"Who is she? Why would she challenge Arthur?" Gwen asked the room as she made her way around Morgana's bed, preparing everything for the night. "Seems no one's ever heard of her."
Morgana smiled to herself as she watched Morgause swing her sword in the courtyard below, remembering this very conversation when she shared her strange feeling about the woman with her maidservant. "I feel as though I've met her somewhere before," she said, playing along with the memory.
"Really? Where could you know her from?"
"I don't know."
<<>>
She waited until Gwen was long gone and the castle, for the most part, had quieted before slipping out of bed and into a thin shall. As she pulled the elegant scarf from the wardrobe she couldn't help but feel a slight sense of elation rise in her chest. Her wardrobe was chock full of cloths and accessories, giving her ample choices and ravish attire. It was not unlike the opportunities and resources presented to her by this second chance. She shuddered, remembering the days when she had to scrounge for a plan and the necessities needed to survive. But now, possible paths to victory seemed to branch off in every direction from where Morgana was standing. All she had to do was pick one that would bring her the most pleasure and satisfaction.
She remembered the room where her sister had stayed. Unfortunately, it was located on the opposite side of the citadel, undoubtably Uther wanting to protect his beloved ward from a strange woman who could present a threat. She passed the occasional curious guard on her way, but was able to convince them she was just out on an evening stroll to relax. After all, many of the guards who took the night shift were familiar with her frequent night terrors and sleepless nights. It wasn't too hard for them to believe.
When she reached the door, she knocked lightly, knowing how easily startled her sister could be.
"Enter," she heard her voice from inside. She did.
Morgause, who was loosening an armored cufflink around her wrist, looked up in surprise. "The Lady Morgana... what a surprise." She approached warily.
Morgana felt tears blossoming in her eyes and before she could stop herself, she flung her body into Morgause's arms and began to sob. "I- I'm sorry," she choked. "I know you must be very confused."
Morgause said nothing, but cautiously chose to return the embrace.
When they finally broke apart, Morgana still clutched her arms, not wanting to ever let go. "Morgause, you cannot know how much I have missed you." The formerly blossoming tears, now poured down her face.
"Missed me?" Morgause asked, perplexed.
"You'd better sit down," Morgana suggested, laughing to herself. What she was going to explain to her sister was going to sound absurd.
The pair sat down on the lavishly furnished bed, Morgana still never letting go.
She took a steadying breath. "I'm going to begin by telling you what I know. I know that you're my half sister and I know that you're a high priestess." She waited for this information to sink into Morgause's eyes before she continued. "I know that I have magic as well and that I can use it in the fight against Uther." She paused.
"And how do you know these things?"
"Because... because I've lived it before. I've seen years into the future."
"You've seen the future? Like our mother's gift?..." Her hand drifted to her bracelet.
"No, I haven't dreamt the future. I've lived it. I lived years into the future and I've seen how it all ends. I've watched you die, seen Camelot's moments of weakness and moments of strength. When I thought I could go no further and when I thought that all hope for our vision of the future was lost, I was approached by some sort of being who called itself Kyulds. Kyulds said he could grant me a second chance to go back and relive my past so I could change the future as I see fit. Armed with the knowledge of the future, Morgause, we will be unstoppable."
Morgause broke away and stood. "Wait... no, manipulating time... it's impossible."
"I was skeptical at first too," she insisted, rising with her sister, trying her hardest to connect. "I was going to refuse him, believing it to be some sort of trick, but he said that he wasn't asking. He was going to send me back either way. I chose to return to the moment I met you."
Morgause shook her head. "If this is all true..."
"It is."
"Then... then..." she sat down again, processing the information.
"I know it must be a lot to take in..."
"You've understated it."
"I wish there was a better way to bring this upon you, but there are pressing matters I wish to discuss that are time sensitive and-"
There was a creak at the door which caused both women to jump. Morgause was up in an instant, sword ready and at the chest of the intruder.
"What do you want?"
"I have a message from prince Arthur!" stuttered a flabbergasted Merlin. "He wants you to withdraw your challenge. Arthur has no desire to fight you. Now, if you withdraw he will grant you safe passage from the kingdom. Leave, now, while you still can."
She eyed him skeptically."If Arthur has no desire to fight me, then perhaps he should withdraw."
He laughed nervously. "No, he'll never do that, it's not in him to withdraw." It was in this moment that the serving boy spotted Morgana sitting on the bed. He eyed her with suspicious curiosity, but his main focus remained on the sword at his chest.
Morgause relaxed her grip on the blade. "Then we have that in common."
"If you fight him, he will have to treat you as he does any other opponent. It won't matter that you're a woman," he said, cringing slightly at the words as if ashamed to repeat his masters ignorant statement.
"I do not ask for special treatment." She tossed her sword onto the bed.
"Arthur has no quarrel with you. Why would you challenge him?"
She eyed him maliciously. "My reasons are not your concern."
"Don't put Arthur in a position where he's forced to kill you."
"Who's to say Arthur's life won't rest in my hands?"
"Right..." Merlin trailed off. Again his eyes fell on Morgana. He seemed to be trying to ask her a question with his eyes. "I'll let the prince know then," but he didn't move, begging Morgana to follow him out.
"Leave, boy!!"
"Right! Sorry!" he said hastily before scurrying out the door.
After the door thudded shut and his footsteps faded into nothing, Morgause felt it safe enough to return to her sister. She sat next to her on the bed.
"You spoke of matters that are time sensitive?"
"Indeed, but in order for you to understand you must know what I have been through and what I have seen."
"You'd better make haste of it then. I must be well rested for my battle with Arthur tomorrow."
Morgana shook her head. "You shouldn't bother. Nothing came of your plan."
She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean? In four days time, Uther will be dead by his own son's hand and the kingdom will be thrown into chaos."
"No, Arthur returns from your quest and refrains from killing his father."
"What? How is that possible?"
"We don't know... I, of course, have my suspicions. I'm sure Emrys was involved-"
Morgause's head jerked at the name. "Emrys?"
"I'd better tell you the whole story."
She did, and by Morgause's request, she left in even the most seemingly insignificant details. Her sister interrupted her occasionally, either asking a question or remarking at her sister's resilience, but fell silent when Morgana finally reached the end.
"That's when I came to the hill to bury Mordred. The rest, I've already told you. I was approached by Kyulds."
The sisters sat in silence for a moment, Morgause giving Morgana time to recover from an hour of speaking and Morgana giving Morgause time to digest the information.
Morgause rose and paced slowly in front of the ornate fire place. "So, that boy who came in here, that unassuming boy, that was...?"
"Yes. He's destined to be my doom."
"We won't let that happen," Morgause said firmly.
"That's what I told myself the last time."
"Right," she said, moving closer to Morgana and lowering herself to her knees while Morgana remained on the bed. They clasped hands. "But now, I'm here. I would never let anything bad happen to you."
Morgana winced at the memory of those words tumbling out of her mouth, southing a young Mordred. The words didn't help him.
Again Morgause rose and returned to her pacing. "Emrys... it is a name I've heard before."
"Yes, an old druid legend. I discovered this early on with relief. I thought the druids would take my side, but they protected the identity of Emrys with their lives."
"It is not surprising. Emrys is a very important figure in their culture. He is supposed to be the most powerful sorcerer ever to walk the earth. It is rumored that he would be a warlock and a dragonlord too."
"Well, he certainly had a way with Aithusa."
"Based on your description, Aithusa was very young when she came into your care. Emrys would have been the one to hatch her."
The pit in Morgana's stomach deepened as she realized her only friend in those dark days had been more loyal to Emrys than to her. She truly had been alone.
Morgause, recognizing the look of despair darken on her sister's face tried to comfort her. "You mustn't worry about that now. It is in the past... or... the future... it is no matter." She put a hand on each shoulder, looking her straight in the eyes. "The world is in your control now Morgana. You know what everyone else does not. You can decide your own destiny as you see fit."
"That's what worries me. What if I choose wrong and I make things worse than they were in the first place?!"
"It's alright, you won't. That's what I'm here for. Together, we will think our every move through, we will comb over it with a fine tooth comb. However, Morgana... you must act exactly as you did all those years ago. For now, you must do everything the same."
"Why?"
"If something occurs that deviates the timeline, even slightly, our advantage could be lost. We would no longer have consistent or adequate knowledge of the future. Be honest, since you arrived in this time, have you performed exactly as you had done?" she asked urgently.
She thought for a moment. "No, I've done things slightly different, but nothing that could set off a chain of events."
"We can't be sure of that!" she snapped. "Sorry, this is just important, Morgana. I want what's best for you, what's best for us..."
"No, I'm the one that should be sorry. I shouldn't have been so foolish."
"What has been different?"
"Well, the fainting. That I had no control over. When I was transported back to this time, I'm told that I fainted while dining with Uther. Gaius had to look me over to ensure nothing was wrong."
"Go on,"
"Gwen told me I was acting strange. Probably because I'm a different person from what I was... I tried to kill Merlin using magic, but it failed. I think my magic has defaulted back to a state it used to be in. I don't seem to have the control that I mastered after years of study."
"That can be remedied with the proper practice. Anything else?"
"This conversation, and I'm sure I wasn't in the room when Merlin interrupted you last time. He seemed to be confused by my presence."
"Is that it?"
"I believe so..."
"Alright..." she returned to her pacing by the fire. "I will continue my plan as I would have done otherwise. Even if we know it doesn't work, we need to keep events intact."
"Agreed."
She paused. "Tell me, was there any interaction between us during this visit?"
Morgana nodded. "Yes, I introduced myself and you left me mother's bracelet to help control my nightmares."
Morgause slipped the band off her wrist and handed it to her sister. "There you are then. Guard it well."
"I will."
"Now, I hate to see you go, but you must leave me. I must be well rested for tomorrow."
"I will leave you to your bed, but please," she said imploringly. "I have just reunited with you. Don't let our next meeting be too far into the future. I will need someone to speak to about all this or I'll go mad.
"I will meet you in the darkling wood in two weeks time, at midnight. We can discuss more then." She stroked Morgana's cheek lightly with her hand, admiring her sister. "I know it might seem like a long time, but it's what I need. I planned to visit an old friend and I must keep that future interaction intact."
"I understand." She gave Morgause one last tight hug before slipping through her chamber door.
<<>>
"Come on Merlin, what's troubling you?"
He smiled at his guardian. "Nothing."
"No, don't give me that answer. I know you too well."
"Well," Merlin began as he cleared both their empty plates from the small wooden table. "It's just... I'm worried about the fight tomorrow. That's all." He gave one of his cheeky grins before heading up to his room.
"If you're sure that's all..."
"It is."
As he turned away from the physician, instantly his smile faltered. He was not alright. All through dinner he had been silent, thinking. Something strange was going on. First, Morgana had expressed concern about her magic, positing that it had something to do with her unexpected fainting spell. He wouldn't be surprised if that was the case. When he had caught her before she hit the floor the night prior, her skin had been ice cold. He was the one to rush her down to Gaius, but by the time he got there, her skin had returned to normal. Gaius was skeptical of his claims thinking that he must of exaggerated, but Merlin knew what he felt.
Then, he had seen Morgana in a room, alone, with the female stranger. What could she have possibly been doing in there? His mind wracked, trying to put any or all of the pieces together, but it just didn't make sense. Were all these events connected? or was the timing of it all just coincidental? He certainly didn't know.
Then there was the feeling that had persisted ever since Morgana had fainted. A feeling familiar, but also alien. How could it be both at the same time? It was a comfort, but a danger. Something was watching him. Something was present. He glanced around the room.
"Hello?" he whispered. "Who's there?" He scoffed at himself for being so silly. He was just being paranoid, as usual.
But then, he thought, when has a funny feeling of mine ever not been right about something?
Despite his stress, he was able to fall asleep quite quickly, leaving the room with only the peaceful sound of the wind outside. A candle on his bedside table flickered and died quite suddenly. Then came the voice, hushed and weak.
"I'm here, Merlin. You don't know it now, but you'll know soon enough."
But Merlin, lost in a land of dreams, was none the wiser the the strange voice whispering in his ear.