Between the Storms

Chapter One

01. Many Talks

Magdelena looked down at the spot which lay in the middle of the forest, a stone which she had formed a dragon on. She had moved his entire grave into the world of mystic creatures. A place where dragons once roamed freely, a place she thought he would enjoy. She placed a few of the fire lilies down before the flat carved piece of stone before she stared down at where the body was hidden underground, "I barely knew you but still with you a piece of me died," she says tears beginning to flow down her face. 

'Magdelena?' Gilthunder asks she just stands from her kneeling position beside the grave before walking to her black Alicorn, 'Are you alright?'

"I am fine," she says, "Let's get home." Gilthunder nods helping her get up on his back before taking off back toward the portal they had come through. His wings and horn disappearing along with the black dress she had worn. 

"A little more than a year has gone by Gilthunder," she says as they slowly walk back to Camelot's white stone structure, the rest of the ride is silent. They arrive at the outer wall the guard's nod at her, use to her leaving at odd times - such as now in the middle of the night - to ride her horse. She jumps off him before placing him in his stall which had fresh water and more hay. 

'I am sorry Magdelena, I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better,' Gilthunder's voice was soft which was strange coming from the usually stern Alicorn.

"You already do that," she says with a smile rubbing his nose before making her way toward the chambers of Gaius and Merlin, making sure to take the long way around to collect her thoughts. Entering them she wasn't shocked to find them both there, "The castle seems to be alive again."

"Yes, the Lady Morgana was found," Gaius says and Magdelena smiles softly at the man, "Are you alright Maggie?"

"I am fine," she says they seemed to be her catchphrase as she was always saying those three words which annoyed Merlin since he knew she wasn't alright. She had always hoped their father would accept her unlike their mother, and he did do that but then he died.

"I don't believe you. You leave at random moments to visit his grave!" Merlin snapped at his sister, "Just admit that you are hurting."

"I can't," she says walking over to her bed, Baxton arrived from the other realm and jumped on the bed laying half on her lap while his other half was on the bed. She stared aimlessly out at the window she felt the bed dip beside her as someone placed their head on her shoulder, "There is something about you Merlin, it draws people to you. You rile those people in all sorts of ways and in your wake leave a wonderful mess."

"Maggie, what are you talking about?" Merlin asks her his head moving felt strange on her shoulder as he spoke.

"If you had never come to Camelot, I would still be hidden. I would have never bonded to Uther, never spoken to Gwen, or Morgana, or Gaius much," she says shaking her head as she smiles sadly remembering the two years before Merlin came, "Never met our father. Never felt love. Never done so many things, Merlin."

"That is a lot to put on my shoulders Maggie," Merlin says, "I have a feeling that sooner or later Arthur would have noticed you." 

"I guess we will never know what life would have been like if you never came to Camelot," she says turning her head to kiss his head, "Nor would I want to find out."

"Are you alright Maggie?" Gaius asks from his spot near his tables of glasses and burners for potion making for medicine, "You are acting a bit strange."

She stands from her spot next to Merlin smiling sadly at him, "I have to go," she says before leaving the chambers slowly making her way from the courtyard and to the stables where Gilthunder was drinking some water, "We have to go to the castle." Her voice made him jump having not noticed her arrive making her chuckle a little bit.

She leads him out from the stables and to the courtyard where she jumps onto his bareback before he begins walking slowly from the town. She sent small nods to the guards or townspeople who were out later than usual as she paced them before they made it to the edge of the forest. Gilthunder spread his wings and began to fly slowly toward the castle, landing on the other side of the waterfall she was about to walk into the main area they always met but Morguase blocked her way.

"Maggie," she greets bringing the woman into a soft embrace, "I fear I have nothing left to teach you about the Old Religion, or sword-fighting. I fear this will be our last meeting until I must call on you for a favor."

"If you have taught me everything then what am I meant to do here tonight?" Magdelena asks staring at the women dressed in the normal red dress that she usually wore when teaching Magdelena.

"First I must ask you to wear that red dress I gave you after Kilgarrah was stopped from attacking Camelot," Morgause says Magdelena nods and her white and blue dress faded to the red dress with the low neckline and the sparkling sleeves and belt with a slit on her left side, showing her bare feet. She wore the red necklace that came with the dress with the three gems wrapped around by silver, and on her skin showed the half-covered golden Pendragon dragon.

"Now what are we to do?" Magdelena asks, Morgause says nothing smiling as she grabs the younger woman's hand and leads her into the overgrown courtyard of the castle. It nor longer looked to be a grundgy ruin but was decked with candles floating around in the air, in the center of the area was a blanket laid down with pillows, and some wine and fruits which seemed hard to find at this time of year, "Did you do this?" she asks looking around in awe as she is lead to the blanket. 

"For you," Morgause says Magdelena looks at her, "Was it not obvious from the beginning?" 

"Was what?" Magdelena asks trying to pull her arm from the priestess' grip but the woman holds tight to the wrist.

"You don't want to fall in love with Arthur," Morgause says, "I am offering an easy solution."

"You know I am destined to be his wife," she says with a stern voice, "I mean would that be so bad? He may be a Prince but-"

"But nothing," Morgause says pulling the dark-haired female closer to her, "Nothing is ever truly written in stone. Anything can change, you can force a change."

Magdelena looks at her softer as she looks at the woman, "I don't know Morgause."

"Just think of what this could change," Morgause says with a smile, "With you on my side Uther will rue the day he declared war on our kin. Arthur will bow to the true ruler of Camelot Morgana." Magdelena's face turns hard as she pulls away from the women able to get out of her grasp.

"You just want to use me for my powers! You don't care-" Magdelena turns away from the woman and goes to walk away but the woman grabs her arm turning her, "Let me go Morgause. Priestess or not I will kill you."

"Maggie," she says but Magdelena disappears from in front of her and the next Morgause sees her is looking up to the sky as her horse flies away with her on him, "Maggie!"