No young man or woman, no matter how great, can fully know their destiny
They can't glimpse their part in the great story that is about to unfold
Like everyone, they must live and learn
And so it will be for the young man arriving at the gates of Camelot
And the young woman who, in turn, will reinvent a legend
Another day in Camelot. Another execution.
Morgana turned away the moment the axe came down, decapitating the young man accused of performing magic. According to Uther, that is.
From what she had gathered by the whispering amongst the castle staff, the lad was seen one night, under the light of the full moon, transform into a wolf. A woman claimed he attacked her, but when she came crying before Uther, Morgana saw no marks, no signs of struggle. Her cloths had not been torn. Morgana wanted to voice her suspicions, that perhaps the woman was so frightened that her mind was playing tricks on her memories. It wouldn't be rare, after all, when she was young Morgana would confuse her nightmares with reality.
Like always, whenever Uther was present before the court of Camelot, she held her tounge and steadied her heavy breathing. More and more her chest seemed to burn like an ember that still carried the remaining inferno of the once lit fireplace.
Today was no different. She watched by her window as King Uther Pendragon addressed the people.
"When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired with chaos. But with the people's help, magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the great dragon was imprisoned, and Camelot was freed from the evil of the Fey."
Morgana leaned against the frame of her window, the white drapes hiding one side of her face, hoping to keep herself from being seen. Even as the king's ward she wasn't always seen in a favorable light by most. Morgana flinched, her ears ringing when an elderly woman wailed in agony. Her voice came across as more of a sad wolf's howling than a human woman's mourning.
"There is only one evil in this land and it is not magic!" She cried. Morgana could hear a hint of a canine growl behind her words. Morgana tucked the drape to the side to get a better view.
The woman pointed a clawed finger at Uther. "It is you!with your hatred and your ignorance!" She broke down again, crying and howling, again, like a wolf. "You killed my son!"
Morgana gasped, looking over at Uther and then back at the woman. It wasn't too far fetched to think that with all of the fey creatures Uther had killed in the past twenty years of her life that many if not all of them were either children, parents, spouses, friends. This was the only time in which her suspicions were confirmed in the open.
Down bellow, most people murmured amongst themselves, but ultimately showed little to no remorse. The burning in Morgana's chest returned, growing stronger to the point that she struggled to breath normally without the burning sensation reaching her throat. She turned from the window, against the wall when she heard the woman's final warning.
"I promise you, before this celebration is over you will share my tears! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! A son for a son!" The woman howled and the crowd screamed in fright. Morgana dared to look, only seeing a gray wolf disappearing into the crowd.
Morgana closed the window and tried to relax as she sat on the corner of her bed. The door opened and Guin walked in. "Morgana, are you alright?"
Morgana nodded, her breathing returning to normal. The burning sensation plummeting. Guin sat beside her best friend, dapping a cloth above her right brow.
"You're overheating." Guin said.
"I'm fine."
Guin went to fetch her some water from a nearby pitcher and offered the cup to the king's ward.
"Have you seen Gaius today?" Guin asked.
"I've bothered him enough these last few days." Morgana handed Guinevere the now empty cup.
"You know you're never a bother to him. He loves you as though you were his own blood."
Morgana smiled. "He treats all three of us like that."
"Please, for me?"
Morgana rolled her eyes. "Don't give me the pub by eyes, Guin. You're better than that."
Guinevere laughed in victory and started doing Morgana's bed. The woman was still in her silk pink nightgown and aproached her wardrobe to pick her dress for the day.
"Don't forget to put on some shoes." Guinevere reminded her, not bothering to turn around as she folded the sheets.
"When have I ever forgotten?" Morgana said, declining a couple of dresses before selecting her pick of the day. A long, flowing blue gown made of the finest silk and sleeves that billowed like wings.
Dresses like these were very…well, a tad scandalous for women of Camelot who often dressed in fine, conservative gowns. But Uther had longed long ago that Morgana was a spirited soul and she felt as restrained in those gowns as a wild stallion in a stuffy stable.
"No. Refuse is the more appropriate term." Guinevere grabbed a pair of lovely silver slippers with fine straps and handed them to an unenthusiastic Morgana.
"It's not that I don't like shoes in general." Morgana explained as she put the shoes on. "I mean, who can say no to these treasures." She picked up the ends of her dress to model the shoes.
As lovely as they were, for as long as Morgana would remember, wearing shoes just felt…off to her for some strange reason. She could wear them for a while but once she was away from prying eyes she would toss them away and ride on her mare Llamrei through the forest. Bareback with no reigns.
"Exactly. See, they look great on you." Guinevere commented.
"I know. I just…I don't know, I don't understand why putting on elegant shoes or a more 'conservative' gown has been as restricting as a horse's reigns."
Guinevere led Morgana to her vanity and started brushing her long, ebony curls. "You're the king's ward. Practically a princess. And, if you play your cards right, perhaps even…queen." Guinevere winked and Morgana purposely shook her head, undoing Guin's work.
"I can moderately tolerate shoes, you expect me to welcome a heavy crown too?"
"You love crowns."
"They're called circlets, Guin. Simpler, lovely, and they remind me of the flower crowns we used to make as children. Remember?"
Guinevere smiled, stopped brushing Morgana's hair and stared at the mirror, as though it were a portal into the past. "How can I forget. One time you pushed Arthur into the lake."
The two laughed. "He was torturing that poor squirrel. Even then he was a brute." Morgana said, helping Guin by combing her curled with her long fingernails. They had a habit of growing rapidly fast to a point that Morgana just stopped having them filled all together.
"Come on, Arthur's matured somewhat." Guinevere said.
"If you believe that, then I give you my blessing to marry him."
This time, Guinevere rolled her eyes. "As generous an offer that is, I'd have to politely decline." She finished Morgana's hair with a special surprise.
A white lily tucked behind her ear. "Guin, thank you." Morgana got up from her chair and hugged her friend. "You always know how to cheer me up."
"What are friends for. Oh, and that lily comes with a funny story. On my way to the castle this morning I bumped into this boy."
Morgana raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Really?"
"And the strangest thing, for a moment, I thought it was you."
Morgana's cheeky smile switched into a confused frown. "What?"
"Not like that, I just meant that I thought maybe you started disgusting yourself and sneaking out of the castle again."
"I haven't done that in ages."
"I know, that's why I thought it was strange. But when I looked closer I realized he just really looked like you. Well, obviously not exactly but the resemblance was almost uncanny."
Morgana blinked. "Really?"
"I know. I was most likely still groggy from sleep." Guinevere laughed, "To think I confused a random man for you!"
Morgana forced a laugh. "Yeah. That is pretty funny. Well, if you run into him again, perhaps ask where he got his good taste in makeup.
The girls laughed again.
(~)
He saw her. He was sure of it. She looked exactly like mother said she would. She didn't see him, which ached a bit. After twenty years of hearing only stories and very distant memories, she was right in front of him.
Merlin asked one of the guards where he could find the royal court physician, Gaius. The guard pointed his thumb over his shoulder and Merlin went through the corridor until he found the sign right next to the door. The place was overflowing with all kinds of herbs, bottles and books. There was a kitchen in the corner and a door where Merlin assumed was the bedroom.
Merlin explored the room, spotting strange items like a creepy rabbit's mask and dusty old crystals that looked more like they were for decor than than anything else. Merlin snickered. Maybe Gaius was a believer in the time old tale that crystals could cure illnesses and speak to the dead, or some other nonsense. Has twenty years of segregation made humans forget the fundamentals of fey magic and how it worked?
Crystals, and incantations whispered over a cauldron were utter nonsense. Magic was a biological elements found in fey, but even with their abilities linked to the elements found in nature didn't permit them to bend reality. Some kingdoms still believed such nonsense while others, like Camelot, were more progressive in their studies of science and medicine. Both of which were originally taught to the humans by the Fey Folk.
Of course, Uther's purging of the fey of Albion led to humans ultimately dismissing this fact and declaring the breakthrough's of science and innovation came from themselves and no outside supernatural help.
Merlin caught a scent of old cloths and exotic spices. He followed the scent to some indoor stairs where an elderly man in a long brown robe appeared to be gathering items from a wooden cabinet.
"Gaius?" Merlin spoke. When the old man didn't respond, Merlin cleared his throat. This time Gaius reacted, but in the process he tripped and fell back, the wooden railing of the stairs breaking.
Merlin reacted without thought and outstretched his hand, his eyes glowing gold for a brief moment, and the bed was pulled right beneath Gaius, breaking his fall.
Once Merlin realized the outcome of his actions, he started to panic. Gaius got up, staring at the boy accusingly.
"What did you just do? Tell me!" Gaius demanded as he rushed himself to his feet, nearly tripping again.
"I—I have no idea what happened." Merlin lied.
Gaius looked up from where he fell. "If anyone had seen that,"
"That was nothing to do with me! Tha—that—that was—"
"I know what it was!" Gaius declared, freezing Merlin in his place. Gaius noticed a tiny puff of steam emanating from the boy's nostrils. Merlin caught this and covered his nose.
Gaius ran towards the door but instead or bursting out and alerting the guards, Gays searched outside, and once all was clear he locked the door, speaking in a lower volume while waving a finger at Merlin.
"Where are you from, boy?" Gaius asked. When Merlin didn't respond he shouted. "Answer me!"
"I—I come from a village not far from here!"
"Are you lying to me boy?"
Merlin decided he was done playing games and threw all attempts at deception out the window. "I think you know what I am." Merlin said in a low, menacing voice. His eyes glowing yellow again.
Gaius reeled back but demonstrated no fear. "If you think you can frighten me in this form you are sadly mistaken. If you reveal your true self now the guards will have you within the hour and I assure you there will be no escaping their iron weapons. So you either tell me what someone like you is doing here in Camelot, or I won't hesitate to turn you in if you are here to do anyone harm."
Merlin was surprised, and even impressed, by the old man's fortitude. Merlin's breathing relaxed, the steam stopped coming from his nostrils and his eyes returned to normal. Once sure the lad would cooperate, Gaius asked again.
"Who are you and why are you here?"
"My name is Merlin. My mother is Vivian."
In a flash, Gaius's eyes seemed to shine like those of one much younger than he was. "Vivian?"
"Yes. She sent me here to find you. She said you would help." Merlin reached into his pocket and gave Gaius a letter. He stared at it dumbstruck then looked back at Merlin.
"She's alive." Gaius sat down.
"She managed to escape." Merlin explained. "We both did."
Gaius blinked. "But wait…didn't she have two—"
"Yes. That's why I'm here."
Gaius stared at Merlin as though he had turned invisible. "Here? In Camelot? How is that possible?"
Merlin's eyes became as menacing as a predator on the prowl. "Why don't you ask your king?"
(~)