User blog comment:DragonsHaveMoustaches/Why did Gaius take Morgause to the High Priestesses?/@comment-5209013-20120625084107

Thanks a lot everyone for your theories! I've outlined them and have added pro and contra arguments.

Please comment and tell me what you think.

1. Gaius tried to protect Morgause  from the Great Purge .

 Pro  Contra
 * Gaius was a practitioner of the Old Religion himself, and therefore would have tried to keep a magical child alive.
 * The High Priestesses were, very likely, the most qualified to protect a magical child as they were very powerful.
 * Gaius probably knew Morgause's parents, and would therefore have tried to protect her.
 * We don't know how old Morgause was at the time she was smuggled out of Camelot ( but there is one indication : When in 'The Sins of the Father' Gaius asks her if she's been here – Camelot – before, she answers that she was just a baby at the time. That would mean she was probably smuggled out of Camelot  before  the Great Purge ). If it were indeed before the Great Purge, why should he have protected her?
 *  We already know that Uther sometimes overlooked magic when it was in his own advantage (e.g. when it could be used to heal Morgana in 'the Crystal Cave). So then why would he execute the child of either his best friend or the woman he slept with?

'''2. Gaius tried to protect Morgause because she was illegitimate. '''

 Pro  Contra
 *  Morgause was probably smuggled out of Camelot before the Great Purge, and therefore  not  because she was magical. There must have been another reason.
 *  In 'The Sins of the Father', before Uther's confession that he is Morgana's father, Gaius believed that Morgana and Morgause were merely half-sisters, meaning that they either shared a father or a mother. Given that it's assessed by Morgause that they share the same mother and that they kept on calling each other 'sister', it would mean Vivienne must've slept with another man and therefore making Morgause illegitimate.
 *  Uther was lead to believe that Morgause had died. That would make sense because Gorlois was his best friend and Vivienne having an illegitimate child would've brought shame upon both men.
 *  The bracelet Morgause gave to Morgana bore the mark of Gorlois' House. Vivienne wouldn't have given it to Morgause if it didn't symbolise her heritage.

''' 3. Gaius tried to protect Morgause because she was ill. '''

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> Pro <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> Contra
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Uther was lead to believe she had died, indicating that he hadn't ordered her to be executed.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">In the legends, it is said that she was a sickly child.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The High Priestesses were probably very good healers.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">Why would they have lead Uther to believe Morgause had died if there wasn't any danger of the Great Purge yet?
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">If Morgause was indeed brought to the High Priestesses because she was ill, then why did she stay there when she was healed again?

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">'''4. Children with magical gifts were typically sent to the Isle of the Blessed'''

<p style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> Pro <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm"> Contra
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">This is historically correct (e.g. the Vestal Virgins).
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Given that Morgause was very powerful, she must've shown her abilities already at an early age.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Vivienne was probably a High Priestess.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">The High Priestesses, being powerful Seers, most likely predicted her great destiny and wanted to keep her close.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Gaius supported the Old Religion and wanted to keep it alive.
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">Again, why was Uther lead to believe that Morgause had died?
 * <p style="margin-bottom: 0cm">If Vivienne was a High Priestess, then was she allowed to marry Gorlois? (this is just a question, not an argument ; were High Priestesses allowed to marry?)