"I hear your father's throwing a banquet."
Startled, a bleary eyed Arthur looked up from the numerous maps to the dark haired beauty in his doorway. "What?"
She took a few graceful steps forward, surprise showing on her features. "You haven't heard?"
He sat back in his chair, racking his brain for any mention of such a thing. Nothing came to mind. Come to think of it, aside from pushing for him to marry, his father really hadn't talked to him much lately. "No."
She bunched the skirt of her long dress in her hands. "One of the servants mentioned it to Adelaide while she was working in the kitchen this afternoon. From the sounds of it, it will be one of the biggest Camelot has ever seen. It's to happen soon." Taking a few steps closer, she glanced at the papers spread out over the table. "Going on a hunting trip?"
"Not exactly," he muttered, rolling them up before she could look too closely at the markings he had made. "Going on a trip... for… well…" No words came to mind.
"When?" She inquired instead, not letting him think of an excuse.
"Next week," he answered slowly, looking at her suspiciously. "Why are you so interested?"
"I want to come with you," Morgana announced plainly.
This had been the last thing he was expecting her to say. Arthur shook his head, trying to convey to her silently that she couldn't come along, that she wasn't welcome on this expedition. "I really don't…"
"Why not? I'd like to get away from the castle for a while." She looked at him sideways, accusingly. "Unless you have other reasoning for this trip."
"I…" Tell her! All he had to do was tell her! She'd understand. After all, how would it look to a Princess or Lady - should he actually make it there - if he had another woman along with him? "No. It's just…We'll just be sleeping in the countryside. You're not accustomed to that."
"Neither are you," she pointed out with a smirk, recalling when they had gone to Merlin's home village. It was no secret that Arthur had hated not having a proper bed. "I'll have Adelaide be sure that we are packed."
"Morgana!" he tried to argue, but it was apparent that she had already made up her mind. She grinned at him as she walked out. "You're impossible!"
Uther exhaled slowly, trying to expel some of the pain from deep within himself out into the room along with his breath. He was glad to be alone for the moment. It was in these rare times that he could actually suffer, as pain often required. Usually, there would be a servant, or advisor, or someone else around for one reason or another, and he'd have to pretend that everything was fine.
But everything was not fine, and it grew worse by the day. He knew this, and Gaius knew this, but not another soul. It grew increasingly difficult to hide.
Slouching back in his chair, he tried to relax, hoping that it would ease the sharp knives stabbing him from deep inside. He wanted to tell Arthur, he did. However, earlier in the day, word had been sent to him that Arthur was making plans to ride out to the neighbouring kingdoms. The boy had finally listened. Naturally, that meant he couldn't tell Arthur now. His son had to go, he had to find a wife.
His days as king grew shorter as Arthur's drew nearer. His son had become a fine young man, and he knew that he'd make a good replacement. Closing his eyes, Uther hoped with all that he had that his son would do better. Be a better king, use better judgement then he had. Uther had made mistakes, and he knew of them. Some he regretted more then others.
Arthur would do better.
Arthur would rule well, and his sons would one day continue the Pendragon rule as well.
He wouldn't be around to see them, to see any of his hopes. He'd only been around to see his own failures. Yet, he knew that Arthur would make him proud, even if he were not there to witness it.
For the first time in ages, Uther bowed his head and wept.
"I told him we were coming along," Morgana explained with a hint of pride in her voice as Adelaide tied the fastenings of her dress.
The servant girl grinned. "I'll be glad to spend a few days in the country. I've missed it." Moving to the next fastening, Adelaide tilted her head to try to see Morgana's face. "Tell me, are we going just to annoy Arthur?"
"Not exactly," the raven haired lady replied, and her maidservant smirked. "I really am tired of the castle. A couple days out will be good." She sighed. "He believes that I do not know why he's riding out."
Adelaide raised an eyebrow. "The whole castle knows. Why would you not?"
It was evident that the Lady had been hurt. "I don't know. He wouldn't even tell me why he was going when I asked." She inhaled sharply suddenly. "Too tight."
"Sorry, my Lady," Adelaide said apologetically, loosening the offending fastening. "Men are strange creatures, my Lady. Perhaps he is worried about hurting you?"
"But why?" Morgana asked over her shoulder.
The dark haired servant shrugged, finishing the last of them. "There has always been something between you two, which I believe comes from knowing someone so closely for so long. Perhaps he is worried that finding a bride would break that?"
"You sound as though you've seen this before," Morgana pointed out, fixing and smoothing out her dress in the mirror while Adelaide picked out a necklace to go with the outfit from her jewellery. "Or something like it."
The girl looked down, and stopped a moment, a far away sadness of an aching memory flooding her eyes. "I left the countryside for a reason, my Lady," she answered quietly before regaining her smile and continuing with her duties as Morgana sat down in the chair near her. "What do you think this Princess will be like?" She asked offhandedly.
Morgana laughed as her servant hooked her necklace around her neck. "Hopefully not full of herself, too dainty to do anything but sit around all day." She sat up straighter, folding her hands in mockery of the girl in question.
"Would Arthur really marry someone like that?" Adelaide asked, grinning.
A knock at the door interrupted the two.
"Enter," Morgana called. "I hope not," she added quickly to her handmaiden as Merlin pushed open the door and peered in.
"Gaius wanted to know how the sleeping draught worked," he said, avoiding Adelaide's piercing eyes, "he says he can make a stronger one if necessary?"
"No, it's fine, Merlin," Morgana told him politely, giving him a smile. It was lie, the dreams kept coming, but nothing could stop them. She knew that now.
He nodded, and began to shut the door. Hesitating a moment, he stopped and opened it a bit more, raising his blue eyes to the young woman glaring at him. "I'm sorry about before, Adelaide," he offered quietly. "I didn't mean to upset you."
Morgana watched the two in confusion, but her handmaiden understood.
"It's all right," Adelaide replied curtly with a slight nod, turning her eyes down. "You didn't know."
Merlin gave her a tiny smile before closing the door behind him as he left. Fixing her bandanna that held back her hair, Adelaide turned away from the door and her Lady's questioning eyes.
"Did something happen?" Morgana finally asked curiously when her handmaiden remained silent. Adelaide rubbed the bridge of her nose before turning back with a forced smile.
"No. Nothing of importance," she replied, but Morgana's eyes remained incredulous. Adelaide pretended not to notice.
A/N: If any of you like webcomics, I've turned Replacement into one :D Or started anyways. It's on my deviantart for those interested :D
