Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin
Chapter two: It's all in the planning.
Morgana rides back to Ismere's fortress, on a sled pulled by a pack of wolves. Watching from a window in high in the fortress, Jared hold a torch. He watches with a grim expression as Morgana's sled stops in the courtyard and she quickly storms into the fortress. The guards are left to deal with the unconscious Sir Gwaine in her wake. He turns away from the window and heads back into the fortress and the little warmth in holds.
As he makes his way to the towards the throne room, be can't help but remember how he ended up here. After Merlin had defeated his master, Mordred the dark, he had ended up serving Morgana. But in truth Morgana was no longer Morgana Pendragon, she was in fact Mordred's sister. With Mordred being no more, the magic he used to bind his sisters soul to Morgana's body had weakened and now was solely relying on Morgana's power and magic taken through blood magic.
Mordred's sister and Morgana's memories had mixed and combined, making Morgana hatred for Arthur and all those who stood against her, worse than it had been before. Mordred's sister, even before she died had not been a kind soul, but her soul had become twisted and darkened in death. In life, her greed and need for power had driven her to length even Morgana and Morgause had not taken and now she lived once more, but with the added extra of Morgana's body and memories.
And so through his loyalty to Mordred, Jared served the Lady Morgana. She had deemed it only fitting she take the title and name of the one who allowed her to live once more... Plus the lady Morgana was the rightful heir to the throne, or so she believed. Jared entered the corridor leading the throne room, his dark fur lined cloak hung around him like a shadow and his stride slowed only a little, as Morgana approached him and she was no picture of happiness.
"The last of the Camelot patrol?" Jared asks, as he and Morgana enter the throne room side by side.
"How long before Arthur sends more?" Morgana demands, ignoring Jared's question.
"Calm yourself," Jared speaks calmly. "There's nothing to worry about."
"You're wrong," Morgana snaps, as she approaches the throne. "We're running out of time."
"The prophecies do not lie." Jared answers, as his stride slowed, allowing Morgana to walk ahead. "Arthur's bane is real. Once it is known to us, his end is nigh."
"So you keep saying, yet you cannot tell me what it is." Morgana replies glancing over her shoulder at him, as she walks up the couple of steps to the throne.
"The Diamair will tell us," Jared explains, as Morgana sits upon the throne. "The Diamair is the key to all knowledge."
Morgana watches him closely, as she makes herself comfortable on the hard wooden throne. "Then where is this key?"
"It is here beneath your feet." Jared answers.
"For three months we're been searching," Morgana mocks in her annoyance and anger. "And what have we found? Nothing!"
Jared takes a step back at her sharp tone. "It is but a moment compared to the eternity of the knowledge the key will bring us."
"If I find you have lied to me..." Morgana threatens darkly.
"Patience is a stepping stone to wisdom, Morgana."
"You think I don't, after all that I've been through?" Morgana demands as she stands from her throne and storms towards Jared. "For two long years, I saw nothing but darkness... Patience and I are old friends."
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As Jared goes to answer Morgana, he is stopped by the sound of the door to the throne room opening behind him and a cold draft blow through the throne room, which stood half in ruins and shrouded by a thin mist, caused by the close to freezing air.
Two Saxon guards drag Sir Gwaine into the room and throw him, face first, to the floor in front of Morgana, who had walked past Jared and now stood in front of Sir Gwaine and the Saxon guards.
"Lady Morgana, we really have to stop meeting like this." Gwaine mutters, as he forces himself to his knees.
One of the Saxon guards strikes him sending him back to the ground, whilst the other quickly pines him to the ground by the throat.
"You're not looking so pretty now, are you, Sir Knight?" Morgana mocks, moving so she stands above him, an evil smirk gracing her features.
"It would appear not." Gwaine answers, with a slight cough, due to the pressure on his throat.
Morgana sneers at him. "Arthur should know not to send his men so far north."
"Well, get on with it then." Gwaine replies, showing no fear. "Kill me."
"I will, but first you're going to have to help me find something." Morgana smirks once more, as she kneels down beside him.
"I'll help you find nothing." Gwaine spat.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Morgana smirks once again. "Take him away!"
The Saxons move forward and Gwaine is dragged from the throne room. Morgana walks back to the throne and once again sits down.
"Jared?" Morgana speaks up, not even glancing at him.
"Yes, Lady Morgana." Jared answers, stepping forward.
"If the Diamair isn't found soon," Morgana threatens, her voice as cold as the air around them. "You'll be joining Sir Gwaine in iron's! Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, my lady." Jared bows and quickly leaves the throne room and heads after Gwaine and the Saxons.
Far under their feet, hundreds of men work, hacking away at the rocks around them with pikes. Saxons watch over them, wipes in hands. Men are only removed from the shackles that hold them, when they're dead.
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Back in Camelot, Arthur, Gwen, Elyan, Leon and Gaius stand around the table in the royal chambers. Near the door George stands, hands behind his back and as silent as a windless night. Merlin had disappeared the second Arthur had drawn the meeting to a close, even Gaius didn't know where he had gone, which hadn't improved Arthur mood in the slightest.
"George," Arthur suddenly speak up. "Find that useless warlock!"
"Who, sire?" George asks, with a slight frown.
"MERLIN!" Arthur yells.
George quickly bows. "Of course, sire."
As George runs from the room, Gwen glares at her husband. "That was a little uncalled for, don't you think?"
"I wouldn't have had to yell at him, if Merlin had actually bothered to turn up." Arthur replies.
"Not everything is Merlin's fault," Gwen reminds Arthur. "Merlin may have simply had his own duties to attend to. After all he is no longer your servant, nor does he need to step foot in Camelot."
Clearing his throat, Leon speaks up. "Can we begin, my lord."
"Of course." Arthur nodes.
"We know Gwaine crossed the pass, here, at Isulfor," Elyan explains, pointing to the map on the table. "But beyond that, there was no trace. The trail went cold."
"What of this story, that the fortress of Ismere has been occupied once more?" Arthur asks, concerned for his knights' safety.
"I have heard many rumours sire," Elyan replies. "All of them had one name in common... Morgana."
Arthur back straightens up as soon as the name leaves Elyan's lips. "Then we have no time to lose."
"What if the rumours are true, my lord?" Gaius speaks up. "You may be walking into a trap."
"The knights of Camelot do not abandon their own." Arthur answers, his tone implying the matter is closed.
But Gaius isn't giving in that easily, not when the life of the king could be at stake. "Morgana knows that, she'll be waiting for you."
"These men have fought for me, bled for me..." Arthur answers.
"May I make a suggestion?" Gwen cuts Arthur off. "What if you were to take a different route? Approach Ismere from the west."
"Through Annis' lands?" Arthur questions.
"it would certainly take Morgana by surprise." Gaius nodes.
"Would Queen Annis grant safe passage, to so many armed men, at such short notice?" Arthur asks, turning to Leon.
Leon nodes. "I believe she would, sire."
"Dispatch a rider, immediately," Arthur orders. "We'll follow at dawn. Remember, if we're to succeed, no one know of our intensions."
Everyone nodes, knowing if Morgana finds out about this plan, many won't make it back with their lives. But unknown to them a young women who works for Jared, is listening in on the other side of the door, but is forced to move when footsteps sound along the corridor.
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Hey, hope you liked that chapter. Next chapter will be up soon I promise.
Blessed be,
TreeOfLife1997.