Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin or any of it's characters.

A/N A quick update that is entirely TehcheesegraterofDOOM's fault!

Chapter 7

Morgause sat herself at the large table, Nimueh however remained standing, staring at her with bewilderment. Morgause shifted in her seat uneasily from the stare and bit the inside of her cheek as she waited for Nimueh to speak.

"So do you care to explain the circumstance in which you came here?" Nimueh said her voice like ice. Morgause shivered at her tone.

"I am with child." Morgause said guiltily staring down at the grain of the wood.

"I can see that"

"I have no one, no one at all." It hurt to say it; her cheeks flamed at the statement- how far she had fallen since those days.

"What pray tell, does this have to do with me?" Nimueh glided over to the table, her demeanour unchanging as she elegantly sat at the table and pushed a wisp of hair behind her ear. He voice was still cool, the tone enough to put fear into the hearts of the bravest men.

"I just- I just thought you could help" Morgause stuttered almost incoherently.

"Who told you where to find me?" Nimueh asked her eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"The druids."

"Do not speak of the druids in front of me! They are a disgrace to my kin, allowing them to be murdered when they could stop it." Nimueh said furiously, clenching her fist so hard that her knuckles went white. Morgause flinched backwards involuntarily.

"They wouldn't let me stay, I wasn't peaceful enough for them." Morgause said her lip curling upwards into a sneer as she thought back to those pathetic sorcerers.

"Would they not?"

"No, they seemed to see me as a corruptive influence."

"So Morgause, you hate Uther?"

"Yes." Morgause said with justice.

"Really? I thought he was almost like an uncle to you?" Nimueh said conversationally but with hidden malice.

"Not any more, he tried to kill me."

"It seems we both share a hatred for Uther, but that doesn't explain why I should help you."

"You are lonely; you need someone just as I need someone. I will help you in your crusade against Uther." Morgause said earnestly, leaning towards Nimueh. Nimueh's face was unreadable as she considered the proposal.

"What help would you be? You are hardly trained." Nimueh scoffed angrily.

"I have a natural talent for influencing the elements, I am a quick study. I am sure my teachers would have informed you of that."

"Yes they did, I had hoped that I could take you in as my apprentice if your family allowed" Nimueh mused staring into the distance while her fingers drummed a pattern onto the table.

"Well now you can."

"I suppose I am then, you do realise that your babe will never be safe with you. You will be hunted like an animal, like the rest of our kind."

"I shall cross that bridge when I come to it, Nimueh." Morgause said firmly.

"If you are sure, but I expect you to stay in my service for at least ten years. You are signing those years over to me if you agree, in return I will help you Morgause and I will protect you."

"Then I shall agree." Morgause said firmly, there was no doubt in her mind. This was what she wanted to do, this was what she had to do.

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen and having a child, what would your parents say Morgause." Nimueh threw her head back and laughed "They would be horrified."

"They are no concern to me anymore" Morgause said coldly, her eyes shining with annoyance at Nimueh's questioning.

"That is very good. I shall take you to where you can stay." Nimueh said still chuckling. Her laughter didn't make her seem nicer, or even happy. In fact it made her scarier, wild and uncontrolled. She seemed almost mad.

Nimueh took her to a room at the told of the castle; it was a large room, the walls bare. The bed was simple but stood proudly in the centre of the room. The room also contained a small wardrobe and a dressing table devoid of any personal affects. Nimueh left, without a word just the disappearing hem of her dress. Morgause didn't care, alone was better

Morgause walked towards the window and stared out over the beautiful countryside. She opened the window to lean out to better see. Perched on the edge of the window sill Morgause felt like she was floating, Morgause didn't want to look down but slowly she did, the thrill causing her to laugh slightly. The floor was so very far away and it scared Morgause that if she fidgeted a bit too much she could just be a splattered body lying dead on the cobbles. Looking up and over the trees Morgause could almost see the border of Gareth's lands. It was just a bit too far to be able to see with the naked eye, but it made her wonder if he would ever know about their child. Or if he would spend the rest of his life in ignorance that he had fathered her child. Maybe he would settle down with someone else and have his own little family. The thought of it made Morgause green with jealously, she did not want him to be happy with anyone but herself. Gareth could not have her though because she had finally found something better than the small comfort he was able to give her. But that didn't mean he could have anyone else.

Morgause had known Nimueh from Camelot, but only in passing. From what she understood of her she was the most powerful witch there was, Uther was always raving about the beautiful and powerful Nimueh. But Morgause hoped she would one day be better than her and hopefully it wouldn't take long. Morgause hated being in second place and she hated being second best to someone like Nimueh. Nimueh had always swept through the hallways of the castle like she owned it and not Uther, it had annoyed Morgause's father no end. She was intelligent, beautiful and had the sort of natural elegance that was so hard to come across. Morgause had always admired Nimueh from afar, hoping that one day she could be like her. Nimueh was the sort of person who's mere presence commanded respect from those around her. Morgause also knew whatever had happened that changed Uther's mind about magic, was her fault. She was the cause of everything but Morgause still did not blame her, no she still blamed Uther. Uther would get his penance.

Nimueh taught Morgause every day, for the majority of the day. She first went over all the spells that Morgause had previously learnt from her tutors in Camelot. They quickly moved on when it became apparent that Morgause could use those spells to exemplary standards. The work was hard now that she had progressed, so much so that she had begun to struggle, spells taking her whole days to learn instead of just a few minutes. It was terribly frustrating for Morgause who was used her magic coming easy to her. Nimueh however didn't pity her for the fact that she was struggling; instead she relentlessly had a go at her for it.

"You're pathetic!" "Try harder." "Do you want to go home?"

Nimueh gave her no positive encouragement and instead would shout insults from the opposite side of the room. Morgause wanted nothing more than to punch Nimueh most days, but had to force the feelings down and instead concentrate on what she was doing and trying and failing to keep a calm head. Morgause found though that the negative comments and the put downs she received from Nimueh only proved to make herself try harder to prove to Nimueh that she was worth the time and effort.

The spell that she was working on currently was designed to make a statue turn to life, Morgause couldn't see how this spell would ever be useful but Nimueh had insisted, and disagreements Morgause had made were simply ignored. She was practicing on a statue of a dragon. It was a six foot tall and Morgause had been stood in front of it three days consecutively in an attempt to make it come alive. She sighed in frustration, running her fingers through her hair as she stared at it, hoping that she could just simply will it to change. It didn't.

"Am I just wasting my time? You obviously aren't even trying." Nimueh snarled at her. Morgause's insides burned with anger and she attempted the spell again, this time channelling all her anger and frustration into the spell. To her shock, the dragon came alive. Morgause staggered back as she stared in sudden horror at the massive beast, the dragon lowered its head and sent a barrage of flames in her direction. Morgause screamed and hurled herself onto the floor, one arm protecting her unborn baby and the other above her head as she raised a hasty shield. She didn't get burned alive, instead the flames reflected off her glittering shield. Nimueh then finally stepped forward and turned the dragon back into a statue.

"Why did you not help me?" Morgause asked angrily, her finger jabbing in the dragons' direction in outrage. "I could have been killed!"

"It seems I have belief in your talents, even if you do not. I knew you would come to no harm." Nimueh said not sounding even remotely sorry. "You have to learn that you can do it yourself, you need no one. You are an independent woman Morgause."

"I know Nimueh that I am stronger than most sorcerers, but I am not stronger than you."

"You are young, you will learn Morgause."

"Do you think one day I can be as powerful as you?"

"If you train hard and practice then yes- you have a natural talent to magic that I have not seen before. But this means you have become lazy, not all magic will come to you as easy and you need to be prepared for that. Your temper tantrums won't always work in your favour Morgause." Nimueh warned her, cocking her eyebrow up at her. Morgause was in shock, the thought that one day she could be as powerful as Nimueh was shocking, she couldn't ever imagine having so much power at the touch of her fingertips. But if she could, she could do whatever she wanted- she could bring the vengeance she wanted.

"That's brilliant; I never thought that I could be powerful."

"Do not let it go to your head." Nimueh scolded angrily. "It is a long way off and we won't even be able to attempt some of the more powerful magic while you are with child."

"Right" Morgause said with a pout, frowning down at her ever larger bump. "When can I get this thing out?"

"That thing is you child, and it will be a few months yet."

"I never wanted a child." Morgause muttered angrily.

"Well now you shall have one" Nimueh said sharply, gazing longingly at her bump "You knew the consequences of your actions it is no one's fault but your own."

"Fine, are we done for today, my feet are starting to ache."

"I suppose so; don't think I will be going this easy on you again." Nimueh swept out of the room with a swish of her dress, if this was Nimueh's idea of going easy, she'd hate to go against her when she was''t.

Morgause strode from the room and then out of the old castle, the air was finally starting to warm up and spring was fast approaching. Spring would bring flowers, sun and the anniversary of the beginning of the great purge. Anna was almost another year older, her sixteenth birthday just around the corner. If she was at home her sixteenth would be a large celebration and she would be showered in gifts and affection. Obviously this birthday was not going to be like that.

Instead her birthday would no doubt be full of work and practice, leaving her sore and aching to return to her room- as most days were. Nimueh wasn't the sort of person she would expect to celebrate birthdays. With a sigh Morgause sat down by the shore of the lake, letting it lap below her as she stared into the distance. The Isle of the blessed was a beautiful place, filled with magic and secrets. It was a mystery and Morgause loved a mystery almost as much as she loved a good book. But it was also very secluded and Morgause found she missed other people and noise. Just a general hub-bub in the distance, instead it was very peaceful, the only noises were that of the wind rustling the leaves and the water lapping the shore.

A/N Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are like fairy dust, they make me fly!

Morgause stood up slowly, cradling her bump as she re-entered the castle. It was only mid-afternoon so sleep was not on the schedule. Instead she would have to find a book to read, not a hard feat at the size of the castles collections of books. Morgause had no idea what Nimueh did when she wasn't observing Morgause learn but she never saw her around the castle and dared not venture into her private chambers, Nimueh frightened Morgause slightly, she always seemed angry and was almost as bitter as Morgause herself. Nimueh still hadn't told her what had gone on between her on Uther to cause this, hopefully she would one day trust her enough to tell her. The motives for the largest genocide ever known nobody knew and Morgause had to understand just why Uther decided that he would try to kill her. To kill her when she was the daughter of his best friend. Maybe she would never understand, the thoughts of a man as evil as Uther could hardly be rational.