AN: Let me check. Nope, still don't own Merlin.
Yeah, I suck. Between vacations, internet issues and just me being unsure as to whether this was good enough to post, this has taken a lot longer than I wanted.
BUT the plot is at least going somewhere now. I had to backtrack slightly, but nothing huge. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, but I hope I don't have to leave you with just this for long.
Morgana scowled as Arthur interacted easily with the other dwellers of Avalon. Cold disappointment gripped her. She had foolishly believed that Arthur might see sense. But when she'd gone to speak to him, he'd rejected her the moment he'd realized she wanted him to turn on his father.
"I know it must have been hard," he'd said to her, the stupid sympathy she didn't want showing in his eyes, "but I can't become as hate-filled as you. You've been blinded by it, and I have no wish to become the same way. I'm sorry."
Unfortunately, Morgause hadn't had much luck with the other knights. Morgana had never been optimistic about them in the first place, with their high-and-mighty sense of honor, but she thought perhaps Gwaine would understand. As far as she'd been able to tell, Arthur and the rest of the Camelot knights were the only nobility and royalty he didn't dislike. But he also had resolute loyalty to his king, and refused to hear a word against Uther, simply for Arthur, despite his own feelings. Not to mention he was clearly repulsed at the lengths they went to to get what they wanted.
However, Morgause assured her that this didn't put an end to their plan, only hindered it slightly. "Something a little more extreme," was all she'd said when Morgana had asked.
"I'll need your help, sister," Morgause said, tearing her attention away from her half-brother. The blonde witch began chanting, her eyes lighting up with magic. Morgana quickly picked up on the spell and began repeating it.
Immediately, she Morgana felt the presence of dark magic. Strong dark magic. She couldn't help the small bit of nervousness that pricked at her. The last time she had dealt with something this powerful was when she and Morgause had released the Dorocha.
Whatever her sister was planning, it was big.
Morgause finally ceased her incantations. A great, dark cloud of smoke appeared with a rush of energy. When it was gone, a book lay in the witch's hands.
Morgana had to stop herself from drawing back. It was only a book, but somehow it gave off a sense of foreboding, a sense that it held more power than either of them possessed.
"What is it, sister?" she found herself whispering.
Morgause's familiar cruel smirk grew. "It's all we need. We must be careful, though, sister. This is powerful magic."
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Morgana said with a slight frown. The book gave off an unmistakable air of unnaturalness, and the witch had a feeling her sister had somehow transported it from the world of the living to that of the dead.
Morgause looked her sister in the eye. "Do you want to see Uther destroyed or not? After all he has done to you, to those with magic? I assure you sister, this is the best way to do it."
Morgana stared back. She remembered Uther grabbing her by the neck and throwing her in the dungeons. She remembered how he didn't even flinch as men and women screamed in agony in the flames. She remembered how he'd hidden the truth of her lineage for so long. She remembered him refusing to give the help he could because he thought he was so much better than them.
A smirk twisted her lips. "I'm in."
