A Herald of a New Age

Chapter eleven. A close call

|an| Heyo, this chapter is actually already written, but it's in my notes section. So, I've just got to paste it in and then sort out any glitches or anything and read it through one more time.

:) |an|

Gwaine had never imagined he'd get himself in a situation like this. From setting out on a heroic and righteous quest, to being tied to a small post by the fire, on his knees, watching Morgana loudly discuss with her men and the tribe elders the justice she would bring to the land.

That was supposed to be our job, Gwaine thought, irrational- but then, Gwiane admitted to himself, he always was a bit of a proud attention seeker. That was partly why he had started swearing, that reason and the fact that he didn't understand what was going on. Morgana had swept into the camp like she owned it, Gwaine -(having been picked as 'That guy who goes to see what the scream was about')- had arrived as she did this and had watched her smirk and flaunt herself. Had she not been a deranged and corrupted, hateful and evil woman, Gwaine would have enjoyed the scene. She certainly had a lot to flaunt. Maybe, his guilty conscience admitted, maybe he had- he always liked a rebel..

Gwaine shook the thoughts from his head.

He tried to run through what had happened, to make sense of it all. He needed a plan to get himself out of this. He had sworn until his throat was raw and no one had payed him any heed, so he might as well face up to all this and engage his mind, no matter how much his mind wanted to distract itself.

So Morgana had waltzed in and Gwaine had watched from the undergrowth. The Druids, what had they been doing? Ah, see that was another thing Gwaine didn't understand. The Druids had been gathered round the fire pit expectantly, and yet the same fear that still lit up their features, had been present even before the second thing that had happened.

The second thing was particularly scarring, he really had to concentrate to try and get anything useful from the play through of the experience, instead of just recoiling from the searing memory.

The elders had approached the witch, and welcomed her with open arms. They had little fear in their faces, behind their blank Druid gazes Gwaine was pretty sure there was a bit of joy. They had brought forward a Druid girl who had sat trembling in the crowd. At this motion a small boy and a middle aged woman embraced each other in what looked like a wave of tears following more before it. The Druid elder had tugged the girl forward and shoved her in front of Morgana.

"Apologise." He had said gruffly, with the mildest pleasure: not at all like Druids normally behaved.

The girl had fallen to her knees sobbing at Morganas feet, Gwaine had felt sick as the sinister smile that he had only ever seen from a distance, bore down on the girl and then turned quizzically up at the Elder.

"Her apology is accepted, what did she do, Aldric?"

The soft silky tone mimicked the way she crouched down and caressed the girls cheek, wiping her tears and lifting her head by the jawbone to gaze into her eyes searchingly.

"She tried to run. Said she didn't believe in the Lady Morganas plans."

Morgana's face had softened at the elders answer, Aldric- yes, that was his name.

"Don't worry child. I only want what is mine and what is best." She paused and with a smile that sent goosebumps down Gwaines arms "You needn't stay to see our plans play out." She had said suggestively to the child, who, not noticing the suspicious tone, spoke hopefully.

"Really? I can leave?"

Gwaine had known, like almost everyone round the fire pit that this was a bad move. He could recall almost being able to feel Morganas kind façade snap and a sinister smirk descend like a bank of low cloud. Icy and cold.