Merlin fic: A Better World
Title: A Better World (1/2) (Sequel to With a heavy heart)
Author: dk323
Rating: PG
Word count (for this part): 7,502
Spoilers: Up through 3x04 "Gwaine" (3x05 “The Crystal Cave" episode didn't happen in this fic verse)
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Merlin, implied Arthur/Gwen, past Merlin/Freya, Morgana, OCs
Disclaimer: The show Merlin is property of the BBC.
Summary: There’s a threat on Arthur’s life, but with Merlin around, Arthur isn’t too worried about it. Merlin is still hurting after losing two years of his life. Morgana decides to turn the tables on Fate, and she ends up pregnant as a result. With Freya’s help, Morgana is able to rectify the problem.
Author’s Notes: This fic is set after 3x04 "Gwaine" and is AU after that point. Specifically, it has been around two years since 3x04 and Arthur has been recently crowned King (toward the end of "With a heavy heart"). Since “With a heavy heart” was completed prior to 3x05, I’m going to keep to that. Though I’m keeping the revelation that Uther is Morgana’s father to remain true to canon. But everyone finds this out in a different way since the events of 3x05 did not take place here.
*** Because of the amount of information given in this sequel (introducing another world), I decided to divide this into two parts. The second part will go further into Morgana's experience while Merlin continues to heal from what happened to him (with Arthur's help, of course :)).
~ * ~
It's there that my heart is longing
All for the love of you
The Mystic’s Dream by Loreena McKennitt
~ * ~
“Arthur, your life is in danger. Didn’t you hear what Gwaine and Lancelot said? About that sorcerer?” Merlin reminded him in exasperation.
Arthur shrugged and he continued looking over the sword that the Lady of the Lake had given him.
“I’ve never seen a sword like this. It’s one of a kind,” Arthur said, completely disregarding Merlin’s words. He was still surveying the sword.
Merlin sighed. It was certainly a momentous occasion for Arthur to receive Excalibur and have the chance to wield the sword as was his right. He could not deny Arthur the time to have it all sink in, to realize what this meant.
For now, the reign of King Arthur would truly begin with Excalibur at his side. Merlin smiled quietly to himself at the pleasant thought. As he walked to Arthur, Merlin leaned on a cane for balance and support.
Weeks after being rescued from his two years of a half-life lying in a coffin, he still had some trouble walking without a support. Though he was wondering if he was getting too comfortable with the cane, and maybe he didn’t need it anymore. Daresay, he thought he would very well miss the cane, which was a bit silly, but Merlin had to admit he was quite attached to it.
He neared Arthur and he placed his hand over the king’s. Arthur set the sword down on the table, and he sighed, now deigning to look at Merlin.
“What I would like to know is why Morgana doesn’t have the courtesy to tell me directly,” Arthur pointed out in irritation.
“Arthur, you still should heed her words,” Merlin told him firmly.
Arthur gave Merlin a careful look and then he pulled up a chair for him. “You should sit down. You’re looking pale.”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “I always look pale,” he muttered under his breath. Still he accepted the gesture and sat down. Arthur took his cane from him and propped it against the table.
Merlin continued on persistently, “Now you and I both know Morgana isn’t my most favorite person in the world, but she has built up an impressive reputation as a Seer. So it would be good to take her words to heart.”
“Well, I have you, don’t I? I know you’ll be able to take care of the threat. The sorcerer Obsidian isn’t the first who seeks to kill me,” Arthur said reasonably.
Merlin bit his lip. “Yes, of course. I won’t let anything happen to you, but I’m not in my best form at the moment. After being in that coffin…”
“Has your magic been affected?” Arthur asked him in concern.
“No, I don’t think so. I think it’s just physically…”
“Then everything should be fine. Don’t worry about it. Your physical prowess was nothing remarkable after all. Your strength lies in your magic.”
Merlin frowned. “I manage quite all right with a sword, Your Majesty,” he retorted.
Arthur smiled indulgently at him. “Yes, of course, Merlin,” he answered him.
Merlin crossed his arms over his chest, showing his annoyance.
Wisely, Arthur changed the subject, seeking to quench his curiosity. “What did you talk to the Lady of the Lake about in private? You appeared to know her and I was given the impression you didn’t,” Arthur mused.
He looked expectantly at Merlin.
Merlin’s eyes widened and he clearly hadn’t been expecting such a query. He tried to sound nonchalant. “I just wanted to thank her for looking after me. That was all,” he informed Arthur briskly.
Arthur raised his brow. “But you recognized her… and you didn’t know who the Lady of the Lake was. I had to tell you about her,” Arthur reminded him.
Merlin gave a long sigh. “All right,” he gave in and admitted, “Remember that Druid girl Freya I told you about before?”
Arthur looked pensive, a dawning realization coming upon him. “I thought the Lady of the Lake looked familiar when I first saw her. I’m sorry I had to hurt her that one time, but she had been proven a threat in her cursed form. It was unfortunate that she had been cursed unwillingly, of course. And if I had known you had fallen in love with her…” Arthur started.
Merlin waved his hand. “It’s all in the past now. You did what you did for the security of Camelot. I told you before that I understood that. There’s no need to go over it again,” Merlin assured him. “But Freya is now the Lady of the Lake. I had no idea that she would become that, much less a deity. I didn’t expect to see her again, but I’m glad that she now has a second chance at life without her curse.”
He gave Arthur a small smile.
Arthur nodded. “Do you still love her?” He asked, a hint of uncertainty was evident in his voice.
Merlin looked at Arthur like he was being an idiot. “You gave me a “True Love’s Kiss” to save me. What I had with Freya was nice -- I was happy with her -- but it’s nothing compared to…well,” Merlin stopped, smiling quietly at him.
Arthur cleared his throat. “Well, yes. You have a point.”
Merlin pointed out to him, “Look at you. You married Gwen. I don’t think…whatever we have, we can’t pursue it.”
Arthur frowned deeply at that. He kneeled down beside Merlin and said firmly, “Shut up, Merlin.”
He raised Merlin’s chin with a finger and kissed him on the lips.
When Arthur pulled away, he said to Merlin, his tone reprimanding, “Guinevere understands, so there will be no more discussion of “not pursuing what we have.” Is that clear?”
Merlin nodded numbly. "All right," he agreed.
Arthur kissed him again. This time, Merlin tentatively returned the kiss. He never thought Arthur's lips could be so soft, and Merlin soon allowed himself to be swept up in the moment.
~ * ~
Morgana urged her horse faster as she tried to elude the men chasing after her.
As soon as she was at the meeting point, Morgana stopped her steed.
The small group of men, no more than five, halted their horses likewise. She stared at them calmly, not letting any worry show on her face.
“I won’t give them to you,” she said defiantly.
“This isn’t a request, Seer. You give us your eyes, and you can go in peace,” one of the men said gruffly.
“No, I refuse,” Morgana said firmly. She gripped the reins on her horse so tightly; she could feel her fingers going numb.
When another of the men took initiative and went over to her, attempting to pull Morgana off her horse; she acted.
“No please! I’m with child!” She cried, doing her best to sound desperate.
She tried to wrench her arm away from the man, but the other men came forward to accost her. Morgana knew she had to do something fast. And where was Freya? She should have been here by now.
“A Seer and her child? Double the gold,” the man who had spoken before mused aloud. He looked pleased at the development. “Don’t hurt her too bad. We wouldn’t want to lose the baby,” he advised the rest of the group, smirking all the while.
Morgana’s eyes flashed and the men were flung back away from her.
Then Freya appeared beside Morgana.
She looked toward the men. “Is there a problem?” she asked pleasantly.
One of the men stood up, ready to face the new arrival, but the other men held him back. They started talking furiously with each other, debating how to proceed, but one couldn’t deny the tendril of fear in each word they spoke.
“You will leave or I will ask you to leave,” Freya said slowly, her tone demanding. There was little doubt that by ‘ask’ she meant ‘force.’ “You are trespassing on my land,” she scolded them.
“We-we’re going to go,” the apparent leader of the group said uneasily. “We apologize.”
A glowing white light surrounded Freya and a red fire flared up in front of the men. The flames licked at the men, intent on burning them. If they had not retreated, they surely would have had severe burns to contend with.
Once the men had gone, Morgana thanked her.
Freya smiled at her. She opened up a magical entry way into her hidden realm. Morgana climbed off her horse and followed after the Lady of the Lake through the opening.
~ * ~
Merlin stared at the bottle of dreamless sleep potion Gaius had given him to take.
He threw the bottle against the opposite wall, an action he was growing quite familiar with. The glass bottle shattered - it was an almost beautiful sound as the shards fell to the ground.
Merlin didn’t need to sleep. He already had two years of unwanted slumber. He debated heading to Arthur’s chambers as his new chambers, given to him once he was installed as the Court Sorcerer, were simply too big for him.
It was miserably stifling.
In the end, Merlin settled for stuffing his face into a fluffed pillow and letting the tears come out.
There would be no sleep tonight.
~ * ~
The Lady of the Lake swept her hand over Morgana’s middle; a steady golden light glowed in front of where her womb lay. The glow subsided once Freya moved her hand away.
“You are with child?” said Freya, her words more a statement than a query.
Morgana nodded. Trying to ease her mind, she looked around her. The circular palace room was brightly lit by small, twinkling fairies. The fairies were a common sight at the Palace of the Mystics. She sighed, the soothing effect of the warm fairy light helping to calm her. “I have not been with a man. I swear it. But--”
Freya looked at her carefully. “-for one life to be taken, another life is given. Who did you kill?”
Morgana explained, though she knew her reason was faulty, “My visions, you understand, they were driving me mad. My head ached with them. Not even Morgause’s bracelet worked. I know what I did was against what has been set in stone, but I had to do it. I couldn’t -- I couldn’t allow Mordred to live, Freya.”
“So you did this to relieve your headache?” The Lady of the Lake admonished.
Morgana had the grace to look chagrined. “Well, yes, I admit that was a reason. But, of course, of course…I did it mostly for Arthur’s sake. I haven’t Seen anything new, but maybe I have extended his life now?”
“It will take a long while for a new future to be formed. It is still too early to tell what will be the result of your actions,” Freya informed her.
Morgana nodded in understanding.
Then Freya continued on, “Normally, to maintain the balance of life and death, a woman may bear a child with a man. But with you affecting fate so dramatically…it resulted in your being with child without a man. I was just visiting the Alpha World and I have good reason to believe your unborn child has been taken from that world. That is, from the King Arthur and Queen Morgan, the counterparts of your brother and you, of the Alpha World. I believe I’ve mentioned them to you?”
“Yes, I remember. You must return the child to his or her rightful place,” Morgana put forth earnestly. “What will I do with a child? They require an heir after all.”
Freya sighed. “I expected you to say that. I hope you are aware of the consequences of this action.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have reason to believe that your sister, Morgause, is plotting to insure your brother’s wife will not bear a son, an heir for Camelot. If you give up this child, who is of the same blood as Arthur is to you, you give up a potential heir to Camelot. In case Queen Guinevere proves barren…”
“Surely Merlin will take care of the situation?” Morgana offered. She didn’t need another reason to dislike her sister, but here another reason had presented itself.
Freya looked solemn as she said, “I need Merlin to live, Morgana. I fear that he will sacrifice his life to insure the Queen bears a son. I am a goddess of magic. It is against my nature to allow Emrys to die before he is meant to.”
“There has to be another way besides giving up one life for another…” Morgana countered, though even as she spoke, she knew how futile her words were.
“A life for a life is the only way to maintain the balance. There is no other option,” Freya told her, her tone apologetic, “Morgause was always meant to do this, Morgana. Her vengeful nature can not resist the temptation of Camelot’s end if Arthur dies without an heir. The child inside you now is a chance for Arthur to have that heir.”
“But this isn’t my child. You said it was taken from the other world. I was never meant to have it. Morgan was. And how will I explain the child’s existence? In this world, the child is impossible, without a father. The right thing to do is to return the child. If Arthur is without a blood heir, then he can raise a boy of nobility to be the future King. No one will need to die.”
“Very well. I agree with you. I just wanted to make sure you knew what was at stake,” Freya told her.
Morgana inclined her head. “I do. And I still wish to return the child. Whatever my half-sister will do, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I deny that other world what is rightfully theirs. It’s unthinkable. The child will not be Mordred reborn, I hope? Are you sure of that?”
The Lady of the Lake frowned at the thought. “Of course not. I would not even consider returning the child if it were Mordred. I assure you, Morgana, that the child is not him.”
Morgana smiled gratefully. “Thank you. What do I need to do?” She asked.
Freya instructed her to sit down in a chair. She did so, and Freya said a few words while a blue glow enveloped Morgana.
Morgana felt like a thick blanket was being wrapped around her for long moment, but then she sucked in a breath as the pressure was released, gone now. She wanted to cry, but she wasn’t sure why.
She imagined that this was how all women felt when they lost a child. Though the child had been inside of her for barely a month, Morgana still felt the loss.
Freya knelt down in front of her and embraced her to comfort her. “The feeling will pass,” she reassured her.
After she had collected herself, Morgana spoke, “I have a request.”
The Lady of the Lake stood up, her face thoughtful as she looked expectantly at the other woman. “Yes?”
“You have told so much about the Alpha World, about the King Arthur and Queen Morgan there… about Merlyn… Avalon. But I wish to see the world, Freya. I think it would be the best thing for me,” she entreated of her.
“You are needed here - your duties as a Seer require it,” Freya reminded her.
But Morgana had a rebuttal in mind. She had been considering this for some time now. “As a Seer, is it not important for me to see other worlds? Other possibilities? To better interpret the visions I receive? I freely admit I still feel a little troubled even after the changes I’ve made these past two years. Maybe I could have Merlyn mentor me?”
Freya looked unsure, but she gave her a small nod. She told her sternly, “If you undertake this, you must not be remiss in your duties. Any visions you receive, you will contact me. Understand?”
Morgana nodded. “Yes. I do not plan to keep away from my responsibilities. The last thing I want is to disregard my visions and harm Camelot in the process,” she said almost earnestly.
“I have met with Merlyn enough times since I was elevated as a goddess to know he will tell you the same thing I’ve been asking of you,” the Lady of the Lake informed her.
“Yes, I know,” Morgana said tiredly, “I should meet with Merlin directly, and work to make amends with him.”
“You can not avoid it, Morgana. The sooner you re-establish a confidence with him, then the stronger Camelot will be for it. Cooperation is the key. I want you to promise me that upon your return from the Alpha World, you will meet with Merlin. No more giving warning messages to the Knights of Camelot. You and Merlin are on the same side now. He should be receiving these messages directly from you.”
Morgana bowed her head at Freya’s piercing gaze. “Yes, My Lady. You have my word,” she said quietly.
Freya smiled at her. “I am grateful we see eye-to-eye on this. I pray you know the price of disappointing me.”
Morgana nodded. “Yes,” she answered her solemnly, “But if I may ask, where will we be arriving in the Alpha World? Camelot?”
Freya shook her head. “No, the best entrance to the other world is through Avalon. We will be arriving there.”
Morgana smiled; the excitement building within her. She was looking forward to seeing Avalon. From what she had heard about it, it sounded like a wonderful place. “And from this world, where will we be leaving from? I know this world's Avalon is mostly populated by the Fae-kind and primarily governed by the Sidhe.”
“The Avalon of our world is a tumultuous place, I’m sorry to say,” Freya said unhappily, “But I’m hoping to solve the problem. We will be leaving by boat on my lake. I can open the barrier to the Alpha World once the mists are in sight.”
Morgana nodded, showing she was listening intently. All the while, she was grateful that she was being allowed to see another world, to have this chance. It would certainly be an experience she would never forget.
~ * ~
Merlin felt exhausted. It was the Feast of Beltane. As everyone celebrated, content and satiated, he only wished to leave and find a quiet place to think. Sleep was certainly out of the question. He had managed a few hours of sleep the previous night, his body betraying him and forcing him to rest.
He was seated at Arthur’s left while Gwen sat on Arthur’s other side. Arthur was conversing with Gwen about some lighthearted topic, judging by Gwen’s soft laugh every so often. Apparently the king had grown tired of trying to get Merlin to confide in him, to tell him what was wrong.
Arthur had recognized Merlin’s weary countenance, but Merlin wasn’t in the mood to discuss it with Arthur. What could Arthur possibly do? This was Merlin’s problem, his anxiety over what he had gone through causing slumber to be an unpleasant prospect.
As he closed his eyes, losing his battle with staying awake, Merlin saw an unexpected vision flash inside his mind’s eye.
The vision was of Morgana and Freya. The two of them were on a boat upon a lake, which Merlin decided was the very same lake he had chosen as Freya’s resting place all that time ago. A prevailing mist surrounded them. The foggy mist was so thick that Merlin could see little else but the boat with its two occupants.
Merlin saw Freya stand and raise her arms to the sky. When she set them down, the mists parted for the boat.
The image of them faded away before Merlin could discover just what the mists had been concealing.
“Merlin? Merlin! I’m speaking to you,” Arthur’s voice cut into Merlin’s reverie.
“Yes, Arthur?” Merlin answered.
“I can tell something is not right with you.”
“I lost two years of my life, Your Majesty. I can’t just return to the person I used to be,” Merlin told him tersely.
“…if you would allow me to help you,” Arthur tried to get through to him. He rested his hand on Merlin’s shoulder. “I understand it hasn’t been easy for you, but--”
At that moment, Merlin saw something or, rather, someone appear out of the corner of his eye. He interrupted Arthur with a warning shout. Upon seeing the hooded sorcerer standing in the hall, Arthur moved to pull out Excalibur.
Merlin acted immediately before Obsidian’s fireball could hit the king. His eyes flashed golden, time slowing to a crawl at his command.
Standing up, he held out his hand and redirected the fireball in the sorcerer’s direction. He stopped the ball just before the sorcerer’s face. Then he erected a magical shield that surrounded Arthur as an invisible cloak against any threat.
The adrenaline of the situation spurred Merlin to be more awake than he had been recently. But he could already feel his tiredness seeping in. He was glad at least that his magic wasn’t so dependent on his remaining awake. He felt secure enough with his magical abilities to trust in them when he could trust in nothing else.
He sighed deeply before he allowed time to resume once again.
The sorcerer stepped back, dismayed, when he saw his own fireball inches from his face.
“You are Obsidian, I presume?” Merlin addressed him harshly, tone commanding.
Everyone at the feast, nobility and servants alike, were whispering in agitation amongst each other. Lancelot and Gwaine were standing, swords drawn and ready to fight, along with the other knights present in the hall. When Merlin spoke, a hushed silence fell. Merlin could hear Arthur grumbling about Merlin placing the shield on him, protesting that he could very well defend himself and he didn’t need Merlin to…
But then Gwen placed her hand over Arthur’s, smiling softly and shaking her head, and Arthur settled down.
“You have no idea who I am,” the sorcerer shot back, smirking at Merlin. “But you may call me Obsidian if you so desire,” he finished.
“You were set to attack the King of Camelot. Give me a reason not to kill you,” Merlin ordered him.
“You can not kill me,” Obsidian remarked. He laughed as if Merlin had said something particularly funny.
Arthur rose from his seat. “Merlin is more powerful than you, I am sure. You would do well not to antagonize him,” he warned the sorcerer.
Obsidian didn’t appear cowed at the threat. He just stared at Arthur curiously, and then he shrugged. He raised his hand and the fireball in front of him fizzled out.
“Why don’t you two just enjoy yourselves and we could pretend this little altercation never happened?” Obsidian suggested.
Arthur and Merlin exchanged puzzled glances with each other, unsure what to make of Obsidian’s words.
“Who are you?” Merlin demanded once again. “What is your true name you deny giving me?”
“Why should I give it to you at all?” Obsidian countered. “This place is quite peculiar, I have to say. I’ve had my fun. I’ll just leave, shall I? I have my role to play after all…”
And before Merlin could maneuver another attack, Obsidian disappeared - spiriting himself away by magic.
Soon after, Merlin collapsed into his chair. Everyone in the hall was rightly startled at the unexpected turn of events, but Arthur was quick to assure all in attendance that the feast would commence. And that the enemy sorcerer would be dealt with accordingly.
“Merlin, do you know where he could have gone?” Arthur asked him urgently.
Merlin covered his face with his hands, his shoulders sunk and he looked like he had been defeated rather than coming to a strange stalemate with Obsidian.
Dropping his hands from his face, Merlin looked to Arthur. He shrugged. “I don’t believe he’s in Camelot anymore. I could seek out the Lady of the Lake to see what she knows about Obsidian. You may send out some of your men, if you wish, to check if he is still in Camelot.”
Gwen interjected, “But Merlin - if he has magic, won’t that be dangerous for the knights? They don’t have magic.”
Merlin gave Gwen a small smile. He conjured a sheet of parchment and a quill. He proceeded to write down a list of names on the paper.
Once finished, he handed the sheet to Arthur and told him, “It hasn’t been that long since you lifted the ban on magic, Arthur. The Knights of Camelot who possess magic are still unwilling to disclose that truth to you. Fortunately, they have informed me…or I have sensed the magic within them.” He pointed to the names. “Send out these men to search for Obsidian. Or, you could wait until I get in contact with Freya…”
Arthur nodded. “Thank you. I think I’ll send a few men out. I’d prefer not to wait,” he remarked, looking over the list of names as he spoke.
Merlin inclined his head. “Very well, My Lord.”
Merlin stood and he announced that he was tired. As such, he would retire early for the night.
Arthur’s eyes roved over him, making Merlin feel like he was being studied as a part of an experiment. But when the king spoke, he only said, “Merlin, the shield?”
Merlin wiped at his brow. “Yes, of course.”
He waved his hand and his shield around Arthur dissipated.
Before Merlin could take his leave, cane by his side, Arthur grasped his hand to halt him. ‘We need to talk. You do realize that, Merlin?” Arthur informed him.
Merlin nodded. “Yes,” he said simply.
“Rest well, Merlin,” Gwen wished him.
He smiled at her, thanking his friend for her sentiment.
When Merlin was halfway down the room, he noticed a good number of people looking upon him with great interest.
For a blessed moment, he was grateful for the cheer that came over him. Feeling just a bit mischievous, Merlin called upon his magic to disappear in front of everyone at the Beltane Feast.
Merlin could hear the clapping and enthusiastic hum of the people in the hall as his magic transported him away.
It was certainly a pleasant feeling that as the official Court Sorcerer; he could now use his magic freely and openly like this in Camelot.
Maybe that would be enough to overcome his torment of losing two years of his life.
~ * ~
Sensing a strange magical energy in the entrance hall, Merlin reappeared there rather than heading straight for his room.
He was startled by what he saw. A tall older man, whose dark hair was graying but his eyes were bright, was standing just by the doors. Donned in deep blue robes, he looked to be of lean build, though his outfit did well to obscure the truth.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a small blond boy appeared and ran up to the man. Neither seemed to be aware that Merlin was watching them, which did little to set Merlin at ease.
“Grandfather!” the boy greeted him as the man took him up in his arms.
“Ah, there you are, my boy. Growing bigger every time I see you.”
“I don’t want to go,” the boy protested, “Mother said…but Camelot is my home.”
“And you will return, one day, I assure you of that. Your mother and father believe this will be the best thing for you.”
The boy rested his head on the man’s shoulder. “Mother told me there’s a girl…” He looked unhappy.
“Yes, my child. She has the Sight just like your dear mother. You will be educated alongside her.”
“But she’s a girl,” the boy countered like that was explanation enough for why that was a bad idea.
The man laughed good-naturedly. “Oh, I’m certain that you’ll get along just fine with her. As long as you remember what I’ve told you.”
“You should give everyone a chance,” the boy recited automatically.
The boy’s grandfather shook his head. He gave the boy a small smile. “No, the other one--” the man corrected him.
Merlin nearly jumped back in shock when the man suddenly looked up at him, the stranger’s lively blue eyes piercing his own.
Like the man could see Merlin standing there feet away from them.
And hardly a moment later, the man and the boy disappeared so suddenly that Merlin was positive he had been hallucinating. Maybe the lack of sleep was catching up to him?
He couldn’t deny the intriguing jolt of familiarity with the older man. And while he didn’t know how Arthur would have looked when he was younger…Merlin did see a resemblance there. Yet still, something had felt off to him. For one thing, there was no way that could have been Arthur. From what Arthur told him, his grandparents died before he was born. So what he had seen didn’t add up in Merlin’s mind.
So Merlin only shook his head in bemusement and headed to his bedchambers. Maybe things would start making sense in the morning.
~ * ~
Now unfortunately, it was not an end to the hallucinations as Merlin deemed them.
Walking down a corridor, one of the doors opened of its own accord, creaking as it did so.
Merlin bit his lip and with a deep breath, he looked in. Curiosity was getting the better of him, clearly, but despite that, he did feel compelled to watch whatever this was. Hallucination, a vision coming to life before his eyes? He could only guess.
This was the last time he was denying himself sleep. If he had known he’d be subjected to inexplicable hallucinations, then Merlin would have worked harder to get over his sleeping anxiety. He promised himself to start tonight…
…after he observed what looked like Ygraine lying in bed with a baby in her arms.
…was the baby Arthur?
The same man from before was here as well, sitting by Ygraine’s bedside. But here, the man looked sadder as if he had recently overcome a terrible loss.
“Uther is just outside, Father. I wanted you to--” she paused, giving notice to her father’s forlorn demeanor. “Oh, Father - I miss her too.”
Her father smiled quietly at her. “Your mother was a good woman. I have never loved another,” he remarked. He appeared thoughtful for a long moment.
Then:
“Yes, give me the child, my dear. I will bless him,” he told her.
“Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me,” she said, her voice full of emotion as she spoke.
She handed over the child and her father cradled him in his arms. He smiled as the baby tried to grip one of his fingers.
Then all three of them vanished, the hallucination ending as suddenly as the previous one.
Merlin couldn't help but smile himself at the quiet yet deeply emotional scene he had just witnessed. Still, he decided then and there that sleep would be the best remedy now. And that maybe he would ask Freya when he next saw her to explain what he had witnessed. She was the Lady of the Lake, a goddess of magic after all.
What better authority to ask than her?
~ * ~
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Morgana said breathlessly, looking upon the Isle of Avalon before her.
The two of them exited the boat and ventured on to the island, where the flowers were in full bloom and the trees were crackling with magical energy. Fertile plains and cliffs along with timeless structures of stone marked the rest of Avalon’s landscape.
Freya smiled. “Yes, I always enjoy coming here,” she told her, “Now the barriers between the Experimental-”
“Experimental? That’s what my world is called?” Morgana inquired.
Freya frowned. “Did I not tell you that? I thought I did. But yes, our world is the Experimental World. And as it is now, the barrier between our world and the Alpha World is weakened for a short time due to our passage. The barrier shall close back up soon. But Merlin - of our world - will be seeing some memories of the Alpha World. He is one of the rare few who has the ability to experience such a magical event. Unfortunately, Merlin will not comprehend what he will see as I haven’t told him yet.”
Morgana smiled widely. “I can only imagine what Merlin will think when he knows the truth. You do plan on telling him?”
Freya nodded. “I fear I will have little choice. He will want an explanation and I can not deny him that information.”
“Oh, Freya. Please tell me how he reacts to the news. I would love to hear it.”
Freya gave her a small smile. “Very well. I’ll let you know,” she promised her. Then the Lady of the Lake informed her, “We are in the past of the Alpha World. This is done as a security measure to alert Avalon of newcomers. Before we head to the present day, I have something to show you,” she waved her hand forward.
“Where are we going?” Morgana asked her.
“Ah, the stone circle up there,” Freya informed her. She pointed out the cliff to Morgana. “The circle of stones lies just on the other side of that cliff upon a flat hill.”
Morgana nodded.
It was a bit of a hike getting there. When they made it, Morgana found Merlyn who appeared to be teaching a young Arthur and Morgan. The three of them were in the middle of the stone circle. Merlyn was sitting in a chair and fiddling with a piece of wood, carving at it with a knife. The children were standing. Arthur looked restless while Morgan appeared anxious and unsure.
“But I can not do such a thing,” Morgan protested. “My Sight has always been my strongest talent. To use magic in other ways…”
“The power of the stone circle will aid you, my dear,” Merlyn assured her, “And do not forget that as long as you keep the Mother Goddess in your heart, then you can do all sorts of things.”
Arthur went over to his grandfather. He peered with interest at what Merlyn was carving. “What are you carving, Grandfather?”
Merlyn turned to look at him. He set down his carving. “The Mother Goddess.”
Arthur looked disappointed. “Why not something exciting? Like a dragon!” he exclaimed.
Morgan giggled.
Merlyn raised his eyebrow. “A dragon, you say?”
Arthur looked at him expectantly.
“Draca,” Merlyn then said.
A small dragon appeared before them, flying about a little haphazardly as if it were a baby dragon trying to figure out how to maneuver its wings.
Arthur grinned, pleased, while Morgan’s eyes lit up at the sight of the miniature dragon.
As the dragon breathed fire, Merlyn made the creature disappear. “Now, a dragon could easily breathe fire, but we can call the element of fire into our hands.”
“I almost set my bed on fire,” Arthur confided in Morgan. He looked oddly pleased with himself.
She put her hand up over her mouth to hold in her gasp. “Oh dear.”
Merlyn looked amused. “As Arthur is clearly an expert at this, I think we shall focus on you, Morgan.”
She nodded, determined but still appearing doubtful.
Merlyn looked to Arthur. “But first, to make sure, I want you to conjure a ball of blue fire in your hands.”
Arthur gave a small frown. “Blue? But--”
“I like blue, so blue it will be,” said Merlyn reasonably.
“But fire is red! And orange…yellow too,” Arthur pointed out.
“Yes, Arthur. But the point is to conjure a fire of a color not commonly associated with fire.”
“I think blue is a very pretty color. I like it just as much as I love green,” Morgan remarked.
Merlyn smiled at her.
“Morgan, you’re just making it worse,” Arthur said with a huff. He crossed his arms against his chest.
“Arthur,” his grandfather warned.
“All right!” Arthur nearly yelled.
Merlyn gave him a displeased look.
“Here it is,” Arthur said, softer this time.
He conjured a ball of fire, half-red, half-blue, in the palm of his hands.
Morgan laughed at what Arthur had done.
Merlyn gave a long sigh. “What will I do with you, child?” He asked to no one.
“But it is an unusual color for fire,” Morgan was quick to defend him, “I’ve never seen a half-red, half-blue fire before.”
“True. True,” Merlyn conceded. “Well, Morgan, it is your turn. Close your eyes and allow the power of the circle to guide you.”
Freya and Morgana watched as the little girl managed to conjure a small green fireball in her hands. The girl smiled at her accomplishment.
Merlyn congratulated her while Arthur gave her a quick grin before asking his grandfather about the carving again. He requested for a dragon again or maybe a horse, or a sword… Merlyn reminded him that the carving wasn’t for Arthur. The boy looked undeterred.
And just as Merlyn resumed their lessons, the three of them vanished.
“We’ve left the past,” Freya told Morgana.
“I noticed their eyes didn’t glow when they performed magic,” Morgana noted as the two of them left the stone circle, “And my counterpart doesn’t look much like me. She has red hair and blue-grey eyes… it’s odd. Arthur looks exactly how I remembered Arthur when we were younger in my world…”
“Each world has its similarities and differences. For some, their physical appearance is not left unaffected. Embracing the changes is the best thing to do,” Freya advised her.
Morgana nodded. “We will be meeting the Lady of the Lake of this world, correct? Merlyn’s eldest daughter, Viviane?”
“Yes, we will. Have I told you about Merlyn’s parentage?”
Morgana shook her head. “I don’t think so. But since his other daughter, Ygraine, had to be of royal blood to marry a king, I deduced that Merlyn had to have royal blood in him… or at least noble blood,” she concluded.
“Merlyn is the fourth son of a king. Unfortunately, he barely knew his parents as they gave him to the priestesses of Avalon when he was just a baby. His mother and father decided that would be the best thing for him.”
“Why? Because of his magic?”
“Yes, the priestesses knew of a prophecy that Merlyn would have extraordinary magical power and talent. And as such, he needed to be taken to Avalon to be raised and trained. As it was unlikely Merlyn would ever rule with three brothers ahead of him in line for his kingdom’s throne, his father decided to heed the advice of the priestesses. After all, Avalon had the resources that Merlyn’s father did not have to properly raise a magically-endowed child. Merlyn’s mother had difficulty parting with her baby, as you can imagine. Unfortunately, by the time Merlyn was able to leave Avalon, his mother had already died.”
“Oh no,” Morgana murmured.
“But still, Merlyn was grateful to the priestesses of Avalon despite being separated from his birth parents. That is why he gave his firstborn daughter, Viviane, to the priestesses at Avalon. Ygraine’s fate, as you know, was down a different path.”
“…to give birth to the Once and Future King -- Arthur,” Morgana put in.
“The savior of Albion, yes,” Freya agreed.
As they walked to the main dwelling where Viviane lived, Freya then told Morgana that she should know that the Obsidian of her vision was more than he seemed.
“What do you mean? I warned Lancelot and Gwaine. I believe by now the threat is taken care of…”
“Obsidian will not return to Camelot. Of that, you can be sure. But, unfortunately, he is in fact Gwydion.”
Morgana looked confused. “Gwydion?”
“You would know him best by the name of Mordred.”
“Mordred? Mordred! Obsidian…was Mordred. Why did I not See this? He was right there in Camelot - he could have killed Arthur. He could have…why didn’t I know?” She was feeling faint. She had presumed Obsidian was just another sorcerer, nothing remarkable, and easily handled by Merlin. But Mordred was a different story entirely.
“I am sorry, Morgana. But you killing the child Mordred of our world resulted in an open sore. Obsidian or Gwydion, as he is known in his world, was attracted by this open wound and he managed to pass through it,” Freya explained to her.
“The greatest harm can come from the best intentions,” Morgana said quietly.
Freya nodded. “Yes, that is true. But you need not worry, Morgana. I plan to make sure, but I believe Gwydion has returned to his world. He most likely meant to see the Experimental World to amuse himself, I expect. The pull of his dark destiny, to kill his father in his world is far too strong for Gwydion to do any real damage in our world.”
“…his father? It’s Arthur, isn’t it? In Gwydion’s world?”
Freya nodded sadly. “Yes. Surely there was an attraction for him to kill another world’s Arthur, but even Gwydion can not test Fate.”
“The other Mordreds, Gwydions, whatever they may be called, of the other worlds - will they be drawn to the sore as well? Will more of them be coming into our world?”
“You do not need to be concerned about it. Only the Mordred you killed had the sole right to kill the Arthur of our world. No other Mordred can usurp that right. Even the Mordred of this world, the Alpha World, can not do it. As I have said before, our Arthur’s final fate is now uncertain with your execution of Mordred.”
“Mordred is Morgause’s son in this world?”
“Yes. And Morgause is Morgan’s older half-sister.”
“And yet when they were orphaned, Merlyn only took in Morgan,” Morgana pointed out.
“Because he was too late, unfortunately,” Freya said regretfully. “He has a long-standing rivalry with the dark sorceress Nimueh. She took Morgause, leaving Morgan for Merlyn. Nimueh believed Morgan to be the ‘weaker’ child magically, so she took Morgause instead. In Morgause, she saw more potential. Of course, Merlyn did not see a ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ child, he only saw a child in need of a home and a family. He did not care if Morgan wasn’t as magically endowed as her sister, he just loved her as if she were one of his own daughters.”
Morgana smiled. She was grateful that her counterpart in the Alpha World had been supported in such a way.
But then Morgana was unpleasantly reminded of her own relations with Uther, who she had long believed to be only her guardian. Morgan was more fortunate than Morgana ever had been. Uther Pendragon had been a hard man to love. Of that, there was little doubt in Morgana's mind. And the secret Uther had been hiding all that time did not do much in the way of easing Morgana's frustration with the late king.
“I can’t believe Uther only had the courage to tell Arthur about me being truly his half-sister on his deathbed. With his impending death, it was only then that Uther was so wracked with guilt that he could not hide the truth any longer," Morgana said bitterly. She nodded to the Lady of the Lake. "I’m grateful to you, Freya, for telling me the truth. If I had been at Uther’s deathbed while he revealed that he is my birth father, I don’t even wish to think about how I would have reacted. Not amicably, I’m sure.”
“Anyone would have been upset in your position,” Freya reasoned. “It’s understandable to have those feelings. But you can not allow those feelings of hatred and anger to rule you. You must temper them, Morgana,” Freya advised her.
“I know. I try to…I don’t think I am a calm person at heart. It does take some effort.”
“You care too much about others,” Freya noted, “You need to consider the consequences of your actions. And while your drive to achieve a goal is admirable, you must do so thoughtfully. I know I have told you all this before, but it is always good to be reminded of such things.”
“I hope that Merlyn will be able to help me,” Morgana said hopefully.
“Yes, I have confidence that he will. You are doing well, Morgana. Don’t doubt that. This further guidance and seeing the Alpha World will serve to enhance your perspective on life. As long as you allow yourself to be open to what the Alpha World offers you.”
“Yes, of course. I requested this and I certainly plan to make the most of my time here,” Morgana assured her.
Freya smiled warmly. She could tell that Morgana was excited about getting to see a new world. She was not blind to the Seer’s desire to experience something not many had the chance to.
~ * ~
Author: dk323
Rating: PG
Word count (for this part): 7,502
Spoilers: Up through 3x04 "Gwaine" (3x05 “The Crystal Cave" episode didn't happen in this fic verse)
Characters/Pairings: Arthur/Merlin, implied Arthur/Gwen, past Merlin/Freya, Morgana, OCs
Disclaimer: The show Merlin is property of the BBC.
Summary: There’s a threat on Arthur’s life, but with Merlin around, Arthur isn’t too worried about it. Merlin is still hurting after losing two years of his life. Morgana decides to turn the tables on Fate, and she ends up pregnant as a result. With Freya’s help, Morgana is able to rectify the problem.
Author’s Notes: This fic is set after 3x04 "Gwaine" and is AU after that point. Specifically, it has been around two years since 3x04 and Arthur has been recently crowned King (toward the end of "With a heavy heart"). Since “With a heavy heart” was completed prior to 3x05, I’m going to keep to that. Though I’m keeping the revelation that Uther is Morgana’s father to remain true to canon. But everyone finds this out in a different way since the events of 3x05 did not take place here.
*** Because of the amount of information given in this sequel (introducing another world), I decided to divide this into two parts. The second part will go further into Morgana's experience while Merlin continues to heal from what happened to him (with Arthur's help, of course :)).
~ * ~
It's there that my heart is longing
All for the love of you
The Mystic’s Dream by Loreena McKennitt
~ * ~
“Arthur, your life is in danger. Didn’t you hear what Gwaine and Lancelot said? About that sorcerer?” Merlin reminded him in exasperation.
Arthur shrugged and he continued looking over the sword that the Lady of the Lake had given him.
“I’ve never seen a sword like this. It’s one of a kind,” Arthur said, completely disregarding Merlin’s words. He was still surveying the sword.
Merlin sighed. It was certainly a momentous occasion for Arthur to receive Excalibur and have the chance to wield the sword as was his right. He could not deny Arthur the time to have it all sink in, to realize what this meant.
For now, the reign of King Arthur would truly begin with Excalibur at his side. Merlin smiled quietly to himself at the pleasant thought. As he walked to Arthur, Merlin leaned on a cane for balance and support.
Weeks after being rescued from his two years of a half-life lying in a coffin, he still had some trouble walking without a support. Though he was wondering if he was getting too comfortable with the cane, and maybe he didn’t need it anymore. Daresay, he thought he would very well miss the cane, which was a bit silly, but Merlin had to admit he was quite attached to it.
He neared Arthur and he placed his hand over the king’s. Arthur set the sword down on the table, and he sighed, now deigning to look at Merlin.
“What I would like to know is why Morgana doesn’t have the courtesy to tell me directly,” Arthur pointed out in irritation.
“Arthur, you still should heed her words,” Merlin told him firmly.
Arthur gave Merlin a careful look and then he pulled up a chair for him. “You should sit down. You’re looking pale.”
Merlin rolled his eyes. “I always look pale,” he muttered under his breath. Still he accepted the gesture and sat down. Arthur took his cane from him and propped it against the table.
Merlin continued on persistently, “Now you and I both know Morgana isn’t my most favorite person in the world, but she has built up an impressive reputation as a Seer. So it would be good to take her words to heart.”
“Well, I have you, don’t I? I know you’ll be able to take care of the threat. The sorcerer Obsidian isn’t the first who seeks to kill me,” Arthur said reasonably.
Merlin bit his lip. “Yes, of course. I won’t let anything happen to you, but I’m not in my best form at the moment. After being in that coffin…”
“Has your magic been affected?” Arthur asked him in concern.
“No, I don’t think so. I think it’s just physically…”
“Then everything should be fine. Don’t worry about it. Your physical prowess was nothing remarkable after all. Your strength lies in your magic.”
Merlin frowned. “I manage quite all right with a sword, Your Majesty,” he retorted.
Arthur smiled indulgently at him. “Yes, of course, Merlin,” he answered him.
Merlin crossed his arms over his chest, showing his annoyance.
Wisely, Arthur changed the subject, seeking to quench his curiosity. “What did you talk to the Lady of the Lake about in private? You appeared to know her and I was given the impression you didn’t,” Arthur mused.
He looked expectantly at Merlin.
Merlin’s eyes widened and he clearly hadn’t been expecting such a query. He tried to sound nonchalant. “I just wanted to thank her for looking after me. That was all,” he informed Arthur briskly.
Arthur raised his brow. “But you recognized her… and you didn’t know who the Lady of the Lake was. I had to tell you about her,” Arthur reminded him.
Merlin gave a long sigh. “All right,” he gave in and admitted, “Remember that Druid girl Freya I told you about before?”
Arthur looked pensive, a dawning realization coming upon him. “I thought the Lady of the Lake looked familiar when I first saw her. I’m sorry I had to hurt her that one time, but she had been proven a threat in her cursed form. It was unfortunate that she had been cursed unwillingly, of course. And if I had known you had fallen in love with her…” Arthur started.
Merlin waved his hand. “It’s all in the past now. You did what you did for the security of Camelot. I told you before that I understood that. There’s no need to go over it again,” Merlin assured him. “But Freya is now the Lady of the Lake. I had no idea that she would become that, much less a deity. I didn’t expect to see her again, but I’m glad that she now has a second chance at life without her curse.”
He gave Arthur a small smile.
Arthur nodded. “Do you still love her?” He asked, a hint of uncertainty was evident in his voice.
Merlin looked at Arthur like he was being an idiot. “You gave me a “True Love’s Kiss” to save me. What I had with Freya was nice -- I was happy with her -- but it’s nothing compared to…well,” Merlin stopped, smiling quietly at him.
Arthur cleared his throat. “Well, yes. You have a point.”
Merlin pointed out to him, “Look at you. You married Gwen. I don’t think…whatever we have, we can’t pursue it.”
Arthur frowned deeply at that. He kneeled down beside Merlin and said firmly, “Shut up, Merlin.”
He raised Merlin’s chin with a finger and kissed him on the lips.
When Arthur pulled away, he said to Merlin, his tone reprimanding, “Guinevere understands, so there will be no more discussion of “not pursuing what we have.” Is that clear?”
Merlin nodded numbly. "All right," he agreed.
Arthur kissed him again. This time, Merlin tentatively returned the kiss. He never thought Arthur's lips could be so soft, and Merlin soon allowed himself to be swept up in the moment.
~ * ~
Morgana urged her horse faster as she tried to elude the men chasing after her.
As soon as she was at the meeting point, Morgana stopped her steed.
The small group of men, no more than five, halted their horses likewise. She stared at them calmly, not letting any worry show on her face.
“I won’t give them to you,” she said defiantly.
“This isn’t a request, Seer. You give us your eyes, and you can go in peace,” one of the men said gruffly.
“No, I refuse,” Morgana said firmly. She gripped the reins on her horse so tightly; she could feel her fingers going numb.
When another of the men took initiative and went over to her, attempting to pull Morgana off her horse; she acted.
“No please! I’m with child!” She cried, doing her best to sound desperate.
She tried to wrench her arm away from the man, but the other men came forward to accost her. Morgana knew she had to do something fast. And where was Freya? She should have been here by now.
“A Seer and her child? Double the gold,” the man who had spoken before mused aloud. He looked pleased at the development. “Don’t hurt her too bad. We wouldn’t want to lose the baby,” he advised the rest of the group, smirking all the while.
Morgana’s eyes flashed and the men were flung back away from her.
Then Freya appeared beside Morgana.
She looked toward the men. “Is there a problem?” she asked pleasantly.
One of the men stood up, ready to face the new arrival, but the other men held him back. They started talking furiously with each other, debating how to proceed, but one couldn’t deny the tendril of fear in each word they spoke.
“You will leave or I will ask you to leave,” Freya said slowly, her tone demanding. There was little doubt that by ‘ask’ she meant ‘force.’ “You are trespassing on my land,” she scolded them.
“We-we’re going to go,” the apparent leader of the group said uneasily. “We apologize.”
A glowing white light surrounded Freya and a red fire flared up in front of the men. The flames licked at the men, intent on burning them. If they had not retreated, they surely would have had severe burns to contend with.
Once the men had gone, Morgana thanked her.
Freya smiled at her. She opened up a magical entry way into her hidden realm. Morgana climbed off her horse and followed after the Lady of the Lake through the opening.
~ * ~
Merlin stared at the bottle of dreamless sleep potion Gaius had given him to take.
He threw the bottle against the opposite wall, an action he was growing quite familiar with. The glass bottle shattered - it was an almost beautiful sound as the shards fell to the ground.
Merlin didn’t need to sleep. He already had two years of unwanted slumber. He debated heading to Arthur’s chambers as his new chambers, given to him once he was installed as the Court Sorcerer, were simply too big for him.
It was miserably stifling.
In the end, Merlin settled for stuffing his face into a fluffed pillow and letting the tears come out.
There would be no sleep tonight.
~ * ~
The Lady of the Lake swept her hand over Morgana’s middle; a steady golden light glowed in front of where her womb lay. The glow subsided once Freya moved her hand away.
“You are with child?” said Freya, her words more a statement than a query.
Morgana nodded. Trying to ease her mind, she looked around her. The circular palace room was brightly lit by small, twinkling fairies. The fairies were a common sight at the Palace of the Mystics. She sighed, the soothing effect of the warm fairy light helping to calm her. “I have not been with a man. I swear it. But--”
Freya looked at her carefully. “-for one life to be taken, another life is given. Who did you kill?”
Morgana explained, though she knew her reason was faulty, “My visions, you understand, they were driving me mad. My head ached with them. Not even Morgause’s bracelet worked. I know what I did was against what has been set in stone, but I had to do it. I couldn’t -- I couldn’t allow Mordred to live, Freya.”
“So you did this to relieve your headache?” The Lady of the Lake admonished.
Morgana had the grace to look chagrined. “Well, yes, I admit that was a reason. But, of course, of course…I did it mostly for Arthur’s sake. I haven’t Seen anything new, but maybe I have extended his life now?”
“It will take a long while for a new future to be formed. It is still too early to tell what will be the result of your actions,” Freya informed her.
Morgana nodded in understanding.
Then Freya continued on, “Normally, to maintain the balance of life and death, a woman may bear a child with a man. But with you affecting fate so dramatically…it resulted in your being with child without a man. I was just visiting the Alpha World and I have good reason to believe your unborn child has been taken from that world. That is, from the King Arthur and Queen Morgan, the counterparts of your brother and you, of the Alpha World. I believe I’ve mentioned them to you?”
“Yes, I remember. You must return the child to his or her rightful place,” Morgana put forth earnestly. “What will I do with a child? They require an heir after all.”
Freya sighed. “I expected you to say that. I hope you are aware of the consequences of this action.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have reason to believe that your sister, Morgause, is plotting to insure your brother’s wife will not bear a son, an heir for Camelot. If you give up this child, who is of the same blood as Arthur is to you, you give up a potential heir to Camelot. In case Queen Guinevere proves barren…”
“Surely Merlin will take care of the situation?” Morgana offered. She didn’t need another reason to dislike her sister, but here another reason had presented itself.
Freya looked solemn as she said, “I need Merlin to live, Morgana. I fear that he will sacrifice his life to insure the Queen bears a son. I am a goddess of magic. It is against my nature to allow Emrys to die before he is meant to.”
“There has to be another way besides giving up one life for another…” Morgana countered, though even as she spoke, she knew how futile her words were.
“A life for a life is the only way to maintain the balance. There is no other option,” Freya told her, her tone apologetic, “Morgause was always meant to do this, Morgana. Her vengeful nature can not resist the temptation of Camelot’s end if Arthur dies without an heir. The child inside you now is a chance for Arthur to have that heir.”
“But this isn’t my child. You said it was taken from the other world. I was never meant to have it. Morgan was. And how will I explain the child’s existence? In this world, the child is impossible, without a father. The right thing to do is to return the child. If Arthur is without a blood heir, then he can raise a boy of nobility to be the future King. No one will need to die.”
“Very well. I agree with you. I just wanted to make sure you knew what was at stake,” Freya told her.
Morgana inclined her head. “I do. And I still wish to return the child. Whatever my half-sister will do, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I deny that other world what is rightfully theirs. It’s unthinkable. The child will not be Mordred reborn, I hope? Are you sure of that?”
The Lady of the Lake frowned at the thought. “Of course not. I would not even consider returning the child if it were Mordred. I assure you, Morgana, that the child is not him.”
Morgana smiled gratefully. “Thank you. What do I need to do?” She asked.
Freya instructed her to sit down in a chair. She did so, and Freya said a few words while a blue glow enveloped Morgana.
Morgana felt like a thick blanket was being wrapped around her for long moment, but then she sucked in a breath as the pressure was released, gone now. She wanted to cry, but she wasn’t sure why.
She imagined that this was how all women felt when they lost a child. Though the child had been inside of her for barely a month, Morgana still felt the loss.
Freya knelt down in front of her and embraced her to comfort her. “The feeling will pass,” she reassured her.
After she had collected herself, Morgana spoke, “I have a request.”
The Lady of the Lake stood up, her face thoughtful as she looked expectantly at the other woman. “Yes?”
“You have told so much about the Alpha World, about the King Arthur and Queen Morgan there… about Merlyn… Avalon. But I wish to see the world, Freya. I think it would be the best thing for me,” she entreated of her.
“You are needed here - your duties as a Seer require it,” Freya reminded her.
But Morgana had a rebuttal in mind. She had been considering this for some time now. “As a Seer, is it not important for me to see other worlds? Other possibilities? To better interpret the visions I receive? I freely admit I still feel a little troubled even after the changes I’ve made these past two years. Maybe I could have Merlyn mentor me?”
Freya looked unsure, but she gave her a small nod. She told her sternly, “If you undertake this, you must not be remiss in your duties. Any visions you receive, you will contact me. Understand?”
Morgana nodded. “Yes. I do not plan to keep away from my responsibilities. The last thing I want is to disregard my visions and harm Camelot in the process,” she said almost earnestly.
“I have met with Merlyn enough times since I was elevated as a goddess to know he will tell you the same thing I’ve been asking of you,” the Lady of the Lake informed her.
“Yes, I know,” Morgana said tiredly, “I should meet with Merlin directly, and work to make amends with him.”
“You can not avoid it, Morgana. The sooner you re-establish a confidence with him, then the stronger Camelot will be for it. Cooperation is the key. I want you to promise me that upon your return from the Alpha World, you will meet with Merlin. No more giving warning messages to the Knights of Camelot. You and Merlin are on the same side now. He should be receiving these messages directly from you.”
Morgana bowed her head at Freya’s piercing gaze. “Yes, My Lady. You have my word,” she said quietly.
Freya smiled at her. “I am grateful we see eye-to-eye on this. I pray you know the price of disappointing me.”
Morgana nodded. “Yes,” she answered her solemnly, “But if I may ask, where will we be arriving in the Alpha World? Camelot?”
Freya shook her head. “No, the best entrance to the other world is through Avalon. We will be arriving there.”
Morgana smiled; the excitement building within her. She was looking forward to seeing Avalon. From what she had heard about it, it sounded like a wonderful place. “And from this world, where will we be leaving from? I know this world's Avalon is mostly populated by the Fae-kind and primarily governed by the Sidhe.”
“The Avalon of our world is a tumultuous place, I’m sorry to say,” Freya said unhappily, “But I’m hoping to solve the problem. We will be leaving by boat on my lake. I can open the barrier to the Alpha World once the mists are in sight.”
Morgana nodded, showing she was listening intently. All the while, she was grateful that she was being allowed to see another world, to have this chance. It would certainly be an experience she would never forget.
~ * ~
Merlin felt exhausted. It was the Feast of Beltane. As everyone celebrated, content and satiated, he only wished to leave and find a quiet place to think. Sleep was certainly out of the question. He had managed a few hours of sleep the previous night, his body betraying him and forcing him to rest.
He was seated at Arthur’s left while Gwen sat on Arthur’s other side. Arthur was conversing with Gwen about some lighthearted topic, judging by Gwen’s soft laugh every so often. Apparently the king had grown tired of trying to get Merlin to confide in him, to tell him what was wrong.
Arthur had recognized Merlin’s weary countenance, but Merlin wasn’t in the mood to discuss it with Arthur. What could Arthur possibly do? This was Merlin’s problem, his anxiety over what he had gone through causing slumber to be an unpleasant prospect.
As he closed his eyes, losing his battle with staying awake, Merlin saw an unexpected vision flash inside his mind’s eye.
The vision was of Morgana and Freya. The two of them were on a boat upon a lake, which Merlin decided was the very same lake he had chosen as Freya’s resting place all that time ago. A prevailing mist surrounded them. The foggy mist was so thick that Merlin could see little else but the boat with its two occupants.
Merlin saw Freya stand and raise her arms to the sky. When she set them down, the mists parted for the boat.
The image of them faded away before Merlin could discover just what the mists had been concealing.
“Merlin? Merlin! I’m speaking to you,” Arthur’s voice cut into Merlin’s reverie.
“Yes, Arthur?” Merlin answered.
“I can tell something is not right with you.”
“I lost two years of my life, Your Majesty. I can’t just return to the person I used to be,” Merlin told him tersely.
“…if you would allow me to help you,” Arthur tried to get through to him. He rested his hand on Merlin’s shoulder. “I understand it hasn’t been easy for you, but--”
At that moment, Merlin saw something or, rather, someone appear out of the corner of his eye. He interrupted Arthur with a warning shout. Upon seeing the hooded sorcerer standing in the hall, Arthur moved to pull out Excalibur.
Merlin acted immediately before Obsidian’s fireball could hit the king. His eyes flashed golden, time slowing to a crawl at his command.
Standing up, he held out his hand and redirected the fireball in the sorcerer’s direction. He stopped the ball just before the sorcerer’s face. Then he erected a magical shield that surrounded Arthur as an invisible cloak against any threat.
The adrenaline of the situation spurred Merlin to be more awake than he had been recently. But he could already feel his tiredness seeping in. He was glad at least that his magic wasn’t so dependent on his remaining awake. He felt secure enough with his magical abilities to trust in them when he could trust in nothing else.
He sighed deeply before he allowed time to resume once again.
The sorcerer stepped back, dismayed, when he saw his own fireball inches from his face.
“You are Obsidian, I presume?” Merlin addressed him harshly, tone commanding.
Everyone at the feast, nobility and servants alike, were whispering in agitation amongst each other. Lancelot and Gwaine were standing, swords drawn and ready to fight, along with the other knights present in the hall. When Merlin spoke, a hushed silence fell. Merlin could hear Arthur grumbling about Merlin placing the shield on him, protesting that he could very well defend himself and he didn’t need Merlin to…
But then Gwen placed her hand over Arthur’s, smiling softly and shaking her head, and Arthur settled down.
“You have no idea who I am,” the sorcerer shot back, smirking at Merlin. “But you may call me Obsidian if you so desire,” he finished.
“You were set to attack the King of Camelot. Give me a reason not to kill you,” Merlin ordered him.
“You can not kill me,” Obsidian remarked. He laughed as if Merlin had said something particularly funny.
Arthur rose from his seat. “Merlin is more powerful than you, I am sure. You would do well not to antagonize him,” he warned the sorcerer.
Obsidian didn’t appear cowed at the threat. He just stared at Arthur curiously, and then he shrugged. He raised his hand and the fireball in front of him fizzled out.
“Why don’t you two just enjoy yourselves and we could pretend this little altercation never happened?” Obsidian suggested.
Arthur and Merlin exchanged puzzled glances with each other, unsure what to make of Obsidian’s words.
“Who are you?” Merlin demanded once again. “What is your true name you deny giving me?”
“Why should I give it to you at all?” Obsidian countered. “This place is quite peculiar, I have to say. I’ve had my fun. I’ll just leave, shall I? I have my role to play after all…”
And before Merlin could maneuver another attack, Obsidian disappeared - spiriting himself away by magic.
Soon after, Merlin collapsed into his chair. Everyone in the hall was rightly startled at the unexpected turn of events, but Arthur was quick to assure all in attendance that the feast would commence. And that the enemy sorcerer would be dealt with accordingly.
“Merlin, do you know where he could have gone?” Arthur asked him urgently.
Merlin covered his face with his hands, his shoulders sunk and he looked like he had been defeated rather than coming to a strange stalemate with Obsidian.
Dropping his hands from his face, Merlin looked to Arthur. He shrugged. “I don’t believe he’s in Camelot anymore. I could seek out the Lady of the Lake to see what she knows about Obsidian. You may send out some of your men, if you wish, to check if he is still in Camelot.”
Gwen interjected, “But Merlin - if he has magic, won’t that be dangerous for the knights? They don’t have magic.”
Merlin gave Gwen a small smile. He conjured a sheet of parchment and a quill. He proceeded to write down a list of names on the paper.
Once finished, he handed the sheet to Arthur and told him, “It hasn’t been that long since you lifted the ban on magic, Arthur. The Knights of Camelot who possess magic are still unwilling to disclose that truth to you. Fortunately, they have informed me…or I have sensed the magic within them.” He pointed to the names. “Send out these men to search for Obsidian. Or, you could wait until I get in contact with Freya…”
Arthur nodded. “Thank you. I think I’ll send a few men out. I’d prefer not to wait,” he remarked, looking over the list of names as he spoke.
Merlin inclined his head. “Very well, My Lord.”
Merlin stood and he announced that he was tired. As such, he would retire early for the night.
Arthur’s eyes roved over him, making Merlin feel like he was being studied as a part of an experiment. But when the king spoke, he only said, “Merlin, the shield?”
Merlin wiped at his brow. “Yes, of course.”
He waved his hand and his shield around Arthur dissipated.
Before Merlin could take his leave, cane by his side, Arthur grasped his hand to halt him. ‘We need to talk. You do realize that, Merlin?” Arthur informed him.
Merlin nodded. “Yes,” he said simply.
“Rest well, Merlin,” Gwen wished him.
He smiled at her, thanking his friend for her sentiment.
When Merlin was halfway down the room, he noticed a good number of people looking upon him with great interest.
For a blessed moment, he was grateful for the cheer that came over him. Feeling just a bit mischievous, Merlin called upon his magic to disappear in front of everyone at the Beltane Feast.
Merlin could hear the clapping and enthusiastic hum of the people in the hall as his magic transported him away.
It was certainly a pleasant feeling that as the official Court Sorcerer; he could now use his magic freely and openly like this in Camelot.
Maybe that would be enough to overcome his torment of losing two years of his life.
~ * ~
Sensing a strange magical energy in the entrance hall, Merlin reappeared there rather than heading straight for his room.
He was startled by what he saw. A tall older man, whose dark hair was graying but his eyes were bright, was standing just by the doors. Donned in deep blue robes, he looked to be of lean build, though his outfit did well to obscure the truth.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a small blond boy appeared and ran up to the man. Neither seemed to be aware that Merlin was watching them, which did little to set Merlin at ease.
“Grandfather!” the boy greeted him as the man took him up in his arms.
“Ah, there you are, my boy. Growing bigger every time I see you.”
“I don’t want to go,” the boy protested, “Mother said…but Camelot is my home.”
“And you will return, one day, I assure you of that. Your mother and father believe this will be the best thing for you.”
The boy rested his head on the man’s shoulder. “Mother told me there’s a girl…” He looked unhappy.
“Yes, my child. She has the Sight just like your dear mother. You will be educated alongside her.”
“But she’s a girl,” the boy countered like that was explanation enough for why that was a bad idea.
The man laughed good-naturedly. “Oh, I’m certain that you’ll get along just fine with her. As long as you remember what I’ve told you.”
“You should give everyone a chance,” the boy recited automatically.
The boy’s grandfather shook his head. He gave the boy a small smile. “No, the other one--” the man corrected him.
Merlin nearly jumped back in shock when the man suddenly looked up at him, the stranger’s lively blue eyes piercing his own.
Like the man could see Merlin standing there feet away from them.
And hardly a moment later, the man and the boy disappeared so suddenly that Merlin was positive he had been hallucinating. Maybe the lack of sleep was catching up to him?
He couldn’t deny the intriguing jolt of familiarity with the older man. And while he didn’t know how Arthur would have looked when he was younger…Merlin did see a resemblance there. Yet still, something had felt off to him. For one thing, there was no way that could have been Arthur. From what Arthur told him, his grandparents died before he was born. So what he had seen didn’t add up in Merlin’s mind.
So Merlin only shook his head in bemusement and headed to his bedchambers. Maybe things would start making sense in the morning.
~ * ~
Now unfortunately, it was not an end to the hallucinations as Merlin deemed them.
Walking down a corridor, one of the doors opened of its own accord, creaking as it did so.
Merlin bit his lip and with a deep breath, he looked in. Curiosity was getting the better of him, clearly, but despite that, he did feel compelled to watch whatever this was. Hallucination, a vision coming to life before his eyes? He could only guess.
This was the last time he was denying himself sleep. If he had known he’d be subjected to inexplicable hallucinations, then Merlin would have worked harder to get over his sleeping anxiety. He promised himself to start tonight…
…after he observed what looked like Ygraine lying in bed with a baby in her arms.
…was the baby Arthur?
The same man from before was here as well, sitting by Ygraine’s bedside. But here, the man looked sadder as if he had recently overcome a terrible loss.
“Uther is just outside, Father. I wanted you to--” she paused, giving notice to her father’s forlorn demeanor. “Oh, Father - I miss her too.”
Her father smiled quietly at her. “Your mother was a good woman. I have never loved another,” he remarked. He appeared thoughtful for a long moment.
Then:
“Yes, give me the child, my dear. I will bless him,” he told her.
“Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me,” she said, her voice full of emotion as she spoke.
She handed over the child and her father cradled him in his arms. He smiled as the baby tried to grip one of his fingers.
Then all three of them vanished, the hallucination ending as suddenly as the previous one.
Merlin couldn't help but smile himself at the quiet yet deeply emotional scene he had just witnessed. Still, he decided then and there that sleep would be the best remedy now. And that maybe he would ask Freya when he next saw her to explain what he had witnessed. She was the Lady of the Lake, a goddess of magic after all.
What better authority to ask than her?
~ * ~
“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Morgana said breathlessly, looking upon the Isle of Avalon before her.
The two of them exited the boat and ventured on to the island, where the flowers were in full bloom and the trees were crackling with magical energy. Fertile plains and cliffs along with timeless structures of stone marked the rest of Avalon’s landscape.
Freya smiled. “Yes, I always enjoy coming here,” she told her, “Now the barriers between the Experimental-”
“Experimental? That’s what my world is called?” Morgana inquired.
Freya frowned. “Did I not tell you that? I thought I did. But yes, our world is the Experimental World. And as it is now, the barrier between our world and the Alpha World is weakened for a short time due to our passage. The barrier shall close back up soon. But Merlin - of our world - will be seeing some memories of the Alpha World. He is one of the rare few who has the ability to experience such a magical event. Unfortunately, Merlin will not comprehend what he will see as I haven’t told him yet.”
Morgana smiled widely. “I can only imagine what Merlin will think when he knows the truth. You do plan on telling him?”
Freya nodded. “I fear I will have little choice. He will want an explanation and I can not deny him that information.”
“Oh, Freya. Please tell me how he reacts to the news. I would love to hear it.”
Freya gave her a small smile. “Very well. I’ll let you know,” she promised her. Then the Lady of the Lake informed her, “We are in the past of the Alpha World. This is done as a security measure to alert Avalon of newcomers. Before we head to the present day, I have something to show you,” she waved her hand forward.
“Where are we going?” Morgana asked her.
“Ah, the stone circle up there,” Freya informed her. She pointed out the cliff to Morgana. “The circle of stones lies just on the other side of that cliff upon a flat hill.”
Morgana nodded.
It was a bit of a hike getting there. When they made it, Morgana found Merlyn who appeared to be teaching a young Arthur and Morgan. The three of them were in the middle of the stone circle. Merlyn was sitting in a chair and fiddling with a piece of wood, carving at it with a knife. The children were standing. Arthur looked restless while Morgan appeared anxious and unsure.
“But I can not do such a thing,” Morgan protested. “My Sight has always been my strongest talent. To use magic in other ways…”
“The power of the stone circle will aid you, my dear,” Merlyn assured her, “And do not forget that as long as you keep the Mother Goddess in your heart, then you can do all sorts of things.”
Arthur went over to his grandfather. He peered with interest at what Merlyn was carving. “What are you carving, Grandfather?”
Merlyn turned to look at him. He set down his carving. “The Mother Goddess.”
Arthur looked disappointed. “Why not something exciting? Like a dragon!” he exclaimed.
Morgan giggled.
Merlyn raised his eyebrow. “A dragon, you say?”
Arthur looked at him expectantly.
“Draca,” Merlyn then said.
A small dragon appeared before them, flying about a little haphazardly as if it were a baby dragon trying to figure out how to maneuver its wings.
Arthur grinned, pleased, while Morgan’s eyes lit up at the sight of the miniature dragon.
As the dragon breathed fire, Merlyn made the creature disappear. “Now, a dragon could easily breathe fire, but we can call the element of fire into our hands.”
“I almost set my bed on fire,” Arthur confided in Morgan. He looked oddly pleased with himself.
She put her hand up over her mouth to hold in her gasp. “Oh dear.”
Merlyn looked amused. “As Arthur is clearly an expert at this, I think we shall focus on you, Morgan.”
She nodded, determined but still appearing doubtful.
Merlyn looked to Arthur. “But first, to make sure, I want you to conjure a ball of blue fire in your hands.”
Arthur gave a small frown. “Blue? But--”
“I like blue, so blue it will be,” said Merlyn reasonably.
“But fire is red! And orange…yellow too,” Arthur pointed out.
“Yes, Arthur. But the point is to conjure a fire of a color not commonly associated with fire.”
“I think blue is a very pretty color. I like it just as much as I love green,” Morgan remarked.
Merlyn smiled at her.
“Morgan, you’re just making it worse,” Arthur said with a huff. He crossed his arms against his chest.
“Arthur,” his grandfather warned.
“All right!” Arthur nearly yelled.
Merlyn gave him a displeased look.
“Here it is,” Arthur said, softer this time.
He conjured a ball of fire, half-red, half-blue, in the palm of his hands.
Morgan laughed at what Arthur had done.
Merlyn gave a long sigh. “What will I do with you, child?” He asked to no one.
“But it is an unusual color for fire,” Morgan was quick to defend him, “I’ve never seen a half-red, half-blue fire before.”
“True. True,” Merlyn conceded. “Well, Morgan, it is your turn. Close your eyes and allow the power of the circle to guide you.”
Freya and Morgana watched as the little girl managed to conjure a small green fireball in her hands. The girl smiled at her accomplishment.
Merlyn congratulated her while Arthur gave her a quick grin before asking his grandfather about the carving again. He requested for a dragon again or maybe a horse, or a sword… Merlyn reminded him that the carving wasn’t for Arthur. The boy looked undeterred.
And just as Merlyn resumed their lessons, the three of them vanished.
“We’ve left the past,” Freya told Morgana.
“I noticed their eyes didn’t glow when they performed magic,” Morgana noted as the two of them left the stone circle, “And my counterpart doesn’t look much like me. She has red hair and blue-grey eyes… it’s odd. Arthur looks exactly how I remembered Arthur when we were younger in my world…”
“Each world has its similarities and differences. For some, their physical appearance is not left unaffected. Embracing the changes is the best thing to do,” Freya advised her.
Morgana nodded. “We will be meeting the Lady of the Lake of this world, correct? Merlyn’s eldest daughter, Viviane?”
“Yes, we will. Have I told you about Merlyn’s parentage?”
Morgana shook her head. “I don’t think so. But since his other daughter, Ygraine, had to be of royal blood to marry a king, I deduced that Merlyn had to have royal blood in him… or at least noble blood,” she concluded.
“Merlyn is the fourth son of a king. Unfortunately, he barely knew his parents as they gave him to the priestesses of Avalon when he was just a baby. His mother and father decided that would be the best thing for him.”
“Why? Because of his magic?”
“Yes, the priestesses knew of a prophecy that Merlyn would have extraordinary magical power and talent. And as such, he needed to be taken to Avalon to be raised and trained. As it was unlikely Merlyn would ever rule with three brothers ahead of him in line for his kingdom’s throne, his father decided to heed the advice of the priestesses. After all, Avalon had the resources that Merlyn’s father did not have to properly raise a magically-endowed child. Merlyn’s mother had difficulty parting with her baby, as you can imagine. Unfortunately, by the time Merlyn was able to leave Avalon, his mother had already died.”
“Oh no,” Morgana murmured.
“But still, Merlyn was grateful to the priestesses of Avalon despite being separated from his birth parents. That is why he gave his firstborn daughter, Viviane, to the priestesses at Avalon. Ygraine’s fate, as you know, was down a different path.”
“…to give birth to the Once and Future King -- Arthur,” Morgana put in.
“The savior of Albion, yes,” Freya agreed.
As they walked to the main dwelling where Viviane lived, Freya then told Morgana that she should know that the Obsidian of her vision was more than he seemed.
“What do you mean? I warned Lancelot and Gwaine. I believe by now the threat is taken care of…”
“Obsidian will not return to Camelot. Of that, you can be sure. But, unfortunately, he is in fact Gwydion.”
Morgana looked confused. “Gwydion?”
“You would know him best by the name of Mordred.”
“Mordred? Mordred! Obsidian…was Mordred. Why did I not See this? He was right there in Camelot - he could have killed Arthur. He could have…why didn’t I know?” She was feeling faint. She had presumed Obsidian was just another sorcerer, nothing remarkable, and easily handled by Merlin. But Mordred was a different story entirely.
“I am sorry, Morgana. But you killing the child Mordred of our world resulted in an open sore. Obsidian or Gwydion, as he is known in his world, was attracted by this open wound and he managed to pass through it,” Freya explained to her.
“The greatest harm can come from the best intentions,” Morgana said quietly.
Freya nodded. “Yes, that is true. But you need not worry, Morgana. I plan to make sure, but I believe Gwydion has returned to his world. He most likely meant to see the Experimental World to amuse himself, I expect. The pull of his dark destiny, to kill his father in his world is far too strong for Gwydion to do any real damage in our world.”
“…his father? It’s Arthur, isn’t it? In Gwydion’s world?”
Freya nodded sadly. “Yes. Surely there was an attraction for him to kill another world’s Arthur, but even Gwydion can not test Fate.”
“The other Mordreds, Gwydions, whatever they may be called, of the other worlds - will they be drawn to the sore as well? Will more of them be coming into our world?”
“You do not need to be concerned about it. Only the Mordred you killed had the sole right to kill the Arthur of our world. No other Mordred can usurp that right. Even the Mordred of this world, the Alpha World, can not do it. As I have said before, our Arthur’s final fate is now uncertain with your execution of Mordred.”
“Mordred is Morgause’s son in this world?”
“Yes. And Morgause is Morgan’s older half-sister.”
“And yet when they were orphaned, Merlyn only took in Morgan,” Morgana pointed out.
“Because he was too late, unfortunately,” Freya said regretfully. “He has a long-standing rivalry with the dark sorceress Nimueh. She took Morgause, leaving Morgan for Merlyn. Nimueh believed Morgan to be the ‘weaker’ child magically, so she took Morgause instead. In Morgause, she saw more potential. Of course, Merlyn did not see a ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ child, he only saw a child in need of a home and a family. He did not care if Morgan wasn’t as magically endowed as her sister, he just loved her as if she were one of his own daughters.”
Morgana smiled. She was grateful that her counterpart in the Alpha World had been supported in such a way.
But then Morgana was unpleasantly reminded of her own relations with Uther, who she had long believed to be only her guardian. Morgan was more fortunate than Morgana ever had been. Uther Pendragon had been a hard man to love. Of that, there was little doubt in Morgana's mind. And the secret Uther had been hiding all that time did not do much in the way of easing Morgana's frustration with the late king.
“I can’t believe Uther only had the courage to tell Arthur about me being truly his half-sister on his deathbed. With his impending death, it was only then that Uther was so wracked with guilt that he could not hide the truth any longer," Morgana said bitterly. She nodded to the Lady of the Lake. "I’m grateful to you, Freya, for telling me the truth. If I had been at Uther’s deathbed while he revealed that he is my birth father, I don’t even wish to think about how I would have reacted. Not amicably, I’m sure.”
“Anyone would have been upset in your position,” Freya reasoned. “It’s understandable to have those feelings. But you can not allow those feelings of hatred and anger to rule you. You must temper them, Morgana,” Freya advised her.
“I know. I try to…I don’t think I am a calm person at heart. It does take some effort.”
“You care too much about others,” Freya noted, “You need to consider the consequences of your actions. And while your drive to achieve a goal is admirable, you must do so thoughtfully. I know I have told you all this before, but it is always good to be reminded of such things.”
“I hope that Merlyn will be able to help me,” Morgana said hopefully.
“Yes, I have confidence that he will. You are doing well, Morgana. Don’t doubt that. This further guidance and seeing the Alpha World will serve to enhance your perspective on life. As long as you allow yourself to be open to what the Alpha World offers you.”
“Yes, of course. I requested this and I certainly plan to make the most of my time here,” Morgana assured her.
Freya smiled warmly. She could tell that Morgana was excited about getting to see a new world. She was not blind to the Seer’s desire to experience something not many had the chance to.
~ * ~