Title: Things She Has Learned

Summary: During the year with Morgause, Morgana faced some tough things, and learned some others.

Author's Note: To me, it's difficult to see why Morgana wants to hurt the people she's loved forever. My personal theory is that Morgause brainwashed her, and since we aren't getting any flashbacks to that missing year, I decided to fill in the cracks a bit.

She sat down upon the cold throne and waited as instructed for her sister to return.

The shackles she had worn now lay at her feet, and she sat examining the blisters they had left on her skin, each red dot a painful reminder of her sins and their rightful punishment.

Her sister only did this because she loved her. After every hit, every poke, every cut, she insisted that it was all for the best. After all, Morgana was bad for doubting, bad for believing the lies of Camelot, bad for loving Uther, Arthur, and Gwen, and bad for holding Merlin as a friend. He had tried to poison her; he was no friend anymore.

Morgause came through the archway, gazing at Morgana with a subtle smile on her face, and her red dress flowed in a train behind her gracefully. Morgana flinched back slightly as Morgause bent down to her eye level and began to examine the blisters on her dear sister's wrist.

"I wish not to do this to you," she said, placing her finger on one of the open sores. Morgana took a sharp breath as the sting began, "but you were wrong. Do you see that now?"

Morgana did not speak and simply gave a nod of agreement.

"Very good. Now, what have you learned?"

Morgana raised her head high. Breathing deeply, she responded, "Uther is bad. Arthur is bad. Camelot is bad." She paused, and her eyebrows rose.

"And there is one more that you cannot forget."

It was then that the left side of Morgana's lip curled upward and formed a countenance of amusement..

"Smirking is good."