#morgana bbc

There was light. Light swimming all around her.

Even with her eyes closed, it snuck in between her trembling eyelashes, showering her face with gentle warmth.

It felt so foreign that without thinking, she moved to cover her eyes with her hand-

and found that she actually could, without the terrible clanging of chains and manacles burning against her chafed wrists.

She couldn't breathe.

"—Morgana!"

"You're awake!"

Voices. She's not alone.

Her magic is a steady thrum beneath her skin, flowing unobstructed. Ready to answer her call.

Whoever comes for her, she can easily keep them away.

But the hands touching her shoulders are gentle, and not trying to hurt her at all.

"Shh, shh. You're okay, you're safe. Open your eyes, Morgana."

She does. Ah.

There's a canopy of leaves over her. The gentle scattering of light on her face is just sun filtering through the leaves.

There's a familiar face hovering over her, one that she hadn't hoped to see. Deer-like brown eyes, looking at her full of worry and sadness. Not fear, not repulsion. Gwen?

"Yes, yes, that's me, I'm here." Smooth hands running over her hair, gentlest of touches. "I'm here. You're here. You're out of there, you're never going back there again, okay?"

She doesn't quite understand. It must show on her face, because, if possible, Gwen becomes even softer.

"I know, Morgana. I know everything, you don't have to worry, okay? Forget whatever they told you. You're still you, nothing will change that."

But— everything? "Even if I'm-?" She hesitates. It's useless. Everyone knows, now. In the end, the secret hadn't been hers to reveal. Something as simple as a minute loss of control had been enough to seal her fate. "-What I am?" She finishes uselessly. Still unable to say the words. Not even after everything. Not even to Gwen.

"It never mattered. Not for a second." Oh.

A calloused thumb swipes over her cheek, wiping away the wetness. Oh. She's crying?

She sits up, quicker than she perhaps should've — her vision clouds over a little, and a throb of pain shoots through her temple. Gwen is there to steady her, with a firm hold on her shoulders, but she falls into her, instead. The hold on her shoulders turns into an embrace.