The Future of Camelot

Riddles and Revelations

Although Arthur was back, Morgana still liked traveling to Avalon. It represented something for her - magic, and renewal. Sometimes, when she watched silently, the Sidhe came out like beautiful dancing lights. This was one of those nights.

Morgana sat beside the new ancient lake and waited. At 11:37, a solitary blue figure burst out of the water. It was tiny, but as a High Priestess, Morgana could see it clearly. It grinned deep into the lake and was soon joined by others. They glided through the warm air and skimmed the surface of the water with their tiny slippers. They danced around the lake gracefully. They somersaulted and twisted and dove into the lake and back out. Morgana watched as silently as she could until her eyes closed and she was close to sleep.

"It's the witch," she heard a voice say. Morgana perked up immediately. A shining blue fey floated in front of her. He was joined by another, and another. They looked at her with curiosity, but also superiority.

"What is it doing?" asked another.

"The witch can see us," noted one with hair that swirled all around her head.

"Of course she can," said the first one snootily. "She has magic more powerful than all mortals but one of this world."

"Emrys isn't a mortal," a young one said.

"That's not who I meant," the first said. He grinned hideously, showing a mouth full of sharp, white teeth.

0O0O0O0

"Where's the witch?" said Percival with forced calmness in his voice. It wasn't working on his hands, which shattered the glass he was holding. Arthur looked at him reproachfully, but gathered the glass shards silently. The knights, Gaius, and Gwen were gathered in the kitchen, and Merlin was taking a shower.

"Percival," Gwen said disapprovingly. "Please, we've all suffered. Even her."

"I held my friend while he died!" Percival shouted. "I had to listen to Morgana torture him! I don't care what she's been through, for it is nothing compared to her victims."

Normally Gwaine would respond to this with a carefree comment and a laugh, but not now. He bowed his head and said nothing.

"She killed your brother, Gwen," said Gaius. Gwen whirled to face him.

"Do you think I've forgotten?" she cried. "Morgana tortured me until my will was no longer my own. She tried to kill me because I was marrying Arthur. I haven't forgotten a second of it," she snapped. Taking a deep breath, she calmed.

"But she can be good," Gwen continued. "She used to be the kindest person alive!"

"That person died," Gaius said with more emotion than the others usually saw in him.

"No she didn't!" cried Gwen. "She was in Morgan, and Morgan is in her. She can be good!"

At this point, Merlin came out of the shower and stood by Gwen. He had heard the louder parts of the conversation, and had to support Morgana. He understood her better than anyone else could, and sometimes wondered what he would have done had he been in her position. Percival glared at Merlin and Gwen. Gwaine was still silent. Lancelot watched everything with wide eyes, but didn't seem to take a side. Arthur threw out the bits of glass and stood between his wife and his best friend.

"She's a monster!" Percival shouted, although he seemed reluctant to talk like that to his king. Arthur responded with a quiet tone.

"There was a time when that was true," he said in a voice that commanded the room. "But we have all changed since Camelot. All of us have changed, Morgana included. Do you remember how I was brought back?"

Percival, Gwaine, and Gaius had been told, but the others knew the truth and sincerity of it. Gwaine spoke for the first time.

"I'm glad you're back," he said quietly. "Morgana has changed. If she hadn't, we would all be dead. Besides," he said with a bit more lightheartedness than he had shown since the conversation started, "why would she want to kill me now? Every time she tried to kill me, I was already fighting for my life. The kingdom I am a knight for no longer exists, so what can cause me to fight for my life? Except adoring fans, of course."

The knights looked at him in confusion, which he seemed to relish. Merlin rolled his eyes.

"Gawain Orkney was a model," he told the others. "He was arrested for unruly behavior in a pub."

"And you say we've changed," muttered Percival, but he seemed to give up his argument for the time being.

"What can I say?" grinned Gwaine. "I stick to what I know."

0O0O0O0

"Who is it?" Morgana couldn't help asking. "Is there another with magic in this world?"

"It speaks to us," hissed one of the Sidhe to the others. "It thinks it is worthy of our conversation!"

"She is jealous of the other," said the one who had come first and mentioned another powerful witch or warlock. He seemed like their leader. "She is jealous of the one she loved."

"The one I loved!" exclaimed Morgana. "Who? Is it my sister? Has Morgause returned?" The Sidhe laughed, which sounded like a thousand swords ringing against a thousand shields. The leader flew right in front of her nose, and Morgana had to resist the temptation to blast it away with magic. Her human sorcery would never be a match for a colony of Sidhe.

"The one you loved, but couldn't have, the one you sought, but couldn't find, the one you helped, but couldn't save."

"No," gasped Morgana. She stood up and stumbled away from the cluster of magical creatures. "Is it really?" The Sidhe leader hissed at her and led his disciples back to the lake. Morgana drew away from the lake and sprinted back to Gwen's apartment, where for some reason they all still gathered.

Opening the lock with magic and bursting through the door, Morgana startled everyone in the kitchen.

"What is it?" Merlin asked with worry. He stepped away from the group and towards Morgana. She didn't pull away, which Gaius noticed. It made him think of when these young people he had cared so much about were still friends. Morgana was catching her breath.

"Here," said Gwen, offering Morgana water. She accepted it gratefully and gulped it down.

"Can you talk?" asked Arthur, joining the people helping their bitterest enemy.

"Mordred," she gasped. "I'm sure of it. He's alive, and with magic."