Hello my darlings. I would like to thank Sandeezy (Guest), OechsnerC, AndreKl, Gingeraffealene and mersan123 for the wonderful reviews. I would also like to thank those of you who have followed and favoured since my last update.
So here is the next chapter, I hope you like it. This story is changing every time I write a chapter, I think it will soon get to the point where even I don't know what's going to happen next. I hope you think the characters are in character. I did quite a bit of thinking before writing this one, and well, I don't see anyone in Merlin as inherently evil or good, they are just flawed as everyone is. They are what circumstances make them. So I'm changes the circumstances. Anyway Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.
Morgana walked silently through the castle, making her way to the disused section where she would see her sister again. She walked quickly, wanting to get to Morgause as soon as possible, wanted to tell her everything that had happened, wanted to hear her wise words and feel the comfort of her magic as it surrounded her. She really needed her sister right then.
Walking into the room she looked around, frowning when she saw no one and as such lit a flame in her own hand with just a word. Holding it up she slowly turned in a circle, hoping to spot her sister in the shadows around her.
"I am here, sister." Came Morgause's voice from behind her making her spin quickly to face her as she put on the flame by the simple method of closing her fist.
"Morgause." Morgana cried lowly, and before she knew anything else, she found herself in her sister's arms. Wrapped safe in her older sibling's magic as well. And for the first time since she had discovered how she had been betrayed, Morgana let down her guard enough to let herself cry. She cried for the hurt and pain insider her, cried for the lost dreams, and cried for how she had been manipulated by one she thought she could control.
"Hush child, everything is going to be fine. I am here now, sister. I have you." Morgause whispered as she stroked her sister's hair. She had no idea what had happened, but finding out the answer to that was secondary at that point. Right then all she wanted was to comfort the one who shared her blood, shared her magic. Comfort the one she loved, her only remaining family.
When Morgana had no more tears left to cry, she pulled herself away from Morgause, turning slightly so she could wipe the moisture from her cheeks. That done she took a deep breath before turning back to answer the unasked question she knew was on her sisters mind. "Merlin has broken the enchantment."
"How? Nothing on earth has the power to break it. How did it happen?" Morgause asked in shock. It was the strongest enchantment she knew, not even Emrys himself would have been able to break. So how had a simple serving boy? How was it he always managed to diffuse all her plans to take Camelot and free her kin?
"I… I don't know. But he did. In fact I'm pretty sure he was never really enchanted at all." Morgana replied thinking back to how Merlin had been when she had allowed the bracelet to drop from his wrist. Remembered back to how he had been when she believed he was under her control. And now, for the position of hindsight, she could see what she had refused to believe then. He had never been hers to control, if anything it was she who had been at his mercy.
"As long as the bracelet was on his wrist, he would have been. Did he lose it?" Morgause asked, desperately trying to find the reason for the end of the enchantment.
"No." Morgana responded simply. There was nothing more she could say after all.
At that Morgause started thinking. There was one way such an enchantment could be broken… but surely that was not the case here. Therefore she asked her next question, hoping to get an answer which would steer her mind away from where it was going. "Tell me sister, when you placed the rune upon his skin, was he enchanted then?"
"Yes. And the next afternoon, I was sure he was under the spell. But after that… I don't know. He could have been playing me from the beginning for all I do know. He is so very good at lying." Morgan answered, bitterness creeping into her tone with her words. The hurt still so very much in her heart at how he had betrayed her for so long, and so many times over.
That answer confirmed to Morgause the truth. As such she asked in a curious voice "when did you first kiss him, Morgana?"
"Why does that matter?" Morgana asked back, straightening her back at her sisters probing questions. What did it matter when she and Merlin kissed? It wasn't like she was going to let it happen again, ever. No she was more likely to kill him that kiss him in her mind.
"Because the only thing that could break that spell was true loves kiss. It would have been the first you shared." Morgause explained gently, not wanting to upset her sister, but she knew Morgana had a right to know. A right to understand that Merlin loved her, no matter what he had done. A right to understand that she too loved him, though now was probably not the best time to mention that part. It would be best for now if Morgana did not know that the love had to be returned for such a kiss to break an enchantment.
At that Morgana turned away as she remembered that first kiss. How it had caused her magic to rise inside her. At least now she knew why that had happened. It was her power responding to the call of his. How could she have been so foolish as to not see it? Turning her mind away from those thoughts she considered her sisters words. She wasn't sure she truly believed them, that she truly believed Merlin had ever had any feelings for her. In fact she was sure it was his magic that had saved him from their plan… but for that it be true, then he would have to have more power than her sister. Her sister the high priestess. There was no way Merlin was more powerful than Morgause. No one was more powerful than her. So it had to be as she had said but…
Morgause watched as the thoughts flittered through her Morgana's eyes. Watched as a frown of confusion appeared on her face, and she wanted to remove it. Just as she wished she could remove the pain she was now feeling. If only she had not come up with this plan to turn Merlin, Morgana would never have felt as she did now. This was her fault. Well no. It was Merlin's fault too, in fact she was sure Merlin was to blame more than she herself was. He was the one who had lied to her sister after all. But that was not her concern right then. No that was the woman in front of her. She would deal with the serving boy later. Oh yes, later she would make him pay for the pain he caused the one she loved.
"Do not worry about it now, sister. We tried, and failed. But the plan is still on track, and he does not know of what we are going to do, does he?" She asked in a gentle tone as she reached out to touch Morgana's arm, allowing a small amount of her own magic to seep into her, to soothe the pain and hurt that was raging within her soul.
"No. But Morgause…" Morgana replied, though she trailed off before she could say anything more. It was only then she remembered the plan her and her sister were concocting, the plan for her to gain her rightful place on the throne so she could free magic once more. But that wasn't the way it was supposed to happen. The throne was not hers to take. She knew that now. She knew that Arthur would restore magic to the lands when he became king, she had seen it. And now she knew he knew of Merlin's own powers and stood beside him, she could see him doing nothing else when he became king. The throne was rightfully his, and she needed her sister to know that. Needed her to let him take the place the goddess had already claimed for him.
"What is it Morgana? You know you can tell me anything." Morgause said when she saw her sister hesitate. She needed to know what was on her mind, needed to know they were on the same page.
Morgana took a deep breath before continuing. She needed to tell Morgause what she had seen. She needed her sister to support her decision to stand by Arthur. She needed someone on her side now she no longer had Merlin.
"I had a vision."
"You did? What did you see?" Morgause asked quickly, wanting to find out what it was the goddess wanted them to know. What it was the goddess wanted them to help come to pass.
"Arthur, standing in front of the court as king lifting the ban on magic." Morgana answered in a strong voice. It was the first time she had spoken of it out loud, but she would not be afraid. They all needed to know the truth, there was no more time for lies or hiding, they did more harm than good. If Merlin had taught her nothing else with his revelation, it was that.
"Do you believe that it was a true dream?" Morgause asked in a whisper, not sure what to make of her sisters words. Not sure if it was possible or if it was just her mind wishing for something that would never come to pass.
"Yes." Morgana responded with certainty. She knew deep within her where her magic dwelt, that what she had seen was meant to come to pass.
"And can you see the Arthur you know doing this?" Morgause louder this time, hope tinging her words and starting to light up her eyes at the idea there was another way. That all was not lost with the males of the Pendragon household.
"Yes." Morgana answered again. He would do everything in his power to help his friend. And he knew Merlin had magic. Yes he would lift the ban when he became king. She knew the man whom she saw as a brother would.
At that single word Morgause mind was sent spinning. She remembered when she had first come to Camelot, when she had challenged Arthur to single combat in the hopes of persuading him to join her. Hoping that she could show him the good magic could do. She had seen the possibility in him then, the chance that he could change it all. But when he had refused to kill his father she had turned away from the idea. Convinced herself that he was nothing more than Uther's son. But here was her sister telling her she was wrong. Telling her that there was still a chance for Arthur Pendragon to side with them. Still a chance that he would free them all. At that she sighed out words, with such a depth of feeling of relief and hope she could not stop the smile that spread across her lips.
"This is great news Morgana. Don't you see?"
"What do you mean?" Morgana asked surprised by her sister's reaction. She had thought Morgause would be against the idea, would want to carry on fighting Arthur. Would want to carry on trying to put her on the throne. It seemed she had been wrong, and in realising that she suddenly remembered the time when she hadn't told her sister of her vision. The time when she did not trust the woman in front of her. She would never do that again, because if nothing else Morgause had just shown her that she could trust her completely. She was the only one she could trust.
"It means we no longer need to fear your brother. We no longer need to kill him. Having him upon the throne will make the people of Camelot support us much more than if we usurped him." Morgause explained excitement already coursing through her as her mind re-evaluated her plans. Changed things and corrected paths she had planned to take. This news changed everything.
"You are right." Morgana replied with a soft smile on her face. She knew she had been shying away in her mind from the plan that she and Morgause had concocted. Shying away from the idea of taking Arthur's throne. But now Morgause agreed that there was no need to do so. It seemed her vision was coming true, she would be standing at Arthur's side when he was king and freed her and her kind.
"Now, all we must do is kill Uther." Morgause stated her eyes shining at the knowledge that there was only one hurdle in their way. Only one person who needed to be removed before all they wished for could become reality.
At her words Morgana found herself coming up short. She realised that if Morgause killed Uther, then Arthur would not rest until she was dead. And she did not want her sister to die.
"You can't." She said quickly, grabbing her sister's hands as if she was stopping her from going to commit the deed there and then.
"But sister, why?" Morgause asked tilting her head as she looked deep into the green eyes of her only family. She needed to know why it was Morgana did not want her to end the tyranny and pain and fear they had lived under all their lives.
"If you do that, Arthur will never forgive you. I do not want my brother and sister at odds with each other. I… I just want my family to be together." Morgana explained, her tone becoming desperate at the end as she felt herself being torn in half. Having to choose between her brother and her sister. She did not want to choose. She loved them both, wanted them both in her life. Was that so wrong? Was it wrong to want to be with her family?
Morgause nodded at her words. She could see the pain the idea of her killing Uther caused her sister, and while it went against everything in her mind she knew she would put her sister's heart first. For now.
"I understand, and while I do not agree, for you I will stay my hand. But I will not wait forever Morgana, and nor will our people. They look to us to guide and protect them. We must do that, no matter what the cost." She replied gently hoping Morgana would understand what she was saying. Understand that there would be a time limit to her generosity of letting the current king live.
"I know, but… just a little more time. I do not believe Uther is long for this world." Morgana responded, thinking back to her vision and how young Arthur seemed. In fact he did not look any older than he currently was. It seemed the time of Uther would soon meet its end, though the how and why she could not see.
"Then soon we shall rejoice in our freedom together, sister. Rejoice as the family we are." Morgause replied with a smile, trusting her sister in this. She was the seer after all. She was the one who the goddess graced to show the path of the future.
"Yes. Thank you, sister." With that Morgana turned to leave, finally having a calm mind, peace settling inside her. She and her sister would work together to help Arthur fulfil that which she had seen. She and Morgause would fight for the true king, and while she still felt pain and betrayal at all Merlin had done, the past was paling in insignificance to the future she saw before her. The future where she and her sister and brother were united as a family.
When Morgana was gone Morgause turned to leave also. She needed to get to Cendred's kingdom and persuade him to stop his invasion. Needed to change their plans to fit the new information she had about the future of Camelot. But she was not daunted by the task. She could get him to do anything she wished, he was so easy to manipulate after all. Yes, she would stop their plans and give her sister the time she had promised. But if Uther was not dead soon, even that promise would not stop her from doing what she needed to do. Uther's reign of terror needed to come to an end, and if that end came at her hand, then so be it. She was willing to give her life, for those she served. That was the role of a high priestess after all. She just hoped it didn't come to that. Just hoped that she never had to force her sister to choose between her and Arthur. Not now, not anymore. No the future she saw now was so very different to the one she had been planning before this meeting. Everything was different now, and what would come next, was in the goddess's hands.