The Man in The Cave

Chapter 34

Morgana opened the door as quiet as she could, greeting the guards on the way inside the newborn girl's room. Guinevere was busy attending to some guests that had arrived and the wet nurse was sleeping in a chair, taking advantage of the little silence the baby was providing at the moment.

She tiptoed, excitement clear in her face, heart beating in anticipation of seeing the recently born girl. Very few had seen Guinevere after she had given birth at her request. It would be the first time that Morgana would get the chance to look at the girl, and she had been waiting for the opportunity for a while.

The wooden cradle was beautifully craved. The little girl had a small bit of reddish blonde hair on top of her head as she moved in her sheets, eyes wide open looking at the room around her. Morgana's heart melted, her hands reaching for the girl to hold her in her arms. At first the girl tensed at the unfamiliar pair of hands picking her up, until Morgana held her at eye level.

"Aren't you the most beautiful girl in all of Camelot? You're not me, of course but I know you're going to charm your way through life," Morgana smiled, wrinkling her nose. The girl made a cooing noise.

"Who am I? Well, I'm offended now, no, don't try to apologize." Morgana put a small, pretended scowl in her face, the girl cooed again, a hand reaching for Morgana's curly hair, "Fine, I'll forgive you, but just because you're so adorable."

The door creaked as it was opened. The wet nurse shifted in her sleep making Morgana grow concerned about the baby's safety. Morgana held the baby close, turning to the sound to see Emrys trying to approach her as quiet as possible. She rolled her eyes, tilting her head, inviting him to come closer watching him mutter something she wasn't quite able to hear.

"It's good that you came because I was just introducing myself," Morgana told Emrys, who rolled his eyes.

"I don't think she can understand you," he mumbled looking at the girl whose eyes shifted between the two of them.

"I happen to know she can, because she's a smart little girl." Morgana's eyes focused on the girl and the smile in her face as she tried again to reach for Morgana's hair, "My name is Morgana, did you get that? I am your aunt and I can do pretty things like this," her eyes glowed blue and an embroidered blanket filled with carefully made flowers and golden details appeared in her hand. She had done it in anticipation for the baby's birth despite Guinevere's insistence that it wasn't necessary. The girl's hands extended towards the fabric and took it out of Morgana's hands only to try to put it in her mouth.

"And this man over here with who looks like he hasn't slept in thirty years is Emrys, say hi to Emrys, Aethel." Morgana smiled, the girl's eyes turned to the man for a split second before turning again to Morgana, "Do you like that I call you that? Emrys, don't be rude, kiss this little lady's hand, remember your manners,"

"Very funny Ana."

"She looks a bit like Arthur, don't you think?" Morgana mumbled, raising the girl up a bit and making her let go of her hair, "She does have green eyes, but this nose is definitely Arthur's"

"Isn't it too soon to be making that kind of assumption? Nevertheless, I can already tell she's smarter than him at least" Emrys, approaching his finger to the girl which she hurriedly took.

"See? Emrys knows you're smart, you better remember this because he doesn't go around giving compliments."

"I give compliments to people that deserve them and at the bare age of six weeks this girl has been doing nothing but wonderful things,"

Morgana smiled, trying to put the girl in the bed only for the girl's face to twist, with a complaint about to form. The woman picked her back up in her arms and the girl smiled.