The Golden Effect

the tears of uthers pendragons

Alright... I just need to say this once and for all:

SEASON 3! IT'S FINALLY HERE! WOOO HOOO!

It's a whole new season, a whole new adventure, a whole new...Merlynn! I like what I've done with Merlynn; she's a lot better than I thought she'd become. Merlin just seems more and more, just, you know, not into the whole 'battle scene' and he usually hides in the shadows while Arthur battles the baddies all by his onesies. I don't want that. Merlynn is a strong woman.

Anyways, I'm hoping to reveal a side of Morgana in writing as usually I do not add scenes that do not feature Merlynn in them. But, now I suppose some are very important and I will add them in just because I find them necessary and more character-developing.

One year. It seemed as though they had searched through the entire country for Morgana. The entire year they were only in Camelot once a month for a week to recuperate and stock up before they were sent out again in search for the King's Ward.

Arthur hadn't given up hope. He would never give up hope until he found the body of Morgana, whether she was alive or dead. Merlynn had given up; her friend was gone. She could have been with Morgause the entire time, the two planning to strike when Camelot was once again vulnerable.

Since Kilgharrah's attack, Camelot had been restored to its previous magnificence. The Lower town was rebuilt and the walls of Camelot were brought back to their high, cement stone.

The relationship between Merlynn and Arthur had weaned during this year, Arthur's thoughts only on finding Morgana. They still cared for each other, but all previous closeness was weakened.

Now, they were on their way after some bandits. Arthur and his men had discovered Camelot's look-out team on a field littered about like stray grain. Instead of turning back and continuing their search for Morgana, Arthur decided to head north after the attackers.

"Come on!" he instructed, mounting Lamri.

Merlynn watched him do so from her own horse, and gave him a look of trepidation. She wasn't sure that going after bandits that could destroy over twenty men was a good idea. "Don't you think we should go the opposite way? Who knows how many there are?"

He gave her a look. Finding those bandits could mean discovering Morgana, and doing so would be his greatest wish. Arthur had become a lot more drawn over the long year; his eyes were much darker, murkier even, his skin paler, and dark circles were now permanent residents beneath his eyelids.

"You are such a girl's petticoat, Merlynn."

oOo

Gaius was sick of not seeing Merlynn, and finding only the dead bodies of Camelot's soldiers returning. The thought of her dangling off the side of a horse constantly ran through his mind, or on the back of a carriage. He stormed determinedly toward Uther in the throne room, where he stood pensively by one of the full-length windows along the wall.

He didn't begin with greetings; they're relationship never proved to involve such trivial things. "Sire, how many more men are you going to lose in this quest?" he asked with a resigned look on his face.

"As many as it takes," he answered coolly, honestly.

Gaius hesitated, before he said, "I need to speak to you as a friend."

"I have no time for friends," Uther brushed off. His eyes never left the window; he kept imagining Morgana rushing back through the gates and him swallowing her in his arms.

"Then I'll speak to you as your physician," he rephrased and walked closer. "This is madness. She has been missing for more than a year now. When are you going to stop?"