Chapter 2

"I will alert my father that you will be arriving soon," Arthur said on his way out the door.

Cyri nodded, and Arthur left Gaius's chambers. Gaius turned to Cyri. "Here, now, let me see your knee."

Again, Cyri nodded, and lifted the ragged remains of her dress off of her wounded knee. Gaius felt the joint and surrounding bones, checking for anything broken. After checking all bones near where Cyri claimed she had been hurt, Gaius stood.

"Well," he concluded, "you've broken the joint in your knee, which means you'll need something to keep your leg straight while it heals. Merlin, fetch me a slab of wood and some bandages. Merlin? Are you alright?"

Merlin was still staring into deep nothingness, and had not moved since Cyri had announced she hunted those with magic. He jumped at Gaius's voice. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," he stuttered, running over to the court physician's supplies to grab what Gaius had requested.

"Here you are," Merlin stated plainly when he gave Gaius his supplies. Gaius raised an eyebrow at him, then began to craft a splint for Cyri. Merlin watched in silence as the physician did his work, trying desperately to figure out by Cyri's expression if she knew about his magic. He pushed the thought from his head, beginning to think maybe the lady could read minds, too.

"There you go, my lady, you should be alright to stand now," Gaius said, finished with his work. Cyri lowered her dress fragment, and stood shakily. Gaius reached out his hand to steady her, and gestured to Merlin to come stand near her. At first, he was confused, than Merlin remembered that he was to escort Lady Cyri to Uther.

"Let's get going, then," Merlin muttered, trying not to sound too afraid that before he got there, he'd be executed at Cyri's hands.

Merlin stood on Cyri's left, keeping her balanced. They walked in silence to Uther's throne room.

* * *

"Arthur tells me you are the daughter of King Ferdinand of Algerot," Uther said with a surprised expression as he looked at Cyri, "and also that your father is...dead?"

Cyri nodded. "Yes, my lord, he was killed by...an enemy." Merlin wondered why Cyri had hesitated before saying that the king had died to an enemy.

"Lady Cyri, what brings you to Camelot?" Uther said, trying to change the subject.

"My brother, Charles. He wished to become a knight, but he died before he got to the castle."

Uther's eyes widened. "Bandits?" he inquired.

Cyri shook her head. "No, sir, we were fired upon by crossbow bolts. Now, I won't name names, but I know who the faces of the men were...."

"Tell me, so that they may know what they have done!" Uther demanded, getting mad that this lady had been fired at.

Cyri took a breath, but before she could answer, Arthur stepped in. "Father," he began, "it was my men and I who had fired the crossbows. We were aimed at a buck, and they're horses went right in front of the bolts."

Uther stared at his son. "So we can never know who killed the son of King Ferdinand?"

Arthur cleared his throat. "Well, actually, all my men's bolts were of the same make but one...the one that killed Prince Charles."

"Which man? I must know! Do they know they killed the heir to the throne in Algerot?"

"They do, my lord," Arthur shifted his feet, then looked straight into Cyri's eyes. "because the bolt was mine. I fired the shot that killed Charles."

Cyri gasped, and Merlin could see anger and sadness battling in her eyes. Sadness won, and she was overcome with tears. "A-Arthur you...you..." she couldn't finish for her tears.

Uther stared at his son, a fire burning in his eyes. Merlin could tell he was caught between emotions: whether to be mad at Arthur for his foolishness or realize that it had been all an accident. Finally, he looked at Arthur and stated calmly but sternly, "we will speak of this later, Arthur."

Arthur nodded, trying not to show the slight annoyance and fear in his eyes. "Yes, father."

After Cyri had regained herself, Uther went on. "Arthur also tells me you can sense magic; feel it being used. Is this true?"

"Yes, my lord, it is. I am best at it in my family, but my sister, Ana, also has this feeling."

"Excellent! You may be able to stay in the castle yet!"

"My lord?"

"We are in need of a magic hunter, a witch killer, someone who stays in Camelot and disposes of its sorcerers."

"Yes, my lord?"

"Would you take the position, once you can stand on your own, of court witch hunter?"

"Y-yes, my lord! I would be honored! Thank you!"

Uther smiled. "Absolutely. I'm happy to help someone of Ferdinand's family." Uther's expression became more serious. "Speaking of which, you don't have any other older siblings, correct?"

"No, my lord, Charles was my only older sibling."

"He was also your only brother?"

"Yes," Cyri answered, beginning to pick up on where Uther was going.

"Then with your father dead, and the...condition of your mother, you are the eldest remaining heir to the throne?"

Cyri sighed. "Yes, my lord, I am."

Arthur stared at her, then bowed deeply. "My lady," he stated, "Queen of Algerot."

Merlin's jaw dropped, and he had the impulse to bow, but then remembered if he did, Cyri would fall to the ground. He stood against his respectful urge. Cyri whispered, "thank you, Merlin. I hate this recognition."

"I knew your brother, Cyri," Uther stated, pulling himself from slight shock, "and I would have been honored to have him as a knight here in Camelot. He will be remembered, as of now, as an honorary knight."

Cyri's tears returned. "Thank you, my lord," she whispered.

Uther nodded. "Arthur, see to it that the lady Cyri has a room to stay in near Gaius's chambers."

"Yes, my lord," Arthur left the room, followed by Merlin and Cyri.

Cyri was still crying, but she had a faint smile on her face. "Uther has many horrid names, but he truly has a heart somewhere," she said.

Merlin smiled. "I guess so, but you only just met him. I've seen him do some pretty bad things in the past, to people with magic, mostly."

Cyri looked into his eyes. "Magic?" she asked, "I know he's bad to people like that, but then again, so am I..."

Merlin looked away. "Oh, yeah. Sorry, I'd forgotten..."

Just then, Arthur came walking towards them. "Merlin, forgot to get this to you earlier," he stated blankly, handing his man servant a small sack. "It's the gold from before. You remember our bargain, right?"

Merlin stared at him blankly, then he recalled his bet with Arthur over shooting the buck.

"Oh yeah, told you so," Merlin said half heartedly, not really caring now that he knew the consequence of his victory.

"Finally! Now I should be able to get a good nights sleep! That would have kept me up all night." Arthur turned and walked away, off to find a room for Cyri.

Cyri laughed. "What was that about? What bargain did Arthur speak of?"

Merlin's face was grim. "I told him not to shoot that buck, that something might happen. He offered a sack of gold and the chance to say 'I told you so' if something did happen, and the stocks if not...I tried, Cyri, really I did-"

"Merlin," Cyri cut him off, "you knew something would happen? How?"

Merlin now wished he hadn't taken the bet in the first place. "Um, the deer turned it's head, so I thought it heard something...." he stopped, not sure if he continued if he would slip about his magic.

Cyri looked at him, then at her leg. "Thanks for trying, anyhow," she sighed.

Merlin felt bad about the money in his hand, and so he gave it over to Cyri. "Here, I don't need this. I want you to have it. Maybe it will help with the situation with your brother..."

Cyri looked at the sack, aghast. "No, Merlin, you earned this. I don't need it." She tried to give it back.

Merlin looked sternly at the sack. "I don't think I really earned it if it means your brother died in the act. Besides, it's mine and I can do what I want with it."

Cyri nodded, but as soon as they got back to Gaius's chambers, she emptied the sack, and split the contents, giving half to Merlin.

"It's mine, and I can do what I want with it, she stated when he tried to refuse.

Of the money that remained, half went to Gaius for his hospitality and help.

"I hope it will suffice," she smiled as she handed him the money.

Gaius refused to take all that money, but by Cyri's persistence, decided to take two gold pieces. This worked for Cyri. So long as she paid him, she was happy.

By the time Arthur came to Gaius's chambers to tell Lady Cyri her chambers had been arranged, Merlin had just about forgotten her magic seeking ability. However, once she had left, Gaius asked what had happened in the meeting with Uther.

"Cyri is, apparently, the oldest remaining heir to Algerot's throne..."

"She's a queen?" Gaius raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but Gaius, she's the court witch hunter! I think she might know I have magic!"

Gaius's face became very serious. "She must not find out." He looked into Merlin's face. "What does she think of Uther? Has she become a friend of his, or does she see his evil side?"

"She's his friend. He made her brother an honorary knight of Camelot. She doesn't seem to think he has any evil in him!"

"Well, all the more reason to be careful about her. If she did find out about you, she would surely tell Uther."

Merlin nodded, but something made him feel more than fear about this situation. He trusted Cyri. Why was it so hard to see her as an enemy?