Guest- I am defiantly going to say I'm suffering from Applesia next time I want to get out of something.
Jedimasterawesome- Yeah Merlin is so ignorant to the fact that he's in love with Morgana. It is frustrating to write.
serenityskywalker- Thanks, I think this chapter is more interesting than the last.
Merlin could feel his heart pounding against his chest in complete stress and anxiety. It pounded even faster than the horse's hooves thundering against the ground. The young warlock was risking life and limb right now but he had to find Arthur before it was too late. Merlin knew that Arthur was in mortal danger and toeing the narrow line between life and death. He had to find Arthur before it was all over but he couldn't get rid of the feeling, that Morgana had done something very stupid. Merlin couldn't understand why he possibly cared about Morgana when Arthur was in mortal danger. It just didn't make sense. Even Aithusa's promise didn't assure him that Morgana would be safe. Merlin barely felt he could breathe; every all of his friends were in danger and he had a sensation which told them that not all of then were going to come out of the battle.
...
"Hello again..." Gwaine sighed to two guards. "Long time no see. I haven't been locked up in this cell for five entire months. It's like a lifetime... for a fly anyway." Gwaine was getting bored already. He had been trapped in the cell for approximately five minutes and already the guards were 'needing the toilet'. They didn't really need anything but just wanted to get away from Gwaine and his 'incoherent' nonsense. Twenty minutes ago Gwaine had been in a rather joyful mood as he had thrown a rock at Alexander and had hit him right in the eye. Now Gwaine was stuck in King Gremian's dungeons again with only the guards for company. Well, Morgana was there too but considering that she was still unconscious, Gwaine didn't class her as company. He more classed her as a mere annoying presence that was no fun to anyone.
"You know what?" Gwaine goofily smiled putting on his annoying charm mode. "If you let me go right now than you won't have to endure my annoying ways for the rest of your life. I am even more annoying than I was before because I am suffering from applesia."
"Sufferin' from wha'," one of the guard incredulously said.
"Applesia," Gwaine sobbed, swishing his hair dramatically. "It's a fatal disease which occurs when someone does not eat enough apples." The guards looked at him in disbelief slighting bemused.
"I wan' to let ye free," mumbled a guard. "But if I do I'd lose my head and I don't wan' to lose my head. In fact I'd rather lis'en to yer nonsense."
At this Morgana lifted her head up. The body paralysing potion had seemed to have worn off. She gasped in relief and happily stood up. It had been the most traumatic thing that had happened to her since she had killed Morgause and that was saying something considering everything else that she had been through recently.
"Morgana are you alright?" Gwaine squealed in delight. At least he would have some better company then these stupid guards.
"Yes," Morgana replied pale and traumatised. Her voice was unsteady and trembled so much that Gwaine could even detect something was wrong. He was distracted from Morgana by a guard who was opening the cell.
"I have been instructed to take the witch to the king when she awakes," stated a Saxon with a very Camelot accent.
"It'll be alright," Gwaine assured Morgana squeezing her arm. Morgana just nodded at Gwaine. He had no idea what a traumatic scene she had just been through. Fortunately, Morgana was still as courageous as ever and walked towards the guard with her head held high. Morgana's insides were like jelly and for once she felt like the victim and wanted to run. Her nerve kept her from doing this. She wasn't born to run like a mouse; that was only for cowards.
...
"Well, well, well. Look who we have back again- the witch. It may have magic but it doesn't have a brain," roared King Gremian with laughter. His painful chortles echoed inside her ears and hurt Morgana's pride. Usually the priestess managed to endure these taunts but this was just one time too many.
"I do have a brain because I am able to move, talk and think," Morgana indignity said in fierce voice. "You are too arrogant and know this I would rather drown in my own blood than have your brain. Imagine losing every argument you have... But you do not need to imagine it. You already lose every argument." This did not go down at all well with King Gremian but every Saxon waited with bated breath to see what their king would do next.
"Be quiet, witch, or I may have to cut out your tongue," spat King Gremian. All of his cronies and servants began to leer and snigger at Morgana but the priestess knew that this had been a empty threat. It took a few moments for Morgana to think of a suitable retort to King Gremian's empty threat.
"I'd like to see you try," Morgana cooly retaliated. "You are not even going to attempt to cut out my tongue because then Arthur wouldn't be able to hear my bloodcurdling screams and you would lose the war." This again was a witty comeback which horrified King Gremian but left his warriors apprehensively waiting for their King's next move. Morgana was extremely impatient for the next few moments in which her and King Gremian exchanged many looks. King Gremian seemed to be in deep thought as he did not know what to do with the witch.
"Lover boy may just lose his head if you don't SHUT UP!" roared King Gremian. Morgana looked down at the ground and smiled at nothing. This made everyone in the room feel perplexed although they knew that she was a deranged lunatic. Morgana didn't care what anybody thought of her though. If they thought she was a raving lunatic then they were obvious the lunatics.
"You never cease to shock me," Morgana laughed. "Every time I see you, you just get more stupid. I am currently suffering from severe trauma as of how stupid you are. I should be more likely to be in love with your son than him." Morgana hesitated at the murderous glare on King Gremian's face and began to wonder what wrong she had done this time. Perhaps the witch's mere presence had been enough to trigger this look. If it was then King Gremian's reaction was delayed by at least five minutes.
BANG
Morgana flinched as the double doors flew open- Alexander had burst in. Dressed in slightly grimy chain mail, Alexander looked more dishevelled and stressed since Morgana had last seen him. His sword glinted in the dim torch ray, the only light source that the dreary room had. The witch was almost certain that Alexanded's sword would be spattered in clotting blood. He had slaughtered so many for no apparent reason.
"Father, the battle shall commence when the clock strikes twelve tonight," Alexander informed cracking a smile. "It is difficult to estimate their numbers just now but we shall defiantly out number them." King Gremian slowly rose from his throne and thumped his son's back in appreciation. Morgana watched this from the sideline's trying to stop herself from acting too soon. She could mange to go through with her plan just now but their would be major repercussion so the priestess decided to remain in the background for the time being. If her patience remained, Morgana could gain a lot from her plan.
"You are forgetting Emrys. You will not win; only I am equal to him..."
...
"It's tha' way," grunted a Saxon. He heavily pointed to the left with his stubby fingers.
"No, it's to the righ'," another Saxon argued, pointing in the opposite direction. Gwen sighed and rolled her eyes. The Saxons had not a clue on how to navigate at all. Even Gwen knew soon basic navigation skills that Morgana had taught her when they were children. It was all logic after all and these Saxons didn't have a trace of logic in them.
"I command you in the name of -" Mordred said a name that Gwen had never heard of. "-to stop." All of the Saxons looked around in fear at Mordred.
"This can't be righ'. A knigh' of Camelot knowin' 'is name," Chief Pierce incredulously remarked. Mordred knowingly smiled but it disappeared as soon as it came. He still looked at Chief Pierce in a superior way.
"I knew him when I was a child," Mordred stated to the gobsmacked Saxons. Chief Pierce began to frown deciding whether Mordred was a friend or foe. "We were allies. If you tell him this he'll know who I am." Mordred bent closely towards Chief Pierce's ear and whispered a couple of sentences into it. Pierce's eyes widened with shock and he stumbled back a bit with shock. He seemed to get a bit of delayed reaction as this all took a few minutes.
"Why shoul' I believe ye?" This question was unusually asked with curiosity instead of aggression. Mordred closed his eyes to come up with a reasonable explanation.
"i shouldn't tell you but I suppose there isn't another way to get out of this awkward situation. Well I am actually a Saxon who is pretending to be a knight of Camelot and I am feeding back the information to King Gremian." Mordred paused here to give the Saxons time to pick up all the information which he had just told them.
Gwen put a hand over her mouth to conceal a gasp. This news sounded beyond preposterous to her and it even gave a a shock although she was pretty sure that the knight was lying. If he wasn't lying then Gwen knew that she was in mortal peril.
"Anyway," Mordred continued. "Our King has already captured M-" Mordred realised that calling her Morgana would arouse suspicion so he cut it short and came out with-
"The witch." Mordred hesitated for a few minutes trying not to get worked up and flushed about this whole situation. Taking a few deep breaths, Mordred realised that everybody was staring at him in apprehension and knew that he had to carry on. "You have captured my wife." It was hard for Gwen to process what Mordred had just said. She was defiantly not his wife. This confirmed her suspicions: Mordred was playing along with the Saxons and beguiling them.
Pierce pointed towards Gwen and immediatly two Saxons unshackled her. Gwen looked down her wrists which were coated in clotted blood. Suddenly she felt nauseous but the queen knew that she has to play her part properly. Although Gwen wasn't a great actress, she sprinted towards Mordred and flew into his arms. Then she tenderly kissed him. It felt horrible to her. It felt like she was betraying Arthur again. She was relieved that he wasn't here to see her kissing another. Slowly the two broke apart and Mordred put his arm around Gwen. The whole act had been alarmingly convincing and this horrified both Mordred and Gwen.
"Wha' is yer name before ye go," asked Chief Pierce. Mordred was conflicted between lying or telling the truth. Finally, he decided that the truth would do no harm. King Gremian's brother would find out the truth anyway.
"My name is Mordred." At once he knew he had made a mistake. In the near distance he could feel magical rage. He turned around looking suspiciously at the Saxons.
MORDRED! Help me! You have killed me. Please, help me. I will die if you don't. It's all your fault. You know it's me. Help me! I don't want to die.
Mordred looked in the direction this telepathic speech had came from. He knew who it was and felt guilty. They were kin. He had done everything for the greater good and couldn't go back on it now. The knight just ignored the pleading but it didn't cease. Even when he was leading Gwen away with his arm still wrapped round her, the pleading still reverberated inside his head. It was rather distracting and he took a wrong turning to the horses. Gwen was still keeping rather quiet after the shock of what had happened. She was even more bewildered when Mordred pulled her closer to him.
"Let us never speak of that again." Gwen still remained silent and watching Mordred tensely kick his toes into the earthy ground. The young knight felt too embarrassed to even look into Gwen's eyes and stared at the earth that his feet was sending flying
"I vow never to tell anyone," Gwen promised. Mordred nodded his head and hastily looked up at Gwen for two seconds. He then averted his gaze back to the ground again. To be honest Mordred didn't care about what had just occurred. He was more bothered by the trust in Gwen's eyes. Fortunately, Mordred pushed this feeling away. He was taking Gwen on a journey to a safe haven- Ealdor.
...
Morgana looked rather pleased about the impact her last sentences had had on King Gremian. All of what she had said had been true. The Saxons could not win against Emrys. Even King Gremian's brother, with magic, could not hope to win against him. Morgana had beat Emrys in their battle and therefore she thought of him to be her equal. However much Morgana's sentences had pleased herself, it angered King Gremian more. King Gremian's face had become increasingly red since he had began to speak to Morgana and now it was beginning to look slightly purple. Sweat was dripping off his brow and Morgana took a step back from the revolting man.
"GET OUT EVERYONE BUT ALEXANDER!" King Gremian roared. Immediately all the Saxons in the room rushed out the room. A couple off Saxons began to drag Morgana out the room as well. "Leave the witch behind and shut the door." The Saxons faithfully bowed to King Gremian before throwing poor Morgana on the floor. Before Morgana could even dare to clamber to her feet, Alexander stood beside her. This should of alarmed Morgana but it did not. Instead the witch felt like laughing and laugh she did.
"Why you cackling little witch? Do you want the knight to be annihilated?" Alexander's taunts rang in Morgana's ears causing her to become more and more distressed. Literally, Morgana had was fed up with being a 'good' prisoner and decided to throw a fit at Gremian and Alexander. In order to do this successfully she stood up.
"YOU ARE BOTH COWARDS!" Morgana suddenly shrieked. This gave both the Saxon leaders a fright, they had never heard someone get this aggetaited at them. "I HOPE EMRYS KILLS YOU BOTH PAINFULLY! I WANT THE WAR HOUNDS TO FEAST ON YOUR FLESH! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT IGNORANTS COWARDS AND YOU WILL PERISH! SOON YOU WILL START TO DECOMPOSE!" When Morgana stopped, she excessively panted and could feel her heart rate going up. She knew the adrenaline was running through her keeping her on edge. Morgana put a hand against her throat as it was now painful because of her shoutsSeveral times in Morgana's abusive shouts, Gremian had tried to shout at Morgana but he could not even hope complete with Morgana's deafeningly loud volume.
Alexander turned towards his father who was seething with anger. Although Alexander was just shocked and abashed by Morgana's shouts, he approached his father to get away from her. As Alexander's back was facing her, Morgana decided to attack him whilst he was off guard. Swiftly, she kicked his ankles making Alexander swipe around at her in shock. Morgana had been expecting this and managed to keep her balance whilst dodging the attack. With Alexander recovering from his attack, Morgana approached King Gremian to teach him a lesson. Unfortunately, King Gremian saw this move coming and had unsheathed his sword. He pointed it dangerously at Morgana.
"DON'T YOU DARE WITCH!" spat King Gremian. Morgana glared at him her rage seething through her. Never had she hated anyone more, not even Arthur. He was just downright evil and Morgana couldn't say anything else about him.
"Your sword will not stop me from killing you," Morgana laughed.
"There is no point on restraining your magic," King Gremian sniggered. "I can have lover boy killed at any time I want. I swear if you take one step out off line then I will carve his heart out and shove it down your throat." As King Gremian approached Morgana, she backed away from him until she was stuck in the corner of the room. "Stay there." King Gremian threateningly pointed the sword at Morgana before trudging to Alexander and whispering something anything in his ear. Alexander frowned but nodded and swept from the room.
"So here it is witch. That is the last time you will be so confident," King Gremian taunted. Morgana didn't move an inch from the position she was in and forlornly looked at the ground. "You've been caught in your own game, witch. You're going to die. You're going to die to keep your love alive." Morgana looked at King Gremian in a melancholy way but bit her lip to keep all of her insults and anger inside her. When she did keep all of the anger inside of her, she felt it churn in sadness. Morgana felt very sympathetic towards herself but fought the tears back. She didn't even understand where the tears and misery came from. It wasn't even like Gwaine was anything more than a mere friend to her. He treated her like a person; someone who could feel anger, sorrow, happiness and despair. Everyone else, treated her worse then they would treat an animal which was only fit to be slaughtered. He had just treated her as he would have treated anybody else and it had felt good. True, he was a knight of Camelot and Morgana should want him dead like every other knight of Camelot but she didn't. Morgana just couldn't wish Gwaine dead after everything that he had done for her. It just didn't make sense to her or anybody. Morgana didn't think she understood anything anymore. Nothing made sense to her.
"Is something wrong?" asked King Gremian. His voice was sickly sweet and clearly mocking her. Morgana refused to answer but looked up at him. "Oh, what's wrong? Your eyes are filled with tears." Morgana took a step back so the wall was keeping her on her feet.
"Stay strong for Morgause and Morrigan, Morgana," Morgana muttered to herself. She could barely keep her anger, rage and misery withing her. It wanted to burst out of her.
"Are you scared of dying?" King Gremian laughed, his voice still sickly sweet. "You are nothing. Your life is worth less than a pig raised for slaughter or a common weed. You may be a witch but you are nothing. No one likes you. Everyone thinks you are a deranged and insane lunatic."
"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Morgana shrieked losing her self control which had lasted two seconds.
"You are upset because you know what I say is true. Everyone hates you except from loved boy," King Gremian cackled.
Morgana could feel her body sinking to the ground. It hurt so much to hear what King Gremian said because half of it was true. No one alive cared for her except from Morrigan, Aithusa and Gwaine. Everyone else cared about Morgana as much as King Gremian did. They sought her dead. Not just dead but tortured and maimed. She could never remember her self confidence getting lower than this and she walked so much inside that it had a telepathic connection with all other sorcerers in. They could feel her sadness and crying reverberating inside them but couldn't understand who it was.
"I've got it father," announced Alexander holding up something wrapped in a satin cloth. Morgana at them intrigued but scared out her wits, she knew whatever this was it couldn't be good. How very right she was.
"I want to do the honours. Pass it over," King Gremian commanded, holding out his hand. Reluctantly, Alexander passed him the bundle of satin cloth which the important utensil was safely wrapped in.
Cautiously, Alexander approached Morgana who felt like she was about to collapse. She gave him an evil look but he could see right through it. Morgana's eyes's were filled with tears and she looked as helpless as a child. For a moment Alexander hesitated wondering if he was doing the right thing. For some reason it felt like he was doing the wrong thing. Morgana looked so pitiful that Alexander couldn't help feeling sympathetic towards her.
"It's only a small cut," Alexander softly murmured to Morgana so his father couldn't heal him. Morgana couldn't work out if he was taunting her or reassuring her. It sounded like he was reassuring her but tones of voices could be deceiving. How could a 'small cut' be reassuring. It didn't make sense to Morgana.
As Alexander forced Morgana onto her knees, Morgana saw King Gremian reveal the thing from underneath the satin cloth. It was a dagger as dark as the night sky yet as sharp as any sword that she'd come across. It looked like a normal dagger coated in ink to Morgana. Yet there was something mysterious about the dagger. It had defiantly been enchanted. Morgana reckoned that she was either going to get a finger amputated or get something carved into her skin which would remain their forever.
"You deserve this witch," chortled King Gremian holding up the dagger. Morgana now prepared herself for head amputation as that seemed quite likely to her at the moment. The dagger came down but it wasn't her head that came off.
"NOOOOOO!" Morgana hysterically screamed kicking out. Alexander held her so firmly that however much Morgana tried she just couldn't escape. The body effects paralysing potion and the trembling state she was in meant that she had barely an ounce of strength compared to Alexander. King Gremian brought the dagger down again ignoring Morgana's shrieks.
"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" she shrieked.
"We just did," King Gremian sniggered. "If you want us to leave it alone then remain quiet and do what we want you to do." With this Alexander released Morgana who immediately ran as far away from them as possible. This was the last straw. Starved and shattered, Morgana couldn't help the tears flooding her face. She knew that she could not bear to look in the mirror anytime soon. Life wasn't fair
...
Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.
The clock chimed twelve. Up went the siege ladders. The Saxon warriors climbed up them with dignity to meet the Camelot soldiers. For many warriors on both sides this would be the first but last battle they would see.
"FOR CAMELOT AND FOR ARTHUR!" Elyan and Percival roared in unison.
The battle had begun!
A/N This isn't a straight forward chapter but all the questions will be answered later. What did you think? Please review?
