The Talks of Taking Over
"This is getting boring now."
Both Cenred and Odin turned to Morgause.
"Nothing is happening. It is quiet. A little too quiet. What is Camelot doing?"
"And why are you so concerned?" Odin asked.
"Because I am wondering what they are planning. It is hard to know what they are doing when we have no one on the inside."
"What makes you think that they are planning something?"
"Because they are silent. For once, I wish Uther Pendragon was alive. At least he was some use." Morgause grumbled.
"We have been quiet for a while. Maybe they believe that they are safe. Maybe it is time to attack."
"How are we going to do that?" Cenred questioned.
"We … um." Odin cleared his throat, trying to think of an answer.
"There was something that I read about while I was in training that, if it is true, could be extremely useful."
"What training was this?" Odin asked.
She knew that it was the wrong question but she knew that he would get frustrated if she didn't answer. "My training to become a High Priestess of the Old Religion."
"But that is magic. We are fighting against it." He said, confused by her confession.
"Men. I forget sometimes that you are so simple. We aren't fighting magic." She got up out of her chair. "We were united in our hatred against Camelot. We all want the Eorðdracas put back in their place. The only thing I agree with Merlin is that magic should return but it needs to be seen for what it is." She realised that she may have given away too much of her own agenda. "It needs to be seen as a gift." She said quickly, hoping to throw them off.
"A gift." Odin spat. "A gift from the devil."
"Then what I was going to say will not help you if you see it that way. What I have in mind will make sure that you never have any problems ever again."
She watched as his features changed from hate and anger to confusion but inquisitive. She knew that he wanted to know what she had in mind but didn't know whether to trust it if it involved magic. She knew that the first thing that she needed to do was to get rid of him when he had stopped being useful. Not that he had ever been useful. He just was most willing to take the blame for their failed attempts.
"I hope that it isn't a legend." She said continuing. "I read about the Cup of Life. It has been said that it holds the balance of life and death."
"How is that going to help us?" Odin said as he sat back in his seat.
She started to slowly walk towards him. "There was a warlord who used the cup of life to make his army immortal. He collected a drop of their blood and placed it in the cup. Think of the carnage we could do. Think of the kingdoms we could overthrow. Camelot would only be the start. We could take over every kingdom and rule them as one. We could be so powerful."
She stopped in front of him but all she could think about was what they could do. That was if they could find the Cup.
"So where is the Cup?" Cenred asked.
Morgause tried to keep her face straight but she couldn't help but bite her lip. "I don't know. I have been searching for it for a while now."
Odin sighed heavily as he slumped more in his chair. "Well this gets better and better."
"I have a team on it."
"When you said the idea I would have thought that you had it." Odin spat at her.
"Don't be so harsh on her." Cenred said. "The purge probably meant that it was lost. I am glad that I wasn't king at that stage."
Morgause zoned out as the two kings started to bicker. If anything, she was glad that she had Cenred wrapped around her finger. It would be quite easy to kill Odin off as soon as she got her own way but she would hope that she could carry out her plans and he to still be with her. It would be a waste to kill him.
"Milady?"
She turned to the boy that entered to room. Cenred and Odin had stopped arguing as well.
"Can I help?"
"I need to come to you personally. I am with you and wish to offer you my services as much as I can. I know what you have been doing to put Merlin under pressure. The killing of the druids. Nice touch. But it hasn't worked. He hasn't noticed. He cannot keep his own people alive, the people that believe in him the most. And he wonders why I have lost faith in him.
"With the threat that you might assassinate him, he is scared to do anything that will lead to the changes we want. He cannot keep his own kind alive, let alone rule a kingdom properly. I have heard that you are enquiring about the Cup of Life. I know where it is. I could even go and get it for you. The druids will think that I am still on their side."
She just stared at the boy. It seemed too good to be true. He was handing them what they wanted but something felt … weird about it. The way he spoke was older than he looked. He couldn't be any older than 14 and he was already giving his life over to the cause.
He took a step forward. "I was told that you want help."
"And you are just a boy."
"I have had to grow up fast. Uther sentenced my father to death when I was 11. That was went I was dreaming the same dream as them. Life hasn't been fair for me."
If anything, she could say that she was impressed with him. She wouldn't use him how he would want her to but he would be useful.
"What's your name?"
"Mordred."
Her brow creased with confusion. She had heard that name before but she just couldn't put her finger on where.