Chapter 2: Morgana's Story

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Both sitting comfortably in Merlin's apartment, Morgana began.

"It started when you killed me. Like I said before, rather unpleasant." A playful smirk danced across Morgana's lips and Merlin couldn't help but return it. "You buried my body, but my soul was already in Avalon, watching as you mourned me. I didn't understand that at the time; why would you be crying over your enemy, the one who went out of her way to try and hurt everything you loved? I was still processing everything, thinking about everything I'd said to you and everything you'd ever said to be, looking for a sign. Had you foreseen this all along? Is that why you'd always kept your distance, mistrusting me from the start?

"Well, quickly I realized that there wasn't much to do in Avalon except watch the people I used to know go on living their lives, better off without me in them. I got bored, then I got sad, then I got frustrated. I watched you in particular Merlin, living through many centuries, always running, always frightened, always alone. At first it made me happy, you were getting what you deserved, but eventually, I came to forgive you. That much time to think can really change a person.

"Instead of questioning what you had thought about me, I begin to simply question how you thought. When I told you that you didn't understand because you didn't have magic, I thought about how much it must have hurt to stay silent. I thought about how frustrating it must have been to continuously use magic to save the lives of people who would hate you if they found out. I thought about how strong you must have been to resist turning bitter like I did. And at the end of all this thinking, I forgave you. I forgave you for lying to me; I forgave you for poisoning me; I forgave you for killing me.

"And I continued to watch you. And the more I watched, the more I wished I could be with you, living the life I'd taken from myself so early on. And the more I wished I could be alive again, the more I realized I could. I am a high priestess of the old religion. Simple death cannot kill me. So I came back.

"When I returned, it was 1943 at the height of World War II. I volunteered as a nurse, and helped soldiers who had been injured while fighting. It reminded me of when Gwen and I used to help Gaius during battles. When the war was over, I turned my focus elsewhere, becoming a waitress in the 50s, a teacher in the 60s and 70s, a bookshop owner in the 80s, and a lawyer from the 90s until last year. All that time, I was looking for you, hoping I'd run into you if I just ran for long enough."

Merlin interrupted. "So how did you end up here?"

"I was getting to that part Merlin. I see that age has not made you any more patient. You see, my job as a lawyer gave me power. Power that I used to hire a private investigator to find you. Because Merlin, while I was in Avalon, I heard things, had visitors, learned things I never deserved to know. Arthur will return, he spoke to me himself. But it's not as simple as a matter of destiny. Because what many have failed to realize is that destiny changes, Merlin. Every second, every choice, every action we make is changing destiny. Right now, as we speak, destiny is changing, the stars are being re-written. Arthur could return at any moment, be it the end of the world or a beautiful day like today because without destiny, the prophecies mean nothing." Morgana took a breath and smiled, relieved from finally telling the story she'd been waiting to voice for so long. Merlin waited a moment to let it all sink in before responding.

"So you're nice Morgana again?" He asked hopefully, the only part of her story that he was currently able to process.

"Perhaps, but it's not as simple as that. I no longer want to kill you or take over, but I'll never be the same person I once was. When one travels this far, it's impossible to try and go back."

"Okay," He nodded, still a little in shock.

"Merlin, do you understand what I'm saying? There is no 'destiny'. Everything that happened could have been changed, could have been stopped. Everything that will be is able to be changed."

"So what? It all happened Morgana. You went with Morgause and tried to destroy Camelot. You tried to kill Uther and Arthur and Gwen and Me-" Morgana interrupted him.

"I was fighting for what I knew to be right!"

"There are different means to the same end, Morgana!"

Her face fell. "I know that now."

Merlin didn't pause when he saw her face, just continued to yell. "So I ask again, so what? Why does it matter whether everything that happened was because of destiny or choice? That won't change the fact that it happened!"

Morgana was now quiet, watching him solemnly and responding in a whisper. "Because it doesn't have to happen again. We blindly followed the prophecies for so long, and they ruined everything. We don't have to follow them this time. We can go get Arthur. Right now. We can change destiny."

Merlin glanced at her, calming down himself. "What if you're wrong?"

The playful smirk he'd missed so much returned to her lips. "I'm never wrong, Merlin." He smiled back, accepting all Morgana had just told him. They were off to get Arthur.

So when I began this chapter, I still had no idea what I really wanted to do with this story, but I've just figured it out, so now I'm excited. Over the next few weeks, my updates might come at random times because I have finals, but it'll even out pretty soon.

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