The Handover (Morgana)

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

"Morgana!....MORGANA!" Arthur hissed.

It was the middle of the night- well past midnight, and Arthur was stood outside of her chambers in only his nightclothes. His feet were bare and cold, and he anxiously wiggled his toes, both trying to keep warm and through nervous habit. He also clutched his stomach tightly.

He hissed Morgana's name again, wondering whether a knock on the door would wake up anyone in the rooms nearby. He quickly decided it would and waited for a few more moments before entering the room without permission.

It felt a little odd to be inside of Morgana's chambers in the night, almost as though he were trespassing. But it was his castle was it not? And so he could go where he liked, couldn't he?

"Morgaaaaaanaaaa..." He sung, standing over her bed like some sort of bandit. His words were in vain though, for Morgana- sound asleep- still refused to wake! Arthur's toes were getting colder and he was also getting incredibly impatient now, so with a sudden jerk, Arthur reached out to shake her by the shoulder. In doing so, he dropped what he had been hiding in the folds of his tunic and the orb he had taken off of Evie clattered to the floor.

Arthur froze, back against the dresser beside her bed.

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

"Morgana!....MORGANA!"

Unknown to Morgana, who was miraculously dead to the world, Arthur had been trying to call her name from outside her door. For quite some time now Morgana had unfortunately been having trouble sleeping due to nightmares, which she knew to be visions but was afraid to say anything, and often required the use of a sleeping draught prepared by Gaius. This night she had taken the draft and with it she was currently in an extremely deep sleep.

She was so asleep in fact she didn't hear him enter her room or approach her bed. "Morgaaaaaanaaaa..." It wasn't until a moment later when she heard an extrememly loud clatter against the floor that she awoke with a gasp and a definte panic look. Realizing that a person was standing on the one side of her bed Morgana quickly slid out of bed on the other side, wincing slightly as her cold feet hit the ground and grabbed her dagger from the table next to her bed. She was about to scream when the angle of moonlight coming in through the window showed her that it was Arthur. Once she realized that it was her foster brother the initial look of panic she had been wearing disappeared but a look of 'was it really important enough to wake me up' crossed her face instead. She set the dagger down and picked up her shawl from the hook next to her bed and wrapped it around her shoulders to warm her up. "Care to explain what the devil you are doing in my bedroom at such a late hour?"

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur squealed in fright.

He still stood pressed against the dresser as he watched Morgana's dagger finally lower and he released his breath and attempted a small cough to clear his throat, ashamed of his earlier squeal.

"I'm sorry Lady Morgana." He muttered in a deep voice, trying to prove his manliness and slightly irritated that she should be annoyed with him. She was the one who wouldnt wake up!
"I came to show you this!" He said, standing up and holding the orb up into the beam of moonlight that was streaming through the window, causing it to gain an ethereal glow and a strange sheen. Arthur didn't like the feeling it gave him and in a hurry he dropped it onto the bed before flopping down beside it.

"I confiscated it from a Low." He said regretfully, although he didn't mention exactly which Low. Evie had already had enough heartache for one lifetime, and he didn't want anybody to hear of this and start to harass her further, although of course he had hoped Morgana wouldn't mention this anyway.
"I need you to take it and hide it. It's magical and although i don't like the way it...feels, I don't want Uther to destroy it either. I feel like it needs protecting?" He frowned, puzzled that his feelings had spilled out so freely. He hadn't even known he had been feeling that way.

"I think it might be...alive."

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

If it hadn't been such a late hour, she might have been amused by the fact that Arthur squealed in fright when she sprung out of bed and pointed her dagger at him, but considering her usual sleeping style, she was NOT happy at all that he had woken her up. Now that identity had been cleared up, she simply wanted to find out what he wanted so that she could get back to sleep. "I'm sorry Lady Morgana." His voice came out as a somewhat strangled male's voice as if he was trying to cover up the fact that he had been frightened. For a brief moment she turned away from him and the sound of fliint striking to light a candle lamp was heard- she may be a lady, but she did know how to light a candle. Within a minute light from both the moon and the candle added a sense of normalcy to her bedroom- less shadows and darkness.

"I came to show you this!" Morgana watched as he held up something to the moonlight and the beam that came in through her window cast an angelic glow around the object. Whatever it was it was beautiful. She noted that he then dropped it down onto her bed and flopped down beside it. Giving a curious look to the stone-like item she joined Arthur on the bed. "It certainly is beautiful- where did you get it from?" She was hoping to discover if it was something harmless or harmful and why exactly he felt the need to show it to her at midnight- why it couldn't have waited until morning.

"I confiscated it from a Low" Arthur went to answer her question and she could hear the regret in his voice. A low? As in one of the citizens of Camelot? What would he/she be doing with an item such as this? Although she still didn't exactly know what it was, she suspected that it was something that a low would not be able to afford. She did note that Arthur did not give them information about which low he had gotten it from and although that might have cleared up some of the mystery, she chose not to press the issue.

"I see, but I am still not sure why you have woken me up in the middle of the night. Is there something you need from me?"

She did not have to wait long before he gave the reason for the midnight visit. "I need you to take it and hide it. It's magical and although i don't like the way it...feels, I don't want Uther to destroy it either. I feel like it needs protecting? I think it might be...alive." Apparently he wanted her to take it and hide it because he knew it to be magical and did not want Uther to destroy it. So basically he wanted her to hide something underneath Uther's nose- the man who for so long had been against ANYTHING magical to the point of killing those who even associated with someone or something magical. Was Arthur out of his mind?

"Let me get this correct Arthur- you wake me up in the middle of the night because you have an item that you know is magical and you suspect it to be alive...and you want me to hide it from Uther's knowledge? Uther as in the King, your father and my guardian, who up until very recently would murder anyone associated with magic? Perhaps this would be better give to Merlin who along with the Guild mages could keep whatever it is safe?"

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

"Let me get this correct Arthur- you wake me up in the middle of the night because you have an item that you know is magical and you suspect it to be alive...and you want me to hide it from Uther's knowledge? Uther as in the King, your father and my guardian, who up until very recently would murder anyone associated with magic?"

"Yep...Thats pretty much the long and short of it!" Arthur interrupted, smiling. "So glad your happy to take it Morgana, really appreciate the gesture..."

Arthur made to stand up but was silence by Morgana's last question. Why couldn't he give it to Merlin?
The answer was as clear as day, but telling Morgana that Evie was a prostitute and had been given the orb as payment would be like giving Evie even more to deal with. She just didnt need the hassle right now and after killing her boyfriend the least Arthur could do was to leave her dignity intact.

Besides, it was obviously the magical artefact that had been stolen not so long back and giving it to Merlin would mean it would be locked away in a vault never to be seen again. It didn't seem to want that either.

He stroked a finger across the outer edge of the stone- or whatever it was- and noticed it began to hum, just as it had that day with Evie. He lay his palm across the surface and felt the tiny vibrations that it seemed to eminate before he received a violent electric shock.

"Ow!" he cried jumping back in pain. THAT is why i can't keep it!!!"

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

"Yep...Thats pretty much the long and short of it! So glad your happy to take it Morgana, really appreciate the gesture..."

Morgana rolled here eyes at the enthusiasm with which Arthur seemed to be placing her in danger. Had he forgotten about the last time Morgana had hidden something, or rather someone, magical under Uther's nose? Uther had basically threatened to sign her death warrant if she ever did that again. Morgana had felt so strongly about making sure that the boy didn't die for simply being a Druid that she hadn't thought about Uther's anger....it wasn't until he laid down the threat. "Arthur, really I do not think that is such a good idea- in case you have forgotten the last time I did something like that your father practically threatened to sign my death warrant..." She was protesting his request to protect the 'stone' with everything she could think of but a nagging voice in the back her head told her that it needed protecting like a mother would protect its young.

She noted that Arthur chose not to answer her question about perhaps giving it to Merlin instead of her. Morgana watched as he stroked a finger around the edge and her ears began to pick up a gentle hum- it was a beautiful sound. The humming continued until all of a sudden Arthur jumped up in pain as a violent electric shock jumped from the stone to his hand. "Ow! ...THAT is why i can't keep it!!!" If it wasn't for the fact that Morgana had known that magic existed something like that would have scared her beyond belief. In away it was slightly amusing but also a little concerning that Arthur wanted her to guard something that readily gave off violent shocks.

"So instead of you keeping it or giving it to Merlin you wish to give something that has a shock that powerful to me? Why I'm flattered Arthur...." There was a part of Morgana that wanted to place the stone back in his hand and kick his butt out the door, or send it back to Merlin with a 'do not lose this' note however for some other reason she was drawn to the stone. Morgana picked up the stone in her hand and noted that the gentle hum and vibration that had been there before increased slightly at her touch and also the stone became slightly warm to the touch. The voice in the back of her head kept nagging her to protect whatever lay inside the stone as if she were protecting her own child. "Arthur, I think you are correct that whatever is in the stone desires to be protected, but I also worry about my own protection. If you can promise me that the King will not find out about this, or if he does he will not cut my head off, I will protect the stone."

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

"Oh don't worry too much." Arthur said, caressing his slightly singed fingers with his other hand, "It doesn't dislike anyone but me."
He scowled wondering what on earth he had ever done to deserve such foul treatment. Evie hadn't seemed to show any signs of being hurt by it and it certainly seemed to like Morgana too, for the second she picked it off of the bed it started to almost sing.

Arthur stared at it for a few more seconds before raising his gaze to meet Morgana's. Her plea was more than understandable for she had gone to great lengths to protect those she cared about from Uther before, and the after effects had been dire.

"I promise Morgana, that unless you decide to tell my father about this...thing yourself, he shall hear no whisper of it." He placed a hand on her arm and smiled, "You have my word that i will protect you as you protect it."

He glanced back down at the orb and gave it a quick stroke, causing it to hum in what seemed like anger. He frowned and shrugged at Morgana.
"You see what i mean?"

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

"Oh don't worry too much. It doesn't dislike anyone but me. ...I promise Morgana, that unless you decide to tell my father about this...thing yourself, he shall hear no whisper of it. You have my word that i will protect you as you protect it."

While she continued to hold the stone, she looked at Arthur as he put a hand on her arm. For all intents he was saying that if she protected the stone he would protect her in whatever way he could. As Morgana had experienced the King's anger on a number of occasions, although she had agreed to protect the stone, she would make sure the King did not find out from her lips. "I may be a woman, but I am certainly not stupid enough to inform the King that I'm protecting a 'magical stone', however as long as I have your promise of protection I will protect this as much as I am able."

"You see what i mean?"

As Arthur took his hand from her arm and gave the stone in her hand a quick stroke, she could feel the vibrations pick up and the humming take on an angry tone. It was obviously NOT happy with his touch but seemed alright with hers. Morgana couldn't help but smirk at his comment about the 'stone' appearing to like everyone but him. It was one smart stone! "For a 'stone' it seems very intelligent. Was the person you got it from a woman perhaps? If there is something alive in there perhaps it is a maternal thing?" If there was something alive inside there it could perhaps sense whether the person holding it was a man or a woman. The combination of heat and vibrations in her hand became a bit to much and Morgana set it back down on her bed then looked back up at Arthur.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur paused to consider what Morgana had said. Perhaps the stone did just prefer females to males. It certainly hadn't objected to being handled by Evie and it seemed to like Morgana too.
He decided he preferred to think like that, than to accept that the egg simply disliked him.

"Whatever it is, I don't think you should touch it too much." Arthur said solemnly. "It gives me chills and sometimes, as you say, it seems alive!" He considered the possibility for a moment before laughing out loud.
"Oh dear we are getting carried away! It is just a magical stone, used for some sort of trick. Nothing more."

He plonked down on the bed again, the orb rolling to the other side in a hurry. Arthur seemed to have forgotten that Morgana was due to go back to sleep and also that it was the middle of the night, he was making himself rather comfy.
"How are you anyway Morgana?"

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

"Whatever it is, I don't think you should touch it too much. It gives me chills and sometimes, as you say, it seems alive! Oh dear we are getting carried away! It is just a magical stone, used for some sort of trick. Nothing more."

"Magic stone or alive doesn't really make a difference- either way it is different and as you say needs to be guarded carefully." As Arthur proceeded to drop himself down onto her bed she rolled her eyes. It was the middle of the night and he seemed to be settling himself in for a chat? Had he lost all sense of time? Must be too many hours out on patrol with the knights..or too many hours on hunts where it was a whatever time someone dropped off is when they dropped off. He certainly seemed like he was in no rush to leave. One thing she did notice was when he flopped down on the bed the stone, which had been sitting in the middle of the bed, quickly rolled away from him. She picked up the stone and carried it over to her dressing table, unlocked the one drawer that only she had the key for, set the stone down gently inside and locked the drawer again.

"How are you anyway Morgana?"

She went back and sat down with her back resting against the head of her bed. Morgana could feel a yawn creeping up and raised hand hoping to stifle it."Well other than the fact that it is the middle of the night and I should really be sleeping, I'm doing fairly well....And yourself?"

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur ignored Morgana's attempt to rid herself of him and instead nestled further into the cushions at the head of her bed.

"Oh im rather grand really." He replied, his face grim and his reply dripping with sarcasm. It had not been long since he had killed Dante Grixis and he certainly felt anything but good. He tried his hardest to forget the fateful day but the memories would not fade and he relived the day over and over in his nightmares.

"I have not seen you about much these past few weeks?" He enquired, wondering what Morgana had been up to. Her old friend Avaris had returned after many years away and he expected the pair had been up to no good about the city.
"Avaris keeping you busy i suspect? What do you think of her return?"

[Lady Morgana le Fey]

Was he really that oblivious to the fact that it was the middle of the night and she was trying to get rid of him so she could go back to sleep? Well if he was going to stay and 'chat' for a bit then he could explain to the court tomorrow why she was falling asleep... Morgana elbowed him over enough that she could at least wiggle under the covers.

"Oh im rather grand really."

Wow it didn't take a learned man to pick the sarcasm out of that sentence. "Perhaps if you repeat that sentence without the sarcasm you might actually fool somebody...but not me. I know you better than that, however I also will respect that you may not wish to talk about it." Little did she know that Arthur was currently experience many of the same things she had experienced for quite some time.

"I have not seen you about much these past few weeks? Avaris keeping you busy i suspect? What do you think of her return?"

He hadn't seen her much in the past few weeks? Where the heck had he been? She had been to meals as usual and still continuing with her typical daily routine, but he was also correct that she had been spending more time about with Avaris as well. "You make it sound like I suddenly disappeared off the map...I've still been doing my required tasks but instead of spending my spare time alone, I've been catching up with Avaris. I think it is great that she has returned- she has been through so much and it is a testament to her character." She knew Arthur was really hinting at whether they had caused any mischief yet but since she hadn't been ordered to tell under oath that was a secret she was going to keep to herself.

[Prince Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur smiled,
"Well i suppose I have seen you at least twice a day at meals," he laughed, "I think i just take it for granted that you'll be there though...so i don't really count that!"

Arthur and Morgana had never spent a great deal of time together outside of court and meetings with Uther, but they usually made time at least once a week to ride or to visit the graveyar where Morgana's father and Arthur's mother were both buried. The past few weeks though had been busy for both of them. Avaris had made a return which meant they both had made time in already busy schedules for her, and Arthur had the added company of Lady Sophia who he was supposed to be wooing. It left little time for anything else, let alone casual rides.

Arthur yawned loudly, standing up from his lounging position on the bed and stretching his arms up.
"Well Lady Morgana, I am afraid i will have to retire to my rooms now. You cant be keeping me here all night you know!" He knew that one would annoy her, but he let no sign of his joke show on his face.
"Take care of that thing and let me know if anything out of the ordinary happens won't you?" He bid her goodnight and left her quarters, so tired he barely remembered getting into bed that night.