The Future of Camelot

Truth Revealed at Last

Morgana sulked in the corner of the kitchen as Gwen prepared some soup. Merlin sat on a stool nearby, watching her. Gwen seemed anxious to not meet her eye. She ladled the soup into three bowls, handing two to Merlin. Merlin looked at Gwen curiously, but gave the second to Morgana. She accepted it with a sneer, but was truly grateful for the food. Gwen sat at the small table and kept her head down. She hadn't spoken much since she woke up. A rare pity in Morgana's heart extended itself to the widow. Gwen had lost everything when her memories had been regained, whereas Morgana had a new chance.

"Gwen - " said Morgana before she could think. She hastened to ratify this impulsive outburst. "Why do you not talk to me? We were friends in this world and the last, were we not?" Gwen looked up, her eyes so full of loss that Morgana almost went to comfort her. What was wrong with her?

"We were friends, until you betrayed us all! And in this world, we would have always been friends, for there was no magic to corrupt you. Now you are returned, and we can never again be friends."

"Gwen," warned Merlin, but Morgana was already replying.

"And what of the time we were joined as allies against the king, your husband? I rescued you from the mandrake root, and held you as you wept."

"You condemned me to it!" shouted Gwen. Morgana was silent. She bowed her head and only heard Gwen leave the room. To her surprise, Merlin laid a tentative hand on her shoulder. The touch warmed Morgana's cool heart, and caused her to raise her head. Merlin's gentle eyes questioned her.

"Morgause," she started, but quickly fell silent. Merlin had no right to know! And yet . . .

"What about her? Your sister - what about her?" He sounded so sincere that she could barely control the words pouring out of her mouth, or the tears cascading from her eyes.

"She used mandrake root on me. I screamed and suffered for weeks, but nobody held me. Not like I held Gwen. I grew to love Morgause while she lived, and I forgot the torture for the pain of her death. Now though, I can see Arthur stabbing me. You tearing my eyes out, Gwen ripping away my clothes." Morgana choked on her tears, causing her tale to stop. Merlin's hand tightened on her shoulder in a small token of compassion. He said nothing, but she had finished.

After a moment she shrugged out of his grasp and turned aside. He withdrew immediately. Morgana was grateful for his chivalry, but was quite done with kindness. In her time, she would have torn the arms from any man who dared touch her. She would have delighted in his screams, but now she only wished for solitude.

"I'm going out. I shall be back," she added, thought she knew not why. Before she said another thing without thought, she spun out of the flat, slamming the door shut behind her.

0O0O0O0

Merlin sat beside Gwen as she wept her heart out. For Arthur, for Camelot, for friends she could never regain. It was the first time since Arthur's death that she had cried, and a thousand years separated her and her true love.

"Lancelot," said Merlin in a surprised tone. Gwen glanced at him. "Your boyfriend, Lance. It is him, isn't it? I can bring him back!"

"Merlin, are you sure? It is Lancelot, I now realize, but . . ."

"But what?" asked Merlin. Lancelot had been one of his best friends, after Arthur and Gwaine. In fact, Lancelot had been closer to him than Gwaine due to his knowledge of Merlin's magic. When Morgana brought back the shade, he had been devastated to discover that it was not his brave and noble knight, but this was! This was Lancelot's soul, and with a bit of magic, it would be his mind as well.

Gwen's eyes flickered a little. "But - Merlin. What of his return in Camelot? He proved treacherous. Could we bring that man back?"

"That wasn't Lancelot, Gwen!" exclaimed Merlin, growing more excited by the moment. "Did I never tell you? It was a shade, brought back by Morgana. He enchanted you." Again, she was silent. "Gwen, is this about your feelings for each other?" She looked at him guiltily.

"I am married, Merlin. I may be a widow, but not for long, if this magic will recall Arthur. But I dated a man - Lancelot! Long has he been Arthur's rival for my affections. I am true to Arthur, and ashamed that my heart ever wandered."

"Oh, Gwen," said Merlin softly. "That wasn't you. As soon as Lancelot is with us again, he will know your heart and respect it. He loved Arthur, too. I know that he would never wish you or Arthur ill for your love."

"I pray for his sake that you're right."

0O0O0O0

"Gwen, darling," said Lance happily as she ushered him inside. He leaned down to kiss her and she turned so he kissed her cheek. 

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Lance. I know the train from London is tedious." Gwen couldn't meet her dead lover's eyes.

Lance wore his heart on his sleeve, as ever, and hurt and confusion shone on his face. "Of course, Gwen. Whenever you call I will come running. Who's this?" he asked, finally noticing Merlin. Merlin's heart was indeed gladdened by the sight of his old friend. It was all he could do not to rush up and hug him.

"This is an old friend, Merlin. He's . . . in town for a little while." Lance seemed politely interested.

"Good to meet you Merlin. How do you know Gwen?"

"Oh, we met years ago," Merlin said vaguely. Gwen stifled a laugh at this. Lance looked at her warily. He thinks I'm a romantic rival, Merlin realized with a shock. They had to bring Lancelot back soon. He and Gwen had discussed this.

"Lance, will you have a look at this cupboard door? Merlin broke it, and he's hopeless at fixing things." Lance inclined his head towards her and went to the cupboard in the kitchen. Merlin's eyes flashed, and Lancelot uttered a small exclamation of pain. Blood welled out of a small gash on his finger.

"I'll see to that," offered Merlin. "My guardian was a doctor, and I know a great deal about basic medical care." Lance politely accepted. Guinevere hurried Lance to the bathroom, although she didn't treat him quite as tenderly as Gwen would have. He must have noticed, for his hurt wasn't proportional to a small cut on a finger. Merlin held Lance's finger as if to clean and dress it, but he let magic flow through his hands to heal the wound. Lance's eyes opened wide.

"Lancelot?" asked Merlin quietly. He had the same wild look that Gwen had had when her memories had returned. The brown eyes focused on Merlin's, and Merlin saw recognition there. He saw Lancelot. The knight steadied himself on the sink.

"Yes, Merlin. It is I. But, how?"

"Morgana and I have been brought back, too," said Gwen. Lancelot looked at her as he had the first time they met. She quickly averted her eyes. Lancelot nervously cleared his throat.

"It was my magic," said Merlin, breaking the silent tension. "I used it on Morgana when she was injured, and her memories returned."

"Morgana's back!" gasped Lancelot. He reached instinctively for his sword, but found nothing there. "How?"

Merlin's subconscious had been pestering him all day, but only now did it burst through into his mind. Morgana had spoken, and he had heard.

"She said Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed. "That's where she's going, to find what else to say. She thinks, and she may be right in doing so, that her words bring Camelot back slowly."

"That's right," realized Gwen. "We were talking about you saying Arthur's name for the first time. I said it, and then she did. It was only after she did that the beast attacked us."

"Morgana has the power over the future of Albion," said Lancelot wearily. "She has power over us all."