There are so many people who have put this on alert, I'm amazed. Mostly I'm in shock at how many people seem to like the story, even after I killed Merlin... or did I? :) Anyway, I hope you enjoy the last full chapter!

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CHAPTER 7: REVENGE

For two weeks Morgana planned and practiced. By that time she could use magic to make herself disappear and reappear anywhere she wished, even as far away as the forests outside of Camelot. She had also chosen the stage for her vengeance. Uther had invited her to a small dinner with himself and Arthur two nights hence, and she planned it for then.

She packed her bags, including as many of her dresses as she could spare, the book of magic, and the small portrait of Merlin that Gaius had hidden in the pages of the book. When the night came, she would be ready.

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The night had come. Morgana was wearing a white dress and a small gold necklace curled around her throat, matching the one on her wrist. Gwen had admired her taste as she had dressed that night, and Morgana had thanked her, thinking that the outfit was perfect for her plans. She was aware that it made her appear ethereal and stunning, which was just the look she desired for the night.

Her dresses were growing a little more full around her abdomen, but not noticeably. When she was alone, Morgana would imagine that Merlin were there too, to feel her growing child and help her chose names. She could imagine the smile on his face, the light that would glitter in his eyes whenever he thought or talked about it.

"How have you been?" Gwen asked out of the blue as she combed Morgana's hair in preparation for the dinner.

"I'm feeling better," she said. "The morning sickness has stopped being as awful as it was at first, and I'm not as tired all the time. Gaius said I might start having headaches though."

"That's really good, but I was thinking more of how you've been dealing with Merlin's... passing." Gwen's voice shook with sorrow despite the time that had elapsed.

She stared out the window, trying not to think of how many nights she had cried herself to sleep in the silence of her room. "It gets no easier with the passage of time. I just grow more used to it."

"I'm sorry," Gwen said sympathetically. "When are you planning on leaving Camelot, my lady?"

Morgana didn't answer for a moment as she thought of how to phrase her response. "Soon," she said finally. "Very soon now, I think."

The combing stopped and Gwen appeared at Morgana's side. She turned to look her maid in the face. "I can come with you," she offered. "If you want me to."

Morgana shook her head. "No, Gwen. You must stay here. I understand that you're loyal, and I love you for it, but I couldn't ask you to leave everything you know."

Gwen nodded. It was clear that she'd offered out of love for Morgana, not out of any desire to leave the white city. She gave the lady one last appraising look before saying, "There. You're ready."

"Thank you. You may go." Gwen curtsied and left. Morgana crossed to her desk and opened one of the top drawers, pulling the contents out. The blade of the knife glittered silver in the candlelight as she examined it. Then, sliding it back into the leather sheath, she attached the straps to her lower left arm. Shaking her sleeve down over it, she examined herself in the mirror. The loose fabric hid the knife perfectly, as she'd known it would. It was one reason she'd chosen the dress.

Turning, she left her room and made her way down to the hall, where Uther and Arthur already sat, the food untouched, awaiting her arrival. Uther sat at the head, Arthur to his right, and an empty seat to his left. As she entered the room, they both stood, and the king moved to pull her chair out for her. She silently lowered herself into it.

"I'm so glad you agreed to join us tonight, Morgana," Uther said busily, serving himself and her. "There is something that I wish to discuss with you."

Morgana picked up her knife and fork and speared a chicken breast. "What is that, my lord?" she asked politely, struggling, as she always did, not to jump up and leave, detesting his very existence.

"A young lord is coming to visit. His father has long been growing distant from Camelot, and I fear that he will soon try to separate or go to war against me. I wish for you to marry the visiting lord, or at least court him. Try to draw his family closer to Camelot in whatever way possible."

Morgana dropped her utensils in shock. "What?"

"You heard me. And I expect no fight from you on this point. The young man in question is said to be quite handsome and charming. And rich." Uther's tone left no room for questions or disagreement.

Her gray eyes traveled across the table to Arthur, who shook his head almost imperceptibly. She wrestled for control of her emotions for a couple of moments. "Yes, my lord," she said once control had been regained.

"Good." Uther didn't look up from his meal, passively accepting her change of heart. Morgana hated him with all her being. She went through the motions of eating, feeling the rage burn bright inside her, like a flame. This time she didn't bother to smother it as she had before, instead allowing it to grow and consume her. This was her one time to let it out of her control like that.

The meal wore on. Servants took away the first course and put the second on the table. Morgana was eating more than she was used to, and she imagined the food feeding the child growing inside of her, detaching herself from the conversation. Suddenly, she realized that the second course was coming to an end. She needed to act.

"Uther," she said loudly, interrupting his monologue on the current problems of trade with Mercia.

"Yes," he said, a little startled at this interjection.

Morgana didn't beat around the bush. "I hate you. I hate all that you stand for. You killed the one man I could ever love because you believed that he was below my station, and forced me to watch while you did it. I will never forgive you for this, or for pushing sorcerers into hiding. Not all of them are bad; you trusted Merlin and he certainly was not a bad man. In fact, he was the best, kindest, most generous man I have ever met." Uther and Arthur were staring at her in complete shock at this proclamation. It was too late to back out, even if she had wanted to. "You are an awful king. You abuse your people and instill fear in them where you should instill love and loyalty. Where you should seek friends you make enemies and in making enemies you grow in fear. It's a cycle, a sick one that you don't know how to break. You are an awful king, a terrible man and you do not deserve the crown or the throne. Camelot will be better without you." She stood up, her chair scraping on the stone floor. "I will never forgive you for what you have done to me, and what you did to Merlin. You were supposed to love and protect me like my own father, and you have driven me to depression and shown me death. I hate you, Uther Pendragon. I will never forgive you. You deserve a long and slow death." She reached for the knife and drew it, glittering, from its sheath beneath her flowing white sleeve. "So I will give it to you." Unhesitatingly, she plunged it into the king's chest, sinking it up to the hilt. Blood ran from the wound, pooling around the handle and seeping through the cloth.

Uther's eyes, locked on Morgana's face while she spoke, moved to the hilt of the blade protruding from his chest. Disbelief crossed his face her betrayal, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn't form words.

"No!" Arthur screamed. He had reacted when the knife had appeared, but was too slow. "Guards!" The doors crashed open. "Seize her!"

Morgana raised a hand and her eyes flashed gold with magic. The guards froze, her magic encasing them. "You cannot defeat me, Arthur Pendragon. The knife is poisoned. Your father will not survive, but he will have a month to think on the mistakes of his past and reflect on his complete and total failure as a king, a man, and a guardian." The prince moved desperately around the table to his father and pulled the knife from his chest. Blood poured like a river from the injury, and he put his hands firmly over it, trying to staunch the flow.

"You will pay for this!" he growled, loathing and disbelief rooting themselves on his face.

"I have righted the world," she said calmly, stepping back so she was clear of the table and the chair. She could feel the rage fading away inside of her, cooling back into a wide, slow river of pain and grief. "Iendo randra kasam undir rodnineibok ingf,"she intoned, raising her hands.

"No!" Arthur screamed, unwilling to leave his father to apprehend her. "Guards!" More red-clad men swarmed into the room, their armor clanking heavily. They were too late.

"Losoda ynale aldlye rezlor stian!" Morgana was illuminated from behind by a bright light, and for a moment she appeared as an angel. Then white flames of magic licked up her body and she disappeared with a blinding flash.

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For those who wonder (I would be one), the spell is nonsense words that I made up by putting a bunch of letters together and then reading them out loud to see how impressive they sounded. If you do it with the right inflection, they do sound pretty cool. :)

Some of y'all have asked about a sequel (or said that you're sad it's ending), and I certainly am doing one. I'm also sad it's almost over. This story was sort of a test drive, and given the response I certainly will write one, if not several, sequels. I might also possibly write a prequel. However, I also have other ideas for Merlin fics, which I will most likely end up writing (if I haven't already written them) and publishing.

Nothing, not even the complete sequel, will be published until after February 1st, regardless of whether it's already written or not. The sequel will probably take me longer to write than a week though, so that may be published mid-February. I'd like to finish everything before I publish it... I do a lot of editing as I'm publishing though. It's kinda funny. Wow. Long note...