Distorted Pictures (Morgana)

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

When it came down to it, Morgana must be pretty convinced that Yassia knew nothing at all. She didn’t know a thing about how a Queen should act, she didn’t know Arthur well enough to judge him and she didn’t know bout Morgana’s plans. That was a hell lot of not knowing, and Yassia clearly begged to differ. What did Morgana, in return, know about Yassia? Even less! Much less! Morgana had been living a life full of luxery and love, and she had thrown all that away because she suddenly wanted to be queen. Yassia on the other hand had to fight for every step she wanted to push through, and so far her dreams and hopes had brought her through half the world, but further away from what she aspired each day. An outside observer may think that their fates were pretty similar, but in Yassia’s eyes, Morgana’s fate was nothing but a distorted picture of her own.

After so many threats Yassia had already received in her life,it was nothng short of a mircle she was still in one piece. Vortigern had nearly stabbed her eyes, she had once nearly lost a hand as a supposed thief and now Morgana wanted to cut out her tongue. This was by far the worst threat so far, as Yassia needed nothing more seriously than her tongue to argue her case. Without a tongue she was a helpless puppet one could push here and there, because she had no means to protest. Oh, she had to be careful, really careful.


”Whatever dream world it is you’re living in, Morgana, I surely don’t want to be part of it”, she muttered and shook her head. Where would this lead? Was it really possible for Morgana to get a hold on Arthur? And when she did, wouldn’t she rather kill him straight away, because there was not even the slightest chance Arthur would ever let her be queen? He would fight against her with his dying breath… but maybe it was better not to mention these things aloud…
Yassia winced as Morgana grabbed her so roughly, and for a moment she expected to be hit. But then, what followed was much much worse in her eyes. Darkness… that brought a few of her dearest fears and most horrible memories to light…

”You want to throw me into an oubliette?” she exclaimed, more panicked than furious. “How dare you! You can’t do this!” And yet Yassia knew she could. Suddenly she had difficulties breathing as vivid images came crashing down on her, of complete blackness… and strong, searching, triumphant hands that seemed to know what they wanted and where to get it even without light…

[mpend]

Some secret part of Morgana that she would not acknowledge envied Yassia. Envied the strength she seemed to have, whilst she, Morgana, consistantly failed about, trying to make sense of the pieces of her past that had been handed to her. How the other woman was still so defiant after everything, the Queen did not know, but it enraged her. She narrowed her eyes as teh woman spoke of dreams, giving a bitter laugh. "You know nothing of what I dream, Yassia, so do not pretend otherwise," she spat. "All I wish is for the people to love me, and for magic to be allowed and celebrated within Camelot once more... is that so entirely wrong?"

The woman's fear made her more sure of herself, and Morgana smiled despite her earlier hesitance. "You forget, Yassia, that I can do anything. I am Queen. I control Camelot now, and I *will* have your allegance. If you do not wish to be treated like a free lady, then that is your choice, but I will do what I must to gain what I must. Including throwing you to whatever I feel is necessary."

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Was it a slight crack in Morgana’s confidence Yassia was experiencing right now, or shouldn’t she get her hopes up like that? Did she really wish for the people to love her?! Well that had to be the height of twisted opinion Yassia ever came across, and she couldn’t help but stare at Morgana for a moment, unsure if she just had heard her right. It was one thing to fight for the re-use of magic, and for that surely some sacrifices had to be made, but didn’t this woman see that she was going at this the entirely wrong way?
”How can they love you if you don’t show them generosity and concern?” Yassia asked incredulously. “Can’t you see that you’re trying to achieve the impossible with the completely wrong tools? You have just taken Camelot by force, killed so many of their loved ones and then you sit here like a spider in her web and wait for the people to accidently love you? Where should that love come from if you give them nothing to love you for?”

Then however Yassia thought better of Morgana’s sudden change of mind, and whatever breach she might have thought to dig deeper into with her, now it was gone. There was only dread left, and the fight against memories. She had to tell herself over and over again, that nothing would happen this time, that the worst she would encounter down there were rats and mouldering straw, but it was not an entirely succesful try.
”That’s what I meant”, she said, almost pleadingly. “Like this, you will never get anyone to love you. Fear is no subsitute of respect, it’s the opposite. Please Morgana, don’t do this!”
There must be some way to convince Morgana she was rapidly running down the wrong path. Yassia still saw the hope for a different outcome, even though her prospects got darker by the minute. She couldn’t risk to reveal more of her weaknesses, or she really would be putty in this woman’s hands.

[mpend]

Yassia's words might be meant to placiatate the Queen, but it only served to enrage the brunette even more. "you know nothing of what you speak!" she hissed, her whole body trembling with anger. "Who are you to tell me of respect, when you are nothing but a she-dog for the taking?!" Morgana laughed bitterly. "I had Camelot's love! I had the love and respect of every member of court, including the King and Arthur! But the minute that they realised whom I was, they would have pushed me aside! And of course there was Uther's secret - for he was so determined to hide the truth he would not admit it either to me or Arthur! We two who he professed to love so very dearly! But always, Arthur was foremost in his thoughts and heart. As with the people, it was always Arthur. Arthur the glorious Pendragon Prince, Arthur the hope of Camelot, Arthur the Golden one," The once-Ward laughed bitterly.

"Lets see how glorious he is when he is beant before me, licking his own blood off the floor." Angrily, Morgana moved over to a nearby guard, grabbing ahold of the dagger that sat in his belt, aiming and throwing it near Yassia's head, only just missing and managing to hit the Pendragon crest that still hang proudly upon the wall opposite. "Damn him! Damn Arthur and his father to hell!"

She clenched her fists, glaring down at the panicked woman before her. Taking a few deep breaths, Morgana forced herself to calm, if not just enough to speak with some sort of authority. "What will you give me?" The Queen demanded. "If I were to respite, and to adhere to your pleas, what would you give me in return? I want only peace, Yassia, and it would please me to have you as a friend rather than an enemy. But you must undersatnd that I require something in return for something. So what will you give me?"

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Yassia might not speak the language of Albion perfectly, even though her mother had taught her from a very early age, but she was sure she understood very well what Morgana had just called her and it made her gasp, surprised and appalled. Had she just…??!! With what justification?! Yassia didn’t pride herself on many things, but she had NEVER offered herself to a man in such a way, not willingly in any way. She might have used this as a weapon once and one time… she had simply been unable to fight hard enough, but that still did NOT make her a--
“How DARE you calling me that!” Yassia exclaimed and would have raised her hand in a slap, had she not been able to stop herself at the last minute. “Now you’re just being ridiculous!”
Morgana’s own, bitter outburst gave Yassia enough incentive to feel superior yet again. The false queen had just revealed a huge part of her motivation, and it made her look even lower than before. “Jealousy is truly such a rotten sentiment”, she remarked. “You had the love of the people until the moment you stopped caring for them and started to care only for yourself and what you don’t have.”

For a sickening, eternally long moment Yassia feared Morgana would be stabbing her with the dagger she had grabbed, and she couldn’t help but wince as the blade flew so closely past her head, burying itself deep into the Pendragon’s crest. Just a childish gesture after all, and yet Yassia couldn’t deny that she was impressed. She, who had learned to throw daggers herself recognized Morgana’s deadly and skilled aim that made her even more dangerous. It might be better not to comment on this at all.

If the situation had been any different and Yassia didn’t have to fight demons of her own right now, she probably would have laughed. What a distorted picture did Morgana have of friendship? She wanted her as a ‘friend’ after all she had threatened to do?! Not only to her, but to Yassia’s friends as well, Caitrin and Arthur?! But this was not a laughing matter, and Yassia knew she had to talk business now. Some concessions had to be made, and maybe she could hold a bargain that would benefit her in the end, while not benefitting Morgana at all. It would be hard to achieve, but it was worth a try.
“If you let me talk to my uncle, I could try and sway him”, she offered, weighing every word carefully. “Sir Kaye’s council has always been well considered, even though he isn’t the most friendly person on this earth.”[/color

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[mpend]

The Queen laughed outright at Yassia's clear horror and hatred of her. Oh, this was glorious! And to think, all it took to rile the woman was a few words! And this woman, this she-hussy, was to eventually be some sort of Queen? Ha! Morgana pursed her lips together, to avoid the urge to laugh again, her eyes still twinkling with amusement. "I see that calling you out enrages you," she teased. "Perhaps you had hoped you were more sly than you are. But I have seen you flaunt yourself, Yassia. You have gandered more times than I can count at Arthur; not that I blame you, for he is fair of face indeed; among others. You and Guinevère would be well matched as sisters, for you are both easy to switch your heart's wantings." she smirked. "Or perhaps I should say, your body's wantings."

"You know nothing of my life here," she hissed, all humour now gone. "Do not act as though you do, for you do not! And you never shall. Your place is on the sty of your people, and that is all you will ever know, Yassia."

The brunette raised an eyebrow as Yassia suggested she be allowed to converse with her uncle, and Morgana frowned, trying to figure out the implications of such a request. "Why would you do such a thing?" she asked softly, her voice that of the woman she had once been, as she hoped to sway Yassia to her will. "You have just told me you would fight me with every breath; so why would you do this for me? Why would you ask your uncle to do this?"

NRP: I am SO sorry this took me so long to get to.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

Now Morgana was clearly being nothing but ridiculous, but it still enraged Yassia to be viewed at as something she clearly wasn’t. She and having made eyes at Arthur?! When and where please?! There had never been such a thought in her heart, so where did Morgana get her notions from? As if she had ever looked at Arthur with anything but friendship in mind! In truth, he was a handsome young man, and he was surely to be admired, but then Yassia knew a few other people that were so as well. Her heart was shielded by a firm wall that kept away all sentiments like that even if she should have felt them towards someone. She was soon to be queen, she could not lose her heart randomly like that, if she one day married it had to be for the good of her kingdom. This wall had crumbled only once, in the Forest of Balor, but ever since she had worked on rebuilding it even stronger. This could not happen again, and as far as she was concerned, it WOULD not happen again.”It enrages me, because your accusations are pointless!” she snarled at Morgana. “When would you have EVER seen me making eyes at Arthur? How could you ever compare me to Gwen?! I told you before that you were being ridiculous, but now… have you ever considered becoming a jester, Morgana? You tell tales like one!”

The sty of her people… oh no she could not let this pass! But she had to… the enraged part of a conversation was the inferior part, and she had lost enough ground already through Morgana’s outrageous insults. Her pride in her people would have to stand back, so they would have a queen to return to them still. But it was hard, oh so hard! Had there ever been a greater try of her countenance? Yassia could almost feel her muscles sizzling with the tension it cost her to keep them still, and she bit on the inside of her cheek to not say something unguarded and rash. Morgana would pay for this, oh yes she would pay. But not yet.

Well, in all honesty, Yassia had considered doing this for Morgana, because she was sure it would never work. She had only promised her to TRY it, if her uncle was so stubborn to refuse – like she knew he would – it was not her problem. The only thing now was to ensure that Morgana would not catch on to that little trick. So much depended from her being brought to her uncle. She would be able to check on him, she could ask him then who else was still down there, held captive by Morgana, and maybe she would even catch a glimpse of Caitrin. She only had to play her part well now.
”Because I do not believe in more bloodshed and suffering”, she explained, holding her head high. “Neither for me, not for any of them. If there is a way to solve this by talking rather than torture, it should at least be tried, no?” That, and of course her ever-growing fear of complete darkness, were Yassia’s motivation.