Elaine Garlot

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**Lady Elaine** was the youngest daughter of Gorlois and Vivienne Garlot, and a High Priestess of the Old Religion.

## Biography

### Birth

Elaines parents, Sir Gorlois and Lady Vivienne, were married, and Gorlois held a high position in the Court of Camelot as a close friend of Uther Pendragon.

During the Great Purge, Uther ordered many people to be drowned, including children who had inherited magic from their parents. Morgause, who was born before the event at a time when magic was still allowed in Camelot, had inherited magical powers from her mother Vivienne. She was smuggled out of Camelot as a baby by Gaius, who gave her to the High Priestesses of the Old Religion.

This is because there is a rule that high priestesses aren’t supposed to marry but Vivienne gave up her position as high priestess to marry Gorlois, out of love. However this meant there was one less high priestess and so she promised the others her first born daughter to take her place. However she knew Gorlois would never agree to this so she faked Morgause’s death and had Gaius take her to the high priestesses to be trained in secret. She would visit her as much as she could which is why Morgause knows what her mother was like and how she has her bracelet.

This is why Uther was led to believe that Morgause had died shortly after her birth and did not discover the *truth* for at least twenty eight years until Morgause returned to Camelot.

As an extra measure she tried to get on Uther’s good side so even if Morgause was exposed as a witch, Vivienne could implore him to spare her. This is how eventually Morgana was born. Vivienne was a bit too effective in getting Uther to favour her, while Gorlois was away on the Northern Plains. Gorlois believed that he was the father of her second child and Gorlois raised Morgana, and loved and cared for her a lot due to his first daughter 'dying'.

Three years after Morgana was born, Vivienne gave birth to Elaine. Elaine is Gorlois's child, and his second legitimate daughter.

### Early Life

Seven years later, Uther sent Gorlois into battle and promised him reinforcements. He later failed to send the reinforcements, resulting in Gorlois's death. Before Gorlois's death, Uther promised him that he would look after Morgana and Elaine as well as his wife.

After hearing the news of her husbands death, Vivienne died from heart break. She passed her magic onto Morgause before she did so, completing the High Priestess tradition.

Gorlois's resting place is near the Darkling Woods just outside the citadel of the palace and is on a hill where a special stone was placed for him.

### Growing up in Camelot

Elaine does not like Camelot. Uther openly favours Morgana and Athur over Elaine, which in turn has created resentment in Elaine, for both Uther and her older sister. She understands the favouritism for Arthur, being Uthers only child and heir of his kingdom, however it still pains her that she is left out all the time.

She also resents that she was so young at the time of Gorlois’ death that she can barely remember her own father. Elaine has a close bond with Lady Anwen and Sir Leon. Due to the fact Elaine was seven when she moved to Camelot, and Leon was twenty-three, they formed a parental relationship.

Elaine didn't like children because they didn't show her the respect that they showed older nobles (as she was a child herself and not a princess). Because of this, in public, she acted as if she isn't as close to Evaine, Anwen and Leon's first born daughter, as she is. Elaine also hid her excitement at Anwen being pregnant again (she secretly wanted the child to be another girl).

## Relationships

### Morgana Pendragon

> You're my sister, we're supposed to squabble.
>
> Morgana to Elaine

Elaine resents Morgana, due to Uther's favouritism towards her, the fact that Morgana remembers a lot about Gorlois, and the fact everyone treats Morgana like she is a princess.

Morgana believes Elaine is naive, trying to teach her morals and values. Elaine sees this as Morgana not respecting her opinion.

Dispite all of this, they are sisters, and do share a sisterly bond. Both care for each other.

### Leon Gaunnes

> No need to feel alone, I will always be here.
>
> Leon to Elaine

Sir Bors the Elder and Evaine are ‘high’ nobles and were friends with Vivienne and Gorlois, so Leon has known Elaine since she were born. He took up the parental role for Elaine when she arrived at Camelot after Vivienne and Gorlois’s deaths.

### Uther Pendragon

> Her father was the greatest man I've ever known, her mother a perfect noble lady, so... devoted. Yet she does not live up to their family name. One day she'll marry to form a great alliance between kingdoms. Maybe then I won't be so disappointed
>
> Uther on Elaine

Elaine is Uthers ward, becoming so after her father died. Uther favours Morgana and Athur over Elaine, which in turn has created resentment in Elaine for both Uther and her older sister.

Elaine tries everything to please and make Uther like her.

Uther refused to teach Elaine Latin. Because of this she went behind his back to learn.

### Arthur Pendragon

> You're not supposed to leave Camelot unguarded, you could get hurt.
>
> Arthur to Elaine

Arthur does care for Elaine, seeing her as a younger sister. However, Elaines and Arthur's relationship is not as strong than Morgana and Arthur's, even though she also grew up with him. This could be due to their age gap or the fact that Uther favours Morgana and Arthur over her, so Morgana' and Arthur spend more time together.

With the help of Leon, Arthur has taught Elaine how to use a bow. This happened after months of Elaine pestering Arthur about wanting to know how to fight with a sword. Arthur thought teaching her how to be a bowwoman would be safer. Uther doesn't know about this.

Elaine had a petty, surface-level crush on Arthur growing up because he was a prince and they were in close proximity. He gave her more attention than he did to other girls and he treat her differently to how he did Morgana (which was very overtly sibling-like), which Elaine sees as her having a chance (this is warped through her child-like perception of things). Once Merlin arrives in Camelot and Arthur's behaviour changes becoming more empathetic and responsible, her crush deepens and she starts to fantasise the moment he realises she is one of the most viable option for his future queen. She begins to imagine that it is inevitable.

This remains as she grows, deepening her animosity to her sister Morgana because her older sister closeness in age to Arthur and position in court makes her one of the few more eligible prospects for Arthur despite the fact both of them have loudly stated on multiple occasions that they have no interest in one another that way.

This prospect of herself and Arthur is something that is encouraged by Uther (who knows that Arthur and Morgana are siblings and so would rather steer Arthur in the direction of Elaine) who manipulates them into spending time together and boosts Elaine's esteem in how she thinks Arthur perceives her.

This later leads to disappointment, jealousy and anger when she realises Arthur would never consider marrying her, and instead favours older, more established princesses (e.g. Vivian daughter of Olaf and Elena daughter of Godwyn).

### Gaius

> Thank you for listening to me Gaius, I know I can always come to you.
>
> Elaine to Gaius

Gaius was originally close to Elaine, knowing that she felt out of place in Camelot. He comforted her when she needed it, but he knews that she holds a lot of hatred in her. He worried that this would one day consume her, and things would turn for the worse. He held out hope that this wouldn't happen, hoping that Elaine could find happiness.

Elaine liked that Gaius treated her the same away as he treated Morgana, using the correct titles, and not belittling her in anyway. She saw Gaius as a grandfatherly figure, knowing that she wouldn't get the fatherly comfort she wants from him, but that he still cared, in a grumpy old man way.

## Marriages

### Urien Oer

> I heard your husband got too excited at the thought of the marriage bed and died.
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> Morgana to Elaine - following Elaine's jab at rumours surrounding Morgana

Elaine marries Urien as a ward of Uther as when Urien comes looking for a wife, it is expected that Uther will offer Morgana. However, Morgana is horrified by the prospect and in this Elaine sees the chance to prove herself as more mature and dutiful than her sister. This is when she is thirteen.

It isn't until she is expected to consummate the marriage after having spent the day realising what a cruel and awful man she is marrying that the reality of things really hit her.

She doesn't realise it but her latent maternal-line magic reaches out and causes Urien to have a heart-attack. She doesn't realise what is going on and calls for help when his breathing changes. The guards storm in and she is rushed away as a physician and healer is called in.

After it is announced that the King died on his wedding night of a heart attack it starts up jesting rumours that he got over-excited and keeled over dead before he could complete the act. This mockery is something Elaine hears even once she returns to Camelot.

### Owain Oer

Elaine marries Owain, the son of her late husband Urien in order to gain power six years later at age nineteen when she is trying to mount an army to storm Camelot.

Compared to Urien, Owain is only eight years her senior and she is older at this point, so they have more of a equal partnership. He is willing to invade Camelot since he wants to prove himself worthy of ruling (so no one looks to his brothers to challenge him) and he also knows her family has old magic (due to his cousin and uncle's involvement with Morgause). Cenred was his cousin who died trying to invade Camelot so if he succeded where he failed then he could prove himself superior. That Elaine is the one proposing it gives him an excuse because of the previous link between her and his family.

He wasn't particularly fond of his father and isn't interested in questioning her on the event of his death. It's a point of embarassment for him. This is something that relieves her as at this point she has realised it was likely her that killed him with her magic.