"could Arthur be any more annoying?"

Morgana always had something to say about the boy and Elaina never knew what to make of it. He was like the brother they never had, or in their childhood had ever wanted, thriving in being just two sisters. But they have been in the castle now since ten and nine years old and Arthur has become a part of their lives.

Definitely for Elaina, she loved nothing better than to tease him and they bickered and actually fought on occasion. More than once Uther has grabbed them by the ear to stop their disruption over the castle, if for example, Elaina had gotten the idea to hide Arthur's sword in a pile of horse dung before his training. He was one of the better things to come out from living in the castle, as was Gaius and Gwen, who were dear friends despite being servants, which thankfully they did not begrudge in being.

"if you say so morgana. But we give as much as he does."

Elaina reminded Morgana that it was she who initiated the face pulling game, when Uther wasn't looking and he didn't mean to kick her, only that he was aiming at Elaina and missed. unfortunately, it had been while morgana was taking a sip from her spoon, causing the soup to launch itself over the table. Elaina and Arthur couldn't help but snigger, as some even dripped down her chin where the spoon had been halfway to her mouth. So, she grabbed a bread roll to throw before Uther caught the trio in their antics. He warned if they weren't going to eat in a civilised manner, he would send them to bed without so much as crumb more, as this was the appetiser. Therefore, they continued to eat in silence because if even one of them spoke, it would be a snide comment surely which would set the king off on a rampage.

so, after a tedious dinner, Elaina had walked morgana to her room as it was on the way to her own. As they entered, Gwen waited as she would see to the both of them in morgana's room, to save her rushing between the two ladies and hopefully get home sooner. Unhooking them out from their dresses and neatly folding them away, morgana needed help to untangle the intricate style Gwen had made of her hair, while Elaina simply pulled out the comb keeping hers in a bun. A few brushes and she stepped into the night gown next, laid out for her, ready to depart when morgana stopped her.

"oh no, Elaina you're not getting away that easily. I thought we could spend the night with each other like we used to."

girlish talks of knights and the most recent gossip from court until late into the night. a lot of them ended in pillow fights and a few glasses of wine, which they always begged Gwen to bring them, as Uther refused them a taste unless for special occasions. Elaina wanted to refuse, being not in the mood still, but as she has said many times, she could not refuse her sister anything.

"fine! But you better not wake me with a pointless and meaningless detail of some story or another, concerning a certain widow and servant boy."

Morgana took the bait with the prompt from her sister, concerning her favourite scandal of the court and it took them right up to the middle of the night at least, where Elaina could barely stay awake much longer and Gwen had gone home ages ago.

Blowing out the candles, Elaina had circled the room to the last few burning on the window ledge. As she puffed out the flame, it no longer made a reflection on the glass, that only made inside visible, so now she could see right outside instead.

There like before, was the hooded figure.

"morgana!" Elaina called frightened by the eery reappearance, but by the time her sister stood next to her, they had gone, making Elaina feel uneased.

"you're definitely seeing things, come on the sheets are nice and warm."

Elaina wasn't so sure. this time in an empty courtyard a figure was far easier to notice and they had been there, she was sure of it. or, maybe it was a guard perhaps…

With that, she accepted her tiredness and retreated next to her sister, who lay away from her flowers on the nightstand, as the scent was too much for her, to lay beside.

Elaina reached for one of their petals, maybe a little jealous someone had taken the time to send them to morgana and as she did something made her flinch. The sensation was like when you prick your finger, a sharp premonition that something wasn't quite right.

The worst thing about her talents, was the trying to decipher what they meant and why she would feel as she did now.

With one last look at her sister, who already had her eyes shut, Elaina surrendered to sleep and pushed the feeling aside. If it meant anything, she was sure somehow merlin will get involved as he always did, and off on another epic tale they would go.

The day had been pleasantly warm, but without the sun, a chill had taken claim of the breeze that blew. It was chilling to the very bones of the figure, but they ignored it for the memory of what had occurred here many years ago. In fact, he could block out the wind entirely with just the memory of the fire that had roared like the mouth of hell, in the centre of the grounds, which he walked over to.

No evidence remained of that night on the intricate stonework, but the air felt heavy as they recalled the screaming and the gawking crowd. No one had helped and nothing but suffering and loneliness has followed the figure since then and he was here to get his revenge.

However, he had not expected to see her.

At least not so soon and so unprepared.

The guards had taken his flowers with just a flash of a spell that didn't need much effort and he could feel his little helpers, who were hiding away, so he knew which window to look at, when they came into their victim's quarters.

That room had a lady sat behind the glass. He couldn't see them clearly, but he knew in an instance who they were, though they had matured immensely and their beauty if possible, enhanced. He would have then and there come out from his hiding spot and called out her name, but he had a job to do which would benefit the both of them.

With all his strength he held back for now and this was the moment he had been waiting for.

His eyes flashed gold and he could see the room as one of his beetles crawled out from the centre of the lily's he had placed it inside of. He ushered it onwards, their small legs taking their time and it was like he could see through the beetle. This was a good thing because now he was aware that Elaina was asleep in the same bed as her sister, so when the beetle misjudged her for morgana, he fiercely scolded it and emanated the need for it to turn to the right person.

He could not imagine inflicting Elaina with any harm, so as he felt that the beetle had burrowed its way down her sister's ear; He turned away and awaited for the next part of his plan to unfold.

For the first time in a week, Elaina had actually had a decent sleep. Maybe it was the comfort of being with morgana, but she was glad she could feel some of normality coming back, until next year and it all began again.

Actually, with her head nestled in the pillow and the sheets undisturbed, she was surprised that morgana hadn't woke her, because she wasn't a good sleeper for her own reasons. Morgana was known for her nightmares and would thrash around wildly during them, which Elaina knew was due to her magic trying to release itself from where she buried it out of fear.

So, with that in mind Elaina shuffled her body over to the right, where morgana was flat on her back. The same position she had fallen asleep in, except for her habit of clutching the blanket up to her chin. Instead, morgana's arms were flopped on either side and admittedly she looked peaceful and Elaina hesitated in disturbing her, but as she stared, the rosy hue in her sister's cheeks, wasn't there.

"morgana?"

Elaina grabbed her hand, and it was cold, without response.

"morgana!"

Frantically, Elaina raised to her knees and started shaking her sister's shoulders to try and get something out of her, but she only jolted with the movements, without so much as fluttering her eyes. As she went without waking, Elaina assumed the worst and pressed her ear close to morgana's mouth, hearing a faint and ragged breath. It was barely there at all and she checked for her pulse, which was very slow.

"guards!" Elaina screamed again and again without fault, until two entered the room.

"fetch Gaius immediately, my sister is gravely ill! Hurry!"

Her voice was shrill and unrecognisable as her own. she was shocked no one had overheard her and came rushing in themselves.

She wouldn't stop in her attempts, when the guards went off to do as she bade, she slapped morgana's face and clutched her body close, terrified beyond belief.

"don't leave me morgana, please."

This was her worst fear and what her gift had warned her about. The loss of her sister would send Elaina over the edge and there wouldn't be a point to life without her, the last she had of her family. Tears fell from her eyes, as she called herself all the worst insults. She believed that she could have done something. That she should have made sure morgana was well, instead of her being so concerned with Elaina.

All Elaina did and could do, was blame herself, even as Gaius came into the room and had to rip Elaina away from morgana, with help from merlin. She clutched at the young warlock, feeling just as fragile as morgana looked. He did his best to assure her, morgana would be well. That Gaius will get her to wake. But as time went on, with Uther and Arthur waiting on news at the bottom of the stairs, nothing had changed.