[ Once again, thank you all for your lovely reviews! This is the longest chapter so far and I had fun writing it. :) I hope you all in enjoy, and I hope you all contiune to R&R like you have all be doing so far. :) We're slowly edging into the main plot for this story, and I have a lot more chapters lined up- so this is only the beginning, really. I hope you all enjoy it, because I had so much fun writing it. :) ]
Chapter 5
"A Birthday to Remember."
The warm smell of the grass, the wondrous heat of the sunshine above that radiated off her perfect pale skin, as Morgana lay on the lawn- with a lake surrounding the glorious land. The silhouette of Camelot hung deep in the distance, through the hazy sky. "I didn't take you out here for nothing..." Came the deep, tender voice of one Arthur Pendragon who lay beside Morgana- he shot her a wide smirk, before he gripped her shoulders and pinned her to the ground. Morgana let a small laugh escape her lips, playfully as she gazed into his beautiful blue eyes, almost lost in them- everything was so perfect, how it should be. Soon he lingered so close to her lips, teasing her. She felt his warm breath radiating off her skin, but soon he gave into temptation as he pulled her lips to meet his own.
"Morgana!" And soon she was shaking, on the lawn. Arthur was disappearing and so was the beautiful blue sky, along the heat of the hot sun, soon everything disappeared to the sharp pull of her eyelids opening. Morgana gasped, unfamiliar to her surroundings- before realization set in, when she saw Guinevere hanging over her. "Gwen!" Morgana spat at her in disgust as she pulled herself up to a sitting position in her bed. Why had Guinevere ruined another perfect dream? Banish the kiss before it had begun. "I thought you were having a nightmare Milady." Guinevere told her, standing back from the bed. "You were turning and groaning in your sleep." Guinevere explained, Morgana however was having the farthest thing from a nightmare, but she was growing concerned about how many inappropriate dreams she was having about the perfect Prince, there was no denying her feelings for him now. "Besides!" Guinevere began, when Morgana hadn't answered her. "Today is your eighteenth birthday!" Guinevere beamed as she pulled open her curtains, to a dull grey sky, and the harsh rain emptying off her window, could reality get any further away from her dream? "The weather isn't that great, but that isn't going to stop you having fun tonight!" Guinevere grinned, as she went to fetch Morgana some clothes. "Tonight?" Morgana questioned as she pulled the bedcovers off herself and wandered to her changing screen, where she began undressing. "Oh, King Uther has prepared you a feast- he has invited many friends from surrounding Kingdoms!" Guinevere said excitedly as she passed Morgana over a blue gown, not unlike the one in her dream. "Oh, he knows I hate the fuss..." Morgana persisted as she dragged the dress up her legs before slipping her arms in. "Oh Morgana, he does it every year for Arthur, even himself! He's not going to leave you out!" Guinevere scoffed as she lifted up her nightdress from the floor and added it to the laundry. "Oh, thanks Gwen- that makes me feel tons better!" Morgana said sarcastically as she cast her eyes in the air. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that Milady, I just meant her feels the same way about you- he wants to treat you like... like..." Guinevere stuttered as she fastened the Lady Morgana's dress. "As though I'm a part of the family?" Morgana suggested as turned to take a seat at her dressing table, for Guinevere to come and begin doing her hair. "Yes!" Guinevere grinned, before he face dropped. "Oh, not like that!" She said, cussing herself as she lifted the hairbrush with fumbling hands. "I didn't mean it like that Milady- you already are a part of the family, I just meant that Uther throws you parties because he thinks of you as a child, not a child- but his child! But not that he's trying to replace your father! He just... I expect..." Guinevere said in a single breath, all her words running into one as she was panicked and stressed at offending Morgana, she tried to dig herself out a hole. Morgana however started laughing hysterically. "Calm down Gwen!" Morgana teased. "I'm just playing, I know what you mean." Morgana laughed, as Guinevere was red faced and flushed looking. "Right..." Guinevere told her as she glided the brush through Morgana's soft, wavy locks, before she fastened it with some clasps in a half-up, half-down style.
Morgana seated herself at breakfast, at usual- across from Arthur who was munching on some buttered bread, he sat in a casual fashion, staring into his water Goblet. "Happy Birthday Morgana!" Uther beamed as he made her stand up for a hug. "Thank you my Lord." She commented, before sitting back down, a large smile across her features. "Getting old, aren't you?" Arthur remarked slyly. "No wonder it takes you so long coming down." He smirked, Morgana making a wise decision to resist kicking him under the table, as she didn't want to upset Uther. Uther chuckled at Arthur's remark, before he turned to Morgana. "I'm assure you, tonight will be one of the best Camelot has ever seen!" Uther barked. "Really, it could never beat Arthur's seventeenth Birthday party, helping him when he was throwing up outside was simply the highlight." Morgana teased playfully as she scooped some porridge into her mouth, seeing Arthur frown at her for bringing it up. "Well, I assure you, he will only be taking a sensible helping of wine this evening..." Uther said, eyeing his son seriously. "But! I promise it will be quite the event, nevertheless." Uther smiled, returning to his usual charming-self. "I have bought you a present to compensate quite an event." Uther half-smiled, looking to Morgana to watch her reaction. "My Lord..." Morgana said turning to him with a shying smile. "You did not need to waste your fortune on gifts for me." Morgana explained. "Fortune being the keyword in that sentence." Arthur told her with a smirk, making Morgana look at him and screw her face up in humor. "You know what I mean." She told Arthur before turning back to Uther. "I insist." Uther commented. "And you will wear it tonight." Uther told Morgana, seeing her face change from sarcasm to joyous. "A gown?" She questioned enthusiastically. Uther nodded. "I have just left it in your chambers, they say the threads are woven from Germany." Uther explained proudly, having dresses from foreign countries was certainly something to brag about. "My Lord!" Morgana gasped. "There was no need- the expense!" She cried, before Uther shook his head. "No matter, only the best for the First Lady of Camelot!" He urged, before she stood up to hug him, barely able to finish her breakfast, so eager to see her new dress. Arthur shook his head, whilst rolling his eyes. "And you persist you aren't a typical girl, Morgana?" Arthur teased, before Morgana made a face at him.
The dress was in a luxurious wooden box, inside it was wrapped with cloth- Guinevere pulled it out for Morgana to see. The dress flowed to the ground, it was of a cream colour, with gold threads running through it. The folds in the arm had a golden band, embellished with small diamonds, whilst the torso of the dress had a low neck-line, with a strong square shape, whilst the arms were of white flowing voile, it shone in the light- the golden threads making it shimmer and glide. The skirt had a medieval style pattern coming up from the bottom, it faded as it got near the middle of the dress, the golden threads more apparent from the bottom up- the threads danced and glided together harmoniously. The skirt flowed but the torso was tight fitted, so it would accentuate Morgana's slender figure, and in the box was a golden sparkling belt which tied loosely around the middle of the dress, which had little metal- cut out stars hanging from the tie, embedded with the smallest of diamonds- it truly was a magnificent dress.
Night had fallen throughout Camelot and the rain had not ceased all day. It was nearing eight o'clock, and Morgana had just changed into her wonderful gown that Uther had bought for her, Guinevere was now doing her hair as she sat on the stool in front of her mirror. "I expect all eyes will be on you this evening, Morgana." Guinevere teased. "And why wouldn't they be? They usually always are." Morgana joked, as Guinevere twirled her hair into a bun. "I'm sure the wandering eye of Arthur Pendragon will certainly gaze your way..." Guinevere smirked into the mirror, where Morgana could see her. "Guinevere!" Morgana said, shying away. "Honestly Morgana, you'd think I was born five minutes ago." Guinevere threw her eyes in the air. "Nothing will happen between me and Arthur, I'm sorry to disappoint you- If you are waiting on me to make the move so you can add the grand finale of the book you've been writing on the two of us or something!" Morgana cried, sarcastically, making Guinevere hit her softly on the head with the brush. "I see the way he looks at you." Guinevere prided. "Yes, like a sister- or a best friend!" Morgana explained, suddenly serious. "And does that annoy you?" Guinevere asked, seeing her friend's sudden change in tone. "No!" Morgana snapped. "So you don't share any feelings for him?" Guinevere asked again. "No- because theres nothing to share if he does not return them!" Morgana told her with widened eyes as though Guinevere were stupid. "So- you believe your feelings are one-sided. You have deep feelings for the Prince, and you think he doesn't return them?" Guinevere asked. "Yes." Morgana sighed, before she realized what Guinevere meant. "I mean no!" Morgana snapped, she had just fallen into Guinevere's trap, into admitting her feelings for Arthur, she knew it would be typical of Guinevere to confuse her into doing so. "Haha!" Guinevere laughed as she fastened the bun in place. "Caught you." She smirked. "Shut up!" Morgana pouted, huffing like an small child. "I do not have feelings for Arthur!" She persisted angrily. "Whatever you say Milady, I know the truth!" Guinevere joked, but Morgana chose not to retaliate, in case she got herself into a bigger fumble.
"Now, stand up!" Guinevere asked, as she lifted a sparkling row of jewels and fastened them at either side of Morgana's forehead, so they hung lightly and shone beautifully, radiating her sweet face. Morgana bent down to examine it in the mirror, her hair was very lightly French plaited and twirled and fastened at the back, like a bun, she felt ever-so light, not having her long mane of hair to weigh her down all of a sudden. "You look beautiful Morgana!" Guinevere beamed, before she threw her arms around the Lady. "Happy Birthday!" She whispered into her ear, feeling it would be the last time she'd get a chance, since Morgana would be herded by visitors and friends all night. "Thank you Gwen." Morgana whispered back, hugging her friend tightly, before Guinevere was the first to break the embrace, after a few short moments. "I don't want to make you late!" She grinned, opening the door for her, as she watched the elegant Morgana depart from her bedchamber, before she turned the corner and was out of sight.
The hall chirped and cheered as Morgana finally walked into the long hall, with a table at the top- Uther sitting in the middle and Arthur at the right side of him, there was a seat reserved for her at the left side of the King. Morgana made her way up the hall, muttering thanks to all those who wished her a Happy Birthday, before she finally made her seat, where Uther stood up and greeted her with a peck on the cheek. Arthur of course was sat next to his father- he had watched the Lady Morgana enter the hall, and she truly did look a tremendous sight- for the first time he looked at her and didn't see the small timid girl that arrived in Camelot all those years ago, instead he saw her as a woman, a very beautiful woman at that. His heart somewhat fluttered in his chest, it was an uncomfortable feeling since he never once felt any attraction to a girl before, and certainly not Morgana, but he pinned it down as the excitement of the evening, even if he knew he was kidding himself. He stood up too and hugged Morgana when she arrived to her seat, wishing her a Happy Birthday as she went.
The feast was full of cheer, as the hall was filled with chattering and laughter of all the guests Uther had invited, soon no one was in their rightful place and some sharp cackles were drawing on the fact that some people had had too much wine, of course Uther wasn't to blame since he too was stumbling drunkenly as he laughed along. After a few hours Uther rose from his seat to go and talk to one of his Royal Guests, whilst it gave Arthur a chance to move into Uther's seat; beside Morgana.
Morgana had been busy all night thanking a whole bunch of people for their gifts and wishes, and throughout all of this she even spotted Guinevere rushing about with platters of fresh food and lifting empty glasses; how Morgana felt truly sorry for her maid.
"Ahem." Came the sharp voice of Arthur beside her, Morgana turning to face him with a weary smile. "Do you need to vomit?" She smirked. "Because I can assist you outside if you want?" She teased playfully, and in truth Arthur was close to that state, his words slurred and pooled into a long line of nonsense, whilst his eyes had a hint of sleepiness to them. "Shush!" He persisted drunkenly, whilst Morgana laughed- she too had quite enough to drink, but she was at the most tipsy, she just had a mild taste for conversation and was at the 'every things funny' stage- but she was no where near drunk, sadly the same could not be said for the Prince next to her. "I think you better get to bed." Morgana told him, a smile twisted on her lips, she was truly concerned for him, but he shook his head violently at her, taking another swig of wine from his Goblet, giving a small laugh as he did so. "Why- Why would I go to bed? When its your Birthday!" Arthur slurred, emphasizing the word 'Birthday', Morgana simply retaliated with another laugh, before she got up. "Come on." She sighed. "We'll go outside for a moment, shall we?" She told him, as though she were talking to a small child, she wanted Arthur to sober up, and felt the best way would be for him to get some air and then some rest. Arthur didn't reply, he looked up at her as though he should pas out and fall right to sleep on the table, but she ignored him and pulled the goblet of wine from his hand, before she helped him up. "Honestly, you think you'd have learnt your lesson!" She joked, as he stumbled out, grabbing hold of the wine Goblet again before he left.
Soon, the two were standing at the entrance of the castle, watching the rain pound off the stone steps and over Camelot. Arthur laughed, whilst Morgana leant back on the wall with her arms folded; watching him. "You really are lovely!" Arthur piped up, as Morgana's lips pulled into a smile. "And you really are drunk!" She laughed, as he took another sip of his wine. "Really Arthur, I'm trying to help you sober up." She complained with a humorous edge to her voice. "It's really a pointless mission if you continue to drink!" She explained, walking near to him to grab the Goblet from him. "No!" He pouted, hiding the Goblet behind his back. "You'll have to catch me first." He hiccuped, as he ran out to the steps, now open for the rain to soak him and drench his clothes. Morgana turned and laughed. "Well then you can happily get as drunk as you like; I'm not going out there." She teased, standing back. "Oh, yes you are!" He chirped before he grabbed her arm and tugged her down the steps to hear her squeal. "Arthur!" She screeched as the icy rain drenched her clothes and her hair. He let go of her forearm, when he knew she was far too wet to even want to go back. "I hate you!" She gasped with amusement as the strands of her hair clung to her skin, her dress dragging on the cobbled ground. "You don't mean that." Arthur told her, edging closer to her, as the rain pinned his golden blonde hair to his forehead. "Of course I don't." Morgana said sarcastically, tossing her eyes in the air as she looked up at him with a wide smile. She couldn't deny that her heart was beating all the more faster, how perfect this moment seemed. "No, no..." Arthur began with a playful smirk. "Because you love me." He told her with a smug smile. "Do I now?" Morgana half-laughed, but deep within her she was afraid in case he really did know she had some feelings for him, surely not. "Yes, because- who couldn't love me?" He told her, before she broke into laughter. "I could name a few people." She told him with another gleeful laugh as the rain dripped down her nose and fluttered on her eyelashes. Arthur didn't retaliate, instead he edged, closer and closer, until they were merely only one step apart, Morgana didn't move, in fear of ruining the moment- instead they stared intently into each other's eyes, Arthur getting lost in her large emerald ones and Morgana over-whelmed by his crystal blue ones.
Closer, and closer- until the cold splash of Arthur's wine over the top of Morgana's new dress made her squeal. "Arthur!" She gasped, her stomach churned, afraid to look down at her chest- where the wine dripped down her bare skin, before it stained the front of her cream gown. "Arthur!" She gasped again, as though she were begging it not to be true, her face wiped of infatuation of the young Prince to pure and utter hatred of him. "H-how could you?" She cried, to see him standing there with an empty Goblet. "Morgana, I'm so sorry! I stumbled!" He explained in a panicked tone, true to his word he did stumble on the cobbles. He hated himself for what he'd done, he knew himself that the stain wouldn't come off, and he felt sick for it- it had made him sober up entirely. "Here!" He pleaded, rolling the ends of his white shirt around his hand as he began scrubbing the stain on her dress. "Stop it!" She begged aggressively, pulling away from him. "You've ruined it!" She said, her heart yearning for it not to be true, it was only new, a gift from Uther, German threads- all ruined. "Morgana..." Arthur began again, not knowing what to say.
"Lets go inside." He told her, taking hold of her arm, she fought with his grip tremendously, screaming for him to let go of her, but he ignored her and began up the stone steps. However, her feet were soaking in her white sandals, and the aggressive tug from Arthur had caused her to stumble onto her knees, on the step. She winced in pain, before she violently pulled free from his grip. "Morgana!" He said turning to her, to help her up, not half-believing what he was doing- how everything gone so wrong in a matter of minutes? "Stop it!" She persisted, he heard her voice breaking on the last words. "W-Why can't you just- leave me alone!" She raged with tears in her eyes, transparent due to the may raindrops on her face. She pulled herself off the ground and shot him a look of hatred, before he was sure he even caught her face break into that heartache and yearning. "Morgana..." He begged, but she was already halfway up the stone steps, his heart yearned for her to return, so he could make it all better. Instead he dropped the goblet, as it clanged off the cobbles, the remainder of the wine dribbling out from it, getting washed away with the rain, before he sat down on the step and hid his face in his hands.
He had ruined her dress, ruined her evening and most of all ruined her Birthday- now he knew he'd never touch wine again for as long as he lived. But all in all, he kept being reminded of the day, many years ago- when the two of them had quarreled as children, and it resulted in Morgana rushing off in tears with Arthur regretting something he'd done to make her that way. It was the week she had joined Camelot and he had cruelly brought up her father after she had beaten him in a sword fight, and now- after all those years of getting so close to her, he'd thrown it all away in a selfish moment. His heart yearned for her so, his infatuation with the ravenous beauty becoming too much to bare, and the saddest thing of all was that he could have had her, but a moment ago- his lips could have neatly met hers in the pouring rain on the night of her Birthday, but now that moment would be a memory- a dream in fact- he doubted she'd ever forgive him now. With an aggressive kick, his boot hit the Goblet and it went sailing across the Courtyard, before it clanged to a swirling stop over a rain gutter, as the young Prince drowned his sorrows in the rain.
Morgana ran up the large stone steps, where she was greeted by Guinevere who was making the bed for the Lady Morgana's return. Guinevere gasped as she expected to see a cheery Morgana looking as radiant in her return as she did from her departure, but instead she was faced with a distraught young woman, soaked through and through- with a large red stain on the front of her dress. "Oh Morgana..." Guinevere said simply, examining her, before Morgana ran over and hugged her maid tightly, Guinevere not at all bothered that she was soaking her too. "What happened?" Guinevere whispered soothingly as Morgana sadly broke down in her maid's arms, sobbing into her. "It's alright..." Guinevere ushered, growing worried as to what really happened. "He ruined it!" Morgana sobbed. "He ruined everything." She cried, unable to bring her eyes to the destroyed dress. "Who did Morgana?" Guinevere questioned as she rubbed her friend's back. "Arthur!" Morgana spat in despair, as she clung to Guinevere. "Why, what did he do?" Guinevere asked, knowing herself how arrogant Arthur was, she disliked him dearly. "I-Is it not apparent?" Morgana stuttered through sobs. "Morgana- I doubt you'd be in this state over a dress." Guinevere said quite bluntly, and it was clear that Guinevere was right, Morgana was more distressed because of the way Arthur had acted, playing with her emotions, toying with them- there were no denying her feelings for him, however hard she tried to hide them, but how Arthur had been so close to concealing all these wandering thoughts, before he stupidly ruined it- not caring.
After a long while, Guinevere managed to pry Morgana from her, and ordered her to change- although it only made Morgana worse to have to pull her dress off, because then she could see the stain more clearly. Guinevere lied, in telling her that she might have a few remedies that her mother passed down to her for removing tough stains.
Guinevere helped Morgana dress for bed, before she untied the rest of her hair, that was half falling out anyway, before she finally laid her to bed. Guinevere gave Morgana her sleeping draught, which finally slowed her sobs, before Morgana fell straight to sleep. How could Arthur be such an idiot? Morgana never cried, and if she cried to anyone it was always to Guinevere, since she preferred to keep her guard up for everyone else, but it was how Arthur defiantly tested Morgana's strong will, before he would finally break her.
After a long moment of sitting on the bed beside Morgana, Guinevere got up and left, taking the ruined gown with her, since she didn't want Morgana to see it in the morning in case it set her off again, and with that- she left to return home to her father.
Meanwhile, Arthur hid around one of the pillars outside Morgana's room, wishing it wasn't true, wishing that he never made Morgana feel that way. He had planned on knocking the door and entering, and his hand was merely inches away before he heard Morgana's tremendous sobs into her maid Guinevere, when he decided it would be a better idea not to. "He ruined it! He ruined everything!" Echoed the prolonged cries of Morgana in his head, his heart lurched as he heard these cruel words being spoke about him- yes, his seventeenth Birthday would be remembered of him drinking too much wine, but Morgana's eighteenth Birthday would be remembered of Arthur getting tremendously drunk on wine, again and ruining Morgana's big night- in fact, if he was right in thinking that Morgana would always skip her eighteenth Birthday party, with the heartache and pain that followed, he really had ruined it on he. Soon he heard Guinevere's departure, and after a few long moments of thinking it over in his mind he decided to retire for the night also, with a heavy heart.