Falling Through Portals

To Soften the Hearts of the Wicked

Chapter 5

Stephen, one of Morgana's guards, saw every angry execution, murder, and torture. At first it had been hard not to intercede. But Stephen learned quickly that anyone who told her no was a dead man. He learned to hold his tongue. He saw her as a revenge wrought, murderous psychopath.

Until that night.

Stephen went into Morgana's chambers to find that young man standing before her. He was handsome, not unlike most of her company. What had hit him was the kind smile on his face to greet Stephen's presence. But then he saw Morgana.

Stephen stopped in his tracks.

Was that a smile?

Her face didn't even resemble the sorcerous Stephen knew. A true smile transformed her as she gazed at the man in her presence. It was a kind, welcoming smile that a friends might share. And it hit him like a wall.

No one had smiled like that after speaking to Morgana. Ever. And certainly no one had made Morgana smile in return.

When people left her presence he saw depression, loss of hope, most of all fear in their eyes. And for the first time, he saw something different. The man with her seemed genuinely happy, and not in the seductive way that some crooked men were. It was authentic.

Morgana looked refreshed and happy.

It sent a shiver down his spine. Could this be real? Or was it another trick of hers?

Stephen heard stories about how kind she had once been. As the Ward of the late king in Camelot, some said that she was once a gentle soul. And before that night Stephen had thought all of those rumors as impossible.

But seeing her there with this unusual man, he could almost envision it. He was almost entirely engrossed by his thought as he walked the man to his chambers.

"Here is your room, Sir," Stephen said with a bow.

The stranger walked inside and surveyed the room.

"Is everything to your liking?" Stephen asked.

He nodded, "it's great, thank you."

Stephen bowed and then turned to leave. Instead he stopped and looked back at the stranger.

"Sir?" Stephen asked him just as Percy threw himself onto his bed.

"Yes?" He looked up. There was a twinkle of liveliness in him that was so purely energetic about him.

"How did you do it?" Stephen said in wonder.

"Do what?" the stranger looked confused.

"Make her. . ." The word was hard to get out, "happy?"

He laughed, it was a loose, carefree laugh. It was such an alien sound. Stephen couldn't remember the last time he heard someone laugh behind these walls.

"I have no idea, is she usually not?" he asked.

"She is usually the consistency of ice sir," Stephen said.

Percy frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Stephen was about to say something and then thought better of it. He certainly didn't want to accidentally get on her bad side by telling him about her past.

"Nothing, Sir," Stephen said, "sleep well."

Stephen left him in his room and returned to his post by Morgana's door. There was no temper tantrum that night. No throwing of dishes against the wall or even any screaming. There were no loud explosions or any enchantments said behind her closed doors.