, her darling child had truly been a miracle for Morgana. Her son was the only reason why Morgana had managed to survive after being stabbed by Merlin with the sword forged in dragon's breath. Everybody had assumed that Morgana had died after being run through.

Apparently, unbeknownst to anyone, Morgana had been pregnant with Mordred when she was stabbed. It seemed that even at that stage, Mordred's magic had been so strong due to his blood line. Mordred's magic had somehow been able to sense that he was in danger as Morgana was on the brink on death. She remembered every single detail of her near-death experience.

FLASHBACK

Pain. Excruciating pain was all she could feel. Her body hurt everywhere. Black spots appeared in her vision and her sight seemed to keep blurring out as the seconds passed. She knew that she was dying, but at the same time, she could not seem to believe it.

She was the last High Priestess of the Old Religion after all. She had great magic and she had been so close to achieving her goal of killing her brother right there and then. However, Merlin had stepped in as usual and stopped her, dealing the mortal blow.

Was this really the end for her now? Would she really perish out in this forest alone where no one would be able to find her body? The realisation that eternal sleep was fast approaching brought a sudden chill to her being.

She still had so much to accomplish in her life, so much unfinished business. Memory after memory flooded her mind. Regret, anger, sadness, fear and acceptance warred in her. It seems to be true what they say about how one's own life flashes past them in their final moments. A single tear trickled down the side of her face.

With shuddering breaths, she shakily raised her hand to the stab wound on the upper left side of her abdomen. Morgana let out a small whimper, not out of pain but rather, out of fearful resignation to her fate. Then, just as she was about to give up all hope and surrender herself to death's claws, the most unexpected thing occurred.

A soft glow had begun emitting from the area around her abdomen which slowly spread out to the rest of her body. The glow grew stronger and brighter with each passing second. It worried her although by then, she was already too greatly weakened to do anything about it.

Not more than a few minutes after the glow started, a familiar sounding screech echoed from the skies and a white dragon gracefully swooped in. A few powerful wingbeats later and said beast majestically landed on the ground close to Morgana. Aithusa let out a couple of anxious squawks and shrieks upon seeing the state that the witch was in.

Then, there was the feeling of a great blast of warm air against her face as the white dragon breathed magic onto Morgana. Shortly after that, a surging wave of magic flowed through her entire body. She immediately felt a sense of complete peace before her world faded to darkness.

~0~0~0~0~0~0~

Morgana woke up on a bed in an unfamiliar place. She groaned and blinked wearily as her eyes adjusted to the brightness of her surroundings. The gentle chime of jingling bells sounded throughout the room. Small blue humanoid winged beings fluttered above her.

Moving her gaze downwards to where her wound was supposed to be, Morgana let out a gasp of shock when she saw her enlarged abdomen. Where was she? What happened to her? Was she dead?

"It appears you have awoken milady." A hissing serpentine-like voice appeared in her head.

Morgana snapped out of her reverie, startled by sudden voice appearing out of nowhere. She gazed about wildly, trying to find the source of the voice. A few feet away from her, Aithusa lay resting on the ground, unblinking dragon eyes staring at her.

"A-Aithusa, is that you? You look different… healthier… was that you speaking earlier? What's going on?" Morgana croaked out, her voice rusty from lack of use.

Aithusa merely blinked at Morgana and tilted her head to one side. Morgana felt a presence in her mind once more as the little dragon continued looking at her.

"I trust you are feeling much better now?"

Morgana blinked in surprise upon hearing Aithusa communicating telepathically with her once again. Since when was the little dragon capable of human speech?

"Yes, I do feel much better thank you… but how?" Morgana asked softly.

"I believe that you must have a lot of questions to ask. Where are you? What is happening? How are still alive? Well, it all goes back to the fact that you are carrying the child of Emrys, the dragon lord's heir. Do you sense the strong aura of magic coming from inside you?"

"Pregnant? Pregnant… I'm pregnant…" Morgana repeated to herself in disbelief.

"I-I mean, I suspected I was with child b-but I didn't expect it to actually be true and– wait… did you – did you just say that Merlin is a dragon lord?!

"Yes, Emrys is a dragon lord. In fact, he was the dragon lord that hatched me. I am tied to him even more because of this. That is why the unborn child you carry was able to summon for me specifically and I came to save you. I could not ignore the call of my kin in mortal danger."

"Well, what do you know, just another thing to add to the long list of lies and secrets he has now isn't it?!" Morgana muttered out bitterly as she placed a hand on her abdomen, feeling a mixture of anger at Merlin and awe at the powerful child that was inside her.

"You should consider yourself lucky. You were extremely fortunate to have survived, Morgana. I brought you to Avalon so that the Sidhe here could use their magic to heal you. Any later and you would not have lived. You were in a healing sleep for days."

Morgana's eyes widened upon hearing this and she looked down towards the swell of her stomach, rubbing her belly slowly.

"Listen carefully Morgana. You have been given another chance at life so do not waste it. Cease this pointless fighting and let there be no more bloodshed. This war has been a tragedy for all. The Once and Future King is no more and he shall only return when the time is right. My lord has returned to Camelot. There, he will protect and guide the Once and Future Queen until King Arthur returns. The lord of dragons will help to bring peace to the land and put an end to the animosity against magic."

"Until then, it is best that you go into hiding and start a new life. No one must know that you have survived. Especially not Lord Emrys. You have been kind to me in the past so you have earned my friendship and loyalty. But know that if you were to be discovered by my dragon lord and he were to order me to go against you, I will not be able to disobey him for I am bound to his will. Raise the child that you are carrying now with love and care. He has an important future ahead of him. It would be wise of you to heed this advice and make the child your main priority now."

FLASHBACK END

That was all the white dragon had to say to Morgana. After staying in Avalon for a few more days, Morgana had slowly returned back to her full health. When she was completely healed, Aithusa had brought Morgana back to her hovel. A few months after that, she had given birth to Mordred on the first night of Samhain.

Little Mordred had changed Morgana drastically. His birth marked the end of her vengeful and scheming ways. Mordred gave Morgana's life a new purpose and meaning. Instead of making plans to take over Camelot, she began focusing more on being a good mother to Mordred, taking care of her growing son.

In the beginning, it wasn't easy and there were times where she would curl up into a ball and hug herself, just sobbing and wishing everything would be over. She often had trouble sleeping at night from frequent nightmares of everything that had happened to her over the years.

The memories of her past life were painful at times but, she tried her best to get through those hard years herself. Now here she was with her four-year-old son who was soon turning five.

Morgana took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She got up and made her way to her own bed, deciding that it would be best if she were to get some rest herself. As she lay on her bed, the nostalgic memories came back to her once again. The many events that had happened throughout her life in Camelot flashed in her mind rapidly.

Without her realizing, Morgana's eyes began to water. A single teardrop trickled down the side of her face and landed with a small plop onto her pillow. Not long after, a few more followed. Morgana began to sob uncontrollably, the quiet sounds of her sadness echoing in the silence of the hovel.

She cried for all the mistakes she had made. She cried for all her loved ones who had perished from battles fought during the war. She cried for all the broken friendships she had. She cried for all the loss throughout the tough years.

Soon, she succumbed to her fatigue and the darkness took over.

Well, that's all for now folks. Hope to post the next chapter out soon. Do leave a review and share what you think of this chapter. No flames though please, just constructive criticism. Peace out!

~Faye

(Updated: 31/05/2020)