As always thank you for reading and what not this story. The fact that people still reading this shocks me beyond belief! Anyway enjoy!
Leon's POV
I was sitting in my tent when Morgause burst in looking alarmingly frantic and she hasn't moved an inch in the last five minutes. "Morgause?"
"What did Gwaine say? If he insulted you or something I'll kill him!" She said coldly, her voice wavering slightly.
"Morgause what the hell are you talking about?"
"Last night in the tavern. Lancelot said it was something to do with me. Did he threaten you because your my friend?"
"What no. Gwaine's fine with magic. It wasn't like that. Look Morgause-" I broke off looking at her softening expression, it made her look even more beautiful. Gwaine is wrong, I don't love Morgause but I do feel attracted to her. Very attracted. She beautiful, skilled, intelligent and at times like this when she shows her softer side kind and passionate. "Gwaine and I had an argument because he was questioning my feelings for you."
"Feelings? As in romantic feelings?" Oh gods she looks shocked and... is that disgust? I nod slowly and she looks at me for a few moments but I cannot look her in the eye. "You love me in under a week?" She says doubtfully.
"No." Oh gods now she looks hurt. "But I am attracted to you Morgause. Gwaine was teasing me about it yesterday and I got angry."
"Your attracted to me?" She doesn't wait for a reply or at least doesn't allow me to because she walks up to me and presses her lips to mine. For an instant I feel her warmth and I am aware of everything around me especially her. Sparks pass between our fused lips and then all conscious thoughts leave me until she pulls away a few seconds later. The whole thing lasted for less than five seconds but it feels like longer and all I want to do now is re-forge that connection.
"Morgause." My voice is a hoarse whisper and I can feel her breath brush my lips.
"Yes?" Her voice is softer than I've ever heard it.
"Are you...? Are you attracted to me to?"
"Yes I am Leon. But can we keep this in between ourselves for the moment?"
"Yes if that's what you want." I kind of understand I mean I don't think either of us know where this development will lead.
She takes a step back from me so that I can see her face and thankfully she's smiling. "I'll see you at dinner Leon."
"Goodbye Morgause." I'm not in love but I think I'm in danger of being so soon.
Morgana's POV
Where the hell has that sister of mine got to? And Arthur? I mean when they didn't show up for dinner I thought maybe they were...moving forward in their relationship. Not that I thought that Arthur would deflower her but I thought maybe they had finally decided to actually acknowledge they both have feelings for eachother. I mean it's so obvious that even Balinor has noticed it!
But when neither of them had returned by morning I got worried. I mean really worried she's my little sister and if anything happens to her I'll never forgive myself for not protecting her. Ambrosia is scared as well even if she doesn't acknowledge it. I feel a stab of guilt, neither me or Merlin had claimed Ambrosia as our mother and had avoided her all week and if Merlin has been hurt or worse... I don't think she wants the last thing she ever said to her mother to be angry and bitter. But I can't think like that, I remind myself as I trek through the woods looking for my estranged siblings. They are both going to be fine!
By some sort of miracle I manage to find the clearing we used for training yesterday and lo and behold lying in the very centre are Merlin and Arthur curled up in each other's arms. Oh gods tell me they didn't...
Arthur's POV
"Arthur how could you!" Was my wakeup call and as I startled awake I realised that I was tucked in very closely to a woman and as my eyes adjust I see Merlin blearily stirring beside me. Our bodies are flush together and I can feel her steady heart beat against my chest. Oh gods this doesn't look good... "Arthur! Merlin!" The voice is yelling at me again and my tired brain recognises it as Morgana's.
"What?" I mumble vaguely coherently.
"Don't 'what?' me Arthur Pendragon! You slept with my sister!"
"What!?" No, no, no me and Merlin... How could she think I would do that? "Nothing happened?"
Morgana is now standing in front of me and Merlin with her hands on her hips. "Oh really? You go missing for the whole night driving me crazy with worry and I walk into a clearing to find the pair of you sleeping together bodies entwined close together! What the hell am I supposed to think?" To be fair she does have a point- I don't think there's a part of our body that isn't firmly pressed to the other.
Merlin raises a bit off the ground and looks at her sister blearily. "Morgana what are you yelling about? I was tired yesterday and Arthur couldn't get me to go back to camp. So to keep me safe he decided to stay with me. He must of just fallen asleep, perfectly innocent!"
"Merlin, what about this situation seems innocent?" Morgana is kind of scary when she's angry. "Cuddled up in the forest all on your own."
"Look Morgana." Merlin's voice is calm and serene. And slightly sexy... Gods no, I should not be thinking about how sexy Merlin is when Morgana is standing in front of us yelling. "nothing untoward happened. Arthur was the perfect gentleman and the position we awoke in is one we must have slipped into during the night." Morgana seems to calm at Merlin's words and I think I'll hire her just to deal with Morgana's temper.
"Fine, I'll believe this was innocent this time but if I find you like this again I swear..." She trailed off and left the threat hanging in the air between us.
"Don't worry this won't happen again." Merlin replies evenly but I hear her quietly whisper. "next time you won't find out." Oh shit, is Merlin as happy as I am with this situation? Is she as turned on as me?
Merlin untangles herself from my body and calmly places a hand on Morgana's shoulder which if you ask me is about as safe as poking a sleeping dragon in the eye. "Let's get back to camp to stop people from worrying any longer. Have you had breakfast yet?"
Ambrosia's POV
"Hello." Why on earth am I nervous? This I my daughter not my executioner!
"Ambrosia. What are you doing here? I assumed you would be spending time with Balinor?" Ok, I really need to spend more time with other people so that people can stop giving me that knowing smirk. I haven't seen the man for twenty years I think there's an excuse to spend a lot of time with him. And how easy do these people think I am? We haven't had sex yet despite their blatantly obvious expectations!
"I think I have the right to visit my own daughter."
Her usually calm and composed face fell and I saw anger for a second. "Never bothered to exercise that right for the first twenty two years of my life."
"Do you hate me Morgause?" Triple goddess if you're listening please make the answer negative.
"No." Wow, the power of prayer... "I am angry beyond belief. You abandoned me and Mordred. every moment I wished for you to come and take me away from the pain and suffering as the temples of the triple goddess were burnt to the ground and the priestesses and priests with them. I wanted you to save me but you never came. Elowen was dead, Nimueh was on the run and you'd abandoned us leaving the Old Religion leaderless. Everybody was terrified and with no leader we were fighting amongst ourselves as well as Uthur. I want to hate you but I can't. I don't know why with the amount of death I've seen from your weakness."
"Morgause." I try to touch her but she shifts away. Why is it that all of my children hate me? I abandoned Morgause and Mordred, I neglected Morgana and I lied to Merlin. They have every right to be angry but... no I don't deserve their forgiveness. I was an awful mother but now I have to make that right. "I am your mother that's why. As bad as I am and have been my blood runs through your veins. I can see your father in you- his strength- and I rejoice because I know that you will succeed where I failed. You and your siblings all have the strength and courage resurrect the Old religion and I believe you will." I hope she realises the plural because the guilt about not telling her about her sisters is killing me. I respect their wish to remain anonymous to her but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
She doesn't look as if she has though and I suppress a sigh. Damn it I can't even betray my children well! "I sense the time of the Once and future king is approaching."
"You have the gift of prophecy?" Not surprising really since both Morgana and I both have the gift but it's usually reserved to Seers and High Priestesses. Morgause is neither a Seer or a High Priestess so I have no idea how on earth she has the gift.
She half shrugs and I can see she doesn't understand it either. "Not really it's just sometimes I sense things... Arthur will be a great king."
"Yes he will. We are set to guide him, to help him realise the good of magic. I believe he already has to some degree."
"It is not us tasked with such a destiny. It is Emrys." There's an old look in her eyes and her posture stands tall and proud as if she's a soldier rallying behind her leader. That's what Morgause is though a soldier. A child of the Purge. She carries it's scars deeper than most and has never known anything different. This is my fault I know, Merlin lived in fear of the Purges effects but she never saw the first hand, never witnessed a friend being cut down before her eyes as I know Morgause has. I see it drawn in the lines of her face, if I had raised her the way I raised Merlin she'd have never had to experience that pain and I would known the woman beyond her years standing in front of me.
"Emrys will emerge, I know it Morgause. I've seen the golden age and it will be beautiful with the High King Arthur and Emrys leading it forward."
"I know Emrys will come." Her voice is certain and I can't help but be amazed by her blind faith. I know that Merlin is Emrys and have faith in my youngest daughter but Morgause has nobody to believe in only an image and yet still she remains strong in faith. Triple Goddess if you're listening I just want to say thank you for giving me such beautiful and strong children. "If you would excuse me Ambrosia but I would like to meditate now and find it easier without an audience." She turns her back to me and speaks to the tent canvas.
"Of course, thank you for being so honest with me Morgause." With that I leave but the urge to say words that I do not yet know how to express burn my tongue. The apology that I have no idea how to give.
Thoughts?