Between the Storms

Chapter Two

02. Two Minds Is Worse Than One

Magdelena wasn't shocked when Uther informed her that he was holding a feast in honor of the return of Morgana. Who Magdelena was very warry of, there was no proof she had but Morgause wanted to put Morgana on the throne and Magdelena assumed Morgana was in on the plan to remove Uther and possible Arthur from their spots on the throne. Magdelena was going to sit out but Uther wanted her there since he knew that Morgana was fond of his servant.

She was also ordered to sing a song for the crowd which she wasn't happy about but since he ordered her with the bond she had no choice. Deciding on a white dress which fades or darkens to a black on the bottom, with a sash around her waist with and leaf-like metal accents around her chest. The dress had a thin white hood connected to the sleeved which wrapped around her biceps and fell down with a black fabric under the white. The dress went up to wrap around her neck with thin straps.

The feast was beginning to be served and Uther stood from his seat, "For this special occasion of Morgana being returned to us I have asked Magdelena to sing a song for us." The crowd cheered those who remembered her last performance were rather excited to hear her voice once again.

"No time for rest No pillow for my head Nowhere to run from this No way to forget Around the shadows creep Like friends, they cover me Just wanna lay me down and finally Try to get some sleep."

Once again everyone went silent no one touched their food as her voice rang through the room, Gaius who had been shocked at the voice of his niece smiled brightly at her as he had not heard her voice when the other kings came for the peace talks.

"We carry on through the storm Tired soldiers in this war Remember what we're fighting for."

Morgana smiled as the voice rang over her, even though Morgause had told her many times to be careful around the girl with no reasoning behind her caution. Morgana couldn't help but trust the girl who had done so much for her.

"Meet me on the battlefield Even on the darkest night I will be your sword and shield,
your camouflage And you will be mine Echos and the shots ring out We may be the first to fall Everything can stay the same or we could change it all  Meet me on the battlefield."

Arthur stared at the woman, wondering about the future he had seen with this woman. Her voice seemed to draw him in more than the last time she sang. He wondered if she would sing for him when they were alone, or sing to their children when they had bad dreams.

"We're standing face-to-face With our own human race We commit the sins again and our sons and daughters pay Our tainted history, is playing on repeat But we could change it if we stand up strong and take the lead."

Uther wasn't shocked to find her staring at him as she sang the line about sins committed and putting it on the children who were to take over after his reign ended. She knew he knew what she was implying.

"When I was younger, I was named A generation unafraid For heirs to come, be brave."

Magdelena closed her eyes as she sang the next line allowing herself to feel the song which seemed to just come from her. She never really knew where the songs she sang came from but she knew that they came from somewhere.

"And meet me on the battlefield Even on the darkest night I will be your sword and shield, your camouflage And you will be mine Echos and the shots ring out We may be the first to fall Everything can stay the same or we could change it all Meet me on the battlefield."

The room was staring at her entranced by her voice, almost as if it was enchanted forcing them to listen to her and nothing else.

"We carry on through the storm Tired soldiers in this war Remember what we're fighting for."

Magdelena felt something as she sang the last lines of the song, almost like something in her brain was going off on a tangent. Down a road, she hadn't walked since her youth, one that Merlin wasn't even aware of, a secret that she and Hunith would take to the grave.

"Meet me on the battlefield Even on the darkest night I will be your sword and shield, your camouflage And you will be mine Echos and the shots ring out We may be the first to fall Everything could stay the same or we could change it all Meet me on the battlefield Meet me on the battlefield."

Magdelena takes a quick bow as the room applauds and she goes to the back of the room as the feasting begins. She feels her self remembering her childhood in vivid flashes making the room before disappearing in Erebor or the forest which was near the small farming town. She could feel the panic and pain rising up inside her, she walks quickly with a fake smile toward the doors on the other end of the room, hearing Uther speak, "Standing here, seeing so many happy faces, seems almost like a dream. I can tell you, I have not felt like this in a long time."

"What, drunk?" the Prince's voice calmed her for a moment before Uther began to speak again.

"Drunk with happiness," he says probably smiling at court, "I would have searched the entire world, the seas, the skies, the stars, for that smile. To have it stolen from me was like a blade-" 

Magdelena rushed from the room not able to be in there anymore she walks down the halls trying to clear her head but she freezes at the sound of a voice, "MaGgiE wiLl YoU pLAy wItH mE?" her heart begins to race and her blood runs cold she turned around to see a young boy with shaggy brown hair in a white shirt which was slightly dirty with brown pants and boots both dirty as well, "YoU AlwAyS lOoK so AloNE."

"You can't be real. You aren't really here," she says shaking her head before turning and walking quickly away from him trying to get away from him but as she arrived at her chambers and opened the door she turned and ran the other way as she saw him standing near her bed. 

"MaGgiE cOmE PlaY wItH mE!" his voice called as she ran further running to the courtyard where she saw Uther curled into a ball she ran to get to him seeing him crying made her even more concerned. 

"Uther are you alright?" she asks staring down at him as she knelt before him, "Uther, please? I think something is wrong. What are you seeing?"

"Ygraine, she was in the well," he sobs out grabbing her shoulders, "I killed my wife for my son!" guards quickly came to collect him, she assumed some others went to get Arthur and Gaius no doubt. 

"MaGgiE," his voice was sing-song as he said her name making her close her eyes and tried to cover her ears, "MaGgiE. ComE PlAy wItH mE!"

She stood from her spot on the ground as the knights lead their King away, "Are you okay?" she hears one of the knights ask but the boy's voice came again saying her name and she shook her head and ran toward the castle. She ran through the halls and corridors but still, her name was heard in his creepy voice.

"You are dead! You are not real!" she screams at him, Sir Leon seemed to have heard her and ran from where he was and ran to her. 

"Maggie are you alright?" he asks staring at her but she shakes her head and points down the hall where the boy stood, but Leon saw nothing, "Why don't we go find Gaius? Or Merlin?" 

"They can't protect me, they can't-" her voice dies as she begins to cry her body shaking as she goes to fall but Leon grabs her and holds her in a hug, "I don't deserve protection."

"Maggie I am going to go get Gaius or Merlin whoever I run into first," he lets her go but she holds onto him tighter.

"P-Please don't leave m-me, Leon," she begs between her sobs, "P-please."

He picks her up bridal style and her arms go around his neck as she cries into his shoulder, "WhY dO yOu rUn FroM mE? Is iT BecAuSe yOu kIllEd mE?"

Her grip on Leon grows tighter as her sobs grow heaver, "I did-didn't mean to. It wa-was an acci-accident. I didn't mean to kill you." Leon looked down at the girl as her whispered words came to him and he began to walk a little bit faster.