I am acting like a mouse, aren't I? Gwen realized, appalled.

"L-let go of me," she said, refusing to give in. "Or I'll scream."

"I can't say I'd mind hearing that," Morgana chuckled. "What you sound like, that is. When you scream." A last brush of those gloved fingers against Gwen's throat, making that coil of heat in Gwen's belly curl even tighter. "Good night, little one," said Morgana, fading into the darkness again. "Sleep well."

And that was all.

Gwen stood there, strung-up and breathless, straining for the sound of the slightest footfall - but she heard nothing. Odd, that Gwen had sensed her so easily before... Did Morgana make herself deliberately known when Gwen was near? No, of course not. That would be careless; no assassin would be that foolish.

She debated telling Arthur. It hadn't taken much, after a week of constantly meeting Morgana on her rounds, for Gwen to realize that the prince wasn't the assassin's target - it was the king, given the way Morgana spoke of him with hate, and tended to show up nearer to Uther's quarters.

Why does she hate him so much? Gwen pondered, before shaking off that thought. It didn't change anything. What did it matter, if an assassin had her reasons? Morgana was a killer. And, tyrant or not, Gwen couldn't just stand by and let a man die.

It might put her father in danger; it would definitely put Gwen in danger. But she had to do something about this. Gwen couldn't be a knowing bystander to someone else's death. She'd already delayed matters enough. What if Uther had already been killed by now? What if the guards had been late one of their patrols this week? Morgana could've slipped in easily, had that happened even once.

The only puzzle was why Morgana had revealed herself at all - why she insisted on meeting Gwen like this, night after night, when it was obvious that a single word from Gwen would ruin Morgana's plot. Why was Morgana so sure of herself? And of Gwen? The way Morgana acted, so blindly confident in herself, almost made Gwen wonder if she really could read the future.

But that was ridiculous. The assassin must've been making fun of Gwen, that first night in the corridors, by saying something so unbelievable. Magic - as Uther maintained - didn't even exist. How, then, could Prophecy?

If Morgana truly could see the future, Gwen assured herself, she'd never have let me live. Because I am going to stop her. Somehow.

'Sleep well,' Morgana had said.

I will, Gwen thought to herself, turning towards Arthur's quarters. Once I've cleared my conscience of this.

---

OMG I AM SORRY I COULDN'T HELP MYSELF. YOU EV0L SPAWNER OF BUNNIES, YOU. :O

And yes, that crazy story with the loincloth-wearing Spartans and a pregnant Merlin makes perfect sense! It's wonderful how these things make perfect sense, really, after we've smoked a certain quantity of high-grade fannish crack. :D

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥!

Dangerous!Morgana rocks. I take pride in my role as enabler, yes yes.

There's just something about that beautiful Irish accent lilting a death threat...

I know, I know. I have a problem. :D