TITLE: Angel of Mercy
AUTHOR: Demon Faith
CATEGORY: Darkfic, Angst
CHARACTERS: Morgana, Uther, Merlin/Arthur
SPOILERS: Mordred
RATING: R
WARNINGS: character death
WORDS: 566
SUMMARY: Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
DISCLAIMER: I own not the boys, nor the show. It's probably for the best.
NOTES: 30_wounds: #26 Die by your hand. (table)

Apologies to you all for the missing fic - there was an errant HTML tag. Thank you to those who commented to let me know, but LJ notifications died and told me squat. *headdesk*

"I don't want to do this, you know."

"Then don't."

Uther sighed deeply and swirled the wine in the goblet. "It is not that simple."

She saw her reflection in the wine, ruby red, and swallowed hard. "He will die without him."

The goblet was slammed on to the table, spilling its contents over the wood. It dripped slowly to the floor, pooling at his feet. "He is a danger to him every second he breathes. You know that as well as I do."

"If he'd wanted to kill him, he would have done it!"

"Enough!" He stood, throwing the goblet on the table. "The warlock dies at sunrise. I will hear no more supplications."

She stared him down. "And what did Arthur say?"

He turned away. "I will not speak of this."

"He begged you, didn't he? He offered his life."

Uther's eyes flashed dangerously. "You…you cannot know that!"

"The walls listen, and they hear. Merlin is liked- no, he is loved by the people in this castle, in this kingdom! They all know him and they whisper his name with reverence-"

"As they should their king!" he thundered, his countenance ugly. "He has…charmed you all."

"He has shown himself worthy of that love! And for that, you would have him die."

"I would have him die for breaking the law! He is an unrepentant sorcerer – living in my castle, servant to my son! I cannot let this pass!"

"So your mind is made up." She had known it would come to this, even as she still prayed it could be averted.

"The penalty for sorcery is death."

"And Arthur must hold the axe?"

Silence echoed through the hall, as he reclaimed his goblet, pressing it between both hands. "He must learn to stand alone. To trust only those of noble birth."

"You would have him cut out his own heart!" she spat and he whirled on her, charging her down, but she held her ground. "You kill him with this order."

"I make him strong!" He turned away and sat, defeated, at the table. "Let us speak no more of this."

The time for words was over. She nodded and carefully extricated the goblet from his grip. "More wine, my lord?"

He released the goblet to her and she poured the wine steadily, the vial in her hand scattering its dust into the drink. She held it out to him and he took it, draining it with one swallow.

She waited.

He choked.

"What…what is this?" Uther clutched at his throat, eyes wide and pleading.

"Forgive me," she said, her voice breaking, as he fell from the chair.

"Morgana…you…betray me…"

She knelt on the floor, resting his head in her lap and closing her eyes. "Easy now, my lord. Take your rest."

"…why…"

"He loves him," she said simply. "Arthur must become king, and Merlin must stand by his side. I…have seen it. As I saw this, this moment. I knew I had to…kill you. For Arthur to survive."

Her tears fell into his hair as he breathed his last, and she quietly got up from the floor. She fetched her cloak from her chair and raised her hood, leaving the castle via the shortest, most deserted route.

She was an exile now – Arthur may understand, but he could never forgive. Yet she did not regret her actions.

One must always follow one's destiny.

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