Rabbit Heart - Merlin Fanfiction

You're a Hard Soul to Save

Elaine lies facedown on the forest floor surrounded by dying leaves and broken twigs. The forest is silent, no sounds, no birdsong. Nothing. Something isn't right and she is lucky to be alive.

There's a pain in her right side as if something was digging into her but she can hardly move. She comes around slowly, eyes blinded by the bright light of day but it doesn't seem as beautiful as before. She frowns, squinting, her head hardly moving and yet it feels like she is holding it against a storm. A storm that brings with it the scent of smoke.

All of her movements are minuscule, she's surprised she can move at all. She had never felt such power before and yet when she tried to think of it the moment escaped her. She was left wondering if it ever happened at all. All she knew was that she had to do something it just wasn't clear of what it was exactly. The images flashed repeatedly in her mind but she struggled to make sense of what she had to do. She sighed helplessly knowing that she had fallen victim to a life that will drive her insane. Forever wondering whether her actions caused or prevented the dismal future.

A figure clad in black stumbles upon the sorry sight.
"Well well" the voice says, it is icy and cold. Full of unexplained malice. Elaine feels a slightly damp boot in her stomach and she is rolled over to face her visitor. Her cloak covers the leather pouch.

"Morgana" she winces as her bloodied head hits the ground.
"We really must stop meeting like this" she says slyly.
"Things are different now"
"How so?"
"Look no arrows, bandits or heavy frost - oh and clearly a lack of concern on your part"
Morgana's dark eyes look down upon Elaine as she bends down to come to her level.
"Do not think I'll take pity on you again" she snarls, each word perfectly punctuated for maximum effect.
"It wasn't pity - it was love - we are family" Elaine tries to convince her, but Morgana doesn't listen. Even the word love sounded foreign to Elaine. There was never love - only a bond.
"What happened, why are you so cold?" Elaine questions, looking deep into her hardened green eyes with concern.
Morgana places a hand down on the ground to steady her, ignoring her question. She was going to be the one directing this conversation.

Elaine flinches as Morgana surveys her injuries.
"Someone else learn the truth?" She mocks pointing to the clump of congealed blood on her temple. "You should have stayed with me - this wouldn't of happened".
"And what do you hope to do about it?"
"Nothing" she says casually " - you deserve this for abandoning me and sabotaging my plans. And now you've done it again"
"I don't understand what you mean..."
"Don't play stupid with me I've caught you in the act"
"The act of what? Lying half dead on the ground?"
"At the scene" she growls.
"The scene of what?"
"It's one thing to spare Arthur, Elaine, but to burn down my home - now I'll watch you rot with pleasure".

Elaine's face drops completely and so does her heart. Morgana can see something shatter in her glassy eyes, as she makes out the smouldering wreck behind Morgana.
"No...no..The hovel...burnt?" She whispers to shocked to form a real sentence. She looks up into Morgana's face.
"'No" she says sadly, her eyes stinging, desperate to hold back the tears.
"Are you hurt? Aithusa? Where will you go?" She asks terrified of the answer.
"She hasn't been seen" Morgana says quietly.

Of all the horrible sights she had seen this day, see never imagined the hovel to be one of them. Morgana watched her closely, masking her sadness with anger - she's so angry inside and it was just what she needed to kickstart her revenge. But the look in Elaine's eyes, it clearly wasn't her. No one was that good of an actress.

Morgana didn't care though, her mind caught up in her thoughts, the idea of revenge burns through her. It was too late to change, the wheels already in motion.

"Who would do that?" She asks weakly, eyes glued to the smoking heap in the distance.
"Exactly" replies Morgana,
"Who else knows of its existence?"
Elaine swallowed hard, throughout the past few days the hovel had attracted many unwanted guests - but it couldn't of been then could it? Gaius certainly wouldn't, he'd struggle to get there let alone flee the scene. Arthur? No he wouldn't dare - plus she'd hardly seen him leave the citadel. He wouldn't of sent the Knights out on patrol to do so either.

"Something you want to tell me Elaine?" She asks impatiently.
"Morgana I don't know what to say - it must have been an accident - "
"Oh likely story, I know it was you and your precious cronies from the castle - you've gone to far and you will all pay"
"Morgana please it's not like that"
"An eye for an eye a hovel for a throne? How do you like that? You just wait Elaine, very soon Camelot will be mine!"
"You can't take what's already yours"
"You're right, that'll be the easy part, that's why I'm taking the rest of the five kingdoms. All of it will be mine with my army at my side I'll be unstoppable - I'll bring about the golden age the poets speak of - to bad you won't be alive long enough to see it!" She spits.

The images flash through Elaine's mind, a mix of fear and realisation flood her face.
"Morgana please don't do this - it won't end well -"
"Not for you" she laughs,
"Not for anyone not even you please, you just believe me! There will be terrible consequences you must listen to me!"
"Listen to you?" She says aloud throwing her head back, "why the hell do you think I'd listen to you - the only thing I'll listen to is you begging for mercy at my feet"

"You don't mean that" Elaine mumbles.
"How do you know? The golden age is mine"
"Morgana please I'm begging you - if you do this there are grave consequences for us all -"

Morgana is about to continue her argument but a the snapping of branches stop the words from coming out. She looks up and surveys the horizon. Branches break again and voices can be heard. Knights of Camelot no less.

"It seems they miss their lady"
"Trust me I'm no lady"
"'Maybe I should call them over? Make them pay for destroying my home"
"It wasn't them" Elaine snaps
"How do you know?"
"I just do, please trust me, it won't be your golden age that you'll bring to the land"
"I've told you before I'm not going to listen to you"
"Then leave, do that for me please and leave before they find you and kill you"
"Why would they kill me" she laughs "I'm not the one who's done anything wrong"
"You've done plenty wrong" Elaine mutters staring at her with broken green eyes.
Morgana smirks.
"Go" Elaine half demands, half pleads.
Morgana stares at down at Elaine until the sound of footfall and voices are too close for comfort. Elaine begins to wonder if she'll ever leave but watches as her sisters eyes glow gold and she disappears into to the undergrowth.