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Entry tags:
Merlin - Balance
And the second one...
Title: Balance
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG-13
Length: ~ 1,230 words
Spoilers: 2.12 The Fires of Idirsholas
Synopsis: Morgana recovers.
Disclaimer: I do not own this interpretation of the myths and am making no profit.
~~~~~~~~~~
Morgana sat up slowly; the poison in her body was nearly gone now, but it had caused so much damage along the way. Everything ached, and her mind had been so hazy for so long that she feared she would never be right again.
This morning though, the sun filtered in through the curtains in the room where she stayed and she felt nearly whole. She lay back against the pillows and tried to think about everything that had happened. She had chosen a stranger over the life she knew, a sorceress over those that persecuted her kind, the chance to live with magic instead of live with safety.
She did not know why she did it. Her dreams were gone and she had slept nearly peacefully for nights on end before she had answered Morgause’s call. She had what she desired for so long, but suddenly she had wanted more. The dreams are what tied her to her magic, or so she had thought, but maybe, just maybe, she did not want to rid herself of them, but to do greater things with everything she now knew she held inside.
She asked herself if it was greed, or if it was a desire to express who she truly was. It worried her that no answer had been forthcoming as of yet.
She looked to the crystal that sat on a small pedestal by the side of her bed. Morgause had told her there was a way to still harness her visions without them invading her dreams. They had not tried much yet as Morgana had been so weak; hints of images flitted towards her, but nothing more. Perhaps today though, when she could feel the strength returning to her body, she would be able to see what her dreams now hid from her.
She gazed into the crystal and at first saw only its murky depths. She let her mind relax, let the tendrils of magic search out what they needed to find like Morgause had explained, and finally there was a swirl of colours that slowly righted themselves into something she recognized. “Merlin,” she whispered.
The image flickered as her own emotions ran rampant in her head, but focused with a bit of effort. He looked... unwell. His already pale skin looked pasty and shiny, and a sheen of sweat dampened his fringe until it stuck to his forehead. He was hunched over, leaning against the side of a doorway, and looked as though he could fall over at any moment.
“He’s dying,” Morgause’s voice echoed in the small room.
Morgana looked up as her benefactor entered, dressed splendidly in red and lace. Despite everything that had happened, Morgana had to know, so she asked, “Why?”
Morgause sat gently on the edged of the bed, paused to tuck a curl back behind Morgana’s ear. “One of my knights injured him during the attack. They were borne of a magic he cannot control; it infects him and will soon consume him.”
“Is there a cure?” Morgana asked before she could stop herself.
Morgause levelled her gaze at her and asked simply, “Do you want there to be?”
Morgana closed her eyes. Merlin had betrayed her, had nearly left her to die, and had outright poisoned her. He had also been her friend, one of few to break through the castle walls, to make her laugh and to tell her things would be better some day.
He never did anything without a reason, though she rarely knew what that reason was. The castle was under attack, only she, he, and Arthur free from the deathly sleep. He had been with Arthur, safely outside, only to find her alive and awake within. Had he thought it was her? That she was the one who threatened the castle and everyone who lay within? Would that be reason enough for what he did?
“He gave me the means to finding the antidote in exchange for calling back my knights,” Morgause spoke, as if she could read Morgana’s very thoughts. When Morgana opened her eyes and looked at the woman across from her, she did not doubt that could be true.
“He thought he was saving...” Morgana murmured.
“He was willing to kill you in the process,” Morgause countered.
Morgana took a steadying breath, thoughts still rampant in her head. “But I am alive.”
“You are,” Morgause agreed. “The question is, do you wish him to be?”
Morgana looked to the crystal, saw Merlin collapse and Gaius try to catch him. Saw the sleeve of his jacket pulled back to reveal what had been a simple wound when she first saw it, now black with tendrils of dark blue creeping across his skin.
He was suffering, that much was clear. Her own poison had not been long to take hold, to push her unconscious so she did not truly understand what it did until she was already recovering. He was in pain now and would likely be for some time until it finally devoured him.
He was her friend and had done what he thought was right. He was also her enemy and had nearly killed her for his own agenda.
“Do you have the means to save him?” she asked, not quite sure what she would do with the answer just yet.
“I do,” Morgause nodded.
Before she could question herself, she blurted, “Then do it.”
Morgause showed no shock, only calm as she confirmed, “After what he did to you?”
Morgana nodded shakily. “He tried to protect his home, and I was the price he paid. You tried to protect yours, and he was the price. He saved me; it is only fair that we save him.” She looked away from the crystal and into knowing eyes. “We will be on even ground once more, all debts paid, and nothing left to hang over our heads.”
Morgause raised an eyebrow and offered a hint of a smile. “Very well,” she agreed. She stood and walked to the door, but paused before it to turn and offer, “His recovery will not be easy, but he will be well again.”
Morgana nodded once more as she watched her go. Somehow, that made it almost easier in her mind. Merlin had made her suffer, but saved her in the end. Now it was her turn.
She gazed into the crystal and saw the strained features of her one time friend. She watched as Morgause appeared, as Gaius reeled in shock and as Arthur nearly drove her through with his sword only to be repelled with a thought and fall unconscious to the floor. She watched Morgause’s lips move, as she offered an explanation before she set a small vial on the table. She watched as Merlin raised his hand and swore his eyes flashed gold just a moment before Morgause disappeared once more.
The woman in question appeared in her doorway and offered a simple, “It is done,” before she strode back out into the hallway.
Morgana watched as Gaius picked up the vial with a hopeful, yet distrustful look in his eyes. She saw the vial placed in Merlin’s hand, his fate now dependent upon his choice. She closed her eyes and let out a breath she had not known she was holding as he raised the vial to his lips.
Once they were even, nothing would ever be the same again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Feedback is always welcomed.
Title: Balance
Genre: Gen
Rating: PG-13
Length: ~ 1,230 words
Spoilers: 2.12 The Fires of Idirsholas
Synopsis: Morgana recovers.
Disclaimer: I do not own this interpretation of the myths and am making no profit.
~~~~~~~~~~
Morgana sat up slowly; the poison in her body was nearly gone now, but it had caused so much damage along the way. Everything ached, and her mind had been so hazy for so long that she feared she would never be right again.
This morning though, the sun filtered in through the curtains in the room where she stayed and she felt nearly whole. She lay back against the pillows and tried to think about everything that had happened. She had chosen a stranger over the life she knew, a sorceress over those that persecuted her kind, the chance to live with magic instead of live with safety.
She did not know why she did it. Her dreams were gone and she had slept nearly peacefully for nights on end before she had answered Morgause’s call. She had what she desired for so long, but suddenly she had wanted more. The dreams are what tied her to her magic, or so she had thought, but maybe, just maybe, she did not want to rid herself of them, but to do greater things with everything she now knew she held inside.
She asked herself if it was greed, or if it was a desire to express who she truly was. It worried her that no answer had been forthcoming as of yet.
She looked to the crystal that sat on a small pedestal by the side of her bed. Morgause had told her there was a way to still harness her visions without them invading her dreams. They had not tried much yet as Morgana had been so weak; hints of images flitted towards her, but nothing more. Perhaps today though, when she could feel the strength returning to her body, she would be able to see what her dreams now hid from her.
She gazed into the crystal and at first saw only its murky depths. She let her mind relax, let the tendrils of magic search out what they needed to find like Morgause had explained, and finally there was a swirl of colours that slowly righted themselves into something she recognized. “Merlin,” she whispered.
The image flickered as her own emotions ran rampant in her head, but focused with a bit of effort. He looked... unwell. His already pale skin looked pasty and shiny, and a sheen of sweat dampened his fringe until it stuck to his forehead. He was hunched over, leaning against the side of a doorway, and looked as though he could fall over at any moment.
“He’s dying,” Morgause’s voice echoed in the small room.
Morgana looked up as her benefactor entered, dressed splendidly in red and lace. Despite everything that had happened, Morgana had to know, so she asked, “Why?”
Morgause sat gently on the edged of the bed, paused to tuck a curl back behind Morgana’s ear. “One of my knights injured him during the attack. They were borne of a magic he cannot control; it infects him and will soon consume him.”
“Is there a cure?” Morgana asked before she could stop herself.
Morgause levelled her gaze at her and asked simply, “Do you want there to be?”
Morgana closed her eyes. Merlin had betrayed her, had nearly left her to die, and had outright poisoned her. He had also been her friend, one of few to break through the castle walls, to make her laugh and to tell her things would be better some day.
He never did anything without a reason, though she rarely knew what that reason was. The castle was under attack, only she, he, and Arthur free from the deathly sleep. He had been with Arthur, safely outside, only to find her alive and awake within. Had he thought it was her? That she was the one who threatened the castle and everyone who lay within? Would that be reason enough for what he did?
“He gave me the means to finding the antidote in exchange for calling back my knights,” Morgause spoke, as if she could read Morgana’s very thoughts. When Morgana opened her eyes and looked at the woman across from her, she did not doubt that could be true.
“He thought he was saving...” Morgana murmured.
“He was willing to kill you in the process,” Morgause countered.
Morgana took a steadying breath, thoughts still rampant in her head. “But I am alive.”
“You are,” Morgause agreed. “The question is, do you wish him to be?”
Morgana looked to the crystal, saw Merlin collapse and Gaius try to catch him. Saw the sleeve of his jacket pulled back to reveal what had been a simple wound when she first saw it, now black with tendrils of dark blue creeping across his skin.
He was suffering, that much was clear. Her own poison had not been long to take hold, to push her unconscious so she did not truly understand what it did until she was already recovering. He was in pain now and would likely be for some time until it finally devoured him.
He was her friend and had done what he thought was right. He was also her enemy and had nearly killed her for his own agenda.
“Do you have the means to save him?” she asked, not quite sure what she would do with the answer just yet.
“I do,” Morgause nodded.
Before she could question herself, she blurted, “Then do it.”
Morgause showed no shock, only calm as she confirmed, “After what he did to you?”
Morgana nodded shakily. “He tried to protect his home, and I was the price he paid. You tried to protect yours, and he was the price. He saved me; it is only fair that we save him.” She looked away from the crystal and into knowing eyes. “We will be on even ground once more, all debts paid, and nothing left to hang over our heads.”
Morgause raised an eyebrow and offered a hint of a smile. “Very well,” she agreed. She stood and walked to the door, but paused before it to turn and offer, “His recovery will not be easy, but he will be well again.”
Morgana nodded once more as she watched her go. Somehow, that made it almost easier in her mind. Merlin had made her suffer, but saved her in the end. Now it was her turn.
She gazed into the crystal and saw the strained features of her one time friend. She watched as Morgause appeared, as Gaius reeled in shock and as Arthur nearly drove her through with his sword only to be repelled with a thought and fall unconscious to the floor. She watched Morgause’s lips move, as she offered an explanation before she set a small vial on the table. She watched as Merlin raised his hand and swore his eyes flashed gold just a moment before Morgause disappeared once more.
The woman in question appeared in her doorway and offered a simple, “It is done,” before she strode back out into the hallway.
Morgana watched as Gaius picked up the vial with a hopeful, yet distrustful look in his eyes. She saw the vial placed in Merlin’s hand, his fate now dependent upon his choice. She closed her eyes and let out a breath she had not known she was holding as he raised the vial to his lips.
Once they were even, nothing would ever be the same again.
~~~~~~~~~~
Feedback is always welcomed.
cool
I havent seen the episodes leading up to this (hog!) but can envision the parts none-the-less since the characters are very much in...well, character. :)
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And I think Morgause is a very hard character to write; she's so opaque, and we haven't seen enough of her to get her tics, her speaking style. Good job!
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I would love to see more of the Morgause character. Hopefully she comes back next season.