Morgan

Disclaimer: I don't own Knig Arthur or any of the characters. I only own Morgan. Just so you know, she is not based on the Morgan of King Arthur mythology, only named after her. The other knights who are mentioned are from mythology, and I borrowed their names from there. Don't own them either.

Chapter One

Morgan

I stood atop Hadrian's Wall and stared down at Badon's Hill, deep in undisturbed thought.

15 years, that was nearly half my lifetime. It didn't seem so long when I thought about it though. It didn't feel like very much time had passed at all since I'd first met Arthur and his knights. My friends.

A lot had happened in those years. So many had lost their lives. Ector, Bedivere, Pellinore, Kay, Gareth, and many others, men I had known well. There were so few knights left now. Too few.

Only seven remained. Only seven who would return home.

I was so lost in my own thoughts that I didn't notice Lancelot come up behind me.

"Don't look so dismal," he said in my ear.

I jumped, and he laughed at me.

"You can come to Sarmatia with me if you'll miss me so much. I'd hate to think that I caused you such grief."

I slapped him good-naturedly. "It wasn't you I was thinking about, you ass."

He looked disappointed. "You mean you won't miss me?" he feigned hurt.

I laughed and kissed his cheek. "Of course I'll miss you. I just won't miss your constant flirting."

"You can't blame me for trying." He leaned against the battlements next to me and looked in the direction that I was looking. Then he turned to me and smirked slightly. "Who were you thinking of if not me?"

With a sigh, I explained. For a moment he was somber. Then he brightened once more.

"Come have a drink," he suggested. "Celebrate with us."

I obliged, and soon I was quite drunk, and far happier than I had been so far that day.

After a little while, Lancelot got involved in a game, so I went to find the other knights to see what they were doing. I found Galahad and Gawain throwing knives at a board. Tristan was watching them silently.

I sat down next to him and said, "Do you really think they should be trusted with knives, as drunk as they are?"

"You can't really talk," he told me. "You're as drunk as them."

"Yes, but I'm not throwing sharp objects."

At that moment, Gawain noticed my presence. "Morgan!" he cried. "You give it a try!" He handed me a knife and pointed at the target.

I looked at Tristan. He rolled his eyes. I laughed and took the knife. "Oh, why not?" I asked no one in particular.

I threw the knife and missed the target completely. Gawain, Galahad, and I laughed loudly. Galahad threw another knife and did much better than me. It actually hit near the center of the board. It was quite remarkable, considering how drunk he was.

While we were admiring Galahad's shot, Tristan grabbed a knife and threw it. It struck the end of Galahad's knife and stuck there.

"Tristan," said Galahad, staring at the him.

"How do you do that?" Gawain asked incredulously.

"I aim for the middle," he explained through a bit of apple.

Gawain stared at the target a bit more, and we laughed at him. Galahad retrieved the knives and gave one to me.

"Have another go."

I threw the knife, and this time it hit the target. The edge of the target, granted, but the target nonetheless. The knights cheered for me, although the throw certainly deserved no applause. Laughing, I gave them each a kiss and collapsed onto a bench.

"You're a funny one Morgan," my sister Vanora said as she passed by. "Most women would rather have just one man and keep him to herself. You've bedded every man within a mile and you'll not settle with one."

I laughed. "Perhaps I just can't make up my mind," I teased as she walked away.

Gawain pulled me into his lap. "We like you just the way you are," he informed me.

"Yes," agreed Tristan, "Easy."

They laughed some more, and I acted indignant, but I didn't really care. It was the truth after all and I never denied it.

Bors was encouraging Vanora to sing. She was reluctant, but soon everyone was pleading. Finally, she consented and began to sing a song of home. It was a beautiful song. I was in awe of her. I can't sing to save my life. By the time she finished, everyone was touched. Galahad was nearly crying.

The spell was broken when Arthur arrived. The knights were happy to see him, and so was I, but I sensed something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked him as he approached us.

"Knights," he addressed them, "Brothers in arms, your courage has been tested beyond all limits, but I must ask you now for one further trial."

"Drink," said Bors, as he mimed drinking.

"We must leave on a final mission for Rome before your freedom can be granted."

The knights laughed. They didn't think he was serious.

Arthur did not laugh, "Above the wall there lies a Roman family in need of rescue. They are trapped by Saxons. Our orders are to secure their safety."

"Let the Romans take care of their own," Bors sneered.

"Above the wall is Woad territory," said Gawain.

"Our duty to Rome," slurred Galahad, "If it was ever a duty, is done. Our pact with Rome is done."

"Every knight here has laid his life on the line for you," Bors told Arthur angrily. "For you. And now, instead of freedom you want more blood? Our blood? You think more of Roman blood than you do ours?"

"These are our orders. We leave at first light, and when you return your freedom will be waiting for you. A freedom you can embrace with-."

"I am a free man!" Bors cried, furious. "I will choose my own fate!"

"Yeah, yeah," said Tristan indifferently. "We've all got to die sometime. If it's death by a Saxon hand that frightens you, stay home."

"If you're so anxious to die you can die here!" cried Galahad angrily. I had to grab his arm to prevent him from hurting Tristan.

"Enough, enough," said Lancelot, also restraining him.

"Too many have died already," I said quietly. "Why do they send you on this mission now?"

Arthur looked at me sadly and said nothing.

"I've got something to live for!" Galahad shouted.

"The Romans have broken their word," said Dagonet calmly. "We have the word of Arthur. That is enough. I will prepare." He turned to go. "Bors are you coming?" he asked.

"Of course I'm coming! I can't let you go on your own! You'll all get killed!"

I couldn't help but smile a little.

"I'm just saying what you're all thinking!" he continued. Then he muttered, "Vanora will kill me."

That she will, I thought, but I said nothing.

"And you Gawain?" Arthur asked.

"I'm with you," Gawain told him, "Galahad as well."

Galahad smiled sadly and laughed. Then he began to pour his ale out on the ground. He threw his tankard down in disgust and it shattered on the ground. He began to walk away.

I followed him. "It's not really so bad," I told him when we were alone.

"Not really - not really so bad?" he cried furiously.

"You'll make it home yet. This is just temporary. After waiting so long, a little longer shouldn't be so hard."

He shook his head. "You don't understand. The Romans lied. They promised us freedom, and instead we get sent off on another mission. We go tomorrow to our deaths."

I kissed him. "I will not let that happen."

---

The next morning found me half awake in Galahad's bed. He was up and getting dressed. I too got out of bed and found my clothes. Neither of us spoke. We both knew that what had happened between us that night had meant nothing. It never did. It was only my way of comforting him in time of need. He understood that about me.

All of them did.

Some women looked down on me for my ways, but they were, after all, my ways, and I had no intentions of changing them anytime in the near future.

---

Galahad

I didn't ask where Morgan was going when she left my room. I didn't really want to know. I had an idea of what she was up to and I wanted to be able to claim innocence later.

I readied myself quickly and headed to the stables to prepare for the journey.

Everyone else was already there, preparing their horses. I readied my horse quickly, ignoring Bors' comments about why I was running late.

Jols arrived soon with provisions. He met my eyes as he passed me, and mouthed one word, "Morgan."

I had already known of course that she was up to no good, but Jols' warning served to clarify her plans. I remembered her saying, "I will not let that happen." Of course she would come along. She couldn't get into enough trouble at the wall, she had to come with us.

She entered the stable herself only a few minutes later, clad in men's clothes and mismatched armor. Some of the armor had been mine when I was younger, and I had given it to her when I'd outgrown it. Her sword had once belonged to a Woad that she had killed She'd kept the weapon as a prize from her first victory.

I shook my head when I saw her. "Not a good idea," I warned. Of course, I knew she wouldn't listen. She never did.

Morgan had fought beside us before, and she knew what she was getting herself into as well as we did. There was really no point in warning her. She knew what Arthur would say, and we all knew just what she would say as well. It always went the same, and usually ended with Morgan getting her own way.

As I predicted, she ignored me and went to her horse. He greeted her with a friendly nudge, and she patted his neck affectionately.

"Morgan." There was a stern tone in Arthur's voice. "You're not coming."

She turned around. "Arthur," she said in exactly the same tone. "You're not stopping me."

"It's too dangerous."

"And I'm too much of a stubborn ass to admit it, you've said so yourself."

"This time is different."

"I've fought beside you before, and you know I don't care how dangerous it is. Anyway, even if you do leave without me, which you won't, how hard do you really think it will be for me to catch you up?"

There was no point in arguing with her. Once Morgan had a plan, no one could get it out of her head, not with any sword, club, axe, or mace ever invented. The only options were to either give in and let her come along, or else to hit her on the head with a heavy object and leave her unconscious on the floor of the stable. We'd done both, but the former usually worked out more in our favor.

"Do you mind me asking why you're so set on coming along on this suicide mission?" asked Lancelot.

"Someone's got to protect you. Anyway, I will not have you go off today and never return. If none of us survives this trip, then at least I will not have to bear the grief of losing you all. I will see you through this, your last mission, and I will see you return safely home. You will not stop me Arthur."

There was silence for a moment, then Arthur said, "Jols, you'd better get Morgan some provisions, it would appear she's forgotten them again."