The first time Morgana met Merlin she was 9 and had been on the Isle for just under a year. She had moved to the Isle of the Blessed with her mother after her father had died. Arriving there she was welcomed as kin by hundreds of priestesses that made their dwelling there. He stood out of course being one of the few men that ever made an appearance on the Isle. Aside from the odd druid man, the Isle of the Blessed was dominated solely by the women and priestesses of the Old Religion. The priestesses were proud and powerful but knowledgeable as well and Morgana admired them because of that. Morgana had been in the courtyard of the castle, walking around to stretch her legs while watching Morgause practice basic swordplay. Merlin watched them quietly from the lee of the wall. At first she did not see him, her vision just sliding off his figure as he blended in with the stone. When she did notice him she tensed up ready to spring away. How long had this man been watching us? But all the same, curiosity got the better of her. If he was on the Isle then he must be alright for the priestesses would not have let him pass were that not so, she reasoned to herself. Gathering her timid strength Morgana made her way towards the man until she was about 10 feet away. Close enough to talk but still out of his reach.

"Who are you?" her voice wary. He seemed a lot taller and more menacing now that she was near him.

"I am Merlin, and you?"

"…" Morgana was unsure whether to say anything, she didn't trust him and was smarter than to give her name out to strange folk.

"Don't be shy, I'm friendly, see?" Merlin's face stretched into a wide grin and he held out an open hand. Morgana looked and gasped when brilliantly coloured butterflies of scarlet, indigo, turquoise, green, and gold flew out from it. She giggled as they brushed against her face. It tickled.

"I'm Morgana, nice to meet you." She was 9 and rainbow butterflies still worked on her.

"Likewise" he said happily.

"How did you do that?" asked Morgana in wonderment.

"Oh, it's very simple. But you wouldn't understand it" Merlin said jokingly and then he practically skipped away leaving trails of colour where his feet touched the ground.

"Who in the five kingdoms was that, sister?" asked Morgause as she approached Morgana and the skipping Merlin.

"I don't know sister, he said his name is Merlin though." Replied Morgana to her elder.

"Hmph" she scowled lightly at the retreating Merlin's back "Well I don't like him. He's too odd, and besides that, he approached you without my consent."

"I don't think he meant any harm though Morgause. Mother would've sensed it if he did."

"No matter, I'm going to report this to Nimueh and see what she has to say about this. And if he causes any sort of trouble, he'll have more than my blade to answer to" She stalked off in a huff giving her sword a skillful spin.

Morgana stared after her sister and was then left alone in the courtyard. Her head swirled with endless trails of thought, most bent on her questions about this character named Merlin and some on how Morgause had reacted. She loved her sister but she could be rather overprotective and dramatic at times. Not that she wasn't faultless. She'd clung to Morgause like they shared the same skin for the first few months after finding out their relation to each other. Her musings were interrupted as Elaine appeared from behind.

"Are you feeling well Morgana?" asked the older woman kindly. Elaine was the most maternal of all the women here. She made sure Morgana was well accustomed, settling her in when she had first arrived and ensured that she was comfortable and was someone to talk to about anything.

"I'm…fine, thank you Elaine." Said Morgana after a pause.

"Well your hesitation tells me otherwise" the woman missed nothing. Elaine waited patiently while Morgana remained silent until,

"Do you know a person named Merlin?" asked Morgana

"Merlin? Why do you ask?"

"Well I just met him earlier on…he made butterflies come out of his hand"

"I see…then I expect him to be confronting Nimueh any moment now."

"I know, Morgause just went to get her."

"Well then, I expect that they'll be finishing their conversation fairly soon then."

"What makes you say that Elaine?" asked Morgana puzzled

"Oh…" sighed Elaine, "Experience…"


Morgana clutched her sister's arm tightly, too tight for comfort but Morgause didn't complain. They walked slowly step by step to the back atrium of the ancient castle. As they came under the arched entrance a breath of wind blew over them, soft but with a hint of warning. The atrium was open to the elements like much of the castle and at its center was a looking glass. Or, a stone basin atop a column that could be filled with water to be used as a looking glass of sorts. It was a simple one, hewn out of a single block of stone into the basic shape of a basin for water to be poured into. But it was very, very ancient, very, very old. It was unadorned saved for a single rune carved into the basin's bottom, its very meaning nearly forgotten over the millennia. Behind the looking glass basin stood Nimueh, the head priestess of the Old Religion. She smiled as the two approached. She wore a simple deep red dress robe with the hood down. Her eyes were blue and reflected knowledge and always she seemed to look like she knew all that there was to know about you. Morgana didn't like that look and attempted to avoid meeting her eyes by putting her head into Morgause's shoulder.

"You want to know your future?" asked Nimueh

"No, not really." Said Morgana, her head determinedly focused on her sister's sleeve.

"Then why do you come here if not for that?" asked Nimueh again although it sounded like she already knew the answer. "I do not boast but, the powers granted to me as the Head Priestess are great." She touched the side of the basin and it was instantly filled with water. It's surface smooth and still. Morgana looked up then to see the water but met Nimueh's gaze instead.

"We don't want to know out futures" began Morgause, voice trying to be strong, "We want to know our destiny."

Nimueh gave them a sly grin, her red lips stretching across her face. She dipped a finger into the water. Ripples spread over its surface but instead of dissipating , swelled until they were waves of silvery liquid spilling over the side. Morgana stared transfixed at the water as it splashed. She could see each individual droplet as the liquid hit the ground. In that moment time seemed to still and within the droplet reflected were images. They moved, flickered, and flashed, too fast for her to catch anything solid. Then from deep in the ground moving up into her very core a loud roar rushed through her and rang in her ears causing her to cry out in pain and clutch at her head. She closed her eyes and then the images that appeared in the drop of water were burned into her mind. Still flashing by too fast for her to see but she knew that they would never leave her and that they would show themselves on their own accord. She opened her eyes and saw that the water in the basin was still. None has spilled like she had seen. Morgause was holding her shoulders looking concerned and shaking her slightly while calling her name. Nimueh though, merely smiled.

"Worry not, she is merely experiencing the effects of a vision and also from receiving a gift from the Old Religion. It's a weighty thing to carry, the knowledge of your own destiny." Said Nimueh calmly

"What? Is she alright then?" said a worried Morgause still holding Morgana closely.

"Of course she is. All she needs is some rest. Be glad Morgause. Seers are rare, good ones more so. And from what I can tell with my abilities. Morgana's capabilities will surpass even my own with careful nurturing and enough patience."

Morgause nodded solemnly at the words but Morgana wondered if she had gotten into something that was much too big for her. And then she answered herself, yes.


A/N: Thanks as always for reading so far. Chpt 3! wee! I'm kinda happy for myself for actually going through with this story instead of just letting it sit in my head.
please bear with me on this! 8)'
Have any comments on the the few chapters so far? I know I'm jumping around and going into the characters' past but I will pick things up
and have the story be more present. 8U
gah!