Emerald and Sapphire

 

Emerald and Sapphire

Epilogue – Destruction and Victory

‘Arthur! Where is she? She can’t go out!’ Morgana stormed in her husband’s office, still in her gown. The dream had shaken her, it was still too soon for them to learn who they truly are, Morwena and Mordred needed more time.

Arthur looked at his wife from above the papers he was holding with a frown. He hadn’t seen her so worried and hectic in years. He stood up and moved around the desk to take her in his arms.

‘She left for a stroll with her horse; she said it won’t take more than two hours so I allowed.’ Arthur said calmly but Morgana’s eyes widened. ‘What’s wrong? Did you had a dream about her? Is she in danger? Should I leave for the forest?’ Arthur asked now as hectic as his wife but she shook her head remorsefully. She should have protected her child earlier, all these days before, when she was trying to mask her worry with the relief of Mordred finally being in the picture.  Now if Arthur or herself were to take her back, they would seem even more suspicious in the eyes of their intelligent daughter who wouldn’t stop until she knew why all the commotion.

‘Physically, she will be just fine, but…I’m not sure of her poor heart, Arthur,’ Morgana finally said and Arthur looked at her still in confusion.

‘It’s time for you to explain to me what you meant all those years ago, the night you returned and we agreed on being together, what is Morwena’s part in all this? What is all this about?’ Arthur asked seriously as he held his wife and sister in his arms. He loved her with all his heart, together, they had found peace, but for years, she had avoided to explain to him exactly what was to happen with their heiress, he trusted her but now he knew it was time for her to explain everything to him. It was time for her to tell him about their future.

‘The night I was dethroned and Morgause was murdered by Merlin… I had a vision, I saw my sister and mother explaining my destiny to me, my destiny was to be with you, but not as your Nemesis in alliance with Mordred, as Merlin had seen, but as your wife and queen, the one to give birth to the only person that can stop your true downfall, Mordred.

‘Mordred is sworn to take down Camelot, he’s cunning like Morgause and raised by magical people, he’s powerful, obsessed about things that do not exist anymore in Camelot, but he wants revenge. Camelot took away from life his parents, me from his side and left him alone. Only one can make him feel love again, Arthur… and this is our daughter.’ Morgana started and Arthur listened to her carefully as he held her.

‘I wouldn’t have dared to have a child with you, or with anyone else for that matter if it was to be killed. Morwena will be saved by his wrath but I am not sure about the rest. If things go according to plan, Mordred will spare you and me because of Morwena therefore, the kingdom, he will see the light and finally kill his hatred for us. He has sworn to kill both of us, but our daughter can stop him, she can save us all without our blood being spilt.

‘But it’s too soon for them to learn who they truly are, Morwena just met him, but he suspects something, he will tell her today and she will be devastated… I thought we had more time, I thought I could explain to her first, but she slipped through my fingers, I was to do it today.’ Morgana added and now she was becoming frantic once again. Arthur framed her face with his hands, the face he knew so well and had changed little over the years, as if magic was preserving her beauty and the light in her emerald orbs.

‘We’ll be there for her the moment she’s back, I promise you, we’ll find a way, I know you did it all because of your love for me, I know you did it all to save us and the kingdom.’ Arthur reassured her and she finally fell in his arms and sobbed, the relief of the truth being out after so many years made her breath easier. Arthur closed his eyes as he held her close, he was both relieved and angry for her to keep this from him but he would be lying if he said he hadn’t suspected something in these lines. ‘We’ll go to the throne room, start the day, after you’re dressed, and the moment she’s back, we’ll handle the situation, just you, me and her.’ Arthur said, taking the situation in his own hands and felt Morgana nodding her head.

‘Is this why we had no more children?’ Arthur finally asked in a soft voice and felt Morgana stiffening in his arms.

‘I don’t know if we would have more children Arthur, I had seen only Morgana in many versions of the future back then, but we didn’t have more children for other reasons…’ Morgana said and Arthur looked at her as he brought her at arm’s length again. The king and the entire kingdom had been kept in dark about why Morgana had only one child. It wasn’t good for the kingdom to know the queen was barren, their enemies could use that as to be even more aggressive on killing Morwena and having the throne headless, the fear of more heirs always played a role on keeping the throne of the High Kingship. And it wasn’t good for the king to know that his best friend had tried to kill the queen once again, Morgana had kept her mouth shut not as to spare Merlin but as to save Arthur who would have been hurt again, but now, it was time for him to know what was actually happening in his palace, his family, he was to learn the truth only Morgana, Merlin, Morwena and the maids knew for the queen.

‘Merlin had used magic on me as to conceive our child. You know the rules, one life created, once life taken,’ Morgana said as softly as she could and saw the disbelief and pain filling his eyes. ‘He belayed his plans on the last moment because he hadn’t expected me to have found a way to call you back even with my magic idle. The night of Morwena’s birth, he was to kill both her if she wasn’t a stillborn already and then kill me, but you arrived in time and he saved me, like the maids did with our daughter, if you recall… that night his mother died of a heart-attack…

‘However… the labor had taken its toll on me…’ Morgana added and she could see Arthur’s face hardening as he looked at her but she knew, the anger wasn’t addressed on her. ‘I didn’t say anything all these years because you asked of both me and Merlin to co-exist, I had clarified to him that if he dared to touch Morwena ever again I would kill him but he took her side, you became friends again and I remained the only one suspicious… I can’t trust him, Arthur, he has taken so many things from me, I can’t forgive him for the banes he inflicted on me.’ Morgana finished her words and tears ran down her face. Arthur nodded his head and kissed her tears away.

‘I’m here for you, Morgana, no matter what, I’m here for you and I love you so much,’ Arthur could only whisper against her lips. New truths had been unveiled to him, but for some reason, he was feeling like he should have expected it, of course things between Merlin and Morgana would have taken place under his nose, he had forced two powerful sources of magic to co-exist under the same roof when they hated each other.

He felt hatred for Merlin, he had commanded him back then, not to dare harm Morgana in any way and Merlin hadn’t only ignored him, he had also tried to harm Morwena, for that, Arthur would never forgive the warlock, but now, as he held Morgana in his arms, alive and with their daughter out there, meeting with their potential murderer he felt like Merlin was the smaller threat before what was to come …

~*~

The young woman galloped through the forest she knew so well. Her long hair waved and the curls flew behind her like the tail of a falling star as she moved through the forest with eyes focused on the road.

Her dream had been so vivid, the blond woman that once had awoken her talent as Seer had visited again, her mother’s sister had returned and commanded her to go to the forest as to meet the meaning of her life. The words of Morgause had shaken Morwena and she hadn’t even woken up her mother, like she usually did after a dream that included Morgause. The queen had troubled sleep for the past nights and Morwena had thought of leaving her mother be, after all, all the times Morgause was revealed to her, the queen told her to trust her dreams and the woman in them. Morgana had also told her daughter to council her first but Morwena believed this wouldn’t be any different now, she moved through the forest, watching for any sign, magical or not to lead her.

Soon the young man was moving before her path, making her halt her horse and smile at him as she dismounted and approached. She was sixteen and he was around thirty, the perfect match for their time and status, their age wasn’t the factor for the troubles that were to come.

‘My lady…’ Mordred whispered and kissed her hand as he bowed slightly, his sapphire blue eyes never leaving her emerald ones, Morwena smiled softly as he took the horse and they moved together around the trees by walking, away from the path. She wasn’t sure what she was to expect when she moved out of the city’s walls but Mordred seemed a peaceful and handsome sign for her to follow.

‘Why you’re here?’ Mordred asked softly and Morwena shook her head and chuckled, she hadn’t told him who she was in the times they met in the forest, she always made sure to be dressed rather simply when out of the city, not betraying her identity in case of someone trying to abduct her, it was enough for a girl to be out on her own, however she had her magic, another secret to the young man, and she could save herself in case of danger.

‘Honestly… I’m not sure…’ Morwena said and smiled at Mordred who this time gave only a half smile. She was feeling as if she knew him for a long time, as if they knew each other rather well, and she could feel he was troubled.

‘What is wrong?’ Morwena asked and Mordred finally stopped and looked at her fully, the horse forgotten as he let the reins from his hand and framed her face with his palms, the moment their skin touched they both felt as if a wave of power had surged through them.

‘Do you trust me?’ he asked seriously and Morwena felt the answer as if coming from her own soul.

‘Yes,’ she said in a whisper, they kept the eye lock for a second more and then Mordred leaned closer and kissed her lips. Morwena closed her eyes, being kissed for the first time and there she saw the truth that had been hidden for all those years.

A young boy, Mordred being born and raised from Morgause, until she left him with the druids as to find the “future of Camelot” as she had said to her tearful son before she could leave as to gather power and show in Camelot.

The queen and king, Morwena’s parents, younger and unwise, fighting against each other, her mother dethroning her father, her father’s father, Uther, by Morgause’s help and taking the throne, before she could be dethroned herself by Arthur.

Morgana crying over the dead body of Morgause, the woman Morwena always saw in her dreams. Morgana alone for a period of time, before she could return to the palace and get back with her brother and future husband.

Their parents talking of their child saving them from Mordred, the young boy Morgause had given up for Morgana and Camelot.

Her mother showing up and finding Mordred, learning the truth of their relation, yet not backing out of her plans of marrying her brother. Mordred declaring his rivalry against Arthur and his aunt, Morgana.

Mordred being raised by the druids, gaining power, learning of the birth of a child between the Pendragons, learning of Morgana’s near death-experience. Waiting for Morgana or Emrys to show up through the years.

‘It cannot be,’ Morwena whispered as tears ran down her cheeks, her lips still half an inch from Mordred’s whose eyes were as tearful.

‘They had all planned it out, for us to fall in love, first cousins, another incest…’ Mordred whispered against her own lips and Morwena raised her eyes and looked in his. All this days of happiness to have met him, shattered now, all the joy in her heart after more than a year of her parents refusing her marriage proposals from princes around Britain. Now she knew why, they waited for her to find Mordred, to execute the well planned ideas her parents had. Mordred, her cousin, the one who wanted to destroy her parents and Camelot.

‘Why you want Camelot to be destroyed?’ she asks softly and his eyes change, become darker, Camelot, all that she’s supposed to represent and protect and all he wants to destroy.

‘It’s the shelter of murderers, Morwena. My magic showed me who you are, I know you didn’t know, but your mother did to us exactly what my mother had done to yours. Emrys killed my mother, your parents’ father killed my father and none was punished, I do not accept that, and above all, your mother didn’t only return to Camelot as queen, she also plotted all this, she put you before me as to stop me, when she knows I have my rights to want revenge on people that she and the king protect and have befriended.’ Mordred spoke and Morwena shivered at the sound of his previous gentle voice now turned into icy hissing.

‘Camelot is changed…’ she tried, she didn’t know on whom to turn her anger, her parents? Who had lied to her all these years? Who had planned for her to be in the middle of all this chaos? Or on Mordred, who wanted her parents dead along with the kingdom.

‘Camelot won’t be changed until certain people are gone from it.’ Mordred said and Morwena made a step back, she felt her heart tightening in fear for her parents, above all, she loved them.

‘I… I have to go back, I can’t stay here anymore,’ she finally whispered in fear but Mordred took her hand in his and brought her closer.

‘I love you, do not forget that, no matter what is going to happen, I love you,’ Mordred whispered but Morwena felt more scared than happy or relieved for his declaration.

‘I need to go back,’ she finally said, and she saw the hurt in his eyes, but she knew she couldn’t declare what she was feeling for him, not after him showing to her that he wants to kill her parents.

They were separated, with her mounting and galloping back to Camelot, her eyes full of tears as the images he showed and the words he spoke played in her mind again and again, maybe he was lying? Why or how she didn’t care, but right then she needed to speak with her parents, before she could unleash all the furry that was stored inside her.

She reached the palace, dismounted and rushed inside, ignoring her maids and all the servants that bowed at her. She knew where her parents were at this time, on their thrones, where they solved various matters of state. The guards didn’t even dare to stop her as she opened the double doors and stormed inside with her purple dress flowing around her feet.

‘Tell me my life is not a lie! Tell me you didn’t set it all up for me to be in the middle of this goddamned destiny!’ Morwena screamed out in anger as she approached, her eyes moving from her mother to her father, totally ignoring the dumbstruck faces of the council members that were around the royal couple with papers of state matters and some subjects who were there to have interviews with the king and queen. Merlin remained there, by Arthur’s side, looking at the young woman with pained eyes, before he could look at Arthur’s composed face and Morgana’s remorseful one.

‘Leave us,’ Arthur said calmly before his tormented child, his own heart was racing but he needed to act like the High King he was, the subjects and council members bowed hastily and left the room. The moment the doors were closed Morwena approached even closer to her parents.

‘Tell me you didn’t plot for me to fall in love with my own cousin, tell me this is all a lie of his, spare me the pain.’ Morwena spoke this time and her voice was a plea, a last cry of agony before she could collapse on her knees, before the two steps that kept her lower than the thrones her parents were sat on and Merlin was standing by.

Morgana shot up from her throne and moved down the two steps as to hug her child, their eyes were full of tears as she joined her child on the ground and tried to bring her to her feet.

‘We all have a destiny to follow, my sweet, there was no other way,’ Morgana whispered in her daughter’s ear. Morwena gave a sound between a cry and a scream and shoved her mother’s hands away from her the moment the two women were standing.

‘You tricked me to fall in love with my cousin, you think incest is so easy for everyone? I had accepted that I’m the fruit of your incest “Camelot was to be saved by the union”, “You are the future of both simple and magical Camelot”.

‘Now what? You want me to be drowned in incest too?  You want me somehow to stop the man I love from killing my parents? All my life was for that? That’s my purpose in life? To be in the middle of yours and Morgause’s and Merlin’s and father’s plots? Did you ever thought of the burden on my shoulders?!’ Morwena screamed all the things she wanted to say along the questions that had been formed in her mind. Merlin and the Pendragons had remained silent before the screaming young woman, her eyes were red, full of tears of anger and pain.

‘We only wanted to stop the doom that was to start, Morwena, we only wanted for Mordred to find some peace of mind as his obsession with the Camelot that once was this place, is now only that, an obsession. I could have taken the army and strike the druids again and again, but your mother insisted on showing mercy on the boy, she insisted to spare him and not keep up the war with the druids, a war that would only result in pain with no end.’ Arthur tried to speak as he rose from his throne too, and approached his daughter who backed away from her parents.

‘Mordred has reasons to destroy you, us, all of us, his mother was murdered, like his father and even if Uther is gone, the murderer of his mother is still alive.’ Morwena said and this time her eyes fell upon Merlin who lowered his head.

‘Morgause also killed, Morwena, also plotted against everyone, she even tricked your mother in doing awful things, but your mother loved her sister and Mordred and never tried to harm him. We wish there was another way for him to be stopped by it is only you who can mend his heart, instead of revenge, as he thinks.’ Arthur added softly as he tried to approach his only child again but Morwena backed away even more and looked at her parents with eyes full of pain, she was feeling betrayed.

‘All I know is that you tricked my whole life, that my life so far is a lie, that I am a pawn in your hands, another shoulder to get rid of a bane for your crown, the crown that pushed both of you even to commit incest as to keep it on your heads… you’re disgusting.’ Morwena finally said and turned around and stormed out of the room in the same fashion she had entered it, leaving her parents behind to get their selves together and find a way to save everything that now was crumbling.

~*~

Morgana galloped on her horse like her daughter had done a few hours ago, only the Queen knew exactly where to go as to find Mordred. She moved through the forest, making sure her magical presence was surging between the woods like the air, he wouldn’t need more than mare minutes to sense her presence, after all, they shared the same blood and magic.

Arthur had told her only to bargain everything as to help the situation with Mordred, the breaking point was near and it was time for the infamous pact between Morgana and Mordred, only the Dragon had been proven wrong thanks to Morgana’s intervention all these years, there would be a pact, an alliance, but not in evil, at least for the Pendragons.

Morgana was feeling responsible and guilty for all this, the pain her child was under. Arthur had confederated but Morgana was the one to have set everything up, even with Merlin’s interruptions in her plans, she was the one who had followed her main vision and had returned on the throne of Camelot, her rightful place, with the plan of having the heir that would save Arthur and Camelot from Mordred. 

She sensed his presence and stopped her horse, dismounted gracefully and arranged her cloak the moment he was presented from behind some trees. It had been years ever since she saw him with her eyes, but she wasn’t surprised of his growing into a handsome man, her dreams had kept her updated in the change from that dark teenager to this powerful man.

‘Dear Aunt,’ Mordred said in a composed voice. Morgana approached him.

‘Mordred,’ she acknowledged.

‘You’re here to twist me even more in your plans? Morwena left hours ago, devastated by what you have done to her.’ Mordred said in his cold voice and his words cut deep as a knife would do but Morgana was prepared for this.

‘I’m here to reason with you finally,’ she said and that seemed to make him furious.

‘You even gave birth to a child of your brother to stop me from killing him and Emrys, you twisted us all in a fate you’ve chosen to follow and now you’re here to reason with me? With what kind of words?’ Mordred asked in anger as he approached his aunt, once, he had fallen in her arms, as a child, now he was towering her.

‘The fate I chose was shown to me by your grandmother, Vivienne and your mother, Morgause, in their attempt for all of us to find peace, for you to find peace, and you know that your mother loved you, she fought for a Camelot ridden of fear of magic, she only did so in the wrong way, manipulating me in the way.’ Morgana started as she stared back at the sapphire eyes of her nephew.

‘I did what I did in my attempt to save us all, I asked you to come with my side and I understood your reasons when you refused, you hate Merlin like I do for killing Morgause, maybe I hate him even more than you, he killed my sister, he had tried to kill me and left me barren, believe me, Mordred, living under the same roof with him wasn’t an easy task…’ Morgana spoke truthfully and her nephew listened to her for the first time in years.

‘You know very well that if you hurt me or Arthur now, Morwena will never forgive you, you will lose her and you know none of you will stand it. But I know you want your revenge, and I won’t step in your way this time… as long as you don’t harm Arthur. I promise you I won’t step in your way to your revenge on the actual murderer of your mother…’ Morgana added and Mordred frowned.

‘And what about you two?  He asked and this time Morgana smiled the same way her daughter always did.

‘You know what awaits me and Arthur… even if you harm us, Avalon is the next journey for me and him, but what you will achieve by not touching us, is Morwena’s love. She loves Merlin, but she understands your reasons, reasons that will be lost to her if you dare touch her parents…’ Morgana replied and Mordred sighed and looked at his aunt just a tiny bit softer. She was winning the battle, she had trapped him smartly in his own emotions.

‘So you don’t care about Emrys,’ Mordred asked in his last attempt to make her feel bad, to give her a taste of her own medicine.

‘He used to be my friend, he used to be a good person, he tried to remain one, like all of us, but in the way, he committed crimes that none of us can forgive. I may have mended my wounds, but my soul will always grieve for my sister, for the people of our kind that died, for my barren state, for my endless fear for Morwena. So no, I don’t care about Merlin when I can save Arthur, like you don’t care about anyone when you can have Morwena.’ Morgana replied once again and Mordred looked deep into her eyes, waiting.

‘Avalon needs its new priestess and I’m more than ready to go there, promise me to keep my daughter safe and I promise you Arthur and I will leave Camelot forever. Promise me you will keep the throne safe and my daughter happy and you will have your chance on both revenge and happiness.’ Morgana finally made her offer and Mordred, after a moment, took out his dagger, sliced his palm and then waited for Morgana to do the same, she outstretched her palm and he opened a wound that coaxed a hiss of pain from the queen. They gave a firm handshake and their blood fell in drops on the forest floor.

‘I promise,’ Mordred finally said and Morgana felt her heart heaving for what she did to Merlin while her chest lightened before Arthur’s salvation.

She rushed back to Camelot, she moved inside the city and close to the palace, dismounted and rushed inside. She wanted to try and speak to her child, again, as Morwena had already refused her twice, like she had done with Arthur. Morgana also wanted to speak to her husband about what had happened, but before all that, she moved close to Gaius’ old chambers, where Merlin now lived. She got inside the chamber and the man stood up in surprise.

In the past years, the two hadn’t exchanged many words, mostly due to Morgana’s pretending he didn’t exist, she only occasionally thanked him or just acknowledged him when it was something about Morwena.

In her way back from her pact with Mordred, however, Morgana had decided to be equal to everyone’s ambitions. Mordred had every reason to kill Merlin, the revenge on his dead mother was something Morgana respected as she had loved her sister, and the dark and twisted part of her, that part that she had locked deep inside her ever since Morwena was born, enjoyed the revenge that was to take place, another part of hers, the one who had led her to defy Uther for the innocent who had been burnt on the stake, now was devastated for the pact she had accomplished; so she had decided to warn Merlin. Mordred was magical, so Merlin was, they could figure things out on their own, she had made sure her family would be alright and Avalon would have its next priestess, that was enough for her.

 ‘Morgana…’ Merlin murmured, he wasn’t sure if she had dared to go and find Mordred, ever since Morwena’s return, everyone was upset as the princess had never been hostile to her parents until that morning, Merlin had no idea what Morgana had done outside the castle right after the fight with her child.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t be warning you at all… but I owe you that much after the times you saved Arthur…’ Morgana started in the cold voice she was used on having towards Merlin, she could still remember her throat closing up because of the poison and the life escaping her sister’s body after Merlin had smashed her body on the wall of the castle. ‘But do not except any more help from my side… if it comes to a choice, I will let him kill you instead of myself, Arthur or Morwena.’ Morgana added, she wouldn’t reveal the pact she had done with Mordred, there was no reason, that was between her and her nephew for the Pendragons, her family. ‘My sister had no choice, no time to save herself, but she knew-more or less- her enemies, and I believe you should too…’ Morgana finished her words and Merlin stared at her for a moment more.

How they had turned from good friends who smiled truly at each other to these dark and cold creatures that tried to kill and save each other beneath Arthur’s shadow, they did not know. Merlin finally nodded his head and lowered his eyes.

‘Thank you…’ he only said and Morgana nodded once and turned around and out of the room with her cloak waving behind her, leaving Merlin to realize that Mordred was probably coming for him.

~*~

Morwena had refused her parents repeatedly for the remainder of the day, she had refused to eat and to open the door, even if her mother begged, her father pleaded before he could command, before her mother could threat her that she would use magic, Morwena never answered. Her head was heavy after all the hours of crying, like her chest was after the hard sobs and the realization of what had happened.

It was all set up for her to execute specific plans of fate, she was to be the queen of Camelot and the savor of her parents, by stopping her own cousin and lover, she was to follow the royal bloodline of incest in her family. And all that because of Morgause in her sleep and her mother for years, had prepared her to do.

She wasn’t sure if she was more angry than afraid, how was she supposed to stop Mordred? How was she to save her parents? How was she to save Camelot? Her eyes filled with tears only at the idea of something happening to her parents by Mordred or to Mordred by her parents and the army.

The warning bells had her standing up in an instant and gripping her sword, she was still in the gown in which she had traveled outside Camelot but she didn’t care as she opened her door and moved down the corridors as the entire castle was brought to awareness for the infiltration.

Her heart beat fast, the fear of what Mordred could do to her parents squeezed her chest. She rushed to the dining chamber, where her parents must have their dinner at that hour. In her way, she faced two hooded figures, they didn’t hold swords, druids. Her eyes immediately turned amber and she outstretched her free hand, creating a wave of power that washed over them and had them flying across the corridor. She rushed to the chamber and burst inside only to find the druids and Mordred already there, involved in a heated conversation with her parents and Merlin.

Mordred advanced on the trio and Morwena didn’t wait for him to reach the target, Morgana tried to catch her and Morwena pushed her father out of the way from behind at the same time Merlin tried to shield the king and the princess while the queen was trying too, to save her child.

The cry of pain had the room freezing for a moment as Merlin was run through by the sword of the younger man. Merlin and Mordred were face to face, Merlin’s lips opened in shock and pain while Mordred’s face was composed, silent, satisfied for the revenge taken on his mother’s death.

‘No!’ Arthur screamed as he tried to approach but Morwena held him back while Morgana rushed forward and between her family and the scene of murder, she wouldn’t afford any mistake or accident. Merlin fell on his knees, his face shocked, his eyes for a moment traveling between Morgana and Mordred who looked at each other knowingly, as if agreeing on the next step of their plan. Morgana then looked at Merlin as the trio with the sword between them lowered on the floor until Mordred finally withdrew the blade and had Merlin’s mouth feeling with blood. Morgana held Merlin as he fell on the side while Morwena still held back her father. Morgana and Merlin’s eyes were locked for a moment, communicating about the truth.

We now know who we really are. Now people see magic as a force of good. It was all for Arthur and the kingdom, all for Avalon and Magic. You and I were to sacrifice a lot of things for our destiny… Morgana’s words echoed inside his head as his eyes got blurry because of the pain, Morgana still held him as he touched the floor. He could hear Arthur screaming, he could hear Morwena trying to stop her father and reason with Mordred who had seemed to have dropped his sword, but he could only see Morgana who was communicating with him through magic.

I’m sorry… he could only say to her, for never telling her the truth, when things could had been mended, for trying to poison her, for trying to kill her, for killing her sister and leaving Mordred an orphan, for even killing his own mother when he failed to execute the plan he had with the dragon about Morgana’s labor, for everything. He was deeply sorry and he wouldn’t rest in peace unless he had her forgiveness.

‘You are forgiven, Merlin…’ Morgana whispered in his ear and he only gave a small nod and a tiny smile before he could leave his final breath. Morgana remained above him for a moment more, shut his eyes with her hand and then turned and looked around her, finally snapping out of the moment of destruction and victory. 

She stood up, moved close to her husband and king and took his hand as he was still straggling to reach Merlin or Mordred, Morgana had told him, hours ago, that there would be a cost and he knew Merlin was probably the target but seeing his friend of so many years dying was a knife twisting in his heart. Morgana however was ready for the next step and she was to make it with Arthur by her side, destiny was calling.

‘We must go,’ Morgana whispered and Arthur looked at her, she didn’t have to tell him where to go, he knew, he knew one day, she would have to go to Avalon, to immortality, that’s why Merlin had sacrificed himself for, it was time for her to become the priestess of Avalon and him her companion, like they had been king and queen of Camelot, now it was time for them to reach their next kingdom, the one of magic.

Morgana turned to her daughter and framed her face with her hands. The girl only had to look at her mother for a moment and at Mordred for one more as to see the truth, her parents would be safe but away from her, until it would be her time too, to reach Avalon and immortality. This was the last time to see her parents for years to come.

‘I need you to forgive your father and I for what we did, for what I did to you. It was only as to save the Pendragons, Camelot and Magic, it was only for someone finally to stop the doom and unite every race and every kind of person under the crown of our family. It was for the people to see in you the true monarch of the land, it was for the love of Camelot.’ Morgana told her daughter whose eyes were already full of tears of regret and pain. She had been so angry to her parents, not realizing that was her final day with them.

‘I didn’t mean what I said before, I love you so much,’ Morwena said tearfully and Morgana’s eyes too, filled with tears as she kissed her daughter’s face many times and nodded her head as Arthur too hugged them both.

‘We know, we know my love, we love you too, more than anything in the world.’ Arthur whispered to his child, the perfect mix of his and Morgana’s inside and out.

‘We’ll meet again, I promise you, in your dreams for the years to come, and then in Avalon, when it will be your time, but until then, I want you to become a great queen, to unite the druids with the rest like we united magical and simple people. I want you to unite every remaining part of Camelot under your reign. I want you to become the queen you’re destined to be.’ Morgana told her daughter who hadn’t left from her arms and the young woman nodded her head as more tears escaped. Morgana and Arthur hugged their daughter a final time and allowed their child to hug them back tightly.

They broke the hug and Morgana moved close to Mordred who was still standing before the dead body of Merlin.

‘I will honor my promise, do not fear, aunt.’ Mordred said soberly to his mother’s sister and Morgana nodded and took off her crown and gave it to her nephew.

‘Uther and Morgause were the darkness of this land while Merlin and Arthur were the light, I was in the middle for all those years, now it’s time for her, keep her steady on the right lines and remember, Camelot is your kingdom too now, serve it well.’ Morgana said and Mordred glanced at the crown that was to be on Morwena’s head from now on and then nodded his own head.

‘It’s time, Arthur,’ Morgana whispered to her husband as he was hugging his daughter tightly for the final time. He nodded, let go of his child and looked at Mordred who only stood there and nodded. Years ago, Arthur had done what he had felt as the right thing and had saved Mordred, now he knew, Mordred had done the same by killing Merlin. It hurt, such cruel way of doing what is believed to be the right thing but Morgana had been right, sometimes, you have to do what you think is right and darn the consequences. Now the right thing was for Arthur and Morgana to move to Avalon, Morwena was ready to take care of Camelot.

Mordred hugged tightly Morwena as her parents left the palace in the middle of the night. No matter the insecurity that would follow the next days or weeks, everyone in Britain knew that one day, Morgana and Arthur Pendragon would have to go to Avalon to carry on with their destiny and Morwena would be left behind to rule. Britain was stabilized enough for such transition in the lead and Morwena was more than capable and good to keep up.

The royal couple moved on one horse through the forest with Morgana before Arthur and him holding the reins. They didn’t need to say a word through their trip to the lake of Avalon, they knew that day would arrive, the loss of Merlin was still a fresh wound, a wound that would need time to be healed but Avalon offered a lot of time, immortality would be enough.

They finally arrived close to the shore of the lake and they dismounted and let the horse leave inside the forest. Arthur was in his royal clothes and Morgana was in a scarlet red dress and cloak, the blood red of the Pendragons on both. They looked at each other for a long moment before Arthur could take her hand and nod his head with a small smile. She nodded too and moved forward with her husband, brother and king.

The lake water was silent and dark for a moment more. The moment Morgana stood before it and her eyes turned amber, countless of lights illuminated the depths of it and they were soon moving out of the surface and around the area. A Sidhe elder flew upon the water and hovered close to the couple.

‘My lady, welcome.’ he said and his blue pixie-like face showed the respect the priestess’ position demanded. Morgana nodded her head and the Sidhe bowed in the air before it could turn around and move above the surface. Morgana’s eyes turned amber once more and even if the water seemed unmoving, the road beneath was crystal clear, the path to the land of Magic was revealed, leading to a temple of amazing beauty and grace while all the kinds of magical creatures that inhabited Avalon showed up around the path. Morgana smiled at Arthur and his face that revealed awe for the beauty before them. Morgana made the first step on the water and instead of getting wet and inside, her foot touched the water as if it was solid, she smiled and took the first step on the path while she still held Arthur’s hand.

He did the same, a step closer to immortality, but before they could move any further, the king took his sword out of its case, all the magical creatures bowed at the power of the sword Merlin had once given him, years ago, when he was to fight the Saxons, the most perfect sword ever made for him.

‘I guess I won’t need this in Avalon, but our daughter might need some help one day.’ Arthur said and Morgana smiled and nodded her head. Arthur threw the sword away and even if they stepped on the surface of the lake, the sword was immediately swallowed in the depths.

 Now with the weapon taken care by the Lady of the Lake, king Arthur and Queen Morgana Pendragon were ready for their new rein, this time in the magical kingdom of Avalon.