It was close to the middle of the night when Coventina was listening from outside the King's chambers.
"Treason?!" Morgana exclaimed.
"Yes, Morgana, treason. The blacksmith was consorting with a known enemy." Uther explained.
Morgana was in disbelief, "Enemy? What enemy?" She questioned.
"Tauren. The leader of a band of renegade sorcerers sworn to bring down the King." Arthur said.
"And where is this Tauren now?" Morgana questioned.
Arthur crossed his arms, "He escaped."
"Well, then how can you be sure?" Morgana asked.
"Because Arthur saw him with his own eyes," Uther explained. Coventina could tell from the conversation that Morgana did not like the circumstances, "Well, even if the man is who you say he is, you can't sentence Tom to death for just being seen with him!?" Morgana explained.
"We have reason to believe he was forging weapons for Tauren," Uther said.
"Rubbish! He would never do such a thing." Morgana yelled.
"Every man has a price."
"Found this on the blacksmith," Arthur said. Coventina heard something move on the table.
"So he was paid! He's a blacksmith. He could've been paid for shoeing Tauren's horse!" Morgana yelled, trying to think of a logical explanation.
"In gold?" Uther questioned.
"This is madness! You condemn a man with no proof!" Morgana protested.
"I have enough proof," Uther said.
Morgana turned to Arthur, "Arthur! Have you nothing to say?"
"Father, the blacksmith committed a crime, but we don't know for certain he meant treason," Arthur said.
"No. You're right. Nothing's certain. Save one thing. The law stands or this kingdom falls." Uther said simply.
"But the law must give him a fair trial!" Morgana protested.
"He'll get a fair trial, and he'll be found guilty, 'cause that's what he is." Uther said.
"You execute Gwen's father, and I will never forgive you. Never." Morgana stormed out, Coventina quickly ran from where she was standing. Coventina quickly followed her. She did not say anything until they are reached her chambers.
"Nothing a nice bath can not fix," Coventina said. Morgana smiled a little, taking Coventina's hand kissing it.
"You always know how to make me feel better."
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The following morning, Coventina was making the bed when Morgana came putting some in a fancy box, must be a gift from Arthur. Since Gwen was not doing well, she was left with all of her duties as well, not that she minded that, it was nice to have something to do all day. It kept her mind off from the visions. Later in the day, as she was tending to laundry. She heard screaming towards the dungeons.
"Then release me because I've learned it already! That you care not for me, or anyone but yourself! That you're driven mad with power! That you're a tyrant!" Morgana exclaimed. As night approached, Coventina sat on the bed, knowing that Morgana was not going to come back. Coventina eventually fell asleep. Her eyes shined gold underneath her lids.
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Coventina felt extremely cold, darkness surrounded her, she could see nothing around her. She heard the soft whimpers of a creature and soft breathing.
"Morgana?" She whispered softly, recognizing the breathing. She tried to reach out to touch her face but felt her hands restricted by chains.
"It is alright, Coventina, I am here. We must not be able to touch each other, but we will get out of this prison." Morgana said, her voice raspy and quiet. Coventina could even move her body, the space was too tight. Down by her legs, she felt something trying to nudge against them. This place was really a prison.
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Coventina gasped, waking up to see it was nearly morning seeing Gwen walk into the room, who install ran to her. "Crystal, are you alright?" She asked. Coventina cleared her throat.
"Yes, I am fine, I must have nodded off a bit while making the bed and had a little bad dream." She said. The chamber doors opened and Morgana walked in.
"My Lady!" Gwen exclaimed, standing from the bed.
"Gwen. I didn't expect to see you here." Morgana said, standing surprised.
"What happened to you?!" Gwen said.
Morgana hid her arms, "Nothing. Well, nothing a hot bath wouldn't fix." Coventina noticed the sores on her arms.
"Morgana." She said.
"I spent the night in the dungeon."
"Uther." Gwen said.
"He doesn't like to be challenged." Morgana said softly.
"It wasn't about my father, was it?" Gwen questioned.
"You have enough to deal with without worrying about such things." Morgana said.
"You shouldn't have done that! Not on my behalf. If anything happened to you, I couldn't bear it." Gwen said.
"You need to go home, Gwen. Get some rest. Please. Crystal can take care of my needs." Morgana insisted.
"I'm fine, My Lady."
Morgana shook her head, "I insist." Gwen walked past with her head bowed, picking up a hairbrush.
"Gwen?" Gwen stopped her back to Morgana, trying not to cry.
"I can't go home!" She cried.
"It's understandable to feel so alone," Morgana said.
"Tauren..."
"Tauren?!" Morgana explained. Coventina raised an eyebrow, remembering the conversation she had heard between Uther, Arthur, and Morgana.
"He attacked me. He threatened me. He was looking for some kind of stone." Gwen said.
"Stone? What type of stone?" Coventina asked, remembering when Morgana put some type of stone in one of her boxes.
"He said if I didn't bring it to him, he'd kill me. He's waiting for me in the Darkling Woods. I have to do something. If I don't get this stone to him by dawn tomorrow..." Gwen said. Morgana begins to walk off.
"What are you going to do?" Coventina asked.
"I'm going to send the guards, of course. It won't be you that Tauren meets. It'll be the Knights of Camelot." Coventina watched Morgana leave chambers, her being head-strong was one of the many reasons that she loved her.
Coventina looked to Gwen, "It is alright, please go home, I can take care of the duties." She said.
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Coventina prepared the bed for Morgana when she returned.
"Did you talk to the guards?" She asked as Morgana returned.
Morgana smirked, "Of course not, we are going to meet Tauren tonight and bring them the stone."
"And you are sure he will not kill us."
"He is supposed to be meeting a maid, and you qualify as that do not, my love." Coventina smiled a bit.
"Yes, darling, I am just glad you are okay, I was worried about you, last night." She said. Morgana stepped forward, cupping Coventina's face in her hands.
"I missed you too, sleeping last night was hard, did you sleep alright?" Morgana asked softly. She leaned forward placing a kiss on Coventina's forehead.
"I slept fine, it was a little hard to not tell Gwen the truth of why I was sleeping in your bed." Morgana chuckled, and gently stroked her hair.
"We will tell her soon enough about us, but right now, I like to take a bath that you prepared." Coventina cursisted for Morgana, and lead her toward the bath, "Of course my lady."
Night soon fell, Morgana held the stone in her hand, causing a glow from it.
"What is this?" She asked, Coventina took the stone from her hands, placing it inside of a leather bag.
"It is a Mage Stone, some of my people used them when I was younger."
"It is used for magic?"
"I think so, I was quite young when I last saw one, now come let's go," Coventina said, taking Morgana's hand. Morgana led them through the Darkling Woods, holding her hand the entire time, making small conversations between them when they were surrounded by Tauren and his men.
"Where's your maid?"
"We've come in her place," Morgana said, tensing as the swords drew closer.
"Kill them." Tauren commanded, the swords came close.
"No! Wait! I brought the Stone!" Morgana cried.
"What else have you brought, My Lady? The Knights of Camelot?" Tauren questioned.
"We came alone, I promise you. I only brought my other maid for my protection." Morgana explained.
"Give me the stone." Coventina handed the stone over to Tauren.
"You were foolish to come here. I had no quarrel with your maid. But you, My Lady Morgana, you are Uther's ward." Tauren said. He drew his sword, putting it to her stomach.
"Please do not kill us, you would regret it." Coventina said, feeling a sword push into her shoulder.
"Why is that?" Tauren asked.
"Because I want Uther dead, too, he has done horrible things to hurt the ones I care about," Morgana said. Coventina instantly looked to Morgana. She had not told her about her sister's death, only about her brother, she hoped she was referring to Gwen's father.
"You? An enemy of the King? And I'm to believe that?" Tauren questioned.
"Why else would I be here?" Morgana said.
"I can only guess at your motives, My Lady. You could be a spy, for all I know." Tauren said.
"And this..." Morgana flipped back her sleeves, revealing her sore, bruised wrists.
"Is it usual for Uther to chain his friends to a dungeon wall? The stone. You took it to the forge. Why?" Morgana questioned.
"With it a man can alter the very essence of things. He can turn a lump of lead into gold." Tauren explained.
"Gold? A good man died in your quest for riches, Tauren. His daughter is now an orphan." Morgana said.
"I'm sorry for that. Truly. But we did not want the gold to line our pockets. The gold was but a means, a means to rid this kingdom of Uther Pendragon once and for all."
"What are you saying?" Morgana asked.
"Bribery is rife at Camelot. I will use the corruption at the heart of his kingdom, and such abundance of gold will buy me into the King's chambers, even to the King himself." Tauren said.
"The guards may be fools, Tauren, but the King is not."
"You would not get far in Camelot," Coventina said.
"Do you have a better plan?" Tauren asked.
"To get to Uther, you need someone close to him," Morgana said, a smirk present on her face.
"And you know of such a person?"
"I do. Me." Morgana said. As Tauren and Morgana made their plan, Coventina could find her mind drifting, could Morgana really want to kill the king because of her and Gwen.
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Two days had passed since the night in the woods, it was a sad day since Gwen's father had been executed, but Coventina knew how she felt when her father had been executed. Morgana informed her that her and Uther were riding out of the day to visit her father's grave and would return by nightfall. Suddenly, Merlin bursted into the chambers.
"Coventina, you are going with me." He said. Coventina groaned and followed him. Merlin ran through the woods with the Sidhe staff. Morgana and Uther climb the hill to the gravesite. Merlin approaches the horses and finding the Camelot guards dead; he sees the renegades pursuing Uther. Morgana knelt at Gorlois's gravestone. Merlin shot energy from the staff at them, causing them to die. Coventina saw Tauren as they approached him, Coventina held a hand up to cast a spell when Tauren turned to pull out the stone.
"Ácwele!" Merlin yelled. Merlin raised the staff to shoot, but the energy was instantly absorbed, shooting Coventina back, she felt herself fall unconscious. She groaned soon coming to, seeing Merlin up on the hall. She quickly ran up the hill seeing Tauren getting stabbed in the back. Uther pushed him off and Morgana dropped the dagger. Coventina let out a breath, seeing that Morgana had not killed Uther, meaning her visions of the Druid Queen were hopefully prevented. Coventina followed Merlin back to the castle.
She sat on Morgana's bed, waiting for to return.
"Morgana," She said softly, standing from her bed. "You have made a safe return." Coventina kissed her before pulling away, taking her hands.
"Of course, did you have any doubt?" Coventina shook her head. "Something did happen though on our journey."
"What happened?" Coventina asked, leading Morgana to the bed, sitting them down.
"I rescued Uther from Tauren because he told me that he felt regret for killing Gwen's father, and he told I was the daughter he had never had." Morgana explained.
Coventina smiled, "That is great, Morgana. Uther does really love you." She said then remembered the vision she had months ago about Morgana saying she was Uther's daughter. She was pulled out of the trance when she felt Morgana touch her face.
"Love, what is it?"
Coventina cleared her throat, "I apologize I was simply thinking about when we met in Tauren, you brought up that Uther has horrible things to the ones you loved. Were you talking about me?" She said.
Morgana looked away, "Yes, I was but the reason I did because well I can not or you will think I am mad."
"Morgana, I could never think you were mad, tell me what you wish." Coventina said.
Morgana took a deep breath, "Before you came to Camelot, I had a dream about you, you had been running through the woods with another girl who looked no older than 12. I saw the knights sadly execute her, I assmue because of your Druid heritage."
Coventina nodded. "Yes, we wanted a better life so we came here, but someone saw my sister practicing her magic."
"Do you have magic as well?"
"Well yes Morgana, I am a Druid. The Druid mark is on my shoulder. I have magic" Coventina said.
"I...I thought that was just a scar from when your sister was attacked. Coventina, I have magic too I believe I do." Morgana said.
"If you do, I promise I would keep our secret safe," Coventina said. Morgana giggled, leaning forward to kiss Coventina.
"And I promise I will spend the rest of my life, making your life beautiful, I promise. Maybe one day we can run away to be together."
"I love you, Morgana.
"I love you too, Coventina."
Coventina felt at ease for once, she had exactly told Morgana about her magic and knew the truth about how she ended up in Camelot. If Morgana truly had magic, considering she had visions like she did, even if she was a seer she could help her get it under control. All was well. At least for now.