Disclaimer: I don't own it. What you don't recognize is mine, yada, yada, yada. Made by a fan for fans, no money is being made off this, etc, etc.
Thanks to Deiticlast for his work as a beta-reader and sounding board.
This is a fairly Morgana-centric Chapter – its just how the writing came out.
Ruins of My Kingdom To Come
By Alkeni
Chapter 20: I Don't Trust Her
"Arise, Sir Vidor, Knight of Camelot." Uther told the kneeling man as he lightly tapped the sword on the man's shoulder, the fourth of the night. "Arise, Sir Caradoc, Knight of Camelot."
Morgana didn't really want to be here. She had no active opposition to the knight itself, but she never wanted to spend any time near Uther if she could avoid it... unfortunately, she often couldn't. She could only beg off illness or not feeling well only so often before that excuse wore thin.
She ignored Uther's words, focusing her mind on this... situation with Arthur. She and Merlin had... met less often since Arthur had told him about his... awareness. And his incorrect assumptions about why the were absent at the same times...
And the times they had met were now usually late at night. It was both less risky and more risky – less risky, as it would be less likely for them to be noticed missing, but more so... even worse if someone found them gone - found them at that late hour...
Morgana was drawn out of her thoughts by the sound of battle outside of the hall. No, not battle. Just one person fighting another...
The doors burst open and an armored figure appeared, stalking towards the assembled five knights. For some reason, Morgana tensed at seeing this strange arrival... it was unsurprising that she would, given the way this person had clearly fought their way into the room... throne room... Morgana's thoughts scattered like broken glass across stone floors as she brushed a wisp of hair out of her eyes.
And more, a strange feeling of... a sort of shiver down her spine...
Arthur stepped forward, facing the arrival head-on... which appeared to be exactly what this person, whoever it was, wanted. Morgana swallowed as she saw the person remove their gauntlet and throw it at Arthur's feet.
She held her breath as Arthur picked it up, facing the knight head-on. "I accept your challenge. If I'm to face you in combat, do me the courtesy of revealing your identity."
The knight reached their hands up to their helmet and removed it – long tresses of blond hair were revealed, to a small chorus of gasps...
And then the woman's face was completely revealed... and Morgana nearly fell in recognition. She'd seen this woman. The image remained burned in her mind, even after all these months...
This was the woman to fight Illyria... a sorceress of enough power to challenge her...
A sorceress is challenging Arthur to a duel... Morgana swallowed, forcing herself to stay standing. The brief moment of shock, of split-second terror passed...
"My name is Morgause."
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Morgana watched Morgause in the square, practicing her sword, trying to figure out what the woman was up to just by watching her.
Of course, it wasn't working.
Merlin will make sure she doesn't use magic in the duel... or at least, he'll do the same to help Arthur...
But she seemed to know her way around a sword and she had felled five guards on the way to challenging the prince. It didn't mean she wasn't intent on killing Arthur in a duel with her magic to guarantee victory, but...
Of course, there was no way to know if this woman really had any hostile intent... though Morgana couldn't help but think she did.
The real question is if her hostile intent is better or worse than Illyria's own machinations.
From what little Wesley had told Merlin, and Merlin told her about Illyria, the blue-haired woman – blue haired demon – had plans of conquest, of empire. But she was content to bide her time, and might for some time to come.
The devil you know. Or demon, in this case...
Morgana still did not like or trust Illyria, though she had actually acted almost human a few days ago, surprising her – but she did not trust this 'Morgause' either. There was something about her that bothered Morgana. The way she'd delivered her challenge perhaps, with callous disregard for the guards she'd killed on the way.
She could have walked into open court in the morning to deliver her challenge. Or met him when he was out training to challenge him... or almost any other time. She chose now, when guards would attack her on sight, moving around in the night...
"Who is she?" Morgana half-turned from the window at the sound of Gwen's voice as her servant busied her way around the room, getting it ready for Morgana to sleep. Not that I will be sleeping soon... "Why would she challenge Arthur? It seems that no one's ever heard of her."
Morgana turned from the window and looked at Gwen. "I... I don't know," she admitted. "But whatever it is she wants with him, Arthur is going to fight her. He's like that. I just... I don't trust her."
"You've not even met her," Gwen pointed out, pulling down the top of the bedsheets.
"I know... though I do feel as if I have seen her before," Morgana said softly. And it was true – not just with the... vision. There was a strange note of familiarity, now that she saw the woman in person...
Or maybe it was just the vision.
"Where could you have seen her before?"
Morgana shook her head at Gwen's question, lying easily enough, "I don't know." Morgana dropped the curtain, turning completely away from the window. "I need to speak to Lady Illyria."
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"Enter, Morgana." Morgana heard Illyria's voice coming through the door even before she reached it. Keeping the shock off her face, Morgana opened the door and walked in.
She was surprised again to see Illyria; the woman wasn't wearing her armor.
Well, she was still wearing it over most of her body, but not over arms, which were completely bare, all the way to the shoulders. The skin of her arms was... blue. Not entirely, but patches of blue across her arms. The rest was white, the same sort of unnatural pale as her face.
Illyria wasn't facing the door when Morgana entered, instead, her eyes were on the window, as one of her hands traced shapes and lines along it. But as Morgana closed the door behind her, Illyria turned to face her.
"Your presence is unexpected."
Morgana nodded. "It was... a spur of the moment decision to come here. I assume Wesley told you about the events of earlier this night?"
"Of the knight who slew five guards and challenged Arthur to a duel? A woman calling herself Morgause?" Illyria nodded, "Yes. A powerful sorceress indeed."
"So you do know she can use magic."
"I feel the magic of those who can wield it – I can feel yours, Merlin's, that of this woman... hers is of note. Why bring this to me?" Morgana watched in amazement as the armor started to... grow, from Illyria's shoulders, rippling back to cover her arms all the way back to her wrists, leaving the hands still bare.
It was like watching water in motion, watching the armor grow back over her arms...
Illyria saw the direction of Morgana's gaze. "This is not 'armor' in the sense you are familiar. This chitin is an extension of my own form, my own essence. It extends as far as I will it to."
"I see." Though really, Morgana didn't really see. She shook her head. This was irrelevant. She wasn't here to engage Illyria in conversation about anything, let alone her nature. "As for why I am bringing this to your attention..." Morgana paused a moment and then continued. "On the day you arrived in Camelot... before I'd ever laid eyes on you, I saw you. In a dream – a vision."
"I am aware you are a Seer. That you saw me is interesting, but of little immediate relevance," Illyria pointed out, not saying the obvious question in her tone.
"I didn't see just you. Nor did I see Wesley. I saw you, engaged in battle – a magical battle - with a woman I'd never before seen. A woman with blonde hair... who just challenged Arthur to a duel."
The armor flowed over Illyria's hands as they tightened into fists, as if in reaction to Morgana's words. "That is all?"
Morgana nodded, "Just the two of you fighting. That was all. No context, no victor."
"I only initiate those battles I can win," Illyria replied with confidence, "And unlike Arthur, I do not accept challenges out of misguided need to establish my prowess."
"It's not that simple," Morgana disagreed, wondering just why she was engaging in this conversation with Illyria. "It is the Knight's Code – and the Knights won't serve a ruler who hasn't proven their willingness to fight for their throne. A weak ruler is not well respected." Morgana didn't like that Arthur, as heir, was expected to prove himself time and again, even in battles where he didn't need to risk his life, like this one...
But much as she loved him like a brother, she also knew him far too well to expect otherwise.
"There exists a line between proving your strength and taking foolish risks. Arthur cannot recover from or withstand injury as well as others might. He acts with foolishness."
"I didn't say he didn't," Morgana said softly. Then she shook her head, "That's not why I'm here though. If I saw you fighting Morgause, then-"
"What is foreseen is not written in stone," Illyria said imperiously, "As was said by the shell, 'Screw Destiny.'" Illyria had a small smirk as she said that, though only for a moment. "I cast my own fate."
Shell? What is she talking about? Morgana shook her head mentally. Irrelevant.
"That all said," Illyria cocked her head slightly as she spoke, "if this 'Morgause' poses ill will to Camelot, then she no doubt makes herself my enemy."
"Why? You've no reason to care about Camelot. Neither you nor Wesley do, but you help Camelot – from time to time, anyway... " Morgana's voice trailed off at the look on Illyria's face, which made even her best icy glares pale in comparison.
"Arthur is - his faults and flawed humanity aside - a mortal of merit, a Champion. I intend to let him conduct himself for his lifespan as King of Camelot. I will outlive him, as I will outlive even you and Merlin. To you, planning for the future is planning the next decade, at best. To me, that is the role of the millenia."
"It won't be just us that you outlive," Morgana pointed out. "It will be all that you know, will it not? If you truly will live as long as you say."
"Of this I am aware." Illyria's voice had a strange note to it. Almost melancholy for a moment. Then her voice returned to its normal imperious, mostly flat tone. "It is what it is, and I am what I am. It suits me to let Arthur have his reign, and so I will ensure Camelot survives, when it is necessary for me to intervene." She looked at Morgana, the ghost of a smile flickering across her face, so quickly that Morgana was fairly sure she imagined it.
"Though you and Merlin seem to have it mostly in hand."
Morgana shook her head, perhaps even more confused than before, about who Illyria was, and what she actually wanted... and confused even more about if it was a good or a bad idea to let her stay in Camelot unmolested...
Merlin thinks he could take her, but he doesn't want to risk it. Not until he teaches himself better, more powerful spells to control what he might attack her with...
If it came to blows between Merlin and Illyria, Morgana would make sure that Merlin did not fight alone. She'd stand by him in the fight, for as long as she if something happened to Merlin... she didn't know what she'd do. What she could do, without him.
But should that fight happen?
Morgana didn't know. And she hated not knowing...
Once more, Morgana shoved a thought aside. The immediate concern was Morgause, and what she planned for Arthur. Was she just aiming to kill him... or did she have a greater plan?
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"Unless I was much mistaken, that was Lady Morgana departing your chambers."
Illyria turned at the sound of Wesley's voice behind her. She'd known he was coming, so his voice was far from unexpected, nor were his words. Wesley was a born questioner, possessed of a boundless curiosity.
The remnants of the shell's last memories, the fragments of her being that remained imprinted on Illyria's mind showed how much that trait had appealed to the shell. And much as she hated it, that trait was now one that Illyria found... more than acceptable, for Wesley to have.
Illyria had unfortunately come to a number of conclusions she didn't like since she'd begun actively exploring the human emotions that had begun to writhe within her. She had not wanted to request Wesley's aid – even indirectly, as she had – but her own explorations had proven to be far too clumsy to reach any success.
Wesley's help, and continued exploration of what the shell had left her with inescapable conclusions.
Wrestling with those conclusions now too much for her time... which is why she spent as much time as she did, while wrestling with them, tracing shapes and lines on windows with her hands and sometimes her arms bare... the action was...
Soothing was the only term she could apply, and it a term she very much wished she had no need for.
"It was. It would seem she knew of my appearance before we came to Camelot."
Wesley considered her words a few moments, but just as Illyria suspected he would, he made the connection. "She had a vision of you. That would explain a great deal."
"She had a vision of me engaged in a battle of magicks with this 'Morgause' you spoke of," Illyria further explained, stepping closer to Wesley.
"Now that is interesting." Wesley looked at her, and Illyria felt a sensation in her throat she'd felt before, but still had no name for, a reaction to the look of... concern, she thought, on Wesley's face. "Who was winning?"
"She saw no more than a battle itself. But were we to come to blows, I would win." Wesley stepped closer to her in turn, and Illyria shifted a little.
"You are that confident in your abilities?"
"I fight only those battles which I will win." Illyria saw no point in continuing on the subject, and so, she changed it. "I wish to learn more about this land – Albion, England, Britannia, whatever pale name is ascribed to it."
"To what purpose? I doubt it is idle curiosity."
Illyria heard the instant suspicion in his tone, and bristled at it. "I wish to know," Illyria informed him, keeping the same tone she usually spoke in, though with effort she should not need, "so I may plan. I cannot make long term plans unless I know that which I plan for."
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Morgana wasn't surprised that Merlin was already in the little, almost cramped room in the castle cellar when she arrived. This was exactly the sort of thing they had to discuss... figure out what to deal with.
"Arthur tried to get her to withdraw," Merlin announced as she came in. He'd seen the expression on Morgana's face when Morgause had removed her helmet. He had realized that something had bothered her immensely, had thrown her off. Morgana had seen the expression on his face in turn, so she wasn't surprised by his immediate leaping to the matter at hand.
"Doesn't want to fight a woman?" Despite herself, Morgana let the ghost of a smile pass across her own face.
"He's not exactly thrilled by the prospect. Had me carry a message to her... but she's obviously determined and confident. She didn't take him up on the offer." Merlin looked like he wanted to smile a little himself, but he didn't.
"Of course not. She's a sorceress, Merlin."
"How do you-" Merlin started, but Morgana interrupted him.
"That woman I saw fighting Illyria, with magic? As soon as I saw her face, I recognized it. She was fighting Morgause. Which means Morgause is a magic user... "
Merlin paled just a little. "Then she must be after Arthur to kill him." Morgana bit her lip at Merlin's instant assumption that any strange magic-user wanted to kill Arthur... though given his own experience, it was maybe a logical conclusion...
And its not like I haven't reached the conclusion that its likely as well.
"If she kills him in an open duel... even if she uses magic to help her do it, assuming she doesn't get caught... " Merlin's voice trailed off for a moment. "By the Knights Rules, she gets to walk away alive, doesn't she?"
"Under the rules," Morgana agreed. Not that she thought Uther would let her get away with that for a second. To him, the Knight's Code was a tool, just one more cudgel he could use to affect his whims on the world.
"I'll have to keep watch on the battle... I'll have to stop her... " Merlin said softly. "We can't let her kill Arthur."
Morgana nodded. "I know that Merlin – but I don't think she's going to. Uther isn't going to just let her walk away if she kills his only heir, Knight's Code be damned. And she probably guesses that. Besides, if all she wanted to do was kill Arthur, she could have tried that some other way." Now she shook her head, letting out a long breath. "No. I think she's playing a longer game. Whatever it this Morgause wants... I doubt this will be the only time we see her."
"What do you think she's going to try then?" Merlin stepped a little closer to her, then she saw him stop himself, as if he'd been intending to step further towards her, but didn't.
"I have no idea." Morgana admitted.
"I can't think of anything either."
Morgana threw up a hand in frustration, "And of course, I have no way of knowing if what I saw means that perhaps Illyria will be the one we want to lose. One of the few truly clear 'visions' I've had, and its utterly unhelpful!" Morgana felt like screaming. She hated not knowing the best answer, not being sure what to do... "How do you manage it Merlin, doing all this? How did you manage it last year?"
Merlin shrugged, "Mostly? I just made it up as I went along. I didn't really do much long-term thinking. I just... did what seemed best at the time. Thinking ahead never really happened."
Though the gravity of the situation – what might happen to Arthur tomorrow, even if Merlin did his best to help the Crown Prince – still weighed on her, Morgana couldn't help but laugh. "That would explain a lot, now wouldn't it?"
"It's not been easy keeping up with everything, Morgana." Merlin pointed out, a small note of defensiveness in his voice. Then his voice softened, "It's been easier, since... since I've had your help with... everything."
Morgana smiled some at that, though not in amusement, rather... it was... she liked hearing Merlin say that, though she wasn't completely clear on why it brought a smile to her face, especially now.
"If Morgause isn't trying to kill him... well, we both know he'll drag you just about anywhere he goes, to be the pack mule if nothing else."
Merlin laughed as well. "True. It's the one advantage to being his servant – he takes me just about everywhere." Then he sobered a little. "I suppose... I suppose we'll find out what she intends tomorrow. I won't let her kill Arthur."
"I know you won't." Morgana nodded. And she knew he'd do all he could... and while a small part of her was concerned he would fail, it was only a small part. Merlin was capable. He could do this, even assuming Arthur would need the help.
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Morgana had her position seated next to Uther – where she always had to sit during these events – and watched as Arthur came out onto the field of combat, Morgause already waiting for him. The crowd – citizens of Camelot all – were cheering him, and Morgana knew most of it was genuine.
Uther was respected and obeyed, largely. Arthur, though, was loved by the people in a way his father never would be.
Both Arthur and Morgause stood before Uther's box, ready for the battle to begin, and Morgana felt herself tense. She saw Merlin, loitering by the edges of the battleground, out of easy sight of most people – with their focus on the fight, they'd almost certainly not notice him doing anything...
"The fight is by the Knights Rules," Uther announced in a grand, but largely emotionless tone, though Morgana thought he looked decidedly grim as he added, "and to the death."
Arthur drew closer to Morgause and spoke to her – Morgana didn't catch his words, but whatever they were, he stepped back, drawing his sword as Morgause did in turn.
Both stood ready, swords pointed at the other, and Morgana's throat clenched.
The two fought, both moving quickly, efficiently, their strikes coming hard and purposeful, each blocking the other with seeming ease. It wasn't, Morgana knew, actually so easy, but it was what they were doing...
Back and forth and then – Arthur cut across Morgause's arm, a small injury on the unarmored portion near the reverse of her elbow... but it was enough as the woman dropped her sword, staggering back a pace.
Arthur too stepped back, and Morgana cursed under her breath as she realized he was giving his opponent a chance to reclaim her weapon.
Damn your honor Arthur!
Even as he gave her that chance, the cheering of the crowd grew louder, more intense, and Morgana tried to block out the noise, her eyes fixed on the fight, though she didn't want to see it.
Morgause picked up her weapon, and once more battle was joined between them. Arthur had her pressed against the wall of the arena...
And then she dodged, under his guard, knocking him back with her arm into his side and stomach, then Arthur fell over, his helmet falling off and Morgana willed Merlin to act, willed Arthur to stand up again...
Even as Arthur started to get up, as she saw Merlin start to make a move, Morgause had her sword at Arthur's chest...
And then... nothing. Merlin did nothing, Arthur did nothing... Morgause did nothing, and the crowd fell silent.
Sword still on Arthur's chest, Morgause removed her helmet, and Morgana felt herself grow ever more tense...
She never was going to kill Arthur... so what now?
"Make me a promise, and I will spare your life." Morgause's voice was heavy, a few hard breaths amidst her words.
"What is it you ask?"
"Come to me three days hence, and accept the challenge I set you." Her tone was as hard as iron, uncompromising. If Arthur did not agree, she would kill him...
Merlin – he can't now... but he must, if Arthur...
"And the nature of this challenge?"
"That is for me to decide." She paused, and then, following no reply from Arthur, she pressed on. "Do I have your word that you will accept no matter what?"
"You have my word," Arthur ground out after a moment.
And now it's done...
Once Arthur Pendragon gave his word, that was it. It was a known fact across Camelot and her neighbors.
Morgause let him up, offered Uther a perfunctory bow and left the field of battle, the crowd still silent. Morgana couldn't help but watch her as she left, exactly none of her tension leaving her.
Scowling at his son ever so slightly, Uther left moments later, as the crowd began to speak once more – quiet and indistinct from where she was.
What does she want from him?