InsaneJournal

Who: Guinevere and Morgana. And Abigail
What: Meet your godchild
When: After a phone call to say it worked
Where: Morgana’s apartment
Rating/Warnings: None.
Status: Complete

Guinevere barely waited a second once she found out Morgana had her sight back. She knew she should give the other woman some time to come back from it all, to relax, but she was too excited. Abigail was going to be two months in two days and Morgana had not once gotten the chance to witness her. She had tried to describe her, the mass of messy hair and the big blue eyes along with the pout that she already had, the last two being straight from her father. And of course Gwen would blame the messy hair on Arthur too, even if it was he colour and seemed to have a slight curl to it.

She dressed Abigail in one of the dresses Morgana had bought her when Guinevere was still pregnant before holding her close and lifting the bag she took to taking with her everywhere. She shouldn’t need fed, but if she did, Gwen had packed a bottle so Morgana could do the honours. Once everything was ready she left and took the short walk to Morgana’s door, knocking when she arrived.

Neria had come and gone, Morgause who had been there since morning had taken Mordred - seeming to know before she did that Morgana would need time to herself. A thousand thoughts were strumming through her mind that she would have to make sense of later. The one that was taking precedent was that she could see. She could see. It was ... overwhelming. Morgana wasn't the type that was a quitter but coming back from the dead blind, with her visions gone as well, had set a weight on her that she refused to acknowledge. When even Morgause's magics didn't seem to work - and her sister had tired every means that was at her disposal in Colligo - she hadn't held much faith that she would come to see anything for some time, if ever. Fate seemed to get a kick out of taking things away from her and Morgana ... Morgana actually hadn't enough fight to care, she simply focused her attention on surviving.

However, now, here she was. The world clear and moving in front of her and she felt. Morgana didn't know how she felt. Not as excited as she imagined she would be, though she had forced a smile for Mordred's benefit. It felt so transient. Like it would be. Don't get her wrong. She was grateful and happy. However, she had her doubts. Her uncertainties and her fears. For all that she didn't fear Morgause and Mordred (in fact she loved them an amount that could border around crazy). For all that she was accepting her new abilities. This was the most good that she had ever seen magic do. Yes, there had been the bracelet Morgause gave her that she loved. However, the appreciation of that came marred by the fact that it stopped her visions completely and it became entangled in the hate/confusion/tolerance that she had going with her abilities. This was something completely different. Morgana might not tout Uther's rhetoric, never had and never would, it was difficult to erase a life time of learnings. Fear had a way of seeming through into even the most clear minded. Her fear was different and not as diffused but she was waiting to be disappointed.

Morgana was waiting for the other shoe to fall. That was what it always did.

Despite, all of that - the mess that was her head - Morgana called Gwen and Arthur. As she knew that the other woman would be waiting. And if Arthur wasn't being unbearable to Gwen he was likely off bothering Merlin. She thought Gwen would tell Arthur. She told Gwen to tell Arthur that she would call him later. Had she been thinking clearly she would have realized that Gwen would have come immediately over.

She had been resting her eyes, attempting to sleep when the door knock. Morgana took a moment to enjoy, yes just enjoy even though it was an odd feeling, the fact that darkness didn't greet her when she opened her eyes. It was amazing how quickly a body adapted.

"Yes?" She called out, opening the door slightly and blinking seeing Gwen ... seeing Gwen holding Abigail. Morgana's breath hitched slightly and her eyes teared up. Any fear, uncertainty, doubts, it all seemed to dissipate the moment Morgana laid eyes on the baby girl. She just stood there. Staring at her, recalling the dress, her eyes taking as much as she could before she pushed the door open further. "Come in." She answered, voice low and dry.

Gwen didn’t need to be asked twice and she walked into the room, dropping the bag near the couch. She wanted to hold Morgana so tightly, it was the first time in a while she had seen her so happy, and yet she couldn’t. Because that would be slightly impossible given the baby in her arms. So she just watched her best friend for a moment before grinning.

“How are you feeling?”

She wasn’t going to stay long if she wasn’t feeling back to herself yet, and she certainly wasn’t going to force her daughter into her arms. At least not if she didn’t feel settled. How this visit went depended entirely on Morgana.

Morgana only stopped looking at Gail once. That was to close the door and the moment she turned toward the mother and daughter, blue eyes caught grey. Morgana was lost. It wasn't that Morgana hadn't been absolutely in love with Abigail since before she was born. Oh, she had been. Abigail was parts of two of Morgana's favorite people - her brother and her best friend. And it wasn't as if Morgana hadn't been caught in Gail's tiny fingers. She was. She always would be and had been the minute she had first held her. Nevertheless, just seeing her had Morgana tumbling more into fascination with this tiny creature. It was all in those big blue eyes. Gwen was right. They were definitely Arthur's. However, if those were Pendragon eyes, there was a sharpness in them that Morgana would take credit for. Even if she knew how ridiculous that was. She couldn't find herself caring.

There were babies in Camelot. She had seen babies. She'd held babies. However, the ladies and lords rarely brought their children at court and the people of Camelot didn't think that the girl who might as well have been princess would ever want to coo over their little ones. Her experiences with children so small was very limited. So Abigail gained points just for that - she was a novelty. Adding the fact that she was her niece, the first, and her goddaughter simply elevated her even higher in Morgana's eyes.

And she was so precious!

"I'm ... I'm fine." Which was a lie but right now it didn't really matter, because Morgana was coming undone by fascinated blue eyes. Smiling slightly, pleased that she'd captured Abigail's attention and distracted by keeping it.

Her fingers itched to hold her but she didn't voice the question immediately. "You didn't have to come Gwen." Morgana's eyes never waved from Abigail's once. "I'm glad you did though." She looked away from blue ones to meet brown ones, briefly, and provided her best friend and sister by marriage with a warm smile.

Gwen’s eyebrow rose at her friend, but she said nothing. She knew Morgana better than most people ever would and she took pride in knowing when the other woman was lying. But now wasn’t the time to force a confession from her. Maybe another time, when just the two of them could talk and Gwen could employ every method she had to get her to talk.

But she also knew that, at this moment in time, Morgana really could care less about whatever Gwen was saying. Unless it was about the bundle in her arms that was watching the other woman intently. It must be strange for her, Abigail knew the face well enough. She may not recognise her as the woman she was, like she knew herself and Arthur instantly, but she knew well enough that she was good and she was someone she would see often. And yet it was the first time Morgana could see her. Laughing softly, she rolled her eyes.

“Come here then.” She didn’t even have to answer Morgana. She came and always would whenever Morgana needed her. But at the moment, she would be surprised if Morgana even heard Gwen saying anything other than her permission for Morgana to hold Abigail. “Careful, though. She’ll grab at your hair if it’s in reach.”

Morgana looked up at Gwen when she told her to come closer, her eyes widening slightly, before an uncertain smile curved her mouth. Nevertheless, she still took a step closer. "I remember." She murmured, though she hesitated. It felt as if being able to see hindered the ease that she had gained when holding Abigail those few times before without her sight. She had relied on her other senses and for a second she didn't know what to do with her body. Nevertheless, she carefully reached out for Gail and her arms seemed to automatically do teh work for her. Morgana carefully cradled the baby girl into her arms, leaving a lock of her ponytail over her shoulder for Gail's amusement while the rest was pushed aside,and grinned down at her. "Hi." She stated, her voice lifting an octave, soft and alluring. Blue eyes moved away from Gwen and to Morgana. "I was right. You are quite beautiful, aren't you, darling princess? Absolutely gorgeous." Morgana stated, moving away from Gwen as she slowly began to walk with Abigail.

"Your mother has you pegged, sweetheart." Morgana laughed, thoroughly delighted when Gail's grasp found some strands of her hair. She leaned in and gently rubbed her nose against the tiny, soft one, before kissing Gail’s messy hair.

Gwen smiled, sitting on the sofa and pulling the bag she had closer to her feet. She had a rattle and some other toys in there to occupy her if she began to pull too much at Morgana. At the moment her favourite was a toy sword that Gwen was so excited about when she saw it. It was something that ran in her blood as well as Arthur’s, Gwen knew about swords before she knew about needles or anything of the like. It was a big part of her life as well as Arthur’s and even if it meant they had to worry about Abigail one day seeing Arthur’s sword and trying to climb to get it, though it was always far away from her reach.

“I’m at a disadvantage. Arthur’s eyes, his mouth. Two people who can bring me down with a look now, and I wont be surprised if he uses Abigail’s pout along with his in the future to make me like him again if we argue.”

"That's assuming that Arthur will be crafty enough to figure that out." Morgana shot Gwen a look, her tone sarcastic. Nothing like insulting Arthur, in any possible and petty little way, to lift one's mood. "And that Abigail won't figure him out and will stand for that." Her smile immediately became teasing and her attention returned to Gail. It seemed incapable from straying from the infant in her arms for very long. "You won't stand for that now, will you, precious? You won't. You're just like your mummy and your aunty Morgana. Too smart for your daddy's own good. Yes you are."

Gwen laughed, leaning back against the couch as she watched them together. She was so glad to see Morgana so happy, so at ease with her. And Abigail seemed content in Morgana’s arms and as long as she didn’t start chewing at her hair she was fine with them staying like that. She had a feeling Morgana wanted to catch up on just...taking the baby in and Gwen really didn’t mind that.

“She already has Arthur around her finger.”

Abigail's head twitched in Gwen's direction when the other woman laughed and that caused Morgana to smile. She pressed a kiss on a soft, chubby cheek, taking in her scent. "I've heard tale of that." Morgana murmured, swaying slightly with the infant in her arms. "Is there anyone in our family who isn't head over heels in love with her?" She asked on a laugh.

“I can say, with full belief, no. I think the majority of things I’ve had recently for her have been from Uther. Every visit he makes he does so with a gift.” Gwen smiled softly, watching Abigail and only her. She was still quite protective and wanting her there at all times but she trusted Morgana. “I suppose I should be grateful,but I don’t need all the gifts. Just need him to act like a grandfather.”

Morgana had to bite her tongue. She didn't want to upset Gwen. Nevertheless, she was tempted to point out that someone who hadn't been much of a father - who hadn't had much attention for his own children - likely wouldn't even begin to know how to show proper affection to one, even his own child. Still, her own issues with Uther aside Morgana could admit that it would be good for Abigail to form a relationship. She barely remembered her grandparents, much less than what she remembered of her mother which wasn't much as it was. Family was important to Morgana and she wished Abigail the use of all of her family members. That she got to know them and not lose them young.

Having Gail's attention again, Morgana distracted herself from her thoughts by widening her eyes, puffing out her cheek, and blowing a raspberry. She grinned when Abigail's eyes seem to widened and then began making an array of silly faces and noises that slowly earned her smile. Morgana raised a finger and rubbed against Abigail's cheek, along the smile, amazed at
herself by how she could be so easily awed by an upward curve of tiny lips. Then again, a quirk of the mouth from Mordred had her feeling rather proud herself, so maybe there was something wrong with her. Or just extremely special about them. Because not many could lay claim to having the ability to entrance - for lack a better word - the First Lady of Camelot into making silly faces.

Morgana ended on a whistle, whistling softly a tune that her father once sang to her. Some ancient ditty about blood and gore, with a sweeping beat. Morgana had been that kind of child growing up. She was absurdly pleased when that earned her a wider smile.

Gwen watched with a fond smile as Morgana played with Abigail, glad that she was given the chance now. It had killed her when Morgana couldn’t see her, especially having known how excited she was in the first place to see her when she was pregnant with her. And it didn’t matter what she did, Abigail continued to smile and laugh as if it was the best thing she had seen. And to a child, it was. A lot of things were funny to Abigail, even very simple things. But that didn’t matter, as long as she was laughing or smiling Gwen was happy.

“She loves the noise. And I think her father makes enough funny faces that new ones are always welcome.”

Arthur had such a way with her it was incredible to watch. Gwen often sat back quietly and watched him as he took care of her and nothing else seemed quite as good as watching father and daughter.

"Oh, don't count him out yet." Morgana laughed. "Funny faces were the thing to do when you're just five and people found it entertaining to coo at the Prince of Camelot and the Lady of Cornwall. He has had practice at them and has quite the impressive list." She leaned in and gave Abigail yet another kiss. "And he'll teach them all to her. We'll teach you everything we know. Daddy will teach you how to use a sword and I'll teach you how to use it better. Your mummy will teach you how to make one and how to make a person drool just from a whiff of soup. Your uncle Merlin will teach how not to ride a horse. Though he's gotten so much better at that. You'll be the most capable child in all the land, as your cousin Mordred will be the most capable teenager." Morgana teased, rubbing her nose against Abigail's cheek, basking in the toothless smile. "And if you decide that you haven't a care for any of that, that'll be perfectly alright darling, because you'll be loved anyway. No matter what your choices." And that was always key to tell a child. Her father had always told her so.