UWTD 382: Deal

“That won’t do, a ruler must maintain their position of superiority. Even in front of their family, or the one they love.” Morgan’s words cut through the tense air, her gloved hand covering the mocking chuckle.

“I do not believe that I am superior to anyone. I only fulfil my duties as a ruler my subjects trust with their future.” Artoria said.

“That is so like you.” A strange calm settled over Morgan, nothing like the venomous tone from before.

The almost motherly tone threw Artoria off again.

“I have accomplished what I needed; I shall take my leave.”

Before she could even call after her sister, she had vanished in a veil of black smoke. The primeval black curse that belonged to Britain, the power that only the rightful ruler of the British Isles could use.

A carriage left Camelot, the gaudy design lined with gold and jewels, far luxurious than the supposed royal carriage built for Artoria, had the citizens parting like a herd of sheep that faced the wolf. None wished to cross the person who could go around the land like this.

And inside, Morgan rested her bottom on a red velvet seat, enjoying the heavy floral scent sprinkled in every corner. Her eyes narrowed at the man who arrived before her, her lips parting in a cocksure smirk.

“So, you finally came to see me? The source of this anomaly!” Morgan snapped at Adam.

Because of his presence, she couldn’t even plot against Artoria; even when he had the most perfect plans, he had played the ultimate shield and crushed her schemes before she could even think of them. Nothing she had worked in the shadows ever saw the day of light because of him.

“What did she give you?” Morgan chuckled, licking her lips upon seeing his rugged handsomeness from close by. The muscles bursting with power, hidden beneath the cotton shirt, had clicked her tongue in jealousy. How could someone as imperfect as Artoria have such a man?

“Is it her body that you like? We are sisters, but I can assure you that I am much better in bed than that prude could ever be.”

Adam didn’t react to her seduction attempts, even when she tried to reach out and touch him; he slapped her hand away without a word.  

“Say something, you mongrel!” The rejection and continued silence wounded Morgan’s pride as a woman hailed for her beauty; her hysterical scream, along with the burst of black fog, scared the horses pulling the carriage.

“So, it’s you, huh. The one Counter Force used.” Adam saw the traces of charm magic on Morgan; however, he wasn’t talking with the Morgan present in front of him.

But to the one who used this Morgan to channel her magic into this world.

Morgan’s lips trembled; her eyes widened like saucers. But only for a moment. The bubbling anger in her chest calmed down, and she lifted her veil. Her face, still and cold as a monolith, unmoved by the world and everything within it.

“As expected, you can see the truth. You see my truth and the truth of this version of me.” Morgan said, calm and collected.

“Of course, I know that this version of you, the one in front of me, is the result of three personalities clashing and twisting.” Adam almost felt pity for Morgan.

The rightful heir, chosen by the British Isles, but rejected for a human king by the people of Britain and her own father. Losing the very reason for her existence.

However, she cared for her sister Artoria, at least a part of her did. And, as the daughter of Igraine, the world imposed a role on her. Vivian, the Lady of the Lake, assumed that role to guide Artoria to become King Arthur, while her jealousy molded the witch Morgan, who wanted to destroy King Arthur.

A child born by the British Isles with the blood of Uther and the child of Fairies. The famed Lady of the Lake who helped the King of Knights achieve her true power. And finally, the envious witch who wanted to destroy everyone who rejected her.

These three personalities kept clashing in her mind till her hate for Artoria, the one who took her throne, overflowed. That sent her down a treacherous route, leading Artoria to her downfall.

However, the Morgan Adam saw wasn’t the one from history, but the future.

“But you are a different Morgan. One brought by the Counter Force from a different timeline to disrupt this world, but I don’t think you agreed to their deal just because you still hate Artoria.” Adam could hear the years in Morgan’s voice, the disconnected tone, and unmoving eyes.

She had lived so long that she even found the act of hate tiresome. Time does that to people, Adam knew that very well.

‘Still, to think they were this desperate.’

The counter force was at their last legs; they had tried to dig into the throne of heroes, trying to send anyone who had a body present in the world that Adam created. Vortigern couldn’t even make a dent.

They tried to force the Knights of the Round Table in, but upon seeing the Britain Artoria had created, and how she lived, they refused to stir up trouble. The only one who agreed was Mordred, but she didn’t have a body in this world, yet couldn’t be sent in.

So, the Counter Force turned to Morgan, a version of Morgan that was at her most vulnerable. That Morgan accepted the deal, lying on the stairs to her throne covered in blood, lamenting over her choices, but she didn’t do things like the Counter Force asked.

She had stayed in the shadows and watched over the progression of events, letting the actual Morgan do things while she focused on Adam and his capabilities. Artoria’s rule, compared to the original human history, had changed staggeringly.

She had revealed her real gender, embarked on a war to unify Britain, and destroyed Vortigern without a problem. Above all, she had created a kingdom that she was never supposed to.

The Counter Force feared that it wasn’t just another timeline, but this world, where Artoria had established her ideal Britain, would replace the one where she failed. Changing the proper Human history.

Understanding this, Morgan bided her time; she did the Counter force’s bidding on the surface and waited for the right moment. And the sudden high-risk movements of a certain curious True Magician gave her the opening to make direct contact with Adam.

“Adam, won’t you make a deal with me?” Morgan asked, a tiny sliver of hope in her dull voice.

...

I know it is a bit convoluted, but bare with it. Also, if there are any fate experts here that notice any mistakes from my part, do tell me about them.