Maxim/Morgana Stories

Things I Never Knew (T)

Author's Note: I had intended to do more than this when I first wrote it years ago, but I have to get back into writing in general. I'm out of practice so nothing is good to me anymore. In the meantime, enjoy this unfinished work-in-progress that I added two lines to before I gave up.
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Medieval AU

"Maxim..." came the congested whine as Maxim submerged the rag into the cool water again. He ran it over her head again, desperate to make her fever break.

"You need to rest, milady," he said quietly. "Especially your voice."

"Why?" Morgana rasped.

"You were coughing the entire evening. Your throat is probably raw from that."

"Maxim..." she whined again, "I can't breath through my nose..."

Maxim let out a sigh. "Maybe there's a potion to clear your nasal passages..." Then Morgana launched into another coughing fit before whimpering his name, clearly in pain.

"Don't go..."

Maxim felt his heart break at the sight of a vulnerable Morgana Le Fay. "But, m'lady," he began, "you need something to cure your illness. Maybe a potion or a herbal medicine..."

"But I want you to stay... please?"

That please was enough for Maxim to resign and hold back his protests against her. It was a mystery as why Morgana had allowed him to stay and take care of her while she was sick. She never allowed anyone to be in her bedchamber, least of all Maxim. He was surprised when the castle's physician told him that Lady Le Fay requested for him to be by her side.

Maxim sat back down in the chair at her bedside, ringing the rag of the lukewarm water. He noticed that Morgana was silently watching him, if silent included soft sniffles and mild coughs. He could tell that her fever was getting to her by the clamminess of her skin and her dazed expression. He gently wiped the wet rag over her forehead again, brushing away the stray strands of hair sticking to her damp skin.

"Maxim?"

"Yes, m'lady?"

"I'm cold."

Maxim quirked an eyebrow. "M'lady, you have a high fever."

"But I'm cold, Maxim," she protested.

"But Lady Morgana," he argued, "you'll burn up if I gave you anymore blankets." Morgana let out a soft whine followed by another coughing fit. Maxim sighed, running the cloth over her forehead once again before Morgana suddenly grabbed his hand. "Lady Morgana?"

She moved his hand away from her forehead before laced her fingers with his. She brought his hand leveled with her face and nuzzled the back of his hand. "Don't leave me," she murmured against it.

Her fever was making her delirious, Maxim surmised, but he didn't pull away his hand. It wasn't until Morgana shivered and tried to reposition herself on the bed that he tried to pull back his hand so he didn't accidentally fall on the bed or on top of her. However, she had a strong grip that wasn't going to release anytime soon.

"Lady Morgana," Maxim tried in a coaxing tone, "can you let go of my hand?"

Morgana murmured against his hand, but the response was unintelligible to Maxim.

He tried to pull his hand away again but her grip grew tighter. "Lady Morgana... how can I take care of you if you are holding on to my hand?"

"I don't want you to go, Maxim..." Morgana pouted, which took Maxim by surprise. Maybe she wasn't completely out of it.

Maxim brushed some of her hair out of her face. "Where would I go, m'lady?"

"Away..."

"Now why would I do that?" Maxim asked. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you."

"But you will leave," she mumbled, turning onto her side.

"I won't leave you. I mean, " Maxim replied then immediately corrected, "that is to say, m'lady, I won't if you don't want me to."

Morgana let out a soft hum in response. At no point did her grip loosen on his hand. Maxim happened to find it a little endearing, despite the circumstances. He would never admit, least of all to her, that he had feelings for the great Morgana Le Fay. He was humiliated once before a fellow apprentice when he was still a follower under Merlin. The last thing Maxim wanted was to be rejected by the most powerful and beautiful sorceress alive who also happened to be the prime leader of all Morganians. Maxim could only imagine what would happen if any of them were to catch word of that, especially any of the crueler Morganians like Mordred or Accolon.

He tried pulling his hand out of hers again only for her tighten her grip on him. "Lady Morgana..." Then he noticed that she was trembling, clinging to both her blanket and his hand.

"I'm cold, Maxim..." she whispered almost inaudibly. Her emerald eyes locked on to his brown ones as she let out a small whimper. "Don't go..."

Maxim readjusted her hand in his so he could squeeze it reassuringly, trying to ease any fears she may have. "I won't, I promise," he said before sighing. "Your fever will break soon, m'lady, then you won't have to suffer anymore."

"Why am I so cold, Maxim?" Morgana asked in a whisper as she curled into a ball, trying to retain the warmth her body assumed she lost. Maxim frowned at this, knowing that she isn't as cold as she says but she trembled as if she was suffering from hypothermia.

"You have a sweat out your fever," Maxim said, not sure if he was telling her or himself. He dabbed the damp cloth over her forehead once more then placed the rag back in the bowl. "I'll need to refill the bowl soon."

Morgana looked up at him. "But..."

"What's wrong, Lady Morgana?"

"You said you wouldn't leave me."

Maxim winced inward at her words. "I'd be right back."

"But you said..."

Maxim let out a sigh, "Lady Morgana, I want you to get better. You want to get better, right?"

She nodded.

"Then let me take of you. Is that alright, m'lady?"

Morgana let out a sigh and nodded before slowly releasing his hand. Maxim attempted to comfort her, tucking her in bed and making sure she was comfortable. He grabbed the bowl and left to refill it as quickly as he could so Morgana wouldn't be alone for very long.

When he returned, Morgana managed to cocoon herself in the blanket and was in the process of falling asleep. Maxim cracked a small smile, relieved that she was finally getting some long deserved rest.

He took the cloth again, dipping it in the lukewarm water before wringing it out. He reached out dab it on the sorceress's forehead but was suddenly taken by surprised when she grabbed his arm and yanked him down in the bed beside her.

"Lady Morgana—!"

Maxim didn't have enough time to protest before Morgana snuggled herself against him.

"I'm cold," she murmured again, tucking herself into his side. "And you said you wouldn't leave."

Maxim let out an exasperated sigh before resigning himself to his fate. He had to, mostly because it didn't take long before Morgana was deep asleep. Shaking his head, Maxim tucked Morgana in the blanket beside him, trying to make sure she was comfortable. He brushed a stray hair out of her face, smiling to himself as he watched her sleep. If only she knew how he felt about her.