Maxim/Morgana Stories

Matchmaker Part II (T)

"So what do you suggest we do about it?"

Morgana pinched the bridge of her nose. The round table adorned with maps and figurines of Dinas Emrys was surrounded by a group of the highest-ranked Morganians, at least by the standard of who the sorceress kept around her and who lived in Tintagel Castle. At Morgana's right hand was Mordred Pendragon, her nephew and the bastard son of King Arthur. As much as he irritates Morgana for his crassness and brutality, he at least was loyal to Morgana and her cause. To his right at the table was Accolon, a powerful sorcerer seeking to rid the world of humans altogether. He was well-versed in military strategy as well as being highly skilled in pyrokinesis but is also highly volatile and unpredictable. To his right was Elaine, who honestly wasn't that skilled in sorcery but was still loyal to Morgana nonetheless.

"I wouldn't have told or asked you if I didn't expect a bloody suggestion from someone," spat Morgana.

"You didn't exactly clarify how it was our problem," Accolon countered.

"I agree," Elaine added. "I don't see why we have to interfere with the personal affairs of you and your brother, m'lady."

"Because, you useless curs," Morgana began, both of her hands gripping the edge of the table as she rose from her seat, "if I have to get married in a fortnight, there will be no assault on Dinas Emrys!"

"Or," Mordred suggested, "and here's a novel thought: you can give up that little rat of yours."

Morgana glared at him, "I could also have you gelded, seeing as that is more plausible."

"You just seem to have a bad habit of picking up strays," Mordred continued. "First, it was Merlin's mongrel, Horvath, and then that Irish whelp. How much more rubbish are you planning on taking in?"

"Be quiet, Mordred," she hissed.

Mordred shrugged nonchalantly. "You asked for suggestions. I was merely giving one."

"An asinine one," Morgana muttered. "What do you think will happen if I just give Isolde up, hmm? I would have just given Arthur the key to Ireland."

"Which will be the same outcome if you married Morholt."

"And we come full circle," replied Morgana sardonically. "That's why we need a plan. To avoid giving my brother access to Ireland and its army. We all know that the first place he will go with that army is here."

"With all due respect, Lady Le Fay," Accolon chimed in, "I'm failing to see how any of this matters. Once the Rising is cast, there will be no Ireland for the king to take over. All we have to do is get the spell from Merlin's encantis. It's simple."

Morgana looked at him for a moment before pinching the bridge of her nose again to stave off a headache while muttering, "I'm surrounded by imbeciles..."

There was a light knock on the main hall's door before it slowly opened to reveal Maxim when he popped his head in. "Lady Morgana?"

All the tense emotion in Morgana's body vanished when she realized it was him at the door. "Maxim?"

"Did... Did I interrupt the meeting?"

Morgana shook her head as she retrieved him from the door and led him to the table. "No, no, you're fine. You didn't interrupt anything." She motioned for a servant to bring a chair that was then placed between Mordred's and her seats.

Mordred scowled. "I don't want that bloody mongrel next to me."

"Mordred, hush," Morgana said before gesturing to the empty chair. "You can sit here, Maxim." Maxim did as he was told and sat in the seat she provided, though he couldn't but feel out of place amongst the other Morganians. "We were just discussing another predicament that had befallen upon the Morganians."