A/N: *Gasp* an update after less than a month? I must be ill, right? Not really, but I did get inspired :)
Okay, I have a few IMPORTANT announcements, so please read this before beginning the chapter. First of all, I've been talking to the amazing AvengerGirl17, who wrote an AU for Arrow, which takes place in the Middle Ages (it's called 'The Green Knight', so go read it!), and we got the idea to write a crossover between her story and mine. It will be set after the next story arc for my story, and after the end of her story. It won't be very important to my storyline, but it might just be fun to read, even if you don't know anything about the Arrow fandom.
Secondly, the next story arc will be The Lady of the Lake, and it, too, will be a little different from canon, so bear with me, okay?
Lastly, I'll ask a question in the A/N at the end, so please read that and respond, okay? Thanks!
Wow, long A/N, but it couldn't be helped. It's a slightly longer one this time because I really just needed to wrap up this arc (since it went on about 4 parts longer than I'd originally planned). Enjoy!
Chapter 15: The Nightmare Begins: the aftermath part 2
Being back in Camelot after everything I'd learned at the druid camp was strange. It felt like I was seeing the world differently now.
I'd tended to Morgana for the rest of the night, letting the noblewoman rage against Uther to me, while I brushed her hair. Eventually she calmed down and told me what she had gone through at the camp, and I told her that I'd sent some time helping the women in the camp. I hated lying to her, but I didn't know what else to do. The urge to tell her everything grew bigger by the day, but I knew that despite her being my friend, the information would only put her in more danger.
"Goodnight Morgana. I'll let Gwen know to wake you up in the morning," I said as I blew out the candle.
"Merlynn?" the Lady called, sitting up in her bed. I turned from the door, raising my eyebrows in askance.
"Thank you. For everything, for taking me to the druids, for protecting my secret… I owe you."
I waved my hand at her. "You don't owe me anything, Morgana, you're my friend. I know you would've done the same for me, or for Gwen. It's what friends do. Get some rest, my Lady," I replied with a gentle smile, hoping she couldn't see the unease in my eyes.
But Morgana just returned the smile and lay back down on the bed, closing her eyes. I sighed softly and made my way out of the room. I loved Morgana, I really did, but having this weight on my chest made it hard to be around her. And even though she was older than me, I constantly wanted to mother her, and that was something I was certain the Lady wouldn't like.
I decided to go by Gaius's chambers before heading to Gwen's house. I'd eaten with Morgana – a luxury I didn't even get with Arthur – but I needed my cloak now that it was dark, and I wanted to say hello to my uncle, whom I hadn't seen since before I'd left.
I walked in, expecting to see Gaius at his workbench, preparing a tonic of sorts, or maybe reading at his desk, but that wasn't what I saw. The scene that met me upon my entry was one I was entirely surprised by.
Instead of Gaius, it was Gwen who was at the workbench, pouring one liquid with another, carefully measuring, while a pot was heating over the fire. Gaius himself wasn't even in the room. This was the second time I'd found Gwen working in here, and now I was curious.
My instinct was to call out, and since I'd never been one to curb my instincts, I did. Gwen started, dropping the vial she'd been pouring.
I knew the minute my eyes turned gold and froze the bottle midair. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," I said hurriedly, and walked over to pluck the bottle from where it hung in the air.
"I don't think I'll ever get used to you doing that," Gwen murmured quietly, accepting the vial from me. I looked at what she was doing curiously, but she didn't continue, instead, self-consciously started cleaning up her mess.
"Is that a sleeping draft?" I asked after I smelled the concoction.
"It was supposed to be," she admitted, keeping her eyes on her hands. She seemed to embarrassed, it was odd.
"Those are notoriously hard to make, I know I can't even begin to make them. You can't lose for a second or…" I trailed of, looking at the vial I'd handed back to her. "Oh. I guess I did that, didn't I?"
Gwen offered me a small smile. "It's okay, I wasn't really expecting it to turn out alright." She still wouldn't quite meet my eyes as she flitted around the chamber, putting bottles and mortars and herbs back in their proper place.
"Not that I mind," I started gingerly, "but why exactly are you making a sleeping draft? If you need one, I'm sure Gaius would be happy to provide you with one."
Gwen blushed, so deeply I could see it despite her chocolate skin. "I… I've been helping Gaius every once in a while. He offered to teach me, and… well, Morgana was going to be gone for a few days, and I didn't have anything else to do, so… I mean, not that I'm replacing you, no! You're definitely not being replaced, Gaius wouldn't want that. I mean, he did say that you're not quite that quick on the uptake with this, but oh, you have so much more important things on your mind! And-" she rambled.
"Gwen!" I interrupted. "It's fine. Better than fine, I think it's brilliant!" I said sincerely. I wouldn't lie and say that it didn't hurt a little bit that Gaius had told Gwen I'm not quick on the uptake, and that they'd been doing this behind my back, but I was happy for both of them. Gaius would finally have someone who could properly learn to be a physician, and Gwen would have something meaningful to do.
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
Grinning, I took both of her hands in mine. "Absolutely. And if you need me to take over with Morgana for a while, just let me know, I wouldn't mind, It'd be great to get a break from Arthur," I joked, but Gwen didn't smile.
"Something's been bothering you," she observed, guiding me to the bench at the table.
I sighed. "Where's Gaius?" I asked, hoping to distract her.
"Doing his rounds in the lower town, he won't be back for a while, now tell me what's wrong." She always had this way of making me feel safe and loved, her tone of voice so concerned and full of warmth. I might have had magical gifts, but that was Gwen's gift.
I sighed again and dropped my head in my hands as I sat down. "I love him. I really do, more than I could've imagined, and these past few weeks have been amazing, but…"
"But?" Gwen prodded, my hands still in hers. I looked into her chocolate eyes and knew that I was going to tell her everything. So I did. I told her about my insecurities, about how Arthur would have to marry a royal at some point, and how I could never become his Queen. All I was doing now was making the whole situation a lot harder for both of us.
"I don't know what to do, Gwen. I can't leave him, because I still need to protect him, but I can't stand to be near him again if we can't be together… What do I do? Tell me what I should do?" I asked desperately, hating the fact that my eyes watered. I refused to let them spell, though, there'd be more than enough time to wallow later.
"I can't tell you that, Merlynn," she replied gently. "But maybe you do need some distance, so how about you try this. You arranged for someone to take over your duties while you were off with Morgana, right?"
I nodded. "George, I met him while I was walking Circe once," I replied, feeling even sadder when I thought of my former dog. I hoped she was happy living with my mother.
Gwen nodded, putting an arm around me and rubbing comforting circles on my back. "Why don't you ask him to take over for a little while longer, and work with Morgana for a while. I'd be grateful for the extended time I'd get to learn all of this. I have to ask Gaius, of course, but I'm sure it'll be fine."
I looked at my hands, considering. "What do I tell Arthur?" I asked in a small voice. My resolution not to cry hadn't helped any, and I was wiping away tears by now.
Gwen bit her lips, thinking. "Just… Just tell him I need some time as Gaius's assistant. And then maybe a week from now you can reconsider, or you can…"
"Stop working for Arthur…" I finished, maybe a little bitterly.
/*/
I went down to the lower town that night, following a familiar path. I'd walked this way after almost every one of my adventures, but I thought I needed an extra dose tonight. Knocking on the door, I hoped I wasn't disturbing anyone.
Helen opened the door almost immediately. "Merlynn! I'd heard you were back in Camelot," I'm glad you're alright," the older woman said, and pulled me into her arms. I buried my face in her neck. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine my own mother. "Are you alright, darling?" she whispered to me.
I pulled back, put on a smile, and nodded. "Of course, it's just been a long day. Now where the little princess I came here to see?"
"Auntie Lynn!" a high voice shrieked and a blur jumped at me. I intercepted her just in time and hugged her close.
"Hello, my little angel, how are you?" I asked, forgetting about all my problems for the time being, they'd still be there in the morning.
Ellie gave me a huge grin, all teeth. "Daddy say I big girl now!" she announced proudly.
I laughed at her exclamation. I couldn't believe that this little girl was the eight-month old I'd found in an abandoned village. "Did he now?" I asked, trying to stop giggling.
Ellie slapped a hand over my mouth. "No laugh!" she ordered. She was wearing a very simple white night shift, and her hair was in pigtails, Helen had probably done so to prepare the little girl for bed.
"You realize she's never going to sleep now, right?" Thomas asked, coming from behind a curtain where I knew the sleeping area was. I smiled apologetically, but turned my attention back to the little whirlwind. Her eyes morphed to my own cerulean blues when she first saw me, but now they were almost purple.
"How have her powers been lately?" I asked, looking at Helen. She'd sat down at the dinner table while Tomas bent over the fire, putting a kettle on.
She frowned worriedly at me. "We've managed to convince her to only use her powers in the house, but even outside, she can't always control her eyes. We keep her inside a lot, but she's a little girl who needs to play outside…" Helen bit her lip, worrying for the safety of her child.
"I've been looking into a way to magically curb her powers, or at least reverse what she does when she's in public, but I haven't had much luck."
"You mean bind her powers?" I asked. I kept my face as impassive as I could, but I felt horrified inside. I couldn't imagine what I'd do if I suddenly couldn't use my powers anymore, cut off from that swirl of magic that was always right beneath the surface. Ellie was as inherently magic as I was, and binding off her powers was just a cruel punishment for a child who'd done no wrong.
Something must have shown in my face, though, because Thomas was quick to reassure me. "No, no, I mean something more along the lines of a glamour or something I could do to reverse her magic."
I nodded. "Force her back to what she's supposed to look like," I said. It wasn't a perfect solution, but it was something.
The little one in question had been looking patiently from one adult to the next, but now she'd had enough and started squirming. "Auntie Lynn, look me!" she called, and changed her auburn hair to my own midnight colour, her eyes back to my cerulean blue and her normally naturally tan skin to my pale complexion.
I gasped. I'd had no idea she had such control over her abilities already. As far as I could tell, she wasn't able to change her bone structure yet – or maybe she just hadn't figured out that she could do that, too. I finally knew what my mother must have felt like, seeing me do all these impossible things at such a young age. It was terrifying.
I looked up to see Helen and Thomas looking worried too, but not very surprised. "Does she do this often?" I asked curiously. Despite the danger hanging over this little girl's head, I couldn't help be a little excited, and wanting to learn more. Magic was the one thing I would never tire of.
Helen shook her head. "She's only done it a few times, and she always copied me. I asked her about it and she said that 'mommy needed to be here', so I think she still needs physical contact and she can only copy people she knows very well, but… I'm scared, Merlynn…" she whispered, hugging herself. Thomas came over to her side and wrapped his arms around her.
Ellie looked confused, but I had a feeling she'd picked up on the atmosphere in the house, she knew something was wrong, but she didn't understand what. I put her down on the ground and reached into the bag I'd taken with me. "Look what I have for you," I said, holing out a rag doll. Gwen had made it for me, and it was wearing a pretty red dress and had buttons for eyes that I'd salvaged from one of Morgana's old dresses.
Ellie's eyes lit up and she promptly sat down to play with it. I went to sit by Helen and Thomas, making sure I could still see Ellie at all times. "I know a basic glamour that might help. It won't do much, and eventually she'll learn to dispel it, but for now it will keep her hair and eyes from changing colour, I'm not sure about the skin, though.
Ellie now had straw blonde hair, just like her doll, but otherwise looked exactly like herself again. She was moving the doll up and down, like it was walking, and I couldn't help the smile that broke out. The little girl was muttering to herself, and, as she got more distracted, her hair slowly got darker, until it was her own naturally auburn again.
Thomas got up to get the kettle off the fire, and poured them all a cup while Ellie kept playing with her new doll. "So what happened? We saw the knights charging out of the city early this morning."
"You say that like I had something to do with it," I complained mildly.
Thomas grinned at me. "Don't you always?"
I laughed at that, and it felt so good. I hadn't laughed a lot lately. I told them the cover story Morgana had told the King, that we'd been attacked and the druids gave us shelter, but added that I'd gotten an intense magic lesson, and that I'd done my best to help them get away when the knights attacked. I didn't tell them about Morgana because it wasn't my secret to tell, and I had promised her that I wouldn't breathe a word about it to anyone else. Gaius already knew, of course, and I had to tell Gwen, but I intended to keep Morgana's secret until she decided that someone should know.
They were sympathetic, and offered hugs and reassurances that it wasn't my fault, and that I did all I could. It made me feel a little better, and I went home after tucking a sleeping Ellie in, feeling much lighter than I had before I came to see them.
Maybe things weren't so good now, but they would be. Eventually everything was going to turn out exactly as it should…
A/N: Okay, first of all, don't hate me, I felt like it had to happen, but don't worry, I'm a sucker for fluff, so it won't be too long until something good happens to our favourite couple again!
As for the QUESTION: It's actually two questions; 1) Do you want Morgana to be evil or good? I can work with both, and have very specific ideas, so don't feel bad if you want her to be good, but don't want to lose the Big Bad, it will still happen.
2) In either case, do you want a pairing for Morgana? And if so, which one? I can work with an OC, but I'd prefer not to (unless I think of something awesome, of course). It can also be one of those characters who only made an appearance once, or a character that is slated to show up waaaay later in the show (as proven, I'm flexible with timelines). Take your pick!
Anything else you think I should put in or leave out, feel free to tell me, I'll take it under consideration.
Review!