"Arthur, I can see you are troubled, please tell us. You know you can trust us."

The King didn't reply. He seemed lost in thought; he held a blank expression on his face and neither seemed to pay attention. It has been like this for almost an hour. They had called a meeting at the Round Table, just for the few of them, just for those who had helped to reclaim Camelot from Morgana: besides Arthur and his Queen, the knights were also there, Sirs Leon, Percival, Gwaine and Elyan; only one of the chairs was empty, in regard to Lancelot, who sacrificed himself for Arthur during the Dorocha attack. Despite his betrayal afterwards he HAD BEEN one of them. Neither Merlin was there, because, as soon as he and Arthur had come back from their hunting trip two hours before, he had been called to tend to Lord Taren who had arrived in Camelot a week before.

Once all gathered, they had begun talking about the usual staff, like patrols, some tax problems, Gwaine's problem with ale (among the other things), but this time Arthur was not involved in their usual banter as if something important and serious was crushing his mind. After the umpteenth mmmhhh and the hundredth stiff nod, Gwen had decided to confront her husband.

"Please, Arthur, let's solve this together. This is the aim of this Table, isn't it? To listen to everybody and help one another in any way possible."

"Gwen is right, Princess" said Gwaine. "Your mood is bloody annoying me. Let's discuss this in front of some cups of mead, shall we?". His hint earned him a glare by both Leon and Percival. The first in particular had been in Camelot for more time than the other, and had known the King for the longest time: he had never seen him so, well, he did not know what exactly, but he was almost sure it was something similar to "defeated". His eyes were glassy and yet something akin to anger and despair could be seen as a glint in their depths. What the hell happened? Leon had no idea, nor had the others.

Hearing his wife's pleading, Arthur sighed and closed his eyes. He seemed to recollect his thoughts for a moment and then he hesitantly asked to Gwen: "Tell me something, Gwen. Let's imagine this kind of situation: you are still a commoner who lives in Camelot, but you have a lot of friends you say you trust with your life; then imagine that you find out you have magic: you don't study it, you just… have it, and of course you don't want to use it for evil, because, well, you are… you, but you have it anyway. Would you tell your friends, the same one you say you trust with your life, about your newfound ability? Or will you keep it a secret, afraid that they could betray you?"

Gwen was astounded. What kind of question was that? He looked to the others and in their face saw the same confusion that was surely displayed on hers. What was the point?

"Arthur, I don't understand…" The King interrupted her.

"Please… just… answer me. Try to… look at that situation from that point of view. What would you do?"

At this point she understood that he was completely serious and began to ponder about that. What would she do? She obviously had never found herself in that kind of situation, but she knew magic was banned…

"No, I wouldn't tell them."

Now it was Arthur's turn to be confused. "If you say that you trust them with your life, then why not…"

"Because it's completely different. If you have lived in Camelot all your life, this means that you have been taught that magic was evil all your life, and so have your friends. If you have lived in Camelot all your life, then you have seen people burn and die for magic, sometimes completely innocent people who were denounced by some maybe jealous neighbor who wanted to get rid of them, you have seen friends turn their backs to friends if these were accused of witchcraft. Trust somebody with such a secret… I'm not sure I would have been able to do that, it's… like hand over your life in the hands of another person. Besides… if they also have spend all their life in Camelot, how would you know they wouldn't accuse you of having enchanted them, or that you are evil… Newborn where drowned under your father's reign, and they hardly could have hurt anybody: if they weren't above the law, how could you pretend to be?"

The others were listening to the Queen and couldn't deny that it made sense.

"Don't you think that magic is evil?" asked curious Leon.

Gwen didn't know how to answer, when Arthur stepped on: "This conversation is not going outside this rooms. Inside here I am not the King of Camelot… for his meeting let's not even consider that there are laws. We are in another kingdom and, as good friends, we are talking about random topics." Everyone grinned at that. "So, Gwen, what do you think of magic? And prepare yourselves, friends, because the question is also for you."

Gwen smiled before answering. "I know that I have always heard that magic is evil, but I have always had doubts: I saw the babies, they were completely innocent, and the druids who were burned. Maybe magic is not inherently evil, maybe it's just like a crossbow or a sword, it's the wielder that decides how to use it…"

"I agree with Gwen" said Percival . "I have lived for a while near a Druid settlement on the borders of Camelot: they were friendly and kind, always eager to help; we didn't have physicians there and there were many times when lives were saved thanks to their healers…"

"And let's not forget that sorcerers can conjure ale!" interrupted Gwaine.

"And how the hell would you know that?" asked a bewildred Elyan.

"Long story. Involved a barmaid, a bet and a horse…"

"That's not story-time, Gwaine. So your opinion on magic is influenced only by the benefits of its use in refilling your cup?" asked Arthur.

"Of course not, Princess, however it's a great part of my reasons. I've travelled a lot, and for what I've seen of this world, nothing is entirely black and white, so why would magic be different?"

"I think I agree with Gwen" said Elyan, "maybe not all magic is bad, it's the nature of man that corrupts… However I would not trust a wandering magic-users, neither if he is a Druid, my last meeting with one of them was not exactly pleasant…"

"I would never kill a Druid" said Leon with strong confidence. Seeing the other's puzzled looks he explained: "Druids saved me with the Cup of Life when I was mortally wounded, they have my gratitude, because I belonged to those same Knights that slaughtered them in the past, and yet they didn't hesitate to save me. That's not an action of evil men, if they were they would have let me die…"

They all remembered now, just before the Immortal Army led by Morgause attacked Camelot, Sir Leon was the only Knight of his patrol to come back alive, even after believed to be dead and he owed his life to the Druids.

The King nodded and then was again lost in thought. "You have a point actually. But, going back to that situation, tell me, Guinevere" he seemed uncertain now, "you surely would tell Elyan of your newfound abilities… he's your brother after all…"

Gwen thought for a moment and then shook her head. "No, telling him would be an even greatest mistake. It's not just the fear for yourself… I think it's also fear for the people you love. If you ever got caught, you would condemn them as well. I would not bear to doom him, or anyone else for the matter, to death for consorting with sorcery. It would be unfair and unjust..."

"Arthur, what's the point of this interrogation?"

The King didn't seem to hear Leon's question while carefully pondering Gwen's reasonings. They all appeared logical and unselfish, then this was Gwen after all, what was to expect? She was so kind and caring and altruist, exactly like… No, don't think about that, not now. Control yourself and present the situation to your friends and to your wife, in a calm and polite way.

He breathed deeply and began. "Well, I…" then hesitated. Who was he trying to fool? This was all wrong, so wrong. He had no idea of how to explain something like this and again the overwhelming feeling of anger, confusion, betrayal and sadness fell over him. How could he ask for advice when he could not bring himself to announce that they had been fooled, all of them, and that even the strongest beliefs had crumbled around him like a caste of leaves in the autumnal wind? He fell silent again, and covered his eyes with his hand, trying to hold back his tears, because there was no way the King of Camelot was going to cry over something like this. What would his father say? And yet, here he was, his heart breaking again after having been lying to again and having witnessed again the shattering of his life, always, always, betrayed by those he trusted and cared the most in the world… Was he even worth of being King? Lies and lies and lies and deceit seemed to be the only thing his heart could be fed with, then why couldn't he learn and accept that everybody lies? His father would say that a King rules alone, that putting trust in others is a symbol of weakness; Arthur has always thought he was wrong, but then, if this was what came out of trust, maybe he had a point…

The Knights were worried now, they have never seen their King look so helpless; neither Morgana's betrayal had moved him so, neither Agravaine's…

The King seemed to be under torture.

Then they heard a knock and a moment later the wooden doors of the Council Chamber opened.