Like father, like daughter (Uther,Morgana)

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther still could not believe what had just happened. That his own daughter could so brutally betray him like this. She had forced him to his knees in front of everyone and had ripped the crown from his head. His own guards were all but helpless because the invaders were somehow enchanted. Uther suspected the Cup of LIfe, but he wasn't sure.

He had been hauled down here and his royal symbols stripped off of him-his cloak, his pendant, everything that marked him as king-and he'd been secured in this cell. His hands were chained and when his own guards had tried to help, they had been killed. He screamed a couple of times, yelling her name in anger, but she had not answered at all. He was surprised he even still lived. Obviously Morgana wanted to torture him more before he died.

Arthur was still out there, somewhere, and that was the only hope he still had. If Arthur could free him, he would ensure the people were never fully loyal to Morgana. They would have a chance to regain the kingdom. If the prince died, his chances of gaining freedom and retaking Camelot would die with him.

[mysery]

As much as Morgana had relished not only the anger and betrayal on Uther's face throughout the whole duration of her crowning, as Queen, she had duties which demanded her immediate attention. Which meant that she could could not follow and watch as he was stripped of his title in every other way, and shoved into the cells he had so effortlessly filled with magic users over the years. Morgause was the one who had ordered his shackling, a small tribute on her part to her sister, Morgana knew, for she had told the blonde of the times Uther had thrown her into the dungeons and shackled her for challenging him. Now it was his turn.

Eventually, the litany of people to be dealt with cleared and she finally had a moment to breathe and think to herself. Despite everything that had happened, Morgana was a Queen now and, like any ruler who ascended the throne, whether it be by the death of their parent, or the conquering of a kingdom, she had things to deal with and a moments peace would forever be hard to come by.

So, before anyone could decide to impugne on her short amount of time, Morgana stood and swept out of the hall, heading for the dungeons. The guards inclined their heads respectfully as she entered and descended the stairs, her heels clicking against the stone loudly, sounding like two swords clanging against one another as the silence of the place echoed them around. The guard had informed her that Uther had, finally, stopped screaming her name to the high heavens. Said same guard unlocked the door to Uther's cell and stepped back to allow her entry. Morgana only had eyes for her father.

"How does it feel to watch the world you take for granted from behind bars?" the new Queen said aloud as she came to stand inside the small cell. With a smirk, she continued on, not bothering to wait for an answer. Uther rarely did. And she was his daughter after all. "Whatever it is, it is a feeling to which I think you should become accustomed...father."

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther still kept rationalizing, was still reluctant to believe that Morgana was doing this of her own free will. Part of him realized that, but another part believed it had to be magic. It had to be Morgause, her half sister, poisoning her and turning her against him. Uther was still convinced that somehow, he could save her and set her free.

"I know that it is not your fault you are doing this. I know that it is *her* doing. Morgause. She has poisoned your mind and used sorcery to blind you to the truth. She turned you against me and is controlling your mind to make you do her bidding. I will rescue you, if I havce to die to do so. She WILL die and I will set you free, I swear it. You will not see it now, I know. You will not believe that she is responsible, but I know the truth. You will be free, and she will pay with her life. First she attempts to poison Arthur and now you."

[mysery]

"The only one in Camelot blinded by sorcery is you Uther," Morgana replied, her voice hard. "The word is even mentioned and you lose all reason, seeing only enemies when you should see friends." With a lift of her chin, a look she had seen Uther use far too often, and continued. "It makes me wonder... If Arthur or myself had come to you, fearing we had magic, would you have sent us to the executioner's block without a thought? Your own children?" And that had frightened Morgana most of all when she came to realise her dreams were coming true. She had seen, first hand, Uther's hatred and disregard for magic. She didnt want to be executed for something she couldnt control. Now however was a very different story. Now she revelled in her magic. Not that she would tell him that.

She then smirked as she considered his belief in her innocence. So sure was he that Morgause was controlling her, manipulating everything she was, and everything she did, in her evil, evil quest with magic. As she had said; blind. Even as she stood before him, with him in chains and his kingdom ripped from him by immortal warriors at her command, he refused to believe she was doing this of her own free will. "Because no-one would ever turn against the mighty Uther," she said finally, her tone condescending.

"At the very least, magic or no, Morgause is not afraid to stand beside me and claim me as her family," Morgana hissed. "She does not lie to me which is more than I can say for you father. If you had cared more for your children than your reputation perhaps we wouldnt be here."

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther honestly wasn't certain one way or the other. He had struggled with that unceasingly ever since learning of Morgana's magic. It was a situation that would not have left him an easy out. The law demanded death, and if he did not uphold the law, he would be seen as weak and ineffective. But, he could not bring himself to raise a hand against Morgana either. He knew that if Camleot was retaken, something would have to be done, but he did not yet know what.

He knew that her words were true, and it was not easy to answer them. He often wished that he had been able to find a way to do both. He had hated not being able to tell Morgana the full truth, but had indeed feared for his reputation and the possibility that Morgana herself would cause trouble for Arthur.

"I do only what I must to protect Camelot. Magic of any kind is dangerous, and it is better that a few should die than many. As for my faults with you,I cannot change the past, but I did things that I regret. I will not deny that I made mistakes.he said."I do not think, however, that you realize that she may be using you for her own ends. She cannot take the throne, that is obvious. So she needs you to take the position of power. I only hope it does not backfire on you."

[mysery]

Morgana didnt bother with restraining herself this time. She laughed. Out loud at his argument. He thought Morgause was using her as a puppet? That she wanted Camelot? He was a fool. If Morgause had wanted Camelot, she would have taken it long before now. But taking the throne of a kingdom was hard if one wasnt a legitimate heir. Claimed or not, Morgana was an heir to the throne. No. Morgause wanted something far different than Camelot.

"And children are dangerous," Morgana said mockingly. "People who merely want to help those they love are evil," she added scornfully. She should bring up his own hipocricy. He had been willing to use magic to save her life, was willing to force Gaius to do so, to break the law, simply for his own selfish desires. Do as I say, not as I do indeed. And this man was supposed to be King?

Her own magic hadnt been something she'd wanted. She hadnt gone out and learned magic to spite Uther, to threaten him. It had just appeared and it had terrified her. That fire in her chambers had still haunted her, months after the event, and Morgana had wanted nothing more than for it to stop. For her to be normal once more.

She hated Uther even more for that. For making her so afraid of herself. She would never forive her father for that.

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther was getting increasingly annoyed and his temper was, as always, getting the better of him. He felt the rage growing stronger inside of himself and it was making him fight and struggle more. In his mind it was more proof of what he had said many times before. No one could understand his position as king because they were not in that position. He had no great desire to kill children or stop people from being healed. That was not why he did what he did.

"It does not matter who is using it or what it is used for. It is all the same. It corrupts and destroys. Even if it is intially used for good, evil is what will eventually manifest in the end."he said darkly.

"The only solution is to stop potential evil before it can rise. I have no desire to kill innocents or stop healing. But ALL magic is evil, and I can make no exceptions. No one can understand my position because no one else is king. I do not expect anyone else to understand."

He was uncertain now about Morgana, and what to believe. It could be magic, and he still hung onto that theory, but nothing was certain now, and he had to admit that, even if he did not yet want to let go of his original belief.

He next spoke about what he knew she was going to hurl at him, the belief that he was a hypocrite, while she was no better.

"I know you will probably speak of hypocracy. But you condemn my actions and then kill anyone who does not pledge loyalty to you. They did nothing wrong, yet you took their lives. So do not speak of such to me!"

[mysery]

"And of course no warning can be given. No advisement. Women, children and men alike are marched to the executioner without even a word of caution," Morgana replied, her voice cold and hard. "Strike first, ask questions later. That has always been your way though hasnt it father?" She too felt her anger growing at the man before her. He hated the world for taking something from him, when he knew a price would have to be paid.

Oh yes, Morgause had told her of that which had caused the Great Purge. Her darling half brother's birth. Rather than accept his loss, or even try to understand what had happened, he had grown angry and resentful and destroyed anything with magic to try and make up for it. No amount of killing would bring Ygraine Pendragon back to life. And now it seemed Uther knew not how to live without his hatred. Vindictive man.

"Was it not you who taught us to stamp out those who oppose us father?" she countered as he tried to pre-empt her next words. She used the word 'us' very deliberately too. She had been raised alongside Arthur had she not? Had Uther not instilled in them both, unconciously or not, the same values? Whether he wanted to admit it or not, she was part of this family now, though she despised them for it.

"And the hipocricy I speak of is not the killing of innocent," Morgana added before her face turned hard; cold. "You profess your hatred of magic to anyone within earshot and constantly speak of its supposed evils, yet you would take it up like a sword before you if it served your purposes. You condemn others for using it to heal those they care about, yet would force the closest thing you have to friend to commit treason because you are selfish!" She paused for a moment to smirk. "Oh yes. I know of the means through which my life was saved. Gaius didnt deserve that."

[kinguthersqueen]

Uther knew that his words about the knights had been a two edged sword essentially. It was typical for a conquering monarch to rid the kingdom of all who would not pledge loyalty. The chance of an uprising could not be tolerated. It was only natural that Morgana would do what she had. Still, he knew full well that she'd also done it because she'd known how it would haunt and anger him. She was doing whatever she could to provoke him, there was no way to deny it.

"Your words are not wrong. But it should be different with men of honor, with knights. You do not care for the Knight's Code, that is obvious, because your actions violated it. Exile is always preferable to death according to the code. But they were not traitors to the kingdom as were the sorcerers I put to death. They never failed in their pledge to protect Camelot itself. It is only you they despise."

Uther had little to answer when she brought up her accident and near death. He had known of the dnager she would find out, but he had sworn Gaius to secrecy, hoping she would never discover the truth. She had probably overheard that just as she had the truth of her parentage.

"I acted irrationally, that is obvious. But I would not lose you...I could not. Clear thought is difficult when a loved one is in danger. And I hoped he would not have to go to those lengths, but as you were safe and well, I chose not to question how he had done it. I did not know for certain what he had done, I was not there."However, it was obvious what had happened-no natural cure could have saved her. He knew there was little way around this one.

[mysery]

Morgana raised an eyebrow as Uther almost went about lecturing her. Funny how he was locked in the dungeons, stripped of everything, yet he still thought enough of himself to believe he could lecture her. "The Knights Code," the Queen mused, a smile on her face as she wandered around the cell, taking it all in. "A set of rules and guildelines for the Knights of Camelot to follow and obey. Breaking of them results in the stipping of ones honor...." she trailed off, turning to look at her father.

"Oh but wait father," Morgana said with a frown, tilting her head to the side. "Tut tut. We are forgetting one very important fact," she added, approaching Uther once more. She then let a malicious smirk cross her features. "I am no knight."

"I am Queen," the lady said boldly, lifting her chin as she smirked. "And I will set my own code. Like you yourself did. One rule for the rulers and one for the ruled." His next words made Morgana seeth. Unwilling to hold back that anger again, she lashed out, striking Uther across the face with her hand.

"How dare you act like you care. Gaius did not deserve to be put in that position. If we are going to burn the traitors father then shall I send the guards to fetch him? After all, by your laws he should be dead. He should have been dead years ago. Loyalty and servitude never meant anything to you before when you suspected someone of sorcery." Taking a deep breath, Morgana calmed herself. She would relish when the time came to end Uther's hate filled existence once and for all.

"Nor would blood," she said, her voice chilling in its softness.