Arthur couldn't believe that his father had had him thrown into the dungeons. He had known that his father would be angry that his orders had been disobeyed but Arthur couldn't stand by and watch Merlin die in his place. The poisoned chalice had been meant for him not Merlin and Arthur was determined to make it right.

He also couldn't believe he had survived the journey, that maiden had met in the caves had surely meant for him to die but somehow he had cheated death and he was intrigued by her words that he wasn't meant to die at her hands, although she had left him in the caves to die. Arthur knew he would have enough time to ponder these things especially as it seemed that his father was determined to have him spend at least a week locked up in the dungeons.

He remembered his father's reaction.

"You disobeyed me," Uther had said.

"Of course I did," Arthur had replied. "A man's life was at stake. I couldn't let Merlin die because of something I did."

"Why do you care so much?" Uther was perplexed. "The boy is just a servant."

"He knew the danger he was putting himself in," Arthur replied. "He knew what would happen when he drank from that goblet but he did it anyway. He saved my life."

He had shown his father the flower and begged him to get it to Gaius who would know what to do with it to save Merlin's life. He watched in shock and anger as his father crushed the flower in his hand and threw it to the ground.

000

"He doesn't have much time," Gaius said. "Has Arthur got the flower?"

"I don't know," Gwen told him. "Uther wouldn't allow anyone to see him." She looked at Merlin who was writhing in pain. "Is there nothing we can do?"

"Only the leaf of the mortaeus flower can save him."

"Then we have to find out if Arthur has it."

Gwen told Gaius of her plan to sneak into the dangers and she wouldn't brook any disapproval. She was the only chance they had of finding out if Arthur had the flower, and she as she had only just graduated from being a kitchen maid no one would think anything of her going to take Arthur his food. She only had to make sure she did it before the real maid who was supposed to do it did.

000

Arthur looked up as he saw Guinevere approach his cell. He knew who she was – Morgana's new maid. He had seen her in the castle on a number of occasions and knew that she and Morgana had become very close and were friends in fact. What surprised him was that he knew her name; he told himself that it was because it was so unusual but refused to wonder why she was the first servant whose name he knew.

"Set it down over there," he told her and watched as she did and then she took a step back.

He stood up thanked her and walked to the table, he had already decided what he was going to do and hoped that Guinevere would pick up on it. He looked at the food and as Gwen made to leave the cell he spoke.

"Wait a minute," he said. His back was turned to the guard and he hoped that man wouldn't see what he was doing. "I couldn't possibly eat this. It's disgusting," he paused and looked at Guinevere – he hoped that she would understand what he was really saying. "The state it's in, it's not fit for anyone."

He watched as Gwen hid a frown walked back to the table and picked up the plate. She looked at the bread and smiled at him and left the cell.

She had understood.

000

Gwen checked her mail again. Nothing. She hadn't received any mail from Phoenix in almost a week. What was wrong with him?

She had written to Phoenix as soon as Merlin had woken up from the poison he had drunk during the visit from Bayard and the entourage from Mercia; excited to share the news – about Merlin's survival and her role in it – with him, although she had been careful to leave out as much personal detail as she could.

She couldn't believe that she had actually been able to fool the guard and that she and the Prince of Camelot had communicated via some sort of code. Gwen couldn't believe it she had stood in that cell with Arthur, and for the first time in her life she had really seen a humane and clever side to him, of course the fact that he had been willing to disobey his father and go try to find a cure for a servant, and one that he'd only known a few days had made Gwen start to rethink her earlier assessment of him but now Gwen wondered if she had been wrong about Prince Arthur all along. There was certainly more to him than met the eye.

Not that it mattered, he was the Prince of Camelot, heir- apparent and they were worlds apart. In fact she wondered why he was taking up so much of her thoughts. Phoenix was the one she ought to be wondering about, especially now that he/she seemed to be ignoring her mails.

As she entered her bed her last idle thought was for poor Arthur who had had to stay in the dungeons, well at least the week was up and Merlin was alive and still his servant, everything was back to normal.

000

Arthur sat on his bed. He would never complain about the lump in his bed again, not after the week he'd spent in the dungeons. He'd never thought he'd be glad to see his room again.

He had missed everything but especially being able to write to Aqua and as soon as he had seen his father and had his dinner, and Merlin had stopped thanking him and left his room, he got his laptop and checked his mail.

'Dear Aqua,' he wrote.

'You must have thought I had disappeared off the face of the earth or that I have thrown you out…as if… you wouldn't get rid of me that easily.

What can I say? This week has been a lesson in humility for me. I have learnt things I never thought I needed to learn but as with many lessons, you don't plan them but life kind of just throws them at you and you have no choice. Unfortunately I can't tell you where I was because of our agreement but I'm glad to be back and especially to be able to write to you.

So there's this guy that you like? Does that mean that you're a girl? I know that it shouldn't matter and that we agreed not to discuss such 'trivial and unimportant' things but just so you know I am a guy. There I said, well wrote, it. So back to the guy, does he like you too? What did he say?

As to the other matter of helping your friend, I'm glad you were to help them and that in the process you learnt something about new about the 'prat' whom we shall not even bother to give a name. You're always the one telling me not to judge people too quickly so I'm glad to hear that you think 'prat' is not beyond redemption. I bet 'prat' is just like the rest of us, trying his best to do good in the best way he knows how.

Phoenix.'

000

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It's canon but with computers, email, showers etc, I hope it's not too confusing.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.