This story covers the two-part episode that starts Series 5, titled "Arthur's Bane." I was disappointed with the way Sefa's storyline ended, mostly because I liked her a lot and wanted her to stick around. Up until it was revealed that she was Ruadan's daughter, I expected the story to go in a different direction. This is my version, in which Sefa is not Ruadan's daughter but his servant. The scenes that appear in the show are as close to canon as possible; I made edits only where it was necessary for the new storyline. It will obviously depart more once we get to the part where Ruadan rescues her. Please read and review!

Morgana paced back and forth across the room. "It is not enough to search for the Diamair," she said. "Camelot grows stronger every day. What if we should not find this key?"

Ruadan stepped toward her. "We will find it, my lady."

"So you have been saying," she snapped, rounding on him. "And still we are no closer. We must have another way of gaining information about Arthur in the meantime."

"What are you suggesting?"

"A spy," Morgana answered. "The Pendragons are cautious only with their enemies, not with their friends. The castle is easily infiltrated." She began pacing again. "We need someone intelligent, someone who can be trusted, but who will go easily unnoticed."

"My lady, may I offer myself?" Ruadan asked.

Morgana shook her head. "No, I need you here." She stopped. "What about that girl of yours?"

"Sefa?" Ruadan wrinkled his brow in surprise. "I don't know, I hadn't thought of it. She is intelligent enough, it's true, and very obedient."

"Can she be trusted?"

"She knows what consequences await should she betray us."

Morgana nodded. "Good. Fetch her." She turned to look out the window and smiled. "I hear the Lady Guinevere is looking for a handmaiden."

Sefa stepped out of the edge of the forest and looked down the hill. Camelot rose up in front of her, shining and vast. Ruadan's horse pulled up alongside her.

"I will go no further," her master said. "Enter through the city gates and take the road to the castle. You must report to the royal steward and tell him you are here to answer the notice. Should you discover anything, send word and I will meet you in the forest." Sefa nodded. "And Sefa," Ruadan continued. "Do not fail me."

His servant gulped. "Yes, master."

Sefa started down the hill as Ruadan rode back off into the woods. She made her way through the town and up to the castle. It was much larger and busier than she had expected. She entered the large courtyard, looking for some indication of which way she might go to find the steward.

"Oi, get out of the way!"

Sefa stumbled backwards as she scrambled to get out of the way of the oncoming cart. As she caught her balance, she knocked into someone. She turned around to see a brown-skinned woman in a deep red dress.

"I beg your pardon, milady," Sefa said, dropping into a curtsy. "I didn't see you, I didn't mean any harm, I swear..."

"It's quite all right," the woman told her, smiling. "No harm done. I don't think I've seen you before, what's your name?"

"Sefa, milady."

"I'm pleased to meet you, Sefa. Are you new in Camelot?"

The girl nodded. "Yes, milady. I've come to answer the notice for the queen's handmaiden. I was looking for the steward."

The woman smiled. "He's usually in the chamber beside the main hall, but that's no matter right now. You can speak directly to me about it. I am Queen Guinevere."

Sefa's eyes widened and she curtsied again. This was just like her, knocking into the queen of Camelot on her first day. "Milady, forgive me, I didn't realize."

Guinevere shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive. Why don't you come inside with me, and we'll talk over the position."

Sefa followed the queen up the large steps and into the castle. She told her lies well, spinning a story of her long-dead parents and of being sent away from the village where she used to work after a difficult harvest. She promised the queen that although she had never served in anywhere as grand as the castle, she was a hard worker and quick to learn. Guinevere agreed to take her on for a week before coming to a final decision.

Sefa was given a room in the servants' wing and Guinevere began showing her around her own chambers. Her head spun as the queen went through her list of duties. Guinevere saw her worried face and smiled.

"Don't worry," the queen assured her kindly. "You'll get the hang of it in no time. For now, I'll show you down to the kitchens, because you'll be expected to serve the midday meal, and they can be a bit hard to find. After that you'll need to accompany me to a meeting of the Round Table."

The queen led her new maid down several flights of stairs and meandering corridors until they reached the kitchens. Sefa looked around at the busy servants, many of whom were already preparing the midday meal. The cook started when she noticed them in the doorway.

"My lady," she said quickly, hurrying over and curtsying. "Can I help you?"

"No, I'm just showing my new handmaiden down so she doesn't get lost," the queen answered. "Don't let me interrupt, I know you're very busy."

The cook curtsied again and returned to the stove.

"You'll come here after the meeting," Guinevere explained to Sefa. "The others will show you what to do. And watch out for Audrey," she continued, lowering her voice and nodded at the cook. "She's got quite the temper at mealtimes."

Sefa gulped.

"Come on," Guinevere said, beckoning towards her. "We'll be late for the meeting."

When they finally reached the great hall, the knights had already filed in and taken their seats. From the top of the stairs, Sefa saw King Arthur standing beside a dark-haired boy in a brown jacket. They appeared to be arguing.

"Merlin, is there anything you're actually capable of doing?" the king asked.

To Sefa's surprise, the boy wasn't cowed. He simply smirked and retorted, "Putting up with you."

"Oh, well—"

Guinevere coughed and both men turned to look up at her. Sefa hurried to take the queen's skirt as she began to descend.

"Guinevere," the king exclaimed.

"Sorry I'm late."

"Late? Not at all. Plenty of time."

Sefa saw the boy, Merlin, make a face as Arthur took Guinevere's hand and entered the hall. Merlin nodded and Sefa and she smiled shyly before entering alongside him. She wondered at his boldness, speaking to the king the way he did, especially a king so cruel.

"You take this corner," he whispered as they crossed to the far side of the table.

Sefa stopped obediently beside one of the guards. The king and queen sat as Merlin took his place opposite Sefa. She folded her hands in front of her and tried to mirror his posture. She struggled to keep her face blank as the king began discussing the knights who had gone missing near Ismere. She knew where they had been taken, and that they were unlikely to return. Her task now was to find out what the king intended to do, and to get word to Ruadan before it was too late.

When the meeting ended, Sefa joined Merlin again to follow Arthur and Guinevere from the hall. They stopped beside the doorway to allow the knights to file out in front of them. Arthur stepped up alongside two of the knights and began talking.

"I'm Merlin," Arthur's servant introduced himself.

Sefa smiled. "Sefa."

"You're the Lady Guinevere's new maid, then?" Sefa nodded. "How are you liking it so far?"

Sefa shrugged a bit. "I only just arrived this morning," she answered. "It's hard to say yet, I suppose. But she's been very kind."

It was true, Sefa realized. Despite all she had heard from Ruadan about the Pendragons, the queen had been nothing but welcoming since her arrival, despite Sefa's blundering about. Perhaps, though, it was because she wasn't a true Pendragon. Arthur certainly seemed to have a temper enough.

"She's wonderful," Merlin was saying. "And a far sight easier to serve than Arthur, I imagine."

"I'm sorry for getting you into trouble," Sefa said. "Her ladyship was showing me the kitchens, it's why we were late."

Merlin grinned and shook his head. "It's not your fault," he assured her. "Arthur's just got a temper. I'm used to it."

As if on cue, Arthur turned to look at them. "Merlin, are you going to stand around yapping all day? Go fetch Gaius. Tell him I want him to meet me in my chambers after our meal."

With a rueful smile at Sefa, Merlin hurried off. The girl sighed. There she went, getting the nice boy into trouble again. She followed the queen from the room. Guinevere turned back to look at her.

"You can go on down to the kitchens," she instructed. "They should be expecting you."

Sefa bobbed a curtsy and hurried away. After a few wrong turns, she managed to make her way down to the kitchen. She hadn't thought it could get any busier, but clearly she had been wrong. Servants rushed every which way carrying platters and trays. Sefa approached the cook warily.

"Her ladyship sent me," she said nervously. "I'm to serve the midday meal?"

Audrey barely glanced at her. "You're late, girl. Most of the food's already been sent up. Take this and follow the others." She thrust a dish of vegetables into Sefa's hand.

Sefa followed the other servants up one of the staircases and into a smaller hall. A table was set in the center of the room. She placed her dish alongside the others and stepped away from the table just as the king and queen entered. Sefa backed into a corner as they sat down. Arthur cleared his throat, and Guinevere glanced back at Sefa. She nodded slightly at the pitcher of wine beside her. Sefa hurried forward to fill the king's goblet. The queen smiled at her before turning back to Arthur.

"I've asked to speak with Leon and Elyan after we eat," the king was saying. "We can discuss our next course of action."

Sefa's ears pricked up as she set down the pitcher and stepped into the corner once more.

Guinevere put a hand on her husband's arm. "Let's not dwell on it now," she said. "We've had enough worry for one morning."

Just then, the door opened and Merlin rushed in. Arthur sighed, exasperated.

"And where exactly have you been?"

"Gaius was in the lower town delivering medicines," Merlin panted, struggling to catch his breath. "You try running the length of Camelot sometime."

Arthur only rolled his eyes. Merlin shook his head and took his place opposite Sefa. She blushed and looked down as he raised his eyebrows at her. She was glad she didn't have to wait on the king. Her own master was harsh, but never in front of others. She'd hate to see how Arthur treated Merlin in private.

When the two finished eating, Guinevere turned to Sefa. "We're going back up to our chambers," she said. "Will you have Audrey send up a tray of fruit for the afternoon?"

Sefa curtsied reluctantly. She had a feeling this meeting would be important, and she wanted to be there to gather any information she could. And hadn't they just eaten? How much food did two people need in a day? However, she could hardly defy the queen, so she returned to the kitchen. She collected a tray of apples from the cook and made her way to the king and queen's chambers. She was about to reach for the door handle when she heard the queen's voice from inside.

"May I make a suggestion?" Queen Guinevere asked. "What if you were to take a different route? Approach Ismere from the west."

Sefa's heartbeat quickened. They were planning to attack Morgana's fortress. She pressed her ear closer to the door.

"Through Annis' lands?" Arthur asked.

"It would certainly take Morgana by surprise," said a voice Sefa didn't know.

"Would Annis grant safe passage to so many armed men?"

"I believe she would, sire."

After a moment, the king responded. "Dispatch a rider immediately. We'll follow at dawn. Remember, if we're to succeed, no one must know of our intentions."

The voices stopped. Sefa stepped away from the door, but not quickly enough. Merlin opened it and knocked into her, sending the tray and apples rolling across the floor.

"Sorry!" he said immediately.

Both servants dropped to their knees and began collecting the fruit as the knights filed out of the room. Sefa smiled despite herself; she hadn't been caught.

"It's fine, really," she told Merlin. "I'm the one who should apologize."

"What for?"

She shrugged. "I keep getting you into trouble."

He shook his head. "Ah, I'm used to it." He began digging under a chair for one of the runaway apples.

"Merlin!"

Sefa bit her lip as the king's voice echoed up the corridor. The man did appear to have a temper. It was a wonder Merlin could stay so cheerful. And she did keep getting him into trouble, no matter what he said, despite how kind he had been to her.

Merlin, however, only raised his eyebrows. "You should hear him when he's really angry."

Sefa chuckled for a moment, but her smile disappeared as the king shouted again, much more loudly. At this, even Merlin's face fell.

"Like now," he finished. His smile was back quickly, however. "If you need anything, let me know." With a flourish and a bow, he held out another apple to her.

Sefa laughed and took it. "Thank you," she said. As Merlin rushed away, she smiled to herself. It was comforting to have a friend in such a forbidding place.