Renessaincbooklover108- Thanks. It means I can develop Merlin and Morgana's relationship.
Jedimasterawesome- I see what you mean by him 'casually bumping' into her. Your review made me laugh. ;D
Junior Woofles- Thanks. It will hopefully be better than CDD. A writer always tries to improve.
"WE HAVE BEEN MAKING PLANS FOR OVER A MONTH AND HAVEN'T GOT ANYWHERE!" yelled Morgana. She pounded her fist against the table knocking over a jar of ink. The jar smashed and its contents splashed all over the table. Mordred muttered a quick enchantment to repair the broken jar and put the ink back in it.
"Morgana, calm down!" Alvarr and Mordred simultaneously exclaimed in an attempt to try and calm her down. Morgana didn't want to calm down. All she had down in the past month was sit down like a 'good' little girl and make plans to annihilate the king. Morgana's kin were being slaughtered making her more and more frustrated by the minute. She needed to save them. Sitting here and making plans, which were either impossible or rubbish, didn't help her kin survive. Morgana wanted to leave. She needed to leave. Nothing was going to get in her way from leaving so she stood up to make a point.
"What's the point of sitting here planning?" she hissed "We plan and then we come to nothing because we don't even have an army. Perhaps we would be better to plan after we have acquired an army capable of defeating Camelot's army." Mordred uncomfortably shuffled his feet. Morgana was right. What was the point of planning when they didn't even have an army? But his thoughts trailed on getting an army. No army appeared out of thin air.
"But how are we going to get an army?" Mordred inquired. Morgana laughed silkily at his remark making Mordred feel perplexed. What was funny about asking a simple question?
"Leave that to me," Morgana hissed fastening on her her ebony coloured cloak. Alvarr and Mordred watched her stride out the room in great shock. They knew Morgana's temper had been extremely tetchy the whole day, but they still hadn't expected her to simply walk out on them. At least she had used the excuse of miraculously getting an army. How she was going to do it, Alvarr and Mordred did not know. That was if she was going to manage to do it.
"I've got a plan," Mordred suddenly burst out. Alvarr looked at the young knight with a lot of curiosity. "We will make Arthur lose trust in Emrys. You see I overheard a conversation between Emrys and Morgana. Emrys was trying to be nice to her. To accomplish we will need to cast a brief enchantment on Arthur though."
"What's the plan," Alvarr desperately questioned. It sounded like a brilliant one so far although he didn't have a clue what Mordred was going on about.
"If Emrys does not care for Morgana then you and Morgana will be doomed," Mordred announced to Alvarr's horror.
...
An enervated Morgana lay down in the cave which she had stumbled into. She had no energy left inside her. The priestess's lack of sleep had finally caught up with her making her unable to think straight. Morgana struggled to clamber to her feet. It wasn't like Morgana had any other option so she fell asleep on the hard rocks within minutes. For a couple of minutes she was peaceful and vacant until another nightmare began to trouble her. She had dreamt this nightmare many a time before but this time it was longer.
Morgana clutched something which a black inky substance was seething out of. She was standing on a battlefield alone although corpses were scattered around her. Pools of blood drenched what must of been a plain filled with lush grass. It was hardly recognisable. The sky rivalled the redness of the plain as it was a mix of a fiery red and amber colouring. Blazing in the sky, the sun also gave off a glint of red.
In front of Morgana lay Arthur. The king had clearly been stabbed in his chest as it was bursting with blood. She had Excalibur sheathed round her waist and a dagger in her hand. Swiftly, Morgana coated her dagger in the horrible black substance. Then she wrenched her dagger through Arthur's chain mail piercing his wound.
"Hleap on bæc." Morgana was blasted back away from her half-brother. She clenched her hand on Excalibur and looked up at who had attacked her- it was Merlin. She began to tremble in fear of him. He was going to kill her as he pointed a sword right at her heart.
"You promised me Emrys," Morgana cried out. Emrys looked at her with so much hatred that she began to feel nauseous. "I haven't hurt him."
"You call stabbing him was a dagger filled with most likely poisonous liquid, saving him?" Merlin wailed. All his work had been for nothing. Arthur couldn't die though because it wasn't his destiny. Then Merlin realised that destiny wasn't written in the stone.
Morgana could see the betrayal in his eyes. It was too late to explain what she had done. She almost even wanted to die. No one would ever trust her again. It wasn't fair. She had tried to be good but no one trusted her so they wouldn't even believe her if she tried to explain it.
"Morgana," Merlin mumbled trying to rouse the witch. Morgana wouldn't wake but kicked out at Merlin screaming. Her eyes were open but only the whites of them were visible making Merlin frown at this abnormal habit. Morgana was chilled to the bone and violently trembling but she was strangely intensively sweating too. The warlock had never experienced Morgana having a prophetic dream but he was certain that she was having one just now. For a moment he pitied her but just now wasn't the time to feel sorry for her.
"Morgana. Wake up," Merlin whispered. He looked fearfully towards the entrance of the cave and tried shaking Morgana awake. Still the witch did not rouse making Merlin desperate. He gently slapped her. She still did not wake but mumbled some incoherent nonsense. He slapped her again but harder this time. Finally, Morgana's eyes opened with fear. She took one glance out him before beginning scream.
"GET AWAY FROM ME! YOU ARE NO-" Merlin placed a hand over her mouth muffling her screams. Morgana panicked and tried to slap and kick him. It didn't work as her muscles were still exhausted.
"Calm down Morgana," Merlin soothed. "I am here to save you. Arthur and his men will be here any moment so please calm down. He released his hand covering her mouth. At first Morgana just coughed and spluttered but then she frowned. Emrys was going to save her. This was beyond unlikely; this was an impossibility. Why would she even need his help? She had magic. True, Morgana was exhausted and weak but this didn't prevent her from using her magic.
"Why do you want to 'save' me?" Morgana hissed at Merlin. "I am quite capable of looking after myself. Remember Emrys, I have magic." She was making a good point but Merlin couldn't tell her the truth or else they would be marching off to Camelot. To be fair Arthur was playing the coward this time. Merlin didn't understand it. The Arthur he knew would never be this cowardly, yet, if someone had enchanted him, Merlin couldn't figure out what they were trying to achieve.
"One witch against hundreds of men win still not end well, Morgana. Not when they use blackmail to corrupt yo-" Merlin cut himself off and covered his mouth. He should not have said. Luckily, Morgana was either not worried or had not heard what Merlin had said. She seemed to be in some sort of trance. Her eyes didn't focus on anything in particular and she didn't appear to be listening either. "Hurry up." Merlin wanted to shout at Morgana and bring her back into reality. He didn't shout because of his concern of Arthur or his escort hearing their voices. Instead he grabbed Morgana's wrist and pulled her to the entrance of the cave.
"Merlin..." Morgana gasped. She hated something being clamped round her wrists. It reminded her of being shackled, vulnerable and powerless. It also reminded her of torture
"I'm sorry, Morgana," Merlin apologised in a hushed tone. "Just remind me to never save your life again." Morgana let out a fearful laugh but Merlin covered her mouth to conceal it. "Quiet or else Arthur may hear us." Fuming, Morgana forced Merlin's hand off her mouth.
"Why can't I just summon Aithusa," Morgana hissed to Merlin's exasperation.
"Aithusa is just a baby, Morgana. She can barely carry you let alone protect you from the Camelot soldiers. Her scales are not developed making her easily wounded. Only her soft membrane protects her."
Checking the coast, Merlin lead Morgana out of the cave. The witch barely had time to debate the controversial views of trusting Merlin before he pulled her into a run. Her wrist was firmly wrapped around Merlin's hand as Merlin was frightened that she would faint.
Morgana was almost happy to feel the cool night air chilling her. It was better than a cramped stuffy room by miles. She felt properly alive as the owls screeched and predators growled. In the room, everything had seemed ancient, derelict and dead. Morgana associated the forest with youth, liberty, adventure and freshness. The forest was booming with life and had a somewhat tranquil feeling. Even the wind, that Morgana felt rush through her short hair, was peaceful. She was free at last. Or was she? Her destiny and doom was clutching her wrist. Morgana had just assumed that he was helping her but how could he be? Whenever the priestess was with Merlin, she was constantly bound to her doom. In the end, Morgana came to the arguable conclusion that she was imprisoned. While with Merlin she was condemned. For the one that was called Emrys was said to walk in her path. He was said to be her destiny and doom. Her destiny had been written since before the dawn of time and to change it would be is impossible.
Morgana's full fledged running only lasted for a long minute. After that, her legs crumpled beneath her body making Morgana collapse. Merlin's tight grasp on her wrist meant that he was pulled back and fell on the pine needle covered ground beside her. The warlock had an uncanny feeling that they weren't the only ones disturbing the somber silence of the forest. He shot up looking into the distance like a rabbit did when it sensed danger. Straining his ears for a sound, Merlin heard the scuffling of feet and the distant chink of chain mail in the distance. It had to be the Camelot patrol or bandits. The warlock didn't know who he would rather face. Probably bandits as he still couldn't reveal his secret to any of the Camelot soldiers. There was no time to waste. Merlin could hear the Camelot soldiers coming into the distance.
Morgana determinedly tried to get to her feet but collapsed again. The young warlock swiftly scooped her up with strength which came from nowhere. At least Morgana was light after having lost weight. This was partly to do with her imprisonment, depression and sleeping problems. Her sleeping problems had led to Morgana not being keen to consume anything.
Gently, Morgana wrapped her hands round Merlin's neck. She was completely exhausted Her vision, she had dreamt, kept on taunting her. Emrys and herself were getting too close for Morgana's liking and she was determined to put an end to this. Morgana would have to be patient. Emrys was her only hope of getting out of Arthur's kingdom alive however unhappy she was abouur it. It was obvious that merlin was going to try and change her. Morgana was sure that he had a plan to manipulate and divide her loyalties. That wouldn't happen in a thousand years.
Although Morgana was extremely light, Merlin soon felt himself struggling under her weight. He spotted a gap underneath the tree which was suitable for hiding in. Placing Morgana in there, he crawled in next to her not making a sound. The footsteps and mutter of people's voices grew louder. Merlin gave Morgana a reassuring nudge but she just glared at him. She was even better at thanking him for saving her life than Arthur was. Just as he thought of Arthur, he saw him mounted on a horse through the gap of the tree.
"There were defiantly two people silhouetted in the distance," Arthur called. Merlin could feel the nerves inside him wriggling around him. If Arthur found out that he was hiding under here with Morgana then he was doomed. "I am pretty sure there was a man carrying Morgana. Find her! Do not let her kill another citizen of Camelot!" Merlin had to cover Morgana's mouth before she began to shout at Arthur. Fortunately, Morgana realised what a foolish thing it would be to do.
It took few minutes for Arthur and his troops to walk (for Arthur ride) past and become figures in the distance. Finally Merlin helped Morgana out and lifted her over his shoulder. The witch hated being lifted like this. She got dizzy from seeing the ground below her move so much.
Crack!
Merlin spun round to see a Camelot soldier trampling on a stick. At this unpleasant surprise, Merlin dropped Morgana onto the ground. Fuming at Merlin, it took her a few seconds to notice the soldier. Morgana stared at the soldier. The soldier stared at Merlin. Merlin stared at the Morgana. Morgana stared at the soldier.
"SIRE!" the soldier yelled. "I'VE GOT THEM!" Merlin flung Morgana over his soldier and darted into the distance with Morgana nauseously swinging upside down. He didn't look back to see Arthur and his troops charging after them.
"Damn," Merlin cursed. "Damn me, I forgot about the lingering man." He didn't bother to inform Morgana that it had been his idea to have one man trailing behind the rest of the patrol. Considering that half the people hid when the patrol passed them, this had proved to be an effective way of finding them. No one expected one man to find one man tagging on behind the patrol. Merlin had been caught out by his own cleverness and now he was going to pay dearly.
Merlin urged himself to run on faster but he could feel his shoulders weakening. Moving Morgana back into the arms, Merlin looked at the enervated witch who seemed to be blank; clear of emotions. He didn't dare take a look behind him but he was sure that the Camelot patrol were gaining on them. Morgana's eyes were half closed. The warlock glanced at her giving himself the strength and determination to carry on. She seemed to have the ability to sleep through the most stressful and dangerous situations. Yet here in his arms, Morgana felt like she was in no immediate danger. She seemed to be completely relaxed and at ease. He had not seen her so peaceful since she had been had been the girl that he had once loved. The girl who had come running to him for help and was generally concerned about him. A lot had changed since then.
"Morgana," Merlin gasped gently hauling Morgana down. "I am not strong enough. You are going to have to try and run." Morgana put an arm round Merlin's shoulder to help her balance as she ambled through the forest alongside him. Her head soon began to spin and she lost her balance. Fortunately, Merlin managed to catch her before she hit the ground.
"Merlin?" Merlin turned around with Morgana still in his arms to see Arthur bemusedly gaping at him. The king had dismounted his horse but was still holding its reins tensely
"I know how this may look bu-" Merlin babbled.
"What are you doing?" the king incredulously asked. Merlin awkwardly looked from Arthur to Morgana. He wondered where the rest of the patrol was.
"Collecting honey from a rare bee's nest for Gaius," Merlin explained. At least it was a more creative excuse than his usual 'I was collecting herbs for Gaius' excuse.
"Does that really involve flirting with an enemy of Camelot who does happen to be my sister," Arthur wondered
Morgana was beginning to go back into a deep sleep. Either she would be saved by Emrys or in a cell by the time she woke up and there was nothing more to be said about it.
"Flirting? I don't think so. Arthur I am helping you. What would your sister's death solve?" Merlin took an unsteady step backwards almost losing his balance and toppling onto the ground. Shrugging his shoulders, Arthur glanced at the peaceful Morgana in Merlin's arms. He had a reason for what he was doing. His first priority was protect the citizens of Camelot and while Morgana was alive he could not hope to do this properly.
"If you don't come back to Camelot with me than I will kill Alvarr," Arthur threatened. Morgana's fern green eyes shot open at this and she drowsily looked up at him. He was being such a coward. Merlin was sure that Alvarr had come up with a half baked plan and enchanted Arthur. It didn't make any sense to Merlin. Arthur could never act this cowardly but Alvarr enchanting Arthur to do this neither made any sense.
Merlin noticed Morgana's sudden tenseness and decided to do something that he never thought he would have to do.
"Hleap on bæc," Merlin chanted. His eyes flashed gold and suddenly Arthur was blasted back into the darkness. This shocked Morgana making her bemusedly stare at Merlin who gently placed her back on the ground. "Come on, Morgana. Let's escape on Arthur's horse."
"We need to rescue Alvarr," she protested. Merlin didn't respond but lifted her onto the horse. She was too weak to resist. Surely Mordred would protect Alvarr. Hopefully. Perhaps. Her head was beginning to buzz. Thoughts swirled round it all merged together. Merlin. Kill. Eyes like a stormy sea. Queen of Camelot. Unbeatable. Arthur's bane. Somewhat attractive. Her destiny and doom. Mordred.
Morgana felt vulnerable and weak but she firmly told herself that a High Priestess could never be weak. A High Priestess was strong and did not worry about trivial things. In this universe her death would be a trivial thing. To know this hurt Morgana. Over the thousand of years of mankind she would be only a tiny fragment. No one (apart from Mordred and Alvarr) would grieve about her death anyway. People would rejoice and sing songs. Perhaps, in the future, her death day would be celebrated as the witch was loathed by pretty much everyone.
Morgana snuggled into warmth of someone's body. She wondered if it was Aithusa. Everything was becoming hard to remember now. She wrapped her arms round the person's waist like a child would do to their teddy. The witch was only subconsciously doing this though. She felt like a child. Rubbing her head against the person's body she began to dream. Morgana dreamt of this wonderful man. He was a tall, dark stranger but yet she felt like he was familiar; too familiar.
...
Merlin blissfully looked at Morgana while he fiddled with her short strands of hair. Even though her hair short, it was still mad and matted. Her head rested upon his lap. Morgana was beautiful when she was asleep. He preferred her vulnerable side to her malicious and murderess side. If Morgana knew what was happening to her just now, she would have a fit. At this thought, Merlin reluctantly stood up and walked a few paces away from Morgana. There he lay down and turned his body round to face Morgana.
Merlin did not know where they were but was pretty sure that they were safe. They had galloped for half an hour until Merlin had become extremely worried about Morgana falling from the horse and getting injured. He had then stopped the horse and dismounted lifting Morgana down. The warlock was troubled by where to rest for night. Everywhere these days was perilous for Morgana. Merlin frowned hoping that somewhere would come up soon. Somewhere where either no one would recognise Morgana, or somewhere he could hide her. Not a place existed so the warlock decided to take her home. They were going to Ealdor.
...
Drowsily opening her eyes, Morgana realised that she was curled up against someone. They had their arms wrapped around her. Struggling out of their grasp, Morgana wondered who it was. It was Emrys, her destiny and doom. What kind of deceit was this? As she thought, Morgana began to kick him in the face. It felt good because she was ventilating her anger out at Merlin. He was going to be her human punchbag whether he liked it or not.
The blood was gushing out of his nose long before Merlin woke up. It felt like he had literally walked face first into a wall. He couldn't see anything
"You better hope that you have a damn good explanation for this?" Morgana hissed at him. While drowsily yawning, Merlin naïvely peered up at the witch. Her glistening eyes were narrowed and full of fury but Merlin found himself dreamily staring into them. Luckily, Morgana was more concerned about remaining standing than Merlin.
"I-I am saving your life," Merlin stuttered. Morgana glared at the warlock wondering if Emrys knew that he cuddled into her. By the look of things he didn't, but he was a great actor.
"Why?" Merlin felt himself get hot and sweaty at this simple question. Clenching his knuckles, he could see Morgana intensely smirking. Why did she have to smirk? It got annoying after the first time she did it and this now the billionth time of her doing it. True, it was hilarious when Morgana gave an evil smirk in a room full of people and no one noticed. Beside that it was just annoying.
"Morgana.." Merlin stared.
"TELL ME NOW EMRYS!" Morgana screamed. Even though Morgana was weak, she could scream louder than anyone Merlin knew. Her words also sparked with magic making a tree trunk snap. This shocked Merlin. It was rare for accomplished sorcerers or sorceresses to lose control of they powers even if they were angry or frustrated.
"I care about you," Merlin gasped. "The first time I met you you mistook me for Gwen." Morgana's lip curled at her old friend's name. "You never knew it was me and I had to pretend to be Gwen. It was all very awkward. You were once beautiful and compassionate."
"It's not my fault that the Saxon brat chopped off my hair and I can't use magic to regrow it," Morgana protested. "It's not my fault that I have been been imprisoned so much that I am scarred and weak."
"Your actions lead t-"
"I FIGHT FOR OUR KIN, MERLIN! IT IS ALOT MORE THAN YOU CAN SAY!" Merlin almost chuckled at this but fortunately turned it into a cough.
"Alas! I am fighting for the same thing Morgana. Why are we fighting against each other when we're fighting for the thing- freedom, liberty and acceptance. Arthur will one day be a great king and let magic into his kingdom," Merlin pointed out. Morgana frowned. She had never thought about what Merlin's motives were or what drove the young sorcerer to save Arthur's life.
"I hate you," Morgana groaned. She had just been walked into a trap by Emrys. Where were her usual smart comebacks?
"Let me help you onto the horse, my lady," Merlin called, guiding the witch towards the horse. Stumbling a few times, Morgana was grateful for Merlin's assistance.
"It has been a long time since you have called me that," Morgana frostily said. Merlin shrugged while gently lifting the witch onto the horse.
"I am sorry my princess," Merlin apologised.
"Witch," Morgana corrected.
"Witch princess," Merlin laughed. "Y'know like warrior queen." Morgana felt much better than she had done in months. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted off her chest giving her room to breath and calm down.
"Warlock servant," invented Morgana. Merlin laughed at this as he urged the horse on. They needed to arrive at Ealdor in the dead of night so that no one would see Morgana.
Although Morgana didn't know where they were going, she didn't ask. It wasn't like she would be able to escape from Merlin's clutches even if she wanted. Instead Morgana silently leant back against Merlin. She felt incredibly safe on the horse even though her frail body was close to falling from it. Emrys would protect her. Morgana had nothing to worry about. This enabled Morgana to come in and out trances and to rest slightly, until she remembered that Emrys was indeed her doom. It didn't make sense to say her doom would protect her, yet, that was how she felt. Morgana was too exhausted to properly care about this and could feel her eyes drooping and her awareness dropping.
Whist Morgana was falling asleep, Merlin rode found in a circle and got lost. He didn't recognise where he was let alone whose kingdom he was in. By his side Morgana had falling into a deep sleep to Merlin's exasperation. To be honest Merlin wasn't surprised about this as she hadn't slept well last night. Morgana's blood curdling shrieks had pierced the silence as she writhed around. Whether she was awake, asleep or half asleep Merlin could not tell. It had went on for hours upon end and didn't stop until Merlin had went up to Morgana and comforted her with words of reassurance. She had curled up against and they had slept through the stormy night snuggled up against each other. Worst enemies seeking each other's comfort and trust was not seen everyday. Merlin was sure that Morgana wasn't in her rightful mind. Exhaustion and illness was tearing her apart and, for Merlin, the exhaustion and illness was helpful. Although the young sorcerer could hardly bare seeing Morgana like this, it was guiding Morgana to path of redemption. Perhaps it was going to work out in his favour.
It took Merlin a few hours to find somewhere he recognised. Pressing onto Ealdor, Merlin wondered if they'd make it before nightfall. Morgana had been weaving in and out of sleep but still seemed to be stressed about something. Her prophetic dreams (or nightmares) intrigued Merlin and he wondered whether what her dreams of the future foretold. He didn't envy Morgana's seer powers as it had been bad enough when he had seen images of the future in the crystals. How did she manage to face seeing visions of the future every time she shut her eyes? Merlin wasn't sure but he did know that she was made of stronger stuff than she appeared to be made of just now. Morgana had two sides to her: the malicious, cruel witch side and the vulnerable, helpless sorceress side. To witness either the sides caused Merlin pain. When Morgana was malicious and tried to kill him, Merlin felt broken and hurt. When she was vulnerable and feeble, it broke Merlin's heart. To see someone he loved in so much pain and emotion, because of him, caused him to die inside.
Although Morgana was in and out of sleep writhing so much that Merlin feared for her and screaming, Merlin still managed to make it to Ealdor when night had fallen. Leaving the horse tethered to a tree, Merlin lifted Morgana into his arms praying that no one would see them. In his arms, Merlin could hear Morgana's slightly hoarse breaths for once she seemed to be sleeping unusually peacefully. Morgana couldn't have picked a better time to be quiet like a corpse. This meant that Merlin could creep through the forest and listen out for people without any annoyance. It happened that the warlock didn't hear anything more than the shrieks of foxes, the screeching of owls and the howls of wolves.
Merlin soon arrived at the doorstep of his childhood home with the witch cradled in his arms. Not an animal stirred. It was pitch black and Ealdor felt empty but peaceful. All of his surroundings reassured Merlin. They were so familiar, yet, lately had been getting more and more vague in his mind. Merlin had not been to Ealdor in nearly four years. He had, however, seen his mother who had come to Camelot for a couple of weeks although Hunith much preferred her small, snug village to the bustling Camelot.
"Who is it?" snarled someone sneaking up on Merlin and Morgana. Turning around Merlin prayed that this person would not know who his precious bundle was.
Thanks for reading. I know this chapter basically just consisted of Merlin and Morgana running around the forest but I hope their relationship is getting more complex.
Is there anything you would like to see happen? Please tell me if there is.