Yes, I know, I'm a couple of days late. I'm so sorry for make you wait. I had some extra work to do this week.
Thank you very much for your reviews. Special thanks to Maya, Chris, Helen, Someone from Ireland, and the two guests who didn't signed.
Oh, I hope last chapter wasn't too weird. oO Let's finally see what Morgause's plotting...
Have fun! =)
Previously...
"Oh, Merlin, you have so much to learn!" She caressed his hair, trying to make the boy feel special. "But don't worry, I'll teach you everything." She kissed him, biting his lower lip and causing the boy to moan. "But now you're better to go back to your chambers."
"Oh..." He looked so frustrated! "Don't you want me to stay?"
"Merlin... I'd love that!" She mocked a sad smile. "But we don't want a scandal, right?"
"Oh! I got it! Of course we don't." He got up and dressed. "Good night, then." He kissed her gently again and went to the door.
"Uh... Merlin!" She called him. "Everything that happened here will be our little secret, understood?" She smiled sweetly.
"Sure." He smiled and left.
Chapter 11
As Morgause finally was alone in her chambers, she stretched and sighed. Merlin... it wasn't planned. But it was better than she had expected it to be! She couldn't imagine any better way of having the official warlock of the kingdom, the great Emrys, at her side. The woman smirked. He was so innocent, he never considered she could be plotting something!
Wrapped comfortably in the covers and seeing the moonlight entering by the window, Morgause thought about Agravaine. Her bed would be warmer if he were here... she sighed once again. The woman was starting to worry about her constant thoughts involving Lord Agravaine. Yes, he was fantastic in the bed... he was handsome... he treats her like a goddess... he has a nice talking... but Morgause has never been someone to care about this kind of thing. Never. Not even when she was very young and went to her best friend's bed. He was in love with her and Morgause was just... curious. Poor boy!
And now, thinking about Lord Agravaine, for the first time in her life Morgause felt... weird. Weird because what she has just done to Merlin. It was Agravaine who she wanted... but it was necessary to have Merlin in her bed once, so she could earn his complicity. She sighed again and remembered she was already feeling weird, even before she saw Merlin in her chambers. Agravaine. She frequently wants to be with him. To touch him and feel his hot kisses on her skin. Goddess! It wasn't just lust! Was it? She hopes her eyes weren't shinning just like Morgana's use to when the girl talks about... love.
Morgana opened her eyes to another cloudy morning when someone knocked. The bed was so warm! She and Uther were comfortably cuddled in each other's arms.
"Uther..." She whispered and kissed him. "Someone is knocking, love." She told him in a soft voice as his eyes opened.
"That's a shame..." He smirked. "I'd like to stay in bed with you a bit more..." He kissed her gently.
Soon Morgana got up, before Uther could detain her. She smirked at him as the king sighed and lay back.
"Who is it?" Morgana asked, dressing the first clothe she found on the floor, her nightgown.
"Sister! It's me!" Morgause sounded worried.
"Just a minute!" Morgause said as Uther got dressed quickly. When he finished, Morgana opened the door. "Sister!" She was shocked. "What happened to you?"
"Please, Morgana... we need to talk!" The woman was even shaking!
"Sure, come in!" Morgana made the blonde woman enter and closed the door.
"Oh..." She saw Uther sat at the table. A servant probably brought it earlier. "Good morning, my lord... I'm so sorry for interrupt..."
"That's fine, sister." Morgana smiled sweetly. "You clearly need to talk."
"Yes, Morgause." Uther said. "Take a seat. Have breakfast with us."
Morgana went to sit beside Uther and Morgause in front of her sister.
"Ok, but I'm not hungry..." She smiled sadly.
"Drink some tea, then." Morgana gave her a cup of tea.
"Thank you." It was hot and comforting.
"Oh..." Uther suddenly noticed that maybe that could be one more sister's topic. "I have some paperwork to do today." He told them. "I'm just finishing my breakfast and I'll let you talk."
"But..." Morgana was confused. "But today we would see the decoration for our wedding..."
"And we will, my dear." He took her chin gently. "I'll just sign some papers and then we go."
"Uh..." Morgause continued her plan. "I-I'd like you to hear what I have to say, my lord." She said carefully. "I mean, if you have some more minutes."
Morgana and Uther looked at each other, feeling confused.
"Of course I can stay and talk to you." Uther said, still looking at Morgana.
"I'm starting to worry, sister." Morgana said.
"Then let me tell you both something." Morgause took a breath. "Yesterday night someone went to my chambers." Morgana and Uther looked down, knowing who it probably was. "A man."
"Sister..." Morgana was a bit blushed. Does her sister know she was the one who asked Merlin to go there? She couldn't help but feel a bit guilty.
"Please, Morgana, let me say it." Morgause's hands shake so much. "Merlin went there and... and I was in my bed, almost sleeping."
"Oh..." Morgana was genuinely surprised. She thought Merlin would be more discrete then that.
"He went to me... and..." Morgause forced her tears to pour. "I didn't want it!" She sounded desperate now. "I told him that was wrong and he should go back to his chambers... but..."
"Sister!" Morgana got up and went to hug Morgause. "That's terrible!" She remembered when that wicked sorcerer tried to force her some months ago. When she remembers it, Morgana still feels scared. "I know that's terrible, sister..." She whispered. "Has he..."
"He raped me, Morgana." She was playing the scared girl. "I thought I was strong, I thought I could fight him..."
Uther observed everything shocked. He saw as Morgana's face got paler and paler.
"Morgana, sit here." He stood up and made her sit, fearing she could faint.
"Merlin..." Morgana's eyes were heavy with tears. She knows Merlin, and she knows he would never do that... would he?
"That's a serious accusation, Morgause." Uther pointed, holding Morgana's cold hand. "Merlin is one of the men in this earth I would trust my life to."
"I know, sir. I just..." Another fake tear poured. "I just thought you should know the truth." Her plan was working. She sighed. "Sister?" Morgana still had a shocked face. "Morgana, this kind of thing happens..." She smiled weakly. "Don't feel so bad for me."
"I..." Morgana still couldn't believe Merlin had really done that! She was so shocked because of his behave, so scared remembering that disgusting man, so sad for her sister and, most of all, so guilty! "I'm so sorry, sister." Tears were pouring across Morgana's face now. Well, it was better than that shocked face.
"Morgana!" Morgause was shocked when her sister hugged her hard, impulsively.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" Morgana cried.
Morgause sighed. Pregnant women were so emotive!
"Yes, me too..." Morgause tried to sound conformed.
"My dear..." Uther went to them and touched Morgana's shoulder, knowing how she was probably feeling. "Give your sister some space." He suggested. When he could make Morgana release her sister, the girl instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face on his chest. "Oh..." He caressed her soft hair, comforting his ward.
"I... uh..." Morgause was sincerely awkward now. "I didn't thought she would react like this... I'm sorry."
"No, Morgause, you're a guest here and as the king, I am the one to be sorry here." Uther said, still with a broken Morgana on his arms. "All I can do is promise you the appropriated action will be taken." He told her. "And, if Merlin is guilty, he'll pay for what he has done."
"It makes me feel calmer, sir." Morgause said politely. "I fear for what he could do to other lady of the court..." She said, glad to see worry on the king's face. "Well, I think I'll go back to my chambers, I'm still feeling a bit weird."
"Comprehensibly." Uther said. "If you need something to help you feel better just ask."
"Thank you." She said before she left.
"Morgana?" Uther tried to pull her away gently as they were alone. "My dear..."
"No, Uther! Please, hold me!" She asked desperately. And so he did, always caressing her dark hair, her back...
Moments later Uther sat, making Morgana sit on his lap, always caressing her for comfort.
"I... I can't believe Merlin did that." She finally said, pulling away. "I can't believe! But then, why would my sister create such a terrible story?"
"Well, Morgana... let's talk to Merlin before getting conclusions. But I must confess I'm shocked!"
"I feel so guilty!" She said. "I mean, I was the one who asked Merlin to go to Morgause's chambers."
"No, no, no!" Uther caressed her face, wiping the tears. "You asked him to find out what was going on between Agravaine and your sister."
"Because I feared he could be bad to her. And then Merlin was the one who..."
"Morgana." Uther interrupted. "Try to calm yourself. I know it's a delicate moment, but let's try to be rational and listen to both sides."
She sighed, still feeling bad, but trying to have some control.
"Yes, you're right. But you saw her, Uther? I've never seen my sister so..."
"Morgana. If I can say, your reaction now was worse than Morgause's." Uther remembered how Morgana was some months ago, when she told him about the man who tried to force her. Morgause was different. In some way Uther couldn't describe for sure, but there was something.
"Merlin was always a good friend." She said low. "Why would he do something so terrible?" Uther looked at her. Morgana was special. She always sees the better parts in each person. "I mean, he's cute and sweet and... don't look me like this! I'm trying to say he's a nice boy, he would never... would he?"
"Well, my dear..." Uther leaned in and kissed her gently. "Let's go to find out."
Arthur and Gwen were walking in a corridor, arm in arm.
"I have to practice with the knights soon, Guinevere..." The prince was saying to his lady. "But surely I can arrange for us to have some time together this afternoon, what do you think?"
"Oh, Arthur, it sounds great!" Gwen was happy. She couldn't believe how much his life have changed, how happy she was with Arthur!
"Just don't tell me you want to have an afternoon tea! It sounds too much like something my father and Morgana would do!" He joked, making the girl smile.
"Good morning Arthur..." Gwen gasped when she saw it was Lord Agravaine calling him. "Lady Guinevere."
"Hello uncle." Arthur smiled. "You look so... happy this morning."
"Yes." The man smiled, remembering the reason for his unusual happiness. "May I talk to you, Arthur? I bet the lady won't mind if I steal you for some minutes?"
Gwen forced a smile. The man still makes her worried.
"Well... I'll go to my chambers finish sew a dress." She said politely.
Arthur smiled and kissed her hand tenderly.
"I'm going to wait for you in the court yard in the afternoon, so we could go for a walk..." He said. Agravaine just observed with a sincere smile.
"I'd love it, Arthur!" She smiled back. "I'm better be in my way now."
Both men looked the lady going away.
"So your future wife uses to sew her dresses herself." Agravaine thought it weird for a lady. The future princess probably has maids and servants to sew her dresses.
"Oh, Guinevere enjoys it. She has many talents." Arthur smiled. She was really a special girl.
"You're lucky for have her."
"Yes." Arthur's eyes shined.
"Well... I'd like to talk to you about a delicate topic, Arthur." The prince nodded, so Agravaine took a breath and continued. "About succession."
"Why it now?" He asked casually. "My father isn't an old man... he probably will be king for many years."
"I know. Your father and I have the same age." Arthur looked a bit shocked. He always thought about his uncle as an older man. "But... tell me, how do you feel about your father marrying Lady Morgana?"
"Oh... that."
"Yes."
"I feel... well, uncle, I can't lie to you. In the beginning I was a bit angry. I mean, she's so young to him and she's his ward! Since Morgana came to live here I used to see her as a sister, so it's weird think about her marrying my father."
"Oh, I understand." Agravaine smirked.
"Of course I always noticed the way they look at each other... the touches, the rides and teas... they always used to spend a lot of time together." Arthur told him.
"I see..."
"And... well, I'm not a kid, I knew there was something happening, but they're both so stubborn, they never admit it!" He sighed. "But as time passed, I saw they need to be together."
"What do you mean?" Agravaine didn't get the point.
"Oh, uncle, nobody deserves the chaos it is when they're apart!" It made Agravaine laugh. "You see, Morgana found out about her magic some months ago and she just told my father."
"She did?" The man was shocked.
"Yes. Because she felt confused, she needed him to help her."
"So he changed his mind about magic." Agravaine concluded.
"No, it wasn't that easy. He was furious at Morgana, the poor girl was always crying and desperate thinking my father hates her." Arthur told him. "But my father wasn't much better! Always miserable..."
Agravaine felt almost sorry for them.
"That made me see they need each other. More than that, we need each other to be together for our own good!" He joked. "And soon they made peace, still never admitting their feelings."
"That's weird. Lady Morgana is a beautiful and nice woman, why wouldn't your father admit they're together?"
"Because sometimes he can be as stubborn as a mule!" Arthur said impulsively. "Well, she's his ward and about twenty years or so older than her. He knew it would be a scandal."
"Indeed." Agravaine agreed. "And she has magic."
"Yes... well, then Morgana was kidnapped and my father was all desperate. More than a guardian would be."
"Oh, so he confessed..." Agravaine smiled.
"Yes. He confessed they're in love and Morgana's pregnant with his baby." Arthur said casually.
"She's..." Agravaine was shocked! It wasn't a common thing to happen before a noble couple get married.
"Oh... You didn't know." No response. His uncle was red in angry. "I reacted more or less in the same way." He told him. "But soon the idea seemed nice."
"Nice?" He was mad. "Nice? Arthur, do you have any idea of what that probably means?"
"A little brother or sister." He remembered Merlin in the day Uther told about the baby.
"Arthur!" How the lad doesn't see that? "Can't you see? It's more than time to talk about succession!"
"Uncle... keep calm!"
"Calm? You want me to keep calm!" He was trying not to scream and waving his hands while talking. "They will steal your place in the throne!"
Arthur sighed. He didn't like that conversation.
"Look, uncle, some weeks ago, my father and Morgana came to talk to me." He tried to stay calm. "About this same topic. They told me I am the heir to the throne, as my father's first son."
"Oh?" That was really weird.
"Yes. They're getting married, having their child... they just want to be together, it seems." Arthur said. "And I must say I'm happy for them and I can't wait to see the baby!"
"Well. Let's hope you're right." Agravaine tried to hide his angry and his shock. "But if I can give you an opinion, you really should be careful." He didn't give the prince time to answer. Morgause must know about it as soon as possible. "I must go now."
Morgana and Uther walked arm in arm, the lady still shaking a bit.
"Don't worry, my dear." Uther tried to calm her. "We'll solve all that mess."
Soon they arrived at Gaius' chambers and knocked.
"Come in!" The answer came.
"Morgana! Sir!" Gaius closed his book and looked at them. "How can I be helpful?"
"Uh... we need to talk to Merlin, Gaius." Uther asked.
"Well, Merlin is not here. He's teaching magic for the kids this morning." The old physician told them. "Maybe I could help?"
"Oh, I don't think so, my friend." Uther continued. "This morning Morgause came to talk to us, saying Merlin... uh..."
"My sister told us Merlin raped her last night, Gaius." Morgana said directly, her voice shaking with emotions.
Gaius face was shocked and the old man had to sit.
"No... my boy... why would he..."
"Gaius..." Uther touched the man's shoulder. "I know it sounds terrible..."
"It is terrible!" Gaius was mad. Well, that was better than his shock. "That irresponsible brat!"
Soon the door was slowly opened and a smiling Merlin came in.
"Hello!" He greeted them happily.
"Merlin." Morgana's voice was cold in a way nobody had ever listened to. "What have you done to my sister?"
Oh, poor Merlin! What a situation!
Next one... "Are you angry?" – "No. Not angry. I'm sad. Disappointed."
Please, review! Let me know how am I doing! =)