Change of Plans

Others Like Us

     Sounds of birds chirping woke Morgana a few hours later. Dazed and confused Morgana sat up and put her hands down on the ground at her sides. Under her hand she felt a thick goopy puddle, and when Morgana looked down at her hand and realized she put her hand in a puddle of blood that formed around Morgause. Horrified by the sight of her friend's blood on her hands Morgana began to cry again. She pulled her knees to her chest and curled up in a comforting ball as she remembered everything that happened at the Castle.

When Morgana lifted her arms to cover her face her wrist got caught on her gown and pulled out a thread. Morgana followed the thin black thread with her eyes and saw Morgause's silver bracelet around her wrist. The bracelet that Harpen gave Morgause, the bracelet that Morgana and Morgause put a dream spell on, and the only thing Morgana had left of Morgause. As Morgana broke of the piece of thread she stood up and looked around the forest. Dizzy Morgana lost her balance and grabbed on to the tree that was next to her. Her body was still recovering from the large amount of energy she had used that night. Morgana needed more rest and needed to let her body heal, but she could not just lie in the middle of the forest. So she bent down and lifted the corners of the dirty sheet Morgause was on and began to drag her across the forest.

Tired and sore Morgana just wanted to close her eyes and sleep. With every step she took Morgause seemed to get heavier. Finally she was just feet away from the cottage when she saw a man with light hair and a green cloak sitting on a rock across from the cottage door.

"Who are you?" Morgana called to the man.

"Is that... is that her?" The man jumped up and ran passed Morgana then knelt down next to Morgause's body. His dark brown eyes began to water as he put his hand to his mouth and bit down on this dirty knuckle. The man's hair was tangled and dirty, his clothes were worn, and the dirt on his hands seemed to be painted on. The man seemed as if he had been living in a cave for the past five years. When he spoke his voice was horse and broken. His eyes stayed glued on Morgause as he said, "She looks so tired. Morgause had a light inside of her that kept her glowing beautifully." The man said as she gently brushed a leaf out of her hair.

"Who are you?" Morgana demanded.

As if he just realized Morgana was there the man looked up at her. His eye caught the glisten silver bracelet around her wrist. His thick eyebrows pinched together as he examined her wrist. He almost seemed angry as he watched the sunlight bounce off of the bracelet. Annoyed with the man's glares Morgana decided just to ignore him and continue bringing Morgause back to the cottage.

"Hey! Where are you going?" The man stood up and grabbed the other end of the sheet.

"Let go!" Morgana hollered as she tugged on her end of the sheet.

The man pulled back causing Morgana to lose her grip and drop her end of the sheet. As Morgause's fell hard on the ground the man bit his lip and ran to her side again. He wrapped his arms around her head and whispered in her ear. Morgana worriedly stepped away from the man. He seemed completely crazy because of the way he was obsessing over Morgause's dead body. Morgana watched as the man began to shake as he violently cried and poured himself over Morgause's body. The man did not seem harmful just sad. So Morgana knelt down next to the man and consoled him. She cautiously rubbed his back while he whipped away his tears.

"I am sorry..." the man whispered as he stood up and helped Morgana pull the sheet towards the cottage.

"What do they call you?" Morgana asked in a friendlier tone.

"My name is Harpen." The man finally answered as he lifted Morgause's body and carried her into the cottage.

Morgana gasped when she heard the man's name. She recognized it right away as the name of the man who Morgause was in love with and the man who gave her the bracelet. That would explain why he was so upset when he saw Morgause dead. From what Morgause told Morgana the two of them were practically engaged. Someone who was that close to Morgause would have an emotional outburst like what Morgana watched Harpen have outside.