Insanetrouble- I'm sorry but I like cliffhangers. Basically everyone of my chapters end on one.
Junior Woofles- Yep you are right as usual, it wasn't that bad. Applesia makes its return in this chapter.
Guest- Thanks and your right it is her.
Anyway I might not be updating as much as I am going through a reading phase. I'll still try and update every week though. Enjoy! (hopefully)
Morgana was pulling her feet along the forest floor barely able to stay on her feet. Everything in the past hour had went by in a flash. One minute Merlin had said something about Arthur loving her and then he had literally hauled Morgana out of his childhood home. Foolishly, Merlin had forgotten about the village being busy in daylight hours. If anyone spotted who Merlin was assisting, he and his mother were forever doomed. It happened that Merlin had hauled Morgana in front of a dozen people's faces. Morgana had automatically bent her head towards the ground while Merlin protectively wrapped an arm around her. Merlin had told everyone that Morgana was suffering from the contagious disease- applesia. Applesia had been a disease that Gwaine had invented whilst he was locked up in the Saxon prison with Morgana. Gwaine had not eaten an apple in a long while so he had told the guards that he was suffering from not consuming enough apples hence calling the disease applesia (Gwaine was very unimaginative at times.)
Every Ealdor villager had turned their backs and covered their mouths when Merlin announced that Morgana had the deadly disease. Thus they had been able to get out of Ealdor and were now walking through a desolate forest (again!).
"Come on Morgana," Merlin impatiently sighed. Morgana was trailing several paces behind him not able to keep with him. Morgana scowled when Merlin said this as it was obvious that she was not able to keep up. Apparently she was suffering from starvation and exhaustion.
"I am suffering from applesia," Morgana hissed. "You would do well to remember that Em-"
"APPLESIA!" Morgana knew that annoying voice and it didn't happen to be Merlin's or Arthur's or Gwen's. It was Gwaine's annoying voice. It annoyingly took both Merlin and Morgana to notice that Gwaine was nestled in the branches of a tree.
"Gwaine," Merlin screamed with joy. Gwaine leapt down to see his friend. "What were you doing up there?"
"Trying to get some honey," Gwaine laughed but his face then turned serious. "Why are you flirting with Morgana when you should be slaving around for Arthur?"
"WE ARE NOT FLIRTING!" Morgana shrieked making both Gwaine and Merlin jump. They had almost forgot that Morgana was trembling beside them.
"Someone's feisty," Gwaine laughed throwing Morgana an exasperated grin. "Someone is feisty ninety-nine percent of the time."
Morgana bit her lip and tried not to throw an insult back at Gwaine. He was insane, deluded and could be very, very, very, very, very, annoying. At least the annoying knight treated her like a human which was a lot more than everyone else treated her. Not many people seemed to understand that she was fighting for a good cause and fighting for her very survival. Most people thought hat Morgana was a insane and corrupted murderess with no self control and feelings. Life was hard for Morgana but she just coped with it.
"What's the plan?" Gwaine annoyingly asked breaking the somber but serene silence.
Merlin didn't have much of a plan. He had just an idea and then would make it up as he went along. The idea was simple- Merlin needed to show Morgana how much Arthur actually cared for her whilst having the time of his life making a fool out of Arthur.
"You will have to wait and see," Merlin murmured striding into the distance. Morgana inquisitively raised an eyebrow towards Gwaine but Gwaine merely shrugged. He was as bemused as Morgana was.
...
"What the hell?" Morgana and Gwaine chorused when Merlin returned. They hardly recognised him. Perhaps his eyes were a little recognisable but Merlin's disguise did conceal his identity notably well. His long grey hair was wispy and frazzled. He wore his mother's periwinkle dress and a sapphire shawl which covered his ears. Morgana was teetering between being mortified or finding Merlin's new appearance hilarious. At first Gwaine had been horrified but now his heavy chortles reverberated found the forest.
"Do I honestly look that bad," Merlin asked in a sickly feminine voice. Gwaine chuckled in response and Morgana crossed her arms clearly not finding it amusing anymore. She was more concerned about her survival and liberation than Merlin's hilarious attempt to become a woman.
"Bad?" Gwaine laughed finding it hard to breathe. "Try and..." Gwaine took a large gulp of fresh air. "Try and act more like a girl. Look how Morgana's arms are folded. Girls also like to put their hands on their hips and walk with less of a swagger. They also like to twirl their hair and cross their legs."
"How would you know so much?" Merlin gaped. Shrugging his shoulders, Gwaine glanced at a perplexed and furious Morgana. She seemed to finding this whole situation exasperating and Gwaine didn't find himself wondering why.
"I have dressed up as a woman, believe or not," Gwaine chortled. "It worked quite well until a man showed a certain degree of interest in me. I ran cursing applesia upon the man. I didn't stop running until I dropped to the ground from exhaustion. Since then I've never dressed up as a woman." Merlin giggled along with his troublesome friend. Gwaine wouldn't be Gwaine without having an extraordinary knack for getting himself into some sort of trouble.
"I have to just hope Arthur doesn't show a certain interest in me," Merlin muttered making Morgana glare at him. If looks could kill Merlin would have died over a million times. Luckily, (for Merlin) they didn't and Morgana would have to cope with temporally becoming a slave if she wanted her magic back.
"Would be funny if he did," Gwaine blurted out. "Merlin I love you, Merlin I do, I would go to ends of earth for you..." Gwaine and Merlin erupted into fits of laughter at this. Morgana watched their every move eyeing up her opportune moment to escape their wraths. Taking a couple of quiet steps backwards, Morgana sighed in relief at Merlin and Gwaine's ignorance to her actions. As soon as Morgana saw the opportune moment, she broke into a full fledged run. Unfortunately for Morgana, Merlin, however, had been more aware of her actions than she had previously thought. She felt herself being swept backwards and gently landing on the forest floor.
"Time to get your shackles on witchie," Gwaine announced. Morgana's face paled and her emerald eyes brimmed with crystal teardrops. Chains, shackles and manacles were a complete nuisance to Morgana. She loathed being restrained and couldn't stand wearing them. Gwaine sensed Morgana's distress at the word and bit his lip. He didn't mean to hurt her.
"I have enchanted them so they will not hurt your wrists," Merlin assured Morgana. "I know your skin there is still tender to the abuse they have previously endured." Although Merlin was trying to comfort Morgana, the warlock's attempt failed. Morgana was hurt by anything which was associated with imprisonment. Even though Morgana was far from comfortable with Merlin chaining her, she submissively let him slide the chains on and fasten them. Morgana had not forgotten how heavy shackles could be and groaned at the weight of them. Standing back, Merlin muttered an enchantment his eyes flashing gold and the shackles were light as a feather. He and Gwaine had earlier (with a little bit magic) transformed Morgana's appearance from ill peasant to dying slave.
Morgana? Merlin telepathically sent to her head. We should use telpathy to communicate so Arthur can't hear us. Morgana's head gave a slight twitch which Merlin assumed to be a nod. Then she dropped to the ground like a rag doll to keep up her slave pretence. Morgana didn't understand Merlin's absurd idea about her being a slave and Arthur caring about her. It was all nonsense but Morgana did want her magic back so she did obey Merlin.
Whilst Merlin and Morgana had been telepathically communicating, Gwaine had managed to scramble up a tree. Now he could spectate the scene and quietly laugh at the same time. It would have been too hard for Gwaine to keep a straight face whilst gaping at Merlin's ridiculous feminine actions in front of the ignorant king. Gwaine's laughter would arouse suspicion in Arthur. Arthur would eventually realise that the old woman was Merlin. Merlin, Morgana and himself would probably be in great trouble (again!).
In the distance Gwaine managed to make out the blurry silhouettes of mounted men. Surely it had to be the Camelot patrol with Arthur leading them. If it was bandits, they were all in trouble.
Merlin (still trying to pose like a girl) and Morgana seemed to notice the figures in the distance. Extracting a sealed letter, Merlin began to fiddle with his hair to not arouse suspicion in the approaching horsemen. Morgana bowed her head to the ground and tried to light a bundle of kindling. She didn't dare look up at the approaching person. If it was her brother, Morgana would barely be able to contain her hatred of him. She needed to do as Merlin asked her if she wanted her magic back.
"Who are you?" a voice inquired. Morgana didn't dare glance up from her position to see who it was. She could distinguish this cruel voice anywhere- it was Arthur.
"My name is Dolma," Merlin sweetly said in his best feminine tone. "I need to deliver a confidential letter to the king of Camelot. Since you are mounted upon a magnificent destrier, you must be a knight."
If Morgana hadn't been so worried, she would have gave a silky laugh at Merlin's attempt to sound like a woman. Instead she kept her head bowed to the ground worrying that Arthur might run her through.
"I am Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot," Arthur announced, holding out a hand for Dolma (Merlin) to shake. Dolma did not take his hand but stared at him in disbelief.
"You can't be the king of Camelot," Dolma argued. Now it was Arthur's turn look perplexed.
"Why not?" Arthur wondered, offended.
"Because kings are noble and like lions. You are stupid and like a rat," Dolma laughed. Arthur's face screwed up in concentration. He was obviously trying hard to work out how he looked like a rat.
What the hell?Morgana telepathically shouted inside Merlin's head.
What is life with out a bit of fun, Merlin telepathically replied. Morgana gave Merlin an exasperated frown. Arthur still hadn't that Morgana was on the ground behind Merlin. Even though Morgana was literally immobile and camouflaged, Arthur should have noticed her by now. Merlin decided it was about time to draw Arthur's attention to his shackled half-sister.
"Well at least you are not a pig like your father," Dolma assured Arthur. Arthur genuinely seemed baffled at this statement unlike his half-sister who smirked. From Morgana's view Merlin had never spoke a truer word about Uther than what he had said just now
"MY FATH-"
"Your sister looks like a butterfly though," Dolma added folding her arms. "She has fluttery eyelashes and is delicate and is rath-"
SHUT UP EMRYS! Morgana telepathically shouted. Morgana's mood was extremely tetchy as she was still edgy about this situation and did not approve of the joke. Especially when the joke was one that a five year old would make up and find hilarious. She did not have fluttery eye lashes and defintitely was more dangerous than delicate.
"Sorry I was meaning your wife," Dolma apologised. "Morgana has the appearance and personality of a rogue wolf but the fight of a worm."
SHUT UP! EMRYS! EMRYS! EMRYS! Morgana yelled in Merlin's head. Merlin was too busy grinning at Arthur's stunned and bewildered face. It was priceless. The king didn't have a clue about what was going on but seemed to be rather concerned about 'Dolma'.
Talk properly, Morgana. TALK! Merlin telepathically commanded.
Morgana picked herself from the forest floor and rubbed her hands together to get the dirt off them. The jangle of chains was audible to Arthur making him finally spot his half-sister. Even when Arthur spotted Morgana, it took him a while to realise who it was. Merlin and Gwaine had taken hours to make Morgana look the part. They had literally coated her face, hair and hands with mud. Merlin had crushed raspberries and used his magic to make the crushed berries resemble blood. Gwaine had went insane trying to spread raspberry 'blood' all over Morgana's face but Merlin had stopped him the nick of time. Instead the two men had settled for giving Morgana bloody wounds on her wrists and one down her face.
Merlin was impressed by how their handy work fared as Morgana clambered up. Her hair was matted but coated in mud. Her skin was grimy. The 'wound' on her face even had 'pus' (actually a paste of daffodils and honey made of magic). Morgana's appearance gave her the look of a damsel in distress, much to Gwaine's delight.
"I HAVE MORE FIGHT THAN ANYONE!" Morgana suddenly snarled making her brother jump.
Arthur seemed to be genuinely concerned for his barely recognisable sister. He made a gentle gesture to her. His periwinkle eyes seemed large and understanding. Morgana longed to smirk at this. She longed to smirk at her brother's stupidity and ignorance but she couldn't. Arthur's sympathy, for Morgana, was too rare for her to smirk at it. She was more astonished that he could sympathise anyone with magic, except from Emrys, of course. Emrys was 'good' in Arthur's eyes though, something that Morgana would never be again.
"SHUT UP SLAVE!" Dolma shrieked at Morgana. "IF YOU UTTER ANOTHER WORD THEN I SWEAR I WILL KILL YOU!"
Morgana opened her mouth in shock at Merlin's shouts. She didn't need to act frightened; Morgana was actually terrified. Now she realised how malicious and angry Merlin could be, the future seemed to be set in stone. Merlin could sense Morgana's fear so he turned his attention back to Arthur and handed him a letter and scroll.
"If you after with the terms than we can both sign this scroll forthwith," Dolma sweetly murmured.
As told, Arthur opened the letter and read:
Dear the ratty king of blah blah,
I have already conquered your sorceress sister and YOU and YOUR KINGDOM will be next! Unless of course you just give me your kingdom, pratty rat. If you won't I will turn you into a rat and take your kingdom anyway. Either way you lose. I win. Also tell your sister to brush her hair more and to get a new look. Green eye shadow is creepy! Dressing in black whilst lurking in the dark is even creepier!
Your dungeons do not scare me either. They are the worst. I don't know anyone who has been held captive in them and not escaped. The only thing that is slightly scary about the dungeons are the warning bells. Apparently the warning bells go off 24/7. I suppose they go off because either someone is escaping from the dungeons again, or there is another traitor in Camelot. Apparently there is also a traitor in Camelot 24/7. I have heard that the traitors in Camelot casually roam around, breaking into vaults or even murdering people in front of guards noses.
Looking forward to taking over the world,
Dolma
PS. You might want to get better guards. They wouldn't notice me if I walked past them shouting 'I'M GOING TO KILL THE KING!' at the top of my voice.
"I am not just going to give my kingdom to any random person that passes by," Arthur protested. He reread the letter trying to process it. Since when had his guards been that rubbish. Perhaps once or twice a prisoner had escaped, but the guards had all been handpicked and trained by Arthur. There was also most definitely no traitors in Camelot. Morgana and Agravaine were the only two traitors which he had remembered ever setting foot in Camelot.
"Then I shall kill your sister," Dolma announced pulling out a dagger. The dagger was as black as the night sky and cold like snow. The edges of it were impeccably sharpened. No one could say a word against the brutality a person could perform with such a weapon. Morgana's muscles tensed at the sight of it and her legs gave way. She was still enervated from her lack of food and sleep.
Calm Morgana. Remember it is only an act.
I am acting, Morgana telepathically lied to Merlin.
When Dolma approached Morgana with the lethal dagger and the maniacal grin upon her face, Arthur felt his grip on the handle of his sheathed sword tightening. The king was conflicted. He didn't know what to do. He could let Dolma stab Morgana and wait for the opportune moment to try and stab Dolma or he could try and stab Dolma right now with his sword. Although Arthur had no evidence that Dolma was a sorceress, he was sure that she was a sorceress. Perhaps the fact that she had no weapon apart a dagger on her made Arthur fear that she was a sorceress. Or perhaps it was how she miraculously managed to capture Morgana that made the king sure that she was a sorcereress.
While Arthur had been weighing up his options, a young man had been lurking in the shadows. He slowly unsheathed his sword and leapt out in front of Dolma. Dolma carelessly blasted the young man back much to Morgana's disapproval.
GO AWAY MORDRED! YOU ARE RUINING THE SCENE! Merlin telepathically shouted.
What? Mordred's drawling voice asked.
Do as he says and GO AWAY! Morgana ordered.
Mordred stumbled to his feet and clumsily stepped back into the bushes as Morgana commanded him. He wanted to witness the commotion which was about to occur. Mordred also wanted to keep a beady eye on Emrys and prevent Morgana having to cope with his wrath. Morgana's appearance did suggest that she had already endured Merlin's wrath and lived to tell the tale. Although Mordred pretty much knew that Merlin was Dolma, he had no idea why Merlin had suddenly wanted to beguile Arthur. There was something going on here which Mordred did not think he'd like.
Arthur, all this time, had not noticed Mordred spring out of the bushes or get blasted back. The preoccupied king was busy stressing over his conflicted state. In a moments passion, Arthur unsheathed his sword and sprinted over to Dolma. He was about to plunge his sword into Dolma's flesh before Dolma blasted him back. Seeing Morgana's emerald eyes widen in shock at his attempt to rescue her, destroyed Arthur. It shouldn't be shocking news that he wanted to protect his sister. No, that was every brother's duty. A duty which Arthur neglected. Arthur wanted his old Morgana; he needed his old Morgana. Without Morgana, Arthur knew he wouldn't be the king that he was today. Morgana had been his advisor and taught him to think of other people than himself. She had also taught him to speak out against people and acknowledge that contradicting other people's views was no crime. Admiring Morgana's courage, determination, ambition, kindness and strong will, Arthur had tried to copy her ways. Morgana had always been his sister and he didn't care whether it was by blood or not. Arthur loved her and that was all that matters.
By the time Arthur had clambered to his feet, Dolma had chanted a transportation spell. With a gust of wind and the swish of Morgana's cloak, Morgana and Dolma vanished into thin air.
Crack!
Gwaine had slipped, lost his balance and was know tumbling out of the tree. He landed in a pile of mud beside Arthur's feet.
"Why the hell didn't you help me?" Arthur asked Gwaine. Gwaine rubbed the mud out of his eyes, he had better fabricate a believable story.
I hope you enjoyed that. Anyway in the next chapter the horn of Cathbad will be falling into a certain priestess's possession. Who do you want to come back from the dead? Also Hunith will be giving Morgana into trouble for getting herself filthy (again!)