Leon and Lance were the ones who dragged her in.
Her nose was dripping blood and one of her eyes was almost swollen shut. Her red cocktail dress was torn and Gwen knew she'd been stabbed based on the stain that made the crimson material even redder. And still, she was beautiful. Her tangled blond hair was matted with dirt. If anything it made her look even more defiant. It fell in waves around her breasts.
Her blond head didn't hang though.
Instead she opened her mouth, “Hello Morgana.”
Gwen had never seen Morgana truly angry. Well, Gwen had never seen Morgana show an actual emotion either, so there was that. But...if Gwen had to pin down what was on Morgana’s face right now, it would be anger. But as soon as it appeared it disappeared into a red smile.
“Hello Morgause.”
“It began so nicely, it’s a shame for it to end like this.”
Morgana’s lip twitched, “Indeed, a crying shame.”
“I do hope I haven’t inconvinced you too much.”
“Well, for a while, I was wondering...but you already knew that. You’re a sneaky little thing, I’ll give you that.”
“One and a half years of fucking, Morgana.”
“One and half years of fucking, or fucking me over?”
“One and a half years of fucking, a year of fucking you over. An entire year. You’re losing your touch.”
“Or perhaps you gained one. I know, certainly, as do many other people, that you always add the perfect touches.”
“Oh, but I never cheated on you. Yes, stabbed you in the back. But I never cheated on you.”
“It must be that strict moral code.”
Morgause gave a bitter laugh, “Why did you bring me here Morgana? It would have been much easier to just have a sniper take me out. But instead I’m kneeling at your feet, a pool of blood gathering beneath me. Is it because you wanted to see me on my knees one last time?”
“You know how I love to see you on your knees, my dear.”
“Or is it that, you might have actually fallen in love with me? That I melted your little frigid heart just to turn around and betray you? You want to see me beg and scream for your forgiveness just to satisfy that screwed up voice in the back of your head.”
A smile crept onto Morgana’s icy face and she walked towards Morgause. She pulled out a revolver from a fold of her dress.
"Oh honey," She purred, "You can't break a broken heart."
She placed the gun to Morgause’s forehead.
The sound of a gunshot resounded through the room.
Gwen closed her eyes.
“Clean this mess up. I want no trace.”
Morgana’s heels clicked as she walked out of the room. Gwen followed her. They walked in silence out of the warehouse and into the waiting vehicle. The car ride was silent and Gwen spared a look at Morgana. She was staring straight forward. Her eyes, cut from glass, showed no emotion. Gwen wondered how she did it.
Morgana didn’t talk until they were safely in the flat.
“I shouldn’t have told them to rough her up. She was born to die with dignity.”
“There's no dignity in death.”
“There's dignity in life. And what little life she held, it shouldn’t have ended bloody, kneeling on the floor.”
Gwen didn’t know what to say when Morgana talked like that.
“Help me take off my makeup.”
Gwen had spent two hours on Morgana’s hair and makeup this morning.
Morgana sat in from of the mirror and Gwen brushed her hair.
“It wasn’t your fault she died.”
“Empty words, Morgana.”
“Yes, I know. But I thank you. Without you I would have never known of Morgause’s.. extracurricular activities.”
Gwen smiled, “What is it with you high and mighty lords with your euphemisms and innuendos and double edged words?”
“The art of being blunt never appealed to those who win the game. Here, hand me those pants, the comfortable ones.”
“Do you want a bath?”
Morgana shook her head, “No. We’ve got work to do. Morgause set up quite the crime web, not as big as mine of course, but it's going to take some time to dismantle. Better to start now.”
She moved to the living room and pulled out her laptop.
Gwen busied herself with putting away Morgana’s dress. It was a beautiful color, an almost black burgundy that shone darkly. Morgana’s voice drifted through the door.
“Were you successful with Agravaine?”
“Good. The money will be transferred. I’ve no further use of you today.”
Three hours later, a knock sounded at the door.
The footprint detectors read Leon, Lance, Mithian and Gwaine.
Gwen went to answer it.
“Hello Gwen!”
Morgana didn’t look up from the laptop screen, “Gwaine, stop flirting with my bodyguard.”
“You’re no fun.”
“Morgause thought that too.”
She didn’t invite them to sit down.
Gwen stayed in the room. It was too much of a risk to leave her alone with anyone since Morgause.
“The strongest two branches supporting Morgause’s web are human trafficking, and drugs. Morgause got a variety of narcotics from a dealer known as the Cardinal, or a woman known as Nimueh. Her location will be texted to you. Meet this woman who calls herself the Cardinal and bring her to me. I want her at the usual place at two o'clock tomorrow. Ruffled her feathers a little bit. Don’t kill her.”
They left.
Morgana turned to Mithian, “I’m putting Arthur in charge of dismantling the human trafficking. But he needs an inside man. Or woman. Especially woman. You know where the base it?”
Mithian nodded.
“Good. Go see Arthur first, he’ll want to talk to you.”
Morgana clicked her tongue, “Go on.”
Gwaine stood there, “Last but not least?”
“Morgause had two confidants, Merlin Emrys and Agravaine. Agravaine is dead, however Merlin Emrys has proven more evasive. You have the network. Find him. Look for patterns in his behavior. It's slim, but there’s a chance Merlin thinks he can continue what Morgause has begun. He’s proved troublesome in hours of Morgause’s disappearance, and I do believe he was the backing person behind many of Morgause’s dalliances.”
“Consider it done.”
“I will consider it uncompleted until Merlin is dead.”
“Fair enough.” He turned to go.
“And one more thing..” Gwen didn’t miss the note of fear in Gwaine’s eyes when he turned around.
“Watch for Mithian additionally. But Merlin comes first.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
He closed the door behind him.
Morgana turned back to her computer, “Merlin is causing quite the little disturbance. Managed to link the police to our internet gambling scam. Perhaps I’ll gift him to Arthur when we capture the little brat. My brother has been working ever so hard lately, he deserves a little something. Make me some coffee, will you Gwen? And do make sure it’s not poisoned.”