Within a Dream Part II.V

She finds him waiting by the bench with hands in his pocket and eyes staring straight ahead; her steps falter as she thinks for a brief second that perhaps she’s wrong and Merlin’s wrong and maybe, just maybe he’ll not turn into he’s supposed to be because he’s too young to know hate; he’s too young to understand loss and too young to know have blood on his hands. When he turns around after having heard her footsteps and says, “You came,” with a bright smile that’s far too innocent, she almost believes. “I didn’t think you’d show.”

She clears her throat and restrains herself from returning the gesture as her heart aches at the familiarity of that greeting, from wrinkling of the eyes to the pure, unadulterated happiness blissfully showing on his face that remind her of someone else. “Not by choice,” she replies, standing a few feet away, weary and guarded. “Surely you understand.”

He takes no offense as he laughs and his blue eyes sparkle under the sun. “Fair enough. It’s not like we’re tied by any sorts of bonds in this lifetime.”

“No, I supposed there’s not,” answers Morgana as she draws out a sharp breath. “What is it that you want to talk about?”

“Are you in such a hurry to get to Arthur that you can’t even spare me a second?” he asks, amused and tauntingly, “mommy dearest.”

Her face pales. “You’re a son to me as much as Arthur is a father to you.”

“Don’t say his name.”

“Then don’t call me your mother.”

He clicks his tongue and nods in defeat. “Fine,” he answers, closing the distance in between. He gazes down at her; an arrogant smirk tugs the corner of his lips and she feels her heart dies a bit from the demeanor. “I trust that you find everything to your liking, and by everything, I mean your powers of course.”

“And I trust that you’ll keep your words,” she then tilts her head sideway, eyeing him with suspicion. “Not a hair is to fall from his head.”

“Of course. I solemnly swear,” he says, holding a hand up, “scout’s honor that I will not touch, nor will I attempt to harm him in any way possible and that not a hair is to fall of his head. In exchange…”

“Uther’s yours,” she finishes, almost had the urge to throw up from the words themselves. “But if I ever hear that he’s in danger and you’re the culprit, I won’t stop until you’re dead by my hands.”

“Tsk…tsk… does he even know how much you care?”

“It’s not really any of your business, now is it?”

“My, my,” he says, as he restrains himself from showing signs of anger. “ To think all that history between doesn’t even measure to the history between you and him saddens me a bit. Of course it’d have hurt had I actually have a heart or if you could actually kill me.”

Her brow arches at his challenging words. “You don’t think I can?”

“Not can’t, won’t,” he corrects, “don’t forget that I’m the one that gave you back your powers. Even Merlin couldn’t even do that.”

“You might have restore my powers but I still got centuries on you so why don’t you try and we’ll see how wrong you can be?”

“Then you’ll die along with me or do you not understand the second part of our deal?”

“Small price to pay, don’t you think?”

He says nothing but as she’s about to leave, he calls out. “It didn’t have to be like this, once upon a time. We could’ve been a family. You and I. Maybe even him.”

“Perhaps but we’ll never find out, now will we?”

“And yours has? Don’t you dare stand there and tell me that centuries past have dulled your hatred for what had happened.” His voice loses its calmness before he exhales for having to lost control. “Otherwise, why would you hand over Uther’s head?”

“To save a life, I must sacrifice a life and for what Uther’s done, he deserves it,” she answers, “but I will not let Arthur’s be the scapegoat to your cause.”

“I distinctively remember that you once yourself have carried such loathing for him and had stopped at nothing to have him killed,” he shouts; fits clump together like he wants to punch a wall. “Finally growing a heart, have you, Morgana?”

“I will not tell you again, Mordred. Do whatever you wish with Uther but if you think for even one second that I will let my emotions for what I felt for you from the past get in the way of my duties, you’ll wish that death is the least of your problem; and if I am to die with you, let it be.” With that, she leaves him without once turning back.