There are days when the world gets heavy, sleepless nights I've had way too many
17th May 2019
Morgana sighed as she looked into the mirror. Make up time. Time to not look half dead as she tended to most of the time these days. She put some foundation onto the brush and smeared it over her face, bashing with the sponge afterwards to blend everything in. Followed by the concealer under her eyes. Mascara (waterproof, of course!). She put her blazer on and tied her hair back as she looked in the mirror. On the surface it was all looking good yet behind the facade she was breaking.
She grabbed the car keys and bag slinging it over her shoulder, went to the baby's room and took Amhar out of his cot. Today was the sixth form's last day—prank day—so Merlin had gone in early to make sure nothing too disastrous would happen. Amhar smiled happily at her and kept on babbling away, not crying as she strapped him into his car seat seeing as now he was forward facing he loved being in the car. She quickly drove along to the nursery and briefly spoke to Amhar's key worker and handed the baby over who happily went on the floor and began to crawl towards another baby.
As she tried to hold back her tears and race out of the nursery (avoiding stepping on crawling babies!) she was slightly surprised at finding a hand resting on her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" She turned around to see a nice blonde sunny woman with her hair in a ponytail and wearing glasses. "I'm Kara, Kara Daxam. My son Noah's in the baby room too and I noticed you looked rather upset. Is everything okay?".
"I'm Amhar's aunt—well mother now I suppose. My brother Arthur and sister-in-law Gwen died two weeks ago in a car crash".
"Oh Rao!" Kara gasped. "I'm so sorry. That's terrible" she smiled sympathetically at her. "You seem to be doing really well though, Amhar's a sweetie".
"I'm surprised at how well he's settled" Morgana agreed. "I mean I had to take two weeks of work while this little guy went straight back in".
"Yeah, I saw your partner I believe dropping him of a few times—Merlin?".
"He's not my partner" Morgana scoffed. "We're just raising him together as per Arthur and Gwen's wishes".
"Hm" Kara smirked. "Anyway I have to get off to work. I'm a reporter. What do you do?".
"Teaching" Morgana replied. "Although today is sixth form prank day so I'd better head off. See you around?".
"I remember that" Kara smiled. "And you certainly will".
Morgana rolled her eyes as soon as she arrived at work. There were many cars that weren't the staff ones, parked weirdly all over the car park. Bloody sixth formers. She headed over to the staff room to see what was going on—quite a few photos of Nimeuh and Geoffrey's faces photoshopped onto Peppa pig characters, some rooms covered in toilet paper, others with tea bags and balloons, some with fake mice. Morgana mentally thanked herself for locking her room last night, so that way she wouldn't have bay of the monstrosity that other teachers had to endure. At least no one had done anything to the memorial. She briefly smirked as a frazzled Merlin limped into the room.
"What happened?" Morgana smirked.
"Sixth formers slipped on silly string and had a scooter crash" Merlin replied with a grimace as he sat down. "How are you?".
"Not too bad" Morgana replied as the bell rang. "Now, I have a class to register".
"Of course" Merlin nodded. "So do I".
"Good luck" Morgana smirked.
"You too" Merlin remarked. Once Morgana had gone to her classroom Morgause was stood outside with a scowl on her face.
"Ready to open up?" Morgause asked.
Morgana made a small squeak like noise.
"Me too" Morgause chuckled. "Let's see". Luckily they had nothing happen to their rooms so could get on with their teaching in a normal room instead of having to try to tidy up. Morgause slept seeing as she had first period free while Morgana had to teach the second years, opting to do a practice test with exams looming. Shortly after it was time for the fourth years to finish off an inspector calls—given then Mithian and Morgause had temporarily merged the sets to finish everything off it would at least be slightly less stressful on Morgana until they managed to get a cover teacher to replace Gwen—hopefully after half term and a new teacher in the new school year.
They just had to finish going over an inspector calls which wasn't too bad given that it was a good play especially given the plot twist ending. Although Morgana was surprised at seeing some people running out of Morgause's classroom followed by a frazzled Morgause. She quickly dismissed the class before she sat down—surprised at Morgause entering the room.
"Could we have a quick chat?" Morgause checked.
"Of course" Morgana frowned. "You know that. What seems to be the matter?".
"One of the students in my class—Harriet. She hasn't been sleeping well and keeps on having nightmares about Camelot ... I think it might be a past life but she can't be sure. Poor things absolutely terrified".
"I bet" Morgana agreed. "I mean I'm an adult and I get scared. Can't imagine how scared a poor child must be".
"Anyway" Morgause continued. "I told her how you have had similar circumstances so it'd be better for her to talk to you. Is that okay?".
"Of course it is" Morgana nodded. "Is it okay if you get me another drink? Get one for Harriet too".
"Of course I will" Morgause smiled.
"Harriet" Morgana called as she looked at the nervous teenager. "Miss LeFay told me about how you've been having nightmares and you wanted to talk about them?".
"I'm scared" Harriet admitted as she looked in Morgana's direction. "It's all so confusing. I'm fucking exhausted and just well, sick of feeling this way".
"It's understandable" Morgana agreed. "But is it okay if we go into my room? I have a free period".
"Of course" Harriet nodded as she grabbed her bag and followed Morgana to her room.
"Is it ever about anything in particular?" Morgana asked.
"Yeah" Harriet admitted. "Always in some castle. A big castle. Some strange robes and trying to escape. You were there too. A few times".
"I was?" Morgana asked as thoughts began to swirl around her mind.
"Yeah. You and Mr Pendragon arguing. So many fights. I killed Mr Pendragon and now he's fucking dead. Well he killed me too but I'm still alive as you can tell. I don't know how to deal with it" Harriet cried.
"I know it's hard sweetheart" Morgana gently placed a hand on Harriet's shoulder. "But you will get through this. I'll be here for you".
"Thank you...there's something else you should know too".
"Of course" Morgana replied. "Just take your time. Does Lucy know?".
Harriet shook her head vigorously.
During her free period Morgana had to sit down and take a few deep breaths. How could this have happened? How? Harriet was always so sweet, only for all this to happen? The evidence was so obvious. It all pointed in one direction. She couldn't be. It just wasn't possible. She had just seen Kara earlier—now Mordred? It likely that Kara wasn't that Kara but it still scared her. Then again, it could be a mere coincidence due to Arthur and Gwen dying and Harriet being in the middle of her GCSEs.
Later that night Morgana and Merlin managed to arrange the funeral date—the 24th of May or the Friday just before half term. At the weekend they were due to talk to a lawyer about adopting Amhar—which would be possible after ten weeks of him living with them. Every month social services would visit to checkup on them, given that Amhar had to be living with them for a minimum of 10 weeks. Both of them (despite Arthur and Gwen's wishes) wouldn't be able to adopt Amhar unless they were a couple, and given that they used to be one they would work on it during the coming weeks and months.
"Scary isn't it?" Morgana commented as they were lay in bed.
"What is?" Merlin frowned.
"How quickly life can be taken and changed within minutes".
"I know" Merlin agreed. "But still. No matter what, no matter how bad things are life goes on. Things don't stop".
"I can't believe Geoffrey said no to cancelling this years end of year exams".
"I know" Merlin agreed once more. "Yet sadly a child can only miss their GCSEs if an immediate family member died. Arthur and Gwen were their teachers".
"I know" Morgana sighed. "I just can't imagine it".
"Surprisingly kids are resilient" Merlin remarked. "Y'know? They just get on with it".
A/N: Let me all know what you think, reviews are always appreciated!